Hal Berry is a member of the senior faculty at St. Charles Community College. He celebrated his fortieth-second year teaching at the end of 2008. He was voted Faculty of the Year for 2003-04 by his faculty peers, has received the Missouri Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and is past president of the Faculty Association. He is currently on sabbatical for the spring term of 2009. In addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, he holds three Master’s Degrees in History, Film and Theater. His artistic career began as a child in music and dance and continued into adulthood as Arts Manager for West Shore Community College, East Central College and Mid-American Theatre Company. He was the founder of SCC’s History Expo and The History Theatre. His directorial credits include A Few Good Men, Playing for Time, To Kill a Mockingbird, Give ‘em Hell Harry, Twelve Angry Jurors, Inherit the Wind, The Diary of Anne Frank, All My Sons, That Championship Season, Mr. Lincoln and the very successful production of Black Elk Speaks.
Flavia Everman is the Executive Director of the Warren County Fine Arts Council, a position she has held since February 2004. Her duties include writing grants, scheduling concerts, directing a summer arts camp, organizing an annual art show and working with area schools to schedule curriculum-based art programs. Flavia is active in teaching drama at summer camps and home-schooled groups, teaching art classes and is active in ballroom dance. She has been storytelling professionally for nine years, has worked as an office accounting manager for Bookmark Bookstores in St. Charles for 13 years and as an Executive Secretary for Citicorp Mortgage for four years. Flavia has merged the artistic discipline with the organizational skills of an arts manager. Flavia has a BA in Liberal Arts/English from Ambassador University, Big Sandy, Texas, and Pasadena, California.
Tracy Bono is going bananas over Monkey Tales Theatre! She has combined two of her favorite passions: theater and children. She holds a BS from Missouri State University and a MS from Lindenwood University. Theater has been an important part of her life since the age of three when she started taking dance lessons. Since then, Tracy has participated in various theatrical endeavors as a performer and working in many stage crews. She has also worked in television, radio and film documentaries. In 2008, she had the opportunity to direct an original one-act play she wrote for the History Theatre Festival at St. Charles Community College. Her favorite role of all time is starring as “Mommy” to her three talented children and “Wife” to her rock-star husband.
Melissa Boyer, mother of two little monkey’s herself, is passionate about theater and children, so she has found her home with Monkey Tales Theatre. She is finishing her Master of Fine Arts in Theater Directing at Lindenwood. She has directed “Never Swim Alone”, “Shakespeare’s Women”, and acted in “Who’s Afriaid of Virginia Woolf?” While directing is her passion, she has acted in many roles, including portraying Lydia Roosevelt in “Women of Strength in a New Nation” at the 2008 History Theatre Festival.
Larry Buxtongraduated from Ritenour High School in Saint Louis County. He served as a rank Specialist Fourth Class in the Army Reserves from 1969 to 1975. He was honorably discharged. Larry has made a long career in the trades. He worked at Bob’s Ornamental Iron in Kansas City, Mo., in the mid 1970s where he was quickly promoted to shop foreman. He owned a Snap-On Tool franchise from 1977 to 1982 and then started his own home and commercial repair business, Buxton Repair, which was in business until 1999. Larry has been working at Quilogy in Saint Charles as facilities manager for almost nine years.
Lisa Brauss-Kruger: “I graduated from Fontbonne University in 1982. After college, I worked mainly for not-for-profit organizations that supported people with disabilities. In 2007, we relocated to WY. There, I worked with the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Horns. I was the Program Director. One of the tools we used quite a bit was Destination Imagination. It was a great way to get the kids to work together, think outside the box, use their creativity and have fun all at the same time! We went to competitions in Casper, WY and learned and saw a lot! In 2009, we relocated to Iowa. I worked as an AmeriCorps Volunteer under Prevent Child Abuse Iowa. We worked with quite a few agencies including Parents As Teachers. I also volunteered at the school as a mentor and reading with 1st graders. We came back to the St. Charles area in 2010. I took care of my husband, Dirk, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2009. I cared for him until his death on September 29, 2011. I have not returned to work yet, but volunteer at Barnes St. Peters Hospital. I am on the Patient/Family Advisory Committee and am also the Bereavement Volunteer. I will also be a patient advisor starting next week – interviewing patients to see how things are going during their hospital stay and find out if there are areas we need to improve upon. I also help with the Holt High School Marching Band. I volunteer for fundraisers as well as during marching band competitions. I have 2 sons, Brennan who is 15 and Nik who is 13. I have always loved watching their performances – whether it be through school plays they have been in, Destination Imagination when we were in WY, or through band concerts they have played in. I believe theatre can bring so much to people! And if more people can be touched by theatre groups such as Monkey Tales, then that is a really good thing!”
Laura Brockis a new Member on the MonkeyTales Board. Her current role as the Director of Adult Learning in the Francis Howell School District keeps her focused on providing professional development for teachers and administrators. Previously in her career she held positions as an Executive Director of Professional Development, Elementary Principal, and Teacher. Her love of teaching and learning took her through three degrees (Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Master of Science in Education Administration, and her Doctorate in Education Administration) all at Iowa State University. She has loved drama and performance since her first role as the “Mom” in a second grade play. Back in the day, Laura performed in school plays, choir, and musicals with the lead in “Dames at Sea” and later in community theater, the lead in “Steele Magnolias.” It has been a very long time since she has been on a stage, but Laura is very excited to contribute to the MonkeyTales team. Her starring role now is as a “real” Mom to daughters Elizabeth (13) and Katherine (10). Her husband, Roger, is her leading man. You might catch the Brock family at softball games, gymnastics practice, or cheering in the fall at football games. Laura and Roger hope to entice their girls to play golf soon, too.
Vince Gordon is pleased to join the board of Monkey Tales Theatre. Born and raised in St. Louis, he had a brief stint at school in Springfield, Missouri. Currently serving as Artistic Director for Moonlighting Theatre, Vince has been acting and directing locally for over a decade. Some favorite acting credits include The Cowardly Lion (The Wizard of Oz), Harry Druggist (The Cradle Will Rock), both The King and The Wizard (Once Upon a Mattress), Carlino (Wait Until Dark) and The Leader of the Chorus of Old Men (Lysistrata). Just a few of his directing credits include: Nunsense, Waiting for Godot, I Am My Own Wife, and You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. When not toiling away in a theatre somewhere, Vince works at The Magic House, where he had the joy of creating the first theatre summer camp and theatre exhibit in the museum’s history this past summer. He is currently taking the steps to become a Make-A-Wish Foundation wish granter.
Leonard B. “Len” Pagano lives in Hanover Crossing and has been a resident for over 35 years. He was honorably discharged from both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. He is a high school graduate and took specialty courses at both St. Charles County and Florissant Valley Community Colleges. He is retired from Unilever HPC where he worked as St. Louis Plant Warehouse Coordinator. He and his wife, Joyce, have three children, eight grandchildren and one great grandchild. Mayor Pagano has served the City of St. Peters as an elected official since 1983. He was a Ward 3 Alderman from 1983-2007. In April 2007, he was elected Mayor of St. Peters to fill a vacancy. In April 2008, he was re-elected to a full, four-year term and is running again in 2012 unopposed. “The City of St. Peters welcomes you! The information contained in this section will help you to become familiar with each of the City’s elected and appointed officials. It will also provide you with valuable information about services, local ordinances and opportunities for citizen participation. I encourage you to become knowledgeable about your City and take an active role in your City government. Stay involved!”
David Riazi is a lifelong St. Charles, Missouri resident and father of two children. (One girl monkey, one boy monkey) He has been involved in the community for years as a member of community service organizations, a supporter of arts/cultural organizations and has volunteered in a wide variety of public and private settings. Owner of an eldercare service and an agency contracting in marketing and sales, his professional experience includes twenty years of service in the health and human services industries. Most of his free time is spent in family activities and coaching his children’s sports teams or volunteering at their school. He holds a B.A. from Lindenwood University and M.H.A. from Washington University in Saint Louis- School of Medicine. His theater experience includes involvement mainly on the set design and technical side, and, of course, a deep appreciation of many of its forms. As someone who is committed to enriching the lives of young people by engaging them in fun activities that educate, inspire and entertain, he hopes to help make a positive difference with Monkey Tales Theatre!
Joe Wegescheide has been on and off the various stages in the St. Louis area for about 15 years now working with both professional and community groups. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 1991 with a BA in Theatre specializing in Directing and has even done some playwriting in recent years. He is currently serving as President of the Missouri Association of Playwrights. By day, Joe works for MasterCard International as a Network Reporter.
Board of Directors
Please click on the name of each board member to read his or her bio.
Monkey Tales Theatre Board of Directors
Hal Berry, interim president
Flavia Everman, treasurer
Tracy Bono, managing director
Melissa Boyer, artistic director
Lisa Brauss-Krueger
Laura Brock
Larry Buxton
Vince Gordon
Len Pagano
David Riazi
Joe Wegescheide
Larry Buxton
graduated from Ritenour High School in Saint Louis County. He served as a rank Specialist Fourth Class in the Army Reserves from 1969 to 1975. He was honorably discharged. Larry has made a long career in the trades. He worked at Bob’s Ornamental Iron in Kansas City, Mo., in the mid 1970s where he was quickly promoted to shop foreman. He owned a Snap-On Tool franchise from 1977 to 1982 and then started his own home and commercial repair business, Buxton Repair, which was in business until 1999. Larry has been working at Quilogy in Saint Charles as facilities manager for almost nine years.
Lisa Brauss-Kruger: “I graduated from Fontbonne University in 1982. After college, I worked mainly for not-for-profit organizations that supported people with disabilities.
In 2007, we relocated to WY. There, I worked with the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Horns. I was the Program Director. One of the tools we used quite a bit was Destination Imagination. It was a great way to get the kids to work together, think outside the box, use their creativity and have fun all at the same time! We went to competitions in Casper, WY and learned and saw a lot!
In 2009, we relocated to Iowa. I worked as an AmeriCorps Volunteer under Prevent Child Abuse Iowa. We worked with quite a few agencies including Parents As Teachers. I also volunteered at the school as a mentor and reading with 1st graders.
We came back to the St. Charles area in 2010. I took care of my husband, Dirk, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2009. I cared for him until his death on September 29, 2011. I have not returned to work yet, but volunteer at Barnes St. Peters Hospital. I am on the Patient/Family Advisory Committee and am also the Bereavement Volunteer. I will also be a patient advisor starting next week – interviewing patients to see how things are going during their hospital stay and find out if there are areas we need to improve upon. I also help with the Holt High School Marching Band. I volunteer for fundraisers as well as during marching band competitions.
I have 2 sons, Brennan who is 15 and Nik who is 13. I have always loved watching their performances – whether it be through school plays they have been in, Destination Imagination when we were in WY, or through band concerts they have played in.
I believe theatre can bring so much to people! And if more people can be touched by theatre groups such as Monkey Tales, then that is a really good thing!”
Laura Brock
is a new Member on the MonkeyTales Board. Her current role as the Director of Adult Learning in the Francis Howell School District keeps her focused on providing professional development for teachers and administrators. Previously in her career she held positions as an Executive Director of Professional Development, Elementary Principal, and Teacher. Her love of teaching and learning took her through three degrees (Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Master of Science in Education Administration, and her Doctorate in Education Administration) all at Iowa State University.
She has loved drama and performance since her first role as the “Mom” in a second grade play. Back in the day, Laura performed in school plays, choir, and musicals with the lead in “Dames at Sea” and later in community theater, the lead in “Steele Magnolias.” It has been a very long time since she has been on a stage, but Laura is very excited to contribute to the MonkeyTales team.
Her starring role now is as a “real” Mom to daughters Elizabeth (13) and Katherine (10). Her husband, Roger, is her leading man. You might catch the Brock family at softball games, gymnastics practice, or cheering in the fall at football games. Laura and Roger hope to entice their girls to play golf soon, too.
Leonard B. “Len” Pagano
lives in Hanover Crossing and has been a resident for over 35 years. He was honorably discharged from both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. He is a high school graduate and took specialty courses at both St. Charles County and Florissant Valley Community Colleges. He is retired from Unilever HPC where he worked as St. Louis Plant Warehouse Coordinator. He and his wife, Joyce, have three children, eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Mayor Pagano has served the City of St. Peters as an elected official since 1983. He was a Ward 3 Alderman from 1983-2007. In April 2007, he was elected Mayor of St. Peters to fill a vacancy. In April 2008, he was re-elected to a full, four-year term and is running again in 2012 unopposed.
“The City of St. Peters welcomes you! The information contained in this section will help you to become familiar with each of the City’s elected and appointed officials. It will also provide you with valuable information about services, local ordinances and opportunities for citizen participation. I encourage you to become knowledgeable about your City and take an active role in your City government. Stay involved!”
David Riazi is a lifelong St. Charles, Missouri resident and father of two children. (One girl monkey, one boy monkey) He has been involved in the community for years as a member of community service organizations, a supporter of arts/cultural organizations and has volunteered in a wide variety of public and private settings. Owner of an eldercare service and an agency contracting in marketing and sales, his professional experience includes twenty years of service in the health and human services industries. Most of his free time is spent in family activities and coaching his children’s sports teams or volunteering at their school. He holds a B.A. from Lindenwood University and M.H.A. from Washington University in Saint Louis- School of Medicine. His theater experience includes involvement mainly on the set design and technical side, and, of course, a deep appreciation of many of its forms. As someone who is committed to enriching the lives of young people by engaging them in fun activities that educate, inspire and entertain, he hopes to help make a positive difference with Monkey Tales Theatre!