Meet the Carolers

Julie Payne

Julie Payne, with her husband, David is the owner and manager of The Original Dickens Carolers. She is thrilled with the recent expansion of Party Singers.com in New York and the exciting collaboration with Julia Tobey.

Since 1985, Julie has worked in Colorado and the region as a writer, director, teacher, speaker, and performer. She has directed and acted at The Arvada Center and she and her husband have seen many of their children’s scripts produced there. In addition, she has worked at The Aurora Fox, and Country Dinner Playhouse, and in numerous commercials and industrial training videos.

Entrepreneurial, in her drive, she has also just launched a corporate seminar company called Business Train, providing a unique approach to familiar corporate challenges. 

Julie feels blessed to be surrounded by so many amazingly talented and genuinely wonderful people both in Colorado and New York.

David Payne

Lee "Dutch" Miller

Dutch Miller is a Denver-born singer, arranger, teacher and director of music.  He produces sound tracks for advertisers.  He sings with a popular a cappella group called Cool Shooz; another called Vojo, and plays guitar in a rock band known as Cut to the Chase.  He is Music Director and a member of the Original Dickens Carolers; teaches voice; and is a respected church choir director.  He was a ten-year member of the Opera Colorado Chorus and recently appeared with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in Bernstein’s Mass.  He lives and works in Golden with his wife and two children.  Above all, he is committed to the human voice as the most beautiful instrument of all, and harmony as a way of life.

Bryan Bell

Most recently Bryan directed and choreographed Grease for Main Street Players and Joseph...Dreamcoat for Performance Now Theatre Company and was a principle choreographer for Magic Moments All This and WWII.  Directing/Choreography credits include Joseph...Dreamcoat, Bye, Bye Birdie and Nunsense – Castle Rock Players, The Fantasticks – Vail Valley Theatre Company, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, Anything Goes – Front Range Music Theatre, Man of La Mancha – Augustana Arts. Bryan was most recently seen as Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street for PNTC, LeFou in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast for FRMT and Ambrose Kemper in Hello Dolly for PNTC.  Other regional performance credits include West Side Story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers – Country Dinner Playhouse, A Chorus Line – Boulder’s Dinner Theatre, Gypsy, Mame, Shenandoah, and the award winning Joseph...Dreamcoat – Arvada Center, The King and I – Town Hall Arts Center, Die Fledermaus –Opera Colorado, Once Upon a Mattress – Aurora Fox, Singin’ in the Rain, Oklahoma, Titanic – Front Range Music Theatre.  Upcoming directorial projects include Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and Titanic the Musical.  He is currently a senior at Metro State seeking a degree in English/Secondary Education.  This is his 3rd season with the Original Dickens Carolers!

 Katie Bradford

As a professional actress Katie Bradford has been performing in the Denver Area for over 15 years.  She is a member of Actor’s Equity and has performed at such venues as the Arvada Center, Country Dinner Playhouse and the Aurora Fox.   In addition, she was a member of the Denver Center Theatre Company the year they won the Tony Award for best regional theatre.  For film, commercial and voice over work she is currently represented by Donna Baldwin Talent.She is also the full time elementary and middle school drama teacher for Denver Academy.

Susana Brizuela

Born without rhythm and disowned by her family for her disability, she raised herself on the cold, hard streets banging garbage can lids together, a skill that has served her well as a Pip. She has worked hard to overcome her deficiencies for the sake of her only child, a daughter Cathy. She finds solace in the fact that she had a talent for which Lockheed-Martin employed her as a software engineer. She has also been known to perform (although not on the garbage can lid) with the Empire Lyric Players and the Choir at the Holy Ghost Church. She has, in years past, been known to "put on airs" to be a Felicity for the Carolers as well, although she did miss banging the dingers together (they remind of her earlier days). Today she lives in Centennial with her family, numerous pets, and lid-less garbage cans.

Andrew Caldwell

Claudia Carson has the distinct pleasure of being the last "original" Original Dickens Caroler. She started 21 years ago and brought along some "dingers" to add a little rhythm. Little did she know that it would come to this. Thanks to David and Julie Payne, a group of 4 street performers became a successful seasonal business with 40 carolers! When Claudia is not caroling she is the Production Stage Manager of the Galleria Theatre at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. She has been a professional actress, director, and choreographer throughout Denver with too many credits to mention, and too embarrassed to list them.

Leslie Chapman

Leslie is delighted to be part of the Original Dickens Carolers! She has been involved in Colorado theatre since she earned her Masters in Musical Theatre from the Boston Conservatory, where she wrote, directed, and starred in the original musical NOTORIOUS VICTORIA. At the Backstage theatre, she was seen as Pippin in THE HOBBIT, Matt Damon in MATT AND BEN and Sister Mary Amnesia in NUNSENSE. She was recently at the Lake Dillon Theatre as DeeDee in WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE and Little Sally in URINETOWN.  In Denver she performed at the Arvada Center in MOTHER WHIMSEY and UNDER THE BEANSTALK, and at Town Hall as Mary Kenney in DO PATENT LEATHER SHOES REALLY REFLECT UP?. She appeared as Leuzia in BELLE AND THE BEAST at the Nomad Theatre and as Jan in GREASE at Country Dinner Playhouse.

Terri Cohen

Terri has been singing with the carolers since 1992.  She has spent many years as an actress in the Metro area, performing, teaching and directing in various venues such as the Arvada Center, Avenue Theatre and the Aurora Fox, where she also served as the Children's Theatre Producer.  She is currently on hiatus from the glamorous world of the theatre to raise her four wonderful children, who now get more work than she does.

Paul Dunne

most recently played Mother Superior in Town Hall Arts Center’s, “Nunsense, A-Men”.  Mr. Dunne was also seen as John Adams in THAC’s production of “1776”, thus making it an interesting year going from a “Founding Father” to a “Reverend Mother”.  Paul’s work has been seen on many stages in town from Country Dinner Playhouse to The Avenue Theatre.  He also works on camera doing films, commercials, industrials and television and is represented by Donna Baldwin Talent.  Mr. Dunne is the Executive Director of Development for Inner City Health Center and is extremely active in the nonprofit community sitting on many local and national boards.

Todd Felts

Becca Fletcher

Becca is enjoying her third year with the Original Dickens Carolers. She has performed around the Denver area with Performance Now Theater Company, Main Street Players and the Town Hall Arts Center. Favorite roles have included The Mute in The Fantasticks (THAC), Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes (PNTC), and Maggie Jones in 42nd Street (MSP). She currently serves on the board of directors of Next Stage theater company. Becca lives in Littleton with her husband and two children.

Kristin Hathaway

Robert Hubbard

With a firm belief that Christmas music is meant to be enjoyed year-round, Robert was thrilled to begin performing four years ago with The Original Dickens Carolers. Now he gets to sing his favorite Christmas music with some of the best performers in Denver. What a great way to enjoy each Christmas season! He has also acted in local theater with Front Range Music Theatre, Castle Rock Players, and Augustana Arts. When not performing he teaches high school and works as an independent video producer and photographer. Thanks to David and Julie and to all the carolers who make this “the most wonderful time of the year!”

Brian Hutchinson

Monique Jacques

This is Monique's 6th year singing with the Original Dickens Carolers & she is excited for the upcoming season!  She most recently appeared in Footloose and Cabaret at the Littleton Town Hall Arts Center.  When not singing, or doing home improvements, she is having a blast planning her upcoming nuptials for next May.  This busy little bee also enjoys cooking new recipes.  She'd like to thank her family and fiance' for their continued love and support.

Greg Johnson

Kathy Kautz Henson

Kathy Kautz is a member of Actor’s Equity and has performed in musicals and plays at theaters throughout Denver .  This is her 8th season with ODC and every year she looks forward to performing with this extremely talented group.  A busy mother of two, Kathy works as a choreographer and director in her “free time”.

Valerie Kerns

Jeff King

Jeff has been performing for most of his adult life, both as a solo artist and in two of Denver’s most popular a cappella groups, The Diners and Cool Shooz, a group he joined in 1996. As a member of these groups he has opened for the likes of Ray Charles, Marvin Hamlisch, Pete Fountain, Kevin Pollack, The Persuasions, Firefall and The Bobs, and sung for thousands of music lovers nationwide at festivals, concerts, nightclubs, and competitions. The Diners and Cool Shooz have made numerous appearances on radio and TV, and sung the U.S. and Canadian national anthems at Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rockies, and Colorado Avalanche games as well as many other professional and amateur sporting events. Cool Shooz released its own CD in 2002.
     As a solo artist and with his other band Cut to the Chase, Jeff performs in clubs, churches, retirement centers, and at festivals, corporate and private events. In 1993 he released “Boogie Woogie Boogeyman”, a recording of children’s music, and in 1998 released an all-original CD entitled “This One Life”. He is also Executive Director of the Colorado Arts Center, Inc., an effort to create a world-class center for a wide range of arts disciplines in the Denver area.

Margie Lamb-Duff

Matt LaFontaine

Matt LaFontaine has been a caroler for six years now and spends the 11 months off-season wishing December would come quick!  Matt resides in Denver now after spending the past three years touring and living in NYC.  He recently returned from the Canadian Tour of "Forever Plaid" where he played Jinx and is currently playing Wally Fergusson in BDT's holiday production of "The 1940's Radio Hour."  Favorite roles include Mary Sunshine (Chicago), Emcee (Cabaret), Victor/Adrian (Smokey Joe's Cafe), Matt (The Fantasticks), George M. Cohan (George M!), Pseudolus (A Funny Thing Happened... Forum) and Sister Mary Hubert (Nunsense A-Men!)   Matt is also excited for the upcoming regional premiere of Moby Dick! The Musical at the Aurora Fox where he is playing Mapple. 

Melissa McCarl

Melissa is best known as the director and author of Painted Bread, a  piece about the tumultuous life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo which was named Best Play of 2003 by the Denver Post.  She directs and choreographs through out the area, most recently including The King and I at Littleton’s Town Hall Arts Center, South Pacific at the Mizel Arts Center, and the critically acclaimed Pure Piaf at the Denver Civic Theatre, which she developed and directed featuring Alex Ryer as the French chanteuse Edith Piaf. This fall she will develop a new piece for Ms. Ryer and popular Denver diva Lannie Garrett around the life of Peggy Lee, which audiences can look for at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret around Valentine’s Day of 2008. Melissa was commissioned to write a play about Gertrude Stein for the Mizel Center titled Poignant Irritations which was awarded Best New Play by the Denver Post and Westword.  She is also the recipient of the Steven Dietz Playwriting Award.  As an actress she was named “Best Actress in a Musical” for her work in Ruthless! at the Theatre on Broadway.

Debbie McGinley

This is Debbie's 8th year with The Original Dickens Carolers.  She spends her days recruiting for a payroll/hr outsourcing company called Paychex.  Anyone want a job?  In her free time she enjoys doing theatre around town, fixing up her house and spending time with her new husband Andrew.  Thanks for letting us bring you some holiday cheer! 

Hannah Middleton

is thrilled to be returning for her third year as a Dickens Caroler!  She is a student at the University of Northern Colorado, where she majors in Theatre with an emphasis in Acting. She is currently playing the role of "Corie" in the Denver Vic's production of Barefoot in the Park.  She also recently played the role of "Hero" in Much Ado About Nothing at UNC. She looks forward to graduating from UNC this spring and marrying her fiance, Scott Hines!

Anthony Miller

Jim Miller

DaNia Mortimer

DaNia Mortimer graduated from Colorado Christian University with a BM in Vocal Performance and a BA in music.  She has performed in various plays and musicals at the Arvada Center, Country Dinner Playhouse and Littleton Town Hall.DaNia teaches voice lessons and theatre at the Arvada Center and is currently a full-time elementary school teacher in the Littleton Public School district.  This is her 12th season with the Original Dickens Carolers. She dedicates everything to her mother, Mary June, who gave her such a passion for music; who passed away this past July.

Natalie Oliver-Atherton

Performance credits include the role of the Gypsy Acid Queen in two international tours of the Who's Tommy; the rolse of Constance in David Merrick's Oh, Kay!; and the privilege of originating the role of Andrea Devereaux in Once on This Island.  She has also performed a one-year-plus stint in the Off-Broadway hit, A Brief History of White Music and she can be seen in the feature films: Mississippi Masala (opposite Oscar winner Denzel Washington) and Amazing Grace & Chuck.  Regionally, she has had principal roles in Jesus Christ Superstar (Mary Magdalene), Little Shop of Horrors, Intimate Apparel and Porgy and Bess. 

As a lead vocalist, Oliver-Atherton has toured internationally with performance in Tokyo, Japan, Geneva, Switzerland; and Offenbach, Germany as well as at Carnegie Hall in New York City and on the French Riviera for the late Prince Rainier of Monaco.  She has also performed as the soprano soloist with the CSO (Duke Ellington's Sacred Concert); and the Florida Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, and Sinfonia Gulfcoast and as of last year (one snowy weekend) the mezzo-soprano soloist with the CSO performing (Too Hot to Handel).

In addition, she had headlined at the former Stardust Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in the original production "Enter the Night".  And a recent highlight in her career was the honor of opening for former poet laureate,
Dr. Maya Angelou at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

Paul Page

Paul has been a “Guv’nor” with the Original Dickens Carolers for six seasons.  A proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, Paul is an award-winning actor and singer with nearly 30 years of experience.  Following his graduation from Kent State University, Paul pursued his career in New York City for ten years, appearing in summer stock and Off Broadway as well as in TV and movie roles.  Since relocating from New York City in the late 1980s, he has appeared in over 50 productions along the Front Range, numerous commercials and in several feature films.  Paul is the recipient of a Denver Drama Critics Circle Award, several Westword “Best of” citations and a Garland Award for Outstanding Performance from Backstage West.  Find out more at www.paulpage.biz

Adam Paul

Adam is so excited to spend his third season caroling with both his real and "extended" family.  Adam has been seen performing all around the Denver Metro Area for about ten years in theaters such as Boettcher Concert Hall, The Country Dinner Playhouse, The Arvada Center, and The Buell Theater.  Favorite roles include Roger in Grease, Tank in The Dinosaur Play, Mark in A Chorus Line, Jeter in Footloose, and The Green Lantern in The Justice League at Six Flags. Adam is currently the Technical Director at Monarch High School, and is the Chair of the Youth Committee at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Ken Paul

Michelle Paul has worked as a musical theatre performer in the Denver area for the past 22 years. Most recent/favorite roles include:  Sister Mary Amnesia, NUNSENSE; Peggy, THE TAFFETAS, A TAFFETA CHRISTMAS; Lucy, NARNIA; Agnes, I DO! I DO!;  Nancy, OLIVER!  Michelle also specializes in teaching and performing in Children's Theatre.

Julia Perrotta

Julia Perrotta is a senior Musical Theatre at the University of Northern Colorado.  This is Julia's 3rd year with the carolers and she loves every minute of it!

Scott Rathbun

A native Coloradoan hailing from Littleton, Scott has been working professionally as a performer since 2000.  He spent two summers at a stock theatre in Saxton's River, Vermont as an actor, singer, and director.  In Colorado, Scott has worked at the Arvada Center, the Nonesuch Theater, the Carousel Dinner Theater, the Union Colony Dinner Theater, the Pinnacle Dinner Theatre, Performance Now Theater Company, and many others.  He is the current executive treasurer of the Colorado Theatre Guild. Scott has been a member of the Original Dickens Carolers family since 2005. www.scottrathbun.com

Jody Rodney

Doug Rosen

Doug Rosen is a personality well known to Denver Audiences. He received his BFA from NYU's Experimental Theatre Wing. Favorite Roles have included Alan Berg in God's Country at Denver Civic and Green Dog in Arvada Center's Go Dog Go. He has appeared TWICE in either the same or other roles regionally in different presentations of Little Shop of Horrors, Hair, Peter Pan, Damn Yankees, The Dinosaur Play and other theatrical gems. He was the founder of To Life LIVE, which produced over 300 performances for hospitalized people with AIDS at the outset of the crisis. Currently he is on the faculty at the Arvada Center, and the Academy of Theatre Arts. The Original Dickens Carolers, however, is among his favorite endeavors, exhibiting once again that Jews are true lovers of everything Christmas!!!!!

Kristen Samu

Kristen  Samu is thrilled to be singing with ODC for her 7th year after a 6 year hiatus during which she and her family lived and performed in New York.  Kristen is a singer/actress/dancer/composer/recording   artist who is well known to Denver audiences.  She has appeared at many Denver theatres including the Arvada Center, Country Dinner Playhouse, Boulder Dinner Theatre, The Aurora Fox, and The Denver Civic in such shows as Evita, Little Shop of Horrors, 1940’s Radio Hour, Bye Bye Birdie, and Baby.  In New York she toured with Saturday Night Fever, and appeared in Dorian and We’ll Beat the Odds Off Broadway. As motherhood has taken over her life, she has started several businesses.  Our Own Song writes, produces and records original songs for weddings and special occasions, Sing Me To Sleep Cds provides personalized, original lullabies for infants to “big” kids, and she is the creator of Broadway Dance for Weight Loss, a unique and fun exercise class that consists of Broadway style choreography to musical theatre songs.  Kristen and her husband, Mitch, also have a thriving piano, voice and recording studio.   For more information on the above, please visit EarthSkyProductions.org.   Of course, she does all these things when she is not completely ensconced as a wife and mother to Willow 9 and Orion 2.

Michelle Sergeeff

is excited to join this group! She has a BA in Musical Theatre with a Dance emphasis from the University of Northern Colorado. She has been performing in Denver Theatre for the past 10 years at Boulder Dinner Theatre, The Arvada Center, Country Dinner Playhouse, and most recently The Denver Center in The Taffetas. Michelle is thrilled she gets to "do this" for a living and is a proud member of Actor's Equity Association. She is very thrilled to get back to singing in an a cappella group which she hasn't done since High School and College! Happy Holidays everyone!

Elizabeth Welch

Elizabeth, a proud Colorado native, has performed throughout the United States and Europe in both opera and musical theater. Most recently she was seen as Peggy in the Garner Galleria’s production of The Taffetas. Other local credits include Woman 1 (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change), Anna (The King and I), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Maria (West Side Story-2006 Ovation Award, Best Actress in a Musical), Lilli/Kate (Kiss Me, Kate) and Marion Paroo (The Music Man). Operatic roles include Suzanna (The Marriage of Figaro), Adina (The Elixir of Love) and Olympia (The Tales of Hoffmann). Her favorite role is “mommy” to her daughter, Vivian.