Cast Spotlight: Mary-Jo Merk, Maria Manzano Johnson, Lissa Sidoli & Brooke Tallman
MARY-JO MERK (Gingy) is so happy to reprise her role as Gingy in Love, Loss and What I Wore, even though she’s no longer a ginger. Bigger Dreams has been her happy place for a long time, where she has acted, directed, and worked on sound and lights since before the companies merged and combined talents. Mary-Jo retired from teaching a while ago. She can say she gave Steve Dillon his first (and last) part in a musical and learned about South Park in a speech given by Brooke Tallman. She would like to thank Gary, Brooke and Steve for keeping her in the theatrical loop and a big thank you to the Wolfman for never complaining about early dinners. He’s the best.
MARIA MANZANO JOHNSON (Nina, Mary, Geralyn’s Doctor) holds a Master's Degree in Theatre from Binghamton University and has worked professionally as an actress, storyteller, director and teaching-artist. She is thrilled to be performing with Bigger Dreams Productions once again after having way too much fun in A Comedy of Tenors. She has also acted locally with Stuff of Dreams Productions and most recently appeared in The Savannah Sipping Society with Catskill Community Players. She has performed in numerous productions at the Cider Mill Playhouse and toured with Creative Theatre of Princeton and the Appleseed Players, a company she co-founded. Maria has also performed at the Home for Contemporary Theater and Art in NYC and with Scranton Public Theater. She has worked in film and performed in commercials for television and radio. Maria lives in Oneonta with her husband Eric and their crazy dog Paolo.
LISSA SIDOLI (Nora) is delighted to be part of the Love, Loss and What I Wore cast. Past Bigger Dreams roles include Emily Brent in And Then There Were None, Julia Leverett in Lend Me a Tenor, Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie, and Violet Weston in August: Osage County. She has also performed locally with Catskill Community Players, Glimmer Globe Theater, and Orpheus Theatre. She will always be grateful for theater opportunities locally onstage and off.
BROOKE TALLMAN (Blond Ambition Tour Madonna, Liz’s Older Sister, Heather) Acting credits include: August: Osage County (Barbara), Misery (Annie Wilkes), The Haunting of Hill House (Eleanor Vance), Angel Street (Bella Manningham), Venus In Fur (Vanda), One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Nurse Ratched), Angels In America (Harper Pitt), The Rocky Horror Show (Janet Weiss), Annie (Miss Hannigan), Gypsy (Louise), Grease! (Rizzo), The Wizard of Oz (The Wicked Witch of the West), Into The Woods (The Baker’s Wife), Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical (Jeanie), Steel Magnolias (Annelle), Shrek the Musical (Gingy), Cats (Jennyanydots), The Laramie Project, The Vagina Monologues, and Company (Jenny).