Ed Cord received his MFA from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and his BS in Theatre from Radford University. He currently works and lives in Denver, moving here in 2004 from Wilmington, NC. Ed is also a company member of Curious Theatre where he has performed as Stuart in  FOR BETTER and Virgil in THE DEAD GUY, both world premiers written by Eric Coble. Other Denver credits include: WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF with Paragon, Frank in RED HERRING with Firehouse, Jamie in THE RETREAT FROM MOSCOW and Happy in DEATH OF A SALESMAN with Aurora Fox, as well as Larry in CLOSER with Uncorked Productions - of which he is a founding member. Other favorite roles include: Hal in PROOF with Aspen Theatre in the Park, and Vince in BURIED CHILD with Big Dawg Theatre.

Dee Covington comes to Playback Theatre West through her love for acting and her belief that theatre can be a powerful tool for positive change.  An award-winning actress and trained therapist she possesses a wide range of skills vital to the creative process.  She has been nationally recognized for her theatre work with teens and currently serves as the Education Director for Curious Theatre Company, where she is a founding company member, actress and director.  She studied Theatre at Stephens College in Columbia, MO and Somatic Psychology at Naropa University in Boulder, CO.

Meridith Crosley Grundei is an award-winning actor, improviser, teacher and coach. She has worked with The Second City, American Conservatory Theatre, The Denver Center Training Center, i.O Chicago, Strawdog Theatre Company, Art Street Theatre Company, Naropa University, The Arvada Center, Sprung Movement Theatre, The Dark Eyed Strangers, Bas Bleu Theatre, The Evergreen Players,  square product theatre and is a company member of The Catamounts.

Meridith holds an M.F.A. in Contemporary Performance from Naropa University and is the owner of Red Ball Communications, LLC

Kirsten Wilson was the founder and artistic director of the Santa Fe-based, choreographed theater company, Friendly Fire. She taught performance monologue classes at the College of Santa Fe and Playback Theater through Bard College in New York. She teaches Letting the Body Speak, a personal writing and performance experience for adults. She is currently completing her MFA in Contemporary Performance at Naropa University. She jumped in with Playback Theatre West in 2005.

Jim Walker is a professional educator, actor and improviser who has performed with the Didactic Duo, On the Spot, Colorado Light Opera, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company & others.  On the Writing faculty at CU, he holds a Masters and Doctorate in Comparative Literature with a focus on race and gender in African diasporic writings.  He has lived and studied in Italy, Africa and elsewhere, and through his university and private teaching, has been promoting multicultural, diversity and international education for 20 years.  Through Playback and other outlets, he indulges his passion for the power of theatre and our stories to explore, heal, and connect us as individuals and communities.

Sam Elmore lives in Boulder, CO where he balances his pursuits as a performer, coach, consultant, and outdoor enthusiast. He has been involved in all aspects of theatre and is a seasoned director, producer, choreographer and performer. For the last 3 years Sam has been acting in a touring a production of 52 Pick-Up by TJ Dawes. In addition he has recently entered the world of film acting with roles in Busker’s Bounty (Buskerfly Productions), and Yellowbrickroad (Points North Films). To learn more about Sam you may visit www.onthebrinc.com.

Dexter Payne, voted among the top ten clarinetists in Downbeat Readers Polls in 2004 and 2006, has made repeat appearances on the NBC Today Show and Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. He has performed with artists from Dr John to Sharon Isbin. Currently he is on the faculty of Naropa University, directing the Afro-pop Ensemble. Dexter lived and performed in 12 countries in Latin America, where he played and formed friendships with Thiago de Mello and the late Ruben Gonzales among others, recording in Brazil with Paulinho Tapajos and Beth Carvalho. His latest recording, the third with Grammy nominated composer, Thiago de Mello, features four great pianists, including Helio Alves (Obrigado Brazil), and guitarist Romero Lubambo.

The Playback Musicians

Anthony Salvo is a talented multi instrumentalist who's deep love of music of many world traditions makes him especially suited for the improvisational rigors of Playback Theater. Conservatory trained, he has delved deeply into the study of american jazz, free jazz, gypsy swing, klezmer, latin and african music. Anthony's explorations into these styles, and his ability to sense the poignancy and humor of a moment, helps him to bring a sonically rich and multi layered approach to co-creation with the Playback players.

James Hoskins plays too many instruments to list, and too many genres to

believe...  All these elements are barely enough to keep up with the demands

laid upon him by the Playback Theater form!  It's the most fun gig on the

planet!

Kevin Gray has loved performing playback theater for over 20 years. For him playback offers a deep creative connection that allows us to experience all aspects of our human condition… love and sorrow, laughter and pain, joy and… take your pick.  Kevin’s love for performing is balanced by his love for his wife Tricia and his two children, Zane and Kai, and his passion for his work as a psychotherapist and certified clinical hypnotherapist. Kevin founded Playback Theater West in 1988 and holds a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from New York University. He has taught theater at Metro State College, the University of Colorado at Denver and at Naropa University.  Kevin has performed at the Denver Center Theater Company, the Arvada Center, and in many plays, films and commercials.

Rebecca Brown Adelman is the creator and co-director of The Interactive Theater Project, at the University of Colorado at Boulder, which uses theatre as a medium for education, building community, dialogue and as a means to create social change. Additionally, Rebecca teaches a class called Theatre for Social Change within the Honor’s Department at the University. With an extensive background in theatre and improvisation from New York City, she received her MA in drama therapy from New York University. Rebecca is an actor, director, and writer who performs frequently in the Boulder and Denver area. Rebecca is one of the founding members of the Boulder theatre company, Theatre 13, at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art.

The Playback Theatre West Company