The Spitfire Grill Cast

Alyx is a BGSU theater alumni and has been performing in and choreographing community shows for the past few years. This is her second show with Black Swamp Players having previously been in It Shoulda Been You and The Secret Garden. Thanks to everyone for coming out and supporting the show.

Annelise is excited to return to the Black Swamp Players’ stage! Most recently, Annelise portrayed Fraulein Schnieder in 3B/Village Players production of Cabaret. This past fall, Annelise had the unique opportunity to participate in the staged reading of Common Grounds: A New Musical written by local creative talents Luke Rosen and Matt Zwyer and produced by TBD Productions. Be on the lookout for a full theatrical production in 2023. In the last year, Annelise has been seen in TBD Productions’ Motherhood Out Loud, Cutting Edge Theatre Company’s Chicago (Matron Mama Morton) and Black Swamp Players’ August: Osage County (Barbara Fordham). Annelise is one of the founders of TBD Productions and was honored to be in TBD’s first production, the two-hander Gidion’s Knot (Corryn). Other selected theatre credits include Matilda (Miss Trunchbull), Talking With (Moira/Fifteen Minutes), The Drowsy Chaperone (Woman in Chair); The Addams Family (Morticia); To Kill a Mockingbird (Miss Maudie); A Christmas Carol (Mrs. Crachit); Grease (Miss Lynch); and, Sister Act (Ensemble). When not in the theater, Annelise spends her time working as an attorney, volunteering with local theater organizations, serving on the advisory board for the BGSU Chapter of Chi Omega Fraternity, and enjoying high school again through her teenage daughter’s eyes. Annelise would like to thank her husband and children for always supporting her.

This is Samantha’s third show with Black Swamp Players, but her first musical since high school and she’s thrilled to be sharing the stage with such talented, lovely people! In 2022, she played Karen in August Osage County and Sheila in Mimi’s Famous Company. She’s also a member of the BSP board. She lives with her amazing husband Van, two dog children, Cisco and Ghost, and two hellion cats, Lady and Little.

Heath is thrilled to be returning to the BSP stage in this role. Previous BSP acting credits include George in It Shoulda Been You, Herb in I Ought to be In Pictures, Edward in Psych, and Mr. Boddy in Clue: The Musical. Heath also is active as a director in local theater; select credits include: Marjorie Prime (BSP); August: Osage County (BSP); The Guys (TBD); Gideon's Knot (TBD); The Drowsy Chaperone (BSP); A Mouth to Feed (Toledo Rep); and The Odd Couple (Female Version) (BSP). In his professional life, Heath is Teaching Professor in the Honors College and Department of English at BGSU. He currently serves as President of the Board of Trustees of BSP, as a Board member and agency representative for Northwest Ohio Community Shares, and as Board Vice President and Fundraising Chair for Wood County Humane Society. In his personal life, Heath enjoys spending time with his very supportive husband, Gary, and their clowder of seven rescue cats.

Jared (He/Him/His) is a Senior English Education Major and Theater performance minor at the University of Toledo, currently involved in student teaching. If you’re here on a Friday, know he had a long day of dealing with 11th grade knuckleheads before this performance. This is his first show with the Black Swamp Players, and he’s very excited to be working with such a talented group of folks.

Karen is excited to be returning to the Black Swamp Players stage. Past Black Swamp productions include Mattie Fae Aiken in August: Osage County and in Talking With doing the monologue Clear Glass Marbles. She was most recently seen as Myra Bruhl in Death Trap at the Village Players and as several characters in Motherhood Out Loud for TBD. She recently retired after teaching elementary school for 34 years at Eastwood Schools and sings with the fifth place International Award winning Scioto Valley Chorus of Sweet Adeline’s International. She would like to thank her family (Nora and Kristin) and friends for their continued support and encouragement. Karen is grateful and humbled to have the opportunity to work with this very talented cast and director.

Andrew is no stranger to Black Swamp Players productions, having been involved in numerous shows, but this is his first time playing a silent role in a musical. Away from the stage, Andrew enjoys visiting libraries all over Northwest Ohio, singing, and is well versed in pop culture. Finally Andrew thanks the cast and crew for letting him be in this production, and hopes that the audience will enjoy this tale of change and redemption.