Greater Tuna Cast

Jim Denison is no stranger to entertaining people. Jim’s singing and acting shenanigans started in kindergarten and continued through high school (where he first wore a dress on stage). He went to Texas A&M University, where he joined the Texas A&M Singing Cadets (and again wore a dress on stage) and also obtained a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Jim took a brief break from acting in order to obtain a law degree. He says this gives him the money he needs to feed his theater habit and buy useless crap he can junk up his house with to the great displeasure of his wife. Jim moved to Ellensburg after law school in 1996 and soon joined Valley Musical Theater. He has been in many productions for VMT over the years including “Bye Bye Birdie,” “The Fantastiks,” “1776,” and most recently as Harold Hill in “The Music Man.” He has directed “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” for VMT and will be directing next summer’s mainstage musical “Mamma Mia!” Jim has also done work with the Warehouse Theater in Yakima where he starred as Gomez Addams in “The Addams Family,” and as Bernard S. Dunlap in “Suite Surrender.” Jim is currently the director of Ellensburg High School’s Fall Play and can be seen as Uncle Drosselmeier in the local production of “The Nutcracker” every couple of years. Jim wants to thank his beautiful and endlessly patient Wife, Christina, for putting up with him as he pursues his dream of being a mediocre actor on the stage. He also wants to thank his two daughters, Samantha and Katherine, for their tepid support and endless supply of criticism and jokes at his expense. Finally, he wants to send a shout out to his mother who, 36 years ago, said, “Well, you’re not just gonna sit around the house all day like a lump. You’re joining choir.” And so began the journey…..

Originally from Connecticut, Patrick has been acting ever since he was 8 years old, when he put on a tutu to sing for his aunts! He performed in plays throughout high school and then studied & performed theater at Pace University in New York City. Life took him away from the stage for the next 30 years, but seeing his own kids perform in the EHS Winter Musical revived his love of theater. Since then, he’s had the joy of performing in several VMT shows (& sometimes even alongside his kids)— Oliver, Forbidden Broadway & Music Man —and is even now a member of the VMT Board.