VO artist for marketing videos & YouTube channels - model for music & industrial videos, marketing brochures & websites – play by play announcer - MC for charities - On stage: Words That Made The Difference - Much Ado About Nothing - Hamlet - The Marvelous Land of Oz (musical).

Robert Paine is the former artistic director and a founding member of Virago Theatre Co. He’s worked as an Actor, Puppeteer, Writer and Director. Originally from Portland, Oregon

As an actor Robert recently appeared as Dogberry in “Much Ado About Nothing” and with Rhythmix Cultural Works “Island City Waterways” as “Radio Announcer” with as with Ohlone College, Theatre First, SF Fringe, San Jose Stage Co., Marin Theatre Co., New Conservatory Theatre, Stage Cartel, Portland Center Stage, Tygres Heart Shakespeare Co., Shakespeare in the Parks, Stark Raving Theatre and many others.

Favorite roles include Mattamore in Tony Kushner’s “The Illusion”, Dr. Spivey in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", Mercutio in “Romeo and Juliet”, Porter\Murderer #2 in “Macbeth”, Angelo in “Measure for Measure”, Richard in “The Lady’s Not for Burning”, Oberon\Theseus and Bottom in “Midsummer Night’s Dream”, John in “Scotland Road”, Roger in “The Hermit Bird”, and many others.

As a puppeteer Robert’s worked with Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre as part of the UNIMA citation winning production of “Jumping Mouse”. Other roles included Aladdin and the voice of the Blue Genie in the original production of Jan Wilkowski’s “Aladdin and His Magic Lamp”, Baba Yaga and Koschey the Deathless in “Baba Yaga” and many others.

Luis is very excited to return to the stage after several years absence. His training includes the ACT Summer Congress and an apprenticeship with the Berkeley Shakespeare Festival, now known as the California Shakespeare Festival.

Stage experiences include 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 the Tale Spinners Theater, Luis played Oscar in their production of The Trial of Los Siete, a play by Richard Talavera.

Luis enjoyed many appearances in children’s theater too! He portrayed the Humbug in the California Theater Wing’s production of The Phantom Tollbooth, and the Scarecrow in the New Shakespeare Company’s production of The Wizard of Oz.

Along with his love of acting, Luis delved into educational theater 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.

Luis is also the webmaster for The Food Bank Players website.

Jamie Olsen is thrilled to be making his debut with the Food Bank Players. A fan of Victorian dress, Jamie can't understand how the high-collared shirt, cravat, & top hat haven't come back into fashion. Bay Area audiences last saw Jamie as Alan Dangle in the Altarena Playhouse production of One Man, Two Guvnors. When not performing Jamie spends his days as the VP of Digital for a media company, and his nights with his lovely wife, Leslie, and their cats, Ziggy & Belka.

Caitlin is a theater enthusiast and sometimes actor-playwright-choreographer-director, most often with pre-teens and in small local festivals. When not on stage, she puts her talents to use in the middle school classroom. This is her third production with the Food Bank Players.

Kate Rockwell is excited to take the stage for her second 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.

Samantha Montgomery, currently a high school English teacher, is excited to be returning to the stage! While she took a break from acting for a few years to focus on her teaching career, she previously participated in several shows both on and off-stage. Some of her favorite roles include Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, and “Shwartzy” in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Sally Geary is thrilled to be in The Food Bank Players' production of "A Christmas Carol".

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.

Kip Soucie is an embryologist, rock climber, and former (and now returning) theatre kid. This is her first time acting in a full run of shows since fifth grade, as her background is in technical theatre.

Shayna Ann Howlett is thrilled to work alongside the incredible Foodbank Players. Their prior performance credits include Harvey (Myrtle Mae) with The San Leandro Players; The Comedy of Errors (Antipholus of Ephesus) with Prague Shakespeare Company; Hamlet (Rosencrantz) with the University of California, Berkeley Theater Department; and Dog Sees God (Van's Sister) and 1984 (The Loudspeaker) with Barestage Productions. You can see them perform as Leda in 'Stretchmarks: The Playdate for Mommas', 8PM every Saturday night starting November 26, 2022 in SF. Follow them at @shay.how on Instagram.

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. "

Devon La Bar (They/Them) is incredibly excited to be back with The Foodbank Players. You may have seen them recently in The Foodbank Players' production of Hamlet, or Much Ado About Nothing, where they played Borachio. When they are not performing, Devon teaches musical theatre and Shakespeare with TYR in Alameda, as well as exercises their love for caffeine at Farley's, in Oakland. Being an avid lover of Dungeons and Dragons, as well as any RPGs, Devon also runs campaigns, teaching young players how to play and encouraging imaginations to grow, through TYR's Dungeons and Dragons program. Not to mention playing any chance they get with their own wonderful group of friends. They would like to extend an immense amount of thanks to everyone who helped bring this production to life, their fantastic friends and family, to everyone who supports arts in the community, and their beloved dog, Enzo.

Donna is thrilled to return to the Food Bank Players. Previously she was "Don Pedro" in Much Ado About Nothing. Donna is a member of Encore Players of Livermore where she performs, directs and organizes readers theater programs. She performs annually in melodramas with Sunol Repertory Theatre. She also adapts books into scripts for the library's "Livermore Reads Together" program. The holidays are a mixed bag of joys and poignant moments. Thank you for coming to share some moments with us as Food Bank Players give back to the community.

Quinn Gilchrist (she/her) is a bay area native and has returned to Alameda after studying theater in North Idaho. This is her second production with the Food Bank Players, having assistant directed Hamlet over the summer. Some of her other credits include directing A Permanent Image at North Idaho College and reading for the Bay Area Playwrights Foundation's Literary Council. Outside of her various theater projects she also works for Alameda Recreation and Parks Department.