Romeo and Juliet Cast

Ben Pauls (Romeo)

Ben has a minor in Theatre Studies from Missouri State with performance credits there and in St. Louis, largely owed to his roots in theatre from his time in Bartlesville as a high school student. He last appeared as Warnie Smith in Mausoleum Stories at Bartlesville’s White Rose Cemetery. He works as a choral accompanist for Bartlesville Public Schools and is the Director of Music Ministry at Disciples Christian Church. He is profoundly grateful to his wife Catherine for all the time she spent holding down the fort during these weeks of evening rehearsals.

Leasha Ryan (Juliet)

Leasha, who by day is a hair stylist downtown, has performed as Cheri in Bus Stop, Madge in Picnic, Marian in Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Corrie in Barefoot in the Park, all at Theater Bartlesville, and in the past two years she appeared as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and as Belle in Gunsmoke at the Unity Square green stage.  She was featured in the film, High Stakes: The Life and Times of E.W. Marland as Lily Marland, and when not onstage or styling hair, she likes to go on adventures with Ty.

Evan Martin (Benvolio)

Evan is a Bartlesville native that took up acting in 2018. He has been in many Theater Bartlesville productions over the years; his last being Gunsmoke and is very much looking forward to his role in Romeo and Juliet as Benvolio.

Sheldene (Shelly) Holdman (Viola)

he local island theater troupe ODD (Organization for Drama Development). She is the President and Victim Advocate for the non-profit SAFE-NOW. Shelly lives with her husband Danny, the love of her life; their son Ian, and their niece Kristine. Her debut with TB was in 2016 in The Kingdoms of Democracy. She is grateful to her wonderful family for their incredible support and is thrilled to be a part of this great production.

Alen Gentges (Capulet)

Alan has performed in a long list of local stage productions such as Bus Stop, A Christmas Tuna and Picnic. He has acted in films and TV series such as Fancy Dance and Reservation Dogs. Alan and his wife, Diane, produced A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Gunsmoke which played at the Unity Square, and he is the producer of Summer Shorts. 

    Diane and Alan are members of Bartlesville First Church. Alan has practiced law for thirty-eight years and is currently the City of Bartlesville Municipal Judge.

Krystal Briggs (Mrs. Capulet)

Krystal is a Bartlesville native who has had a passion for the arts since she was young. She and her fiancé Robbie spend most of their time at home raising their children. Krystal has performed in multiple plays such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Gunsmoke as well as working backstage for The Odd Couple and hopes to be involved in many more productions. But enough of this, I pray the enjoy the show. 

Andrew Miller (Montague)

Andrew enjoys the arts of music, painting, and cinema. This is his first Shakespearean play.  He has participated in acting workshops and actor’s groups and has been a background performer for several features and television shows. He is currently writing a vintage true crime book and is writing and developing a pilot for an accompanying series set in 1930’s Oklahoma. He lives in Bartlesville with his beloved Missy Miller. 

Jaclyn Larmore (Mrs. Montague)

Jaclyn Larmore is an indie author who writes fantasy and gothic literature under the name J.S. Larmore. She is also a cosplayer and makeup artist, and a teaching assistant at Jane Phillips Elementary. She lives in Bartlesville with her husband and young daughter, and enjoys watching horror comedy movies, crafting, and reading in her free time.

Danny Holdman (Mayor Prince)

Danny’s first theater experience was during middle school - a single spoken line in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. In college at East Central University, he participated in musical and traditional theater, with small roles in The Fantasticks, The Crucible and an original play written by one of his professors called Governor, Governor. With Theater Bartlesville, he has participated in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Gunsmoke. He enjoys smoking meat, building smokers as a hobby, and watching movies at home with his beautiful and talented actress wife, Shelly, son Ian and niece Kristine, and a tail-chasing German shepherd named Jayde.

Jason Elmore (Father Lawrence)

Jason, as Father Lawrence, is pastor of Friday Nite Church (which meets on Wednesdays!), President of the Bartlesville Ministerial Association and Spiritual Advisor of Hopestone Cancer Support Center. He’s a cancer survivor of 15 years!  

His hobbies are reading, group fitness classes and theater. His favorite roles/plays are “Stage Manager” in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, “Reverend Jim Casy” in Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath and “The Rainmaker” in The Rainmaker by N. Richard Nash. 

    He is a lover of life and a lover of people – and loves our town. 

Adam Molloy (Mercutio)

Originally from California’s Bay Area, Adam graduated with a Business Degree from Rogers State University. He has appeared in past Theater Bartlesville productions including The Kingdoms of Democracy, The Grapes of Wrath, Enchanted April, It’s A Wonderful Life, Bus Stop, The Dining Room, Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Picnic, and most recently as Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. He was also a part of the cast of Joe Sear’s Greater Tuna, A Tuna Christmas, and Red, White & Tuna at the Heritage Theater. Over the last few years, he has worked on the films American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story, Killers of The Flower Moon, and Land of Gold, while also appearing in a handful of commercials. Adam is represented by Linda Layman Agency out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

Robbie Murie (Tybalt)

A five-year veteran of the USMC and father, Robbie focused his time after the military on earning a master’s degree in Archaeology. Work then brought him and his kids from Oregon to Oklahoma in 2022, where he met the love of his life, Krystal, shortly after. Krystal had been involved in theater for most of her life, which then interested Robbie to participate as well. He has now had major roles in both the Odd Couple and Plaza Suite. Robbie has now taken a passion for acting and hopes to continue in the years to come!

Canaan Kallweit (Paris)

Canaan is excited to be in Romeo and Juliet for his first performance since middle school. His last play was in Aladdin at Cascia Hall’s Scianna Performing Arts Center.  When he isn’t on stage, you can either find him tossing bottles and making drinks at Palace Rooms Lounge or tossing dough and building pizzas at Lollipops Woodfire Pizza and Grocery. He wants to thank his supportive family, friends, and dog for always being there for him.

KIristin Duncan (Amy, Mercutio's girlfriend)

Kristin has been involved in numerous Theater Bartlesville productions over the years, including Almost, Maine, Dining Room, Bus Stop, Sherwood, and more. She is excited to be part of another Shakespeare show after playing Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. When Kristin’s not on stage, she enjoys other creative endeavors like working on writing her novel or making art. You can also find her with her head in a book, hiking in the woods, leading services at the local Unitarian Universalist church, chasing after her cats, or hanging out with her husband Gregory and their two kids, Kaleb and Cameron.

Gregory Brice Williams (Police Detective, party guest)

Gregory was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and attended the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. This is Greg’s fourteenth appearance with Theater Bartlesville. He was seen most recently in Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite, playing Sam Nash, and has performed in more than a dozen other stage productions in Bartlesville, Dewey, and Owasso. In addition to his stage credits, Greg has had principal, supporting & background roles in more than two dozen feature films, shorts, and commercials, three live comedy improv performances and a radio broadcast. Greg would like to thank the cast, Director Shelby Brammer for her patience and guidance, and Greg’s many friends and family for their support and encouragement.

Tom Mardis (Montague fighter and party guest)

Tom is a current Theater Bartlesville board member and Technical Director for the theatre. He’s also been a past board/committee/ member/docent with White Rose Cemetery, Oklahoma Indian Summer, Ghost Walk, Price Tower Arts Center, and Bartlesville Chorale, to name a few. Tom’s most recent theatrical productions were directing Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple and Plaza Suite in 2023 at Theater Bartlesville.

Landry Evans (Capult fighter and party guest)

Landry has played in previous Bartlesville productions including The Wizard of Oz, Little Shop of Horrors, and Macbeth. He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University. Landry first pursued theatre by taking acting in high school and furthered this pursuit by enrolling in an action acting course during college. Since graduating, he has become a sports manager who is dedicated to fostering a culture of success both on and off the court. In his free time, Landry enjoys journaling, sipping tea, and dressing fashionably.

Cameron Duncan (Montague fighter and partier)

Cameron is excited to be participating in his first show at Theater Bartlesville. This is his second time on stage, the first playing a baby spider and newsboy in the Children’s Musical Theater black box show of Charlotte’s Web a few years ago. In his spare time, he enjoys playing video games, learning to draw, doing science experiments, and exploring the neighborhood on his electric bike.

Hannah Suarez (Citizen and Capulet party guest)

Hannah, a California native, is a literacy services assistant and English tutor at Bartlesville Public Library. She first developed her interest in theater when she was a social sciences student at RSU. Since then, she has appeared in productions at Theater Bartlesville such as You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood. When she’s not on stage, Hannah also enjoys reading, crafting, listening to music, studying languages, and watching international TV dramas. Hannah would like to thank her family for their love and support.

Brooke Cheshewalla (Citizen and Capulet party guest)

Brooke is a Pawhuska native and proud member of the Osage Tribe. This last year she has been a performer with the WahZhaZhe Puppet theatre telling the creation story of the Osage people. This is her first stage acting performance since High school. 

    Brooke would like to thank her husband Jarrod, and her kiddos, Kiela Bear and Oliver Queen for encouraging her to try out for Romeo and Juliet. She would also like to thank the cast and crew that made this performance a success, and especially Shelby Brammer for making all this happen. 

Jozlyn Shidler (Citizen and Capulet party guest)

Jozlyn is a student at Madison Middle School. She enjoys drawing and music. Jozlyn was in Gunsmoke and is excited to be involved in another production. 

Rosie Swindell (Citizen and Capulet party guest)

Born and raised in Bartlesville, Rosie has been involved in theater since 1971 when she was cast as Bloody Mary in South Pacific. Since that time, she has been in several other musicals such as The Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, and Lil’ Abner. She was also a member of The Philtones and the Ad Lib Singers. Rosie has been fortunate enough to perform in three Tuna series productions directed by Joe Sears and several of his other shows as a member of the Salty Seniors. She has also been in several films including Light from the Darkroom and has been a background actor in productions such as August: Osage County, To the Wonder and Starbright. She was also background performer in Reservation Dogs. She has two children, Maria Swindell Gus, and Marty Swindell. They have given her four beautiful grandchildren, Addison and Lucas Swindell and Noah and Evan Gus. She retired from Phillips Petroleum Company after 36 years and became a community volunteer.

Tiffany Scroggins (Stage Manager)

Tiffany caught the theatre bug thanks to her brother Kevin Mnich. Her first show was in 2012 with Theater Bartlesville’s production of The Big Five Oh as a stagehand. She since has been the stage manager in MANY stage productions in both Bartlesville and Dewey. When Tiffany isn’t corralling actors and assisting the director, she works as a preschool teacher/Assistant Director at Lollipop Land Inc. She has worked there for over sixteen years and has spent many years earning her Certificate of Mastery in Child Development and B.S. in Early intervention and Child Development. 

Donna Bass (Assistant Stage Manager, Props Master)

Donna has been in several local theatre productions, but you may recognize her has Gwendolyn pigeon in Theater Bartlesville’s recent production of The Odd Couple. She is sometimes behind the scenes helping with everything that we can throw at her, and sometimes she is out front on stage. Donna enjoys all aspects of theatre whether set building or getting a costume together, she finds it also fun and a great learning experience. Donna would like to thank all her friends and family for putting up with her crazy schedule. Enjoy the show!

Susan Downs (Costume Design)

Susan was born into a house full of music and learned at an early age how to carry her part in the harmony, musically and in other endeavors. Having a strong voice and a good ear, she performed often in musical groups, choirs, and musical theater, which in turn exposed her to numerous other opportunities to explore/exercise her creative gene. Her parents indulged her curiosity, answering the constant “whys” and “hows” and at a young age, dad explained how a sewing machine worked and mom showed her how to use it.  Costuming gives her an opportunity to indulge in her passion for wearables and accessories. Her creations tend to lean towards the historical with a twist. A girl’s got to have a cell phone pocket. Ms. Downs currently lives and works in Bartlesville, pitching in where she can, calling the occasional Contra Dance, and giving in to artistic temptations.