Polina Shrayber Hello! My name is Polina Shrayber and I was born in Sacramento, California. I grew up loving theater, film and being in plays and musicals throughout my adolescence. I just graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco with my BFA and I have been working in the film industry in San Francisco for the last 8 years. I have had the amazing opportunity to work in short films, student films, indie films, commercials, print ads, voice-over roles, and so much more in the Bay Area! I also have had the amazing opportunity to be dance captain for my university's production of 'In the Heights'. After working in the film industry for some time, I really missed and had a craving for live theater again, so very excited to be working with the Traveling Lantern now!

Strawberry Corey feels lucky to be working with Traveling Lantern Theatre Company! Living In San Francisco, she holds a B.A. in Theater Arts CSU Long Beach. Strawberry has performed in numerous productions in the Bay Area and Long Beach, including acrobatics, singing, and acting in Pippin, Much Ado About Nothing, and A24's Earth Mama. She played the role of Spee Dee Oil's first female technician in their 2022 rebrand. Strawberry also hosts the YouTube educational show Storytime with Teacher Strawberry, taking friends on wild adventures around the world. Follow her on Instagram or subscribe to her channel @storytimewithstrawberry

Shady Riehan My name is Shady Riehan. I'm 20 years old, and I’ve lived in many different parts of the world such as Egypt and Dubai, and am currently residing in the Big Apple. I’m an up-and-coming actor and model I’ve been working in this industry for quite some time now. You might have seen me in some of your favorite movies and TV shows, in the background! Very excited to work on this production and to put on a fabulous play for everyone who is tuning in. Remember to always have fun and do what excites!

Aiesha Dukes has had a wide variety of experiences and is at this point is old hat when it comes to educational children's theater. She is a small town to big city transplant originally hailing from Edwardsville, Illinois, she has made her home in NYC as a globe-trotting performance artist and choreographer. She has also built her career doing tours with her original band Dukes and the Package. She is living in gratitude to embrace another opportunity to bring these stories to "light" with Traveling Lantern at your locale.

Evan Smolik is an actor based out of Milwaukee, WI and is currently a Musical Theatre major at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. His favorite roles have been Mayor Dobbs in 'Bright Star', Steven Kodaly in 'She Loves Me', and Edward Bloom in 'Big Fish'. Evan loves to perform, and his dream is to be a voice actor! He has been performing since he was in 6th grade and will continue to perform the rest of his life.

Maxine Danni is originally from Naples, FL and is currently a Musical Theatre major at UWSP. Her favorite roles include Lucy in 'Bright Star', Rizzo in 'Grease', Tess Tyler in 'Camp Rock', Rosie in 'Cabaret', and Deborah Sue in 'Bye Bye Birdie'. She has been studying dance and theatre since kindergarten and has been performing professionally since the age of 9. After graduation, she plans to move to New York City to pursue a career on Broadway. Fun facts: she performed with the Rockettes last summer, and her favorite movie is 'Coraline'.

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