Terra Taylor Knudson

Founder/Artistic Director, Olio Theatre Works
Writer/Director/Actor
Ms. Taylor Knudson is a professional actress and has performed on various stages across the country for nearly 25 years. Locally, Terra divides her time between performing around LA and Orange Counties, as well as serving as Artistic Director and company playwright for her company Olio Theatre Works, Inc. She has lent her talents to various groups across Southern California including the Legendary Clara Ward Singers, the LA Weekly Theatre Awards, the SCIC's 15th Annual Martin Luther King Jr Celebration, the Long Beach Playhouse, the Arts Council of Long Beach, and many more.

In September 2005, Terra was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Arts Professional of the Year Award by the LB Arts Council for her work with the Arts in the community of Long Beach ,California. Writing credits include: "Child of the Bayou," "Old Black Magic: A Haunted Musical," "Don't Tell Mama," "Benji & Bethany's Very Mary Christmas Cabaret," "Intimately Wilde", "The Very Modern Tale of Rumplestiltskin", "The Entirely True Tale of Goldilocks", "Embodying the Dream: A Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr." and dozens more.


Tim Thorn
Founding Member/Actor/Technical Director
Mr. Thorn has been working in professional theatre for over 25 years in all aspects from acting to producing, scenic design, choreography, directing and teaching. He served as Assistant Artistic Director for the local educational theater program MYART and was a founding member of the comedy troupe Fractured Mirror, which performed for 8 years all across LA and Orange Counties at such prestigious venues as the Comedy Store and the Improv. He also spent several years touring with the educational theatre troupe Lilliput Players and later wowed audiences with this portrayals of Don Quixote in "Man of La Mancha," Captain Hook in "Peter Pan," Fagin in Oliver!" and Nathan Detriot in "Guys and Dolls."

In 2005, Variety celebrated Tim's tour-de-force performance in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" at The Sacred Fools theatre, and he won rave reviews for his scenic design and performance as "George" in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe" at the Costa Mesa Playhouse. His next feat will be to take on legendary poet/playwright Oscar Wilde in the original production "Intimately Wilde" making its Los Angeles premiere in August 2009.


Stephanie Thomas
Executive Director/Actor
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Ryan Michael Hartman
Actor
Ryan Michael Hartman is incredibly excited for this next step of Intimately Wilde, and so grateful for the part of "Bosie". Ryan is a proud member of Olio Theatre Works.

Recently Ryan has been seen on stage in shows such as Hopeful Romantic (Eric), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), A Chorus Line (Bobby), The Mystery of Edwin DROOD (Nick Cricker Jr.), and the Performance Riverside production of Peter Pan (Bill Jukes). Other musical credits include Fame, The Mystery of Edwin DROOD (different production), and various cabaret style events.

Ryan received most of his useful theatre training from Fullerton College, but earned his B.A. in Drama from the University of California, Irvine. Ryan thanks his family and friends for their never ending love and support. For more information or to contact, visit Ryan's website at RyanMichaelHartman.com.


John Schwendinger
Actor
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John Sturgeon
Founding Member/Actor
As one of the twelve original members of Amuse Pictures' Shakespeare a la Carte Soap Opera Serise, Mr. Sturgeon has been seen on several stages across Southern California. A favorite at the Found Theatre and the Long Beach Playhouse, Mr. Sturgeon has lent his talents to such productions as "Later Life," "No Exit," "The Phoenician Women" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream." After receiving his Bachelor's Degree from California State University - Long Beach, Mr. Sturgeon went on to earn a Masters from San Francisco State.

Prolific in several areas of the arts, Mr. Sturgeon also wrote, produced and acted in 2 short films: "Bad Blood" and "Criminals". Recently, John wrote and starred in a re-staging of The Found Theatre' original work "Dirty Rotten Pirates."


Thomas Colby
Actor
Thomas is very excited to have you read this. So now, please be excited. He is thrilled to be back at the Lyric Theatre for more work. Thomas has worked in many Theatres in Chicago including, The Royal George, Bailiwick, Circle, Stage Left, Torso, Apple Tree, BTE, CDW, ITC and the Chicago Playwright Center. A recent transplant to LA, Thomas worked at the Jewel Box, the Powerhouse, the Stella Adler and Knightsbridge Theatres.

Other highlights include Paul in Dressing Room Divas (Chicago and Off-Broadway casts), being "the Blob" in the musical version with the same title at Live Bait, doing 10 Naked Men (the show that is) and having the rare opportunity to play the role of Lucien P. Smith in The Boys Next Door at the Avenue Theatre. Currently playing on the small screen as a recurring character on THE MIND OF MENCIA, Thanks for supporting live Theatre. Excitement done.


Ben Maughan
Actor
Ben Maughan was born and raised in San Diego, California. Raised into a theatrical family, childhood was full of voice lessons and involvement in the arts. In 1999, Ben headed to Eugene, Oregon where he attended The University of Oregon. In Eugene, Ben found his true love in the theatre and never looked back. After graduating in theatre arts from U of O, Ben spent some time in San Francisco at The American Conservatory Theatre. In 2003, Ben moved to Los Angeles and began his journey into the art of auditioning.

Acting is only paralleled by Ben's love of fitness. He owns two small business's as a personal trainer to entertainment industry folks and as an independent distributor for Herbalife nutrition. Please visit his website: www.strongmanenterprises.com. For Acting information please visit. www.lacasting.com/benmaughan and www.benmaughan.com which is coming soon!


Tim Polzin
Actor
Tim is a new addition to Olio Theatre Works and he is excited to be here. Tim is originally from Marshaltown, Iowa and received his BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Iowa.

Tim's los Angeles acting credits include: "Guys & Dolls" at the Musical Theatre West. "Annie Get Your Gun" and "The Scarlet Pimpernel" at the Cabrillo Music Theatre. "Anything Goes", "Annie" and "The Music Man" at Music Theatre of Southern California. "Dames At Sea", "Dr Faustus", "Antigone" and "Julius Ceasar" at the Knightsbridge Theatre. "Henry V" at the Pasadena Shakespeare Company also "Comedy Of Errors" and "As You Like It" at the Nevada Shakespeare In The Park.

Tim also acted in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Pericles" at The Globe Playhouse, as well as the English Panto Productions of "Robinson Crusoe" and "Rumplestiltskin" at Theatre Exchange.


Rachel Baumsten
Production Assistant
Rachel is proud to be a part of the Intimately Wilde team. Her last experience with Olio was as an emergency replacement for a sick cast member during a production of Old Black Magic. Understandably, working behind the scenes on this production has been a very different and wonderful experience.

Rachel can usually be found performing in her own right at CSUF (where she will be completing her BA in Theatre this year), and with various South Bay theatre groups including the Torrance Theatre Company and the Neighborhood Playhouse. She would like to thank John for introducing her to the Olio Family and Terra for the opportunity to work on this production.