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!    

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.

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.