Our People

Ry Armstrong (they/them) is an American, trans/non-binary artist and activist focused on pushing the overton window of our society toward an equitable and sustainable future. Born in Seattle, they began their creative journey at a young age studying with the Northwest Choirs, the 5th Avenue Theatre, and the Seattle Symphony, which resulted in a Grammy Award Nomination for contributions to the children’s album The Shoe Bird. Armstrong continued their academic pursuits at Central Washington University, where they graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre, and at American University, where they graduated with a Master of Arts in International Relations. When living in New York City, they performed in various productions Off-Broadway and on multiple sets of shows produced by HBO. Upon returning home to Seattle, they ran for Seattle City Council as a progressive Democrat and democratic socialist hoping for radical policy changes in the face of a looming climate crisis. Today, their activist focus is on labor organizing as a SAG-AFTRA Delegate to MLK Labor and on the National Council of Actors’ Equity Association. Their artistic focus continues to be on creative projects dedicated to the pursuit of truth and breaking down the binary of the world around us. ryarmstrong.com // @ryontheryse

Janet Hayatshahi is an actor, director, and educator. She served as Associate Artistic Director and ensemble member of San Diego’s notorious Sledgehammer Theatre and ensemble member of Chicago’s Eclipse Theatre Company. She holds an MFA in Dance Theatre from the University of California, San Diego, an MA in Theatre from San Diego State University, a BFA in Acting from Ithaca College, and a certificate from the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA). Janet is currently an assistant professor of acting and director of the theatre program at Seattle University.

Barbara Callander, a long-time member of the Seattle area theatre community, helped to create TPS and was a Founding Board member. As an actor, she has appeared with theatres nationwide, and for many years has also created and toured plays and other programs about women’s history throughout the Northwest and beyond. She is proud to hold a Theater degree from Oberlin College – the first co-educational college in the country. Barbara has also worked extensively as an arts administrator, including several years with the National Endowment for the Arts. She has served as a Seattle Arts Commissioner and was Executive Director of the Northwest Playwrights Guild and a Co-Founder of Jane Doe Theatre. She became active as a community and union activist soon after arriving in Seattle. For a number of years she has been elected to the National Council of Actors’ Equity Association.

Ali Kidder-Mostrom (she/her) is a forensic scientist by day and theatre person by night. She is a proud member of Latitude Theatre, one of the TPS Resident Companies. Sometimes Ali works behind the scenes and sometimes she trods the boards. Having grown up in theatre, her first professional acting gig was at the age of 7. Most recently, she was seen on stage as Igor in Latitude Theatre's production of Monstrous Regiment and off stage as the costumer for As If Theatre’s Cry It Out and as Postmaster (think equal parts Stage Manager, Producer and Hat) for Latitude's first short play festival, Victorian Christmas Cards. When not making theatre, Ali can be found gardening, GMing tabletop RPGs and cleaning TPS Theatre4, as part of the Adopt-a-Studio program.

Shawn Belyea is an award-winning actor, director, producer, and teaching artist based in Seattle, Washington. He is currently the Producing Director for The 14/48 Projects, creators of 14/48: The World’s Quickest Theater Festival, winner of the 2008 Seattle Mayor's Arts Award. Shawn is a professional actor and his work in Seattle includes Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Henry IV, and Twelfth Night with Seattle Shakespeare Company, Stan in Sweat and Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol (ACT Theatre), Rick in Dry Powder and Alan in Opus (Seattle Rep), and Dad and Babe Ruth in Jackie and Me (Seattle Children’s Theatre). He has also performed with Freehold's Engaged Theater in Measure for Measure and numerous other productions across the city of Seattle. As a director, Shawn’s work on August: Osage County earned four Gregory Awards, including Outstanding Director and Outstanding Production. In addition to his creative work, Shawn is committed to fostering the arts in the Pacific Northwest and serves as an Arts Commissioner for the City of Tukwila where he lives with his amazing wife Megan Ahiers.

Jeremy Odden (he/him) is a Seattle-born stage technician, stage manager, labor activist, union advocate, and diplomat. He wears a lot of hats for a lot of different places, but theatre is where his passion is, and where he is fortunate enough to make his living. When he’s not serving on the Board of Theatre Puget Sound, he also serves as the treasurer of Theatrical Stage Employees Local #15 (IATSE), as well as the treasurer of the Pacific Northwest JET Alumni Association (PNWJETAA). He enjoys the Arts in all their multitudes, and can often be found in auditoriums around the region enjoying what the creative folx in our area have to offer. He’ll be easy to spot, always on an aisle somewhere – the curse of long legs!

Rebecca Tourino Collinsworth is a Seattle-based playwright and director, At twenty, she made her professional acting debut at the rebuilt Globe Theatre in London and spent fifteen years performing in regional theaters across the United States. As a teaching theater artist, she’s worked with the Claire Trevor School of the Arts; the Alliance Theater in Atlanta; the New York Film Academy in Soho; Seattle University; Meadows School of the Arts at SMU; and Freehold’s Ensemble Training Intensive, among others. For three consecutive years, she also made weekly trips to Gig Harbor to work with incarcerated people at the Washington Correctional Center for Women as part of the Engaged Theater Residency. Her plays have been produced in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and elsewhere. She is the co-book writer (with Evynne Hollens) of Mija (2024 Festival Cultural de Junio, Guatemala, 2023 NAMT Festival of New Musicals, Kleban Prize finalist); co-editor (with Asha Dore) of the literary magazine Parley Lit; and the creator / managing artistic director of Parley. In Parley Rebecca has established the most robust new work developmental program in the Pacific Northwest, offering unprecedented support to its playwriting associates. Through Parley, she has developed, directed, and produced more than 85 world premieres of important new plays by underrepresented writers in the last decade. MFA (Acting), U.C. Irvine; BA (English), U.C. Berkeley; Pacific Conservatory Theater.

Montse Garza is a Latina lighting designer and actor (among other things) recently relocated to Seattle from Boston where she graduated from MIT. In school, she wore many hats including producer, choreographer, and director. She is most proud of her role in helping the MIT theater community recover from the pandemic after two years without in-person theater. In many ways, theater everywhere is still recovering - Montse is happy to be part of that effort!