Jay Stratton is the producing Artistic Director of the Madeline Park Shakespeare Festival and a theatre professor at the University of Texas at El Paso. 

As a UTEP professor, Jay is the co-adapter and creator of UTEP’s acclaimed bilingual A Christmas Carol en la Frontera. Jay also created UTEP’s Halloween productions of Shakespeare’s Asylum and Bloody Shakespeare! and the site-specific outdoor production of Lysistrata. Other UTEP productions include Medea, Sister Act, and Sara Ruhl’s In The Next Room. 

Jay is also the writer and director of the irreverent Covid comedy, Keeping Distance. Most recently, Jay collaborated with El Paso’s exciting new Teatro Neplanta Company to direct their very daring immersive version of The Motherf@#ker with the Hat by Stephen Adley Guirgis. 

For more, check out www.jay-stratton.com

Sydney Monroe Gaglio is our Production Stage Manager and Media & Marketing Director.

Syd is a theatre artist from the border town of El Paso, Texas. This is their second year doing stage management for Madeline Park Shakespeare Festival. Their most recent stage management credits include The Motherf#*$er in the Hat (Teatro Neplanta), Romeo and Juliet (Teatro Neplanta), Aquerón: El Rio de la Tragedia, with Mexico City’s Xipe Arts Collective at the Cherry Arts in Ithaca, NY. They would like to thank their parents and friends for all of their loving support, and Jay’s daughter, Billie, for falling into her lap at Starbucks last year - that was the moment that sparked it all and got them back into the theatre scene in El Paso!

Gaby Reyes is playing Maria and Antonia. 

She is also our Spanish bilingual translator and worked very closely with Jay to edit this year’s script so that we could throw some El Paso flare into the story!

Gaby Reyes is a senior at UTEP pursuing a BFA in Theatre Performance and a minor in Creative Writing. She is thrilled to be part of MPSF for the second time. Recent credits: As You Like It (Rosalind), Héroes and Saints (Dolores), Steel Magnolias (M'Lynn), A Christmas Carol en la Frontera (Mrs.Cratchit). Much thanks to the MPSF team, family, and friends.

Isabella Camfield plays the role of Olivia.

Isabella is a singer, actor, and educator originally from Northern California. She double majored in English and Theater at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, where she frequently wrote about and performed Shakespeare’s works. During her junior year she studied abroad in Norwich, England, deepening her understanding of Elizabethan theater in her coursework there. She was also deeply involved in her college’s choir, serving as soprano section leader during her senior year. After college, she went on to receive a Master of Arts in Education from the University of the Pacific, along with teaching credentials in Social Studies and English.

Isabella taught high school Humanities in Southeast Los Angeles for four years before relocating to El Paso. She has now been teaching in the English department at Franklin High School since 2022. Her passion for interdisciplinary education has led her to create projects for students like making a hypothetical production of Macbeth with acting, directing and design components, all based on what they learned from the text. In addition to teaching, Isabella has also worked as an actor and as curriculum advisor for Shakespeare in Yosemite.

Some of her favorite roles from past productions include Heidi, Maria in Love’s Labors Lost, and Cinderella in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. She is thrilled to join the Madeline Park Shakespeare festival this year and would like to thank her friends and family for all of their love and support.

Raul Chavez plays Feste, The Clown.

Raul holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from The University of Texas at El Paso. Currently, he is a Theatre teacher at First Presbyterian Elementary School, and also teaches and directs at Kids N Co. He is a part of various Theatre companies throughout El Paso. Some Theatre credits include Viva! El Paso, and Shakespeare On the Rocks. This is Raul's first time joining the Madeline Park Shakespeare Festival and is incredibly excited to perform in one of his favorite Shakespeare plays and portraying one of his favorite Shakespeare characters.

Romanti-ezer Mata plays Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Father Topas.

He is a local actor and dancer with two BFAs from UTEP. He is currently a Teaching Artist with the local non-profit arts education organization, Kids Excel El Paso. This is his second Madeleine Park Shakespeare Festival and is excited to be back. He has appeared as a performer at the UTEP Dinner Theatre (The Prom, Newsies, and Hello, Dolly!), UTEP Department of Theatre and Dance (Monsters We Create, Experiencing the Rio Bosque, and /Echo), and other community theatres (Godspell, Los Desarraigados, and Bodas de Sangre). He would like to thank Jay Stratton for another amazing opportunity, and the rest of his fellow cast mates for making this such a wonderful experience. "Enjoy the show!!!" 

Carolina Flores Parada plays the role of Viola.

Carolina is a Musical Theatre major at UTEP. She is so excited and happy to work on this production and experience Shakespeare in a way that is close to home because of its language shifts, in this adaptation. Carolina has appeared in several UTEP productions like: Zoot Suit, Heroes and Saints, and the Full Monty at the UTEP Dinner theatre. This is a new experience, and she hopes everyone enjoys the show!

Alex Ramos is playing Curio and Sebastian.

Alex is a Mexican American actor born and raised in El Paso, Texas. Currently, Alex is a student at The University of Texas at El Paso where will soon graduate in Fall 2023 with a degree in musical theatre. He has appeared in several UTEP Dinner Theatre productions, and the UTEP Theatre and Dance’s Production of Heroes and Saints.

Katie Scarlett is playing Dame Toby.

Katie graduated from UTEP with her BFA in performance. She's had the honor of working with various local theater companies throughout El Paso including Shakespeare on the Rocks and Kids N Co. Her favorite credits include: Jean ( Dead Man's Cellphone ) and Mary ( Mary's Wedding ). She's proud to say she took part in the first MPSF show, As You Like It, too, and is excited for everyone to come take part in this year!

Adam Zarowski is playing the roles of Count Orsino and Malvolio.

Adam Walter Zarowski is a professional actor, director and producer with a BFA and an MFA in Acting. Most recently Adam was seen in Teatro Neplanta’s production of The MotherF#cker wtih the Hat, in the role of Jackie. Adam has acted all around the country and was a member of the national touring company for The American Shakespeare Center right before COVID disrupted the world. Adam is an acting coach, professor, massage therapist and the founder & artistic director for El Paso’s newest theatre, Teatro Neplanta: Home of the Borderland Players! He most recently directed their production of Romeo & Juliet to conclude their inaugural season! Some of Adam’s favorite roles include Stanley K. (Streetcar), Lenny (Of Mice and Men), Victor/Poche (A Flea in her Ear), Judge Brack (Hedda Gabler) Petruchio (Taming) Posthumus (Cymbeline) Oberon/Theseus (Midsummer), Matthew (Altar Boyz), Mack the Knife (3Penny) & Prof. Callahan (Legally Blonde). Adam would like to thank Jay, and his friends and family. I love you and without you, none of this would be possible. “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” - W. Shakespeare