Grace & Competra - Panto Productions

Michael Ashton has directed, written and acted his way through most of the leading repertory companies in the United Kingdom. He has been a member of the staff of RADA, artistic director of the Colchester Repertory Theatre and the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. He also wrote the book and lyrics for two successful West End musicals, "The Young Visitors" and "Popkiss," and has written several hit series for television. Now in semi-retirement in Shropshire, he occasionally guest teaches drama courses and directs special projects-like Santa Barbara's annual Panto.

After receiving a degree in piano performance from UCSB, Konrad Kono has been involved with the Santa Barbara community as a music specialist for the Goleta School District and at Marymount School. He has been the senior musician for the dance and drama department at UCSB, where he was also a music director and composer. His music can be heard on two CDs, in special local dance and theatre performances, and at his own concerts.

Karin delaPena has enjoyed an international career in the performing arts, with numerous credits in films, television and the theatre. In Santa Barbara, she has received three Independent Theatre Awards for directing and acting, and was chosen as Artist-in-Residence by the Lobero Theatre Foundation (funded by Santa Barbara County Arts Commission and the Irvine Foundation) and, separately, by the California Arts Council. DelaPena founded Grace & Competra and Panto Productions, now a partnership with Geoffrey Hornby. She is also artistic director of "Speaking of Stories," as well as an award-winning fiction and non-fiction writer.

Victoria Finlayson is a performer, choreographer, and teacher, whose work has been seen in several local productions. She was a member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, performing in Europe, the United States, Asia and South America, and receiving a New York Dance and Performance Award for her work with the company. She holds an M.A. degree in Theatre from UCSB and is on the dance faculty at Westmont College.

Janet Doran-Veervers has designed and created local costumes for over 20 local theatre productions, including the past two Pantos. She has worked with Ensemble Theatre Company, Westmont College Repertory Theatre, Access Theatre Company, and the Santa Barbara Shakespeare Festival, among others. She also did the costuming for a recent BBC documentary, "The Human Face."

A faculty member in the department of dramatic art at UCSB, Vickie J. Scott has designed lights for such local productions as Theatre Artists Group's "The Glass Menagerie," "The Cripple of Inishmaan" and "Private Lives" for the Ensemble Theatre, and the Civic Light Opera Company's Show Boat." She has also designed for many national productions, including "South Pacific" with John Raitt at the Glendale Music Theatre.

Geoffrey Hornby, co-partner of Grace & Competra and Panto Productions, has had extensive international business experience. The partnership of Hornby and delaPena draws on artistic and business aspects to develop and promote stimulating, innovative, profitable projects that include theatrical productions like the annual Pantos.

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