Hasty Retreat Presents
AJ FUEX
PRODUCER DIRECTOR
Fuex began acting in a lead role at 12 years old in front of 8000 people at a religous convention. That's when she got the Theater Bug. She continued acting all throughout her school years, taking many acting classes centered on Method Acting, and Stage Tech. In her college years, she directed two Anton Chekov plays.
AJ resumed her passion for theater after retirement in 2009 in such roles as The Cowardly Lion in Oz!; The White King in Wonderland at the Bastrop Opera House; and in Playhouse Smithville's production of Dracula as Van Helsing and as the Villain, Meaghan DeBacon in the melodrama Egads!".
She first tried her hand at directing and producing with the play The Boardinghouse, putting together a stellar cast for rave reviews. Daughters of the Lone Star State was her second production to achieve shining reviews through the oustanding and believable character portrayals by her cast, and a higher level of excellence in staging and production.
The troupe began to tour with Dixie Swim Club (its second show), and were subsequently asked to became a regular part of the season at the beautiful and historic Stafford Opera House in Columbus, Texas. The cast's portrayals were superb, genuine, and, as remarked one audience member: " .. you would never know they weren't real!"
The next two shows, 'Til Beth Do Us Part and Bridesmaids, also jones/hope/wooten collaborations, were received with loads of uproarious laughter, plenty of gags, and barrels of jokes!
The Hasty Retreat Players turned toward their first dramatic performance in Agnes of God in the Spring of 2015, and the cast's three members delivered stunningly intense, emotionally deep, and authentic portrayals that left audience members awed.
"Sealed For Freshness takes me back to the days when my Mom used to drag me to all the Tupperware parties given by the ladies at church. Ours were never quite *this* exciting or dramatic, but then ... those were church ladies! This Tupperware party is a bit more complicated than that, and gives me a real challenge on balancing comedy with drama. Quite a challenge, but I'm ready to see how I do!" says Fuex.
Savannah Sipping Society really echoes with me. Four older ladies, in a rut, decide to hire a life coach to remake their lives ... and through their crazy adventures find everlasting friendships, deeper connections, and a self-awareness and confidence they never had before! A truly beautiful show. I can't wait~
"Let's get started with Farce of Nature! I can't wait for this one -- fast paced and funny (the characters are a scream), like Mama Won't Fly"-- this one will be a memory to treasure!"
COLLEEN PANNELL
Assistant Director
Colleen has worked with Hasty Retreat Presents and AJ Fuex for the last 4 years on productions like Mama Won’t Fly, Savannah Sipping Society. and most recently was Assistant Director for Moon Over Buffalo at the Gaslight Baker Theatre in Lockhart, TX. For over 10 years she has worked with multiple directors on productions like Steel Magnolias, Vagina Monologues and Love, Loss & What I Wore. One of Colleen’s continuous roles is at Sherwood Forest Faire in McDade where she is part of the Captain Rex Pirate Crew, playing Scarlett the Navigator. She also works as Director of Bastrop County's Forged in Fire Dance Troupe.
Colleen is very excited to also be Assistant Director of this production and thanks AJ Fuex for the continuous opportunities. She understands AJs style of directing and management, and can implement it efficiently and effortlessly.
JOHN FUEX
PRODUCER/CARPENTER