Anirudh (Ani) Pareek (he/him) is an actor and physician, born in Mississippi to immigrant parents from India. He is a graduate of The Art of Acting Studio conservatory program in L.A and studied Meisner technique through Actors Bridge in Nashville, TN. He is committed to forging his own path, bridging his compassion and critical thinking skills in medicine with expansion, imagination and risk-taking as an artist. He is best known for his lead roles as Benedick in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing at AOA, Konstantin in THE SEAGULL, and his original solo show telling the life of Dr. B.R Ambedkar, A Dalit rights activist and educator. Ani hopes to continue growing as an artist and is grateful for any opportunity to help tell stories that heal and expand our imagination.

Mateo Tomas Hercules Gonzalez, playing Harold, is a 22-year-old actor and playwright who was previously in Shakespeare on the Bluff’s Hamlet. He’s overwhelmingly grateful to be performing in Dan Ward’s piece. However, his biggest appreciation goes towards the people there to support him and this incredible show, including his family, friends, and the audience members.

Lisa hails from Massachusetts and has lived in the UK and the UAE. She has participated in several productions for Pyrford Little Theatre in Surrey, UK and also took part in the Short+Sweet 10-minute play festival while living in Dubai. Lisa and her family are now located in Venice, California and she is honored to be part of the Yoga Project, bringing Dan Ward’s creative vision to life.

Rachel Lookshin is an actress out of South Florida that is happy to be returning to live theatre, which is what got her interested in acting in the first place. In her spare time she likes to lift weights, play piano, and swim in the ocean. She most recently made her independent film debut with the 80’s crime drama Luderdale, and is excited to continue working in film and theatre.

Ava is a lifelong dancer, movement educator, and performer whose career has taken her to stages in New York and Boston. She has danced with Peridance, BoSoma Dance Company, Tony Williams Ballet, and BalletRox, and has appeared as a guest performer in works by choreographers Sandra Parks, Lynn Modell, and Andrea Unzueta. Today, Ava continues to share her love of movement through teaching, training, and performance. She is thrilled to be part of this production and honored to create alongside such a talented cast and creative team!

Ari White is thrilled to return to live performance as Shelley. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA, and was the lead in the independent feature, Dear Melissa. Most recently she had a supporting role in the short Ladies’ Night. When not performing, she is an accomplished stained glass artist, focusing in the prairie style.

Cady Mariano is a San Diego native that has been working professionally as an actress since she was 13 years old. She has been performing since the age of 3, initially as a dancer and a singer, then acting in community playhouses, professional theater, and then on camera, with numerous credits now spanning across feature films, television, voiceover, and stage. Cady is a graduate of the Theater B.A. program at USC with Cinematic Arts & Screenwriting minors. She is also a trained pianist and is bilingual, speaking Mandarin Chinese. Cady would like to thank her friends and family for their unwavering love and support, the cast and crew for being such an amazing team, and you, our wonderful audience, for coming to support live theater.

Helena was born in Brazil and raised moving across seven countries. She found theater in high school through Forensics Speech competitions in Broadcasting and Poetry, and played a lead in Schoolhouse Rock her senior year. In 2025, she was part of Morni Studios’ fashion film, The Odyssey. Today she mainly works in solar development and SaaS for multifamily and commercial real estate. She’s a 250-hour RYT yogi who occasionally models, does DIY skits, and helps lead the Burning Man camp she co-founded, heading decor, shifts, and waste efforts. Her passions live in movement, sustainability, and creating experiences that invite play, connection and reflection on the human experience. Grateful to be part of the Yoga Project!!

Maddie is an LA based actress originally from San Diego. She graduated with a degree in Theatre Arts from Loyola Marymount University in 2024 and has kept busy doing commercials, voice over work, modeling, and film acting ever since. Though, there is an extra special place in her heart for theatre, and she is thrilled to be on stage performing with such an incredible cast. In her free time she loves to hike, crochet, and watch bad movies. Find her on instagram @maddieshallan.

Sahara said “yes” to the ritual moving through this collective. So she is honored by what is to unfold, by the art desires to occur. You may have come here for art. May you leave bearing something that remembers you. The uncomfortable truth. The thing you knew before you agreed not to know it. The breath returning to the body. The body remembering its will. The moment before we finally stop betraying ourselves and discover the reason why we are here: to breathe, reclaim our agency and accept responsibility for each other.

Annelise Hermsen is an LA based actor who was born and raised in the Bay Area. She attended the University of California, Irvine where she received her B.A. in Drama with Honors in Acting and B.A. in Business Economics. Credits from her time at the New Swan Shakespeare festival include Twelfth Night (Viola), As You Like It (Rosalind), and Pericles (Marina). In her free time she enjoys reading, baking for friends and foes, and coercing her twin sister, Zoë, into submitting for commercial auditions. Insta: @annelisehermsen

Elisa Lugo is an actress from Minnesota who recently graduated from Loyola Marymount University. Since graduating, she’s been keeping busy booking and playing a variety of fun roles, and she’s thrilled to be part of this production and to bring this story to life alongside such a wonderful cast and team. When she’s not acting, you can find her salsa dancing, hiking, or enjoying the outdoors.

In 2023, Bubba moved to California to fulfill his dreams of becoming an actor, following a decorated career as an athlete in his home town of Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s had a prolific few years in California, starring in 13 productions and 4 films. This summer he also produced, directed, and starred in his first written work at Hollywood Fringe! Newly graduated as of May, Bubba plans to pursue the stage and screen. His deepest wish is to use his work as an inspiration for good. Bubba is very honored to create and perform alongside his friends! He dedicates his performances to his family, friends, and all others who have supported him so far!

Steven Vulin is a loving husband and father. He is an Actor and Professional Wrestler. Born to Croatian parents Steven grew up in New York and got his degree in psychology before moving to Los Angeles to pursue his passions in entertainment where he has booked five national commercials, won best actor at several film festivals for his lead role in Tomislav’s Diary and actively Wrestles for various promotions across the United States. Steven is excited to return to the stage to work with Dan Ward for the Yoga Project.

Hero Jay studies comparative literature and French at UCLA and tutors at the Kwame J. Granderson Undergraduate Writing Center. He enjoys creative writing, carnatic music, and mathematical proofs. This is his first theater production since high school.

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Dan attended The Theatre School at DePaul University and received a BFA in Acting. He served as Artistic Director of Venice Visionary Performing Arts, where he wrote and directed The Old Vaudeville and The Everlasting Bonfire. He has acted in Circus Smirkus in the role of the Ringmaster. He directed The Ramayana, Affairs of State and Secretos, Stories We Can’t Tell at the Electric Lodge. Over the past year he has had the honor of performing in Loyola Marymount University’s Shakespeare on the Bluff program: Winter’s Tale (Shepherd), Comedy of Errors (Egeon), and Hamlet (Claudius). Dan wants to thank every person who has participated and/or given aid to The Yoga Project.