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 monthly 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!

Written by MaryAnn Lyons

This June, join us at The Academy Theatre (TAT) for the latest Adult Drama Program production! We will be staging Virgil Wins the Lottery, written by Eddie McPherson. This play is a sequel to Virgil’s Wedding, a play performed at TAT back in 2019!

What’s it about?

“Everyone dreams of striking it rich by winning the lottery except Virgil’s wife, Margaret. Margaret thinks it’s a waste of money until Virgil wins the $10,000 Lickskillit Lottery. As soon as Margaret and Virgil get the news, Virgil quits his job, they join the posh (well, posh for Lickskillit) social club and overnight start living in high cotton. And then they get more news: They didn’t actually win the $10,000 lottery. Shamefully exposed, Margaret and Virgil start eatin’ crow and learn that life is good, with or without the winnings, and then they get the biggest surprise of all.”

Cast member Juliette Vallender describes the story as “fun” with “lots of laughs and good heart” at its core.

Who’s in it?

Cast member Ben Lyons returns to the stage for the second time after appearing in House on Haunted Hill in 2024. In that show, he played a sneaky doctor, but this time he plays one of the Sludges’ uppity neighbors. When asked what keeps him coming back to TAT, Ben said, “I like that it’s a way to get out of the house and go do something social with other adults.” While acting alongside friends has its benefits, any acting comes with its challenges. “The same as with the last play,” Ben says that, “getting the blocking down along with remembering my lines” is what he is most focused on in this play. Does it help that he’s once again acting opposite his wife, MaryAnn Lyons? “Yes!”

Meanwhile, Juliette Vallender portrays, in her own words, “a southern mama who knows what is most important in life – family.” Juliette has appeared in several plays at TAT over the years, often alongside her husband, Charles Lamb. In Virgil Wins the Lottery, Juliette plays Mama Hooper. This character is “aware of how outsiders perceive her and her family but doesn’t care a lick.” A pretty admirable character trait to say the least!

Fun at rehearsal

One thing all cast members seem to agree on is how fun rehearsals can be. MaryAnn says, “it is difficult to stop laughing onstage sometimes. Sometimes I have to literally bite my tongue to avoid breaking character.” Ben agrees. “I know everyone will laugh at Sal Arredondo’s character, because every time I see him onstage I know he’s going to have me cracking up.” It’s a joy to watch “the cast flesh out their characters’ quirks and personalities,” says Juliette. “Each time we meet, the characters seem less and less generic and more and more their own special selves.”

Another part of rehearsals that amuses the cast is a figurative hole in the floor. In one scene, every character has to avoid stepping in the hole in the Sludge family house’s floor. Juliette explains how funny it is to see “how each one of us is deciding to manage the hole in the floor.” Some tiptoe, some hug the wall, and others still take huge steps around it. Watching each actor’s decision “gives me the giggles!” says Juliette. MaryAnn adds that “it tests your imagination. There isn’t an actual hole in the floor, so it’s easy to just step on the spot when you’re not supposed to.”

Ticket information

Tickets are on sale now at https://www.academytheatre.net/.Come see the show on Friday, June 19th at 7pm, Saturday, June 20th at 7pm, or Sunday, June 21st at 2pm. Tickets start at just $11!

Interviewed by MaryAnn Lyons

Volunteer Spotlight s a monthly feature where we highlight an Academy Theatre volunteer. This month’s volunteer is Kristine “Kris” Copeland.

Question: What is your role at The Academy Theatre, and what duties does your role entail?

Answer: I am an assistant to the director of the theater. I am there to listen and collaborate new ideas for the theater and fundraising.

Question: How long have you been in this role?

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

Pictured: Kris Copeland after performing in “Virgil’s Wedding” in 2019.

Question: Tell us how you discovered The Academy Theatre.

Answer: After retiring from teaching elementary school, I wanted to do something that I had always dreamed of doing, which was acting. I went online and discovered The Academy Theatre. I signed up and met MaryAnn for the adult program at the theatre. She enthusiastically showed me around and explained everything that the theatre does for ALL ages. I was so impressed by the program they have for students.

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 have performed in three plays and one reader’s theatre. Each of the performances was so rewarding and fun!

Pictured: Angela Esquivel and Kris Copeland acting in the play “Spirit” in 2024.

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

Answer: I love seeing the student and adult performances. It is amazing to see the students work together and perform both singing and acting. When time allows I enjoy helping at the theatre during performances and for fundraising activities.

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

Answer: The best part of my Academy Theatre experience is the people that are involved. The dedication that Angel gives to all of the students and adults is outstanding. He along with other volunteers pour their hearts into the young people who attend. I have loved meeting and working together with other adults and watching everyone perform with confidence and enthusiasm.

Pictured: Jackie Sniff-Boor, Kris Copeland, and John Philbin in a Reader’s Theatre performance of “The Old People Are Revolting” in 2025.

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

Written by MaryAnn Lyons

Show Retrospective is a monthly feature where we highlight a previous show at The Academy Theatre. This month’s Show Retrospective is DIVORCE SALE, written by Linda Stockham. This play ran at The Academy Theatre October 21-23, 2011.

The cast, from left to right: Ed Keyser, Laura Blume, John Manier, Karen Todd, Norma Moran, MaryAnn Keyser, Dylan Todd, Brenda Cuellar, Bob Gates, and Jeanna Delfin

Play Synopsis

A soon-to-be divorcee holds a garage sale and her neighbors gather to help. In the process, their own marriages get the comic once-over.

Pictured: MaryAnn Keyser, Ed Keyser, and Brenda Cuellar

Family Connections

Divorce Sale saw multiple family members acting together, some for the first time. Newcomers MaryAnn Keyser and her father, Ed, enjoyed their experience acting together. “Our characters weren’t related, but I had a line where I got to criticize my dad’s character and sort of yell at him. That was pretty fun for me,” says MaryAnn. The cast also included Bob Gates and his now-wife, Jeanna Delfin, playing a married couple. The two went on to wed one month later. Lastly, Karen Todd and her son, Dylan, appeared onstage together.

Pictured: Bob Gates and Dylan Todd

Director’s Memory

Angel Arredondo, founder of The Academy Theatre and director of Divorce Sale, remembers one particular prop fondly. “One of the memories I recall was where a particular prop, rather than an actor, left a lasting impression in my mind. The script called for creating a ghost figure, which we fabricated from Styrofoam and positioned behind a window. However, the final appearance inadvertently resembled a cactus. I kept that prop for many years after.”

Pictured: Laura Blume, Norma Moran, and MaryAnn Keyser

Actor’s Reflection

Cast member Brenda Cuellar played an airheaded fitness junkie. Divorce Sale wasn’t Brenda’s first time acting at The Academy Theatre, but she recalls being most excited about acting alongside her friend, MaryAnn. Brenda had introduced MaryAnn to the theatre some months earlier, and she “wanted to show I can act,” says Brenda. She also remembers making the audience laugh when her character opened a book called Fitness for Dummies. The prop “wasn’t necessary, but it was effective.” It’s safe to say Brenda’s efforts paid off, as she and MaryAnn have appeared together making audiences laugh in many other plays at The Academy Theatre.

Conclusion

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