We Need a Little Christmas Cabaret Fundraiser Cast

Kathy Seppamaki has almost 30 years of experience working as a music director. She holds both bachelor and master’s degrees in vocal performance and has been appearing as a performer on the Workshop Theatre stage for over 25 years. She has musically directed main stage shows at Town Theatre such as A Christmas Carol and Hello Dolly and was formerly the music director for the Youth Theatre Program there, where she has musically directed The Lion King Jr, Frozen Jr, My Son Pinocchio, Elf Jr, and Peter Pan Jr. At Workshop she’s been seen onstage in shows such as Little Shop of Horrors (Crystal) and Legally Blonde (Paulette). Kathy was the music director for Aladdin Jr at Workshop this past summer. And she both musically directed and performed in both Fierce and Fabulous Cabarets. She feels honored that Workshop has allowed her to put together the We Need a Little Christmas Cabaret and loves that her cast gets to spread some Christmas cheer to audiences this holiday season. And she’s so grateful to her cast and crew for sharing their gifts with her and with you! The best way to spread Christmas cheering is singing loud for all to hear and that’s what we’re going to do! Merry Christmas!

Lisa Akly is delighted to be back on the Workshop Theatre stage after last appearing in A Fierce & Fabulous Cabaret: What’s Love Got to do With It? and The Fierce & Fabulous Cabaret: Celebrating the Women of Broadway. Other recent shows include One Life: Dogs the Musical (Sadie McLady) at The Arts Center of Kershaw County, Hello Dolly (Irene Molloy), and A Christmas Carol: The Musical (Mrs. Cratchit) at Town Theatre. Lisa thanks her family, friends and co-workers for their constant support. A very special thank you to Kathy Seppamaki, Jeni McCaughan and the entire We Need a Little Christmas Cabaret team for such a wonderful experience!

Emily Clelland is no stranger to Midlands theater. She is excited to be back on the Workshop stage celebrating the holiday season! In addition to her love of singing, Emily is classically trained in tap, jazz, ballet, clogging, and pointe. Some of her favorite roles have been Minnie Fay in Hello Dolly, Bitsy Hargis in The Red Velvet Cake War as well as a featured dancer in Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ Superstar, Singin’ in the Rain, Spamalot, and Chicago. Emily has also filmed numerous commercials, worked regionally as a voice-over artist, and can be remembered as “over-night girl” Emma Lee on Oldies 103. In her spare time, she loves shopping, traveling, running, and CrossFit. Much love to her husband, Chase and beloved rescue pups, Lucy and Izzy. She’s like to thank Jeni and Kathy for this amazing opportunity!

Charlize Collins is a 13 year old Honors Student from Irmo, SC. She attends a Performing Arts School in Columbia, SC where she is in her second year of their Honors Theatre Program. Charli is an advanced vocalist and the youngest formally trained operatic singer within Dawn Smith Jordan’s Music Studio. Currently Charli holds a title with the South Carolina Cinderella Pageant system, she is the reigning SC Cinderella Miss. Charli also enjoys tennis and drawing in her spare time. After high school, Charli has her heart set on attending Julliard in NYC and her ambition in life is to not only perform on Broadway but to become the youngest EGOT winner earning at least one Emmy, Grammy, Oscar & Tony award for her work in the arts industry.

Valdina M. Hall, a native New Yorker, been here since 1986 when stationed at Ft. Jackson. Army/Army Reserve Veteran that served both Vietnam Era and Desert Storm and still serving as a nurse at Dorn VA Hospital. Last Cabaret was back in 2020 for Valentine’s Day. Looking forward to being back on stage with some sure ‘nuf talented folk again. Some working with for the first time and some whom I worked with before. Let’s bring in the holiday vibes. She dedicates this show to her hubby, Rich also in the memory of their son, Vincent T. Hall.

George Dinsmore presents a Mad Lib bio. George was born in ________________ (state) in ______ (year), which if my math is right, makes him _____ (number) years old. At 12 he started his own business __________ (verb ending in ING) lawns. He played ____________ (sport) in tenth grade before switching to __________ (sport) where he broke the school record. George went to __________ (boy’s name) University and majored in ______________ (occupation). After graduation, he opened a _____________ (restaurant) before becoming a _________________ (job title) for a computer company and lived in _______ (number) states before ending up in _____________ (compass direction) Carolina. He now lives in _______________ (city). This is when he started acting in earnest. Just in the past year, he has played __________ (Greek god) in the world premiere of One Life, Mr. Boddy in __________ (board game), Glen Gulia in The ____________ (ceremony) Singer, and Stacee Jaxx in ___________ (mineral) of Ages, as well as completing ______ (number) films and _____ (number) commercials. He is also the emcee for the Lexington County ____________ (aquatic animal) ___________ (sport) team. Learn more at GeorgeDinsmore.com

Heather Hinson is filled with Christmas Spirit to sing in his cabaret! She has been on the Workshop Theatre stage before as Julia Sullivan (Wedding Singer) and Illona Ritter (She Loves Me). Other favorite roles include Alice Murphy (Bright Star), Gertrude McFuzz (Seussical), Jellylorum (Cats), Eponine (Les Mis), Baroness Schraeder (Sound of Music), and Audrey (Little Shop of Horrors). She would like to thank her family and friends, mom especially, for their unwavering support and love. And her BF Phil for understanding the long hours dedicated to this craft so beloved. Now, let's spread some holiday cheer and magic!!

Chris J Kruzner is excited to be a part of this talented group of performers and friends . His first role on the Workshop stage was was this year as Ronald Reagan in The Wedding Singer. Other favorite roles in Midlands Theatres include The Red Velvet Cake War (Newt Blaylock), Hello Dolly (Horace Vandegelder), Driving Miss Daisy (Boolie Werthan), Cats (Bustopher Jones), Annie Get Your Gun (Frank Butler) Guys and Dolls (Nicely Nicely Johnson), Hairspray (Wilber Turnblad), Lonestar (Roy), My Fair Lady (Professor Zoltan Karpathy), The Music Man (Travelling Salesman / Constable Locke) and many more over the last 20 years. Thank you for supporting the arts, and especially for supporting live theatre! He dedicates this show to his beautiful wife Loretta.

Lee Martin is a New York City native, who transplanted in South Carolina in 2017. Started her career in community theatre in the Bronx, New York and sang in several bands. She continued her theatrical career in Bloomington, Indiana as she was pursuing a Musical Theatre degree from Indiana University. She has performed in several shows at Town Theatre. Home for the Holidays, Hello Dolly-Dolly Levi, Newsies-Medda Larkin, Buddy Holly-Marlena Adams, and Hairspray -Motormouth Maybelle to name a few. She is currently the lead vocalist in the Latin Jazz band, Latin Caravan. She was last seen “Pushing” Da Button in the Color Purple at Workshop, as Shug Avery.

Jennifer Ross is thrilled to be sharing the stage with this talented group of performers to celebrate her favorite holiday! Previous theater credits include Cabaret, The Life, and the Fierce and Fabulous Mother's Day and Valentine's Cabarets at Workshop Theatre; and Hair, Angels in America, part 2 (crew), and Tapestry at Trustus. She is grateful to her family for their support and to Kathy and the Workshop Theater family for inviting her to play on stage!