Half Hour

At just 25 years old, award-nominated actor, producer, singer, and television personality Kalen Allen (he/him) has catapulted into the mainstream media, reaching millions of people worldwide across his social media platforms and through his content online. Discovered in 2018 by renowned talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, Allen first made a name for himself through his hilarious “Kalen Reacts” videos, giving colorful and witty commentary on culinary concoctions online. It was one of these videos that caught the attention of Ellen, and he was invited to appear on the show. Ellen knew she had found something special in Allen, and offered him an opportunity to collaborate and produce content for her digital platforms.

Bradley J Thomas (he/him) is an Equity actor, director, singer teacher and well recognizable Front of House extraordinaire! Bradley just celebrated his 14th anniversary of moving to the KC metro area, before that he hailed from Portland OR and the pacific northwest! Bradley has performed internationally, regionally and locally over the course of a 36 year career! Both on stage and on film, he has truly delved and dabbled into every facet of the performing arts. Bradley is incredibly fortunate to be apart of this wonderful conversation with Astra Theatre Co.!

Raven Thomas (she/her) is from a small college town in Ohio. Starting at the age of 12, Raven began to work professionally in the performing arts and has been working ever since. From community theatre to amusement park shows to summer stock, The Muny, The First National Tour of HAMILTON, to Broadway. She is a graduate of The University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music (CCM) with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a Minor in Sociology. She has the experience of being an assistant director, a Co-Director, a Content Consultant, and hopes to continue influencing and participating in the world of art, people, and love. www.raventhomas.com. IG: @ravenmichellethomas

Morgan Walker (she/her) grew up in Kansas City and is now living in New York. She spent the past few years working the KC theatre scene performing at The KCREP, MTH Theatre, The Coterie and more. Most recently, she played Ericka Boafo in Portland Center Stage's production of School Girl's; or the African Mean Girls Play in Oregon. In her free time, she enjoys creating art out of anything she can find, traveling, and making music. She is passionate about advocating for BIPOC diversity inclusion throughout the theatre and entertainment industry. IG: @reklawnagrom

Bebe Wood (she/her) stars in Hulu's series “Love, Victor,” the celebrated and critically praised spinoff series from the film Love, Simon, set to release its second season on June 11th 2021. Bebe is best known for her roles as 'Shania' on NBC's “The New Normal” and 'Shannon' on ABC's “The Real O'Neals.” She has also voiced characters in the animated series “Trollhunters” and “3 Below: Tales of Arcadia.” Her love for theater and acting began at the age of three, when her parents took her to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in London. After spending much of her adolescence fine-tuning her taste for music, exploring everything from Bollywood film soundtracks to The Beatles, Wood began writing songs when she was 15. She will be releasing her first single at the end of June 2021. IG: @BroadwayBebe

An Overland Park resident who just returned from NYC, Anthony (he/him) is beyond excited to be involved with Astra Theatre Co.. His professional acting credits include the Broadway National Tour of the Tony Award winning musical Fun Home; Newsies, South Pacific, Mamma Mia, Miss Saigon, Catch Me if You Can, Altar Boyz, Into the Woods, Jersey Boys, and Titanic, to name a few. Accountant by day, actor by night. Anthony is jazzed to be collaborating with some of his best friends!

Kansas City Public Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit theatre company based in Kansas City, MO which provides access to the arts through year-round theatre entertainment free of charge to the public. KC Public Theatre was founded by Elizabeth Bettendorf Bowman and Nathan Bowman, Ph.D. IG: @KCPublicTheatre https://kcpublictheatre.org/

Jake Walker (he/him) has been a professional actor for 20 years. In KC, he has worked at Unicorn Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Kansas City Actors Theatre, New Theatre Restaurant, Coterie Theatre, Theatre for Young America, and lots more but he's 41 and has the memory of a goldfish. Regionally he has acted with Denver Center Theatre Company, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Creede Repertory Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage and Presentation House Theatre in Vancouver, BC. Last year, Jake and some like minded theatre artists started the Theatre Community Fund of KC, which provides support and assistance to local theatre community members through a food bank, a volunteer Ensemble for needs that require boots on the ground and direct financial relief. Jake lives in Quality Hill with his nearly feral cat Charlie. IG: @WalkerJake79 @TheatreFundKC

Shon Ruffin (she/her) found her voice singing showtunes and American Standards and has gone on to perform on various stages including Unicorn Theatre, Starlight Theatre, Kansas City Repertory, Late Night Theatre, Missie B's, The Levee, Argosy Casino, Dave & Busters, The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kelly's in Westport, Ragazza, Hamburger Mary's, Kemper Arena, New Theater Restaurant and The Coterie Theatre. Shon is represented by Jukeboxx Media and sings with their popular corporate, charity, and wedding entertainment bands Lost Wax and 2Proud2Beg Band. IG: @Shon8Diva

Daria LeGrand (she/her) is a big huge fan of Kansas City and grew up performing in all kinds of KC theatre. She is currently based in Chicago, and has spent the last year in quarantine building her nutrition coaching business and her yoga + nutrition YouTube channel. IG @DariaLeGrand @ChompNutrition Youtube: @DariaLeGrand

Amanda Arany (she/her) is a queer theatre administrator and technician. She is currently the Company Manager at KCRep, as well as the founding Vice President of Theatre Community Fund KC (@theatrefundkc). Prior to moving home to KC in 2018, she was a production manager & freelance stage manager in St. Augustine, FL. Amanda also has a pet, house, & plant sitting business serving the greater KC area (@happytails.kc).

Taylor (she/her) is a New York based actor, but a Kansas girl at heart (read: constantly inviting these East Coasters to potlucks). She made her Off-Broadway debut in “First Love” at the historic Cherry Lane Theatre and has performed around the country and across the pond. A proud UMN/Guthrie grad. Her quarantine has largely consisted of narrating audiobooks, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and helping people share their stories as Publishing Manager at Burning Soul Press. Please excuse the *faux* fur coat. It was a very cold room. IG @TayTayHarvs

Lacey Willis (she/her) is a stage manager originally from north eastern Pennsylvania. Lacey moved to Kansas City in 2013 to peruse and expand her career as a stage manager and explore other artistic opportunities and endeavors. IG @lace_willis

Joey LaVarco (he/him) was most recently seen Pre-Pandemic as Joe Pesci (Frankie Valli u/s) in Jersey Boys at New World Stages. Broadway: 13 the musical (OBC) & The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (NY, Nat’l Tour). Television: 30 Rock (Young Jack), Late Nite with Seth Meyers, and numerous voices on Nick Jr.’s The Wonderpets. You can find him now streaming on Twitch: @LoEVajarco. IG: @joeylavarco

Aury Krebs (she/her) is a Queer Brooklyn-based artist who is committed to the exploration and elevation of dynamic, intersectional storytelling. On-screen, Aury has appeared in the ABC Discovers Talent Showcase, Pink and Blue, and Triple Threat. Last seen onstage in Darling Grenadine at Roundabout Theatre Company. IG: @aurynotsorry

Alec Funiciello (he/him) is a LA based actor grounded in ensemble driven and devised theatre. Before moving from NYC, Alec was part of PUNCHDRUNK’s Sleep No More. He also toured as Romeo in Psittacus Production’s Romeo and Juliet at The Clark Theatre at Lincoln Center, White Heron Theatre in Nantucket, and the W.H.A.T on Cape Cod. Alec co-founded and worked with the Brooklyn based ensemble Gapeseed. Together, they traveled to the Biennial Arte Joven Festival, Argentina with an original piece titled All Is Good. He has also spent time in Romania devising a piece for the Sibiu International Theatre Festival. Alec also enjoys tinkling upon the keys of ivory and climbing rocks outdoors. He hopes that as humans, we never lose our reasoning and our imagination. IG: @AlecFuniciello and alecfuniciello.com

TJ (he/him) is a stage manager and electrician from Kansas City, Missouri. Pre-Pandemic™ , you could find him stage managing or hanging lights at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, Kansas City Actors Theatre, Spinning Tree Theatre, the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center, and more! Until it’s safe to play onstage again, he works in Human Resources at a tractor factory. He holds a BFA in Technical Theatre from Stephens College. IG: @TerrificGrandfather

Heidi Van (she/hers) is an actor, creator, director and producer of contemporary experimental theatre. "A stalwart of the alternative theatre scene" (THE PITCH) Heidi challenges the way theatre meets its audience; installing performances in windows, on sidewalks, at prison, in a lingere shop, an abandoned church - anywhere but expected.”She is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of Fishtank Theatre, a generator of new theatrical work, theatrical activism, and artist entrepreneurship. She is also the founder of The Black Box, an ever-evolving stage in the industrial West Bottoms. It acts as a spotlight in the world of theatre, shining a light on bold and provocative performances.Van is a Charlotte Street Generative Performing Artist Fellow, Rauschenberg SEED Grantee & recipient of THE PITCH MASTERMIND AWARD. She is a graduate of graduate of Dell ‘Arte International School of Physical Theatre, Artist, Inc. and the Entrepreneurial Scholars program from The Block School of Entrepreneruship and Innovation. Find out more at www.fishtanktheatre.com and www.blackboxkc.com. @theheidivan @theblackboxkc @fishtanktheatre

Caro Thomas (they/she) grew up in Kansas City with a passion for both performing and visual arts. Caro has a BA in Studio Art from Scripps College and has worked in both wardrobe and stage management on productions at KCRep, the Coterie and MTH. Currently, Caro is an art teacher at a local KC high school. Their new cocktail book series (@caros.cocktails) gives profits to KC charities. Her most recent project is starting a new yoga and cocktail zoom class series, “Mix and Mat”, with Nicole Greenberg, the first of which will be March 20th! IG: @caroliongrace

Gabbie Fried (she/her) grew up in Kansas City where she did shows at MTKC, TTIP and Starlight. She received her BFA from NYU Tisch, and has studied at UCB, Second City, Comedy Cellar, has been seen in several SNL sketches, and is on a house sketch team at The PIT NYC. When she's not writing songs (check out her TikTok @goobiefrood), performing stand up, and procrastinating by not writing songs, stand up and sketches, she is usually teaching the future of comedy and musical theatre. www.gabbiefried.com and @goobiefried on IG.

Sarah Quinn Taylor (she/hers) was touring the country as a Swing and Eliza Doolittle u/s on the 1st National Tour of My Fair Lady before the world stopped due to COVID-19. In the meantime, she is working towards a Paralegal Certification as well as fighting for fellow union members as an Eastern Region Chorus Delegate for Actors’ Equity Association.Trevor McChristian (he/him), originally from Wichita, Kansas, is a queer Indigenous artist with a passion for social justice. He graduated from Elon University with his BFA in Musical Theatre in 2018. Based in NYC, he has also been seen at various regional houses including MTWichita, North Shore Music Theatre, and Drury Lane. TV/film credits include Dickinson and FBI. Currently, he is obtaining his Paralegal Certification and shifting his focus into statutory abolition. Proud AEA member and Navajo Nation descendant.

Elise Poehling (she/her) is a Kansas City actor. During the pandemic she’s been lucky to find a job assisting in the early childhood building at Pembroke Hill and loves teaching her kiddos about singing and dancing and being themselves. She canNOT wait for theatre and the arts to make a triumphant come back and is so thankful to Astra Theatre Co. for the opportunity to chat and dream about that day. Find Elise on Instagram @pigeonshellie

Darrington Clark is a Kansas City based regional stage actor, back when those used to exist. Nowadays, Darrington is a proud elementary school teacher and play reader, and is happy to be able to participate in forays of arts like this one! Darrington studied at Kansas State University and at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre’s Emerging Professional Residents program.

Ryan (he/him) is a Kansas City-based writer and recent graduate of the University of Oxford’s Dramatic Writing Master’s program. His work has been featured at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Off-Broadway and at Northwestern University. Ryan has been published in USA Today, The Oxford Political Review, Zagat, The Infatuation, and The Oxymoron, and worked with CONAN and The Onion. He is the host of the “50 States of Mind” Podcast, which has listeners in over 40 countries and has been featured in Condé Nast Traveler and Kansas City NPR. More at ryanbernsten.com. Instagram: @RyBernsten

Lily Kaufmann (she/hers) is a Broadway actress originally from Kansas City. She was recently in Mean Girls on Broadway and the national tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Find Lily on instagram @lilykaufmann .

Bree Patterson (she/they) was born and raised in Kansas City and has been involved in the theatre community for the past two years. Their recent credits include PUFFS at @thecoterietheatre , assistant directing FOR COLORED GIRLS at @kcreptheatre , THE GLASS MENAGERIE at @astratheatreco and SCHOOLGIRLS... at @kcreptheatre . Find Bree on Instagram @Breeedo

David Gomez is a composer, lyricist, and librettist. His songs have been shared at Joe’s Pub, 54 Below, and Birdland in NYC. David is also one of the 2020-2021 Dramatist Guild Fellows and one of Musical Theatre Factory’s MAKERS for 2021. David is invested in continuing the tradition of rancheros y corridos which use lyrics to celebrate Latinx stories. Find David on instagram @gomez_zdavid

Bri Woods is a cultural creative based in Kansas City. She’s worked at KCRep, The Unicorn, The Living Room, Musical Theatre Heritage and Kansas Classical Rep. Check her out in KCRep’s virtual “A Christmas Carol” (available for streaming through December 31st at kcrep.org), as well as on Kansas City Actor’s Theatre radio project “Kansas City: 1924” (available Fridays @ Noon on KKFI 90.1 FM). You can find Bri on instagram @bri_woods21.