Commedia dell'Austin -- Troupe Photos for CDA

Commedia dell'Austin
The following are the troupe bios and photos that were used at the Festival website. The photos were taken by Juan some time before we left for Austin. The bios were written by the troupe members.

The Golden Stag Players are an amateur performance company founded in the summer of 1991 by members of the Society for Creative Anachronism Inc., an educational, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and re-creation of Medieval and Renaissance European culture. Originally their goal was to present a few SCA-specific plays, but subsequently they evolved to produce authentic medieval and renaissance plays, including Commedia dell'Arte. In the ten years that the Golden Stag Players have been in existence, they have performed over twenty different plays.

For the purposes of the Commedia Festival in Austin, the Golden Stag Players consist of the following people - note that there are other members who cannot make it to the festival this year, and are therefore not listed here:

Jeff Boylan (Seamus Padraig O’Baiogheallain mì-Nàrach)
Jeff is a founding member of the Golden Stag Players even though it took a while before he decided to get up on stage. Once he did, he was quickly typecast as an infirm and lecherous old man. Being an infirm and lecherous young man, he resents being prejudged by his roles.

Shelby Clark (Kæll of the Broken Tower)
Shelby has acted off and on for twenty-five years in a variety of school and community theaters, and has been a member of the Golden Stag Players for eight years, including roles as Brighella and as Oratio the romantic twit, for which he insists he is not especially well suited, but everyone else disagrees.

Shanna Compton (Original Nightshade)
Shanna has never been able to shake off being part of the "theater crowd" when in high school. She joined the Golden Stag Players a couple of years after her husband (Shelby Clark) joined the troupe. Her roles have varied within the troupe from stage crew to card girl to actress. Recently she has gotten in touch with her inner blonde to match the outer hair for her current role.

Tim Converse (Juan Santiago)
One of the founding members of The Golden Stag Players, Tim has been involved in the theater since he was ten years old. In that time he has worn many hats, but most frequently can be found on stage, often in the role of Capitano. He is also a Magician, specializing in Close-Up, Parlor and Seance Magic. In a desperate attempt to avoid wearing lampshades at parties he has added the skills of Juggling and Fire-eating to his performance repertoire. He is the President of The Coastal Magicians Club in Santa Cruz, California, a member of The Guild of Renaissance Performers, an Alumnus of "The Mystery School" and a Magician Member of The Academy of Magical Arts, Inc, more commonly known as "The Magic Castle" in Hollywood, California.

Carolyn Eaton (Aldith Angharad St. George)
Carolyn is a founding member of the Golden Stag Players along with her husband, Ken Mayer. She has a lifelong passion for the art and history of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Carolyn's contribution to the Players has primarily been in the realms of costume design/making and scriptwriting.

Jeremy Fletcher (Wulfric of Creigull)
Jeremy caught the drama bug twenty years ago but quickly realized he would never make a living at it. Despite his offstage success in the corporate world (he is a Portfolio Manager for a mutual fund company) onstage, he is a certifiably foolish actor.

Meg Heydt (Margrethe Astrid Ravn)
Meg has been a member of the Golden Stag Players for the last seven years. Her exposure to the adult stage started with the San Francisco Lamplighters where she participated in Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Sorceror." Since then she has worked behind the curtain as a stage hand, and in front of the curtain with the GSP. She has been a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism for the last twenty five years, which probably explains her interest in theatre and commedia, or maybe the other way around.

Laurie Hupman (Rose de Le Mans)
At the age of seven, Laurie made her stage debut, yawning her way through the wedding scene in "Coppelia" and the experience was so affirming that she continued acting through high school and college. She is one of the original cast members of the Golden Stag Players, and met her husband at the first rehearsal. Well, okay, he wasn't her husband then.

Charles Jeske (Charles "Bonefinder" Ravenstone)
Charles is probably the only member of the Golden Stag players with no real career other than professional village idiot. Charles comes from a long line of varied entertainers, that line being the one that exits the backdoor of audition halls. He has enjoyed many years as a professional magician, amateur juggler, and part time actor. Although impromptu slapstick is his strong suit, Charles did play a serious role once, but we don't remember what it was.

Ken Mayer (Hirsch von Henford)
Ken graduated college in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. While earning his degree his activities ranged from acting and directing to building sets and stage managing. Ken's senior project helped revive the student-only productions on the campus as well. Realizing that finding a job in theatre would be difficult at best, he minored in computer science, which is where he earns a living. He never dreamed that 7 years after he graduated college he would start an acting troupe ... Ken is usually the director of the Golden Stag Players.

John McCartney (Eoin of Fell Hold)
John's hobbies include music, electronics, and woodworking. His multi-faceted involvement with the theater began, unsurprisingly, by working with lighting and sound during college. Continuing behind the scenes as part of the construction crew, he was eventually lured out onto the stage itself as a performer.

Teresa McCartney (Teresa la Marchant)
Teresa originally became involved in the theatre as an undergrad, primarily working with costumes and makeup. After taking time off to get married, complete grad school, start a family and establish a career she joined the Golden Stag Players, where she has performed in roles of both genders. She has been in the SCA for twenty years, and a performer with the Stags for three.

Elizabeth Moreno (Anne of Ockham)
Elizabeth had her first taste of being on stage at the age of six and has been hooked ever since, jumping at every performance opportunity that comes her way.

Jim O'Connell (Fionnbharr O'Cathain)
Jim originally went to school to become a Catholic priest, but discovered that you couldn't say "" on stage with the Golden Stag Players, and still be expected to say Mass. Somewhere between Theology and Science is where he's happiest, and the heretics in the Golden Stag Players make him feel right at home. This is his second year with the Troupe.

Michael Terrio (Michael of Worcester)
Michael has been doing theater for over thirty years now. He does both on-stage and back stage work. He has done amateur and professional theater, and has his AA in theater arts. He loves to juggle and has taught this art to many, through his local park and recreation department. He also adds dance, stage fighting, and tumbling to the mix. He prefers minor roles, as this allows him to act as a technician in the same show.

Eric Thompson (Iricus le Ferur)
Eric has been a member of the SCA for over 12 years. At first he wasn't too sure about this whole "acting thing" but has learned to get in touch with his "Inner Ham". Now, after four seasons, he finds it quite enjoyable and wouldn't trade his Capitano mask for anything.

Dawn Watkins (Ilia Filia Symeon)
Dawn has spent the last 10 years performing with various folk dance troupes in California, most notably at the major Renaissance fairs and Celtic festivals. She has recently learned to juggle, and is enthusiastically pursuing this new hobby ... or is that enthusiastically pursuing dropped objects?. She has also recently come on board with the Golden Stag Players as part of the stage crew and has no acting experience ... yet ...

The Golden Stags will be performing "The Twin Captains," and is based on the scenario by that name by Flaminio Scala (as translated by Henry F. Salerno).

Capitano Spavento is married to Isabella, the daughter of Doctor Gratiano. Six months after the wedding he left Rome, along with his servant Trivilino, to go find his long-lost brother, who is also a Captain, in Naples. Six years later, Capitano Spavento and Trivilino return to Rome, not having found his brother. While the Captain was away, his wife Isabella has found solace in the arms of Oratio, a young poet, whom Flaminia, the daughter of the old miser Pantalone, is also in love with. On the SAME DAY Capitano Spavento returns to Rome, his brother arrives, accompanied by his servant, Arlecchino. He, too, is searching for his brother, Capitano Spavento. Because both the captains and the servants look so much alike, many strange things occur.

Pedicentur quos non placet ludus

Back to Commedia dell'Austin Main Page

	Jeff Boylan (Seamus Padraig O’Baiogheallain mì-Nàrach) Jeff is a founding member of the Golden Stag Players even though it took a while before he decided to get up on stage. Once he did, he was quickly typecast as an infirm and lecherous old man. Being an infirm and lecherous young man, he resents being prejudged by his roles.

	Shelby Clark (Kæll of the Broken Tower) Shelby has acted off and on for twenty-five years in a variety of school and community theaters, and has been a member of the Golden Stag Players for eight years, including roles as Brighella and as Oratio the romantic twit, for which he insists he is not especially well suited, but everyone else disagrees.

	Shanna Compton (Original Nightshade) Shanna has never been able to shake off being part of the "theater crowd" when in high school. She joined the Golden Stag Players a couple of years after her husband (Shelby Clark) joined the troupe. Her roles have varied within the troupe from stage crew to card girl to actress. Recently she has gotten in touch with her inner blonde to match the outer hair for her current role.

	Tim Converse (Juan Santiago) One of the founding members of The Golden Stag Players, Tim has been involved in the theater since he was ten years old. In that time he has worn many hats, but most frequently can be found on stage, often in the role of Capitano. He is also a Magician, specializing in Close-Up, Parlor and Seance Magic. In a desperate attempt to avoid wearing lampshades at parties he has added the skills of Juggling and Fire-eating to his performance repertoire. He is the President of The Coastal Magicians Club in Santa Cruz, California, a member of The Guild of Renaissance Performers, an Alumnus of "The Mystery School" and a Magician Member of The Academy of Magical Arts, Inc, more commonly known as "The Magic Castle" in Hollywood, California.

	Carolyn Eaton (Aldith Angharad St. George) Carolyn is a founding member of the Golden Stag Players along with her husband, Ken Mayer. She has a lifelong passion for the art and history of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Carolyn's contribution to the Players has primarily been in the realms of costume design/making and scriptwriting.

	Jeremy Fletcher (Wulfric of Creigull) Jeremy caught the drama bug twenty years ago but quickly realized he would never make a living at it. Despite his offstage success in the corporate world (he is a Portfolio Manager for a mutual fund company) onstage, he is a certifiably foolish actor.

	Meg Heydt (Margrethe Astrid Ravn) Meg has been a member of the Golden Stag Players for the last seven years. Her exposure to the adult stage started with the San Francisco Lamplighters where she participated in Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Sorceror." Since then she has worked behind the curtain as a stage hand, and in front of the curtain with the GSP. She has been a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism for the last twenty five years, which probably explains her interest in theatre and commedia, or maybe the other way around.

	Laurie Hupman (Rose de Le Mans) At the age of seven, Laurie made her stage debut, yawning her way through the wedding scene in "Coppelia" and the experience was so affirming that she continued acting through high school and college. She is one of the original cast members of the Golden Stag Players, and met her husband at the first rehearsal. Well, okay, he wasn't her husband then.

	Charles Jeske (Charles "Bonefinder" Ravenstone) Charles is probably the only member of the Golden Stag players with no real career other than professional village idiot. Charles comes from a long line of varied entertainers, that line being the one that exits the backdoor of audition halls. He has enjoyed many years as a professional magician, amateur juggler, and part time actor. Although impromptu slapstick is his strong suit, Charles did play a serious role once, but we don't remember what it was.

	Ken Mayer (Hirsch von Henford) Ken graduated college in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. While earning his degree his activities ranged from acting and directing to building sets and stage managing. Ken's senior project helped revive the student-only productions on the campus as well. Realizing that finding a job in theatre would be difficult at best, he minored in computer science, which is where he earns a living. He never dreamed that 7 years after he graduated college he would start an acting troupe ... Ken is usually the director of the Golden Stag Players.

	John McCartney (Eoin of Fell Hold) John's hobbies include music, electronics, and woodworking. His multi-faceted involvement with the theater began, unsurprisingly, by working with lighting and sound during college. Continuing behind the scenes as part of the construction crew, he was eventually lured out onto the stage itself as a performer.

	Teresa McCartney (Teresa la Marchant) Teresa originally became involved in the theatre as an undergrad, primarily working with costumes and makeup. After taking time off to get married, complete grad school, start a family and establish a career she joined the Golden Stag Players, where she has performed in roles of both genders. She has been in the SCA for twenty years, and a performer with the Stags for three.

	Elizabeth Moreno (Anne of Ockham) Elizabeth had her first taste of being on stage at the age of six and has been hooked ever since, jumping at every performance opportunity that comes her way.

	Jim O'Connell (Fionnbharr O'Cathain) Jim originally went to school to become a Catholic priest, but discovered that you couldn't say "" on stage with the Golden Stag Players, and still be expected to say Mass. Somewhere between Theology and Science is where he's happiest, and the heretics in the Golden Stag Players make him feel right at home. This is his second year with the Troupe.

	Michael Terrio (Michael of Worcester) Michael has been doing theater for over thirty years now. He does both on-stage and back stage work. He has done amateur and professional theater, and has his AA in theater arts. He loves to juggle and has taught this art to many, through his local park and recreation department. He also adds dance, stage fighting, and tumbling to the mix. He prefers minor roles, as this allows him to act as a technician in the same show.

	Eric Thompson (Iricus le Ferur) Eric has been a member of the SCA for over 12 years. At first he wasn't too sure about this whole "acting thing" but has learned to get in touch with his "Inner Ham". Now, after four seasons, he finds it quite enjoyable and wouldn't trade his Capitano mask for anything.

	Dawn Watkins (Ilia Filia Symeon) Dawn has spent the last 10 years performing with various folk dance troupes in California, most notably at the major Renaissance fairs and Celtic festivals. She has recently learned to juggle, and is enthusiastically pursuing this new hobby ... or is that enthusiastically pursuing dropped objects?. She has also recently come on board with the Golden Stag Players as part of the stage crew and has no acting experience ... yet ...