Stage Managers 2024
Connie Lane
Stage Manager – All That Remains
Connie is thrilled to be joining the production team at the 2024 Durango PlayFest for the first time and is excited to work with this year’s team of uber-talented artists devoted to showcasing new plays. After a rewarding 10-year career in higher education as faculty member and production coordinator with the Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of Colorado Boulder, Connie’s freelance production stage management work is in full swing. Recent theatre work includes Local Theater’s world premiere of “You Enjoy Myself,” “acts of faith,” and Local Lab 13 along with “Alma” at Curious Theatre Company. Connie also enjoys the rewarding and challenging work in Special Events highlighted by the Colorado Theatre Guild’s Annual Henry Awards, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, and celebrating Olivia Travel & Record Company serving as Stage Manager for multiple trips a year. Living her best life as a whole queer elder, Connie is full of gratitude for the continuous love and support from her wife, Jenny Scanlon, and their devoted dog pack, Louie and Kodi.
Jessica McCallum
Stage Manager – Mrs. Einstein
Jessica is very thankful for Durango’s thriving local theatre scene and the chance to make art with the PlayFest community. She is fully immersed in a midlife theatre renaissance, and she can’t stop working on plays both backstage and onstage. She most recently appeared in “Chicago” and stage managed “Hands on a Hardbody” for Merely Players. She gets to do creative stuff with teenagers in her day job as a teacher at Animas High School, such as make cool media content (follow @ahsquillmedia on Instagram!) and organize extemporaneous dance parties.
Selena Trujillo
Stage Manager – Hop Tha A
Selena is a native of Durango and a familiar face in local theatrical productions. She’s an active company member of Merely Players and most recently served as stage manager for “Chicago.” She has been the stage manager for local productions including “Cabaret,” “Rent,” “Fool For Love,” “Next To Normal,” “Bright Star,” and the collaboration with Merely Players in “God of Carnage” at the Durango Arts Center, the 2014 “Melodrama,” 2014-2019 “Rocky Horror Show,” “Drag-Rango” at the Henry Strater Theatre, and the assistant stage manager for “Mary Poppins,” “Secret Garden,” “Man of La Mancha” and “Mama Mia” with Merely Players.
Misha Zimmerman
Stage Manager – Circle Forward
Misha is excited to bring her passion for new work to the Durango PlayFest for the first time. She is the executive producer at Local Theater Company in Boulder, CO. Her stage management credits with Local include “Discount Ghost Stories: Songs from the Rockies,” “Paper Cut,” “Wisdom from Everything” and “Pop the Holidays,” as well as numerous Local Lab play readings. Other stage management credits include “The Year of Magical Thinking” (The Aurora Fox), “Sisters in Law” (Theater Or), “The Secretary” (Curious Theatre Company), “The Headliners” (Cherry Creek Theatre), “Florencia en el Amazonas” (Opera Steamboat) and “The Enchanted Pig” (Opera Steamboat). Misha holds a BA in Theater and Literature from the University of Colorado.
Kiedis Begaye
Assistant Stage Manager – Hop Tha A
Kiedis graduated from Fort Lewis College with a degree in theatre. He has a background in performance including roles in several FLC productions including “Much Ado About Nothing,” and “Romeo & Juliet.” Kiedis is from Arizona and is excited to take on the role of assistant stage manager.
Helene Brimhall
Assistant Stage Manager – All That Remains
Helene is an upcoming junior acting major at the University of Northern Colorado who started her theater journey right here in Durango! No stranger to PlayFest, she served as ASM for “Just Another Day” (2022) and “Heartbeat” (2023). She is ecstatic to participate in her third festival. Her most recent performance credits include Chorus in “This Restless House,” Kendra in “The Gulf,” and Inez in “No Exit.” She also has a great passion for paint design, directing, and stage management. Her technical credits include stage managing “Rope” last year and she most recently had the honor of being assistant director in “Never The Sinner.”
Lilia Reynolds
Assistant Stage Manager – Mrs. Einstein
Lilia joins PlayFest for a second year, taking on the roles of both reader and assistant stage manager. You may have recently seen her embrace the complex roles of Sonya in “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” and the dynamic #14 in “The Wolves,” productions of the Fort Lewis College Theatre Department.
J’Kye Wientjes
Assistant Stage Manager – Circle Forward
J’Kye has a degree in communication design and is a return student to the Fort, majoring in computer information systems. His appreciation of theatre comes from his interest in voiceover as well as production and costume design. He’s currently focusing on school but has worked in many fields, from forestry to bartending to freelance graphic design.