Dauri Kennedy - Music Director, Artistic Director
Dauri Kennedy has taught Santa Barbara in SB public and private schools for fifteen years and is a faculty member at Santa Barbara City College (Adult Education) where she teaches performance and leads several choirs. She is a revered teacher at Marymount where she teaches music (singing, reading, appreciation, theory) to students K-8. Ms. Kennedy attended the renowned New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and later received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Illinois and a Master of Music from UCSB. Ms. Kennedy is an alumna of the Music Academy of the West and was a featured soloist with the SB City College Jazz Band, Chamber Orchestra, and Grand Opera. Her extensive opera performances include lead roles with Seattle Opera, New Orleans Opera, and recently Des Moines Metro Opera.. EMAIL: [email protected]
Dauri Kennedy has taught Santa Barbara in SB public and private schools for fifteen years and is a faculty member at Santa Barbara City College (Adult Education) where she teaches performance and leads several choirs. She is a revered teacher at Marymount where she teaches music (singing, reading, appreciation, theory) to students K-8. Ms. Kennedy attended the renowned New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and later received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Illinois and a Master of Music from UCSB. Ms. Kennedy is an alumna of the Music Academy of the West and was a featured soloist with the SB City College Jazz Band, Chamber Orchestra, and Grand Opera. Her extensive opera performances include lead roles with Seattle Opera, New Orleans Opera, and recently Des Moines Metro Opera.. EMAIL: [email protected]
Austin Escamilla - Theatrical Director
Austin Escamilla is a homegrown talent. Born and raised in Santa Barbara he has been involved in stage work most of his life. Beginning with tap dancing at the age of 4 and stage acting in elementary school, he found a home on stage. Throughout high school he starred in several musicals and learned to write and direct his own shows with City At Peace Santa Barbara. He began to focus on backstage work, stage managing for Bishop Diego High School and the Performing and Visual Arts Camp (PVAC.) His first time directing a full-scale musical was "Once On This Island" for PVAC. He continued to act in musicals and stage plays at Santa Barbara City College, while focusing on directing with PVAC during the summer. He has directed many SOPA and PVAC productions such as Honk, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, many, many more! Passionate about introducing more young people to theatre, he is working to make theatre more accessible to schools. He has the directed at Elementary Elements and Marymount of Santa Barbara. Grateful for the many opportunities Santa Barbara has given him, Austin is working hard to build the theatre community in Santa Barbara.
Austin Escamilla is a homegrown talent. Born and raised in Santa Barbara he has been involved in stage work most of his life. Beginning with tap dancing at the age of 4 and stage acting in elementary school, he found a home on stage. Throughout high school he starred in several musicals and learned to write and direct his own shows with City At Peace Santa Barbara. He began to focus on backstage work, stage managing for Bishop Diego High School and the Performing and Visual Arts Camp (PVAC.) His first time directing a full-scale musical was "Once On This Island" for PVAC. He continued to act in musicals and stage plays at Santa Barbara City College, while focusing on directing with PVAC during the summer. He has directed many SOPA and PVAC productions such as Honk, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, many, many more! Passionate about introducing more young people to theatre, he is working to make theatre more accessible to schools. He has the directed at Elementary Elements and Marymount of Santa Barbara. Grateful for the many opportunities Santa Barbara has given him, Austin is working hard to build the theatre community in Santa Barbara.
Matt Tavianini- Theatrical Director For over 18 years, Matthew has been serving as the managing director/producer/actor with the BOXTALES Theatre Co. He is a graduate of UCSB, FSU/Asolo Conservatory where he received his MFA in acting. He studied physical theater with James Donlon at UCSB and Sigfrido Aquilar at the Estudio Busqueda de Pantomimo Teatro in Guanajuato, Mexico and with Gregory Hoffman for stage combat. In Santa Barbara, Matthew has played the title role in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Semyonov Pischik in The Cherry Orchard, Trinculo/Alonso in the Tempest with the Lit Moon Theatre Company, Michal in Genesis West’s production of The Pillowman, Karl in The Last Days of the Empire, Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, Telemachus in BOXTALES production of The Odyssey. Other roles include, Joe in The Last Night of Ballyhoo, David in The Rivals, Thurio in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Matt in Wrench, and Bobby in American Buffalo. Matthew also teaches acting, Shakespeare and stage combat, and directs the Goleta Valley Jr. High’s spring musical and most recently worked as a director with Providence School. He has also enjoyed working at the Westport Playhouse, The Odyssey Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Asolo Theatre, Santa Barbara Theatre Group, The Ensemble Theatre, Speaking of Stories, Santa Barbara Shakespeare Co., and City at Peace.
Ademola Oyewole-Davis - Poetry Facilitator
Brooklyn-born and raised, Ademola Oyewole-Davis is a singer, poet, writer, educator, and activist. Having taught for over 9 years with organizations like Urban Word NYC and various independent schools and non-profit organizations across the country. Ademola's experience in the slam poetry world in New York prepares him to mentor with youth on using their voice for freedom. Ademola utilizes his skills to create a conscious, critical, and creative experience for students, keeping in mind his mission to give voice to truth and power to justice.
Brooklyn-born and raised, Ademola Oyewole-Davis is a singer, poet, writer, educator, and activist. Having taught for over 9 years with organizations like Urban Word NYC and various independent schools and non-profit organizations across the country. Ademola's experience in the slam poetry world in New York prepares him to mentor with youth on using their voice for freedom. Ademola utilizes his skills to create a conscious, critical, and creative experience for students, keeping in mind his mission to give voice to truth and power to justice.
Tayllor Johnson - Poetry Facilitator
is a poet, writer, educator, performer, activist, and founder of Sisterhood (verb), Inc. A published poet, she has been writing and performing her poetry and written works for over 15 years. She liberates, investigates, and celebrates herself through her written and spoken word and inspires others to do the same. Having taught for over ten years, her undergraduate (Mount Holyoke College) and graduate (New York University) research centered around establishing art as a community norm in disenfranchised schools through arts-integrated curriculum development and community outreach.,
is a poet, writer, educator, performer, activist, and founder of Sisterhood (verb), Inc. A published poet, she has been writing and performing her poetry and written works for over 15 years. She liberates, investigates, and celebrates herself through her written and spoken word and inspires others to do the same. Having taught for over ten years, her undergraduate (Mount Holyoke College) and graduate (New York University) research centered around establishing art as a community norm in disenfranchised schools through arts-integrated curriculum development and community outreach.,
Jasmine Shanel Ramirez - Theatre Technician
is a singer, educator, and specialist in theatre tech. She currently works at the Jo Ann Caines theatre as their theatre technician. She started her journey in 2017 with SOPA’s production of The Heights and transitioned to stage crew in 2019 during their production of Matilda.. She knew she’d found her passion. Shanel joined OOTB as a stage manager for Once and Alice by heart.. Shanel continues to serve her community through her own creativity and inspiring students to find their passion through performance.
is a singer, educator, and specialist in theatre tech. She currently works at the Jo Ann Caines theatre as their theatre technician. She started her journey in 2017 with SOPA’s production of The Heights and transitioned to stage crew in 2019 during their production of Matilda.. She knew she’d found her passion. Shanel joined OOTB as a stage manager for Once and Alice by heart.. Shanel continues to serve her community through her own creativity and inspiring students to find their passion through performance.