Meet the Cast: "Life Could be a Dream" Part II

He's a Rolla Bulldog, but he's from Missouri, not North Dakota. Kelly Brown plays Eugene Johnson, Denny's best friend and co-conspirator in DPRCA's "Life Could Be a Dream."

A junior at Western Illinois University (WIU), Brown was born and raised in Rolla, Mo., a town located 100 miles southwest of St. Louis, home to 20,000 people. He has been active in theatre since he was nine years old. He has spent every summer since 2010 performing in the Ozark Actors Theatre (OAT), Rolla's community theatre. He recounts his role as the only boy orphan in "Annie" among his most memorable.

"This is my first pro contract outside of Rolla," Brown said, and he's eager to gain experience away from home.

Double majoring in musical theatre and sports broadcasting, theatre isn't the only activity Brown enjoyed in school. He also played offensive line for the Rolla Bulldogs football team, ending his career at center.

In "Life Could Be a Dream," the role of Eugene "definitely fit my type," he said. Eugene works hard to keep up with Denny's fast-moving schemes. Eugene spends his days working for his dad down at the Springfield Sweet Shop, but at night he cuts loose with his fellow Crooning Crabcakes during singing and dancing practice in Denny's basement. Lois was his grade-school crush, so when she enters the mix, Eugene has to work twice as hard as the others to keep his mind in the game.

In this role, Brown said, "is where I thrive." He is the comedic relief, and he looks forward to putting on a good show for the community.

McGwire Holman, on the other hand, chose New Rockford over Rolla. He was offered two contracts, one from Brown's Ozark Actors Theatre, and the other from DPRCA.

"I thought coming here would help me grow more as an actor," Holman said.

Holman grew up in the village of Minooka, Ill., a town about the size of Watford City. He started band and choir as an elementary student at Minooka Community School District, then moved into theatre as soon as it was offered, in sixth grade. Located in the far southwest suburbs of Chicago, the Minooka School District encompasses 90+ square miles and five communities. Holman is now a junior majoring in musical theatre at Western Illinois University. Some of his most recent roles include Cedric in "PUFFS," Caleb in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," and Chef Louis in "The Little Mermaid."

In "Life Could Be a Dream," Holman is Wally Patton, the son of a preacher who works as a checker at the local Piggly-Wiggly. He's desperate to be a part of Denny and the Dreamers, because inclusion seems better than exclusion. He may be a bit childish, but he has an uncanny knack for seeing what's important in life when the going gets tough.

Holman spent his pandemic summer at Small Town Theatrics in Coal City, Ill. He was cast in "Spring Awakening," a rock show set in 1891 Germany that explores the journey from adolescence into adulthood. Determined to continue despite the pandemic, the actors rehearsed amid "manic sanitizing," regular temperature checks and mask wearing. Their plan to perform three live shows with no masks was foiled, however, when a cast member contracted COVID-19 just as rehearsals were wrapping up. Once the cast member recovered, they live streamed the show from an empty theatre and patrons watched from home.

One year later, he's here in New Rockford, performing alongside three of his fellow WIU students. "I am very happy with my choice," he said.

With a different live audience each night, Holman said he aims to "make every single show fresh."

Tickets for "Life Could Be a Dream" are on sale now. Lois and the boys are on stage Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights at 7:30 p.m., and perform Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Call or text (701) 399-9634 or go online to http://www.dprca.com to book your seats!