The Ladies of SDQ
Virginia Weeks - Catherine of Aragon:
Virginia Weeks is no stranger to the Baltimore stage, having been in numerous productions in the area including the roles of Martha Dobie in "The Children's Hour," The Countess DeLave/Nancy Blake in "The Women," Lulu in "Shopping and Fucking," and "The Flood" and "Bobs" in "The Vagina Monologues." Virginia has also performed with The Maryland Renaissance Festival and was nominated to perform at The American College Theatre Festival for her role as Lady Susan Vernon in the original play "Jane" about the life of Jane Austin. Ms. Weeks has also done film extra work including time on the set of "Gods and Generals." A 2006 graduate of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Virginia holds her B.A. Degree in Biology.
Stephanie Ranno - Anne Boleyn:
Stephanie Ranno has enjoyed a very busy and exciting career in the Baltimore Theatre arena playing many varied roles such as The Queen, Cochette, and Conspirator in "Epic Proportions," Myra/Myrna Richards in "The Mineola Twins," "Ariel in "The Tempest," Columbia and Janet Weiss in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," Meg McGrath in "Crimes of the Heart," and Mistress Ford in "The Merry Wives of Windsor." She comes to Six Dead Queens with a wealth of knowledge about history, mostly due to her B.A. in History from Lynchburg College in Virginia where her Honors Thesis was titled "The Economics of Medieval Drama in England and France." She is very happily married and living in Baltimore to a man she's pretty sure won't order a headsman from France....although he might when he sees the rehearsal schedule!
Melissa McGinley - Jane Seymour:
Melissa is thrilled to be joining 6DQ in the role of another illustrious member of the Seymour family (she has spent the past four seasons portraying Anne Stanhope Seymour at the Maryland Renaissance Festival), and is really looking forward to finally getting to be "the good girl." Other Baltimore roles include Mrs. Rogers in And Then There Were None, Jenkins in Scrooge at Spotlighters, and Celeste #1 in Sunday in the Park with George at FPCT. She was also responsible for a cabaret act lampooning said production of Scrooge for the SPOTLIGHTERS holiday cabaret in 2005. While living in Ireland, she appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar (Soul Girl as well as receiving additonal scripting credits), Crimes of the Heart (Chick Boyle), and Into the Woods (Jack's Mother), in addition to directing and choreographing West Side Story, and choreographing Oliver!, and appearing as the baddie in the obligatory xmas panto. Other favorite shows include Midsummer Night's Dream (Puck), Joseph...Dreamcoat (Mrs. Potiphar), Drood (Flo), The Who's TOMMY (Kevin's Mother), and Two Gentlemen of Verona (Dance Captain/Ensemble.) She has dance captained numerous productions in the New York Metro area. Melissa holds a BA in Theater Arts from Marymount Manhattan College.
Kristen Zwobot - Anne of Cleaves:
This is Kristen's debut show here at Mobtown and she is very excited to be performing with such a great cast. She has been performing in the Baltimore/DC area for almost two decades. She just finished performing as Pickles in The Great American Trailer Park Musical at Spotlighters. Some of her other favorite roles include, but are not limited to, the Narrator in Joseph...Dreamcoat at Chesapeake Music Hall, Little Red in Into The Woods at Laurel Mill Playhouse, Sister Robert Anne in Nuncrackers with 2nd Star, Rosalia in West Side Story at CMH, and as a guest soloist with Marc Shaiman in the Kennedy Center's "Broadway A New Generation presents Hairspray!" She would like to give her thanks to the entire production team and the great cast and crew for making this show what it is today; and she'd like to thank her amazing boyfriend Brett for all of his constant love and support. MWAH! To the audience, enjoy the show and remember "no day but today!"
Hannah Marr - Katherine Howard:
The baby of the cast, Hannah Marr, a senior at Loch Raven High School will be making her Mobtown debut as the youngest, and friskiest, wife of Henry the VIII, Katherine Howard. Previously, Hannah has been seen as Lady Mmmbeth and The Queen in "Mmmbeth and Hammlet," Dance Ensemble in "The Music Man," Bess and Kathy Crachit in "Scrooge! The Musical," Professor Plum in "Clue the Musical," and Ursula in "Bye Bye Birdie." Additionally, Hannah has had experience in film as Kera in Landmark Films "Diane's Wake." Ms. Marr is looking forward to this experience, but until rehearsals start... GO LOCH RAVEN FIELD HOCKEY! Beat Hereford and Dulaney!
Kerry Brady - Catherine Parr:
Kerry is so very excited to be playing the role of Catherine Parr in the Mobtown Player's production of Six Dead Queens and An Inflatable Henry. This will be her third production on the Mobtown stage, having appeared earlier this year in Boston Marriage and Rooms By the Sea. Kerry holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from Towson University. Over the years she has worked with several local theater companies in and around Baltimore including: the Mornington Players of Dundalk, the Heritage Players of Catonsville, CTA, and the former Top Floor Theatre of Hamilton.
Kerry's Top Five Reasons Why Catherine Parr is the True Queen:
1. She outlived 3 out of 4 husbands.
2. She wrote 2 books that were both published during her lifetime.
3. She could talk her way out of an execution - let's see Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard try that!
4. She was largely responsible for the upbringing of Henry's children - including Elizabeth I of the Golden Age.
5. She remained composed at all times, even in death.