Branden Hembree (JOEL) [he/him] is thrilled to be making his ART Station debut! Branden is an Atlanta-based actor, musician, and street artist. Recent theatre credits: OnStage Atlanta’s The Rocky Horror Show (Riff Raff), The Strand Theatre’s Grease (Kenickie), The Legacy Theatre’s Jersey Boys (Nick Massi), Out Front Theatre’s HAIRSPRAY (Corny Collins), City Springs Theatre’s Jersey Boys (Pit Bass/ Nick, Gyp, Hank u.s), and Players Guild’s The Wedding Singer (Robbie Hart). He is grateful for the love and support of his friends and family and believes in the power of art and storytelling to impact community and cultivate change.Description goes here

JoAnna Johnson (LEANNE) [she/her] is delighted to be returning to the ART Station stage. You may have previously seen her as Leanne in ART Station’s 2022 summer production of The Pin-Up Girls - she is so excited to reprise this role in the Christmas show! Some of her favorite past credits include: Little Women (Marietta Theatre Company), Into the Woods, Parade, Company, Anything Goes (Woodstock Arts), and The Sound of Music (City Springs Theatre Company). She also enjoys working as a music director, and recently worked on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with Marietta Theatre Company. She hopes you enjoy the show and have a happy holiday season!

Avani Lesane (DANA) [she/her] is thrilled to be returning to ART Station Theatre. Avani has studied film and media at Georgia State University and has been a life-long lover of the performing arts. She has been acting on stage since the age of 3, making her theatrical debut in Stephenson High School’s production of The Wiz. Proud alumnus of the Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, Avani continued to perform in and around Atlanta throughout her formative years. Avani credits her appreciation of the arts to her wonderful and talented parents. Regional credits include: Waitress (Aurora Theatre), Winter Wonderettes (ART Station Theatre), Mother of God (Southwest Arts Center), Bright Star (Georgia Ensemble Theatre), Calendar Girls (Act3 Productions), and Zombie Prom (Marietta Theatre Company).

Erin North (MEGAN) [she/her] is so excited to be back at ART Station for the holidays! ART Station: Abigail Paisley (The Paisley Sisters), Darlene Purvis (The Honky Tonk Holiday Spectacular). Atlanta: Doctor DeSoto (Alliance Theatre), The Speakeasy Encounter, The Game Show..Show (Destination Theatre), Oh, To Be Pure Again (Actors Express), & more. She holds B.A. in Theatre & Performance Studies from Kennesaw State University. Erin would like to extend all the holiday cheer and love to her supportive family, friends, & the Pin-Up Girls team! Happy Holidays!

David Timothy Thomas (DIRECTOR) [he/him] David founded the ART Station Contemporary Arts Center and Theatre Company over 39 years ago. He has directed over 400 theatre productions for ART Station, led the Artistic Direction for hundreds of art exhibitions and has provided the direction for the award-winning summer arts camp and the summer performance programs. He is the founder of A TOUR OF SOUTHERN GHOSTS, a storytelling festival held at Georgia’s Stone Mountain Park. David is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb, the IBM Leadership Institute and the Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta. He has served on the advisory panels of the DeKalb Council for the Arts, the Fulton County Arts Council, South Arts, the City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts. David’s formal theatre training is from the North Carolina School of the Arts, a BA degree in theatre from Appalachian State University, two Master of Fine Arts degrees in theatre directing and arts administration from Virginia Tech School of Theatre and Cinema. David serves on the faculty of the theatre program at Georgia Military College, (Stone Mountain campus). davidt@artstation.org.

Gamble (MUSIC DIRECTOR & BAND LEADER)  [they/he] is a musician, sound designer, and teaching artist who works with students and professionals at schools and theatre companies throughout Atlanta. They derive immense joy from sitzprobes, mint ice cream, dissonance, Beethoven, and fruit snacks, because you are what you eat. A few of their most treasured credits: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Actor’s Express), The Last Five Years (Jennie T. Anderson), Next to Normal (Renegade), The Little Prince (Synchronicity), Peter and the Starcatcher (Stage Door), Into the Woods (Tri-Cities HS), Urinetown (Act3), Spring Awakening (DramaTech). @gambleamadingdong

Joy Williams (CHOREOGRAPHER) [she/her] is an Atlanta-based actor, singer, and choreographer thrilled to be returning to ART Station for Pin-Up Girls Christmas Spectacular. Her choreography has been featured in multiple ART Station productions, including Pin-Up Girls: A Musical Love Letter and Deer Camp, as well as four award-winning shows at Providence Christian Academy.  Performance credits at ART Station include GRITS: The Musical (Charlotte), Life Could Be a Dream (Lois), A Broadway Christmas Carol (Woman), and Cinnamon GRITS (Charlotte).  You can hear Joy caroling around town this holiday season with Like the Dickens.  When she is not in a theatre, Joy is a professional travel advisor passionate about helping others explore the world. She extends heartfelt thanks to her husband Drew, her parents for fostering her love of music and theatre, and her four talented children who share that same passion.  Much love to David, Michael, and her entire ART Station family! @joygwilliams2

David Timothy Thomas [he/him] (Founder, President, Artistic Director) David founded the ART Station Contemporary Arts Center and Theatre Company over 39 years ago. He has directed over 400 theatre productions for ART Station, led the Artistic Direction for hundreds of art exhibitions and has provided the direction for the award-winning summer arts camp and the summer performance programs. He is the founder of A TOUR OF SOUTHERN GHOSTS, a storytelling festival held at Georgia’s Stone Mountain Park. David is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb, the IBM Leadership Institute and the Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta. He has served on the advisory panels of the DeKalb Council for the Arts, the Fulton County Arts Council, South Arts, the City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts. David’s formal theatre training is from the North Carolina School of the Arts, a BA degree in theatre from Appalachian State University, two Master of Fine Arts degrees in theatre directing and arts administration from Virginia Tech School of Theatre and Cinema. David serves on the faculty of the theatre program at Georgia Military College, (Stone Mountain campus). davidt@artstation.org.

Michael Hidalgo [he/him] (Co-Founder, Producing Director/Scenographer) is one of the original founders of ART Station and has served as the resident designer for the past 38 seasons. Michael oversees the marketing, development & general management of the organization. He is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb, the Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta and a Virginia Tech Alumni. michaelh@artstation.org.