Who are the Resurrection Players?

Who are those businesses or organizations in the community impassioned in giving to others?

A graduate from Roosevelt University with degrees in Piano Pedagogy, Jim Molina, a highly recognized musician throughout the country, has established new beginnings as president of Resurrection Players, a Downers Grove Theatre Troupe. The groups’ mission is to produce concerts to help raise money for other organizations allowing them to continue their dedicated work in assisting people in need. Besides his excellence as a pianist, Jim has directed and performed in over 50 musicals and was founder/co-owner of the Oakbrook Academy of Music with a twenty year history that provided private drama and music education.

Currently, Jim is an accomplished full time private piano teacher. In addition to his teaching, Jim is Music Minister for the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Downers Grove; creator of the Guided Path. The Best of Broadway will be the first celebratory benefit concert for Hope’s Front Door, a “first responder” to six communities who are facing financial and/or medical crises.

As a member of Resurrection Players and director of its debut charity concert, Anthony Berg graduate of Elmhurst College, majored in theatre taking part in over 25 productions. After college, Anthony took on his dream job of working as a Casting Director in the largest casting agency outside of LA and NY, O’Connor Casting Company. Anthony was the casting director responsible for the selection of the original women in the well-known Dove “natural real women” commercials. Anthony also worked with Pie Town Productions, casting the talent for “Design on a Dime” and “Designed to Sell” in Chicago.

Kelley (Calpin) Buesse has been performing since the age of 12. As an actor, Kelley has performed in over 50 professional and regional and community theater productions throughout the US. As a choral artist, Kelley has sung with some of the world’s greatest orchestras (NY Philharmonic, NJSO, CSO, and The Royal London Philharmonic). In 2005, as a member of the Westminster Chorus, Kelley toured the US in The Royal Christmas Tour with Andrea Bocelli.

In 2004, Kelley received her B.A. in Music from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. In 2013, Kelley received her M.M. in Voice Performance from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. Kelley currently sings with the contemporary Christian rock band Guided Path at Downers Grove First Congregational UCC in Downers Grove, IL and teaches private voice lessons at her home.

Meg McGarry, also a member of Resurrection Players, has performed locally during her university years as a featured soloist with the Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra, Ripon College Chamber Choir and the 132nd Army Band, with which she toured for four years. She has been honored to sing the Star Spangled Banner at Lambeau Field for a Green Bay Packer game during their Super Bowl XXXI winning season, as well as shared the stage with Manhattan Transfer’s Janice Siegel and Jazz Legends Fred Hersch and Diana Krall. Meg also traveled to LA as a contestant on the reality television series American Idol.

Meg has more recently performed with The Chicago Master Singers, The Naperville Chorus and as a featured artist at the Sandwich Opera House. While appearing with the band Guided Path weekly since 2009, she also enjoys community theatre performances that demonstrate her talent in numerous productions that include her most recent roles (Marian Paroo) The Music Man and (Maria) in The Sound of Music.

Justin Akira Kono is a graduate of the DePaul University School of Music, where he studied with Michael Green, principal percussionist at the Lyric Opera and retired timpanist with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. He then continued graduate studies at Northwestern University. Justin has been involved in countless productions and other musical endeavors in the Chicagoland area, from the Symphony Center to The House of Blues.

Justin served as the percussion instructor and arranger for Plainfield South High School and a go-to music director for The School of Performing Arts in Naperville. When not in the theater, Justin can be found playing drums and conducting the choir at First Congregational Church in Downers Grove, Illinois.

And those are the fascinating biographies that detail the brilliant foundation ensemble of Resurrection Players!

Proceeds from the concert and a silent auction will go toward Hope’s Front Door.
Details of the concert:
Location:
First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1047 Curtiss Street, Downers Grove IL 60515
Performances and ticket prices are:
Friday, August 28th, at 8pm: Black Tie Gala Opening with hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Doors open at at 6:30. $40 adults.
Saturday, August 29th at 2:00pm $20 adults
Saturday, August 29th at 7:00 pm $30 adults - desserts and cash bar
Sunday, August 30th at 3:00 pm $25 adults
Children ages 12 and under are $10 for all shows

Visit resurrectionplayers.org to order tickets