Oliver Jr. Playbill

Emma DeNagel (Oliver) is excited to take on the iconic role of Oliver in her theatrical debut! At just 11 years old, this rising star brings boundless energy and a beautiful singing voice to the stage. Emma’s a fifth grader who loves to perform and dreams of more storytelling adventures. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing stories, creating artwork and inventions, cooking/baking, sewing, and riding her bike. She is deeply grateful to her directors and choreographer, voice teacher, cast mates, and supportive family for this opportunity and cannot wait to share Oliver’s story with the audience!

Ryanne Cruthis is thrilled to make her debut as The Artful Dodger in this production! She would like to thank her family for their constant love, encouragement, and support, and her friends for always cheering her on. Most importantly, she gives all glory and thanks to Jesus for the gifts, strength, and joy that made this experience possible. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Josiah Minick is in his second year in Rising Stars. Last year he enjoyed being part of the dance chorus in The Lion King Jr. This year he is so excited to bring Fagin to life for you tonight! His interests include singing, songwriting, and video games. He would like to thank his family and friends for all their support. And remember, you have to Pick a Pocket or Two!

Faith Wilson has always had a passion for theatre, and has performed in both community and high school theatre productions. A few of those include Hello, Dolly!, The Sound of Music, The Secret Garden, and A Christmas Carol. Faith thanks Mason, Nathan, and Evelyn for their constant support and effort to make such an incredible show. Enjoy!

Carter Brawley is excited to step into the role of the villainous Bill Sikes for his fourth production with Rising Stars. He enjoys working with his fellow cast members and bringing intense characters to life on stage. When he’s not performing, Carter enjoys bowling, music, and video games. He thanks Mason for this opportunity and hopes you enjoy the show!

Jonah Mahan is a sophomore in high school. He has played two roles in Rising Stars Players: John Darling in “Peter Pan and Wendy,” and Ensemble in “The Lion King Junior.” He enjoys being outside, learning about animals, and reading The Lord of the Rings. He is very excited about Oliver! this year, and hopes to continue being a part of Rising Stars in future years.

Azlyn Bernard is a passionate young performer who truly feels at home on the stage. She recently brought energy, humor, and heart to the role of Timon in The Lion King, lighting up the stage and bringing joy to everyone in the audience.

After suffering a tragic accident, Azlyn faced a long and difficult road to recovery. Through faith, countless prayers, and the unwavering support of her family, friends, and community, she found the strength to keep going. Step by step, she fought her way back—not just to health, but to the place she loves most: the stage.

Being part of Rising Stars has helped Azlyn rediscover her confidence, her joy, and her voice. Performing again is more than just a return—it’s a victory.

She is incredibly grateful to be back where she belongs and hopes her journey is a reminder that even in life’s hardest moments, with faith and support, we can overcome anything.

Zoey Moore is thrilled to be back on stage for her fourth Rising Stars performance. Over the past two years, she has loved playing Young Nala in The Lion King Jr. and Michael in Peter Pan. When she’s not performing, Zoey enjoys dancing, learning new acro skills, playing volleyball, working out at D1, talking about Jesus, spending quality time with her friends and family, and hanging out with her dog, Jasper.

Jason Altman is making his acting debut as Mr Brownlow in Oliver! JR. Although he is new to theater, he has been an acro performer for many years. Jason is an energetic 7th grader who enjoys skateboarding, gaming, camping, spending time  with his family, and he loves Jesus! He would like to thank his family for all their love and support.

Sophia DeNagel is thrilled to make her stage debut in Oliver! with the Rising Stars. She’s a sophomore who loves dancing and performing, and couldn’t be more excited to step into the roles of the sharp-tongued Mrs. Sowerberry and the compliant Matron. This is her first time on stage with the Rising Stars and she’s thrilled to experience and share the magic of musical theater. When not rehearsing, Sophia enjoys time with friends and family, creating digital animation stories, sports, reading and writing, and drawing inspiration from classic musicals. She is beyond grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to give it her all!

Ezra Heyl is a passionate young theatre artist who loves bringing stories to life on and off the stage. Performance credits include Descendants (ensemble) High School Musical (mascot) Newsies JR. (Snyder) and The Lion King JR. (Ensemble). Ezra also worked behind the scenes as a member of the crew for Seussical JR, and Murder on the Orient Express.

Gabriel Russum is so excited to be performing in Oliver Jr.! This is his debut in the program but he is not a stranger to the stage. For fun you can find him doing standing backflips, playing guitar, gaming, working out, and hanging out with friends. He wants to thank his directors and crew. Gabriel hopes you enjoy the show!

Hannah Byram is excited to be back onstage for her second show. She first performed in Suessical Jr. and had a blast taking on a variety of roles. Hannah is so grateful for her family and friend’s encouragement, and always cheering her on. Most importantly, she thanks Jesus for the opportunity, the courage to step on stage, and the joy of performing. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Jolee Jenkins, 14, is excited to be back on stage for her third performance, this time as Charlotte in Oliver! After previous roles in Peter Pan and The Lion King, Jolee is thrilled for another opportunity to perform and do what she loves. When she’s not on stage, she stays busy with competitive gymnastics, traveling with her family, and making the most of every adventure—whether that means a fun day at the beach or hitting the slopes as a black diamond skier. She’s also active in the youth group at Geyer Springs Baptist Church, where she enjoys any chance to sing and help lead worship. Jolee is proudly supported by her parents, younger brother, and younger sister. She’s excited to bring plenty of energy and personality to the stage as Charlotte!

Amaya Jones is excited to be performing in her second full theatrical production. She has loved being part of musicals with The Rising Stars, where her passion for the stage continues to grow. With a father who performed in theatre and a grandmother who taught theatre for 27 years, some say “drama is in her blood.” Amaya has also trained at Doxa Arts Academy for seven years, studying Acro and Lyrical dance. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her love of performing with the audience.

Kiera Altman is thrilled to make her acting debut as Handwalker in Oliver! JR. She has been dancing for over 10 years with experience in acro, jazz, tap, lyrical modern, and ballet. A 9th grader with a creative flair, Kiera enjoys doing nails and hopes to become a cosmetologist one day. She also loves children and babysitting. Kiera gives a big thank-you to her sister Aliya for inspiring her love of musicals, her dance teacher Anna Bowman for always encouraging and believing in her, her family for their love and support, and Jesus for His love and faithfulness.

Job Jenkins, 11, is excited to be back on stage this year as Charlie Bates in Oliver! After making his debut last year as Young Simba, Job is ready for another fun adventure in the spotlight. When he’s not performing, you can usually find him playing baseball, soccer, or football, riding his bike, or chasing his next outdoor adventure. He also loves wakeboarding in the summer and snowboarding in the winter. Job is active at Geyer Springs Baptist Church and is proudly cheered on by his parents and two sisters. He’s excited to bring lots of fun, energy, and a little mischief to the stage as Charlie Bates!

Gia Lancaster is so exited to be debuting in Rising Stars this year. Whenever she’s not acting you can find her riding her bike, playing with cousins, doing her schoolwork. She would like to thank her mom for putting her in Rising Stars and she hopes you enjoy Oliver!

Lily Plaisance is excited to be in Oliver! Jr! She has done many plays before, including The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan and Wendy, and The Lion King Jr. Lily has been preforming in many ways for most of her life. Whether the master of ceremonies, magic shows, theater, or making up skits for her family, Lily loves to perform. She would like to thank Mr. Mason, Nathan, and Evelyn and wishes everyone enjoy the show!

Leah White is happy to be a part of Rising Star’s production of Oliver Jr. After her performance as Sarafina, Dance Chorus & Ensemble in last year’s Lion King Jr., she couldn’t wait to get to work on this year’s show. Leah recently worked with Mrs. Kathy B and Royal Players in the production of Annie Get Your Gun, performing at Royal Theatre. She is studying Music Theatre Dance at Stage 13, as well as both Voice & Guitar at Starling Music Studio.

Lana Russum is so excited to be performing in Oliver Jr.! She is the youngest of 4 kids and loves all things Art. 50% of her day you can find at the kitchen table drawing. This is Lana’s debut in the Rising Stars and her second show ever. She wants to thank her directors and crew. Lana hopes you enjoy the show!

Jack Wallace is making his Rising Stars debut in Oliver, Jr. This will be his third theatre production – his previous two being Chaos in Fairytale Forest (Grant County Theatre) and Newsies Jr. (Royal Theatre). Jack is excited to join his brother for a second production together! He wants to thank everyone for coming out to see the show, as well as Mason, Nathan, Evalyn, Dana and all others that had a hand in bringing this production to life.

James Wallace is excited to be a part of Oliver, Jr with Rising Stars. This will be his second production with Rising Stars, but he is not new to the stage. James has been acting since he was 5 years old and enjoys making people laugh. In this respect, he especially enjoyed his role as Charlie Bradley (Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever) as this allowed him some comedic moments. He is excited to have his little brother Jack with him this year. He hopes you enjoy the show and wants to thank Mason, Nathan, Evalyn, Dana, and all others involved in bringing this production to the stage!

Bella DeNagel (Ensemble) is making her stage debut in Oliver! as a proud member of the ensemble. This lively 11-year-old loves reading and writing, dancing, horseback and bike riding, volleyball, and camping. When she’s not performing, Bella enjoys creating clever inventions and playing fun pranks on her family and friends. She is beyond excited to be part of this production and can’t wait to add energy, movement, and joy to every scene!

Ellie Guillory is 11 years old and in her first year of acting. She is excited for her first performance and enjoying her experience. Ellie enjoys the part she plays and will be practicing hard. It has been a very good experience for her and she will be looking forward to the production. She is glad to be a part of this performance with great directors. In her spare time she enjoys animals, books, family, and nature. She also likes to go mountain biking and play sports.

Heléna Bock is I’m so excited to be performing in her first show with Rising Stars! She has been dancing for 11 years, with a primary focus on ballet, along with training in tap, jazz, and acro. Over the years, she has performed in 8 productions with Ballet Arkansas and many dance and music recitals under several different directors, each experience helping me grow as a performer. Outside of dance, she enjoys skating, art, and spending time with friends and family. Helena would also like to give a heartfelt thank you to her dance teacher, Anna Bowman, for her constant encouragement and support throughout her journey. She is so grateful to be part of this production and hopes you enjoy the show!

Kameron Klava, age 9 in 4th grade, is psyched for his third performance with Rising Star Players, first appearing in Peter Pan and Wendy and then in The Lion King Jr. A creative comic, Kameron thrives off of making others laugh, especially his younger brother and sister. When he’s not goofing off with family, Kameron enjoys a variety of music, books, and video games. Inspired by his performances, Kameron aspires to craft his own play based on the game Minecraft.

Ryann Renfro is thrilled to be part of this season’s Rising Stars! She previously performed as Clara in Ballet Arkansas’s The Nutcracker Spectacular and as Gramma Tala in Moana Jr., where she loved bringing beloved characters to life on stage. Ryann has a deep passion for dance and performing, and she especially treasures sharing these experiences with her family. She is excited to perform for you all!

Victoria Lancaster is excited to be making her the debut with the Rising Stars! When she’s not acting, you can find her playing soccer, hanging with her friends, or playing tennis with her mom. She would like to thank the directors for all they have done. And she hopes you enjoy Oliver! Jr!