Elliot Handkins
ROLE: Sky Masterson Elliot is happy to return to the La Comedia stage after appearing as Laurie in Little Women. A graduate of Northern Kentucky University with a B.F.A. in acting, he lives in Cincinnati and is typically seen in local productions around the Tri-State area. He has been performing since the second grade, when he sang “I Won’t Grow Up” with his triplet siblings in a talent show. Some favorite credits include Jamie in The Last Five Years, Henry in Next to Normal, Benjamin in The Graduate, Lucas in The Addams Family, and Leslie in Love, Sex, and the IRS. He would like to thank his family and friends for their constant support and love.
Emily Brennan
ROLE: Sarah Brown Emily is thrilled to be back on stage in such an iconic show. Emily is native to New York, where she currently resides. Some of her favorite credits include Gertrude in Seussical: The Musical and Betty Jean in The Marvelous Wonderettes. She thanks her fiancé Colin for his endless support and to her family for their love. “This one’s for Poppy.”
Cole Fletcher
ROLE: Nathan Detroit Cole hails from Los Angeles, California, and is overjoyed to be here in Ohio for the first time making his La Comedia debut. International credits: lead soloist in Addicted to Love, Let’s Get Loud, Stars (AIDA Cruises). Regional: Princeton/Rod in Avenue Q (Costa Mesa Playhouse), Tony in West Side Story (North Star Theatre), Dean in All Shook Up (Laguna Playhouse), Georg in Spring Awakening (Historic Hudson Theatres), Robin in Something Rotten!, and LeFou u/s in Beauty & the Beast (Moonlight Amphitheatre), Lucas u/s in The Addam’s Family (5-Star Theatricals), Enoch u/s in Carousel (Opera San Luis Obispo), Ralph in White Christmas (Myers Dinner Theatre). New York: Stanley Yelnats in Holes the Musical (Clarion Theatre), Frankie Epps in Parade & Cosmo Brown in Singin’ in the Rain (NYU). An alum of NYU & OCSA, Cole sends many thanks to his agents at DDO Artists and endless love to his family & friends. @thecolefletcher
Allison Gabert
ROLE: Adelaide Allison is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University with a B.F.A. in theatre performance and returns after appearing as Beth in Little Women, Judy Haynes in White Christmas, Virginia in Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?, Marcy Park in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Babette in Beauty and the Beast, Zaneeta Shinn in The Music Man, and Wendy Jo in Footloose. Some of her other credits include Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda: The Musical, Eponine in Les Misérables and Little Red in Into the Woods. She thanks her family and her beau.
Sean Besecker
ROLE: Big Jule Sean is from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and is thrilled to be working with La Comedia for the first time. Regional credits include Don in Kinky Boots, Lennie in Of Mice and Men, Sam Byck in Assassins, Sheldon in The Prom, Matthews in Elf: The Musical, Ernst Ludwig in Cabaret, Macduff in Macbeth, Tybalt in Romeo & Juliet, Porthos in The Three Musketeers, Bottom in Midsummer Night’s Dream, and John Proctor in The Crucible. He can currently be seen as the lead Viking King Erik in the new JG Wentworth Viking Opera national commercial campaign. He wishes to thank his family, friends, and his amazing girlfriend Kiersten. Instagram: @seanbesecker
Sarah Condon
ROLE: Hot Box Girl Sarah is excited to be returning to the La Comedia stage, after being last seen in Annie. She is a choreographer, dance/tumbling instructor at Boyd Dance Studios in New Bremen, OH. Sarah trained at Boyd Dance Studios in the Performing Arts Company, Aerial Worx in Las Vegas, Power Pak in Orlando, and the Broadway Dance Center in New York, and has performed at King’s Island, Cincinnati Landmark Productions, Disney Springs, with Cole Swindell in the Citrus Bowl half-time show, All Wheel Sports, Joybrasileira, Daniel O’Donnell’s Back Home Again Tour, RWS Entertainment, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “To my family, fiancé, and future family – I love you all so much, thank you for supporting me! Most importantly thanks to God for the many opportunities He has blessed me with.” “Let them praise His name with dancing.” Psalm 149:3.
Colin Cranstoun
ROLE: Rusty Charlie Colin returns to the La Comedia stage after most recently appearing as Gimble in Miracle on 34th Street. Other La Comedia credits include LeFou in Beauty and the Beast and the operator of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors. He has also been seen here in Grumpy Old Men, Just Desserts, Footloose, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Little Mermaid, The King and I, Sister Act, Fiddler on the Roof, A Christmas Story, The Addams Family, South Pacific, Miracle on 34th Street, Happy Days, Titanic, and A Christmas Carol.
Aubrie-Lee Dentino
ROLE: Hot Box Girl Mimi Aubrie-Lee has spent the last several months as La Comedia’s backstage technician, and is thrilled to step out from behind the curtain in a show that her parents made very special to her when she was young. Her most recent credits include Allison in Miss Nelson is Missing here at La Comedia, and Suzanne Prevot in The Hello Girls (for which she received a DayTony nomination) at Sinclair College, where she earned her degree in theatrical design & technologies. When she isn’t in a theater or scene shop, you can find her teaching dance for her other lifelong passion, colorguard, having finally retired after 14 years of performances across the country with several highly competitive groups including many-time world champion, the Pride of Cincinnati. Much love to her parents Matt and Karie-Lee, and her brothers Matthew, William, and Jeremy.
John Dorney
ROLE: Arvide What a joy to be back performing at La Comedia. John last performed here in Grumpy Old Men, and then in Loveland in Big Fish, before spending the next two months on the other side of the planet. He’s appeared in more than 20 shows in the greater Cincinnati area with almost a dozen different troupes over the last three years, and can be seen occasionally on his wife’s Floss-tube channel Lynn X Stitches Creates, or announcing for Game Show Battle Rooms. All my best to wife, children and children spawn.
Sophia Harvey
ROLE: Salvation Band Sophia is thrilled to be making her La Comedia debut. Some of her favorite credits Kathy Selden in Singin’ In The Rain, Woman 3 in The Anxiety Project, Miss Scarlett in Clue, and Zaneeta Shinn in The Music Man. Sophia would like to thank her friends and family for their constant support and love of her work.
Paul Hernandez
ROLE: Nicely Nicely Paul is ecstatic to be a part of this fantastic company in his Ohio theatre debut. A graduate of Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School, Paul has performed around the world, most recently as a mainstage performer for Disney Cruise Line. Named one of “Broadway’s Rising Stars” in 2022, he has had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Town Hall, Paper Mill Playhouse, The Plaza, EPCOT, The Princeton Festival, Edinburgh International Festival and on Broadway joining Kristin Chenoweth for her concert My Love Letter to Broadway. Favorite credits include Emile in South Pacific, Beadle in Sweeney Todd, Jesus in Godspell, Father in Children of Eden, Olaf in Disney’s Frozen: A Musical Spectacular, Fiorello in Fiorello!, and Chino in West Side Story. Paul sends his love to Kim & Jackie for their constant support. Instagram: @pauljhernandez
Dylan Jackson
ROLE: Benny Southstreet Dylan returns to our stage for his fifth show after last being seen as Marcellus in The Music Man. He has been seen in multiple Kings Island shows over the past two years. Some favorite roles include Jetsam in The Little Mermaid, Rooster in Annie, Chuck in Footloose, and Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. Dylan is also a graduate of the New York Film Academy. A special thanks to his loved ones, his doll, and his number one fan, Dalton. @dylanleejackson
Milan Loreal
ROLE: Hot Box Girl Milan is overjoyed to share the stage with such a talented cast. This is her first show at La Comedia and she is thankful to all involved for this opportunity. Milan has traveled all over through the years but the hometown she hails from is Baltimore, Maryland. She has worked in TV, music videos, background dancing and stage. Some of her favorite credits include the Jelly Roll music video for “She,” Dreamgirls, and Ain’t Misbehavin’, the latter two of which she’s had the pleasure of choreographing as well. Milan sends a heartfelt thank you to God, to all her friends and family who encourage her dreams, and a special thank you to her husband who unselfishly supports her and never EVER lets her give up on herself or her dream. “I’m not lucky, I’m blessed. Enjoy the show!” Instagram: @milanloreal
Nate Marcum
ROLE: Lt. Brannigan Nate is elated to return to the La Comedia stage after a magical Christmas season in Miracle on 34th Street. He has also been seen at Dayton’s Victoria Theatre in TheatreLab Dayton’s production of The Producers. He’d like to thank the production team for the opportunity and their guidance, the cast for their talent and camaraderie, and his family for their unwavering support.
Naomi Quigley
ROLE: Hot Box Girl Naomi is so excited to be returning to La Comedia after appearing in Cinderella last summer. She recently graduated from high school and Southern State Community College with an associates of art. Naomi has appeared in many productions at La Comedia as a kid and recently got upgraded to an adult! Some of her credits include Fern in Charlotte’s Web, Cheryl in Miss Nelson is Missing, Rumpleteaser in Cats, Gertie Cummings in Oklahoma!, Annie Jr., Beauty and the Beast Jr., The Music Man, A Christmas Story and Urinetown. She also is part of the street cast at the Ohio Renaissance Festival. In her off time she likes to spend time with her cats. She would like to thank her Mom and Meg for always supporting her.
Jacob Sawtelle
ROLE: Angie the Ox Jacob believes there is art in everything and true beauty in the benign and small. A graduate of Butler Tech’s School of Arts and a student of the wonderful RiseUp Performing Arts organization, Jacob has performed in numerous shows over the last five years (JRB) and was proud to make his directorial debut with Children’s Performing Arts of Miamisburg. Jacob will be attending Wright State University in the fall to pursue a B.F.A. in acting. He’s incredibly thankful for all the opportunities and friends he has made from his time in the theater. He hopes he can continue to do stuff like this until he’s old and then continue to do it.
Gunnar Shoemake
ROLE: Harry the Horse Gunnar is a senior at Northern Kentucky University and is thrilled to be performing in his third show at La Comedia. You may have most recently seen him as Prince Christopher in last summer’s production of Cinderella or the Baker/Beast understudy in their production of Beauty and the Beast the summer prior. Other roles include Jamie in The Last Five Years, Sheridan McBride in McBride’s Call and several roles in Tennessee Theatre Company’s spring tour of Aesop’s Fables. He’d like to thank his friends, grandparents, mama, sister, dad, and his girlfriend for all their support. Lastly and most important he wants to an acknowledge God for the ability to do what he loves. Psalm 91:1-4
Karie-Lee Sutherland
ROLE: General Karie-Lee returns to the La Comedia stage after recently appearing as Ariel in Grumpy Old Men. Favorite roles include Tanya in Mamma Mia!, Glinda in The Wizard of Oz, and Morticia Addams in The Addams Family. Karie-Lee has toured the world as a performer for the DOD-USO, and is a veteran of live shows at Kings Island. She has worked as an actor, director, and choreographer at various theaters in Cincinnati including the Covedale Center, Warsaw Federal Incline Theater, the Educational Outreach program at Playhouse in the Park, Showboat Majestic, CCM’s Prep Department, and Miami University’s theatre department. Love to Matthew, William, Aubrie-Lee, and Jeremy. Find her on YouTube at “Still Kicking with Karie-Lee.”
Livvy Walters
ROLE: Salvation Band Livvy is excited to be making her debut at La Comedia. She was a member of Loveland Show Choirs for seven years, performing in Chicago, Florida, and on the Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville. Livvy has been in lead roles such as Susan Waverly in White Christmas, Meg in Leading Ladies, and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. She also sang and danced as a Mistletone at Kings Island during the holiday season. Livvy is expanding her horizons in commercial and film with the Helen Wells Agency. She would love to thank her family, friends, and her acting coach Carrie Ellen Zappa for supporting her in everything she does and giving her confidence to go for her dreams. Lastly, she wants to thank you for coming, and hopes you enjoy the show. Proverbs 3:6
