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RENT
August 5 - 22
Michael Blackburn (Tom Collins) is thrilled to
be performing the role of Collins in MPC’s cast of RENT. He was last
seen in Pacific Repertory’s production of The 23rd Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee. Michael is a musician as well, and spends much of his time
musically directing, especially children’s musical theatre.
Warwick Cruz (Ensemble) is a versatile
performer whose artistic career started very early with playing drums
and up until recently was in a local rock band. He has also trained in
many dances, including jazz, ballet, tap, and ballroom competitions. He
has performed in many productions with The Western Stage that include On
The Town, Kiss Me Kate, Anything Goes, how to Success in Business
Without Really Trying, The Waiting Room, and many more. He is thrilled
to be making his debut with the MPC Theatre Company in Rent. Love and
Thanks always to his family and friends for their continued support.
Camila de la Llata (Mimi Marquez) is 20 years old and going into
her third year at Cal State, Fullerton. She has grown up doing theater
in the area. She was part of PacRep’s High School Musical team,
performing as Taylor during its three year marathon. This is her third
show at MPC. Camila was in Guys and Dolls (Hot Box Dancer/Havanna
Dancer) and the Producers (Showgirl). She is very excited to be playing
one of her dream roles in RENT and being reunited on stage with some of
her oldest friends. This has been such a wonderful cast to work with,
and she is so excited to be a part of this production. No Day But Today.
Beth Elderkin (Maureen Johnson) is relatively new to the MPC
Theatre Community, but has many years of experience in music, theater,
and dance. She is perhaps best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and
lyricist for her all-sister rock band Third Eclipse. She was also a
founding member of the Santa Cruz improv troupe Room for Improvement,
and has performed in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Hans Christian
Anderson’s The Little Mermaid, The Fan, and several short works. She
wrote and directed Next on Croc’s Tame Adventures for MPC’s Festival of
Shorts in 2005, and has choreographed and performed dances for Cabrillo
College, MPC and Hartnell College. She will be attending San Diego State
University this Fall to complete her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism
with a focus in wine and food writing.
Ayla Glim (Ensemble) is so thankful for the opportunity to be in
this phenomenal, amazing, and awe-inspiring show. She has loved every
aspect of performing that she has encountered, from jazz dance to
marching band, drama class to powerhouse musicals. Recent shows include
Beauty and the Beast and The Wizard of Oz at the outdoor Forest Theatre.
She was last seen as Martha Cox in High School Musical 2 at the Pacific
Repertory Theatre in Carmel. She sends her love out to her parents,
lovely friends, and wonderful boyfriend for tolerating the incessant
singing and supporting her every move.
Natalie Hall (Joanne Jefferson) received her BFA in Drama from
NYU’s Experimental theater wing in the Tisch School of the Arts, and a
Certificate in Shakespeare from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in
London. Before college, she spent a lot of time playing men at Santa
Catalina High School, the most exciting of which was Fagin in Oliver!.
Favorite roles include Joan in Melancholy Play, Jess (Natalie) in The
Complete Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (abridged), Evilline in The Wiz, and
Bertram in All’s Well That Ends Well (playing a man again, but this time
not in high school). Natalie is thrilled to be Joanne in RENT, and
thanks Gary for welcoming her to the MPC community. She intends to
pursue a graduate degree in Arts Administration.
Nick Kelley (Ensemble) joined the MPC family last year with The
Producers. While having dabbled in all spects of the stage, orchestra,
set building, tech, swordfight choreography, puppeteering (and even a
brief stint as at directing), his acting roles are almost exclusively in
musicals. His favorite role so far has been the Cowardly Lion in The
Wizard of Oz. After Rent, there are only 3 more musicals on the “bucket
list”; Chicago (Amos), Reefer Madness (Ralph), and Little Shop of
Horrors (Audrey II). Fingers Crossed!
Tara Marie Lucido (Ensemble) most recently starred as the quiet,
promiscuous Billie Joe in the remake of the 1974 motion picture Buster
and Billie. Notable as one of the earliest mainstream teenage angst
movies to have male frontal nudity and notable now as one of 8 films
shot with the revolutionary Canon 5D Mark II. Latest regional credits
with Pacific Repertory Theatre – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling
Bee (Marcy Park), PRT’s Hyperion play project Curtain Call (Gwen), and
the Wizard of Oz (Dorothy). Favorite shows at MPC include Company
(April), Kiss me Kate (Lois Lane), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hermia),
Noises Off (Poppy), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Sally), The Rocky
Horror Show (Columbia), and Grease (Jan).
Kenneth Allen Neely (Roger Davis) is delighted to be joining the
MPC Theatre Company’s production of RENT. A resident of LA, though born
and raised on the Monterey Peninsula, Kenneth would like to thank the
cast and crew, particularly Gary, Don, Susan, Ana, Shannon and Gloria
for all their hard work to make this production the success that it is.
Daniel Joseph Renfer (Mark Cohen) got his start in musical
theater as a child with Ariel Theatrical in Salinas. He has also worked
with Pacific Repertory Theater and El Teatro Campesino on projects such
as Zoot Suit and Disney’s High School Musical 1 & 2. Daniel is
transferring to MPC this fall to pursue his degree in Kinesiology with
the intent of attending a postgraduate program to become a Physician
Assistant. Daniel is very excited to be making his MPC Theater debut in
RENT as Mark, a character he has always had great interest in playing.
Tomás Reyes (Ensemble) is very happy to be a part of this amazing
cast of MPC’s production of RENT. This is his first time performing with
the MPC Theater group and hopefully not his last. Tomás has also worked
with theater groups such as Pacific Repertory Theater, and the Western
Stage. Some of his favorite roles so far have been Pedro (Man of la
Mancha), Sidney (American Clock), and Steve in the support group for
RENT. Tomás, aside from theater, also likes playing music, long walks on
the beach, big squeezes, and film. Tomás would like to thank his friends
and family for their support and wishes everyone to enjoy the SHOW!!!
Erin Rae Shields (Ensemble) discovered a deep and strange love
for the theatre at a very young age. She has since taken many classes
both in high school and at MPC to hone her skills. She is aiming toward
an Associates’ Degree in Acting. Her theatre credits include appearing
as B.J. in The Late Great Me at the Paper Wing Theatre Company, and as
Roxanne in Rumplestiltskin at MPC’s Storybook Theater. She is absolutely
thrilled to be a part of one of her favorite shows, RENT, and could not
ask for a better family of castmates with whom to share the experience.
Reina Cruz Vazquez (Ensemble) is thrilled to make her MPC debut
with this amazing show! Credits include: Cabaret (lulu), Anything Goes
(Bonnie LaTour), The Heart’s Desire (Rosie) at The Western Stage in
Salinas. Reina is blessed to have the continued support of her family
and friends, and is so grateful for the opportunity to perform such a
powerful piece of theater with such a fantastic group of individuals.
Tyler Vocelka (Benjamin Coffin III) - Tyler attended Children's
Experimental Theater at the Indoor Forest Theater for 3 years prior to
writing and directing the first student-run show ever produced at North
Monterey County High School, where he became president of the Drama club
his senior year. Earlier this year, he appeared in ANYTHING GOES at MPC,
where he is currently pursuing 3 Associates Degrees in Acting,
Directing, and Technical Theater.
Corinne Walker (Ensemble) appeared in last year’s performance of
“The Producers” as a dancer/ensemble member. RENT is her second show at
MPC. Corrine is currently attending CSU Northridge, where she is working
toward her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism with a minor in Theater. Some
of her previous credits include; My Fair Lady, Evita, and Grease.
Corinne is so happy to be able to be home for the summer, and to be a
part of this brilliant cast. Being somewhat of a “Renthead,” this has
been an experience that she will cherish always. “Forget regret, or life
is yours to miss… No Day But Today!”
Gary Bolen (Director) Mr. Bolen joined the MPC faculty in Fall of
1999, and is now one of the Co-Chairmen of the Department. Previously he
had been a Theatre instructor at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita
beginning in 1990, and served as that department's coordinator from
1994-98. He received his B.A. and M.A. in Theatre from Cal State
University Fullerton and an M.F.A. in Acting from UCLA where he was the
winner of the Jack Nicholson Graduate Award in Acting and a University
Grant Award recipient.
A working professional actor since 1979, Gary has appeared on stages
from L.A. to Houston in addition to dozens of television prime time
dramas, movies of the week and sit-coms. He was Dr. Parker in "The Young
and the Restless" and Harry Shaw on "General Hospital" along with
numerous roles on "Days of Our Lives". He also appeared in the teen hit
"Empire Records." In 1995 he was nominated and elected to the Academy of
Television Arts and Sciences and has served as an Emmy Blue Ribbon Peer
Panel judge.
Since arriving at MPC, in addition to teaching, Gary has directed Table
Settings and Hold Me! in the SRO Studio Theatre as well as Follies,
Grease, The Rocky Horror Show, Cabaret, Annie, Urinetown, A Funny Thing
Happened on the Way to the Forum and Guys and Dolls on the Morgan Stock
Stage. Also during this time he has played Walter Burns in The Front
Page, Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Felix Ungar in The Odd
Couple, Harry Brock in Born Yesterday, George Bailey in Merry Christmas,
George Bailey! and Pseudolus in Forum. Gary also appeared in The
American Musical on both the SRO and Morgan Stock Stage.
Susan Cable (Choreographer) RENT marks Susan’s 16th show for MPC,
having choreographed The Producers, My Fair Lady, Cabaret, Guys and
Dolls, and Urinetown to name a few. Susan has choreographed throughout
the United States and Caribbean and has received the prestigious LA
Drama-Logue Critics Award for choreography. As National Dance
Director/Choreographer for the United States Men’s Olympic Gymnastics
Team, Susan was invited to Italy to create their dance program. She has
also coached in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Spain; and was selected
US Delegation Leader for the Pan American Games held in Brazil. Her
career as a professional dancer encompassed Broadway, national Tours,
Ballet Companies, TV, and nightclubs. Teaching credits include UC
Irvine, CSU Fullerton, South Coast Repertory, Rancho Santiago College,
Saddleback College, and she was head of the Dance Department at Santa
Catalina School.
Ana Warner (Stage Manager) has been a part of MPC since 1999.
Besides stage managing last year’s production of The Producers, she has
also managed Urinetown, Company, and Pirates of Penzance. Ana has also
directed several Studio Theatre productions, and is looking forward to
directing The Legend of Sleepy Hollow for MPC’s Storybook Theatre. She
has also appeared onstage in such shows as The Rocky Horror Show,
Cabaret, Communicating Doors, Death of a Salesman, Noises Off, The
Reluctant Dragon, Cinderella, and others. Ana is a graduate of MPC’s
Technical, Acting, and Directing programs, and works at MPC’s scene shop
as a carpenter, costume assistant, properties and stage dressing
coordinator, occasional light board operator, and is launching the MPC
Set Rental Program.
Gloria C. Mattos Hughes (Costumer) has been designing costumes
for community theatre since 1968. She has designed for several theatre
companies and directors in the Bay Area and locally. Most currently she
has designed costumes at MPC’s Morgan Stock Theatre for the following
productions: Plaza Suite, Death of a Salesman, The Producers, Chapter
Two, and Anything Goes. Gloria has also served the local community by
providing leadership for the following arts organizations: Arts Habitat,
Artists Equity Central Coast Chapter, City of Seaside Art Commission,
and Monterey Bay Center for the Arts. For Gloria, creativity is the soul
of a community.
If anyone was omitted we apologize, but their bio
was not received by the publication deadline.
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