A Little Night Music Company Bios

Jack B. Wright (Director), professor of theatre and film, has been a member of the KU faculty since 1976, and has served as artistic director of The University Theatre (1976-94) and director of theatre (1989-94). He holds a theatre degree from Otterbein College in Ohio and master’s and Ph.D. degrees from KU. Prior to joining the KU faculty, he taught at the University of Texas-Austin. In addition to teaching and directing, Jack also acts and directs for professional theatre, television and film. Since 1981, Jack has been appearing throughout the United States as William Allen White in a one man show, The Sage of Emporia. Jack has over 80 directing credits including the KU productions of The Royal Family, Picnic, Grease, Sweeney Todd, Carousel, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Some Enchanted Evening, Romeo and Juliet, Uncle Vanya, 1776, You Can't Take It With You, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Tent Meeting, Tobacco Road, A Streetcar Named Desire, All in the Timing, The Boys Next Door, West Side Story, Crimes of the Heart, Bus Stop, The Batting Cage, Three Tall Women, and Henry IV, Part I, to name just a few. In 1989 he was a guest artist at the Teatr Popularney in Warsaw, Poland. Jack has also directed for the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival Omaha, where he staged Henry IV, Part I in 1994 and King Lear in 1995.

Genaro Mendez (Musical Director and Conductor) is assistant professor of voice at KU, a position he has held since the fall of 2001. He received his bachelor of music degree in vocal performance from the University of Nevada in 1991, his master of music in vocal performance from the University of Illinois in 1997, and his doctor of musical arts, with areas of concentration in both vocal performance and choral conducting, from the University of Oregon in 2001. With his unique combination of experience in performance, teaching, conducting, and opera production, Genaro remains committed to providing positive performance opportunities for young artists. As a lyric tenor, Mendez has over 16 years’ experience performing opera and musical theatre. In addition, he has nine years experience providing instruction in vocal production, acting, and musicianship as well as substantial experience as a choral director with professional opera associations, universities, and community groups.

Delbert Unruh (Scenic and Lighting Designer) is a professor of theatre and film and a former director of The University Theatre at KU. In addition to his many design credits at KU, he maintains an active professional design practice in the Kansas City area; his work has been seen on the stages of the Missouri Repertory Theatre, American Heartland Theatre, and Dinner Playhouse, Inc. His design work has also been featured in many regional, national, and international design exhibitions, most notably Macbeth, in the 1980 First Biennial USITT Scenography Exposition; Antigone, in the Czechoslovak Section of the 1987 Prague Quadriennale; Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, in the 1990 International Exposition of Scenography in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia; and The Tempest, in the 1997 International Exposition of Film and Theatre Design, Tokyo, Japan. An acknowledged authority on American and Czechoslovakian stage design theory, he is a contributing editor to Theatre Design & Technology, the journal of the United States Institute For Theatre Technology.

Rick A. Rasmussen (Costume Designer) is a KU alumnus who received a Master of Arts degree in directing in 1982 and a Master of Fine Arts in sceneography in 1986. A free-lance sceneographer for the past 20 years, Rick works mostly in the Midwest, but calls Seattle, WA, home. Some of Rick’s latest production credits include the scenic design for Little Shop of Horrors at Skylight Opera Theatre, scenic and costume design for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Holes for First Stage Milwaukee, and scenic and costume design for Guys and Dolls for the Fireside Dinner Theatre. Rick is happy to be returning and working at the University Theatre.

Jan Delovage (Wig Designer) is a professional theatrical designer from Kansas City. Previously she has designed wigs for You Never Can Tell and Cabaret.

John Staniunas (Choreographer), associate professor of theatre and film, teaches directing, acting and musical theatre courses at KU and is also artistic director of The University Theatre. Earlier this season John directed and choreographed Cabaret; last season he directed and designed the sound for You Never Can Tell. Since coming to KU seven years ago, he has directed South Pacific, The Cherry Orchard, The Bartered Bride, Hedda Gabler, Die Fledermaus, Oklahoma!, Godspell, Prelude to a Kiss, and Hidden: A Gender, as well as playing Louis Ironson in Angels in America, Part 1: Millennium Approaches. He made his Kansas City acting debut in the summer of 2002, portraying Ozzy in The Scarlet Pimpernel at the New Theatre in Overland Park. John has directed and acted at theatres and universities across the country, including Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and Madison Repertory Theatre in Wisconsin, the Willows Theatre Company and Sacramento Theatre Company in California, and the Hippodrome in Gainesville, FL. This fall, John received one of the W.T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence, which recognizes outstanding teachers and advisers at KU.


Jonathan Andrews (Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm) is a senior voice major from Topeka. In 2003 he was a member of the chorus for the KU Opera production of The Mikado.

Lauren Arnold (Fredrika Armfeldt) is a sophomore theatre/voice major from Overland Park. This is her first KU production. Off campus she performed in Cinderella and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Kelli Berry (Countess Charlotte Malcolm) is originally from Manhattan, but now lives in Baldwin City. A doctoral student in voice performance, has had a life-long love affair with musical theatre, beginning her career in Long Branch, NJ, with the Sandy Hook Playhouse’s production of Kurt Weill’s Three Penny Opera at the age of five. Since then, she has performed in over 30 productions on two continents. Some of her credits include the roles of Laurie in Oklahoma!, Julie in Show Boat, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte and, most recently, Kelli in A Grand Night for Singing for Kansas Summer Theatre ‘03. Kelli was last seen on the Crafton-Preyer stage as the Second Lady in last spring’s production of The Magic Flute. She has also performed at the Kansas City Lyric Opera and will be making her debut at the New Theater Restaurant in Overland Park this summer in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. She won the 1998 "Most Promising Newcomer Award" from the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and competed in the Lotte Lenya Competition for Singers, sponsored by the Kurt Weill Foundation. Kelli is a graduate teaching assistant in voice and opera in the KU Department of Music and Dance, where she teaches voice and spends much of her time painting and pinning people as head of costumes, make-up, and wigs for many of KU Opera’s productions.

Meaghan Deiter (Mrs. Anderssen) is a senior theatre/voice major from Sabetha. The recipient of both voice and academic scholarships, Meaghan has performed as a member of the chorus for The Mikado and as Ensign Bessie Noonan in South Pacific. She has also appeared in numerous 309, 609, and Opera Workshop scenes.

Stanford Felix (Mr. Lindquist) is a doctoral student in voice performance.

Evan C. Grosshans (Fredrik Egerman) is a senior theatre and theatre/voice major from Lawrence. Earlier this season he portrayed Jaques in As You Like It; last summer he performed in the Kansas Summer Theatre musical, A Grand Night for Singing. Evan’s other University Theatre credits include productions of The Magic Flute, The Dying Gaul, You Never Can Tell, Six Degrees of Separation, and The Bartered Bride. Evan sang in the KU Opera productions of Strawberry Fields, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado. Off-campus he has acted in The Importance of Being Earnest and The Devil's Disciple for the Stirling University Drama Society. A National Merit Scholar and recipient of a KU Voice Scholarship, Evan also holds the Robert C. Byrd Scholarship and the New Theatre Guild Scholarship.

Julia Elise Hardin (Mrs. Segstrom) is a senior from Lawrence, majoring in theatre and voice. She was seen earlier this season as Helga in our production of Cabaret, as Julia in Fefu and Her Friends, and last summer as a member of the ensemble for A Grand Night for Singing. Earlier she appeared in Jungalbook and Where to, Turelu?, both presented by the KU Theatre for Young People, as well as The Cherry Orchard and Lear's Daughters. Julia has also performed in several productions for the English Alternative Theatre and, during the summer of 2002, was part of the KU Summer Theatre in Greece program. She holds a KU voice scholarship as well as the Allen Crafton Memorial Scholarship. Julia is the student representative on the Friends of the Theatre board.

Sarah Elizabeth Homan (Osa) is a senior theatre major from Overland Park. Previously this season she appeared as Audrey in As You Like It and as Christine in the Kansas Summer Theatre production of Picnic. Last season she performed multiple roles in The 10-Minute Play Festival and was stage manager for the Inge Theatre production of Iphigenia at Aulis. Earlier she performed in Lear's Daughters and The Accident. She also directed Romeo and Juliet and Faustus at Hashinger Hall. Sarah is an active member of the ACLU and is a Loren Kennedy Trainee for the University Theatre this year.

Kate Hurley (Anne Egerman) is a junior theatre/voice major from Norman, OK. Earlier this season she portrayed Frenchie, the Telephone Girl and the Ballerina in Cabaret. She was a member of the chorus for South Pacific and, off campus, has appeared in productions of Romeo and Juliet, Firebird, and Steel Magnolias. Kate is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and holds a KU voice scholarship.

Akiko Imakawa (Mrs. Nordstrom) is a graduate student in voice, working on a Master of Music degree. Originally from Overland Park, she most recently performed as Betty in The Crucible and as Papagena in The Magic Flute. She has appeared in the KU Opera productions of The Telephone and Trouble in Tahiti. Akiko has performed in the chorus at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. She is a graduate teaching assistant in the KU Voice Division.

Ashley Lafond (Malla) is a fourth year theatre major from Lawrence. Earlier this season she portrayed Cindy in Fefu and Her Friends and Ludmilla in Lulu. Previously she choreographed Iphigenia at Aulis and appeared in South Pacific. Off-campus, Ashley appeared in Cloud Nine, and taught drama and dance at the Camellot Academy in Overland Park. Last year, Ashley studied at Middlesex University in London, England as part of KU's Study Abroad program. She is a Loren Kennedy Trainee for the University Theatre this year.

Bryan Lemke (Frid) is a graduate student in vocal accompanying from Des Moines, IA. He holds an undergraduate degree from Bethel College in St. Paul, MN, where he worked as a music director and accompanist. This is Bryan’s first KU production. Off-campus he has appeared in West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and Amahl and the Night Visitors.

Averyn Mackey (Desiree Armfeldt) is a senior theatre major from Leawood. Earlier this season she played Rosie and Fräulein Kost in Cabaret and Emma in Fefu and Her Friends. Earlier she performed in Iphigenia at Aulis, Lear's Daughters, and The Bartered Bride. Last summer she appeared in Cloud Nine, staged by the Barn Players. Averyn is a Loren Kennedy Trainee for the University Theatre this year.

Julie Maykowski (Madame Armfeldt) is a doctoral student in voice, studying with John Stephens. A native of Colorado Springs, CO, Julie appeared as Fräulein Schneider in Cabaret this fall and as Carmen in the 2002 KU Opera production of La tragedie di Carmen. A Graduate Teaching Assistant at KU, Julie held a similar position at Wichita State University. She has performed for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, in musicals and operas in Boston and on Cape Cod, and was seen in numerous productions at Wichita State University.

Caitlin C. McDonald (Petra) is a junior theatre major from Bismarck, ND. Earlier this spring she portrayed the Alligator in Really Rosie. Previously she played multiple roles in The 10-Minute Play Festival , Sara-Kate in Afternoon of the Elves and Regan in Lear's Daughters. A National Merit Scholar, Caitlin is also a Loren Kennedy Trainee for The University Theatre this year.

Tom Reid (Henrik Egerman) is a KU senior from Lenexa, majoring in environmental science, Spanish, and Latin American Studies and minoring in music. He previously appeared as a member of the chorus for The Bartered Bride. Tom has performed in 1776 for Shawnee Mission Theater in the Park and in The Secret Garden for Music Theater for Young People. Among the many honors Tom has received are the Reuben Zadigan Environmental Studies and CLAS Scholarships. He is a Summerfield Scholar and a member of Owl Society, Lambda Sigma and Theta Chi, and has also been selected for the Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Tom is also a member of KU’s Diversity Peer Education Team.

Brandon Snook (Mr. Erlanson) is a junior vocal performance major from Richardson, TX, and a fourth generation Jayhawk. Earlier this season he was seen in the KU Opera production of Strawberry Fields. Last spring he performed as Tamino in The Magic Flute; he has also appeared in the KU Opera productions of The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, and The Impresario. Before coming to KU, Brandon had roles in 1776, Guys and Dolls, Carousel, Gypsy, and The Crucible. The recipient of a KU voice scholarship, Brandon is a member of the International Thespian Honor Society and was selected for the Music and Dance Undergraduate Honor Recital. This season Brandon has performed the National Anthem at KU Basketball games.

Andrew York (Bertrand) is a junior theatre major from Wichita. Earlier this season he played Fritzie, Max, and the Sailor in Cabaret and Alan Seymour in the Kansas Summer Theatre production of Picnic. He has previously appeared in The Magic Flute, The Royal Family, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and South Pacific. Off-campus Andrew has been in Chess, All My Sons, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, Godspell, and The Fantasticks. Andrew holds a Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship.