Sisters share a lasting, deep love for theater

Danielle Read, 25, and Tiffany Goetz, 22, are best friends, talented actresses and sisters.

Dramatic, animated, and fearless, these two have no problem speaking in public.

Their first show was Spokane Children Theatre’s production of “Tom Sawyer.” Read was 6, and Goetz was 3.

They come from a family of thespians.

Their mother, Vicki Hynes, is the artistic director of Theatre Arts for Children and has been an active player in theater for more than 30 years.

Hynes’ mother, Mary Lou Pleas, also was in theater.

Their father, Dennis Middleton, also has been involved in stage work, and their stepfather, Mike Hynes, is a musician and actor.

By the time the girls were 8, they were applying their own stage makeup. Over the past 20 years they have been in at least 40 shows.

They have played a full spectrum of characters from a hound dog to a boy in a wheelchair.

Read has been in five local commercials, and Goetz is a prolific and talented dancer. She has choreographed many theater productions, and both women have directed and been stage managers for numerous shows.

Read and Goetz have benefited greatly from their theater experiences.

“We are not shy girls,” Goetz said. “All throughout school, it helped boost our confidence and social stance.”

Being involved in theater also helped them with their studies – Read in particular. Still hesitant to admit it, she has a learning disability.

Goetz would help Read with her schoolwork and, by putting things in context to theater; Read would learn concepts in her own way.

“I don’t even want to think about what life would be like without theater,” Read said.

They both graduated from East Valley High School.

Read lettered in dance, drama, and choir. Goetz lettered in band and honor society.

An excellent band teacher kept Goetz interested. She plays the clarinet and percussion and is teaching herself the piano.

She used to write poetry, but her creative writing teacher told her that her work wasn’t very good. The comment had quite an effect on her, and she quit writing; fortunately, she had other creative outlets.

“It makes me mad,” said Goetz, “that schools are cutting the arts. Band class taught me to count and how to sit still.

“We were exposed to Bach, Mozart, and classics like ‘The Glass Menagerie’ and ‘Anne Frank.’ ”

Where else would they get such teachings if not in school? Lucky for them, local theater organizations like Theatre Arts for Children are available to their children without the fear of budget cuts.

Read has two children: Jade, 5, and Michael, 3. Michael is too young, but Jade already has performed on stage.

Her first role was a rat in Theatre Arts for Children’s production of “Pied Piper.”

“She loves it,” Read said, “and she has really opened up since she stepped onto a stage. She has gained confidence and is very eager to learn more.”

Both women are married to servicemen who support them entirely.

Goetz’s husband, Jason, has a degree in theater and will be getting a teaching degree. No doubt their future children will be involved in drama as well.

Although the sisters plan to remain involved in drama, they have other plans.

Read will go to cosmetology school, and Goetz, a pharmacy technician, will go to culinary arts school to perhaps be a pastry chef.

It is all up in the air, but their ability to wear many hats and play many characters will take them far.