A Christmas Carol Bios
Cast
Clifton J. Adams, Fae/They (Ensemble) WITH ANW: u/s, The Book of Will, Ensemble, A Christmas Carol ELSEWHERE: Multi-disciplinary artist (actor, writer, director, producer) originally from Houston, TX. A graduate from Florida Atlantic University with a MFA in acting. Other credits include: Waiter, The Other Two (HBO Max); Kevin, Asking for a Friend/Edelweiss Productions; Edmund, King Lear, Studio One Theater; Man #1, In DARFUR/Landing Theater. Fae is excited to be back at A Noise Within! Their short film, Sunflower Nicky, is currently in the festival market with its LA Premiere showing at the LA Queer Film Festival 2023.
Anthony Adu he/him (Ghost of Christmas Present) WITH ANW: Debut. ELSEWHERE: backstroke boys, Faultline Theatre (Off-Broadway); The Cherry Orchard, South Pasadena Theatre Workshop; Voices from a Pandemic, Notch Theatre Company; Pick Me Last, La Jolla Playhouse; Love’s Labour’s Lost, Cyrano de Bergerac, Colorado Shakespeare Festival; DragON, The Christians, Denver Center; Uncle Vanya, Heap, Everybody Black, The Jefferson Middle School Monthly, UCSD; new play developments with The O’Neill Theatre Conference, South Coast Repertory, and IAMA Theatre Company. EDUCATION: MFA in Acting from UC San Diego; Chautauqua Theatre Summer Conservatory.
Suzen Baraka she/her (Scrooge’s Niece/Ensemble) WITH ANW: u/s Maureen, The Bluest Eye. ELSEWHERE: Theater: Can I Touch It?, Rogue Machine Theater; Two Stop, Inkwell Theater; Grounded, Denizen Theater; 12 Ophelias, Atlantic Theater Company. Television/Film: The Other Two, HBO/Max; Blue Bloods, CBS; Break, Showdown Productions. In 2018, Suzen Baraka pivoted from her legal career to train at the Atlantic Theater Acting Conservatory. Since then Suzen has become an Emmy-Award winning poet/producer, a SAG-AFTRA actress and an alumnus of the WarnerMedia Talent Access Spotlight Program. Suzen gives all the glory to God, with whom all things are possible. Instagram: Suzen_Baraka
Stella Bullock she/her (Cratchit Child/Ensemble) WITH ANW: A Christmas Carol, Summer With Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet (three years), Hamlet, King Lear, Twelfth Night. ELSEWHERE: The Wolves, Devised: The Circumstance of What’s Given; CSArts. Stella recently directed, wrote, produced, and acted in her own short film, “Unread Truths.” She has attended Theatre 360 and Centre Stage Dance Academy. She has sung and played violin for almost her entire life. EDUCATION: California School of the Arts—Acting Conservatory (in progress).
Brendan Burgos he/him (Cratchit Child/Ensemble)WITH ANW: Summer With Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth. ELSEWHERE: Brendan enjoys singing and playing guitar. He has performed original songs at the Mayan Bar & Grill. He has loved acting since he was seven-years-old. He currently attends Blair Middle School, where he participates in Musical Theater and the NASA TechRise program.
Mitch Connelly he/him/they/them: (Fred/Young Scrooge). WITH ANW: u/s Puck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, u/s Claudio, Much Ado About Nothing, u/s Snowball, Animal Farm. ELSEWHERE: Simon Stimson, Our Town, Triad Stage; Davey, Newsies, Pepper, Mamma Mia, Junie B. Jones—Millbrook Playhouse; Iago, Othello, Last Days of Judas Iscariot—Littlefield, Smee, Peter & the Starcatchers, UNCSA; Bare: A Pop Opera, Diversionary Theatre. EDUCATION: BFA Acting – UNCSA; Improv – UCB; Stand Up – The PIT. Thank you to my friends & family for all the love & support!
Jose Donado he/him (Ensemble) WITH ANW: James Vane/Ensemble, A Picture of Dorian Gray. u/s Horatio/Ambassador, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. ELSEWHERE: Little Fish Theatre: Richard, The Other Place, Bill/Milton/Manuel, All in the Timing; Theatricum Botanicum: Theseus, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Infinite Jest: Horatio, Hamlet; Art Share LA: Banquo, Macbeth; Casa 0101: Jaime/Benny, Miss East LA; Ensemble, Chicanas, Cholas, y Chismes: Speak Out Tour; Circle Squared Collective: Octavius, Julius Caesar. Company member: Little Fish Theatre, Infinite Jest, Shakes on the Rocks. FILM/TV: Insecure (HBO); Vida (Starz); The Pot; Misfit Heights; Via Dolorosa; Intelligent Design (Online Sketch Series); Voice-Over: The Far Meridian, The Godfrey Audio Guide, Unwell; Back Fires; Start Tripper. EDUCATION: BA—USC School of Dramatic Arts; British American Drama Academy.
Geoff Elliott he/him (Producing Artistic Director/Director/Ebenezer Scrooge) WITH ANW: Director: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Winter’s Tale, The Glass Menagerie, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Arcadia, All My Sons, Endgame, Eurydice, The Playboy of the Western World, and many others. Actor: Boxer/Old Major, Animal Farm; Midas, Metamorphoses; The Poet, An Iliad; Dodge, Buried Child; Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol; Don Quixote, Man of La Mancha; Lloyd Dallas, Noises Off; King Lear, King Lear; The Father, Six Characters in Search of an Author; and more. ELSEWHERE: South Coast Repertory, Arizona Theatre Company, American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Shakespeare Festival, California Repertory. EDUCATION: MFA—American Conservatory Theatre. Mr. Elliott is a recipient of multiple LADCC, Backstage Garland, Robby, Drama-Logue, and LA Weekly awards as well as the Margaret Hartford Award for Distinguished Achievement for ANW.
Nicole Javier she/her (Belle/Ensemble) WITH ANW: (Resident Artist) Alice Heminges/Susannah Shakespeare, The Book of Will; Fred’s Wife/Ensemble, A Christmas Carol; Mollie, Animal Farm; Iris and others, Metamorphoses; Diana; Helen u/s, All’s Well That Ends Well. ELSEWHERE: Diana the Musical La Jolla Playhouse, In Every Generation,* San Diego Repertory, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon South Coast Repertory, Flor Cornerstone Theatre Company, Words We Believe*, tokyo fish story, Through the Wilderness to the Stars* TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Forever Poppy Provincetown Playhouse, Comedy of Errors Shakespeare Orange County, Rapture, Blister, Burn, WTF* Aurora Theatre Company, Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them Crowded Fire Theatre, and Taming of the Shrew, Comedy of Errors (audio play) Silicon Valley Shakespeare Company, Dis/Connected New Conservatory Theatre. UCSD: Taming of the Shrew(d), Though It May Shift, (w)holeness, What of the Night?, Othello. *denotes New Works staged readings. TV/FILM: Bosch: Legacy, We’re All Gonna Die. EDUCATION: BFA—Chapman University, MFA—UC San Diego. More at www.nicolejavier.com.
Emily Kosloski she/her (Mrs. Cratchit) WITH ANW: Brooke/Vicki, Noises Off, Celie, The Bungler, Madame, The Maids, Belle Ah, Wilderness!, u/s Clover, Animal Farm ELSEWHERE: Broadway/National Touring Companies of Les Miserables, London’s West End and Geffen Playhouse (Joan Rivers: A Work in Progress), The Theatre @ Boston Court (Paradise Lost, Mother Courage, The Dinosaur Within), Ahmanson Theatre (James Joyce’s ‘The Dead’), La Jolla Playhouse (Zhivago, Dracula), La Mirada Theatre (Evita), Echo Theater Company (Uncle Vanya, Thursday), and Sacred Fools Theater Company. FILM/TV: The Fosters, Dallas, Physical, Stumptown, Mom, Criminal Minds, Southland, Cold Case, Big Love, and others. EDUCATION: Northwestern University.
Kasey Mahaffy he/him (Mr. Cratchit/Ensemble) WITH ANW: (Resident Artist) Puck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Ralph Crane, The Book of Will; Rosencrantz, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (LA Drama Critics Circle Award); Phaeton, Metamorphoses; Garry Lejeune, Noises Off; Sancho Panza, Man of La Mancha; Fool, King Lear; Jim O’Connor, The Glass Menagerie; among others. ELSEWHERE: The Inheritance, Geffen Playhouse; The Heart of Robin Hood, The Wallis & Hong Kong Cultural Centre; Peter and the Starcatcher, Crimes of the Heart, You Nero, Taking Steps, South Coast Rep; The Miracle Worker, Assassins, Berkshire Theatre Festival. TV/FILM: Modern Family, Grace & Frankie, Truth Be Told, NCIS, 9-1-1, AHS, CSI, among others.
Aarush Mehta he/him (Tiny Tim) WITH ANW: Tiny Tim, A Christmas Carol (2021, 2022) ELSEWHERE: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2022, 2021, 2019), Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum. Disney’s Reimagine Tomorrow Campaign – a launch dedicated to diversity and inclusion. AWARDS: TicketholdersLA 2021 New Discovery (acting) Award. Aarush is in 1st Grade, holds a purple belt in Kenpo Karate, and studies piano, swimming, and dance (Acro, Tap, and Hip Hop). Repped by Robin Loehr (DR Entertainment). Aarush is delighted to be back once again with the ACC family and would like to thank Geoff, Julia, the cast and crew for this incredible, memorable experience. Instagram: @officialaarushmehta
Trisha Miller she/her (Ghost of Christmas Past/Ensemble) WITH ANW: (Resident Artist) A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Book of Will, Animal Farm, Metamorphoses, The Winter’s Tale, A Christmas Carol, Argonautika, King Lear, among others. ELSEWHERE: An Act of God – Nebraska Rep; Macbeth – Northern Stage; God of Carnage – Artists Repertory Theatre; Artistic Associate of Trinity Shakespeare Festival (6 seasons); Associate Artist of Kentucky Repertory (4 seasons); Southwest Shakespeare Company; Las Vegas Shakespeare Co; Kingsmen Shakespeare; Dallas Children’s Theatre; Theatre Three; Stage West. FILM/TV: Little Rituals, Witch-Hunt, Best F(r)iends: Vol 1 & 2. Videogames: BioShock, Gears of War, Battlefield, Tales from the Borderlands franchises. EDUCATION: MFA in Acting—Wayne State. Love to Tom and Mina.
Annalise Morris she/her/ella (Tiny Tim/Ensemble) WITH ANW: Debut. EDUCATION: Summer with Shakespeare ANW, Elements Dance Space, South Pasadena Arts & Music Academy, Sereno Music Studio. Morris is pleased to make her theatre debut with the talented cast and crew at A Noise Within for A Christmas Carol. Annalise thanks Geoff and Julia for the opportunity to refine her acting skills with fabulous performers, including her older sister Molly. She appreciates the encouragement and guidance of the cast and crew. She sends her love to family and friends for their steadfast support. Lastly, she is grateful to her agents and theatre/vocal coaches for showing her that “all the world’s a stage,” and, “This above all: to thine own self be true.”
Molly Morris she/her/ella (Cratchit Child/Ensemble) WITH ANW: Summer with Shakespeare. TV/FILM: Pattycake (Comedy Central), Book of Revelations (Dax), Together (Marshmello). EDUCATION: Sereno Music Studio, Theatre 360, Elements Dance Space, South Pasadena Arts & Music Academy. Molly Morris is pleased to make her first appearance at A Noise Within. Molly thanks Geoff and Julia for the opportunity to be on stage. She appreciates the encouragement of the cast and crew. She sends her love to family and friends for their steadfast support. Lastly, she is grateful to her theatre and vocal coaches for helping her reach for the stars. “Though she be but little, she is fierce.”
Kwayi Grimstad Ndjamen she/her (Cratchit Child) WITH ANW: Cratchit Child/Ensemble, A Christmas Carol, Summer with Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, King Lear, MacBeth, Romeo and Juliet. ELSEWHERE: School Shakespeare production (The Tempest/Hamlet fusion). She has also sung in a local choir for nine years and was in dance performances when she was younger. Kwayi is looking forward to another year at ANW, and wants to thank Geoff and Julia for the opportunity, and all the cast and crew for their support, guidance, and fun!
Jeremy Rabb (Marley) WITH ANW: (Resident Artist) Henry Condell, The Book of Will; Benjamin, Animal Farm (LA Drama Critics Circle Award); Lafeu, All’s Well That Ends Well; Camillo, The Winter’s Tale; Frederick Fellowes, Noises Off; Roderigo, Othello; Padre, The Man of La Mancha; Exeter/Bardolph, Henry V; Sir George Crofts, Mrs. Warren’s Profession; Mr. Stryver, A Tale of Two Cities; Cornwall, King Lear; Dr. Purgeon, The Imaginary Invalid; Ezra Chater, Arcadia; Stephano, The Tempest; Clov, Endgame, and many more. ELSEWHERE: Julie Taymor’s King Stag, Rock of Ages (original cast), Mark Taper, Yale Repertory Theatre, American Repertory Theater, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Maine State Music Theatre, and others. FILM/TV: Her, Night Court, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Goliath, Grey’s Anatomy (3 Seasons), Silicon Valley, Odd Couple, Weeds, among others. EDUCATION: A.R.T. Institute at Harvard; Princeton.
Scarlett Ray (Cratchit Child) WITH ANW: Debut. Scarlett is a fourteen year old actress with a passion for the stage. She fell in love with acting six years ago and has never looked back on performing. Her favorite type of theater is Shakespeare, and she also has experience in musical theater and voice over. Some favorite roles include Mercutio, Juliet, Prince Escalus, Malvolio, and the original Trixie in the newly published musical Sheep Stuff. Besides acting, she sings soprano in choir and does Brazilian jiu jitsu. At the age of twelve, she self published her first novel, The Summer of the Terrific Trio. Scarlett aspires to be a middle grade novelist as well as a professional actor.
Estella Stuart (Cratchit Child) WITH ANW: Tiny Tim, A Christmas Carol. Estella is very excited to be making another stage appearance here at ANW. She wants to thank everyone at ANW for giving her this chance to perform with her Dad and brother and for being such good friends to her and for believing in her. She also wants to thank her Dad and Mom and brother, her grandmothers, aunts and uncles and cousins, for all their love and support always.
Frederick Stuart (Narrator) WITH ANW: (Resident Artist) Nick Bottom, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard Burbage, The Book of Will, Don “The Prince” Pedro, Much Ado About Nothing; Leontes, The Winter’s Tale; Bradley, Buried Child; Hercules/Aeëtes, Argonautika; Lord Henry Wotton, A Picture of Dorian Gray; Pistol, Charles VI, Ensemble, Henry V; Sidney Carton, A Tale of Two Cities; Edmund, King Lear; Bohun. ELSEWHERE: ICT: Elyot, Private Lives. Independent Shakespeare Company: Jaques, As You Like It; Oberon/Thesius, Richard II; Crab the Dog, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Jean, Miss Julie. FILM/TV: Criminal Minds, Empty Space on Amazon Prime. The Last Tycoon, The Odyssey, Keen Eddie, Romeo and Juliet, Queen of the East, Trail of Tears, The Chief, The Bill, The Geeks, The Delivery, Alive and Kicking, Evil Ground, Dreaming of Joseph Lees, El Cartel. EDUCATION: The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. IG: freddydouglas
Julian Wilkes he/his (Cratchit Child) WITH ANW: Debut. Julian is very excited to be part of A Christmas Carol at a Noise Within. He had participated in ANW Shakespeare Summer Program for the past 3 years. He is a 5th grader at Don Benito Fundamental Elementary. Aside from acting, Julian enjoys little league baseball, swimming, hiking, and camping. Julian would like to thank his parents for chauffeuring him around his activities. He is appreciative for the opportunities to perform and learn from ANW cast members.
Designers & Creative Team
Julia Rodriguez-Elliott she/her (Producing Artistic Director/Director) WITH ANW: ANW has produced more than 175 works, and she has directed 50 productions including An Iliad, Metamorphoses, Argonautika, A Christmas Carol, Animal Farm, Man of La Mancha, Noises Off, Henry V, A Tale of Two Cities, Man of La Mancha, King Lear, The Imaginary Invalid, Six Characters in Search of an Author, Julius Caesar, The Threepenny Opera, The Tempest, The Dance of Death, Come Back, Mourning Becomes Electra. EDUCATION: MFA—American Conservatory Theatre. Julia is a multiple award winner, most recently she was awarded the 2022 recipient of the Career Achievement in Direction Milton Katzelas Award.
Ken Booth he/him (Lighting Designer) WITH ANW: (Resident Artist) Since 1998, Ken has worked on at least 70 productions at A Noise Within. Included in these are: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Book of Will; Much Ado About Nothing; Animal Farm; Metamorphoses; An Iliad; Alice in Wonderland; The Winter’s Tale; Argonautika; Henry V; Pericles, Prince of Tyre; Julius Cesar; The Three Penny Opera; Great Expectations; Man of La Mancha; The Glass Menagerie; King Lear; The Tempest; The Dance of Death; Buried Child; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead; Noises Off; Ubu Roi; The Tragedy of Richard III; and the annual holiday A Christmas Carol. He graduated from UCLA in 1982
Robert Oriol he/him (Sound Designer) WITH ANW: (Resident Artsit) A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Book of Will, Metamorphoses, A Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, Argonautika, Henry V, A Tale of Two Cities, King Lear, Arcadia, Six Characters in Search of an Author, All My Sons, A Flea in Her Ear, Julius Caesar, Figaro, The Dance of Death, Tartuffe, As You Like It, The Imaginary Invalid, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, and Sonnets for an Old Century (Noise Now audio play). 2020 Ovation Awards Honors Recipient – Music Composition for a Play (Frankenstein). 2019 LADCC Special Award Recipient for Distinguished Achievement in Theatrical Design.
Rod Bagheri he/him (Music Director) WITH ANW: Music Director, Animal Farm. ELSEWHERE: Seen both as a conductor/pianist and as an actor, Rod has been a music director for several local companies including The Candlelight Pavilion (Legally Blonde, Footloose, 9 to 5), The Wayward Artist (Next To Normal) and The Chance Theater (Lysistrata Jones, West Side Story). Recently as an actor: Davey in Newsies (3d Theatricals), Jerry Lee Lewis u/s in Million Dollar Quartet (National Tour), Jesus in Godspell (The Wayward Artist). Former Assistant Conductor for Pageant of the Masters. Rod has taught voice, piano, and improv for over a decade.
Stephen Taylor he/him (Prop Designer) WITH ANW: Much Ado About Nothing, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Book of Will, Bluest Eye, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. ELSEWHERE: Stephen is a member of the House Theatre of Chicago, where he has been an actor, writer, and designer. Love to Lauren and Oliver. EDUCATION: BFA Theatre, Southern Methodist University
Tony Valdes he/him (Wig & Make-up Design) WITH ANW: Much Ado About Nothing, Metamorphoses, Animal Farm. Graduate from the University of Puerto Rico where he earned a B.A. in Fine Arts on Theater, Tony worked for fifteen years as a hair and makeup artist on professional theatrical productions and television. Since he moved to Los Angeles, Tony has worked as a professional HMU artist at CNN Spanish Edition, stage, fashion, music videos and Independent Films. Tony taught classes from Beauty Makeup to Special FX along with his position as Co-Director and Dean of Academics at EI School of Professional Makeup in Hollywood for 20 years. As the owner of Tombola Stage Hair & Makeup, he offers wig styling classes and wig styling services.
Angela Sonner she/her (Production Stage Manager) WITH ANW: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. ELSEWHERE: The Sound of Music, Oliver!, The Louise K. Taylor Performing Arts Center; Afterglow, Midnight Theatricals; Enter Stage Right, 24th St Theatre; Adobe Punk, Evangeline: The Queen of Make-Believe, They Shoot Mexicans Don’t They?, About…Productions; Dream Hou$e, Arizona Theatre Company; Lydia, Medea, UCLA – Little Theatre; Toyer, Dodgers, We Are The Tigers, The Hudson Theatres; Sylvia, Cat’s Cradle, Sierra Madre Playhouse; The Story of Carlos Bulosan, East West Players. Angela has also been the Theatre Director for Performing Arts Workshops, West LA for the past nine years. EDUCATION: BA – Theatre, UNR
Hope Matthews she/her (Assistant Stage Manager) WITH ANW: The Bluest Eye, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Crew Swing. Production Intern for 23-24 season. ELSEWHERE: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Independent Shakespeare Company. Shrek Jr., Teenage Drama Workshop. Newsies, 5 Star Theatricals. Tartuffe, Once On This Island, Fefu and Her Friends, CSUN Theatre. Hope is also the resident stage manager and stage management mentor for the students at Westmark School. EDUCATION: BA—Theatre, CSUN.
Andrea Odinov she/her/hers (Dialect Coach) ANW: The Book of Will, Radio Golf, Animal Farm, Seven Guitars, Gem of the Ocean, and A Christmas Carol. ELSEWHERE: The Geffen Playhouse, The Odyssey Theatre, Rogue Theatre Machine, Ghost Road Theatre Company, Antaeus Theatre Company, The Road Theatre Company, Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble, The Group Rep, 24th St. Theatre, Sea Glass Theatre Company, and Long Beach Playhouse. Andrea is a Clinical Asst. Professor of Voice and Speech at Loyola Marymount University, a Certified Associate Instructor of Fitzmaurice Voicework®, and member of VASTA, ATHE, SAG-AFTRA, and AEA. EDUCATION: MFA – University of CA at Irvine.
Dr. Miranda Johnson-Haddad she/her (Resident Dramaturg) WITH ANW: Resident Dramaturg since 2022. Dramaturg, Metamorphoses, All’s Well That Ends Well, Argonautika, Othello. Consultant and Educator since 2010. ELSEWHERE: Regular consultant and speaker at Boston Court Performing Arts Center, Los Angeles Opera, and other Southern California venues. Previous affiliations include The Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. Dr. Johnson-Haddad has taught at Howard University, UCLA, Vassar College, and Yale University. EDUCATION: Princeton University, BA, 1980; Yale University, PhD, 1987. Dr. Johnson-Haddad is grateful for the opportunity to support ANW’s mission of bringing quality live theater to diverse audiences.
Douglas Love-Ramos he/his (Managing Director) has created intellectual property businesses for some of the largest entertainment, publishing, and digital companies in the world. He served as Managing Director of Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Producing Artistic Director of Walden Playhouse for film studio Walden Media, and FamilyStage San Francisco at the historic Orpheum Theater. He is the creator and executive producer of award-winning children’s television series including: Out of the Box for Disney and Jammin’ Animals for HBO. He is the author of more than 30 books published by HarperCollins, Disney Press, and others. Douglas co-wrote and produced the stage adaptation of Marlo Thomas’s Free To Be You And Me published by Rogers and Hammerstein Theatre Library. He has built two theaters and a children’s museum, and created the arts education product, World Book’s Dramatic Learning, used by 11 million students worldwide.