Jay Stratton (Producing Artistic Director)

Now in its third season, Jay is the Producing Artistic Director of the Madeline Park Shakespeare Festival which adapts and reconceives the works of the bard into productions that are fun, family-friendly, and free for all El Pasoans. 

For the last eight years, Jay has worked as a professor of Theatre at the University of Texas at El Paso where his research has focused on the reinvention of classical theatre. Utilizing found spaces, non-traditional structures, and bilingual texts, Jay adapts and reframes classical material to heighten its value for 21st century audiences.

Jay is the co-adapter and creator of UTEP’s acclaimed bilingual, A Christmas Carol en la Frontera, as well as the covid era, site-specific outdoor production of Lysistrata. Jay also created UTEP’s Halloween productions of Bloody Shakespeare! and Shakespeare’s Asylum. Jay is also the writer and director of the irreverent Covid comedy, Keeping Distance.

Before coming to UTEP, Jay spent nearly two decades as a New York based professional actor working on stage and screen. Some of Jay’s favorite acting projects include the film Wanted Man with Dolph Lundgren and Kelsey Grammer, a lead appearance on ABC’s What Would You Do, and the title role in Oedipus at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre.

For more, check out www.jay-stratton.com 

Raul Chavez (Tranio & Walter ) holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance. He is a Theatre teacher and director at Kids N' Co. Raul has performed all around the El Paso and Juarez area including Viva! El Paso, Shakespeare On The Rocks, and most recently Teatro Neplanta. He is very excited to be back at Madeline Park Shakespeare festival! 

Carolina Flores (Bianca/Grumio) is a Musical Theatre graduate from UTEP. Recent credits include: Acts of kindness (Tina Chavez,Viviana Chavez), Metamorphoses (Eurydice, Myrrah), and Twelfth Night (Viola). She is happy to be a part of this project and hopes everyone enjoys the show! 

Marissa McElroy (Katalina) is so excited to work with such a great company in an amazing show. She got her BFA in musical theatre and minor in dance at UTEP. She also has her MFA in vocal performance from NYU. She is currently the theatre arts director at CMS. Favorite roles include Luisa in the Fantasticks, Inga in Young Frankenstein and Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest. Just recently she was involved in a workshop reading of a new work, the musical, Fixing Einstein.

Some things she loves, traveling, hallmark, coffee, Christmas, Disney and making memories with her family. She wants to tell her family thank you for their support and patience through this process and to the light of her life, her son Caspian, "I love you my heart."  Nothing would be possible without giving all thanks to her savior Jesus Christ. Here's to a great show! 

Salvador Ali Mendoza (Petruchio) is an actor and composer from El Paso, Texas. While performing around town as a musician, Salvador began his acting career in various productions such as Julius Caesar, Viva! El Paso, and other original shows. 

Fernando Romero (Joseph & Lucentio) is a recent Graduate with a BFA in musical theatre, has done over 15 shows at the UTEP dinner theatre, enjoys spending time with friends and family, and has an over obsession with tacos. 

Wicho Valdez (Curtis, Vincentio, & Servant) is an El Paso native who’s currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance at the University of Texas at El Paso; he plans to further his education by obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in Performance. He’s been an active member of the theatre community for over a decade. Wicho has engaged in various aspects of theatre such as performance, technical work, coaching, and playwriting. 

Outside of theatre, Wicho has also excelled in speech and debate, achieving national recognition in duo interpretation. He’s the co-founder of W.H. Productions, an up-and-coming theatre organization that provides opportunities for artists with a strong desire to contribute to the community through art. His diverse range of experiences underscores his commitment to artistic expression, community engagement, and helping others in growth. Insta: productionswh and witchwicho 

Amanda Vasquez (Bautista) has been with Eden Enterprises as a member of their companies: Shakespeare on the Rocks, and Los Actores, since 2012. She has also performed in productions for EPCC, and The El Paso Playhouse. Amanda is also a singer with local bands, is featured in local independent films, and is currently in production for  ChicanoHollywoodTV’s AIM FOR THE HEART as recurring character, Jackie Corrales. 

Xavier Felix (Nathaniel, Hortensio, & Tailor) is excited to participate in his first production at Madeline Park. He is a two-time UTEP graduate with a BFA in Theatre and a Master’s degree in Education. He has performed in plays, musicals, and film throughout his high school, college, and professional career. Previous roles include Pedro Linares in UTEP’s Alebrijes, Mercutio in Teatro Neplanta’s Romeo & Juliet, and Mark Antony in Teatro Neplanta’s Julius Caesar. His love for theatre extends to acting, writing, singing, music, directing, and teaching. He is currently a high school theatre teacher at Montwood high school. 

He would like to thank his partner, family, doggs, and students for all their support. Go Rams! 

Sydney Monroe Gaglio (Production Stage Manager & Marketing Manager) is a theatre artist from El Paso, Texas, who has recently returned after 8 years away in New York for university, work, and life. 

Their most recent stage management credits include the last two seasons of the Madeline Park Shakespeare Festival, Eden Performing Arts’ Shakespeare in American Communities School Tour,  Julius Caesar (Teatro Neplanta), Al’s Club (Teatro Neplanta), The Thanksgiving Play (Teatro Neplanta), The Motherf#cker in the Hat (Teatro Neplanta), Romeo and Juliet (Teatro Neplanta), and Aquerón: El Rio de la Tragedia, with Mexico City’s Xipe Arts Collective at the Cherry Arts in Ithaca, NY. 

Syd is thrilled to be doing theatre work that they believe in, back in their hometown, and they are so grateful to their family and friends for all of their continued love and support. 

Fern Trousdale (Assistant Stage Manager) is a senior at the University of Texas at El Paso earning their BFA in Stage and Theatre Management with a concentration in Directing. Trousdale has worked many shows around the city with The El Paso Playhouse, UTEP Theatre and Dance, EPCC, and most recently MPSF and Teatro Neplanta. Just before this production of Taming of the Shrew, they were in Michigan working as an Artist Relations and Administration intern for Interlochen Center for the Arts, with conductors from across the globe for World Youth Symphony Orchestra and musicians like Norah Jones, SLASH, and Melissa Etheridge. 

Fern would like to take the time to thank their partner, parents, siblings and friends for their unconditional support in their theatre journey. Keep supporting the arts and keep the theatre alive!  

Gaby Reyes (Translator) is a recent graduate from UTEP with a degree in BFA in Theatre Performance. She co-edited and translated Twelfth Night for the Madeline Park Shakespeare festival, which was selected for the Adapting, Translating, and Performing Shakespeare in the U.S- Mexico Borderlands panel in San Antonio. 

Marissa (Mari) Núñez (Choreographer) is a movement artist from El Paso, Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Enterprise Regulation with a minor in Dramatic Arts from St. John’s University and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Mari is passionate about using movement to spark community dialogue about social justice. Her most recent credits include acting in Teatro Neplanta’s 24-Hour Play Festival and performing in Dr. Gloria Flores’ Pendular Borders. Mari is grateful to contribute to El Paso’s thriving arts community in this year’s Madeline Park Shakespeare Festival. 

When she is not choreographing, you can find Mari dreaming up public policy, playing her bass guitar, or crying over her deep love for her dog, Chabela. Eternal love and appreciation to her family, friends and partner for supporting each facet of her being and work. 

Thomas Gandrup (Market Manager)

David Mills (Executive Producer)