Shakespeare on the Rocks: Welcome!

Alberto Armenta

Bernardo (Hamlet); Roderigo (Othello); Grumio (Taming of the Shrew);
Lucifer/Valdes/Devil 3 (Dr. Faustus)

Born in El Paso, TX but grew up in San Diego California. His interest in acting came about in middle school when his school introduced a program for young actors and he has been hooked ever since. In High school, he was awarded with "Outstanding Student" award for drama in 2005, which was the first in the school's history. His major at EPCC is theatre and thur far he has performed in “Bernabe”, “Lost in Yonkers”, and “I Have This Friend”. “Its been an awesome journey so far and I hope it continues.”

Johnathan Cantrell

Sea Captain (Twelfth Night); Lodovico (Othello); Tailor (Taming of the Shrew); Cornelius/Beelzebub/Devil 4 (Dr. Faustus)

Jonathan is studying theater at EPCC where his past season he appeared as the Judge in Bocón, was on the crew for I, played Jay in Lost in Yonkers, and was in I Have This Friend. This summer he was a Tutor for the EPISD summer theater program Nosotros III. He appeared as Friar John in last season's Romeo and Juliet.

Raul Chavez

Player Prince (Hamlet); Clown (Twelfth Night); Tranio (Taming of the Shrew); Wagner (Dr. Faustus)

Raul is a fine arts student at UTEP where over the past two seasons he appeared as Moth in A Midsummer Night's Dream, The General in The Balcony, Indian in The Indian Wants the Bronx, Cesill in How to Survive in Corporate America, and Guy in Hurry!. He also played Miguel in Bocón at EPCC. He has been in Viva El Paso! for the past two seasons.

Elizabeth Dahl

Widow (Taming of the Shrew); Good Angel (Dr. Faustus)

Elizabeth has worked with several international and national non-profit organizations and is a prominent member of several women’s groups in the El Paso Area. The product of NY theatre parents, Elizabeth inevitably found her way to the stage. She was most recently in Blithe Spirit at the El Paso Playhouse. This is her first season with SotR.

Roger Estrada

Laertes (Hamlet); Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Twelfth Night); Cassio (Othello); Lucentio (Taming of the Shrew); Dr. Faustus (Dr. Faustus)

Roger has been acting for the past 13 years and has worked in the Theatre as well as on film. He was currently seen at the El Paso Playhouse in "Leading Ladies" and he appeared on the local public access comedy show "Simple Minded Programming" which ran for 2 years. This is Roger's 4th season with SOTR.

Rick Fitzgerald
Polonius (Hamlet)

Rick has been acting since 1979. He got his start at the University of Texas at Austin. He has been married to his beautiful wife Lisa for 22 years, they have 3 children and one grandson. He moved to El Paso 6 months ago and began acting at the El Paso Playhouse.

Danny Fogle Jr.

Hamlet (Hamlet); Orsino (Twelfth Night); Pertruchio (Taming of the Shrew)

Danny Fogle has been with SOTR since 1996. He has been the Company Manager for over five years. Danny has been acting for 27 years. Most recently he was seen onstage at the El Paso Playhouse as Leo Clark In “Leading Ladies.” Danny is a Technical Theatre teacher in the Ysleta Independent School District .

Carlos de la Garza-Garcia

The Pope (Dr. Faustus)

A native El Pasoan, Carlos has studied theater and acting at UT Austin, UTEP, Cornell, the Stella Adler Workshop and other Acting Institutions. He has performed with almost every theater company in El Paso, as well as 12 seasons with Theater, Inc. and Professional Summer Stock in New York. He counts as his greatest theatrical accomplishment having acted and directed Zarzuelas in El Paso. An accomplished linguist and educator, Carlos is a private teacher and tutor. Most recently he narrated "The Sleeping Beauty" with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra and Ingebor Heuser's Ballet Company for Eden Productions.
Favorite Quote: " 'All the world's a stage'...the play is just badly cast!" Oscar Wilde

Brian Giza

Sir Toby Belch (Twelfth Night); Brabantio (Othello);
Evil Angel (Dr. Faustus)

Brian is an actor and dancer who is also a professor of Science and Technology Education at UTEP. He has danced with Ballet El Paso, the UTEP Ballet, and Viva El Paso!. He has performed for many years with SotR including many as Egeus (Midsummer); Ceasar, Lepidus (Julius Caeser); Peter, Lord Montague (Romeo and Juliet); and Gonzalo (Tempest). In 2009, he directed Tempest. Last year, he danced the role of Drosselmayer in the El Paso Youth Ballet's production of The Nutcracker. He is also a professional printmaker and photographer whose work is on view at his website www.balletart.com.

Aaron Hernandez
Horatio (Hamlet)

Aaron began acting in high school and is excited about his first show with Shakespeare on the Rocks. He most recently appeared in “Murder on the Nile” and “The Boys Next Door” at the El Paso Playhouse.

Rick Hernandez
Antonio (Twelfth Night)

Rick is a standup comedian and musician. A native El Pasoan, he is a member of Sangre Gitana, a band at plays rumba flamenco. As a comedian, he appears regularly with Sun City Comedy at different venues, especially Mavericks Bar & Grill on Montana. This is his third season with SotR, reprising his role as Antonio after making his debut as Feste in Twelfth night. He is studying theater at EPCC and appeared as as Torres/La Luna in Bernabé.

Moises Hinojos
Gravedigger 2 (Hamlet)

Moy's first role onstage was a high school Shakespeare production of Romeo and Juliet as Lord Capulet. He went on to be part of the National Honor Drama Society and kept doing theater for over 10 years. In 2004 he moved to Albuquerque to pursue a career in film and he went on to participate in over 15 films from independent films to major motion pictures. He moved back to El Paso and continued working on film and theater at the El Paso Playhouse where he served as a board member in 2009 and where he, along with other like-minded individuals, formed an independent film production company titled FEED productions and are currently in the pre-production stage of their first full length feature film.

Leslie Horvath
Gertrude (Hamlet)

Leslie grew up around the theater since both of her parents were actors and directors in the El Paso area. She recently took acting back up, appearing in the Imaginary Invalid at the El Paso Playhouse.

Fred Keyser
Claudius (Hamlet); Duke (Othello); Vincentio (Taming)

Fred has been a part of the El Paso theatre scene for over thirty years. In addition to acting onstage he has also produced, directed, and written shows for theatres here in the city as weel as nationwide, including KIDS-N-CO, Aardvark Theater, Gilbert and Sullivan Co. of El Paso, Company of Stage (Houston), Burke Centre Players (Virginia), Upstairs Theater Downtown, anfd UTEP Theater and Opera. After serving as president of the board at the El Paso Playhouse for seven years he is now taking some time to enjoy his retirement and take part in his first season of SOTR.

Vanessa Keyser

Director (Hamlet); Maria (Twelfth Night); Emilia (Othello); Katharina (Taming of the Shrew)

Vanessa Keyser has been with SOTR for three seasons. She has also performed in the Shakespeare on the Run troupe. In addition to SOTR, Vanessa has been involved with the El Paso Playhouse for 12 years. She has acted, directed, served on the Board of Directors at EPPH, and is currently the theatre administrator there. Vanessa is the proud mom of three fantastic kids- all of whom have made their stage debuts at young ages.

Andrew Leal

Osric (Hamlet); Curio (Twelfth Night); Baptista (Taming of the Shrew);
Devil 1/Envy/Sloth/Silent/Priest 1 (Dr. Faustus)

Andrew holds an MA in English Literature from Syracuse University and returns for his second season with SotR. He has acted in several El Paso Playhouse productions; favorite roles include Mr. Needham (No Sex Please, We’re British) and changing voices to play Harry Bailey and others in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play . An animation and film scholar, he’s contributed to multiple books, including critical examinations of Jim Henson’s puppet work for Kermit Culture (2005) and a forthcoming follow-up From Fraggle Rock to Farscape (both published by McFarland).

Nathaniel Long

Malvolio (Twelfth Night); Iago (Othello); Hortensio (Taming of the Shrew); Mephistopheles (Dr. Faustus)

Has been working with the Shakespeare on the Rocks theatre company since 2005. In addition to acting he also serves as the company's dramaturg. His roles to date include Prospero in The Tempest, Iago in Othello, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Cassius in Julius Caesar, Theseus and Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hortensio in Taming of the Shrew, and Lord Capulet in Romeo & Juliet. He is currently working towards a Master's Degree in English and American Literature at UTEP.

Joseph Martinez III

Fabian (Twelfth Night); Othello (Othello); Director (Dr. Faustus)

A Speech Professor at EPCC, Joseph has been involved in public performance for almost 40 years working as a stand-up comic and an actor on stage and in feature films. He joined SotR in 1994, continuing in ’95, ’96, ’99, ’00 and returning for 2007 to the present. Joseph is the SotR Company’s Secretary of Records. He returns to the director’s chair since Julius Caesar for SotR in 2009.

Rachel Mullins

Olivia (Twelfth Night); Desdemona (Othello)

This season, Rachel Mullins makes her debut with Shakespeare on the Rocks. A native El Pasoan, Rachel's theater career started 17 years ago as a techie at Socorro High School. She received her Theater Arts and Women's Studies degree at Concordia College in Minnesota, then relocated to Minneapolis where she was a professional stage manager and assistant director for five years. Since returning to El Paso, Rachel teaches theater with the Ysleta Independent School District and stays active in the local arts community. She has appeared on stage at the UTEP Dinner Theater and, most recently, at the El Paso Playhouse in "Leading Ladies".

Angela Rios

Ofelia (Hamlet); Viola (Twelfth Night); Bianca (Taming of the Shrew)

Angela is a student at El Paso Community College, and she will be graduating in December of this year with an associates degree in drama. She started acting 2 years ago and has since preformed in 7 plays. This is her first time being cast in a Shakespeare production, and she is excited to gain acting experience while doing something new. She will move to Albuquerque after graduation to pursue an acting career in film.

Shanttal Saad

Attendent (Twelfth Night); Bianca (Othello);
Helen of Troy/Pride/Greed/Leachery (Dr. Faustus)

Shanttal Saad was born in Corona, California, but lived in Mexico City for 18 years. Shanttal left Mexico and moved to El Paso to study Drama in hopes of achieving her dreams. She is glad to have the opportunity to work with the SOTR team and she is excited to do her best to make this experience the beginning of many other plays and projects in her life. “When I was a little kid I used to see my mom on stage and knew that one day I would be there.”

Jesse Snyder

Ghost (Hamlet); Director (Twelfth Night);
Montano (Othello); Biondello (Taming of the Shrew); Bishop/Emperor (Dr. Faustus)

Jesse Snyder, 28, teaches Japanese at Alicia R. Chacon International School for Ysleta ISD. He has lived in El Paso for 7 years, but grew up and started acting in York, Pennsylvania. He would like to thank Diane Crews for getting him started in acting and his friends and family for all their support. This is his 5th year with Shakespeare on the Rocks and his favorite role has been Caliban in The Tempest.

Hector Sepulveda III

Philip (Taming of the Shrew); Devil 2/Gluttony/Wrath/Silent/Priest 2 (Dr. Faustus)

His interests include poetry, theology, martial arts, science, and theatre. He has been acting since his senior year of high school when he was chosen for the role of Dr. Dumaya in the student led production of Razia's Shadow. He is currently studying chemistry at EPCC

Ron Szatkowski
Gravedigger 1 (Hamlet)

Amanda Vasquez
Player Queen (Hamlet)

Amanda has been performing for 20 years, most recently at the El Paso Playhouse, but she has also performed at the Aardvark Theater and several other theaters in the Los Angeles area. She is thrilled to be back in El Paso and working with Shakespeare on the Rocks.

Marcelino Velasquez

Priest 1/Scholar 1 (Dr. Faustus)

Marcelino is a music major at EPCC and has appeared in Shakespeare on the Rocks previously in the production of Romeo and Juliet as Gregory/Balthazar. He is currently with the El Paso Performer's Studio in "Eleven" and "My Big Gay Italian Wedding."

Alexander Wright

Marcellus (Hamlet); Sebastian (Twelfth Night); Soldier (Othello); Priest 2/Scholar 2 (Dr. Faustus)

Alex is a student at EPCC and work-studyment for the Drama Department. This season, he appeared as La Madre in Bernabé, Arty in Lost in Yonkers, ensemble in I Have This Friend, and stage managed Bocón. A member of EPCC's Performers Studio, he played in this summer's production of My Big Gay Italian Wedding. While at Burgess High School, he appeared in Zoot Suit (Judge), Man of La Mancha (Barber), and Fiddler on the Roof (Mordechai).

Production and Support Staff

John Estrada (Tech)

An EPCC and UTEP graduate, John has worked in film and TV in props, graphics, special effects, make-up, and prosthetics. His credits include the public access TV show Simple Mindd Programming. He works as a master tutor at the EPCC Center for students with disabilities. This is his fourth season with the Festival.

Cornelia Patterson

(Vocal/Dialect Coach) MFA Theatre Arts.

A member of VASTA, she is trained in the Arthur Lessac Kinesensic Approach to Voice and has been vocal coach for the EPCC production of The Bad Seed, the UTEP production of Cabaret and Eden Enterprises’ Shakespeare on the Rocks. She is an Adjunct Professor with El Paso Community College teaching Drama, Voice, Film. She has acted and directed over the years at the El Paso Playhouse, Los Pobres, UTEP, Moulin Rouge Dinner Theater on Fort Bliss and Shakespeare on the Rocks McKelligan Canyon and at the YISD Fine Arts Amphitheatre. She and Ann Barto, a Music Professor, recently presented a workshop of “Empowering your HealthyVoice” as part of Faculty Development week.

Susana Rodriguez-Snyder (Photographer and Web Designer)

Born and raised in Chicago, Susana is a Fine Arts Specialist in Music for elementary Schools in the Socorro ISD. She made her acting debut with the Festival last season as Lady Montague in Romeo and Juliet. She has previously appeared in musicals including as a chorus member in Once Upon a Mattress and Crazy for You, and as a Doo-wop girl in Little Shop of Horrors. She pursues photography, Bella Fine Arts Studio, in her space time and is married to Jesse Snyder.