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Tira Palmquist (Playwright/Director)
This is Tira's second production with The Chance, and she's happy to be back. Her scripts include Lost Nation, Coyote Rising, Breathing Water Instead of Air and others. Coyote Rising is currently in production as a radio play in NYC with Coyote REP, and Breathing Water Instead of Air will be part of the DeLand Theatre Festival in Florida this coming January. Tira's writing awards include the 1999 Sunny Award for Best New Work in Columbus, OH for her adaptation of The Island of Dr. Moreau, and Breathing Water Instead of Air received the 1996 SIPFest Best Play award. Her directing credits include It's a Wonderful Life (the musical), Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse (which one the 2002 "Show that Made a Difference" Award in Columbus, OH), and the Ohio premieres of Blood Eden: The Authentic History of the Terrible Harpes and Theodora: An Unauthorized Biography . Tira is a member of The Dramatists Guild, ALAP and OCPA. [top]
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Bill Strongin (Musical Director/Lance Vargas)
A native of Omaha, Bill graduated from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln with his masters in music. He has subsequently music directed numerous theater productions, including Sweeny Todd, And the World Goes Round, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Also an actor, some of his favorite onstage roles include Jack Worthing (Ernest in Love), Axel Hammond (The Nerd), LM (Pump Boys and Dinettes), and Evelyn/Rupert Farrant (Corpse!). Bill teaches piano privately, and he is, of course, proud to be returning to The Chance Theater after leading the band in last summer's production of Cabaret and musically directing the recent production of Into The Woods. [top] |
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Masako Tobaru (Set Designer)
Masako has been a proud company member for 2 years. She recently designed the set for with their eyes (LA Times Critic's Choice) and Never In My Lifetime (BSW Critic's Pick) and designed lighting for The Eight, A Christmas Story, The Rover, Closer Than Ever (LA Times Critic's Pick), It's A Wonderful Life, and Grand Night for Singing. She has also stage managed Into The Woods (BSW Critic's Pick), The Last 5 Years, Cabaret (BSW Critic's Pick), and The Eight: Reindeer Monologues (OC Weekly Theater Award Nominee - Best Production). Elsewhere, she has designed lighting for Working, Seussical, the Musical, Joyful Noise, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, and received a Kennedy Center award nomination for her lighting design for Medea at Concordia University, Irvine, where she received her BA in Theatre and Communications. Masako would like to thank her family for their support, and her friends for their understanding. And a special thanks to Oanh for being an amazing mentor and inspiration. [top] |
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Lindsey Suits (Lighting Designer)
Lindsey received her B.A. in theatre emphasizing in lighting design from the University of California, Irvine. She works in numerous theatres across LA and Orange County as an electrician, carpenter and Lighting Designer. Some favorite designs of hers include Mysterious Skin (Rude Guerilla Theatre), Physical Graffiti dance concert (Claire Trevor Theatre), The Blue Room (Nixon Theatre) and Need (Salvation Theatre). She is also the founding member and Artistic Director of Found Spaces Theatre Company, a company using knowledge to conquer ignorance through art. She has greatly enjoyed working on this project with so many talented and wonderful individuals. [top] |
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Alisa Duffey (Costume Designer)
Alisa is thrilled to be able to take a turn as costume designer for Anaheim Home Companion. This is her third time designing costumes for The Chance, previously designing for Tape and A Grand Night for Singing (at the Curtis Theater). Alisa is a proud Company Member and an alumnus of Concordia University, Irvine.
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Courtny Greenough (Stage Manager)
Courtny is a recent graduate of Concordia University Irvine, with a B.A. in Business Administration Management and Theatre minor. She is thrilled to be working on her first show at The Chance after interning with them this spring. Past shows include: Skin of Our Teeth (Kennedy Center's Meritorious Achievement Award Stage Management, American College Theatre Festival), Seussical the Musical (Stage Manager), The Good Doctor (Dramaturge) at Concordia, and Brigadoon (Production Stage Manager) Christian Arts and Theatre, Corona. Courtny has also interned at the Tony Award winning La Jolla Playhouse in General and Production Management and currently works for the Education Department at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Courtny would like to thank the entire cast and company for all the "swell" times and her family for their love and support. [top] |
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Alex Bueno (Playwright)
Alex Bueno has been a company member with The Chance Theater for 4 years. She is usually seen on stage but has a few writing credits under her belt such as Lord of the Screen Fellowship of the Pen (OC Weekly nominee - Best New Play) and whatever she writes in her diary. She feels thrilled to have had the opportunity to be involved in this project. Alex was recently seen in the West Coast Premiere of with their eyes: September 11th - The View from a High School at Ground Zero which received L.A. Times Critic's Choice. She is currently reprising her role as Blitzen in The Eight: Reindeer Monologues. She would like to thank her friends and family for their support, Clarissa for her cheesy jingle inspiration, Tira for her guidance and Casey for his love and shoulder massages. Enjoy the show. [top] |
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Richard Comeau (Playwright)
Richard is delighted to contribute to The Chance's latest offering in something other than the usual way. Having written little since college, he's happy to still be able to sit down and crank it out. He was last seen on this stage as John Brennan in Coyote on a Fence (Back Stage West Critic’s Pick), and hopes for something equally challenging next season. [top] |
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Annie Mezzacappa (Playwright)
Annie is honored to have been part of The Chance Theater Repertory Company Anaheim Home Companion writing team. Her inspiration was drawn from the spirited community members that lived, worked, and played in Anaheim, circa 1953 - the only California City with "home" in its name! Annie extends her grateful appreciation to all who made this project such a wonderful collaborative experience. She especially wishes to thank: The Chance writing and research team - Tira, Alex, Dimas, Jeff, Sarah, and Richard; Stephen, Susan, and David Faessel; Donna Ashbaugh; Anaheim Arts Council members Reon Boydstun-Howard, June Glenn, and Andrea Manes; and Anaheim Public Library Local History Curator, Jane Newell. As a freelance writer, Annie has contributed to the OC Register's Best of Orange County and assists Anaheim City Council Member Harry Sidhu with publication of his monthly newsletter. [top] |
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Sarah Moreau (Playwright)
As a proud Company Member of The Chance Theater, Sarah is so happy to be a part of this production. Sarah has a Bachelor of Fine Art in Theater from Stephens College in Columbia, MO. She would like to thank the Chance Theater Company and Staff. Also a special thanks to Tira for all the hard work she put in to make this show happen. [top] |
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Andréa de la Luz Ainsworth (Annabelle McGee)
Andréa is a graduate from UC Irvine, where she performed in The Vagina Monologues. Andréa attended South Coast Repertory, where she just completed The Summer Professional Intensive Conservatory. Other credits include performances in Oklahoma! and West Side Story at Sierry Repertory Theatre. This is Andréa's first performance at The Chance Theater, she's filled with joy and excitement to be here. [top] |
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Ray Akin (Arthur Wainwright)
Ray is glad to be in his fifth appearance and his third consecutive Christmas show here at The Chance, where his roles have included Pridamant in The Illusion, Sgt. Meryll in Yeomen of the Guard, Pop Bailey/Henry Potter in It's A Wonderful Life - The Musical, and The Old Man in A Christmas Story. This past summer he appeared elsewhere in his first grand opera, Mozart's Magic Flute. Ray is especially pleased to be in his third show directed by the creative and insightful Tira Palmquist and to be sharing with a very talented cast. He continues to be grateful for the ongoing support of his cherished wife Jan. [top] |
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Bryan Barton (Joshua Meyer)
Bryan is honored to be a part of such an exciting original production. As a company member, he has been involved in a number of productions at The Chance. He most recently appeared in Big Love (Oed), and Cabaret (Ernst). Technical work includes Sound Design for Big Love, Company and Tape, and Stage Manager for Lord of the Screen and Goodnight Children Everywhere. Other roles include Dr. Bartolo in FIG: R.O. (retro opera), First Chance Fest 2004 roles in Creep and Sganarelle, and First Chance Fest 2003 roles for Zazzle, Unemployment and Bridge & Tunnel. Bryan would like to thank the talented cast and crew for their hard work and dedication, to Tira for her vision and the opportunity to be a part of it, and to Clarissa for her love and support. [top] |
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Sylvia Cervantes (Gertie Wainwright)
Sylvia has graced the stage (on and off) as an actor, dancer, choreographer, director, and not so gracefully as a comedian. Her credits range from performing as a troubled pre-teen with a touring Educational Theatre Program to various challenging roles in Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses at Cal State Long Beach, where she earned her Bachelor's Degree. Most recently she has performed with the improv group Sabotage here at The Chance, but is pleased to announce that Anaheim Home Companion is her first full production with the company. [top] |
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Dimas Diaz (Nate Goodrich)
Dimas returns to The Chance stage after a brief hiatus following his critically acclaimed role as The Voice in Hot N Throbbing. He is excited to be a part of such a talented cast and crew. Some previous shows Dimas has been a part of here at The Chance include roles in Tape, Porcelain (GLAAD nominee), The 8: Reindeer Monologues (OC Weekly Best Ensemble Nominee, 2004), and many others. Dimas is a proud Chance Theater company member and thanks Oanh and every Chance artist for their dedication. Special thanks goes to the hard working writing staff and research team that made Anaheim Home Companion possible and Tira for bringing all of it together. [top] |
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Monica Forouzesh (Sally Dutton)
This is Monica's first theater production after graduating in May from California Institute of the Arts with her BFA in acting. Other theater credits include: Vital Signs (multiple roles), The Seagull (Nina), The Imaginary Invalid (Louise), Peach Blossom Fan (Poison Ivy), and Henry VI, part I (Joan La Pucelle) among others. She is currently working on her commercial and voice-over career in Los Angeles. She is very thankful to be a part of this nostalgic heart-warming radio show, it's been a Blast! A million thanks to my family, friends and Gabe for their love. [top] |
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Jonathon Lamer (Johnny Taylor)
Jonathon makes his California debut with Anaheim Home Companion and The Chance Theater. Born and raised in East Alton, Illinois, Jonathon earned his Bachelor's Degree in Theatre from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. He then worked for a number of theatres in St. Louis, Mo., Massachusettes, Little Rock, Ak., and Memphis, Tn. Favorite roles include Joe Pitt in Angels in America at The Arkansas Rep., Iago, Macbeth, Oberon and Edgar (King Lear) in St. Louis, Ralph (Frozen), Kippy (Take Me Out), Patrick (Inventing Van Gogh), Marley (Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol), Martin (The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?), Slim (Of Mice and Men), James (Book of Days), Heisenberg (Copenhagen) and Hal (Proof) among many others all for Playhouse on the Square in Memphis. Film credits include "Truman" and "Soul of the Game," both for HBO, the title role in the independent film "Eli Parker Is Getting Married?" and also co-starring with his daughter Lena in "Lovely by Surprise," to be released next year. [top] |
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Casey Long (Nate Goodrich Understudy)
Casey is very excited to have the opportunity to appear in this exciting world premiere. A Company and Staff Member since 2000, Casey has appeared in numerous productions here at The Chance. You may have seen him this year in Hot 'N' Throbbing (Calvin), with their eyes: September 11th - The View from a High School at Ground Zero (Ensemble - Los Angeles Times Critic's Choice), and Coyote On A Fence (Bobby Reyburn - Back Stage West Critic's Pick). Casey is also currently reprising his role of Dasher in the late night comedy The Eight: Reindeer Monologues here at The Chance. He would like to thank his fellow Company Members for their support, Alex for her love and his parents for supporting him through everything. [top] |
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