Kiss Me Kate Cast

Meggan Audrey is so excited to be back with her Spotlight family! Meggan has become a choreographer/director at Spotlight for the past few years working on Chicago, Mean Girls, Hello Dolly, The Lion King, Jr, and Addams Family to name a few. She was also most recently seen in Spotlight Repertory Theatre’s production of Peter and the Starcatcher! Favorite Performance Credits: Newsies (Spotlight Repertory), Footloose (Surflight), The Producers (Woodstock Playhouse), Chicago (Forestburgh Playhouse), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Weathervane Theatre). Meggan has also performed as a backup vocalist for Liz Callaway in Lincoln Center and Deke Sharon in Carnegie Hall. Graduate of Pace University, BFA. Thank you to Jacques, Mary Lee and the entire cast and crew! Love to Mom, Dad, James and Brad. @megganherod

John is happy to be making his Spotlight Theatre debut, and he thanks Mary Lee and Jacques for the opportunity. He was most recently seen as Mrs. White in Sundog Theatre’s hit production of Clue: The Musical. Recent credits include Lopakhin in The Cherry Orchard (SIST), Father Flynn in Doubt (Ghostlight Theatre), Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages (Brookdale Perfoming Arts), and Nicely-Nicely in Guys and Dolls (In the Wings Theatre). Past favorite credits: Les Miserables (Valjean), Next To Normal (Dan), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bottom), and Curse of the Starving Class (Weston). This past spring, John performed at 54 Below in 54 Below Loves Cast Albums. He has performed as a featured vocalist for both The Staten Island Philharmonic and The Richmond County Orchestra. By day, he is a RN/Nurse Manager in NYC. Thanks to our cast, crew, and creatives for all of their hard work and dedication. Love to Nikki, Bethany, Rosie, MJ, Jamie, and Mateo.

Monica Ugarte is a graduate from Brooklyn College with a Bachelor’s degree in Theater. She has performed in various productions including: Chicago (Roxie Hart), Les Misérables (Fantine), Into The Woods (The Witch), Water by the Spoonful (Yasmine), and El Huracán (Alicia/Dr.Kempler/Val). She has also recently Stage Managed and assisted in scenic painting for other local productions such as SpongeBob: The Musical, The Wizard of Oz, Mamma Mia, Eurydice, and a One Act Festival at Brooklyn College. Recently she was in the Spotlight Repertory productions of Around The World of 80 Days as Princess Auoda and Prentiss in Peter and the Starcatcher. She is excited to officially open the show as Hattie (literally) for Kiss Me Kate!

Corey Loftus is a performer by night, software engineer by day. Simply delighted to be here in his (lucky number) SEVENTH production with Spotlight. Favorite past roles: Edgar/Bat Boy in Bat Boy (Spotlight Rep, SI), Cat in the Hat (Seussical Nat'l Tour), Silvius in As You Like It (Orlando Shakespeare). BFA Music Theater, Elon University. www.coreyloftus.com

This is Francesca’s favorite musical and absolute dream role. She’s so excited to be working with Spotlight again after the Sondheim Review, Hello Dolly and Godspell as well as 2 rounds of Fierce Females! Recently Francesca played Miss Scarlet in Clue: The Musical and Hope in Urinetown. Formerly, before becoming a wife, a mom and starting a tech company, she performed professionally across North America. What an amazing experience it has been to get to share the stage with so many of her favorite people! Thanks for coming to #seetheshow

James McKeon (Bill Calhoun) is thrilled to be back with Spotlight! James is a law clerk in Richmond County Supreme Court by day and a Staten Island performer by night, having appeared with numerous other companies around the island. He thanks Jacques, GG, Mary, and the rest of the cast and crew for the experience, and thanks you for supporting local theatre. #SeeTheShow

Frank is excited to make his debut with Spotlight Theatre! His previous theater credits include "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial" (Urban) with Seaview Playwright's Theater, and "Incident at Vichy" (French Detective), "Urinetown: The Musical" (Officer Barrel), and "A Christmas Carol" (Dick Wilkins, Franklin) with Ghostlight Players. When he's not op'nin' another show, Frank works as a pediatric nurse and nursing clinical rotation instructor at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Whether he's serving patients and their families, or signing on the stage, Frank enjoys the opportunity to bring smiles and laughs to others. Frank would like to thank Jacques, the creative team, and crew for their direction and dedication. He would like to thank the cast for all their hard work in bringing this show to life, and for the laughs along the way. He would also like to thank his family and friends, for always coming out to support him, whether he's performing in a historical drama or a musical about pee. Frank would like to extend a special thanks to Francesca and James, for encouraging him to audition for this show and take on this role. Lastly, Frank would like to provide everyone with a piece of advice: brush up your Shakespeare, and they'll all kow tow!

After a brief 42 year hiatus from the stage, Brandon Olk is delighted to join the Spotlight troupe for the second time this year, playing the part of "Second Man" in Kiss Me Kate. He continues to be incredibly grateful to his teachers Jacques and Gigi for their trust, kindness, and encouragement and to Mary Lee for her support. He thanks his wife Bernadette for everything in his life, which includes his wonderful children Evan, Dylan, and Jonathan.

Connor Burke (Gremio) is so excited to be participating in his first production with Spotlight! He has been seen elsewhere on the Island as Noah Joad (Grapes of Wrath), Bayard (Incident at Vichy), Mr. McQueen (Urinetown), and John de Stogumber (Saint Joan) at Ghostlight Players, and as Dion (The Winter's Tale), Roderigo (Othello), and Ernie Mac & Friends (Puffs) with Staten Island Shakespeare. He would like to express his many thanks to Jacques and the entire cast and crew for such a fun process, along with his friends and family.

Timothy Mayrose (Hortensio) is thrilled to be back at Spotlight after his appearance in Peter and the Starcatcher as Peter. Timothy is a graduate of Lafayette College where he received a B.A. in Theater. Selected credits include: Arcadia (Bernard Nightingale), Everyman (Fellowship), Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Ichabod Crane), Head Over Heels with Lafayette College Theater; Footloose, The Wedding Singer (Asst. Choreographer) with Marquis Players; Mamma Mia, Annie with In the Wings Productions; Chicago with Standing Ovation. Directing credits include Legally Blonde (Marquis Players) and Ugly Lies the Bone (LCT). He thanks the cast, crew, and production team for an amazing and welcoming experience. Break legs!

Nothing could possibly excite Derrick more than MUSIC… be it through singing, dancing, or playing instruments. For this very reason, his debut into taking part in a musical play here in New York means just that much more to him. That is to say… he is thrilled and overjoyed to be a part of the fun, bright, and brilliant production that is Kiss Me Kate!

More used to public speaking than performing arts, Paul has decided to finally test the waters after a long interlude between his last role and this one. Having played all 3 dads in Mamma Mia in Toronto this is Paul’s first foray into performing outside of Canada.

Making his debut with Spotlight, David is ready and eager to enter the world of theater after four years of high school theater. He would like to thank his family for their continued support of his passion, God for his many blessings, and Derrick and Jacque for the amazing opportunity to take part in this production.

Kayla is so excited to be making her Spotlight debut alongside such a talented cast and crew! She was last seen telling scary stories in “The Grown-Ups” (Becca) with Staten Island Shakespeare. Other previous credits include "Urinetown" (Little Becky Two-Shoes), "LysistrataS" (Miriam), "Blood Brothers" (Marilyn Monroe/Ensemble), and "A Christmas Carol" (Martha Cratchitt), all with Ghostlight Players. Endless thanks to Jacques, GG, and Mary Lee for this incredible opportunity, and to the cast for being such a joy to work with! Special thanks to her family and friends for being her biggest cheerleaders always.

Sami is a second year student at The Institute for American Musical Theatre and is thrilled to be a part of her first Spotlight show! Most recently, she was a part of a workshop and concert for a new musical (Picnic at Hanging Rock) at Joe’s Pub. Some of her favorite credits include: Into the Woods (Little Red Riding Hood), Little Women (Beth March), Annie Get Your Gun (Minnie Oakley) *voted 2021 best supporting role by Broadway World Boise, Seussical the Musical (Gertrude McFuzz). When she's not on stage, you can find Sami creating videos for her YouTube channel (Smiles AG). Or eating extra cheddar goldfish.

Heather is delighted to be in the cast of Kiss Me Kate! Years ago, she participated in community theatre and opera in Shreveport, LA, and just got back into theatre this year. In the spring, she appeared in Spotlight Repertory Theatre's production of Oliver! and then performed in another production of Oliver! with Blessed Sacrament Parish Players. Last month, she acted in the workshop of a new musical, The Miracle of Brooklyn (Friscia & Poppe Entertainment). Many thanks to Jacques, Meggan, Mary, Emily, and Matthew for all their hard work, and to the cast for their amazing talent and dedication!