CAST OF CHARACTERS

Don Lockwood, Brendan Simon*

Kathy Selden,  Shaye Troha

Cosmo Brown, Rich Bianco

Lina Lamont, Rana Weber

R.F. Simpson, Alex Shafer

Zelda Zanders, Ensemble, Maggie Kelley Connard

Ensemble,  Gilberto Esqueda

Young Cosmo, Ensemble, Alexander Franklin

Young Don, Ensemble, Jackie Grigsby

Ensemble, William Hodgson

Ensemble, Calia Johnson

Ensemble, Rana Kangas-Kent

Roscoe Dexter, Ensemble, Jimmy Robertson

Ensemble, Lauren Rosi

Dora Bailey, Ensemble, Nonoko Sato

Ensemble, George Patrick Scott

Rod, Ensemble, Brad E. Smith

Mrs. Dinsmore, Ensemble,  Sonya Smith

Ensemble, Jeremy Vik

Ensemble,  RJ Villanos

*Appears courtesy of The Actor’s Equity Association

BAND
Keyboards & Conductor,  Robert J. Cowan
Reeds, Bill Aron
Trumpet, Rafa Postel
Drums, Dominic Moisant
Bass,  Jeff Patterson

Rich Bianco (Cosmo) is a Graduate of  Dell ‘Arte  Physical Theater School and  co-founder of the physical theater company, Pendulum.  He is also a 5 year vet of the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe, and a Fringe First Award Winner in 1994.  He spent 3 years with Diavolo Dance Theater under artistic director, Jacques Heim, choreographer of Cirque du Soleil’s Ka, in Las Vegas and did the Maskwork for Mountain Dew’s Spy vs. Spy commercials. Rich teaches movement, acro, ensemble & physical theater and is an ward-winning Drag performer. Graham, Laugh!  Mick, Love…

Maggie Connard (Zelda, Ensemble) is overjoyed to be working with Berkeley Playhouse for the first time! She graduated with a BA in Modern Dance from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA and since moving to the Bay Area in 1999 has had the good fortune to perform with great companies such as EmSpace Dance, Leyya Tawil’s Dance Elixir, Deborah Slater Dance Theatre, and Printz Dance Project among others. Most recently she was seen on The Willows Theatre stage, baring her soul (ahem) in a wonderful production of Hair. Maggie just loves the Bay Area and YOU! (She thinks you’re the “cat’s meow”!)

Gilberto Esqueda (Ensemble) is so happy to be back at Berkeley Playhouse! He was last seen as Papa Ge in their production of Once on This Island. Other shows include: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (SF Playhouse), Friends (Brava Theater), Little Shop of Horrors (Broadway by the Bay), Godspell (American River), Ragtime (Kenyon College). He is a graduate of Kenyon College, as well as the Musical Theatre Conservatory at Notre Dame de Namur. He thanks his wonderful and loving family, and is blessed to have met this amazingly talented cast!

Alexander Franklin (Young Cosmo, Ensemble) loves acting and being on stage. He is thrilled to be in another production with the Berkeley Playhouse: this summer he played Cubs in the professional production of Peter Pan and most recently, he played Mushu and Qian Po in the Youth Company Production of Mulan Jr.  In addition to acting, Alex enjoys playing guitar, spending time with friends and making people laugh.  He dreams of being a stand-up comedian someday.

Jackie Grigsby (Young Don, Ensemble) is thrilled to be joining the cast of Singin’ in the Rain.  Jackie, who is eleven and a sixth grader at Park Day School, has appeared in numerous Berkeley Playhouse productions, his favorite roles include Daniel in Once on this Island Jr., Cubs in Peter Pan and most recently Captain Shang in Mulan Jr. When not rehearsing at the Julia Morgan Theatre, Jackie plays soccer, basketball and baseball.

William Hodgson (Ensemble) has performed at PCPA (since 2007): The Sound of Music (Friedrick, u/s), Othello (Ensemble, swing), Ragtime (Ensemble), Hot Mikado (Ensemble), White Christmas (Ensemble), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Fairy, Puck u/s) Les Miserables (Brujon, Ensemble), The Music Man (Ensemble). Other Theatre credits include: Seussical the Musical (Cat in the Hat), Blues for an Alabama Sky (Guy), Dog Sees God (Beethoven), PCPA in the Schools (Ensemble)

Calia Johnson (Ensemble) a recent graduate of the UCSC Theater Department.  She is beyond excited and blessed to work with such a great company.  She thanks her little sister (Olivia) for always being such an inspiration.  She also sends thanks to her loving parents and of course God.

Rana Kangas-Kent (Olga Mara, Sound Engineer, Ensemble) performs in her first show with Berkeley Playhouse and what an awesome show to make her debut here.  Recent roles include Rosalie in Landscape of the Body and Inga in Cabaret (SF Playhouse).  She also was a lead in Shopping! The Musical! for 1½ years and is a 6-year Mountain Play veteran with lead roles in Hair and Oklahoma!, among others.  Rana received her training at San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Donna Cerio’s Broadway Dance Company.

Jimmy Robertson (Roscoe Dexter, Production Tenor) is thrilled to be back for his second production with Berkeley Playhouse!  Some of his recent favorite roles include Bud Frump in How to Succeed… (Solano College) and Noodler, the pirate,  in Berkeley Playhouse’s own Peter Pan.  Jimmy is a recent graduate of Chico State’s musical theatre program.  He wishes to thank everyone involved in this production for treating him like family and, of course, to his actual family.

Lauren Rosi (Lina’s Double for film, Mary Margaret, Ensemble) Regional theater credits include several world premiere productions at ACT’s Young Conservatory, Private Fears In Public Places (RVP), Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (B Street Theatre), Rumpelstiltskin (B Street), Oklahoma (Woodminster), Hello Dolly (Woodminster), Ragtime (Woodminster) and Miracle on 34th Street & Scrooge with Town Hall Theater where Lauren is proud to be a Teaching Artist. She is a graduate of Idyllwild Arts Academy and Emerson College. Thank you to my family and friends for their endless love and support.

Nonoko Sato (Dora, Ensemble) is thrilled to join the talented cast and crew as Dora and Ensemble member. She was last seen on stage in Meadowland with Second Wind Productions and with Young California Writer’s Project. She is a Board Member of Asian American Theater Company and the Executive Director of SMART “ a SF based non-profit that provides access, advocacy, and support to low-income students. Special thanks to Graham, Ted, and the SMART family for their support!

George Patrick Scott (Ensemble) is honored and thrilled to be performing with the unique cast of Singin in the Rain at the Berkeley Playhouse.  George has toured nationally with the Missoula Children’s Theatre and recently debuted How to Survive the Apocalypse: The Burning Man Opera at Teatro Zinzanni. Theatrical credits include: Some Men, S.F. FOLLIES, The Nutcracker (Ballet Califia), Our Lady of 121^ST Street, Aida, A Chorus Line, Little Shop of Horrors , Beauty and the Beast , 8 Reindeer Monologues, Aladdin, Working,  the Musical and Rent. He is a recipient of the West Coast Regional Costume Design Award at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for Electricidad.

Alex Shafer (R.F. Simpson).  Alex has performed throughout the Bay Area, and is delighted to be part of this production, his first at The Berkeley Playhouse.  Some of his favorite roles include Boolie in Driving Miss Daisy (Ross Valley Players), The Gangster in Kiss Me Kate (ACLO), Michael Flaherty in Playboy of the Western World (Cinnabar), Detective Hennessey in Cocoanuts (CCCT), Snout in Midsummer Night’s Dream (CCCT), and Sipos in She Loves Me (Masquers).

Brendan Simon (Don Lockwood) is a proud Bay Area native with over 50 productions under his belt including Once On this Island and It’s A Wonderful Life: the Live Radio Play for Berkeley Playhouse.   An advocate for theatre that is accessible to youth, Brendan acts and choreographs with Active Arts Theatre for Young Audiences, directs with the City of Santa Clara Youth Performing Arts program, and teaches dance to young people throughout the East Bay.  He is also in his 8^th season as a company member for Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre Programs.  Brendan’s most recent project is Torch, a new musical which he wrote and directed.

Brad E. Smith (Rod, Policeman, Ensemble) is thrilled to be returning to the Bay Area stage and working with the Berkeley Playhouse. Local roles include Jean in Miss Julie and Madam in The Maids. He can also be seen exploding violently (on YouTube) in Rick Springfield’s music video for Bop ‘til you Drop. Brad is also very excited to be performing with the Stephen Pelton Dance Theater this April at CounterPULSE in San Francisco.

Sonya Smith (Miss Dinsmore, Ensemble) A lifelong athlete, Sonya Smith discovered dance at Macalester College while earning a degree in Biology and Environmental Studies. A dancer, aerialist, choreographer, and teacher, she has performed around the country and abroad with a slew of amazing Bay Area companies. Last summer she was thrilled to be part of Berkeley Playhouse’s Peter Pan doing all manner of wacky things in the air, and is delighted to rejoin Berkeley Playhouse as part of this incredible ensemble.

Shaye Troha (Kathy Selden) loves this show and these people.  She last performed in and co-choreographed the New York and Berkeley productions of Shotgun Players/Banana Bag and Bodice’s Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage. Shaye is a longtime member of sketch comedy troupe Killing My Lobster and has made ‘em laugh at NYC, SF and Vancouver Sketchfests, Cobb’s Comedy Club and ACT.  Other credits: NYC Fringe, SF Playhouse, Ray of Light Theatre and PCPA Theaterfest, where she is a graduate.

Jeremy Vik (Ensemble) is thrilled to be a part of Singin’ in the Rain. He has been acting in the Bay Area for the past three years and has most recently acted in shows for the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and 42nd Street Moon, as well as having played half the male roles in Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding on Pier 39. Jeremy Vik is a proud graduate of the Clown Conservatory.

RJ Villanos (Ensemble) is appearing with Berkeley Playhouse for the fourth time (previous credits include, Once On this Island, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz).  RJ is a graduate of the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts (2007) and works for Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre Programs.

Rana Weber (Lina Lamont) is delighted to make her Berkeley Playhouse debut with Singin’ in the Rain.  Rana has performed locally with The Willows Theatre (Hair), 42^nd Street Moon (Destry Rides Again), No Nude Men (The Monk, Fishing), Thunderbird Theatre Co. (Pride & Succubus), Dark Porch Theatre (The In Betweens) and Hurly Burly Productions (William Mastrosimone’s Cat’s Paw).  She just wrapped her first leading role in a feature film (Charlotte in Parlay), as well as the web series Chance Encounters and Copy & Pastry. Rana has a B.F.A. from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (Founder’s Day Award) and is enjoying being back in the Bay Area after a long hiatus.

MEET THE MUSICIANS

BILL ARON (Reeds) has been a professional Bay Area musician for the last 38 years. He has performed with organizations such as the San Francisco Symphony and the Sun Valley Symphony, as well as most of the “Freeway” symphonies of the SF Bay Area. His major performances have been with the San Francisco Saxophone Quartet, of which he was a member for over 28 years. He has played many featured parts with several of the symphonies as well as the SF Conservatory, Other Minds and others.

ROBERT J. COWAN (Music Director) is making his Berkeley Playhouse debut. As vocal director and conductor, he has recently worked on shows including The Music Man, Seussical, The Pajama Game, and Guys and Dolls with groups including The Spindrift School of Performing Arts, the SF Arts Education Project, and a number of schools, colleges, and community organizations. He holds a Masters in Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and degrees in music and philosophy from Gonzaga University with extensive studies in music education and conducing. An avid performer as well, Robbie has recently been seen with local companies including 42^nd Street Moon, Woodminster Amphitheater, Diablo Theatre Company, Contemporary Opera of Marin, and the SF Conservatory of Music.

DOMINIC MOISANT (Percussion) is a percussionist and drummer who is currently studying music at Cal State East Bay in Hayward with Artie Storch. He has been playing drums since he was ten and has played with various orchestras and bands around the Bay Area, such as The California Youth Symphony, Silicon Valley Symphony, Young People’s Symphony Orchestra, and the Stanford Philharmonia Orchestra. He has also played for various musicals, such as Seussical, The Wiz, City Of Angels, and Bye Bye Birdie. He also plays bass and guitar.

JEFF PATTERSON (Bass) is a music major in performance at Cal State East Bay who plays a wide variety of projects from salsa and Jazz to Heavy Metal/Pop and Classical. He’s toured Europe with the acclaimed CSU East Bay and played with pop/singer-songwriter Chris Marsol.  Jeff is currently a member of several metal projects including Awake the Plague, Catapult the Dead, and Ethereal Dawn. Future projects include the CSUEB Orchestra, the upcoming production of Oliver! as well as with the Napa Valley Chorale on their upcoming cabaret.  Jeff returns to Berkeley Playhouse after playing in Peter Pan and the youth production of Godspell and Urinetown.