The Visit

Elly Lindsay moved to Dallas in the fall of 1977 from the East Coast. She was promptly cast as small town Texas girl, Margie Lynn Kayro in Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home and had to learn a Texas accent. Cheryl Denson kept telling her to smile more. Elly was last seen at Amphibian Theater Company as Player One (Dean and others) in Babette’s Feast. She also appeared as Grace in Vigil. Most recently Elly played Linda French in Grand Horizons at Stage West and Grandma in Undermain Theater’s workshop production of David Rabe’s He’s Born, He’s Borne. Recent roles include Annie Nations in Foxfire at Theatre Three, Mertis Katherine in John at Undermain (DFW Critics Forum Award). Other roles include: Mrs. Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility for Stolen Shakespeare Guild, Grandma in The American Dream and The Sandbox for Wingspan Theater; Lily in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks at Theater Too; Daisy Werthan in Driving Miss Daisy at FMPAT; Annabelle Chester in Snake in the Grass at Circle Theater (Ft. Worth Weekly – best show); Beth & others in String of Pearls and Evelyn Miller in Kindertransport for Echo Theater; and Judith Bliss in Hay Fever for Theater Britain. Elly also appeared as Carrie Watts in The Trip to Bountiful at The Contemporary Theater of Dallas for which she received D Magazine’s Best Actress of 2011 and the DFW Critics Forum Award. In her forty years in Dallas, she has also appeared at the Dallas Theater Center, the Dallas Children’s Theater, the Dallas Shakespeare Festival, and New Arts. New York credits include The Manhattan Theater Club and Café LaMama. Her television credits include “Dallas”, “Dangerous Curves”, “Fire & Rain”, and “Wishbone”. She appeared in the independent film LATE BLOOMERS, the short film THE HUSBAND and the independent film, STUCK. Elly taught for over twenty years at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts. Love to her mainstay and support, husband Randy Bonifay.

Since moving to Texas several years ago, Malcolm has had the pleasure of appearing in several DFW area productions. Favorite roles include Robert Falcon Scott in “Terra Nova” at the Sanders Theatre in Fort Worth, and Lear in “King Lear” at the Bath House Theatre. In August, Malcolm appeared as Max in Harold Pinter’s “The Homecoming,” also at the Bath House. In New York, Malcolm worked on Broadway (“The Sisters Rosensweig”), Off-Broadway (“The End of the Day” at Playwrights Horizons), and Off-Off Broadway (“Time Stands Still” at Theatre for the New City and “Trial” at the Beckmann Theatre). He also appeared on the daytime dramas “One Life to Live” and “Guiding Light.” Malcolm currently co-stars as Nikolai in “1883,” and will be appearing as Leonard Mullin in the limited series “Born Again,” to be released early next year. He trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Patrick Bynane is originally from Northeast Ohio and has lived and worked across the US. He has a Ph.D in Theatre History from LSU (Geaux Tigers!) and is a proud member of Actors Equity. He has lived in Denton, TX since 2006 when he moved there to join the Texas Woman’s University Theatre Program. He is Program Director for TWU Theatre and is currently enjoying a semester sabbatical to pursue creative and scholarly projects. He is thrilled to return to the Amphibian stage where he has previously been seen in this past summer’s SparkFest, Babette’s Feast and A Lost Leonardo among other productions.

A graduate of the School of Performing Arts in New York City, Michael has performed Nationally and Internationally in theater and film roles. Some of his favorite theater roles include: Mister in The Color Purple (Pollard Theater), Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet (OKC Shakespeare), and Murray in The Odd Couple (Lyric Theater). Other Regional Equity roles include: Ken in Ain’t Misbehavin (Theatreworks), TonTon in Once on This Island (American Musical Theater), Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theatreworks), Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors (American Musical Theater). National Equity tours include roles of Martin Luther King in the musical Martin, and vocal soloist performances with the Denver Symphony and Philadelphia Pops. Television credits include Soloist at NFL Super Bowl Halftime show. Michael’s recent films credits include: The Girl Who Believes in Miracles, Walter in A Country Romance, and as Detective Morris Patterson in Gremlin. This spring Michael was last seen as Officer Buttons in the Lions Gate production of The Quest for Tom Sawyer’s Gold.

Laurel Whitsett (she/her) is excited to be working with Amphibian again, having taken some time off to earn a second master’s in Linguistics from UT Arlington. Now a PhD student there, her research focuses on issues at the intersection of theatre arts and accessibility, American Sign Language, and humor interpretation. Laurel teaches at UTA in Theatre Arts, Disability Studies, and Modern Languages, preferring to experience the world using naturalist John Muir’s philosophy, “all things are connected”. With a background in improvisation from King’s College London, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and Fort Worth’s own Four Day Weekend (woot!), Laurel guides UTA’s Improvisation track. She’s a state-certified ASL-English interpreter and has worked with the Dallas Theater Center and TheaterWorks Hartford as the American Sign Language and British Sign Language coach on their productions of ‘Clybourne Park’ and ‘Constellations’. Are you a horror film fan? Check out Laurel’s untimely demise in ‘Splinter’, or for a tamer experience you can see her as the acerbic librarian in ‘Super’ alongside Rainn Wilson, or even as the snarky carpool leader in ‘Premonition’ with Sandra Bullock. Laurel has diverse experience in dialogue coaching, dialect coaching, editing, and directing, including working with Chuck Norris on the final season of ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ and with Alice Braga for ‘Queen of the South’. Fun facts: she was an NFL cheerleader, is a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan, has an identical twin sister, and adores her 3-legged cat, Tuppence.

Amanda Reyes is a Tejana actor and filmmaker based in Fort Worth, Texas. She has a B.A. in Media Arts from UNT and an M.F.A. in Directing Narrative Cinema from Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema in Brooklyn, NY. Her theater credits includes The Diaries of Adam and Eve, The Butterfly’s Evil Spell, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Thyona in Big Love at Hip Pocket Theater, The Texas Book of Beats at Arts Fort Worth, My Brother and Sister with Wings at Artes de la Rosa Theater and The Teacher in Amphibian Stage’s The Visit. She is beyond thrilled to be returning to Amphibian Stage in this incredible production with such an outstanding cast and crew.

Melissa is thrilled to be returning to Amphibian Stage where she was last seen in BABETTE’S FEAST. Favorite regional credits include GOD OF CARNAGE, TITANIC, SOUTH PACIFIC, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, JOSEPH…DREAMCOAT, and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Melissa has also performed in many musical revues and industrials in New York City, regional theatres across the country and overseas. She has appeared as a Barbie for Mattel and been a featured singer for the Macy’s Flower Show in New York City. Melissa holds a BME in voice from Baylor University and attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Melissa is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Thank you to Kathleen and Jay for this opportunity.

Tanner Mobley is thrilled to be once again a part of the amazing team at Amphibian Stage! He was last seen as Karl/Ensemble in Amphibian’s October 2023 production of The Visit in collaboration with the University of Texas at Arlington, a school in which he has just graduated with his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from this past spring (Mav up!). Tanner spends a lot of time behind a camera when not performing in front of one or not on the stage, doing headshot photography for local actors and other styles of portrait photography. Alongside running his professional photography business, Tanner loves to write and create his own short films with his closest friends, sharing them to social media in hopes to give others joy in his creations. Tanner would love to thank everyone who came out to witness this wonderful production, as well his parents, family, friends, and his beautiful Fiancé, Olivia.

Johanna Nchekwube is thrilled to be a part of the cast and crew of “The Visit”. This is her first show at Amphibian Stage. Her previous notable productions include “Manic Monologues” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” at WaterTower Theater, “Someone Like Me” at the Riot Act Theatre, and “Memphis the Musical” at Theatre Three. A huge thanks goes to all who brought this courageous piece of Art together and to my family and friends. IG: @jolove1

Gwen Mowdy is beyond grateful to be taking part in her first production at Amphibian Stage! She is currently a junior at The University of Texas at Arlington pursuing a BFA in Acting. She has most recently been seen as Viola in Twelfth Night at Upright Theatre Company, and as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at the Maverick Theatre Company at UTA. She would like to thank Jay Duffer for the opportunity, as well as her fellow cast and crew. She sends special thanks to her family, friends, and professors at UTA for all their love and support!

Kimberly is blessed to be making her Amphibian Stage debut. She is currently going into her second year at the University of Texas at Arlington pursuing her BFA in Acting. Recent credits include Romeo and Juliet, Night of the Living Dead with the UTA Maverick Theatre Company, and Almost Maine at Onstage In Bedford. She recently contributed to Devourer, a short horror film written and directed by Isaiah Navarro. Kimberly is so honored to be a part of a fantastic masterpiece that will take the audience on an electrifying journey. She is grateful for the support of her family, friends, and mentors, to create captivating art. www.thekimberlyt.com

Caleb De La Torre is thrilled to make his debut in “The Visit” at Amphibian Stage. He was last seen portraying the role of Claudio in “Much Ado About Nothing” at Shakespeare Dallas and Tulsa in “Gypsy” at Theatre Arlington. With a passion for both stage and screen, Caleb has also been actively involved in a film production company alongside his talented roommates. You can support his team by giving them a follow @fluidityfilms on instagram. Caleb is grateful for the grace given to him by God and the support of his family, friends, and mentors. He thanks you for coming out to Amphibian this fall and hopes you enjoy “The Visit”!

Jovane Caamaño is thrilled to be making theatre with Amphibian Stage again!

Other regional theatres with which he’s worked include Kitchen Dog Theater, Stage West Theatre, Circle Theatre, Undermain Theatre, Theatre Three, Hip Pocket Theatre, Danielle Georgiou Dance Group, Theatre Arlington, and Second Thought Theatre. He also performed in three seasons of the Trinity Shakespeare Festival, multiple readings with MusicalWriters.com, and in Wishing Star Productions’ national tour of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer the Musical.

Jovane earned his BFA in Theatre with an emphasis in Musical Theatre from TCU. He is passionate about his work teaching theatre and other fine arts at Key School and Training Center in Fort Worth and teaching with Story Stage.

Jay Duffer directed The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) for Amphibian both in 2014 and 2017, and Babbette’s Feast in 2019. He will direct Marie Antoinette in our 2022 season. Past Amphibian acting credits include Wittenberg, The Nosemaker’s Apprentice, The Mystery of Irma Vep and the workshop production of David Davalos’ Daedalus (Retitled A Lost Leonardo). He has professional acting and directing credits spanning several decades and has performed in theatres from Off-Broadway, to regional theatres, to productions overseas. Jay has been involved in new works and script development with Threads Theatre Company (serving as a Founding Member and the Executive Director of New Works), Pulse Ensemble Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Source, Kaleidoscope Theatre Company, Fort Wayne Civic Theatre and Brooklyn based The Artful Conspirators. His play, Asleep in the Arms of God, received its world premiere in November 2017 at the Box Theatre in Riverside, CA produced by New Threads Productions (CA). His play, Big Girl, Little World premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival. His latest play, naked, was included in Amphibian’s inaugural SPARKFEST in the summer of 2021. Prior to joining Amphibian as Managing Director, Jay was Associate Professor of Theatre and Department Chair at Huntington University in Indiana. At HU, he directed a wide variety of approximately 50 plays and musicals while heading the theatre program. Jay currently teaches Directing for the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas Arlington. He is a member of Actors Equity Association and is an Associate Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Hailey has worked in Stage Management in DFW since 2015. Her previous work includes Casa Manana, the Actors Conservatory Theatre, The Classics Theatre Project, Stagewest, Imprint Theatreworks: First Impressions Festival, Altered Shakespeare, Prism Movement Theatre, Watertower Theatre, Ochre House Theatre, Amphibian Stage & Shakespeare Dallas. She holds a bachelor of arts in Theatrical Performance.

Leah Mazur, MFA University of Kansas, is a multidisciplinary scenographer (scenic/lighting/costume designer) and visual artist based in the DFW metroplex. Her research explores the blurring of lines between experiencing and becoming performance, the intersections of interactive installation and performance art, as well as the integration of XR (extended reality) into the performing arts as a means of accessibility and expanded storytelling. She is an active designer with both national and international profiles, focusing on the development of new works and the foregrounding of femme voices and predominately women/femme- led production teams.
Select credits include productions at Spinning Tree Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, Kansas Repertory Theatre (Kansas City), Lake Dillon Theatre Company (Colorado), Cape May Stage (New Jersey), Anacostia Playhouse, Scena Theatre (Washington D.C.), Amphibian Stage, Theatre Three, Altar’d Playhouse, SheDFW, Stage West, and Circle Theatre (DFW), Art Haus (New York), RuPaul’s Drag Con (Los Angeles), and Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland). Upcoming projects include work at Undermain Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, Circle Theatre, and Second Thought Theatre.
She is currently head of the Design & Technology BFA program in the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance at the University of Texas at Arlington.

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.

David Lanza has been sound designing in DFW for some time now, is excited to still be sound designing, and looks forward to sound designing more in the future. He also loves the Phibs always and forever. Pro-tip: eat half of your cookie now, and save the other half for a late night snack after the show. Follow David Lanza Audio on Facebook or go to www.DavidLanzaAudio.com to learn more. I might also have an Instagram, but I’m not sure. Or look up my LiveJournal I had in high school. Love to Nikki, Maggie, Peter, and the Oxford comma.

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.

Rune is a senior BFA Design & Technology student at UTA with a focus in scenic design. They have worked on many shows including most recently Sweeney Todd and Romeo & Juliet. They currently work in the scene shop at UTA as a student assistant.

Susan has been the costume shop supervisor for TCU School of Classical and Contemporary Dance since 2013, designing and constructing costumes and recently retired from that role and is currently the resident costume designer for Hip Pocket Theatre’s 47th season. She is a Fort Worth native, growing up in the local dance/theatre community. She has also worked on costumes for Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, Bruce Wood Dance, Pegasus Contemporary Ballet, Tarrant County College NE Dance, Amphibian Stage Productions, Fort Worth Opera, Hip Pocket Theatre, Richardson High School Theatre Magnet, Gayle Corkery School of Ballet, Fort Worth Country Day Theatre Department and Ballet Department, Festival Ballet of North Texas, Taps N Tunes, Midland Ballet and individual dancers. She has performed in multiple shows at Hip Pocket Theatre, her favorite being “A Wisepecker Christmas.” She enjoys stage managing and toured with Basil Twist’s puppet production of “Petruska,”, which performed with the Fort Worth Symphony and the Phoenix Symphony. She is eternally grateful for the friendship and mentorship of Diane Simons and aspires to reflect her talent in current Hip Pocket costume designs.