"KINGDUMB: Act 1" by Jonathan Cook (LIVE Event Recording)

Jonathan Cook is heavily involved in the fine arts as an actor, writer, and filmmaker based in South Carolina. Many of his short plays have been produced in theatres around the World and and he is a six-time recipient of the Porter Fleming Literary Award in the playwriting category. Aside from playwriting, he has also written and directed several short films that have been presented in regional film festivals as well as distributed internationally on ShortsTV. He is also the host and producer of the radio theater podcast GATHER BY THE GHOST LIGHT. Launched in 2020, GATHER BY THE GHOST LIGHT is a collection of stage plays adapted to an audio only format performed by voice actors and edited with appropriate sound effects and music.

Devon McSherry has been involved in the arts for as long as she can remember. Music and theater was what brought her parents together and shaped her love of the arts. So much so that she went to college for musical theater and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA from Metropolitan State University of Denver. Wherever she went, Devon continued to perform but only began writing plays and short films a few years ago. After directing a short play in a festival and helping friends involved in the film community, she decided to go outside her comfort zone and write some short plays.

Marian Thibodeau is an actor and singer currently residing in Augusta, GA. She is a mom of two young girls but enjoys pursuing her love of acting when she can. She was most recently seen on stage playing Cayly in Kingdumb, which was the first live-recorded episode for the podcast, Gather by the Ghost Light. She also had the privilege of playing Sandra/Florence in Le Chat Noir’s sold out run of The Play that Goes Wrong. Along with podcasts and live theater, Marian has been involved in a handful of short films that you find on YouTube, or, hear her in numerous episodes on the Gather by the Ghost Light podcast.

Highschool Spanish teacher and creator of the Itty Bitty Bob YouTube series.

Karla is a South Carolina-based actress who caught the acting bug from her paternal grandmother who was a film actress in Austria before WWII. You can find Karla onstage performing in plays in the CSRA, doing murder mystery dinner theatre shows, showing up as an extra in box office movies, and lending her voice to GBTGL episodes.

Arelis Rivera is a Puerto Rican actress and singer, currently based in Augusta, GA. Her voiceover work is featured in the podcast Gather by the Ghost Light, where she has played the role of Estelle in "Kingdumb", Lane Hernandez in "Ain’t the Biggest City", among others. Among her training experiences features The American Academy of Dramatic Arts NYC 2014 Summer Intensive Program. One of her most recent and favorite roles is Chiffon in The Augusta Players production of "Little Shop of Horrors". She has also portrayed Deloris VanCartier in Aiken Community Theatre’s production of "Sister Act". Other show credits include "Something Rotten", "Young Frankenstein", "Ragtime", "Shrek: El Musical". Arelis is also an active member of the local improv comedy troupe Schrodinger’s Cat.

I was born and raised in Augusta, GA. I started in radio by interning at a local rock station, WRXR, while I was still in high school. My first paying radio gig out of school was in Greenville, SC doing Saturday mornings. I barely made enough money to pay for the gas to get me back and forth on the 5 hour round trip to do my show but I had been bitten by not only the radio bug but the entertainment bug! I loved entertaining and getting to know people. I bounced around from station to station, as you do, for years. Picking up stories and perspectives along the way. I probably learned the most about how to treat people who are your listeners from the time I spent in Birmingham, AL producing the Patti & Dollar Bill morning show on WDXB. They were true radio legends and it was a privilege to learn from them and an honor to call them friends. From there I moved back to Augusta to be closer to family. You can often find me on stage with one of the great theatre groups here in town. I can also be seen and heard in several television commercials nationally and you might even catch a glimpse of me in some movies too. I love photography, cooking, and my pup, Magnolia the Malshi.

TJ McSherry is a linguist specializing in Middle Eastern languages and a published philosophy student. In his off time, he is usually found behind the camera, backstage, or next to a control board though he seeks to be in front of the lens or the microphone more often. Favorite stage projects include Evil Dead the Musical, and The Play that Goes Wrong. His short film directorial debut “Cecilia” earned an award for practical effects and his photography has earned local recognition.

Eric Odom is a stage and voice actor from Augusta, GA. Eric can be heard in episodes of the Gather by the Ghost Light podcast. Notable stage roles include Charles Condomine in “The Blithe Spirit”, Albert Chang in “Rules of Seconds”, and Mr. Chu in “Akeelah and the Bee.”

Owner of Le Chat Noir Theatre in Augusta, GA.

Composer based in Austin, TX.