SERENITY CISNEROS
Joan
Serenity Cisneros (Joan) is excited to be making her Marquette community theatre debut with Big Lake Theatre Company! She is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of telling such a thought provoking and touching queer story that anyone can relate to. She’d like to thank our talented cast and crew for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to telling this story with the respect it deserves, and also her friends and family for their continued love and support.
DAISY GRAMANA
John
Daisy is so excited to be playing John in Fun Home for her first show with Big Lake Theatre Company! She has performed in The Little Mermaid, SpongeBob: The Musical, and The Wizard of Oz, and she loves creating fun theatre, music, art, and dance projects with her sister and friends. Daisy enjoys playing violin with Youth Volume, singing in the Wild Bird Voice Studio Lark Ensemble, and participating in the youth journalism program 8-18 Media. Outside of performing, Daisy can often be found exploring different fashions, conducting kitchen science experiments, jumping on the couch, hanging out upside down, and spending time with her friends. She is grateful to James, Charlie, Sarah, and Miss Amanda for helping her and for making this show so much fun.
ZOË GRAMANA
Small Alison
Zoë is ecstatic to make her debut with Big Lake Theatre Company as Small Alison in Fun Home. She previously performed in The Little Mermaid, SpongeBob: The Musical, and The Wizard of Oz. Zoë loves writing and performing stories, dances, and songs with her sister and friends, and she also collaborated with fellow young artists through Project Knot Work to create and perform in the documentary Yours, Marquette and the play Journey Across the Sea. She enjoys playing violin with Youth Volume, singing in the Wild Bird Voice Studio Lark Ensemble, and writing news articles and hosting podcasts through the youth journalism program 8-18 Media. When she’s not performing, Zoë enjoys reading, crafting, and playing Animal Crossing. Special thanks to her mom and dad for all their love, support, and for cheering her on every step of the way.
RACHEL HAY
Medium Alison
Rachel Hay was born and raised in Ishpeming, MI and has been involved in theatre in the Marquette area since age 8. Some of her favorite previous roles include Wendy in Peter Pan, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Annabeth in The Lightning Thief, and Shelby in The Prom, Bonnie in Bonnie & Clyde, and Alice in LIZZIE. Rachel is incredibly proud of all of the hard work put into FUN HOME and cannot wait to show it to an audience. She hopes everyone who sees the show will enjoy themselves and learn something along the way.
ALEX HERMAN
Bruce
Alex Herman (Bruce) is a Physical Therapist Assistant for UP Rehab at the Great Lakes Sports Medicine Institute. This is his second production with Big Lake Theatre Company, having first played "Clyde" in Bonnie and Clyde last Summer. He has not been on the stage as much lately due to dedicating his time coaching his son in basketball, football, and baseball, where he is an active board member for Negaunee Little League. Some of Alex's past roles and performances of note include Rent (Mark), Last 5 Years (Jamie), Next to Normal (Gabe), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Rocky x2, Brad Majors), Proof (Harold Dobbs), Grease (Danny Zuko), Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph), and Addams Family (Lucas). Alex wants to thank his friends and family for their support and hopes this production moves you in the way it moves him.
IRIENA IRWIN
Helen
Iriena Irwin (Helen) is excited to be working with Big Lake Theater Company. She is a histotechnologist at UPHSM. Her recent credits include Maria (Twelfth Night), Reza (Once), and a soloist at Lake Superior Theater’s broadway at the boathouse. When she isn’t on stage she is adventuring with her husband Noah. She is incredibly honored to be helping bring this story to life as Helen Bechdel.
JOSEPH PICKENS
Roy/Mark/Pete/BobbyJeremy
Joseph Pickens is an MTU graduate with a BA in Theatre and Electronic Media Performance. He currently resides in Marquette where he enjoys participating in community theatre. Some of his favorite roles in Marquette theatre include Jinx (Forever Plaid), Moritz Stiefel (Spring Awakening), and Hipster Dork (Heathers: The Musical). He is grateful for the opportunity to continue performing, and would like to thank everyone who supports the local theatre scene!
J.J.REINHART
Christian
JJ Reinhart is a seventh grader at Bothwell Middle School in Marquette. He has been involved in theater productions since he was six years old with some of his favorites including Junie B. Jones, The Lightning Thief, Disney’s Dare to Dream, and The Wizard of Oz. He’s just recently finished The Little Mermaid, and now he is looking forward to his first community theater production. He’s excited to have James as his director for the third time and to work with some incredible adult and fellow kid actors. JJ is thrilled to have been given the opportunity to play Christian and hopes to make his family, fellow cast members and directors proud.
JILL VERMEULEN
Alison Bechdel
Jill Vermeulen (Alison) is a fourth grade teacher at Cherry Creek Elementary School & is the drama director for Marquette Senior High School, most recently directing Hadestown & Les Miserables. Some of her favorite performance credits include The Prom (Angie), Heathers (Ms. Fleming), Mary Magdalene (Jesus Christ Superstar), Footloose (Vi Moore), Mamma Mia (Tanya), The Addams Family (Morticia), Noises Off (Belinda), and Proof (Claire). She holds a master’s degree in K-8 Reading from Northern Michigan University. She is grateful to Big Lake Theatre Company for the opportunity to share Alison’s story.
DEBBIE CARLSON
Violin/Viola
Debbie has had a violin under her chin since she was 2 years old. She grew up in Marquette but left to study violin performance at Lawrence University in 1994. She then went on to study at EMU for a year followed by three years at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. After that she moved to Lansing MI so she could be closer to her mom who had been battling deadly cancer for almost 10 years. Debbie performed with community orchestras along the East Coast, throughout lower MI, GBSO in WI and all over the UP and Canada. She has also performed in Europe as assistant concertmaster with Blue Lake International Symphony Orchestra, with the Wolfratshousen Symphony in Germany and has toured parts of Canada with an orchestra in the Sioux, Canada.
She has performed with artists Kenny Rodgers, Anne Murray, Andrea Bocelli, The Mambo Kings, The Dave Brubeck trio and Wayne Newton. Debbie also attended 7 years of Suzuki camp at Stevens Point, one Summer at Interlochen, three Summers at Lutheran Summer Music Camp, Tanglewood, Blue Lake International Orchestra. As a recipient of an I.D.E.A. fellowship award from LU she went to study with Denes Zsigmondy at his music camp in Germany. Debbie is the Principal violist with MSO and teaches violin, viola and cello lessons. She's also the current concertmaster with NMU Symphony orchestra and plays percussion with the Mqt City Band.
MATT MITCHELL
Reeds
Multi-instrumentalist Matt Mitchell was born, raised, and educated in Marquette, MI.
Originally trained as a violinist, Matt has also performed throughout Marquette on flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, saxophone, French horn, trumpet, percussion, piano, and voice.
He served as conductor of the Upper Peninsula Youth Orchestra from 2014-2018 and has also worked as orchestra director for several Superior Arts Youth Theater productions. Aside from performing and conducting, he also offers freelance services as a music copyist and arranger.
Matt currently works as a woodwind repair technician maintaining student, school, and professional musicians instruments across the U.P.
NICOLE NOLAN
Cello
Nicole Nolan is a lifelong cellist who began playing at age 11 and has been devoted to the instrument ever since. She performs with the Marquette Symphony Orchestra, where she enjoys collaborating with fellow musicians and contributing to the Upper Peninsula’s arts community. Nicole is also a dedicated physician assistant, practicing internal medicine and pediatrics at Marshfield Medical Center. She has loved this work for the past eight years for its blend of challenge, connection, and care. When she’s not in the clinic, she can usually be found running outdoors or spending time with her family.
SARA PARKS
Music Director & Piano
Sara Parks has been performing and music-directing in Marquette’s theatre community for the past fifteen years. Sara holds a Bachelor of Music Education from NMU and worked as a full-time elementary music teacher for nine years. Sara currently teaches private voice and beginning piano lessons at Yooptone Music Store in Marquette and is the Director of Music at Messiah Lutheran Church. Sara is also an adjunct instructor in NMU’s Department of Music. Sara has music-directed several productions for local theatre companies; her favorites include Bonnie & Clyde, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Into The Woods Jr. Sara also enjoys performing as a vocal soloist with the Westerly Winds Big Band. Her favorite roles on stage include Emily Hobbs in Elf the Musical (FRT), Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (PAAC), and The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods (FRT). Sara is a co-founder and Board President of Big Lake Theatre Company.
GAVIN SCHAUB
Guitar
Gavin is a freshman at NMU, with 15 years of guitar experience and 3 years of organized choir at Lakeshore Highschool. He has released two studio albums under the name “Gavin Raleigh.” He has always been a lover of music and can often be found under a tree, strumming a tune with a cat in his lap.
VIC HOLLIDAY
Lighting Design
Vic Holliday was born in Detroit, but raised in Marquette, as his parents (both Yoopers) had the good sense to return to the UP before he turned one year old. He earned his BA in Psychology from St. John’s University in Minnesota, and his MFA in scenic and lighting design from the U of Hawaii at Manoa. Vic retired from NMU in 2019, after thirty-seven years in the Theatre and Dance department, serving as associate professor and scenic/lighting designer. Since retiring, his time is occupied with house remodeling, building ship models (pre-dreadnought steel navy), studying naval history, and doing scenic and lighting design for local theatre companies (PAAC/IronArts, MATI, Lake Superior Theatre, U.P. Shakespeare). He isalso a practicing ailurophile.
CHARLES ORR
Assistant Director & Stage Manager
Charles Orr is a sophomore at NMU studying Theatre and Entertainment Arts with a dual focus in Performance and Hair and Makeup Design. He was a 2023 Nominee for the Sutton Foster Awards, and a Semi-Finalist for the 2026 ACTF Region 3 Musical Theatre Intensive. Recent projects include playing The Usherette/Us Frank N Furter in NMU’s Rocky Horror Show, serving as Hair and Makeup Designer for NMU’s Into The Woods, and writing and performing in the collaborative sketch show It Is The Scene. He is a stitcher at the NMU Costume Shop, and performs in drag as Sensitivity in his free time. This is his first foray into Assistant Directing and Stage Management after taking Directing Theory with Kaitlyn Frotton. He would like to thank the cast and crew for their dedication, everyone who drove him to and from rehearsals, James Porras and Amanda Boundy for this amazing opportunity, and his best friend, Rachel Hay.
JAMES PORRAS II
Stage & Vocal Director
James Porras II (Stage & Vocal Director) is honored to be involved in this production with Big Lake Theatre Company. James was involved in the Marquette theatre scene over a decade ago, and is so happy to be back. Recently, James directed Junie B. Jones Jr. and Spongebob Squarepants Jr. for SAYT, Something Rotten for Bay Shore Arts Center, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels & Chicago: Teen Edition for Menominee High School. Favorite acting credits include Sweeney Todd, Man 2 (Songs for a New World), Officer Lockstock (Urinetown), Robert (Boeing, Boeing), and Rutledge (1776). He has also become fascinated with music direction, having music directed, played keyboards for, and conducting many shows including Mamma Mia, Into the Woods, The Addams Family, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Christmas By the Bay, and tick, tick, ...Boom! Thanks to the cast, musicians, and production staff for being incredible forces of art, John & Kasey for being the best friends a guy could ask for, and the audience for supporting the arts in your community. He hopes you enjoy this powerful, heartfelt piece, and hopes to do more theatre work in this beautiful home-away-from-home very soon!
DAN ZINI
Sound Design
Dan Zini is an award-winning designer and engineer in both live and broadcast sound and media with over a decade of professional experience. He also works as a composer, studio engineer, musician, and programmer, holding many internationally recognized certifications. Dan’s client list is extensive and includes Andy Grammar, Keith Secola, Samantha Fish, Carlos Nunez, Alash, Sandra Joseph, Joshua Davis, LDI Las Vegas, Hershey Entertainment, and various theatre companies, serving on over 100 productions including The Wizard of Oz, Les Miserables, and Mary Poppins. At NMU’s School of Music Theatre and Dance, as well as the Department of Media Studies, Dan currently serves as an instructor in sound and media as well as the sound and media supervisor and engineer.
AMANDA BOUNDY
BLTC Executive Director
An Upper Peninsula native, Boundy was raised in rural Alger County and graduated from Superior Central High School. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from Albion College and a Master of Music in Voice from the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University. She's divided her career between performing musical theatre, opera, and choral solos, teaching voice and vocal ensembles, directing theatre productions, and administration for performing arts organizations.
As a theatre performer, Boundy played roles including Cathy in The Last Five Years, Mary in Mary Poppins, Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Meg March in Little Women. Opera roles include Monica in The Medium, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, and 2nd Lady in Die Zauberflöte. She was also the soprano soloist for several major choral works , most recently John Rutter's Magnificat with the Marquette Choral Society.
In addition to performing, Boundy was an Adjunct Professor of Music at Georgia College and State University. She directed community theatre performances for the Lake Country Players in Greensboro, GA and the Plaza Alliance for the Performing Arts in Eatonton, GA. As an arts administrator, she served as the Director of Operations for the youth and adult programs of the Fairfax Choral Society in Annandale, VA.
Boundy returned home to the U.P. in 2023.