Actors Co-op Company
2009-2010
Amy Hubbard co-founded the Actors Co-op in 1997 and has served as the Artistic Director since that time. Amy has been involved in theatre since 1984 and studied at Western Kentucky University, University of Tennessee and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Amy has directed and acted in local theatre since moving to Knoxville in 1990. Notable acting credits include Gwendolyn/THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, Rose/COAL CREEK PROJECT, Helen/MACHINAL, Valerie/THE WEIR -Actors Co-op, Princess/LOVES LABORS LOST, Portia/MERCHANT OF VENICE – Tennessee Stage Company’s Shakespeare on the Square and Phoebe/AS YOU LIKE IT, Charlotte/MIDWIVES – Clarence Brown Company. Notable directing credits include MARAT/SADE, ROMEO AND JULIET, IMAGINARY INVALID, TARTUFFE, FOXFIRE, ALICE IN WONDERLAND – Actors Co-op, and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, TAMING OF THE SHREW -Tennessee Stage Company’s Shakespeare on the Square. Amy has been seen on the big screen in the Sundance Award Winning short film GINA, AN ACTRESS, AGE 29 and in the independent feature TWO WEEKS starring Sally Field. Amy is most proud of her two lovely daughters.
Sarah Campbell - more soon!
Ellen Chemay has been a company member since 1999. Her performances include Toinette in THE IMAGINARY INVALID, and a multitude of characters in the Le Cage Noir Cabarets (all original Actors Co-op productions), A SPRINGTIME CABARET, A TIKKI LOUNGE CABARET, A CHRISTMAS CABARET, A NOVELTY BURLESQUE, CABARET A-GO-GO, LA CABARET CALIENTE, A CO-OP COMPANION, and THE CO-OP VAUDEVILLE SHOW. No one trick pony, Ellen has also joined the ranks of the technical crews in many shows. She was the Assistant Stage Manager for VINEGAR TOM, LAESTRYGONIANS, and TRANSLATIONS, and Stage Manager for the Co-op productions of HANSEL AND GRETEL, A LITTLE BIT OF CULTURE, MY SISTER’S HOUSE, ON THE VERGE, ON GOLDEN POND, MEASURED IN LABOR: THE COAL CREEK PROJECT, two productions of THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, and LANDSCAPE WITH STICK FIGURES. Last but not least, she created the costume designs for, KEELY AND DU, PRELUDE TO A KISS, ON THE VERGE, OFFICE HOURS, THE LITTLE PRINCESS, SPEAKING IN TONGUES, CLOUD NINE, BRILLIANT TRACES, ROMEO AND JULIET, and THE SANTALAND DIARIES. For her next challenge, she plans to try her hand at directing, and possibly writing some adaptations for the stage.
Jon Chemay has been a company member since 2002, during which time he has designed the lighting and built sets for dozens of Co-op plays. Jon has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee and currently works as technical director for the theater at Roane State Community College in Harriman, TN, but has over the years worked for many theater and dance companies, including the Clarence Brown Theatre, Tennessee Stage Company, Arts in Motion, The Oak Ridge Playhouse, Tin Soldier Productions, UT Opera Theater, Theatre Knoxville, and Ballet Gloria, to name a few. Some of Jon’s favorite Actors Co-op projects include ON THE VERGE, MEASURED IN LABOR: THE COAL CREEK PROJECT, LA RONDE, OFFICE HOURS, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH and MARAT/SADE.
Greg Congleton is a core member of the Actors Coop. Some roles Greg has previously performed for the Coop are: Old Man in WHEN THE WORLD WAS GREEN, White in THE SUNSET LIMITED, Sade in MARAT/SADE, Jack in THE WEIR, Weston in CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS, Leader in LYSISTRATA, Preston Rhea in the COAL CREEK PROJECT and Friar Lawrence in ROMEO AND JULIET. Knoxville audiences have enjoyed Greg’s performances with various other companies such as: Shakespeare on the Square (and in the Park), the University Company, Clarence Brown Company, Theatre Knoxville, Theatre Central, Circle Modern Dance, The Tennessee Stage Company, The Carpetbag Theatre, a couple of films, some TV shows and some commercials. Before coming to Knoxville he worked as an actor, lighting technician, scene designer and technical director with theater companies in Florida, New Mexico, and Colorado. For 3 years he toured with the National Humanities Series. He is the instigator of the infamous Mexico City Blues readings and a participant in the Black Mountain College Festival, Agee Ambles and Suttree Staggers. Greg’s wife Mitzi is a well-known oil portrait artist and a great audience member.
Sean Dietz is a first-year Actors Co-op company member. He has lived in Knoxville for three years, selling books at The Book Eddy and performing primarily with the Tennessee Stage Company. Notable roles include I HATE HAMLET- Andrew, THE CANTERVILLE GHOST – Hiram, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM- Snout, HOPPY’S TRUNK – Frank, HAMLET – Laertes, LOVES LABORS LOST – Costard, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW – Grumio, LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL – Ben, NOISES OFF – Tim, ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT – Reuben, ROMEO AND JULIET – Mercutio, and EQUUS – Alan. In 2003 he earned a BS in Journalism from Tennessee Tech, where he also acted for seven years with the Tech Players. Sean spends his spare time reading, watching moody foreign cinema and baking delicious meat pies.
Jacques DuRand trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and has been active in Knoxville theatre for a little over five years. He has worked with several groups in town, including the Wordplayers, the Tennessee Stage Company, the Clarence Brown Theatre, and Theatre Knoxville Downtown. For the Actors Co-op, amongst other roles, he has played Moon in THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND, Joshua/Gerry in CLOUD NINE, Geoffrey in ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR, and Robert in PROOF. He is also a co-founder of the Last Gasp Theatre Company.
Rob Link has been a member of I.A.T.S.E., Local 798, New York since 1998 and has divided her time between Film, Network, and Live Theatre. Her first film was “October Sky” in 1998. In 2000,” Gina, an Actress, Age 29,” took the Jury Award at Sundance. Then in 2003,” The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things,” was shown at Cannes, Toronto, and Berlin. In 2004, she worked with Miramax on two films;” Our Very Own” and ”Daltry Calhoun.” In 2007, she worked on a PBS movie of the week entitled “Quick Feet, Soft Hands.” She has been Peyton Manning’s stylist while in Knoxville for over 10 years due to his connection with The University of Tennessee and Mercy Health Systems. Other project work has been with The Tennessee Department of Transportation, ESPN, Bristol Motor Speedway, and Scripps. She has been Department Head on pilots with the following Networks: The History Channel, Lifetime, Biography Channel, Discovery Channel,Turner South, A&E, Animal Planet, DIY, Montell Williams, and an ongoing series on Oxygen entitled “Snapped.” This past year she has worked with the Biography Channel in a series on Serial Killers. Rob is a member of the Actor’s Co-op and AFFT and works with all local theatre groups such as Tennessee Stage, The University of Tennessee’s Clarence Brown Company, Oak Ridge Playhouse, Roane State College, Webb School, and the Bijou Theatre.
Dale Mackey is delighted to be joining the Actors Co-op this year. Originally from Chicago, Dale moved to Knoxville in 2008 and has recently appeared in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM with Shakespeare on the Square and THE MARRIAGE OF BETTE AND BOO with the Clarence Brown Theatre. Dale studied Theatre and English at Grinnell College and has worked with theatre companies in Iowa City, Chicago and now Knoxville. In 2005 Dale began teaching creative writing in prisons and last year produced “Voices From Otter Creek,” a performance of prison writing at Appalshop, a media and arts center in Whitesburg, Kentucky. She spends her days working as Youth Program Coordinator at the Community Television of Knoxville.
Kenneth Mayfield is a student at Roane State Community College majoring in Theatre. He has been seen in many theatre productions throughout Knoxville. He made his stage debut in Oscar Wilde’s classic THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, where he played Ernest Worthing. He spends his summer’s performing with Tennessee Stage Company’s productions for Shakespeare on the Square. Most recently he played Lysander in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. He is very proud to be a newly inducted member into the Actors Co-op. Favorite Roles include: Stanley Kawalski in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, Polpoch in MARAT/SADE, Dumain in LOVES LABORS LOST, Lorenzo in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, Billy Bibbit in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST and the Narrator in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY.
Andrew Miller is delighted to be included in the return of the Actors Co-op. He recently made his triumphantly humble return to Knoxville, after 8 years away in NY, CA, and the circus. Andrew was seen in many Actors Co-op shows including but not limited to…TRANSLATIONS, VINEGAR TOM, and MACHINAL. He also frequented the Oak Ridge Playhouse in productions such as GUYS & DOLLS, and EVITA. Andrew would like to thank his lovely wife Chelsea, his little mutt Dolly.
Casey Smith earned her BA in theatre from the University of Tennessee Knoxville, and is happy to be a part of The Actors Coop. Casey’s Coop credits include: Charlotte Corday-MARAT/SADE, Calonice-LYSISTRATA, and A CO-OP HOME COMPANION. Casey has also been involved in the Tennessee Stage Company’s Productions of HAMLET-Ophelia, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM- Snug, MERCHANT OF VENICE-Nerissa, and Jaquenetta in LOVES LABORS LOST. Other credits include, RSCC’s THE SOUND OF MUSIC- Maria, and Sister Margueretta, PIPPIN-Leading Player, A CHRISTMAS CAROL –Martha Cratchit, and BIG RIVER- Mary Jane at the Clarence Brown Theatre, THE SECRET GARDEN, WHEN SHAKESPEARE’S LADIES MEET, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES at Cumberland College, Oak Ridge Playhouse productions of BYE BYE BIRDIE, OLIVER, THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES and CHARLOTTE’S WEB, THE RIMERS OF ELDRITCH at the Actors Institute of New York, and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at the Professional Performing Arts School, New York, and the Duke Ellington Tribute with the PPAS Choir at Carnegie Hall. Casey is thrilled to be working with such a dynamic and creative group of people. When Casey is not on stage she can be found fishin’ with her fiancé Josh, or is sitting at the red light right next to your car singing very loudly.