The cast of Forever Plaid includes some of the finest talent in The Villages including:
Role | Actor | Bio |
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| Smudge | Bill Davis | Bill is very pleased to be able to bring one of his favorite shows, “Forever Plaid”, to The Villages. Bill moved to the Villages with his wife, Sue in 2012 and as some people have put it, “hit the ground running”. Along with two friends, he formed the popular performing group “3 For The Road” in September of 2012. After appearing in the chorus of “White Christmas”, his first featured role on stage here was in the role of Enoch Snow in “Carousel”. Bill then put his directing hat on and directed “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and “Brigadoon”. He was back on the stage in the role of Enjolras in “Les Miserables”. He served as musical director for “Company” and also appeared as “Larry”. He directed “Crazy For You” in the Spring 2016. He has also appeared as a featured singer in a number of other productions in The Villages. In his spare time, Bill co-founded The Villages Pops Chorus with his wife Sue and accompanist Jo Ann Hanebrink. The Villages Pops Chorus is a 145 voice chorus dedicated to performing choral arrangements of popular music from a variety of genres. Before moving to The Villages, Bill and Sue founded the Trinitarian Neighborhood Theater, a community theater in North Andover MA. Bill directed 10 book musicals and reviews for this group before moving to VA in 2003. With TNT and other groups in New England, Bill’s directorial credits include “Oklahoma!”, “The Music Man”; “The Wizard of Oz”; “Annie”; Oliver”; “Fiddler on the Roof”; “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown”; “Li’l Abner”; “Brigadoon”; “Neil Simon’s Chapter Two”; and over a dozen reviews using various themes. Other Lead/featured roles include: Harold Hill in “The Music Man” (3 separate productions); Finch in “How To Succeed…”; Tommy in “Brigadoon”; Daddy Warbucks in “Annie”; Charlie Brown in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”; Nicely Nicely in “Guys and Dolls”; Marryin’ Sam in “Li’l Abner”; The Wizard/Professor Marvel in “The Wizard of Oz”; and many other secondary roles in over 30 productions |
| Sparky | Bob Stehman | Bob has enjoyed a varied and rewarding 55 year professional and community theater acting/singing career. He is thrilled to be reprising his role as “Sparky” in his debut performance with KC Productions. Bob began his professional singing career at age 10 at St. John’s Episcopal Church Boys Choir in York, PA. His love of four part harmony continued in the Penn State Glee Club and here in the Villages Pops Chorus. Bob loves ensemble shows and reprised roles as Linus in “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” , Harry in “Company” and Vernon Gersch in “They’re Playing Our Song” in the Villages Musical Theater. Other favorite roles in regional theater were Rutledge in “1776”, the Baker in “Into the Woods”, Captain Corcoran in “HMS Pinafore” and El Gallo in “The Fantasticks”. Bob was a lead singer in the singing group “Signature” who performed from New York City to Denver Colorado to the White House with venues such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, masonic groups, patriotic celebrations and children’s groups. This was perfect training for the spirit and camaraderie of we four guys portraying “The Plaids”. A huge thank you to his wife, Linda, who supports his theatrical and singing adventures. |
| Frankie | Marty Butler | Marty Butler moved to The Villages in 2013 following a 35-year career in Higher Education Administration, 25 of which were as both an administrator and professor in University and Seminary settings in the Midwest. He did a little acting in college and performed in several drama productions produced in church settings, but it wasn’t until the move to The Villages that he re-discovered his love for acting and singing. He sings with The Village Voices, The Pops Chorus, and Brothers in Song, as well as his local church choir. He has performed in two musical productions since arriving in Florida, “Music Man” and “Crazy For You.” An ordained minister and educator with several graduate degrees, being in front of people is commonplace to Marty, but he would be the first to admit that he is a novice in these theatrical ventures. He sings tenor and plays the part of Frankie in this production of Forever Plaid and prays daily that he won’t embarrass his wife, family, or acting colleagues by forgetting lines or singing wrong notes. |
| Jinx | Woody Wood | Howard Wood (Woody) has been actively involved in musical theater since the 60’s appearing and playing roles in Oklahoma, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, and The Music Man in high school. Holding both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education, he taught music for 33 years, producing and directing 31 high school musical productions and countless choral and solo performances at Unionville High School in Kennett Square, PA. Since moving to The Villages in 2011, Woody has played the roles of The Star Keeper in Carousel, Schroeder in Charlie Brown, and Tommy in Brigadoon. He sings and solos with the Village Voices and is assistant to the Director of Music Ministries at Hope Lutheran Church. |
| Accompanist | Jo Ann Hanebrink | Piano accompanist and sometimes musical director of shows, including (see below) nearly 100 musical comedy school and community theater productions, starting with “Tom Sawyer” in 7th grade, playing in a Klezmer band, choral singing (Bach Chorale), glee club director, church organist, TVRH Volunteer Musician, co-founder and accompanist for The Villages Pops Chorus. Happy to be the piano player in the room when The Plaids came by. Musical Theater, Piano/ Keyboard Accompanist Also Music Director/ Conductor for dozens of musicals including: 1776, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Amahl and the Night Visitors, …and the World Goes Round, Anything Goes, Babes in Toyland, Brigadoon, Bye, Bye, Birdie, Camelot, Carnival, Carousel, Company, Crazy For You, Damn Yankees, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?, Fantasticks, Fiddler on the Roof, Finian’s Rainbow, Flower Drum Song, George M, Godspell, Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, Hello, Dolly, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Into the Woods, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, King and I, Kiss Me, Kate, Little Shop of Horrors, Little Mary Sunshine, Love From Judy, Mame, Merrily We Roll Along, Music Man, My Fair Lady, No, No, Nanette, Oh, What a Lovely War, Oklahoma, Oliver, Once Upon a Mattress, Peter Pan, Side by Side by Sondheim, Sound of Music, South Pacific. Stop the World, I Want to Get Off, Tom Sawyer, Wizard of Oz, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. |