Cast Bios:

Hunter Brown (Storyteller) is a San Diego-based actor, director, fight choreographer, and teacher. Recent credits include: Curtains (Christopher Belling), Sweeney Todd (Beadle), Trash Pandamonium (Ringo), and A Twisted Bargain (Xander Roberts). Hunter would like to thank you for supporting live theatre!

Daryl Daley (Storyteller) is happy to be back on the Coronado Playhouse stage! She was seen most recently in Tuck Everlasting (2024) and The Old Man and the Old Moon (2019). This marks Daryl’s 18th production at CPH; favorite appearances include Mary Sunshine in Chicago (2013), Beauty in Sleeping Beauty or the Famous Rose Taboo (2014), Turtle in A Year with Frog and Toad (2015), Girl Bear in Avenue Q (2015) and ensemble roles in The Drowsy Chaperone (2011) and Spamalot (2014).

Ferril Gardner (The Mountain) is delighted to return to the stage at Coronado Playhouse. Past Coronado credits include Avenue Q, Seussical the Musical, Godspell in Concert, and A Man of No Importance. Ferril is a graduate student at UC San Diego where she is earning her Master of Education and multiple subject teaching credential. She thanks her dear family, friends, and loved ones for their unwavering support, with special thanks to Desha for the opportunity to return to the stage after a long six years away.

Shane Hennessey (Carpenter) is thrilled to be returning to Coronado Playhouse where he was last seen in Underground. He sends his love and thanks, as always, to his friends and family for their constant love and support. Cheers!

Espie Ignacio (Storyteller) (they/she/siya) is excited to be a musician for this sweet show! Don’t worry, the accordion isn’t that heavy! Select acting credits: Curtains (Coronado Playhouse), Lizzie: The Musical (OB Playhouse), Pásale Pásale (TuYo Theatre), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Muir Musical). Select directing credits: Love is the Greater Labyrinth (Music Director/Composer, Sor Juana Project), Call Your Mother (Music Director, CCAE Staged Reading Series), Comedy of Errors (Assistant Director/Vocal Director, UC San Diego), Into the Woods (Vocal Director, Muir Musical).

Skye Matini (Storyteller) is a rising actor with a passion for exploring diverse roles and deepening her craft. Recently, Skye starred in the student short film Eat Your Heart Out, where she showcased her ability to portray a complex, emotionally charged character with nuance and authenticity. She has also performed on stage in plays such as She Kills Monsters and The Diary of Anne Frank. With a natural talent for bringing characters to life, Skye has quickly garnered attention for her performances in both theater and student films. Her dedication to her craft and her dynamic range as an actress continue to set her apart as a promising new talent in the industry.

Aiden Meyndert (Storyteller) considers his work on The Mountain Song to be a crowning achievement in his career. Recent theatre includes the world-premieres of Another Day in Paradise (Luke/ Will) and Hype (Lucas); Lamb of God (Apostle John); The Rogues Trial (Antonio Morais); The Sound of Music (Rolf Gruber); Dogfight (Bernstein); and Seussical (Horton the Elephant). In his spare time, Aiden is a seasoned performer of staged concerts, and creates with Royal Entertainers. Education: BA in Theatre from UC San Diego. He is endlessly grateful for this company and his mentor Desha Crownover. Proverbs 3:5-6.

Sarah Jane Salonga (Storyteller) (she/her/hers) is thrilled to be back at Coronado Playhouse in The Mountain Song. She graduated last year from SDSU’s MFA Musical theatre program and was recognized with the Outstanding Graduate award. Sarah is a credentialed school teacher and also teaches acting, voice and ukulele. Some favorite acting credits: Olive in Spelling Bee (SDSU), Mom/Tracy in Underground (Coronado Playhouse), Melanie/Mother Moon in lit: a new musical (Blindspot Collective), Pocahontas in Disenchanted! (OB Playhouse), Anna in High Fidelity (Hart House Theatre, Canadian Premiere). Some recent directing credits: Disney’s Moana Jr (JCompany/JCC), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Moonlight Youth Theatre), Chasing Fear (Blindspot Collective/UCSD ArtPower), One Past Midnight – The OPM Musical (SDSU). Much love to her family and friends for their endless love and support! sarahjanesalonga.com

Production Bios:

Desha Crownover (Director) is an interdisciplinary stage artist who is grateful to be bringing The Mountain Song to CPH! She has worked on stages across the US including Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Blindspot Collective, The Old Globe, and The La Jolla Playhouse. Her work has received critical acclaim both locally and nationally from various organizations including the California State Assembly’s 2019 “Woman of the Year” Award. Desha is currently Executive Director at San Diego Junior Theatre and holds degrees from both UCSD and SDSU. Desha is so grateful to her friends, family, and fellow artists for collaborating on this journey. Isaiah 30:21

Harrison H. Harper (Stage Manager) is excited for you all to witness The Mountain Song! The rehearsal process was nothing but a fun challenge for these actors who are presenting this story! His most recent shows are, Barbecue presented here at Coronado Playhouse earlier this season, The Constant Wife in NYC, The Butter and Egg Man in NYC, along with Spring Awakening in NYC.

PigPen Theatre Co. began creating their unique brand of theatre, music, and film as freshmen at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in 2007. They have since produced their original plays in New York City and toured the country – earning them critic’s picks from The New York Times, Time Out New York, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Boston Globe, and many more, ranking them in the top ten theatrical events of 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2016. They were the first group to win the NYC Fringe Festival’s top honor two years in a row (2010/11) and have gone on to win IRNE (2012, 2015) and Jeff Awards (2014) for their theatrical productions. In 2016, Sir Trevor Nunn invited PigPen to be a part of his first American acting company for a production of Shakespeare’s Pericles.

PigPen’s debut album, “Bremen”, was named #10 album of the year in The Huffington Post’s 2012 Grammy preview sending PigPen on tour playing to sold-out crowds across the country. American Songwriter premiered their follow-up EP, “The Way I’m Running”, in 2013 while the band was playing a series of concerts that became one of the most popular residencies of the past decade at the legendary Schuba’s Tavern in Chicago. In 2015, PigPen released their sophomore album, “Whole Sun”, performed at Mumford & Sons’ return to the Gentlemen of the Road Festival, and made their feature film debut in Jonathan Demme’s “Ricki and the Flash” starring Meryl Streep.

In 2018, PigPen announced that they are creating two stage musicals based on beloved novels: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (in partnership with Universal Theatrical Group) and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (in collaboration with Rick Elice). The Tale of Despereaux world premiered at The Old Globe in the summer of 2019 and transferred to Berkeley Repertory Theatre to close out the year. 2021 saw PigPen premiere their interactive theatrical experience, The Phantom Folktales, aboard Richard Branson’s groundbreaking cruise line, Virgin Voyages. That summer also marked the beginning of their three-year residency as artists and curators at New York City’s newest and most unique public park: Little Island.