2024 Cast and Crew

A true veteran of our show, Jeremy is the only cast member to have been a part of every season of Liberty Mountain – having originated the role of Major Patrick Ferguson in the 2014 world premiere (then reprising the role in 2015, 2017, 2022 & 2023) and also spending several seasons as Silas Martin (2016, 2018 & 2019).

A North Carolina native, Jeremy's regional credits include the 72nd & 71st seasons of Horn in the West (Dr. Geoffrey Stuart); title roles in both Mark Twain's The Diaries of Adam and Eve and Robin Hood, as well as the Liberty Mountain Second Stage production of 1776 (Thomas Jefferson). He has also had the privilege to serve as Artistic Director of the 72nd season of Horn in the West, in addition to several projects through his company Project Local, an educational non-profit. Learn more at www.projectlocalinc.com.

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In addition to his work as an actor and director, Jeremy is also an educator, writer and farmer currently based in Cherryville, NC. Here, together with family, he cares for a 150-acre tree farm, covered with a herd of dairy goats, a coop full of chickens and an impossible number of gardens, all of which provide goods for the Project Local farm stand at the Foothills Farmers Market.

Jeremy holds a Master of Arts in Writing from Lenoir-Rhyne University in Asheville and a Master of Arts in Teaching from UNC Charlotte. Jeremy’s writing has appeared in the Adirondack Center for Writing’s PoemVillage Installations 2022-2024, The Kings Mountain Herald, GreenPrints Magazine, Ghost City Review, the first volume of A Common Well Journal, The Bluebird Word, Isotrope Literary Journal and many more.

Ashley DeMar is an actor, writer, recording artist, and arts educator, who is thrilled to be returning to Liberty Mountain this fall! Originally from New York, Ashley holds a BFA in Theater Performance from Niagara University. Performance credits include the 72nd & 71st season of Horn in the West (Martha Stuart), four consecutive seasons with Liberty Mountain: The Revolutionary Drama (Priscilla Martin), three touring productions with Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre, Mark Twain's The Diaries of Adam and Eve (Eve), Robin Hood (Maid Marian), Into the Woods (The Witch), 1776 (Martha Jefferson) and Twelfth Night (Viola). Ashley also served as Assistant Artistic Director and Music Director for the 72nd season of Horn in the West. Additionally, she has worked as a teaching artist for over 10 years, most notably with the Barter Youth Academy (Abingdon, VA), Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre (Auburn, NY), and as an Intern with Applied Dramatist Lauren Arena-McCann (London, England). Currently, she works for Gaston County Schools as a K-3 Art Teacher. Here, together with her husband, she also helps to manage the family farm and serves as Director of Operations for the educational non-profit Project Local. Ashley’s writing has appeared in several anthologies and installations, including the U.S. debut of the 'Of Earth and Sky' outdoor exhibition and its corresponding poetry anthology in Charlotte, NC. Big love to her husband Jeremy, and their son Roan, for helping to make big dreams come true. PS: Listen to her debut Celtic music EP Going Home on Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube!

Lillian North is so excited to be serving as PSM for Liberty Mountain! She played Martha Stuart in the ‘21 and ‘22 seasons of Horn in the West as well as serving as an ASM and wardrobe assistant. She graduated from Lees-McRae College in ‘22 with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Technical Theatre. She recently played Diamond Lil at Tweetsie Railroad and Violet in 9 to 5 at Myers Dinner Theatre. She has also spent the past two years teaching high school theater arts. She is so excited to get to be working behind the scenes with an awesome group of people!

David Reed is a director, educator, and stage movement professional currently serving as an Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas. He has directed, choreographed, and trained professional and collegiate actors across the country, most recently working with Theatre Squared, New Stage Theatre, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Orlando Rep, Theatre West End, and the Southern Appalachian Historical Association. David is an Associate member of Stage Directors and Choreographers, a Certified Teacher and Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors, and a Certified Intimacy Director with Intimacy Directors and Coordinators.

Brian grew up in Watauga County and started his theater career at Horn in the West in 1984 as an usher and stage extra while in high school. He remained for 3 more years, becoming Master Carpenter and Pyrotechnician. After graduation from Wake Forest University, he moved to Alaska, but remained involved with theater and living history during visits back to North Carolina. While his career was in biology, he also received gunsmithing and machining training at Montgomery Community College to support his interest in 18th-century firearms. Having returned to North Carolina, he looks forward to working with Liberty Mountain this fall.

Having 3 seasons of experience at another historical drama, Horn in the West, Jacob Fannon has come to work with Liberty Mountain as assistant armorer. He is joined by his dad, Brian Fannon, as armorer and is looking forward to an amazing time with Liberty Mountain.

Linda has been creating costumes for more than 50 years. She has worked as a professional costumer and has created costumes for numerous community theater and college productions. In addition to costuming, Linda enjoys being on stage and has performed with community and college theaters around the area.

Chris Morrow is returning for his second season at Liberty Mountain. A versatile talent originally hailing from Angier, NC, Chris earned his BA in Vocal Performance & Theatre from Campbell University. He then ventured west and began working and living in the High Country region for nearly a decade. Chris has performed in Boone’s local seasonal outdoor drama Horn in the West for 6 years, portraying the lead role of Geoffrey Stuart in 2018 and subsequently stepping into the part of the nefarious Captain Mackenzie for the past 5 seasons. An SAFD Certified Actor/Combatant and also a Brown Belt in Sil-Lum Kung Fu, Chris is committed to physicality and discipline and is well-versed in both stage combat and actual self-defense. Chris's artistic contributions also extend to the world of film, having served as the Stunt Coordinator, Actor, and Key Grip for the local short film Blood Is My Fate. Additionally, he brings a wealth of experience from his time as a cowboy at Tweetsie Railroad.

Phoenix Ferris is pumped and honored to once again be part of the Liberty Mountain cast. This will be his fourth season and his second year reprising the role of Caleb Martin, where he plays alongside his real-life ancestor Colonel James Williams. Some of his past credits include Little Women: The Musical (Mr. Laurence) and Legally Blonde: The Musical (Emmett Forrest), as well as four years as a baritone/bass in choir. Off of the stage, Phoenix is pursuing a career in English Literature Education. He is also working on a historical fiction/magical realism book trilogy. Phoenix enjoys going on walks with his dog Delilah, driving in the car, going to live music, playing video games, and wearing his kilts every day. He wants to thank the whole production crew—and specifically our director Jeremy Homesley—for inviting him back to the battle! Small can be mighty, so let’s do this.

Kevin Reams is excited to join the Liberty Mountain cast. He is no stranger to historical dramas, having done 6 seasons with The Sword of Peace and Pathway to Freedom at Snow Camp Outdoor Theater, 2 seasons at Theatre West Virginia performing Hatfield and McCoys and Honey in the Rock, and a season with Texas: The Musical. Most recently, he performed in the premiere of That Book Woman at Pioneer Playhouse along with the comedy The 39 Steps. Kevin has a bachelor's in Theater from the University of Central Florida. He calls Ohio home but has worked in 7 different Asian countries, from a Venetian gondolier in Macau to a Hogwarts professor in Japan.

Amelia is 12 years old. She enjoys reading, musicals, plays, and traveling. So far her favorite place is St. Louis, Missouri—she plans to live there one day. This is her first performance.

Ian Lee has worked in theater professionally since 2019, playing Tsiyu Gansini/Fire Dancer in Horn in the West. Previously, he also performed as a Tweetsie Cowboy. Ian has just returned to North Carolina from spending the last 3 years as a traveling paleontologist and educator (with a brief stint in Tucson, Arizona, as a stunt performer). Ian is incredibly passionate about three things: stage combat, stunts, and dinosaurs. When he is not acting, he can normally be found watching horses and studying to get a degree in Environmental Education. His favorite dinosaur is the Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur ever recorded.

Tony To is a recent graduate of Auburn University's BFA Theatre Program. He was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and raised in Bellevue, Nebraska. His most recent roles throughout his time at Auburn University include Lewis from Pippin, Torvald from A Doll's House Part 2, Valentine in Twelfth Night, and the MC/Troll in Rob Rokicki's Monstersongs. He was also a member of Unto These Hills 2024, playing the role of Sequoyah and understudying for Yonaguska. Tony enjoys playing guitar, singing, musicals, and has directed two student project plays: A Doll's House Reimagined, where he wrote and directed a team of 6 actors in a recreation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, and The Same Thing by Lisa Soland. Tony would like to thank his college friends for motivating him and believing in his work. "Thank you, Lisa, Noah, Carson, JC, Hannah, and Avery."

Joshua Peterson is an alumnus of the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he studied acting technique and technical theater. He has 10+ years of theatrical experience and a passion for the performing arts at a local level. He serves in community theater in an executive capacity and as a performer. He would like to thank his wife for her support and sacrifice, being without him for all his time rehearsing.

Chad is a veteran of the KMLT stage, most recently appearing as Professor Plum in Clue. He’s excited to finally be a part of Liberty Mountain and would like to thank his wife and children for their support.

Brandon Pendley is excited to be back at the Joy Theatre for his third year performing in Liberty Mountain! Brandon holds a BA in Theatre from Georgia College & State University and is currently based in Athens, Georgia. He would like to thank his family for supporting him in his pursuit of performing and the leadership of Artistic Director Jeremy Homesley and Music Director Ashley DeMar for having him back on the mountain.

Alexander is a man of God, a husband, a father, a farmer, and now an actor. He joins Liberty Mountain from Patterson Springs, NC. He spends his free time taking care of the farm animals, doing martial arts, and spending time with his family. Alexander would like to thank God first, his wife for supporting him, and the Liberty Mountain crew for welcoming him and allowing him the opportunity to be part of the show.

Mary Grace is excited to be returning to Liberty Mountain for her sixth season as a cast member after a three-season hiatus, during which she served as a Board Member. As a Kings Mountain resident, this show holds a special place in her heart. Mary Grace has a BFA in Theater Performance from Adelphi University and a Master's in Accounting from UNC Charlotte. She spends her days as a CPA in a firm in Kings Mountain that she owns with her father. When not working, Mary Grace is still passionate about being involved in theater in any capacity. She has most recently been seen as Maxie in Farce of Habit and Farce of Nature at the Kings Mountain Little Theatre. Mary Grace would like to thank the cast, crew, director, and steering committee for welcoming her back to the cast.

Jim, a distant relative of Helen Chandler, who starred with Bela Lugosi in 1931’s Dracula, and the New York Yankee pitcher ‘Spud’ Chandler in the 1940s, is a local actor, director, and historian who has appeared in 127 plays, TV, and movie productions, including Glory, Andersonville, Gore Vidal’s Lincoln, and Bandit Goes Country. This is his third season with Liberty Mountain. His distant relative, Josiah Chandler, was with Col. Cleveland’s command at Kings Mountain. Jim is also a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War, flying on 35 combat support missions in Southeast Asia during “Operation Linebacker II” in December 1972. He will be directing The Hobbit here at the Joy Theater in May of 2025. Auditions will be held in March for those who wish to try out for a part. Carpe Diem!!!

A Charlotte local, PJ Barnes is super excited to be in his 2nd year of Liberty Mountain this year with the role of Silas Martin! He looks forward to working again with an incredible cast, an awesome director and production team, and putting on another spectacular show! He’d love to shout out his wife and kids, Jasmin, Duke, Barry, and Rose-Marie.

​Roan Michael DeMar Homesley is excited to return for his fifth year at Liberty Mountain: The Revolutionary Drama! A special place for his family, this is where his parents met for the first time and got engaged—and if you listen closely enough, you’ll even hear his namesake mentioned in Act II. In addition to his experience here, Roan has spent the last two summers under the stars in Horn in the West. When he is not on stage playing with his friends, Roan is busy being a first grader who loves math, music class, and lunch.

Pete DeGregory is a longtime actor/director/tech, a devoted husband, and a wonderful grandfather. He’s extremely excited to be back with Liberty Mountain. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Tim is excited to be a part of this cast and help share the history of this battle. He thanks you for your support of local theater. Enjoy the show!

Taylor Osborne is from Boone, NC, and is excited for his first season with Liberty Mountain! He obtained his bachelor’s degree in 2019 and a master’s degree in 2021 in Public History from Appalachian State University. Taylor is also an Adjunct Instructor of First Year Seminar at Appalachian State. He has also been in the outdoor drama Horn in the West for four seasons. Taylor also works for Hickory Ridge History Museum, where he is the Senior Historical Interpreter and Museum Event Coordinator. In his spare time, he has been a reenactor since 2016 with the 6th North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Line, and he is also on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Historical Reenactment Society. Taylor enjoys doing first-person portrayals of Revolutionary War figures like Nathanael Greene, William Tryon, and Lord Charles Cornwallis.

Samantha Lea Harrison (Ensemble/Martha Bratton) has always loved historical drama, so she is thrilled to step into the world of Liberty Mountain! Favorite credits include Our Town (Mrs. Gibbs), Me and My Girl (Lady Battersby), Generate Camps 2022/2023 (Actor). Much love to Mom, Dad, Tyler, Amber, Jacob, and Lucy. Soli Deo Gloria!

Bernadette began singing and publicly touring with a band at 3 years old. Her favorite subject is Science. Outside of school, she enjoys shopping and getting together with friends. Her first experience with KMLT was in the musical Beauty and the Beast. She is honored to be a part of this historical drama and hopes that those who witness this performance gain a new outlook on the heroic men, women, and children in our US history.

Macrina has been singing and performing since she was 5 years old. In school, she enjoys studying Psychology and Theology and spends her free time surrounding herself with family and friends. Her first debut with KMLT was the musical Beauty and the Beast. She is honored to be a part of this historical drama. She hopes that you can immerse yourself in this performance and come out with a new appreciation of US History.

This is Tish’s first year at Liberty Mountain. Last year, she played Mrs. Frank in the Gastonia Little Theater production of Diary of Anne Frank. This was after a long hiatus from theater. Prior to that, she directed Tuna Christmas at GLT and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. She also directed Dearly Departed at Cherryville Little Theater, as well as many others. Tish was featured on the TV show What Not to Wear. “I love all my cast mates and see this as a great opportunity to expand my repertoire!”

Macy is excited to be back on the Joy Theatre stage for Liberty Mountain. She was last seen as Belle in Beauty and the Beast and she is honored to share this new story with you. She would like to thank her family and friends for their support and she hopes you enjoy the show!

Eva is 9 years old. She enjoys singing, dancing, aerial yoga, camping, and movies. Always marching to the beat of her own drum and finding ways to bring a smile to anyone's face, Eva loves seeing the magic in everyday life and sharing it with those around her.

Hailey is 11 years old and has been homeschooled her entire life. Liberty Mountain is the third play she has been in, and she is excited to build her experience. Hailey would like to thank Mrs. Bridget Allen for always believing in her and encouraging her to come out of her shell. She would also like to thank her parents, who have sat through every performance of hers, prayed for her always, and cheered her on. Last but not least, her Gma and Poppa, who helped make it possible for her to be part of the Liberty Mountain cast. In her free time, she enjoys reading, drawing, or playing with her farm animals.

Lila Allen is extremely excited to be a part of the Liberty Mountain production. She has previously appeared as Madame De La Grande Bouche in KMLT’s Beauty and the Beast. She also enjoyed participating in Cherryville’s production of The Little Mermaid. Lila is a 10th-grade student at Pinnacle Classical Academy. She loves playing volleyball and hanging out with her friends!