Cast and crew of Sister Act - The Musical

CAST...                         
*First production with Theatre 7 

Klonjlaleh Weah* - Deloris Van Cartier
Klonjlaleh Weah is delighted to make her community theatre debut in Theatre 7’s “Sister Act the Musical.” When she isn’t on stage, she enjoys traveling, baking, and spending time with her daughter. She thanks her friends and family for encouraging her to audition and for all their support.

Kathy Fergin* - Mother Superior
Kathy is super excited to be back on the Decatur Civic Center’s stage with this amazing, talented cast! She previously performed with JeDeMi Productions in “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” (Lyn), “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” (Muriel), and “The Full Monty” (Vicki). Kathy has also been seen on the Springfield Muni Stage in “Crazy For You” (Irene), “42nd Street” (Maggie), and “Guys and Dolls.” She directed the Taylorville High School Musicals for 12 years, retiring last year. Kathy is a CRNA at Taylorville Memorial Hospital and a proud mama of four boys and five grandchildren! Thanks so much to the directors for believing in her! She dedicates this performance to HER St. Ignatius, her father. Peace, love, and music to all!

Rachael Ward - Sister Mary Robert
Years with Theatre 7:  2
When Rachael was 10, she joined a local summer theatre camp production of “Annie Jr.” As a relatively cautious child, she held few expectations of enjoying the experience. Over 20 years and nearly 50 productions across acting, directing, and technical aspects later, it’s safe to assume she had a change of heart. From gaining confidence to learning to sew, Rachael is grateful she said yes to theatre. Although some of her most memorable roles were the Narrator in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors”, and Sister Amnesia in “Nunsense,” Rachael’s favorite performances have been those that shared the stage with her family. She is blessed to have an amazing support system and musically gifted husband, Patrick, who serves as Music Director for Sister Act. They met at Eastern Illinois University, where she received a BA in History, a BA in Theatre, studied vocal performance, and went on to obtain an MA in Historical Administration. Together they are raising two beautiful children, Henry and Lucy, and two spirited terriers, a Westie named Sebastian and Scottie, Florence. When not at work as the Oncology Outreach Coordinator for Decatur Memorial Hospital, Rachael likely can be found lost in a book, fallen down a rabbit hole of exceedingly random historical trivia, or tending to her finicky houseplants. 

Lizz Dial* - Sister Mary Patrick
Lizz is beyond excited to return to the stage with Theatre 7! She grew up performing through the Decatur Park District and competed in show choir for six years. Some of her favorite roles include Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, and Horton the Elephant in Seussical. She is especially thrilled to bring the nosy, giggly, spunky Sister Mary Patrick to life in “Sister Act the Musical.” When she’s not on stage, she’s a proud mom to Kyla and Elliana, who are her biggest inspirations and her favorite audience. Lizz wants to thank the cast and crew for all their hard work. Thank you to her family and friends for their encouragement and support. She would also like to send all her love and gratitude to her mom and grandma, Myra in heaven — she knows they’re cheering extra loud for her. 

Penny Williams - Sister Mary Lazarus
Years with Theatre 7:  42
Penny been involved in Theatre 7 for over 42 years, both on stage and backstage, and on the board of directors. Some of her favorite shows have been Bye Bye Birdie, Steel Magnolias, Anything Goes, Nana's Naughty Knickers, Hallelujah Girls, Music Man, Guys and Dolls, Annie, Everybody Loves Opal, Annie Get Your Gun, and so many more. This show is so much fun! I have enjoyed being surrounded by so much love and positivity! It has been fabulous! Sit back and enjoy the show!

Shania Hines - Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours
Years with Theatre 7:  2
Shania is thrilled to be a part of this cast and a member of Theatre 7. She has been performing on and off for several years, from theater to showchoir to even karaoke Tuesdays with friends. She had the privilege of recently playing the roles of Lady in Yellow in “For Colored Girls” and Greta Ohlson in “Murder on the Orient Express.” She’s also had the lovely opportunity to share the stage with her two sisters a few times and is always grateful each time. When she’s not performing, she’s working hard on my master’s degree in Public Health. 

Suzy Ziegler* - Sister Mary Theresa
Suzy is very excited to be joining Theatre 7 for Sister Act! After years of watching her daughters perform in many productions, she decided to join the fun herself. “Nunsense” was her first show, and she’s delighted to be playing a nun once again! 

Travis Bodden - Monsignor O’Hara
Years with Theatre 7:  2
Travis came from a musical family and has enjoyed singing around the piano since he was a child. "Sister Act" the movie came out the year he graduated from high school and was a big hit. He looks forward to bringing Monsignor O'Hara to life with Theatre 7 and sharing the stage with this amazing cast.

Matt Dutton - Curtis
Years with Theatre 7:  10
Matt Dutton is a graduate of AMDA (NYC) and recieved his bachelor's degree from Millikin University's SOTD. He was last seen in Theatre 7's Murder on the Orient Express (Michel), Diamond Jubliee Concert, Something Rotten!, Follies: In Concert, and Avenue Q (Gary). He has worked with DUT locally in JCS (Pilate), Into the Woods (Rapunzel's Prince), Little Shop, All Shook Up (Jim) and Jekyll & Hyde (John); other credits include: Big River (Jim), Queen Lear (Edmond), Damn Yankees, A Wonderful Life, Aida, The Wiz and The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Josh Metoyer* - Eddie
Josh's theatre career started back in 2012 when he was cast in "Annie the Musical.” The big beautiful world of the performing arts and its craziness has been a part of his life for the past 15+ years. In high school, he performed and competed with his award-winning show choir; which ultimately inspired him to create his own A Capella Group, "The Real Final Melody." His sophomore year of high school, he created The Real Final Melody with the intention of sharing the amazing and unique world of A Capella music with others; not knowing that six years later, The Real Final Melody would become one of the youngest all-male Chicago-based vocal A Capella groups to win a Humanitarian Award from the City of Chicago. So, needless to say, the performing arts has shaped his life entirely. He is blessed and excited to play the role of "Eddie" in this show and to be a part of such an amazing cast! 

Trae Smith* - TJ
Trae was Scrooge in A Christmas Carol and the Baker in Into the Woods. They were both great parts but for A Christmas Carol they didn’t have microphones and he was the only one they could hear. Overall he loved being in both of the shows and is excited to be in Sister Act.

Rick Cina - Joey 
Years with Theatre 7:  2
This is Rick's second Theatre 7 production and third time on the Decatur Civic Center stage, all three times playing Italian villains. He embraced the love-everyone-as-they-are message in the 1992 film and is inspired to hearken back to the over-the-top, smarmy 1978 disco culture resonating in this musical version. Rick originally hails from Milwaukee and he has been performing in theatrical productions since 3rd grade. Recent local theater experiences include playing Andrew Ladd III in A.R. Gurney's Love Letters (Grand Theatre, Hillsboro), Jim in You Can't Take It With You (Hoogland, Springfield), Jerry in Edward Albee's The Zoo Story (Grand Theatre, Hillsboro), Samuel Ratchett/Bruno Cassetti in Murder on the Orient Express (Decatur Civic Center), Stromboli in My Son Pinocchio (Decatur Civic Center), and Clive in Something's Afoot (Hoogland, Springfield). Rick is a ventriloquist and he performed in many improv comedy shows with Blended Artists Imaginarium (Hillsboro) from 2022 to 2024. Employed as a school social worker for over 30 years, Rick and his wife, Lynn, have raised seven children together. 

Rahamses Galvan - Pablo
Years with Theatre 7:  1
This is Rahamses second performance with Theatre 7 and he is extra grateful for the opportunity. He has many credits working professionally in St. Louis! Some of these musical credits include playing Lucas in the musical BARE: A Pop Opera for New Line Theatre, Alex in Frida for Metro Theatre Company, and Phineous Trout in Willy Wonka the Musical.  

David Gilpin - Ernie 
Years with Theatre 7:  8
David has held every position in theatre over the last four decades. Most recently, he directed Theatre 7's production of “Annie” and performed in “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.” He would like to dedicate this performance to the memory of his mother, Lynne.

Ensemble...
Olivia Swords - Michelle, Nun Ensemble
Years with Theatre 7:  2
Olivia is thrilled to be back onstage for her second Theatre 7 show! Select past productions include: Legally Blonde (Elle Woods), Annie (Grace Farrell), Godspell (Peggy), and Into the Woods (Rapunzel). She recently graduated from Millikin University with majors in English, History, and Philosophy, and she plans to attend law school. Offstage, she enjoys crafting, reading, and spending time with her dogs, Dolly and Reba.

Maddie Berry - Tina, Nun Ensemble
Maddie is a local theater fanatic with a hobby of crop insurance and plants. She’s had the opportunity to previously be in musicals such as Legally Blonde, Music Man, Marry Poppins, and West Side Story. She is so excited to be with Theater 7 for this production of Sister Act, it’s been a dream of hers to portray a nun! This show and cast have been so much fun, and she can’t wait to bless you all with this performance!

Tanya Haubner - Nun Ensemble
Years with Theatre 7:  10
Tanya is thrilled to be returning to the Theatre 7 family! She first stepped into the spotlight with “Spamalot,” and since then, she and her husband Brian have been deeply involved both on and off the stage. Tanya has appeared in several productions, most recently “Lucky Stiff.” In addition to performing, she has developed a passion for directing, specifically musicals, and her absolute favorite “Young Frankenstein.” She is grateful for the opportunity to continue creating and collaborating with such a talented and supportive theatre community.

Marisa Capps-Hoffman* - Nun Ensemble
Marisa is very excited for her first show with the Theatre 7 community. Sister Act is a blast, and every practice has been a joy. She has spent almost her entire life in or around the theatre and has been in several shows, including, most recently, Legally Blonde last fall with Decatur Underground Theatre, as well as choreographing for Montessori Academy for Peace's spring production of Descendants. Theatre is her happy place, and rehearsals for this show have definitely cemented that. It's been great working with this cast and experiencing all of the talent they have in store for our audiences. 

Bette Felstead - Nun Ensemble
Years with Theatre 7:  3
Bette fell in love with theater and acting when she went to college at SIUC. She has a Bachelor's in Mass Media with a minor in theater. She also holds a Master’s degree in Education. I was in the ensemble for " A Christmas Story the Musical” and Boylan Sister/Ensemble in “Annie.” I decided to be in a musical after writing my bucket list while going through chemo for colon cancer. I’m a four-year cancer survivor! 

Brigette Felstead - Nun Ensemble
Years with Theatre 7:  2
Brigette was a dog catcher/ensemble in “Annie” in late 2024. This is her second play with Theatre 7.

Jazmine Mileham - Drag Queen, Ensemble
Years with Theatre 7:  1
Jazmine is a Junior at Millikin University, pursuing a BA in Theatre and looking into a minor in music. This is my second production with Theatre 7, as I was in the shadow cast of Rocky Horror Picture Show. From 2014 to 2018, while I was attending Mount Pulaski High School, I was in four high school productions and one community production. These include: Addams Family musical, Hock Jr, The (almost) Totally True story of Hansel and Gretel, Jason and the Argonauts, and Oklahoma with Lincoln Community Theatre. Jazmine is also a Professional Drag Queen and an up-and-coming costume designer. 

Shakayla Dickey*
This is Shakayla’s first musical, and she is grateful for the experience and everything she’s learned along the way. With a background in dance, she enjoys performing and being part of a creative space. She appreciates the opportunity to grow and is thankful to be part of this production. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Kat Solano
Years with Theatre 7:  5
Kat has been performing for as long as she can remember. She has a film and movie degree from the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. She is very excited to be sharing the stage with so many talented people. Outside of Theatre 7, you can catch Kat performing as her alter ego, Enzo Rodriguez, a local drag king. 

Nox MacDougall*
Nox started performing when he was very little, ranging from dance, choirs, and acting. He hasn't been able to be on stage for many years and is finally back in the musical scene! He is currently studying to be a paramedic and is taking his EMT-B licensing exam in June – wish him luck! His favorite part of theatre has always been the dances, and he has been overjoyed to get to sing, dance, and perform with this lovely group of people. Enjoy the show!

Kyra Dunn* - Ensemble
Sister Act is Kyra's first ever show with Theatre 7, and they absolutely loved this cast and rehearsing with everyone. They've also played the court stenographer in “Legally Blonde” with DUT and Mr. Bernstein in “Little Shop of Horrors” at Meridian High School. They are excited for their freshman year at Bradley University in the fall and can't wait to see where life will take them and what new shows they'll have the honor of being a part of in the coming years. 

Violet Madrid - Altar Girl
Years with Theatre 7:  2
I love theatre, it's the best thing you can do! I love Sister Act so much. If you're thinking about theatre, do it!

Lainie Kater - Altar Girl
Years with Theatre 7:  2
This is Lainie’s fourth show with Theatre 7. She first performed with them in “A Christmas Story the Musical” as Randy, and has since appeared in “Annie” as Tessie, one of the orphans, and voiced Daisy Armstrong in “Murder on the Orient Express.” This production marks her ninth show overall since she began performing. One of her favorite things about theatre is getting to play different characters and tell their stories.

CREW...               
Evan Miller - Director
Years with Theatre 7:  11
Evan is thrilled to be directing “Sister Act” with Theatre 7. Evan has previously been seen on stage in “Avenue Q,” “Farce of Nature,” “Annie,” “Noises Off!,” “Drinking Habits,” and more. In the last few years, Evan has started directing more, including the dinner theatre “The Regifters,” and co-directing “A Christmas Story” with Kathy Zientara. He recently co-wrote Theatre 7’s dinner theatre “Serving Up Love” with Timber Ziegler. He would like to thank all of the family and friends who continuously support him: without you all, I wouldn’t be who I am today. 

Timber Ziegler - Director, Choreographer
Years with Theatre 7:  4
Timber is so excited to help bring this uplifting and ridiculously fun show to the stage! She has previously choreographed Stepping Out, A Christmas Story, and Annie, and has also been seen performing on Theatre 7’s stage. Outside of theatre, Timber is an Elementary Education major at Millikin University. Break a leg to our entire cast and crew!

Patrick Ward* - Vocal and Music Director
Patrick begrudgingly started piano lessons at age 8, which shaped the entire course of his life. He started playing for church at 13 and was the piano accompanist for his school choirs through high school and college. Patrick has been performing in musical theatre productions for many years, most recently directing the band for “Nunsense” and music directing “Bye Bye Birdie.” By day, Patrick is the Director of Instrumental Music at Mt. Zion Junior High and High School, where he leads all aspects of the Band and Orchestra programs, and he is also the Music Director for Ss. James and Patrick Parish in Decatur. However, his most important role is that of husband to his beautiful and talented wife, Rachael (Sister Mary Robert in this production!), father to Henry and Lucy, and treat dispenser to precocious terriers, Sebastian and Flossie. 

Dina Fryman - Costume Design
Years with Theatre 7:  40+
After graduating from Illinois State with degrees in textiles and apparel and costume design, Dina returned to Decatur and joined Theatre 7 in 1981. She has served twice as Board President, but her main contribution has been as a costumer and supervisor of Theatre 7’s vast collection of costumes. Over the years, she has designed and costumed over 80 shows. Among her favorites are Ragtime, 1776, The Explorers Club, Spamalot,  Something Rotten, Murder on the Orient Express, and now Sister Act.

Emily Steele - Producer
Years with Theatre 7:  12
Emily’s recent Theatre 7 productions were co-directing “Murder on the Orient Express” and in the “Serving Up Love” dinner theatre. You may have seen her previously in “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,” as Mother in “A Christmas Story the Musical,” Vera in “Stepping Out,” Poppy in “Noises Off,” Frau Blucher in “Young Frankenstein the Musical,” or backstage in a variety of roles. Outside the theater, you can often find Emily on a bicycle, hiking a trail, or playing her ukulele. 

Jerry Johnson, Scott Magruder, and Doug Fryman - Set Design and Construction