Mark T. Mannette (Director) received his MFA in Directing Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance from Mary Baldwin College in partnership with the American Shakespeare Center. He hails from the state of Maine where he performed in a production of CAROUSEL directed by his mother in 1981. A member of Actor’s Equity since 1998, Mark has acted in over one hundred and fifty plays. He has directed plays in several states and founded theatre companies in Maine, Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina. In Orlando, he ran a theatre company at a community center with a youth ensemble, a teen ensemble, and an adult ensemble, directing such musicals as GREASE, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, and LES MISERABLES. Mark is currently the Director of Theatre at Newman University where he has directed such musicals as PIPPIN, SOMETHING’S AFOOT, DAMN YANKEES, and INTO THE WOODS. In 2019, he collaborated with Yannic Dozier on a production of NEWSIES for MTYP where he had previously directed SHREK, THE MUSICAL, THE MUSIC MAN, A CHRISTMAS CAROL and SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL for the youth organization that is now part of MTW.

Mary Ellen is an experienced music educator and accomplished professional musician. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Bethany College and a Master of Music Education with a Vocal Concentration from Wichita State University. Prior to joining the Division of Arts & Humanities at Newman University, Mary Ellen taught music in a variety of settings for over 25 years, including her private voice studio, private & public school classrooms, and as an adjunct professor at several central Kansas colleges and universities. In addition to her work in education, Mary Ellen is an active performer. She has appeared in numerous musical theater productions, oratorios, and operas, most notably with the Wichita Grand Opera. Among her favorite roles are Mimì in LA BOHÈME, Micaëla in CARMEN, and Yum-Yum in THE MIKADO. Mary Ellen also finds profound fulfillment as a sacred musician. For her, music is not only a profession but also a calling, a way to connect with God and serve others. She and her husband, Cory, are longtime residents of Wichita, although they both graduated from Garden City High School in Southwest Kansas. They are the proud parents of five children, ages 4 to 17…four of whom joined their family through adoption, a cause close to their hearts. The Swords family are active parishioners at Christ the King Catholic Church. When not chasing children or making music, Mary Ellen enjoys traveling, true crime documentaries, and soaking up the sun.

Kirk Longhofer is a Wichita based theatrical sound designer, producer, and live sound engineer who has been playing with sounds and sound systems since age 12. His theatrical sound designs are heard in educational, community, and professional theaters around the world virtually weekly. Recent theatrical work includes designs for CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT TIME (The White Theatre at the J), WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION AND AMADEUS (Wichita Repertory Theatre), THE COVER OF LIVE (Guild Hall Players), PUFFS (Little Theatre of Gastonia). Member Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association. www.technopraxis.org

is enjoying her 24th year as part of Newman's Theatre/Music departments. She also works with Kechi Playhouse, Wichita Community Theatre, and IASTE 190, performing wardrobe needs for touring companies. Behind the scenes experiences with LION KING, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, SESAME STREET, WICKED, and artists such as Pink, Carrie Underwood, Neil Diamond, and Weird Al Yankovic have been thrilling.

Dannicka is a senior in the Technical Theatre program at Newman University. She is playing Arminy in this production of CAROUSEL. Dannicka has appeared in past Newman productions, INCLUDING ALL MY SONS, PUFFS, TREASURE ISLAND, BETWEEN THE LINES, HAMLET, MURDER ON THE MENU, and TOM, DICK, AND HARRY. She has also worked behind the scenes on numerous productions like DRACULA, THE LITTLE MERMAID, TREASURE ISLAND, THE WEDDING SINGER, THE OFFICE, SUITORS AND SCRUBS, HAMLET, MURDER ON THE MENU, BETWEEN THE LINES, and TOM, DICK AND HARRY. Dannicka is our prop master this semester and has been a part of our set team since her freshman year. Dannicka is a member of Newman’s improv troupe and a photographer and photo editor for Newman’s student-run newspaper. After graduation, she looks forward to broadening her passion for technical theatre in the Wichita area. She would like to give a special thanks to her grandma, Norma, for continuously supporting her in her passion and career in theatre, and she would also like to thank Mark Mannette for seeing something in her the first time they met and giving her the opportunities to discover and grow her passion here at Newman.