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Nirmay Anantha

17-year-old Nirmay Anantha is a native Portlandian and has been active in community theater since he was 3. He had the opportunity to play Tall Boy in OCT’s mainstage production Judy Moody 7 years ago (when he wasn’t actually all that tall) and was both Sir Toby and Duke Orsino in OCT’s Twelfth Night (and can now sling great Shakespearean insults)! Outside of theater, Nirmay is most passionate about food, science, speech and debate, salvaging his grades, and his hair. He is excited to be a part of Young Professionals at OCT!

ELIJAH

Castillo

Elijah is a senior who goes to Arts and Communication Magnet Academy, and he is so excited to be a part of Impulse 16! He has been a member of the Oregon Children’s Theatre’s Young Professionals company for three years, and he’s happy that his last show with them will be with Impulse! He hopes everyone enjoys the show!

MARY

Anderson

Mary is a first year Young Professional and a junior at Camas High School. Mary started her acting career at the age of eight, in her break out role as Sandy the Dog. Although it is her dream to someday reprise this role, for now she is super excited to be a part of Impulse. Mary would like to thank her family, dog, dead dog (Buddy #rip), her wonderful cast mates, the entire production team, and especially the talented Dani, Nick, and Blake.

ALLI

Jaffe

Alli (she/her/hers) is thrilled to join the cast of Impulse with Oregon Children’s Theatre! She is a third year YP and a senior at Lakeridge High School. Some of her credits include: Spotlight Travel Troupe’s 13: The Musical as Lucy, Stumptown Stages’ Mamma Mia as Ensemble, Oregon Children Theatre’s Pestilence: Wow! as Agnes and WROL as Maureen, and assistant directing Alex Getting Better through the YP program. She would love to thank Dani Baldwin, Blake Wales, and the rest of the cast and crew of Impulse for bringing her endless kindness and joy!

Miyabi Saito

Miyabi is a Senior at Parkrose High School and is excited for her second showing in Impulse! Aside from theater, Miyabi loves pottery, singing, swimming in lakes, and hugging her friends. She would like to thank Blake and the YP company for bringing so much joy and mentorship into her life. Since Improv is one of her favorite forms of theater she hopes Impulse can make it one of yours too!

Andy Manne

This is Andy’s first year as a YP and member of Impulse. They are a senior at St. Mary’s Academy where they have performed in Something Rotten (Shylock), Clue (Colonel Mustard), and recently, Our Town (The Stage Manager). In the realm of improv, Andy worked as the Improv Coach for the SMA production of 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is currently serving as president of the Improv Club, and outside of school they have performed in two youth showcases with ComedySportz Portland. Andy is currently directing a short play for their school’s annual one act festival. They would like to thank their family for all their support and flexibility, their friends for keeping them humble, and Jordan Beck and the late Matt Russell for all their encouragement and guidance.

Lily Russell

Lily is a third year YP and a senior at Roosevelt High School. Previously at OCT, Lily has been a part of Impulse 15, Alex Getting Better (Alex) and In the Forest She Grew Fangs (Ensemble). She’d like to thank her friends, parents, Dani, Nick, and Blake for their support. Outside of theatre, she enjoys ceramics, singing, playwriting, and doing the New York times daily crossword. For more personal information, write to her mother.

Aiden Shafiuzzaman

Aiden is a second year Young Professional and a senior at Camas High School. He cannot wait to present to you Impulse 16! You might have seen him in YP’s Pestilence Wow!, perhaps last years Impulse 15, or maybe on a the FBI’s most wanted list. He would like to thank Mr. Blake Wales and Dani Baldwin for continually letting me into the building and my siblings for being constant inspirations.

The Young Professionals Company is made up of dedicated theater students ages 14–18 who have been selected to participate in a year-long mentoring program, where they receive advanced training through exposure to a wide range of college-level workshops and professional development.

For more information, please visit octc.org/yp-company