OUR AMAZING STAFF
Vivian McLaughlin, Musical Director & Academy Instructor
Vivian has a BFA in Musical Theater from New York University. She performed on Broadway and starred in the television show Out of the Box currently streaming on Disney+. She has performed in Russia and Argentina, recorded several children’s audiobooks, and can be heard on Volume I and II of the Playhouse Disney CD Series. Vivian has filmed industrials and commercials for companies such as Western Union, Sun Microsystems, MSN, and Visa.
She is a proud member of SAG/AFTRA and AEA. Vivian was the head of the theater department at Justin-Siena High School where she taught acting and choral classes, and directed their musicals and plays. A multiple Arty Award winner/nominee for her music direction, Vivian has also taught at several other schools including: Fairfield High, Benicia High, Will C. Wood, American Canyon High, Rodriguez High, Sun and Stars Montessori, Stone Bridge School, St. John’s Catholic, St. John’s Lutheran, Pueblo Vista Elementary, Northwood Elementary, Matthew Turner Elementary, and Oakbrook Elementary.
In addition to Starbound Theatre, Vivian currently works with Cafeteria Kids Theater and Musical Mayhem Productions, and offers private voice/piano lessons. While some of her students can now be heard singing on Broadway, Vivian hopes to impart an appreciation for musical theatre and the art of singing, regardless of whether or not her students choose to pursue the arts as a career. She feels extremely lucky to be part of the Starbound Theatre family and to have landed the roles of “wife” to Bret and “Mommy” to daughter Julien.
Brooke Fox, Music Director
Brooke is a Vacaville native who enrolled in Youth Theatre programs from age 6-17, sharing stages with Vivian McLaughlin under the direction of the legendary Alex Urban as well as productions at SCC and VHS. Brooke's grandmother, Carol Zadnik, wrote the music for the Val Players (now Gaslighters) Fiesta Days Melodramas, and Brooke would often appear in the show or turn pages for her grandmother at the piano.
Brooke went on to study Songwriting (with Vocal emphasis) at Berklee College of Music before heading to Nashville. then New York City to pursue the arts professionally.
While in NYC, Brooke immersed herself in the writing and production side of musical theatre, most notably as co-creator of "Williamsburg! The Musical" which enjoyed a sold out run at the NYC Fringe Festival. From lyricist, arranger, book writer, producer, music director, pit musician, sound production, publicist - Brooke has worked on many sides of off-broadway theatre production. Broadway stars Jessica Vosk, Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa, Jen Corella, and Lena Hall have all sung songs written by Brooke.
Before returning to California in 2016 to be closer to family, Brooke served as Executive Director of an innovative nonprofit designed to provide work-readiness skills to musicians and audio professionals with blindness.
James Dean, Support Staff
James Dean has been doing theatre since the age of 6years old. The first production that he had ever performed was Snow White and the 7 dwarves as Dopey. Then 3 years later, James was the understudy for Sunny in the musical Grease and has been immersed into theatre from there on.
James has performed in over 20 musicals and 10 non-musical productions. He has taken some time off from performing to learn the more technical side of behind the scenes theatre. James is currently enrolled at Solano Community College earning an AA in Theatre and Business in hopes of one day opening his own theatre production company.
Hunter Rose, Assistant Director & Academy Instructor
Hunter Rose was born in Fairfield , CA and has lived there all his life.
He has been involved in theater since he was 9 years old. Some of his favorite roles were Charlie in Willy Wonka Jr., the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz, Pugsley in the Addams Family, and Shrek in Shrek Jr.
With a natural affinity for the dramatic, Hunter hopes to help youth excel in performing arts and to continue learning all aspects of the craft himself
Yvonne Beneivdez-Wayne, Choreography & Academy Instructor
Yvonne has been teaching, choreographing and coaching dancers for 30 years. She has an extensive background in Ballroom, Country, Swing, Latin, Line dancing, Jazz, Hip Hop and Theater Arts. She has many local and national titles to her name including a UCWDC World title. She continues to actively compete at the professional level on the WSDC West Coast Swing international circuit.
Her career has taken her around the world to perform and teach. She won the first televised TNN dance championship and has appeared on many morning shows around the country and was even featured in Rodger Brown’s music video swing city. For the last 15 years her love of dance has been spreading to the next generation by teaching in programs and at schools around California, most notably Oakbrook Academy of the Arts and now Starbound Theatre.
Elizabeth Williams, Assistant Director & Support Staff
Elizabeth has always had a love for theatre arts, and has been acting since she was five years old. She joined Starbound theatre to play "Mrs. Potts" in Beauty and the Beast, and has also been in productions with Winters Theatre Company, Solano Youth Theatre and Sacramento Theatre Company, where she assisted in theatre outreach.
She’s been a public speaking medalist and loves singing, literature and teaching others! Elizabeth is pursing a degree in education and theatre arts and plans to continue to teach theatre to children of all ages.
David Rodgers Jr, Managing Artistic Director
As a playwright, director, teacher, and performer, David has worked in the Bay Area theatre scene for over two decades. He is a graduate of the Actor Training Program at Solano College Theatre where he received degrees in Liberal Arts and Theatre Arts. After Solano, David continued his education at the University of San Francisco studying Arts Management and Art History.
Since working with Starbound Theatre, David has directed "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "Aladdin Jr", and "Willy Wonka Jr", "Beauty and the Beast", "Annie", and "The Wizard of Oz.". Some of his other projects include directing “The Miracle Worker,“ “The Rocky Horror Show,“ and "A Christmas Carol."
In addition, David works in close collaboration with Bliss Urban Arts Center developing new works for the stage including the award winning production of "A Hip Hop Christmas Carol", which is produced annually. David also coordinates the popular Creative Kids Camps Programs in various cities. David currently teaches classes in theatre, acting and film throughout the Bay Area.
guest instructors
Sydney Chow, Academy Instructor, Dance
Sydney has enjoyed teaching dance and choreographing for Starbound Theatre Company and Benicia High School's musical theatre and dance classes. She also loved working with people of all ages while choreographing Annie Get Your Gun at Bay Area Stage.
As a performer, she has performed with companies like Contra Costa Musical Theatre, Missouri Street Theatre, and Diablo Theatre Company. She is a rising sophomore at Wagner College in NYC where she studies musical theatre and dance. She has been fortunate to learn from many knowledgable teachers, and she loves to pass on what she's learned!