Samantha Knofler (she/her) is from Portland Oregon and is so excited to be joining the Traveling Lantern team! She's currently a student of Lewis and Clark majoring in theatre and computer science. Sam has worked in theatre across Portland from the Multnomah Arts Center, to Lakewood Center for the Arts, to Building Five where she played the Little Prince last summer! Outside of theatre Sam enjoys reading, creative writing, making jewelry, or winding down by while watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine or The Owl House. She absolutely adores musicals and her love of Six the Musical accidentally made her a published historian. Sam can't wait to perform for everyone!

Elita Ernsteen is originally from the Chicago suburbs and now lives in the city. Elita got her BFA in Musical Theatre from CAP21/ Molloy College in NYC. She has performed in New York (Liberty by Regan Hicks at the Madison Theater) and throughout Chicago (Explore Assembly, Another Door Theater Project, A Red Orchid Theater). Her next project is a virtual production of the musical Dogfight! Elita is so excited to spread environmental awareness to the next generation of storytellers. Follow her journey at Elitaernsteen.com

Ryan Siddell is thrilled to be with the Traveling Lantern Theater Company for his first season of productions! Raised in Wisconsin, Ryan grew up with a sincere passion for entertaining those around him. From elementary school boy- bands, high school musicals, to college theater performances, nothing brings Ryan more joy than amusing an audience. Ryan hopes to inspire others around him to follow their dreams no matter where they take you, and is eager to meet you all during the performances this summer. Semper Fidelis.

Ann Marie Taglavore is from central Virginia where she took dance classes growing up. After moving with her family to Maryland's Eastern Shore, her love for dance grew into a love of storytelling. Ann Marie attended Towson University, MD where she received her bachelor's degree in dual Psychology- Sociology with a minor in Theatre Arts. Since moving to New York City last spring, Ann Marie has performed in original plays with The Chain Theatre, The American Theatre of Actors, and The Producer's Club. Ann Marie currently plays Blossom in the Power-Puff themed improv show “Chemical X” at The Vino Theater.

Jake Shipley was born and raised in New York City, and started acting when he was just thirteen years old! After high school Jake went to college for acting. Once he graduated Jake started working in and around New York, doing plays and helping to make movies. What started as just acting eventually grew to become writing and directing. Now, Jake makes movies all on his own, but he is very excited to be back onstage acting for you all today. Enjoy the show!

Christopher Bresnahan is a performer, educator, and writer, and he is super excited to be working with Traveling Lantern Theatre this year! Since moving to the Pacific Northwest from New England, Christopher has pursued his passion of melding education with entertainment by teaching creative arts at summer camps and hosting Dungeons & Dragons campaigns at schools. Now, he’s eager to take the next step in this journey by performing “The Sword in the Stone” and “The Ribbles Build a Residence” for young people along the West Coast! In his free time, Christopher enjoys trudging through the mountains of Oregon, biking through the streets of Portland, or simply curling up on the couch to read a good book.

MATT SEPEDA is very excited to make his debut with Traveling Lantern Theatre in Tale of the Rainbow Lizard. He's done a couple other touring children's shows with Oregon Children's Theatre and was happily surprised to find that he really enjoys it. To watch the kids' faces light up, to hear them laugh and enjoy themselves is a wonderful and touching experience, especially those who have never experienced live theatre before. Thank you to everyone for making this production possible during these crazy times!

VONI KENGLA is excited to make her Traveling Lantern debut! She is a graduate of The Hartt School in Hartford, Connecticut where she earned her BFA in Musical Theatre. Some of her most recent roles include, Rifkele in “The God of Vengeance” at Readers Theatre Repertory, Heather Wallace in “Devotion” at The Goodspeed Opera House and Iris in “The Tempest” at Zoom Theatre. When she’s not on stage, she is usually found playing the ukulele or watering her plants. Follow her theatrical journey at vonikengla.com

KATE MURA is so excited to work with Traveling Lantern having worked with KB and Doren at other Portland, OR based theatres for years. She loves this style of theatre, having done similar tours with Tears of Joy puppet theatre for years sharing stories such as Reluctant Dragon, Pinocchio, and When Animals Were People. She has been a performer for over thirty years! Touring nationally and internationally with her solo shows Suburban Tribe and The Tarot Show. She is the Artistic Ambassador of Fuse Theatre Ensemble and is thrilled to share these stories with you. Transformation is my passion... katemura.com 

MURREN KENNEDY is very happy to be back working with Traveling Lantern after performing in their Yosemite National Park show several years ago, where he played Teddy Roosevelt, Ansel Adams, and a bear, among others. He has done many shows in the Portland area since graduating from Portland Actors Conservatory in 2015. When he’s not performing he works at Ainsworth After School Enrichment Program and hangs out with kids all day!

NATHAN DUNKIN is a Portland actor and singer with a Masters in Acting from the University of Essex. He is an experienced actor who has performed in film, television, commercials, Hallmark Family animation Christmas specials, and numerous Portland stages in both musicals and non-musicals. A former member of Portland’s Theatre Vertigo, Nathan has also performed in children’s theatre throughout Oregon and once traveled the English countryside with a school program called Shakespeare for Kidz, where children would act out the plots of Shakespeare for the very first time. Nathan is thrilled to get to be his Scroogiest for you.

SAMANTHA NAKAGAKI is an actor, singer, and recovering STEM student. After changing her major from Engineering to Dramatic Arts, she has had a BLAST being a performer! And thanks to Traveling Lantern, Samantha has gotten to perform all over the West Coast from Idaho to Los Angeles. And now she is bouncing off the walls to be able to work with Traveling Lantern again in the Caterpillar Hunter! A street-wise tomato has been on her list of roles to play her whole life, and now it’s become a reality! She wants to thank Traveling Lantern and all of you out there for supporting her. Enjoy!

JASON BUTTAFOCO is thrilled to be playing the role of a lifetime, the Caterpillar Hunter, for his 6th show with Traveling Lantern. The best part so far has been annoying his scene/life partner Samantha by constantly speaking in a loud Australian accent during even the most mundane of activities. In addition to being a performer, Jason is also a composer, writer, and novice student of philosophy.

JAMES LUSTER is thrilled to be working with Travelling Lantern again in such an exciting and new challenge. You may have seen him in other Travelling Lantern shows: Greek Mythology, A Christmas Carol, and The Hobbit. James has also been seen in other Portland-based productions with Theatre Vertigo in Carnivora; Oregon Children's Theater in The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane; Portland Actor Ensemble's Macbeth; Experience Theater Project's The Mousetrap and many shows at Action/Adventure Theater, with which he was a producing and performing company member. Thanks to all the gracious people who have at once, and still support him, especially his wonderful partner Holly and endlessly supportive parents, Carol, Bogdan, and Bobby.

SAM LEVI is a Traveling Lantern veteran and has appeared in many touring productions with the company including A Christmas Carol, Bilbo's Journey, The Legends of Greek Mythology, Ranger Ned's Big Adventure, Johnny Appleseed, Benjamin Franklin, and Sherlock Holmes. His work as an actor and stage manager has also been seen around Oregon in plays like Antony & Cleopatra, The Taming of the Shrew, Beirut, Avenue Q, Three Sisters, The Foreigner, and Sense & Sensibility. When he's not acting or stage managing you can find him playing softball with friends, reading a good book, or watching old Twilight Zone episodes for the umpteenth time! 

KATHLEEN TAYLOR is a senior at Century High School. Most recently, she has played Mrs. Cratchit/Scrooge’s Sweetheart/Visitor in Christmas Carol, Ariel in the Little Mermaid, Amy March/The Troll in Little Women, and Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family. Her favorite role is playing Spirit #2 (child principal) in the Portland Opera’s The Magic Flute. Other than theatre, she is passionate about piano and has recently passed Syllabus Level X. She hopes to double major in vocal performance and psychology next year.

KATHERINE GRANT-SUTTIE is thrilled to be joining the Traveling Lantern on this grand experiment. A graduate from the Tisch School of the Arts, NYU, she performs across genres and mediums, including Film, Motion-Capture, and particularly Voice-Over at this time. Notable credits include No Exit, Dorian Gray, Trinkets, Portlandia, Halo 5, and ACT’s One Slight Hitch by Lewis Black. She continues as Gwendolyn in the steampunk adventure serial BRASS-- 4th season of the audio drama out soon! All the follows @KGrantSuttie

JAX KERRIGAN is extremely proud to be assisting the Traveling Lantern cast of “Sherlock Holmes Takes the Case” as the child volunteer playing Dr. Watson and as Tiny Tim in “The Story of Scrooge”. Jax is a 1st grader who lives in Ridgefield, WA. He enjoys writing and illustrating his own stories and graphic novels. This is Jax's first time on the stage! He has enjoyed attending Traveling Lantern performances since he was six months old, watching his Uncle Sam in numerous performances. He thanks director Doren and producer KB for allowing him to enjoy this valuable experience, and he thanks his Uncle Sam for believing him. 

VICTORIA PORTER is really excited to be a part of The Traveling Lantern’s productions of Lewis and Clark (Sacajawea) and The Story of Scrooge (Little Fan). She is a 9 year old girl who loves to play outside. She loves swimming, painting, and video games. She’s grateful for the opportunity and looks forward to seeing it all come together.

ALEZAH TORELL (they/them), in addition to wrangling data for Traveling Lantern, is a meditation teacher in training, a librarian, a parent, and a cancer survivor. Alezah enjoys spending time with their kids and cat, reading science fiction, eating tacos, splashing in pools, and rollerskating.

LAWRENCE SIULAGI (Videographer for Sherlock Holmes Takes the Case and Legends and Myths from Mount Olympus) is a performer, director, playwright, sound and projection designer and music composer. Originally from San Diego, he pursued a Bachelors degree in the Dramatic Arts (directing emphasis) at San Diego State University; and film editing and marketing at the University of Southern California. Lawrence is a proud member of Bag&Baggage's Resident Artists and was recently in Bag&Baggage’s productions of Deathtrap (as Sidney Bruhl) and Romeo & Juliet/Layla & Majnun (as The Sayyid). Lawrence has also worked with companies such as Portland Opera, Portland Actors Ensemble, Oregon Children’s Theatre and Crave Theatre. His recent projection designs at B&B include A Clockwork Orange; Bell, Book and Candle; As You Like It; and The Island in Winter. Lawrence is the resident sound designer for the Milagro Theatre where he designed recent shows En El Tiempo de Las Mariposas (dir. C. Drogosch) and Huínca (dir. R. Solunaya). When he isn’t making theatre he is a web developer at Lewis & Clark College. 

ANDRÉS ALCALÁ (Videographer for The Story of Ebenezer Scrooge and Lewis and Clark) is an award winning actor and director in Portland, Chicago, and Arizona. He has been a dedicated member of Theatre for Young Audiences for the last 20 years. He currently works as the codirector of the Intern NW program at the Northwest Children’s theatre, where he also is a teacher, actor, director, and Multi Media Projection Designer. He performed two seasons as an actor at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and for five years as an education outreach touring artist. He holds a BFA in acting from Southern Oregon University. This marks his debut with Traveling Lantern Theatre Company.

JASON WEED (Videographer for The Caterpillar Hunter and My Mother the Astronaut) was born and raised in Hillsboro and spent 30 years as an actor in theater. During the pandemic, a friend suggested making vidoes as a safer art form. It stuck. He happily and safely continues his education with Traveling Lantern.

SALIM SANCHEZ (Photographer) is a local artist in Portland, OR, who is focused on supporting and empowering his community. Salim is also a local portrait, event, and theater production photographer, which includes a wide range of productions in the Portland area. He is also well known for his low light portrait photography, which can be seen at salimsanchez.com. Salim combines all of his experiences of constantly moving and adapting to serve his artist expression.

I’m RANDALL JAMES. I’m a born and raised Portland artist. I’m a jack of all trades but illustration and painting comic book style is my jam. It was a cool “backstage” look at the theater process working with KB and Doren on their Camp Ocean production. Take a look and follow my art on Instagram @artworksunchained