Matter artist bios
Charles Grant (conceiver/writer/actor) - Charles is an actor, producer, and teaching artist originally from Southern California now based in Portland, OR. He has worked with various companies over the years: Portland Center Stage, Fuse Theatre Ensemble, Broadway Rose, Portland Playhouse, Confrontation Theatre, Staged!, and Milagro. Selected credits and more at thecharlesgrant.com. Gratitude and love to Many Hats Collaboration, Portland Playhouse, and everyone on the Matter team for their belief and bravery in bringing this project to life. May we all use our power, privilege, and platforms to listen, engage, and truly make this world a better place. Venmo: @Charles-Grant-6
Tamera Lyn (videography and editing) - Tamera Lyn is grateful to have this phenomenal experience, merging the art of theatre and filmmaking! She was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, studied Theatre Performance at Florida A & M University, then moved to Portland to further develop her craft with the Portland Playhouse as an apprentice in 2016. Since then, she has performed with many theatre companies around town, while also working as a filmmaker through her own production vessel, Sunflower Creations. Follow her journey at tameralyn.com. peace + blessings. Venmo: @TameraLyn7
James Dixon (director) - James Dixon is excited to join Many Hats Collaboration and Portland Playhouse for this transformative piece! James is a Theatre Vertigo alumni and most recently served as the EDI Chair for the PATA Board of Directors. "There is a wealth of self-empowerment, wisdom, and fulfillment in telling our own stories." James focuses on creating through an equity lens in an effort to bring communities closer to the stories that display the beauty of the human condition. His favorite directing credits include Bootycandy with Fuse Theatre, The Mysterious Affair At Styles with Linestorm Playwrights, Gender-fication with 360 Labs, and serving as a Cultural Advisor for Hair with Staged! James is also a Fuse Theatre Ensemble Member and a current Associate Member of the SDC Society with a primary focus on Black queer theatre, all Black lives and facilitating the artistic needs of the LGBTQ2IA+ community. Welcome to the revolution! More at jamesrdixon.com. Venmo: @James-Dixon-80
Jessica Wallenfels (movement director) - See page.
Thyra Hartshorn (lighting designer)
Sharath Patel (sound designer) - Sharath is a Portland, OR based designer who works nationally and international focusing on experimental, commercial, academic, political and socially conscious theatre. Recent designs have been seen at Portland Center Stage, Rep Theatre of St. Louis, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Folger Theatre, ACT Theatre, Artist Rep, American Rep, Seattle Rep, Yale, Rep, Cal Shakes, Alabama Shakes, EastWest Players, Marin Theatre Company, Virginia Stage Company, and Mercury Company. Additional work shown in New York City, Washington D.C., Boston, Norfolk, Raleigh, Aspen, India, France, England, Germany, and Romania. He is a member of USA829 as well as the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association. Sharath is also an Arts Envoy for the U.S. Department of State and a Resident Artists at Artists Rep. MFA, Yale School of Drama. sharathpatel.com. Venmo: @humanesustainability
Riley Lozano (stage manager) - Riley Lozano is a local storyteller, actor, dancer, and stage manager. She received her Bachelor’s degree in theatre from Portland State University. She currently works in production and design for Kryptic Films. Most recently she completed the stage management apprenticeship at Portland Playhouse. She loves community building through theater, film and dance. She identifies as a fat, queer, latinx woman and wants to make art that will reflect and raise up those experiences. She believes that theatre should be innovative and accessible for everyone. She is thrilled to participate in Matter with Many Hats Collaboration to bring art to life in the time of Covid.
About Many Hats Collaboration - See page.
About Portland Playhouse - Portland Playhouse is located in the heart of Portland’s King Neighborhood is entering into our 13th season of making theatre for diverse audiences, Portland Playhouse is a space for people of all backgrounds to come together to celebrate the complexity of our shared human condition. Portland Playhouse is dedicated to producing quality, intimate, performances in which the interaction between artists and audience is paramount. We envision a world awakened by the wonder of theatre.
We honor the people on whose traditional and ancestral land we sit. We recognize the Chinook, Multnomah, and Kathlamet Nations. We also recognize that the Playhouse used to be the home of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church and the Black community. We acknowledge the ancestors and survivors of this place and recognize that we are here because of the sacrifices forced upon them. We honor their legacy, their lives, and their descendants who carry on traditions for present and future generations.