Fun Home

Eleise is an Olympia native who is happy to return to the beautiful PNW and make it her home again. While not on stage, Eleise is a Civic Education Tour guide at the Capitol building. While not acting or giving civics lessons to school kids, Eleise likes to find incredible food and quiet campfires wherever she can. As a proud member of the Harlequin board, she would like to thank everyone for supporting theater and your Olympia community. 

Zoey is thrilled to return to Harlequin, having previously played Small Alison in Fun Home, as well as John in the Centralia College production. Zoey was also fortunate to be a part of Book-It Repertory Theatre’s final production as “The Child” in Solaris. Zoey recently won a scholarship to Interlochen Arts Camp, spent a month workshopping the lead role of “J”, then appeared in the world premiere of Imagine It, a new children’s musical by Ben Lohrberg. Other favorite roles include “The Wicked Witch of the West” in PNW Theater’s The Wizard of Oz and “Young Joan” in Far Away at SPSCC. Zoey is an alum of Stagedoor Manor in New York and recently won a spot at The Institute at the Village Theatre in Issaquah. Zoey is excited to tread the boards with their sister and wishes all their fellow actors an amazing, heartfelt run. Break legs, all!

Galloway comes to us from Ashland, OR where he is currently the Associate Artistic Director for the Oregon Cabaret Theatre. Tour credits include The Addams Family Musical (2nd National and International). Other regional credits include Harold Nichols in The Full Monty, Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd, Sagot in Picasso At The Lapin Agile, Sam Phillips in Million Dollar Quartet, The Emcee in Cabaret, Billy Flynn in Chicago (Oregon Cabaret Theatre); VP Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl, Lank Hawkins in Crazy For You (Prather Entertainment), Jud Fry in Oklahoma (Pacific Conservatory Performing Arts), Gomez Addams in The Addams Family Musical (Temple Theatre Company), Gaylord Ravenal in Showboat (Lees-McRae Summer Theatre) Instagram @thegallo_way

Renée Hewitt Is an over 30 year veteran beginning in the Bay Area at such venues as: Marriott’s Great America Theme Park, American Music Theatre, San Jose Stage Company and at the San Francisco Opera House in Beach Blanket Babylon’s 20th Anniversary. Now living in Southern Oregon some favorite shows include:  Peter and the Starcatcher, Dancing at Lughnasa, Around The World in 80 Days at Collaborative Theatre Project; Miracle Worker, Man of La Mancha, Camelot at Camelot; Poirot: The Murder On The Links, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre and Tiny Beautiful Things at Rogue Theater Company.

Lane Nixon has been performing in the Olympia community since he was 5 years old. He has been in Fun Home twice before, first as John with SPSCC and then as Christian with Centralia College. He also has done shows with Pacific Northwest Theater, Broadway Olympia Productions and Olympia Family Theater, and has taken dance classes with South Sound Dance. He also plays baseball. He is in the 7th grade. He wants to continue acting and would like to eventually play Edward in Big Fish the Musical.

Wade loves acting and has participated in several Creative Theater Experience productions. Wade is a fourth-grader at Lincoln Options Elementary in Olympia. He plays baseball in Capital Little League and was selected for an All-Star Minors team over the summer, placing second in the championship! He also enjoys fishing, sailing, camping, fort building, and most importantly, playing with his awesome pack of neighborhood kids. Wade brings joy to everyone around him and loves living each day to the fullest!

Christian is a Pacific Northwest based theatre artist thrilled to return to Harlequin for Cabaret. He is onstage frequently in the Olympia area, and is currently teaching acting in a youth theater program through Centralia College. Previous Harlequin musicals include Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Fun Home. Most recently in the South Sound, he’s been seen onstage as Gabe in Next to Normal and George in Sunday in the Park with George. Recent Seattle area credits: Charley in Merrily We Roll Along (SecondStory Repertory), What An Impossible Idea (Free Range Theater), Orin in Little Shop of Horrors (Auburn Community Players). Instagram/Tiktok: @christian.boldly

Michelle Mary Schaefer is a professional actor who has performed all over the States. A frequent performer in the PNW since 2017, she is making her debut with Harlequin Productions. Michelle has been in plays such as Hannah in When We Were Young and Unafraid, Sarah in Children of a Lesser God (7x’s), Billy in Tribes (5x’s), Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet in Hamlet and many more. Not just an actor, she also writes scripts. REAL, the tiny film webseries she created, wrote, produced, and starred in, has been a hit.  Michelle just also wrapped a short film she wrote, produced, directed and starred in, Babe to Blocked, over the summer. She values authentic stories, and representation matters.  michellemaryschaefer.com

Heather is delighted to return to Harlequin Productions! Other favorite local roles include Alison in Fun Home, The Witch in Into the Woods, and Diana in Next to Normal. Heather also recently made her Musical Director debut heading up Olympia Family Theater’s production of The Lightning Thief. Heather enjoys performing with Capital City Chorus and her band SpareCrow, teaching music at McKenny Elementary, and playing piano, accordion, guitar, drums, clarinet, sax, and harp. Always up for more musical collabs!  Web: www.heathermatthews.com IG: @hedderschmidt_arts

Other favorite roles include Roger in Rent, Claude in Hair and Jamie in The Last Five Years. Bruce also works behind the curtain. He has designed and built sets for over 300 productions, including some here at Harlequin.  He is very proud and honored to be a part of this beautiful and significant show.