Emily Walker
Company Member
Ally Faudel
Company Member
Barbie Weisserman has performed with Magic Carpet Theatre's Literacy Program since 2016 and joined Drama Ministry in more recent years performing in The Parable Project and Surrender. She originated the role of Ima in "The Wedding Feast of Cana" for MCT and designed the costumes for Surrender as well. Barbie is a jack-of-all-trades in the business as a producer, director, actor and costume designer extraordinaire. Many know her from her work at Two Muses Theatre in Farmington Hills. As a designer, her work has taken her from California to New York Fashion Week, and she has a passion for sharing her gifts including teaching refugees how to sew and creating artwork for Art Prize.
Rachael Fornarotto has been blessed to come from a musical family and started playing music at an early age. She loved the creative process and began her theatre practice at Interlochen Arts Academy, Idaho State University, Hope College, and ended at the University of Idaho where she obtained her MFA. Rachael loves how Magic Carpet Theatre inspires others to connect with their inherent creativity; it speaks to the inner child-like spirit and tenderness of the soul that allows us to become who we were made to be.
Barbie Weisserman
Company Member
Emily is thrilled to join the ministry of Magic Carpet Theatre in “Surrender” (2025). This is her first performance with MCT (besides one cherished opportunity to be an audience participant in “The Parable Project” when MCT came to Divine Child Elementary School). Inspired by her older sisters, and sharing their love of musical theatre, Emily started acting and singing at a young age, participating in several plays and musicals at Divine Child Schools and Drama Club at Ave Maria University. Favorite roles include Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Mary Poppins in, you guessed it, Mary Poppins. Most recently, Emily could be seen dancing her heart out in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Stagecrafters in Royal Oak.
From a young age, Allie Faudel has had a passion for singing and storytelling and currently volunteers at NorthRidge Church singing in the choir and storytelling to preschoolers. She considers it a blessing and privilege to teach them about Jesus and help them grow in their faith. She has performed at the Marquis Theatre in Downtown Northville and in various productions at her homeschool co-op. One of her favorite roles has been playing Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. With Amy Susan Heard as her vocal teacher, Allie has competed and placed in multiple vocal competitions for classical and musical theatre. She is very excited to have this opportunity to combine her talents and passions with the MCT Drama Ministry to help bring the Bible to life for others!
Rachael Fornarotto
Company Member
the acting company
Catherine Zardus, Founder and Artistic Director,has produced, directed, and performed for Magic Carpet Theatre for over thirty years and in 2008, developed MCT Drama Ministry, producing original shows that promote the Gospel: The Parable Project, At His Feet, The Parable Project: Take Two! and Surrender. Catherine obtained her B.S. in Theatre from Eastern and earned her M.F.A. in Acting at Detroit's own Hilberry Repertory Theatre, where she was nominated twice for Best Supporting Actress in Detroit. She has performed in regional theatres across the country and directed the 2012 production of The Living Stations (The Cross and the Light) at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit. In 2015, she was the director for We Humble Ourselves: Turning a Nation Back to God. She has performed her original works at hundreds of schools, churches, and conferences and produced the At His Feet CD with original scenes, music, and meditations (nominated for two Detroit Music Awards). Catherine is an active member of Divine Child Church in Dearborn, leads the Preaching Boot Camp at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, is an intercessory prayer leader, and has been blessed with a vocation as a wife and mother.
A professional actress for over 30 years, Lise Lacasse enjoys putting herself in the shoes of quite a diverse group of characters in everything from feature films, sketch comedy and improv, theatre, television commercials, radio voice-overs, educational entertainment, and assembly programming for schools and families with Magic Carpet Theatre and Scheer Genius Productions. With MCT's Drama Ministry Lise is especially fulfilled that her craft and her faith can collide at the foot of the Cross. Being a part-time missionary to Kenya and South Africa since 2003, Lise has spent some time serving there and has taken parables and stories from Magic Carpet Theatre to perform with and for the villagers in Africa. She has also acted in films including Trust with Clive Owen and Catherine Keener; MOOZ-Lum with Danny Glover, Nia Long and Evan Ross; Beyond the Mask, a Christ-centered action film, Jimmy P with Benicio del Toro; and The End of the Tour starring Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel.
Amy Susan Heard, a professional Christian vocalist and winner of two Detroit Music Awards (Outstanding Christian Vocalist & Songwriter 2004), is currently using her gifts as a solo singer/songwriter. Along with composing music for Drama Ministry’s original CD, “At His Feet”, she has collaborated with composer, James Stonehouse, on several projects for stage and film. With her Master of Music, Amy teaches private voice, guitar and piano lessons. She was thrilled to play Mary Magdalene in "Living Stations of the Cross" in 2010-2011 (Michigan). “I love the way Jesus used parables to provide a vivid picture of His Will for our lives, guiding us through each trial and instilling in us His Peace. I find so much joy in using my gifts in this fun and creative way to be a blessing and a light to others."
In memory, we honor Marybeth Kinnell, founding member of our ministry. "God is good - when he gives you a gift he gives you the means to give it away."-MBK
Marybeth Kinnell
In Memory