Production Staff

Jonathan D. Allsup*

Production Manager

This is Jonathan’s first year on full-time staff at Creede. Jonathan is going into his second year as Stage Manager for CRT's summer and fall seasons and was the tour manager for the 2005 Young Audience Outreach Tour. Most recently Jonathan stage managed the midwest leg of the Nebraska Theatre Caravan National Tour of A Christmas Carol. Jonathan has also worked as a stage manager in Chicago, at Western Washington University, Northwestern College in Orange City, IA, and at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Originally from Iowa, Jonathan is from Chicago but now calls Creede home. In addition to being a stage manager, Jonathan is also a director, scenic designer, and technical director.

Fran Rubenstein*

Stage Manager

Fran is a native New Yorker who is excited to be spending the summer here in Creede. She has spent the past three years working at the acclaimed Off Broadway company The New Group on the shows The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Abigail's Party, and Hurlyburly (all directed by Scott Elliott) as well as The Accomplices and SIN: A Cardinal Deposed. Other NY credits include: NY Musical Theatre Festival, Signature Theatre, Classic Stage Company, MCC. Member AEA.

Rachel Rogers

Assistant to the Stage Manager

Rachel Rogers is excited to be returning to Creede Rep after having toured with the company in 2005. A 2004 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi , she now lives in Chicago where she recently finished stage managing David Mamet's Boston Marriage. Other Chicago credits include stage managing and performing in The Awesome 80's Prom. Rachel would like to thank MCB and her grandmother, Ann, for always supporting her.

Cate O'Brien

Assistant to the Stage Manager

Cate is a senior at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, IA, majoring in Theatre and History. This is her second time in Creede, having stage managed the debut of Old West Christmas Carol. Past credits include Big Love, Prosperity, and Marat/Sade. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Gary Varner

Technical Director

Gary is a Professor of Theatre at Abilene Christian University where he is responsible for all aspects of technical theatre. He also directs and teaches improvisation and children’s theatre. His design credits include Smokey Joe’s Café and Ragtime at the Paramount Theatre in Abilene, Texas, and Jane Eyre, The Hunt, Jekyll and Hyde and Three Sisters for ACU. Gary won the Design Excellence Award at American College Theatre Festival for his design of The Hunt. Last summer he designed Romeo and Juliet for the Abilene Shakespeare Festival. Gary was one of the founding members of the Pollard Theatre in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and he has worked as production manger for the Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival. Gary was born in La Junta, Colorado, and he is excited to be back in his home state. This is Gary ’s first year at CRT.

Brandi Maez

Scene Shop Supervisor

Brandi is proud to be working for Creede Rep once more for another brake neck ride. Brandi has a ten-year theater career covering Stage Management to carpenter and enjoys every minute. She would like to say thank you to all those good people and send love to her family and Mom.

Daniel Durkin

Stage Carpenter

Daniel Durkin couldn't be happier to be returning to Creede for his fourth summer. Daniel has worked as a carpenter and shop foreman for the last three seasons at the CRT. He earned his bachelor's degree in theatre in May from Adams State College in Alamosa, where he recently directed Christopher Durang's Baby With the Bathwater, worked as the scene shop foreman, played Clerance Odbody in It's A Wonderful Life, Frank in How the Other Half Loves, and John Halder in Good. Daniel would like to thank the CRT family for being such an amazingly loving group of people, his friends and family for their love and support, and D, for endless reasons.

Todd Schafer

Scenic Carpenter

Todd calls Charlotte, Michigan, his home. He is a senior at Central Michigan University, studying for a BFA with a focus in Scene Design. Todd is a year round carpenter for Bush Theater at CMU, he is also a member of Alpha Sigh Omega, and has been the Technical Director for their one acts (one of which made it to KCACTF). He also enjoys doing Set Designs and Lighting Designs for other off-main stage shows. Todd’s goals are to get a master’s degree in technical direction, and he plans on teaching at the college level. Todd thanks his father for teaching him the skills he uses every day in the shop, and his mother for dragging him to his first audition for Cinderella. Todd also thanks his sisters for all of their support throughout the years.

Jake Harbour

Scenic Carpenter

Jake Harbour is a senior at Abilene Christian University, where he is a musical theatre major and one of the foremen for the department. He is thrilled to be at Creede this summer and hopes he can contribute as much as he will learn from these seasoned actors and designers.

Natalie Maynard

Costume Shop Supervisor

Natty feels very blessed to be returning to the Costume Shop for her fifth season with the Creede Repertory Theatre! Last season she worked as the Costume Shop Foreman and also as a costume designer for Emilia's Tree and Snake In The Grass. Past design credits at the CRT include Shirley Valentine, Sight Hound, and The Rainbow Goblins. Nat has free-lanced around the city of Austin, Texas as a seamstress in various theatres and even a vintage clothing store. She also worked as a first hand at the Virginia Stage Company. This winter she took a break from the starving artists' world and lived in Creede where she did not figure out life but did manage to lead a Brownie Troop. Natty is a native of Pennsylvania and holds a BA in Theatre from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Jennifer Archer

Costumer

Jennifer grew up in Rutland, Vermont . She received a BFA from the University of Evansville. At UE she designed Anatomy of Gray which went on to the Nationals of The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Last summer she stitched at the Weston Regional Playhouse in Weston Vermont.

Ashley Sutphen

Costume Apprentice

Ashley Sutphen is a senior at Abilene Christian University. She has been a part of theatre in her community since she was little. She can’t imagine her life without design and plans to further her education to be a special effects make-up artist.

Cari Varner

Props Mistress

Cari is elated to be back at CRT for her 2nd season. She is currently a senior at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX, where she is a theatre major with an emphasis in acting and design. She has served as Prop Mistress for the ACU Theatre Department for the past two years. She is especially excited to have her father working with her at CRT this summer.

Ryan Prince

Props Carpenter
Co-Director: Lullaby Bay

Ryan is thrilled to be back in Creede for his fourth season as the co-director of the children’s show and his third season building props. Last season, Ryan designed sets (with Jeff Carey) for Crazy For You, Jesse James, and Enchanted April. He received a BFA in sculpture from Alfred University in 2001. Since college, Ryan formed a community arts group, worked in several arts programs for kids of all ages, worked as an archeological field tech throughout the Southeast, helped start a sign company in southwestern Illinois, and found his soul mate right here in Creede.

Amanda Baca-Macias

Props Apprentice

Amanda Baca was raised in the town of Moriarty, NM. Although there was little to do in way of the arts, she found an affinity for performance and began true practice at age 12. Continuing with zeal, Amanda attended Drama Festival at Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU). She attended ENMU for 9 semesters and graduated Summa Cum Laude with concurrent BFAs in Theatre wit emphasis in Technical/Design and Theatre with emphasis in Dance Studies. Upon commencement she continued her education through professional work as the lighting Director at Spencer Theatre for the Performing Arts, her most recent position, preceding Props Artisan for Creede Repertory Theatre.

Mark Larson

Master Electrician

Mark returns for his second season with CRT. Last season he was on the carpentry crew, this year he returns as the Master Electrician. Mark is a recent graduate of Northwestern College in orange City, Iowa.

Elizabeth Zurn

Assistant Dramaturge

Elizabeth is pleased to return for her third year at CRT. Though currently completing an MA in Theatre at BGSU in Ohio, Elizabeth spends as much time as possible in Creede, drawn by a love of theatre, mountains, and her boyfriend Jonathan. She looks forward to working in community-based drama, and eventually earning her PhD.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.