CHERYL STRAYED (Author) is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir Wild, the New York Times bestsellers Tiny Beautiful Things and Brave Enough, and the novel Torch. Strayed's books have been translated into nearly forty languages around the world and have been adapted for both the screen and the stage. The Oscar-nominated movie adaptation of Wild stars Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl and Laura Dern as Cheryl's mother, Bobbi. Tiny Beautiful Things was adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos and debuted at The Public Theater in New York City, directed by Thomas Kail and starring Vardalos. Strayed is the host of the hit podcasts Sugar Calling and Dear Sugars, which she co-hosted with Steve Almond. Her essays have been published in The Best American Essays, New York Times, Washington Post Magazine, Vogue, Salon, The Sun, Tin House, New York Times Book Review and elsewhere. Strayed holds an MFA in fiction writing from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

NIA VARDALOS (Adapter) is an actress, director, producer and screenwriter. She is an accomplished alum of Chicago’s Second City whose stage credits include Jennie in Theatre20’s Company, directed by Gary Griffin, and writer and actor for twelve Second City revues (Jeff Award winner). Vardalos adapted and starred in the original production of Tiny Beautiful Things at The Public Theater in 2016, reprising the role at the Public in 2017 and again at the Pasadena Playhouse in California. She is best known for starring in and writing the romantic comedy film My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), which garnered her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. In addition to her screenplay credits—including co-writing 2011’s Larry Crowne with Tom Hanks—Vardalos is the author of the New York Times bestseller Instant Mom.

INGA WILSON (Director; Education Coordinator) is delighted to be a part of welcoming audiences back to the theatre to enjoy tiny beautiful moments in Tiny Beautiful Things. Other recent projects at Oregon Contemporary Theatre include co-producing NW10, co-directing Bunfight! and playing Judy in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Originally from Minnesota, she received a BFA in Theatre Performance from Drake University and went on to study at the O’Neill National Theater Institute and Chautauqua Theater Conservatory. Inga enjoys acting, directing, and teaching theatre for diverse audiences. Thank you for coming and supporting the arts!

TRACY NYGARD (Sugar) is so excited to be back on a stage again, especially back at Oregon Contemporary Theatre where she was last seen as Helen in Fun Home and Joan in Melancholy Play. Tracy is also a regular at Cottage Theatre. Favorites at CT include: Treehouse (Susan), Hamlet (Gertrude), Curtains (Georgia), Assassins (Sara Jane Moore), A Flea in Her Ear (Raymonde), Spamalot (Lady of the Lake) and Much Ado About Nothing (Beatrice) among many others, including, hopefully, finally after a two-year pause, Mamma Mia! in Spring 2022. Tracy has a BFA in Musical Theater from The Boston Conservatory.

PATRICK DIZNEY (Letter Writer #1) is thrilled to be returning to live theatre with Oregon Contemporary Theatre, where he performed in Becky's New Car and The Cake. He is recently retired from teaching theatre at Western Washington University and, most recently, Central Washington University. Patrick has an MFA in Acting from University of Washington and has performed professionally in two national tours, numerous regional theatres, Off- and Off-Off Broadway productions, feature films and a few commercials. He is transitioning into his next life chapter as a freelance actor, director and full time nomad.

CHELSEY MEGLI (Letter Writer #2) is honored to be sharing space and telling stories onstage again. Highlights of her past performances include: Melancholy Play (#GoTeamAlmond), Bunfight! (Oregon Contemporary Theatre); Treehouse, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Abridged (Cottage Theatre); The Children's Hour, Company and The Vertical Hour. She has also enjoyed directing, including Damascus (West Coast Premiere, assistant director), SideMan, For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls and multiple NW10 titles. Chelsey is a founding member of Operation Shadowbox and co-host of What The Musical, a podcast for musical theatre nerds and newbies. whatthemusical.com

ERIC BRAMAN (Letter Writer #3) is excited to step into their first main season performance with Oregon Contemporary Theatre! Additional local performance credits include Bunfight! (OCT), Ministers of Grace and Anne of the Thousand Days (VLT). Directing credits include The Essentials (Lane Community College), Rehearsals for Life (University of Oregon) and Dhebba (NW10). As a playwright, their works have been performed by Chicago's Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble, NW10, the UO, Operation Shadowbox and more. Eric has also performed as a poet across the West Coast, notably: Oregon Country Fair, Arts Alive! Corvallis, and Bigfoot Regional Poetry Slam. They are also a producer for the NW10 Festival and serve as the Program Director with Lane Arts Council. Special thank you to Kris (Du bist die besten meine Liebe!) and the big, beautiful, giving hearts of the cast and crew. www.ericbraman.com

EMILY BOLIVAR (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to be back at Oregon Contemporary Theatre! She is a University of Oregon alum with a BS in Theatre Arts and has been doing lighting design for seven years. Emily is the Assistant Technical Director at the Richard E. Wildish Community Theatre in Springfield, OR, and Production Manager of the new, local theatre company The Tall Tale Players. Her recent design credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream (Tall Tale Players), Sons of the Prophet (University of Oregon) and Bunfight! (OCT).

DEMARA CABRERA (Costume Designer) is thrilled to return to Oregon Contemporary Theatre, having previously designed costumes for Bunfight! and The Cake. DeMara is an instructor and costumer for the Theatre Arts Department at Oregon State University. She received her BA in Drama from Stanford University in 2004 and her MFA from Boston University in 2013. DeMara has worked as an assistant professor at Central Connecticut State University, an instructor, designer, and costume shop manager at Linfield College and a guest designer at Western Oregon University. Favorite credits include: Shakespeare in Love (OSU); Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet (Bard in the Quad); Women in Congress (Linfield College, ACTF Meritorious Achievement in Design award); The Dialogues of the Carmelites (Huntington Theatre and Boston University Opera Institute); Angels in America, Hair (Playhouse on Park in West Hartford, CT); A Servant of Two Masters (Central Connecticut State University). She would like to thank her incredible husband, Shawn, for his love and support. demaratamsel.weebly.com, facebook.com/demarasdesigns. 

JEFFREY COOK (Scenic Designer) is a Washington native, living in Seattle and working throughout the Northwest since 1990. For Oregon Contemporary Theatre: Marjorie Prime, The Last Five Years, Lucky Me, Clybourne Park, A Lie of the Mind, Next to Normal, Assassins. Seattle design work includes: The Seattle Children's Theatre (The Garden of Rikki Tikki Tavi, Elephant and Piggie, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience), The 5th Avenue Theatre (...Forum, Cinderella), Village Theater (The Gypsy King), and designs for Harlequin Productions, Book-It, Tacoma Actors Guild and Profile Theatre in Portland (Pinter season). He has designed the official City of Seattle Winterfest experience at Seattle Center since 2008. National Work: three years at the Denver Center Theatre design and production shops, and Thomas the Train: Live! on Stage. BFA Washington State University 1991, MFA University of Oregon 1995. JeffreyDesigns.net

TAYLOR FREEMAN (Sound Designer) first worked for Oregon Contemporary Theatre straight out of high school, and he’s excited to be working in the space once more. He is the former Production Manager for The Academy of Arts and Academics in Springfield and a former member of the Student Production Association at LCC. Previous work at OCT includes stage management for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, props design for Successful Strategies, and sound design for Damascus and Good People. He also enjoys piña coladas, though, as an avid cyclist, does not enjoy being caught in the rain.

JESSI PARK (Production Electrician) has been working with IASTE Local 675 since 2016. Before finding Local 675, Jessi worked with local bands like Candy Apple Bleu and has been stage managing for Red Raven Follies. Jessi's heart and soul are in the theatre and she couldn't imagine being anywhere else. She can be found working at the Hult Center, Cuthbert, McDonald Theatre, Autzen Stadium, Matthew Knight Arena and other local venues. This is her first show with Oregon Contemporary Theatre.

ZOE POULIOT (Properties Designer) is a freshman political science major at the University of Oregon. She has experience acting, directing and in many other areas of backstage work, culminating in over 65 productions in the United States. Some of her favorites include playing the Witch in Sondheim's Into the Woods and directing Annie (2021). She is grateful for the opportunity to have a work study position with Oregon Contemporary Theatre as a properties designer and stagehand!

COLLEEN ROONEY (Production Stage Manager/Venue Assistant) is a recent UO graduate with a BS in Theatre Arts and Anthropology, with focuses in stage management, lighting design and archaeology, respectively. Stage management credits include: NW10: Into the Cybersphere, Thom Pain (based on nothing), NW10: Oh, Boise! (Oregon Contemporary Theatre); Mother Courage and Her Children, Avenue Q, Tartuffe and the spring 2020 digital project Or Not To Be (University Theatre). Outside of OCT, she can be found tending to the plants at Passionflower Design, collaborating with her peers on summer productions and exploring the beauty of Oregon.