Amaan Atkins (he/him | Atlanta, GA), tenor, is so excited to be performing with Thunderclap Productions for his first professional theatre contract! He is a recent graduate student at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, completing a Master of Music under tutelage of Daniel Belcher. This past season at UH, Amaan performed Arpad (She Loves Me), Laurie (Little Women), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Camille (The Merry Widow), and Le petit vieillard (L’enfant et les sortilèges). Offstage, he is an avid matcha consumer and reality show watcher! Amaan sends his love to his friends and family! IG: @Imbob26

Nicole Campos (she/her) is a 22 year old from Houston, Tx. She is a current student at Sam Houston State University, majoring in Musical Theatre (Dance Emphasis). Regional: Lightning Thief (Swing); Sam Houston State University: Austen’s Pride (Jane Austen); Carrie: The Musical (Chris); She Loves Me (Ensemble/ Amalia Understudy.

Ashley Duplechien (she/her), a Louisiana native based in Houston, is a mezzo-soprano trained first at Louisiana State University then at the Royal Academy of Music in London by renowned mezzo-soprano Anne Howells. Ashley’s agile voice has allowed her the privilege to perform a variety of orchestral repertoire as a soloist including Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder, Bach’s St. John Passion, and Handel’s Messiah. Operatic repertoire includes title role in Rossini’s La Cenerentola, Le Feu in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, and Fiordiligi and Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Since 2014, she has been a member of the Houston Grand Opera chorus and holds a leadership role at HOPERA, an immersive classical music initiative emphasizing accessibility and affordability.

Tyler Galindo (he/him) is so happy to be back working with Thunderclap Productions. A native Texan, Tyler has been acting professionally in and around the Houston theatre community for 15 years. His top three favorite credits are: Herman (Melville & Hawthorne), Frank (Merrily We Roll Along), and Beast (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast). Thank you for supporting the arts and enjoy the show! “Remember: There’s magic in the theater, and the theater is magic!”

Abraham Garcia (he/him) is a Sophomore Acting/Directing major attending Sam Houston State University. He has previously worked on college productions such as Fun Home (Christian) and Lydia (Assistant Stage Manager). He is very excited and honored to be making his professional Houston debut in The Chosen Ones. He would like to thank his family and friends for their endless love and support. He dedicates his performance to the Trans and Disabled communities. 

Isaac Gonzalez (he/him) is a Musical Theatre major from Houston, Texas attending Sam Houston State University. He’s been in college productions such as American Idiot (St. Jimmy understudy), Sweeney Todd (Ensemble/Birdseller), She Loves Me (Swing), and local productions such as Seussical (Cat in the Hat)! He is very excited to be debuting the role of Daniel!

Santiago Pena (he/him) is incredibly excited to be a part of The Chosen Ones, playing the role of Matt. He’s a freshman Acting student at the University of Houston. Previous credits include Reefer Madness at the Garden Theatre (Ensemble) and The Wizard of Oz at the Queensbury Theatre (Ensemble). He would like to thank his family for supporting him, his directors for giving him this amazing opportunity, his friends for helping him run lines, and his talented castmates. IG: @santiago.pena04

Sarah Rivers (she/her) is absolutely ecstatic to be a part of this production and have her Houston debut as Billie in The Chosen Ones! Sarah will graduate with her BFA in Theatre: Acting and Directing from Sam Houston State University in the Spring of 2026. She is currently the President of Acting and Directing Guild at SHSU, and loves her community with a passion. Her SHSU credits include: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street as crew, The Prom as pit singer/swing, Imogen Says Nothing as Imogen, and Lydia as Rosa. At other institutions, she has appeared as Mal in Descendants the Musical, Terk in Tarzan the Musical, Rosanna in Calvin Berger, Savannah in Freaky Friday the Musical, and Wednesday in The Addams Family. She would like to thank her parents for always supporting her and pushing her to pursue her dreams, her best friends from near and far that are the most loving people she knows, and her one and only dog, Bruno, for being her support system! IG: @sarah1rivers

Aaron Alon (he/him) is an award-winning composer, writer, director, filmmaker, and teacher. His classical music has been played in concert venues around the world, awarded multiple international awards, and released on several CDs. Since earning his doctorate in composition from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, he has shifted to writing plays, musicals, films, and short-form YouTube videos. His plays and musicals have been performed around the US and in the UK, and his 2017 feature film musical Bully has been screened in and awarded prizes from film festivals around the world. Aaron was one of six international finalists for the 2022 Fred Ebb Awards for musical theatre writers, and his musical The Great White Way: the Bert Williams Musical was one of three international finalists for the 2023 Stanley Drama Award. Current projects include a recording of his musical Mad! (cowritten with Russell Sarre), a new musical (cowritten with Alric Davis), and new content for his YouTube channel, which has had over 10 million views. He is a founding member and president of the board of directors of Thunderclap Productions, a founder and co-president of the board of directors of Vocal Toolkit, and a professor of music at Lone Star College-University Park. Learn more about Aaron at aaronalon.com.

Aisha Ussery, M.Ed. (she/her) is a director, choreographer, musician, playwright, and performing arts educator. She is thrilled to be the director and choreographer of the World Premiere of The Chosen Ones. She serves as The Ensemble Theatre Resident director and choreographer, where her next project is Take the Soul Train to Christmas. She has shared her talents with the Elliott-Chandler Foundation (Creative Director), The Houston Symphony Orchestra (Educational Series Host), Houston area schools and various celebrity artists as a background/studio vocalist. Her educational expertise led her to create/direct Music Doing Good in Schools, teach/choreograph at Walter Sisulu University (South Africa) for Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday and Every Child Counts (Bahamas), a school for special needs students. She published curriculum via the Houston Teachers Institute, the University of Houston and Yale University. She writes educational plays and musicals that have been performed in schools, The House of Blues, The Ensemble Theatre and The Hobby Center. She endows “The Aisha Ussery Power Within Scholarship” supporting college bound minority men and is a proud recipient of the Upton Sinclair Award, recognizing American educators who influence youth around the world. Some of Aisha’s artistic credits include: Theatre: TUTS: Cinderella (Ensemble U/S Fairy Godmother/Queen), Mary Poppins (Ms. Corry), Once on this Island (Timoune), Little Shop of Horrors (Crystal), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (US and Abroad), Two Trains Running (Risa), Parade (Angela), The Tap Dance Kid (Carole). Film: VH1’s 2 Legit: The MC Hammer Story (B Angie B/ MC Hammer dancer). Directing: A MOTOWN CHRISTMAS (2022, 23), 12 Ways of Christmas. Choreography: The Lawsons: A Civil Rights Love Story, Dancin’ in the Street: Motown and More, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Angelica Cheri’s: Phenomenal Woman.

A native of Roosevelt, New York, Phillip D. Hall (he/him) moved to Houston to attend Rice University. After graduating, he opted to begin a teaching career in the Houston Independent School District. An accomplished pianist, he has performed with Aretha Franklin, Delfeayo Marsalis and for Presidents George H.W. Bush and William J. Clinton. Phillip traveled to South Africa to accompany a choir assembled to commemorate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday. He has served as musical director for productions of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Smokey Joe’s Café, Little Shop of Horrors and Ain’t Misbehavin’. He is in great demand as a gospel pianist in the greater Houston metropolitan area. He’s lent his talents to groups such as the Bay Area Chorus, Trinity Episcopal Church, Clear Lake United Methodist Church and Houston Choral Society. Phillip has been a staff musician at Jones Memorial United Methodist Church for twenty-five years.

Ryan Amie (he/him) is a Houston native who has been studying and participating in theatre for the last 15 years. He is an HSPVA alumnus and studied briefly at CALARTS before returning to Houston. Some of his recent credits as a Stage Manager include Beatbox: A Raparetta, Twelve Ways of Chistmas, and Flex at the Enesemble. When he is not stage managing, he is an actor and DJ. He is thrilled to be working on this production!

Deborah L. Anderson (she/her) is a Costume Designer and Drama Faculty at Lone Star  College-CyFair. She teaches drama courses, Directs, Designs and Constructs Costumes for CyFair productions. Recent musical credits include directing Title of Show, as well as designing Legally Blonde, A Man of No Importance and Les Miserables, all at CyFair. As a local Costume Designer she has designed costumes for Main Street Theater; Houston Shakespeare Festival; Unity Theatre Children’s Theatre Festival of Houston; and Houston Community College Southwest. In addition to design, she has worked constructing costumes at several regional theatres including Utah Shakespeare Festival, Houston Shakespeare Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Indiana Repertory Theatre.

Alan (he/him) is delighted to be working with this fantastic team on The Chosen Ones. Alan has also helped to stage violence/intimacy at Alley Theatre, 4th Wall Theatre, Main Street Theater, Rec Room Arts, Classical Theatre Company, Rice University, and Lamar University among others. Alan is an Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, a voice and stage actor, and an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Lamar University.

David Crocker (he/him) is a young actor in the Spring/Houston area. He is currently a member of the Lone Star College-University Park Players company and thrilled to be a stagehand for his first Midtown production.

Deborah Hope (she/her) is thrilled to be working with the amazing team at Thunderclap Productions, after having worked with them last year on Melville & Hawthorne. Deborah has also worked as the IC with Main Street Theatre, Unity Theatre, A.D. Players, Lionwoman Productions, among others, and is herself a stage and screen actor, educator and private coach.

Over the past decade Joyce Milford (she/her) has made a global footprint across the nation as a scenic and production designer. Most recently, her creative contributions have been seen in videos of popular Houston natives such as Tobe Nwigwe and Megan Thee Stallion. Her work has been found onstage at the Howard University Chadwick Boseman School of Fine Arts, The Ensemble Theatre; Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church; August Wilson African American Cultural Center of Pittsburgh, PA; THEARC Theater of Washington, DC; as well as many high schools across the nation. Joyce is thrilled to collaborate with Thunderclap Productions for The Chosen Ones.

Cathy Ewing Pratt (she/her) is a skilled and enthusiastic makeup artist with a love and passion for creativity. She has worked on a range of productions spanning drama and musical theatre bringing characters to life and storytelling through makeup. Past credits include shows and events at The Hobby Center (The Elliott-Chandler Foundation Gala and Music Doing Good in Schools), as well as community and charitable events with The Ultimate Dressing Room Boutique, model photoshoot for Dinjii Magazine, fashion shows, weddings, and a host of other events and occasions.

Destiny Raine (she/her) is a lighting designer and engineer based out of Houston Texas. She graduated from Lamar University with a B.S. in Theater and Dance and is the current Lighting Programmer and Technician for Stages Houston. Her work as a Designer has been featured in the world premiere of So You Can Look Ahead, directed by Edward Morgan; Switzerland, directed by Kenn McLaughlin; Panto Pinocchio, directed by Monica Josette; Bakkhai, directed by Joel Grothe; as well as several dance concerts by The Aimed Dance Company. Her work in lighting extends further as a programmer, where she has built numerous shows for stages including, but not limited to, Othello: The Remix, Mrs. Holmes & Mrs. Watson, Thunder Knocking on the Door, Drag Wonderrettes, Plumshuga: The Rise of Lauren Anderson, and Macguyver: The Musical.

Shawn W. St. John (he/him) is an award-winning sound designer, composer, producer, audio engineer and voice artist. He has worked with Tony Award winning sound designer Tony Meola, as well as notable actors, playwrights and directors, including Eli Wallach, Sandy Duncan, Christopher Fitzgerald, Joanne Woodward, Calista Flockhart, Arthur Storch, Joe DiPietro, Beth Henley, John Rando, Jason Nodler and Mickle Maher. Sound designs include Main Street Theater: The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Sleeping Beauty The Musical, Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Crown Jewel, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Men on Boats, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Wolf Hall; A.D. Players: Miss Maude, Dear Jack, Dear Louise; The Catastrophic Theatre: Baby Screams Miracle, Speeding Motorcycle, Booty Candy; Unity Theatre: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Becky’s New Car; Berkshire Theatre Festival: Quills, Wilder Wilder. Additionally, Mr. St. John designs/mixes musicals for several educational theaters, and is a voice over artist and voice actor. Education: B.A., Rollins College, Theatre. fiver.com/stjohnstudios

Arson Stolace (they/them) is a lighting technician and assistant lighting designer based in Houston, Texas. Their assistant work has been featured in Panto! Pinocchio, directed by Monica Josette and Let. Her. Rip., directed by Derek Charles Livingston. They have gained various credits as a technician including: Laughs in Spanish, Das Barbecue, Rachmaninoff and The Tsar, and The Heartsellers.