ARTISTS
Designer; Teaching Artist; Facilitator - THE BIG “US” PROJECT
Afsaneh Aayani recently completed her MFA in scenic design at the University of Houston. She began her career in Iran where she studied puppetry at the Art University of Tehran and worked as a voice actress, puppeteer, designer and director. After graduating she traveled and performed internationally. Seven years ago she moved to the United States to pursue her dreams. Since then she has been fortunate to work with the amazing theaters in Houston. Recently she was the scenic designer of Haroun and The Sea of Stories, Pulsate, Lysistrata, Wooden O, The Effect, The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, Two Mile Hollow, Dear Charlotte, Last Night of Ballyhoo, Oleanna and David The Best Slinger of The West. Her other works include Luchadora!, The Pastry Prince, The Puffed Up Prima Donna and Costume Design for Three Sisters. She also builds puppets and masks around town for different companies.
Consulting Creative Director for Brave Little Company; Teaching Artist; Missing from the Museum Creative Team; Grandpa’s Garden actor collaborator, director
Brittny Bush is a Houston actor and teaching artist with a BA in Theater Acting and Directing from the University of Houston. Ms. Bush has performed with many local theater companies through the years, including Brave Little Company; Main Street Theater; Catastrophic Theatre Company; Classical Theater Company (Company Member); Next Iteration Ensemble (readings); Cone Man Running Productions; Boiling Point Players; A.D. Players; Alley Theatre Education; Horse Head Theatre Company; Mildred’s Umbrella; and InterACTive Theater. Ms. Bush has consistently worked as a theater teaching artist since 2006 with Main Street Theater, Alley Theatre, and most recently the Hope Stone Project. She is currently the Primary School Theater Teacher for St. Francis Episcopal School.
Domonique Champion is a Houston based actor and director. Select classical credits: Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival: Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing; Idaho Shakespeare Festival: Ferdinand in The Tempest; Montana Shakespeare in the Parks: Prince Hal in Henry IV Part One, Master Page in Merry Wives of Windsor; Texas Shakespeare Festival: Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing, Brakenbury in Richard III, Bellerose in Cyrano de Bergerac; Shakespeare Walla Walla: Salanio/Prince of Morocco in Merchant of Venice. Select Houston credits: Catastrophic Theatre: Reverend Benson, et. al in BootyCandy; Thunderclap Productions: Gregory in From White Plains; Black Lab Theatre Co.: Johnson in Really Really; Classical Theatre Company, Hortensio in The Taming of the Shrew. MFA in Acting from the University of Houston. “Do everything in love.”
Teaching Artist; Paper Offerings Creative Team
Jade Chang is a freelance artist and designer based in Houston. Their professional career began in 2018 after graduating high school. After graduating they spent some time studying technical theatre and design at University of Houston and Sam Houston State University. In addition to Jade’s work with Brave Little Company, they have also worked with Theatre 66 and was a member of Weathervane Theatre’s season 54 in New Hampshire serving as their master electrician and assistant lighting designer. Jade works within various areas of the arts industry including lighting and costuming theatrical design, music and composition, dance, and graphic design. They also spend time within the Houston community as a teaching artist sharing the knowledge and skills they have learned throughout their career in the arts industry to kids ranging from elementary age to high school.
Teaching artist; actor collaborator (Missing from the Museum, First Day, Nueva Escuela)
Elissa Cuellar (she/her/hers) is an actor and a writer based in Houston, TX. Some of her Houston credits include El Huracán (upcoming) at Mildred’s Umbrella, As You Like It and Julius Caesar with the Houston Shakespeare Festival, (trans)formada with Stages Repertory Theatre, and a bilingual production of Romeo and Juliet with TEATRX, Houston’s Latinx theatre company. She has also been lucky enough to work with incredibly talented individuals as a voiceover artist and on several film projects, like The Curse of Professor Zardonicus, Houston in My Eyes, and Secret Lies of the Gossip Teen. Elissa has a great soft spot for the people of Houston and the wonderful, complex art that they create, and she cannot wait to continue producing and making magic with the creative community here.
Facilitator - THE BIG “US” PROJECT
Rachel H. Dickson is the founding artistic director of Driven Theater Company (DTC) and the Ensemble Theatre's Artistic Associate. DTC's focus is issue-driven experiences designed to empower, connect and entertain diverse audiences for the purpose of healthy development of all participants. She is able to explore issues more holistically, having secured her Master of Fine Arts in Acting from The University of Illinois and Master of Social Work from University of Houston. Some issues explored by DTC include political views, family dynamics, homelessness, mental illness, self-identity, technology infusion, and intergenerational issues. Rachel also serves the Houston arts community as an actor, director, playwright, dramaturg, educator, producer and artistic consultant. She has worked with various theatres including The Ensemble Theatre, the Alley Theatre, Main Street Theater, Stages Repertory Theatre, Landing Theatre Company, Interactive Theatre Company and Wordsmyth Theatre. She has worked with all ages from Kindergarten to adult, from all works of life, in a variety of settings, teaching a wide range of topics from mathematics to theatre.
I am Modesto, a 24 year old guy in a wheelchair wanting to change the world even if it’s just a little. Almost nine years ago, my life was changed in seconds by a rare disease called Transverse Myelitis, making my c3 complete spinal cord injury, not wanting to live at 14 years old and not knowing what was going to happen to my life. Time passed by and I was going to therapy, having a good recovery after having the doctors in Mexico say “You will need machines all day to stay alive” and “you will never walk” and other things that instead of putting me down they were motivating me to work harder for every therapy session. My goal is to help the community to become united and a place where people’s opinions are respected and understood. A place where everyone can freely share ideas and their stories without compromising who they are as a being. I want the world to see that a small change can drastically impact someone's life for the better.
Facilitator - THE BIG “US” PROJECT
Neda Khan is an art educator, student mentor, artist, and graphic designer. Neda has been the visual art teacher for Houston ISD’s DeBakey High School for Health Professions since 2012 where she designed and created several large-scale murals for the campus. She was selected as the Teacher of the Year and district finalist in 2017. In her previous position as the art teacher at Frank Black Middle School, she was selected as the school’s Teacher of the Month, Houston ISD’s Outstanding Asian Teacher of the Year 2011, as well as Teacher of the Year and district finalist in 2012. She received a Fund For Teachers Fellowship and traveled to Italy and Greece to study classical and contemporary European art and architecture. She has presented workshops in visual art to educators at the local and national level, and has developed curricula for visual art, art history, and arts integration. As a freelance graphic designer, her clients have included international corporations and local businesses. She has also created artwork and illustrations for books. She is fluent in English and Urdu, and holds a B.A. in Fine Arts and Art Education with a minor in Art History from the University of Houston.
Teaching Artist; Missing from the Museum actor collaborator
Leslie Lenert is a Houston actor and teaching artist with a degree in English from the University of Texas. Other credits include: The Wickhams, Wolf Hall Parts I & II, Bridge to Terabithia, The Magic School Bus Live! (Main Street Theater); THE BIG "US" PROJECT (Brave Little Company); Pride and Prejudice (4th Wall Theatre Company); In Darfur (Landing Theatre Company); Lilies of the Field, Rock Nativity, The Hero Squad, A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Godspell, The Diary of Anne Frank, Charley’s Aunt (A.D. Players); The Philadelphia Story (Theatre Southwest); Much Ado About Nothing (College of the Mainland); Annie, Seussical the Musical, The Sound of Music (HFAC/Stageworks). Leslie is a teacher of theatre and music through Theatre Under The Stars and Hope Stone, Inc.
Photographer & Videographer; Paper Offerings Creative Team; Wooden O Sound Design
Pin Lim, originally from Singapore, is a freelance photojournalist, composer, and actor in Houston. His photographs have been published in the Houston Chronicle, Houston Press, Miami Herald and in magazines; and his work has been archived at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Past photo exhibitions include “Jazz: In Photos,” performance images of Houston jazz greats; “Winter Celebrations,” an exhibition exploring South American, Asian American and African American rodeo cultures; “Food & Family,” about the diverse food cultures of Houston with the Houston Arts Alliance Folklore program. He has also published the books Farewell the Forbidden Garden and Dandelion. Pin’s compositions have been mainly commissioned and performed in Singapore - most notably “Ghost in the Tower” for Harmonica Quintet. As an actor, he has appeared at Main Street Theater, COM Theatre, Cone Man Running, and Dirt Dogs Theatre Co. During lockdown, he has produced a series of videos called the New Silk Road Sessions, showcasing Houston artists in all disciplines.
Social Media Manager; Teaching Artist; Wooden O performer
Kristy Lozano grew up by the border to Mexico in Brownsville, Texas. She can proudly speak Spanish fluently. Kristy Lozano holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Sam Houston State University. She has been in three productions at Sam Houston State University, including Our Lady of 121st Streetas Norca (directed by Patrick Person) and The Government Inspector as Grusha (directed by David A McTier). Kristy Lozano was also an ensemble member in the production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at The Camille PlayHouse in Brownsville. She is Brave Little Company's Social Media Manager and also plays the role of Robin Goodfellow in the touring production Wooden O: An Interactive Shakespeare Adventure. She is a Young Audiences of Houston teaching artist. She continues to share her passion for theatre through arts education for Houston's kids!
Teaching artist; actor collaborator (Missing from the Museum, First Day, Nueva Escuela)
Jeana Magallón is a graduate of the University of Houston’s School of Theatre and Dance where she received her B.F.A. in Theatre. She is a co-founder of an all-female based media production company called Says Who? Productions and is a local actress, director, and writer in the great city of Houston.
Most recent professional credits include Massacre (Sing for your Children) at The Alta Arts, HITOUCH at Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company and Secret Lies of the Gossip Teen, a comedy webseries she also co-produces with her company Says Who? Productions. Other professional credits include Euthanasia: An Almost Musical at Wordsmyth Theatre Co., Body of Christie, and Inner View for Stages Repertory Theater's Sin Muros: A Latinx Play Festival (2021 and 2022), The Future is F****d at TEATRX, Lysistrata at the Classical Theatre Company, The Polar Express, an immersive show at the Galveston Railroad Museum, and Missing From the Museum and First Day Nueva Escuela, new works with Brave Little Company where she is a resident actor and teaching artist.
Jeana has new works with The Quarantine Series, an online play reading series, and with Theatre 66’s NEOS 2020 Showcase hosted at the Alley Theatre. She also directed a condensed version of Rajiv Joseph’s Guards at The Taj for a directing class showcase at the University of Houston.
Jeana’s short play, Daphne in the Laurel Tree, was featured in the NEOS 2018 Showcase as well as The Quarantine Series in 2020. Some of her other works have been seen in the University of Houston’s 10 Minute Play Festivals. Some of her favorite UH acting credits include FuenteOvejuna, Broken Horizon, Man and Superman, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Mr. Marmalade, and The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls.
Teaching artist
As Costume Artist: Stages Theatre – Temporary Costume Technician Overhire, Theater Under the Stars (TUTS) - Assistant Costume Designer: Rock of Ages, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid, and South Pacific. Theater Under the Stars – Costume Artist.
As actor: Main Street Theater: Mockingbird (Caitlin) ; Newtown Middle School: Cabar-8; Windsor Elementary: Hansel and Gretel.
Education: Houston Community College Graduate - received a Fashion Merchandising AAS, Fashion Design AAS, and a Theatrical Costume Design Certificate Level II.
Photographer; Paper Offerings Creative Team
Alan Nguyen primarily works in marketing and communications, but accidentally became involved in acting by performing in Akeelah and the Bee at Main Street Theater. Thereafter, he became a founding member of the Houston Asian American Theatre Coalition. He is currently the marketing manager for Combined Arms, a non-profit organization that connects transitioning veterans with services, community and purpose to accelerate their impact. He is also a professional photographer for arts, music, and theatre events in Houston. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Bauer College.
Paper Offerings creative team
Sethe Nguyen is new to the Paper Offerings Creative Team. They are an acting major at Texas Tech University where they have performed in plays such as Bike America and The Secretaries (upcoming). In Houston, they performed in Runaways produced by On the Verge Theatre. They also draw and paint traditionally and digitally, giving them skills they apply to their scenic work. Sethe says, “I'm so excited to be working on Paper Offerings as it gives me an opportunity to connect with and share my own Vietnamese culture although I am so far away from where I was born.”
Teaching artist, stage manager
Stephanie Perez is pursuing a degree in theatre education at the University of Houston. She is grateful for all her experiences and challenges and the wonderful people who helped her succeed. She looks forward to being more involved in the classroom and theatre diversity. She has been a part of productions for UofH, Express Children’s Theatre, and Lone Star. Stephanie hopes to teach high school theatre when she graduates and spread her passion and love for theatre.
Teaching artist; Missing from the Museum actor collaborator
Crystal Rae is a Houston-based playwright and performer who hails from Chicago. In addition to working with the brilliant people at Brave Little Company she’s been seen on the Houston stages of The Ensemble Theatre, Theatre Under The Stars, Main Street Theater, Queensbury Theatre and Dirt Dog Theatre Co., to name a few. As a producer-playwright-performer, two of her scripts, Daniel’s Having a Baby and Lamariya were chosen for the Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York. Daniel’s Having a Baby was awarded honorable mention in that festival. In 2017, a twenty-minute version of her one-woman show, then titled Warts And All, was accepted into the New York New Works Festival with performances at the Duke Theatre. Now titled Nearest the Broken, 2018 saw the full-length version chosen for artistic festivals at The Ensemble Theatre in Houston and Rhino Fest in Chicago. Lions, another one-woman jaunt, premiered and won first place at the Houston Play on Purpose Festival. Her newest published work, Tied: A One-Man Play, is available wherever books are sold. www.crystalraeproductions.com
musician collaborator, Grandpa's Garden
Rodrick Randall is a native Houstonian who has been active in the Houston theatre and music scene since 2009. He has performed with theatre companies such as Classical Theatre Company, Main Street Theater, Queensbury Theatre, Catastrophic Theater and The Ensemble Theatre. He is a graduate of Sam Houston State University with a BFA - Acting/Directing. When he is not performing, Rodrick can be found backstage doing wardrobe for companies like Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera or Broadway Across America. He is also a proud member of the Theatrical Wardrobe Union - IATSE Local 896 - Houston/Galveston area.
Grandpa’s Garden Scenic Designer
Danny Russo is a native of Houston, Texas where he makes his career as a visual artist. Educated in Houston schools, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in art from the University of Houston. Danny express his art in drawing, painting and crafts. Danny shares his art education and experience with students through art projects based on various themes and art techniques. In addition to working in drawing and painting mediums, Danny is experienced in sculpture, serigraphy (screen printing), papier-maché, and theatrical stage design and building. Being environmentally conscious, he works with materials that are safe for the user and the environment. Other creative abilities are writing, music, photography and videography. Through creative processes, Danny focuses on learning, sharing, and having fun in a safe and enjoyable way.
Teaching artist
Sarah Sachi is a native of Pearland, Texas. She holds a BFA from Sam Houston State University in Acting/Directing. Some productions you may recognize her from include South Pacific and You Are Cordially Invited to Sit-In. Sachi’s talents have been recognized at KCACTF where she was an Irene Ryan finalist and won the best comedy award 2 years in a row. Now, Sachi is continuing her acting pursuit.
Brandon Sanders is a recent graduate from the University of Houston BFA Actor Training Program. At UH, Brandon has appeared in the School of Theatre & Dance’s productions of Fish’s Belly, Picnic, Holy Ghosts, and the 10-Minute Play Festival. He has a background in spoken word poetry and can be seen performing in local open mics around Houston.
Director collaborator
Troy Scheid is the founder of Brave Little Company – Theatre for Everyone. Troy’s directorial work includes several regional and world premieres at Main Street Theater, Houston Grand Opera, the Ensemble Theatre, Mildred’s Umbrella Theatre Company, Classical Theatre Company, and The Landing Theatre Company, among others, and in New York and Chicago. In 2017, she received an award from the Darfurian Association of Greater Houston for collaborating with the refugee community on the Landing Theatre’s production of In Darfur. A theatre educator with over 19 years’ experience, she is a graduate of HSPVA, Rice University, and Rice’s Leadership Institute for Non-Profit Executives. She is an associate member of SDC, the union for professional directors and choreographers in the United States.
Wooden O Creative Team
Lyndsay is thrilled to be collaborating with long-time friend and artist Troy Scheid to create this incredible early childhood theatrical adventure, Wooden O! She formerly taught creative drama to children ages 2-5 at a private school in Houston. Their active imaginations, social-emotional connections and adaptability have impacted her creative journey. Acting credits include Mildred’s Umbrella (company member): The Moors, The Flu Season, Large Animal Games, Dark Matter, A Heroine Free Summer, etc.; Classical Theatre Company: Henry V, The Birds; The Landing Theatre Company: How I Learned to Drive (Houston Press Best Supporting Actress); Catastrophic Theatre: Middletown; The Alley: Pygmalion, Mrs. Warren’s Profession; A.D. Players: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever; Main Street Theater: Translations, Mr. Pim Passes By, Anastasia Krupnik; Texas Repertory Theatre: Romeo & Juliet, Crimes of the Heart (Houston Press Best Supporting Actress Nomination), Thoroughly Modern Millie, Always, Patsy Cline, Our Town, etc.; Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble (Australia): A Winter’s Tale (Hermione), Pericles (Marina), Coriolanus. Lyndsay also created a one-woman show, “Shakespeare’s Women: Gnawing at My Soul.” She earned her MFA at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia; BA- Baylor University. Thankful!
Facilitator - THE BIG “US” PROJECT
Sophia L. Torres is Founder and Artistic Director of Psophonia Dance Company. She has choreographed numerous works under Psophonia and has received awards and recognition for her innovative choreography. Her work was seen in performances at the 2017 Super Bowl LI - Houston LIVE Event at Discovery Green; MATCH in collaboration with Dr. Rob Smith, Director of UH AURA Contemporary Ensemble on the evening length multidisciplinary works Memory Web and their most recent production Colony; and three Main Street Theater productions. She is a member of the dance faculty at the University of Houston where she has taught all levels of modern technique and choreographed for the UH Dance Ensemble. Additionally, Torres helped launch and manages the Arts for Learning Lab (ALL), an initiative between Young Audiences of Houston and UH Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts Dance Program and Center for Art and Social Engagement. The ALL program is a 2020 National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient.
Heba Toulan hails from Washington, D.C. area. Her credits include Olivia for Twelfth Night, Hecate for Macbeth at the Woodlands Arts in the Park and Shakespeare in the Shade, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Les Misérables, She recently starred in SENSES, Bailey's Voice, Compromised Experiment, You're Home, and The Window Washer. An accomplished model, Heba has modeled for over 10 brands, and walked for a number of designers. She can be found behind a book, or fostering great pyrenees. Her web site is www.hebatoulan.com. Catch her in DeafBroadway's Company in NYC, and Deaf Austin Theatre's The Laramie Project!
Teaching artist, actor
Kai Womack envisions using theatre as a tool to make the world a better place by starting with today’s youth. She has been a teaching artist with Brave Little Company since 2021, and previously worked at St. Mark’s Episcopal School as a summer counselor and at Northchase Learning Center. Acting credits include: Brave Little Company: Grandpa’s Garden (Bebe); Fade To Black Festival: Dinner With A View (Alicia); University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance: How I Learned to Play Tennis (Leena Roberts); Moore Visions Entertainment: Godspell (Cellise); Texas Southern University: David’s Mother (Sally). As costume designer: Texas Southern University: The Wreckin’ Ball. As director: University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance: The Taming by Lauren Gunderson; Harden Productions: I Wish You Didn’t Trust Me So Much by Tracie Harden. Education: Texas Southern University (Theatre), University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance (Theatre Education).
Teaching artist
Teresa Zimmermann is a Houston-based actor, singer, voice teacher, voice over artist and registered Yoga teacher. After receiving her BFA in Musical Theatre, she spent time on cruise ships as a performer before returning to Houston. Teresa has performed with Stages Repertory Theatre (Self-written Stages Studio Session, Veronica's Room) Theatre Under The Stars (Jerome Robbins Broadway), A.D. Players (Godspell), Alley Theatre (Survivors, A Christmas Carol, Amerikin, Mr Texas), Houston Grand Opera (Das Barbecu), Fourth Wall Theatre Company (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), and sings with the award winning band, Danny Ray and the Acoustic Production. Teresa received her 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certificate in 2016, and is registered with Yoga Alliance. In addition to her YTT certificate, Teresa has completed all three levels of Somatic Voicework™ the LoVetri Method and teaches both voice and Yoga with mindfulness and awareness of the body, and compassion for the student.