American Night: Meet the Cast!

Milagro's 32nd season is coming to a close with the wild odyssey through US history by the pen of Richard Montoya, a madcap romp titled American Night: the Ballad of Juan José!

The show features Ozzie González (Oedipus El Rey) in the title role, accompanied by an outstanding cast made up of Milagro favorites as well as newcomers. Read on to meet the cast, and get ready to laugh and think with this sharp-witted take on the land of the free, and get your tickets today!

ENRIQUE E. ANDRADE (Ensemble) originally from Mexico City, is a graduate of the University of Oregon. Enrique has performed in numerous Milagro productions since 2008.   Enrique is also expanding his classical Shakespearean repertoire with Portland Actors Ensemble in the role of Tubal/The Prince of Aragon in the Merchant of Venice in 2013 and as Mardian/Menecrates in Antony & Cleopatra in 2014.  He performed in Astor Piazzolla’s Maria de Buenos Aires at the Aspen Festival of Music in 2005 and 2007 as well as with 3rd Angle Music Ensemble, and in 2013 with the Lexington Philharmonic in Kentucky.  Enrique’s Television credits include TNT’s Leverage season 4 as Professor Humberto Garcia as well as NBC’s Grimm. Enrique is well known for being the Spanish voice of the MAX, as well as various TV/radio/internet commercials in both English and Spanish and also as a  story teller at Portland Story Theater, and most recently as Judge Hathorne in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible for Bag & Baggage in Hillsboro.  

ORION BRADSHAW (Ensemble/Dance & Fight Captain) Orion is so elated to be spending his 3rd spring in a row with Milagro! He also appeared in Learn To Be Latina, and Dance For A Dollar. He played Caucasian males in both those shows, but his character assignment in this show will keep you guessing, so stay tuned! Orion is a locally-based actor/ educator, as well as a proud company member of PDX’s Post5 Theatre (post5theatre.org). He has performed with many companies in town, and is a teacher with PlayWrite, Inc. (playwrighting), Maverick Mainstage (dance), and the Northwest & Oregon Children’s Theaters (acting). Enjoy the show, people of every background!

MICHELLE ESCOBAR (Ensemble) This is Michelle’s third show with Milagro after Guapa (2013) and Learn to be Latina last spring. Michelle also directed this season’s Posada Milagro last December. In 2012 she graduated from Amherst College and is an avid practitioner of Karate-Do.

Joe Gibson (Ensemble) is excited to be working with Milagro, Elizabeth, and this very talented cast. In the past year Joe has kept busy touring his solo show with Portland Playhouse, working with the Red Door Project on the August Wilson Monologue Competition, and of course acting. Some of his past projects include, NBC’s Grimm,  Masque of the Red Death, Phaedra’s Love, Macbeth, and The Lion in Winter.

OSVALDO “OZZIE” GONZÁLEZ (Juan José) has been a performing artist since he was in 10th grade.  His first role was Ebenezer Scrooge in a high school production of A Christmas Carol in Los Angeles and his love of performance has branched out into music and dance.  He was a Mariachi during his college years and most recently performed as Creon in the five-time Drammy-award winning production of Oedipus, El Rey.  He is a regular contributor to Portland Story Theater’s Valentine’s Show and makes occasional appearances as guest vocalist at local open mics.  When not on stage, Ozzie is designing buildings and supporting the community through his work as President of the Jardin Portland Foundation, Board member of the Regional Arts and Culture Council, and “Sustainability Moment” speaker at the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs.  After serving a four year term as Miracle Theater Board Member, Ozzie is thrilled to be back on the Milagro stage.

ANTHONY GREEN (Ensemble) holds a BFA in Theatre Arts and a Master of Theatre Studies in Production and Design from Southern Oregon University. Tony takes pride in returning to the Milagro main stage for the fifth time. Most recently he was seen here playing Shakespeare in last fall’s ¡O  Romeo! Other credits at Milagro include, How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent, BoomCrackleFly and the Drammy Award winning Oedipus El Rey. This is also Tony’s fifth time working under the direction of Elizabeth Huffman and he thanks her for her continued trust in collaboration. Recent credits include his critically acclaimed role as Davison in Northwest Classical Theatre Company’s Mary Stuart and as Enobarbus in Anthony and Cleopatra with Portland Actors. Other Portland credits include Albany in King Lear at NWCTC, Cardinal Pandolph in King John Borachio and Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing, the Duke in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Persuasion. 

HEATH HYUN HOUGHTON (Ensemble) Previously seen at Milagro in ¡O Romeo!, he is proud to be making his second appearance with such a fantastic company. A founding company member with Anon It Moves (Hamlet) and Theatre Diaspora (The Dance and the Railroad, Breaking the Silence), he currently serves as program director for Well Arts Institute (Fixed, The Unexpected Guest, Fierce Love). Portland stage credits include Imago Theater (The Black Lizard), Oregon Children’s Theater (The Stinky Cheese Man), Portland Shakespeare Project (The Tamer Tamed), CoHo Productions (Enjoy, Maple and Vine). Upcoming Broadway Rose (Thoroughly Modern Millie).

GARLAND LYONS (Ensemble) American Night marks Garland’s first appearance with Milagro and he is proud to be sharing the stage with such a talented group.   He was last seen in CoHo/Many Hats Collaboration hit production The Snowstorm.  Additional recent credits include Bradley in Profile Theatre’s Buried Child, Tartuffe in Tartuffe with Post 5, and The Judge in Romance for Theatre Vertigo (Supporting Actor Drammy Award).  In addition, Garland has worked locally with Portland Center Stage, Artist Repertory, defunkt, NW Children’s Theatre, Lakewood, Stark Raving, Public Playhouse, Quintessence, Portland Actor’s Ensemble, and NW Classical among others. Favorite roles include Ernie in Rumors, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Aaronow in Glengarry Glen Ross.  Film/TV credits include: Grimm, Portlandia, Leverage, Emeril, The Falls, Vicious and Restless. Garland holds degrees in Theatre and Psychology from the University of Washington.  

LOUANNE MOLDOVAN (Ensemble) is delighted to be part of la familia de Milagro.  She is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Cygnet Productions, a 20-year-old literature-based theatre company, for whom she has directed dozens of stage productions.  A longtime actor of film, television, stage, and improvisation, she is also a freelance casting director for feature films, commercials, music videos, and voiceovers, and is an accomplished playwright and screenwriter. She won the Oregon Book Award for Drama for co-authoring a play about the Algonquin Round Table writers. As an acting coach/teacher, she has worked with aspiring and professional talent and in creative programs for psychiatric patients and paroled teen girls.  

SHELLEY B SHELLEY (Ensemble) is humbled and excited by the opportunity to take the stage at Milagro!  A veteran stage and film actor, some of Shelley’s recent stage work includes Black Nativity (PassinArt), My Walk Has Never Been Average (August Wilson’s Red Door Project), For Colored Girls (Portland Center Stage/PassinArt), No Room of Her Own (Fertile Ground), and Slipped In Between Things (Well Arts Institute).  Her film work includes Mama Earth, The Music Within, and Grimm.  She can be seen in commercials for Dr. Pepper, Consumer Cellular, Courtesy Ford, and Legacy Health.  Shelley gives thanks to God for life, family and talent. 

Don't miss your chance to watch this amazing ensemble in the Portland premiere of American Night: the Ballad of Juan José, playing at Milagro April 30 - May 23, 2015!