| Dean Hiatt (Director/"Jim"), a member of MCCLV and their choir, B.A.S.I.C., is the Artistic Director of the Rainbow Players Theater Co. Born in Mt. Airy, North Carolina and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, he graduated from the University of Memphis with a BFA in Theater Performance. He worked in various regional theaters, Atlantic City, Off-Broadway and was lead singer in a club band until he gave up performing in the 1980’s to enter the ministry. He returned as a resident actor in an Off-Broadway theater company, as well as a member of its artistic board, from 1992-94. Favorite roles include Benny Southstreet in GUYS AND DOLLS, Frederick in PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Hysterium in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, and Mortimer Brewster in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. After a near-death experience and a year in a rehabilitation hospital from 2003-2004, he met his partner, Robby, in 2005. They purchased a house and moved to the Poconos where they currently reside with three Jack Russells (George, Geezer & Trixie) and a cat, Flash. He credits his second chance at life (“The first time around was a real bitch!”) to the grace of God from whom ALL of his blessings flow, and is also grateful for a second chance at “what I think I was born to do - perform”. He also thanks Robby, who was his inspiration in forming this theater company, for his steadfast love and support!! |
| Jim Lamb ("Steve") was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1962 and arrived in Allentown in 2003. He attended Independence High School in Glendale, AZ and went on to attend Scottsdale Community College as a music major. Jim has been playing music since age 4 when he learned the accordion going on to play the trumpet in his junior and senior high marching bands, and played the piano and organ for his church. Jim joined a rock band, STEEL TREE, in 1980 as their keyboard player and vocalist, and remained with them for 20 years performing and recording. Jim was part of the cast of our premiere fundraiser in May, “MCCLV Presents…”, and this role is his first foray into acting. He and his partner, Steve, both attend MCCLV and are part of the choir, B.A.S.I.C. They have been together for 10 years and currently reside in Bethlehem with their German Sheppard, Gretchen, and miniature schnauzer, Fergus. Jim sends out a special thanks to God, Steve, his family and friends for their support. |
| Lawrence Sarwono (Accompanist) was born and raised in a Catholic family in Indonesia. He was eight years old when his mother bought an electronic organ and told him to learn it at Yamaha music school. In 1991, he continued studying music theory and piano, and took part in an audition to become a music teacher, while at the same time studying for an engineering degree at the Catholic University of Parahyangan, Indonesia. When personal computers and the Internet gained popularity in 1996, he chose to work as an Information Technology professional. His main interests are music programming, MIDI, and reproduction of acoustic sounds, and his favorite musicians of all time are Mozart and Tchaikovsky. He relocated to Allentown in 2001 and has been with Ron, his partner, for the last 6 years. |
| Jim Brochu (Playright) has spent the last year touring the country with his New York bound, award-winning play ZERO HOUR, in which he portrays theatre giant Zero Mostel. As a teenager, he wrote musical reviews for the kids in his Bay Ridge, Brooklyn neighborhood, studied Drama at Carnegie Tech and made his Broadway debut in a really bad production of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW. He has worked with Peter Allen, Bob Hope, Carol Channing, Donald O’Connor, Christopher Reeve, Ethel Merman, Sid Caesar, John Travolta, Jerry Lewis and a host of other show business legends. Jim is the author of ten plays, three musicals and the heartwarming memoir, LUCY IN THE AFTERNOON which chronicles his friendship with Lucille Ball. His musicals include the Off-Broadway hits THE LAST SESSION and THE BIG VOICE: GOD OR MERMAN? which the New York Times called, “A hilarious and utterly enthralling evening of musical theatre”. As a playwright he is the recipient of three L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards, two Oscar Wilde Awards, two Ovation Awards, two Backstage West Awards, the Spirit of Broadway Award and the GLAAD Media Award. He has two best playwriting nominations from New York’s Drama League and the Outer Critics Circle. All his plays have all been published by Samuel French and his caricature hangs on the wall of Broadway’s Sardi’s Restaurant, a singular tribute to a thirty-two year show business career as an actor and playwright. |
| Steve schalchlin (Composer/Lyricist) was nominated by the Theatre L.A. Ovation Awards for Best Lead Actor in a Musical for his role in THE BIG VOICE: GOD OR MERMAN? He is also the recipient of numerous awards including two Best Musical Score Awards by the L.A. Drama Critics Circle (THE LAST SESSION & THE BIG VOICE: GOD OR MERMAN?), NY Outer Critics Circle League and NY Drama League nominee, and is a Theatre L.A. Ovation winner for Best Musical for THE BIG VOICE. Steve has a landmark website, Living in the Bonus Round (bonusround.com), also the name of his AIDS-education concerts which he has performed at Harvard University, Stanford and other colleges, universities, hospitals, conventions and schools. His most recent honor was being asked by George Michael to play John Lennon’s IMAGINE piano. His newest work, PANTHEON BAR & GRILL, A CONTATA FOR PEACE, is set for its world debut by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus on December 1, 2008 in San Francisco at Davies Symphony Hall. You can follow Steve's blog at http://bonusroundblog.blogspot.com. |
| Bruce F. Brown (Assistant Director) started performing on the stage at the age of seven when his mother was in charge of entertainment for a grange meeting in Seipstown, a suburb of Breinigsville. He sang and tapped dance to "Me an My Teddy Bear," which he still remembers. During his time in Panama with the Army, Bruce won accolades for his portrayal of Motel the Tailor in "Fiddler On The Roof." He formed his own theater company (the yet-to-be-named theater company) in the early 1980's, presenting mainly Firesign Theater material in whatever venue he could find. The early and mid-1990's found him writing, acting, producing and directing dinner theater murder mysteries. Currently, he does what he can. |
| DJ Landis (Company Stage Manager) has served in every key GLBT organization in the Lehigh Valley Community. She served actively on the Pride Board in the 1990s for 5 years and was one of the first Board members of PA-GALA. She was a key worker against the referendum on Primary Day. And in the last 8 years she has been an essential member of the Metropolitan Community Church- helping to found Tejas, the women’s group, running significant efforts, ever present at the Freedom the Marry efforts, and doing real volunteer work at the church, every day she can. She currently resides in Allentown with her spouse of 14 years, Sandy. |
| Erica Hoelscher (Costume Designer) received her MFA in stage design with an emphasis in costume from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. She joined the faculty of Lehigh University in 1995 where she teaches courses in theatrical design, fashion history, stage makeup, and costume technology. Erica’s costume designs have been seen on the stage of Shadowland Theatre in Ellenville, NY, the Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC, Arden Theatre Company in Philly, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Outlet and Touchstone Theatre. Recent costume design credits include MY WAY, A FRANK SINATRA REVIEW, Shadowland Theatre, LES BELLES SOUERS with Cedar Crest College’s department of performing arts, Cedar Crest College’s Winter Solstice dance concert and THE CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS at the Theatre Outlet, Allentown. She currently resides in South Bethlehem with her two sons. |
| John Schaff (Lighting) was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey and moved to Allentown in 2006. He received a BA from Rutgers University, as well as studying TV production at Montclair State University and earning a Certificate in Digital Film Making from New York University. John was lighting designer for our premiere fundraiser in May, “MCCLV Presents…” He was director of lighting and scenic design for stage productions of WIZARD OF OZ, CINDERELLA and BABES IN ARMS. John has also worked in independent and contract film productions on NJ Public Television, the Odyssey Network, the US State Department Web Site, and on the 2006 feature documentary, “Life is a Dream in Cinema: Pola Negri”. John resides in Allentown with his wife, Normana, and their cat, Taz. They both attend MCCLV, and they have two grown children, Deborah and Christiaan, who live in Seattle. |
| Michelle Heffner (Sound), a Lehigh Valley native, will be working as a sound tech and website manager for Rainbow Players. Michelle is a graduate of Parkland High School, Bloomsburg University, and the Penn State University Dickinson School of Law. While in college, she was a DJ for Bloomsburg’s college radio station and will utilize that experience in her position as sound tech. She is an avid soccer fan and has coached for many local teams including Parkland, Northwestern Lehigh HS, Lehigh University, and various Lehigh Valley youth organizations. Michelle is currently an attorney in Lehigh County and lives in Bethlehem with her partner, Kellie. |