OUR Staff

Matt Fernandez,
Executive Director

ACT and Matt go back 27 years, when he made a transition from dance to strictly theatre at the age of 12 under the direction of Bob Pond in A Christmas Carol. Following that, Matt starred in Inherit the Wind. It was during that show in 1994 that Matt met Teresa Pond, who then took over for her dad as ACT’s Managing Artistic Director. Teresa directed Matt in many productions: Snow White, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and Of Mice and Men. When Jill Bess and Patty Starrat took the reins of ACT, Matt worked with them on Guys & Dolls and Honk! Matt worked under ED Michael O’Rourke assisting him in the transition of ACT’s rehearsal space and office location into a fully functioning studio theatre. Matt starred as R.P. McMurphy in the first play ever produced at the new theatre, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Local credits outside of ACT include Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire (Kokopelli Theatre), several characters in Cyrano’s Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some), Thomas Kemp in UAA Theatre Department’s William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead, and Harold in K2, under the direction of Dan Anteau. Out of state, Matt has starred in plays, films, and shows in 21 states. Matt acted on the set of Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail, and in California he was hired on as a performer at LA Connection Comedy Club. Upon returning to Anchorage, Matt became ACT’s Outreach Coordinator under Sara Athans, bringing new people to ACT from Hope Community Resources, North Star Behavioral Health, Shiloh Community Development, and the Fairview Rec Center. Matt recently returned to directing after 13 years since his directorial debut of ACT’s 2004 production of William Inge’s Bus Stop. Matt has directed Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill (2017), And In This Corner: Cassius Clay (2018), and Always… Patsy Cline (2020). Matt became ACT’s ED in 2017. He now works with the board to run one of the things in Anchorage he believes in most, surrounded by great memories and making new ones. Matt not only runs ACT but is trying to break out as a writer of children’s books and historical fiction and as a stand-up comic. Matt is father to three girls, ages 2 and under, who are often present at work days, production meetings, and rehearsals — but not as much as Gypsy, the theatre dog, who comes to work with Matt every day. 

jasmine saxby,
Associate director

Born and raised in Anchorage, Jasmine got her start on the stage through music and dance. It was as Clara’s best friend in Ballet West’s The Nutcracker production at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts that she first caught the acting bug. From there she joined the Alaska Theatre of Youth’s Summer Conservatory and continued doing theatre throughout middle and high school. In college, she minored in Theatre Arts & Drama at Washington State University and acted in Dracula as a Bride of Dracula. She was also the Assistant Director for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Co-Sound Designer for The Laramie Project. Back in Alaska, Jasmine originated the role of Molly and portrayed Carol in the West Coast Premier of the off-Broadway show Stalking the Bogeyman at the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Department of Theatre and Dance. During this production, she met her husband Justin Stewart, who was also cast as her husband Russ in the show. They married and moved to Beijing for a couple of years to work on a live-action/animated educational children's program, but are now back home and contributing to the community’s local theatre scene. She is a member of the Alaska Chinese Association.

ANDY CUMMINGS,
Shop Manager

Andy has been very active with TBA Theatre since 2019. When he is not on stage, there is a good chance that he is working backstage or has a hand in building/painting the sets. Andy volunteers for TBA's Summer Theatre Academy as a Stage Tech Instructor. He can also be seen in local commercials for GCI and hopefully soon can be seen in his very first independent film, Next to North which is in post-production. On a personal note, Andy would like to thank you for supporting local live theatre! You are the real stars of the show!! Thank you!

Our Board of Directors

Officers:

Kathy J. Fernandez, President
Mike Zoske, Vice President
David Fritz, Treasurer
Cristy Allyn Willer, Secretary

Members:

Linda Benson
Douglas Causey
Lucy MacCabe Conner
Shaylyn Goard
Jana Lage
Richard Reichman
Dr. Brian Saylor
Steph Smoot