Meet the Cast
Elsie McCombs as Betty Page
A few months back, Elsie portrayed Sam Shovell in Sam Shovel, Private Eye. Other roles recently include Martha Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace., Caroline Martin, in Anna Bond's Three Sisters Dressed in Black and Dot Haigler in the Savannah Sipping Society.
Elsie has a lenghty acting resume. Favorite roles include Lucillle in Cemetery Club (performed multiple times) and Mother in Alone Together with Playmakers & Company.
Robert Smith as Frank Page
An original founder of New River Stage, Robet has been acting since high school days in Los Angelas. As a sixteen year old he's part of the dance party scene in the movie "Parent Trap." Film acting opportunities were plrentiful but Robert felt a calling to move east to the mountains of Southwest Virginia. We're happy he made that decision. Local stage roles include Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Polonius in Hamlet and the Porter in Macbeth. Others include Juror #8 in Twelve Angry Men and Frank in the God of Hell.
Jocy Graham as Merlene Page
Jocy has been acting for ten years, mostly in murder mysteries. In her spare time she enjoys shooting pool, dancing and caring for others. Many thanks to my friends, family and friends for their support. Cheers!
Most notable New River Stage performance was the popular comedy The Kids Left. The Dog Died, Now What?
David Ratcliffe as Baxter Taylor
With an impressive, forty year acting resume, David has performed in many venues. Every from the Greenville Playhouse in Michigan to the Giles Theatre in Pearisburg, Virginia. In his spare time, David enjoys making historical videos and short films.
Favorite roles include Harry Lambert in New Too Late, Billy Ray in On Golden Pond and Mike Talman in Wait Until Dark. Recently, David performed as Sergeant Sullivan in Sam Shovel, Private Eye and Elder Reed in The Tragedy of Lewis & McHenry.
Jordan Tinsely as Coby, Virgil Walker and Odell Quarles
This is Jordan's 4th show with Proclamation Theatre, previously appearing in A Deadly Sunrise: The Tragedy of Lewis & McHenry as John Bowyer. He also played Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd. Coming in October 2026 Jordan plays the title role in Dracula at the Lyric Theatre.
He was recently an apprentice artist with Opera Roanoke, singing "Una Furtiva Lagrima' from L'elisir D'amore and "Make Our Garden Grow' from Candide.
Dan Leary as Booty Quarles & Wandering Hiker
Dan is Artistic Director of New River Stage and Technical Director for Heather Massie's HEDY! The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr. As a performer, Dan fondly recalls the roles as Frantz the Mushroom Scientist, The Ghost of Christmas Present and Bottom in A Midsummers Nights Dream. Many of us remember Dan from The Long Way Home outdoor drama, having performed many summers on the Ingles Farm stage.
Dan is an accomplished musician and owner of NRV Rent-All in Radford.
Susie Wynn-Pitts as Rebecca Boone, Molly and Clair
Susie has a long acting history so we're delighted to have her onboard with Proclamation Theatre as Buffy Hardcastle in Sam Shovel, Private Eye. Her debut role was as Madame Monique in Anna Bonds, Three Sister's Dressed in Black.
Favorite roles with other theatre companies include Helga Tendorp in Deathtrap and Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz.
Rich Burgess as Hiker Two
Originally from England, Rich has been performing in local community theatre for the past fifteen years. When he's not on stage, he teaches martial arts and enjoys sampling the offerings of the local breweries and wineries. He's always happy to try something new-whether that's a new role, a new technique, or a new beer.
Debbie Kleiner as Verbena Rowan
Debbie is pleased to be cast as multi layered, complicated Verbena Rowan. Debbie has been involved in community theatre in the NRV since 1998. She has acted in the past with Summer Musical Enterprise, HaeBo productions, and New River Stage. Debbie has done musicals, drama, comedies, and murder mysteries… (twice as the murderer!). Some favorite rolls include: the Queen in Cinderella, the mother in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Vern in Bingo the Winning Musical, Aggie in The Games Afoot, and The Ghost of Christmas Past in Scrooge the musical. Debbie also enjoys hiking, gardening and spending time with her friends and family.
Monica Tignor as Julie K. Howard
Monica Tignor is excited to be joining Proclamation Theatre for the New Play Festival! She has been performing for many years, including musical productions and interactive murder mysteries. Monica has a background in marketing and live event production. Currently she teaches music, and shuttles her son around the NRV. Monica enjoys camping, singing, acting, and gardening. Thanks to all who have made this festival possible!
Steve Shockley as Charlie Montague
This is the third time Steve has graced local stages in recent months. First, as Reece in Last Word on Jesse James, followed by Robert Preston in Stories of Virginia.
Professionally, Steve is Service Manager for Meade Tractor in Blacksburg.
Randy Kirchner as Karie Nobles
Randy is board member of New River Stage with specialty in costumes and stage makeup. As an actor, Randy recalls with affection playing The Inspector in Holmes for the Holidays, Joan the Goat and a pirate in Treasure Island, and the Alien in Gilligan's Island.
Rob Chafin as Tommy
Robert Chafin is an internationally acclaimed tenor born and raised in Christiansburg, Virginia. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Covent Garden and the Vienna Staatsoper. Career highlights including favorite roles of Midas (Die Liebe der Danae), Enée (Les Troyens), Rodolfo (La Bohème), and Tamino (Die Zauberflöte).
A former professor at WVU, VT, RU and UCLA, Mr. Chafin currently serves as the Director of Education and Community Engagement at Opera Roanoke, where he continues to inspire and mentor the next generations of singers.
Chris Pitts as Wilbert Page and Lone Wolf
In addition to acting, Chris is a talented set designer and production expert. Skills much appreciated as we prepared stages for Sam Shovel and last years Heritage Day New Play Festival. Chris' long and diverse acting history includes Puck from A Midsummer Nights Dream and Hades from Hades & Persephone. He's honored to portray Wilbert Page in Gunner Page.
Chris met his future wife Susie during a New River Theatre Guild production at the June Bug Center in Floyd.
Heather Massie as Hikers One and Six
Heather Massie is a Fulbright Specialist and NYC actor, playwright, and producer. Originally from Virginia, she has always been fascinated by the sciences, especially Astronomy. She studied Astrophysics at the University of Virginia, and Theatre Arts at The Virginia Tech School of the Arts graduating Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and Phi Kappa Phi. She has performed extensively in NYC and throughout the US. She currently celebrates women in science by touring the world with her 31x award-winning, internationally acclaimed solo show HEDY! The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, which she premiered Off-Broadway in 2016 and has since toured through 26 countries on 5 continents. She has been honored to be sponsored by numerous US Embassies, and to serve as a Fulbright Specialist with the show to South Africa in 2019, and to Australia in 2024, through the US State Department, World Learning, the Fulbright Specialist Program, the US Embassy South Africa, the US Embassy Australia, and the Royal Society of Victoria. The next in her planned trilogy of solo shows celebrating women in science will be Flying with Sally Ride! America’s First Woman in Space.
Stephanie Curtis, House Manager
Stephanie has served as House Manager for all Proclamation Theatre audiences since our first show iback in 2024. Mystery shows are a favorite, will Sam Shovel solve the case?
Professionally, Stephanie is a paralegal and serves on Bridgewater, VA town council.
Scott Carpenter, Gunner Page Stage Manager
Scott has extensive acting experience, most recently as Ross in Showtimers MacBeth. In North Carolina he's performed with numerous theatre companies in the Winston Salem area. Now that he's moved to Virginia we can expect to see Scott grace the stage, especially in Roanoke and the New River Valley.
We appreciate Scott taking being stage manager for Gunner Page. With all the script and staging changes his job is quite the challenge.
Katarena Pagani as Natasha in Dream Secrets
Katarena has been acting and singing for the past five years, and has been dancing since she was small! Her favorite roles have included Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Elle Woods in Legally Blonde and Molly Aster in Peter and the Starcatcher.
School is back in session with Kat looking forward to an active year of theatre and chorus. She hopes everyone enjoys the show!
Mark 'Hiram' Curtis, Director
Hiram is playwright and artistic director for Proclamation Theatre. Plays include Young Davy Crockett and The Story of Lewis & McHenry.
Upcoming shows include Gunner Page, the story of WWll army airman Wilbert Page.
Hiram studied under Todd Ristau at the Hollins University MFA Playwrights Lab. The play Dream Secrets was created durining my studies in Todd's MFA Narrative Theatre class.
Macayla Brown as Young Verbena
“Hello!! My name is Macayla Brown! I have always called the NRV home and I am a graduate of Radford University. I am the mother of a fierce little boy! My hobbies include painting, being outdoors, and hanging out with my family!”
Michael Todd as Daniel Boone. Plays receptionist in Verbena Rowan
Michael Todd is a new comer to our local theater community. His passions include reading an writing poetry..song writing and classic movies. Favorite writers include EAP, Butkowski, Morrison and Cobain.
Im very humbled to be playing the "Great Daniel Boone" and participating in the story of Verbenum.
Ashton Bishop as Nurse Terry and Celia
Ashton is excited to be back with Proclamation Theatre! A native of Abingdon, Ashton previously interned at the Barter Theatre while enrolled at East Tennessee State University. While there, she earned her Bachelors of History and Theatre. Some of Ashton's favorite shows she's been involved with
include Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (Quincy), The Mousetrap (Mollie), Les Miserables (Ensemble), Love's Labour's Lost (Rosaline), and The Diary of Anne Frank (Mrs. Edith Frank). When not on stage, Ashton can be found teaching high schoolers about the past, playing DnD, watching reality TV, or spending time with her beagles, Stevie and Ringo, and her cats, Iris and Otis. She would like to thank Hiram, the cast and crew, her family and friends!
Jeffery Scott as Uncle Horace and the Bank Manager
Jeffery Scott is a retired attorney who lives in Giles County. He has previously appeared in several productions of Proclamation Theatre and Giles Little Theatre, including Angel Street and Three Sisters Dressed in Black.
Melissa June, Tachera
Melissa June is a busy professional and mom so finding time for theatre is often a challenge. Lucky for us our new play festival with limited rehearsals is a good fit for her lifestyle. Last year she played Virginia Wardlaw in Three Sisters Dressed in Black. We're delighted to have her back this year in The Verbena Rowan Museum.
Lawrence Whttener, Narrator in Daniel Boone Meets William Preston
Lawrence is a prolific actor and screenwrter who moved from Los Angeles to Blacksburg three years ago. The beauty of Southwest Virginia won him over and we're glad he made the choice to move east. Films directed include Saving Robin Williams, Consequential and Revelationz. Acting roles include appearances ins Lincoln, Gods and Generals, The Dark Knight Rises, Wish You Well; just to name a few.
Our Story
Roots of Proclamation Theatre go back to 2017 when I began writing about Virginia history. Took the next step, entering a top 10 MFA theatre program to study playwriting. Ultimately bringing a new type of theatre to the New River Valley. To band together a group of creators focusing primarily on local history stories. Of, uniquely American tall tales and legends. Stories about regular people in extroardinary circumstances. We appreciate your support as we try to develop something long lasting and meaningful.
Mark 'Hiram' Curtis
Corporate Supporters
