Pennyroyal Players
Cast Members

Cast

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ANNE DESTABELLE, Creator and Director
Anne retired from two careers, one in Child Protective Services and one as Hughes Contract Negotiator. She sings soprano with Los Cancioneros Master Chorale. Classically trained, she enjoys piano and guitar, playing at her wedding to husband, Ray. She is active with Peninsula Committee for the LA Phil. She entertains for Norris Theatre’s BRAVO and ACT III, and plays piano for Torrance Memorial Hospital and Caring House Hospice. She loves tennis, bridge, mahjongg, traveling with Ray, enjoying her family and joyously collaborating musically with her daughter, Dawn.

MARTIN AGESON
Martin grew up surrounded by good music, particularly enjoying early jazz, the blues, folk, country, Broadway musicals, and rock. His musical heroes include Kristofferson, Armstrong, Haggard, Waits, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Dylan. He played through college till his 37-year legal career interfered. Retired, Martin sings with the Torrance Civic Chorale, and he is thrilled to join the Pennyroyal Players. Martin volunteers for and studies with Omnilore’s lifelong learning organization, plays in a softball league, and scores student moot courts and academic decathlons.

JOE ARNETT
Joe has sung with Los Cancioneros Master Chorale for 8 years. In his youth, he appeared at the Old Globe Theater and Starlight Opera in San Diego. During college he also was a soloist with the Loyola University Men's Chorus directed by Paul Salamunovitch. After 40 years as a banker, he returned to his love of music. In summer, he sings with the California Philharmonic Chorale at Disney Hall.

DIANA BROWNSON
Diana is a professional freelance musician and organist at St Lawrence Martyr Church, pianist for the Torrance Civic Chorale and LA schools and theaters, and director/accompanist for over 30 music theater productions. A classically trained Bohemian, she holds a Music degree from Long Beach State University, is an accomplished ballroom/swing dancer and visits New Orleans regularly with her vintage 1925 Stella Banjolele to play and sing on the streets of the French Quarter with her band “The Fun Factor”. She joins us with mandolin and harmonica as well.

LIZ CANTINE
Liz began studying dance at age four with Burch Mann. She later joined the professional American Folk Ballet. After graduating from UCLA, Liz became a full-time classroom and dance educator in LAUSD and President of the California Dance Education Association. During this time, she discovered the incredible talents of Misty Copeland, and now is her proud godmother.  Liz remains a professional dancer and choreographer and director of The Ready Willing and Able dance troupe of 33 teens and young adults with special needs. This keeps her heart dancing with joy!

DAWN CURRY
Dawn is a licensed attorney who currently works for LexisNexis, a legal publishing company. She grew up surrounded by music, playing piano and flute and doing musical theater as a young child.  Classically trained in both piano and flute through her elementary and high school years, she won the Bach Festival competition in flute and other awards. She has recently picked up her flute again after 30 years and decided to pursue her lifelong desire to sing a year ago. She is the daughter of the group’s founder, Anne Destabelle, and joins her mother and the group for various performances with both singing and flute. She lives in Redondo Beach and her biggest fans are her two little dogs who tolerate and support all of her musical endeavors. In addition to her performances with the Pennyroyals, she hopes to use her music to help raise money for animal rescue so all animals can be treated with respect, compassion and love.

ANN EHRENCLOU
Ann obtained her B.A. in Music Education. at University of Colorado and M.H.A. degree at CSUDH. She is a retired Music Coordinator for PVPUSD. Ann has been in groups such as LC Master Chorale and Peninsula Committe for the LA Phil. She has been honored for her work in music education.

GLORIA GODET
Gloria has performed since age of four, singing on radio shows in Miami, FL. She toured the US with Fisk University Jubilee Singers. Gloria studied acting with Chip Fields and with Sassy Gerhardt. She sings with Los Cancioneros Master Chorale and occasionally performs at jazz clubs.

JIM JONES
Jim adds authenticity with his tenor banjo. Since selling his engineering company to his employees, he has devoted himself to music, playing and singing in local bands and orchestras and sharing his collection of 14,000 full orchestrations of America’s popular music through his website, www.yestertunes.com.

PAUL MAYNARD
Paul lived and worked in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong, for Bank of America. He enjoys all kinds of music and studied classical piano. He performed in high school plays and musicals and on local TV. He performed with Wichita State University Glee Club and Chorus, including a Mendelssohn Oratorio, narrated by Basil Rathbone. He directed a youth choir in Tokyo. He has been a member of the St. John Fisher Choir for over 40 years. He enjoys world travel, music performances, especially Theatre Organ and Jazz and spending time with 6 grandchildren.

JOE MCCOLLAM
Joe McCollam is a recent addition to the Pennyroyals, playing Chapman Stick, Guitar, Mandolin, Bass, and Pennywhistle. He also sings with Los Cancioneros Master Chorale. He is an engineer, working on Satellites for the Boeing Company. He enjoys most genres of music, especially Jazz, Classical, Bluegrass, and World music.

CECILIA ROGERS
Cecilia has performed as a singer, actress, and vocal director throughout Southern California. She currently is director of the Readers Theater of the Palos Verdes Peninsula American Association of University Women, which performed her play The Ladies Remember via zoom in 2020. When she is not working at her full-time job as a corporate writer, she enjoys going to the theater, reading detective stories, walking on the beach, knitting and visiting her children in West LA, Seattle, and Paris. She is married to organist and composer Ray Urwin.

KATHIE RYEL
Kathie is a retired registered Nurse and a Major in the U.S. Army Reserves. She met her husband Jim while in the Army. She sang with Los Cancioneros in the 1970’s and again for 14 years from 2000 to 2014. She is an avid hiker, power walker, animal and nature lover. She and her husband travel extensively and she loves to photograph wildlife.

DEBORAH STRAYHAND
Deborah is a member of SAG/AFTRA and has been on many TV shows and movies as a background actress. She is a graduate of the University of Portland and enjoys performing in musicals. She has performed onstage in Downey, La Mirada and also various locations with the Cup of Water Players. She can be seen singing and playing the clarinet at Redondo Beach. She is proud to be a member of the Pennyroyal Players.

CHERIE TURNER
Cherie was a music/theater major in college, performing in many musicals and plays. As a grad student, she designed and made costumes for several college productions.  She taught at Lassen Community College in Susanville, California, producing Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, The Messiah, and My Fair Lady. She taught English in Grass Valley, and also joined a repertory theater company in Nevada City at the American Victoria Museum. She directed or performed in Peter Pan, Pygmalion, Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Crucible. After raising her children, she went to law school, becoming a defense attorney in Fresno, California. She continued performing in community theater groups and lounge shows. Now retired, she will spend more time doing what she loves most...singing, acting and enjoying the talents of others.

CLAIRE WAGNER
From Redondo Beach, Claire loves folk, country, and bluegrass music.  She has sung at El Camino College, UCLA and LC Master Chorale.  She plays banjo and guitar.

Retired Cast Members

GAY DURWARD
Gay received her degree in Theatre Arts from UCLA, with a specialty in light opera. She sings with Los Cancioneros Master Chorale. She enjoys teaching art appreciation, creating fine wearable fibre art with the Yarn Whisperers, eco-traveling with her husband, Don, and shamelessly spoiling her grandchildren.

FAY OWEN
Fay has been singing with Los Cancioneros Master Chorale for over 35 years. She worked in the Palos Verdes schools for many years – part of that time as a substitute music teacher.  Currently, Fay is a docent at the Palos Verdes Interpretive Center.

JOAN PERKINS
A Palos Verdes elementary music teacher, Joan performs with the Norris Theatre, Downey CLO, and Cup of Water. She is involved with music ministry at St. Lawrence Church and enjoys world travel as well as time spent singing and playing with her three grandchildren. Beloved by her many students, she has been awarded Palos Verdes Educator of the Year.

STEVE SCHLEGEL
Steve has sung in Methodist Church choirs forever.  He has sung with Los Cancioneros and now sings with the Pacific Unitarian Church choir. He is happy to have joined the Pennyroyal Players singing their Christmas program at Torrance Memorial Hospital and now Love Songs and Other Predicaments. Steve loves all kinds of music and growing orchids.

FAYE SCHWARTZ
Faye was a high-school teacher before retiring to raise her two children. She then had a 20-year career as an educational computer software developer. Faye has sung with Los Cancioneros Master Chorale for 30+ years.  She is an active member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Rancho Palos Verdes, where she was formerly Director of Worship and Music and directed two choirs. Faye is also active with Peninsula Symphony Board and Omnilore.

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