Actors

L. Peter Callender

L. Peter Callender

L. Peter Callender is a native of Trinidad, West Indies, and has worked professionally as an actor for over thirty years, more recently as a director and writer. He received his formal training in the theater at the Juilliard School in New York City; Webber/Douglas Academy in London, England; Mask Technique with Julie Taymor, and The Suzuki Technique with The Tadashi Suzuki Company in Toga-mura Japan. He has appeared on Broadway, off-Broadway, in regional theaters across the US, and has performed internationally in Japan, England and France. His New York Credits include: Tom/Jamaican Waiter in Prelude to a Kiss (Circle Rep. and at the Helen Hayes Theater on Broadway directed by Norman Rene); Off-Broadway; Roscoe in Black Eagles (directed by Ricardo Kahn at Manhattan Theater Club), Casbeque in The Caucasian Chalk Circle (directed by George C. Wolfe at the Public Theater); Caliban in The Tempest (directed by Julie Taymor at Classic Stage Company); Curio/Ensemble in Twelfth Night at the Delacorte Theater directed by Harold Guskin). Mr. Callender is an associate artist at the California Shakespeare Theater- now in his 20th season. Some roles at CalShakes include: The title roles in Julius Caesar and Cymbeline, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Orsino in Twelfth Night, Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing, Polixenes in A Winter's Tale, Navarre in Love's Labor's Lost, Bolingbroke in Richard II, Duke Solinus in Comedy of Errors, Laertes in Hamlet, Dukes Frederick and Senior in As You Like It, La Feu in All's Well That ends Well, Dr. Chasuable in The Importance of Being Earnest, Vincent Crummels in Nickolas Nickleby, and Roebuck Ramsden in Man and Superman. He also teaches Acting Shakespeare Level One - for adults - each fall for CalShakes.
Playing It Cool
L. Stephanie Ray

L. Stephanie Ray

Stephanie was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan. Community outreach has been embedded in her soul since she was a child. She attended private schools and was very shy growing up as a child until her high school years. She was continuously involved in various community-oriented programs. She and five other students started a gospel group and participated in the St. Mary's Cathedral Prison Ministry by performing for the inmates. She also joined the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority's little sister chapter known as "Delta Sprites" and volunteered in their hospital ministry. Throughout high school, she honed her leadership skills holding positions, such as class representative, class treasurer, class secretary, and in her senior year, voted Student Council President. She was also nominated and inducted into Who's Who Among American High School Students. After graduating high school, she attended Delta Community College in University Center, Michigan, where she received her Associates Degree in Business and Office Administration. Soon thereafter, she relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, and continued her studies at Georgia State University and Clayton College State University where she majored in Business Administration and Emergency Medical studies, respectively. As an adult, she continued giving back to her community by volunteering in the Giver of Life Ministry at her church that was geared toward empowering youth educationally, spiritually and mentally. She also worked with the "Feed The Hungry" Ministry with her late beloved son, Xavier. In 2003, she decided to take her outreach ministry to a higher level and became a foster parent for over 50 children. She describes it as one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences of her life. After experiencing a series of tragic events in her life, including the death of her sons, she pulled herself back up by the grace of God and moved into the next phase of her life. Then, she began to counsel and mentor other women through their grief. Today, she strives to utilize her God-given creative and artistic talents to portray positive characters through acting and writing that will motivate and inspire others to become strong leaders compassionate adults to their fellow man. She dedicates her endeavors to the loving memory of her beloved sons and those who have paved the way before her.