Bonnie was raised in sunny northern California. As a child she sang with her father at church and started piano lessons at age 5. After relocating to El Dorado, Kansas in grade school, she continued singing and playing piano. Throughout middle school and high school she competed in vocal and instrumental competitions (including State Choir) at school, sang at church, and played piano, all while learning to play 5 additional instruments. While in high school she led a group called Clown Corps for 2 years which performed at community and private events, was in show choir as well as in the drama club. In college Bonnie continued with show choir (taking national championships in 1988) and band, still played piano, sang at church, and even learned to play the organ!

When Bonnie moved to southwest Kansas in 1995, she discovered Boot Hill. She portrayed Miss Kitty for several years, eventually becoming the Entertainment Director. She began playing organ for the 1st Presbyterian Church in 2003 eventually taking on the additional role of choir director in 2010. During this time she also started performing with a very popular local band, Ask Vinnie! Several years later, Bonnie recorded a blues album and started performing with two other local bands, Mad Jack and Thief. In 2018 she accepted another organist position at the First United Methodist Church.

Bonnie stumbled upon the Depot in 2008. Missing the stage, she immediately wanted to get involved! Her first performance on the Depot Theater stage was “Jeckyl and Hyde.” Sadly life got in the way and she had to put performing on hold once again. During an innocent conversation in early 2019, she was urged to get involved once again with the theater. Her reappearance on the stage was as the witch in “Into the Woods.”

Bonnie is the Director of Family Life at the First United Methodist Church, organist for the 1st Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church, owner and CEO of Southwest Screening Solutions, LLC, daughter, sister, wife, mother, Nana, friend, actress, pianist, singer, and lover of all that is life. Whereas her life is full of music and creativity, and the many, many people that she loves, she believes it’s important to be part of the backbone that sustains the performing arts in Dodge City. Performing arts whether acting, singing, or playing an instrument are so incredibly important as they foster lifelong learning skills such as creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and problem solving. It’s an opportunity to engage the mind, the body and emotions into a collaborative expression of all that it means to be human. Bonnie is honored to be a part of the Depot Theater and looks forward to helping to maintain its heritage and its future.