Last seen as Fezziwig in our 2025 production of A Christmas Carol and as Claudius in last Summer's production of Hamlet.

Don is a transplant from Upstate NY, via Philadelphia in 2007. He and his husband currently live in the Richmond Annex. This is his first appearance on stage with the Foodbank Players. Previous credits include “ Our Town” with the Pinole Valley Players, “Becoming Robin Hood” with he Berkeley Playhouse and several solo, duo and ensemble Cabaret appearances with Miss Smith Presents at Society Cabaret. He studies performance with the illustrious Stephanie Lynne Smith and Acting for Singers with Bobby Weinapple. In his spare time he is an RN with Alameda Health System.

Cory is deeply grateful to be returning to the Foodbank Players, where he previously played Bob Cratchit in last December's A Christmas Carol and Orlando in As You Like It (2024). He's also previously served as Fight Choreographer for Macbeth and Hamlet.

Regional Credits: Jonah in Bad Jews (English Theatre Frankfurt, Ensemble Theatre Company, Theater Wit, Northlight Theater, Royal George Theater), A Midsummer Night's Dream (James Downing Theater), Richard III (Fury Theatre), Richard II (Mildly Rehearsed Shakespeare), You Never Can Tell (Remy Bumppo Theatre)

Film: The Cheating Pact (Lifetime).

Education: BFA, The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Instagram / TikTok: @corykahane

Most recently, Matt played Jay Gatsby our 2025 production of The Great Gatsby.

My name is Matt Hess and I am from Lafayette, CA. I recently graduated from the University of Washington and am currently living in San Francisco. This is my first play with the Foodbank Players of Alameda and my second play in the Bay Area. This has been a dream role to play Gatsby and work with all of these great people and I am so happy to be apart of this production.

Sarah Zehner (she/her) is thrilled to be making her Foodbank Players debut for this production! Sarah studied at Academy of Art University in San Francisco where she received her AA and BFA in Acting. Some of her favourite theatre credits include Catherine Holly in Suddenly, Last Summer (Altarena Playhouse), Emma in Bus Stop, Mandy in Time Stands Still, and Annie in Stretchmarks!, which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022. When not on stage, Sarah can usually be found antiquing at The Katz Meow or journalling at any local coffee shop. IG: @sarah.zehner

Mary most recently portrayed Bianca in last June's production of The Taming of the Shrew and Myrtle Wilson in the Foodbank Players production of The Great Gatsby in February 2025. In addition, she played Solicitor 1, Clara, and Mrs. Fezziwig in the Foodbank Players 2024 run of A Christmas Carol. She also played the titular role in The Curious Mrs. Savage and directed and starred in the 2008 production of Greater Tuna, both at Woodside High School. Since 2021 she has focused on voice acting, performing many solo and ensemble productions. Among her solo endeavours, she has narrated works by Stephen King, Chuck Palanhuik, Poppy Z. Brite, and Joyce Carol Oates. She resides in the East Bay with her fiancé and their cat.

Last seen as Nick/Joe in last December's production of A Christmas Carol and as Marcellus in last Summer's production of Hamlet.

Hi! My name is Konstantin Stern and I'm glad to be working/performing with the food bank players! . I'm a new actor who goes to Chabot college who is working on short films and theater, my dream is to be a professional actor:)

Last seen as Solicitor 1 in last December's production of A Christmas Caral and played a Gravedigger in last summer's production of Hamlet.

She has trained in improvisational skills and acting techniques with Diana Brown of the Leela Theatre in San Francisco.

Sally last appeared with the Player's in "Hamlet" in the roles Osric and the Priest.

Previous to that she appeared in "Much Ado About Noting" as Leonata, the governor of Messina.

Sally works for a large financial investment firm. Hobbies and interests include pet sitting, cooking, and following Chicago pro teams.

Sally is looking forward to future acting roles in Bay Area Theatre.

Luis returns to FBP after playing the Player King in last summer’s production of Hamlet and Fred in last December’s production of A Christmas Carol. He is excited to be appearing as Antonio and Sexton in the current production of Much Ado About Nothing.

Stage experience includes appearances with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival as Sebastian in the Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night, as well as Benvolio in the Festival’s touring production of Romeo and Juliet. For Tale Spinners Theater, Luis played Oscar in their production of The Trial of Los Siete, a play by Richard Talavera.

Luis has also enjoyed many appearances in children’s theater. He portrayed the Humbug in the California Theatre Wingproduction of The Phantom Tollbooth, and the Scarecrow in the New Shakespeare Company production of The Wizard of Oz.

Along with his love of acting, Luis has worked extensively in educational theater, serving as Artistic Resident with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Educational Outreach Director of the Spindrift School of Performing Arts, and Director of Education with the Traverse City Children's Theater.

Last seen in our 2025 production of The Great Gatsby.

Darrah Jones, LCSW #127653, is a native Alamedan, trauma therapist, and lifelong fan of feeding and serving the community. As a kid, she enjoyed helping her dad volunteer for Meals on Wheels, and once in middle school, began volunteering at the Alameda Food Bank. Nowadays, when she isn't working, she enjoys coaching and swimming competitively with the Alameda Aquatic Masters team, acting, and watching Rick and Morty with her friends.

Last seen as Ophelia in last September's production of Hamlet.

Kelsey's work includes beining Director for The Foodbank Players production of King Lear. She is an actor and improviser from the central coast of California, where she began her theater career at PCPA. With a musical theater scholarship, she received her bachelor’s degree in journalism and theater arts from California Lutheran University. Through CLU, she studied the Meisner technique and studied abroad at the Theatre Academy of London. During her time at school, she was a KCACTF finalist and was awarded CLU’s Theater Arts Contribution to Acting award. Some of her favorite stage roles have included Gayle in Almost, Maine, Miss Foxhill in Suddenly Last Summer, Maggie in The Man Who Came to Dinner, and Rizzo in Grease. In addition to stage acting, Kelsey is an improviser who’s been on long-form house teams at Second City and iO West. You can also see Kelsey in such independent films as The Power of Laughter and The Moon Also Rises, which went to Cannes in 2018, as well as several BuzzFeed videos.

This is Fran’s fifth show on stage with The Foodbank Players. Previous performances include A Christmas Carol (Marley) and As You Like It (Adam). Other FBP roles include costumer for A Christmas Carol and The Great Gatsby, set painter for Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and House/Stage Manager for The Great Gatsby. Outside of the theater, she is a Quality Assurance consultant in the pharmaceutical industry, a member of the East Bay Heritage Quilters, and a doting cat mama. She would like to wish family, friends, and neighbors in Alameda, and around the world, a season filled with love, joy, and hope.

Maya was last seen as Villager 1/Sub Belle in our 2025 production of A Christmas Carol.

Maya recently moved to Alameda from Montreal, where she performed with McGill University's Tuesday Night Café Theatre and Savoy Society. She grew up performing in musicals at the Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth, in Washington, and before that with Vermont's Very Merry Theatre. Maya is currently working as a math instructor at Oakland's Urban Promise Academy and is looking forward to applying to law school next year.

Jennifer most recently played Christmas Past in our 2025 production of A Christmas Carol.

Jennifer is happy to be returning to the stage for her this food bank player production, having provided flute music for romeo and juliet, singing for A Christmas Carol, and recently provided a healthy dose of fear in Macbeth.

She is a lifetime performer, starting with dance as a child, moving on to music and theater in middle/high school and beyond. Some of her favorite productions include The King and I, the Secret Garden, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Cherry Orchard.

After a long hiatus, the foodbank players provided a welcome return to the stage. The highlight of her return is the opportunity to share this love of performing with her husband and kids. Enjoy the show, and thank you for giving!

Hannah debuted as Charles/Amiens in the Foodbank Players production of As You Like It back in 2024. She is returning to the stage for her second play ever and still has the fear of being booed so please laugh or she may cry.

Most recently seen as Clara in our 2025 production of A Christmas Carol.

Kate Rockwell is excited to take the stage for an additional show with the Foodbank Players. After much cajoling from the director, Kate broke her 16 year hiatus from theater to play Guildenstern in Hamlet as the opportunity to be executed on stage by her high school English teacher was too good to pass up. It's rumored her most compelling role to date was singing every part in Les Miserables alone in her car. She's grateful for the opportunity to perform the role of Gentleman 2 (renamed Charity Lady 2 for this production) and draws inspiration from Beaker's classic performance in Muppet Christmas Carol.

Gene was last seen playing King Lear in last October's production of the same name.

Gene Kahane founded the foodbankplayers in order to support the vital work of the Alameda Food Bank, give local actors a chance to perform and because the stage in the Healing Garden called out to him one day. He is so deeply moved by everyone who has helped in so many ways: Tara as our first supporter, Scott for his passion and generosity, Luis the actor/web wizard, and all the actors and audiences. We all sing the same song, "What I did for love. "

[For more FBP history, see the Our History page]