Josie Tucker (Director) is finishing up a busy year, having recently tied the knot in January. In addition to 9 x 9 x 9, Josie directed The House of Yes, Ondine, Ugly Maria and Sonata Blue for us. Before becoming entwined in Coda, she founded Sol Fly Productions. Recent productions include Wilhelm Reich in Hell (Ringmaster), April's Fool (Director), and Ugly Maria (Director, Demon). For Hyde Park Theatre, she served as Assistant Director for Quake, and stage managed for Perdita. She also helped out as stage manager and consulting director for multiple touring shows in Austin. Before moving here, she attended AMDA in New York City, and was the Assistant Light Designer and general panic button for Three Feet Deep.
Matthew Ervin (Assistant Director), a Central Texas native, was born at Fort Hood to parents from South–Central Illinois. He pursued undergraduate and graduate coursework simultaneously at Southern Methodist University—yes, he was there for more than the standard four. He studied Performance Studies with Gretchen Smith, Elizabethan drama with the late “Twinkie” Lawhon, Chaucer and Malory with the inimitable Bonnie Wheeler and everything in between with the brilliant Jeremy du Quesnay Adams and John Lewis. These days (in addition to fulfilling the role of Dramaturg for Coda and of Assistant Director for our production of The House of Yes) he works in the Classics Department at UT. Where he is: writing a history of education in the Classics there, assisting in the establishment of a Teaching Museum, and generally working to ensure that no one forgets Greece and Rome. As a parting thought, some advice: talking about oneself is, at best, ill-advised.
Ceci Norman (Set Designer) moved to Austin in August to work on an independent feature called August Evening as a set photographer/decorator. Since then, she's settle in Ausitn, working on various short films and photo projects. This is her first non-film set design, and the first theatre production she's been a part of outside of high school drama and and her role in Mother Courage in college.
Eric Virkkala (Fight Choreography) is a recent transplant to Austin and he is happy to be working on his second show with Coda. Last year he choreographed the delectable fights in Ondine. As a child Eric got beaten up a lot, so as an adult he learned how to create and stage fake violence. He still gets beaten up a lot, but now he can say is was pretend and no one will be the wiser.
Pidge Smith (Properties, Light Board Operator) is a native Austinite. She is proud and excited to be working again with Coda. Recently seen as Mrs. Pascal in The House of Yes and Eugenie in Ondine, Pidge is a member of Coda's Board of Directors. She has been acting for 31 years primarily in theatre. She has many years of experience in New York City, touring the Tri-State area, Austin, and the Texas Hill Country. Thank all of you for coming to the show. Hope you enjoy.
Bob Eels AKA !Bob (Sound Designer) was last seen on the Coda stage as the Sea King in Ondine. He was known for acting up as a kid, so the transition to the stage came easily. !Bob likes computers, fire, the lovely Bean, and things that go boom!
Randy Wyatt (Playwright) is a playwright, director and improv coach, currently finishing his M.F.A. in Directing from Minnesota State University at Mankato. He wrote Sonata Blue from Coda's last season and conceived and co-wrote Anticipating Miles from Coda's first season. (Kate conceived the baby part.) His collection of short plays, Said and Meant, is being published by Playscripts, Inc, and he has monologues and scenes in various monologue and scene books, including the upcoming Best Scenes of 2006 from Smith and Kraus. His other plays include Mint (winner of the KCACTF Region V 2006 one act competition), Synonymy, Saturday Morning Forever, The Face of the Earth, Swindling Jehovah, and The Ghost Moments. He is hopeful that by the time you read this he'll be employed. Randy is a member of the Playwright's Center in Minneapolis and the Dramatist's Guild of America.
Daniel Brock (Photographer) is a third-generation photographer. His first experience with photography was on the other side of the lens, a poster child for the March of Dimes, and it was the Shriners who gave him his first camera at the age of nine. As someone with Cerebral Palsy, Daniel has acquired a unique perspective on the essentials of life and art. His clarity of vision and attention to detail enable him to create striking images that are bold yet subtle. Thus, when he set up his studio under the name Twin Lens Photography, it was with a desire to explore new ways to communicate the nuances of form, color texture, and expression while championing a cleaner, more stripped down approach to the craft of image making.
www.TwinLensPhotography.com
Eric Burke (Stage Manager) serves on The Coda Project's Board of Directors and has no desire to have a bio in the program. Eric worked in the box office on several productions, including Wilhelm Reich in Hell for Sol Fly Productions and Panty Raid, Sonata Blue, Ugly Maria, Ondine, and The House of Yes (for which he also served as Stage Manager) for Coda Theater Project. For several of these productions, Eric also worked as Stage Manager, demonstrating that Eric is both highly organized and good at counting. Coda would like to thank Eric for his superior handiness. The ladies of Coda also like to point out that he is recently single and is one of the last true gentlemen.
Paul Martin (Sound Board Operator) is a full-time father and artist. He has acted with Sol Fly, Little League, and the Heroes of Comedy. He has also acted in multiple films and was producer and stage designer for La Casa de la Alma.
Nancy Valdez (Alternate Light Board Operator) was born and raised in Texas. She started acting in high school plays and later worked as an extra in The Rookie, The Alamo and local low-budget film projects. Recently, Nancy had a role in Coda's Ondine and starred in Coda's Ugly Maria. She currently has big plans for conquering the Austin film and theater industry.
Donnie Lao (Running Crew) earned his B.A. in Theatre from Baylor University in 2004. He currently works at a law firm, and is pleased to be working with Coda for the first time. He would like to thank Deborah Mogford.
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