Board
Mother Road Productions, Inc. is governed by a Board of Directors who is responsible for the adoption, making, altering, or repealing of the By-Laws of the Corporation. The by-laws have been in effect for the corporation since the beginning of 2007 and are maintained at the corporation’s principal office in New Mexico and, subject to inspection and copying by the public. Members of the governing board share a combined 160 years of experience as working professionals, most notably, involved in entrepreneurial endeavors, human resources, management, development, and teaching.
Tom Schuch
President, Email
Tom Schuch, a New Mexico native, sees in the birth of the Mother Road Theatre Company a necessary and exciting artistic collaboration with an eclectic group of accomplished theatrical artists and a vision of an on-going entrepreneurial adventure.
He sees this gathering of artists in many ways to be prophetic, but also its essence and mission to be truly genuine. What brought Tom to this group is simple. He is one of the members, like the others, brought together for one purpose—-to produce and create great theatre. He brings to this tribe a life of experience spanning not only years of acting and producing theatre and educational programs but also a thorough background in business. From the first time he stepped on the boards in junior high to his current position with MRTC, Tom has dedicated his life to the pursuit of entrepreneurial enterprise and artistic excellence.
Tom has appeared in numerous films including BLOOD (THINNER THAN WATER) written and directed by Alan Arkin, $5 A DAY with Christopher Walken, MALL COP, DOUBTING THOMAS, the television series IN PLAIN SIGHT & WILDFIRE, a variety of national commercials and more than 60 plays. Tom began his training at the University of Washington, a national leader in theater training, and over the years studied at the Harvey Lembeck Comedy Improv Workshop in Los Angeles and helped found the performance groups SURELY YOU JEST Comedy Improv Troupe and SHAKESPEARE-ON-THE-HALFSHELL.
Finally, while working along side the MRTC founders to create a vibrant theatre company, he served as a three-term president of the NM Branch of Screen Actors Guild, and is a member of Actor’s Equity Association and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Through his company, Spoli Productions International, LLC, Tom performs and produces his international tour of the one-man show EINSTEIN: A STAGE PORTRAIT by Willard Simms, produces Alan Arkin’s workshop Crossing the Chasm from Theatre to Life: A Forum in Improvisation, and is launching an online performing arts magazine, Spoli Arts Beat, in the fall of 2010.
* Member Actors’ Equity Association
Angelo Orona
Vice President, Email
Angelo Orona is a life-long resident of New Mexico that has always harbored a deep appreciation for the creative arts. Angelo has been an active supporter of the local arts scene and one day hopes to help expose the unique, diverse and talented New Mexico art community to a wider audience.
Professionally, Angelo works for Albuquerque’s own Marble Brewery. After graduating from UNM’s Anderson School of Management, Angelo followed a career path that eventually led to the beer industry. He thoroughly enjoys all aspects of beer culture and is an active beer judge who has judged in numerous competitions.
In his spare time, Angelo enjoys playing soccer, creating art and spending time with his 3 year old daughter, Sophia.
Randy Lunsford
Treasurer, Email
I am a New Mexico native, born in Carlsbad, NM. I grew up in a small town, enjoyed life in the country home that my parents built in the 60’s. My mom still lives there.
I went to school in Tulsa, OK and received my degree in Accounting. After many years of working, I have gone back to obtain my MBA from Anderson School at UNM. I will graduate in the summer of 2011.
My career began at Wells Fargo where I worked in compliance, auditing and loan review. I later worked for two community banks; First National Bank of Santa Fe and First American Bank in Southern NM. I currently work as CFO at Southwest Federal Credit Union here in Albuquerque.
CNM has been the source of much fun for me where I have taught part-time over the years. Courses have included accounting, economics, business math, banking and QuickBooks. This semester my course is Finance 1100 on Wednesday nights at the main campus.
I served many years as the President of Carson Grande Homeowner’s Association, a neighborhood in Old Town, where I am allowed to live with my two rescued Greyhounds who run our house; and my partner of 30 years who is an RN.
I also served as President of the Apartment Association of New Mexico in 2000, I am a partner/owner of a 78 unit apartment complex near UNM and CNM and we are still members of the association.
My goal the last few years has been to see as much of the world as possible, we have toured Egypt, England, Canada, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, China, Mexico, Spain, Italy and Morocco. Next year we have plans to visit Ecuador. During our travels, we found a beautiful home on the beach that we purchased in Kino Bay, Sonora. It is a lovely place to do nothing except watch the sun setting over the Baja.
I look forward to assisting Mother Road Theatre Company.
David Dabney
Secretary, Email
Dave has been working at the crossroads of art and commerce for over 15 years. After graduating from college in 1991, Dave worked as the founding art director of the Albuquerque weekly newspaper NuCity (Now Weekly Alibi). After 5 years of newspaper work, he struck out for Seattle and was hired to work for Fantagraphics Books. As the head of production at Fantagraphics, Dave helped guide the publishing of graphic novels like 8 Ball, Ghost World and the Acme Novelty Library. He won Print’s Regional Design Annual “Award of Design Excellence” in 1997 for his work on the Acme Novelty Library.
Returning to Albuquerque, Dave, with two other partners designed, built-out and ran Burt’s Tiki Lounge, making it one of the most popular bars in Albuquerque, as well as gaining notice in national magazines. After three years in the bar business Dave moved to Santa Fe to accept a job as the head of production at the weekly newspaper, the Santa Fe Reporter. After 2 fruitful years at the Reporter Dave started his own graphic design studio, Red Rooster Creative, based in Santa Fe.
Red Rooster Creative currently has a wide variety of print and web design clients including, La Fonda Santa Fe, Locals Care Santa Fe, Fan Man Productions, Santa Fe Public Schools, and 1 to 1 Loyalty. Dave is also regularly sought out by those within the marketing and design industry to consult and work with them on design and marketing projects.
Krisztina Ford
Director, Email
Krisztina is currently earning her MBA at the Anderson School of Business while working for a non-profit agency as their business development officer. She also serves on the board of another local non-profit agency.
Krisztina was born in Hungary, where her immediate family still lives. She spent parts of her childhood in Germany attending some college there before earning her BA and MA in Budapest. It was there that she became friends with Kristin Hansen who introduced her to Paul Ford who was one of her former theatre professors. Ah—voila! Krisztina then moved to Albuquerque to marry the love of her life and it was only the question of time when these relationships would tie her in some way to a theatre company.
Krisztina has been in touch with the Albuquerque theatre scene since she first started to visit New Mexico in 1997. Since then, she has perfected her role from audience member to board member when joining Mother Road, one of the most exciting theatre companies in town. She hopes to contribute to the Mother Road’s success by applying her experience as a long-time executive at various local non-profits.
Brent Tiano
Director, Email
Brent Tiano, CCIM is a multifaceted individual who practices commercial real estate by day and movies/entertainment by day off. He has worked with Grubb & Ellis|New Mexico since 2003, is president of the NM chapter of CCIM in 2010, helped the WHEELS Museum acquire the railyard and THE BOX theater locate its theater in downtown ABQ.
In 2010, he produced a feature film with Julie Reichert and Chris Ranney called Warrior Woman.
He plans to get back to improvisational theater in the near future.
Vic Browder
Director, Email
Vic has been involved in almost every aspect of the theatre for the last 20 years. As early as Jr. high and high school in Las Vegas, Nevada, Vic was an actor, director, set, and lighting designer.
Southern Utah University was Vic’s next stop. While attending SUU Vic acted in over 30 plays, with both the Utah Shakespeare Festival and the university. He directed 4 main stage productions and co-founded Stage 2 Productions, a student production company. Vic received his BFA from SUU in 1997 with an emphasis in acting and directing. He continued his education at Florida State University Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training in Sarasota, where he was trained by some of the country’s best acting teachers such as Jose Quintero and Jim Wise. Vic also trained in London through an exchange program supported by FSU, studying with members of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Theatre Complicite. He was issued his MFA From FSU A solo Conservatory in 2000.
Immediately following graduation, Vic went to teach and direct at Perry Mansfield School and Performing Arts Camp in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. In 2001, he returned to Southern Utah University to teach Acting 1 & 2 and Introduction to Theatre. 2001 was also the year Vic came to call Albuquerque home. Not wasting any time getting involved in the local community theatre scene, Vic acted, directed, designed, and ultimately became President of the board of directors at the Vortex Theatre. Vic remained with the Vortex until 2004 when he was offered a position at Fusion Theatre Company as Company Manager, and a member of the acting ensemble. He was also the project manager for Zygote Pro Creations (a local production company) and facility director for the Cell Theatre.
Currently, Vic is running his own massage therapy business. He is a respected acting coach to local actors, and in demand as a performer in the state’s growing film industry. His main area of focus is the newest professional theatre in New Mexico, Mother Road Theatre Company, of which he is a founding member. Vic has memberships in Actors Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild and has high hopes for the performing arts in New Mexico.
* Member Actors’ Equity Association
Julia Thudium
Director, Email
A confirmed army brat, Julia Thudium has been an actress since age 11, performing at Army bases across the United States. She has honed her skills through a variety of mediums, from tumbling to improvisation, from combat to clowning. The last occurring with the famous RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS, which she joined in 1989 as a member of the famous Clown Alley after graduating with 2 BFA’s: a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, and a Bachelor of “Fun” Arts at the RBB&B Clown College in Venice, Florida.
After a 2 year stint riding the rails with the circus, Julia headed for Chicago where she performed all over the Chicagoland and Regional Midwest, earning her Actors Equity card as well as her Screen Actors Guild membership in 1992. It was in Chicago where Julia branched out from performing, to working with Playwrights to develop scripts, and learning the art of Directing from some of Chicago’s finest directing talents. She also collaborated with modern dancers and choreographers, culminating in a yearly program of original material crossing the boundaries of theatre performance and dance to create THE CITY SIDESHOW.
Her ability to imagine and invent spectacle led her to a job offer in NYC, where she became a producer and learned to apply the art of Theatre to the Science of Communication through large staged events and business theatre. She worked for several production companies focused on the corporate world, all while improv’ing her way around the greater NYC area. In 1999 she decided to “head for the hills” literally, and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico as a freelance producer. Since then her work has taken her all over the world, producing corporate events for many of this country’s top Fortune 100 companies. She recently incorporated, and is now doing business as Thudium, Inc.
Since moving to Albuquerque she has also been active in the Theatre and Film scene, performing both onstage and in front of the camera. Bringing together her artistic abilities with her skills as a producer, she is the “Chief Instigator” of The Mother Road Theatre Company, a professional regional company dedicated to promoting the arts in New Mexico through education and high standards of performance.
* Member Actors’ Equity Association
Kristín Hansen
Director, Email
Kristín began her career path in the performing arts by attending the University of Massachusetts in 1988 as a theatre major. She transferred to the University of New Mexico in 1990, where she continued her studies. In 1993 she was among 3 undergraduate students chosen to travel to New York City and perform in the premiere of Kestutis Nakas’ JACK RUBY SLIPPERS at the Ohio Theatre in Manhattan. She graduated with a B.A. in Theatre Arts in 1994. A year after graduation, she moved to Budapest, Hungary, where she joined the English Theatre Company as an actor in 1996. In 1998, she took over as co-executive producer/artistic director. In this capacity, she not only performed, but also secured reputable venues, technical staff, and promoted the shows. She also helped to maintain and create new funding sources with major international corporate sponsors such as Andersen Consulting, Clifford Chance, Moquet Borde Dieux, and Healey and Baker, among others.
Moving back to the states in the early summer of 2000, she traveled up to Minneapolis, MN and Winnipeg, Canada to perform in their fringe festivals with a group of Albuquerque actors. Not long after, she joined forces with Tricklock Company. She first acted as director for the international tour of their original play, In Between in the fall of 2000. In January 2001 she became a resident member of Tricklock Company. In 2002, she, along with 3 other Tricklock cast members, was invited to perform Crave, by Sarah Kane at the Prague Quadrennial, one of Europe’s largest international theatre festivals. During her tenure with Tricklock, Kristín was not only an actor, but fully participated in the creation of original shows, such as THE GLORIOUS AND BLOODTHIRSTY BILLY THE KID. She was one of the producers of the Revolutions International Theatre Festival for its first four years, and a trainer, producer and director for The Manoa Project, Tricklock’s teen outreach program. Other aspects of the company’s success she was involved in included finding and maintaining sponsorships, tour manager, foreign guest artist liaison, and donor relations. Throughout this time she took master classes with internationally renowned artists such as Daniel Stein (Dell Arte School, California), Gardzienice Theatre Company (Poland) and Mariana Sadowska (Ukraine).
Kristín left Tricklock Company in the fall of 2004 to pursue new adventures in theatre. She has since performed in several productions with Fusion Theatre Company at The Cell and now very happily calls Mother Road Theatre Company her home. Other non-theatrical endeavors of Kristín’s include film and commercial work, and being a member of the training and organizational learning team of a non-profit that supports individuals with developmental disabilities. She is also the vice-president of a company that lends training support to law enforcement agencies and mental health entities in crisis intervention and crisis negotiation in NM, CO, and MN.
