Robert Negron • Artistic Director

Robert trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, South Coast Repertory Professional Conservatory, Antaeus Academy, A.C.T. Summer Conservatory, La Jolla Playhouse Internship, CSU Summer Arts Conservatory, and Coronado School of the Arts . He has worked in such theatres as the Rubicon Theatre, Boston Court, Old Globe Theatre and most recently at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Robert wrote and produced an adaptation of the book Into the Wild called Beautiful Blueberries 142 as a Black Swan project at OSF in 2007. He co-founded Dragon Fly Theatre Company in the San Diego area and Topshelf Entertainment in LA.

In L.A. and San Diego Robert teaches classes including Acting for Dancers, Acting for the Camera, Acting Professionally and numerous Shakespeare workshops. Robert was the 1999 recipient of the Emerging Young Artist award.

Caitlin Swihart • Executive Director

Caitlin began her dance training at Fort Wayne Ballet in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She then went on to study at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where she earned a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and a B.A. in Anthropology. While at SMU Caitlin choreographed for the student run Brown Bag Dance Series and led choreographic workshops. Caitlin has also studied at the American Dance Festival and at The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and with Thodos Dance Chicago. She has performed in works by Martha Graham, George Balanchine, Alvin Ailey, Sabrina Madison-Cannon, Larry White, David Hochoy, Cynithia Pratt and Winired Haun. She is currently a dancer with Dance Kaleidoscope of Indianapolis,IN

John Goodson • Director of Development/Outreach Coordinator

John is an actor, stage manager, and teaching artist. John began his training as an actor and stage manager in Orange County, California, where he received his Associate of Arts degree from Fullerton College. From there he continued his training in Ashland, Oregon, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance from Southern Oregon University. Upon graduation he was awarded an internship and a subsequent full company season with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He recently completed a year on staff as a Teaching Artist with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Office of Education. John is new to the Indianapolis area and is excited to be here and working with the Indy Convergence.

Ian Garret • Resident Designer

Ian is a producer and designer based in Los Angeles and is the Executive Director of The Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts. He received dual MFAs from California Institute of the Arts in Lighting Design and Producing. In 2007 he received the Richard E. Sherwood award for emerging theater artists from the Center Theater Group for the integration of ecologically sustainable practice into theater production.  Design work includes: Los Angeles: Lighting Design: Song of Extinction (Moving Arts at [Inside] the Ford, LA Weekly Award for Best Production 2009), Speech and Debate (Blank Theatre Company), Body Politic (Echo Theatre Company), Permanent Collection (Kirk Douglas/CTG and Greenway, LA Weekly Theater Award); Scenic Design: Speech and Debate (Blank Theatre Company), American Dead (Rogue Machine), and Picasso Draws my Maps (Vox Humana). He has worked regional with the Williamstown Theater Festival, McCarter Theater Center, Stages Repertory Theatre and the Public Theater. As a producer he has worked on the premier of Richard Forman’s What to Wear at REDCAT, toured Torry Bend’s adaptation of Aimee Bender’s Loser to Prague and Marsian Delillis’ Growing up Linda to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He also produced week 42 of Suzan-Lori Parks’ 365 days/365 Plays for the project’s Texas network. www.toasterlab.com

Cindy Marie Jenkins • Artist-in-Residence

Cindy is a freelance director, playwright & educator based in Los Angeles. She acts as Artistic Associate for The Antaeus Theater Company, where she teaches classical theater, and is a Resident Artist with both The Indy Convergence and The Menander Theatre Company. Her adaptation of VOICES FROM CHORNOBYL has been produced in different venues around Los Angeles and productions are planned worldwide every April to commemorate and raise awareness of the accident. She was invited to be a Key Note Speaker at “Remember Chernobyl,” an Annual Networking Conference for UK & Irish Chernobyl Charities, where the Demo premiered and the VFC Anniversary Readings launched.  She runs an ongoing workshop of MACBETH in Los Angeles, called mACBETH RE-EXplore for the re-exploration they do at every meeting.  She frequently coaches through coaxing: both for writers and actors.

Recent directing credits include: the VOICES FROM CHORNOBYL Anniversary Readings (Carrie Hamilton Theater, Pasadena; Cahuenga Library & Deaf West Theatre in Hollywood), STAGE DOOR (a staged reading at The Antaeus Academy), MONSTERS IN THE CLOSET (a reading at East West Players), VOICES FROM CHORNOBYL: CHRONICLE OF THE FUTURE (various in L.A., Indianapolis), BOY GETS GIRL by Rebecca Gilman at the Attic Theatre, Stephen Sondheim’s ASSASSINS with Sight Unseen, JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR by Kitty Felde for Towne Street Theatre, FOE PA:EPISODE 6 performed at the Fountain Theatre, & PHILOKTETES at the Open Fist Theatre. Cindy graduated from NYU’s Playwrights Horizons Theatre School and directed many works in New York, including MISSING SOMETHING by Stephen A. Fulchino, ANTIGONE & THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE by Brecht, and THE LAST HOUR by Donald Breckenridge.
She was the Dramaturg for TROILUS & CRESSIDA & also assistant ROVER & MEDEA at the Antaeus Company Classics Fest 08. Other dramaturgy includes NATURAL SELECTION with needtheater, JULIUS CAESAR, directed by Karesa McElheny at Knightsbridge Theatre, ANTONY & CLEOPATRA with Odyssey Theatre in Brooklyn, CAFE CANTANTES: LORCA’S POET IN NEW YORK and HAMLET, both directed by Karin Coonrod. New play development includes VENICE: the Musical by G.F. Mlely about the displacement of the homeless in our society, plus NEOPTOLEMUS, MISSING SOMETHING & EVERYTHING & NOTHING by Stephen A. Fulchino.

She has adapted many stories to the stage, including KING ARTHUR for children. Other playwrighting includes: LEGITIMATE BASTARDS: A MORE CONSIDERED BELIEF (an adaptation of at-risk stories and KING LEAR), SAFE HAVEN, THE GREEK CYCLE: ONE TRUE GODS, as well as a collection of short stories and poetry devoted to the tricks that memory plays on us. Cindy is collaborating with musician Stephen GC on THE SONG OF ISADORA, (former title: TEN), a musical challenging one’s individual worth in times of war; a workshop production was presented in March 2008, and segments of the play were performed among the Arlington West Vets For Peace Iraq war memorial. She was invited by E.M. Lewis to speak on a panel, the first installment of the War
Plays Project.

Cindy graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a major in Drama Direction & Design, and was on a Planning Sub-Committee for the 2009 Directors Lab West and was accepted into the Unusual Suspects Teaching Artist Training in September 2008.