JOHN HOSKING co-founded the Vigilantes with fellow actor Rhonda Smith in 1981. In Montana, John has performed with Shakespeare in the Parks and the Virginia City Players. While touring in the Northwest with “A Contemporary Theatre” of Seattle, he was involved with ACT’s Theatre for Young Audiences and Main Stage and
was invited to perform at the Kennedy Center. John was a member of the Founding Board of the Emerson Cultural Center in Bozeman, MT. He received his B.A. in Theatre Arts from Montana State University and is a Hilberry Graduate Fellow (Wayne State University). You can also see John in the movie, “A Plumm Summer,” as well as numerous regional television commercials.
RHONDA SMITH grew up surrounded by wheat fields on the Fort Peck Reservation of Northeastern Montana. While receiving a B.A in theatre from MSU and an M.F.A from Wayne State University’s Hilberry Repertory Company, she was twice honored with an Award of Excellence while appearing at the Kennedy Center in
Washington D.C. Other honors include the Montana Governor’s Award bestowed upon Shakespeare in the Parks while she toured as an actress and company manager. Summers with the Virginia City Opera House prepared her for co-founding the Vigilantes. Since that time, Rhonda has been living the life she loves touring with live theatre and performing for the wonderful people of her home state. Rhonda thanks her deceased father, farmer Edward Smith; mother, retired teacher Carol Smith; and sister, radio personality and writer Chrysti the WordSmith.
When not touring, Rhonda is happiest while walking dogs she adopted from her favorite charities; Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter and Prison Paws for Humanity.
Zena Dell Lowe, Writer, Director, Producer
Zena Dell Lowe studied film and theatre at the University of Washington in Seattle and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena before graduating with a BA in Honors Literature from Cal State University Northridge. Zena worked successfully as an actress in theatre, independent films and national commercials before transitioning behind the scenes as a writer, producer and director of plays and short films. Her play, Happy Holidays, Pending… was produced at the acclaimed Actor’s Co-op in Hollywood. She won a Silver Award and a Telly Award for her short film, The Haunted Heart. Zena is delighted to be the newest member of the Vigilante Theatre Company. When not on the road touring, Zena teaches screenwriting and playwriting as an adjunct professor at Covenant Christian College in Georgia, and is also a co-founding partner and producer for Skirt Films, a Bozeman based production company. Her most recent short film, “Hard Shell,” will debut at the Hatch Film Festival in October 2008.
Tom Q. Morris recently returned to his home state of Montana from Los Angeles, California. Tom has appeared in the following films; “National Treasure” with Nicholas Cage, “Instinct” with Sir Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding, Jr., “While You Were Sleeping” with Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman, David Lynch’s “Mull Holland Drive,” and the soon to be released “Your Name Here” starring Bill Pullman. Mr. Morris has appeared in numerous television commercials, as well as the Turner Network Television movie, “The Virginian.” On stage, Mr. Morris has appeared with The New York Shakespeare Festival, dinner theatres in Chicago, Big Fork Summer Playhouse, toured with the Vigilante Theatre Company in “Montana Mirthquake,” “Marriage Go-Round,” and Tom took on several roles in “Rewinding Montana” including his personal favorite, a blues-singing dinosaur. Tom also worked with Montana Reperatory Theatre as Mr. Potter in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and the three person historical drama,”Voice of the Prairie.” Mr. Morris spent 15 summers touring with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks playing numerous “clown” parts, as well as directing such classics as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” and “The Rivals,” Just to name a few productions.
As a writer, Mr. Morris produced two plays, “Wuf,” a funny and fantastical look at wolf reintroduction, and “The Ever Intrepid Traveling CLARK & LEWIS Show,” a wry reinterpretation of the Corps of Discovery. Both of these performances featured songs penned by Greg Keeler. Both shows were written and directed by Mr. Morris and were performed by the irrepressible VIGILANTE PLAYERS.
Mr. Morris is thrilled to be working with the Vigilante Theatre Company on new production, “The History Mystey Train, Lost Chance at Last Gulch,” a “western” for all ages. As an added bonus, Tom will be performing in the show.
Ben Trotter,actor
Montana native and graduate of Bozeman High, Ben has enjoyed performing theatre regularly since the sixth grade. He has been privileged to perform in Macbeth, Heaven Can Wait and most recently, Rabbit Hole, which opened the new Black Box Theatre on the MSU Campus. Aside from theatre, Ben enjoys buying (and reading) books, eating Cheerios, and throwing rocks into the Gallatin River.