Hi! My name is Frida and this is my first production with the food bank players. I’ve been in middle and high school productions, including Clueless, 12 Angry Jurors, and The Lion King. I love cats, hiking, and baking, and am excited to preform and help my local food bank!

Hi! My name is Katya, and this is my first production with the Food Bank Players! I don’t have a lot of experience in acting, but I’m really excited to be a part of this play! I enjoy reading, hiking, and listening to music, and I work at a Ice cream shop.

Jennifer is a lifelong performer, being an actor, singer, and musician. She has been playing flute for 30 plus years and singing for even longer. Music is a generational family tradition that she happily carries on.

Her love of Shakespeare started in middle school. As such, she was excited when the opportunity arose to provide music while collaborating with her former teacher to bring Shakespeare to the community.

She has been married to her filmmaker husband for 20 years and counting and they share two awesome kids who are starting their own artistic paths.

Zoe is excited to make her Food Bank Players debut in Romeo and Juliet! She is a current sophomore at Bishop O'dowd High School, and frequently performs with Tomorrow Youth Repertory. Some of her favorite past roles were Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Rapunzel's Prince in Into The Woods. Other than theatre, some of her favorite hobbies are video games and competing alongside her school's Mock Trial team.

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.

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.

Julian Hensley (they/he) will be playing Romeo here at the Food Bank Players production of Romeo and Juliet. You might recognize him from his shy and layerd as Seymour Krelborn in Little Shop of Horrors or saw him playing the boastful Ben Jonson in Las Positas Colleges run of The Book of Will and as the boisterous Mohawk Guy in Lpcs other production High Fidelity. He would like to thank his Mother, his Professors Dyan McBride and Titian Lish, and all his friends back at Las Positas college. He hopes all of you have a lovely experience.

Anika is so excited to be a part of the Food Bank Player's production of Romeo and Juliet! She has been acting consistently for the last two years, participating in 12 Angry Jurors, She Kills Monsters, and the 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee at Alameda High School. She also enjoys filmmaking, writing and performing music, dancing, and reading. She just graduated from Alameda High School and is currently on a gap year. She gives thanks to her family and friends for encouraging her to continue following her passions!

Emily is so excited to be part of this production, her first with the Foodbank Players. Some of her favorite previous roles include Mary Warren in The Crucible (CRT), Celia in As You Like It (CHS), Felicity in The Unfortunate Case of Mr Renfield (NDNU), and Lucy Pevensie in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (CHS). She is currently studying theater costuming and early childhood education at Cañada College. When not on stage, one of her other passions is sewing. She spends her time designing and constructing garments for theatrical productions, cosplay events, or her own wardrobe. She gives her thanks to her mother, father, and dear friends for their support!

Richard Robert Bunker is a Bay Area actor/director. Some of his favorite roles include playing, Lord Capulet at Sac Shakes Festival’s ROMEO AND JULIET, Petruchio at Sonoma Valley Shakespeare’s production of TAMING OF THE SHREW and Palarin at TheatreFirst’s production of BAGYÓ. His directing work includes Altarena Playhouse’s Theatre Bay Area award winning premier production of ALWAYS…PATSY CLINE. Richard is grateful to Gene Kahane and all of his fellow Food Bank Players for the opportunity to act in his home town for the first time in over 15 years! He thanks his family, Jennifer and Henry David, for all of their love, understanding and support.

Kristina is a former child actor growing up in local companies such as: Kids Take The Stage, Alameda Children's Theatre, and Encinal High School. This is Kristina's first show in 10 years, and couldn't be more excited to be back on stage! When she is not on stage Kristina loves to serve as an Ekids Teacher at Encore Church and works as a Campus Host at her dream school, Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

" I would like to thank God for reopening the door to theater and acting after such a long time, and that He let me work with Gene again. I've had the best time dreaming, laughing, getting creative, sharing snacks, and playing around after work over the last month or so. I hope to be back for more shows in the future!

To the Cast: Break a leg!!"

Retired mechanical engineer/inventor turned voice-over 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) – A Christmas Story – A Midsummer Night’s Dream -12 Angry Jurors.

Here's something fun! Bill can be seen in this awesome music video: https://youtu.be/mH_LFkWxpI0?si=kQoL1Y3Hpm4lPbgC

Lisa is excited to return to the Food Bank Players, having just played Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Gertrude in Hamlet, last Summer, and Kate in Sylvia, their first production. Locally she has been seen in five shows at the Altarena: Cabaret, Chicago, The Savannah Sipping Society, La Cage Aux Folles, and Ruthless!. She has been fortunate of late to perform in quite a few musicals and is thrilled to be a part of live theatre’s spectacular comeback. Recent performances include Elf (Mrs. Claus), Gypsy (Tessie Tura/Ms. Cratchitt), Cockettes Are Golden (Harlo), and Mamma Mia! (Tanya). Other favorite roles: A Chorus Line (Sheila), Gypsy (Louise) & The Rocky Horror Show (Magenta/Usherette). It is truly an honor to be playing Lady Montague, as she is the actual mother to this Romeo.

She is looking forward to her first season as a Tap Dancing Christmas Tree. Perhaps you will spot her in a parade this Winter. Lisa teaches sixth grade math & science at Park Day School, coaches cross country & track, and is mom to Julian and Austin. You are likely to see her running about town with her Schnoodle, Schatzi.

Luis is glad to return for another Foodbank Players Production! He was previously seen as Theseus in last Spring's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

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.

Martie Muldoon is delighted to return to the Food Bank Players, where she was previously seen as Fairy in Midsummer Night’s Dream and Friar/Antonia in Much Ado About Nothing. Other recent roles include Mrs. Tottendale in The Drowsy Chaperone, Randa in Savannah Sipping Society, Lampito in Lysistrata, and Mrs. Hubbard in Murder on the Orient Express. When not on stage, Martie is active in her church (Asbury UMC), bakes and delivers cupcakes for progressive causes (Bake Back Better), and especially enjoys her favorite role of Oma to Cici, John, and Jasper!

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. "

I am so excited to be a part of this amazing group of people. Although I don't have much experience in theater, I have always been fascinated by how a production comes to life. My passion lies in the costumes that bring the characters to life. I designed the costumes for Alameda High School's productions of Radium Girls and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I also love seeing the joy and excitement of the amazing audience. This began my journey of working in front of house at Alameda High where I get to truly see the joy that a show brings to people.