Shows & Events

Tom Ross (Director) inaugurated Aurora Theatre Company with Barbara Oliver in 1992 and served 12 years as Managing Director. In 2004, he became Artistic Director, holding that position for 15 years. He stepped down in 2019. Tom oversaw both Aurora’s move into its Addison Street complex and its expansion into the Dashow Wing. Tom created the new play initiatives, The Global Age Project and Originate+Generate. He directed 30 productions for the company. Additionally in San Francisco, Tom served as producer of the legendary Solo Mio Festival for 8 years Before moving to the Bay Area, Tom worked at NYC’s Public Theater (1982-1990) first as Executive Assistant to Joseph Papp and then Co-director of Play and Musical Development. While there he adapted Joe Orton’s screenplay “Up Against It” into a musical with songs by Todd Rundgren and worked on projects with Jonathan Larsen, Frank Oz, Christopher Durang and many others.

Michael Barrett Austin* (Fred Sterroll) most recently appeared in Apertures of Love in Times of War at the Best of PlayGround Festival, A Christmas Carol at Center Rep, and Chinglish at SF Playhouse (SFBATCC nomination for principal performance). Other favorite projects include The Kilbanes’ musical As You Like It (SF Shakespeare Festival), The Elephant Man (Hillbarn), Finks (TheatreWorks) and Red Hot Patriot with Kathleen Turner (Berkeley Rep). He has also worked locally with 42nd Street Moon, San Jose Stage, Playwright’s Foundation, Central Works, Pacific Repertory Theatre and more, and performed at the NY Fringe Festival. Michael toured America with The National Theatre for Children and Italy with Shakespeare at Stinson, and has appeared on television, film and in countless commercials. He is a PlayGround and ARC member, an alumnus of Just Theater and TheatreFirst, and the proud husband of Emily and father to Lucille. www.michaelbarrettaustin.com

Kevin Clarke* (Willy Banbury) is delighted to return to Aurora, having appeared in Salomania and The Arsonists. He has worked as an actor, dancer, director, drag artist, and designer for more than 20 years. Kevin, a Shotgun Players company member, has appeared in: Black Rider, Grand Concourse, Village Bike, Hamlet, Antigonick, New Electric Ballroom, Woyzeck, Coast of Utopia, God’s Plot, Beardo, Macbeth, Cryptogram, Forest War, Travesties and Death of Meyerhold. Other: The Tempest (SF Shakes); The Twilight Aristocracy (Detour Productions); American Ma(u)l (BACCE); Ada and The Memory Engine (Central Works); She Rode Horses… (Crowded Fire); Film: Test and Pushing Dead. Kevin studied painting/mathematics at Cornell.www.kevinclarkeactor.com AEA

Cindy Goldfield* (Saunders) is thrilled to be at the Aurora (founded by one of her dearest mentors, Barbara Oliver) to play with Noel once again, and this stellar cast and crew!  Regional credits include18 seasons of A Christmas Carol, plus Fefu and Her Friends, and Love and Information at ACT, as well as work at CenterREP, San Jose Repertory, TheatreWorks, Broadway by the Bay, Marin Theatre Company, New Conservatory Theatre, and 42nd Street Moon. New York credits include D’Arcy Drollinger’s Project: Lohan, and Mr. Irresistible, at La MaMa E.T.C. Goldfield also enjoys cabaret collaborations with Scrumbly Koldewyn (Goldfield & Koldewyn) and David Aaron Brown (One Night Stand.)  In addition to her performance awards, Goldfield has two Theatre Bay Area awards for Best Direction. Goldfield also works as an intimacy coordinator, coach, and corporate event producer/director. Much love to M, D, W, J and C! www.cindygoldfield.com

Kina Kantor* (Julia Sterroll)is a Bay Area actor, artist, and cellist. Selected Bay Area credits include: the West Coast premiere of Mrs. Christie (TheatreWorks), Naomi Iizuka Rep - World Premiere of Garuda's Wing and the Play On translation of Richard II (The Magic Theatre/Campo Santo), originating the role of Gao-Ming in the World Premiere of The Great Khan (San Francisco Playhouse), Torch Song (Marin Theatre Company), The Far Country u/s (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), The Great Wave u/s (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin (San Francisco Playhouse), Tiny Beautiful Things (San Francisco Playhouse). She also works with companies such as American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco Mime Troupe, Golden Thread, Crowded Fire, Word for Word. Kina is a company member of the Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC), Playground SF and has taught at the Academy of Art University in SF. Film: Free (2024), You'll Lose a Good Thing (2024) @kinakantor (she/her)

Emily Newsome* (Jane Banbury) is absolutely delighted to be making her Aurora debut! After receiving her B.F.A in acting from UCSB, Emily returned home to L.A. for a few years before deciding to see what the Bay Area theatre scene was all about. She was met with fully open arms by a true community of loving, generous, passionate, and resilient artists. She has since had the opportunity to perform in staged readings, new play development workshops, and full productions with several Bay Area companies including San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Ground Floor, and American Conservatory Theatre. Most recently she appeared as Belle in A.C.T’s A Christmas Carol. Emily is also a proud co-founder of Berkeley Shakespeare Company. She extends all of her gratitude to the Bay Area theatre community, her ever-supportive family, and of course, the soul-sisters without whom she simply would not survive. Thank you all.

Joel Roster* (Maurice) is honored to join this cast in his Aurora Theatre Company debut. Recently appearing in SF Playhouse's production of Guys & Dolls (Nathan Detroit), other favorite productions include A Christmas Carol (Fred, CenterREP), Picasso At The Lapin Agile (Picasso, Town Hall Theatre), and Peter & The Starcatcher (Black Stache, Berkeley Playhouse). A multiple award-winning actor, director, teaching artist, and playwright, he currently serves as the Executive Artistic & Managing Director for Contra Costa Civic Theatre in El Cerrito, where he just finished directing intertwined productions of Hamlet and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead in repertory.