WICA Show Information

biographies THE MURDER ROOM

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THE ARTISTIC TEAM

Playwright Jack Sharkey

Jack Sharkey (1931 - ) is an American playwright, composer, writer, and director.

"I wrote my first novel at the age of 10 in 1941 and sold my first short story at age 18 in 1949. After serving in the Army, I moved to New York City andinto full-time writing, creating hundreds of short stories and seven novels sold. Once my career was established, I moved back to Chicago, got married and submitted my first play, Here Lies Jeremy Troy to New York producer Elliot Martin in 1965; it was optioned and produced that summer. There are nowover 47 plays and musicals.... My musical instincts stem from childhood, when I was a piano - playing prodigy doing Chopin, Liszt, et al. with easy abandon, and slated to become a concert pianist before I was out of my teens - but I found the daily practicing a drag, and much preferred composing my own music.... Writing a play tailored to a particular talent is always challenging - but definitely a lot of fun."

His plays include : Here Lies Jeremy Troy; Spinoff; Roomies; How Green Was My Brownie; Dream Lover; Take a Number, Darling; Who's on First; Once Is Enough; The Creature Creeps; Honestly, Now; M Is for the Million; Meanwhile, Back on the Couch; Saving Grace; Kiss or Make Up; The Murder Room; Rich Is Better; A Gentlemen and a Scoundrel; Double Exposure; Par for the Course; Your Flake or Mine; The Second Lady; JuneGroom; Play On; A Turn for the Nurse; But Why Bump Off Barnaby; Return of the Maniac; The Clone People; This Must Be the Place; Let's Murder Marsha;My Son the Astronaut; Turkey in the Straw; Dracula: The Musical; Beauty and the Beast, Really; Push-over; Turnabout; What a Spot; Woman Overboard; Operetta; The Picture of Dorian Grey; Hope for the Best; The Saloonkeeper's Daughter; Not the Count of Monte Cristo; Slow Down, Sweet Chariot; And on the Sixth Day; My Husband the Wife.

Novels: The Secret Martians; Ultimatum in 2050 A.D.; Murder Maestro, Please; Death for Auld Lang Syne.

Don N. Wilkins (Director) was born into a theatrical family in London, England . His mother and aunt were dancers in traveling shows. His grandfather, James Gray, was a Music Hall Artiste whom, when he died, left a legacy of his interesting life.

At age 17, Don was awarded a two year scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He spent a year in drama school and, when Compulsory National Service called, he served four years in the Royal Navy.

By 1960 Don and his wife, Brenda were settled in business in Palo Alto , California . Continuing his interest in theatre, Don served as President for both the Palo Alto Players and the Menlo Players Guild. He also directed many Peninsula Community Theatre productions.

While teaming up with fellow countryman and actor, Brian Lucas, in the 1970’s they together twice won the San Francisco Comedy Award. Then for twelve years, with Lucas, wrote and performed comedy sketches for Trade Shows Conventions and Business Seminars.

While under contract with the William Morris Agency (1982) Don produced and starred in Peter Flannery’s The Boys Own Story (dir. by Lucas). The show toured throughout California and won an OPET (Outstanding Performance and Esprit in Theatre) Award. The film of the production is presently in the California Arts Archive.

Don and his wife, Brenda, retired to Whidbey Island 12 years ago. His local directorial work includes: The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Deathtrap, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, See How They Run, The Dock Brief, Puttin’ On The Brits, and A Murder is Announced.

Don writes, “It’s wonderful to have such a first class facility as WICA, with it’s superb staff, who encourage and support the tremendous amount of talent here on Whidbey Island .

Don and Brenda Live in Greenbank. They have two adult children, five grandchildren, and an Aussie Toy Shepherd named Tex.

Anne Deacon (Lighting Design) has recently returned to Whidbey Island from Central New York where she studied at Syracuse University for Masters of Fine Arts in Theatre. She holds a BA from Washington State in Theatre and did an internship with Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Company and School. She was Technical Director at Marlboro College in Vermont, and worked with Flatrock Children’s Theatre in North Carolina . She is thrilled to be making her WICA debut as Lighting Designer and looking forward to the many creative opportunities this community offers.

Jeff Fors (Properties Design) was most recently seen in WICA's production of Wait Until Dark as Mike Talman, the ex-con who befriends the "helpless" housewife, Suzy. He was also cast as the love-struck writer, Cliff Bradshaw, in WICA's Cabaret. Previous theatrical experience include: Billy Crocker in Anything Goes, Algernon Moncrief in The Importance of Being Earnest. He has also played in The Sound of Music (twice): first as Kurt (the youngest son) and a few years later as Captain Von Trapp. Other regional credits include: Robbie in Love is Contagious, Andrew in Juvie, and Andy in We Were Young That Year. He was also assistant director in an all-youth cast of The Lottery and ‘Twas the Night (WCT). He also spent a two years teaching drama and theatrical skills to American school children in Adana , Turkey .

Sharen Heath (Properties Design) is a back stage WICA newbie, this is Sharen's first endeavor in real, live, day & night, hands-on community theater production. Still, the Langley resident/writer/community activist has long been a friend and supporter, having previously served on WICA's Board of Directors. In 2007, Sharen appeared in The Vagina Monologues, performed at Whidbey Children's Theater. With her toe in seductive performance waters, maybe she'll one day give WICA's front stage a go.

Diane Lantz (Stage Manager) started out volunteering for WICA as an Usher soon after her arrival on Whidbey 2 1/2 years ago. She has worked as Assistant Stage Manager for The King and I, A Murder is Announced, and The Importance of Being Ernest. The Murder Room is her first experience as Stage Manager. Diane had not worked in theater prior to her work at WICA. The bulk of Diane's experience has been as mother to Jonathan, a graduate student at UW, and working as an Information Scientist at Syntex/Roche in Palo Alto , CA .

Gail Liston (Costume Design) has designed costumes for productions at Cal State , Fullerton ; Cal State San Bernardino; and Victor Valley College , where she was resident faculty designer. She has also worked for Los Angeles Opera, and Grove Shakespeare Festival. Gail holds a bachelor's degree in Design for the Theatre.

Celia T. Procopio (Design Intern) is very excited about returning to WICA as the Design Intern for the 2007/08 season. She most recently worked on Wait Until Dark (WICA) and stage managed for Tom Churchill's Blue Virgins. Last season, Celia served as the Design Intern in WICA's Three Sisters (April 2007) and Cabaret (June 2007). Celia is a senior at South Whidbey High. After graduation, she plans to attend the San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology and to specialize in chemical coloring, hairstyling, and makeup application. Celia’s career goals include working as a hair and makeup stylist for film, theater, and photographers.

Tyler Raymond (Sound Design) became WICA's Technical Director in 2005 and has been involved with every theatrical performance since, often in several capacities. In high school, Tyler participated in stage and building crews for large productions of Singing in the Rain and Anything Goes. While at Berklee College of Music in Boston , he quickly moved into the role of Crew Chief with the Berklee Performance Center . He supported all levels of shows from faculty and student performances to larger touring artists such as Dream Theater, Paco de Lucia, Césaria Évora, Bobby McFerrin, Dixie Dregs, The Wallflowers, Ottmar Liebert, and many more. Post college he wired up radio stations all over the country (including 4 here in Seattle ), and was a site foreman for a leading Chicago special events company. Tyler would like to thank his wife, Morgan Bondelid, for bringing him to Whidbey Island.

Brenda Wilkins (Scenic Design)

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THE CAST

Ethan Berkley (Barry Draper) most recently completed a long run as Saul Watson, a dangerously playful actor in Third Street Players' production of Play On! directed by K. Sandy O'Brien. Other recent performances include the role of The Cat in the Hat in the WICA Youth Conservatory's Seussical the Musical, as well as the additional musical roles in Honk!, Into the Woods and Godspell (national award winner with Sean Hough as Jesus, directed by Allyson Brown). In non-musicals, Ethan played Fred Vaughn in the WICA production of Little Women, as well as leading roles in the conservatory’s Lorpus and Tundra of Bogenmarsh and A Tale of Two Cities. Ethan has been a member of the WICA training program for four years, recently directed Nevermore at South Whidbey High School , and has an "A" in Drama at school.

Geoff Burridge (Edgar Hollister), a newcomer to WICA, was born in Manitoba Canada and received his early theatre training at the Douglas Arts Academy, Manitoba. After a season in Repertory he moved to Toronto to pursue his University Education.

Geoff continued in theatre with the Toronto Theatreworks Players playing leading roles in A Man For All Seasons. The Birthday Party, Hamlet, Endgame, and The Staircase.

Now employed as a research engineer with Offshore Oil Inc., Geoff devotes his spare time in the pursuit of the development of fossil fuel.

Kent Junge (James Crandall) most recently appeared Roat in Wait Until Dark, as Tusenbach in The Three Sisters, and as The Hermit in Seven Keys to Baldpate. His other WICA performances include: Polonius in Hamlet, Lionel in See How They Run, A Christmas Story and Laramie Project. Other local and regional credits include: A Man for All Seasons, Of Mice and Men, My Fair Lady, Andrea’s Got Two Boyfriends, A Year with Frog and Toad, and A Thousand Clowns.

Mary Kay Hallen (Lottie Molloy) has returned to portraying her own species as her last performance was in Whidbey Playhouses' production of HONK!, where she portrayed a chicken, a cat and a frog. WICA audiences may remember her as Miss Skillon in See How They Run, Miss Marple in A Murder is Announced, and Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Ernest. Mary Kay is a self-taught actor and doesn't have a theatre degree in anything. However, that doesn't stop her from annoying those who do. Please give Mary Kay a little extra applause tonight because she just realized she actually IS the age of characters she used to play in High School.

Gail Liston (Mavis) has appeared on the WICA stage as Dotty (the maid) in Noises Off, Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest, Mitzi, the volatile Hungarian maid in A Murder is Announced, and Abigail Scott Duniway in the world premiere of Barnstorming, written and directed by Tim Rarick. Favorite past roles include Winnie in Tom Churchill’s Blue Virgins, Lulu in Cabaret, Kate in Sylvia, Ida in See How They Run, and The Laramie Project ensemble. Gail holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting and has taught theatre at California State University Fullerton, Victor Valley College , and Skagit Valley College .

Zora Lungren (Susan Hollister) is 16 and a junior at South Whidbey High School . Zora has been acting since the age of 3 but her most recent productions include Play On! (Louise), She Stoops to Conquer (Constance Neville), and Little Women (Sallie Gardiner). Other shows she had been in over the years are Tale of Two Cities, Grease, Nosferatu (Dracula), The King and I, Shakespeare, and The Sound of Music. She is thrilled to be working with Don Wilkins and this excellent cast on this show. Zora sends her love out to her family and friends for supporting her and keeping her awake in class. Enjoy the show!!!

Brian Plebanek (Abel Howard) most recently appeared locally as Darien Ramsey in the premier of Whidbey Playwright Tom Churchill’s Blue Virgins this past September. Recent WICA stage roles included Ernst Ludwig in last season’s incredible run of Cabaret and in February as Lou Max in Seven Keys to Baldpate. Brian’s other favorite roles were Greg in the comedy smash hit Sylvia (2005), as Patrick Simmons in Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced (2006) Lane, in The Importance of Being Earnest (2006), adult Ralph Parker/Narrator in A Christmas Story (2004), Corp. Clive Winton in the comedy farce See How They Run (2004), Mr. Premium in The School for Scandal (2004) and as Mr. Paravicini in Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (2003) all at WICA. Brian is also a singer/guitarist in the local band Breaded Fish and enjoyed singing in a special cameo appearance in WICA’s production of The Laramie Project (2005). Off-Island, Brian appeared in the 1-Act version of Blue Virgins at Seattle ’s Freehold Theatre’s New Play Festival for a special staged reading when Tom Churchill’s play was chosen as one of only 3 award winners(2006). Brian is thrilled to be working again with Don Wilkins and sharing the stage with this cast of friends and especially again with his wife, Gail Liston. Brian and Gail own Vino Amore Wine Shop in Freeland.

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