David George's Christmas Ain't A Drag Cast

John Carlin is an actor, musician, and activist based out of NYC. Recent work - FILM: Apostasy Blues (indie feature with Reed Birney), Quinn, Whose Husband She Misplaced (short), Disaster Chasers (short); TV: FBI: Most Wanted, The Food That Built America; THEATRE: Run Bambi Run (world premiere, with music by Gordon Gano of The Violent Femmes), Yemandja (world premiere, with Angelique Kidjo), Turn Me Loose (with Joe Morton, in NY, LA, DC), America Is Hard To See (NY, Edinburgh Fringe). In 2023, John was awarded the Joe Allard Arts Commission in Colchester, UK for songwriting. He is also a proud member of Reverend Billy & The Stop Shopping Choir, a radical NYC-based activist choir that has performed around the world, traveled to Standing Rock, ND and Ferguson, MO, played with Joan Baez and Pussy Riot!, and opened for Neil Young on his 2024 Love Earth tour. https://www.johncarlinactor.com

Allura (Jackson Tomlin) is beyond excited to be taking on this role! You may have seen her recently in La Cage Aux Folles at MTH. Apart from performing, she’s served as Stage Right Performing Arts Co-Director of Choreography 2021-2023 as well as choreographing musicals at highschools and different companies around KC! She’s thrilled to be combining her two favorite arts, theatre and drag, alongside some beautiful souls. She’d like to thank Miller Marley, SRPA, MM, Karma Sutra and her incredibly supportive friends and family! @thee_allura & @jacksonn_tomlinn

Julian (He/Him) is so excited to spread some Christmas cheer! Favorite roles include Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit them (Kenny), Sister Act (Pablo) and Legally Blonde (Courtney). Also known as Luna Flare (She/Her), Kansas City’s favorite "Queen of Cosplay." Luna is an award-winning cosplayer and a featured subject and producer of the Cosplay documentary film "What We Can Be” directed by Nick Young, (Amazon Prime). She is also proud of her work with organizations such as Children's Mercy and The Make-A-Wish Foundation. Come see her host Saturday Brunch at Hamburger Mary's KC. Follow @mslunaflare across social media for more information!

Soprano, GiGi Jolie Crenshaw, is a recent graduate from the UMKC Conservatory with her Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance. GiGi has always had a passion for the arts and was an avid musician and actor throughout her childhood. GiGi has recently performed with the UMKC Opera in Suor Angelica as Suor Genovieffa and hosted her Senior Recital in April displaying her light and shimmering soprano voice. GiGi is very much looking forward to her performance in Christmas Ain’t a Drag as Gold. GiGi will also be performing with the Westwood Ensemble in March to perform the infamous “Flower Duet” from Delibes Lakme and the “Barcarolle” from Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann. She looks ahead at her blooming career with hope and love for spreading the arts to all people.

Cori Anne is a Kansas-born performer and visual artist with a lifelong passion for storytelling. She was most recently seen at The Black Box as Barb in Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical, as well as various characters and concerts for The 1994 Project. Other favorite roles include Hélène in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (at The Black Box), Nancy Downs in The Craft: An Unauthorized Musical Parody (at The Westport Bowery), and Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd (at The Warwick Theatre). Up next in January, she'll be directing The Lion King Jr. at KCYA, and also understudying as a 4-track swing for Just Ask! at The Coterie. Born with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and other related conditions, she strives to elevate EDS awareness within the medical community and is always advocating to make theatre more safe, accessible, and inclusive for performers with disabilities. Learn more at www.corianneweber.com.

The Black Box: Debut.Other Regional: The Disappointments (Kansas City Public Theatre); Joseph…Dreamcoat (Theatre Atchison Pro); Porgy and Bess (Music Theater Heritage); It’s A Wonderful Life: Radio (Music Theater Heritage); Gypsy (Music Theater Heritage); Beautiful: Carole King…(MTKC Pro), Rocky: The Musical (MTKC Pro), Oliver! (Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre), Judgement at Nuremberg (Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre). Select Local Credits: Ragtime: Concert (The Barn Players); Bright Star (STG); Kinky Boots (The White Theatre); The Addams Family (The White Theatre); Sweeney Todd (STG); Clue: On Stage (Encore Theatre); Disney Descendants (TTIP). Regional Commercial/National Television: Rally House (Rally House, Inc.); T-Mobile (Panay Films, Inc.); 2023 NFL Draft Featured Documentary (NFL Productions). Special thanks to his "Shaneiac's" for their continuous support. Representation: Moxie Talent Agency (KC); TalentPlus (StL). @stshanejames

Scotty Sharp is very excited to be playing the role of Brad! You may have seen him locally in Newsies at The New Theater Restaurant featuring as "Finch/Buttons/Henry, Hot The Musical at The Unicorn Theatre featuring as Paris, Nick Padgett's Production of American Idiot featuring as "Will" and The Rocky Horror Picture Show featuring as "Brad". Scotty has also spent many seasons performing locally at Worlds of Fun, and abroad with RWS Entertainment Group and Carnival Cruise Lines.

Chacko Finn was born and raised in Kansas City. He received a Bachelor's in Music Education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance in 2018. Since starting college in 2014, Chacko has performed at prestigious venues around the country, having played with artists such as Tito Puente Jr, Christopher Bill, Marcus Lewis, Victor Trevino, Dominique Scott, and Kadesh Flow. Chacko has played in numerous pit orchestras, around the city including MTKC, MET-KC, Jewish Community Center, and in 2021 he had the opportunity to perform in The King in Concert at the New Theatre & Restaurant. He currently performs with a local prog-rock band Gekko, Back Alley Brass Band, and Crossroads Sound. Chacko was also a featured soloist with the Mason (OH) Wind Symphony in 2022 at the Kauffman Center of the Performing Arts. In 2018, he recorded with Marcus Lewis Big Band album "Brass and Boujee" and has spent time in the studio with Kansas City musicians/bands including David Geroge Orchestra, Vela, Kansas city Latin Jazz Orchestra, Composer Nick Maluf, and Doobie N.M.. Along with the performing career, Chacko is an educator. He has worked in a variety of settings spanning middle & high school band programs as a solo competition coach, marching band technician with notable schools from Liberty, Blue Valley, Olathe, Shawnee Mission, and Park Hill School Districts. Chacko is a B.A.C. Musical Instruments Performing Artist.

is a gifted singer, songwriter, and guitarist. David is currently performing with the band St. George & The Dragons and releasing their debut album in September 2024. He has also released over a dozen albums and has toured throughout North America. In 2012, he joined the legendary John Fogerty as a guitarist in his band and went out on a sold-out tour with appearances on Leno and Letterman. David has recently produced a single for the band The Rainmakers called "Waiting On A Wave." David's songs have been heard on many television series (Party of Five, Judging Amy) and movies (Candy Stripers, Fear House) as well as at the NFL's Arrowhead Stadium for his touchdown song for The Kansas City Chiefs, “Hey, Kansas City!” David graduated from the University of Missouri, Kansas City with a degree in Film and Television. https://www.davidgeorgeband.com

Directing credits include: Misery (Padgett); Dial M for Murder, (KCAT), “Heavenly Bodies” (The Grand), Stranger Sings, Big Love (Intimacy and Fight Direction) collective rage (The Fishtank); Lungs (Unicorn Theatre); Steel Magnolias, Who’s Holiday, and dozens of Staged Readings and Variety Performances. Upcoming directing projects: fire work (Unicorn Theatre). She has performed or emceed on every stage in Kansas City, most recently at The Midland for Populous’ holiday event, which she also co-created. Katie is the Secretary of the UMKC Conservatory Alumni Board of Directors, the Memorial Flag Co-Chair with the AIDS Service Foundation of Greater KC, and a vocalist with national party band Lost Wax. She has an MFA in Acting and Directing from UMKC and has recently received her certificate of completion from Intimacy Directors and Coordinators. She is the producer and creator of #the1994projectkc, now going into the final 3 shows of their 24 show season. Big love and massive holiday gratitude to everyone on this project, and to the audiences who support local artists! THANK YOU! www.katiegkc.com

is Founder and Chief Technology Officer of MammothVision. He has been part of over 100 groundbreaking film and commercial projects as a Visual Effects Supervisor and Visual Effects Producer. With a background in rock-and-roll, George has created rock-and-roll visual experiences with such talented acts as Lady Gaga, Neil Diamond, John Fogerty, and The Who. Furthermore, George serves as a key member of design teams contributing to every aspect of the experience on numerous theme park attractions.

Matt began making records and performing at a young age. By the age of 18 he had shared the stage with Rock legends such as Canned Heat, Alvin Lee and Mick Taylor. He was a founding member of the Pedaljets releasing 5 albums, touring the US and playing with bands like Hüsker Dü, Jason & The Nashville Scorchers, the Replacements and The Flaming Lips. Prince once appeared at one of their shows and played a set borrowing the band’s instruments. Although he was playing mostly rock music Matt has a love of jazz and joined the MidTown Quartet that has played regularly around KC over the last 30 years. When Matt became a father he broke into the children’s music scene with a rock band for kids called The Doo-Dads who released CDs and DVDs garnishing a #1 Hit on XMKids Radio and an Emmy Award for the “Rockumentary” ‘There Will Be Rock!’. Over the last 7 years Matt has been working in a band of long-time friends called She Said with a debut album coming out January 2025. Most recently Matt has recorded and performed with producer David George’s band St. George & The Dragons and for the last two years has played with the David George Orchestra performing the music from Christmas Ain’t A Drag.

Giuliano has been playing music since age 3, when he got his first Mickey Mouse drum set. After brief stints learning piano and guitar, he determined that drums were his true musical calling. Giuliano played in jazz band, pep band and musical pit orchestras throughout high school, and in the jazz band at the UMKC conservatory of music, while earning a degree in audio engineering. In addition to academic study, Giuliano has played and toured with some of Kansas City’s greatest musicians and songwriters, forming deep bonds and long-lasting friendships through shared musical journeys.

Jackie Myers is a jazz pianist, composer, and singer. She is a transplant from Austin Texas, where she performed in the indie touring circuit for almost a decade. She has been playing in Kansas City since December of 2017 with shows that feature a mix of jazz standards and original compositions. Since then she has held residencies at several notable jazz venues in Kansas City, including but not limited to, Corvino Supper Club, Chaz on the Plaza, and Green Lady Lounge. She also held the position of Music Director and piano player for the nationally syndicated radio show – 12th Street Jump – taped live in Kansas City until 2020, when the show ended. Jackie holds a certificate in music from Berklee School of Music, a BA in music from Grinnell College, and a Master of Arts in Music with a jazz concentration from UMKC.

Elementary music teacher by day - trombonist by night! Kristen is thankful to perform with her favorite trumpet player and husband, Nate, during this production. She performs regularly with the Moon City Big Band, Northland Symphony Orchestra, Crossroad Sound, and Patrick Lentz Band. She studied trombone and music education at UMKC Conservatory. As an educator, she has presented at the Missouri Music Educators Convention. She loves to be a part of joyful community in music and is fully certified in the Orff Schulwerk music teaching method. Merry Christmas!

Nate Nall has performed on the trumpet in the USA, and in Germany, Poland, Switzerland and Mexico. As a residency participant in Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead he presented original music at the Kennedy Center. Nall won 2nd place in the National Trumpet Competition-Jazz Division (2016) and holds a B.M. Jazz Studies from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, a student of jazz messenger Bobby Watson and Keith Benjamin. Nall also has had extensive studies with Jeff Purtle, a longtime student of the great trumpet pedagogue Claude Gordon. Selected Performances with: Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, KCJO Riff Generation, The Temptations, Michael Feinstein, Jon Faddis, Bobby Watson, Kirk Whalum, Deborah Brown, Jerry Bergonzi with KU all star big band, New York Voices, Kansas City Symphony, Rob Scheps, Anthony Pinciotti, Paducah Symphony with Allen Vizzutti, Marcus Lewis Big Band (Brass and Boujee), and Fountain City Brass Band. Nall is an active pit musician in the Kansas City musical theater scene. performance highlights include: "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" at New Theatre Restaurant, and lead trumpet on "In the Heights", "Showboat", "Funny Girl", "The Producers", "Ragtime" and "Gypsy" among many other musicals at Musical Theater Heritage. Nall teaches Jazz Trumpet at UMKC Conservatory, Wichita State, and Mid-America Nazarene University as well as being an active guest clinician. Nate Nall is a BAC Custom Trumpet Performing Artist. Follow on Instagram: @natenallmusic

Scott Reed is a woodwind musician from Kansas City focusing mainly on saxophone, clarinet and flute. He plays multiple genres including swing jazz, rock and Americana. His day job is restoring and repairing woodwind instruments for people all over the world. One of his passions is collecting and playing classic instruments from the 1900s- 1950s. He can also be found on his YouTube channel, “Scott’s Music Cave” where he features these instruments and dives into the real world of the music business. This is Scott’s third year with Christmas Ain’t A Drag and playing in this show is one of the highlights of his year.

Heidi Van is an actor, director, and producer of experimental theatre, known for staging performances in unconventional spaces like windows, prisons, and abandoned churches. She is the Producing Artistic Director of Fishtank Theatre (IG: @fishtanktheatre) a hub for new theatrical work and activism, and owns The Black Box (IG: @theblackboxkc) a dynamic venue in Kansas City's West Bottoms. Her recent producing credits include "Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812," "Collective Rage," "Spilled Milk."(Fishtank Theatre); "Justice At War," Electric Poe, "Rudolph....." "The Lightening Thief" (Coterie Theatre); "MotherFreakingHood: A Musical Comedy" (MFH Productions) at The Mercury Theatre in Chicago. A Charlotte Street Generative Artist Fellow, Rauschenberg SEED Grantee, PITCH Mastermind, and Dell’Arte International alumna, Heidi is celebrated for her bold, innovative contributions to the theatre scene.

Zan de Spelder is a lighting designer currently located in Missouri. She earned her MFA in lighting design from the University of Missouri - Kansas City, and BA in Theatre and Philosophy from Albion College. Some recent credits include Resident Lighting Designer for Padgett Productions, Resident Lighting Designer for Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Lighting Designer for Finding Nemo TYA at The Coterie, Lighting Designer for Dial M for Murder at Kansas City Actors Theatre, and Lighting Designer for Stranger Sings! The Musical Parody for Padgett Productions at The Black Box. Zan was the 2018 Don Childs Award recipient and has worked in and out of the country. ​ For more information visit zandespelder.com

Kaitlin is excited to be working on this show! Previous professional credits include; Shiver Me Paintbrush (What-If Puppets), Black Man, MO (Terr Studios), Dial M for Murder (KCAT), West Side Story (Starlight Theatre), Julius Caesar (HASF), Last Summer at Bluefish Cove (Whim Productions), Animal Amigos (What-If Puppets), Boxed (Whim Productions), The Tempest (HASF), Cirque Du Wiener Dog (What-If Puppets), and Love and Information (University of Kansas). She feels lucky for the chance to work with Katie again! She hopes you all enjoy and happy holidays!

Mark is the resident sound engineer at The Black Box, sound designer for Padgett Productions, and the sounding board for his partner on all their wild ideas. 2024 credits include: Stranger Sings, Dial M for Murder, Heavenly Bodies at The Grand, Rocky Horror, Holly Holy Night with Cody Wyoming, Maxine's Christmas Carol, Who's Holiday, and #the1994projectkc.