Artist Bios

Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical

Matthew Basen (Rowley/Reporter) Main Street Theater: (Actor) Sleeping Beauty The Musical, Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Crown Jewel, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, (Stage Manager) The Wind in the Willows; The Garden Theatre: Bonnie & Clyde; Pearl Theater: Almost, Maine; On the Verge Theatre: Catholic School Girls; Company OnStage: Cinderella Goes Disco; The Actor’s Playground: The Chosen; EgoPo Classic Theater: Company. Education: B.A., Rowan University, Theatre Arts with a Minor in Dance.

Leah Bernal (Swing) Main Street Theater: Sleeping Beauty The Musical; A.D. Players: The Burn Vote; Sam Houston State University Theater: The Prom, Sweeney Todd, She Loves Me. Education: B.F.A., Sam Houston State University, Musical Theater.

Michael Chiavone (Fregley/Bryce/Creighton the Cretin/Reporter/Mom Buck/Joshie Dancer/Cartoon Kid 2) Main Street Theater: The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Sleeping Beauty The Musical, Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Crown Jewel, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, Charlotte’s Web, Shrek The Musical, How I Became a Pirate, Goodnight Moon, The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Busytown, James and the Giant Peach, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, Hank the Cowdog; A.D. Players: Forever Plaid; Houston Grand Opera: Tristan and Isolde, The Italian Girl in Algiers; Standing Room Only Productions: The Who’s Tommy, Next to Normal; Night Cap Theater: The Cabin; Island ETC: Hair.

Laura Del Angel (Mom/Manny(puppet)/Mrs. Clayton/Fregley’s Mom/Eighth Grader 1/Reporter/ Mom Buck) Main Street Theater: Debut; Oral Roberts University: As You Like It, Lost in Yonkers, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Cherry Orchard, Bright Star, The Sound of Music, The Secret Garden; Howard Auditorium: Talley’s Folly, Proof; Stages Houston: A river, its mouths, Aniana del Mar Jumps In; TEATRX: Garden of Night Blooming Flowers; Playhouse Tulsa: The Ugly Duckling. Film/TV: Sam’s Club, University of Oklahoma Lottery, Shriners Hospitals, Disabled American Veterans, Groupon, Tulsa Tech, Trinity Broadcast Network, Walmart. Education: B.F.A, Oral Roberts University, Acting.

Tristan Flores (Duane Higgins/Lionel James/Reporter/Joshie Dancer/Cartoon Kid 1/Doll) Main Street Theater: The Wind in the Willows; A.D. Players Theater: Gift of the Magi, A Midnight Society; Sam Houston State University Theater: Marisol, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Sweeney Todd, Airness, Uncle Vanya, Silent Sky. Education: Sam Houston State University, Musical Theater.

Chad Fontenot (Rodrick/Chris Hosey/Joshie/Reporter/Mom Buck/Cartoon Doctor/Doll/Dance Captain) Main Street Theater: The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Crown Jewel, Stuart Little (Swing), The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Houston Grand Opera: Salome, Parsifal; Opera in the Heights: L’Italiana in Algeri; Creative Movement Practices: Macbeth; The Octarine Accord: Blast Radius; The Garden Theatre: Reefer Madness, Into the Woods, While Childhood Slept; Art Park Players: Mamma Mia, Little Shop of Horrors, The Producers; Texas A&M Corpus Christi: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Tempest, Peter + Wendy. Education: A.A., San Jacinto College, Music; B.A., Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Major in Theatre (Acting/Directing emphasis), Minor in Dance.

Matt Hurt (Greg) Main Street Theater: The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Sleeping Beauty The Musical, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder, Miss Nelson Is Missing! The Musical, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Cinderella, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Pete the Cat; Lamar University: So You Can Look Ahead, Twelfth Night, Luna Gale, The Comedy of Errors, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. Education: B.S., Lamar University, Theatre and Dance.

Jessy Martin (Dad/Mr. Underwood/Mr. Huff/8th Grader 2/Reporter/Mom Buck) Main Street Theater: Stuart Little, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, James and the Giant Peach, Cinderella; A.D. Players: Forever Plaid; Odeum Theater Company: A Sondheim Special; Creative Movement Practices: Treasure Island; Houston Christian University: Don Giovanni, A Grand Night for Singing. Education: B.A., Houston Christian University, Vocal Performance.

Jonah Mendoza (Swing) Main Street Theater: The Wind in the Willows, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast; Theaterworks USA: The Magic School Bus (National Tour); Prather Productions: The Addams Family; Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre: Fiddler on the Roof, The Secret Garden; Broadway Palm: Tilly the Trickster; Priscilla Beach Theater: Grease. Film/TV: Amazon Freevee/Prime: “Primo.”

Angela Pinina (Claire/Joshie Dancer/Reporter/Mom Buck/Cartoon Teacher/Doll) Main Street Theater: Sleeping Beauty The Musical, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Curious George: The Golden Meatball, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, The Wizard of Oz, Bunnicula, Duck for President (2016), Shrek the Musical; Catastrophic Theatre: Small Ball, The Tamarie Cooper Show (6 different shows), Speeding Motorcycle; Stages Repertory Theatre: Panto Wonderful Wizard; Garden Theatre: Reefer Madness; Obsidian Theatre: Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens; Dinolion: Lionshare; Lubbock Moonlight Musicals: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast; Queensbury Theatre: Whistle Down the Wind, Man of La Mancha; Strange Bird Immersive: Company Member.

Sarah Swift (Patty Farrell/Joshie Dancer/Reporter/Mom Buck/Doll) Main Street Theater: Sleeping Beauty The Musical; Sam Houston State University Theater: She Loves Me. Education: B.F.A., Sam Houston State University, Musical Theater.

Jimmy Phillips (Director/Choreographer) Main Street Theater: (Director/Choreographer) Sleeping Beauty The Musical, Fancy Nancy: The Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder, Cinderella, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School, A Year with Frog and Toad, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Pinkalicious (2012 & 2018), A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Wizard of Oz, Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas, Shrek the Musical, Lyle the Crocodile, Pippi Longstocking, Alice in Wonderland, (Actor) Urinetown, Happily Hereafter, Call Me Madam, Flora, the Red Menace, Into The Woods; Additional directing credits at Stages, Theater LaB Houston, Unity Theater, Little Room Downstairs, Celebration Theater, Thunderclap Productions, Global Harmony Productions. Extensive acting credits including TUTS, Theater LaB Houston, Unity Theater, A.D. Players, and Stages. Education: B.F.A., Stephens College, Theatre.

Steven Jones (Music Director) Main Street Theater: Sleeping Beauty The Musical, Fancy Nancy: The Musical, Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Crown Jewel, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type (Tour), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School, A Year with Frog and Toad, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Pinkalicious, The Wizard of Oz, Shrek the Musical, Pippi Longstocking, Alice in Wonderland, Flora, the Red Menace, Into the Woods, Urinetown, The Light in the Piazza, Schoolhouse Rock, Live!; Stages: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Little Shop of Horrors, Mack and Mabel, Next to Normal, Grey Gardens, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Company; Theater LaB Houston: The Musical of Musicals, Passion, Johnny Guitar, The Rink; A.D. Players: West Side Story, The Fantasticks, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Unity Theater: A Grand Night for Singing, Forever Plaid, Master Class; Texas Repertory Theater: Illyria; The Ensemble Theatre: Once On This Island. Education: B.A., Baylor University, Music; M.A., University of Texas, Music.

Lauren Davis (Properties Design/Scenic Charge) Main Street Theater: (Props Design) The Wind in the Willows, Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School, The Diary of Anne Frank, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Jackie & Me, (Scenic Charge) The Wind in the Willows, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Sleeping Beauty The Musical, Sherlock Holmes, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Don’t let the Pigeon drive the bus, Dog Act, A Year with Frog & Toad; Catastrophic Theater: (Properties Design and Charge Scenic Artist) Miss Laraj, Love Bomb, Spirits to Enforce, Tamarie’s TX Toast, Rhinoceros, (Properties Design) Cleansed, Curse of the Starving Class, Snow White, Trevor, Buried Child; Open Dance Project: (Properties Design) OZ, Red Landscape, 1968, Bonnie & Clyde, Galapagos; Stages: (Charge Scenic Artist) Alma en Venta, Panto Wonderful Wizard, Panto Unfrozen, Mack and Mabel, Xanadu, Panto Goldilocks, Road Show, Panto Mother Goose, Panto Red Riding Hood. Ms. Davis also works locally as a decorative painter and mural artist.

Laura Moreno (Costume Design) Main Street Theater: (Director) Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are n a Play!”, Carmela Full of Wishes, Last Stop on Market Street (Costume Design) Fancy Nancy The Musical, Miss Nelson Is Missing! The Musical!, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, Dragons Love Tacos; Alley Theatre: (Assistant Director): A Midsummer Night’s Dream, What-a-Christmas!; Mildred’s Umbrella: Ladies’ Night: Beckett Shorts; Lamar University: The Revolutionists; Jewish Community Center: Photograph 51; Horse Head Theatre Company: Church, Judgement of Fools; Gravity Players: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot; Duchesne Academy: Little Women, The Importance of Being Earnest, A Comedy of Errors, Antigone; Edgar Guajardo Theatrical Productions: School of the Americas. Education: M.F.A, University of Houston, Directing; M.A, University of Houston, Arts Leadership; B.F.A., University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance, Acting.

Shawn W. St. John (Sound Design) Shawn is an award-winning sound designer, composer, producer, audio engineer and voice artist. He has worked with Tony Award winning sound designer Tony Meola, as well as notable actors, playwrights and directors, including Eli Wallach, Sandy Duncan, Christopher Fitzgerald, Joanne Woodward, Calista Flockhart, Arthur Storch, Joe DiPietro, Beth Henley, John Rando, Jason Nodler and Mickle Maher. Sound designs include Main Street Theater: Sleeping Beauty The Musical, Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Crown Jewel, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Men on Boats, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Wolf Hall; A.D. Players: Miss Maude, Dear Jack, Dear Louise; The Catastrophic Theatre: Baby Screams Miracle, Speeding Motorcycle, Booty Candy; Unity Theatre: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Becky’s New Car; Berkshire Theatre Festival: Quills, Wilder Wilder; Additionally, Mr. St. John designs/mixes musicals for several educational theaters, and is a voice over artist and voice actor. Education: B.A., Rollins College, Theatre. www.fiver.com/stjohnstudios

Jon Young (Scenic Design) Main Street Theater: Debut; Regional design credits: Shepherd School of Music: The Ghost of Versailles, Street Scene and Don Giovanni; Houston Shakespeare Festival: Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear, Macbeth, Cymbeline, Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar and As You Like It; Theatre SilCo: Moriarty; Stages:  Dream: The Music of the Everly Brothers, Ring of Fire, Ultimate Christmas, Who’s Holiday, I and You, A Midnight Clear, Luna Gale. Mr. Young has designed over 30 productions at the University of Oklahoma for Dance, Drama, Opera and Musical Theatre. He is a Full Professor of Scenic Design and was recently named the James Garner Chair in Drama at the University of Oklahoma. https://www.youngscenicstudio.com @youngscenicstudio

Matthew Webb (Lighting Designer) Main Street Theater: Debut. Houston Symphony: Duke Bluebeard’s Castle; Arden Theatre: How I Learned What I Learned; Syracuse Stage: Once,  The Play That Goes Wrong; Seattle Children’s Theatre: The Journal of Ben Uchida, In This Corner: Cassius Clay; San Jose Rep: One Night With Janis Joplin; Contemporary American Theater Festival: What Will Happen to All That Beauty?; Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey: The Rose Tattoo; ZACH Theatre: Matilda, 10 others; Arkansas Rep: Guys and Dolls, 11 others; Cumberland County Playhouse: All Shook Up; Playhouse on the Square: The Scottsboro Boys; Magik Theatre: The BFG, The Velveteen Rabbit; Midland Festival Ballet: The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Assistant Professor, University of Houston, Lighting Design. Education: M.F.A, University of Washington.

Leighza F. Walker (Stage Manager) Main Street Theater: Debut. Education: University of Houston, Playwright (with Edward Albee).

Vivienne M. St. John (Theater for Youth Artistic Director) Main Street Theater: (Director) The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, A Little House Christmas, The Diary of Anne Frank, Jackie & Me, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Goodnight Moon, (Costume Design) Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business, Superfudge, Henry and Ramona, The Great Gilly Hopkins, If You Take a Mouse to School, Sideways Stories from Wayside School; Berkshire Theatre Festival: Assistant Production Manager, Visiting Mr. Green with Eli Wallach, Hay Fever with Joanne Woodward and Calista Flockhart, Jitta’s Atonement with Dianne Wiest, Free Fall with Sandy Duncan, Bill Graham Presents with Ron Silver; Company Manager: Four of a Kind, Good Company, Woman in Mind with Marlo Thomas and Elizabeth Franz, Over the River and Through the Woods; Production Manager: The Ray Davies Show. Worked at several Houston theaters including TheatreLab, Express Children’s Theater, and The Houston Grand Opera. Main Street Theater’s Theater for Youth Artistic Director since 2000.

Rebecca Greene Udden (Executive Artistic Director) Main Street Theater: (Director) The Year of Magical Thinking, Mother of the Maid, Darwin in Malibu, Elliot, a Soldier’s Fugue, The Hard Problem, The Book of Will, Hecuba and The Trojan Women, Troilus and Cressida, An Iliad and Twelfth Night with Prague Shakespeare Company (MST collaborations), Holes, Enemies, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies (First American Productions), Silent Sky, Peace in Our Time, Heartbreak House, The Real Thing (1986 & 2013), The Coast of Utopia, The Year of Magical Thinking, The Heidi Chronicles (2010 & 1992), Arcadia (2010 & 1996), The House of the Spirits (English-language premiere), Caroline, or Change, An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, The Rice (World Premiere), and many more; (Actor) Private Lives (2019), Memory House, Richard III (with Prague Shakespeare Company), The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Third, The Busy World Is Hushed, Somebody’s Sons, The Sisters Rosensweig, Hapgood, Hamlet, and more; (Costume Design) numerous productions; Prague Shakespeare Company: (Director) Twelfth Night. Catastrophic Theatre: Advisory Board. Wordsmyth Theater Company: Advisory Board. Member, American Leadership Forum Class XVI.