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Our 42nd season of Free Shakespeare in the Park presented The Tempest. Since 1983, as part of SF Shakes’ mission to make Shakespeare accessible to all, we’ve brought our Free Shakes production to audiences around the SF Bay Area; no tickets or Shakespeare experience required.
Thought to be Shakespeare’s last solo written play, The Tempest tells the tale of a father (Prospero) and daughter (Miranda) set adrift to sea by the jealous machinations of Prospero’s brother. On an island inhabited with magical creatures, Prospero uses magic to rule the land, until a tempest washes ashore Prospero’s brother and co-conspirators. Complete with clownish shipwrecked sailors, The Tempest explores themes of revenge and forgiveness and asks the audience to find the humanity in all the characters they meet.
Director Rotimi Agbabiaka highlighted the themes of forgiveness and recovering from loss. He was joined by Assistant Director Ely Sonny Orquiza, who holds an unwavering belief in the remarkable power of equity and representation in storytelling to bridge the divide and differences amongst us.
Scroll down to review the 2024 season schedule, download the program, meet the cast and crew, join the team, donate, and view production photos. Use the menu on the left to quickly navigate this page…
In 2024 we returned to three of our longtime Free Shakes partners – Cupertino’s Memorial Park, Redwood City’s Red Morton Park, San Francisco’s McLaren Park and, new this season, San Francisco’s Sue Bierman Park. Click the Venue Info button for important information including location, transportation, food options, and important tips for attending.
* Preview show (preview shows allow the cast and crew to make adjustments before opening in each venue; all are welcome to attend these complete performances.)
+ Opening show
*Sat July 20 – 6pm
*Sun July 21 – 6pm
*Sat July 27 – 6pm
*Sun July 28 – 6pm
+Sat Aug 3 – 6pm
Sun Aug 4 – 6pm
*Sat Aug 10 – 6pm
+Sun Aug 11 – 6pm
Sat Aug 17 – 6pm
Sun Aug 18 – 6pm
Sat Aug 24 – 6pm
Sun Aug 25 – 6pm
*Sat Aug 31 – 2pm
*Sun Sept 1 – 2pm
+Mon Sept 2 – 2pm
Sat Sept 7 – 2pm
Sun Sept 8 – 2pm
*Sat Sept 14 – 2pm
+Sun Sept 15 – 2pm
Sat Sept 21 – 2pm
Sun Sept 22 – 2pm
*Sat Sept 16 – 4pm
+Sun Sept 17 – 4pm
Sat Sept 23 – 4pm
Sun Sept 24 – 4pm
As part of our ongoing commitment to the environment, we no longer print paper programs. Click here to download the program or enter sfshakes.org/program in your browser.
Click here to download Dramaturgy Notes.
You may also scan QR codes posted in the park to download the program (which also contains a link to dramaturgy notes).
ALEX CAMERINO
MIRANDA
Alex (he/they/she) is ready to storm the stage as Miranda for this production of The Tempest! He recently went on tour for SFSF’s Shakespeare on Tour ‘24: As You Like It as Oliver/Charles/Jaques/Silvius. Known for his work on and off-stage in the Bay Area (traveling as an actor, musician, and technical artist for live theatre), his past roles include Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Bottom’s Dream – Solano College Theatre), Claudio (Much Ado About Nothing – Winters Theatre Company), and most recently, Charlie (The Foreigner – Bay Area Stage). He plans to direct No Exit by Jean Paul Sartre at Solano Community College before heading off to Southern Oregon University to complete his BFA in Theatre Arts, and pursuing a MoTS in Production and Design. @alex_camerino.
PHOEBE CHOU
PERCUSSIONIST
Phoebe (she/her) is excited to be making her SF Shakes debut as the live percussionist. She has been working as a performer and music educator in California for the past 15 years. Known for her versatility in different musical backgrounds, she has performed with groups such as the Blue Devils, Santa Clara Vanguard, San Jose Stage Company, Starstruck Theatre, and has played at the San Jose Summer Fest. She has toured across the United States, as well as internationally, in Taiwan, Shanghai, Austria, and Italy. After receiving her percussion performance degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Phoebe is continuing her journey to share her philosophy of expressions through music. She hopes to offer the world music of adventure, truth, and kindness..
KEVIN CLARKE *
SHIPMASTER / ARIEL / GONZALO / JUNO
Kevin (he/him) studied painting and mathematics at Cornell University. He has worked as an actor, dancer, director, drag artist, and costume/prop designer for more than 20 years. Appearances include: Shotgun Players (company member): Black Rider, Grand Concourse, Village Bike, Hamlet, Antigonick, New Electric Ballroom, Woyzeck, Coast of Utopia, God’s Plot, Beardo, Macbeth, Cryptogram, Forest War, Travesties and Death of Meyerhold. Other: American Ma(u)l (BACCE); Salomania and Arsonists (Aurora); Ada and The Memory Engine (Central Works); She Rode Horses… (Crowded Fire); Frequent collaborator with Chris Black Dance. Co-direction of Hagen & Simone with Monique Jenkinson. Film: Test and Pushing Dead. kevinclarkeactor.com AEA
EDRIS COOPER-ANIFOWOSHE*
PROSPERO
Edris (all) is an award-winning theatre artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than 30 years. Edris is founding director of experimental theatre company, Black Artists Contemporary Cultural Experience (BACCE) and for a decade was a lead artist for Rhodessa Jones’ The Medea Project; Theatre for Incarcerated Women. Edris has toured nationally and internationally with the SF Mime Troupe and is an affiliate artist of Campo Santo and a core company member of Word For Word. Edris has performed with Campo Santo, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, Word for Word, SF Playhouse, Aurora Theatre, Magic Theatre, Brava Theater, Theatre Works in Palo Alto, Carpetbag Theatre (Knoxville), Baltimore Theatre Project, Los Angeles Theater Center, Dixon Place (NYC), and San Diego Rep. Edris has created five solo performances, including Traveling While Black and Adventures of A Black Girl in Search of Academic Clarity and Inclusion, which was published in the anthology solo/black/woman. Edris has directed locally at Magic Theatre, TheatreWorks, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, SF Playhouse, Z Space, Aurora Theatre, and nationally at Trinity Rep in Providence, Curious Theater in Denver, WaterTower Theatre in Dallas, Mark Taper Forum in LA, Southern Rep in New Orleans, and Alabama Shakespeare, among others. Internationally, Edris has presented scholarship in Mexico, the UK and the Netherlands; performed on tour in France and Germany, and studied at Theatre Arts/Ibadan, Nigeria where she performed with the legendary university comedy troupe, Laffomania, founded by the late great Solomon Iguanre. Edris and BACCE are artists-in-residence at Brava Theater Center where they have presented several seasons of critically acclaimed performances. Edris has a recent nomination from Bay Area Critic’s Circle for Dialect Coaching for SF Playhouse’s Nollywood Dreams. Edris holds an MFA from the University of Iowa and is a member of the National Institute of Directing and Ensemble Creation (NIDEC) and is a contributor to their upcoming book, The Fire at the Center.
ADAM KUVENIEMANN*
CALIBAN / SEBASTIAN
Adam (he/him) makes his SF Shakes debut with The Tempest. Credits include A Christmas Carol (American Conservatory Theater), Sweat (Center Repertory Company), Before the Sword (New Conservatory Theatre Center), Exodus to Eden (Oakland Theater Project), Exit Strategy (Aurora Theatre Company), The Great Khan (SF Playhouse), and understudying Angels in America (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). To learn more about Adam’s theatrical work, listen to one of the podcasts that he hosts, or see some silly photos of the lad, check out AdamKuveNiemann.com. Sending all the love to his growing family!!
DAVID EVERETT MOORE*+
STEPHANO/ANTONIO / IRIS (July 20-August 11)
David (he/she) is excited to embark on his seventh season of Free Shakespeare in the Park! David has worked with many Bay Area theaters, including Crowded Fire, Aurora Theatre, Word for Word, Berkeley Rep, SPARC Theater, and the Lesher Center for the Arts, among others. Regional credits include work with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Capital Stage Company, and Colorado Shakespeare Festival (2 seasons). Selected Favorites: Romeo and Juliet at SF Shakes, Safe House at Aurora Theatre, An Octoroon at Capital Stage, We Are Proud To Present for Just Theater, Clue at Lesher Center. David is a proud graduate of UC Berkeley, where he earned his BA in Theater and Performance Studies.
NIC MOORE
BOATSWAIN / TRINCULO / FERDINAND / (U/S CALIBAN / SEBASTIAN)
Nic (he/him) is grateful to be involved with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival for the first time. His recent credits include Romeo and Juliet and The Two Gentlemen of Verona at Curtain Theatre, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at 6th Street Playhouse, The Pride of Lions at Theatre Rhinoceros and Romance and Juliet at SPARC Theater. He is an alumni of the Meisner Technique Studio in San Francisco and Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts..
BRENNAN PICKMAN-THOON*
STEPHANO / ANTONIO / IRIS (August 17-September 8)
Brennan (he/him) is thrilled to make his SF Shakes debut! Some favorite credits include Bulrusher, Throwback Island, Metamorphoses, The Good Book (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), A Christmas Carol (A.C.T.), Mother of the Maid (Marin Theatre Company), Macbeth (California Shakespeare Theater), Home, Boys Go to Jupiter (Word For Word), The Gentleman Caller (NCTC), Timon of Athens, Phedre, (Cutting Ball Theater), and Hamlet (Marin Shakespeare Company). When not performing, he teaches for American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and SFArtsED. He won the 2019 SFBATCC Award for Actor in a Principal Role and is a member of AEA. For more, please visit brennanpickmanthoon.com. Love to family + C!
VALERIE WEAK*
ALONSO / CERES (U/S PROSPERO)
Valerie (she/her) is grateful to return to Free Shakespeare in the Park for the fourth time. Her previous appearances for SF Shakes include Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet), Comedy of Errors (Adriana/Jailer) and Much Ado about Nothing (Ursula) in the parks as well as Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena/Quince) for Shakespeare on Tour. Valerie has acted with many Bay Area theaters, including CenterREP, Shotgun Players, and Marin Shakespeare Company. Favorite roles include Macbeth in Macbeth at Women’s Will, Officer Miller in The Box at Z Space and Rosemary in Picnic at Ross Valley Players (BATCC Award, Best Production). She trained at Skidmore College with Anne Bogart/SITI company in New York and holds a Theatre Arts BA from UCLA. valerieweak.com
JOEL OCHOA
U/S: FERDINAND / TRINCULO / MIRANDA
Joel (he/him) is so excited to be making his SF Shakespeare Festival debut! A rising third-year MFA Acting grad student at Academy of Art University, Joel moved to the Bay Area in August of 2022 from the Midwest after graduating from Millikin University. Bay Area Credits include: A Chorus Line (SF Playhouse), Mame, Bright Star (42nd Street Moon) Macbeth and Julius Caesar Twisted (Marin Shakespeare Company). Recent On-Screen credits include: Take Me There (Frameline47 Official Selection), Under the Lights (coming late 2024), The Scenic Route, Eva’s Conundrum and commercials with Pegasus Solar and Exo Inc. When not performing, Joel can be seen as a teaching artist, a social media associate, and drinking a good coffee. His thanks to the whole team for this special show and to the people that push him to be a better artist and a better human – this one’s for you. @joelocho
WILLIAM ROGUE
U/S: ALONSO / ANTONIO / STEPHANO / ARIEL / GONZALO
William (he/him) trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland. William took the long road into acting after serving in the Royal Navy, then working as an astrologer, bouncer, laborer, electrician, barman, pizza chef, teacher, salesman and musician. Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, William has lived in some of the most exotic places in the world: Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, and Johannesburg before finally moving to the Bay Area sixteen years ago. This will be William’s third production with SF Shakes after appearing as Belarius and Jupiter in the 2023 production of Cymbeline and the Porter in 2013’s production of Macbeth. His TV credits include Hamish Macbeth, Feel the Force and World’s Most Astonishing News. Film credits include Zombie Clowns Conquer the World, Silver Dogs and Bronco Billy and The Bandit’s Secret.
JULIEN GUSSMAN
U/S MUSICIAN #2, POSTHUMUS, CAIUS LUCIUS
Julien Gussman (they/he) is joining San Francisco Shakespeare for the first time this summer and cannot be more excited! They grew up in the Bay Area and are currently studying Theatre Arts and Anthropology at Santa Clara University. Previous credits include Toad in A Year With Frog and Toad (BACT), Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray (Stage1), Yellow Girl in Shout (SBMT), Martha Dunnstock in Heathers (PSP), and Ensemble in Sense and Sensibility (TheatreWorks). They hope you enjoy the show!
www.juliengussman.com
ROTIMI AGBABIAKA
DIRECTOR
Rotimi (any) is thrilled to be conjuring this Tempest. Directing credits include the world premieres of The Red Shades: A Trans Superhero Rock Opera (Z Space) and VS. (TheatreFIRST), Seeing Red: The Radio Play (San Francisco Mime Troupe), Ben Okri’s The Secret Source (Word for Word), and Wole Soyinka’s Madmen and Specialists (Cutting Ball). As an actor, Rotimi most recently played Oberon and Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Folger Theatre, Washington D.C.) and originated the roles of William Craft in The N****r Lovers (Magic Theatre), James Baldwin in In the Evening By The Moonlight (Lorraine Hansberry Theatre), and Cellphone/Narrator in If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must Be a Muhfucka (Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway). Rotimi penned the solo shows Type/Caste (TBA award), and MANIFESTO; co-wrote the musical, Seeing Red; dazzles nightlife stages (as alter-ego Miss Cleo Patois); and teaches acting and solo performance at Stanford University. Rotimi is eternally grateful to Dr. James Loehlin and Dr. James “Doc” Ayres of Shakespeare at Winedale for teaching him to love the Bard.
ELY SONNY ORQUIZA
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Ely (he/him), a 2023 YBCA 100 Honoree, is a multidisciplinary Queer Filipino artistic director, stage director, and arts educator native to San Francisco Bay Area, the unceded territory of the Ramaytush Ohlone People. Through theater and the performing arts Orquiza illuminates the experiences of the Asian diaspora, explores the politics of Queer/ness, and amplifies the voices and narratives of People from the Global Majority. As an artist, Orquiza draws on his heritage and lived experiences to create stunning theatrical productions that captivate audiences and spark meaningful conversations about equity and representation. Through his art and advocacy, he is breaking down barriers and elevating marginalized voices for the American Theatre. For extended bio: elysonnyorquiza.org
PRATIKSHA SHAH
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Pratiksha (she/her) is not just a production manager but a true visionary genius behind the scenes. This means balancing a million tasks while staying on top of everything that’s going on – rehearsal schedules, hiring crews and designers, contracts, and payrolls to name a few. Pratiksha graduated from Foothill Theater Conservatory and has been an active part of the theater world for the past 10 years. She fell in love with Shakespeare during school and joined San Francisco Shakespeare Festival at the onset of the pandemic in January 2020. In her short tenure of 4 years with SF Shakes she has supported and mastered: fully virtual productions (King Lear), episodic virtual hybrid productions (Pericles), and in-person productions in three different park locations (Much Ado About Nothing). In her spare time, she produces shorts, commercials, web series, features and so much more!
NEAL ORMOND
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR / SCENIC, GRAPHIC, & WEB DESIGNER / BUILDER, PAINTER, MOVER / SITE SERVICES
Neal (he/him) has been the Technical Director of San Francisco Shakespeare Festival since 2017, serving also as webmaster, graphic designer, scenic designer, master carpenter, and managing infrastructure and venue logistics. A 2001 graduate of Stanford University, he subsequently founded NAO Design and spent the next decade expanding into the realms of web, graphic, product, sound, scenic, and automotive design, lighting, furniture, signage, pyrotechnics, robotics, and architecture. From there he spent four years as Manager of Art and Technology at the advertising conglomerate Publicis. Upon joining the ranks of SF Shakes, Neal found it to be a tremendous match for all these miscellaneous skills! At the onset of the COVID pandemic he developed SF Shakes’ “Unified Virtual Space” method of compositing more than a dozen live, remote actors into a shared virtual space onscreen, the first such undertaking worldwide. Future plans include the first-ever production of Shakespeare in Space.
nealormond.com.
PENNY PENDLETON*
AEA STAGE MANAGER
Penny (she/her) Investing her time in creating safe places for “play,” Penny’s been honored to have managed the stage for Ted Neeley in Jesus Christ Superstar (Egyptian Theatre), Lauren Graham in Unscripted (Curran Theatre), Neil deGrasse Tyson in Astronomy Bizarre (Orpheum Theatre), and Nigella Lawson (Sydney Goldstein Theatre). Production League Credits: Oklahoma! (North American Tour) and A Christmas Carol (Golden Gate Theatre). Regional Credits include: San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, American Conservatory Theatre, CenterREP, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, PCPA Theatrefest, Presidio Theatre, Salt Lake Acting Company, and the Sting & Honey Company.
GABRIELLA HOWELL
DECK MANAGER
Gaby (she/any) is thrilled to be returning to San Francisco Shakespeare as a member of the Tempest team! She started her Bay Area theatre career as a stage management intern for the company’s 2016 run of The Winter’s Tale and since then has joined SF Shakes the past five years as ASM/Wardrobe Assistant for As You Like It: A New Musical, ASM/Props Coordinator for King Lear, Props/Costumes Coordinator for Takes on Shakes, Props/Wardrobe Supervisor for Pericles, and Deck Manager for Much Ado About Nothing and Cymbeline. Other highlights of her past work include stage managing Urinetown at Berkeley Playhouse and Lamplighters’ 2019 & 2021 champagne galas.
JEN COOGAN
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Jen (she/her) began as a performer, but started writing musicals in her desire to create more roles for women. Her composer credits include the As You Like It 2024 Tour (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival) The Morning After My Family Fell Apart, (Left Coast Theatre Company) and The Oregon Trail Pages (Musical Cafe Showcase). She is developing The New Teacher with Superbad Theatre Company, The Last Open Mic with WildHorse Stage Co., and is the creator of The Women in Theatre Project; featuring songs based on her personal interviews from some of the most influential women in theatre, which is making its concert debut at 54 Below in NYC this October.
JUSTIN RAYNA
SOUND TEAM – MUSIC COMPOSER
Justin (he/him) is an award-winning percussionist, composer, and producer. He’s a recipient of the 2000 Louis Armstrong Jazz Award for prolific creativity and the 2001 Garden State Circuit 1st Place Snare Solo Award. In 2018 Justin released his debut album INTENSIFY, presenting a full-length concert featuring seven dance companies, three circus arts companies, two actors, and a 16-piece orchestra. Justin studied Music Theory & Composition at the University of Tennessee and graduated with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in Music and Theatre from East Tennessee State University. Justin currently resides in Tennessee, close to his wife’s family.
GRACE BENEPRICE
PROPS MASTER
Grace (she/they) is a deeply elusive, borderline unhirable, theatrical specialties artisan, who has spent decades behind the scenes at Bay Area theatres. When not designing a breakaway magical staff or a disappearing banquet, you mind find evidence of their artistic influence in the sparkle of a koi puppet, the perfect art deco lorgnette, a shimmering golden ticket or a trio of six-foot goddess wings made out of crutches. While they cannot be pinned down to any home company, they regularly haunt the Compound Gallery Studios in Emeryville, and Analog Theatre’s Mask Monday series at Standard Deviant Brewing (analogtheatre.org).
BETHANY DEAL
COSTUME DESIGNER
Bethany (she/her) Bethany Deal is a local costume designer, maker, coordinator, hair stylist, and MUA with her company, Designs by Deal LLC. She has her MFA in Costume Design/Hair & Make-Up design. She currently is a costume production supervisor for CSU East Bay & Oakland Ballet. She is also a licensed cosmetologist. You may have seen her costume designs in the greater bay area most recently Spring Awakening at Napa Valley College,12th Night, Marin Shakespeare Company (SF Chronicle’s “Leaping Man”) Es Una Vida Maravillousa-Shakespeare Napa Valley, Perfect Arrangement-Hillbarn Theater, A Marriage (World Premiere)-T1. Past productions… A Christmas Carol-Center Rep, Llama Llama Live! National Tour-BACT, Caroline, or Change-Ray of Light Theater, Ain’t Misbehavin (BATCC nomination for Best in the Bay overall production), 110 in the Shade, Saturday Night, New Girl In Town-42nd Street Moon, Joseph…, Sister Act-Broadway By the Bay, Dream Girls, Sister Act and Annie-Berkeley Playhouse. Beyond the bay includes Mr. Marmalade-Garage Theatre, Legally Blonde the Musical-USU & Stockton Civic Theater, The Fantasticks-OMG, Shrek The Musical (Winner Broadway World Sacramento Best Costume Design) Beehive!: the 60’s Musical, and Trailer Park-Sierra Repertory Theater. Her Hair & Make-up Designs include –Vanya Sonia Masha & Spike, Rock Of Ages and Freaky Friday at Center Rep, as well as Beehive!:the 60’s Musical at Sierra Rep. Other collaborations include California’s Great America, CMT- Music Circus, Town Hall Theater, and many more. In addition to the stage, Ms. Deal has worked in film and television including Costume Designer for “Not Your Year” (available on amazon prime), “North Beach” and recently wrapped principle photography on “The Trees Have Eyes”. Salt Lake City 48 Hour Film Project Winner in 2013. Instagram @costumegirl_deal.
CARLA PANTOJA
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR / FIGHT DIRECTOR
Carla (she/they) born and raised in the South Bay, is an actor, fight director, teaching artist, intimacy director, and mom of two. She has been a Resident Artist of San Francisco Shakespeare Festival since 2014 and recently served as Director of Vision for the 2021 Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Pericles, Prince of Tyre, directing episodes 2 and 4. In 2020, she was in the acting company at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, returning in 2022 as the festival’s first female fight director. Carla is an associate instructor for Dueling Arts International and serves on their governing body as Vice President. She is also a proud member of Making Good Trouble, an anti-racist training cohort based in the Bay Area. Carla has directed SF Shakes’ Shakespeare on Tour production of Romeo and Juliet and Comedy of Errors and Assistant Directed the 2017 Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Hamlet. She played Paulina in Free Shakespeare in the Park’s The Winter’s Tale, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, and Kate in The Taming of the Shrew. She’s performed with Cal Shakes, Shotgun Players, Crowded Fire, Playground, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, and the SF Mime Troupe in the Bay Area to name a few.
MAYA HERBSMAN
INTIMACY DIRECTOR
Maya (she/he) is an award-winning intimacy director, educator, and director. Maya has been the first intimacy professional at theaters across Northern California including Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Theatreworks Silicon Valley, San Francisco Playhouse, California Shakespeare Theater, Shotgun Players, Crowded Fire Theater, Z Space, Cutting Ball Theater, San Francisco Opera and many more. Her work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, J Magazine, OperaLine, HowlRound, and various podcasts. You can also find her writing in “Supporting Staged Intimacy” by Alexis Black and Tina Newhauser. She is certified through Intimacy Directors and Coordinators. Maya also works as an intimacy professional for film and opera.
BLUMA LEZAK
ASSISTANT TO INTIMACY DIRECTOR
Bio to be submitted.
ANDY ALABRAN
VOICE AND TEXT COACH
Andy (he/him) received his M.F.A. in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater and his B.A. in Theater from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has over 20 years of experience as a teacher, director, and performer in the Bay Area. He has taught at the American Conservatory Theater Young Conservatory and Studio, California Shakespeare Theater, Oakland School for the Arts, 826 Valencia (Tenderloin), Voice One, Stagebridge, Mission High, Burton High School, and Hayward High School. He directed A.C.T.’s Young Conservatory productions of Electra, The Glass Menagerie, Discovering Beckett, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Dancing at Lughnasa. He served as voice and speech coach for: Begets, The Wolves, and Hookman. He has performed with Theatre First, the Shotgun Players, and Killing My Lobster. A current company member of the Shotgun Players since 2000, his acting credits include Woyzeck, The Death of Meyerhold, A Seagull in the Hamptons, Truffaldino Says No (world premiere), and Mother Courage.
LEE JUE
WARDROBE SUPERVISOR
Hi my name is Lee (any) and I am based in the South Bay. This is my first time working with SF Shakes! I find great joy in anything costume related and in my spare time work on my own costumes to cosplay at conventions. In my spare time I do community organizing, draw, and enjoy the occasional video game. I hope you enjoy the magic created by the crew and actors for this production of The Tempest.
FNAME LNAME
CULTURAL CONSULTANT
FN LN ( ) bio soon!
MICHAEL KELLY
AUDIO ENGINEER / LEAD SOUND TECHNICIAN
Bio to be submitted.
RACHEL KATIN
SOUND TECHNICIAN
Bio to be submitted.
SONJA MEYERS
MASTER CARPENTER
Sonja ( she/her ) is a Bay Area native who is super to be working with SF Shakes for the first time. She has previously been a Master Carpenter for multiple productions at Palo Alto High School, and is thrilled to now be working on the challenge of crafting a full-scale outdoor production. Currently, she is a rising sophomore studying Drama Design & Production at Carnegie Mellon University.
RACHEL BRATT
HOSPITALITY MANAGER
Rachel Bratt (she/her) is delighted to be returning to SF Shakes for another fabulous summer! Rachel started her journey at SF Shakes in 2017, and has Stage Managed all in-person annual galas since. This is her fourth year as Hospitality Manager for Free Shakes, and already she can’t imagine a summer without it. During the school year, Rachel is the Drama Director for Stratford Schools, which she regards as a fun nod to keeping Shakespeare in her life year-round! She looks forward to welcoming you to the park! Please feel free to stop by the Hospitality table to say hello!
LEE GARBER-PATEL
WARDROBE SUPERVISOR
Lee (they/them) has worked on several productions in a variety of capacities, from backstage to onstage. In their first year as a production intern with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, they focused on the costumes and wardrobe department. They are currently in their third year at UC Berkeley, working towards a B.A. in Media Studies, with a double minor in Theatre and Ethnic Studies.
ARIANA CHAVEZ-MAGANA
STAGE MANAGEMENT INTERN
Ariana (She/They) is a stage management intern who is looking to pursue stage management
professionally after graduating from Santa Clara University next year. Ariana is a Psychology,
Theater Arts, and Child Studies triple major. They have been interested in theater even since
their freshman year of high school after taking a drama class. She is incredibly passionate about
bringing the performing arts to under-representative communities and will become a teacher
once she graduates along with continuing to pursue stage management. She is extremely
excited to be part of the team, and can’t wait for everyone to see the production!
MARION RICHARDSON-BEATTY
STAGE MANAGEMENT INTERN
Marion Richardson-Beatty (he/they) grew up in the Bay Area, and is now studying theatrical production and design at Lewis and Clark College. Their recent stage management work includes Hamlet with Sweet Prince Shakespeare Company, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Our Town with Lewis and Clark College. He’s thrilled to be working with SF Shakespeare this summer.
ROCIO SHWARTZLANDER
STAGE MANAGEMENT INTERN
Rocio Schwarzlander is a 17 year old high school student in San Francisco. They enjoy theater and have been studying technical theater at their school for the past two years. In their free time, they enjoy reading, sewing, and watching horror movies.
JOLIE OUYANG
LITERARY INTERN
Jolie is thrilled to be the literary intern for Cymbeline, her first professional show! She grew up in San Francisco and started doing theatre in Georgetown University’s Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society and Nomadic Theatre, where she has had the opportunity to work on shows such as Rent, the 37th Donn B. Murphy One-Acts Festival, and Into the Woods. Jolie would like to thank the company for providing her guidance as she gains experience in this career and her family and friends for supporting interest in the field.
SHREYANSH PANDA
SOUND INTERN
I am currently a rising senior at Santa Clara University with a Communication Major and a Theater Design and Technology Minor. I began to explore technical theater in my junior year of high school, and after a brief gap continued further in college. My interest in theater is primarily in sound, and I have worked both as a Board Operator and Assistant Sound Designer on SCU productions. I have also worked in the Scene Shop as a Set Builder and have taken on a Stage Management position. I am always eager to learn more about theater and explore new opportunities!
NATALIE SEPULVEDA
WARDROBE INTERN
Natalie is so excited to join the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival as a wardrobe/costume intern this summer! They first became involved with theater and costuming in fourth grade for a production of Beauty and the Beast. Some of their other favorite shows to help make costumes for have been James and the Giant Peach, Newsies, and The Wizard of Oz. In addition to helping behind the scenes in the costume and wardrobe department for local community musicals, Natalie loves being a part of their high school’s Tech Crew which provides sound support for any school event with live music.
CORA SHIMETZ
PROPS INTERN
Cora Shimetz (Class of 2023 Theater Tech, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts) has designed, built and managed props for shows such as Hamlet, Marisol and Urinetown. She is the recipient of the Alumni Promise Award, Certificate of High Honors and California Seal of Biliteracy (Spanish). She is an alumni of multiple SF shakes camps and the Advanced Shakespeare Workshop. She loves the art of prop making and is excited to set her skills to work in a professional production! In the fall she will be attending Cal Poly Humboldt to continue her studies in technical theater and beyond.
POE ANGELES DAYAO
PROPS/HOSPITALITY INTERN
Poe Angeles Dayao (He/Him) is a Bay Area native and an aspiring theatermaker. Going into his third year at UC Davis, he has had the good fortune to be able to expand his knowledge and skills in production, performance, management, and hospitality. He is incredibly thrilled to have the opportunity to grow, learn, and work with SF Shakespeare Festival!
ANGELICA MOSQUEDA
HOSPITALITY INTERN
Angelica Mosqueda is a senior at the University of California, Berkeley, where she pursues dual degrees in Media Studies with a specialized focus in Global Cultural Studies, as well as Theater and Performance Studies. When she is not studying, Angelica makes films with her friends, acts, does photography, and adds to her Pinterest boards. She continues her journey in the performing arts through teaching and uplifting underrepresented creatives through arts, literature, and education. Proud theater kid at heart.
JOHN WESTERN
MARKETING DIRECTOR
John has been a fan of Free Shakespeare in the Park since its inception in 1983 with The Tempest. He is responsible for the marketing and advertising of all Festival programs. He received his B.A. from Cleveland State University and continuing education credits from the advertising program at the University of California at Berkeley’s School of Extended Learning. Mr. Western has been on the Festival staff since 1998, and has ten years of experience in theater advertising and promotion, plus two years of management experience in the public relations field.
JOSHUA WATERSTONE
COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST
Joshua (he/him) has been working with San Francisco Shakespeare Festival since 2020. In addition to marketing/communications he has worked with SF Shakes as a teaching artist, education workgroup member and performer as Romeo/Nurse & Oberon/Lysander in Takes On Shakes. Joshua works in theatre and film as a director, performer, producer/ digital producer, fight choreographer, film maker and educator. In the Bay Area Joshua was an ensemble member with foolsFURY and Ragged Wing Ensemble. Directed/Fight Choreographed with PlayGround, Ragged Wing, foolsFURY, New Century Symphony, San Francisco Youth Theatre and is a Digital Artist with the International Theatre Company and Podcast The Theatre of Others. Joshua has also worked with Georgia Shakespeare, Fly By Theatre, Essential Theatre, Yat/Bentley Centre, Fuse, Nebraska Repertory Theatre, Center Theatre, Georgia Mountain Theatre, Push-Push Theatre and Film, Jewish Theatre of the South, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, PlayMakers, Cal Shakes, Berkeley Repertory School of Theatre, ACT, The Alliance Theatre, Dragon Theatre and Shakespearience. Joshua holds an MFA in Directing for Stage and Screen and teaches theatre at Foothill College and was the Program/Artistic Leader of the Center for Creative and Performing Arts Theatre at Guilford Tech College. An associate member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers a member of the Society of American Fight Directors and an Actor-Combatant. waterstonejoshua.wixsite.com/director
MEREDITH ELDRED
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE
A graduate of San Francisco State University, Meredith is a long time member of the San Francisco arts community who has worked extensively with EXIT Theater and the SF Fringe festival as a director and producer, was a founding member of Misery/Loves Co. and has staged works at Theater Rhino, Mission Cultural Center and Brava. Through her work as an Arts and Parent Engagement Coordinator at SFUSD she guided innovative partnerships between arts organizations, school staff and families to strengthen relationships and support student achievement. In her role as Development Associate she is able to continue her work in supporting equitable arts access in the Bay Area.
CARLA PANTOJA
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR / FIGHT DIRECTOR
Carla, born and raised in the South Bay, is an actor, fight director, teaching artist, intimacy director, and mom of two. She has been a Resident Artist of San Francisco Shakespeare Festival since 2014 and recently served as Director of Vision for the 2021 Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Pericles, Prince of Tyre, directing episodes 2 and 4. In 2020, she was in the acting company at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, returning in 2022 as the festival’s first female fight director. Carla is an associate instructor for Dueling Arts International and serves on their governing body as Vice President. She is also a proud member of Making Good Trouble, an anti-racist training cohort based in the Bay Area. Carla has directed SF Shakes’ Shakespeare on Tour production of Romeo and Juliet and Comedy of Errors and Assistant Directed the 2017 Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Hamlet. She played Paulina in Free Shakespeare in the Park’s The Winter’s Tale, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, and Kate in The Taming of the Shrew. She’s performed with Cal Shakes, Shotgun Players, Crowded Fire, Playground, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, and the SF Mime Troupe in the Bay Area to name a few.
TOBY LEAVITT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Toby oversees all aspects of the Shakespeare Festival’s programs. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Chicago, and received her Masters from the University of Chicago Business School in 1997. Prior to joining the Festival in 1998, she served as General Manager for Chicago’s Court Theatre. She oversaw their financial growth from a $1.6 million to $2.8 million annual budget, guided the theatre in developing a 5-year strategic plan to become the National Center for Classic Theatre, and managed the ensuing strategic growth of the organization. Prior to her four years with the Court, she worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago as Senior Editor and Director of Marketing Communications. Her accomplishments in audience development have been recognized by the Arts Marketing Center of Chicago and the Marshall Fields Foundation. She has served as a management consultant for Chicago Opera Theater, the Piven Theater Workshop, and Roadworks Theater Company, and has served as a panelist for the San Francisco Art Commission’s Cultural Equity Initiatives Grant program.
Free Shakes in the Park employs around 40 seasonal actors, directors, designers, technicians, and interns. We believe that a diverse organization is a better organization and that the art itself is greatly improved by collaboration among people with different backgrounds and perspectives. If you’re interested in being a part of our 2024 production, check out the following pages for available positions:
As a non-profit organization, SF Shakes is committed to producing high-quality theater and making it accessible to all, in part by eliminating any cost of entry, while at the same time striving to be an industry leader in providing a living wage to all actors, designers, staff, and crew. This is no easy feat, and we couldn’t do it without the generous support of community members like you.
If, like us, you believe that the performing arts have the ability to unify us in our humanity, help us heal, and you have the means to do so, then please, take action today and donate. No donation is too large or too small. You can give either in the park or online:
In addition to support from individual donors, Free Shakes in the Park is made possible by our 2023 sponsors:
Shirts, sweaters, onesies, hats, bags, pillows, water bottles, and more! Stock up on all the layers and accessories you might need for the park, while rocking the Tempest graphic.
Below you will find official Tempest production photos, along with links to external photo albums.
The Tempest –
Cupertino
Photos by Neal Ormond
The Tempest –
Redwood City
Photos by Neal Ormond
The Tempest –
SF McLaren Park
Photos by Neal Ormond
The Tempest –
SF Sue Bierman Park
Photos by Neal Ormond
SAN FRANCISCO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
PO Box 46093
San Francisco, CA 94146-0937
Stay Informed:
© 2024 San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, a 501c3 non-profit organization.
