Bethanie Knieser (Co-founder, Minnie)
Bethanie's love for performing started as a child when she took tap lessons because she wanted to make noise. Since then, she has sung and danced her way across the USA. She started in the lovely Fingers Lakes region of western New York performing in local theater and Mark Twain the Musical!, moved over to the Shanklin Theater in Indiana, down to Seaside Music theater in Florida, up to Hope Summer Repertory Theater in Michigan, and finally out west to California. California stages have included performances at Saddleback Civic Light Opera, Downey Civic Light Opera, The Gem, A Noise Within, Summer Repertory Theater, The Western Stage, Killer Entertainment, Gourmet Detective, Creative Motion Entertainment, and The Laguna Playhouse.For The Laguna Playhouse, Bethanie performed on the mainstage in Charlotte's Web, A Child's Christmas in Wales and in James Still's And Then They Came For Me. As part of the Playhouse's highly acclaimed Theater Reach Program under the direction of Donna Inglima, Bethanie travels to schools performing musical plays from their reading curriculum books. In 1999, she originated the role of Jack in By the Great Horn Spoon, a Gold Rush story with music by Mark Turnball. She also plays Charlotte in Charlotte's Web. Bethanie is passionate about bringing literature to life for students and helping to instill a love for live performances. She has taught acting for local youth arts programs and has tried her hand at directing at her congregation, Shuvah Yisrael.
Her "on stage family" from A Child's Christmas in Wales enjoyed spending the holiday season together so much that they formed a troupe called The Tin Box Theatricals. They perform a Celtic Christmas show at Orange County libraries during the holiday season.
At senior homes and Alzheimer care facilities, Bethanie teaches a music therapy class called Fascinating Rhythm. She incorporates music from the era she loves and the residents remember - the 1940's.
Bethanie is a graduate of Professional Actors Conservatory and has a BFA from the University of Evansville in Indiana where she studied theater and harp. She studied voice with Dr.Paul Dove at UE, Jack Waddell in New York and is currently a student of Grace de la Cruz in Los Angeles. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity.
She resides in Orange County, California with her biggest fans - her husband Bill and their sons Aidan, Gavin, and Quinlan.
