Charissa Armon (Ruth's Mother) makes her Apple Tree debut in Dessa Rose. She recently understudied and performed the roles of Benvolio and Lady Capulet in The Second City's Romeo & Juliet, and Ruth and Buffy in The Princess and the Pea at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Recent credits include Carolee in Elegies and Dr. Charlotte in Falsettos with Porchlight Music Theatre where she is an Artistic Associate. Other credits include: Dolly/Ensemble (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol (Provision Theater); Fay Apple in Anyone Can Whistle and Celeste II/Naomi Eisen in Sunday in the Park with George —Jeff Citation, ‘Best Production, Musical' (Pegasus Players' Theatre); Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Heritage Theatre Group); The Nurse in Hello Again and Mae in The Wild Party (Circle Theatre). She is the voice of Leah Rose in the Left Behind Dramatic Audio Series. Charissa is a graduate of Michigan State University.

Karla Beard (Dessa Rose) is happy to be returning to Apple Tree Theatre. She was last seen in Highland Park doing Anyone Can Whistle at the Ravinia Festival, where she was also seen as Celeste #2 in Sunday in the Park with George. Some other perfo