OUR PEOPLE
Mary Paulsell, Executive Director
Mary Paulsell has participated in more than 30 productions in central Missouri, most often as director. Favorites include HONK!, Steel Magnolias, Civil War, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Beauty and the Beast, The Full Monty, City of Angels, The Wizard of Oz, My Favorite Year, and most recently Church & State at THP. Mary retired in 2022 after 40+ years at MU. She has served as president for Columbia Entertainment Company and Maplewood Barn Community Theatre and has proudly served as a member of the THP Board. Currently, she is president of Central Missouri Honor Flight, is on the Board of Directors for the Friends of Mid-Missouri Fisher House, and is on the steering committee for Columbia’s Military Morning.
Randall Kenneth Jones, Artistic Director
Randy is an actor, director, writer, and keynote speaker. His podcast, “On the Knows,” has been thoughtfully described by Erin Brockovich as “The best podcast and host ever.” His first fiction book, Ruby: Magic Comes from the Heart, was discovered and published by Chicken Soup for the Soul co-creator Mark Victor Hansen in 2022. A self-described “professional storyteller,” Randy directed THP’s Love Letters as well as DC and Florida productions of Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man, The Taming of the Shrew, Flight of the Lawnchair Man, and Ruthless!
RandallKennethJones.com..
Nora Dietzel, Production Manager
Nora has been involved in theatre since childhood. She appeared as Sara Whitmore in THP’s Church & State as well as Mattie Fae in August: Osage County and Berthe in Pippin at Columbia Entertainment Company. Nora studied voice and theatre in college and has taught theater school, designed costumes, and directed children’s and adult productions. Nora recently retired from county government and is married with two grown sons and four grandchildren. A former member of the Talking Horse Productions Board of Directors, Nora is so pleased to join THP management team.
Larry Dietzel, Operations and Technical Director
Larry is a retired Law Enforcement Officer, currently serving as the Director of Security for Ellis Library. He has years of technical theatre experience, going back to Hickman High School, The University of Missouri, and Columbia Entertainment Company. After a few years away from theatre, Larry is happy to join the Talking Horse team as the Operations and Technical Director
Ed Hanson, President
Ed Hanson, the founder of Talking Horse Productions, has called Columbia, MO home since 1978. A retired music educator, Ed launched his professional acting career in 2008 and started up THP in late 2011. He stepped aside from the day-to-day running of the company in 2018.
Since starting professional work in the theatre, Ed performed for companies in Missouri, Kansas, Arizona, Mississippi, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. While his formal training is in vocal music, he loves acting in dramas and comedies as well as musicals. New, original projects are of special interest to Ed. He is occasionally seen as a Guest Artist at Stephens College and the Lyceum in Arrow Rock, as well as on the Talking Horse stage. He is proud to serve the company as the president of the Board of Directors.
Alana Barragan-Scott, Vice President
Alana Barragan-Scott grew up in St. Louis and has lived in Columbia since the 1980’s when she met her husband to-be in a class at MU. She is a lawyer and worked for the State of Missouri in the executive and judicial branches for almost 24 years. She has also taught at the MU School of Law and most recently served the Federal judiciary branch. She became involved in mid-Missouri theatre after seeing how much her three children enjoyed it, and has acted and sung in almost three dozen plays, musicals, and singing ensembles. When she is not in a show, she enjoys reading, and her latest hobby, learning to play the violin. She previously served for six years on the Board of the Maplewood Barn Community Theatre, and is happy to have joined the Talking Horse Board in 2016.
Carol Denninghoff, Treasurer
Carol Denninghoff, a native Missourian, has lived in Columbia since 1958 and has been an active member of the real estate community since 1975. She is a founding partner of House of Brokers Realty, Inc. and is a member of the Columbia and National Boards of Realtors. Over her years as a Realtor, she has earned the designations of Certified Residential Specialist, and Accredited Buyer's Representative. In her spare time, Carol enjoys attending plays, concerts and movies, traveling, playing bridge, and is involved in the music and art community in Columbia. She has one daughter, Caroline Casati, who lives and works in New York.
Lorrie Evelyn Furrer, Secretary
Lorrie Evelyn Furrer has been a Board member since 2013. Lorrie has acted in and directed shows in St. Louis and mid-Missouri, including several stage appearances at Talking Horse. Her backstage activities include costume construction, props, set dressing, stage management, fundraising, and box office duties. Lorrie is particularly proud of serving on the committee for the Starting Gate New Play Festival since its inception in 2015. She obtained her degree in Theatre Literature from Smith College in 1980, taught children’s theatre classes at the Theatre Guild of Webster Groves, and was a member of the Board of River City Theatre in Rocheport, Missouri. She has worked in radio broadcasting, has taught middle school English and preschool, and now works in Community Relations for the City of Columbia. Lorrie is thoroughly committed to advancing the Talking Horse mission of producing high-quality, character-driven plays that allow the audience to connect with the actors and the storylines in rich and meaningful ways.
Dana Bocke, Board Member
Dana Bocke has been active in the Columbia community theatre scene since 2011, performing with Talking Horse Productions, Columbia Entertainment Company, and the Maplewood Barn Theatre. In addition to her work on the board, Dana is also the Starting Gate Committee Chair. She’s been involved with Talking Horse Productions Children's Theatre since 2012. Dana is a library associate on the Children’s Team at the Columbia Public Library, a taphophile, and a proud nerd.
Ginger Cawley, Board Member
Ginger Cawley is a not only a local actor and playwright, but also the artist and creator of Bucket Emporuim along with her fiance. She is elated to have joined the board of Talking Horse Productions and is looking forward to the 2024-2025 season. Theatre has always been at the center of her passion which lead her to a successful career in South Florida for nearly a decade as an Equity Candidate Actor for theatre companies such as the Palm Beach Shakespeare Company and Drama Works. Previous roles locally include Dwight Deacon (Guerl-Rilla Theatre presents Miss Lulu Bett), Bianca (The Other Shoe, Startig Gate Play Festival at Talking Horse Producitons), Mr. Box (Guerl-Rilla Theatre presents Box and Cox), Izzy (Seminar, Talking Horse Productions), Truvy (Steel Magnolias, Columbia Entertainment Company), and Francis Hunter (No Sex Please We're British, Columbia Entertainment Company).
Angela Pirrello Howard, Board Member
Angela Pirrello Howard has been involved in theatre as a director, actor, singer, dancer, makeup artist, and teacher in Denver, CO, San Diego, CA and Columbia, MO. Angela has directed over 60 main stage shows: most recently, August Osage County, It’s a Wonderful Life at CEC, and Steel Magnolias for Fayette Community Theatre. She participated in every Guerl-rilla Theatre production as either an actor or director since its inception. By day, Angela is the theatre teacher at Oakland Middle School where she plans to train up another generation of theatre artists.
Mary Shaw, Board Member
Mary has had a passion for theatre since age 10 when she set foot on stage for the first time. Since then, she has appeared in countless stage productions across 3 states. Her list of favorite roles is long, with Myra in Deathtrap, Morticia in The Addams Family, Rosalind in Moon Over Buffalo, Mrs. Daldry in In the Next Room, or The Vibrator Play, and Yitzhak in Hedwig, and the Angry Inch in the top spots. She is a founding member of The Ponies, a short-form improv group based at THP. Apart from acting, Mary has also done some directing and an extensive amount of theatrical and historical costuming. She also loves birds.
Terry Schoonover, Board Member
Terry is an actor and director who has performed in mid-Missouri for over 30 years. Most recently, Terry was thrilled to direct THP’s production of The Revolutionist, which was his second show he has directed at Talking Horse, the first was Reasons to be Pretty in 2015. He has also recently directed No Sex Please, We’re British at Columbia Entertainment Company. Other directing accreditations include Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Corleone: The Shakespearean Godfather, and Noises Off. As a performer, he has recently been seen in Misery, God of Carnage, The Odd Couple, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Monty Python’s Spamalot.