CAST AND CREW
Wade Gonsoulin
(Freddie Filmore, Mr Potter, Uncle Billy & Others)
This is Wade's fourth appearance with Tybee Arts Association, and he is pleased to be performing once again with this talented and dedicated group of artists. It's a Wonderful Life is, perhaps, the most important work of modern fiction in our culture, and he is very happy to be taking part in this production.
Wade was last seen at TAA in Neil Simon's Plaza Suite in the role of Jesse, as Dr. Wally in Marvin's Room, and in several roles in Almost, Maine. Growing up in Texas, Wade benefited from the rich theatre culture of Houston, where he received much of his training. Some of his work in those years included roles in The Crucible, The Drawer Boy, Brilliant Traces, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Oliver!, and Hamlet.
Wade attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, and is a survivor of The Actors' Theatre of Houston, a rigorous training ground for the hardcore theatrically insane.
Elliot Szabo
(Jake Laurents, Sound Design)
Elliot Szabo is a multifaceted artist who has made a name for himself as a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter and actor. He has appeared in productions of Violet, Rumors, Almost Maine & A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. He is happy to once again be a part of the cast & crew at TAA!
Maia Strickland
(Sally Applewhite, Mary Hatch)
Since she was a little girl, Savannah native Maia Strickland has held a deep love and appreciation for all things “arts & creative.” From set design, to performing on stage, from crafting, to creating food in the kitchen… it all puts a sparkle in her eye!
Past shows include: The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Godspell, Doubt, and (as co-director/stage design,) Alice in Wonderland. This is her debut show with TAA. Fun fact: one of her favorite semi-obscure musical theatre songs is “Morning Glow” from Pippin.
Luisa Nolasco
(Lana Sherwood, Violet Bick, Sam Wainwright & Others)
Luisa Nolasco is jolly to be returning to Tybee Arts Association for a third production! An actor and singer, originally from Brazil, she has been calling Savannah home for the past 10 years.
With a B.F.A. in Performing Arts from SCAD, some of her local credits include: Rocky Horror Live (Magenta), The Savannah Musical Theatre Festival (Top Hand of The Lone Tree Ranch and Plastic Bottle Genie), Into the Woods (Lucinda), POTUS (Jean), A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder ( Woman #1), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (William Barfée), Once (Baruska), The Full Monty (Joanne), Dracula (Mina), and The Metromaniacs (Damis).
Luisa is also a member of the Samba Savannah Band. She would like to thank the cast and crew for their dedication and friends & family for their endless support. She wishes to all, a wonderful holiday season!
Renee’ Derossett
(Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood, Lighting Design)
Renee’ DeRossett has been performing on Stages most of her life and in Savannah since she moved here in 1992. She has been a part of City Lights theater company, Savannah Community Theater, Shakespeare in the Park, Murder Afloat and many other Savannah theater venues. Renee is also an Animal Wrangler in the film industry.
Bringing theater to Tybee had long been one of her passions. She has been a part of almost every TAA theater production starting with The Foreigner in 1999 to most recently playing the "cow" in The Tybee Arts Association's production of Into the Woods at the Tybee Post theater. Renée has been sharing the stage with her partner Kim Trammell since 2007.
Renee' will be reading the part of "Clarence", one of her favorite characters in one of her very favorite Christmas movies. Christmas is Renee's favorite time of the year and is very excited to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas with this live radio version of It's A Wonderful Life!
Casey Bessette
(Elsa Hammerfeld, Old Man Gower, Mr. Martini & Others)
Casey Bessette is originally from Lisbon, Connecticut, but has lived in Savannah for eleven years. She received an M.F.A in Performing Arts from SCAD, and a B.A. in Theatre from Eastern Connecticut State University.
Casey has performed in over forty stage productions, most recently appearing in The Tybee Post’s production of The Odd Couple, and TAA’s production of Plaza Suite and Marvin’s Room. When Casey is not acting, she works as a personal trainer, stretch practitioner, group fitness instructor, and teaching artist.
Bronte Sorotsky
(Bells Starling, Peter Potter, Matilda & Others)
This is Bronte’s first performance with the TAA, and she’s thrilled to share the stage with such a talented group of actors. She was most recently seen in the Tybee Post Theatre’s production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Originally from Los Angeles, Bronte has been performing since childhood, and even did a radio production of It’s a Wonderful Life in high school! Though she didn’t return to the stage as an adult until moving to Tybee Island last summer, she can’t wait for audiences to experience what she and the rest of the cast have created.
When she’s not performing, you can find Bronte relaxing on the beach or appearing on WTOC!
Kim Trammell
(Lois Lavalier, Foley Artist Extraordinaire) brings over 40 years of theater experience to TAA where she has been a driving force since its inception. Over the years, Kim has served as president, theater chair, and currently is treasurer.
She has acted and/or co-directed most productions including The Wizard of Oz (2012), Blithe Spirit (2013), Kitchen Witches (2014), Last of the Red Hot Lovers (2015), Stepping Out (2017), Lips Together, Teeth Apart (2018), The Odd Couple - Female Version (2019), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (2019), Savannah Sipping Society (2021), Prelude to a Kiss (2022), Social Security (2024), Almost Maine (2024) and most recently, Plaza Suite (2025).
In 2023, Kim directed and starred in Wild Women of Winedale. Her favorite role is and always will be Mama to daughter Madison and her son-in-love, Chris.
Michelle Hellinger
(Stage Manager)
Michelle Hellinger is thrilled to be back at Tybee Arts Association! She hails from Jeffersonville, Indiana and by day is a licensed Civil Engineer working as a Program Manager. Michelle has dabbled in theatre as a creative
outlet from all the math and science for what seems like “forever”. She started out performing in high school productions and performed in The Kitchen Witches and Dead and Deader at the Market House Theatre. While living in Germany, she performed with the Amelia Earhart Playhouse in Puffs and with
Frankfurt English Speaking Theatre in And Then There Were None and The Scheme which was also featured at the 2022 FEATS in Luxembourg. She has since appeared in Almost Maine, Marvin’s Room, and Plaza Suite at TAA.
Dr. Kristin Donaldson
(Music Coach)
Dr. Kristin Donaldson has served throughout Georgia as a middle and high school Choral Director for the past 15 years. She is the Director of Choirs at The Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts in Savannah, GA.
Dr. Donaldson enjoys her time performing as a vocal soloist and guest conductor for various organizations. In 2018, she was selected by Eric Whitacre as a soprano soloist for the DCINY Eric Whitacre Concert at Lincoln Center.
Dr. Donaldson served as the music director for the Tybee Arts Association musical this summer (Into the Woods) and is delighted to help out again with the December show!
Jennifer Palmer
(Light Board Op)
Jennifer Palmer is a 4th generation Tybee gal. She started working with Renee DeRossett when her son was 5 years old and was the hedgehog in Alice in Wonderland (2005) and has enjoyed being a stage mom with Renee and Kim Trammell ever since. She has done tech for The Odd Couple (2019), Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (2020), Prelude to a Kiss (2022), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2024), among others. She's proud to be asked to be part of the cool kids' crowd.
DJ Queenan
(Director/Designer)
DJ Queenan has been teaching and directing theatre since 1985. Founder & Artistic Director of "Bangers & Mash Theatre Works", some of his favorite projects have been Agnes of God (BMT), Lips Together, Teeth Apart (BMT), Once on this Island (CAT), Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida (CAT), Six Degrees of Separation (CAT), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night (SCDS) and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (TAA). He is forever grateful for these wonderful opportunities!
