THE CAST
Allan Wiltshire, II
Allan is a southern transplant from the DC area where his early exposure to music came from his father and church environment.
Allan attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied with arranger Andy Jaffee and Jazz Trumpeter Mike Methany.
Allan holds a degree in Trumpet from the University of Maryland in College Park.
Allan has had substantive career in church music, and has traveled as an Arts Missionary with the Mission Minded Artist organization throughout Europe, The Americas and Africa.
In 2012, Allan was recruited as a cast member of the National touring tribute group, The Rat Pack Now. Using the classic swing sounds of the 1960’s while paying tribute to Sammy Davis, Jr., Allan has continued on his journey of bringing happiness and joy.
Whether in the US or abroad, through sacred or secular genres, as a vocalist, instrumentalist or arranger, Allan Wiltshire has demonstrated excellence, versatility and passion throughout his tenure as an artist.
Bonnie Pennington
Bonnie Pennington (25) has been performing most of her life, through school choirs and theatre programs. Bonnie has participated in seven musicals in the last decade, playing lead roles such as Ariel Moore in Footloose and Ursula in The Little Mermaid. Bonnie is excited to be returning for another year at the Red Clay Theatre with Allan Wiltshire as a lead in the Andrew Sisters Tribute Group.
Brian Stephens
Brian Stephens has been a freelance drummer, both live and in the studio, for more than 25 years. Since 1999, he has traveled the country playing live with Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame members like The Drifters, The Platters, and The Coasters. As an audio engineer & music producer, Brian has worked on thousands of recording sessions from his studio home base, Secret Cove Studios, in Sugar Hill, Georgia. He is also a music educator and contributing columnist for both Modern Drummer and DRUM! Magazine.
Caroline Kimsey
Caroline Kimsey is a High School freshman at Sugar Hill Christian Academy. Since an early age, Caroline has expressed her love for music and the arts. Caroline plays the piano, guitar, sings and has discovered acting. Last Spring, Caroline had the lead role in the musical Mary Poppins at her school. She is studying voice at the JAN SMITH studios and is member in good standing with the Tri-M Music Honor Society. This is her 2nd year as a featured soloist in Standards and Classics of Christmas.
Dan Lawrence
Dan is a Cum Laude graduate from Boston’s Berklee College of Music, and has been playing piano and keyboards on the Atlanta music scene since 1981. He was a staff musician for the Ritz Carlton Buckhead for thirty years.
He has worked as musical director/band leader for such greats as: Robin Brown. Liz Spraggins, Jane Powell, Mayfair Artist Representatives, Lee J. Howard Entertainment, and the Rupert’s Orchestra to name a few.
As a performer, director and educator, Dan Lawrence is major contributor the Atlanta music scence.
Deborah Williams
Deborah, an accomplished lyric soprano, is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Music and the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned her Masters of Music in Vocal Performance. Since moving to the Atlanta area, Deborah has been a soloist with the Michael O’Neil Singers , the Johns Creek Chorale, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Fox Theater. She returns as a cast member of Standards and Classics.
Joanna Burrell
Joanna Burrell, lyric coloratura, is a Georgia native. Joanna received her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Georgia State University, under W. Dwight Coleman. She received a Bachelor of Musical Arts from Young Harris College in 2015, graduating summa cum laude. Her numerous honors include the Lynn Fowler Scholarship for Outstanding Achievement in Music, the Edwin Gerschefski Scholarship for Outstanding Achievement in Piano, and the Peter Harrower Vocal Scholarship.
Joanna’s has performed internationally at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Munich, Germany and in the Music Anatolia College Festival in Thessaloniki, Greece to name a few. Joanna’s has performed key roles in opera’s by Mozart, Puccini, Bernstein, Bizet’s and Sondheim.
Joe Reda
Bassist Joe Reda is from Chicago but has been calling Atlanta home since 1993. He quickly became a first call player here in Atlanta and has performed and recorded with many great artists including Larry Carlton, Earl Klugh, and Babbie Mason. Joe can be heard on many jingles and soundtracks and even be seen on the big screen playing. Playing is his passion and Joe loves his busy schedule playing all kinds of music.
Leslie Pennington
Leslie Pennington was born and raised in Atlanta GA. She is married to Robert Pennington, has a son (Lee), and is proud to be performing with her daughter Bonnie in the third season of Allan Wiltshire’s Standards and Classics. Leslie has been singing in choirs since age 3, and performing as a soloist/group performer since age 16. Leslie is a songwriter and has more than 50 songs to her credit.
Sam Skelton
A native of Conyers, Georgia, Sam Skelton has been active on the Atlanta music scene for well over three decades. Mr. Skelton graduated summa cum laude from Georgia State University with a degree in Jazz Studies. During his course of study at GSU, Sam was a Montgomery Music Scholar and a two-time fellowship recipient to the Aspen Music Festival. He continued his saxophone studies with Kenneth Radnofsky at Boston University in 1991 focusing on classical saxophone and music education. Other teachers include David and James "Dub" Hudson and Jeff Benedict.
Sam is currently Director of Jazz Studies and Senior Lecturer in Saxophone at Kennesaw State University. He is also Artistic Director of GSO Jazz and GYSO Jazz. Sam served as Professor of Saxophone at Georgia State University from 1991 to 2004 and was Jazz Ensemble Director at Georgia Tech from 2002-2004 and Artist-in-Residence at The University Of Georgia Jazz Department. He served as Visiting Professor of Saxophone at Furman University 2001-02. Professional associations include: The Jazz Educators Network, Georgia Music Educators Association, Georgia Association of Jazz Educators, National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (voting member) and the American Federation of Musicians. For his contributions to the city’s cultural life, Atlanta Public Broadcasting named him a “Lexus Leader in the Arts” in 2003. Sam is proud to be a Conn-Selmer and D’Addario Artist.
Rick Burgess
Originally from Athens, Georgia, Rick has performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, The Alabama Symphony, The Atlanta Pops, The Macon Pops, The Alliance Theater, Theater Of The Stars (Fox Theatre), Bob Hope, James Brown, Debbie Reynolds, Il Divo, Clay Aiken, Howard Shore (“Lord of the Rings” soundtrack composer), Patti Kim, Sissle, The Coasters, The Platters, The Shirells, The Dixie Cups, and numerous local performers. He is also a 40 music educator currently teaching at Maple Street Guitars in Atlanta and Oglethorpe University.
Teresa Hawkins
Teresa Hawkins moved to Georgia in 1987. She is the proud mother of, Adam and Shayna and grandmother of three. Teresa holds a degree from Ohio University in music with studies in Early Childhood Education at Brenau University. Hawkins has been a kindergarten teacher for the last nineteen years at Sugar Hill Christian Academy. Music is a big part of Teresa’s life. She directs a praise team of sixty- five elementary students, who lead worship and inspirational events at the academy. She truly enjoys being a teacher as well as nurturing the gift of music in her students. Teresa Hawkins returns as a principal in the Andrew Sisters tribute group in this 3rd season of Allan Wiltshire’s Standards and Classics.
Tim Alexander
Tim is a graduate of Mercer University, Atlanta, and Boston University, with degrees in Voice Performance. With over 30 years experience in music and the arts, Tim has now turned his attention to his entrepreneurial side. He is a founding partner of two companies, melding a unique passion for marketing, video and production, with a deep desire to protect businesses, families and their retirement goals. He is a worship director in his church, and keeps in constant touch with his four young-adult children living in Birmingham, Nashville, and LA.