Bio
Ventura County Star Free Press
Thursday November 29, 1990
To see Lowell Noel stroll down the streets of Fillmore where he lives, or Santa Paula where he works, one could hardly imagine this man rolling on the ground, feigning drunkenness, infecting others with his laughter. Nor would one envision this bearded, stern-faced man enticing an audience to tears while singing about the rewards and pitfalls of marriage. As a member of the Santa Paula Theater Center's talented cast of "Company," Noel does just that. "He's a ultra-talented, a multi-dimensional singer in my opinion, and I hold him in the highest regard," said Bob Bragg, music director for "Company." Bragg, who produces commercials as well has used Noel's voice in a number of recent productions, including the Ventura Volvo and the Experience Ojai commercials."There's that one line that will make all the harmonies work, and he's able to find that. That's a real production value, to have a singer that can do that," Bragg said. Though Noel has perfect pitch, his true love is acting, an endeavor on which he concentrated for all of the nearly 16 years he was away from Fillmore. Noel was born in 1951 at Merriman Manor in Santa Paula, the closest hospital to Fillmore. He grew up in Fillmore in a house on Blaine Street. A small orchard had to be moved to build houses on the new street."Mom always had classical music around," Noel recalled.They also had Little Golden Records, recordings of popular tunes of the day and Disney favorites conducted by Mitch Miller with Anne Lloyd and The Sandpipers. "We had a stack of them and I'd wear them out," Noel said. It was at Fillmore High that Noel got his first taste of theater life.After playing the lead in "Mr. Gallion's School," "I came to know I'd have some future in entertainment," Noel said. As Mr. Gallion, who returns to school after retirement to straighten up the rebellious student body, Noel had to feign a heart attack. "It was a great stretch for a first acting experience," he said with a chuckle. From high school he went to Moorpark College, where he gained more experience acting with the Horizon Players in Simi Valley. It was in 1974 that Noel left Fillmore, not to return permanently until almost three months ago. He left his home town to attend Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla. "I had this silly notion that going to Christian school would enhance my career opportunities," Noel said. At ORU, Noel was in several plays, including "The Matchmaker," in which he played the drunken Malachi Stack, and for which he won the Best Supporting Actor Award of 1975 from Alpha Psi Omega, a thespian fraternal organization. Though he doesn't hold much regard for the university, Noel cherishes the opportunity he had to make two very good friends who encouraged him to pursue acting as a career. "In their minds there was no question," he recalled. "There was a big question in my mind." When his friends moved to Colorado, he followed, and three days later, in a dinner theater, he got the parts of Pseudolus and Prologus in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." "I'm very fortunate. Twenty years I've been doing it and have never been in a flop," he said. Upon his return to Fillmore, he began working at Santa paula Equipment Rental to "pay the bills" and was cast as David in "Company". When he sings "Sorry-Grateful," a solo about the trials and rewards of being wed, his audience is lost, some to the point of tears.
...Although his first love is theater, he now has his sights set on more ambitious projects. "The thing I'm working on now is film. Film is the longest lasting impression you can make as an actor," he said. His pragmatism toward his acting craft, however, doesn't diminish his affection for live theater. "But the truth is, If you weren't there for that night's performance you would have no grasp on what it took to coalesce the performance," he said. "In film your little gift will be there forever." While he's knocking on all the doors in Hollywood, he keeps his hopes high. "If I can make it, just get by, I'll be happy," he said.
Fiddler On The Roof
As Lazar Wolf
with Lee Miro as Yente. Lee was good friends
with Victoria Horne who co-starred
with Jimmy Stewart in "Harvey"
and was Jack Okie's bride. This
show ran at the Monahan's
"Showboat Dinner
Theater" in Encino circa 1990.
Mike and Ann with Grandson and Dick Studebaker at the Hollywood Stage -1995
Doc
Mr. Gallions School...
Actual Program from "Mr. Gallion's School" thanks to Sandi Davis-Gunderson on Facebook
Aside from my own listing.
Grace, his
wife..................................................Kathy
Starnes, Beverly Stevens
Nora, with a problem........................................Peggy
Epperheimer
Matt, her
problem.............................................Brad Shaffer
Les, a
friend......................................................David
Urrea
Shirley, A Charmer...........................................Sue
Schleimer
Sid, Her Follower.............................................Sam
Mayhew
Kathleen............................................................Rosie
Rangel
Minnie...............................................................Linda
Smith
Joan...................................................................Lorna
Grenier, Eleanor Glenn
Natalie
(students)..............................................Shirley
Ewing
Flora..................................................................Joanne
Wolfe
May...................................................................Janet
McBrine
Zip.....................................................................Mark
Aguirre
Ralph.................................................................Steve
Barnard, Stuart Fairbanks
Hattie, A
Waitress.............................................Manda
Hunter, Janine Rees
Mr. Bennington, School Superintendent.............Harold Foy
Sadie, School
Secretary.....................................Joanne Nunez, Kenna
Hickman
Ella,
Janitress.....................................................Lois
Hill
Gus Riddle, Science Teacher.............................Mark
Brothers
Don Webber, Coach...........................................Allen
Felsenthal
Alice Nottingham, Math Teacher........................Sally West,
Kari Ospenson
Sean Hannigan, Band Director...........................Vir
(Virgilio) Maclang
Taddie Sue Rockland, English Teacher.............Becky Rogers
Mrs. Blake, an irate parent.................................Valli
Peters, Kathy Grimes
Sheriff Biggers, the
law......................................Roland Rounsevell
Judge Harrell of the juvenille court....................Reba
Butler, Katie Walden
First
Hawker......................................................Chuck
Naas
Second
Hawker..................................................Steve
McKendry
Balloon
Man.......................................................Bill
Vest
Bailiff.................................................................Larry
Merry
Jim
Huddy..........................................................Jim
Rangel
Mrs.
Burton........................................................Bobby
Van Noy, Carolyn Kirby
Judge At
Fair......................................................Richard
Ortega
Astrologist.........................................................Macrina
Mayanja, Kathy Munoz
Script
Girl.........................................................Shirley
Clinton
Director.............................................................Mr.
Mozley
Programs- Tickets.............................................Mr.
Rees' Print Shop
...was our Senior Play at 'dear old' Fillmore High. Mr. Charles Mozley (my Social Studies teacher) was Directing/ Casting and decided I might be a prospect because of my penchant for reading aloud. He had two roles in mind; either the crusty Sheriff, or the lead, a retired High School Principal who returns to the hallowed halls championing student character. That role was my ultimate choice and in 1970, I began what was to become this strange career. As I matriculated to Moorpark Community College, I met most of the people who were to influence my life's direction. Dick Studebaker who ran the Broadcast Curriculum, had to pull my reins a little bit to be able to show me something. I opted also for an acting class where I met a man I consider to be one of the finest at the craft that I've ever seen. Dr. Robert Reynolds (or "Doc" as we called him) had done a little bit of everything including radio and stage and when I watched him perform, I was literally unable to see anything but the character. To me, Doc embodies what every actor should be. Plus, while I was in 'Creative Writing', I met a lady who told me of a community theater group in Simi (not far from school) who were auditioning for a show. I ended up at one end of an extensive warehouse that Larwin Lumber Co. had (rented/donated?? I never really found out) to a seasoned theater troupe called the Horizon Players. Although I did not make the cut (auditioning for Bogart in "Play It Again, Sam") a spritely fellow with a pixie grin walked up and asked if I might be willing to fill a small role in their upcoming musical production "Here's Love" coincidentally featuring Doc in the lead role. I quickly joined in and there I stayed, gleaning much experience off this fellow and his incredible wife. They turned out to be Mike and Ann Monahan, the founders of the troupe and it became my assignment to be sort of a utility character in whatever show I was cast in learning as many as five roles in a run. Mike and Ann guided with a soft hand enjoying every bit of it and even if I wasn't the most articulate fellow, they always managed to show me a fun time. Today, they run the Showboat YouTheater helping young talent along with the nuances of the craft. They are in my humble opinion the finest at what they do and if I had kids with an interest, I'd make sure they got together. I still keep in regular contact with these folks.
YouTube video of Dick and Doc Reynolds
As of 2006~ Michael Anthony Monahan passed away at age 77.
You can see more about him at:
The Mike Monahan Memorial Site
Continued Bio about Paul Brekus and Me
Before sending E-Mail please check my FAQ'S page