creative team & production crew
CAROLINE SELF (Director) made her directorial debut at Ivy Green last season, but The Miracle Worker at Ivy Green has been an important part of her life since childhood She has appeared as a Blind Child (1985), Helen Keller (1987-89), Annie Sullivan (2001-04), and Kate Keller (2018- 19). Caroline also directed The Miracle Worker at Harvard-Radcliffe College, the alma mater she shares with Helen Keller, and she fight directed the play at both the Long Beach Playhouse and the Sierra Madre Playhouse in California. Caroline is a television producer and editor. Her executive producer credits include: “The Real Housewives of New Jersey”, “Blood Sweat & Heels”, and “Manzo’d with Children”. Other credits include: “Project Runway”, “Big Brother”, and “Hell’s Kitchen”. She is a member of the Writers Guild of America, Producers Guild of America, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
LAURA CONNOLLY (Assistant Director/Crone) is grateful to return for her 22nd season with The Miracle Worker. In 1976 she played a blind child and has since played the roles of Aunt Ev and a crone. She has also worked backstage, in the box office, and as Stage Manager. She currently works as a Hostess at Ivy Green and as the Costume and Props co- chair for the Zodiac Players. Laura has worked on over 150 local theatre productions. She earned her degree in Theatre at University of North Alabama. She was president of the Zodiac Players and has co-directed 23 shows with Andrew Maples. Laura wants to thank her mom, Arah Ringnell, for taking her to see plays as a child, her husband Chris Connolly, and her 2 daughters, Christie and Jamie, for their support, understanding, and patience.
ANDREW MAPLES (Technical Director) graduated from UNA in 1992 with a degree in Theatre. He has been involved in Theatre since his first show in 1986. He has worked in every level of theatre and in every possible role. He is excited to be part of the 59th Annual production of The Miracle Worker at Ivy Green.
DR. DAVID K. RUEBHAUSEN (Scenic Design) began his theatrical career in the Kansas City area working as the Student Technical Director for William Jewell College theatre while acting in such productions as Marat/Sade, The Importance of Being Earnest, Romeo and Juliet and The Insect Comedy. While there, he also performed walk-ons with such touring groups as The Acting Company and the Houston Ballet which afforded him the opportunity to work with such directors as Robert Brustein (American Rep) and Thomas MacAnna (Abbey Theatre). While completing graduate work in Minneapolis, Dr. Ruebhausen served as Theatre instructor and Managing Director for the University of Minnesota Theatre and Minnesota Centennial Showboat. While in the Twin Cities, he directed and/or designed for productions such as Children of a Lesser God, The Bourgeois Gentleman, Ghosts, Arms and the Man and Beyond Therapy. He also served as the señor faculty member for UNA Theatre, teaching courses in design, directing, voice, acting, history, dramatic literature and arts management. Dr. Ruebhausen has directed and/or designed for UNA productions of The Man of La Mancha, Dracula, Noises Off, The Tempest, Guys and Dolls, Playboy of the Western World, Lysistrata, Candida, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Once Upon A Mattress. He has also worked with several Shoals community theatre productions. When not teaching or producing theatre, Dr. Ruebhausen pursues his research in theatrical Residence with the Florence Academy of Fine Arts (FAFA) Theatre Department. For FAFA, he has designed sets for Our Town, Peter and the Starcatcher, Take My Seat, and The Music Man.
MALLORY ANNE MARTIN (Stage Manager) also stage managed last year’s production of The Miracle Worker. She is no stranger to the stage and has been Stage Managing for over five years. Some of her favorite productions have been Madagascar, Into the Woods, Seussical, and Beauty and the Beast.
RAGAN WILSON (Assistant Stage Manager/Crone) is eighteen years old and is a recent graduate of Deshler High School. This fall she plans on attending The University of Alabama and studying social work and psychology. Ragan has been performing and working backstage in community theatre productions since she was nine and was a very active in the performing arts program and choir at Deshler High School. This year’s production will be Ragan’s seventh season at Ivy Green. Some of her past credits include The Wizard of Oz, The Miracle Worker, Charlotte’s Web, Opal, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and The Little Mermaid. When Ragan is not at the theatre, she can be found watching movies, singing, reading, or spending time with her friends and family.
SAVANAH WATSON (Stage Crew)
is pursuing a degree in Musical Theatre at the University of Montevallo where they have been Prop Coordinator for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Head Props for the centennial production of the longest-running college homecoming tradition College Night 2021: Collide of the Sides, and on Prop Crew for The Weir. While she loves every role they’ve played, their favorite has to be Paige in the university’s staged reading of Invincible Ones. She is thrilled to be a part of The Miracle Worker for the third year
in a row, and can’t wait for the next!
LILY STREETMAN (Tech Crew) is a newcomer to The Miracle Worker but not a newcomer to the world of theatre. She started performing at a young age and then became involved in the technical side of it in middle school and developed a passion for lighting in high school. She has run and designed lights for many shows, most recently King Lear at the Shoals Theatre before COVID. She is excited to be back and hopes you enjoy the show.
HANAH MAPLES (Tech Crew) first ran a light board at age 5 and has been involved with tech ever since. She has performed in several shows and has run lights and sound for many productions at both at the Ritz Theatre and the Shoals Theatre. She attended the University of North Alabama for Art Education. She has one daughter, Sophie, who has also been on stage before. Hana enjoys the theatre and the wonderful experiences it has brought her.
JAIDYN QUILLEN (Tech Crew) is 18 years old and recently graduated from Colbert County High School. She is currently attending Wallace State Community College studying Forensic Psychology. She has been involved with theater since 2013 and The Miracle Worker since 2014. She’s been seen in shows such as Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web, Imogene Herdman and Beth Bradley in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Opal, and more! She was a part of The Miracle Worker’s Stage Crew in 2015, and has been a part of the tech crew for the past 2 seasons. She is super excited to see what this season has in store!
WILLIAM FREEMAN (Tech Crew) is a native of Florence, AL who has been active in community theatre for over 30 years, acting in numerous shows, even directing on occasion. In the real world he is a professional puppeteer and voice actor where you can currently watch him on the nationwide PBS show, “Steve Trash Science”, working the puppets and providing the voices. He has been a board member with the Zodiac Players of Shoals Theatre Inc. since 2011, and has been a volunteer with the Official Alabama Renaissance Faire for over 30 years. William also volunteers through his local church, Magnolia, working with their Benevolence, Children’s, and Teen ministries. You can watch his spiritual oriented puppet shows on their Magnolia Kids Youtube channel and on their FB page. He is very excited to be a part of this production and promises to do the best he can to help make sure you can see and hear everything.