Resident Company
Company Members
Company Member Emeritus
Associate Designers
|
 |
 |
Bryan Barton (Actor) Bryan is honored to be part of this incredibly talented ensemble of artists at The Chance Theater. As a company member since 2004, he most recently appeared on the Chance stage as Don Carney in Biloxi Blues. He previously appeared in Chance productions of Anaheim Home Companion, Big Love, Cabaret, and Fig R.O.(Retro Opera). His technical work includes Sound Design for The Chance Theater's productions of Big Love, Company and Tape, and as Stage Manager for the critically acclaimed productions of Lord of the Screen and Goodnight Children Everywhere. Bryan started his journey at The Chance Theater with a series of roles for First Chance Fest 2003 in Zazzle, Unemployment and Bridge and Tunnel. The following year he was back for First Chance Fest 2004 in Creep and The Imaginary Cuckold. His first stage experience came during high school where he performed roles in MacBeth, Bye Bye Birdie, Love Rides the Rails, and The Lion in Winter. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science with a Minor in Digital Arts from UC Irvine and currently works the day job as a Software Consultant. [top] |
 |
Clarissa Barton (Actor) Clarissa is proud to be included among the talented group of artists that is The Chance Theater Repertory Company. Clarissa grew up in Palm Springs, where her first theater experience was at the age of 9, playing God in a school play. As a teen, Clarissa appeared in A Christmas Pied Piper at the Palm Springs Playhouse, and shared the stage with Academy Award winner George Chakiris and Lee Merriwether in The King and I at the McCallum Theater. Clarissa went on to receive a B.A. in Theater Arts from Cal State Fullerton, where she appeared in Baby and toured Orange County schools as a member of the Kaleidoscope Players. While at CSUF, she also performed in the Lorenz Hart tribute, Salon at the Taper at the Mark Taper Forum. After graduating from CSUF, Clarissa lived in New York City for nearly three years, where she studied improvisation with Second City, and participated in the New York City Teaching Fellows program. Clarissa's involvement with The Chance began in the summer of 2003, when she was cast as Lucielle in Echo's Longing. Since then, she has appeared in a slew of productions at The Chance: Lord of the Screen: The Fellowship of the Pen (Gwendi), Oedipus at Colonus (Ismene), Rodgers & Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing, FIG:R.O. (Susanna), Cabaret (Fraulein Kost/Fritzy), with their eyes: September 11 – The View from a High School at Ground Zero (Renee Levine/Owen Cornwall), The Eight: Reindeer Monologues (Dancer), and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (Reverend Angie Rodriguez). In addition to performing at the Chance, Clarissa launched The Chance Theater Youth Workshop with fellow Company Member Sarah Moreau, and she has designed costumes for Oedipus at Colonus, Company, Closer Than Ever, and Cabaret (alongside Erika C. Miller). Recently, Clarissa participated in the ongoing Consume the Arts Project – a compilation of original one-acts, songs and artwork in Los Angeles. She can be seen as Pierina Dealessi in the upcoming production of Evita at The Chance. Clarissa currently resides in Placentia with husband (and fellow Company Member) Bryan and their cat Pasha. She works for Hitachi Consulting as a software trainer and consultant. [top] |
 |
Tanae Beyer (Stage Manager) Tanae is glad to have found such an artistic, collaborative and fun group of people here at The Chance where she is a proud Staff and Company member. A graduate of Concordia University, Irvine with a double major in Theater and Communications, she was bit by the theater bug at the tender age of seven. Various elementary, high school and community theater projects led her to college where she participated in over 24 productions in her four years there. Whether it was on stage, stage-managing, building sets, or just teaching what she knows, Tanae could always be found in the theater. Some of her favorite productions at Concordia include, Romeo and Juliet, Cabaret, Medea (a Kennedy Center's American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) Nominee and Regional Participant), Suddenly Last Summer, and her directorial debut, The Last Night of Ballyhoo. She was roped into The Chance Theater (after swearing off theater for a while), by an old roommate. A while turned out to be only four months as she became the Stage Manager for A Christmas Story. Tanae went on to run lights for Last Five Years, assistant stage-manage Into the Woods, stage-manage Biloxi Blues and run lights and projections for Sunday in the Park with George. During the day, she works for a lawyer in Santa Ana and is also the Production Associate at The Chance. Tanae is currently pursuing her MA in Theater at California State University, San Bernardino. [top] |
 |
Jocelyn A. Brown (Staff) Dedicated to The Chance since 2001, Jocelyn is thoroughly fulfilled and challenged collaborating with artists of such vision, integrity, talent, and drive. She earned a double major with a BA in Theatre and a BS in General Biology from the UC San Diego with Provost's Honors. She pursued further theatre studies in England at the University of East Anglia and then her directing skills assisting on several productions at South Coast Repertory and Laguna Playhouse. Jocelyn earned her California teaching credential at Vanguard University and she teaches at Laguna Hills High School. Although a majority of Jocelyn's free time has been spent as a staff member, board member, company member, and theatre artist at The Chance, quite a bit of that time is now snatched up by her new adorable son, Kyden. Recent highlights include directing Evita, portraying the Witch in Into The Woods (Back Stage West Critic's Pick, Best Female Actor Chancie Award) and Cathy in The Last 5 Years (Back Stage West Garland Award Honorable Mention for Best Actor) as well as directing Never In My Lifetime (Back Stage West Critic's Pick). Jocelyn received the OC Weekly award for "Best Female Lead Performance" for her portrayal of Ann in Goodnight Children Everywhere, a nomination for "Outstanding Individual Artist" for 2003 by Arts Orange County, and a nomination for "Best Direction" by the OC Weekly for The Cherry Orchard. Other acting credits include Closer Than Ever (Nancy), That Which Remains (Woman 2), Bash (Woman), Little Women (Jo), The Hostage (Teresa), and The Affected Ladies (Cathos). Directing credits include 365 Days / 365 Plays: Week 7, Never In My Lifetime, A Christmas Story, Big Love, The Cherry Orchard, The Fantasticks, Spring's Awakening, The Worthy Master of the Law, As You Like It, Confirmation, Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, and Facing East. [top] |
 |
Alex Bueno (Actor) Alex joined The Chance Theater in 2001 and has never left. She graduated from The Academy of Visual and Performing Arts and the Joanne Baron D.W. Brown Studio before she found her way to Anaheim. You might have seen Alex in The Chance Theater's productions of with their eyes: September 11th-The View from a High School at Ground Zero (Jennifer Suri), The Fantasticks (Mortimer), The Laramie Project (Barbara Pitts), One Flea Spare (Morse), Hot 'N' Throbbing (V.O), The Eight: Reindeer Monologues (Blitzen), Inventing Van Gogh (Hallie/Marguerite), The Rover (which aired on KOCE) and Sunday in the Park with George (The Nurse). She was also nominated for an OC Weekly award for her writing skills for Lord of the Screen: The Fellowship of the Pen. Alex feels truly blessed to be a part of such a brilliant and creative group of people who support each other and challenge each other everyday, and to have a family whose neverending love keeps her going. Alex currently resides in Anaheim with her hero and fiance, Casey Long. [top] |
 |
Emily Clark (Actor) Emily Clark was born in Pasadena, California - her dad, John Ross Clark, is an actor/director, her mom, Gayle Bluemel, is a singer/musician/director. She was always an obnoxious little ham, and the acting bug bit her early. By the time she played Miss Hannigan in her 6th grade production of Annie, she was hooked! When Emily's mother founded the Pasadena Unified School District's GATE Summer Musical Theatre Program in 1995, Emily spent three years as a performer, and five more as assistant director. She attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), where she double majored in vocal music and dance, and performed in the musical theatre program's productions of Fiddler on the Roof and Evita. After high school, Emily attended college at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she studied theatre and worked with the prestigious Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Her Santa Cruz credits include Gretel and Hansel (Princess), A Chorus Line (Cassie), Shakespeare To-Go: The Taming of The Shrew (Biondello), The Trojan Women: A Love Story (Music Director). After graduating from college, Emily returned to Southern California for a while, and was an artistic committee and company member of The Mechanicals Theatre Group (founded by a handful of LACHSA grads). With the Mechanicals, Emily worked on numerous productions, most notably Songs For A New World (Director) and Merrily We Roll Along (Mary Flynn). She was also in the Powerhouse Theater's world premiere production of Ryan Scott Oliver's Making Beautiful (later retitled Out Of My Head). Needing a change of pace, Emily moved to New York City for a couple years. It was there she studied improv with The Upright Citizen's Brigade, and worked often with NYU's graduate musical theater writing program as a performer. Her New York experience culminated in 2007 when she and Pamela Eberhardt founded the Unknown Artists. With the group, Emily co-directed and starred in the Unknown Artists' Off-Broadway workshop production of It's About Time, written by Pamela Eberhardt and Will Collyer. Now, Emily is right back where she started, living in Pasadena, California, and she couldn't be happier! She is a proud company member of The Chance Theater, where she has been seen as Yoni in The Brain From Planet X (part of the Festival of New American Musicals), Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme in Assassins and Angellica in The Rover. You can hear Emily's voice on the many recordings of burgeoning musical theater composer, Ryan Scott Oliver, including the original cast recording of Out Of My Head. Emily will also be heard on the latest recording of It's About Time, coming out in 2008. In addition to this, Emily loves working with children and theater, and she is the director of the Pasadena GATE Summer Musical Theater Workshop's junior program, alongside her friend, Ryan Scott Oliver (director of the senior program). On top of all this, Emily can also be seen online in Sweater Pants Productions web series, "Punchline." For more info, you can find Emily on this newfangled interweb at www.myspace.com/emilyabclark [top] |
 |
Lewis R. Crouse II (Actor) Lewis Crouse has been associated with live theatre and live entertainment in Southern California for over 35 years. He has appeared on stage and worked backstage on just about every type entertainment conceivable - large and small. He has, at one time or another, manned every position connected with a production, including, but not limited to, carrying the director's briefcase. He obtained his theatre training at Cal Poly Pomona, where the men are men, the women are few, and the sheep are nervous. Along with his sainted wife, Marty, they operate Showcase Benefit Productions, whose mission is to mount musical theatre and donate the money to non profit organizations. He is currently an active member of the State Bar of California. Lewis has practiced Criminal Defense and Family Law as a sole practitioner in central Santa Ana for 19 years. In the past he has claimed the title of Licensed Private Investigator (owning a detective agency for 8 years), Repossessor (cars, boats, airplanes, and people), and Oil Rig Roughneck. At one point in time Lewis sold insurance for Prudential, and has even held jobs as a dancer for both Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm (but that was 35 years and 120 pounds ago). He is a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. Lewis has been married for over 30 years. Lewis and Marty have 5 children. They live in the City of Orange. [top] |
 |
David J. Dalton (Actor) David's debut performance was in Bali Abba and The Thieves of Barbose, at the Costa Mesa Civic Play House when he was ten. From then on he was hooked; acting through out high school and college performing in plays, repertory companies, and traveling shows. Somewhere along the line, convinced that he should get a "real" job, he found his way into several "really bad" jobs before waking up one day and realizing that he had walked away from the one thing he loved to do most. After a 17- year hiatus David returned to the stage playing Oberon and Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream, at the Irvine Community Theater, and Adam and Corin in As You Like It, at the San Juan Capistrano Shakespeare Festival. He has been in three productions at the Chance; playing the Title role in Inventing Van Gogh, as Sgt. Toomey in Biloxi Blues, and as one of the ensemble in the Chance's new playwright festival Variations on a Theme: The Best. He recently graduated from South Coast Repertory's Professional Intensive Program and is a resident company member of the Chance Theater. David would like to thank the Chance company members for making the Chance such an incredible place to work, grow, and play. He would also like to give special thanks to his beautiful wife Marie, whose love and support is a constant reminder of God's grace in his life. [top] |
 |
Dimas Diaz (Actor) Dimas received his bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts and Communications and English from Whittier College where he appeared in over 20 productions including The Miser, Romeo and Juliet, Angel’s Fall, One Flea Spare, The Beggar’s Opera, Godspell, and Italian-American Reconciliation. While at Whittier he also wrote and directed his original play The Closing Hour and directed other pieces including FM and Sexual Perversity in Chicago. After graduating he moved to Boston upon invitation to study the Stanislavsky method with members of the Moscow Art Theater at A.R.T. He soon after made his way back to L.A. where he studied improv with the Groundlings and lived at the Piero Dusa Acting Conservatory where he was trained for two years in the Meisner Technique. Over the past few years, aside from appearing in several national commercials and films including "Bruce Almighty" and an original short he also directed called "Schoolfight", Dimas has worked in several L.A. theater venues including The Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, A Noise Within, The Hudson Guild, and The World Famous Improv. Last year he was a touring member of the prestigious Will and Co. theater troupe bringing Shakespeare and other classics to schools in the L.A. and Orange County areas. Dimas is thrilled to now be a member of The Chance Theater Repertory Company. Some roles of note at the Chance include Aram in Facing East, Touchstone in As You Like It, Yasha in The Cherry Orchard, Abdul in A History of the American Film, and Jon Saltzman in the Orange County premiere of Stephen Belber’s Tape, not to mention directing The Imaginary Cuckold as part of the Chance’s Second Annual First Chance Fest. Dimas is now living in Orange County and is proud to call The Chance Theater his artistic home. [top] |
 |
Warren Draper (Actor) In the second grade, Warren asked his teacher if he could put on a show for the class; the teacher said "yes", and he was off and running. He made his singing debut in Mexico at the age of 14; started acting again in college, and began hosting a talent show for three years in various nightclubs in S. California in the early '80's. [top] |
 |
Alisa Duffey (Stage Manager) Alisa has been a proud member of The Chance Theater Company since 2004. She earned a B.A. in Theatre, with minors in English and Psychology, from Concordia University, Irvine. There she worked on such shows as W;t (Assistant Director), Romeo & Juliet (Lady Montague), A Doll's House (AD), You Still Can't (AD, Lighting Designer, & understudy), and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Judah). While at CU, she also worked as director of a children's theater group at St. Paul 's Lutheran School in Garden Grove and as a production assistant for Gothic Moon Productions. Her directing credits include The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at CUI and Love's Hollow, part of the very first First Chance Fest. Highlights from her career at The Chance include Inventing Van Gogh (Stage Manager), The Laramie Project (SM), A Grand Night for Singing at The Curtis Theater (SM & Costume Designer), Spring's Awakening (SM), The Cherry Orchard (SM), Goodnight Children Everywhere (Assistant Director), and Tape (SM & Costume Designer). While away from the theater, Alisa works for a property management office in Costa Mesa , spends time with her wonderful & supportive husband, Jason, and participates in running and triathlon events. She is grateful to The Chance for its artistic integrity and endless opportunities for growth. [top] |
 |
Courtny Greenough (Stage Manager) Courtny is a recent graduate of Concordia University Irvine, with a B.A. in Business Administration Management and Theater minor. She is trhilled to be a part of the Chance Company. Past shows include: Anaheim Home Companion (Stage Manager) at The Chance Theater, Skin of Our Teeth (Kennedy Center's Meritorious Achievement Award Stage Management, American College Theater Festival), Seussical the Musical (Stage Manager), The Good Doctor (Dramaturge) at Concordia, and Brigadoon (Production Stage Manager), with 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. [top] |
 |
Jeff Hellebrand (Staff) [top] |
 |
Casey Holm (Designer) [top] |
 |
Michael Irish (Actor) Once upon a time at the tender young age of seven, Michael did a show. And there went the neighborhood. The hook was set, the boy was reeled in, and he cannonballed into the pool! None of that creeping into the pool an inch at a time stuff. Cannonballs are more fun, anyway. Many shows followed in Laguna Beach, his hometown: plenty at the Recreation Department as a young willowy nymph; some at his junior high school, and four shows at the Laguna Playhouse as a teenaged willowy lad; oodles of theater and dance productions at Laguna Beach High School as a, yes! still willowy, young man; and then it was off to college at the University of California, Santa Cruz to pursue even more delights of the realm of theater! He did heaps of shows at the university, some with Shakespeare Santa Cruz (including a fantastic summer internship in 2002) and some through the theater department and dance department. In between it all, he somehow found time to work on many productions with No Square Theater in Laguna Beach. He graduated from UCSC in June of 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts. A few months later he skedaddled to the other side of the world to go walkabout and reflect for a while, and came back with $100 to his name. Thereafter he proceeded to swan dive right back into the water! Another show with No Square, a class at South Coast Repertory, and he discovered The Chance Theater. He landed the role of Creon in Oedipus at Colonus, and soon found a little piece of home with this superb and wonderful theater group. Michael is immensely proud of his colleagues at The Chance, and feels honored to be a part of this brilliant repertory. After Oedipus he worked as a dancer in Hang Up, and has since performed in Company, It's A Wonderful Life: The Musical, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues (2004, 2006, and 2007), Cup of Ha-Ha 2, The Diary of Anne Frank, Fig:R.O., Cabaret, The Lying Kind, Biloxi Blues, and Shakespeare's R & J, and worked the booth for Hot 'N' Throbbing and as an assistant sound designer for Assassins. No rest for the wicked! He worked on an independent film in 2005 and another in the summer of 2006, and is very happy to now be heard as the English voice of Lu-Shen in the 26-episode Japanese animated series, "Zegapain", which was released on DVD this year into stores nationwide. He has also appeared at Rude Guerrilla Theater, The Curtis Theater, The Laguna Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, and Shakespeare By The Sea. In the summer of 2005, he completed South Coast Repertory's Professional Intensive Program. In addition to the stage, Michael has trained extensively in dance and movement, and guitar and vocal music. Favorite roles, all over the place, include: Creon, David (Company), Hollywood (The Eight: Reindeer Monologues), Peter (The Diary of Anne Frank), Ernst (Cabaret), Gobbel (The Lying Kind), Arnold Epstein (Biloxi Blues), and Student 1 (Shakespeare's R & J) at The Chance; Yvan in Yazmina Reza's Art; Michael in Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa; Selsdon Mowbray in Michael Frayn's Noises Off; Sandy Lord in The Philadelphia Story; Demetrius in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream; Matt in The Fantasticks; Dromio of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors; and Osric in Hamlet. He hopes to stick around The Chance Theater for a while. And, by Gum, he's still as willowy as ever. [top] |
 |
Jonathan Josephson (Playwright) Jonathan joined the staff of The Chance in 2007 when he served as a Literary Director for the collaborative project Variations on a Theme: The Best. He has worked with the literary offices of the La Jolla Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, and Moving Arts and has dramaturged numerous theatrical productions including the Chance productions of Assassins, Talk About the Passion, The Brain from Planet X, and Rabbit Hole. As a playwright, Jonathan's works have been read and produced at The Chance Theater (Bitches and Cocks), Pasadena Playhouse Balcony/Carrie Hamilton Theatre, The Syzygy Theatre Group, The Great Plains Theatre Conference, Fusionworks, The Dana Point Theatre Company, and The Westchester Playhouse. His play The Giant and the Pixie was named a finalist for the 2008 Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and his short play Beluga Room is published by Original Works Publishing. Select producing credits include Dias y Flores by Oliver Mayer at the Black Dahlia Theatre and Our New Play Spectacular, the world premiere one-act festival at the University of California at San Diego (currently running its fifth year). Jonathan graduated from UCSD with a Theatre: Playwriting degree and is a member of The Dramatists' Guild of America, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights, and Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America. [top] |
 |
Mitchell Kohen (Sound Designer) Mitchell is honored to be the youngest Chance company member. He currently attends California State University Fullerton as a Radio/TV/Film major. He graduated from Esperanza High School with honors where he was the head of the sound department and designed many shows including Suessical The Musical, The Nerd, and Pippin. Recently, he designed Anne of Green Gables - The Musical, Variations on a Theme: The Best, and was co-designer for Frozen for the Chance. Along with sound design, he made his acting debut at the Chance in Shakespeare's R & J. Mitchell also runs sound for various dance shows and competitions as well as an audio consultant for Villa Park High School. Currently, he is in the midst of opening up his own recording studio and hopes he has future opportunities to continue his work at the Chance. Mitchell would like to thank his Mom and Dad for their constant support and the Chance for welcoming him with such open and loving arms. [top] |
 |
Jonathon Lamer (Actor) Jonathon is proud to be one of the newest company members with The Chance Theater. He first appeared as Johnny Taylor, the host of the 1953 radio show Anaheim Home Companion, an original Chance production, followed by a few guest appearances as Cupid and Comet in the late night production The Eight: Reindeer Monologues and then as Bouchard and Gauguin in Inventing Van Gogh. Next he will play the serial killer in Frozen. Jonathon originally comes from East Alton, Il. He received a B.A. in Theater Performance from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He then settled in St. Louis for several years working with such companies as The St. Louis Shakespeare Co. (Macbeth, Othello, Midsummer, All's Well that Ends Well, and King Lear), The New Theater (Prelude to a Kiss, Foxfire), Off the Cuff (Asleep on the Wind) and Shatter mask (The Love Talker, Design for Living). He then appeared in both parts of Angels in America at the Arkansas Rep. In Little Rock. Next were the original productions entitled Lonely Stardust in Northampton, MA and They Say You're Crazy on Cape Cod. The next eight years were spent in Memphis, TN. As a resident company member of Playhouse on the Square, Jonathon appeared in numerous productions such as Frozen, Fiddler on the Roof, Take Me Out, The Graduate, The Wizard of Oz, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, Inventing Van Gogh, The Goat; Or Who is Sylvia?, Man of La Mancha, Of Mice and Men, The Memory of Water, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, Charlotte's Web, Book of Days, Babes in Toyland, Macbeth, Guys and Dolls, Copenhagen, The Dinner Party, Dirty Blonde, The Sander's Family Christmas, Peter Pan, Proof, Dinner With Friends, Evita, Amadeus, The Yellow Boat, Pinocchio, The Laramie Project, Grease, Side Man, Hay Fever, As You Like It, Gross Indecencies, Arcadia and You Can't Take it With You. Film credits include the soon to be released "Lovely By Surprise", "Eli Parker is Getting Married" and the two HBO features "Soul of the Game" and "Truman". Jonathon also has many regional commercial and industrial film credits from St. Louis to Memphis to Little Rock to Amarillo. Along the way, to help support his actor's ambitions, Jonathon has been a librarian, county road crew worker, waiter (of course), wheelchair van driver, EMT and Paramedic. He also lived in Bremen, Germany for 6 months with his wife and kids. He spent his time there studying the language and going to as many soccer games as possible (go Werder Bremen!). Thanks to the Chance Theater for making my arrival in Southern California feel like coming home. [top] |
 |
Casey Long (Staff) Casey has been a part of The Chance Theater since 1999, where he first appeared onstage in the world premiere of Memories on the Wind. Casey founded the Incarnation Theatre Company and has directed The Odd Couple, as well as the world premieres of I am Santa Clause, Ripe Peach and the Orange County Premiere of Anne of Green Gables - The Musical. Casey's Chance acting credits include Talk About The Passion (Back Stage West Critic's Pick), Sunday in the Park with George, Inventing Van Gogh, Coyote On A Fence (Back Stage West Critic's Pick), with their eyes: September 11th - The View from a High School at Ground Zero (LA Times Critic's Choice), Porcelain (2006 GLAAD Media Award Nomination - Outstanding Los Angeles Theater, Back Stage West Critic's Pick, OC Weekly Theater Award Nominee - Best Production), Cabaret (Back Stage West Critic's Pick), Stephen Belber's Tape (OC Weekly Theater Award Nominee - Best Actor), The Laramie Project (OC Register's Noteworthy Ensembles of 2005), and four years as Dasher in The Eight: Reindeer Monologues (2005 OC Weekly Award Winner - Best Ensemble and Nominee for Best Production). Casey is a proud Company Member of The Chance Theater, as well as its resident Sound Designer. Previous sound design credits include Frozen, with their eyes: September 11th - The View from a High School at Ground Zero (LA Times Critic's Choice), Never In My Lifetime (Back Stage West Critic's Pick), Coyote On A Fence (Back Stage West Critic's Pick), and The Lying Kind (Garland Award Honorable Mention - Best Sound Design). Casey is a graduate of the Leadership Anaheim program, and is engaged to fellow company member, Alex Bueno. [top] |
 |
Erika C. Miller (Staff) Erika Ceporius Miller is a proud member and co-founder of The Chance Theater in Anaheim Hills alongside her talented husband, actor/director Oanh Nguyen. She has studied with Anne Reinking at The Broadway Theatre Project, the Boston Conservatory, the University of Southern California, and in London with the British American Dramatic Academy and the Royal Shakespeare Company through Skidmore College in New York. At an early age she was a professional singer with The Los Angeles Children's Chorus where she was privileged to perform with such talents as Peabo Bryson, Barry Manilow, Andre Previn, Yo-yo Ma, Doc Severinsen and Luther Vandross to name a few. She can be heard singing on the soundtracks of "Hero", "The Dark Half" and "Merry Christmas from Doc Severinsen and The Tonight Show Orchestra". Her opera credits include "Die Frau Ohnne Schatten" and "El Gato Montez" with Placido Domingo at The Music Center, "Carmina Burana" at the Hollywood Bowl, and "The Magic Flute" at UCLA's Royce Hall. In recent years she has started performing Ragtime locally with Eric Marchese and has performed at Steamers Jazz Club in Fullerton, Old Town Music Hall in Long Beach and at "RagFest" in Fullerton. Her favorite theater roles include (starting with most recent) I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Into The Woods (Back Stage West Critic's Pick), Rodger's & Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing, Cabaret (Garland Award Honorable Mention- Best Actress and Back Stage West Critic's Pick), Closer than Ever (LA Times Critic's Pick), Goodnight Children Everywhere (OC Weekly Award Nominee - Best Ensemble and Best Production), Company (OC Weekly Award Nominee - Best Musical and Best Ensemble), The Fantasticks, Lee Miller: The Angel and the Fiend (OC Weekly Award winner), and As You Like It (OC Register Best Performances of 2002). Erika would like to send her love to her family and to her husband for their unending support and love. [top] |
 |
Sarah Moreau (Actor) A Midwesterner at heart, Sarah comes from Iowa and received her Bachelor of Fine Art in Theatre from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Sarah became a Company Member in 2004. She taught young artists at The Chance Theater Youth Workshop in 2004 and 2005. Her favorite roles at The Chance include Little Red from last summer's production of Into the Woods, and Dancer in The Eight: Reindeer Monologues. Sarah wrote one of the pieces to be included in the Evolving Stage's production of Variations on a Theme this fall. She is also a volunteer tutor for the Adult Literacy Program in Downtown Los Angeles. Sarah wears corrective lens and lives in Lowe Taylor's dining room. She is approximately average height and of a slighter build. Please feed our artists. Thank you for your continued support of The Chance Theater. [top] |
 |
Oanh Nguyen (Staff) In 1999, Oanh co-founded The Chance Theater, where he is currently Artistic Director. He was recently awarded the 2007 Outstanding Artist Award by Arts Orange County and is proud to be a new board member of the national organization, Network of Ensemble Theaters. His most cherished projects as a director are Undeclared..., Is Pepperoni a Vegetable?..., The Stroop Report, But I Don't Feel Grown Up, Three Days of Rain (O.C. Register's Top Ten of 2002 and Best Directors of 2002), Bash, Lee Miller: The Angel and The Fiend (commissioned by and performed at the Getty Museum), The Fantasticks, Lord of the Screen (O.C. Weekly Nominee - Best New Play), Goodnight Children Everywhere (Nominated for 6 O.C. Weekly Awards, including Best Production and Best Director), Tape, Closer Than Ever (L.A. Times Critic's Choice), Porcelain (2006 GLAAD Media Award Nomination - Outstanding L.A. Production, Back Stage West Critic's Pick, O.C. Register's Top Ten of 2005, Nominated for 3 O.C. Weekly Awards, including Best Production and Best Director), Cabaret (Back Stage West Critic's Pick), The Laramie Project (Recipient of 2005 Arts Orange County Grant), The Last Five Years, Into The Woods (Back Stage West Critic's Pick), Inventing Van Gogh, Frozen, and Sunday in the Park with George. Among a number of national commercials, Oanh's television and film credits include "American Dreams", "Party of Five", "The Beast", "Andy Richter Controls the Universe", "The Closer", Jonathan Frakes' "Clockstoppers", "All In" starring Michael Madsen, third billing in Jean Jacques Annaud's "Two Brothers" starring Guy Pearce, and "Rush Hour 3" starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. [top] |
 |
Myrna Niles (Member Emeritus) Life handed Myrna a wonderful bouquet of roses in 2001 when a friend with whom she had worked at the Alternative Repertory Theater called and suggested that she come audition for the play Confirmation at The Chance Theater. Happily for her, she did just that and was cast by the director, Jocelyn Brown. That began a very happy journey of working with and learning about, The Chance Theater. She has also appeared here in The Illusion, Love’s Hollow, Yeomen of the Guard and is in rehearsals for It’s a Wonderful Life. It's been a very exciting experience for her, and she is very grateful and proud to have recently been asked to become a Company Member. Myrna has done work in several theaters in Orange County. She worked with the Alternative Repertory Theater till they closed their doors. She appeared there as Mrs. Alving in Ghosts and many others, her favorite was Three Tall Women, when she played the part of "A.” Myrna was a theater major at Oklahoma State University, and after moving to California 25 years ago, she continued taking theater classes at several Junior Colleges. She has taken the advance acting class at South Coast Repertory Theater, and many acting classes in Los Angeles. She has performed in many, many TV shows, and is a member of both SAG and AFTRA. Myrna is happily married to probably the best husband in the world, Tom. He also supports the Chance by helping to strike sets, build sets, and any other thing with which they need help. He and Myrna both think the Chance is a theater that is doing excellent plays, doing them well, and is definitely going places. Myrna passed away in 2005, but she will be with us always. [top] |
 |
John Robinson (Set Designer) John Robinson is proud to be a Chance Theater Company Member. John is a graduate of Penn State's architecture program and spent most of his life without the pleasure of theater folk in his life. He has worked for years as an architect in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York and California where he has designed residential, commercial and public buildings. He found theater in New York City when he volunteered to be a stage hand for a production of Me and My Girl. He immediately became interested in set design and went on to design/ build sets for such shows as Most Happy Fella and Damn Yankees both for off-broadway theater in New York and local Los Angeles productions. He is thrilled to be working here at The Chance where some of his favorite designs have been The Laramie Project, The Last Five Years, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George. He won the first Chancie award for Best Set Design for his work on Coyote on a Fence. [top] |
 |
Jennifer Ruckman (Actor) Jennifer is thrilled to join this amazing group of artists as a Company Member. Originally from the mountains near Yosemite, this small town girl studied at USC and the British American Drama Academy. Since then she has been performing on stages across Southern California, working in television at Warner Bros. Studios, and pursuing her lifelong goal of developing a superpower. Favorite roles include Agnetha in Frozen (her Chance Theatre debut), Shelby in Steel Magnolias, Kate Nickleby in Nicholas Nickleby (A World Premiere Adaptation), Meg Stuart in Dylan, Molly Byrne in Well of the Saints, Madge in Picnic, Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and multiple leads in Our Country's Good in London. Jennifer has also lent her face to "Smallville" and her voice to the "Bratz Babyz." Film credits include "Murderess", "A Bum Love", "A Checkered Incarnation" and "Outside In". She currently studies with Christinna Chauncey and at the Blank Theatre with Daniel Henning. She is grateful for the opportunity to grow and play as a part of this wonderful theatre family, and for the blessing of the family she was born into, without whom nothing would be possible. [top] |
 |
Marc Sanford (Technician) Bio coming soon. [top] |
 |
Bob Simpson (Actor) Bob is honored to call himself a member of The Chance Theater Repertory Company. As someone relatively new to the art of theater, he is pleased to have discovered The Chance and its amazing people and productions. A native of Chicago, Bob spent most of his life growing up in the heat and humidity of Texas. He was educated at The University of Texas at Austin (hook 'em), where he graduated cum laude with a major in Advertising and a minor in American History and Business. It was at UT that Bob discovered his inclination for performance, and actually began his career as a writer and musician. His play, The Trouble with Being Evil , was a major success and has been produced in several venues throughout the state of Texas. This play also gave him one of his first acting roles, where he played Queen Ethelia, a 100 year-old woman. From then on, it was all over. Bob was an actor. In addition to his time at UT, Bob has been educated at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the British American Drama Academy, and the Howard Fine Acting Studio. He has been taught by several fantastic instructors and actors, including Ben Kingsley, Alan Rickman, Geoffrey Hutchings, Henry Goodman, Howard Fine, and John Crowley. Some of his favorite roles include Archbishop Monselet in Red Noses, Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice, Billy in Blake.da Musical (soon to be an off-Broadway production), Jamie in The Last Five Years, and the Baker in Into the Woods (the last two with The Chance Theater). He is also an accomplished saxophonist. He thanks his family, friends, and the Big Guy in the Sky for helping him get this far. [top] |
 |
Bill Strongin (Musical Director) A native of Omaha, Bill began playing the piano during the last days of the Carter administration (at the unlikely age of 2), finally graduating with his Masters in Music from the University of Nebraska -- Lincoln. He began working in theater first as a music director, directing such shows as Sweeny Todd, And the World Goes Round, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Not content to spend all of his time behind the piano, however, he often ventures to the other side of the stage as well. His favorite roles tend to be British playboys (Jack Worthing - Ernest in Love), greasy pimps (Marcus Lycus -- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), and smarmy Southerners (Rev. David -- The Foreigner). Bill's involvement with the Chance began as the pianist for the musical Cabaret. He returned the next season to music direct Into the Woods, and his most recent appearance was as music director, composer, and pianist Lance Vargas in Anaheim Home Companion. He looks forward to many more. [top] |
 |
Lowe Taylor (Actor) Lowe is honored to be a Company Member at The Chance Theater. Lowe is a California native, but mainly grew up just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. She has been seen in more than 40 productions across the country and was nominated for a Maryland Standout Award for her performance as Glinda in The Wizard of Oz. On the Chance stage, she was seen in Sunday in the Park with George (Dot/Marie, Chancie Award - Best Actress, Best Ensemble) and Into The Woods (Baker's Wife, Back Stage West Critic's Pick, Chancie Award - Best Ensemble). For the last year and a half, she has been covering ALL 4 roles in the LA smash hit The Marvelous Wonderettes, and is the first and only cover to actually perform all 4 roles. This summer she will be doing the same at the Laguna Playhouse. She has also been seen on the stages of FCLO, The Rubicon Theatre, The Ricardo Montalbon as well as many others. Some favorite roles include The Pajama Game (Babe Williams), Once Upon A Mattress (Princess Winnifred), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), Guys and Dolls (Miss Adelaide) and PILGRIM (Ester the Ale Girl). She has had major roles in first staged readings of How The Nurse Feels (where she made Stephen Schwartz laugh!), Anne of Green Gables, I Come For Love and Star Power - all new musicals. Film: "Flirting With Anthony" with Mink Stole and Judy Tenuta, "Maro", "Click", "Hotties" and "The Art of Revenge". Television: "On Q Live!", "Wanted", "Hoop Guys" and "Seeing Stars", as well as many commercials and industrials. Lowe studied theatre and music at Towson University. She currently studies at Steppenwolf West and The Groundlings in Los Angeles. She attributes any success she has to an incredibly supportive group of family and friends, for which she is eternally grateful. For more info and photos, please visit www.lowetaylor.com. Lowe is a proud member of Actors Equity Association. [top] |
 |
Masako Tobaru (Staff) Masako received her BA in Theater and Communications from Concordia University, Irvine in 2005. While a student at Concordia she worked on over 23 productions including Cabaret, Medea, Seussical, Ruthless, Patient A, and The Last Night of Ballyhoo. After graduation in 2005 Masako was hired as the Assistant Technical Director and Administrative Assistant for the Theater Department. Masako became involved with the Chance when she was the Stage Manager for the First Chance Fest in 2003. After taking a year away from the Chance she returned in 2004 to design lighting for The Second Annual First Chance Fest and A Grand Night for Singing and she hasn't left since. Masako was thrilled when she was approached to join the staff as the Technical Director in late 2005. In her time with the Chance Masako has designed lighting for A Christmas Story, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, Closer Than Ever, The Rover, and It's a Wonderful Life. She has also Stage Managed Cabaret, The Eight, and The Last Five Years. She is grateful for the encouragement and support she finds everyday with The Chance. [top] |
 |
Kelly Todd (Staff) Kelly Todd, a long-time performer, graduated from UCLA’s school of Theatre, Film, and Television and went on to complete her Master’s of Education in Teaching at UCLA. She was the resident choreographer for the Children’s Civic Light Opera for 14 years, and choreographed over 20 productions including Crazy For You, Damn Yankees, Grease, and 42nd Street. She taught dance, and drama at Washington Preparatory High School in South Central Los Angeles for three years where she choreographed nearly 200 pieces including Guys and Dolls, and Dreamgirls and was the technical director of numerous productions. She has also been teaching dance privately throughout Los Angeles studios since 1994. Chance Theater credits include Closer Than Ever (choreographer), Cabaret (choreographer), The World Goes 'Round (director/choreographer), Rodgers & Hammerstein's A Grand Night For Singing (director/choreographer), Into The Woods (choreographer), I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (director/choreographer), and Anne of Green Gables - The Musical (co-director/choreographer). Kelly was the lighting designer for A Shrine to Junior at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood for which she received a 2002 NAACP theatre award nomination. She co-founded the Young Adult Civic Light Opera and directed/choreographed Chicago and A Chorus Line. In New York City, she has performed in and choreographed Off-Broadway productions and had the opportunity to train at the Broadway Dance Center for two years. [top] |
 |
Karen Webster (Actor) Unable to convince her dad to finance a "theater degree" at USC, Karen earned a Bachelor of Science there in Dental Hygiene, and spent the following years working and raising children. She discovered the Chance in 2001, became a Company Member in 2003, and still balances that commitment with a full-time dental hygiene career. Chance Theater acting credits include Little Women (Marmee), Trail of Tears (Tamara), Spring's Awakening (Mrs. Gabor), Midsummer Night's Dream (Hippolyta), Love's Hollow (Kate), The Cherry Orchard (Liubov Ranyevskaya), Diary of Anne Frank (Mrs. Van Daan - Back Stage West Critic's Pick; OC Register's Best Ensembles of 2005), A Christmas Story (Mrs. Parker), Hot 'N' Throbbing (Charlene Dwyer - Garland Award Honorable mention - Best Ensemble), Coyote On A Fence (Shawna - Back Stage West Critic's Pick; Chancie Award: Best Supporting Actress), Frozen (Nancy Shirley), Variations On A Theme: The Best (multiple roles). She also Stage Managed Never In My Lifetime (Back Stage West Critic's Pick), and Assistant Stage Managed Assasins. She had a feature role in the independent film "The Telemarketers-36 hours", and has previous stage credits to include A Streetcar Named Desire, The Graduate, and others. She spent years training with Bill Hickey and Lonny Stevens, but credits Oanh Nguyen for teaching her everything stage-worthy or worthwhile . [top] |
 |
Dave Mickey (Associate Designer: Sound Designer) Graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in Technical Theatre Design, and is currently an MFA1 in sound design at CalArts. Dave has been a working Sound and Lighting Designer in Southern California since 1996. Design credits include the West Coast Premier of The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer, World Premier of Wicked City Blues and the World Premier of FIG: R.O. at The Chance Theater. [top] |
 |
Martin Noyes (Associate Designer: Fight Director) Bio coming soon. [top] |
The Chance Theater, 5552 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim Hills, CA 92807 The Chance Theater Repertory Company is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Organization. Copyright© 1999-2008 The Chance Theater. All Rights Reserved. |
|
