Singer and storyteller Jake Endres is a man of many hats, both literally and figuratively. He loves to exercise every creative muscle he can, and always in the service of good storytelling. Back in the early-mid 00s, Jake founded a performance troupe called The Theatrical Music Company, whose motto was “re-imagining how music tells stories.” And though running that group he proved that his heart lay in performing and creating far more than in producing, that motto still sums up his view of his vocation.

Most recently, Jake is back at the producing game a bit, but in a MUCH more manageable fashion, running his beloved backyard summer Friday Afternoon Happy Hour performance series called Smoke House Stage. Because there’s not much more that he loves than an audience … unless it’s inviting his extremely talented friends in this incredible community to share their gifts with our neighbors. Oh, and smoking barbecue for everyone.

Jake constantly engages with every aspect of music and story that he can, and always has, from his first lead role as Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Christmas in first grade, through thrilling high school choir experiences in Brainerd, MN; his singing, piano, and conducting studies at St. Olaf College (BM, Piano Performance ’93) and the University of Iowa (MA, Vocal Performance ’99), and on to a widely-varied career based in the Twin Cities, that has led to performances all over the country and internationally.

Gary Briggle is a nationally renowned singer-actor, stage director and teacher, with over 40 years of experience in the full range of musical and theatrical genres. He graduated from St. Olaf College in 1975 and began his professional career with The Minnesota Opera Company, with whom he sang comprimario roles for over a decade. Simultaneously, he was a member of the adult acting company at The Children’s Theater Company and School. In 1982, Gary embarked on the peripatetic life of the freelance artist, working from coast to coast with regional companies in plays, musicals, opera, operetta and oratorio, as well as gaining experience as a stage director.

For 25 years he was an artistic associate with Seaside Music Theater in Florida, and for 15 years he sang principal roles with Lyric Opera Cleveland, most notably the Britten chamber operas and the premiere of Libby Larsen’s MRS DALLOWAY, and where he eventually served as Artistic Director. Gary starred in several Gilbert and Sullivan operas at The Skylight Opera Theater in Milwaukee, including his acclaimed Koko in THE MIKADO, which aired on PBS-TV.

His favorite roles include Mac the Knife and J.J. Peachum in the Brecht/Weill THREEPENNY OPERA, The Beadle in SWEENEY TODD, The Baker and Narrator/Mysterious Man in INTO THE WOODS, Buddy Plummer in FOLLIES, The Witch in Humperdinck’s HANSEL AND GRETEL, Monostatos in THE MAGIC FLUTE, Goro in MADAMA BUTTERFLY, both Mozart and Salieri in AMADEUS, The Fool in KING LEAR, Bottom and Quince/Egeus in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, and most recently in the premiere of Nautilus Music-Theater’s TWISTED APPLES: Stories from WINESBURG OHIO by Robert Elhai and Robert Payne. Gary has worked with The Arizona Theatre Company, Sacramento Opera, Kansas City Rep, Florida Rep, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Anchorage Opera, Opera Carolina, Nevada Opera, Virginia Opera, The Artist Series of Sarasota, and locally with The Ordway Theater (directing THE SOUND OF MUSIC, performing THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, A CHRISTMAS STORY, DAMN YANKEES, WHITE CHRISTMAS, YANKEE DOODLE, CINDERELLA, and several in The BROADWAY SONGBOOK series,  La Theatre de la Jeune Lune/Berkeley Rep (DON JUAN GIOVANNI), History Theater (GLENSHEEN, BABY CASE),  Park Square Theater (KING LEAR), Frank Theater (THE CRADLE WILL ROCK), The Jungle Theater (URINETOWN, HAMLET, DIAL M FOR MURDER), Skylark Opera (CANDIDE, etc), The Theatrical Music Company (Elvis Costello’s JULIET LETTERS),  Minnesota Pops Orchestra,  Minnesota Dance Theater (THE NUTCRACKER), Vocal Essence (Libby Larsen’s BARNUM’S BIRD, Gershwin’s OF THEE I SING) and The Minnesota Orchestra (ENIGMA VARIATIONS, CAROUSEL), among others. He is the recipient of a Carbonell Award for Excellence and was honored to direct Sondheim’s A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at the Nationaltheater of Hungary in Miskolc.

Gary annually directs for the Dayton Opera (Ohio), where he has staged such varied productions as Jake Hegge’s DEAD MAN WALKING, Peter Brook’s CARMEN, PORGY AND BESS, PAGLIACCI, the premiere of Stella Sung’s THE BOOK COLLECTOR on a double-bill with CARMINA BURANA, and Menotti’s THE CONSUL. He has taught at The University of Iowa, St. Olaf College, Boston University’s Opera Institute, Valparaiso University, Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory, The University of Ohio/Miami, The Colleges of St. Catherine and St. Thomas, Macalaster College, Concordia College (St. Paul), The University of Minnesota, NDSU, and served as Co-Chairman of the Music-Theater Department of The St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, founded by his wife, actress Wendy Lehr.

When not on her bicycle, Joni Griffith can be found performing as an actor, instrumentalist, and vocalist.

An Iowa native, Joni first came to Minneapolis to complete her Bachelors in Vocal Performance from the University of Minnesota where she immersed herself in the vibrant performance scene of the Twin Cities, performing everywhere from bars to vineyards. She is a central member of Minneapolis theater company Mixed Precipitation as well as a frequent collaborator with Combustible Company and an associate artist with The Birth Play Project.

Equally at home on the violin as with her voice, Joni enjoys performing as a theatrical vocalist, composer, voice over artist, and gigging musician. She writes music and sings with her favoriteindie glam-pop band d’lakes, as well as plays synth and back up vocals for KYM & The Kick! She frequently plays violin and musical saw with other local musicians, as well as touring bands and ensembles.

She is the vocalist and creator of Minneapolis-based jazz trio Joni Jane and the Midnight Sugar, with Willow Waters on guitar and Drew Kellum on bass.

In addition to performing, Joni has written, recorded, and performed original music for multiple shows in the Midwest and on the east coast, including composing the choral harmonies for ANTI-GONE (Needs More Work Productions) – awarded “Best Tragedy” of the 2025 NYC Fringe Festival. Original music credits include: Waking Miss Daisy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Monster Heart, The Tempest, Measure for Measure, and the dance film Elemental Body.

She has co-created several performance art pieces, blending music, physical theatre, text, and imagery – including Crone House, an immersive, site-specific piece exploring the archetype of the crone and the maiden in modern society, and Driftwomen which toured to Duluth and Indiana.

In the spring of 2019, she completed a solo bicycle ride across the United States of America, spanning almost 4,000 miles in three months. Many of her adventures can be found on her Youtube channel – a place where she seeks to fuse her love of music with her passion for cycling in a fun and educational manner.

She is constantly exploring and learning new musical techniques and genres, including recording dreamy indie pop music in her bedroom, but she specializes in classical voice and golden age musical theatre.