Artistic Team

The Studio Connections Artistic Team is responsible for collaborating on the season productions, class & workshop ideas, developing new programs for the studio and other tasks too numerous to mention!  By being available to work on all these things, this frees Robert and Ginny to work more closely with the students who register for Visual Arts or daVinci Kids & Prep classes.

Who’s Who on the Artistic Team:

TERESA VASQUEZ (Resident Scenic Designer) joined the artistic team in 2009, and has designed scenery for other theatres around Tucson before joining us! Teresa is not just a designer, but also an accomplished dancer – having started lessons as a child.  You have seen her on our stage as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, She in All In The Timing, and Nickie in Sweet Charity.  Her next role is as Sylvia, in our production of Sylvia.  She joined us in 2009 as Assistant Director for Once Upon A Mattress, and followed up directing Philip Glass Buys A Loaf Of Bread and Words, Words, Words; two shorts from our production of All In The Timing.

CHARLIE GEBOW (Resident Technical Director & Stage Manager) is working towards a BA in Theatre Arts at the U of A.  He designed the lighting for Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and Dance Inferno at Pima Community College; Other favorite on-stage appearances include Schmendiman in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Italian Chef in Wonderful Town, and Lane in The Importance of Being Ernest. At the Studio, he has designed lighting (and stage managed) for Sweet Charity, The Stockyard Story/Return of the Raven and All In The Timing, and has acted in Barefoot in the Park, Alice in Wonderland, and The Twits. He made his directorial debut last summer with Hate Mail for daVinci Underground. Charlie recently took part in A Play on Words at the Rogue Theater, where his original work Lady Green was read.

LAYNI DIRENFELD (Wardrobe Mistress, daVinci Kids) loves work both on the stage and behind the scenes.  Some favorite on stage appearances include Lady Merrell in Once Upon a Mattress, the waitress in All in the Timing, the Queen of Hearts in Alice and Wonderland, Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun, Ado Annie Carnes in Oklahoma!, and Grace Farrel in Annie.  Behind the scenes Layni has designed costumes for Once Upon a Mattress, Little Shop of Horrors, Midsummer Nights Dream, and Angels in America.  Most recently Layni has begun to explore choreography for other theater companies around town and hopes to continue dancing.  Away from the theater Layni is currently a Senior at the University of Arizona studying Political Science and Communication. 

TIFFANY MCCLELLAND (Dramaturg) began working with Studio Connection’s in 2008 with her all time favorite show: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Since then, she has been splitting her time between teaching History at Tucson Magnet High School, and being on stage. After taking a leave of absence during university; she returned to the stage with Redondo Music Theatre as Graziella in West Side Story and St. Francis Theatre Ensemble as Robin in Godspell. You have seen her on stage at the Studio Connections as Philostrate in A Midsummer Nights Dream, Carmen in Sweet Charity, the Roly Poly Bird in The Twits and Maria/Moor Dancer/Antonia U/S in Man of La Mancha. In the fall of 2009 she was thrilled to direct her first show; Pride and Prejudice at THMS.  

Some current and past members of our Artistic Team
From L-R:

Maria Gallardo, Brian Levario, John Mussack, Maria Alburtus, Samantha Cormier, Nick Gallardo, Ginny Encila, Brian Hale, Elayna Direnfeld, Robert Encila.  Photo taken during our nomination at the 2009 LUMIE Awards

All our artistic team have spent time on various stages around Tucson, learning from the best of the best here and in L.A. or New York, as well as time back stage, ensuring the show goes on.  Their dedication to their craft and desire to put on a truly worthwhile show help propel the daVinci players forward.  They all are extremely proud of the shows we put on, and they hope you leave the theatre enjoying the show even more than they do!

In addition to our Artistic Team, we have a satellite team and friends who are ready, eager and willing to help us put on a show.  This group of always-willing people include:

Vincent Race – Foley Artist
Carolyn Canterman – Stage Manager, Expense Reports
Mara Sandroff – daVinci Prep liason to the Artistic Team
Layni Direnfeld – Former Costumer & Wardrobe Mistress
Samantha Cormier – Set construction & Former Artistic Team Member
Nick Gallardo – Set construction
David Zinke – Set construction, props, Creator of Zink’s Treats Fudge, available at our concession counter.
Linda Winkelman – Flute/Sax player for our Musicals
Chad Collins – Former Artistic Team Member & Costumer
John Mussack – Former Artistic Team Member & Technical Director
Steve Wood – Playbills & flyers/posters