About Us

Judy Truesdell

Judy Truesdell is a writer, voice talent and comic performer. She’s worked as a newspaper reporter and columnist and has published nine collections of plays and teaching material for children through Incentive Publications in Nashville and two theater kits for kids through Pleasant Company, Inc. in Middleton, Wis. A pioneer of comedy in Dallas Texas, she was an owner of Calm Eddy’s Comedy Club, one of the first night spots in the popular Deep Ellum area of Dallas, and has written and performed comedy with troupes Random Scam, The Pezz and the Grassy Knoll Players. She’s appeared on national television with John Bloom, aka Joe Bob Briggs, and has performed in a variety of television ads. Judy’s been on the radio with Dallas on-air legends Ron Chapman, Jody Dean and the late John LaBella and has written comic material for all three. She can be contacted via her website, judytruesdell.com.

Chuck Sheffield.

Chuck received his BFA, ‘72 and MFA, ‘74 from UT-Austin. Until his retirement in 2011 he served as the Chair of the Theatre Department at Richland College in Dallas since 1976 teaching Stagecraft, Lighting Design, Intro to Theatre, Dem Lab and Practicum. He believes in a strong base-level education for all students regardless of their intended major. He watched his students prosper, learn, expand their world and become leaders in their chosen fields of Theatre Arts as well as the professional world. He insisted his students learn, have fun and make a lifetime of friendships while maintaining their individuality and personal expression. It is his strong belief that there is nothing more important than team work.

• As a member of Texas Educational Theatre Association he served as Convention Director twice and was recognized as Educator of the Year for Comm/Jr Colleges and received its highest honor, the Founder’s Award.
• His career experience includes work as a director, designer and consultant for educational, community and professional theatres, art galleries, shopping centers, hotels, churches and schools. He served as a critic judge and workshop presenter for UIL, TNT, on the Regional and State levels and for AACT Regional and National levels.
• He was an active member of SWTFA since the mid-seventies and served on the Board for most of that tenure as President, VP, VP for Conferences, Auditions Chair, and Parliamentarian and twice as the Convention Director hosting conferences in Dallas and Richardson.

• He received SWTA’s Distinguished Service Award, Outstanding Service Award, Volunteer Award, The Paul Baker’s Founder’s Award and honored with The Chuck Sheffield Outstanding Community College Award for the Southwest. He was inducted into The College of Fellows.

• He’s been fortunate to have been included as a member of Who’s Who Among American Teachers and Men of Achievement.

Married for 42 years “to the most patient of all wives,” he enjoys golf, cooking, hunting, tinkering with his old ‘Vette’ and he does enjoy life.

Tony Ramirez.

Anthony L. Ramirez is an actor who has worked extensively on stage, in films and on television. In addition to a role in “JFK,” he has been seen in “Prison Break,” “To Serve and Protect,” “Walker, Texas Ranger,” and “America’s Most Wanted.” He has performed in many productions for Shakespeare Dallas, including “Comedy of Errors,” “Taming of the Shrew,” and “Twelfth Night.” Tony is a 40-year resident of Richardson, Texas, a 1983 graduate of Plano Senior High School, and he enjoys collecting militaria, vintage toys and books.

Cathy Whiteman.

Cathy Whiteman is the award-winning producer of several television programs on Irving Community Television. She is the on-camera host and is also an accomplished actress, voice talent, singer and storyteller, traveling around the country performing at fairs and festivals with a variety of shows, including “Birth of the Blues,” “Stories from West Africa and the Caribbean,” and “A Woman Called Truth” about Sojourner Truth. Cathy has also appeared in television shows including “Walker, Texas Ranger” and “Sons of Thunder.”