“You don’t stop playing because you get old. You get old because you stop playing.” – George Bernard Shaw
Tari Burger
Tari Burger as E.J. Lofgren, the gruff taxi driver, in HARVEY.
Steve Grad
Steve Grad as the pixilated Elwood P. Dowd in HARVEY.
Sandy Hale
Sandy Hale as Mrs. Chauvenet in HARVEY. Sandy is one of the original founders of VIVA.
Tari Burger taught French and Drama at Niwot High School for twenty-five years. Since retiring from teaching in 2015, she has enjoyed traveling the world with good friends and family. Her return to the stage brought her talents to VIVA, where she has performed in Harvey, The Mousetrap, and The Man Who Came to Dinner. Tari directed “Clear Glass Marbles” and “Dragons” for Talking With…
Steve Grad has worked professionally in radio, TV, film, and theater across the country and here in Boulder. His theater work ranges from improv to modern drama to comedy to Shakespeare. He has acted or directed for many VIVA shows, including The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Mousetrap, You Can’t Take It With You, The Wizard of Oz, It’s A Wonderful Life, Harvey, and The Outgoing Tide.
Sandy Hale is VIVA’s Grande Dame, having founded the group in 2001 along with the late, beloved Priscilla McCutcheon and Naropa’s Lucien Wulsin. For many years Sandy hosted the PBS show Senior Showcase, seen all across the Western hemisphere. Her favorite role for VIVA was playing Toto, Dorothy’s dog, in The Wizard of Oz.
Stuart O'Steen
Stuart O'Steen as Ralph Bellini in THE LAST ROMANCE.
Judy Richtel
Judy Richtel in "French Fries" for TALKING WITH...
Elaine Schwenker
Elaine Schwenker in LOVE, LOSS, and WHAT I WORE.
Stuart O’Steen has worked in theaters on both coasts and many places in between, from Alaska to Alabama. Locally, he has appeared at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Longmont Theatre Company, Coal Creek Theater, the Nomad, and of course, VIVA. As the owner/producer of Lumos Productions, he has directed scores of films and videos. He most recently was seen in The Mousetrap, and directed “Audition” and “Fifteen Minutes” for Talking With…
Judy Richtel came to acting and the theater later in life, after successful careers in completely different fields. She joined VIVA beginning in 2013, and was seen in Dude, It’s Boulder; Love, Loss, and What I Wore; Westward the Women; Murderers; and most recently in Talking With… Judy is currently President of the Board of Directors and is delighted VIVA exists to keep her busy in retirement.
Elaine Schwenker became very active in the performing arts after retiring from a teaching career of 33 years. Always an avid dancer, she added singing and acting to her repertoire, and joined the VIVA Board several years ago. She especially appreciates the camaraderie and creativity of community theater. She has been seen in Dude, It’s Boulder; Westward the Women; Love, Loss, and What I Wore; and The Dining Room.
Don Thumim
Don Thumim as Gerald Halvorsen in MURDERERS.
Donald Thumim has been on the Board of VIVA since 2016. He has acted and stage-managed several shows for VIVA, most recently appearing as the hapless Gerald Halvorsen in Murderers. Don is the long-time Chair of the Board of the Theater Company of Lafayette and works as a software developer for the federal government.
