Bios

Allyson Amador (Ensemble) is making her debut with Chapin Theatre Company, but has been in multiple other theatre productions. Her favorite role was playing Scuttle in The Little Mermaid Jr. Allyson is multi-talented and plays the drums, ukulele and piano. Currently, she is working on starting a band with some friends. Allyson is excited to be a part of this amazing show and hopes everyone has a great time!

Jamie Anderson (Ensemble) is excited to be back on stage as an ensemble member. His last stage appearance through CTC was in Shrek the Musical in 2019, accompanied by his family. Jamie began his stage career with ICRC Children’s Theatre and continued on with Spring Hill’s Stallion Theatre Group in high school. Since graduating, he has worked with Columbia Children’s Theatre, most recently in their 2023 production of A Christmas Carol. Jamie would like to thank his family and friends for all of their support!

Malayzhia Ashford (Ensemble) is delighted to be returning for her second magical show having made her debut in last season’s Disney’s Descendants with Chapin Theatre Company. Miss Ashford is no stranger to the stage and truly loves the arts. She would like to express her gratitude to her friends and family for their unwavering support, as well as her castmates and the production team for making this show “possible”. Malayzhia awaits more acting, singing, and dancing in the future!

Lisa Baker (Ensemble) is proud to make her Chapin Theatre debut alongside her daughter Maggie. A 30-year veteran music teacher/director in Lexington, she’s been seen around Columbia in roles such as Grizabella in Workshop’s CATS, The Witch in Town’s Into the Woods, Glinda in Town’s The Wizard of Oz, Mrs. Fleming in Trustus’ Heathers: The Musical, Alice in VST’s The Addams Family, Mrs. Potts in VST’s Beauty and the Beast, and Velma in OSP’s Hairspray. Lisa would like to thank her family for always supporting her in all the time she spends on her theatrical endeavors.

Maggie Baker (Grace the Stepsister) is thrilled to make her debut at Chapin Theatre in the role of Grace in Cinderella. Maggie is especially excited to be back on stage with her mom, making this experience even more special. Maggie would like to extend her heartfelt gratitude to the incredible production team for their support and guidance. She also thanks her family for their unwavering love and encouragement. Here’s to a magical performance!

Christian Banks (Lionel) is ecstatic to portray Lionel in this summer’s production of Cinderella. He wishes he could be Cinderella, but sadly the directors took a different path. He has performed with CTC for several years, playing Peter Pan in Shrek the Musical and being in the ensemble in Disney’s Descendants. Christian is elated for everyone to see this magical show the cast and crew have worked so hard to put together.

Gabrielle Bethurem (Dove) is so excited to be in her first summer show with Chapin Theatre Company. She loves the stage and most recently had fun playing Charlie Bucket in CAPA’s summer camp Willy Wonka Kids. When not on stage Gabbie reads and is a gifted writer and loves the water. Thank you for coming to the show!

Naomi Bethurem (Ensemble) is thrilled to be in her third summer show with CTC. Her favorite roles include Maizie LaBird in Seussical Jr with CTC, Chip in Beauty and the Beast with CTC, and Alice in Matilda at Village Square Theatre. She has enjoyed rekindling old friendships and making new ones. In her free time she is either dancing at The Southern Strut or hanging out with her friends. Naomi would like to thank Meredith, Tiffany, Mary Jo, Her Mom, and Cindy for making this magical show possible.

McCall Bethurem (Musical Director) is so grateful and excited to be music directing her third summer show with Chapin Theatre Company and with such an incredible cast! She has loved watching this show come together with the hard work and grit of so many people. Working with such an incredible team has taught her nothing is Impossible, especially with such bibbity boppity baddies!

Cindy Binnicker (Stage Manager) is thrilled to work at Harbison Theatre again with CTC’s production of Cinderella. She took some rest after working two shows earlier this year and during that time, aligned her black shirts in preparation for this show while practicing her cue calling. In her down time, Cindy gives cat massages and organizes Frank’s socks. She cannot wait to see this show come to life!

Rilyn Boehme (White Mouse) is excited to be a part of Chapin Theatre Company! You may recognize her from her lead role as Annie in CAPA’s production of Annie earlier this year. Rilyn is an eight year old rising third grader at Ballentine Elementary and a performer on and off stage. She enjoys singing, dancing, and playing with her two cats, Mini and Milo. Rilyn thanks her family for their support and chauffeuring her to and from rehearsals. When Rilyn grows up she wants to be a choreographer like her mommy.

Meredith Boehme (Choreographer) is excitedly returning for her fifth season with CTC! Choreographing Cinderella for this incredible cast has been a true honor. Meredith has worked as the Assistant Director/Choreographer for ICRC Children’s Theater and is a CAPA instructor. Her best job is being mommy to her daughter, Rilyn, who is a white mouse in the show! Meredith thanks her husband John for being so understanding of this crazy summer schedule. And she thanks Tiffany, Mary Jo, McCall and Cindy for letting her be part of this amazing directing team.

Tayshaun Brown (Ensemble) is super excited to be in Cinderella as part of the ensemble with Chapin Theatre. Last summer, he made his first debut with Disney’s Descendants: The Musical as Carlos. Tay is currently attending the University of South Carolina, majoring in Music Performance in clarinet and is part of the Carolina Band. He would like to thank his friends, family, cast, and crew for their support throughout his life. Tay is entirely grateful to be in this show!

John Carter (Ensemble) is thrilled to be part of this wonderful cast. He has been in numerous shows at Chapin Theatre, Village Square Theatre and On-Stage Productions. Some of his favorite roles are Robertson Ay in Mary Poppins, Duncan in Secret Garden the Musical, and Wilson in Harvey. John has also played guitar and percussion in the pit in several shows including Rock of Ages at the Lexington Icehouse Amphitheater.

Jayce Clark (White Mouse) is bubbling with excitement for his theatrical debut and is eagerly anticipating fourth grade in the fall. His interests are as diverse as his talents, from acting to reading, spending time with his sisters, and playing football. This fall, you can catch him on the field with the Dutch Fork Silver Foxes Youth Football League.

Jayniah Clark (Young Cinderella/Ensemble) is a rising seventh grader who is excited about her acting debut in the Cinderella musical. In addition to being a member of the teen ensemble, she also portrays young Cinderella. Outside of theatre, she enjoys perfecting her art skills and listening to all things K-pop.

Skylen Clark (Charles the Cat) is very excited about making her acting debut as Charles the Cat. She believes the sky’s the limit and hopes to one-day grace household screens as a meteorologist. When she isn’t stargazing, she enjoys reading and competing in pageants. Who knows where you might see her next?!

Samuel Cleveland (Christopher) is a rising college freshman, who plans on attending Midlands Technical College. His new adventure in acting began only a couple years ago, but that has not slowed him down. Sam’s previous productions include High School Musical: On Stage (Ryan Evans), A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play (Ensemble), High School Musical Jr (Troy Bolton), and Disney’s Descendants (Prince Ben). In his spare time he likes to play video games and imagine himself taking part in many stories.

Tiffany Dinsmore (Producer/Artistic Director) is too busy to be tired—Not! She is thrilled to be helping this fabulous creative team and super talented cast bring magic to the stage. Tiffany stays busy as the Artistic Director at Chapin Theatre, the Director of CAPA (Chapin Academy of Performing Arts) and during the school year she gets to watch her first grandchild, Elodie. Thanks to everyone for helping to make this magical show come to life. Enjoy!

Mason Favati (Ensemble) is a rising sophomore at Wofford College. He is extremely excited to be in the ensemble for this enchanted production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella! You may have seen him last year as Doug, the son of Dopey, in Chapin Theatre’s production of Disney’s Descendants. Some of Mason’s previous shows include Almost, Maine (Daniel) and The Christians (Congregate Member David).

Ashley Ferri (Assistant Stage Manager) is delighted to be working with CTC again. An eighteen year veteran of the Columbia theatre community, Ashley has worked on multiple productions as part of the stage crew at Town Theatre. Recently, she has delved into on-stage roles as Shelby in The Spitfire Grill (525 Players), Sylvia in Two Gentleman of Verona (Shakespeare in the Raw) and Coach in Disney’s Descendants (CTC). Ashley spends her days working as a Biomedical Engineer for the Columbia VA healthcare system. She is most excited to work with the fabulous stage manager, Cindy! April Garrett (Stage Lighting) is excited to work in the booth for CTC’s summer production of Cinderella! She was previously seen on stage in CTC’s musical productions of Shrek and Beauty and the Beast, but her love of pushing buttons took her into the tech booth. In her down time, she enjoys needlepoint to keep up her finger dexterity. April also takes part in a hula hoop club and aspires to be an Olympic curler one day. She gives a big shout out to her sister and family for their continued support!

Alexandra Gibson (Assistant Stage Manager) is so excited to be back at Chapin Theatre! Growing up, she spent most of her summers acting in CTC shows, all the way from How To Eat Like A Child in 2013 to Beauty and the Beast in 2022. Now, Alexandra is a junior at Penn State with a double major in Comparative Literature and English, and she is involved with the student-run theatre groups there. However, Chapin Theatre will always own Alexandra’s heart, and she would like to thank Cindy and the creative team for giving her this opportunity to get involved again.

Akyra Goines (Fairy Godmother) is joining the CTC stage for the third time, previously appearing in Shrek the Musical (Ensemble) and Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts). She loves making magic in the kitchen, fostering her passion for cooking and running her home baking business, A Little Somethin’ Sweet. Akyra thanks her family and husband, Gerrard (King Maximillian), for always supporting her love for performing. She especially thanks God for blessing her with the gifts and opportunities that brought her here today.

Gerrard Goines (King Maximillian) is performing in his fourth show with CTC. Previous shows include Shrek the Musical (Donkey), Clue (Colonel Mustard), and Beauty and the Beast (the Beast). Off stage, at his church he serves as a Praise & Worship/Media Ministry Leader. Gerrard thanks his non-tutu wearing and wandless wife Akyra (Fairy Godmother), his family and friends for their continued support and unfailing love. And he thanks God for the opportunity to be on stage again pursuing one of his passions.

Paxton Hartenstine (Ensemble) is a rising eighth grader and has been in several shows with Chapin Theatre Company. His previous roles include Horton in Seussical Jr., and Roger in 101 Dalmatians Jr. Paxton’s personal favorite musical is Oklahoma. In his free time, he likes to watch movies, swim, and spend time with family and friends. Paxton is very excited to be a part of the Cinderella cast.

Makayla Hines (Cinderella) is a sophomore at Winthrop University majoring in musical theatre. She is ecstatic to be in her second production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, her first being at Town Theatre in 2021 as “younger girl,” who wished she was an older girl. And now older, she is beyond grateful to take the stage in the titular role of Cinderella. Makayla thanks her father for supporting her throughout this whole process and she thanks the fabulous directing team that guided her along the way.

Audrey Johnson (Ensemble) is excited to be in this fabulous production of Cinderella. Her favorite credits include: White Christmas, Les Misérables, and Newsies at Town Theatre as well as Shrek, Disney’s Descendants, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and Closed for the Holidays here at Chapin Theatre. Audrey thanks her friends and family for all their love and support!

Mary Jo Johnson (Director) is thrilled to be back in the saddle with the CTC summer directing team. With a professional background in the industry, Mary Jo enjoys teaching and equipping the next generation of performers to grace the stage with their gifts and talents. Her greatest accomplishments include being wife to Rocky and mother to Tyler, Ansley and Audrey.

Jennifer Kraus (Queen Constantina) is thrilled to be on stage again! Jennifer has recently been in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play and Farce of Nature with Chapin Theatre, and in Beautiful at Town Theatre. Her previous theatre experience in Seattle included playing roles such as Susan in Company! and Phoebe in Yeoman of the Guard. Jennifer also enjoys singing with the Dutch Fork Choral Society in Chapin. She would love to thank her husband, Ben, for all his love and support.

Abigail Mathias (Ensemble) is so excited to work with such a kind and talented group here at Chapin Theatre! She absolutely adores the unwavering support everyone has for one another. Some of her favorite performance roles have been: Amber in Audition for a Murder, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Ms. Teavee in Willy Wonka, Librarian/Waitress in Kodachrome, Ariel in The Little Mermaid, and Sillabub in CATS. She is a USC student double majoring in chemistry and theatre, and a part of the Carolina Band and the USC Dance Marathon.

Kelsey McGarrigan (Ensemble) is excited to be a part of another magical show with Chapin Theatre! She was last seen on the stage as Fairy Godmother in Disney’s Descendants last summer. Other favorite credits include 37 Postcards (Gillian), Beauty and the Beast (Ensemble), The Wizard of Oz (Ensemble), Godspell (Ensemble), and The Jungle Book (Shere Khan). Thank you to the wonderful production team for making this show bibbidi-bobbidi- amazing! Shoutout to Bennett, Adelaide, Charlotte, and Jonah!

Billy McNeill (Ensemble) is originally from Long Island, New York and is a rising high school senior. This is his first summer show with Chapin Theatre and he is so excited to be a part of such an enchanted production! Billy has been in previous productions including, Fiddler on the Roof, Aladdin, and more. He is so grateful to be here alongside such a wonderful cast and production crew. He looks forward to doing more shows with CTC in the future.

Kaeleigh Miller (Ensemble) has recently returned to the Midlands after performing in multiple shows in Charlotte. She is excited to be back home doing another Chapin Theatre production with her friends. You may have seen her in last summer’s production of Disney’s Descendants, starring as Mal, the daughter of Maleficent. Kaeleigh would like to thank her beautiful, talented, wonderful girlfriend for writing this bio (she was driving at the time).

Christy Shealy Mills (Step Mother) is a tap dance teacher when not making extremely hateful comments onstage to Makayla. It’s a real departure from the godmother she played a few years back. Thanks to this fun A+ production team for casting her along with her daughter, who is playing…well, her daughter, who may have some quirks, but luckily snorting is not one of them.

Zanna Mills (Joy the Stepsister) is over-JOY- ed to be back on stage with Chapin Theatre Company, especially in such an iconic role with this incredible group of people! Zanna was last seen with CTC as Izzy in the world premiere of Stilt Girl. Other favorite roles include Annie in The Play That Goes Wrong, Rumpleteazer in Cats, Mary Ann in Gilligan’s Island: The Musical, Amber in Hairspray, and Lucy in Bright Star! Keep up with what she’s doing next on Instagram @zanna.m

Justice Opheikens (Ensemble) is taking part in his first show with Chapin Theatre in this production of Cinderella. He has played several roles in productions with River Bluff High School’s Theatre group, with his favorite role being John N Fail from Failure, A Love Story. Justice has enjoyed making new friends and learning the fun music from this production. He would like to thank McCall, Meredith, Tiffany, Mary Jo and Cindy for this wonderful opportunity.

Kara Pierson (White Mouse) is a rising fourth grader at New Providence Elementary School in Lexington. She was last seen as the Scottie narrator in Chapin Theatre’s production of Disney’s 101 Dalmatians. Kara loves dancing and has appeared in CCJC’s The Two Claras the past three years. She also enjoys Scouts, volleyball and choir. Kara would like to thank CTC for casting her!

Ella Riley (Ensemble) is 20 years old and currently pursuing a degree in Special Education. She is a teacher with the CAPA program at Chapin Theatre and serves on the CTC Board as Advertising and Social Media Manager. Ella has a large resume of stage productions, including Pride and Prejudice (Lady Catherine de Bourgh), Amorous Ambassador (Debbie), and Disney’s Descendants (Audrey). In her free time, she loves to make art and take her brothers on adventures. Ella hopes you enjoy the magic of Cinderella!

Grant Riley (Ensemble) is a 12 year old rising 7th grader at Lakeside Middle School. He has been in community and school productions, such as The Curious Savage (John Thomas), Game of Myths (Pan), and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Ensemble). Grant is so excited to be on stage with his siblings! He loves them so much, especially his awesome sister who wrote this bio for him.

Owen Riley (Ensemble) is a 15 year old rising sophomore at River Bluff High School. Cinderella is his first show in several years, but Owen has acted all over Columbia, taking part in productions such as The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Charlie), A Christmas Story (Randy), and Peter Pan Jr (Lost Boy). Owen has a passion for art and hopes to attend SCAD or Clemson!

Ravyn Smith (Ensemble) is twenty-two years old, and she is thrilled to be taking part in her second show with Chapin Theatre Company. She was last seen as Evie, the daughter of the Evil Queen in Disney’s Descendants. She feels incredibly grateful for the chance to do what she loves alongside the people she adores.

Selah Stefaniak (Ensemble) has been passionate about the performing arts from a young age. She has performed in various musicals, including Seussical and Peter Pan, where she played the role of Captain Hook. Selah has also enjoyed singing at her church since childhood and continues to do so today. She is thrilled to be a part of Cinderella and is grateful for the opportunity to work with such wonderful directors and a talented cast!

Allie Takach (White Mouse) is a sixth grader who loves Jesus, loves to laugh and has big dreams. You may recognize her from The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, 101 Dalmatians and Seussical Junior. Her love for the theatre has grown with each performance. When not performing, Allie enjoys the water, animals and sports. Her zest for the stage brings her the most joy! In the future, you may find Allie performing while striving to work for NASA.

Frank Thompson (Ensemble) is happy to be spending another summer onstage with CTC, having been seen as Jafar in Disney’s Descendants the Musical and Lumiere in Beauty & The Beast. He was last seen as Perkins in last spring’s The Amorous Ambassador, where he let Tiffany Dinsmore write his bio, which was more amusing than this one. Frank looks forward to directing The 39 Steps this fall, when he will probably let Tiffany write his bio again.

Olivia Wamai (Ensemble) is a theatre student at the University of South Carolina. You may have seen them as Mrs. Jewls in Sideways Stories from Wayside School or Kendra in Language of Angels. Olivia is excited to play the dream role of Horse and has been preparing for months by standing in fields, eating sugar cubes, and prancing into the sunset. They would like to thank their girlfriend for sticking with them throughout this show.

Melanie Wells (Ensemble) is returning to the Chapin Theatre stage this year in front of the curtain instead of behind it. She was a crew member for Disney’s Descendants last year and was one half of the curtain girl duo. Melanie’s previous roles with CTC include Puss in Boots (Shrek the Musical) and ensemble for Beauty and the Beast. When not on stage, Melanie is honing her craft as a floor gymnast and living life to the fullest as a skydiving enthusiast.

Chris Whitehead (Ensemble) started acting in 2019, after being cast in Chapin Theatre’s production of Shrek the Musical. He continued and earned roles in Beauty and the Beast, Disney’s Descendants, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. This is his fifth show and he hopes to continue acting for many years to come. When not on stage, Chris works with children as a mental health therapist and as an After School & Summer Camp counselor. He is an award-winning fencer and in his free time enjoys cooking, baking and reading.

Sarah Wildt (Ensemble) is thrilled to be in her first show with CTC! She has previously performed in eleven shows with a variety of theatres. Sarah attends Chapin High School and is a part of the Mock Trial team, the Academic Leadership Academy, and Masterclass Orchestra. In addition to theatre, Sarah’s passion is dancing. She has danced for 12 years at the Dance Dept. and has been on their competition team for seven years

This project is sponsored in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission, the Central Carolina Community Foundation, the Greater Chapin Community Foundation, and Lexington County.