Bethesda Little Theatre

Laura Holmes (Director) marks a major milestone with Hues in Harmony, her tenth time directing for BLT. Since joining in 1995, she has performed in more than a dozen productions and played a key role in the theatre’s growth and success. Laura previously served on the BLT Management Committee in various capacities and continues to be an enthusiastic contributor to the company. She also performs with The Sapphires, a cabaret group active in the DMV. By day, she works for a nonprofit foundation. Laura sends heartfelt thanks to her ever-supportive husband, Dave, for cheering her on every step of the way.

Francine Krasowska (Music Director) is happy to be working with BLT for the first time. She has played, sung, coached, acted, music-directed, and arranged music for productions and ensembles from schools and churches to experimental and professional theaters; from touring ensembles to TV and radio broadcasts; from medieval chant to electronica. Most recent shows: Matilda, Lucky Stiff, Drowsy Chaperone, Young Frankenstein.

James Best  is excited to make his BLT debut. In recent years, he has appeared as Asher in Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat (TAP) and Archibald Proops in Jekyll & Hyde (LTA). James has also performed with various choral groups, including the Heritage Signature Choir, Choral Arts Society of Washington Youth Choir, and NEWorks Voices of America. He is now a Musical Theater Performance Major at George Mason University.

Martin Bestimt has performed in over 20 shows with BLT since 1998.  He created and directed five of those productions.  Locally, he has performed in shows with the Mount Vernon Players, the St. Mark’s Playhouse, and the American Music Stage.  Among his other credits are performances with The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Festival, the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood and a national tour with the New York Theater Company. He sends out love and hope to all his friends and family. 

Leslie Blaha has been a member of BLT for eleven years and is thrilled to be in this production. She loves being a part of this amazing group and is excited every year to discover and welcome more talented people to the BLT family! Leslie has been a teacher at Montgomery Blair High School for twenty-three years and is very grateful to BLT for giving her an outlet for her love of music. She thanks her husband for enduring all her show prep. Enjoy the show!

Kevin Boteler, a lyric baritone, is thrilled to perform with the Bethesda Little Theater.  Kevin performed a wide variety of theatre roles in his native Atlanta and in Florence, SC. Featured roles include Don Quixote (Man of La Mancha), Emile de Becque (South Pacific), Captain Von Trapp (The Sound of Music), and King Melchior (Amahl and the Night Visitors). He has also sung with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus under Robert Shaw and in the Atlanta Civic Opera Association Chorus. In DC, Kevin is a member of the City Choir of Washington and Mini Musicals on the Move.

Aref Dajani is catatonically euphoric (beyond “pleased”, “delighted”, or “excited”) to perform in his second musical revue with BLT. Favorite roles include Don Octave in P.D.Q.’s “The Stoned Guest”, Padre in “Man of La Mancha”, and Reverend Pennefather in “Murder on the Nile”. Aref enjoys performing in community theatre that is fun, accessible, and affordable, where he can break the fourth wall to engage the audience early and often. He is especially proud that BLT is performing in Silver Spring, his hometown, and wistfully misses The Tastee Diner at its erstwhile location on the corner of Wayne and Georgia.

Kelly Dobkins is back!  Past DC-area shows:  A Night on Times Square and Trivia Tonight (Bethesda Little Theatre), Singin’ In The Rain, Pippin, and Nice Work If You Can Get It (The Arlington Players), On The Town, Hairspray, Shrek, and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Rockville Musical Theatre), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Reston Community Theatre), No Sex Please We’re British (Kensington Arts Theatre), and Legally Blonde (Silhouette Stages).  Kelly teaches barre classes at Cycled! in Takoma DC and is a member of Drop The Mic Acappella.  Much love to her cats Toby, Piper, Josie, Gus, Della, and Oliver…and friends and family, too.

Rachel Lily Donders is thrilled to make her  BLT debut! Recent credits include: Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof (RCP), and Youth Ensemble/Godspell Cast in The Prom(RCP).Upcoming credits include Ensemble in Little Shop of Horrors at ArtFactory. Rachel is incredibly grateful for the love and magic the creative team and cast at Bethesda Little Theater have shown her and for welcoming her with open arms. She would like to thank her family and friends for their constant love and support.

Christina Fleps is a recently retired lawyer, amateur art historian, and near lifelong choral singer, in groups ranging from 10 to 100, genres from pop to jazz to classical to operetta. But though she’s a big fan of American musical theater, this is really her first time actually doing it. She’s thrilled to be part of BLT and this show! Big thanks to fellow cast member Maureen Freshour, who urged—uh, nagged! her to try out.

Karen Flynn (Choreographer and performer) first became involved with BLT behind the scenes as a choreographer in 2003.  Following a six-year hiatus living a half mile from the beach in SC, she is thrilled to be back performing on stage in her sixth BLT show.  Karen spent over 20 years as a dance instructor and has choreographed for several local theater groups in Montgomery County.  She would like to give a special thanks to Mark for his tremendous support and putting up with her repeated and sudden bursts of choreographic inspiration throughout the day with little to no advanced warning.

Maureen Freshour is more than a little excited to be in her third show with Bethesda Little Theatre!  What a thrill to have sung a Bacharach Cabaret, an original musical, Got it Good, and now this? Dreams come true!  Maureen recently appeared locally as the Balladeer in Sondheim’s Assassins and the Narrator in Abdication. Many memorable other shows have colored her life (see what she did there?). Being a Pastor, Singer/songwriter, jingle writer, fitness instructor/choreographer, and being a former drama teacher/director have driven her lifelong search for creative outlets. Longwood University (1979 Theater/English) prepared her, life honed her. Children made her tough. Motto: “Create Some Thing Every Day!”

Jenny Gleason is proud to perform in her second BLT show after recently portraying Toni in Got it Good. She is very active with Rockville Musical Theatre, having appeared in Seussical (Mrs. Mayor), On the Town (Claire), Once Upon a Mattress (Queen Aggravain), Into the Woods (Lucinda), Young Frankenstein (Ensemble), Little Mermaid (Atina), and Sweeney Todd (Ensemble), and serving on the RMT Board (Secretary). Jenny also performs with Silver Spring Stage, where she appeared in An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf (Miss Berger), Men on Boats (Dunn), and Abdication! (Mabel). Love and thanks, as always, to Ray.

David Kimmelman recently made his debut with BLT performing in the Burt Bacharach Cabaret. Since relocating to the DMV area 8 years ago, David has portrayed Colonel Jessup in “A Few Good Men” at LTA, Mr. Dussell in “Diary of Anne Frank” at RLT, and Isaac in “Disgraced” in Greenbelt. A 1981 graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC, he has appeared on Days of our Lives, and has performed in over 60 plays and musicals nationally since he was 8 years old. Some favorite roles include: Russ/Dan in “Clybourne Park”, Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof”, McMurphy in “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest”, Mathias in “My Old Lady”, and portraying multiple roles in “The Laramie Project”. David thanks his wife Nina (Drummer for Hues in Harmony), his daughters, and his entire family for their love and support.

Jack Mayo has been chasing rainbows (acting work) forever, or so it seems. And he’s enjoyed some success working onstage, in film, TV, commercials, and modeling. Over the years, I’ve learned that stage work feeds my soul, but it’s film work that feeds my belly. Favorite roles: Senex in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”, Niels Bohr in “Copenhagen”, Jaques in “As You Like It”, and James in “Waiting for April” (A short film). Enjoy the show, folks.

Cathy McCoskey is thrilled to be in her tenth BLT musical revue and her twelfth show with BLT! She has also directed four productions with BLT.  When not performing with BLT she is busy as their marketing director, performing and directing with Mini-Musicals on the Move, and performing with the Sapphires. She also enjoys performing with other local community theatres when the opportunity arises. She can often be spotted at a local pre-school with energetic pre-school children! In her spare time she enjoys rare evenings at home with her husband, walks with friends, and traveling with her husband and grown children.

Abigail Mitchell is thrilled to be performing in her first show with BLT! Previously, she appeared in Jack and the Beanstalk (A British Pantomime) as Princess Demelza with the British Players. She also was a Bow Belle dancer in the British Player’s 60th Anniversary Old Time Music Hall. In her free time, she loves antiquing and learning about the fashion of the 1940s and 50s. Many thanks to her wonderful husband and parents! Enjoy the show!

Scott Napier is thrilled to join his first BLT production with Hues in Harmony! It’s not often that he gets to sing, dance, and play the sax in a single show. Scott has performed locally with Rockville Musical Theater and Reston Community Players. He proudly works as an Advanced Practitioner and Associate Investigator at the National Cancer Institute / NIH. Many years ago (in a past life), he performed in off-Broadway shows, national tours, regional theater productions, and on cruise ships. He sends much love to Dominick as well as his supportive family & friends.

Axandre Oge (Eks – And – Jri Oh Gee) is happy to be back with Bethesda Little Theater for their latest musical revue: Hues in Harmony. Previous credits – Folger Theater: Romeo and Juliet; Nova Nightsky Theater: Constellations, Silver Spring Stage: Junk, Bethesda Little Theater: Trees, Trivia Tonight, Keegan Theatre: Fire, Convergence Theater: Snapshots, The Wheel Theatre: Winter’s Tale, Ally Theatre: Welcome To Sis’, Capital Fringe: Body, National Black Theatre Festival: Tendencies, Silver Spring One Acts: Gone Fishin’, Spotify: Silt Verses, RogueMaker, Secret of St. Kilda, SuperSuits, Deans Killer Joke.

Eric Yeh is happy to be a part of his third BLT show. He has been a part of several musicals at Rockville Musical Theater prior to BLT. Eric is also a member of the a cappella group Drop the Mic with fellow cast member Kelly, performing around the DMV.