Written by MaryAnn Lyons

Show Retrospective is a recurring feature where we highlight a previous show at The Academy Theatre. This month’s Show Retrospective is DECEIVING GRANNY, written by Michael Taylor. This play ran at The Academy Theatre June 30 – July 2, 2017.

The cast. Pictured, standing, from left to right: Anthony H., Norma M., Nicole G., Darcy M., Shawna J., Ed K., MaryAnn K., Kathy N., Edward W. Pictured, sitting, from left to right: Sal A. and David O. Not pictured: Donna K.

Play Synopsis

“Newlyweds Sam and Margaret Howard discover they are in line to inherit $3.5 million from his great-grandmother whom he has never met. But before she is willing to add them to her will she wants to meet Sam and his new wife face to face to make sure they are “worthy.” Of course, nothing goes smoothly, especially since Sam is hiding an expensive diamond necklace for his boss, two burglars mistake their home for another, and the neighbor’s vague grandmother has wandered off…and may be somewhere in their house! Their friends, Rob and Kelsey, go to extremes to help the newlyweds when they think the “real” great-grandmother has died after eating peanuts. With Rob dressed and acting like an old lady, can the two couples pull off their scam in spite of a curious cop and cautious attorney?”

Friends and Family

Once again, father-daughter duo Ed and MaryAnn Keyser appeared on stage together. This time, Ed played a cab driver named Pete and MaryAnn played leading lady Margaret Howard. Ed employed a Bostonian accent to great comedic effect. Fellow cast member Nicole Garretson is a Boston native, which made Ed’s accent choice a bit intimidating. Fortunately, “Nicole said it worked, so that was encouraging,” says Ed. MaryAnn remembers being greatly amused at her dad’s antics. “His big scene was with Sal’s character, Rob. Between my dad’s accent and Sal pretending to be an old lady, I was really glad I was not in the scene with them as I was laughing pretty hard backstage.”

Another family connection was between actor Sal Arredondo and director Angel Arredondo. The two are cousins, and Sal had previously acted in another play at TAT, Here Come the Brides, in 2016. In that play, Sal’s character agrees to dress up as a woman in order to deceive another character. Coincidentally, in Deceiving Granny, Sal had to dress up as a woman for a second time. “It has kind of become a running joke at the theatre that if Sal is going to be in play, he should check the script ahead of time to make sure he doesn’t have to dress up as a woman again,” notes MaryAnn.

MaryAnn was especially excited to share the stage for the first time with her friends Nicole Garretson and Anthony Husar. “As if acting alongside my dad wasn’t enough, I had to bring a few of my friends aboard, too,” jokes MaryAnn. Nicole recalls being quite nervous, as she had never been in a play before. “Of course I was riddled with nerves. But the aspect of working with MaryAnn and Anthony, who I am extremely close with, did lessen that nervousness, because we already had a friendship and a chemistry among us.”

Anthony, too, was acting for the first time. He says playing his character, Drake, a thief, “was a great introduction” to community theatre. “It was easy connecting with that type of clumsy, tough guy character.” The role involved a lot of physical comedy, which Anthony mastered quickly. It seems that Anthony had enough fun to come back again and act in another play, Virgil’s Wedding, in 2019, along with Nicole, MaryAnn, and several other Deceiving Granny cast members.

Actors’ Reflection

MaryAnn remembers an scene early in the play that was difficult to pull off. It involved her tripping and accidentally getting hit in the face with a cake. “We had to do a lot of experimenting with how much frosting to put on the cake so that the audience would be able to see it on my face.” She also recalls the complexity of the set. “There were many doors and a staircase. Sometimes I had to really think about which door or exit to use for a scene.”

Having friends around made the rehearsals more fun than usual. Anthony says, “After the first couple of weeks, it didn’t seem like rehearsal anymore. It was more like hanging out with your friends and telling jokes.” The cast grew close and many still are good friends. Being first-time actors, both Anthony and Nicole learned quickly that improvisation was necessary, but fun. “During the dress rehearsal I realized that I could say [something like], ‘Hey, do you want spaghetti for dinner?’ and it wouldn’t matter [to the audience]. As long as they get the gist of what you’re trying to get across,” says Nicole. Anthony agrees. He had a “flexible role with plenty of room for improvisation.” MaryAnn was proud of her two friends for putting themselves out there. “Knowing their real-life personalities and having an instinct that they would both do well onstage, it was so wonderful to see them absolutely nail their roles.”

Nicole experienced minor fame when someone recognized her at a baby shower. “A lady said, ‘How do I know you?’ It was like a celebrity moment, but I didn’t know who she was. It turned out she recognized me because she had attended the play. She was friends with another one of the cast members. For a complete stranger to say ‘You did really well!’ was really cool.” Since acting in Deceiving Granny, Nicole has starred in two additional plays at TAT: Virgil’s Wedding in 2019 and Invitation to Murder in 2024. “It was a really awesome experience and that’s why I did another one and another one. I would love to do another one in the future.” We hope to see Nicole and Anthony again in a play in the future!

Conclusion

Were you in the audience to watch Deceiving Granny? What is your fondest memory of this play? Let us know!

Volunteer Spotlight is a monthly feature where we highlight an Academy Theatre volunteer. This month’s volunteer is Karen Todd.

What is your name?

Karen Todd

What is your role title at The Academy Theatre and what duties does your role entail?

I’m the Director’s [Angel Arredondo] wife, so being supportive of Angel is my role. My main purpose is supporting Angel and all that it takes to do what he does. I’ve always said that people don’t know how much he does. My favorite [way to help] is working in the box office because I get to meet everyone.

Angel Arredondo and Karen Todd in 2021

How long have you been in that role?

Since he started the group 21 years ago. Our son was 12 at the time and Angel said he would never forgive himself if he didn’t start the group for our son.

Bein married to Angel, you have a unique perspective on The Academy Theatre and how much it’s grown. Tell us about the early days of TAT and how you discovered Angel’s passion for theatre.

On our first date, Angel was telling me how he would put on plays for his extended family. He did his own costumes and lots of people would attend. That’s how I learned about his interest. I was attracted to the passion.

Donna Kevan, left, and Karen Todd, right, rehearse for the play Jukebox Diner in 2018

Have you acted in any plays at The Academy Theatre? What about other performances, such as the Haunted Pirate Ship or a comedy show?

Oh my gosh, I’ve never counted how many. I absolutely love it. I had never done any acting before. But I really enjoy it. It’s the greatest experience. I have loved it so much. There is such a strong sense of community there. I have done the standup class as well. It’s totally different but lots of fun.

From left to right: Kris Copeland, Karen Todd, and John Philbin in a Reader’s Theatre performance of The Old People Are Revolting in 2025.

What is your favorite recurring event at The Academy Theatre and why? For example, bingo, youth vocal shows, adult plays, Cinesylum, etc.

One thing I like is Angel has so many new things [he tries]. We’ve done drive in movies and karaoke nights. There’s the thrift store [days] as well. There’s always something unique to get involved with. And the annual festival is always fun. Bingo is always a fun night. I’m shocked at the variety of things he has.

Karen performing her standup comedy routine in August 2025

What is your favorite memory from The Academy Theatre?

My favorite play was Red Hot Mommas. We’ve done it several times. The role I played was hilarious. I was really proud of myself for doing standup comedy [as well]. It took a lot of courage. There are so many other favorite memories. A lot of my favorite memories are [times when I was] proud of Angel. He’s created this sense of community and provided an opportunity to everyone. One night he came home and said, “I think I’m going create a girl’s theatre.” And then [later] an adult group. Then the summer group. It’s a well kept secret that more people need to know about. I love to watch how Angel will solve a challenge with his creativity and genius. Oftentimes he’ll have an epiphany in the middle of the night. One of the most exciting things was when he was accepted into the Writers Guild. The other thing that amazes me is his persistence. We lost the building at one point, but he didn’t give up. Him keeping charity alive is what I admire.

Thank you, Karen, for all that you do for The Academy Theatre!

Karen after performing in Here Come the Brides in 2016

Written by MaryAnn Lyons

Cinesylum hosts, from left to right: Aaron Hudson, Samantha Hurdich, and Danni Winn.

“Welcome out fellow horror fans!” One thing you can count on at a Cinesylum screening: hearing co-host Samantha “Sam” Hurdich utter this phrase before she and co-host Aaron Hudson introduce the movie. Whether it’s a classic Hitchcock flick like Psycho or an underseen ‘80s gem like The Hitcher, movie fans of all types can always count on a fun experience at a Cinesylum screening. 

Currently, Cinesylum hosts a double feature night at The Academy Theatre (TAT) once a month. The first film is often a horror movie, but occasionally they throw a curveball at their fans by showing a western, like Tombstone, or a fantasy such as Willow. The second movie is always a surprise, but Sam and Aaron take care to pick a movie that ties into the first somehow. Perhaps the second movie will share an actor with the first movie, or the themes may be similar. Part of the appeal of Cinesylum screenings at TAT is the mystery of the second movie. “It makes it fun to guess. It’s like an indoor drive-in” says Cinesylum fan Brian Husar. Lauren Knight, who helped bring Aaron and Sam together for hosting movie screenings and now co-hosts a movie podcast with Aaron, agrees. “I can almost never guess the second movie, because Aaron & Sam’s collective film knowledge is so vast. But let’s put it this way: I never ever leave disappointed.”

Aaron and Sam hosted a screening of The Last Man on Earth in April 2026.

Sam and Aaron also host screenings at Roadhouse Cinemas in Scottsdale once or twice a month. These screenings may include Premiere Nights, where Sam and Aaron introduce a newly released horror film that everyone is seeing for the first time. One such time was in August 2025, where Sam and Aaron not only gave a pre-show talk about the new movie Witchboard, but they also moderated a Q & A session with the movie’s director, Chuck Russell, afterward. 

Aaron with director Chuck Russell at the Cinesylum screening of Witchboard in August 2025.

Aaron and Sam’s love of horror movies dates back to their childhoods. Aaron considers Jaws, The Birds, and House on Haunted Hill as influential movies from his youth. The television series The X-Files and Are You Afraid of the Dark? also influenced Aaron. He recalls enjoying Crestwood Universal Studios Monsters books as well. For Sam, the Nightmare on Elm Street series and The Exorcist were the most significant movies. Sometimes referred to as the “goth Vanna White” by Aaron when presenting raffle prizes before a screening, Sam also loves horror makeup and special effects. Finally, Tim Burton movies, such as Edward Scissorhands, “really drove a lot of her sensibilities and aesthetic.” 

While The Academy Theatre has been hosting Cinesylum screenings since April 2024, the group has existed in some form since 2018. That’s when Sam and Aaron first started hosting movie screenings together at a movie theater in Tempe, Arizona. 1996’s Scream was the first of these screenings to be a horror movie. Aaron explains, “We went more into planning the intro than normal, and I dressed as Ghostface and her as Drew [Barrymore]’s character…I remember we hugged afterwards cause it went so well and we had such high expectations for the show.”

Cinesylum mascot Skully

Along the way, another co-host, Danni Winn, came aboard for the horror screenings. The Covid-19 pandemic put their screenings on hold, but eventually, Aaron, Sam, and Danni began hosting horror screenings again. They became known as Cinematary. The first movie screened under this name was Chopping Mall in 2021. Aaron says it was around this time or a little earlier that he felt that he, Sam, and Danni were onto something. “Coming out of the pandemic, getting even eight or ten people to a show was huge. We were getting more than that every Tuesday night.” Screenings continued to gain traction as they expanded their reach. Although Danni doesn’t co-host as much anymore, she is doing well and still supports the group.

The first screening at TAT was the 1959 mystery House on Haunted Hill, starring Vincent Price. The road to screenings at TAT was a long one. After a dispute with the management of the Tempe theater that had previously hosted screenings, Cinematary found themselves needing a new location and new name. At the same time, Angel Arredondo, the Founder and Director of TAT, was considering new ways to expand the theatre’s programming beyond children’s and adult’s acting programs. It was serendipitous when Aaron and Angel met each other through mutual contacts. “I thought the theatre was really cute and special and an opportunity to do some types of screenings that I can’t do at a first run theater or one where I have to worry about needing to pack a certain sized audience,” says Aaron. A partnership was born. Cinematary changed its name to Cinesylum around the same time and has thrived ever since.

Aaron and his daughter Evie pose with Skully before a Dick Tracy screening

Many things are taken into consideration when deciding what to screen. “I can have very populist taste so I think if I wanna see something on the big screen, I think others will too,” says Aaron. The time of year (Psycho in May 2024 for Mother’s Day), momentous anniversaries (the 100th anniversary of the silent film The Phantom of the Opera was in September 2025), or themed months (Dario Argento-ary in January 2025) are all examples of considerations Aaron takes into account when planning a screening. Sometimes a screening is planned up to a year in advance. Aaron also gets great satisfaction out of introducing a movie to an attendee who has never seen or sometimes never even heard of it. 

Outside of Cineslyum, Aaron works for Severin Films while Sam works for DoorDash’s corporate office. When asked what he hopes a newbie takes away from a Cinesylum screening, Aaron says it’s all about “Community…You come and hang out, watch the movie, talk about it after.  Movies are unique, so many creatives and artists of different types come together to make them…We take them so subjectively in our own ways based on our experiences with them and personal sensibilities, and yet we also get such pleasure enjoying them with a crowd of like minded people.” And if you’re lucky, you might also walk away with a fun prize!

In case you are not able to attend a Cinesylum screening, you can still recreate the spirit of the group at home by watching The Mutilator, as recommended by Aaron. “[It’s] a better directorial debut than Citizen Kane, and I will stand on Orson Welles’s Criterion collection in my cowboy boots and proclaim it!” We hope to see you at a future screening!

By MaryAnn Lyons

Since 2010, The Academy Theatre (TAT) has been producing enjoyable plays with adult casts. Read below to learn more about the adult programs at TAT!

The cast of Deceiving Granny, produced in 2017. This was an ADP production

The Adult Drama Prgram

At least once a year, TAT founder and director Angel Arredondo holds an open cast call for adults aged 18 and older. Anyone, regardless of experience, can sign up to be in a play. Some actors have acted before, perhaps years before when they were in high school. Some actors are TAT veterans who act in a new play every year. Others still begin acting in the ADP with no experience at all.

Once the signup period ends, Angel holds an initial meeting with all actors before selecting a play. Angel selects a play based on the actors who have signed up. For example, if eight men and four women sign up, Angel will search for a play with eight male and four female characters.

TAT holds no auditions, and every actor is guaranteed a role. How does Angel determine what roles an actor will play without holding auditions? After an initial meeting where Angel introduces himself and TAT to all of the actors, he gets to know the newbies and places everyone in roles based on their personalities. It is important to Angel that new actors are eased into acting with roles that suit them. As actors start to return to TAT and become veterans, Angel challenges them with different roles.

The ADP cast performed Madder Than a Box of Frogs in 2023.

Director’s Troupe

Unlike the ADP, which is open to any and all aspiring actors, the Director’s Troupe (DT), functions differently. For this group, Angel selects the play first and the actors second. Typically, the actors he selects are ones who have appeared in previous productions at TAT. There have also been occasions where Angel decides to produce a play that is a sequel to a play that has previously been performed at TAT. For these sequels, there is no casting call, and Angel tries to keep the same actors in the roles they previously played.

Rehearsals

Regardless of whether the production is for the ADP or the DT, rehearsals follow the same pattern. The group meets once a week on Wednesday nights. For the first several weeks, the cast reads through the script to get a sense of the story, characters, and setting.

After several read-throughs, the cast will often continue to read the script aloud at rehearsals, but their focus shifts to character development. Will this character have an accent? Should this line be spoken in a different tone of voice? These are some of the questions that the cast will work on.

The next step is blocking. This means the cast members go onstage with their scripts in hand and work on movement. They will determine when they enter and exit a scene along with discovering when to sit, stand, or walk. This process continues for several weeks or even months.

Once all blocking has been set, the actors will start to run through entire scenes without their scripts, going “off-book.” It’s around this time that Angel sets a date for the performances. Most adult casts perform three shows in a single weekend: Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon. If the cast is exceptionally large, additional shows may be added.

The cast of Exit Laughing. This was at DT production from 2021.

Future

Does this sound like something you’d like to be a part of? There is an open cast call for the ADP right now! Sign up by July 6. Rehearsals start on Wednesday, July 15, at 6:00pm. Visit theacademytheatre.net for more information!

Volunteer Spotlight is a monthly feature where we highlight an Academy Theatre volunteer. This month’s volunteer is MaryAnn Lyons, who also writes this blog.

Get to know me, MaryAnn Lyons, the writer of this blog and Academy Theatre volunteer for 15 years!

What is your name?

MaryAnn Lyons, formerly Keyser

What is your role title at The Academy Theatre (TAT)  and what duties does your role entail?

Currently, I am a Mission Ambassador and Summer Drama Program (SDP) Coordinator. I also just started running the blog in February 2026. As Mission Ambassador, it’s my job to spread the word about TAT to everyone. For the SDP Coordinator, I assist Angel at rehearsals. This program runs twice a week for eight weeks with a goal of putting on a full-length production at the end of the summer. I used to be a coordinator for the Girls Drama Club Academy as well.

That’s me in the center, in my first play at The Academy Theatre. I played Kay in “The Divorce Sale.” From left to right: Norma M., Dylan T., MaryAnn L., Bob G., Brenda C., and John M.

How long have you been in that role?

I have been a Mission Ambassador for about a year, and I’ve been the SDP Coordinator off and on for about ten years.

Tell us how you discovered The Academy Theatre.

Back in 2011, my friend, Brenda Cuellar Reza, and I were talking about how we both did theatre in high school. She mentioned to me that she was involved with a community theatre called, at the time, the Junior Drama Club Academy. She invited me to an event, and I immediately fell in love with it. Here was a place where anyone could come and learn theatre in a stress-free environment! Aside from a brief move to California in 2020, I’ve been involved ever since!

When you are a coordinator for the year-round group or the Summer Program, sometimes you get asked to step into a role. In 2017, I played Thelma in The Ladies of Haggerty alongside the members of the Girls Drama Club Academy.

Front row, left to right: Evie R., Giselle M., Debbie V., Starr R., and Jackie G.. Back row, left to right: MaryAnn L. and Deja R.

Have you acted in any plays at The Academy Theatre? What about other performances, such as the Haunted Pirate Ship or a comedy show?

Yes, I’ve been in more plays than I can count now. I’ve been in a few improv comedy shows along with the Haunted Pirate Ship. If there is an opportunity to perform in some way, I am almost certain to be there. The only thing I haven’t tried so far is the Stand-Up Comedy class.

What is your favorite recurring event at The Academy Theatre and why? For example, bingo, youth vocal shows, adult plays, Cinesylum, etc.

As a performer, the adult plays are my favorite. As a community member, I have to say the kids’ plays are my favorite. It is so fun and fulfilling to see each student’s growth throughout the years.

What is your favorite memory from The Academy Theatre?

It is hard to pick just one. In 2013, I had the opportunity to act in a play with my dad and my sister. My sister’s character and mine were at odds with each other. We get along great in real life, so having to argue with her in the play was more challenging than I expected. There was also a scene where my character and my dad’s character have a very emotional heart-to-heart. That was a really beautiful moment for us to act out. Later, in 2019, I acted in a different play with my dad and my mom. The only way we could convince my mom to join was by telling her she would have just 1 line. It turned out she actually had 2 lines! Both lines were the same words said minutes apart. It goes to show you how much family and community matter to Angel and the environment he has created at TAT.

Improv comedy can be stressful, as evidenced by this photo. Here I am acting in a scene with Benton V. in 2022.

Watch this space for more volunteer spotlights and posts about The Academy Theatre!

Written by MaryAnn Lyons

This month, join us at The Academy Theatre (TAT) for the latest Junior Drama Club Academy production! They will be staging Marching Proud, written by Michael Spring. TAT first staged this play in June 2017.

What’s the JDCA?

The Junior Drama Club Academy (JDCA) is a weekly dynamic membership program for boys ages 12–16 (17–18 by exception), offering immersive education in acting, theater, improv, vocals, and literature—alongside essential life-building and leadership skills.

What’s the play about?

This hilarious play is about an old scoutmaster trying to hold his troop together. There are only four boys left and they would rather be off drinking beer than listening to “The Colonel” rattle on about the values exemplified in the Boy Scout Code.

Who’s In It?

This year, the JDCA is mostly comprised of students who are new to the program. The play stars first-year JDCA student Ryan Noderer as Shawn Hailey, second-year student Marlon Hernandez as Terry Matthews, first-year student Mason Piana as Mark Lillard, and first-year student Jeremiah Flores as Billy Spencer. All boys except for Jeremiah participated in the Summer Drama Program in 2025. Furthermore, 2017 JDCA Magna alum Jakob Baker returns to the Academy Theatre stage to reprise his role as The Colonel.

When asked what he hopes audiences will take away from the play after seeing it, director Angel Arredondo said, “Patriotism and awareness [of] what people do to educate and lead young people.”

Ticket Information

Tickets are on sale now at https://www.academytheatre.net/.Come see the show on Saturday, May 16th at 7pm. Tickets start at just $8! We hope to see you there!

Interviewed by MaryAnn Lyons

Volunteer Spotlight s a monthly feature where we highlight an Academy Theatre volunteer. This month’s volunteer is Charles Lamb.

Question: What is your role at The Academy Theatre?

Answer: I am the Creative Projects Coordinator.

Question: How long have you been in this role?

Answer: I have been in this role for a little over a year.

Pictured: David Schweidt (left) and Charles Lamb (right) rehearse a scene from Madder Than a Box of Frogs in 2023.

Question: Tell us how you discovered The Academy Theatre.

Answer: My wife, Juliette, was looking for something for us to do a few years ago, and she stumbled upon the adult theatre program. She asked if I wanted to try it. I said yes, and we’ve been here ever since. I believe I’m on my fourth play with [the upcoming] Virgil Wins the Lottery.

Question: Have you acted in any plays at the Academy Theatre? What about other performances such as the Haunted Pirate Ship or a comedy show?

Answer: I’ve done about four plays, volunteered at events throughout the years, helped with random projects around the theater, and run the Haunted Pirate Ship event.

Pictured, left to right: Andy Bateman, Donna Kevan, Charles Lamb, Juliette Vallender, August Butler, Angela Esquivel, Seth Roesner, and Maria Alaniz, performing in the play You Are Your Own Worst Enemy in 2024.

Question: What is your favorite recurring event at The Academy Theatre? For example, bingo, youth vocal shows, adult plays, Cinesylum, etc.

Answer: It’s hard to say what my favorite event is. It’s probably a toss-up between the Adult Drama Program (ADP) and the Haunted Pirate Ship, but I am really enjoying the Movie Madness Weekends.

Question: What is your favorite memory from The Academy Theatre?

Answer: My fondest memories are from rehearsing for the plays in the ADP and Director’s Troop.

Pictured, left to right: Kris Copeland, Brenda Cuellar Reza, Karen Todd, John Philbin, Donna Kevan, and Charles Lamb in a Reader’s Theatre performance of The Old People Are Revolting in 2025.

Thank you, Charles, for all you do for The Academy Theatre!

Written by MaryAnn Lyons

This month, join us at The Academy Theatre (TAT) for the latest Girls’ Drama Club Academy production! They will be staging Desert Flowers, written by D.M. Larson. TAT first staged this play in June 2012.

What’s the GDCA?

The Girls’ Drama Club Academy (GDCA) is a weekly dynamic membership program for girls ages 12–16 (17–18 by exception), offering immersive education in acting, theater, improv, vocals, and literature—alongside essential life-building and leadership skills.

For the 2025 – 2026 year, the GDCA has eight members: Sophia Ruiz (President), Suri Bell (scribe), Aubrey Cahill (Hostarius), Janicia Blanco, Jasmynn Bradley, Emma Cuellar, Phinley Lester, and Addison Trent. Additionally, the GDCA has two coordinators who are former GDCA students: Evie Robertson and Mia Flores.

Coordinator Mia Flores says, “No matter the age range, it’s a diverse community, and the girls get along so well.”

Pictured, left to right: Aubrey Cahill, Sophia Ruiz, and Phinley Lester listen for guidance during rehearsal.

What’s the play about?

The play follows a group home for troubled girls isolated in the desert. Ma watches over the girls and tries to guide the teens to make better decisions for their lives, but it proves to be as challenging as growing flowers in the desert.

GDCA coordinator Evie Robertson says, “The play is really fun. It’s very eye opening to mother-daughter relationships.
It challenges the girls to explore deeper emotions in their acting range.”

Cast Insight

Aubrey Cahill plays Jamie, who she describes as “a sweet character” who “gets involved with some madness at the end.” After playing “mean” roles in three previous productions, Aubrey is excited to play a kinder character in Desert Flowers. But playing a character with a different demeanor than previous roles has proven to be a good test for Aubrey. Furthermore, Aubrey looks forward to playing the dramatic parts in the play since she describes herself as “silly” in real life.

Sophia Ruiz describes her character, Sam, as “someone that’s a little rough around the edges. She can be nice sometimes but she’s a little mean. She’s very sarcastic.” When asked what her favorite part of playing Sam is, Sophia says she loves her personality. “She’s funny!” One thing Sophia will always remember about Desert Flowers is an incident from the first read-through of the play. There’s “a scene where a really young character steals my character’s boyfriend. Everybody gasped at the reveal during the read-through.”

Pictured, left to right: Jasmynn Bradley and Suri Bell rehearse a scene.

In her third production at TAT, Jasmynn Bradley plays the character Shelly. While Shelly “isn’t necessarily the conflict” in the play, “she causes drama,” which is different from what Jasmynn has played in the past. Jasmynn’s describes the play as being “about different girls…[who] have their problems, but you can still tell that they all care for each other.” One thing Jasmynn has focused on during rehearsals is “learning how to take up more space.”

Suri Bell, who has been a GDCA member since 2024, plays Tina. The most distinct characteristic about Tina is her loyalty. “She doesn’t like anybody but her best friend Shelly,” says Suri. Similar to Aubrey, Suri has found acting out some of her character’s personality traits to be a test of her acting abilities. “Normally I am excited but she is mean and has anger issues.” This play allows Suri to “physically change [her] whole emotions.”

“Sweet and nice” Paula is played by Phinley Lester. This is Phinley’s third production at TAT. Her character, Paula, “loves God” and “can be very funny.” Phinley advises any audience members to be on the lookout for a standout scene where the mail comes, as it is very amusing. Like her fellow cast members, remembering certain lines and words has been a focus of Phinley’s efforts. This author is confident that Phinley and the other actresses will do a wonderful job!

First-year GDCA member Emma Cuellar plays the character Ma. A fun fact about her character is her aunt, Brenda Cuellar Reza, portrayed the same character when TAT staged this play in 2012. Finally, GDCA members Janicia Blanco and Addison Trent play Marge and Connie, respectively.

Ticket Information

Tickets are on sale now at https://www.academytheatre.net/.Come see the show on Friday, April 24th at 7pm or Saturday, April 25th at 7pm. Tickets start at just $10! We hope to see you there!

Written by MaryAnn Lyons

Show Retrospective is a recurring feature where we highlight a previous show at The Academy Theatre. This month’s Show Retrospective is DADDY’S GIRL, written by Gary Ray Stapp. This play ran at The Academy Theatre May 17-19, 2013. WARNING – SPOILERS FOLLOW

The cast. Standing, from left to right: Linda Chaves, Jackie Sniff-Boor, Sharon Stead, Janet Williams, Norma Moran, Schuyler Williams, Edward Williams, MaryAnn Keyser, Noah Suhr, and Brenda Cuellar Reza. Sitting, from left to right: Karen Todd, Ed Keyser, and Allisyn Keyser

Play Synopsis

“Meet Benard Muloovy, proprietor of Maudie’s Diner, the most no-nonsense cook you’ve ever met. Bernard gets served a full plate of comic chaos when his deceased wife decides to take up residence as a talking portrait on the diner wall. Enlisting the services of an angel, Michaela, Maudie hopes to reunite Benard with their long lost daughter, Elizabeth. True to her mischievous nature, Michaela delivers two Elizabeths, and Benard’s task is to decide which young woman is his real daughter.”

Family Connections

Like many shows at The Academy Theatre (TAT), real-life family members acted alongside each other in Daddy’s Girl. Ed Keyser, who played Benard Muloovy, was joined by both of his daughters, Allisyn Byrne and MaryAnn Lyons (both credited with the last name Keyser at the time). While Ed and MaryAnn had previously acted together in Divorce Sale in 2011, Daddy’s Girl marked the introduction of Allisyn to the stage. Allisyn played local food critic E.L., while MaryAnn played a waitress named Betsy. Both E.L. and Betsy turn out to be potential daughters of Benard.

MaryAnn recalls her excitement at acting with her sister. “Getting some extra time to hang out with my sister every week at rehearsal was awesome! She really impressed everyone when she came to only the fourth rehearsal with all of her lines memorized.” Allisyn, too, has many positive memories of the play. “Everyone in the cast was really supportive of me as a newcomer to the group.” When reminiscing about their characters’ dynamics toward each other in the play, MaryAnn says, “Allisyn’s character was not the nicest person in the world, and she was a bit rude to my character several times. It was quite different from our real life relationship.” But Allisyn embraced her antagonist role, saying that “it was fun to play a somewhat unlikeable character.” She also enjoyed “experienc[ing] the audience reactions and bits that landed.”

Aside from acting with his daughters, Ed remembers being pleased at being cast in his first lead role. With over 350 lines to memorize, it would be quite an undertaking for any actor! Allisyn and MaryAnn found the script a bit ironic, as only one of their characters could be Benard’s daughter. Complicating things further was the introduction of a third potential daughter, Lizzy, played by Brenda Cuellar Reza. MaryAnn likes to think the play would have been downright hilarious if Lizzy had been the real daughter instead of one of Ed’s real life ones. Ed loved acting with the knowledge that no one in the audience knew who Benard’s daughter was “until the end.”

The Williams family was also well-represented onstage. Edward Williams and his sister, Janet Williams, both played parts alongside Edward’s son, Schuyler Williams. Unlike the Keysers, none of the characters played by members of the Williams family were related in the play. Edward played a regular diner customer, Bob, Janet played Lizzie’s stage mom, Big Earl Ella, and Schuyler played the studious Walter.

Actors’ Reflection

Karen Todd, a frequent collaborator at The Academy Theatre, played a character named Darlynn, a sweet regular customer who has been in love with Benard for years. Karen says she “loved being in love with the cook.” Food brings people – real and fictional – together. Karen also remembers that Daddy’s Girl “was the longest dialogue I had to memorize” with 153 lines given to Darlynn. “She did a fantastic job,” says MaryAnn.

Another mainstay at TAT is Brenda Cuellar Reza. She found herself challenged by the role of Lizzy. Her character was a meek and shy young woman whose mother, Big Earl Ella, pushes her to sing in public so that she’ll be discovered and become a star. It already takes bravery to go up onstage and act, but Brenda found that the added element of singing tested her limits. “I had to gather a lot of courage to be able to sing on stage,” remembers Brenda. During rehearsals, Brenda kept building her confidence until showtime, when she belted out the song “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” three nights in a row. “It took me a while,” says Brenda, “but the play really pushed me.”

Conclusion

Were you in the audience to watch Daddy’s Girl? What is your fondest memory of this play? Let us know!