Cynthia Meier (Director) is the Managing and Associate Artistic Director for The Rogue Theatre and holds a Ph.D. in Performance Studies from the University of Arizona. She is co-founder of Bloodhut Productions, a company performing original monologues and comedy improvisation, which toured throughout the western United States. At The Rogue Theatre, Cynthia has adapted and directed James Joyce’s The Dead, directed The Winter’s Tale, Shipwrecked!, New-Found-Land, Old Times, The Tempest, Nāga Mandala, The Four of Us, Othello, Animal Farm, Orlando, Happy Days, The Good Woman of Setzuan, The Fever and The Cherry Orchard. She also directed The Seagull (featuring Ken Ruta) for Tucson Art Theatre, and she directed Talia Shire in Sister Mendelssohn and Edward Herrmann in Beloved Brahms for Chamber Music Plus Southwest. Cynthia has also performed in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Arizona Repertory Theatre), A Streetcar Named Desire (Arizona Theatre Company), Blithe Spirit and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Michigan Repertory Theatre), Romeo & Juliet and Chicago Milagro (Borderlands Theatre), A Namib Spring (1999 National Play Award winner), and Smirnova’s Birthday, The Midnight Caller, and The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (Tucson Art Theatre) and has been nominated for five Mac Awards for Best Actress from the Arizona Daily Star. Cynthia has performed in many Rogue Theatre productions, and in 2008, she received the Mac Award for Best Actress for her performance of Stevie in Edward Albee’s The Goat at The Rogue Theatre.

Cast

Jill Baker (Princess Svastri) has previously performed with The Rogue Theatre in Ghosts, Naga Mandala, Animal Farm, Red Noses, The Cherry Orchard, and The Good Woman of Setzuan. Other favorite roles include Catherine in Proof at Beowulf Alley Theatre and Bertha in The Father at the Berkshire Theatre Festival.

Matt Bowdren (Pig) holds an M.F.A in Performance from The University of Georgia and a B.F.A from the University of Arizona. At The Rogue, Matt has appeared in As I Lay Dying, Major Barbara, The Real Inspector Hound, New-Found-Land, The Four of Us, Six Characters in Search of an Author, and The Goat. Other Arizona credits include The Pillowman (The Now Theatre) Romeo and Juliet (Southwest Shakespeare), Titus Andronicus (Arizona Repertory Theatre). In Georgia Matt has been seen in The Shape of Things, Betrayal, Endgame, and The Comedy of Errors. In New York City Matt performed in Somewhere In Between with Collaborative Stages, and Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Hudson Shakespeare Company.
Matt Bowdren’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Dave Lewis.

Dani Dryer (Subodhi) is making her Rogue Theatre debut and is absolutely thrilled to be working with such an amazing cast and crew. She has performed recently with Arizona OnStage Productions as Shelby in Steel Magnolias. Most of her professional work has been with ETCETERA, the late-night arm of Live Theatre Workshop, in such roles as StarCat (Psycho Beach Party), Kelly (Dying City), Riff Raff (The Rocky Horror Show), Roberta (Danny and the Deep Blue Sea), Yitzhak (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), April (Savage in Limbo) and Bottom (A Midsummer Night's Dream). Dani has also performed recently as Mariah in Winding Road Theatre Ensemble's production of United. Dani is painfully aware that nothing in her life is possible without the love and support of her family, friends, and her amazing and enlightened partner, Kara.

Patty Gallagher (Monkey King) is Professor of Theatre Arts at University of California Santa Cruz where she teaches movement, mask, Balinese dance, and clown traditions. With The Rogue, she has performed the roles of Shen Te in The Good Woman of Setzuan, Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard, Winnie in Happy Days (most recently for The Rogue’s tour to Bangalore, India), Sonnerie and Scarron in Red Noses, Orlando in Orlando, the Player in Act Without Words, Emilia in Othello, Rani in Naga Mandala, Ariel in The Tempest, Alibech in The Decameron, Player 1 in Shipwrecked! and Autolycus in The Winter’s Tale. She has worked with Shakespeare Santa Cruz, The Folger Shakespeare Theatre, California Shakespeare Theater, The New Pickle Circus, Ripe Time Theatre, Two River Theatre, Teatro Cronopio and Grupo Malayerba. She has performed, choreographed and directed workshops in Asia, South America, Europe, and the U.S. In 2006 she was Fulbright Scholar in Quito, Ecuador. She holds a doctorate in Theatre from University of Wisconsin–Madison, and she is Director in Residence for the Clown Conservatory, San Francisco Circus Center.
Patty Gallagher’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Jim & Joan Horwitz.

Marissa Garcia (Guanyin) performed with The Rogue Theatre in the ensemble and as a musician in As I Lay Dying, as Barbara Undershaft in Major Barbara and as Dorcas in The Winter’s Tale. She is a Tucson native and received her BFA in Acting/Directing from the University of Arizona. Since graduating, Marissa has performed and directed with companies throughout Arizona, Colorado and California. She was seen on Los Angeles stages in premieres of Bernardo Solano’s Lost and Evangeline Ordaz’s Visitors’ Guide to Arivaca, a show she was also involved in here with Borderlands Theater. Other credits include: Ana in Living Out (2005 Mac Award Nominee–Best Actress), Julia in School of the Americas (Borderlands Theater), Thomasina in Arcadia, Cordelia in King Lear (Arizona Repertory Theatre), and Evelyn in Close Ties (Catalina Players).
Marissa Garcia’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Joan & Doug Cook.

David Greenwood (Woodcutter) was a member of the cast of The Rogue Theatre’s first production, The Balcony, and has recently appeared in The Decameron, The Real Inspector Hound, Major Barbara, As I Lay Dying and The Winter’s Tale. He has appeared locally in Shining City and The Birthday Party at Beowulf Alley Theatre and The One-Armed Man, The Disposal and The Glass Menagerie at Tucson Art Theatre.
David Greenwood’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Ruth Kosakowsky.

Angela Horchem (Buddha) is a member of The Rogue’s Acting Company. Previously, she was a musician in Shipwrecked!, an ensemble member in As I Lay Dying and Amalia in The Decameron. Also a mask-maker, her masks were seen on the satyrs in The Winter’s Tale. She and her masks were featured in an original work for Commedia dell’Arte Day 2012. Angela is currently the Artistic Director for ETCETERA at Live Theatre Workshop where her company, Theatre 3, will create original works for the entire 2012-13 season. Angela earned her M.A. in theatre from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and went on to study physical theatre at Dell’Arte International and performance in Bali, Indonesia. Other credits include roles at Live Theatre Workshop, the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, and guest-artist roles with companies across the country, including WONDERHEADS, National Headquarters, The Witching Hour, and Dell’Arte International.
Angela Horchem’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Ed & Nancy Landes.

Christopher Johnson (Tripitaka) is a member of the Acting Company at The Rogue, where he has previously appeared in The Winter’s Tale (Rogero & Ensemble) and As I Lay Dying (Jewel). He serves as the Co-Artistic Director of Winding Road Theatre Ensemble, where he is currently directing a production of Speech & Debate. Christopher spent five seasons as Artistic Director of Etcetera at Live Theatre Workshop and has appeared elsewhere with Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre, Invisible Theatre, Brachiate Theatre Project and Sparrow & Cicada Theatre. Notable acting credits include Psycho Beach Party, Thom Pain (based on nothing), The Rocky Horror Show, The Eating Disorder Talent Show (which he wrote), Hedwig & The Angry Inch, Bug, Sweet Eros, Corpus Christi and Titus Andronicus, to name a few.
Christopher Johnson’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Ted & Celia Brandt.

Ryan Parker Knox (Sha Monk) is a South Dakota native and University of SD graduate. Ryan moved to Tucson in October of 2011 after living for just over a decade in Minneapolis/St. Paul where he worked on over 70 productions for over a dozen companies. Some of his favorite roles include Jerry in The Full Monty, and the title roles in Picasso at the Lapin Agile and The Who’s Tommy, all for Paul Bunyan Playhouse in Bemidji, MN, as well as Henry in Henry V, Phillip in Orphans, and Bradley in Buried Child. “RPK” (or just Ryan) is extremely thrilled to be a Rogue Acting Company Member and hopes you enjoy his work this season. Special thank yous to his supportive family and friends all over the Midwest (OOTM), and his 4 littlest fans, Olivia, Dylan, Audrey, and Parker...his beloved nieces and nephews.
Ryan Parker Knox’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Lillian Fisher.

Joseph McGrath (Jade Emperor) is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Drama and is the Artistic Director for The Rogue Theatre for which he has performed in many plays.  Joe was most recently seen as Leontes in The Winter’s Tale, Patsy in The New Electric Ballroom, in the ensemble of Shipwrecked!, as Andrew Undershaft in Major Barbara, Bernard in New-Found-Land, Deeley in Old Times, Caliban in The Tempest, and Pastor Manders in Ghosts. In 2009 Joe won the Arizona Daily Star Mac Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Tobias in A Delicate Balance. Joe also authored and directed Immortal Longings for The Rogue and has directed The Balcony, Endymion, The Maids (winner of the Arizona Daily Star 2007 Mac Award for Best Play), Red Noses, Our Town, The Decameron, The Real Inspector Hound (winner of the Arizona Daily Star 2011 Mac Award for Best Comedy and Best Director) and As I Lay Dying. He has toured with John Houseman’s Acting Company, performed with the Utah Shakespearean Festival, and he is a frequent performer with Ballet Tucson appearing in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Cinderella, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dracula and The Nutcracker. He has also performed with Arizona Theatre Company, Arizona Opera, Tucson Art Theatre, and Arizona OnStage. Joe owns, with his wife Regina Gagliano, Sonora Theatre Works, which produces theatrical scenery and draperies.
Joseph McGrath’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Jim & Joan Horwitz.

David Morden (Dragon King) has appeared with The Rogue Theatre as Polixenes in The Winter’s Tale, Louis de Rougemont in Shipwrecked!, Rinieri in The Decameron, Stephano in The Tempest, Brabantio and Montano in Othello, Editor Webb in Our Town, in the ensembles of Animal Farm and Orlando, as Madame Pace in Six Characters in Search of an Author, The Pope in Red Noses, Yephikhov in The Cherry Orchard, The Man in the Silver Dress in the preshow to The Maids and Glaucus in Endymion. He has acted locally with Arizona Opera (The Pirates of Penzance, The Threepenny Opera), Arizona Onstage Productions (Assassins), Actors Theatre (The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged)) and Green Thursday Theatre Project (Anger Box, Rain), of which he was a co-founder. David has also directed The Rogue’s productions of Major Barbara, Ghosts, A Delicate Balance, The Goat (2008 Arizona Daily Star Mac Award), Six Characters in Search of an Author and Krapp’s Last Tape, Not I and Act Without Words. David has also directed productions with Green Thursday, Oasis Chamber Opera, DreamerGirl Productions, and Arts for All.
David Morden’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Carol & Bill Mangold.

Lee Rayment (Moksa) is a graduate from the University of Northern Colorado. Lee has recently returned from a brief stint abroad. He has performed as Archidamus in The Winter’s Tale, in the ensemble of As I Lay Dying, and as Stephen Undershaft in Major Barbara for The Rogue Theatre, Katurian in The Pillowman for The Now Theatre (for which he received the 2011 Mac Award for Best Actor from the Arizona Daily Star), Salieri in Amadeus, Pantalone in The Servant of Two Masters, and Mr. Cladwell in Urinetown.

Dallas Thomas (Green Orchid) has previously appeared at The Rogue as Perdita in The Winter’s Tale, Miranda in The Tempest and Juliet in Immortal Longings. Dallas has appeared locally with Beowulf Alley Theatre (Wait Until Dark), The Invisible Theatre (Natives, Don’t Talk to the Actors, Premiere) and Live Theatre Workshop (Prelude to a Kiss), among others. Dallas is the Production Manager for Stories that Soar! She holds a BFA in Acting from Oklahoma State University.

Matt Walley (Yama) has performed with The Rogue Theatre as the Clown in The Winter’s Tale, a musician in Shipwrecked!, Cash Bundren in As I Lay Dying and Bill Walker in Major Barbara. He graduated from Dell’Arte International in 2009 with an MFA in Physical Ensemble Theatre. Since then he has performed with The Pinnacle Peak Pistoleros and their Wild West Stunt Shows, as well as with Stories that Soar! Matt has been seen at Live Theatre Workshop here in Tucson and has acted in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. He is teaching acting this year at The University of Arizona.
Matt Walley’s performance is supported in part by a generous gift from Nancy Reeder and Healthy People Team.

Musicians

Paul Amiel (Music Director) is a multi-instrumentalist and ethnomusician focusing on Medieval, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and ancient music. He founded and performs with the Summer Thunder Chinese Music Ensemble, the traditional Japanese music duo Muso, and various Turkish/ Middle Eastern/Mediterranean ensembles such as Seyyah and Zambuka. Paul has performed on gothic harp, kaval, saz, ney, banjo, shakuhachi, and accordéon for groups such as Musica Sonora, Arizona Early Music Society and Illegitimate Theater. Paul was Music Director for As I Lay Dying and The Winter’s Tale, as well as in many Rogue productions, including The Decameron, The Tempest, Our Town, Othello, Immortal Longings, Orlando, Endymion, The Dead and on the recent Rogue Album CD.
Paul Amiel’s music direction is supported in part by a generous gift from Norma Davenport.

Julie Wypych (Musician) has been playing oboe for about twelve years and has been an instrumentalist for nearly seventeen. Julie currently plays with the Green Valley Concert Band where she was a featured soloist in December 2011. She also plays with the Tucson Concert Band, is a substitute for the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, and plays with a local woodwind quintet. Additionally, Julie plays the Zhong Ruan in the traditional Chinese ensemble, Summer Thunder Chinese Music Ensemble. Julie also plays and teaches most other woodwind instruments as well as the classical guitar at the concert level. Along with music, Julie is an active member in the Tucson horse community where she trains and competes in dressage. Julie is currently in the process of completing a degree in Music Education and a degree in Equine Science at the University of Arizona. Journey to the West is the second Rogue Theatre production to which Julie has assisted in providing musical accompaniment, Red Noses being the first.

Designers

Production Staff

Clint Bryson (Lighting Designer) has designed lights for nearly every Rogue Theatre production. Other lighting design credits include As Bees in Honey Drown and Golf Game for Borderlands, Woman in Black for Beowulf Alley, and The Seagull for Tucson Art Theatre. Clint is currently the Shop Foreman, Production Technical Director and Marketing Director for Catalina Foothills Theatre Department where he designs and coordinates the construction of all scenery. He is also a member of Rhino Staging Services, and a regular participant in Arizona Theatre Company’s Summer on Stage program where he designs and builds the scenery as well as teaches production classes.

Leah Taylor (Stage Manager) was Stage Manager for The Rogue Theatre’s Major Barbara, As I Lay Dying, Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, The New Electric Ballroom, and The Winter’s Tale and Assistant to the Stage Manager for The Decameron. She was Stage Manager for The Now Theatre’s The Pillowman, The Bald Soprano and Overruled. Other work includes shows with Winding Road Theatre Ensemble and Sacred Chicken Productions. Leah graduated from the University of Arizona in May 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Classics and Anthropology.

Susan Collinet (House Manager) earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Creative Writing and English Literature from the University of Arizona in 2008. Decades before returning to college as a non-traditional student, Susan spent twenty years in amateur theater, mostly on the East coast, as well as in Brussels, Belgium in the American Theater of Brussels, and the Theatre de Chenois in Waterloo. She has worked in such positions as a volunteer bi-lingual guide in the Children’s Museum of Brussels, the Bursor of a Naturopathic Medical school in Tempe, Arizona, an entrepreneur with two “Susan’s of Scottsdale” hotel gift shops in Scottsdale, Arizona, and as the volunteer assistant Director of Development of the Arizona Aids Project in Phoenix. Susan continues to work on collections of poetry and non-fiction. Her writing has won awards from Sandscript Magazine, the John Hearst Poetry Contest, the Salem College for Women’s Center for Writing, and was published in a Norton Anthology of Student’s Writing. In addition to being House Manager, Susan acts as Volunteer Coordinator for the Rogue.

Our Thanks