Meet the company
Playback Theatre West is fortunate to have some of the best creative minds come together to form this dynamic and amazing company of performers:
Rebecca Brown Adelman MA, co-founded and co-directed The Interactive Theatre Project (ITP), a program at the University of Colorado at Boulder from 1999-2015. ITP used theatre as a medium for education, dialogue and as a means to create social change. She is now founding partner of Affinity Arts Consulting. With an extensive background in theatre and improvisation from New York City, Rebecca studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Circle Repertory, HB Studios and received her MA in drama therapy from New York University. Rebecca is an actor, director, and writer with years of comprehensive training in social justice theory and practice. Rebecca has created and facilitated hundreds of performances and dialogues on issues impacting community all over the country. She performs regularly in the Boulder and Denver area and is a longtime ensemble member of Playback Theatre West. She will be teaching a Theatre for Community Dialogue course within the Department of Theatre and Dance at CU Boulder.
Ed Cord has been a member of Playback Theatre West since 2006. He is also an Artistic Company Member at Curious Theatre Company where performances include O Li Room/Man From State in In the Red and Brown Water, Virgil in The Dead Guy and Stuart in For Better both world premieres by Eric Coble. Other roles include Father/ Ensemble in Failure a love story for Catamounts Theatre, Chivington/Ensemble in Rocks Karma Arrows for Motus Theatre, as well as productions for Aurora Fox, The Lida Project, and Paragon. Ed received his MFA in Theatre from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and his BS in Theatre from Radford University.
Dee Covington comes to Playback Theatre West through her love for acting and her belief that theatre can be a powerful tool for positive change. An award-winning actress and trained therapist she possesses a wide range of skills vital to the creative process. She has been nationally recognized for her theatre work with teens and currently serves as the Education Director for Curious Theatre Company, where she is a founding company member, actress and director. She studied Theatre at Stephens College in Columbia, MO and Somatic Psychology at Naropa University in Boulder, CO.
Sam Elmore lives in Boulder, CO where he balances his pursuits as a performer, coach, consultant, and outdoor enthusiast. He has been involved in all aspects of theatre and is a seasoned director, producer, choreographer and performer. For the last 3 years Sam has been acting in a touring a production of 52 Pick-Up by TJ Dawes. In addition he has recently entered the world of film acting with roles in Busker’s Bounty (Buskerfly Productions), and Yellowbrickroad (Points North Films). To learn more about Sam you may visit www.onthebrinc.com.
Kevin Gray has loved performing playback theater for over 20 years. For him playback offers a deep creative connection that allows us to experience all aspects of our human condition… love and sorrow, laughter and pain, joy and… take your pick. Kevin’s love for performing is balanced by his love for his wife Tricia and his two children, Zane and Kai, and his passion for his work as a psychotherapist and certified clinical hypnotherapist. Kevin founded Playback Theater West in 1988 and holds a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from New York University. He has taught theater at Metro State College, the University of Colorado at Denver and at Naropa University. Kevin has performed at the Denver Center Theater Company, the Arvada Center, and in many plays, films and commercials.
Kirsten Wilson was the founder and artistic director of the Santa Fe-based, choreographed theater company, Friendly Fire. She taught performance monologue classes at the College of Santa Fe and Playback Theater through Bard College in New York. She teaches Letting the Body Speak, a personal writing and performance experience for adults. She is currently completing her MFA in Contemporary Performance at Naropa University. She jumped in with Playback Theatre West in 2005.
Brenton Weyi is often referred to as the “Modern Voltaire.” He is an award-winning poet, essayist and polymath. With an academic background in history, philosophy, and performance, he explores what it means to be a human being through writing and the arts. He has been featured in the LA Times, NPR and many other news sources and has been a contributor to a number of online publications. He was a regional champion in performance poetry, a professional hip-hop dancer, and is a member of A Capella group called the "Storytellers." He has also traveled to 56 countries and given talks and performances around the world that explore stories of human transformation. He loves Playback Theater because it ties in with his life mission of compelling people to think and feel deeply and to endeavor to live resilient, meaningful lives.
Deb Witzel acquired her BA in Dance and Theatre and her MA in Non-profit Management. She joined PTW in 1991 after touring with a couple national tours including the Chinese Acrobats of Taiwan (not as an acrobat). She has done all the things there is to do in theatre, on stage and off. She landed on improv for the longterm relationship because living in the moment, working as an ensemble and hearing people's stories are three of her greatest loves. Deb also serves humanity through her work in restorative justice practices where those three loves also come into play. As a trainer, consultant, practitioner, public speaker and performer, her purpose is to bring people together and hold a safe container for connection, truth-telling and growth.