2011 Ensemble

Artistic Director | David Mills-Low

Musical Accompanist/Arrangement | Josey Nickles

Josey Nickles is making her professional debut this year as pianist and musical director for the Philipsburg Opera Company. Hailing from Powell, Wyoming, she took private piano lessons starting in kindergarten from her Gran and has been involved in music and theater in her community ever since. She has twelve years of classical piano training, has accompanied choirs and soloists and used to play for her high school jazz band. She just finished her sophomore year at the University of Montana majoring in Music and Anthropology with a minor in pre-medicine, but is taking a year off to go to Guam to do volunteer work with the Episcopal Diocese of Guam. Even though she is a greenhorn amongst seasoned hands in the company, she is ready for an exciting summer in Philipsburg, Montana.

Company Manager/Ensemble | Suzanne (Fortin) Gutierrez

Ensemble

- Jim Sontag

Jim hails from a long line of Missoula based loggers and is a recent graduate from the University of Montana’s B.F.A. program. He has been in numerous productions by MCT, the University, MRT and When In Rome for the last seven years, and toured the nation with The Montana Repertory Theatre’s To Kill A Mockingbird as Bob Ewell in 2009. He would like to thank Tim, Claudette and David for his second outing at the OHTC, one of the most spirited and dedicated theatres he’s ever been part of. Also he would like to thank his Mom and Dad for their unbelievable support, Brian for his inspiration and, of course, the cast for not tarring and feathering him. Yet.

- Kristen Beckman

Kristen Beckmann is happy to be joining The Opera House Theatre for her first season. Kristen relocated to Missoula via Chicago where she had been working as an actor, dancer, and choreographer. Chicago credits include Vitalist Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Greasy Joan & Co., Emerald City Theatre, Attic Playhouse, and New Millennium Theatre Company. Other credits include Classical Performing Theatre Company (Athens, Greece), Montana Rep Missoula, and Montana Actors Theatre. She was most recently seen in Fuddy Meers in The University of Montana’s Masquer Theatre in April and May. She holds a BFA in acting and dance from Adelphi University (NY) and is pursuing an MFA in acting at the University of Montana.

- Jennifer Fleming-Lovely

Raised in Montana Jennifer Fleming-Lovely has always had a passion for theatre. She is thrilled to be here with you and the Opera House Theatre for her first season. Some of her favorite roles include “Jem Finch” in To Kill a Mockingbird with the Montana Repertory Theatre, a member of the “Tribe” in HAIR with The University of Montana, and most recently “Nurse Flinn” in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest with The Missoula Childrenʼs Theatre. She hopes that you enjoy the show as much as she does and thanks you for supporting live theatre. Hereʼs to many more years!

- Nick Pavelich

Nick Pavelich graduated from Hot Springs High School in 2008, and went to study engineering at Montana Tech. After a year in Butte he transferred to  the University of Montana where he expects to graduate next year with a BA in theater. Some favorite roles are Richard Greatham in Hay Fever and Richard Fiffle from Fuddy Meers. Nick is happy to be in a small town in Montana doing what he loves most; acting.

Assistant/Light Tech | Amelia Rose

Amelia is thrilled to be joining the Opera House Theatre Company for her second summer.  She is a senior at the University of Montana, pursuing degrees in Technical Theatre and Mathematics.  Her recent stage credits include Stage Managing for Alice and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Master Electrician for The Lion in Winter and Properties Design for Hay Fever.  In her spare time, Amelia enjoys knitting, painting, and calculus.