Christopher Tower, Battle Creek Enquirer
Big River at the Barn Theatre, 2009
It started out innocently enough. Really. A conversation between Troy, Jon and Courtney during either intermission or between shows of RENT at the Barn Theatre in the summer of 2008, landed on Joseph Merrick and how he actually made quite a living as a side show performer. From there, Troy mentioned that it would be interesting to actually sit down and converse with him (in that "name one person you'd like to meet, dead or living" type answer). Knowing the people involved in the conversation, the subject matter quickly went to ones best left to school yards and bathrooms, all the while still involving Mr. Merrick.
Out of that came the Joseph Merrick trio, as a tribute to the many inside jokes that the three have had and continue to bring up. When Ashley was officially brought on board, the trio was expanded to a quartet.
Play in enough theatre pits around town, and you will start running into the same people, over and over again. It is in this manner that led to the meeting of everyone in various venues. Through years of playing together, many of them became friends, as well as the first choice of many Music Directors. Over the past year or two, Troy, Courtney and Jon had been jokingly referring to themselves as the JMQ in the many pits they were in together. It wasn't until they took the joking out, and realized that having a cohesive rhythm section would be a great benefit to Music Directors in town, that the JMQ was truly "formed."
The Driving Force behind the Guitar
With over 30 years of experience as a musician, Troy has played in numerous projects covering vast genres of music styles. From rock to blues, jazz to metal and country; you name it and he's played it. Some past bands are Despotic (an all original metal band quite popular in the Kalamazoo scene in the early 90s, releasing 2 independent albums) and a 5 year stint as sideman and bandleader with legendary bluesman Arnold "Dr Bones" Langley. Troy has performed with such artists as Fee Waybill (of the Tubes), Gary Cherone (of Extreme and VanHalen fame), Leif Garrett, Tom Wopat and others too numerous to mention. The original rock musical, OLD TIMER, which he penned with Brendan Ragotzy has been staged twice at the Barn Theatre, with Leif Garrett playing the role of Milano (2001 production) and David Naughton playing the role of Clay Miller (2007 production). It received acclaim from both critics and audiences alike. It has also had a successful reading in NYC with Tom Wopat and Gary Cherone lending their talents.
A very sought after guitarist and teacher, Troy keeps busy playing on lots of different projects and shows. He is currently working on material for a solo album, as well as composing a new musical for which he is writing the book and lyrics.
Our Drummer...Seriously
Frequently confused as "the drummer's girlfriend" when carrying in her drumset, all comments are silenced once Ashley starts playing. A Kalamazoo native, Ashley has been making a lot of noise (literally and figuratively) in the ten years she's been playing. A relative newcomer to the theatre circuit, Ashley already has over a dozen productions to her name, working with such notables as Robert Newman (Guiding Light) and Fee Waybill (the Tubes).
Currently, Ashley is keeping busy as a Jazz Studies major at Western Michigan University. She also can be found teaching at Marshall Music, the Crescendo Academy of Music, and performing around town regularly in various groups. She also has a habit of taking any kind of gig thrown at her.
Keeping the Low End Moving and Shaking
With over twenty years of experience, Jon has found himself in over a dozen different states and six different countries, playing a vast array of music to a wide variety of audiences.
Originally trained in classical double-bass, Jon picked up the electric bass at the request of a jazz band director in high school. In college, Jon dabbled in funk, rock, jazz, dixieland... pretty much anything that kept him playing. Combining genres has given Jon a unique voice on the instrument, the ability to sit in the background and fully support the style he is performing, and yet keep a whimsical attitude present in every note he plays. One thing remains constant however; Jon loves to play music - period.
Currently residing in Kalamazoo, Jon is a Warwick Endorsing Artist and a freelance musician in the West Michigan area, playing for whoever asks first. Jon can also be heard at Unity Church of Kalamazoo every Sunday and supporting regional folk act Patricia Pettinga. His spare time includes finishing his solo album, sitting in on various local jam sessions, working full time as a production art coordinator and most importantly making sure his wife doesn't forget him.
Keyboardist, Music Director and Baker of Beerbread
Originally trained as a classical pianist, Courtney fell into musical theatre by accident. She stepped into a tech rehearsal at the request of a friend, not knowing what she was walking into. Who could have imagined this would have turned into a lifelong career, spanning all different genres and getting the opportunity to work with other amazing musicians.
In 2006, Courtney accompanied the Holland Chorale as they represented the city of Holland, MI at the 250th anniversary celebration of their sister city, Queretaro, Mexico. For the past 3 years, she has represented Western Michigan University at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. The past 2 years, she has represented WMU's nationally renowned musical theatre performance program at their senior showcase at the Sage Theatre in New York City. She has had the opportunity to work with such names as David Naughton (An American Werewolf in London), Fee Waybill (lead singer, The Tubes) and Robert Newman (Josh Lewis, Guiding Light). She has also had the chance to work with many well-known Broadway names including Ron Schwinn (42nd Street original Broadway cast member), Susan Streater (All That Jazz, directed by Bob Fosse, and member of the first "Chicago" national tour), Nancy Anderson (Plain and Fancy, A Wonderful Life, Wonderful Town), Leah Hocking (Billy Elliot, The Most Happy Fella, All Shook Up), and John Treacy Egan (When Pigs Fly, The Producers, The Little Mermaid).
Our Unlikely Inspiration
Joseph Carey Merrick (August 5, 1862 – April 11, 1890) was an Englishman who became known as "The Elephant Man" because of his physical appearance caused by a congenital disorder (now believed to be Proteus syndrome). Because of his condition, he would garner the sympathy of Victorian Britain. He has often been incorrectly called John Merrick.
On 29 August 1884, he took a job as a sideshow performer where he was treated decently and earned a considerable sum of money. At one point during his sideshow career, Merrick was exhibited in the back of an empty shop on Mile End Road in London (now called the London Sari Centre), where he was seen by the physician Frederick Treves (later knighted). As Treves recalled decades later in his memoirs, he gave Merrick one of his business cards in the event that Merrick would be willing to submit to medical examination. The two men then went their separate ways, only to reunite years later.
Once reunited, Treves arranged for Merrick to be given permanent quarters at the London Hospital. Merrick thrived in these circumstances, becoming something of a celebrity in Victorian high society. Alexandra of Denmark, then Princess of Wales and later Queen Consort, developed a kindly interest in Merrick, leading other members of the upper class to embrace him. He eventually became a favorite of Queen Victoria. However, Treves later commented that Merrick always wanted, even after living at the hospital, to go to a hospital for the blind where he might find a woman who would not be repelled by his appearance. In his final years, he found some solace in writing and visiting the countryside.
Merrick died in his sleep at the age of 27 on April 11, 1890. Merrick's preserved skeleton remains in the pathology collection at the Royal London Hospital. While his remains have never been on public display, there is a small museum focused on his life, which houses some of his personal effects and period Merrick memorabilia.