You’re in for a turn-up-the-volume blast you won’t soon forget!
Alyssa Cavazos*
(Dori)
Alyssa is so excited to be joining her DCT family once again with this all-star cast and crew! You may recognize her from Dallas Children’s Theater productions of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Belle), The Island of the Skog (Louise), Treasure Island Reimagined! (Morgan), and Ella Enchanted: the Musical (the purple haired sister, Hattie). She also is a resident Teaching Artist for DCT youth. She has had the pleasure of performing all over Dallas, New York City, and Missouri. Regional theaters you may have seen her with include: Uptown Players, WaterTower Theatre, Kitchen Dog Theater, Pegasus Theatre, Flexible Grey Theatre Company, and others. Alyssa has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Abilene Christian University. Alyssa would like to thank Dallas Children’s Theater for this wonderful experience, Drew for his undeniable support, and God for His many blessings.
Gustavo Perez Diaz**
(Joe)
Gustavo is excited to make his debut with Dallas Children’s Theater! He began performing with the St. Louis Opera Theatre Artist in Training program. He continued his opera theater studies at the University of Missouri-St Louis. Gustavo performed extensively throughout the St. Louis area – some roles include Rocky Horror Picture Show (Rocky), The Elixir of Love (Nemorino), Die Fledermaus (Alfred), and Hello, Dolly! (Barnaby Tucker).
Brian Hathaway*
(George/Elvis)
Brian is thrilled to be back at DCT, having last appeared in Ella Enchanted: The Musical. Past DCT credits include James and the Giant Peach; A Year with Frog and Toad; Goodnight Moon; Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing; and Go, Dog. Go! Brian has also been seen locally in productions at Lyric Stage, WaterTower Theatre, Uptown Players, and Theatre Three, among others. Favorite credits include Finian’s Rainbow (Og), The Producers (Leo Bloom), The Drowsy Chaperone (Aldolpho), Honk! (The Cat), and Little Women (Professor Bhaer). Brian is a proud 14 year member of Actors’ Equity.
Thi Le**
(Janet / Dance Captain)
Thi Le is delighted to make her Dallas Children’s Theater debut in Schoolhouse Rock Live! She has credits in Jesus Christ Superstar (Mary Magdalene) at Brookhaven Theatre, Mamma Mia! at Brick Road Theatre, Spring Awakening (Anna) at Uptown Players, CATS (Sillabub) and Bright Star at The Firehouse Theatre, Kentucky (Sophie) at Imprint Theatreworks, and most recently, Sister Act at WaterTower Theatre. Thi loves creating art and having the opportunity to tell someone else’s stories, and she strives to inspire others to do the same.
Laura Payne
(Schulie)
Laura is thrilled to return to Dallas Children’s Theater after being in the original cast of The Secret Life of Girls over 10 years ago! Regional credits include: Sister Act (Sister Mary Robert) and The Ballad of Little Jo (Josephine “Jo” Monaghan) at WaterTower Theatre; Matilda: The Musical (Miss Honey) at ZACH Theatre; ’Twas the Night Before Christmas (Mary Midkiff) at Casa Mañana; and Beowulf (Warrior) at Trinity Repertory Company. Other credits include: Side Show (Daisy Hilton) and We Go Round and Round (Sweet Young Thing) at Brown/Trinity Rep; and Anna Karenina (Anna) at Notch Theater workshop. Much love to her friends and family for their continuous support! www.lauralymanpayne[dot]com
Lakeia Shaneen Smith
(Dina)
New York born Lakeia Shaneen Smith is an accomplished singer, songwriter, music director and vocalist. After graduating from University, she began to tour overseas in Europe and Asia as a soloist and part of a gospel ensemble where she met her now-husband, Emanuel Smith. When not touring overseas, she and her husband would perform in NY, DC, Virginia and the eastern coast. While here in Dallas, her recent credits include Music Director of Nina Simone: Four Women at the Jubilee Theatre in Fort Worth; the “Angel” in Black Nativity at the Bishop Arts Theatre Center; Mrs. Mallet in CORPS’ Bells are Ringing; and most recently, appeared in Beyond Perfection, a new Dystopian Musical, and “Egyptus” in the musical “The Ark”. She gives God all glory for being able to do what she loves and is passionate for. She is very thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful cast and musical.
Will Stotts*
(Tom)
Will Stotts is pumped to be back at DCT! Credits include: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Gaston) at Dallas Children’s Theater; My Fair Lady (Freddy Eynsford Hill) and Romeo and Juliet (Tybalt) at Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre; Sister Act (Joey) at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse; and Urinetown (Officer Lockstock) at Red Barn Theatre. Will recently signed with the Linicomn Agency and holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ouachita Baptist University. He thanks Nancy for the opportunity, God for his grace, and his wife and family for their love and support.
Karl Schaeffer*
(Understudy: George / Elvis)
Karl has appeared in many DCT productions including the 2019-20 season opener Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Additional credits include Treasure Island Reimagined!; Blue; Skippyjon Jones; Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat; Night of the Living Dead; Pinkerton!!!; The Emperor’s New Clothes; Babe, the Sheep-Pig; Holes; The Mummy’s Claw; Pecos Bill; The Island of the Skog; Frankenstein; The Stinky Cheeseman…; Honus & Me; Junie B. Jones & a Little Monkey Business; The Best Christmas Pageant Ever; The Pied Piper’s Magic; Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!; Go, Dog. Go!; Charlotte’s Web; Balloonacy; Junie B. Jones Is Not A Crook; and Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium. He also performed with Dallas Theater Center, Shakespeare Dallas, and Theatre Three. Karl is an Artist-in-Residence at DCT and teaches video acting classes for the DCT Academy.
*Indicates member of Actors’ Equity Association
**Indicates Equity Membership Candidate.
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!
Originally Conceived and Directed by Scott Ferguson
Book by Scott Ferguson, Kyle Hall, and George Keating
Music and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg, Kathy Mandry, George Newall, and Tom Yohe
Directed by Nancy Schaeffer
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE! JR is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. MTIShows[dot]com
January 25 – February 23, 2020
Recommended for ages 5 and up
If you were a kid from the early 70s to mid 80s when this series was first on TV, or in the mid 90s when it ran again; you owe it to yourself to go back in time to the good old days. Relive how fun learning English, history, science, and math was thanks to Saturday morning television and this pop culture phenomenon! There’s no time like the present to start teaching the rest of the family such megahits as Conjunction Junction, Just A Bill, Three Is A Magic Number, and others so everyone can be a part of the show! Join nervous school teacher Tom, and all of those crazy cartoon characters, for a turn-up-the-volume blast you won’t soon forget!
Learn more about this show and others in our 2019-2020 season at dct.org.
Title Sponsor: Which Wich, Free Play