PLAY CRAWL LEADER BIO'S

MICHAEL GURSHTEIN

Michael Gurshtein began attending the theatre as a small child while growing up in Moscow, Russia. Upon moving to Grand Junction, CO, he took part in high school productions as a stagehand with sporadic appearances on the boards. After a nine-year hiatus, Michael returned to the theatre in 2011, and has been working around Denver nonstop ever since. Some favorite roles include Ali Said in And Toto Too's regional premiere of The English Bride, Duvid in A Shayna Maidel and Nevile Strange in Towards Zero (Firehouse Theater), Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest and Max Garrett in Becky Shaw (Coal Creek Theater of Louisville), Jonathan Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace (Boulder's Upstart Crow Theatre), and Dr. Rufus Griswold in Evermore (Byers-Evans Theatre Company). Michael recently transplanted to Los Angeles to attend the acting conservatory program at the Stella Adler Art of Acting Studio.

 


SUSY HICKEY

Susy Hickey loves theatre and is honored to have been part of The Play Crawl from the beginning. Created and developed by Susan Lyles and And Toto, too, The Play Crawl is a unique fundraiser that embraces everything “magical” about the theatre. Susy wishes to thank Susan and company for supporting women playwrights.

DOUG BLONDIN

Doug has been coming to The Play Crawl since the beginning and became a play crawl leader in 2013.  He might be a familiar face as he's all around town seeing 140 to 200 plays a year.  In his spare time, Doug reads (including play scripts for theatres), does genealogy, cycles, visits National Parks & other scenic areas, and rides steam trains (Cumbes & Toltec, Durango Silverton)



HARRISON LYLES-SMITH

 Harrison is a Junior at the University of Northern Colorado. They are an AEC, and are SAG eligible. His work includes, Eurydice; Jean and Beatrice; Murder on the Orient Express (University of Northern Colorado)Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Aurora Fox), Jerusalem (Edge Theatre), Medea (Edge Theatre), Appropriate (Curious Theatre), A Chorus Line (Denver School of the Arts), Book of Will (Denver School of the Arts), A Scouts Guide to Brutal Honesty, and Blow Ins (And Toto too) Film credits include: 7th Son, Son of Lies and Whispers, Second String Villians, Chasing Christmas the feature film The Engagement Plot, and the indie short film Reed Gig. They would like to thank all their friends and family for their support.

  

DARREN SMITH

Darren Smith is a successful business owner, stage designer and filmmaker. He has been a crawl leader since the first Play Crawl in 2011.Darren has more than 30 years of experience both on-stage and in almost every capacity behind the scenes, and is responsible for the technical operations for And Toto Too. Since 2015 he has directed more than 31 short films, garnering awards including winning 3rd Place for Best Film at the London 48 Hour Film Project in 2024. His aim with storytelling - whether on screen or stage - is to immerse the audience in situations that feel familiar to them, even if they have never personally experienced the exact scenario that is unfolding. They should see themselves or someone they know reflected back to them, and through these stories gain a little more insight into the beautiful, inevitably flawed, human condition. Originally from Birmingham, England, Darren has made Denver Colorado his home for the last 27 years.

STEPHEN R. KRAMER

Stephen R. Kramer moved to Denver to go to the University of Denver in 1979 and has worked with just about every theatre group in the rocky mountain area. He is more widespread known for his work at Germinal Stage. He has been an actor with And Toto too for the Play Crawl on numerous occasions, and in their mainstage production “The Play Ground”.

CAROL TIMBLIN

A graduate of Loretto Heights College, Carol has acted and production managed for many Denver theater companies over the past 30 years including The Changing Scene, Aurora Fox, And Toto too, and Germinal Stage. Most recently she Stage Managed Stonewall for Benchmark Theatre. When not hanging around the theater, she can be found outside with the new puppy or indoors playing with fiber or clay

JEFFREY WOLF

Jeffrey Wolf is a playwright from Centennial and theaters all over the world have produced his plays. He recently wrote a murder mystery for the Aurora History Museum and Northglenn Arts performed his children's play, The Worst Play in the History of Ever. He thinks the play crawl is amazing! jeffreywolfplays.com.

JOHN ASHTON

John Ashton has acted in two and directed two other Play Crawl plays. He’s been active in theater, TV and film since Aristophanes was a stagehand, and is a proud recipient of the Colorado Theatre Guild Lifetime Achievement Award.

JEFFREY NEUMAN

Jeffrey Neuman is an award-winning playwright whose work has been performed at theaters, festivals, and universities across the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. His plays have been produced and/or developed by Denver Center Theatre Company, Cherry Creek Theatre, The Catamounts, LaMaMa Experimental Theatre Club, Benchmark Theatre, National Public Radio, Edinburgh Fringe, and the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Festival, among many others. He is a Heideman Award Finalist, an O’Neill Center Finalist, cofounder of Colorado’s Rough Draught Playwrights, and the Colorado Regional Ambassador for Dramatists Guild of America. www.theaterbyjeff.com.

PENNY COLE

Penny Cole is a lifelong theatre maker, educator, and award-winning director. She has directed in multiple theatres and universities in the US. Favorite shows include, The Tempest, The Cradle Will Rock, Mary Queen of Scots got her head chopped off, and Hamlet. She has 20 years of experience in developing new work, directing staged readings and workshop productions and serving as the former chair of the Playwrighting Symposium of the Mid America Theatre Conference. In 2018, she founded Flying Solo! Presents with the expressed purpose of fostering new work by American artists on the international stage. Since the premiere season in Edinburgh in 2019, Flying Solo! Presents has supported more than 47 artists in 28 productions in Edinburgh, Denver, and New York City. Productions, live and online, include four concerts by American based musicians, a dance production, multiple solo shows, new musicals, and audio plays in collaboration with This is Not a Theatre Company. At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2022 and 2023, Flying Solo! Presents produced a showcase of new American work and emerging American artists featuring 25+ artists. Follies, A Showcase of Bits and Bobs.

PHOTO CREDIT: MCLEOD9CREATIVE