Theodore Dawson
Creator of Zanzibar Fairytale Puppet Theater

Mr. Dawson's passion and fascination with puppets began at a very early age, with great inspiration from Children's Fairyland Puppet Theater. His versatility and imagination has contributed to hundreds of theatrical productions from New York to Las Vegas, as well as in the San Francisco bay area. Mr. Dawson has worked as a Stage and Production Manager, Lighting and Costume Designer. Some highlights include lighting and costume design for productions of La Cage Aux follies, Pageant, Sweet Charity, 'Twas the Night before Christmas, The Headdress Ball, Pippin and the off- Broadway production of Halfway There.

In the world of visual arts / window design/display, Mr. Dawson's rich past includes time invested with Henri Bendel and Barrango. Recent project highlights have included lighting design for Macy's 60th annual flower show and the 2006 Saks fifth Avenue holiday windows. As an Event Designer and Producer, Theodore has worked in the finest hotels in the Bay Area, New York and Las Vegas. Theodore has also worked his magic in his local community in the city of Oakland, having designed and brought to life three very special projects for Children's Fairyland Fairywoods, Merlin's Magical Caverns, and Pirate Pete's Search for the Ruby Amulet.

Michael Baroto
Puppet head design and sculptor

Michael operates his own design business, Spectacular Dimensions, where he developed the first on-line Puppet Parts Catalog.

Michael's professional career began in NYC, with the renowned Bil Baird Marionette Theatre. His off-Broadway credits include: Alice In Wonderland, Peter and the Wolf, Pinocchio, and The Cartonella Show. Working at Radio City Music Hall he went on to design and create puppets, millinery and costuming FX's on six consecutive productions including: Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Christmas Spectacular and Manhattan Showboat. His work in New York City also included two Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades.

Hired by the Sid and Marty Krofft, and NBC Studios, in Los Angeles, CA he designed for a number of Film and Television Variety Shows and Specials including: Bob Hope's Christmas Special, Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, Pryor's Place, Punky Brewster, and Peewee's Playhouse

Other design and prototype credits include a national tour of the Wizard of Oz, specialty costumes for "Splash" at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, The Barbara Mandrell's Christmas Special, for CBS, Mattel Toys, and Pumbaa for the Lion King.

For more information about Michael, see his website.

Bryan Wright
Sound Design and Mastering

Bryan Wright is a music producer and owner of Gravity Sound, who provides recording, mixdown, and production services,live sound reinforcement systems and services, and audio production.

He's also the lead vocalist, guitar player, and songwriter for the explosive San Francisco-based rock band Trip Device www.myspace.com/tripdevice. Three of Bryan's songs were used as background tracks for the most-aired episode of MTV's "Making The Video" in network history, and Trip Device has opened for Kid Rock, Lit, King's X, and God Lives Underwater.

What's in Bryan's iPod: A wide selection of industrial, classical, jazz, metal, country, trance, ambient, down-tempo electronica, and alternative-rock.

Deborah Zippel
Script co-author, Assistant to the Producer

Deborah Zippel saw a ballet at the age of four, and immediately fell in love with the performing arts. Since then she has stayed involved in any way possible; as a dancer, actor, videographer, writer, costumer, even as a security guard (Asolo Theater in Sarasota, Florida - it's a long story). She consults and designs databases for her day job.

Todd Lovett
Puppet Makeup Design

Todd Lovett is a bay area Surface/Textile designer and Watercolorist. Todd has a realistic yet contemporary style and though his subject matter is varied he often paints florals, animals and enjoys including architectural elements in his work. "Painting the faces of the characters couldn't be further from a still life yet the challenge is the same: to breathe life into what I'm painting. Painting the faces of the cast of Zanzibar allows me to convey their unique personalities".

Annie Wong
Scenic Artist, Additional Scenic Design

Ever since seeing Bob Ross on The Joy of Painting as a young child, Annie Wong has been in love with the act of art-making. She grew up in San Antonio, Texas (where paint dries very quickly) and won several art contests and participated in a city-wide mural painting program for 3 years. In 2001 she escaped the heat of Texas to attend the California College of Arts and Crafts and received her Bachelor's degree as an Individualized Major in 2005. Since then she has shown in galleries and illustrated a children's book, The Adventures of Penny, The Rhode Island Red. Currently, she works both as a puppeteer and head of the Art and Restoration department of Children's Fairyland in Oakland. Annie's website www.headexplodie.com

Steven Lam
Associate set designer and builder
Zanzibar Logo Design

Steven Lam has teamed up with Theo on the Cinderella project having worked together for several years at Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue in San Francisco. He has developed an interest in display installations, through building numerous props and installations for the stores' display windows. He was also responsible for conceptualizing and creating Macy's SPCA famous holiday Christmas windows. He brings with him a graphic design degree that he earned at University of Hawai'i, in his hometown of Honolulu. Steven is currently keeping himself busy tattooing full time at Goldfields Tattoo Studio in the historic North Beach area of San Francisco.

Puppeteers

Ben Allen

Ben has been a clown and actor since 1993. He began an apprenticeship with the New Pickle Circus in 1998, where he worked his way up to a principle role in the Pickle's nationally touring show "Step Right Up!" Since then he has worked with Make*A*Circus, Circus Chimera, Children's Fairyland of Oakland, Circus Center, and the Magic Theater. He is a graduate of San Francisco's Clown Conservatory, and a children's circus instructor at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. Ben is also a founding member of The Flying Buttresses, a comedy troupe that can be seen at Bay Area venues.

Jett Atwood

Jeanette 'Jett' Atwood is an animator and cartoonist currently living in San Francisco. Hailing from Utah, Jett is a graduate of classical animation from Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada. Jett has worked on numerous video games and short films as a storyboard artist, animator, and writer. She's thrilled to be adding "puppeteer" to her eclectic resume.

Lisa Eller

A woman of many talents Lisa is a 6th grade math and science teacher, an avid rock climber and a soprano in the MCCSF choir.

Texas

After graduating from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in dance, Kelly Holly, "Texas" ran away and joined the Clown Conservatory at San Francisco's Circus Center. Since graduating "magna cum loud" in 2005, she has performed regularly with Bay Area favorites such as Lunatique Fantastique, Miracle Theater, and The Pickle Circus. She continues to teach at the Prescott Circus Theater, a youth circus based in West Oakland.

Christine Monohan

Christine Monohan graduated from the California College of the Arts with a BFA in Illustration. She was introduced to the art of puppetry through the restoration department of ChildrenÕs Fairyland in Oakland. She presently lives and works in San Francisco.

Laureyna Kerrn

Laureyna has always enjoyed the anonymity of writing in the third person. When not trapped inside the magic gates of Children's Fairyland, she is a pre-school teacher and member of Thee Non-Toxic Puppet Collective. She is currently engaged to the city of Oakland, with whom she has lived with for 6 years. Enjoy the show!