Meet the Team
Co-Founder & Artistic Director
Bonnie Ryerson
Bonnie Ryerson is co-founder and Artistic Director of The Pied Piper Youth Theatre. Over the course of the past 30 years, PPYT’s young actors have been recognized countless times at the annual National Youth Arts Awards ceremony. Many of PPYT’s kids have continued to pursue their performance dreams in colleges, conservatories, on Broadway, TV, films and National Tours. One of Bonnie’s most cherished experiences was bringing her husband John’s original rock musical, Lucky Boy, to NYC with an all-teenage PPYT cast. This New York showcase was followed by the production of a full cast album. Bonnie brings 40 years of experience as an Actress, Director and Teacher to her work with the kids at PPYT. An alumnus of The Boston Conservatory, Bonnie has also enjoyed studying with Anne Jackson at The Herbert Berghof Studio, NYC, George Morrison at The New Actor’s Workshop, NYC and with Michael Shurtleff.
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As an Equity actor, her credits include The Duffy Theatre, The Samuel Beckett and Looking Glass Theatre, NYC and the Lyric Stage, Gloucester Stage Company and Dover Repertory in Boston. It was on the first of two National Tours with The Hampstead Players, performing theatre for young audiences that she, along with her yet to be husband John, hatched the idea of creating a youth theatre - The Pied Piper Players was born!
As a teacher, Bonnie has worked at the Performing Arts High School, NYC, The Pleasantville JCC and participated New York University’s Shakespeare Series, along with Dramaturge/ Teacher Deloss Brown, introducing undergraduate and graduate students to the techniques and demands of performing Shakespeare. Bonnie has numerous film, commercial and voice over credits, recently completing the filming of the Stephen King short story, “That Feeling”, for which, in addition to her featured role as an actor, she was instrumental in bringing a number of PPYT kids into the film project - how exciting for them!
Co-Founder & Director
John Ryerson
John Ryerson studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NYC, with Lee Strasberg at the Strasberg Institute, NYC and at the famed Actor’s Studio, NY and LA. He attended Wesleyan University as a Film/music major. John has worked at The Bristol Valley Playhouse, The Bucks County Playhouse and The Arena Stage, Wash. D.C. He enjoyed two national tours with The Hampstead Players.
As a musician, John was the songwriter, lead singer/keyboard player for the band, Struggle. The band produced two well received albums and produced a video, “You Gotta Be Kidding”, which aired on MTV. Along with his wife, Bonnie, John created the Pied Piper Players and, together, produced more than one hundred shows over the past 30 years. To their list of productions, John has contributed original plays and musicals, including, Tech- Night, The Record Release Party, A Christmas Carol, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Monologue Showdown, Alice in Wonderland, Jack And The Beanstalk, Peter Pan, and Darkest Before the Dawn. His rock musicals, Piper’s Song and Lucky Boy received NYC showcase productions.
Choreographer
Erica Pike
Erica Pike received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University. During college she danced professionally with The Latin Ballet of Virginia as well as taught dance classes. Before college was involved in multiple ballet intensives with the Dance Theater of Harlem and began her professional career at the age of 16 with the Alexandria Ballet.
Erica continued her professional career after college dancing with Princess Cruises for several years where met her husband Nick Pike, also an entertainer. They moved to Myrtle Beach where she began dancing at The Carolina Opry until she had her daughter Izzy, who is now 10. Erica has been teaching dance for over 20 years now and finds such joy in watching young dancers learn and grow. Erica has been a choreographer for many local shows, including CFHS’s Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Newsies, Mamma Mia, and the CFHS show choir. She is also the choreographer/director for Le Grand Cirque at the Broadway Theater in Myrtle Beach.
Set Designer
Kimberly Ferrante-Pitluk
Kimberly Ferrante-Pitluk started designing theatre sets her freshman year of college at University of Missouri for Homecoming skits. She graduated with a bachelors in Environmental Design. Kimberly went on to work for Neiman Marcus store design and JCPenney store design specifying and designing the interiors of their stores. Currently she owns Midwest Luxury Publishing, a custom publishing company, while volunteering as the set designer for her two teen daughter’s productions.
Assistant Director
Adrianna DelPercio
Adrianna DelPercio was born and raised here in Myrtle Beach. She performed in various shows around the Grand Strand including High Steppin Country. She graduated from Oklahoma City University with a BFA in Acting and a Minor in Directing. She also continued to study Musical Theater Voice during her time there. While in Oklahoma City, Adrianna worked with Oklahoma Children’s Theater in various capacities. Some of her recent credits with Pied Piper Youth Theater include Mean Girls (Director), 101 Dalmatians (Choreographer), and Legally Blonde (Choreographer). She is very excited to be working with Pied Piper Youth Theater, and cannot wait for what the future has in store for its wonderful students!
Costume Designer
Lynn Quinn
Lynn Quinn is originally from Long Island. She taught in the Boston for 18 years and is currently on her 17th year teaching for Horry County Schools. Lynn dappled with theater in high school but refound her love when her eldest son became involved. Pre-COVID Lynn formed her school’s first and quite successful drama club- serving up to 45 students for 6 years. Post COVID, Lynn’s school based drama club became difficult to run due to a lack of assistance. When her youngest daughter found her home with Pied Piper, Lynn began directing her time and energy helping her local youth community theater and loves every minute if it