October Surprise

MIGUEL MUÑOZ is a Peruvian-American playwright, director, and actor hailing from the Pacific Northwest. He is currently a senior at the University of Northern Colorado, pursuing a B.A in Theatre Education. His satirical play Lati-NO! was selected for American Stage’s 2023 New Play Festival in St. Petersburg, FL. His political drama October Surprise was recently elected a semifinalist in Orlando Shakespeare Festival’s 2023 PlayFest. He is currently under commission to write American Stage’s 2024 TYA tour show. This is Miguel’s second professional acting credit, having appeared in his first professional production last summer in Little Theatre of the Rockies’ The Quest for Don Quixote as Don Quixote.

VICTORIA VILLALOBOS has loved theatre since she was a child. She has worked extensively with OpenStage as a Sound Designer and Engineer, Makeup and Hair Designer and Stylist, Assistant Director, Stage Manager, Board Operator, Stagehand, and Dresser. Victoria also has worked with Fort Collins Children’s Theatre for the past 7 productions, most recently as the Makeup Designer and Stylist for The Addams Family. Next on the list, she will be designing for FCCT’s production of SpongeBob The Musical in November of 2024. In addition, she has worked with companies such as Opera Fort Collins, Canyon Concert Ballet, and The Cheyenne Little Theatre Players. Victoria was recently nominated for a Henry Award for Outstanding Sound Design for her work on The Book of Will with OpenStage. She received her associate degree from Front Range Community College, where she was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and was named to the President’s List, both for her academic achievements. Victoria wishes to thank her family and friends for all their love and support!

DAVID GRINNELL has been continuously involved with OpenStage for the last 10 years. David originally worked in the Saint Paul/Minneapolis area, with companies such as The Great American History Theater, Cricket Theater, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, and The Guthrie Theater. For OpenStage, he has served as the Master Electrician for Moonlight and Magnolias, Unnecessary Farce, North Plan, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Avenue Q, and Men On Boats. David was the Lighting Designer for this season’s CABARET and Don’t Dress for Dinner in 2017. Since the 2015 relaunch of OpenStage etcetera, he has served as Lighting Designer and Master Electrician for their productions of The Submission, A Bright New Boise, Ultimate Beauty Bible, H2O, Ideation, The Mystery of Love and Sex, Fool For Love, Every Brilliant Thing, Tiny Beautiful Things, Cry It Out, and A Doll’s House Part 2.

ALICIA MUÑOZ is a theatre artist from Vancouver, WA. For 10 years, she’s immersed herself in the dramatic arts as a director, stage manager, costume designer, and actor. She is delighted to be making her professional technical debut in this production. She has lived in Greeley, CO for 5 years and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a BA in Theatre Education. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Special Education at Buena Vista University. Educational theatre credits include: Clara (Clara’s Little Questions, UNCO); Stage Manager/Costume Designer (Lati-NO!, UNCO); Director (Look Me in the Eye, UNCO); Stage Manager (Trap, UNCO).

KIMBER FREETONE HOVEN Kimber is approaching the stage again after a long hiatus. The message of SWEAT drew him back to the craft. From 2016 on he worked building sets and event spaces in New York and has always carried an appreciation and love of the craft behind the industry of theatre and entertainment. He now returns to Colorado to hopefully approach new avenues of creativity and craft.

JAMES BURNS graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Theatre Arts in 1997. He worked at the Arvada Center during the 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons as a scenic painter and technician before moving to New York City. He stage managed On Love and Lies and Square One at the 2004 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and Box of Fools for the 2005 American Living Room Festival in NYC. Since moving back to Fort Collins in 2010, James has worked extensively with both OpenStage Theatre and Bas Bleu as an actor, fight choreographer and scenic artist. He appeared onstage most recently as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Phillip Lombard in And Then There Were None, Steve Heidebrecht in August: Osage County, Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew,The Husband in Stage Kiss, Austin in True West and Sharky in The Seafarer, all with OpenStage Theatre. In addition, James recently co-directed OpenStage’s Sherwood and directed etcetera’s productions of Fool for Love and Christmas Chaos. He sends thanks to his wife, Jessica and love to his daughters, Scarlett and Sterling.

JACK KRAUSE graduated from Colorado State University with a bachelor’s degree in Direction and Playwriting. He has worked extensively with OpenStage as a Stage Manager, Assistant Director, Director of Cinematography, and Projection Engineer. His work on stage includes Thomas in And Then There Were None and Dave in The Full Monty. Most recently, Jack directed The Christians and will be directing the production of The Open House with Bas Bleu Theatre in their 2023-2024 Season.

MOLLY MCGUIRE first performed with OpenStage Theatre in 2004 in The Women. She began performing with the Company again in 2014, when she appeared as Nerine in Scapin. Since then, she has appeared with OpenStage as Beatrice in The Servant of Two Masters, Millicent/Laurie in Stage Kiss, Danielle in Ultimate Beauty Bible, Suzanne in Don’t Dress for Dinner, in the Ensemble of Christmas Chaos and Dromio of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors, Conrade in Much Ado About Nothing, Angela in Natural Shocks, and Fanny Dashwood/Lucy Steele/Lady Middleton/Gossip in Sense and Sensibility. She is excited to be working with the amazing cast of Cyrano and would like to thank the entire cast, staff and crew for their unwavering support. Also, Molly would like to take this opportunity to give her heartfelt thanks to her OpenStage family. Their support and love has helped her immensely this last year.

KATE AUSTIN-GRÖEN has been performing for over three decades, and has done many regional theatre productions in Texas, Virginia, Minnesota, California, and several other states. Since moving to Fort Collins in 2010, Kate has performed and directed several productions for OpenStage Theatre, Bas Bleu Theatre, Midtown Arts Center, and the Fort Collins Children’s Theatre. She is so happy to be performing in this show, especially since her favorite play is Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Kate is the Production Manager for OpenStage Theatre’s etcetera season, as well as their resident Intimacy Director. Her next endeavor will be directing Treasure Island for OST in the summer of 2023. In addition to acting, Kate enjoys studying languages, and is a Level Two Scottish Gaelic Student with Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (on the Isle of Skye). She also enjoys reading, yoga, and spending time with her husband and two children.