Ann

an educator by trade, having taught English, Language Arts and Writing at St. Augustine High School, United Day School and Texas A&M International University. Her teaching is taking a new direction these days as she coordinates mindful wellness retreats at TRS Ranch Retreats (co-owned with her husband Robert, who knows “absolutely everything”). Her previous stage experience includes roles in Anything Goes and LTGI’s The Best Man, Steel Magnolias, Daddy’s Dying Who’s Got the Will?, and Wit. Playing the role of Ann Richards is bittersweet for Tami as her own political career was dashed in 1981 in an eye-opening race for United High School student council president. In an ironic twist, she eventually married the campaign manager for the opposition, and they have gone on to serve others, albeit outside the harsh world of politics. She is, however, contemplating a run for county commissioner…

After a 40 year hiatus, Kathy Navarro (Nancy) finally makes her long-awaited return to the stage. Fans will recognize Kathy from her unforgettable performances as “Disgruntled Munchkin #4” in St. Augustine Junior High’s production of The Wizard of Oz and as “Various Animal” in Pat Ann’s end of the year recital. When creating the role of Nancy, Kathy took inspiration from Charlie in Charlie’s Angels and Wilson in Home Improvement.

A native Texan, Vernon Carroll (Director) has an undergraduate and master’s degree in theatre from Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University. After teaching at Oliver Wendell Holmes High School in San Antonio, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC and five years as a scenic and lighting designer in Charlotte, North Carolina, he returned to teaching at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, at Natchitoches. So much for ancient history; it was a fine ride, indeed! In 1994, Mr. Carroll came home to Texas as Dean of Theatre at the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts. In 2022 he retired from VMT. In addition to teaching, directing credits for Laredo Theater Guild International include (but are not restricted to): Fame, West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, Oliver, The Wiz, The Sound of Music, Annie, Doubt, Agnes of God, The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Crucible, and Hairspray. When not directing, he can sometimes be found onstage, wandering around in such roles as: King Duncan in Macbeth, former President Hochstader in The Best Man, President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Annie, Colonel Pickering in My Fair Lady or Dr. Harvey Kalekian in Wit. Mr. Carroll is a co-founder and President Emeritus of Laredo Theater Guild International.

serves as Past President of Laredo Theater Guild International Board of Directors. Ann marks the ninth time she leads or co-leads the production of an LTGI show. A lifelong Texan, Karen earned her degree in Liberal Arts from The University of Texas at Austin where she studied History, Government, German and Latin American Studies. After working as an Administrative and Legislative Aide in State Senator Judith Zaffirini’s Capitol office for seven years, she moved to Laredo in 1994 to become the Senator’s District Director, a position she held for 10 years. Karen fell in love and married Deacon Henry Mejia, LTGI’s very own MacGyver. Together, they own The Blue Top Companies, providing land surveying and printing services in South Texas. The two continue to be proud of their three grown children, Alejandro, Miguel and Sarah. Karen fondly looks back to her Capitol days as an aide to Senator Zaffirini during the tenure of Governor Ann Richards, a time when elected officials tolerated and even liked their colleagues across the political aisle and reached across the aisle to get things done. She yearns for political civility and a return to the day when political compromise is no longer considered a four-letter word.

A native Texan and LTGI Icon of The Arts, Mary Grace Carroll is a recent retiree from Laredo ISD’s Vidal M. Treviño School of Communications and Fine Arts. Her 40 year cumulative career includes performing in all musical genres and teaching all ages and skill levels of pianists. Mary Grace is a co-founder of Laredo Musical Theater International, a co-creator of the Laredo Cultural District, and a State Board Member of Texans for the Arts.
She is a member of the Laredo Tuesday Music and Literature Club and the National Music Teachers Association. Mary Grace has composed for theater, including incidental music for “A Midsummer’s Night Dream,” “The Tempest,” and “Cyrano de Bergerac.” Her other theater “hats” include producer, orchestral pianist, vocal coach, costume construction and maintenance, and set props. Prior theater experience includes orchestral pianist and vocal coach at the Harbor Playhouse in Corpus Christi and workshop pianist at Coconut Grove Playhouse in Coral Gables, FL. An active adjudicator and clinician, Mary Grace performs regularly at the Texas Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi and at the San Antonio Ragtime Society’s bi-monthly performance events. She and her husband, Vernon, currently reside in Laredo and are advocates for arts education and cultural enrichment, both agreeing that access to creative resources for all Laredoans equals community growth and artistic prosperity.

has always been interested in the performing arts. Her involvement in Laredo’s theater community began years ago as a volunteer at her young daughter’s various theatrical performances. Her own theatrical involvement started with her debut as Alice Russell in LTG’s production of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man in 2008. Since then, she has remained active with LTGI in such supportive roles as Assistant Producer of Man of La Mancha (2009) and Bodas de Sangre (2012); Producer of Doubt (2010), Agnes of God (2011) The Foreigner (2011), and Shrek, The Musical (2015); and Co-Producer of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016), The Diary of Anne Frank (2015), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Lin Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights (2018). Linda served as costumer for Ana in theTropics (2022) and Taming of the Shrew (2010), the precursor for LTGI’s Class on Stage® program. Additionally, she played the roles of M’lynn in Steel Magnolias (2013), Lady Macduff in Shakespeare’s Macbeth (2011), and Sis in Last Lists of My Mad Mother (2010). A native Laredoan, Linda loves her community, its people, and its unique culture. She currently serves on the board of LTGI and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Laredo-Webb County.

is thrilled that his stage blacks still fit after several years of not working backstage for a production. While he has served LTGI in various capacities on and off the stage, including directing “Real Women Have Curves” (2017) and “Anna in the Tropics” (2022), it was backstage where he first learned about the hard work and theater magic that goes into producing a show.

is a veteran in Laredo’s theatre community having worked, both as an actor and in production, with LTGI, LLT, and more. Although usually seen on stage, this is not the first time Stephanie has worked in a production team–she has previously been stage manager, assistant director, producer, and crew on different occasions. Stephanie’s most recent performance was as Cinderella’s Stepmother in Into The Woods this past summer. Other roles include Katie Nana, Annie and Ensemble (Mary Poppins Broadway Musical), Laura Wingfield (Glass Menagerie), Camila Rosario (In The Heights), Claire Ganz (Rumors), Edith Frank (The Diary of Anne Frank), Wicked Witch and multiple chorus roles (Shrek The Musical), Marty (Grease), La Mujer de Leonardo (Bodas de Sangre), Antonia (Man of la Mancha), Sarah Brown (Guys and Dolls), Bobbi (Some Girls), Elaine (Arsenic and Old Lace), Lucy (Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) and many more. She is the Choir Director at Lamar Middle School and the UIL One Act Play Director.

of Laredo Theater Guild International and Audio/Video Production Teacher at the Vidal M. Treviño School of Communications and Fine Arts. He is a graduate of The University Of Texas At Austin with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Radio/TV/Film. His theater directing credits for LTGI include Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2023), Borders (2021), In the Heights (2018), Yerma (2018), The Diary of Anne Frank (2015), The 39 Steps (2014), Romeo & Juliet (2013) and Imago Theatre’s By The Bog Of Cats (2011). When not involved in community-based theater, Marco is the co-director of Nixon High School’s UIL One-Act Play with Jose Flores. During his time at Nixon, their program has garnered two State appearances for their productions of Mother Courage and Her Children (2017) and Twelfth Night (2014). Both productions received the State Best Actress prize. In August of 2017, the troupe traveled to Scotland where they were invited to perform Federico García Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba at The 70th Annual Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival. Marco’s notable forays into film include 1st Assistant Directing for The Son Who Can’t Play Trumpet (dir: Isaac Garza). Marco’s recent acting credits include Lend Me a Tenor (Max), Wit (Jason) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Quince).