Jake Aragon (he/him), Dr. Dave Bhattacharya- Jake is a dedicated physical therapist assistant at Erlanger and Siskin rehab hospital where he helps patients with neurological deficits regain their strength and mobility. In addition to his work and rehabilitation. Jake serves as a Rocksteady boxing coach at the North river YMCA, where he helps individuals with Parkinson’s disease enhance their quality of life through specialized fitness programs. This marks Jake second theatrical performance in Chattanooga, a community he’s proud of. Outside of his professional life. Jake is a devoted husband and a dad of two beautiful daughters, who are the absolute center of his world.

Nancy Lodema Berg (she/her), Louise Bell- Nancy is multitalented violist with over 20 plus years of creative in front and behind the camera, as a voice over talent. She is a solopreneur of Nancy Dema Berg's tagline “Voice your Choice.” Her acting ranges from theatre to TV commercials, international to local, with a long-running EPB commercial. She will be singing at Carnegie Hall next year with the CSO chorus.

Lizzie Chazen (she/her), Anonymous- Lizzie, acting guru and Chattanooga local, received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the University of Vermont and went on to study with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford, England, The Friches Theatre Urbain in Paris, France, and the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York City. Upon returning to Chattanooga in 2009, Lizzie emerged as a vital part of the teaching community, sharing her energy and positivity at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, the Hunter Museum of American Art, Normal Park Middle School, and The Bright School. She recently moved to Lookout Mountain with her husband and two small children and continues to vigorously pursue her acting career in film and television with her Nashville agency, Talent Trek. She recently booked the role of “bartender” in an upcoming commercial for Ole Smokey Moonshine. Lizzie is grateful for this opportunity to be a part of this moving piece, and the ripples of change it will create.

Emma Sofia Griffin (she/her), Kitty Reel- Emma Sofia is an actor from Chattanooga, TN, and a current student at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She most recently appeared as Portia in Something Rotten! at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. She is so excited to make her Obvious Dad debut and work with this talented group of creatives!

Sue Ann Gunn (she/her), Vivianne Nichols - Sue Ann is a native of Texas.and earned an MFA in Drama from Trinity University. She spent 20 years with the Albuquerque Childrens' Theatre, writing, directing, and taking over as managing director. ACT merged with the Albuquerque Little Theatre in 2002,  She has one published children's play, and a closet full of performed play scripts and operas for children. Her last roles locally were in "Short Attention Span," produced by Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga.

Jason Hackbarth (He/Him), Detective Daryl Slaughter- Jason is a musician and actor based in Chattanooga, TN. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Platteville in 2021 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering while performing with the Pioneer Players and attending various theatre classes. He has performed in a variety of works such as Frankie in A Lie of the Mind (Wisconsin - Platteville Pioneer Players) and Ensemble in Something Rotten (Hartford Players). His most recent performance was his first in Chattanooga, debuting Duncan in Love is a Bitter Brew (Next Exit Productions - Love Bites Play Fest).

Kashun Parks (she/her), Rudy Nelson- Kashun is a versatile theatre artist with extensive experience both on stage and behind the scenes. She has brought to life a wide range of characters, including Doris in Soar Spot (Next Exit Productions), Goneril in Lear (Obvious Dad), Celia in As You Like It and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (Scenic City Shakespeare), and Siobhan in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga). Her directing credits include Doubt and Daughters of the Moon with Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, as well as producing and directing the Vagina Monologues at Barking Legs Theater. Most recently, She directed three plays for the "Love Bites" 10-Minute Play Festival with Next Exit Productions. A graduate of the University of Indianapolis with a BS in Theatre, Kashun is also the Vice President of the Board of Obvious Dad and a proud member of the Next Exit Productions team.

Hunter Rodgers (he/him), Anonymous- Hunter attended The Professional Actors Training Program at Chattanooga State under Rex Knowles and Sherry Landrum and received his Bachelor’s of Theatre Arts at Rose Bruford College. He recently returned south after working on Broadway as a Chief of Staff and union delegate for almost a decade. Hunter is pleased to be working with Obvious Dad and their impressive team and mission. “Stay safe, stay sane, stay weird.” 

Crissy Varnell (she/her), Gaye Jeffers- Crissy is thrilled to be returning to the stage for After Effects in the role of Gaye Jeffers! Crissy graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) in 2017 with a BFA in Theatre and Speech and English Literature. Since graduating, she has worked as a projection designer, set designer, and scenic painter for productions all over the state of Tennessee and recently received the 2023 KCACTF Faculty Achievement Award for her projection designs for UTC's production of Alabaster. Outside of the theater, Crissy holds a Masters of Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina and works as the Manager of the 4th Floor Makerspace at The Chattanooga Public Library.

Shelia Wofford (she/her), Corliss Cooper- Shelia is an actress, writer, director, producer, filmmaker and the owner of Live to Inspire Productions. Shelia has performed in several films and television shows for Tyler Perry Studios, Discovery Channel, and Oxygen Channel. Film credits include Anathema, The Cardinal Rule, RABIDUS, The Last Assignment, and Marbles and Bullets. TV credits include Advocate & Solicitor, True Crime with Aphrodite Jones, Doctor Who: The Forgotten Doctor, Meet the Browns, House of Payne, and Atlanta Justice. She has written and directed several stage play productions and two short films, Michael Valentine and Treasure, that have won several film festivals in the short film category, including Atlanta, New York, the Canadian International Film Festival, and the Jamaican International Film Festival. She created her own web series called The Housewives of Hamilton County, which was a finalist in the Skyphire Film Festival. She’s won five Miss Annie Awards for her performances in Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Gem of the Ocean, Dividing the Estate, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Blues for Mr. Charlie, Times Square Angel, and The Crucible. She’s performed in Intimate Apparel and The Story. She’s also performed with Shaw Productions in Gee’s Bend and with Destiny Ensemble Theater in Black Nativity. Thank you to my husband Sam and son Trey for being my rock. I love you!

Peggy Douglas (she/her), Playwright- Dr. Peggy Douglas received the 2022 Tennessee Arts Commission’s Individual Artist Fellowship Award for playwrighting. She conducts workshops on persona and ekphrastic poetry and artful storytelling. She has written and produced eight rhythm-driven plays of poetic monologues with musical interludes where the sheer thrill of language is the dominant force behind the performance. Peggy’s work focuses on the common theme of her Tennessee roots—struggle and survival. Likewise, she is drawn to the strength and hope of our ancestors, as evidenced by the cultural connections of Southern music, food, family, and relationships. To celebrate these connections, Peggy gives a voice to her people—a voice of truth, beauty, and hope.

Erin Gilley (she/her), Director- Erin is a director who has recently relocated back to her home town of Chattanooga. Specializing in new plays and immersive theatre, her work has been shown primarily in San Francisco and London at organizations including Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Boxcar Theatre, Crowded Fire, Golden Thread, London International Festival Theatre, Magic Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre, Shotgun Players and TheatreFirst. Highlights of her directing career include: Taylor Mac's The Lily’s Revenge (Magic Theatre), The Speakeasy and Equus (Boxcar Theatre); Longitude (London International Festival Theatre at the Tate Modern), On the Periphery (Golden Thread), and The Unauthorized Autobiography of Kim Deal and Beautiful (elastic future). Erin studied theatre as an undergraduate at Princeton University and received her MFA from Birkbeck, University of London. www.eringilley.com

C. Rea Parrish (they/them), Stage Manager- Rea is a playwright, director, and dramaturge from Knoxville, TN. They recently graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with their BA: Theatre and a minor in Classics. Currently, they are the Assistant Director and Dramaturge for Antigone. Other recent and upcoming work includes Stage Manager for the premiere of After Effects in Chattanooga, TN, Social Media Marketing Specialist (UTC Theatre Co.), and a play cycle to be workshopped Spring 2025 (PSTCC)!

Blake Harris (he/him), Producer and Obvious Dad Artistic Director- Blake, a Chattanooga native, has been a prominent figure in the arts community for over 15 years, producing and directing 25+ live performances that highlight diverse, bold, and relevant premieres. After graduating with honors in Gender Studies from UTC and earning an MFA in Theatre Directing from CalArts, he taught and directed at the Lee Strasberg Institute in Hollywood. Passionate about enriching Chattanooga's cultural scene, he founded Obvious Dad to bring professional, diverse performances to the region. Concurrently, he earned an MA in Arts Administration from Rowan University. He has over a decade of artistic directing experience, including being the founding artistic director of Theatre for the New South. Currently, he serves as the artistic director of the Bobby Biron Theatre Program at Salisbury University, where he is also an assistant professor. His academic and artistic scholarship spans directing, analysis, devised theatre, arts entrepreneurship, and gender and theatre, with teaching credits at UTC, Lee Strasberg Institute, University of New Mexico, and Chattanooga State.