Elf The Musical

Jerry Lee is Sierra Rep’s Artistic Director. He’s appeared in the SRT productions of Misery, Sunday in the Park with George, Elf The Musical, Shrek The Musical, Camelot, Cabaret, Route 66, Intimate Apparel, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Man of La Mancha, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s State Fair, and The Drowsy Chaperone. As an actor: I Love You…Change, Forbidden Broadway (California Musical Theatre); Life Could Be a Dream, A Christmas Carol (CenterREP); A Little Princess, The Fantasticks (Sacramento Theatre Company); West Side Story (Mountain Play); Orlando, An Iliad, A Tale of Two Cities (SacImpulse Theatre). As a soloist: Rodgers and Hammerstein Celebration (Sacramento Choral Society); Billy Bigelow in Carousel in Concert (Sacramento Philharmonic). As a director: HAIR, Little Shop of Horrors, Mean Girls JR., Sh-Boom! A Christmas Miracle (World Premiere), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Twelfth Night, Jersey Boys, Clue, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh KIDS, Elvis The Musical (West Coast Premiere), Dogfight, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Steel Magnolias, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka KIDS, I Love You…Change, The Wizard of Oz, Holiday Jukebox, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Robber Bridegroom (SRT); I Love You…Change (STC). Lee began his association with Sierra Rep in 2010 when he stepped in as a replacement in Guys and Dolls.

In 2019, Lee created SRT in Schools, a touring program that brings live professional theatre to Tuolumne County schools at no cost to the schools, students, or their families. In 2023, the program branched out to include Stanislaus and Calaveras counties.

Camryn is thrilled to return to SRT this season as an Artistic Associate! Previous SRT credits include: Sunday in the Park with George (Dot/Marie), Cinderella (Ella), Jersey Boys (Mary Delgado), and Elf (Jovie). Camryn has had the pleasure to perform at several regional houses including Casa Mañana and Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. Camryn received her BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Arizona. She would like to thank her friends, family, and SRT for their endless love and support. Enjoy the show!

Brenda O’Brien began her theater career in San Diego, where she was seen as Judas in Godspell, Louise in Gypsy, Nicki in Sweet Charity, and Viola in Twelfth Night (to name a few). She received awards for her roles as Ouisa in Six Degrees of Separation, Joan in Dames at Sea, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, and Electra in Gypsy. Brenda then went on to perform as Svetlana in the 1st National tour of Chess. Soon after she began portraying Carmen San Diego on the PBS television show and video games. In addition to acting, Brenda is an accomplished make-up artist and hairdresser for TV, Film, and Theater. She received her 25 years on Broadway pin in 2019 for her work on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Jekyll & Hyde, and Disney’s The Lion King. SRT Audiences might remember her as Tanya in Mamma Mia (2018), or as Tootie in Meet Me in St. Louis (2021). So glad to be back!

Austin is thrilled to be cast in his fourth SRT main stage production, appearing in Holiday Jukebox, The Wizard of Oz, and ELF, as Michael. A regular in SRT Jr. productions since he was seven, his favorite credits include Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast JR, Wonka in Wonka JR, and Marlin in Finding Nemo JR. Love and gratitude to Mom & Dad and all the mentors and teachers who helped him land his dream role in his favorite musical!

Kevin Heath (Buster; u/s Paul Sheldon) is immensely grateful to return to the SRT stage! Previous SRT credits include Clue (Mr. Green), Elf The Musical (Santa/Greenway), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Grimsby), and Agatha Christie’s Murder on The Orient Express (Michel). His acting career started in New York and Boston before moving to California where he co-founded Limelight Actors Theater. Bay Area production credits include The Velocity of Autumn (Chris), The Outgoing Tide (Jack), and The 39 Steps (Hannay). Kevin is the Manager of Development Operations at SRT and is beyond grateful for his rock, Alan.

Marcus J. Paige is excited to make his SRT debut. His educational background comes from training at both Chapman University’s Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Marcus has performed with several companies of note, including Long Beach Opera, Virginia Musical Theatre, the New Conservatory Theatre Center, and Festival Opera. Past credits include, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, Jamie in The Last Five Years, and Horse in The Full Monty. Named a winner in the Mirabel Schloß Concert Series in Salzburg, Austria, Marcus’ international credits include Brighella and Tanzmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Monostotos in Die Zauberflöte with the Berlin Opera Academy in Berlin, Germany. He was most recently seen in New York as Agwe in Once on This Island, the world premiere of Andrew Lippa’s UNBREAKABLE, and as the singing voice for Zack in Disney Channel’s series, “Milo Murphy’s Law”.

Jackie is thrilled to be returning to SRT once again! She has most recently been seen in SRT’s production of Cinderella as Charlotte. Jackie is a graduate of PCPA and holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Cornish College of the Arts. Favorite credits include: Cinderella, Sunday in the Park with George, Elf, Shrek, and The Wizard of Oz (Sierra Rep); Men on Boats (Cornish College); Freaky Friday (PCPA). Jackie would like to thank her friends and family for their constant love and support.

Mateo is so happy to be a part of the Sierra Rep team! It’s been such a joy with working with all this talent returning and new! They would love to express appreciation to Scott and Jerry for letting them stretch their artistic arms in this way, and Tatiana for providing the tools and moral support necessary to succeed.

Ruby E. James is elated to be a part of this production. She most recently appeared as Ariel in SRT Jr’s production of The Little Mermaid Jr. She is a Junior at Connections Visual and Performing Arts Academy. Other past favorites include: The Little Mermaid (SRT), Matilda (SCT) Annie KIDS (SRT Jr.), Shrek (SRT), Willy Wonka KIDS (SRT Jr.), Alice in Wonderland (CSTARS) Footloose (CVAPAA), The Wizard of Oz (SRT), The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition (SRT Jr.), Suessical (CSTARS). She was awarded and Elly Award and Willy Award for her performance in Matilda at Stockton Civic Theatre. A huge thank you to her friends and family. Happy Holidays and enjoy the show!

Based in the heart of Brooklyn, New York, Christopher is incredibly grateful to finish out the season as a resident company member at Sierra Rep in Cinderella! You may remember him from a number of 2023 MainStage shows, SRT in Schools shows, as well as director/choreographer for SRT Jr. Favorite credits: Buddy the Elf u/s (SRT’s Elf the Musical), Louis/Franz u/s (SRT’s Sunday…), Tobias (Sweeney Todd), Prince Eric (The Little Mermaid), among others. Additionally, he teaches at Mother Lode Dance Academy. Rep: FSE Talent Agency. Love to Kevin.

Cheyenne Omani is originally from the Central Coast of California. Favorite credits include regional productions of Cinderella, On Your Feet, A Chorus Line, Mamma Mia!, Singin’ In The Rain, West Side Story, Ragtime, Chicago, Shrek The Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and Ain’t Misbehavin’. She is honored to be making her debut at Sierra Rep in Elf The Musical. She thanks everyone at Sierra Repertory Theatre for welcoming her.

Andreas Pantazis is delighted to be performing for the first time with Sierra Repertory Theatre. Other credits: Les Miserables (Courfeyrac, u/s Marius) Regional Tour with Theatre Royal and (Enjolras) Center Stage Inc; The Little Mermaid (Chef Louie/Pilot/Ensemble) Plan B Entertainment, Kiss Me Kate (Ensemble) Marina Del Rey Symphony, Beauty and the Beast (Gaston) Casa 0101; Young Frankenstein (Sasha/Quartet-Bass/Ensemble) San Gabriel Valley Music Theatre; and Home For The Holidays (Santa/Ensemble) Knotts Berry Farm. He thanks Scott, Jim, and Sean for the chance to celebrate Christmas Joy being an Elf!

Sergio is thrilled to be returning to SRT as a company member. He graduated from UC Irvine where he spent 5 years mastering his craft. Favorite credits include: Off-Off Broadway Staged Reading: Worlds Apart, Kiss of The Spiderwoman (Welk Resort), Elf (SRT), West Side Story as Bernardo (TPAC) and Chino (Glendale Center Theatre), In The Heights (Lewis Playhouse), Legally Blonde (Performance Riverside), Carousel (MTW). Huge thanks to Scott, Jerry, mom, Dayanara, Brisa, & my best friend Sarahi. Love y’all. All glory be to God.

Sarah is honored to get to reprise the role of Kitty after being a part of the production in 2015. Sarah was last seen at SRT as Marion/others in Elvis the Musical and then co-choreographed the East Coast Premiere at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater in PA. Favorite SRT shows: Elf, Carousel and Annie. Bay Area: Pegeen/Fan in Mame (42nd St Moon) and Lily St Regis in Annie (TVRT).

Robert Frederick Taylor: SRT debut! Is beyond grateful to create theatre magic and share the stage with this talented group of artists in Elf! New Jersey native. BFA from Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ. Select Regional: Springer Opera House, Cardinal Stage, Prather Entertainment Group, Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Ocean City Theatre Company, Park Playhouse. All my love and thank you to God, and SRT! Always for my Mother, Grandmothers, Ree.

Charlie is a California native, living the last six years in Sonora. She is so excited to join this amazing cast and make her Sierra Rep debut. She can often be seen just across the river at Murphys Creek Theatre, most recently in King Lear, Exit, Pursued by a Bear, Doubt: A Parable, Every Christmas Story Ever Told, and The Game’s Afoot. Thank you so much to our patrons for supporting live theatre in the Mother Lode.

Sarah Villacarillo is an Orange County, CA native and is excited to be returning to Sierra Rep following Dogfight and Elf the Musical! Some theatre roles include Dogberry (Much Ado About Nothing), Chutney (Legally Blonde), Sister Theresa (Sister Act), and Rose Baum (The American Clock). She has also been cast in several independent films and is a member of the Pasadonuts Improv Troupe. Sarah has received her AA in Theater Arts and Dance as well as a Certificate in Musical Theatre from Cypress College. Much gratitude to her friends, family, and teachers for their continued support, love, and encouragement.

Thomas Meehan received the Tony Award for co-writing the book for The Producers in 2001 and in 2003 for co-writing the book for Hairspray. He received his first Tony Award in 1977 for writing the book of Annie, which was his first Broadway show, and has written the books for the musicals Rocky, Elf the Musical, Cry-Baby, Young Frankenstein, Chaplin, Bombay Dreams, I Remember Mama, Ain’t Broadway Grand and Annie Warbucks. In addition, he was a long-time contributor of humor to The New Yorker, an Emmy-Award winning writer of television comedy, and a collaborator on a number of screenplays, including Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs and To Be Or Not To Be. Mr. Meehan was also a member of the Council of the Dramatists Guild. He and his wife, Carolyn, divided their time between a home in Nantucket and an apartment in Greenwich Village, near which, on Hudson Street, she owned and presided over the long-running and near-legendary children’s store Peanut Butter & Jane.

Bob Martin has been working as an actor and writer in Canadian theatre, film and television for over 3 decades. He has had a long association with the Toronto Second City, where he co-wrote and performed in four Second City revues, directed three, and had a stint as Artistic Director. He is a co-creator of The Drowsy Chaperone, and has performed in many of its incarnations including Ahmanson Theatre (Los Angeles), Marquis Theatre (Broadway), Novello (London). Bob has won a number of awards for his work including an LA Drama Critics Circle Award, an L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award, a Drama Desk Award, a Theatre World Award, and a Tony Award. He is also co-creator of the critically acclaimed dramatic series Slings & Arrows. Recent TV projects include Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays I & II (CBC), Sensitive Skin I & II (HBO), and Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas (NBC). Recent theatre projects include Elf (Broadway), Minsky’s (Ahmanson LA), and in dev., Gotta Dance, The Sting, and Millions. Bob reunited with Elf collaborators Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin to create the new musical The Prom, which ran on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre and was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Matthew Sklar is a Tony®, Emmy®, and Drama Desk Award-nominated composer. His works include the Broadway musicals Elf and The Wedding Singer (Tony Award Nomination for Best Original Score, Drama Desk Award Nomination for Outstanding Music). He also wrote the music for The Rhythm Club (Signature Theatre), Judas & Me, and Wicked City (American Stage Company). Matthew reunited with Elf collaborators Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin to create the new musical The Prom, which ran on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre and was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Matthew received a 2015 Primetime Emmy® Award Nomination for Outstanding Music Direction for the critically-acclaimed NBC stop-motion animated TV special “Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas”, starring Jim Parsons. He adapted and arranged the music of Marvin Hamlisch for the Emmy Award-winning documentary film Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love, seen on PBS/American Masters. Matthew has contributed original songs/music to Sesame Street, Wonder Pets!, and the NBC Broadcast of The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

As an 18-year-old freshman at New York University, Matthew began playing keyboards for the Broadway production of Les Miserables, eventually conducting the show at 21. He has also been a keyboardist, conductor, and/or arranger for many Broadway productions including Shrek, Caroline, or Change, Nine, Oklahoma, 42nd Street, Putting It Together, Annie Get Your Gun, On the Town, Titanic, Guys and Dolls, Sunset Boulevard, and Miss Saigon. Matthew also appeared onstage as Oscar in the Broadway revival of 42nd Street.

Awards include the ASCAP Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award, the Gilman/Gonzalez-Falla Theatre Award, and the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award.

Matthew is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild, ASCAP, and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 802. His music is published by Warner/Chappell Music. Matthew was educated at The Juilliard School of Music (Pre-College Division), the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and New York University.

Chad Beguelin is a four-time Tony Nominee whose works include Disney’s Aladdin (Tony Award Nomination for Best Book and Best Original Score, Drama Desk Award Nomination for Outstanding Lyrics and Best Book) and The Wedding Singer (Tony Award Nomination for Best Book and Best Original Score, Drama Desk Award Nomination for Outstanding Lyrics). He also wrote the lyrics for the Broadway musical Elf, which broke several box office records at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. His play HARBOR premiered off-Broadway at Primary Stages. Chad also wrote the book and lyrics for Judas & Me (NYMF Award for Excellence in Lyric Writing), The Rhythm Club (Signature Theater) and Wicked City (American Stage Company). Chad reunited with Elf collaborators Matthew Sklar and Bob Martin to create the new musical The Prom, which ran on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre and was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. He is the recipient of the Edward Kleban Award for Outstanding Lyric Writing, the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award, the Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Musical Theater Award and the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award. Chad is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Dramatic Writing Program.

David Berenbaum is a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. He is best known for writing the 2003 Will Ferrell Christmas comedy classic, “Elf”. He also wrote “The Haunted Mansion” for Disney, based off the famous theme park ride; the film starred Eddie Murphy.

Jim Christian is a native of Utah with over 45 years of professional experience as a director, teacher, actor, playwright, and producer in theatre, television and film. He has worked as a director/choreographer for the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespearean Festival, Pioneer Theatre Company, Utah Opera Company, Utah Symphony, and theaters in California, Kentucky, Arizona, Montana, Florida, Wyoming, Tennessee, and Illinois. Jim is a member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers and The Dramatists Guild.

Sean is a composer and pianist based in Los Angeles. Originally from Sonora, he attended USC for Jazz Performance studying with Milcho Leviev and Cedar Walton. After finishing his degree, Sean spent a year in Glasgow, Scotland, playing in hotels and working with the Lothian Gaelic Choir. Then, after working in San Francisco with jazz and pop groups, he returned to Los Angeles and a career as a composer and pianist. He has music directed dozens of productions at various theatres including Sierra Rep, Milwaukee Rep, PCPA, The Odyssey, The NoHo Arts Center, Sierra Madre Playhouse, and has played and produced music for Disney and Universal Studios. Sean recently scored the award-winning feature Refuge, SMP’s production of Deathtrap, and received ASCAP’s Harold Arlen Award for film scoring.

Whitney Lehn Meltz is a nonbinary Scenic Designer and artist of oddities from Las Vegas, NV. Credits include bobrauschenbergamerica for Nevada Conservatory Theatre, Angry F*gs for Majestic Repertory Theatre, and Mamma Mia! for Timber Lake Playhouse. Whitney’s previous design here at Sierra Rep, Shrek The Musical, won BroadwayWorld’s Sacramento Regional Award for Best Scenic Design of 2021. Whitney is thrilled to return! MFA University of Nevada Las Vegas ‘22, BFA Illinois Wesleyan University ‘19.

Martha J. Clarke oversees the Costume Design Major for The Conservatory for the Performing Arts at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. She spends her summers as a Draper at The Utah Shakespeare Festival, where she just completed her 11^th season as the Draper for USF’s production of Sweeney Todd. Past work includes Teaching at Arizona State University, Serving as Costume Director at Arizona Broadway Theatre, and Draping for the University of Michigan and Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

Catherine M. Pratt is a theatre, dance, and opera Lighting Designer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Some of her recent lighting design credits include Letters to Lily (Opera Las Vegas), Proving Up (Opera Las Vegas), La Canterina & Der Scheuspiedirektor (UNLV Theater Opera & Nevada Conservatory Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Nevada Conservatory Theatre), Last Dance (UNLV Department of Dance), Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (UNLV Department of Dance), This Moment of Movement (UNLV Department of Dance), Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet (Nevada Conservatory Theatre), and DramArt (a collaboration between UNLV and Cirque du Soleil). She has previously worked with The Civic Theatre (Kalamazoo, MI) and New Harmony Theatre (New Harmony, IN).

Some of the recent awards Catherine has received are the Joe Aldridge Award for Outstanding Graduate in Design/Technology (May 2022), 3rd place in the 2021 SETC Design Competition for her Lighting Design of Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet at the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, and being chosen as part of the 2021 Fred Foster Mentorship Program.

Catherine has received her Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Lighting Design at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and her B.A. in Theatre from Mount Marty University in Yankton, SD.

Design credits include the 2021 Off-Broadway revival of Assassins (dir: John Doyle), Zolushka (Cinderella) at the Rossiya theatre in Moscow, A Bed and a Chair for New York City Center Encores!, and The Nutcracker and I (George Street Playhouse). For Sierra Rep, Steve designed last year’s Shrek The Musical; other California theatre includes Les Mis (CCMT), Miss Saigon (Broadway by the Bay), and A Christmas Carol (Center Rep).

On Broadway, Steve has worked as animator and associate designer for Memphis, The Mountaintop and Colin Quinn: Long Story Short.  Other credits include Old Jews Telling Jokes (off-Broadway), The History of Invulnerability (Cincinnati Playhouse), “Judy Garland in Concert” (Boston Pops), Frank Wildhorn’s Tears of Heaven (National Theatre of Korea), and Empire the Musical (La Mirada Playhouse).

Irene Nguyen is an international student from Vietnam. She is currently a third-year M.F.A. Scenic Design at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her recent designs include A Midsummer Night’s Dream at UNLV, Dry Land at Vegas Theater Company as a Scenic Design, and The Cherry Orchard at UNLV as an Associate Scenic Design. This is her second design for Sierra Repertory Theatre. The previous was Shrek The Musical. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at East Texas Baptist University.

Brenda O’Brien began her theater career in San Diego, where she was seen as Judas in Godspell, Louise in Gypsy, Nicki in Sweet Charity, and Viola in Twelfth Night (to name a few). She received awards for her roles as Ouisa in Six Degrees of Separation, Joan in Dames at Sea, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, and Electra in Gypsy. Brenda then went on to perform as Svetlana in the 1st National tour of Chess. Soon after she began portraying Carmen San Diego on the PBS television show and video games. In addition to acting, Brenda is an accomplished make-up artist and hairdresser for TV, Film, and Theater. She received her 25 years on Broadway pin in 2019 for her work on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Jekyll & Hyde, and Disney’s The Lion King. SRT Audiences might remember her as Tanya in Mamma Mia (2018), or as Tootie in Meet Me in St. Louis (2021). So glad to be back!

Tatiana Covington-Parra is thrilled to be diving into another season at Sierra Rep after a whirlwind 2021 return. Beginning as a sound engineer at Modesto Junior College, she is grateful to have found a community and the opportunity to grow as an artist thanks to the guidance and support of the SRT company. Her favorite design work at SRT includes Cabaret, The Wizard of Oz, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. She would like to thank her Mom, Grandma, family, friends, the MJC Theatre staff, and all her mentors for always allowing her to create, explore, and grow with love.

Alicia Dooley is excited to be back at SRT for the season! Her previous props credits include Elf, A Christmas Foundling, Man of La Mancha, Noises Off, and Cyrano. Alicia has a degree in Theater Arts from Azusa Pacific University, where she was Prop Master for the Theater Department. She would like to thank Jerry for the opportunity to do what she loves, and her husband Kyle and kids Finnegan and Daisy for their love and support.

Ashley is thrilled to return to Sierra Rep! Ashley earned her BFA from Texas State University, with two years of teaching post graduation. Regional credits include: Newsies, Beautiful, Mary Poppins (Casa Manana), Elf (Sierra Rep), His Story (World Premiere), and Murder On the Orient Express (Surflight). Opera credits include La Boheme (FWO). Many thanks to her husband, Trevor, for supporting her from states away and to the Sierra Rep family for believing in her!

Maggie Braun (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back at her theatre home! SRT: Steel Magnolias, Murder on the Orient Express, Route 66, The Wizard of Oz, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, and Million Dollar Quartet. With her associate degree in Theater from Modesto Junior College, she is proud to have her dream job here in Sonora. She would like to thank her family, best friends, and Connor for supporting her in her journey of chasing her dreams. “Look ma, I made it!”