People > Featured Artists
Featured Artist, July 2008: Danna SegrestOriginally from South Lyon, Danna received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Theatre from Michigan State University. She discovered Jeff Daniels was starting The Purple Rose Theatre Company through the "welcome wagon" lady when she and her husband Wade bought their house. Danna has enjoyed being part of the PRTC family since volunteering backstage in February 1991 for the very first production, Blush At Nothing. By June, a permanent position was created for her, and she was hired full time as one of a team of four to run the day-to-day operations of the theatre. She began the Actors' Equity Association membership process with Jeff Daniels' first play, Shoe Man and became a member as stage manager for Ties That Bind by Kitty Dubin. As the PRTC grew and restructured, Danna took on the responsibilities of Resource Manager, managing the theatre's physical assets from props to light bulbs to office furniture. Following the birth of her son, Reeve, Danna stepped down from her staff position and became an associate artist. Now a PRTC resident artist, Danna currently serves as production photographer and helps out part time in our Box Office, in addition to her role as resident prop designer. Danna has been prop designer and helped with set dressing on all but six PRTC productions; Panhandle Slim & The Oklahoma Kid is her 56th PRTC prop design.
Featured Artist, June 2008: Phil PowersA PRTC Resident Artist, Phil grew up in Chelsea and attended Central Michigan University. He then lived and worked in New York City for eight years before returning to his hometown. After several years of taking classes and understudying with the PRTC, he received his AEA membership when he appeared as Reuben Soady in the 1997 revival of Escanaba in da Moonlight. Since then, Phil has appeared on many area stages, including Performance Network, BoarsHead Theatre, The Gem Theatre, Meadow Brook Theatre and Jewish Ensemble Theatre. His subsequent PRTC credits include Born Yesterday, Bus Stop, Honus And Me, and Vino Veritas; this summer, he appears as the Vagrant Scoundrel in Panhandle Slim & The Oklahoma Kid.
Featured Artist, May 2008: Matthew DavidMatthew David received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan-Flint in his hometown. He joined the Actors' Equity Association
through the PRTC and made his professional acting debut in Growing Pretty this spring.
Featured Artist, April 2008: Michael Brian OgdenOriginally from Berkley, Michigan, Michael Brian Ogden received his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Western Michigan University and his Master of Fine Arts in Acting from Wayne State University's Hilberry Theatre where he appeared as Elyot in Private Lives, Chance Wayne in Sweet Bird of Youth, Marc Antony in Julius Caesar, Doalty in Translations and Enobarbus in Antony and Cleopatra. He also studied with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Moscow Art Theatre and the Society of American Fight Directors.
Brian received his AEA membership as an understudy during The Poetry of Pizza last fall and appears for the first time on the PRTC stage as Hami in Growing Pretty.
Featured Artist, March 2008: Matthew GwynnMatthew grew up in Farmington and received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Michigan State University. After graduation, he toured briefly with the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and Philadelphia's American Family Theatre before returning to Michigan to join the PRTC Apprentice Program in 2006. Since successfully completing the program, Matthew performed in the PRTC greenhouse and Ann Arbor District Library public reading of White Buffalo. He will be making his Actors' Equity Association stage debut in Growing Pretty this spring.
Featured Artist, February 2008: Julia GarlotteOriginally from Comstock Park, Julia graduated from the University of Michigan Residential College with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama. Since completing the PRTC Apprentice Program in 2007, she has performed in three PRTC greenhouses, understudied Big Betty Balou in Escanaba In Love at the Gem Theatre in Detroit and staged managed Souvenir at Performance Network in Ann Arbor. We are delighted to announce that Julia has just joined the PRTC staff full-time as group sales manager.
Featured Artist, January 2008: Stefanie DinFrom her hometown of Romeo, Stefanie moved on to Central Michigan University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Theatre and Interpretation before joining the PRTC Apprentice Program in 2005. She graduated from the program early in 2006 to join the ranks of Actors Equity Association as stage manager for Honus And Me. Her other PRTC credits include stage manager for When The Lights Come On and assistant stage manager for Escanaba In Love and The Subject Was Roses. Stefanie returned to the PRTC for Jeff Daniels Onstage & Unplugged after stage managing the PRTC production of Escanaba In Love at the Gem Theatre in Detroit.
Featured Artist, December 2007: Michelle DiDomenicoMichelle DiDomenico hails from Romeo and received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Eastern Michigan University. She graduated the PRTC Apprentice Program in 2001 and immediately joined Actors Equity Association as Assistant Stage Manager for the PRTC production of Months On End. During her six years in the AEA, her other PRTC credits include Stage Manager for Let It Be, Stand, Blithe Spirit, Leaving Iowa, Duck Hunter Shoots Angel, And The Winner Is and Sea of Fools and ASM for Born Yesterday, Across The Way, Hope for Corky, The Good Doctor, Guest Artist and When The Lights Come On. She has also stage managed for Performance Network, City Theatre, The Gem Theatre, Williamston Theatre and The Cherry County Playhouse in Muskegon. Michelle is now an PRTC Associate Artist and Resident Stage Manager, mentoring new apprentice SM candidates in addition to working on each PRTC production; she also made her professional directing debut with the PRTC production of The Glass Menagerie two seasons ago.
Featured Artist, November 2007: Heather HummelHeather Hummel is a native of Illinois and received her Bachelor of Arts in Educational Theatre from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. After garnering several years of experience in her home state, Heather completed the PRTC Apprentice Program in January 2007. Upon completing her apprenticeship, Heather received her Actors' Equity Association membership as Assistant Stage Manager for The Subject Was Roses. She continued her training as ASM with When The Lights Come On and Sea of Fools before making her debut as Stage Manager for The Poetry of Pizza.
Featured Artist, October 2007: Stephanie BuckStephanie Buck grew up next door in Saline and is a recent graduate of the PRTC Apprentice Program. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Theatre from Central Michigan University while also studying mathematics and philosophy. From directing to designing while in college, and from shop assistant to sound technician while at the PRTC, Stephanie's desire to learn about every aspect of theatre is what led her to pursue Stage Management. As the first step in her professional career, Stephanie will receive her Actors' Equity Association membership through the PRTC as the Assistant Stage Manager for The Poetry of Pizza this fall.
Featured Artist, August 2007: Jessica GarrettJessica Garrett is a current member of the PRTC Apprentice Program. She hails from Clarkston and, having spent years as a horse trainer, Italian/English translator, vocal coach and lifeguard, brings innumerable skills with her to the PRTC. Since beginning her apprenticeship last December, Jess has served as Assistant to the Prop Designer, Administrative Office Assistant, Scene Shop Assistant, Evening Box Office Manager and Production Assistant to the Stage Manager. In addition to her regular apprentice duties, Jess’ unique talents allow her to serve as the vocal coach for the current production, Sea of Fools; she can also be heard as Lee Newberry’s voice double in this world premiere by Matt Letscher.
Clyde Brown currently appears in 35 states as Creepy Clyde, a Horror Movie Host with the Horror Host Underground; Creepy Clyde also gives regular live performances of original and popular Halloween novelty songs. Clyde has been a Detroit radio and television voice talent for twenty years and has provided the singing voice of many characters in musical episodes of Universal Home Entertainment’s Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legend of Journeys, Jack of All Trades and Cleopatra 2525. Born in Detroit and raised in Dearborn, Clyde is married and the father of two. Clyde is making his professional stage acting debut in Sea of Fools playing Hastings the butler.
Samuel Blake
Bachelor of Arts in Drama, Bachelor of Arts in English - U of M Residential College
Chelsea Compton
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, Bachelor of Arts in Film / Video - Penn State University
Maggie Meyer
American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Eastern Michigan University
Matt W. Hollerbach
Bachelor of Arts in Drama - U of M Residential College
Stacey Livingston
Bachelor of Science in Visual Communications - Ferris State University
Joshua Roth
Motion Picture Institute of Michigan
Grand Valley State University
Erin K. Snyder
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre - Otterbein College
Kelly Anne Vieau
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre - Saginaw Valley State University
Welcome to the PRTC Apprentice Program!
Kathryn is a proud Michigan native currently living in New York. After participating in the PRTC's 2004 Actor/Director Lab, she followed her acting dream to the Big Apple and has since performed for both stage and screen. She has performed in off-off-Broadway shows, independent films, A Midsummer Night's Dream in Illinois and Electra in Greece. Her favorite Michigan credits include the title role in Candida with MCRT, Molly in The Smell of the Kill with StarBrite dinner theatre, Charlotte in Charlotte's Web with September Productions and The Good Doctor with Flanders Theatre Company. Kathryn earned her Actor's Equity card and made her professional debut in When The Lights Come On, playing the football department student secretary, Tulie Barnes.
Originally from Flint, Rhiannon and her family now reside in Ludington, Michigan; she has played many roles in local theatre productions in both Flint and Ludington. She began studying performance with the PRTC in 2005, taking both the Actor/Director Lab and Voice & Movement classes.
Rhiannon earned her Actor's Equity card and made her professional debut in When The Lights Come On playing Jamie Jones-Leonard, the wife of Coach Tommy Leonard (Brian Letscher).