Megan Navarro
WIMBERLEY — Several community members have been outspoken against local theatre nonprofit Wimberley Players’ decision to name Karin Cunningham as the producer in an upcoming summer production, following her alleged defense of registered sex offender Robby Vance, who previously was involved with the organization.
The worry began in August 2023, when Donna Provencher, an actor and director in the local theatre community, raised concerns about sexual assault allegations against Vance to Wimberley Players’ leadership.
According to Travis County court records, Vance was charged with: indecency with a child by exposure, a third-degree felony; sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony; three counts of indedency with a child by sexual contact, a second-degree felony; and continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 years old, a first-degree felony in 2022. Following these charges, he was sentenced to probation with community supervision and required to join the public sex offender registry Aug. 24, 2022, with a projected registration until 2037. A motion to revoke probation was denied for Vance in April 2026.
Vance initially began at Wimberley Players in 2023, where he participated in various productions as a cast or crew member and later as an employee.
Despite Provencher’s knowledge of the allegations against Vance, she was initially unaware of the extent of his history.
“I wasn't aware of any [charges] that involved children at the time,” said Provencher. “I did not make a report because I wasn't aware of him being on the sex offender registry. I wasn't aware of him having any probationary conditions or anything along those lines.”
Although she was aware of at least two board members who were notified, she felt that Wimberley Players’ leadership, including then-executive director Trish Rigdon, then-co artistic chair Danny Mosier and current artistic chair Roxanne Strobel, minimized the concerns, as she claimed that she received troubling and dismissive remarks and there was not a “meaningful investigation” that followed.
Provencher continued to voice this unease, sharing that she refused to cast Vance in her 2024 production of “Legally Blonde,” believing that he posed a safety risk.
Despite these incidents, Vance continued to work on two productions at the theater in late 2023 and 2024 in close proximity to minors; most recently in the 2024 show “Miracle on 34th Street,” where he worked as the music director.
It was during this time that Vance’s status on the sex offender registry came to light. Although parents and community members shared their apprehension, Cunningham — director of the “Miracle on 34th Street” production — allegedly defended him in a letter in November 2024 to cast, crew and parents:
“I want to talk about the bombshell that was dropped (against my wishes) last night. It broke my heart to have our beautiful experience thus far marred by such an ugly revelation. Since nothing happened and I was able to remove the problem quickly and without incident, I felt the notification could have waited until the show closed. Also, please rest assured that despite my close relationship with [Vance] and the fact that so many of the [Wimberley Players] family knew — I did NOT. That being said, now that I DO know about it and ALL the extenuating circumstances, I believe no one was ever in any danger whatsoever. Believe me as an assault victim myself who raised two sons, I would be the first [to] blow all the whistles if I believed you or your children were [in danger]. It is my sincere wish that we can ALL put this behind us and finish out our amazing show run,” said Cunningham’s letter.
This same month, Provencher met with three board members regarding her report against Vance that had gone uninvestigated. She stated that she was “repeatedly reassured” during the meeting that the Wimberley Players would be making meaningful changes, such as informing the parents of the situation. Board members also informed Provencher that Cunningham would be encouraged to step down, due to her resistance to inform parents and “mismanagement of the situation," she recalled.
Given these reassurances, Provencher accepted a position as marketing chair on the board in March 2025.
Vance was ultimately removed from the production, following verification of his status on the sex offender registry, and prohibited from further involvement with the theatre, though no further report was made to the police.
As of April 2026, the Comal County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the allegations of probation violation that occurred during Vance’s time with the Wimberley Players, following his re-arrest for failure to comply with sex offender registry reporting requirements.
According to current board president Cynthia Millonzi, the board was unaware of Vance’s restrictions of probation and community supervision. However, cast member Taylor Lueckenotte claimed that the organization did have these documents in 2024.
Beginning with productions following the 2024 incident, the Wimberley Players implemented mandatory criminal background checks and screening of cast members and staff against the sex offender registry, explained Millonzi and board vice president Dan Pickens. Additionally, production participants are briefed on reporting procedures and the organization engages an independent third-party investigator for situations that involve allegations of sexual misconduct or bullying.
“The Wimberley Players remains committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all participants and patrons. Registered sex offenders are legally required to disclose their status to employers; in this case, that disclosure did not occur,” stated Millonzi and Pickens. “Upon learning of the situation, the board acted promptly and has continued to review and strengthen policies and procedures designed to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents occurring in the future.”
While Cunningham resigned from her position on the board in 2024, she remained in her director role of production on "Miracle on 34th Street,” according to Millonzi. Now, she has been named the producer for the upcoming summer show, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” to the uproar of community members. One of which is Provencher, who shared that Cunningham has also been reinstated to the artistic team.
“The same institution is reinstating into a forward-facing authority role, [Cunningham], who publicly told families and cast members there were ‘extenuating circumstances’ for what appeared on Robby Vance’s record, insisted no children had ever been in danger and opposed informing parents of the risk at all. She also fought against replacing [his wife], the stage manager who lied to the theater,” said Provencher in a letter to the board.
After being asked to provide relevant legal statutes regarding public concern and reporting considerations for her apprehension about reinstating Cunningham, Provencher alleged that she was told to stop and was discouraged from continuing the conversation. Then, on May 3, she was summoned to an executive committee meeting without having "meaningful information about the nature” of it, despite requiring ADA accommodations.
It was at this time that she concluded that she couldn’t serve within an organization that would handle those speaking up and raising objections in the way it did, causing her to submit her resignation letter the same day and then, a subsequent complaint to the Charitable Trusts Division of the Texas Attorney General's Office Monday, May 18.
Others — including Robert Moritz, a cast member in the “Miracle on 34th Street” production, and Lueckenotte — have been outspoken against Cunningham being reinstated, simply due to the safety of those involved in the productions.
“Hearing that she is involved with the upcoming production of ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ was quite a surprise. I'm disappointed in the theatre's rehiring of Mrs. Cunningham. The most primary concern of any organization, like a theatre, should be the safety of those participating in their productions,” Moritz said. “Mrs. Cunningham had a responsibility to protect the members of the Miracle on 34th Street production. She did not do so. She is a very nice person, but I would not trust her to act if a similar situation presented itself. For that one reason, I do not believe she should be in charge in any way of any production.”
Lueckenotte noted on a social media post — as the community outcry has been widely spread — that “defending those who prey on the most vulnerable in our society is indefensible.”
Pickens stated that the board has no involvement in Cunningham’s position as producer, since the artistic team, which she is now a part of, makes these decisions.
The artistic team did not respond to request for comment.
