company

Blair Ault

Blair is Company Manager for Mildred’s Umbrella, and an Honors College student at the University of Houston where she is majoring in Political Science. At a younger age, she performed with various theatrical companies in the Houston Area including Theatre Under the Stars, The Alley Theatre, and several community theatres. Blair is a graduate from the Theatre Dept. in the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts with a focus in Technical Theatre, and has interned with Diverseworks! and the Texas Renaissance Festival, the latter of which has now become her day job as Marketing Assistant. Blair is incredibly excited to return to the stage with Mildred's Umbrella this Spring in Compleat Female Stage Beauty.

Michelle Edwards

Michelle holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Houston, and has also attended programs at Boston University, Carnegie Mellon and RADA. She has been an active member of Houston’s theatre community since 1992 as an actor, director and teaching artist working with theatres such as The Alley, Infernal Bridegroom, Stages, Theatre Lab, Atomic Café, Little Room Down Stairs, and Diverse Works. She is currently an Artistic Managing Director for Mildred’s Umbrella Theatre Company as well as a teaching artist for The Alley Theatre’s E.C.O. Drama Kids program. She has worked overseas an Associate Artistic Director in residence for Theatre Songe to produce new works in Sydney, Australia. Recent credits include: Mildred’s Umbrella: Acting: Triptych (Pauline), By the Bog of Cats (Hester Swane), Hotel Pasiphae (Pasiphae), and Things Being at the Worst (Duchess). Directing: [sic], Needful Creatures: Kama Sutra. Producer: Tomorrow Morning. Alley Theatre: Our Lady of 121st Street (Sonia), HYPE; Theatre de la Jeune Lune: The Miser (Ensemble); Unhinged Productions: Acting: Laura’s Bush (Dody), Directing: Boston Marriage; IBP: Roberto Zucco (Mother/Madame), Marie and Bruce, Camino Real; Atomic Cafe: La Turista (Salem), The Water Engine, Silent Night, Deadly Night, among others. Other acting credits include: Kingdom of Earth (Myrtle), Frankenstein in Love (Veronique), One for the Road (Gila). She will be leaving Houston to pursue her MFA in Acting at the University of Montana in fall 2006.

Mark Carrier

Mark Carrier - Mark made his Mildred's Umbrella Debut in 2007 with 365Days/365 Plays, and went on to perform in the role of Bunce in One Flea Spare.

Some other roles of interest are: Oedipus the King, Order of the Scarlet Cat (Brazosport Little Players), The Adding Machine, 365 Plays/365 Days (Kid Ornery Theatre), ...for those that live in cities,Envy the Cockroach (Dos Chicas Theatre Commune), Shel's Shorts, Carl The Second, Tape (Fan Factory Theater Company). Recent directing credits include: The Lower Depths (Dos Chicas Theatre Commune) and A Raisin in the Sun (Country Playhouse).

Bree Welch

Bree made her Mildred’s Umbrella debut as Morse in One Flea Spare. Bree has performed previously with the Houston Shakespeare Festival in The Tempest (Miranda), Hamlet (Ophelia), Love’s Labors Lost (Rosaline), As You Like It (Pheobe), Taming of the Shrew (Bianca), Titus Andronicus (Lavinia) Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet) and Measure for Measure (Lady of Verona). She has also appeared in Unity Theatre's Enchanted April, The Odd Couple, and The Heiress; The Children's Theatre Festival's Snow White, and The Wolf and the Foolish Little Kids. Bree is a graduate of the University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance, and is currently the Events Manager at the Alley Theatre.

Ryan Kelly

Ryan made his debut with Mildred's Umbrella in 2007 in a short skit in 365 Plays/365 Days, and went on to play Daniel in Dark Matter and Earl in Haunt of Flies. He has a long history of theatre, both acting and directing in the southwest side of town in Fort Bend County with an occasional appearance in the Clear Lake area. Favorite productions include Sylvia, Noises Off, The Miss Firecracker Contest, The Foreigner, See How They Run, We Must Kill Toni among many others. He’s a graphic designer by day (which started the working relationship with MU in the first place), to which he’s eternally grateful. He does all of the graphic design for Mildred’s Umbrella’s Fabulous posters and programs.

Greg Dean

Since the late 80’s, Greg has worked extensively as an actor, director and designer in Houston, with Urban Theater (Macbeth, Oedipus, Waiting for Godot, Josef [K] ), West-Mon Repertory Theater (Loot, Edmond, Talk Radio), The Houston Shakespeare Festival (Midsummer Night’s Dream, Merry Wives of Windsor, Titus Andronicus), Infernal Bridegroom Productions (Endgame, Woyzeck, Guys and Dolls, Cherry Orchard and others), Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre (Crime of the Assistant Master Butler) and the Alley Theatre (Our Lady of 121st Street). For Mildred’s Umbrella, he designed sound and video for Triptych, and directed, designed and performed in Things Being at the Worst, Tomorrow Morning, and Mac Wellman’s Dracula.

Kevin Taylor

Kevin Taylor is an artist from upstate NY who works in sculpture, music, lighting and set design and puppetry. He has worked with Basil Twist in Symphonie Fantastique, Petrushka, Red Beads, and Dogugaeshi and O.D.C. Theatre, in Robert Hites' Recent Work, Jenny Roger and Clove Galiee's Trick Saddle (among others) , Superior Concepts Monsters, the Village Halloween Parade, and Mabou Mines Ecco Porco and Animal Magnetism. He is a founding member of the Blue Print Collective. Locally, he has worked for Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre, Houston Grand Opera (Hansel and Gretel) and was the light designer for Rot, (Bobbindoctrin/Mildred s Umbrella), Dark Matter and One Flea Spare with Mildred’s Umbrella Theatre Company.

Julie Boneau

Julie has performed with Mildred’s Umbrella in A Long History of Neglect. Some of Julie’s other recent acting credits include: The Splasher with The Catastrophic Theatre, Frozen at Theater LaB Houston, Present Laughter (understudy) at Main Street Theatre, Ramona Quimby at Main Street Youth Theatre, Stream of Consciousness and Out at Sea with Dos Chicas Theatre Commune, Asshole Parade and The Order of the Scarlet Cat with BLP, Thirst at Theatre Illuminata, KBBJ with Wandering Troupe in association w/ Fan Factory, and The Adding Machine with Ornery Theatre. She also performs regularly with La Chica Laundry Pictures (films: Scrito ep. II, Dolls, The Demented Domestic, Vilut, Pants the Cat: The Devil’s Bride and Mutually Assured Destruction). Julie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Theater from Lamar University and a Master of Arts in Theater from University of Houston.

Alan Hall

Alan is a Houston Theater Veteran. He has done everything... The Houston Shakespeare Festival, alternative theater companies like dos chicas theater commune, Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theater, Texas Renaissance Festival, and more mainstream theaters (the Country Playhouse, Main Street Theater) as well. You name it, he’s done it. He earned his acting degree from Northwestern University in Illinois, and has been extensively trained in stage combat and fencing.

He is also a musician and a comedian, and willing to do improv or make at fool out of himself at the slightest provocation. He was recently seen on stage in the Unhinged/Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre collaboration of A Long Christmas Ride Home, Some of his shows include Bonjour la Bonjour, for those who live in cities, I Hate Hamlet, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, Largo Desolato, The Crime of the Assistant Master Butler, Titus Andronicus, Father Ted, Oedipus Rex, The Days and Knights of King Arthur, The Firebird, Alicia in Wonder Tierra, and Vampire Lesbians of Sodom. He also played the Cardinal in Mildred’s Umbrella’s Things Being at the Worst, Frank in [sic], and Van Helsing in Mac Wellman’s Dracula, Raymond in A Murder of Crows and he directed A Long History of Neglect. He has also performed at the Axiom in Infernal Bridegroom’s Rhinoceros, Full Circle and Tamalalia 9 and 10.

Carole Kelly

Carole has worked in some capacity on every Mildred’s Umbrella show to date, usually as stage manager, but also in props, lights, sound, and running crew. She recently made her acting debut in dos chicas theater commune’s Stream of Consciousness: The Verge of Insanity. She is a registered massage therapist, and is currently serving as secretary of Mildred’s Umbrella’s Board of Directors.

Tom Vaughan

Tom recently played Uncle Howard in Mildred Umbrella’s A Murder of Crows. While starting out as an actor, he is primarily a playwright and screenwriter. He studied at the University of Houston with Broadway legend Jose Quintero and three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward Albee. He began his professional career as the Artistic Director of the short lived but critically acclaimed West-Mon Repertory Theatre in Houston. It was his work there as a writer and director that got him recognized by Hollywood. As a screenwriter, his productions include BLACKOUT with Jane Seymour for CBS, and CRITICAL ASSEMBLY for NBC starring Katherine Heigl. He served as writer as well as Co-Producer on ATOMIC TWISTER with Sharon Lawrence and DEAD IN A HEARTBEAT with Penelope Anne Miller and Judge Reinhold, both for TBS. His feature film debut was UNSTOPPABLE, starring Wesley Snipes. His next script, BRONWYN & CLYDE, written with Kristy Dobkin, is targeted for a production next year with Barry Sonnenfeld directing. Since returning to Houston, Tom has dedicated himself to small organizations aimed at expanding Houston’s theatre and film community.

Kelly Robertson

Kelly recently moved back to the Houston area. Her debut show with Mildred’s Umbrella was costume design for One Flea Spare. Kelly worked has designed for several local theatres in the past, including The Strand Theatre (Galveston the Musical, scenery), the University of Houston Central and Downtown campuses (Speed-the-Plow, scenery; Our Town, scenery), Brazosport College (numerous shows), Applause Theatre Company (Oliver!, scenery) and the short-lived Shaw Festival (Misalliance, scenery). She received her BA in Theatre from the University of Houston and her MFA in Design from the University of Georgia (thesis: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, scenery and costumes). While in Georgia, Kelly worked with acclaimed Indian playwright Satish Alekar on the American English-language debut of Begum Barve (scenery). She also worked with performance artist Randall Packer on part three of his controversial five-part opera, A Season in Hell [Religion of the Lie] (scenery), produced in the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery, Athens, GA. Kelly is an Assistant Professor of Drama and Technical Director at UHD.

Amy Warren

Amy Warren is made her fourth appearance with Mildred’s Umbrella in Smoke at the Houston Fringe Festival in August. She appeared in Accident Waiting to Happen as part of Susan-Lori Parks 365 Days/356 Plays, Dark Matter as Desdemona, and Haunt of Flies as Barbara. Most of Amy’s performances have been outside the loop. She’s appeared mostly in the Galveston/Clear Lake area at theatres such as COM, the Strand Theatre and Café 21. Favorite roles down south include Kate in Taming of the Shrew, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cherie in Bus Stop, Germaine in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Sally Tally in Tally’s Folly and Sylvia in Sylvia. Amy holds a Masters degree in Theatre from the University of Houston.

Shondra Marie

Shondra Marie has worked with several theatres around the Houston area. These include: Mildred’s Umbrella: By the Bog of Cats (Monica Murray), Kama Sutra (Jeanette), Dracula (Vampirette/Nun); Unity Theatre: The Gift of The Magi (Ensemble); Main Street Theatre: The Secret Garden (Mrs. Medlock/Dreamer), Morning Star (Fanny); Town Center Theatre: Quilters (Jenny/LouAnn); Cy-Fair College: Honky Tonk Angels Holiday Spectacular (Sue Ellen); A.D. Players: The Glass Menagerie (Laura), Godspell (Peggy), Smoke on the Mountain (Denise), 84 Charing Cross Road (Cecily Farr), company member for 7 years; Stuart Ostrow’s Musical Theatre Lab: Company (Susan), Babette’s Feast (Martine); Children’s Theatre Festival: The New Adventures of Pinocchio (Katz), The Land of Broken Toys (Red Pony); Stage Left Productions: Treasure Island (Auntie Mattie), Alice in Wonderland (Caterpillar/Red King), The Little Mermaid (Queen Lola); Main Street Youth Theater: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Beth Bradley), The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (Mr. & Mrs. Beaver); Strand Theatre: Heidi (Fraulein Rottenmeier). Shondra has also worked with the Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Thunerbird Theater, InterActive Theatre, Theatre Collide and Actors Theatre of Houston. She has studied with Stuart & Ann Ostrow, Todd Waite, Paul Hope and Jeannette Clift George. Shondra sends her love to her husband, Todd, who backs her up on this wild ride.

John Wind

John has participated in numerous theater productions in Houston. He is a theater “ Jack of all trades,” and has acted, directed, designed lighting, built sets — all areas of theater production. He was seen on stage as the Ringmaster in Mildred’s Umbrella’s Eros: A Circus.(2002) Other favorite roles include: Bill in Kama Sutra (2001), Johnny in 1940’s Radio Hour (at Company Onstage), Dromio in Comedy of Errors and the Narrator in The Good Doctor. He recently directed The Sugar Bean Sisters, Eleemosynary and Incorruptable at The Company Onstage. Recently he has done light design for Dracula, Bog of Cats and Triptych.

David Anderson

David is an original member of Mildred’s Umbrella, and has performed in several plays in the last few years. Credits include The Complete Works of William Shakespeare- Abridged, Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound, Andy in Mildred’s Umbrella’s Kama Sutra,(2001) and the Tumbler in Mildred’s Umbrella’s Eros: A Circus (2002), Quincey in Mildred’s Umbrella’s Dracula, the Student in Needful Creatures, and the ghost of Joseph Swane in By the Bog of Cats. For dos chicas theater commune; ... for those who live in cities, Stream of Consciousness: The Verge of Insanity, A Wandering Troupe’s KBBJ,and a recent Kid Onery production of The Adding Machine.