Amelia’s Big Idea: a New Musical Created by Heather Beasley, Richie Cannaday, and Edie Carey
Season 16
June 9-Aug. 7 at outdoor venues across Colorado
About the Play
Inspiring kids with big ideas to build better communities
Ten-year-old Amelia Smart wants to build a dog park. Her pet Gadget needs a safe place to play, but her big idea to transform Townville will take a lot of work! Along the way, Amelia will need help from the Mayor, the Librarian, Mr. Delivery, and others. Kids (suggested ages 4-12) will learn about teamwork, community, and civic ambition through catchy songs and live acoustic music in this can’t-miss world premiere. Warning: You might take some big ideas home with you.
CAST
Brittany Mendoza-Peña (Amelia) is excited to make her BETC debut this summer in “Amelia’s Big Idea”! She is a recent transplant to Colorado, following her graduation from Drake University’s Musical Theatre BFA program. Her recent credits include “Lightning in a Bottle” (One Talk Media, LLC), “The Lotus” (LOCAL Lab), as well as the Drake University productions: “Pippin,” “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” “Heathers,” and “Runaways.” When she is not onstage, Brittany enjoys working as a theater/dance instructor for Mountain Performing Arts and the Performing Arts Academy. She would like to thank her husband Jared & pup Ollie, for being steady reminders that everyone has a little bit of Amelia in them!
Ben Hilzer (Actor 2 / Mr. Delivery) is thrilled to be making his BETC debut in this wonderful original musical alongside such brilliant collaborators. He has worked with the Denver Center, Arvada Center, Miners Alley Playhouse, CO Springs FAC, THEATREWORKS, Aurora Fox, Littleton Town Hall, and even in Ohio at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Recently, Ben performed in “The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes” with BDT Stage, “R&H’s Cinderella” with the FAC, and as the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz” at the Parker PACE Center. Currently, Ben can be seen in Miners Alley’s “The Princess at the Pea” and will be seen in Miners’ fall production of “HAIR” as Woof. For his work as Mr. Wormwood in “Matilda” and as Grendel in “Beowulf”, Ben was nominated for a CTG Henry Award. Additionally, Ben has played in rock bands since high school and is thrilled to be performing in his first actor-musician production. You can hear his music on Spotify under “Becoming Brothers.” Ben sends all of his love to Caitlin, Mom, Dad, AJ, and Molly.
Katie Jackson (Actor 3 / Gadget) is thrilled to be making her BETC debut with this vibrant and touching new show! Other favorite credits: Ex-Girlfriend, “Once,” Miners Alley Playhouse, Caterpillar/Bianca/Unicorn, “Wonderland,” Aurora Fox; Jane, “Tarzan,” Candlelight Dinner Playhouse; Belle, “Beauty and the Beast,” CDP; Mistress, “Evita,” Lone Tree Arts Center, Emma, “Jekyll & Hyde,” CDP; Phoebe, “Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” Vintage Theatre; Amy, “Little Women,” Aurora Fox; Olive, “Ella Enchanted,” The Arvada Center; and Bobbi Jean and others, “Junie B. Jones,” The Arvada Center. Being a part of this process has been such a delightful experience! Thank you all for supporting live theatre!
Madelyn J. Smith (Actor 4/ Mrs. Bastien) is elated to be joining Butterfly Effect Theatre of Colorado for the first time in their production of “Amelia’s Big Idea.” Notable credits include: “Animal Farm” and “The Liar” (u/s, performed, Arvada Center), “300 Each” and “U-Bus” (Party People Productions), “Another Kind of Silence” (staged reading, Denver Center Theatre Company), “Macbeth” (Misfits Theater Company), “Recent Tragic Events” (Stage 33 Productions), “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” “Dead Man’s Cellphone,” and “Savage in Limbo” (Denver Center for the Performing Arts: Education). Training: Lewis-Myers Scholar, DCPA: Education; B.A. in Vocal Performance, Gonzaga University; Doctoral candidate, University of Northern Colorado.
Jenna Moll Reyes (Director)
Angela Steiner (Musical Director) is a Denver-based music director, pianist, voice coach, orchestrator/arranger. Originally from Wichita, Kansas, she has music directed at theaters all over the US. She loves creating and collaborating on new musicals and is thrilled she had the opportunity to help bring “Amelia’s Big Idea” to life. Select Regional Theater music directing credits: “Rattlesnake Kate”, “Indecent”, “Oklahoma!”, “Twelfth Night” and “The Who’s Tommy”(Denver Center for the Performing Arts), “Hair” (The Old Globe), “Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella”(Alabama Shakespeare Festival) and “Sweeney Todd” (Asolo Repertory). Angela holds a bachelors degree in piano from Wichita State University and a masters in collaborative piano from the University of Northern Colorado.
Heather Beasley (Writer)
Richie Cannaday (Writer) is an Associate Member of Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble (BTE) in Bloomsburg, PA, where he spent 14 years as a resident ensemble artist with a focus on family programming. His school-touring adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a 2015 recipient of the Shakespeare in American Communities Award. Richie is the founder of the drama program inside North Central Secure Treatment Unit in Danville, PA, and was the lead instructor at BTE’s Play Creation Boot Camp. He is a current MFA student at The Playwrights Lab at Hollins University in Roanoke, VA where his play The Dragon Butcher was featured in the 2021 Summer Festival of New Works. He lives in Roanoke with his wife, Syreeta, and their three kids.
Edie Carey (Writer/Award-winning singer-songwriter) is known for her unmistakable, soulful voice, her intelligent, heart-grabbing songs, but perhaps most especially for her warm, engaging presence on – and off – stage. As much a part of her show as the music itself, Carey’s wry and often self-mocking humor makes audiences feel as though they have just spent an evening with a very close friend. Carey has been singing at festivals, colleges, and listening rooms across the US, Canada and Europe since 1999, performing alongside Sara Bareilles, Brandi Carlile, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, and Shawn Colvin. Her co-writes have been recorded by Shawn Mullins and Chely Wright, and she’s appeared at the country’s most prestigious folk festivals including Telluride Bluegrass, Rocky Mountain Folks, Newport Folk, 30A Songwriters, and Cayamo. Her duo lullabies project with Sarah Sample garnered several children’s music awards, including Best Children’s Album in the 2015 Independent Music Awards, and she was a featured vocalist on Joanie Leeds’ Grammy-Winning Ensemble Album “All the Ladies” in 2020. Her eleventh album “The Veil” was released June 3rd, 2022.
DESIGN TEAM
Set Design: Tina Anderson
Sound Design: Brian Freeland
Costume Design: Erika Daun
Lighting Design: Erik Frederiksen
Props Design: Katie Hopwood
PRODUCTION TEAM
Production/Touring Manager: Michael Morgan
Asst. Stage Manager: Adara Balthazar
Stage Manager: Katie Hopwood
Sound Crew: Rowan Livengood
Producing Artistic Director: Stephen Weitz
