Producers Bios

The Producers is Cathy’s 2nd production with Open Door Community Theatre after being in last year’s Cinderella! She’s so excited to be back! Cathy is no stranger to Community Theatre having performed in Detroit Lakes; Casper, WY; & Yuma, AZ. Cathy thanks her family & friends for their support! Thank you for coming & enjoy the show!

Erin is excited to be returning to ODCT’s stage after their production of Cinderella last year. She wants to thank ODCT for the opportunity to perform a wide range of roles with them, and hopes to continue growing as a performer.

Alex is thrilled to be back for a seventh show with ODCT! A member of the ODCT Board of Directors, Alex has been onstage and behind the scenes for over 40 local productions, with favorite stage management credits including ODCT’s The Little Mermaid and School of Rock, and Ashland Productions’ Beauty and the Beast. It’s been a joy to watch this stellar cast, crew, and staff bring this iconic show to life. Thank you to John and Molly for all their love and support!

This is Chris’ second show with ODCT after almost a decade away from the stage. He was previously lucky enough to be part of School of Rock. “Special thanks to all those that have encouraged me to get back to a place that truly makes me happy! And an even ‘Specialer’ thanks to my husband Nick, who has had to endure various offkey renditions of every song you’ll hear tonight!” Love ya!

Matt is thrilled to be in his first show with Open Door! As a long-time fan of Mel Brooks, Matt is especially excited to be a part of “The Producers”! Last summer, Matt performed as part of the barbershop quartet in the Inver Grove Heights Community Theater production of “The Music Man”. Other favorite roles include Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof”, Dicken in “The Secret Garden”, and Luther Billis in “South Pacific”. He is grateful for the opportunity to join such a fantastic cast and crew, and is especially grateful to his family for their loving support.

Producers? Yes, please! Dave is delighted to be back on stage as part of this amazing production. Thanks for supporting community theater!

Nathan is thrilled to be involved with another ODCT Production! While he has been known to jump on stage from time to time (such as the ODCT Cabaret and Cinderella), he can most often be found hanging out in the pit (such as for ODCT’s Seussical and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat productions). Nathan would like to thank you all for supporting local arts, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Abbey has been longing to put this show on her resume. She could not be more proud to share the experience with such a talented cast and dedicated production team. Abbey has previously been seen in Open Door’s School of Rock as Rosalie Mullins and is thankful to be back this summer!

Natalie is thrilled to be playing in her third production since moving to the Twin Cities last summer. Outside of theatre Natalie loves baking sweet treats, sipping iced coffee, and reading anything and everything. This fall, Natalie has plans to move to Chicago to pursue a career in fashion and live with her best friends. Cheers!

Horton (Sessuical the Musical, Open Door Community Theater), Ned Schneebly (School of Rock the Musical, Open Door) Mr. Krabs (The SpongeBob Musical, 4CT), Mr. Greene/Ensemble (Legally Blonde, Ashland Productions). Matt would like to thank Susan, Jeni, Elissa, and Jaye for their love and support. “I dedicate this show to my dad, who will forever have the best seat in the house.”

Maxwell has been dreaming of playing this role since he first saw the movie in theaters 20 years ago. He’s a full-time Multimedia Producer, published board game designer (Dinositters!), and co-president of Mixfit Theatre. When he’s not in a show, you can find him singing karaoke, ordering late-night Taco Bell, or performing in drag as Aubergine Peach. Previous show credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (King Herod), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Director), and La Cage Aux Folles (Albin/Zaza).

Tobias is excited to perform in one of his favorite musicals! Historically, he has performed with Aspire Music Academy, with various roles including the Genie from Aladdin, Javert from Les Mis, and many more, and is looking forward to returning to work with ODCT! Outside of rehearsal, he spends time with his dog, Dot, and working as a nurse practitioner.

Ben Habegger is so excited to make his Open Door Community Theatre debut with a dream show like this! Previous favorite roles include SpongeBob in “The SpongeBob Musical” (Eagan) and Chip Tolentino in “25th Annual…Spelling Bee” (Woodbury Community Theatre). Outside of theatre he works with media production, animation, and high school speech coaching. He is always grateful for his highly supportive friends and family, especially his theatre-loving wife, Leah, and his plastic-loving cat, Santa.

Jacob Lee Hofer is a local lighting designer here in the Twin Cities area. He is excited to be working with the amazing team at Open Door Theater once again. Jacob is known for his other local work with Ashland Productions, Crash Dance Productions, and Cabarave. This is a musical he has been wanting to work on since he saw the movie back in high school.

Madeline Huss is delighted to return to ODCT for a second time! She is a vocal instructor (privately and at St. Croix Preparatory Academy), music director, and a soprano in the MNOpera chorus. She has been teaching voice for ten years and vocal directing high school and community theater for six years. Huss is an alumna of the Peabody Institute and Concordia College in Moorhead. Most recently, she returned to Concordia in the fall (‘24) as a teaching professor while her former voice instructor took a sabbatical semester.

Thomas J. Honeywell is an actor and carpenter currently based in the Twin Cities. “The Producers” is their first show with ODCT. Previously, Thomas has served as Master Carpenter for “Stop Kiss” at South Dakota State Univeristy, and acted in numerous plays and musicals around the Midwest.

Basil is a 21 year old actor mainly based in the Twin cities. They are super honored to be in this production of The Producers and are excited to show off this show! They’ve mainly been in plays with various different companies including Theater in the Round. They are super proud of the work everyone has put in for this and is happy to share such a crazy show with the community.

Joe Johnson (He/Him) is a set designer based in Chicago, Illinois, having received his MFA from Northwestern University. Recent Minnesota credits include Disney’s DESCENDANTS, FINDING NEMO (Stages Theatre Co.) CHICAGO, NEWSIES (Maple Grove High School) CINDERELLA (Open Door) ALICE BY HEART (East Ridge High School). Upcoming Minnesota credits include HUMPERDINCKS HANSEL AND GRETEL (Lake Area Music Festival) and MADAGASCAR ( Stages Theatre Co.) You can see more of Joe’s work on his website www.joethomasjohnson.com or on Instagram @joethomasjohnson.

Jill is delighted to return to the Open Door stage, having previously appeared in their productions of The Little Mermaid and School of Rock. Other credits include White Christmas and Something Rotten! at The Phipps. Offstage, Jill works as a retirement plan advisor, embraces an active lifestyle as a licensed yoga instructor, and enjoys unwinding with a good book alongside her cat, Merlin

Christian is excited to be returning for his third show with Open Door Community Theater. He was most recently seen as Vlad Vladikoff in Seussical, and Jean Michelle in Cinderella. Christian would like to thank his friends and family for their continued support in his theatrical pursuits. Also, he hopes you can enjoy this incredible show and laugh your cares away.

Joseph is so excited to be performing again for the first time in almost a year! He was very worried he would be unable to continue theater after high school, so he feels very lucky to be able to participate in this show. Joseph has been in many Tartan Theater productions, including Mean Girls (Damian), Les Mis (Monsieur Thènardier), and Newsies (Crutchie). Joseph would like to thank his parents, all of his friends, Tartan Theater, and the movie Back to the Future. He hopes you enjoy the show!

This is Ketzie’s first production with Open Door Community Theater. She currently works at the Maplewood YMCA as the Foreverwell Coordinatior. When she is not at work, or in a theater production, she is spending time with her family and dog. She would like to thank everyone who came out to support her and her journey, especially her parents (Scott and Jeanne), her brothers (Malachi, and Bo), as well as all of her Foreverwell Members.

This is Emily’s first time working with Open Door Community Theatre, and she’s enjoyed the process so much! She was previously heavily involved in theater while earning her undergraduate degree at Coe College, and was thrilled to work on a large scale production again. Outside of theater, Emily is a horticulturist and can frequently be found hiking at many of the state & regional parks in the Twin Cities area.

Justin is thrilled to be joining ODCT for another production – this time on the stage! Most recently, Justin directed ODCT’s productions of The Little Mermaid, School of Rock, and What is Broadway? A Jeopardy-Themed Cabaret! Leo Bloom is a dream role for him, and some might call it type casting: accounting and finance professional by day and avid theatre lover by night. Justin’s all-time favorite role though is as husband to his beautiful wife Lynnea and dad to their perfect boys Micah and Elijah.

Nick Manthe is thrilled to be part of Open Door Community Theater’s production of, “The Producers.” Nick studied Musical Theater at the University of South Dakota and has been acting in the Twin Cities area since 2017. Most recently, you may have seen Nick as Lennox in “Macbeth” with Open Window Theater, Bottom in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with Rosetown Players, or The Man in “Striking 12” with Minneapolis Musical Theater. Nick would like to thank his friends and family for their unending support. They inspire him to be the best he can be every day.

Kaitlin is excited to be in her first show with ODCT, and third time in The Producers! Most recently she was seen in Something Rotten with CVFT. She has also been seen throughout the Twin Cities in shows like The SpongeBob Musical, Side Show, We Will Rock You, and Hunchback. Outside of theatre, Kaitlin likes to knit, read, and is a proud member of AMC A List.

Julie is happy to be helping out with makeup & hair for another ODCT show! Collaborating with this cast & crew has been a true delight, & she is grateful to have found a community theater program that is simply wonderful. Julie would like to especially thank & recognize Mary Wellman for sharing her talent, creativity, & years of experience with her. Enjoy the magic & wonder of theater!

Marissa is thrilled to be on stage with Open Door for the first time! Favorite credits include Elle (Legally Blonde), Daisy (Side Show), Sandra (Big Fish) and, Ensemble (Sweeney Todd). Many thanks to her family and partner for their endless support. In her free time she enjoys being outdoors as much as possible or baking delicious sourdough. Instagram: @marissa_noe @bakedfromtheheart_

Erik hails from Hudson WI and has been Mel Brooks fan as long as he can remember. He had the privilege to see ‘The Producers’ during its original run on Broadway, and loved it so much he’s been off-book for 20 years before being cast in this production. He currently resides in Woodbury, and likely wins the award for “Shortest Distance Traveled” among the cast.

Abbey is happy to be a part of her second show with ODCT! Producers is a show she has always wanted to do and she is having a blast! When not on stage, Abbey does lots of other theatre stuff, like voice acting, scenic painting, and working at Nextstage Rental and Market, which she co-owns. Other interests include gardening, foraging, DND, and hanging out with her husband and two dogs.

Victor is overjoyed to be working with Open Door Community Theatre again. They’ve previously worked on prop design for their production of The Little Mermaid. Victor is a U.S. Navy veteran, Electrical Engineer, and owner of Practical Magic FX. Outside of work, they’re a passionate Star Wars fan, avid Dungeons & Dragons player, and enthusiast of all things nerdy. Victor is married to their partner of 16 years Abbey, and they share their home with two beloved dogs “fuzzy babies,” Arne and Jun.

Colin is so fortunate to have performed with community theaters across the Twin Cities and is thrilled to make his ODCT debut with The Producers! When he’s not on stage, he teaches middle school students to love reading and co-directs the Mounds View High School theater program with his husband. Favorite past roles include Nick Bottom in Something Rotten, Jesus in Godspell, and Hunter Bell in [title of show]. “Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the love and support you’ve always shown me!”

Niklas has been performing since he was very young, and always dreamed of being an actor. After high school he attended MSU in Moorhead for Musical Theatre, but didn’t finish his degree. Now after a nearly decade long hiatus he’s found his passion for performing again and is back in school to complete his Theatre education. Over this last year he’s appeared in three shows with Century College. He’s played Gertie in Fuddy Meers, Adam in The Shape of Things, and Annas in Jesus Christ Superstar. He thanks you all for supporting this production, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Emilia is so excited to be in her first show with Open Door Community Theatre! She’s previously done shows with Ashland Productions, Blue Water Theatre, and you can find her next in the Cinderella Ballet at the Phipps! In addition to theater, although theater is her life, she loves dancing, painting, and writing songs. She hopes you enjoy this magnificently hilarious show!

Ricky is excited to be returning in his second show with Open Door Community Theatre, especially under the music direction of his wonderful wife, Madeline Huss. Outside of theatre, he is a member of the tenor section in The Singers, MN Choral Artists. Ricky is a CPA who works as a Financial Reporting Specialist for Laureate Education, Inc. Besides music, Ricky enjoys playing tennis, ping pong, frisbee golf, and volleyball.

Josh Savrin is happy to be in his first ODCT production. He has been in numerous productions in the Twin Cities, including Little Women, Mary Poppins, and Clue. He has participated in numerous roles in the theatre; from acting, to directing, to stage managing, and everything in between. Many thanks to everyone for coming out to support the community arts.

Sarah is so grateful to be returning for ODCT’s production of The Producers, after taking a sabbatical from theater for her wedding last fall. She has worked as a stage manager for productions throughout the Twin Cities, most recently working on Cinderella (ODCT), Matilda (Cretin-Derham Hall), and Silent Sky (Theatre in the Round Players). Sarah would like to thank her husband, Evan, for his support and for pretending like he’s not tired of hearing her sing ‘Springtime for Hitler.’

Louie is ecstatic to be a part of ODCT’s “The Producers.” As a proud, anti-Zionist Jew who studies Jewish Americans’ contributions to American comedy, Louie is grateful for the brilliance and courage of Mel Brooks. After facing bitter anti-Semitism and fighting in the Second World War, Brooks killed Hitler a second time with laughter through this show. In these apocalyptic times, we need to ridicule fascists more than ever.

Victoria Silva (she/they) is debuting in her first show at Open Door, and her second show in the Twin Cities! Originally from Chicago, Illinois Victoria moved to Minnesota in pursuit of her J.D. at the University of Minnesota Law School, but has always been a theater lover and scholar. Beyond her time in The Producers, Victoria spends much of her time as a professional Character Performer, bringing everything from Disney Princesses to superheroes to life for kids around the Midwest. They are so excited for you to experience this incredible show and talented cast!

Kaylee is excited to be making her ODCT debut! Some previous shows include Beauty and the Beast (x3), Newsies, and Chicago. Outside of theatre, she works in accounting, and is a full-time college student. She has been teaching dance for four years at Short Dance Studios, where she received a choreography award for tap in 2022. Kaylee is delighted to be on stage with such a wonderful cast. Enjoy the show!

Heather has been directing, producing, choreographing, and performing on stages across the Twin Cities for the past 25 years and is happy to have found a home at Open Door! She is currently serving on the Board of Directors and was last seen on stage in the Fall Cabaret, and recently choreographed Open Door’s The Little Mermaid and School of Rock. When not doing theatre, Heather is the proud owner of Core Pilates on Grand Avenue in St. Paul!

This is Drew’s second show for Open Door after directing Cinderella in 2024. His training includes a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Communications from St.John’s University. Favorite past roles include Saunders in Lend me a Tenor, Leo in Leading Ladies, and Jack in The Importance of Being Earnest. Favorite directing work includes 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee along with over ten years of directing for Stillwater Public Schools. When not performing Drew is a part of the English Department at Stillwater Area High School.

Jennifer is excited to make her Open Door Theatre debut in The Producers! Recent credits include School of Rock (Zephyr Theatre), Stars 7 (Aspire Music Academy), and Rivertown Terror Tour (Rivertown Trolley Productions). She also performs regularly with Encore at Aspire Music Academy. Jennifer holds a theatre degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She is grateful for the opportunity to join this talented cast and bring the laughs to life!

Marino is thrilled to have the opportunity to work on a dream show with an incredible cast and crew. A huge thank-you to everyone who made this production possible, and to his incredible wife, Molly, who was irrationally supportive of his participation even though they were getting married in the middle of rehearsals.

Q is super excited to be apart of this production, making their Open Door Community Theatre debut. Q is 18 & just graduated high school, along with also just graduating college with three associates degrees: communication studies, theatre performance & liberal arts. Q plans to continue pursuing these degrees! A fun fact about Q is that they are also a professionally trained clown, and also like to make cosplays in their spare time :)!

Mary is a retired teacher who has been involved in Community Theatre, on and off stage, since 1987. Her favorite role is that of Grammie to Jack and Sam. Mary thanks her supportive husband Fred for living among the costume racks and Amazon boxes.

Jerry is on the Board of ODCT, and has conducted the pit orchestras for The Little Mermaid and Shrek and the house bands for Joseph and Godspell. Last summer, Jerry was part of the barbershop quartet for The Music Man at Inver Grove Community Theatre.