Women's Wit & Wisdom: Lovers, Dreamers and the Like Cast

Kathleen is thrilled to be a part of the Women’s Wit & Wisdom Festival this year! She is a Professor of Music at Sacramento City College but can’t seem to stop doing theater. Recent roles include Ebeneezer Scrooge in CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE PANTO (City Theater), Decius Brutus in JULIUS CAESAR (Sacramento Shakespeare Festival), Leonato in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Big Idea Theater), Penelope in THE PENELOPIAD (Women’s Theater Collective), Father in EURYDICE (City Theater), and portraying a singing, dancing fish in MOBY DICK, the British Panto (Splinter Group). Some previous favorite roles include Macduff in MACBETH (Sacramento Shakespeare Festival), The Narrator in WOLVES (Big Idea Theater), Judy Boone in THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME (City Theater), and Polonius in HAMLET (both at CSUS and Sac Shakes). Kathleen is a proud original company member of Wildflower Women’s Ensemble, an all-female Shakespeare ensemble.

Sarah Palmero is an East Coast transplant to California, though after nearly thirty years, she isn't sure it still counts. A Shakespeare aficionado to her core, Sarah has spend her decades in the theatre mainly performing on stage. Sarah is moving offstage to assist with the Women’s Wit & Wisdom Festival and very much looking forward to this new opportunity. Favorite roles she's performed in the Sacramento area are Emilia 3 in EMILIA, Horatio and Gertrude in HAMLET, Malvolio in TWELFTH NIGHT and Edmund Tilney in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE.

Sara Curtis (she/her) is a non-union actor, alto/mezzo-soprano, and teaching artist based in Napa, CA. She holds dual Bachelors degrees in Theatre Arts and Vocal Performance from Chapman University. Sara spent 7 years as an improvisational immersive storyteller at the Disneyland Resort and performed briefly on Disney's Hyperion Stage before moving back to the Bay Area in 2020. Some of her favorite stage roles are Maid/Anticlea in The Penelopiad (Women's Theatre Collective), Reggie Fluty in The Laramie Project (Solano Community Players), and March Sisters Swing (Sonoma Arts Live). She a company member at Sandcastle Theater Company, a volunteer with Napa Bunnies Rabbit Rescue, and an avid birder and conservation advocate.

Born and raised in the Sacramento area, Shoana T. Hunt (they/them) performed in this community for just under two decades before moving to attend Columbia College Chicago. After securing their BA in acting, stage combat, and voiceover, Shoana went on tour with Jurassic World Live Tour with Feld Entertainment, and traveled North America for two years, bringing dinosaurs and stunt fights to children all over the US, Canada, and Mexico. A year ago, they returned to the Sacramento and Bay Areas to continue performing, telling stories, and generally attempting to be a good human. | @shoanathunt | www.shoanathunt.com

Beth Sheridan is excited to back with EMH Productions, both as the nutty role of Debbie in Speed Dating 2 but also the director and an substitute actor of Marg is the terrifying look at our potentially immanent future in Andrea Aptecker's Welcome to the Revolution. A huge thank you to my cast for going on this dark dystopian ride with me and thank you to Elise for her support and understanding. Beth has had the profound pleasure of performing at numerous Sacramento area community theaters like Happy Hour, Free Fall and Sutter Street. By day she can be found sharing her love of theater with the younger generations through NorCal School of the Arts https://www.norcalsota.org/

Maya is grateful to be able to be here today to share these stories and cautionary tales. She hopes you can leave the world behind for just a little while and join The Revolution!

Mary Jo's previous roles include Violet in Poodle With Guitar and Dark Sunglasses, Charlotte in Pride & Prejudice, Malcolm in Macbeth, Edgar in King Lear, Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, and Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She would like to take this opportunity to quote share a quote from Thomas Paine's American Crisis: "Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered". Thank you.

Welcome to the Women’s Wit and Wisdom Festival! Thank you for taking the time to support our local theatre community and this wonderful celebration of women! Stacey is so happy to have had the opportunity to direct Speed Dating and be performing in Speed Dating 2 and Welcome to the Revolution. She has been performing on stage in the Sacramento and surrounding areas for over 10 years and has been directing for about a year now. Stacey is so glad that you are here and hopes you enjoy these wonderful shows!

Rhonda performed as a member of “One Heart Hula Praise Ministry” in Fremont for over 6 years. She performed in a staged reading in 2018 and at the 2018 and 2019 Storytelling Festivals, as well as in “Black Nativity” 2018 and 2019, “Steal Away” 2019, “The Bluest Eye” 2020, “Spell #7” 2022, “Midsummer Night’s Dream” 2022, “Dracula” 2022, “Living Fat” 2022, and “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf” at Celebration Arts. Rhonda is thrilled to debut at Ooley Theatre in “George Washington’s Teeth” and “Speed Dating”.

Chris is excited to be here at the Ooley and working with some very talented people. Chris started discovering his acting chops with The Actor's Workshop of Sacramento taking private lessons with the famed Ed Claudio. Some of the roles he played with the workshop are Ben Loman in Death of Salesman, Sebastian in The Tempest, Ilya Illich in Uncle Vanya along with a variety of roles in several one act productions.

Hester Wagner B.A.:Theatre Arts(University of the South;Sewanee (TN)); M.A.: Educational Theatre (NYU). She has taught theatre and film all over the world, and is currently the Senior Director of Media, Film and Art for Futures Explored, which provides hands on training in film to individuals with disabilities. Directing: Film(Frank, Beautiful Disaster, Offices and Accountants, Uno) Theatre: Vagina Monologues. Acting: Film (Save Me Mine, Unlocked), Theatre: Importance of Being Earnest(Lady Bracknell), R&G Are Dead (Rosencrantz); Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet), Winter’s Tale(Hermione).

I am so excited to once again be a part of the Women’s Wit and Wisdom Festival. I am honored to bring back the diverse roles of Helen, Zoe, and Kyle’s Mother in Michelle Lowe’s heartbreaking yet heart warming String of Pearls. Playing the role of Edie in Mark St. Germain’s George Washington’s Teeth has been great fun. I’ve also enjoyed playing Fran, in Lee Zamlock’s original one act Speed Dating 2. Performing at the Ooley Theater with such talented actors and wonderful humans always feels like home to me. I hope the joy and work put into all of these productions shines through. Enjoy!

[Jean Thompson] is so excited to join the Women’s Wit & Wisdom Festival and work with such talented actors and directors. Recent theater credits include Remember Me, 12 Angry Jurors, Seussical the Musical, Something Rotten, Sweeney Todd, Bye Bye Birdie, Madagascar, The Producers and All Together Now. When not designing/landscaping houses, traveling and hanging with her large family, she also sings and tours with the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra and the Woodland Chamber Singers. She thanks you for coming today, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Joanna holds many roles at The Ooley Theatre and we are so happy to see her be on stage in this fun romantic farce. Her last role on our stage was in Radium Girls in September of 2024. One of her many favorite roles was in an original work title Inversion which also played at The Ooley. This was her first experience with Elise Hodge. These two have peas and carrots ever since. Huge thanks to the cast and crew for this festival!

"Robyn is happy to be in another show with EMH/Arstist's Collective, having appeared in Arsenic and Old Lace, Women’s Wit and Wisdom 2024, and One-Act Fesval . Robyn has appeared in many local theatre shows and some )lms as well in the Sacramento area on and o+ throughout the years."

Gary is happy to return the Ooley stage, as he continues to become more involved in the local community theatre scene. He was most recently seen in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe with FreeFall Stage and Murder on the Nile here at the Ooley. He received his B.A in Christian Education and M.A. in Theatre Arts. He works for the State of CA. In his off time, he enjoys watching TV and going to the cinema, petting his cat and wishing he also had a pitbull again, forgetting to participate in the local gay scene, working with queer and educational church ministries, maintaining a workout regimen ("enjoy" may be pushing it, for this last one).

Matthew Silver has been an actor/filmmaker for 13 years. He has performed in several theatrical productions as well, including Speed Dating at The Ooley in 2024.

John is happy to be back on the Ooley Theatre stage. A native San Franciscan, John has performed in many productions in the Bay Area. Some of his favorites include Glengarry Glen Ross, A Streetcar Named Desire, 12 Angry Men, and Chapter Two. After today’s performance of Speed Dating, you’ll undoubtedly understand the basis of John’s personal credo: “Use a cattle prod, go to jail.” It’s that simple.

Kherut is gracing the Ooley Theatre Stage again for this production of Speed Dating, He is a stage and film actor, assistant director and acting coach . He loves everything production and entertainment from graceful ice skaters to Miss Universe pageants, but his passion is acting either on stage or behind a camera. See you at the Ooley .

Eric has graced our stage in two previous productions, his first being that of a stage hand in our original works show Major LIfe Choices. He wanted to get on the stage too which we were happy to have occur in Arsenic and Old Lace as Officer O'Hara! What a fun time that was. Eric is a pip to work with and we love having him with us. We thank him for being part of this show!

This is Rich's third time acting with EMH Productions and he is thrilled to be on stage for this amazing festival. He previously performed as Parker in "Straight Talk" and Paul in "Goodbye Freddy". He has also recently played Professor Plum in "Clue!" and The Baker in "Rapunzel" at Imagination Theater. Rich has previously worked at B Street Theater and Capital Stage building sets and props and currently he is a contributor to local community theaters with tech, set building and design. Rich's next show will be "The Boys Next Door" at Chautauqua Playhouse where he will play Arnold. He is quite honored to be a part of Women's Wit and Wisdom and is commited to being more of all three in the future.

Christine is happy to be back on stage at the Ooley Theatre. She was last seen on the Ooley stage in WorkPlace. She has recently appeared at the Chautauqua Playhouse in several Children's plays including Cinderella and The Fire Queen. Aside from acting, she is enjoying the creative aspects of a theatre production She has recently directed Rumpelstiltskin at the Sutter Street Theatre and stage-managed the Freefall Stage's production of Pride and Prejudice at the Royal Theatre in Citrus Heights. She wishes to thank Elise Hodge for the opportunity to participate in the 2025 Women's Wit and Wisdom Festival and Candace Adams for directing her Invisible monologue.

Arabella Monroe is looking forward to being a part of the Ooley Theatre's Woman's Wit and Wisdom Festival. She has been in 11 past productions, which have cultivated her love for acting. Some previous credits include Catherine Parr (Six: Teen Edition), Cedric (Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic), Lawrence Tate (The Plot Like Gravy Thickens), and Judge (The Government Inspector).

Heidi is thrilled to take part in this year’s Women’s Wit and Wisdom festival celebrating Women’s History Month. Her recent credits include Grace Fryer in Radium Girls and Jacqueline de Severac in Murder on the Nile here at the Ooley stage. Off the stage you might be able to catch Heidi supporting local artists and theaters as an audience member. She hopes you enjoy this collection of shows as much as she enjoys bringing stories to life.

It is a great privilege to share the stage with my own words about a love that touched me deeply and still impacts me to this day with this monologue. Previous Credits include the one woman show Shirley Valentine; Moshs in Vayna, Sonia, Mosah and Spike; and 30 other productions over the past 10 years of a very adventure filled theater career.