Meet The Troupe
Laura Myers- Singer/Director
Laura started her professional acting career in Tulsa, OK playing Mary in the melodrama “The Drunkard”. Becoming addicted to the sound of laughter aimed at her, she continued acting in San Francisco in varied improv and theatrical productions as well as music projects singing both leads and back-up for local artists. She then took her chops to Los Angeles where sketch comedy became her life. You may have heard her voice hocking products in television and radio commercials and in the film Judge Dredd. Laura joined Cocktail Cabaret in 2006 and found a happy marriage between her two loves, singing and comedy. When she is not on stage, she is a professional vocal coach.
Robert Draper—Singer/Director
Robert began singing as a child in a Baptist choir deep in the rural South. Later he began to sing professionally at weddings and other events throughout the state of Alabama. He continued to pursue music by singing with a local band in Mobile, Alabama. Since his arrival to Portland, Robert has sung for several years with the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus. In 2004 Robert joined Cocktail Cabaret when it was just beginning to form. Besides thrilling us with raucous renditions of Sweet Transvestite, Robert is a tireless hospice nurse for Kaiser Permanente.
Maggie Gould- Choreographer
Maggie was raised in Oregon. She began her career as a performer when she joined the Ice Capades at the age of 18. After two years of touring as a professional skater, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in dance. Her dance credits include live performances with Patti Labelle, Glen Frye and Elvira Mistress of the dark. She has danced on stage at Ceasar’s Palace and led cheers for the L.A. Rams and the L.A. Clippers. Maggie has appeared in music videos for Jane’s Addiction and films such as Salsa and Roadhouse with Patrick Swayze. Television credits include Doogie Howser, Moonlighting, and Nightengales. She has choreographed for such companies as Nike, Nordstrom, B.U.M. Equipment and L.A. Gear. Maggie is thrilled to be back in Portland, close to family and working as an R.N. at Shriner’s Hospital for Children.
Lara Plachta- Dancer
Lara grew up with ice-skating and ballet lessons. As a child she won first place in the NW Ice Skating Championships. Later she began classes in Rhythmic Gymnastics and her team won 3rd place in the Spanish National Competition. Over 10 years ago, she began dancing salsa as a hobby, where she met Maggie Gould and joined her “Sabor Latino” performance group. Since then, she has followed Maggie to her current “Cocktail Cabaret” endeavor. Offstage, Lara works as a Spanish interpreter at Saint Vincent Hospital.
Amy Collingwood- Dancer
Amy began dancing in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio at age 7 with ballet and tap. She grew up performing in various cheerleading and dance team competitions throughout the Midwest. After moving to San Francisco, she got involved with Rhythm and Motion Dance Studio in 2003, where she became an avid student of hip hop/jazz, participating in performances through the studio. Now living in Portland, Amy continues to dance at Vega Dance Lab where she has also taught workout and hip hop classes. In addition to performing in Cocktail Cabaret, you can catch her sizzling moves in shows around town with the hip hop burlesque troupe Sauce. Off the stage, Amy works for Nike, where she enjoys traveling throughout North and South America in her role as Visual Merchandising Manager.
Katy Beckemeyer- Singer
Katy Beckemeyer started her acting career in high school, being in 12 shows and even landing the lead in the musical version of Peter Pan. Since high school, Katy has recently starred in her first film, that won the international experimental witch competition, and will be edited into a feature film going to film festivals around the world. She also enjoys writing music and hopes to always have acting, music, and theatre in her life.
Desirae Stewart- Singer
Desirae Stewart: Desirae has been involved in a total of 16 productions at David Douglas High School and Warner Pacific College. A few roles she has played includes: Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls", Wendy in "Peter Pan", Penelope in "See How They Run", Princess Winnifred in "Once Upon A Mattress, and Launcelot in "The Merchant of Venice".
Erin Braithwaite-Singer/Dancer
Erin is no stranger to musical theatre, having spent most of her childhood singing and dancing in various musical productions. In 2000 she received a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan. Since graduating Erin has performed professionally in NYC in various plays and musicals and toured nationally as Liesl in The Sound of Music and as a dancer/chorus member in Cats. Besides performing, Erin has and continues to teach dance and theatre throughout the United States. Erin has performed with Cocktail Cabaret since its debut in 2004. When Erin is not vamping in Cocktail Cabaret, she is a full-time medical student at Oregon Health Sciences University. She plans to practice in an underserved area of the United States upon graduation.