Laurel Whitsett returns to Amphibian Stage following previous performances in The Visit, Animals Out of Paper, and Death Tax. She’s worked with additional local theatre companies such as Circle, Stage West, Undermain, Theatre 3, and Dallas Theater Center, and toured internationally with Bob the Builder Live! On-screen, audiences may recognize her as Sheriff Terry Frankel meeting an untimely end in Splinter, as the sharp-witted librarian in Super opposite Rainn Wilson, or from her role in Premonition with Sandra Bullock. Behind the camera, she’s coached dialogue for Alice Braga (Queen of the South) and Chuck Norris (Walker, Texas Ranger). For a full overview of her film and TV work, check out her IMDb page. A lifelong learner, Laurel’s academic achievements include a BA in Theatre Arts (UC San Diego), MA in Drama Text & Performance Studies (University of London & the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), MA in Linguistics (UT Arlington, UTA), and PhD candidacy at UTA where her dissertation focuses on sociolinguistic and pragmatic phenomena in American Sign Language (ASL). She also works full-time at UTA in the Theatre Arts & Dance department, Disability Studies minor, and Modern Languages, blending her passions for performance and learning. Her scholarly work, including publications in journals like Curriculum and Pedagogy, reflects a commitment to accessibility and innovation, earning her the 2024 Experiential Learning Faculty Fellowship to revamp course curricula. As a state-certified ASL interpreter, she combines her interdisciplinary expertise by serving as the sign language consultant to enhance meaning in productions like Clybourne Park (Dallas Theater Center) and Constellations (TheaterWorks Hartford and DTC). She dedicates her work in Rooted to her late father, Dr. David Whitsett, a psychologist and educator who was fascinated by human behavior. Like EMERY, he typically preferred nature to people, rendering his ability to make people feel extraordinary that much more remarkable.

Laurel Collins is thrilled to be back at Amphibian, where she was last seen in Sparkfest and Miss Molly. Laurel loves performing in Fort Worth with Amphibian Stage, Stage West (POTUS, Poor Clare, and Into the Breeches), Casa Manana (Mary Poppins Jr., High School Musical, Charlotte’s Web), though she has also ventured as far as WaterTower Theater, Irving MainStage, and Onstage Bedford. She also does commercials, VO, and independent film whenever she can. She cohosts and produces a weekly podcast with her sister called Sumo Kaboom. In her twenties, Laurel was a Broadway dancer in The Will Roger Follies and The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public. She also worked in many regional theatres across the US before attending graduate school in New Zealand. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and a MTA in Directing. When she’s not performing, you can find her writing, teaching, playing ukulele, or hiking with her blue heeler mix Tia.

Aren Hugo is so very excited to be making their Amphibian Stage debut! Aren has been seen most recently in Open (Staged Reading) with Echo Reads and The Wars of the Roses (Staged Reading) with Shakespeare Dallas; where other credits include Julius Caesar and Two Gentlemen of Verona. She has also been in, Mary Poppins at WaterTower Theatre, Something Wicked at Altar’d Playhouse, and Pandora’s Box of Donuts with A Light in Dark Places. Aren would like to thank their family and friends for their support as they work to make the arts their full time career.

Scott Evans directed The Museum of Broken Relationships at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and Aspen Theatre Festival. Other directing credits include Pittsburgh CLO’s annual production of A Musical Christmas Carol (starring Richard Thomas, Michael Cerveris, and Charles Shaughnessy, 2020 PBS Broadcast), as well as regional and university productions of Hand to God, The Ruby Sunrise, The Foreigner, Picture Perfect, Puffs, The Fantasticks, and Biloxi Blues. He was Associate Director for the New York premiere of Jeffrey Hatcher’s Ten Chimneys, the Off-Broadway revival of The Silver Cord, and multiple shows for Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre. Scott is Artistic Director of Somerled Arts and has developed new works with the O’Neill, the American Music Theatre Project, Olney Theatre Center, SpeakEasy Stage, Theatre Aspen, NYU, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Sean Urbantke is the Theatre Program Coordinator for Anne Arundel Community College just outside Annapolis, MD. He is an Assistant Professor teaching courses in Theatrical Design and Technology for AACC’s Performing Arts Department, and the faculty advisor for the “Moonlight Troupers” student engagement club. He holds a M.F.A. in Scenic Design from the University of Maryland College Park and his B.F.A in Theatre from Texas Christian University. In his capacity as lead or assistant scenic designer, he has worked on over 90 productions in eight different states from Texas to Indiana to New York. His designs have been featured at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, the Capital Fringe Festival, the Trinity Shakespeare Festival, 1st Stage, No Rules Theatre Company, the August Wilson Center for African American Studies, African Continuum Theatre Company, and Kids Who Care of Ft. Worth, TX, to name a few. Schools he’s designed for include the University of Maryland College Park, Loyola University of Maryland, Huntington University in Indiana, the University of Northern Iowa, Texas Christian University as an alumnus professional, and Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania. Urbantke is always hunting for new and innovative approaches that combat accessibility challenges in the entertainment design industry, such as tape measures and scale rulers with digital readouts or ways to use generative A.I. to supplement designers’ abilities to bring the imagery in their heads out on paper in order to bring their ideas to reality.

Kathleen Culebro is thrilled to be back at Amphibian in a creative role and is grateful for the opportunity to design costumes again. At Amphibian she has designed costumes for SPACEMAN, NO CHILD, SHE WOLF, BANK JOB, A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN, and THREE DAYS OF RAIN and sets for THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, DARK PLAY OR STORIES FOR BOYS, MISS WITHERSPOON, BELOW THE BELT, FOUR EDGES, LEONCE & LENA, THREE DAYS OF RAIN, and BURN THIS. Also a playwright, she is the author of THE AMAZING, FABULOUS AND SPECTACULAR UNTRUTHS OF JUAN GARCIA, SMART PRETTY FUNNY, LA LLORONA, and A LEOPARD COMPLAINS OF ITS SPOTS. For 25 years she was the Founding Artistic Director of Amphibian Stage.

Josh Nguyen is ecstatic to debut at Amphibian Stage for Miss Molly. Previous Stage Management Credits: The Tender Land (Baylor Opera), Godspell, The Ballad of Little Jo (Assistant at WaterTower Theater). Josh is usually seen billed as a Sound Designer around the DFW metroplex. Selected works: Our Dear Dead Drug Lord (Second Thought Theatre), The Mountaintop (Circle Theatre), Clue (Associate Design at Dallas Theater Center), Side by Side by Sondheim (Associate Design at RepSTL). Josh holds a BFA in Theatre Design & Technology from Baylor University and is a member of the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association. Josh hopes to be part of the next generation of theater educators, making the medium and field more accessible and equitable. joshuanguyen.net @jashngooyen

Adam Chamberlin (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to be returning to Amphibian Stage Productions. He is the managing director of theatre production and associate professor of lighting and sound design for the Department of Dance and Theatre at the University of North Texas. Previously, he has taught as an assistant professor for the dance department at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is currently serving on the Leadership of the Lighting Commission for the United States Institute for Theatre Technology as awards coordinator and poster session co-coordinator. Previously, he has held the positions of vice-commissioner of special projects and light lab designer. He has designed lighting for companies including The Latin Ballet of Virginia, Shakespeare Dallas, Oklahoma City Rep., One World Theatre, Stage West, K-Dance, Kitchen Dog, and WaterTower Theatre. He was a founding member of Dysfunctional Theatre Company in NYC and Amaranth Contemporary Dance in Richmond, VA. In addition, he is a founding member of the Beyond the Sock Puppetry. He holds an MFA in theatrical design from the University of Texas at Austin.

Kaitlin Hatton is excited to be working with Amphibian Stage again! Recent stage management includes What The Constitution Means to Me, Sherlock Holmes, Marjorie Prime, Handle With Care, Between Riverside and Crazy, Witch, On The Exhale (Stage West), Handless King, Baba, Spaceman, The Hollow, Egress, Hans & Sophie, She-Wolf, Gutenberg! The Musical!, Babette’s Feast, Lonely Planet, and Artist Descending A Staircase (Amphibian Stage Productions), I’m Proud of You, The Other Josh Cohen, Tiny Beautiful Things (Circle Theatre). Recent props designs include Little Women, La Boheme, La Medium (FW Opera), The Persians (Undermain Theatre), Ann (WaterTower Theatre), Instructions for a Seance, Baba, Spaceman, Marie Antoinette (Amphibian Stage Productions), Kodachrome, Fences, Young Frankenstein, An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf, The Glass Menagerie, The Last Wide Open, and One Man, Two Guvnors (Circle Theatre). Kaitlin holds a BFA in Theatre – Design and Technology from Texas Wesleyan University and teaches Stage Management there. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and received the 2019 Live Theatre League Bill Garber Young Artist Award.

Bella is a production designer, art director, prop builder, and scenic artist. She received her B.A. in technical theatre from West Texas A&M University. Bella now works as a freelancer in advertising, film, and theater. She worked recently as the production designer for 2022 Lone Star Film Festival official selection Pool Service and 2022 Micheaux Film Festival and 2022 National Black Film Festival official selection Blue Porcelain. Her work with Amphibian Stage includes the props design and scenic painting for The Hollow and Miss Molly along with scenic painting for Spaceman and Baba.

Levi Richey is a graduate of UT Arlington with a bachelors in musical theatre. He is proud to have been a part of many productions at Amphibian including IMSTRUCTIOMS FOR A SEANCE and MARIE AND ROSETTA. Levi is also a makeup artist and currently studying wig building. @goodmoringitslevi on all platforms.