Meet the Cast of A Christmas Carol's Past: Joel Carpenter

Meet Joel Carpenter

I followed in my brother Adam's [Editor's note: see 11/5 entry] footsteps and played Tiny Tim for a couple seasons and then moved up to Matthew Cratchit and eventually the Turkey Boy and even Dick Wilkins.  I was in the show from the late '90's thru mid '00's except for 2001.  That season instead I played one of the "no-neck monsters" in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof where my sisters were two other Carol veteran child actors - Hannah Mathers [Editor's note: see 11/21 entry] and Lauracindy Plague.  After my time with Carol, I spent my senior year of high school working on my uncle's dairy farm in upstate NY and then returned to MI where I have since worked for a crop farmer, an industrial contracting company and currently a landscaping firm.  Even though I haven't been on the stage in years, I think I can recite all my lines and most of the others in Carol.

Meet the Cast of A Christmas Carol's Past: Sarah Jayne Huber

Meet Sarah Jayne Huber (now Gach)

I am the proud mother of three (Thomas - age 12, Anthony - age 9 and Aurella - age 5) and wife of David Gach. I appeared in the very first year of MBT's A Christmas Carol and for several seasons following, often with siblings or parents also in the cast. I am currently serving as the elementary principal of Novi Christian Academy in Novi, MI. Though I did not pursue a career in the arts, I view teaching and leading chapels as an art form all on its own. My many fond memories of acting in A Christmas Carol, as well as other countless professional productions between the ages of 4 and 12, have served me well in preparing for my current career. I count my memories and friendships from Meadow Brook Theatre as profound blessings. The photo is of my daughter, myself, my mom, and my grandmother in April of 2019.

Meet the Cast of A Christmas Carol's Past: Vanessa Ohlinger

Meet Vanessa Ohlinger (now Treires)

My Grandma, Celia Roccos, worked in the box office at MBT for years. Every year she encouraged us to try out for the A Christmas Carol production. One year my little brother (Jon) and I auditioned and we both were cast! This was my very first time being involved in a major production. I was cast as Martha (Tiny Tim’s sister) and others. The experience was far beyond expectations and changed my life forever.

Learning about how involved musical theatre is and how much goes on behind the scene was amazing. I loved learning my role and all the wonderful songs. The costumes were amazing; I felt like a princess dressed up!

Today I am a mother of two beautiful girls - Sophia, who is 2.5 and Elena, who is 10 days old today. I am married to my wonderful husband, Jimmy for five years. I work as a medical biller and office manager.

A Christmas Carol was so much fun and was such a great experience. I still have friends from when I was in the play almost 20 years ago.

Meet the Cast of A Christmas Carol's Past: Hannah Locker

Meet Hannah Locker (now Johnson)

Some of my fondest memories have been made during productions of A Christmas Carol at Meadow Brook Theatre. I honestly don’t remember how many roles I played or years I was a part of ACC. This is partly because my long-term memory is not so great, but mostly because of my father Phil Locker who worked there year-round. My years spent there were a big blur of hiding in the costume shop, Bas-Ket tournaments in the trailers, and Green Room Boston Market dinners. Meadow Brook was my home, and the people there were my family. After going to school at Eastern Michigan University and The College for Creative Studies, I left Michigan for the Florida Keys. This is where I met and married my amazing husband Nathan in 2010. We have lived in Nashville, Chicago, and now landed in his hometown of Dover, Ohio. We have two sons, Atticus Fox (4) and Gideon Oak (3). Both of them show signs of following in their Papa Phil’s footsteps…a couple of hams destined for the stage (and future Bas-Ket stars). Alongside being a full-time mom, I run a freelance art business, Hannah Tegan Illustration (www.hannahtegan.com). Although hand drawn custom illustrations are my first love in the trade (I just finished my first book that will be published later this year!), I also do digital design work and branding for local and national businesses. I would like to extend a jolly Mr. Fezziwig 'thank you!' to all of the wonderful people that have come into my life because of MBT. A Christmas Carol and all of you will always have a special place in my heart.