Cast Bios

Brian Costin (Dawkins) Brian would like to thank this wonderful cast and crew for the experience and his wife Melissa and son Caleb for their continued support. 
Chris Kerley (Bogs) is a retired social worker and teacher, and lives in Lenoir.  Last seen on stage in FPA's production of Drinking Habits 2.  Chris wants to thank Amber and Lisa for their leadership. Thanks to the crew for their time in putting this show together. Much thanks to the cast of Shawshank Redemption. Enjoy!

Lisa Kirkpatrick (Stage Manager) Lisa would like to thank Amber Biecker and the Shawshank cast for their patience and kindness as I tried something new. Thank you to my husband for living without me during football season. Thank you to my favorite actor, my son Justice, for riding with me to rehearsal so we would have more time together. Remember that you must never give up hope.

DAN GREENFIELD (Brooksie)  Dan has been “trodding the boards” for nine decades, and believes that each and every production is a new and exciting adventure. SHAWSHANK has, indeed, been a most challenging and rewarding journey, and we are glad to share it with you Dan and his wife, Fran, reside in beautiful Boone, NC where they deliver meals-on-wheels, and volunteer at the local hospital. They have 5 children, 10 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren (with another one on the way at any moment!) May God Bless America! 

Marshall Goff (Rehearsal Warden Stammas) Welcome Caldwell County theater patrons to the FPA new season  It starts with a bang. I am honored to be cast as The Warden  for “The Shawshank Redemption” Stammas will give me the opportunity to play someone I usually don’t get to play. The Villan. I have been in multiple FPA productions over the years the last being George in “The Actors Nightmare” Thank you Amber for casting me and to the rest of the cast for their outstanding work and dedication to bringing this performance to life. Thank you to Debbye for your love and support always allowing me to indulge in these ventures.  

Cody Watson (Andy) is back onstage for the first time since 2016, when he played Frederick Frankenstien in Hickory Community Theatre's Young Frankenstein, and for the first time ever at FPA. Previously he directed An Actor's Nightmare at FPA and has appeared in numerous productions at Hickory Community Theatre, Old Colony Players, and Lenoir-Rhyne University. In his free time Watson plays far too many TTRPGs, ensures his daughter can name every type of gaming dice, and appears as a blurry image in campers photos.  

Justice Kirkpatrick (Rooster) is currently a freshman at CVCC studying theater. He is extremely excited to be in this production with all these wonderful actors. He has done many shows both with FPA and elsewhere, and he hopes you enjoy the show!

Jeff Beane (Hadley) started out acting with Lou Folke at South Caldwell High School, where he was the first recipient of the Best Thespian Award . He, then went on performing in many plays with Bill Wilson, Charles Jeffers and Ellis Boatman. He left the theater to start his business and a family. His daughter started participation in theater , and it has sparked new interest in theater for him. After thirty years he was cast in Guys and Dolls at the HUB, with Keith Smith. Jeff was also in To Kill A Mockingbird at FPA in which he played Atticus Finch, Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion, Mr. Scanlon in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Bob Cratchit in the Christmas Carol and Tom Snout in Midsummer Night Roller Disco . He has worked as Stage Manager and Set Builder for Harvey, Farce of Nature, The King and I and Annie at the Hub. He is also the winner of the Elisa F. Bishop award. Jeff is owner and operator of Beane Electrical Service and. He is also the lead singer and acoustic guitar player of Nunya Biznezz Band.

Auguste Thielemann (Tommy) is 16 years old and attends hibiriten high school. Previous shows include Spongebob The Musical, Puffs, The Crucible, 12 Angry Jurors, and Bridges Of Madison County. He enjoys theater, and music. Enjoy the show!

David Kerley (Mert Entwistle) Lives in Taylorsville with his lovely wife, Denise.  They met rehearsing FPA's production of A Christmas Carol (2011) and won Best Supporting Actress and Actor for their portrayals of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2015). Thank you to Amber, Cody, and the entire cast and crew. 
William Sherrill (Rico Rodriguez) - Lives in Lenoir and has worked in the Caldwell County school system for 3 years now. This is his first show working through Foothills Performing Arts and is excited to be a part of this amazing production. Thank you to my incredible cast mates, as well as our director Amber, and everyone else who helped make this show happen. 

Andrew Atkin (Pinky) I am a life long visual artist currently working out of my home studio in the Granite Falls area. I have taught visual art in most disciplines at various area colleges for the past 30 years and am now the visual arts instructor at University Christian High School in Hickory, N.C. celebrating my 6th year there. I have earned both a BFA(EKU) and MFA(WCU) with honors in painting and have been active in the arts to this day. Taking part in this production of, “Shawshank Redemption” will be the first time ever of being on stage as an actor! I never really thought of myself as such but over the years I’ve thought that it would be a really good experience to try but lacked the courage and thanks to my dear love, Dorothy who told me, “you can do this!” found that courage. So, here I am acting in a minor role that fits me well and enjoying every minute of it! I’m with a top notch group of fellow thespians under great directorship which helps tremendously to understand the elements of putting a real show together! I am truly honored and definitely thrilled to be part of this endeavor!  

Jordan A. Randall (RED) has enjoyed participating regularly in various theatrical and musical productions both here in North Carolina and abroad. This is his first time back with FPA since Pygmalion, and this was a show he had been waiting to do for years. Fate would have it so, and he is very grateful for the opportunity.

Amber Biecker (Director, Replacement Warden Stammas) Always the wearer of many hats, Amber is the director of Shawshank, the Chair of the Board of Directors of Foothills Performing Arts, the Assistant Director of Conferences & Events at Lenoir-Rhyne University, and most importantly, Sully B's mom. She would like to thank Cody for being her sounding board and second in command, Lisa for being be best brand new stage manager ever, and the entire cast for being the most resilient, dedicated, and talented bunch she's ever worked with. Thanks to Chris and the dudes for letting her out of the house every night to do what she loves. Enjoy the show!