Barry David Horwitz has been teaching and reviewing theater for many years–as well as acting and producing plays for The Quixotic Players. He tries to link theater to political and social movements, as he did for many years in English and Drama classes at Saint Mary’s College, Univ/Calif/Berkeley, and Univ/Paris. READ MORE

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Robert M. Gardner, a native of North Dakota, is trained as an archaeologist, with a life-long love of the arts. He taught for many years at at Saint Mary’s College of California, teaching courses including “Exploring Museums, and Music Around the Bay.” READ MORE

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Mary Lou Herlihy believes in the magic of live theater. A Chorus Line, Hair, Hot-L Baltimore, The Wiz are among her favorite childhood memories. Bay Area favorites include Shimmer, The Miser, True West, Angels in America, The Vibrator Play, Cult of Love. Truth be told, she can find something to love about any thoughtful theatrical production. As an Interpretive Media Specialist for the National Park Service, Mary Lou collaborated with creative teams to seek out and share the untold stories. She loves the vibrant Arts of the Bay Area and is beyond excited that the stars aligned to provide this exciting opportunity to combine two of her passions- theater and writing.

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Tyler Jeffreys, the thespian, is a Bay Area film and stage actor. Besides working with Theatrius, she instructs Fitness Classes specializing in dance, flexibility, and Pilates.  READ MORE

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Rosa del Duca is a writer, journalist, teacher and musician. Her work has appeared in literary magazines like Cutbank, CALYX, River Teeth, and Mission at 10th. READ MORE

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Nicholas Leither lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, and teaches writing at Santa Clara University. His books include Dubliners: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction and Slant: Writing Essays You Want to Read. READ MORE

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Lynne Stevens became enthralled with theater after her fourth grade teacher showed a Royal Canadian Theater production of “Oedipus Rex.” READ MORE

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Philippa Kelly is Resident Dramaturg for the California Shakespeare Theater, Resident Dramaturg for Remote Theater, and production dramaturg for many regional theaters. READ MORE

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In a previous life, John-Thomas Hanson programmed robots at a large biotech company. After escaping in 2015, he returned to school to earn his MFA in Musical Theater from Notre Dame de Namur University and trained at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He has entertained many audiences in San Francisco and along the peninsula.

He has a special fondness for musicals, but enjoys call reative, diverse, quality productions. When not being dramatic, John-Thomas is a certified yoga and meditation instructor, an un-certified hippie, an adventurous world traveler, a decent cruciverbalist, a multi-disciplined volunteer, and a master at the art of coddiwompling. You can reach John-Thomas at:  john.thomas.hanson@gmail.com.

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Isa S. Chu (she/her) is a lively and dynamic performer. She is a singer, actor, and vocal coach with an infectious love for sharing art and connection. After over 20 joyful years with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, she’s diving back into her first love: theater. Whether she’s auditioning, taking classes, or soaking up live productions, Isa is all about that stage magic!

Beyond the spotlight, Isa is a passionate community builder with a knack for turning creative ideas into meaningful experiences. She loves bringing people together, creating spaces brimming with inspiration and possibility. When Isa isn’t performing or writing, you’ll find her geeking out over cake-decorating, houseplant, or furniture-flipping videos. Catch her adventures and more @icdiva!

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Corey Finnegan is a seasoned stand-up comic, Meisner-trained actor, and writer whose real life gives proof to the adage “truth is often stranger than fiction.” To wit: he’s cavorted with (actual) ghosts, been abducted by aliens, and was nearly murdered by the Hell’s Angels (real sweethearts!) And no, he’s not joking.

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Zack Rogow’s coauthored play “Colette Uncensored” was launched with a staged reading at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and ran in London, Indonesia, Catalonia, San Francisco, Berkeley, and Portland. The play was nominated for Best Solo Show by Theatre Bay Area. Rogow’s translation and adaptation of the play “Marius” by Marcel Pagnol was produced by the Storm Theatre in New York and by the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. He serves as dramaturg for the Yiddish Theatre Ensemble. www.zackrogow.com

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Emily S. Mendel, writer and photographer, has contributed regularly to culturevulture, Theatrius, and Berkeleyside, where she concentrates her reviews on Bay Area theater and art. As a native New Yorker,although now a long time San Francisco Bay Area resident, Emily grew up loving and studying theater. Ending her 30-year law practice has given Ms. Mendel the time to indulge in her love of travel and the arts.

Jenyth Jo Gearhart has enjoyed a long career as a public high school teacher, where her students wrote and performed eight original “dramatic-pathetic-tragic-comedic“ musicals. These plays raised thousands of dollars for arts education. She served as Poet Laureate of San Ramon from 2018-2024, and is currently a St. Mary’s College Writing Studies adjunct professor. Jenyth received an athletics scholarship to Stanford University, where she majored in Creative Writing. Her memoir about her days as a student-athlete, Go-to Girl: Digs, Dives, and a Golden Spike, was published in 2023.

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Kheven Lee LaGrone is a playwright, essayist and curator. He was a 2022 Lambda Literary Award Finalist for his play Pillow Talk (which premiered at Theater Rhinoceros). In 2024, he curated “Black Theatre—Go Home! The Black Arts theater Movement in San Francisco” at the San Francisco Main Public Library which included the panel discussion “The San Francisco Black Theater Movement.” In 2023, LaGrone wrote the biographical liner notes for Peter Barclay’s posthumous album “I’m Not Your Toy.” He also edited a collection of academic and scholarly essays on Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple.” LaGrone is a San Francisco Bay Area native.

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Andrea Libresco is professor of Social Studies Education and directs both the Doctoral Program in Learning and Teaching and the Minor in Civic Engagement at Hofstra University in New York. She believes in the importance of live theater in a democracy to provoke critical thinking, empathy, discussion, community, and civic engagement. She loves the experience of attending a thrilling show and discovering that, halfway through, her mouth is hanging open in awe.

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