David Herbelin
Trained at U.C.I.’s Drama school and an Alumni of Second City Los Angeles, David Herbelin has been professionally edutaining audiences of all ages for over a decade. Currently David is the General Manager for the Imagination Machine: a touring children’s theatre that inspires and celebrates child’s efforts in writing. For the Imagination Machine David directs and performs daily works of art written by children for children. He is also the writer of “Who What Where”, the most book assembly for the Orange County Performing Arts Center (OCPAC) for the past seven years. This year David has launched two new assemblies, “Write On!” and “The Icky Yucky Gross Bug Show”, which are both experiencing a high level of success at OCPAC. Previous to this David taught Improvisation for Second City Los Angeles and has taught acting for such companies at TNN, CBS and Paramount. On the performance side David has been seen at various theaters throughout Southern California in critically acclaimed shows such as “A Tuna Christmas”, “Good Evening”, “Another Good Evening”, “Laura”, “Alone Together”, and “Amadeus”. For the future David hopes to launch two more assemblies for Southern California schools next season.
Michael McFarland
Mike McFarland is a San Diego native. Before his work at the Wild Animal Park, Mike entertained guests at the San Diego Zoo as Dr. Zoolittle, researcher extraordinaire. In addition to Experience Africa, he performs regularly at the National Comedy Theatre in San Diego and is pursuing his teaching credential. When he's not acting or teaching, Mike spends most of his time figuring out ways to trick Kamarra Chamberlain into making him a pie. Seriously.
Wes Mason
Growing up in San Diego, Wes Mason frequented the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld. Today, as a singer and songwriter, he’s combined his love of music with his passion for conservation. The result is fun-filled, entertaining music that teaches kids and their families about wildlife and conservation. “Most importantly, I create music that people really enjoy,” Wes explains. He writes music in a variety of styles, including rock, country, blues, folk, and even reggae. “The message is important, and the only way people are going to hear it is if they enjoy listening to the songs. “Some children’s music is barely palatable for adults. My stuff is intelligent and fun. Sure, my primary target audience is kids, but I want adults to like the music, too.”
Just watch a live Wild Wes performance. Wes engages his audience, and gives them plenty of opportunity to interact through singing, movement, and even animal sounds. That includes the adults, too. In fact, one of Wes’s favorite show elements involves bringing five unsuspecting adult volunteers on stage during “The Vertebrate Classification Song.” It’s one of the kids’ favorite parts of the show as well. To describe any more here would spoil the surprise! In addition to live stage performances, Wild Wes has just released his first CD, Save the World. It features ten toe-tapping original tunes, produced by Jake Kovach, and is sure to become a hit. When not on stage or in the recording studio, Wes enjoys spending time outdoors. Fortunately, his hometown of San Diego affords plentiful opportunity to do so. One of his favorite places to go hiking is Torrey Pines State Reserve, next door to his alma mater, University of California, San Diego. Also close by is La Jolla Cove, one of the most picturesque spots in California. One of Wes’s favorite memories is of snorkeling in the cove amongst dozens of leopard sharks. What a thrill!
Patrick Kelly
Raised in Orange county Patrick Came to San Diego To attend San Diego State University where he has recently graduated with a BA in Theater Performance. He is happy to have found this wonderful job performing in Experience Africa with so many talented cast mates. His performance credits include: Beauty and the Beast (Starlight Theater), Fences (San Diego Black Theater ensemble), Dutchman (Lynx performance theater), Ain't you heard (Ira Aldridge Rep. Players) and several shows with SDSU theater department. He plans to remain in San diego as long as he can find performance opportunities and of course to enjoy the sun.
Ellyn Hae
With the advent of the new millennium, Ellyn decided to chuck her highly successful recycling career and become an actor. Ellyn joined up with Arimaw Productions early on as a jilted bride, french chef and other outrageous roles, conjured up by Michael Wulfhart for various organizations. Since then, she has created shows for Arimaw Productions, directed theater in schools, and developed performance based environmental science classes. Favorite traditional theater credits include Sound of Music(Frau Schmidt/Nun at the Laurence Welk Resort), Wizard of Oz (Glinda/Auntie Em at Kit Carson Park), ensemble acting with the Mystery Café and San Diego Actor’s Theater, and playing Edith Piaf in a two person show at the wacky Theatrx theater in Escondido. Much thanks to Michael for all the opportunities!.
Brian Apprille
Brian started performing stand up comedy in 1997 in the Boston area. He quickly climbed the ranks as one of the bright new stars in what is considered a very competitive comedy scene. It didn't take very long for Brian to win over crowds as well as his peers in the industry. Winner of the 1999 New England Comedy Challenge, and voted one of Boston's "Best Kept Secrets", he has received some of the highest compliments in the comedy world. His act is considered "funny" and "original" with his high-energy antics, sarcastic comments, and variety of over 70 impressions. Years later, Brian has performed at various venues across the country, from clubs and colleges, to casinos and corporate shows.
Nicole Peretta
Nicole Perretta has been drawing and painting birds since she was 9 years old; her interest in birds began at that time. She read every book she could on birds and observed the wild birds in her neighborhood, keeping a list of the birds that she identified. At the same time she became interested in falconry after her mother brought home a book on the subject. She wanted to become a falconer from that day forward. She realized that dream in 1992 and obtained a falconry license. Nicole has broadened her experience with birds by working as an ornithological field assistant and by volunteering at local wildlife rehabilitation centers. She has also worked professionally as an exotic bird caretaker, an avian behavioral consultant, and spent 6 years as a Zookeeper for the San Diego Zoo.
Nicole studied art in high school at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts. She enjoys working in many mediums but her favorites are watercolor, acrylic and prismacolor. Nicole is also a published artist. She has illustrated the books, "Understanding the Life of Birds", by Patrick G. Coyle, and "The Complete Bird Owner's Handbook" by Dr. Gary A. Gallerstein. A second edition of the latter mentioned book contains additional illustrations drawn by Nicole. She also illustrated the,"Taxonomy of the Marsh Wren", by Philip Unitt, Collection Manager of Birds and Mammals for the San Diego Natural History Museum. Nicole also illustrates for the museum's Bird Atlas newsletter, "Wrenderings", that is published every three months.
Nicole has another talent. She can imitate the calls of 110 species of birds. She learned to produce bird calls between the ages of 6 and 11 years of age. It was at time she discovered she could capture the attention of the birds around her. She could change the direction of a flying raven, have a dove follow her, or make a hawk dive bomb an invisible foe. Nicole has fine tuned this ability over the years and can now produce 130+ birds calls. She was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno in October of 2003 and the Ellen Degeneres Show in January of 2005. She has a CD with 130 of her recorded bird calls.
Steven Warner
Steven J. Warner is currently the Education Coordinator for Mainly Mozart. He has been involved in the arts since high school and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Cinema from San Francisco State University. Steven has worked in television in Los Angeles and as an actor in theatre and film in Northern, CA as well as in San Diego since 2004. Beginning in 2000, he began teaching in the public school system and most recently as an instructor in San Diego, teaching film and theatre during the summers and occasionally performing Enviroschools for the San Diego Zoo/Wild Animal Park. He recently completed directing the first of a series of enviromental IPodCasts for broadcast in the public school system. His short films have appeared in film festivals and he is currently at work on a personal feature film.
Andre Elias
Andre Elias is the founder of ChiAxis productions - a sole-proprietor encompassing all my education, performance and composition projects.
Andre holds a MA in Music from UCSD and a BA in Cognitive Sciences from Pomona College. Instruments include Guitar, Bass, Sitar, Vox,Percussion (djembe, doumbek, conga, tabla) Genres of interest include Rock, Jazz, Reggae, Flamenco, Gypsy, Electronica(d&b/hiphop/dub, trance/psychedelia), tribal bellydance, Indian& western classical music, West-African, Brazilian and Afro-Cubanstyles. You can hear some projects at www.myspace.com/chiaxis Currents projects Include:
SW Nomadic - Gypsy*Reggae*Rock - World-core, flamenco, folk, jazz,bellydance, bhangra, Indian Classical even some bluegrass. The firstCD, Lumination features Dre, Kasey Wallrath, Adam Ainsworth, KartikSuresh, Toni Pope and Humberto Sandez. The next album includes bhangra-rock songs, bellydance vibes, a malaguena and an interpretationof Albeniz' Leyenda-Asturias. Always looking to collaborate with uniqueinstrumentalists, vocalists and dancers.
Grey Goo - progressive metal - sounds like a mix of Primus, Tool,System of a Down and Soundgarden. Featuring Dre, Karthik, Kasey. This project is currently coming together.
Instruction - Guitar of all sorts, bass and percussion classes are taught currently to individuals and in group classes.
ChiAxis productions includes work with Chiazm, DJLL7, Myconaut, TheMeehoos, Evergreen Playground, The Mooches, and Letterman's Teeth and anumber of Dre's solo works and electronic music.
Erin Bowman
Erin Bowman is a native North Carolinian new to Southern California this year. She earned her degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and worked as a preschool teacher in Wilmington, North Carolina. This summer she began working as a lead teacher with Arimaw Productions summer camps. Her favorite camp to teach is Ceramics. She is passionate about teaching the arts to young children and looks forward to all teaching there is to come!
Robby Hartson
Robby Hartson currently resides in Tucson, Arizona where he is on his way to completing a Bachaelor in Fine Arts in Acting and Musical Theatre and the University of Arizona. Being a San Diego native he has performed in Venues such as The Lyceum Stage Theatre, and San Diego Civic Light Opera/Starlight theatre as an Actors Equity Membership Candidate. Robby has taught/directed/ choregraphed a variety of camps at Arimaw such as Survivor, Music Video, Spy kids, and his personal favorite Projet Runway camp.
Aaron Marcotte
Aaron Marcotte is a professional actor, and dancer in San Diego. He has been honored by local critics, and choreographers for his work on the stage. Aaron holds a BS in Sports Medicine from San Francisco State University. He is also a licensed and practicing massage therapist, in addition to teaching ballet, jazz, and pilates. Aaron's work with children began 4 years ago when he had the opportunity to teach 'dance basics' to inner-city youth as part of an arts-outreach program in Denver, Colorado. The impact of the experience was so great, Aaron chose to dedicate his talents and education to children, which brought him to Arimaw Productions. With Arimaw, Aaron has the opportunity to plan, and operate several different programs for children and families - using his strengths as a performance artist, and enterprenuer to enrich lives with art!
|
