Cast and Crew of “The Children’s Hour”

Cast

Jaden Batara (Catherine)

Jaden Batara, CatherineJaden is so excited to be working with Arouet in The Children’s Hour. This is her first play though she has participated in many musicals. Favorites include: The Wizard Of Oz (Munchkin/Poppy), The Music Man (Amaryllis), The King and I (princess), and Annie (Annie). She is excited to get to know all of the girls in the cast and to make new friends. She would like to thank Daniel, Roy, Ada and everyone else on the artistic team. Also, she would like to thank her family for always supporting her.


Mary Murfin Bayley (Mrs. Tilford)

Mary Murfin Bayley, Mrs. TilfordMary is delighted to be back at Arouet where she previously played La Poncia in The House of Bernarda Alba. Other recent roles have been with Azeotrope, Theatre 9/12, Greenstage, Last Leaf, Eclectic, Studio4Seattle, Seattle Public, and Book-it. Her TV and film work include NBC’s Grimm and Julio Ramirez’s Nothing Against Life. Mary received her Theater B.A. from Reed College, trained at the HB Studio in New York, and studied Commedia Dell’ Arte at Teatro Cestello in Florence. In 2014 she SAFDA certified in her fourth weapons style: Single Sword.


Amalya BenHaim (Leslie)

Amalia BenHaim, Leslie Amalya is delighted to be performing with Arouet. Recent credits include: A Little Princess (Nora) and The Secret Garden (Mary) at Studio East, and Oliver! (school girl and orphan) at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Other favorites include: Fiddler On the Roof (Golde) and Cinderella (Joy) at Broadway Bound Children’s Theatre and a school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena). Amalya started acting in third grade and has been exploring the wonders and learning experiences theatre has to offer ever since. Love and so much gratitude to family and friends who support my passion for the stage.


Sally Brady (Mrs. Mortar)

Sally Brady, Mrs. MortarSally is pleased to be working with Arouet for the first time. Last seen at Seattle Public Theater as Lady Boyle in Superior Donuts. Other roles: Meg in Lie of the Mind at ACT, Mrs. Prentice in What the Butler Saw and Vuvuzela in Sleeping Beauty at Centerstage. Originally from Kansas City, Sally has worked in regional theater, as well as fringe theater in London England, and two extensive educational theater tours in Italy.


Darian Conn (Peggy)

Darian Conn, PeggyDarian is very excited to have the opportunity to be working with Arouet for the very first time. Darian has been acting since the age of six, mostly doing musicals. She has had the good fortune to be a regular on the stage at Driftwood. You might have seen her in The Wizard of Oz, The Music Man, The King and I, Annie, Oliver! or Beauty and the Beast. Her favorite roles have been Annie in Annie (King’s Players) and Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden (Core Theatrics). She is thankful to her family for all of their love and support and she hopes you enjoy the show!


Joanna Goff (Agatha)

Joanna Goff (Agatha)Joanna’s acting credits include: Artists Rep, Eureka Theatre, New Rose Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and others. Favorite roles include Rosalind in As You Like It, Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire and Kate in All My Sons. She received a MFA in Acting from University of Minnesota, a BA from Humboldt State University and also trained at ACT San Francisco. Recent Seattle directing work: Night Watch (Driftwood Players) and The God of Hell (Stone Soup Theatre).

Lindsay W. Evans (Martha)

Lindsay Evans,MarthaLindsay is very happy to be working with Arouet for the first time in The Children’s Hour. A few of her favorite past credits include Gabby in Serenading Louie, Louise in The Underpants (SecondStory Rep), Edward/Victoria in Cloud Nine (Lyric Theatre, L.A.), Belle in A Christmas Carol (ACT), and Margot Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank (Intiman). She last appeared in Black Like Us at Annex and Life is a Dream at Ghost Light. Lindsay received her theatre degree from Western Washington University and is also a trained sign language interpreter.


Maya L’Abbe (Lois)

Maya L'Abbe, LoisMaya is a 7th Grader at University Preparatory Academy. She is thrilled to be able to be in the production of The Children’s Hour. You may have seen her in Peter Pan (Lyric Light Opera); Singing in the Rain, Snow White, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mulan Jr. (Seattle Children’s Theater); and various Broadway Bound Shows. She would like to thank all of the crew, cast, mom and dad for making this all possible, and her friends for supporting her through this journey.


Kayla Lian (Karen)

Kayla Lian, KarenKayla is thrilled to be making her Arouet debut in this wonderful play! Kayla has been seen onstage in the Pacific Northwest as Rosaline in Love’s Labour’s Lost (Seattle Shakespeare Company), Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Kitty in Anna Karenina (Portland Center Stage), And So It Goes… and Tribes (Artists Repertory Theatre), Crooked (CoHo Productions), One Flea Spare (Shaking the Tree), as the understudy in the one-woman show, Bo-Nita (Seattle Repertory Theatre), among others. She will play Viola in Portland Shakespeare Project’s production of Twelfth Night this summer. Kayla holds an MFA in Acting from the University of Washington and a BFA in Acting from Pace University in New York City.


Eileen MacDonald (Evelyn)

Eileen MacDonald, EvelynEileen MacDonald (Evelyn) is thrilled to be a part of this production. This is her second professional production and previously she has done many shows with Seattle Public Theater through their youth program. Just this past winter she was in their main­stage professional production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Other roles she has enjoyed in the past through SPT’s youth program are Meg Murry in A Wrinkle in Time, Dromio of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors, and Semyonov Pischik in The Cherry Orchard.


Jasmyne Mendoza (Janet)

Jasmyne Mendoza, JanetJasmyne is excited to join the cast of The Children’s Hour. Jasmyne is currently a 6th grader at Washington Middle School, studies violin, and is part of the Orchestra at WMS. Jasmyne attributes her start as an artist to the wonderful coaches at Seattle Talent, which led to recognition as Female Pre-Teen Actor of the year 2nd runner up at IMTA. Jasmyne dedicates her performance this season to her grandparents, Primo Jr and Donna Ragsac, whose support has been instrumental in allowing her to pursue her craft.


Julia Schoemig (Helen)

Julia Schoemig, HelenJulia is a sophomore at Ingraham High School and has enjoyed participating in Seattle Public Theater’s Youth Program for the past five years. She has had roles in many plays like Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Maxine in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Rebecca in Our Town, and Emma in the student written play, Maggie’s Diner, to name a few. The Children’s Hour is Julia’s first play with Arouet and she’s excited to be a part of this production.


Rachel Sedwick (Mary)

Rachel Sedwick, MaryRachel is thrilled to be a part of Arouet’s The Children’s Hour, working with so many wonderfully talented artists. Rachel has worked on several smaller film and theatre projects throughout the previous year while focusing mainly on other passions including dance and her new personal training business, Performative Fitness. She enjoys everything the local arts scene has to offer, and looks forward to future endeavors for whatever lies ahead.


Olivia Sterne (Rosalie)

Olivia Sterne, RosalieOlivia is pleased to be performing with Arouet for the first time. She appeared as Imogene in Seattle Public Theater’s production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and has often performed as a member of the SPT’s youth ensemble. Her roles have included Lear in King Lear, Emily in Our Town, Penny in You Can’t Take It With You, and Maria in Twelfth Night. Olivia has also worked as stage manager for many youth productions including The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, and numerous workshops. Olivia attends Ingraham High School.


Tom Stewart (Dr. Joe Cardin)

Tom Stewart, Dr. CardinTom is an actor, writer and playwright. Recent roles include Otto in Starling, Iago in Black Vengeance For Ghost Light, John in Fifth of July for Theate22, Mr. Hau in Preston Stagger, Ruggles in Tulips of Fury, Jack Mann in The Beebo Brinker Chronicles. He co-wrote Evan & Bobbie for STAGEright, which was impressive. He has two books coming out in 2015 and you should buy them. His current project is a show about the final campaign of Bobby Kennedy. In his spare time, he likes to write short bio pieces in the third person.


Creative Team

Daniel Wood (Director)

Daniel Wood, DirectorDaniel is thrilled to be returning to Arouet in the director’s chair. Arouet audiences may recognize him as Harry Hay in the regional premier of The Temperamentals. Daniel is a veteran of Seattle theater having worked with such theaters as Seattle Public Theater, Wooden O, Theater Schmeater, Sound Theatre Company, Annex Theatre, Centerstage, GreenStage, Balagan Theatre, Macha Monkey and the Seattle Opera.


Jordan Johansen (Stage Manager)

Jordan Johansen, Stage ManagerJordan has Stage Managed shows for Arouet, EDCC, Driftwood Players, Village Theater (Kidstage) and Seattle Musical Theater. Some of her favorites are The Laramie Project, Cabaret, All My Sons, Little Shop of Horrors, Annie, Barefoot in the Park, The Jungle Book and Annie get Your Gun. Jordan would like to thank Arouet for letting her do another great production with them.


Dana Amromin (Sound Design)

Dana Amromin (Sound Design)A native of Los Angeles by some accident of birth, Dana is proud to call the Pacific Northwest home since Spring of 2013. With a background in performance and directing, Dana has haphazardly and completely fallen in love with sound design. Most recently, she designed sound for Ghost Light Theatricals’ Gogolplex, Theater Schmeater’s The Secretaries, and Blood Ensemble’s Barn Show. Thanks to Daniel and Arouet for their trust and collaboration on this incredible play. ​


Robin Macartney (Set Design and Properties)

Robin Macartney, Set Design/PropertiesRobin is excited to be a part of this production! When not working as a technical assistant/FOH manager at the Theatre Off Jackson, she can be found at the University of Puget Sound where she is the Theatre Department’s Scene Shop Supervisor. Professional credits include design work with Seattle Shakespeare, Youth Theatre NW, Pork Filled Productions, Live Girls!, Annex Theatre, Macha Monkey, Printer’s Devil Theatre, Tongue In Chic Productions, and Ese Teatro.


Alison Owen, Costume Design

Alison Owen, Costume DesignAlison has previously worked with Arouet designing costumes for their productions of Don Juan in Chicago and The Brick and The Rose. Most recently her work has been on stage at Seattle Musical Theatre in Man of La Mancha.


Zanna Paulson (Lighting Design)

Zanna Paulson, Lighting DesignerZanna is new to the Seattle theatre community, having spent the previous 10 years lighting stages across the country. She vaunts a wide variety of experience in venues and technology, but is particularly proud of her efforts in tailoring original plays and musicals. Zanna also enjoys experimenting with light in photography and volunteering her skills for companies such as Equity Fights AIDS (Broadway Across America), Phillips Lighting and local education centers.