Meet the Cast

MEET THE CAST

Wells Abee (Ensemble/Magill Understudy) is thrilled to return to the SYT stage! She has previously performed at SYT in Disney’s Frozen Jr. and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical, and worked backstage for The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. She has also appeared in Spartanburg School District 7 productions of The Music Man, Shrek the Musical, and The Wizard of Oz. Outside of theatre, Wells sings in Spartanburg High School’s choir and is active in her church. She thanks the directors, cast, crew, and her family for their support!

Sara Brooks (Julia) has been in many SYT and SLT productions, with favorite roles including Brigitta in The Sound of Music and Ensemble in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical. She is an 8th grader at Dawkins Middle School and enjoys playing many instruments as well as singing. She would like to thank Dr. Cathy Siarris and her music teachers for supporting her musical interests, her family for their support, and SYT for this amazing opportunity.

Benjamin Davis (Maxwell/Ensemble) is a homeschooled tenth grader. He likes to go to the library, do theatre, support his friends, read, and listen to AJR. His favorite subject is language arts. He has previously been in Robin Hood, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical, and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr. Benjamin is also a member of The Junior Advisory Board for SYT.

Hunter Earls (Dr. Robert/Al Understudy/Ensemble) is starting 8th grade at Gable Middle. School. His favorite theatrical roles so far have been Robin Hood (Sheriff) at SYT, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Jr. (Charlie) at Dorman High School. In addition to theatre, Hunter enjoys pursing his love for music with voice lessons and guitar lessons. He also enjoys film, having been featured in a few commercials and short films. Hunter would like to thank all his friends and family for their continued love and support.

Clara Harp (Ensemble) is making her SYT debut! She previously performed in Matilda at Pine Street Elementary and in a few church plays. When she’s not on stage, Clara loves softball, singing, dancing, and reading.

DJ Johnson (Ensemble/Dr. Robert Understudy) is thrilled to be back on the SYT stage. Some of his favorite credits include School of Rock (James), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical (Fregley), Disney’s Frozen Jr. (Ensemble), and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Jr. (Jerry). DJ is a homeschooled tenth grader and enjoys reading, playing video games, and spending time with friends and family. He would like to give a special thanks to his parents and the production team for this opportunity.

Zoie Johnson (Ensemble/Julia Understudy) is thrilled to join SYT! Favorite roles include Young Bonnie in Bonnie & Clyde (SLT), Alice Paul in Suffs (GCS All-County), Elsa in Disney’s Frozen (Woodmont HS), and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. Zoie received a Spotify-sponsored full scholarship to the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY Camp NYC, where she was 1 of 9 selected to train in musical theatre with Broadway and Grammy professionals. She dreams of Broadway and hopes to use music to heal broken hearts and inspire others to chase their dreams while staying true to themselves.

Jennings Kyle (Ensemble) is a 5th grader at Jesse Boyd Elementary School and has loved being part of musical productions throughout her elementary school years. She played Baby Bear in Shrek the Musical and a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz with Spartanburg School District 7. Last fall, Jennings made her SYT debut as Young Anna in Disney’s Frozen Jr., and she is thrilled to return to the stage with SYT. She hopes you enjoy the show!

AnaRuth Lowry (Prudence) is thrilled to be back on stage with SYT! She was most recently seen as the Queen Iduna in Disney’s Frozen Jr. Other SYT credits include The Rainbow Fish (Puffer Fish) and A Christmas Carol (Mrs. Fezziwig). Offstage, AnaRuth enjoys creative projects, exploring new interests, and making plenty of memories with the people she loves.

Tomas Mallard (Ensemble) is thrilled to be in this show! This marks his fourth production with SYT, and he couldn't be more excited to bring this hilarious retelling to life. He'd like to thank his family and friends for their endless love and support, and gives a huge shout-out to the incredible cast and crew of this show for making every rehearsal a blast. Enjoy the show!

Lakelynn McRoberts (Martha/Ensemble) is a sixth grader at McCracken Middle School. She is excited to be performing in her second production with the SYT family. She previously appeared as Doorman in SYT's The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition. Lakelynn has recently been onstage at Jesse Boyd Elementary as Hermie in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr., as well as District 7 musicals. Lakelynn enjoys softball, babysitting her sister Lucy, and spending time on the lake with her family and friends. She would like to thank her family and Mrs. Cathy for their unfailing support. Shine Bright!

Wren Padgett (Magill) is thrilled to be back onstage at SYT. She was last seen at SYT in Disney’s Frozen Jr. (Ensemble), Pete the Cat: The Musical (Mom) and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical as Claire. When not in theatre, she also loves playing piano, hiking, and spending time with friends. She would like to thank the creative team, the cast and crew, Dr. Siarris, and her family and friends for their endless support.

Betsy Ratterree (Ensemble) is thrilled to be in this production! She is in 9th grade at Spartanburg High School and loves being a part of SYT. Her favorite past roles at SYT include Gus the Platypus in Pete the Cat: The Musical and Unicorn in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Outside of theatre, Betsy also loves playing basketball, reading, dancing, and spending time with her friends. She would like to thank her family and friends for always supporting her!

Ben Rodriguez (Rocky) is very excited to be coming back on stage at SYT. He is a 7th grader at Dawkins Middle School. He has been in other SYT shows, including The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition, Robin Hood, and The Rainbow Fish. In his free time, he enjoys building LEGOs, playing video games, and reading. He would like to thank his sister, Selah, for inspiring him to do theatre.

Mya Stephens (Ensemble/Dance Captain/Prudence Understudy) is excited to be in her second show at SYT and she has loved every second of it. Mya is extremely grateful to get the opportunity to work with such talented people in the process of making this show come to life. She is so excited to put the show on for you to see.

Stephen Wilson (Al) is excited to be back on the SYT stage!  He recently appeared at SYT as Oaken in Disney’s Frozen Jr. Some of his favorite past roles include Rowley Jefferson in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical, Jimmy Biddle in Pete the Cat: The Musical, and ensemble in The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition.  Outside of theater, Stephen enjoys piano, voice performance, composing music, and making creative content for his YouTube channel. He sends a huge thank you to Adam and the amazing SYT team for giving him such incredible opportunities!

MEET THE CREW

Finnigan Anderson is happy to be making his SYT crew debut! Finnigan enjoys drawing, bowling, and spending time with his family. He has been wanting to do a show for a while and would like to thank SYT for this opportunity!

Eowyn Connor is so excited to be back with SYT! She has been on crew for multiple shows with them in the past, including The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition, Disney’s Frozen Jr., and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr. She has also been on crew with SLT for shows such as Grease, Bonnie & Clyde, and Heathers, as well as being Drosselmeyer's magic assistant for Ballet Spartanburg's The Nutcracker. She hopes everyone enjoys the show and wishes the best of luck to all crew and cast!

Evelyn Harp coming soon

Daniel Wright has been in crew for several theatrical productions including The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Very Hungry Caterpillar, Pete the Cat the Musical, Frozen Jr, Robin Hood, and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus all at SYT. The True Story of the Three Little pigs was the first show he ever saw at SYT at it's original showing and he is very enthusiastic to help bring it back another time!

MEET THE PRODUCTION TEAM

JESSIE CANTRELL (DIRECTOR) is always so excited to be working with SYT and is especially thrilled to be making her directorial debut here with this show! She has been working with SLT and SYT for ten years now: performing onstage and working on crew with SLT, teaching SYT camps and classes, and working on production teams in various roles.  She is a graduate of Limestone College, where she received a B.A. in theatre. Her SYT mainstage credits include Production Assistant for Diary of A Wimpy Kid: The Musical, Assistant Director/Costumer for Xanadu Jr., Assistant Director for Disney’s Frozen Jr., and Co-Costume Designer for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! Some of her favorite onstage credits include Anything Goes (Reno Sweeney), Shrek the Musical (Fiona), and Beehive! the 60’s Musical (Patty). She gives her greatest thanks to Adam for this opportunity. Special thanks to her favorite attorney, Heather Scalzo, and her friends and family for all the support during the process. To the cast: Thank you for being so amazing and trusting me for the last 3 months. Each and every one of you are unique, wonderful, silly, and bring something incredible to this show. Belly-up to the trough, piglets!

ANNEKA BRANNON (ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) is a recent graduate of Wofford College with a BA in theatre and humanities. She has experience across the board in acting, directing, and design. Having grown up at SYT, Anneka is thrilled to return as an assistant director and class instructor this season. She sends a big thank you and congrats to the cast and crew! 

ABIGAIL PEUSER (STAGE MANAGER) is a senior at Spartanburg High School. She has been a part of the SYT family since she was in 3rd grade. She has enjoyed having the opportunity to take on many different roles over the years as part of the cast and crew. This is her first time as Stage Manager. She most recently assistant stage managed Robin Hood. Abigail would like to thank Olivia and Hannah for being amazing ASMs and Jessie, Anneka, and Adam for trusting her with this amazing opportunity.

OLIVIA MARSH (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER) is so excited to be a part of her eleventh show at SYT! Some of her favorites include Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook, The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition, Disney’s Frozen Jr., and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr. She is very excited to be the Assistant Stage Manager for this production! She would like to thank her mom, her sisters, Adam, Jessie, and the SYT team for this opportunity!

HANNAH WINKLER (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER) is excited to ASM for the first time! She has been a part of several SYT productions, with her favorite being Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical. She is also involved in theatre at Dorman High School. She would like to thank Adam and Jessie for the opportunity!

ALEXA COTRAN (MUSIC DIRECTOR) is a native of Columbia, SC, and currently works as the Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Spartanburg High School. Alexa has previously music directed at SYT for Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr., Songs for a New World, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical, and Xanadu Jr. Alexa holds a B.M. in music education with a vocal performance certificate from the University of South Carolina Honors College, as well as a Masters of Music in choral conducting from Mercer University. While in Columbia, Alexa worked as one of the music directors for Town Theatre's Youth Theatre program. She taught voice lessons, as well as musically directed the youth productions. Outside of the classroom, Alexa has loved performing since she was a child. She was involved in performances at Town Theatre, in the Broadway Bound Theatre Company, Opera at USC, and Mercer University Opera. If she is not rehearsing a choir or in a theatre, you can find Alexa playing with her two cats, trying new restaurants, or exploring a new city!

LAURELYN KORFHAGE (CHOREOGRAPHER) is so excited to be a part of the SYT team. She received her BM in music theatre from Oklahoma City University. Since then, she has spent her time choreographing for local musicals, show choirs, and summer camps while also performing all around the upstate. Laurelyn also runs her own music studio, Lesson with Laurelyn, where she teaches voice, piano, and guitar lessons. She has truly enjoyed getting to work with everyone involved in the creative process, as well as helping all the cast members find their groove!

SARAH HUBABRD (COSTUME DESIGNER) is thrilled to be a part of The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. A graduate of Converse University with a BA in theatre and a minor in vocal performance, Sarah had the honor of serving as Properties Manager for last season’s Disney’s Frozen Jr. Past SYT costuming credits include Miss Nelson is Missing, Grace for President, and Charlotte’s Web (2017). When not working behind the scenes, Sarah loves to be onstage! A few past favorite roles include Ursula (Disney’s The Little Mermaid), Miss Maudie (To Kill a Mockingbird), and Myrtle Wilson (The Great Gatsby) with Spartanburg Little Theatre, Lady Macbeth (Macbeth) and Viola (Twelfth Night) with Scrappy Shakespeare, and Princess Fiona (Shrek the Musical) with Greer Children’s Theatre.

DR. TIM BAXTER-FERGUSON (SCENIC DESIGNER) is delighted to be designing again for SYT. Some of his favorite designs at SYT include The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr., A Christmas Carol, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Charlotte's Web, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. For Spartanburg Little Theatre his designs include Bonnie and Clyde, The Full Monty, Always a Bridesmaid, Kinky Boots, You Can’t Take It With You, Murder on the Orient Express, Wait Until Dark, and Holmes & Watson. Currently, Tim teaches theatre at both Landrum High School and Landrum Middle School. Previously, for two decades, he created and ran the theatre department at Limestone University. He has worked professionally as a director and scenic designer at Charlotte Children’s Theatre, Queen City Theatre, CAST Theatre, and others. As a playwright, his play Icefishing on Europa was given a staged reading off-Broadway by Out-of-the-Box Theatrics. He has multiple awards both for his scenic design work and his directing. His college production of Avenue Q led to 11 Metrolina Theatre Awards, including Best Direction and Best Scenic Design.

JADE ALFORD (PROPERTIES MASTER/SCENIC PAINTER) is so excited to be working with Spartanburg Youth Theatre again. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Limestone College. She has previously designed props for Pete the Cat: The Musical, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical, Annie Jr., Dragons Love Tacos, Disney’s The Lion King Jr., and The Rainbow Fish. In addition to props, her scenic painting has been seen in SYTs Charlotte’s Web, Annie Jr., Dragons Love Tacos, Disney’s The Lion King Jr., Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr., Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Musical, Pete the Cat: The Musical, and Disney’s Frozen Jr.

ZACHARY DABB (LIGHTING DESIGNER) is excited and grateful to be designing his first show with the Spartanburg Youth Theatre! He holds an MA in theatre from Bob Jones University. Some selected lighting design credits include Macbeth, Pouf, Miracle on 34th Street, All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, Fences, Disney's Newsies, Disney's Frozen the Musical and A Few Good Men. He hopes he can play a small part in inspiring the next generation of lighting designers and technicians the same way many amazing artists have inspired him. Zach lives in Greenville with his beautiful wife Kayley and his three cats Andy, Pam and Stanley.