Monumental Talks
Cast Biographies
Joe Marine; Master of Ceremonies
Mayor Joe Marine has lived in Mukilteo twenty-six years, where he and his wife Candy have raised two daughters, Brandi and Jamie. Caring, approachable, and open to varied ideas and interests, Joe capitalizes on his engaging and optimistic nature to pull others together for comprehensive, inclusive, and well-thought-out solutions.
Elected Experience
- Mukilteo City Council: 1998–2000, 2020–present
- WA State Representative of the 21st District: 2001
- Mukilteo Mayor: 2006–2013
- Re-Elected Mayor of Mukilteo 2021 – present
Other Professional Experience
- State-licensed Insurance Agent for 30 years, specializing in Medicare and Long Term Care
- Benefit/Charity Auctioneer
Municipal Education
- National League of Cities Leadership Training Institute Diamond Certificate (1 of 87 in the country, the highest level of achievement)
- Association of Washington Cities Advanced Certified Municipal Leadership Certificate
Current Community service
- Mukilteo/South Everett Rotary Member
- Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce Member
- Campfire Snohomish County Board Member
- Mari’s Place for the Arts Board President
- Community Transit Board Vice Chair
Previous Community Service:
- Community Transit Board Chair
- Association of Washington Cities Board of Directors Vice President
- Puget Sound Regional Council Operations and Executive Board Member
- National League of Cities Leadership Training Council, Public Safety and Crime Prevention Steering Committee Member
- Snohomish County Cities & Towns Association President
- Sound Transit Board Member
- Mukilteo YMCA Board Member
Capt. Stacy Wuthier, Commander Naval Station Everett
She was commissioned through the Officer Candidate School and the Nuclear Enlisted Commissioning Program in 2000. Prior to assuming command of Naval Station Everett, Captain Wuthier commanded Nuclear Power Training Unit in Ballston Spa, NY. She also commanded USS JACKSON (LCS 6) Blue Crew homeported in San Diego, CA. At sea, she was Executive Officer aboard USS JACKSON (LCS 6) and USS OMAHA (LCS 12) Blue Crew, Reactor Training Assistant aboard USS GERALD R. FORD (CVN 78), Main Propulsion Assistant aboard USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73), Operations Officer aboard USS VANDERGRIFT (FFG 48), Reactor Controls Division Officer aboard USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71), and Combat Information Center Officer aboard USS CHANCELLORSVILLE (CG 62). During these tours, she deployed to the 5th and 7th Fleet Areas of Operation. Ashore, she has served as Personnel Exchange Program Officer in the operations directorate for Commander, Italian Maritime liaison, and the Joint Staff J7 as the Assistant Operations and Training Officer for the deployable training division. Captain Wuthier earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington and a Master’s in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University. Her personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation. Medal (4 awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2 awards) and multiple unit commendations.
Monet Pelluer
Monet Maria Pelluer is 16 year old, an incoming 11th Grader at Newport High School in Bellevue.
As a Sophomore, Monet won 1st place at last year’s Solo & Ensemble Contest, among 10 high schools, and represented her Region at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA) at the State level for her singing as a Mezzo-Soprano, vocalist.
Monet placed 1st in Classical singing and 2nd in Musical Theater for the National Association of Student Teaching (NATS) in the Northwest region. She placed as a Quarter finalist nationally for Musical Theater singing.
Monet had leading roles in Bellevue Youth Theater’s ”Little Mermaid” and her school’s musical productions of “Into the Woods” and “Once on this Island”.
She can also speak, read, write and sing in Mandarin, Chinese. Monet loves to sing, read, play tennis and spend time with her friends, family and her two pups Bo and Lumpy.
Darelle Holden
Singer and songwriter Darelle Holden began her musical training at the Berklee College of Music Boston, Ma. After graduating she moved to Los Angeles where she began working with Jazz artists, Norman Brown, Gerald Albright, Everett Harp as well as pop artists such as Robbie Nevil, (Cie La Vie) Vonda Shepard (Ally McBeal), Bobby Caldwell, Hamish Stuart (Average White Band) and many others. Darelle’s vocal abilities lead to touring with artists such as Milli Vanilli, & Tom Jones. Her collaboration with Sir Tom Jones lasted 17 years and lead to performances with Elton John, Shirley Bassey, Earth Wind and Fire, Greg Adams (Tower of Power, Stevie Wonder and many more.
Darelle’s music can be heard on most music listening platforms including Spotify, Pandora, and iTunes.
Carl Kelley
CARL KELLEY has performed in our show for over 20 years. He is experienced at a wide range of vocal styles, including Pop, Soul/R&B, Classical and Gospel. He has performed with Seattle Opera Chorus, was a featured vocalist for the Jimi Hendrix Electric Guitar Festival, a lead vocalist for the touring musical of the Broadway hit “5 Guys Named Moe” 1 and was an original member of the multi-award winning a cappella vocal band “M-Pact.” Carl is a former vocalist with Promise Keepers’ multi-national production team. He has toured the U.S., U.K., the Caribbean, South Africa and Canada, delighting audiences with a wide range of live music styles. He has also been a vocal instructor at several performing arts schools on the West Coast. Carl performs occasionally with northwest bands Acapulco Gold (old school funk/jazz) and Nearly Dan (Steely Dan tribute band). Some of the artists Carl has shared the stage with include Ray Charles, Jackson Browne, Michael McDonald, Jason Mraz, Buddy Guy, John McLaughlin and many others. As a studio vocalist, Carl has been featured on numerous recording projects for
local and national artists as well as multi-media/ commercial advertising projects. Carl now
resides in So Cal with Michelle, his wife of over 30 years, and their 2 adult sons not far away.
Carl endeavors to bring energy and soul to the performing stage!
Karina Choe DACM; AEMP, L.AC.
Lyric soprano, Karina Choe was featured as a guest soloist with Palm Court Light Symphony under the direction of Charles Job and performed in Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night Dream with Nanaimo Symphony under the direction of Pierre Simard. Karina has had the opportunity to dabble in music theatre with Tacoma Musical Playhouse’s production of Flower Drum Song, playing the role of Linda Low. She was also featured as Tuptim in The King and I at Driftwood Players and received standing ovations. She has sung around the world being a participant in Centro Studi Lirica, Elysium, and the Neil Semer Vocal Institute performing as Musetta in La Bohème and Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. She received her Masters of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Manhattan School of Music, New York and her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Western Washington University. Currently, she continues to promote passion for music and the arts through teaching voice and piano in her community, while promoting health and healing at her Acupuncture and Wellness clinics.
Jan Franks
Born in the shadow of Windsor Castle in Southern England, Jan was raised by loving parents who infused her with their appreciation of both classical and jazz music. Her early formal training in vocals, piano
and woodwind instruments have given her the strong musical background evident in her performances. Strongly influenced by such performers as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Eva Cassidy, Julie Andrews and Karen Carpenter, Jan brings her own fresh interpretation to the classical, jazz, and contemporary repertoire. Her lilting vocals as well as her sincerity about the music, create an intimacy with her audience, guaranteeing a magical performance.
* Featured guest artist at the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia, WA for the Governor’s Chamber Music Series
* Featured guest performer at the Volunteers of America National Conference in Dallas, Texas. Both her singing and her poetry were featured at this performance, her poem being written especially for the VOA Conference
* Performances on the Las Vegas Strip including The Bootlegger, and Pieros
* Concerts at Houston Methodist TMC, Sugarland, and Willowbrook
* Performances in Grand Junction, Colorado for an annual Jazz Music Series
Dehner Franks; composer, pianist, singer
Dehner performed at the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival in August 2022 with a Jazz Big Band, featuring trumpeter, Jens Linderman
Has written original music and performed for Volunteers of America National Conference, composing the theme song for their national conference
Staff pianist for Sandy Bradley’s Potluck, a radio show on National Public Radio
Recorded the holiday CD, Holiday Lights for Nordstrom Corporation
Pianist/Musical Director for the Broadway Musical, Ain’t Misbehavin’
Performances with “Classical Meets Jazz” concerts at the Governor’s Chamber Music Series, Washington State Capital in Olympia, with Classical pianist, Judith Cohen. Vocal Jazz performances on this series with his wife, Jan Dumain Franks. Additional concerts performing the music of George Gershwin, Claude Bolling and more recently, performed Dehner’s own arrangements of songs from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, with pianist, Judith Cohen
House Pianist for many years at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada
Dehner has just released his new book, Riddles of Life: Discovering and Harnessing Your Personal Power, on Kendall Hunt Publishing, available at Kendall Hunt, Barnes and Noble and on Amazon
Danylo Yanchyshyn and Dascha Wright
Danylo Yanchyshyn and Dascha Wright have been competing together in Ballroom & Latin Dance styles for over 8 years. Since then, they were named the 2021 US National Champions, 2023 Ohio Star Ball 10-Dance Champions, and 10-Dance World Championship Finalists. They are the main instructors and program directors at Oly’s Dancesport Studio. Coming for training from all over the Pacific Northwest, their students follow their passion in the energizing art of Ballroom Dancing.
Olga Foraponova Wright
Olga Foraponova Wright
Artistic Director of the Dorothy Jayne Studio
Olysstudio.com/olga-foraponova/
Dorothy Jayne Studio Dancers
Olga Foraponova, World Finalist and 2 times American Style Dance Champion, established her presence as Artistic Director of the Dorothy Jayne Studio, when it was founded in 2004. Since then, the Dorothy Jayne studio in Everett has become known throughout the Northwest as well as nationally and internationally. Frequently, professional and amateur dancers arrive from New York, Florida California and other parts of America – as well as abroad – for lessons. Olga is proud of her principal instructors, Danylo Yanchyshyn and Dascha Wright. Liudmyla Astremska, a very accomplished instructor, joined the Studio Team within the last year and has added additional energetic and passionate dance instruction. Danylo, Dascha, Liudmyla and many young dancers are looking forward to performing in our 9/11 Remembrance “MONUMENTAL TALKS” Event!
Studio Website: https://olysdancesport.com/
L. Sam Samano; stage manager
With over two decades of experience in performing and directing theatre productions and events, L Sam Samano has established a distinguished career in the arts. Known for a deep commitment to community and a passion for storytelling, Samano has brought countless productions to life, fostering connections and sparking conversations through the power of theatre.
Samano’s dedication to the community extends beyond the stage, influenced by a strong family legacy of military service dating back to World War II. This heritage has instilled in Samano a profound sense of duty and advocacy, blending artistic vision with a commitment to honoring and supporting veterans and their families.
A seasoned performer and visionary director, L Sam Samano continues to shape the cultural landscape, using theatre as a platform to celebrate diversity, challenge perspectives, and unite audiences.
Jack Klitzman; Musical Director of the Seattle Theater Group
Free-spirited and consummate saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, composer and orchestrator, Jack Klitzman rises to any musical occasion. The highly sought after musical chameleon has been called upon for his musical prowess as performer and orchestra leader by luminaries such as rat-packers Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Perry Como and Natalie Cole, soul celebrity Ray Charles, Olivia Newton John, Dionne Warwick, Johnny Mathis, Gladys Knight, The Temptations, The Ojays, Ray LaMontaigne, Ed Sheehan and Aerosmith, among countless others.
Musical theater has been graced by Jack’s talent as well. As Music Director of Seattle Theatre Group, he provides orchestras for live stage shows and Broadway musicals at the Paramount, Moore and Neptune Theatres. Jack takes advantage of the opportunities to further the musical experiences of students and adults with live theatre, rehearsals, a Pops Orchestra and concert performances.
Having earned a Masters degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington and graduated from the Northwest Film Scoring Program, Jack’s goal is to thrill audiences with every endeavor. To that end, he has founded and directed The Peoples’ Pops Orchestra (which has performed during a Seattle Sounders match at 60,000-seat Lumen Field. Jack’s band, Nearly Dan, has been captivating audiences as they thrill to stylish arrangements and flawless execution of the true art represented in the compositions of Steely Dan.
The excitement generated in every performance by these ensembles is testament to Jack’s success as leader of these exceptional entertainers.
Band Members
Trumpet & Flugelhorn: Mike Mines
Trombone: Dan Marcus
Keyboard & Congas: John Sanders
Bass: Wayne Bliss
Drums: Scott Ketron
Lee Mathews
Lee Mathews is currently in his 20th year as Director of Choirs and Music Ministry at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Everett. In 2018 he retired as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Everett Chorale after 25 years. He has taken this ensemble to Carnegie three time to perform under the leadership of composer/conductor John Rutter. In addition, Lee has lead tours with the Chorale to Paris, Rome, Vienna, Prague, London and Beijing. As a tenor soloist he has performed with various orchestras in Montana and Washington and has performed with the Seattle Opera and the Santa Fe Opera.
Freedom Choir