Staff
Jeff Daniels ~ Founder and Executive DirectorJeff Daniels has been a professional actor since 1976. Jeff has written twelve plays for the PRTC: Shoe Man, The Tropical Pickle, Thy Kingdom's Coming, Across the Way (2002 Finalist for the American Theatre Critics Association National Award for Best New Play), Norma & Wanda, The Vast Difference, Escanaba in da Moonlight, Apartment 3A, Boom Town, Escanaba In Love, Guest Artist (2006 Runner-up for The American Theatre Critics Association National Award for Best New Play) and Panhandle Slim and The Oklahoma Kid. Along with directing the PRTC productions of Boom Town and Lanford Wilson's The Hot L Baltimore, Jeff wrote, acted, and directed the Purple Rose Films' version of Escanaba in da Moonlight and Super Sucker (awarded Best Comedy at the 2001 U.S. Comedy Film Festival in Aspen, CO). Proceeds from his three CDs - Live & Unplugged at The Purple Rose, Grandfather's Hat, and Together Again (www.jeffdaniels.com) - go directly to The Purple Rose.
Guy Sanville ~ Artistic DirectorGuy Sanville has been with the Purple Rose since 1995. He has directed the Purple Rose productions of the World Premieres of Norma & Wanda by Jeff Daniels, Across the Way by Jeff Daniels (nominated Best New Play, American Theatre Critics Association), Rain Dance by Lanford Wilson, Orphan Train by Dennis North, The Hole by Wendy Hammond (nominated Best New Play, American Theatre Critics Association), Book of Days by Lanford Wilson (selected by the American Theatre Critics Association as the Best New Play of 1998), Apartment 3A by Jeff Daniels, the PRTC, Gem Theatre and BoarsHead Theatre productions of Escanaba in da Moonlight by Jeff Daniels, The Purple Rose Spring Comedy Festival - Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Lust, Nooner and Only Me and You. Other Purple Rose directing credits include Julie Johnson by Wendy Hammond and Stanton's Garage by Joan Ackermann. In May of 2003, he made his Off-Broadway directing debut with the New York premiere of Rain Dance at the Signature Theatre in New York City. Guy's Purple Rose acting credits include Ed Bonetti in The Tropical Pickle, Earl Noonan in The Vast Difference, Crash Baker in Thy Kingdom's Coming, Frankie Ferrano in Hang the Moon, Matt in Labor Day and Stu in Boom Town. Feature film credits include featured roles in Chasing Sleep, starring Jeff Daniels, The Lost Treasure of Sawtooth Island, starring Ernest Borgnine, Escanaba in da Moonlight, and Super Sucker for Purple Rose Films, and the unforgettable Mosquito as well as about 70 industrial films, commercials, and voice overs. He has worked as a writer on two films; Escanaba in da Moonlight and Super Sucker. He has received the Detroit Free Press theatre award for best director three out of the past four years. He is a member of The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Actors' Equity Association, the Screen Actors Guild and currently serves as Great Lakes Regional Vice President of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas.
Alan Ribant ~ Managing DirectorAlan Ribant was with The Purple Rose Theatre Company when we originally opened our doors in 1991 and is proud to still be here as we begin the next decade in the renovated facility. A native of Detroit, Alan moved back to Michigan to help start the PRTC after spending 1983-1990 with regional theatre companies (Arizona Theatre Company, Lincoln Center Theatre) across the country. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Wayne State University and a Master of Arts from the University of Arizona and was employed in both of their theatre departments. While theatre and the Purple Rose are his professional passions, Alan lives in Ann Arbor with the three true loves of his life, his wife Emily Bramblett and their daughters Gemma and Martha Ribant.
Casey Granton brought a love of American theatre from Eugene O’Neil to Mel Brooks and a life-long involvement in the arts with her to the Purple Rose. After receiving her Master of Fine Arts degree, she was elected to The Common Ground of the Arts, the first federally funded organization of visual artists in the US, and began to teach, first painting and design, then humanities at Wayne State University. She went on to State Government as a grantsmaker for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs working in education, arts programming, capital projects, and operational support. Moving to the other side of the “philanthropic table’” she became Director of Development for the Detroit Zoological Society and then Director of Development for the Henry Ford Estate. As luck would have it, she has two perfect daughters and two perfect grandsons upon whom she dotes.
Dennis Crawley ~ Technical DirectorDennis Crawley graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Education, and began his theatre career in Portland, Maine, where he spent two seasons as Properties Master for the Portland Stage Company. Another two seasons were spent in Columbus, Ohio as Properties Carpenter; while in Ohio Dennis spent two summers in Cedar City, Utah, as a Properties Artisan for their renowned Shakespeare Festival. In 1994, Dennis moved to Denver to work with the Denver Center Theatre Company as a Properties Artisan. For five years he had the pleasure of working with hundreds of talented professionals building and contributing to their 1998 Tony Award-winning season.
Dennis is very happy to have found an opportunity to do work that he loves without having to leave his new “backyard”. Since his arrival in 2003 he has had the honor of designing two PRTC shows; The Glass Menagerie and When the Lights Come On. In Dennis’ spare time he dotes on the three loves of his life; Jane, Gavin and Kiera.
Julie Brunzell ~ Company ManagerJulie Brunzell is happy to be working again at the Purple Rose! A graduate of the PRTC Apprentice Program and an Equity stage manager, Julie worked on the PRTC productions Rain Dance, Orphan Train, Completing Dahlia, and Guys on Ice. She was also a member of the stage management team for the Big Pickle Inc. production of Escanaba in da Moonlight at the Gem Theatre.
Locally she produced the 2002 Greenhouse Theatre Company production of Anton
in Show Business at Performance Network's Treetown Festival, and
served as the grant writer and managing director of the Idlewild Theatre
Company's first production in the summer of 2004. Julie recently received
her M.A. in Arts Administration from Eastern Michigan University.
Quintessa Gallinat ~ Publicity & Programs ManagerQuintessa Gallinat has been with the PRTC since she became a apprentice in 2001; she joined the staff full-time as marketing assistant in 2002. Quintessa made her debut as resident sound designer with the World Premiere production of Across The Way by Jeff Daniels in 2002 and has since designed at least 3 productions every season, including almost a dozen World Premieres; some of her favorites include Leaving Iowa, The Glass Menagerie, Guest Artist, The Late Great Henry Boyle, Escanaba In Love and When The Lights Come On. She made her professional directing debut with The Subject Was Roses by Frank D. Gilroy in 2007. Currently, she also serves as apprentice chief and is a PRTC Associate Artist. Quintessa received her Bachelor of Arts in 2000 from Alma College. A proud wife and mother, she is eternally grateful to have found a creative home and to be able to make her living doing what she loves.
Gary Ciarkowski ~ Master Electrician & Assistant Technical DirectorGary Ciarkowski has been working for the Purple Rose as the Master Electrician since 1996. He has since taken on the responsibilities of Assistant Technical Director, Sound Engineer, Computer Network Administrator and Webmaster. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering.
Megan Johnson ~ Development AssistantMegan Johnson is thrilled to be a part of the PRTC family! She graduated from
the PRTC apprenticeship program in 2009. Megan made her debut on the PRTC stage during Bleeding
Red when she went on as an understudy for the role of Liz. She graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre and
in Hospitality Tourism Management. Megan is ecstatic that she is able to work in a field that she loves so much!
Heidi Bennett ~ Office ManagerHeidi Bennett is so pleased to be part of the staff at the Purple Rose! A graduate of Central Michigan University, Heidi has her Bachelor's degree in Theatre and French. She also completed an apprenticeship at the Performance Network in Ann Arbor where she gained much valuable experience. Thanks to everyone at the Rose for the amazing opportunities to learn and grow.
Julia Garlotte ~ Group Sales ManagerJulia Garlotte graduated from the University of Michigan Residential College with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama. Since completing the PRTC Apprentice Program in 2007, she has performed in three PRTC greenhouses, understudied Big Betty Balou in Escanaba In Love at the Gem Theatre in Detroit and stage managed Souvenir at Performance Network in Ann Arbor. Julia joined the PRTC staff full-time as Group Sales Manager in January of 2008.
Danna Segrest ~ Box Office AssistantDanna Segrest has been part of the Purple Rose Theatre Company family since our first production, Blush at Nothing, in 1991. Her theatre background stems from a BS Degree in Communications & Theatre from Michigan State University. As a Resident Artist of the Purple Rose, Danna wears many hats working in many areas of the theatre from designing props to plant care. Danna is the official Production Photographer. She is pleased to be lending a hand in the Box Office as well.