playbill vip

Bruce Stanback

as Ellis ‘Red’ Redding

Bruce Stanback is retired from the State of North Carolina with the department of Juvenile Justice and recntly retired from being a behavior specialist with the Richmond County School system. He currently runs the Phoenix Afterschool and Summer Enrichment program at the Leak Street Education and Cultural Center.

His productions include The Trip to Bountiful, Driving Miss Daisy, Fences, A Raisin in the Sun, Second Samuel and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. His most recent production was appearing in and directing the stage play, The Praying Grandma, written by Richmond County Native Ken Mask. He is a graduate of Livingstone College and currently serves as the National President of the Livingstone College National Alumni Association and is a member of the Colleges Board of Trustees.He is a member of the Mt. Pisgah AME Zion church and serves as the Chairman of the Trustee Board. He enjoys traveling the country with his wife of 41 years, Bonita Stanback.

Cleve Baxley

as Andy Dufresne / Co-Director

Cleve Baxley is a veteran of the stage. He resides in Richmond County. His wife is Amy, they have 3 children, Cleve, Hunter, and Faith. They also have 9 cats (Abu, Milo, Felix, Mo, Zelda, Bubba, Raja,Bebe,and Eve) and a dog, (Ticker). He hopes you all enjoy our production. 

Fritz Barnes

as Warden Stammas

Fritz Barnes is playing Warden Stammas in this show.  This is Fritz's first show here at Richmond County Theatre, after being in about a dozen shows over the past six years in Southern Pines and Laurinburg. Earlier this year, Fritz played Jack in Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Albert Lennox in Secret Garden. Other recent roles include Victor Velasco in Barefoot in the Park, Charles Condomnine in Blithe Spirit, and Scrooge in A Christmas Carol: Radio Play.    

Fritz lives in Southern Pines with Jamie (his wife and his world.) Together they have seven children and 11 grands in five different states, and a handsome but neurotic dog, Hero.

Fritz wants you to know he is not quite as hard-hearted as the warden, and asks that you not throw things at him during or after the show.