ROBERT AGUILAR
Lighting/ Makeup Designer :: Ensemble Member

is a Lighting designer for stage and film. He sometimes designs makeup as well, also for stage and film. Although Robert does love to travel, he mostly works in the greater Seattle area, where he happens to live. When Robert isn't here at The Ensmble, he tries his darndest, to design locally, recent shows include: Burning Bridget Cleary with Sheila Daniels, Swimming in the Shallows with Katjana Vadeboncoeur, The Last Five Years with Brandon Ivie, Stones in His Pockets with Jerry Manning, Cloud Tectonics with Aimee Bruneau, and Wonderful Life with Amy Boyce. Robert is in the Finance department at The Ensemble.

MATTHEW ARBOUR
Director :: Associate Artist

Matthew's directing work has been seen at the 78th Street Theatre Lab, Drove Theater, Ohio Theater, and the First Look Theatre Company in New York, and regionally at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Two River Theater Company, Washington Ensemble Theater, Portland Stage Company (ME), Hangar Theatre, New Jersey Repertory, Theatre at Monmouth, Penobscot Theatre Company, Maine Shakespeare Festival, Boston Playwrights' Theatre, and the University of Southern Maine. Matthew served as the resident dramaturg and literary manager of Portland Stage Company (ME) from 1992 to 1998. He regularly serves as a script judge for the Princess Grace Award for New Dramatists, and is an active member of the First Look Theatre Company at NYU, a Usual Suspect of New York Theatre Workshop, and a Drama League Directing Fellow. Matthew holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Washington in Seattle.

HARMONY J. K. ARNOLD
Costume Designer :: Associate Artist

joins The Ensemble as an Associate Artist with her costumes for the world premier of Museum Play. Her most recent costume design credits include: Williamstown Theatre Festival Workshop, Burden of Sunflowers (Williamstown, MA), Philadelphia Fringe Festival, Ginger Moloco (Philadelphia, PA), Sierra Repertory Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat (Sonora, CA), The Children's Educational Theatre, The Snow Queen (Salem, OR), Lord Leebrick Theatre Company, Escape from Happiness (Eugene, OR), Western Washington University, Die Fledermaus (Bellingham, WA), Book-It Repertory Theatre, The Awakening/House of Mirth (Seattle, WA), Camino Real, Theatre Simple (Seattle, WA), Snapshots, The Village Theatre(Issaquah, WA), and Catch-22 (Seattle, WA), Theatre Schmeater. Harmony has worked for the past two years as staff Costume Design Assistant at Seattle Repertory Theatre and the INTIMAN Theatre while perusing her freelance career. Harmony has earned her Cosmetology License from Skelton Beauty Academy, B.S. in the Fine Arts from Western Oregon University and her M.F.A in Costume Design from the University of Oregon. She will be working in the next year as Costume Shop Manager/Guest Lecture Artist/In Resident Designer at Seattle University's new Lee Center for the Performing Arts in Capital Hill. Her website is under construction and can be viewed soon at www.harmonyarnold.com.

ANNE BLACKBURN
Gallery Curator :: Associate Artist

is a visual artist, curator, and non-profit consultant who has been a perpetually restless Seattle resident for the last ten years. She was formally educated at the Johnston Center for Individualized Learning at the University of Redlands, CA; receiving her BA in Arts, Culture and Narrative; and informally educated in the deserts, gardens, alleys, and basement studios of her life thus far. She has shown locally at the Bemis Building, Red Stripe Studios, the 619 Western Building, and SPACE and has been involved with Pratt Fine Arts Center, Artist Trust, and 911 Media Arts Center. Her recent focus is on bringing diverse media and art communities together, thus she is delighted that The Ensemble has taken her in from the cold and allowed her to play in the lobby.

COLIN BYRNE
Performer :: Associate Member

was most recently seen in tights and mustache in Volunteer Park as Robin Hood, is very excited to be a part of The Ensemble. Credits include What Is Sexy? at The Ensemble, Broken For You, Little Women, Giant, Pride & Prejudice, and Howard's End at Book-It Repertory Theatre, Measure for Measure at Seattle Shakespeare Company, and Rod Serling in The Twilight Zone at Theater Schmeater. Colin holds a BFA in Theater from Cornish College of the Arts with an emphasis in Original Works.

MIKANO FUKAYA
Performer :: Ensemble Member

received her BA from the UW drama in 2005, and has been an ensemble member for a year. She is very excited about the new season and feels very lucky to be at The Ensemble. Last season, she was in Crave, Wonderful Life, and What is Sexy?. She also enjoyed playing Jessica in This is Our Youth with Direct Flight Production and Nina in The Seagull with Seattle Novyi Theatre, which she is still continuing. Mikano works in Communications. She is thankful for everyone at The Ensemble, her close friends who trust and support her in and outside of theatre, and her family in Japan.

HEIDI GANSER
Costume Designer :: Founding Member

NO CURRENT BIO

JOSH HUISENGA
Graphic Designer :: Associate Artist

is a professional graphic designer and illustrator and has been creating posters for The Ensemble's productions for the last two years. He has some other clients, big and small, and also works on things other than posters. You can visit www.chalkboxstudio.com to see more or to get in touch.

ELISE HUNT
Performer :: Ensemble Member

Elise Hunt has been a co-artistic director at Washington Ensemble Theatre since 2005. She was last seen onstage at Washington Ensemble Theatre as Iphigenia in "Iphigenia in Aulis" in May 2007. She is currently originating the role of Yew in Paul Mullins’ “The Ten Thousand Things” (May 2008) Previously at The Washington Ensemble Theatre, Elise originated the roles of Pearl and Sally in "Crumbs Are Also Bread" (February 2007), Lila in "Museum Play" (October of 2006), Ensemble in "What is Sexy?" (May 2006), Ensemble in "Wonderful Life: The Holidays on Capitol Hill" ( December 2005), and during The Ensemble's first season, Elise originated the role of Handcuff Girl in "Handcuff Girl Saves the World" ( May 2005). Elise has also appeared as Carla Carla in "Swimming in the Shallows" (Feb of 2006). Regionally, Elise has appeared as Jane “The Women” ACT Theatre , and as Cecily Cardew in “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Southcoast Repertory Theatre . Elise works in Development/Event Planning with the Washington Ensemble Theatre and is extremely excited to present The Ensemble's new season. Elise hails from beautiful Half Moon Bay, California.

MARYA SEA KAMINSKI
Performer/ Director :: Founding Member

Recently awarded - Best Performing Artist - in the Seattle Weekly and honored on the Theatre Short List for The Stranger's Genius Awards, Marya Sea Kaminski is a performer, director, and writer based in Seattle. Her acting credits include My Name is Rachel Corrie at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, Moonlight and Magnolias at the Intiman Theatre, Simone Alone at La Mama ETC in New York City, The Cherry Orchard at Annenberg Center in Philadelphia, and The Time of Your Life at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. Marya Sea has created over twenty solo shows and has performed her original work at On the Boards in Seattle, PS 122 in New York, the Myrna Loy Center in Helena, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. Marya Sea is a Founding Member and Co-Artistic Director of the Washington Ensemble Theatre. At The Ensemble, she has directed the Northwest premiere of Adam Rapp's Finer Noble Gases, performed as the First Lady in The Ensemble's national premiere of Jane Martin's Laura's Bush and as M in Sarah Kane's Crave, and has most recently directed The Ensemble's world premiere of Jordan Harrison's The Museum Play. She holds a BA in English and Theatre Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and an Acting MFA from the University of Washington. Currently, Marya Sea teaches Acting at Cornish College of the Arts, Eastside Preparatory School, and Freehold Studios.

NADIA KABOUL
Wardrobe/Costume Design:: Associate Artist

received her BA in Drama from the University of Washington where she studied costume design & construction and production & stage management. While completing her degree, Nadia worked as the Assistant Manager of the UW's Ethnic Cultural Theatre for 3 years. She's worked with Seattle Theatre Group at the Moore Theatre, StoryBook Theatre, Bellevue Community College, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center and as a teaching artist at Seattle Children's Theatre. In 2006, Nadia could be found in Europe touring as an Assistant Dressing Room Coordinator for Metallica; and later touring in the U.S. as Queensryche's Wardrobe Coordinator. She recently worked with New York's Steven Petronio Dance Company at the Moore, and looks forward to getting on the road again soon as touring season nears.

MARC KENNISON
Performer/ Director :: Founding Member

began his formal dance training at the Interlochen Arts Academy and went on to receive his BFA from The Juilliard School. Upon graduating, Marc joined The Jose Limon Dance Company, with whom he danced leading roles worldwide, including tours to war-torn Sarajevo and El Salvador, and a performance at The White House for former President William Jefferson Clinton and First Lady Hilary Rodham Clinton. In 1996, he joined Tere O'Connor Dance and collaborated with Mr. O'Connor on the creation of four new dance theater works which were toured internationally and domestically. Marc's original performance work has been seen at various venues throughout New York (including The Judson Church, The 92nd Street Y, and WAX), Seattle (Ethnic Cultural Theatre) and in Tokyo and Takamatsu, Japan. In 2004, Marc received his MFA in Acting from the University of Washington where he played Iago in Othello, Jacques in As You Like It and acted in plays by Chekhov, Pinter, and Nilo Cruz, among others. At the Ensemble, Marc has been seen in Laura's Bush (Lucille Challiburton), Finer Noble Gases (Grey), Next Tuesday (Ensemble), Handcuff Girl Saves the World (Minty Clean), Crave (A), Swimming in the Shallows (Nick) and The Museum Play (Jame). He also directed What is Sexy? at The Ensemble in the spring of 2006. He has taught at NYU, Rutgers University, The University of Washington, Coyote Central, Eastside Preparatory School and at various dance festivals nationwide. Marc serves The Ensemble administratively in casting and as the Director of Operations.

JONATHAN MARTIN
Performer :: Founding Member

is currently on an extended leave of absence while he pursues his MFA in acting at New York University. Past Ensemble credits include Laura's Bush, Finer Noble Gases, Next Tuesday, Handcuff Girl Saves the World, Wonderful Life, and What is Sexy? Other Seattle credits include The Outsiders at Seattle Children's Theatre, Ming the Rude and Ubu Roi at Empty Space Theatre,The Spitfire Grill at Taproot Theatre, and many more over four years at the University of Washington's School of Drama. Jonathan has also spent time training at the Moscow Art Theatre in Moscow, Russia. A California native, he was a member of the ensemble company Leave and a company member of Shakespeare Santa Monica where he appeared as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and the Interpreter in All's Well That Ends Well. He looks forward to extending The Ensemble's work to the east coast with NYET (New York Ensemble Theatre.)

MICHAEL PLACE
Performer :: Founding Member

Michael Place is a co-founder, co-artistic director, actor and carpenter at The Ensemble where he has performed in over 10 productions including Finer Noble Gases, Swimming in the Shallows, Crumbs Are Also Bread and Never Swim Alone, the later for which he received a Seattle Times Footlight Award. Elsewhere in Michael has appeared in Jun Kaneko's Madama Butterfly with Opera Omaha, Book-It Repertory Theatre in Bud, Not Buddy and The Seattle Children's Theatre in The Outsiders. He has also performed in 5 productions with the Pacific Performance Project including Myra's War and Shogo Ohta's Water Station performed at the Here Arts Center in NYC and in Four Plays on Four Ideas directed by KJ Sanchez for the National Council on Foundations. In addition to being a performer, Michael coaches Improv for Blanchet High School, is a teaching artist with Coyote Central and works in technical theatre for Holy Names Academy. Michael received his B.A. in Theatre from the University of Washington.

RHONDA J. SOIKOWSKI
Performer :: Associate Artist

is an actor, director, teacher, and generative theatre artist. She holds a BFA in Acting with an Original Works emphasis from Cornish College of the Arts and is an Alumni Member of DirectorsLab Chicago. Rhonda first worked with The Ensmeble as actor in Swimming in the Shallows, then as guest artist when The Ensemble hosted THE SHOW, a one man musical comedy with Troy Miszklevitz in 2006, which she both co-created and directed.  In 2007 she will direct QueerTET, The Ensemble's Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre program, and perform in Iphigenia. www.soikowski.com 

MATT STARRITT
Sound Designer :: Founder :: Associate Artist

Matt Starritt is delighted to return as the resident sound designer at The Ensmeble this year and has recently earned his BA in Creative writing from the University of Washington. Matt is a Founder of The Ensemble and served as technical director for 5 of The Ensemble's first 8 shows. Recent designs: Laura's Bush, Finer Noble Gases, Next Tuesday, Handcuff Girl Saves the World, Crave, Wonderful Life, Swimming in the Shallows, Museum Play, Never Swim Alone, Crumbs are also Bread, and Iphigenia in Aulis at The Ensemble, Told You Once, Told You 100 Times for Poisonous Toy Theater in the Chamber Theater, Broken for You for Book-it Rep, and In Disdress at On the Boards.

ALEXANDRA TAVARES
Performer :: Associate Member

is proud to be an associate member of The Ensemble. She has recently appeared as Barb in Swimming in the Shallows and ensemble in Next Tuesday at The Ensemble. Last year in Seattle, Alex appeared as Ellie in Heartbreak House and Irina in Three Sisters at Intiman Theatre, Hero in Much Ado about Nothing at Seattle Shakespeare Company, and Meg in Little Women at Book-It Repertory Theatre. She has received her MFA from the University of Washington's Professional Actors' Training Program. Alex supports The Ensemble in the Operations department.

JESSICA TRUNDY
Lighting Designer :: Founding Member

is a Seattle - based lighting designer for theatre, dance and opera. Recent designs include Bust by Lauren Weedman at the Empty Space Theatre, Zoe Scofield's there ain't no easy way out at On The Boards, Plainsong and Little Women for Book-it Repertory Theatre, and Crumbs are also Bread, What is Sexy, and Crave with the Washington Ensemble Theatre. She is a proud founding member of The Washington Ensemble Theatre. She received her MFA from the University of Washington, and her BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

is a Co-Artistic Director at Washington Ensemble Theatre and holds a theatre degree from the University of California, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. Recent directing credits include Jane Eyre for the PATP graduate program at the University of Washington School of Drama, Swimming in the Shallows at The Ensemble (which received a 2006 Seattle Times Footlight Award for Best Off-Broadway Production), Five Flights and Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls at Cornish College of the Arts.  She has also directed at Live Girls! Theater (Fission, Seattle Times 2005 Footlight Award for Best New Play), Book-It Repertory Theatre (Sosu's Call), the Mae West Fest, Freehold, Richard Hugo House, Steeplechase Productions, Seattle Shakespeare Company's "Short Shakes" program and a national tour for California Theatre Center. Katjana's training also includes the Pacific Performance Project and modern experimental performance at Lancaster University in England. She has taught at The University of Washington, Cornish College of the Arts, Pierce Community College, Seattle Shakespeare Company, California Theatre Center, the Seattle Center Academy and Eastside Preparatory School in Kirkland.  She is a staff member at Seattle Shakespeare Company and a company member of Living Voices, where she regularly tours the U.S. performing five solo shows. Katjana works administratively at The Enemble as the Director of Communications, and was recently seen onstage in The Ensemble's blahblahblahBANG (a pistol fit in one act) at On the Boards in December 2007.

LATHROP WALKER
Performer :: Director :: Founding Member

is a founding Co-Artistic Director of The Ensemble. He also works administratively as the ensemble manager, head of season planning, casting director. In the past three seasons he has performed in 8 Ensemble productions including Finer Noble Gases, Crave, Never Swim Alone and Crumbs are Also Bread. Seattle directing credits include Iphigenia in Aulis at The Enemble and Postcard Play Festival at The Empty Space. Lathrop has performed locally at the Seattle Children's Theatre (The Devil and Daniel Webster, Jason and the Golden Fleece, Red Badge of Courage, The Outsiders), Seattle Shakespeare Company (Romeo and Juliet), Book-it Repertory Theatre (Pride and Prejudice), The Empty Space (Stupid Kids, (L)imitations of Life) and Taproot Theatre (Candida). He has received two Seattle Times Foot-Light Awards for his work in Never Swim Alone in 2006 and Acting Excellence in 2005. His training includes the University of Washington, Moscow Art Theatre, and the Pacific Performance Project.

BEN ZAMORA
Lighting Designer :: Associate Member

received his MFA in Lighting Design from the University of Washington and a BA in Theatre from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Ben's most recent designs have been with Connecticut Grand Opera, The San Francisco and The Northwest Flower and Garden Shows, Circus Contraption, Washington Ensemble Theatre , Alex Martin, and national tours with locust and Lingo Dancetheatre. Ben has also worked with Jim Ingalls, Peter Sellars, Mark Lamos, and video artist Bill Viola for productions at Lincoln Center, The Barbican, LA Philharmonic: Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Carnegie Hall. Ben supports The Ensemble in Staffing and Volunteer Coordination. Last year at The Ensemble, Ben co-designed lighting for Wonderful Life with Robert Aguilar.

JENNIFER ZEYL
Set and Costume Designer/Director :: Founding Member

Jennifer Zeyl is a founding Co-Artistic Director and Resident Set Designer at Washington Ensemble Theatre and was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Network of Ensemble Theatres. In Seattle, her set and costume designs have been seen at: Washington Ensemble Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, The Empty Space, Benaroya Hall, The Village Theatre and Book-it Repertory among others. Her scenic designs will be seen next at The Ensemble in The Destruction of Hedda Gabler and at ACT Theatre in The Mojo and the Say So. The recipient of The Stranger's 2006 Genius Award in Theatre, Jennifer was named "Best Scenic Designer in Seattle" by Seattle Weekly in 2005 and just received a 2006 Seattle Times Footlight Award for her design of Winter's Tale at Seattle Shakespeare Company. Jennifer holds a MFA in scenery design from the University of Washington and a BFA in theatre design and directing from the University of Rhode Island. Jennifer recently directed In Disdress by Marya Sea Kaminski for the On the Boards New Works Festival, which toured in summer 2006 to the Myrna Loy Theatre in Helena, Montana. She works administratively as Director of Production and Human Resources Management at The Ensemble. Please visit www.jenniferzeyl.org for images of past and current work.