Cast of Characters

Theater Staff

Paul Baswell (Director) started directing for FOODPLAY in January of 2011 after numerous tours with the company. He is a graduate of North Carolina School of the Arts, but now currently resides in New York City. Recently, Paul was in Maine performing for guests at the Quisisana Resort. It was there that Paul was given the opportunity to sing for over 60,000 people with the Portland Symphony for their Fourth of July celebration. Paul is thrilled to be back in Massachusetts working with the all of his friends at FoodPlay Productions.

Michael Karas (Juggling Coach) earned his B.F.A. in acting from Point Park University. Michael has always had an interest in juggling, and began seriously pursuing it in the summer of 2001 when attending the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. Since then he has become one of the juggling world’s key players, winning multiple awards in international juggling competitions and inspiring other jugglers with his creative tricks. Michael toured with FOODPLAY as Johnny for two seasons and is very excited to continue supporting FOODPLAY as a juggling consultant.

Rihki Kennebrew (Music Creator, Sound Engineer, Lyrics Collaborator, FOODPLAY, Trish’s Awesome Nutrition Ambition) is a composer, arranger, producer, and more. His musical career spans over 20 years and includes credits from music pioneers such as LA and Babyface to Philadelphia legends Gamble & Huff. Rihki’s formal training includes New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and the American Academy of Dramatic Art. In addition to being a multi-genre songwriter, Rihki is also an accomplished radio/television personality. From pop, rock, and R&B to choral classical and theatrical, he continues to build a successful legacy writing hits for the music industry’s most noted artists and the stars of tomorrow. More info: www.phillybrew.com

Bruce Robinson (Director, Sound Designer, Script Collaborator, Lyrics Collaborator, FOODPLAY’s Fresh Adventure & Director, Script Co-writer, Lyrics Collaborator, Trish’s Awesome Nutrition Ambition) is founder and executive artistic director of FreshVisions Youth Theatre Company. A thirty-year theater veteran, Bruce is a producer, director, actor, writer, theater arts teacher and workshop leader. He is a winner of Philadelphia theater’s prestigious Barrymore Award for Theater Excellence as well as KYW TV-3’s “People Making a Difference” award.

Richard A. Murray Jr. (Assistant Director, Script Co-writer, Lyrics Collaborator, Trish’s Awesome Nutrition Ambition) is an accomplished writer, author, playwright, poet, and also has his own line of greetings cards aimed at the sobriety and recovery market. He has written two plays, two poetry books, and a self-help book. He has worked in the theater since 2000 as a stage manager and dramaturge, and as a sound and lighting technician on many plays including the recent run of Fences at The Ritz Theatre. Richard recently graduated from The Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He is a member of the production company Landmark Productions, and has worked on two of their upcoming projects — the television pilot, The Saints, and the feature film, Welcome Home Eddy.

Barbara Storper, MS, RD (Artistic Director, Playwright, Nutritionist, and Executive Director of FoodPlay Productions) is a leader in the field of children’s nutrition. Barbara has received a host of national awards including the Society for Nutrition Education’s first “Outstanding Young Nutrition Educator in the Country” Award, the American Dietetic Association’s “Outstanding Nutrition Entrepreneur” Award, and an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Children and Youth TV Special.”

David McDaniel (Coach) received his BFA in Musical Theatre from the Hartt School. David has spent the last 9 summers directing children’s theatre in Northern California and the East Coast. This summer will be his 3rd at Belvoir Terrace Performing Arts Camp as the Musical Theatre Director. David made his Off-Broadway acting debut last year in Dear Edwina and, after a summer of directing, he is excited to return to acting and take the stage with FoodPlay!

Alexandra Moore (Janey) is glad to be doing her second tour of duty with FoodPlay. A graduate of Texas Tech University’s MFA Theatre program, Alex also hails from a theatre family who couldn’t be happier their adult daughter can make a living juggling. Before joining FoodPlay, Alex could be found as a chorus member in Lubbock Moonlight Musicals in Annie and with Texas Tech’s own Theatre Department as “Marquise Merteuil” in Les Liasons Dangereuses.

Travis Gawron (Stage Manager) is thrilled beyond words to be joining FoodPlay Productions for a third tour. Receiving his education from Westfield State University and The University of New Hampshire, Travis is internationally recognized as both a performer and an administrator. Past credits include The Ugly Duckling (Little Red Wagon), Anything Goes, (Allenberry Playhouse), M. Butterfly (Zuloo Productions, UK). Regional and national tours include The Complete Works of William Shakespeare…Abridged (Shakesperience Productions) and The Laramie Project (Shanghai Rep, PRC). He also had the privilege of working on the US premiere of the live stage version of Disney’s High School Musical 2 at North Shore Music Theatre and the world premiere of China’s first long-running musical Hollywood to Broadway (CD Entertainment Inc.). Currently, Travis is working on releasing the first portion of his autobiography, Down Stage Center, I My Mark, which he hopes to have released by late 2013. All his love to FoodPlay staff for their love and constant support.

Keith Allen (Coach) is a recent graduate from Pennsylvania State University with a BA in Theatre and is joining FOODPLAY for a third tour. He was born in Queens, NY, and grew up in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Previous credits include Shakespeare Abridged (Adam), Dog Sees God (CB), The Musical of Musicals: The Musical (Jitter), along with A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), earning him the NEPTA award for Best Juvenile Actor. Along with his newly acclaimed hobby of juggling, Keith has also served two years as captain of his high school varsity step team, as well as the Penn State University’s Ballroom Dance team. He would like to thank FoodPlay Productions for the opportunity, and his entire family, both here and overseas, for all the love and support.

Felicia Masias (Janey) hails from Texas and now is pursuing film/theatre in New York. She graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and recently performed Laramie Project to raise awareness against hate crimes. Some of her credits include Clouded, a new feature film by Curtis Easley, award winner of the 2005 New York Independent Film Festival, and We Are the Lawmakers in the New York Fringe Festival. She is very thankful for her supporting family and friends, and excited to be a part of FoodPlay!

Katie Chai (Stage Manager) is excited to be joining FoodPlay Productions for a second tour! A graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, she has worked with many companies in New York City, including American Globe Theatre, Coyote Rep Theatre, Ateh Theatre Group, SoHo Think Tank, and others. She has also worked on the Planet Connections Festival, West Village Musical Theatre Festival, and spent two years with the NYC Fringe Festival. You can check out her website at wix.com/katiechai/home. She would like to thank her family and friends for their endless support on all of her endeavors!

Miranda Thompson (Mama Rose) is an actress and playwright from West Philadelphia and is thrilled to be a part of FoodPlay Productions! This year she has been rewarded an Art for Social Change Leeway Grant and will produce a theatre production entitled The Waiting Room (title subject to change) in March 2012 at the CEC (Community Education Center), directed by Connie Norwood and written by Miranda. This fall, she is doing sound for a documentary on Ballroom dancers in wheelchairs with renowned reporter David Block. Miranda’s vision is to one day own a production company that produces cerebral-based plays, narrative and documentary styled films that incorporate current events and social change.

Kaamilah Milton (Trish) has been performing since the age of five; first with the Mitchell-Robinson Youth Theatre and succeeding with SCYDO and Lock Haven University Players. Over time, she has essayed dozens of roles in scores of productions. Highlights include the role of the Boy in Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author, the lead role of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz take-off Wiz Up!, Lt. Rooney in Arsenic and Old Lace and, most recently, a featured role in the independent film Bumming Cigarettes. Kaamilah is a Martial artist and has been a professional clown. She enjoys and has traveled extensively, volunteering under her University’s Global Service Learning Program and AmeriCorps. She certainly considers herself a global citizen and looks forward to incorporating her ever-developing love of theatre, peer-education, world perspectives, awesome food and inspirational people into her career path.

Hope Eagle (Stage Manager) is a writer, poet, actor and voiceover-hopeful. Her theater career spans over two decades and includes performances at the Philadelphia Academy of Music and New Freedom Theatre. Within the past ten years, Hope has been a theater workshop leader, script collaborator, assistant director, assistant stage manager, and production stage manager with Children’s Classics Theatre, The Children’s Theatre Workshop and FreshVisions Youth Theatre. Hope toured with Li’l Red Ridin’ Thru Da Hood as Grandma Jackson in 2008. She has been published by Poetry Society of America and has been working on a children’s book.