On The Verge Theatre Sets Casting For CATHOLIC SCHOOL GIRLS

On the Verge Theatre has announced the cast for Catholic School Girls, playing May 4 - May 28, 2023 at Bering Memorial Church, 1440 Harold Street, Houston, TX 77006.

Gillian Grace as Elizabeth/Sister Mary Agnes - Gillian Grace is so thrilled to be making her on The Verge debut. Gillian studied theatre at the University of Southern Mississippi. She has also starred in shows such as Cabaret (Fraulein Kost), Be More Chill (Brooke), Steel Magnolias (Annelle), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), and The Foreigner (Catherine) to name a few. She would love to thank her friends and family for constantly supporting her and cheering her on. She would also like to thank the cast and crew for their hard work in making this show great! "Treat people with kindness" -Harry Styles

Mackenzie Griffin as Wanda / Sister Mary Agnes - Born and raised in Houston (in an Irish-Catholic household), Mackenzie grew up with a love for acting. After completing a business degree at UT-Austin, she decided to reclaim her childhood passion and reenter the world of theater. This is her first production since 2011 - she looks forward to many more.

Adina Owen as Colleen / Sister Mary Lucille - Recent Houston performances include The Dead Eye Boy (Dirt Dogs Theatre Co.); honor (Ted Swindley Theatre Workshop); A Doll's House (Theatre Southwest); and Macbeth (CMP). She is an alumna of the Penn State School of Theatre and a member of The Dramatists Guild of America.

Kinley Pletzer as Maria Theresa/Sister Mary Germaine - Kinley Pletzer is fresh off a run at Main Street Theater in The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical and Miss Nelson is Missing! After graduating from Sam Houston State University in 2022, she took Houston by storm and doesn't plan to stop!

Jimmy Phillips - Directing Credits for Unity Theatre, Stages, Theater LaB Houston, Main Street Youth Theater, Little Room Downstairs. As an Actor: Stages, Theater Under the Stars, Main Street Theater, Theater LaB Houston, and Unity Theatre. Education: B.F.A., Stephens College. Currently, Director of Theater Arts for Annunciation Orthodox Middle School.

About The Show:

Depicting Catholic school life in the 1960's, this delightful and reverent comedy uses 4 actresses to play the 1st through 8th grade students of St. George School AND the nuns who teach them! They experience bonds of friendship, reprimands from authority figures, and pressure from home. Reacting to the Beatles, the Addams Family, and the election of a Catholic president, CATHOLIC SCHOOL GIRLS is a charming and wildly funny portrait of girls maturing to the threshold of adolescence. A show for the entire family!

By Casey Kurtti

On the Verge Theatre Company is a new, dynamic and provocative theatre experience brought to Houston by accredited Producing Artistic Directors Bruce Lumpkin and Ron Jones. On the Verge Theatre strives to create thrilling, courageous and provocative art in a thoughtful and inclusive environment by producing vital, quality works from Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional Theatre, and original playwrights. On the Verge aims to serve the community by addressing diversity in programming and maintain a creative, nurturing, and collaborative environment for artists.

Ron Jones is celebrating 52 years of theatre experience as an actor, director, producer, and educator. He is a graduate of The Trinity Rep Conservatory in Providence Rhode Island and holds an MFA in acting and directing from Rhode Island College. He was a Theatre Instructor in The Houston Independent School District for 18 years and a Theatre Professor in the Lone Star College (where he was Artistic Director of The Kingwood and Cy-Fair Theatre Departments) for 18 years. In addition, he has taught acting classes for Stages Rep Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars, and The Ensemble Theatre. He is the former Artistic Director of Way Off Broadway Productions, New Heights Theatre, and Celebration Theatre. Ron has acted in over 100 productions, directed over 150 shows, and has been a member of Actor's Equity Association for 32 years. In New York, Ron directed at Theatre for the New City. He also directed two plays at The Edinburgh Festival. He has worked with Tennessee Williams, Mark Medoff, and Jack Heifner. He was a UIL One-Act Play Adjudicator for 23 years and has been A Tommy Tune Awards judge. He has served on The Board of Directors at The Actor's Workshop and Queensbury Theatre.

Bruce Lumpkin began his directing career as Resident Director for TUTS' Humphrey School of Musical Theatre in the late '70's. This experience brought him to the attention of Tony award winner, Director/Choreographer, Tommy Tune, who saw his production of Company at TUTS. Under Tune's wing and later as collaborator, he worked on all of Tommy's Shows from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas through Grand Hotel which he co-directed on the West End at the Dominion Theatre. Off Broadway Bruce directed Summer of '69 and Criss Angel's Mindfreak. Working in many regional theatres for over 20 years, he won the Barrymore Award for Best Director and Best Musical for his revisionist look at Cabaret at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia Currently Bruce is in the process of developing a new piece based on the life of George Balanchine. Bruce is a member of AEA and SDC.

General admission tickets are $35. Parking is available on Hawthorne St. at the back of the church. Single tickets are now on-sale at onthevergetheatre.org.

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