Kei Alegria-Flores, MPH, PhD, is an independent business and research consultant, Advisory Board Member for Telamon Corporation, and supporter and volunteer for local non-profits that aim to end violence against women and children. Kei has worked nationally and internationally with academic, governmental, multilateral, non-profit, and private sector organizations, most recently as Global Vice President of Applied Behavioral Science at a data and tech company. She was born in Peru, grew up in Japan, and moved to the US in 1997, eventually earning a B.S. in Microbiology from UCLA, a master’s degree in Global Health from The George Washington University, and a PhD in Health Policy and Management from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her relationship with theatre is very personal. When Kei saw Eve Ensler’s fundraising V-Day play, The Vagina Monologues, in college for the first time, she experienced how “art has a way of healing the soul.” She subsequently joined V-Day and directed and acted in their productions in English and Spanish for 10 years..
Shanelle Edmonds is the founder of Eunoia Law Firm with a background in family law, probate law, civil litigation, and her favorite area, business law. She’s worked with and traveled to Port Au Prince Haiti with the North Carolina Bar Association to assist with business and economic development of the country in collaboration with the Port Au Prince, Guadeloupe, and Paris Bar Associations. She has been a featured speaker for various organizations and podcasts such as: the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, Gauss Gang Fireside Chat: Crypto Business & Regulations, Ultimate Black Man Radio Podcast: Can Side Chicks Save Marriages?, Gentleman Style Podcast: Family Lawyer Explains How to Sue the Side Chick, Club House: Why Life Insurance is Important, and others. She has served as a panelist with the Minorities in the Profession section of the North Carolina Bar Association, a guest speaker for the Women’s Business Owner’s Network, and presented “Five Tips Business Owner’s Should Know To Run a Successful Business” with the Successful Business Women’s Inspire event.
John Frasier serves as Assistant Program Director for the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham, NC, and is an actor whose performance experiences include the stage, film, voiceovers, and video game motion capture work. John is a member in good standing with SAG and AFTRA, and recently appeared in two episodes of the Netflix original series Prank Encounters. On stage, John has performed in Chicago IL, Detroit MI, Washington DC, Providence RI, Durham NC and cities throughout Montana and Utah. Additionally, he has been teaching performance since 2011. The courses taught include Acting I, Acting II, African American Theatre, Theatre Appreciation, Shakespeare, Script Analysis, and Meisner technique. He currently teaches theatre at North Carolina State University. He has successfully directed and assistant directed for mainstage and black box performances. John is excited to be a part of STC and looks forward to a great partnership.
Charlie Machalicky, MBA, is an independent technology and digital marketing consultant and a founding member of STC, and mixes a love of theater, dance and music into every facet of his life. A proud member of AEA, Charles began work as a performer in 1992 and expanded into producing, directing and choreographing in community and 99-seat theaters in Los Angeles. After productions of The Zoo Story and Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory (which he also adapted and directed), Charles detoured into technology and product development at several online startups in NYC. He moved to Raleigh in 2002 and resumed teaching and choreographing at North Carolina Dance Institute, and has developed and taught courses in Arts Administration, Tap Dance, and the Business of Performing at William Peace University, drawing upon a wealth of experience in early-stage tech startups and an MBA from Duke University. At STC, he is proud to have produced or directed most of the first two seasons’ productions, and looks forward to continuing to build and grow the company. Charles lives in Raleigh with his two almost-launched college student children, two nervy cats and an enthusiastic Shiba Inu/Jack Russell mix.
John Paul Middlesworth is a prolific local theater producer, director, playwright and actor, in addition to serving as an adjunct faculty member of Durham Technical Community College teaching English and Speech. He has been active with the Durham Savoyards for many years and currently serves as its President. He has directed for Prime Time Players and OdysseyStage. His short plays have been presented at Carrboro’s ArtsCenter (Playwrights’ Roundtable, 10×10, and No Shame) and at Cary Playwrights’ Forum’s PlaySlam and Bar Plays. He has acted with Deep Dish, RLT, Bare Theatre, Stone Soup, Durham Savoyards, and OdysseyStage, and he’s pleased to add Switchyard to the list as a founding member.
Craig Witter co-founded and operated Pittsboro Youth Theater, Center for the Arts Pittsboro, Social Justice Theater of the Carolinas, Chatham Community Players adult acting troupe and other organizations. While his partner in Pittsboro Youth Theater’s family of community theater organizations focused on the Artistic Direction of casts, Craig was responsible for every other aspect of their operations. An entrepreneur and rural northern California native, Craig has a rich work history in writing and producing video and multimedia training programs for corporate clients. He brings decades of business experience and theater tech know how to Switchyard Theatre Company.