RSMT BIO PAGE!
CAST AND CREW!
Tom Dobes (Sound Design & Sound Board Operator) has been involved with RM
T/M&M shows for eleven years, beginning with Brigadoon in 1998. Over the years, Tom has also served as technical director for many Merrillville High School drama/musical productions, choir concerts, and for outside organizations who rent Reinhart Auditorium. Tom has also been technical director and even produced some plays in the Indianapolis area. M&M/Ross love having Tom around because he can fix just about anything. Currently Tom is in charge of the computer labs for the Engineering Department at Purdue Calumet.
Rob Earnshaw (Fire Cheif Conklin/Swing) made his first appearance in a Ross Music Theatre/M&M Production was 2002 as Maj. Frank Burns in M*A*S*H. Favorite roles since include Marvin in 
Bleacher Bums, Dr. Frankenstein in Frankenstein Goes to Malibu, the nephew in Scrooge! and one of the brothers in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Rob has also appeared in The Music Man, The Sunshine Boys, Cotton Patch Gospel, Beauty and the Beast and Hello, Dolly!
Stephen M. Elser (Grandfather) is happy to be returning to the RMT Summer Musical Stage in this production of “Ragtime”after a two year absence. His previous roles with RMT and M&M 
Productions include Cogsworth in “Beauty and the Beast”, Herod in “Jesus Christ Superstar”, Matthew/The Narrator in “Cotton Patch Gospel” and Jacob / Potiphar in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. His favorite roles include Benjamin Franklin in “1776” (Playmakers Community Theatre) and Al Lewis in “The Sunshine Boys” (M & M Productions). Steve worked professionally as a theatre technician at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Summit, Illinois. He is currently teaching English and Theatre at Merrillville High School. He would like to thank his wife, Debbie, daughters, Mandy and Ashley and grandson, Seth for their love and support.
Lauren Feagin (Sarah)-- Lauren is excited to be playing Sarah is this production Ragtime! She was last 
seen on the RSMT stage as a wife and Mrs. Potiphar in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! Lauren is currently a member of the Embassies of Christ Ambassadors of Praise as well as an accomplished Wedding Vocalist!
JJ Feagin (Coalhouse Walker III)--This is JJ's stage debut but with two established performers as parents and an older sister who sings like an angel we know we have not seen the last of him!!
Michael R. Glorioso (Father) is excited to be portraying Father in RSMTs Ragtime. He was last seen on the RSMT stage as Mr. Bumble in Oliver. He has also played Tom Jenkins in Scrooge on the 
Reinhart Auditorium stage. Some of Michael's favorite roles include Bernard in Death of a Salesman, Ensemble in Lies and Legends, and Benvolio in Romeo & Juliet. He would like to thank his friends and family for their love and support as well as the Reinharts and the cast for their talent and patience.
Geoffrey Gooch (Lighting Design & Technical Direction) is a sixteen year veteran of Ross Music Theatre and M & M Productions. Early in his career Geoff won the Northwest Ind
iana Theatre
Guild award for best lighting for his design of Scrooge. Having lit many shows with RMT//M&M Geoff went on to continue his work as a professional lighting designer. Geoff has lit shows for many national touring acts at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville such as Anita Baker and The OJays. Geoff continued working with Ross Music Theatre while also working in the lighting industry in Chicago for several years, supplying lighting to many local, regional and national acts. After several years in the Chicago area Geoff went on to work for Royal Caribbean International, lighting many performances on cruise ships while enjoying cruising around many parts of the world. Geoff is currently on staff at Purdue University in West Lafayette as Lighting Designer and Projection Specialist for Elliott Hall of Music Productions, the in-house production department. Geoff has lit hundreds of shows in his five years at Purdue, including the nationally televised Annual Purdue Musical Organization's Christmas Show. You can see his work this coming December on your local PBS station. In addition to his work on live stage productions Geoff has also been the Director of Photography on two independent films. The first, Reel Competition, was a featured selection at the Las Vegas Film Festival where it was an award winner for Best Directorial Debut.. A Reel Merry Christmas, a prequel to the successful Reel Competition is currently in competition at film festivals around the country.
Courtney Miller (Evelyn Nesbit/Dance Captin) Courtney Miller is a 2010 graduate of the University of Indianapolis with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education. A 2006 graduate of Merrillville High School, she is thrilled to once again be in the show that started her MHS theatre career. Courtney has most recently been seen performing at UIndy in the choral ensembles Crimson Express, Women's Chor
us, and as a member of Concert Choir, performed in the ensemble of The Mikado in February 2008, as well as in the choir for Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in a special joint concert with the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra in November 2009. She has been in RSMT shows since 2003, has been seen most recently in Oliver (Milk Maid, Dance Captain), Big (Diane), and Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl). She will be teaching sixth grade choir at Merrillville Intermediate school this fall.
Katie Reeves (Evelyn Nesbit )is going to be a freshman next year at Bowling Green State University, where she will be majoring in Music Education. Over the years, Katie has done a great deal of singing throughout the area, and also overseas. She is the youngest person to ever be accepted into the Northwest Indiana Symphony Chorus at the age of fifteen. As a sophmore, Katie traveled overseas with her high school choir and sang at various locations in Italy, the most memorable being in St. Mark's Basilica. She was also able to sing in the Lucerne Choral Festival in Lucerne, 
Switzerland. Last summer, Katie was the youth division winner of Hoosier Star, a singing competition open to all singers in Indiana and Michigan, and has since been able to sing with the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra at various venues. This is Katie’s 10th production with RSMT. Her stage debut was with RSMT, where she played the role of a munchkin in the Wizard of Oz at age four. Katie is thrilled to have the opportunity to do one last show here with RSMT before leaving for college. She would like to thank the Reinhart's for casting her in this amazing production and for the endless support. She would also like to thank her family, friends, boyfriend, and most of all, her mom. "This is for you, Mom. I love you!"
Jacob Reinhart (Newspaper Boy) made his stage debut at 3 months in The Music Man 1997. At age 12, he already has 14 RMT/M&M shows to his credit. Favorite roles include Chip (Beauty 
and the Beast 2005-2006), Turkey Boy (Scrooge 2006-2008), and Mike Teavee (Willy Wonka Jr.) and his role in Summurder Camp. Jacob is a 7th grader at Pierce Jr. High. He began studying the bass last summer and is in the Merrillville Orchestra. Jacob would like to thank the cast for making his years with RMT/M&M so enjoyable!
Lucas Reinhart (Little Boy), age 9, was the youngest Oliver in RSMT history. Lucas
has appeared in 13
RMT/M&M productions, Merlin in “What a Night”, Lucas was also in “How to Eat Like a Child” and SuMURDer Camp as an Oompa Loompa (Willy Wonka Jr.), Tiny Tim (Scrooge 2008), and as the Footstool (Beauty and the Beast 2005-2006). Lucas is a fourth grader at Fieler. Lucas would like to say thank you to everyone for making this show experience one of the best ever!
Melinda Reinhart (Mother/Choreographer) has been performing exclusively with Ross Music Theatre and M&M Productions for 23 years. Favorite roles include: Dolly Levi 
(Hello Dolly), Narrator (Joseph), Meg Brockie (Brigadoon) and Mary Magdalene (Jesus Christ Superstar). Melinda graduated from the Indiana University School of Music in 1989 with a Bachelors in Music Education--Voice. While at IU, Melinda had the distinct privilege of studying with renowned soprano Camilla Williams. Also, she performed and toured all over the United States with the Singing Hoosiers and Varsity Dancers. The Singing Hoosiers recorded the Grammy nominated "A Disney Spectacular" with Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra on Telarc Records. Melinda is very excited to have the opportunity to share her love of musical theatre with "the real love of her life," her husband Mike and their sons Jacob and Lucas.
Michael Reinhart (Tateh Technical Director) has been involved with RMT since he was 8 years old. Starting out on stage in the chorus of Flower Drum Song. Since that time he has played a wide variety of roles from Ebenezer Scrooge to Motel the tailor. Mike Reinhart is currently the technical director in charge of lighting design and sound design for all RMT and M & M Productions live shows. In addition Mike is the production manager, director, and editor for M & M Video Productions. Mike has been videotaping special events, corporate videos, commercials, training and special interest videos since 1981. He has won several Telly and Videographer awards for some of his corporate commercial work. His feature film Reel Competition won Best Directorial Debut at the New York International Independent Film Festival in Las Vegas in 2004 and his current film “A Reel Merry Christmas is in several film festivals this year. Mike also is a Title One reading Aide for the Merrillville School Corporation.
Jared M. Riddle (Harry Houdini), the Regional English and Communications Chair at Ivy Tech Community College Northwest, is thrilled to be a part of the RAGTIME! cast. Regional audiences will remember Riddle from the title role of M&M/RMT's production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which played to packed houses at Reinhart Auditorium and the Star Plaza Theatre. Additionally, he has 
performed as Gaston (Disney's Beauty and the Beast), Charlie (Brigadoon), Bill Sykes (Oliver), and The Pharaoh (Joseph) for M&M/RMT. Other regional credits include: Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd), Audrey II: the voice of the plant (Little Shop of Horrors), Vernon (They're Playing Our Song), Beast (Beauty and the Beast), Scrooge (Scrooge), Long John Silver (Treasure Island), Hennessey/Captain (Dames at Sea), Johnny Cantone (1940's Radio Hour), Elvis (Elvis: The Concert), Sir Henry (Once Upon A Mattress), and Jack in the regional premiere of Into the Woods. Among his many academic accomplishments, Riddle holds a B.A. in theatre from Indiana University Northwest where he was president of the Omega Eta Chapter of the national theatre honorary, Alpha Psi Omega, and where he received the outstanding senior in theatre award. He would like to thank his family as well as his Ivy Tech family for unending support and loyalty making possible his continued involvement in the art and theatre community of Northwest Indiana.
John Rowan (Henry Ford/Swing) John is delighted to return to the RSMT stage with his daughter Katie. They were last seen in "Oliver!" last summer and are once again having a tremendous experience. A professor of philosophy, John tries (tries!) to stay in shape in his spare time by participating in triathlons and distance running events, and he is grateful for this opportunity to add the theater to his activities. Long ago, he had leading roles in South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Godspell, and The Crucible. He and Katie wish to thank all the Reinharts for their generosity and support.
Andrew Santos (Newspaper Boy) is a seventh grader, entering Union Township Middle School. This is his second experience in RSMT’s summer musical. His first was The Artful Dodger in last years “Oliver”, Andrew was also in the children's chorus at WHS in Seussical the Musical and in UTMS’s “The Mouse 
that Roared. Andrew recently played Sir Watt, in M & M Ross’s “What a Knight”, and was also in the M&M Ross productions of “How to Eat like a Child”, “SumMURDer Camp”, and “Scrooge”. Andrew's interests are academics and music. He has also been active in his school's choir for the past two years. Andrew would like to thank his uncle, Norman Santos, for introducing him to music at a young age, and also credits Bridget Jessen for encouraging and supporting his participation in theatre. He has really enjoyed working with the cast of Oliver! and thanks the Reinharts for this great opportunity.
Caitlyn Spires (Bridgit) is a 2009 Merrillville HS graduate and was very involved in her high school theater program. She won Best Supporting Actress for Rabbit Hole at the Thespi
an State Competition and was Lucy in MHS's musical You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown. She was the only member of International Thespians and won Best Thespian her senior year. Oliver is her 15th production with Ross Music Theater and M&M Productions. She is going on a theater scholarship to University of Indianapolis.
Nicole Varela (BARON'S ASSISTANT), celebrates her 11th appearance with RMT, having started out at M&M's Studio in Hobart in How To Eat Like A Child at age 10. Other credits include Hello Dolly 2003, Joseph 2004, BIG 2007 and Scrooge 2006-2008. Nicole is a senior at Merrillville where she participated in Once Upon A Mattress, Footloose, and You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Sally). After high school, she plans to study music, voice and musical theatre. She currently studies voice, piano and guitar. Nicole would like to thank the Reinhart families for all their support.
Adrian Weaver (Black Lawyer,Coalhouse Gang,Harlem Chorus) Adrian is proud to be apart of his second production with RMT. His first was the 2009 production of “Scrooge”. His most recent Merrillville High Schools production of “Zombie Prom” He is a Junior at Merrillville High School and is apart of the chorale departments Show Choir (Vocalteens). Aside from Show Choir he is the president and director of MHS’s Inspirational Choir (Voices of Reason) and a proud member of the recording gospel choir “Young Saints”. He is the proud son of Linda Weaver and the late Adrian Weaver He is big brother of 5 and baby brother of 1. He serves on the adult and youth praise teams as well as the mime team at his church, where he is proud to have his brother in-law serve as Pastor and eldest sister as First Lady .Adrian would like to thank his family for their continued support and special thanks to his extended family. (The Reinharts) as well as everyone who is apart of RMT 47th Summer Production of “Ragtime”
