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Melissa Graves, is excited to be a part of her first Firebelly production. Some of her favorite acting credits include Henry V (Maryland Shakespeare Festival); Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare Theatre Company); The Neverending Story, Lost and Foundling (Imagination Stage); The Prince and the Troubadour (Charter Theatre); It's A Wonderful Life, Bad Dates, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, A Christmas Story, Black Coffee, Othello, Are We There Yet? (Wayside Theatre); Gnadiges Fraulein (Tennessee Williams Festival); A Midsummer Night's Dream, Charlotte's Web, Tom Jones (Theater at Monmouth). She is looking forward to Lyle the Crocodile (Imagination Stage) this summer. Melissa also teaches acting and dance with Imagination Stage, Educational Theatre Company, and Encore Stage & Studio. She received a BA in Theatre from Ohio University.

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Sonia Justl is thrilled to be making her Firebelly debut! Sonia's interest in entertainment first piqued as a child while performing voice-overs for cartoon characters in Brazil, where she was born and raised. Since then, she has performed across the globe in roles such as Kate in Out of the Frying Pan (National Theatre of Brasilia, Brazil), Maddy in Nickel and Dimed (Tennessee Women's Theatre Project) Mrs. McGregor in Humpty is Missing! (Amelia Earhart Playhouse, Germany), Maid Marian in The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood (Sarkeys Theatre, OK), Queen in Snow White (Missoula Children's Theatre-nationwide tour), Luther/Pharisee in Godspell (O'Reilly Theatre, England) and Alice in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Discoveryland! Theatre, OK). Sonia moved to Washington, DC last year, and her local credits include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (Globe Theatre--MD Renn Faire), Lola in Am I Black Enough Yet? (Charter Theatre), Patti in Love, What?! (Young Playwrights Theatre) and Grillo in The Armadillo's Song (Classika Theatre). She has also appeared in numerous local and national commercials (including Revlon, Suzuki and Theater Visions), and can be seen regularly as a mascot for PBS, Major League Soccer and the Environmental Protection Agency, among others.

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Mark Ludwick joins Firebelly for the first time with Crimes of the Heart. Mark recently appeared as Ed in Five Flights at the H Street Playhouse, and as Bradley in XL Theatre's production of Ethan Now. Mark's other local credits include Cassio in Othello and Orestes in The Oresteia, both at The Theatre Lab, and You Can't Take It With You and The Laramie Project with The Foundry Players. Mark is a 2007 graduate of the The Theatre Lab's Honors Conservatory Program.

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Shelby Sours  would like to thank Pat and Firebelly for the opportunity to play a role she has wanted to perform for 10 years. It’s a delight to finally portray a character so close to her actual age! Recent credits include Mother Abbess in Way Off Broadway’s Sound of Music and Annie in Life With Father at American Century Theatre. Shelby has performed locally with Signature Theatre (Forum), Rep Stage (Mrs. Farnsworth), Kennedy Center (VSA Arts – Mistakes, Inc.), Classika~Synetic (Little Mermaid), Washington Improv Theater (iMusical), Venus Theatre (A Little Rebellion Now; Juanita the Walrus), Maryland Shakespeare Festival (2 Gents) and Adventure Theatre (Molly’s Pilgrim; Paddington Bear). Directing credits include A Century and a Half of Faith for Arlington UMC, Winnie the Pooh at Adventure Theatre, and The Other (staged reading) at Venus Theatre. Shelby is an Equity Membership Candidate and holds a BFA in Music Theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University.

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Jonathan Lee Taylor  is pleased to be a part of this company and this production of Crimes of the Heart. Originally from Mississippi, Jonathan received his BFA from the Hartt School in Hartford, Connecticut. Past productions in the Washington DC area include 1776 (Olney Theatre Center), Henry IV Part I (u/s - Folger Theatre), Twelfth Night (Baltimore Shakespeare Festival), Evita (Open Circle Theatre), Henry V and MacBeth (MD Shakespeare Festival).
 

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Patricia Foreman  has worked for St.Louis Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Fords Theatre, Actors Playhouse NYC, Pautuxent Theatre Co., Theatre of the First Amendment, and the Center Dance Company and others. Her directing project have been as varied as Amadeus, Christmas Carol, Tally's Folly, Lend Me A Tenor, Much Ado about Nothing, Camelot, and A Chorus Line. She is thrilled to be directing for Firebelly after previously working for them as an actor in Long Days Journey into Night and A Body of Water. Production she's proudest of? Her son Jamison. She dedicates "Crimes" to the "original" Lenora Willett Turney.
 

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Anna Louise Gionfriddo  is delighted to be a part of yet another wonderful season with Firebelly Productions. Most recently Anna worked with Firebelly as Assistant Director for A Body of Water after working as Stage Manager for Long Day’s Journey into Night. She is honored to once again be a part of such a passionate cast and crew and only hopes that there will be more excitement and adventure to come. Anna received her BFA in Studio Art and Art History from James Madison University and looks to the art of Egon Schiele, Richard Avedon and Ana Mendieta for intrigue and inspiration.

 

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***  Firebelly Productions is supported by Arlington County through the Arlington Commission for the ARTS and the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Resources.  ***

Copyright © 2003 Firebelly Productions. All rights reserved. Designed by David Cahill