Iryna (she/her/her) was born in Ukraine, lived in China for 8 years, and eventually moved to California. She studied linguistics and speaks 4 languages: English, Chinese (Mandarin), Ukrainian, and Russian. While doing management and translation jobs in China, Iryna started exploring writing and the theater world. She wrote a compilation of stories about strangers called “Just some strangers on the way” (the book is registered in Ukraine) and a short script called “Robot Buddha”. She co-directed the “Robot Buddha” play in Shenzhen, China, in 2016. Besides that, she was an active member of an improv group called “Planet Factory” and acted at monthly shows for a year. Now Iryna lives in San Francisco, teaches yoga, and participates in local theater life. Iryna is a co-writer of the Theatre Maker plays “Animal Factory Farm” (2018), “Ecopocalypse” (2018), and “You Too” (2019), the last of which Iryna is also directing.
Chris (he, his, him) is a Bay Area Native who graduated with a BFA in Acting from The Academy of Art University in San Francisco. His theater credits include “The Taming of The Shrew” (2013), “Guys and Dolls” (2013), “The Laramie Project” (2013), “Avenue Q” (2014), “You Can’t Take It With You” (2014), “The Time Of Your Life” (2015), “Black Comedy” (2016), and “Six Degrees Of Separation” (2017). Chris was most recently seen as an extra on “13 Reasons Why” (2019). Known for his imposing presence, charming personality, and accent work, Chris a versatile actor with incredible range and comic timing. The “20/20 Free Library Tour” (2020) is Chris’s debut with Theatre Makers.
Elyssia Tingley (Ensemble)
Elyssia (she, her, her) is a theatre major from Foothill College, and San Jose State University. She has recently worked with Great America, Windy City Productions, and Lyric Theatre. She spends her free time with her sister and friends, or playing the Chinese harp. The “20/20 Free Library Tour” (2020) is Elyssia’s debut with Theatre Makers.
Olga Molina (Octavia, ENSEMBLE)
Olga (she, her, her) is an actress, improviser, voice-over artist and producer from Barcelona. Before moving to the US, she studied theatre drama in the Barcelona Theatre School, formed the improv company “Improtopia” and worked in 100+ voice & theatre gigs. She’s now continuing her acting career in the Bay Area with different film and theatre projects. The “20/20 Free Library Tour” (2020) is Olga’s debut with Theatre Makers.
Saourubh Verma (Soshe)
Saourubh (he, his, him) is an up-and-coming actor based in San Francisco. After being bitten by the acting bug in the summer of 2019, he decided to hone in on his craft through various types of training in scene study and improv as well as practical experience. The “20/20 Free Library Tour” (2020) is Saourubh’s debut with Theatre Makers and his first lead role.
Tajianna Okechukwu (Anna)
Tajianna (she, her, her) is a recent college graduate holding a double degree — a BFA in Acting for the Stage and Screen and BA in Cinematic Arts with a concentration in Film & TV Studies. Her work in front and behind the camera often centers on stories that explore Blackness, social justice, and other socially relevant topics. She is a freelance videographer working on promo videos for places in her community. She also has performed in a number of plays, short films, and commercials. Tajianna strives to tell stories via film that will shift paradigms and shake culture to achieve racial reconciliation in our society. The “20/20 Free Library Tour” (2020) is Tajianna’s debut with Theatre Makers.
Winnie Yeung (Ellis, Ensemble)
Winnie (she, her, her) is a San Francisco-based actor who is excited to be making her debut with Theatre Makers in the “20/20 Free Library Tour” (2020).
Crew / Personnel
Kari Barclay (CO-WRITER)
Kari (he, his, him) is a director, playwright, and researcher completing his PhD in Theater and Performance Studies at Stanford University. Originally from Washington, DC, he has made work regionally and in New York at venues including the San Francisco Mime Troupe Studio, Round House Theater, and Manbites Dog. His original play, “Can I Hold You?”, was one of the first plays about asexuality performed in the U.S. and enjoyed runs in San Francisco and Brooklyn. Kari is a co-writer of the Theatre Makers play “20/20” (San Francisco Fringe Festival 2019, San Francisco Public Libraries 2020). More at kari-barclay.com
Stardust Doherty (DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER)
Stardust (ze/per/herm) is a playwright, composer, musician (oboe and English horn), and English teacher. Stardust is focused long-term on the True of Voice musical dance theatre production and is a co-organizer of the Theatre Makers Meetup, as well as other playwrighting and composing projects. Stardust serves on the Board of Ritual Art Troupe, as well as two other non-profit organizations, the Online Policy Group and the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra. Stardust formerly worked at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Verified Voting Foundation, and at various high-tech companies during a prior career. Stardust began directing plays with per Shakespeare adaptation “A Midwinter Afternoon’s Nightmare” and the original “Bush Faeries: The Musical” (2018) staged at Breitenbush Community Hot Springs winter radical faerie gatherings. Along the way, there was an agit prop production of “Occupy San Francisco Employee Retirement System” (2013) in response to the bankster housing crisis. Stardust is a co-writer with Iryna Lymar and director of the Theatre Makers plays “Animal Factory Farm” (2018) and “Ecopocalypse” (2018) and co-writer with Iryna Lymar of “You Too” (2019) and the director of and a co-writer with Kari Barclay of “20/20” (San Francisco Fringe Festival 2019, San Francisco Public Libraries 2020).
Paul Seliga (Stage Manager, ENSEMBLE)
Paul (he, his, him) has been involved in theatre since 2003. He has worked with Living Miracle Productions in San Francisco, including directing “A Franciscan Tapestry” in 2004 and “The Wolf of Gubbio” in 2006. He has also been stage manager for Catchy Name Theater and Pacifica Spindrift Players (“Rumors”, 2009; “Glengarry Glen Ross”, 2011), Ninjaz of Drama, Netgeex, Brisk Weather, Subterranean Shakespeare, Faultline Theater, and Theatre of Others. He directed “The Medicine Cabinet” at the 2016 SF Fringe Festival. As a founding member of the 16th Street Players, he directed their first production, “Bigger Than Life” in 2009. He is a member of the Mission Dolores Basilica Choir since 1979. Unless he’s singing, he likes to run, play softball, ski, watch TiVo, and work on theatre projects. The “20/20 Free Library Tour” (2020) is Paul’s debut with Theatre Makers.
Adam Lopez (Crew, ENSEMBLE)
Adam (he, his, him) moved from upstate New York to the San Francisco Bay Area five years ago. He has participated in a few, small, local productions, primarily with the Theater of Others. The “20/20 Free Library Tour” (2020) is Adam’s debut with Theatre Makers.
Nadeem (he, his, him) is from Calcutta and first started acting in college. Since then, Nadeem has focused on improv with the South Bay Improv group and had his U.S. acting debut with the Theatre Makers as Gorilla in “Animal Factory Farm” (2018) and as a wealthy entrepreneur in “Ecopocalypse” (2018).
David-Henry Bennett (ELLIS)
David-Henry (he, his, him) is a native of Atlanta who started acting at the age of 3. He has acted in many roles, both comedic and dramatic and is currently studying his final year for an MFA in Acting at Academy of Art University. He plans to work in television and stage after graduation. David-Henry is also a dancer and writer. He also want a career in education as a means of giving back. He feels that acting is a way of expressing things we don’t normally get to express and allowing ourselves to be in harms way as a way of sharing with people how they can heal. David-Henry first appeared with Theatre Makers as Cow in “Animal Factory Farm” (2018) and as a wandering indigent in “Ecopocalypse” (2018).
Matt (ENSEMBLE)
Matt (he, his, him) first performed at a Fringe Festival in Edinburgh at the age of 16 and is happy to be back, this time in San Francisco. Matt also acted in the Theatre Makers productions of “Animal Factory Farm” (2018) and “Ecopocalype” (2018). Matt is a multimedia artist and virtual reality developer. He co-founded Virtual Bytes, an art, education and research collective creating virtual reality experiences and research that utilize neuroscience concepts to explore the mind/body connection. He is passionate about using his background in creative media and technology to develop virtual reality experiences that challenge our preconceptions about the world around us, and help us connect to each other in new ways. Matt also serves on the Board of the Ritual Art Troupe.
Hima Menon (TV NEWS HOST)
Hima (she, her, her) is very happy to be part of Theatre Makers. She is from the San Francisco Bay Area where she is currently training with The Meisner Technique studio. She is passionate about art in any form and loves to be part of theatre productions as much as possible. She is a software engineer by the day but strives to complete her training one day and submit more of herself to art. She has been part of a few art projects around the Bay Area and hopes to be able to contribute more as time progresses. “20/20” is Hima’s debut with Theatre Makers.
Geeta Rai (MASTER OF CEREMONIES)
Geeta (she, her, her) is a Bay Area Theater and Film Actor whose recent theater credits include Naatak’s “Rabbit Hole” and “EnActe Arts, Go to Your Room, Mother!”. Her theater education includes the Trinity College of London’s Speech and Drama Curriculum and Foothill College Acting Coursework. When she is not on stage/set/auditioning, she helps manage a theatre non-profit that promotes South Asian themed theater and children education programs. She is excited to perform at the Fringe Festival in San Francisco. “20/20” is Geeta’s debut with Theatre Makers.
Ryan Samarakoon (President)
Ryan (he, his, him) is from London, was raised in the midwest, and has now lived in the Bay Area for 3 years. He is excited to get back into acting after a hiatus during his neuroscience studies. He has had a passion for the arts since he was 6 years old when he began singing, acting, and playing violin. He will be training at the American Conservatory Theatre in the fall. Ryan is thrilled about his debut role with Theatre Makers in “20/20”.
Jess Thompson (ANNA)
Jess (she, her, her) studied Social Work in her graduate program and Acting and Psychology in her undergraduate program. Jess currently works as a therapist with low-income high school students. She is excited to merge her passions for theatre and social justice. “20/20” is Jess’ debut with Theatre Makers.
Dennie Warren (OCTAVIA, VP)
Dennie (she, her, her) has appeared in a wide variety of films, television series, and plays, as a featured actor and as an extra. Dennie is excited for her theatrical debut to be a role in “20/20” with Theatre Makers.
Crew / Personnel
Kari Barclay (CO-WRITER)
Kari (he, his, him) is a director, playwright, and researcher completing his PhD in Theater and Performance Studies at Stanford University. Originally from Washington, DC, he has made work regionally and in New York at venues including the San Francisco Mime Troupe Studio, Round House Theater, and Manbites Dog. His original play, “Can I Hold You?”, was one of the first plays about asexuality performed in the U.S. and enjoyed runs in San Francisco and Brooklyn. Kari is a co-writer of the Theatre Maker play “20/20”. More at kari-barclay.com
Stardust Doherty (DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER)
Stardust (ze/per/herm) is a playwright, composer, musician (oboe and English horn), and English teacher. Stardust is focused long-term on the True of Voice musical dance theatre production and is a co-organizer of the Theatre Makers Meetup, as well as other playwrighting and composing projects. Stardust serves on the Board of Ritual Art Troupe, as well as two other non-profit organizations, the Online Policy Group and the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra. Stardust formerly worked at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Verified Voting Foundation, and at various high-tech companies during a prior career. Stardust began directing plays with per Shakespeare adaptation “A Midwinter Afternoon’s Nightmare” and the original “Bush Faeries: The Musical” (2018) staged at Breitenbush Community Hot Springs winter radical faerie gatherings. Along the way, there was an agit prop production of “Occupy San Francisco Employee Retirement System” (2013) in response to the bankster housing crisis. Stardust is a co-writer with Iryna Lymar and director of the Theatre Maker plays “Animal Factory Farm” (2018) and “Ecopocalypse” (2018) and co-writer with Iryna Lymar of “You Too” (planned 2019) and the director of and a co-writer with Kari Barclay of “20/20” (San Francisco Fringe Festival 2019).
Bert van Aalsburg (Stage Manager)*
Bert (he, his, him) embarked on a full-time theater career in the mid-70s as the technical director and utility player for the Red Barn Theater in Saugatuck, Michigan. In 1987, he came west as technical director for the Great American Melodrama in San Luis Obispo. After a season with the Melodrama, Bert moved to the Bay Area. In 1999, he joined the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre to stage manage their first production of Black Nativity. He continued as their SM of choice and recently stage managed their productions of How I Learned What I Learned and Urban Retreat this past spring. Other notable productions include the premieres of Stones in His Pockets at Magic Theatre and Mission Magic Mystery Show with Culture Clash. The list also includes Godfellas with SF Mime Troupe and The Thomashefsky’s at SF Symphony. When not stage managing, Bert keeps busy in other areas of theater where he has earned critical acclaim as a lighting and scenic designer. Additionally, Bert is an active member of Actors’ Equity.
* These Actors and Stage Managers appear with the special permission of Actors’ Equity Association.
