NICK GELONA (Frankie) is proud to be making his debut on the Jewel Box stage. Nick is an alumnus of the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, has received the State Superintendent Award for arts excellence, and danced with the Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet. Prior credits include: Jamie in The Last Five Years, Snoopy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Bobby in Saturday Night, Man 1 in Songs For a New World, and Huck in Big River. He would like to thank Momma, Cap, Joshua and Bryn for all their love and support and PALS.

CHRISTOPHER CURTIS (Sparky) is delighted to be performing in his first production with Jewel Box. A native Oklahoman, Christopher is a founding member of Obviously Unrehearsed Improv!, and recently performed in the official Oklahoma Centennial production of The Grapes of Wrath. Other favorite roles include: the Minstrel in Once Upon a Mattress, Riff in West Side Story, and Captain Andy in Showboat. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Oklahoma City University and hopes to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree sometime in the near future. He would like to thank Billie for the chance to be in such a charming show, his family for all their love and support, and Ashley for always believing in him.

SLADE BURGESS (Smudge) is excited to make his Jewel Box debut in Forever Plaid. He studies with Dr. Marilyn Govich, Dr. Greg Wheley, Billie Thrash, and Mariann Searle at University of Central Oklahoma. Recent credits include: Frank in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Cord Elam in Oklahoma! at Discoveryland, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Hedda Gabbler, and State Fair at UCO. He would especially like to thank his mother for all of her encouragement and support.

BILLIE THRASH (Director/Choreographer) has directed numerous shows for Jewel Box, including the Gem Award winners: 1776 and Nuncrackers. She choreographed the Tulsa Theatre Arts production of The Will Rogers Follies starring John Davidson, and, for other theatres, has directed Pump Boys and Dinettes with Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde, and I Hate Hamlet with William Katt. Additional productions include: Cabaret, A Chorus Line, The King and I, The 1940’s Radio Hour, On Golden Pond, Song of Singapore, Company, and A Grand Night for Singing, among others. She has also directed many special events, including the recent A Starry Night with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, which honored Florence Birdwell and starred John Sawyer, Lara Teeter, Barbara DeMaio, Caprilli, Kelli O’Hara, and Kristen Chenoweth. On the adjunct faculty at UCO, she has directed such productions as Into the Woods, Assassins, Forum, Wild Party and Drood. At the UCO Jazz lab, you may have seen her productions of Blame it on the Movies and Cool Yule Volume II. Watch for the upcoming Pure Imagination: the Words and Music of Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, which opens Feb. 14. Billie is a 2005 recipient of the Governor’s Arts Award for Community Service.

WILLIAM COLEMAN (Musical Director) is making his Jewel Box debut! Currently the Choral and Music Theatre director of Midwest City High School, his credits include: Nunsense, Cabaret, Oklahoma!, and Into the Woods. He has served on the faculties of Middle Tennessee State University, University of Central Oklahoma and Langston University.

JAMES GORDON, JR. (Stage Manager) is happy to be working with Billie again. They first worked together in 70, Girls, 70, and then again in 1776. A past Volunteer of the Year, he also stage managed the Gem Award-winning Tuesdays with Morrie. Special thanks and love to J.H. and P.F.