Chris Wiperrman was born and lived most of his life in Kansas City. He retired from law enforcement and married his wife, Angela in Kansas City. In 2019, he and Angela were ready for a change. Angela had family in the Tularosa/Alamogordo area so they came out west. They liked New Mexico and Roswell in particular. Since Tularosa and Alamogordo were only a morning’s drive away, they settled in Roswell.
Chris enjoyed theater from an early age. In high school he performed and worked backstage. Chris was so talented that he received a scholarship for dramatic arts college.
While he continued to study theater, Chris had his eyes on another prize. He wanted to be a police officer and stepped away from the dramatic arts to fulfill that dream. After retirement Chris was anxious to return to the theater. After moving to Roswell, Chris got a call from a Roswell Community Little Theatre’s, RCLT) own Tricia Hart (see https://www.bacoots.com/category/general/). Tricia asked Chris to audition for a role in Francine’s Will. Chris not only got a part in Francine’s Will but found a new second home at RCLT.
RCLT has made good use of Chris’ talents on and off stage. He has a thorough knowledge of set design and construction as well as lights and sound. In Francine’s Will, Dearly Beloved and Four Old Broads, Chris made the set come to life even while learning lines to perform.
Chris blushes a little when he admits that he most enjoys being the center of attention. Center of attention or not, he is a fabulous actor, filling in roles with perfect timing and garnering great laughs from the audience.
Chris is a bloodhound when sourcing props. From junkyards to second-hand stores to the Salvation Army, Chris will search high and low for the perfect item. For Four Old Broads, he secured a marvelous, fringed lampshade for use as a hat. Chris in and active member of RCLT and now a board member as well.
Come see Chris in Four Old Broads, which is in its second week of performances. Friday and Saturday March 4th and 5th at 7:30 pm and Sunday the final performance at 2:30 pm in Roswell Community Little Theatre.For more information go to:
Edrice Tozier was born in Carlsbad but has lived most of her life in Roswell. She attended Gateway High School and began her love of drama.
After high school Edrice took a year off before college. She enrolled at Eastern New Mexico University Roswell Campus (ENMUR) and completed her degree. She rekindled her love of theater at ENMUR, mostly working on the stage crew and behind the scenes. She auditioned for one role while at ENMUR and performed in the play, Fairy Tale Christmas.
Edrice joined Roswell Community Little Theatre (RCLT) and was cast as the only female character in Dracula. It was in Dracula that Edrice earned her reputation as a dedicated student of character, and a capable actress.
After a short break, Edrice worked with the improv group at RCLT and then as understudy for the lead role of Clarissa in Spider’s Web. She was also cast in Spider’s Web in a supporting role. Recently Edrice starred in three major roles as Philodendron, Beauty, and Prune Danish in the comedy Mother Goose Gets Eaten by a Werewolf. She is currently cast as the much-maligned nurse, Ruby Sue, in the next RCLT production of Four Old Broads.
Edrice is an avid reader and a writer. She enjoys the process of bringing a character to life, both on the page and on the stage. She also studies well how authors and directors bring characters to life. Edrice also enjoys live performance and the active feedback from the audience. She really enjoyed her roles in Mother Goose Gets Eaten by a Werewolf. The roles were fun and the cast and crew worked well together. She said one of the cast members did a different dance every night of the live performance. Edrice says, with hint of laughter in her voice that she really enjoyed Prune Danish’s character. Prune was crafty and had a plan to kill her stepmother.
Edrice says that the creative part of drama is in how she portrays each role. A true professional , she learns her lines and only then fills in the character. By opening night, Edrice is well prepared and knows the script. At the onset of production and blocking, Edrice is knowledgeable and quick to help with props. The cast and crew enjoy and respect Edrice. She is fun on stage and off with a quick wit and sure smile.
Come see Edrice in Four Old Broads, which opens this Friday (Feb. 25th at 7:30 pm) in Roswell Community Little Theatre.
Four Old Broads opens Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the theatre. For more information go to:
Kirk DeSoto was born and raised in Hobbs. He finished his teaching degree in Roswell and got his first teaching position at Sunset Elementary. He became a principal at Missouri Avenue Elementary School in Roswell, but he missed the classroom. Kirk returned to the teaching fulltime. Kirk is well placed in the classroom as he loves to teach and encourage. He brings out the best in his students.
His acting debut came in the performance of Hello Dolly at Roswell Community Little Theatre (RCLT). He enjoyed working with the director Cathy Cook. He has a beautiful tenor voice. The musical director put Kirk’s vocal abilities to good use in his supporting role. Kirk will never forget coming up from a hole in center stage. He doubts that RCLT will use this trap stage door again, but said it was fun.
Kirk’s love for community and skill as a strong tenor voice prompted him to sing with the Roswell Community Orchestra in Handel’s Messiah. The Community Orchestra was delighted to have him.
Shyness and his reserved personality kept Kirk from the theatre for a few years after Hello Dolly. However, now he is back with RCLT and happy to be an assistant director.
Kirk re-connected with Denise Samuels and her husband Chris through teaching. He and Denise work together in the Roswell Independent School District. With encouragement from Denise, Kirk returned to the theatre. First, he went to the shows and rekindled his love for live performance.
The Flock
Kirk his happy and proud to be a part of The Flock, a group of three friends from his school who meet and encourage each other. They have matching T-shirts and meet at least once a week to share burdens and delights. Through The Flock, Denise coaxed Kirk back into the theatre and RCLT. According to Denise, Kirk is the most excellent assistant director for Four Old Broads. The cast of Four Old Broads echoes Denise’s sentiment. The skills Kirk has honed in the classroom translate well to the job of directing. He has a good eye for scene dynamics and blocking. He spots strengths in performers that help the play move forward without aggravating sensitive egos.
Kirk recalls a favorite moment in Hello Dolly when, in the middle of one of the monologues, a fellow cast member was backstage dancing. The whole scene seemed to encapsulate the wonder and joy of live performance.
Kirk identifies two creative impulses in theatre. First, he is usually scared out of his wits on opening night, but in trusting his director and pushing through his stage fright, he marvels at his abilities. Second, as a director and an actor, he delights in the performance coming together almost impossibly through the work and diligence of the actors and crew.
Catch Kirk’s latest efforts as assistant director in Four Old Broads.
Four Old Broads opens Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the theatre. For more information go to:
Louise Montague was born in Portales NM. She grew up and married in the same city where she was born. She has three sons and two daughters, five grandsons and two granddaughters. When her children were young, Louise directed them in acting out Bible stories. During that time Louise developed strengths for directing that she has put to good use for Roswell Community Little Theatre (RCLT).
When a date took Louise to see Man of La Mancha, she thought, “Well, I could do that.” She also thought she might “do that” a little better than most. It turns out she was right. Louise auditioned and got a role in one of RCLT’s productions. Louise has been with RCLT as an actress for 25 years and she has been directing plays since 2002.
The first play Louise directed was an Evening of Culture. The play went off well, so well she turned her attentions to directing. When she directed George’s Suitcase, everyone knew their lines three weeks before opening night. That play, like most of Louise’s endeavors, was a great success.
As an experienced director and actress, Louise is favored for roles that require skill. Louise delights in the challenge of getting into her part, complete with appropriate accents and props, often supplying her own costumes.
Cast and crew find Louise a pleasure to work with. She is early to learn her lines and dedicated to getting in character. She always has a word of encouragement for fellow actors. Loise feels at home in RCLT. She clearly enjoys the theatre. It is a passion she has held close to her heart from the time she was a little girl.
Louise has a starring role in the upcoming production for Four Old Broads. She plays Imogene Fletcher, the newest resident at Magnolia Place Assisted Living. Four Old Broads opens Feb. 25 at 7:30 in the theatre. For more information go to: https://roswelltheatre.com/events/four-old-broads/
I am a mother, author, engineer, farmer, occasional actress, and incurable dog-sap. I think things and write things and embarrass myself often.