Paradise
Winter 2023
Paradise
Miami Theatre Works is proud to share that Paradise, an original play by our very own Executive Director Michael Stoddard, was selected to premiere at the historic LATEA Theater in New York City as part of the New York Theater Festival in November 2023. Paradise was honored to join 90 other productions filled with amazing talent as part of the oldest and largest theater festival in New York and we are truly humbled to have won Best Production, Best Director (Michael Stoddard), Best Actor (Robby McGhee), and Nomination for Best Actor (Owen Reynolds). Congrats to everyone who participated in this year’s Festival.
Paradise is the story of Sara and John Davidson, a young newlywed couple that has just eloped at the Paradise Cove Resort in Cancun for the honeymoon of their dreams only to find that John’s travel deal has left the couple trapped inside a vacation nightmare that gets worse (and funnier) by the minute! With their union on the rocks, a lesbian couple and a manic hotel manager bulldoze their way into the relationship in order to resolve the conflict and restore the couple’s faith in love.
Meet the Cast
Natalie Roy Camargo
NATALIE ROY CAMARGO, Sara, is a world traveling performer and recording artist. From being a featured singer on Royal Caribbean Cruise lines (Vocal Captain onboard Jewel of the Seas; featured singer -RCCL unveiling ship opening performance- featuring Kristin Chenoweth), to singing and dancing in national shows (42nd Street, Lorraine/Peggy US; Shrek, Fiona; Hairspray, Penny Pingleton; Crazy Love, Patterson) and to working with music production and voiceovers from both her home studio and on the road, she is grateful that she gets to share her passions and talents all over the world. She records narration for audiobooks (Fierce by olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman; Whiskas -The Curious Cat Book) commercials, television, radio. She is a vocalist, music composer, and music producer for theatrical productions (Tiger Tour ‘Choose Love’), commercials, jingles, podcasts, and other artistic productions. Natalie is thrilled to be performing at the New York Theater festival, with the wonderful team of Paradise!
Robby McGhee
ROBBY MCGHEE, Mr. Gonzalez, is making his first appearance working with Miami Theatre Works and the New York Theater Festival through Michael Stoddard’s “Paradise.” Robby has worked with Michael on and off for the past 15 years including with Stoddard played the lead in McGhee’s original puppet musical, “The Burden of Being” in 2013. Recent credits include Dave Bukatinsky in “The Full Monty,” Edna in “Hairspray,” and most recently Barry Glickman in “The Prom.”
Samantha Lee Mason
SAMANTHA LEE MASON, Tina, NYTF debut! Off-Broadway: Rose Nylund in That Golden Girls Show: A Puppet Parody, National Tour: That Golden Girls Show: A Puppet Parody, Blues Clues and You! Other favorites: A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline (Millbrook Playhouse) Fiddler on the Roof, Kinky Boots (Interlakes Theatre), John Tartaglia’s Re-Usable the Musical, Tokyo DisneySea. Proud graduate of Indiana University, BFA Musical Theatre. Love to her family, James, and Ryder. Samanthaleemason.com IG: @samlmason.
Owen Reynolds
OWEN REYNOLDS, John, is delighted to be returning to the stage with Miami Theatre Works in Paradise. Some of his most recent credits include Avenue Q (Princeton/Rod), [title of show] (Hunter), Matilda the Musical (Agatha Trunchbull), Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical (Jekyll & Hyde), and Hairspray (Link Larkin). A fourth generation Miamian, he is a graduate of Palmer Trinity School where he was a longtime, award winning member of its theatre troupe. Owen is currently majoring in Architecture and minoring in Theatre at Cornell University where he is also president of Cornell’s Midnight Comedy Troupe. With nearly a decade of live performance experience and as a founding member of Miami Theatre Works, Owen is excited to take the stage in the debut production of Paradise in New York. “Thanks to my family and friends for helping to grow theatre in the magic city of Miami and beyond.”
Jenna Lucht
JENNA LUCHT, Denise, is thrilled to be back at the New York Theater Festival for this hilarious play! She previously was seen at the LATEA Theater in “The Art of Peaking too Soon” and was part of the original cast reading and workshop of “Storme: A Musical Play.” Training: Point Park University and LAMDA. Love and gratitude to friends and family for all your support, hope we made you giggle!
Lena Vani
Lena Vani, Understudy / Stage Manager, is an actress born in Easthampton, Massachusetts, living and working in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Unable to stay in one place for long, she follows her heart around the world connecting with souls and chasing creativity. Vani discovered her love for acting in high school and trained at the Atlantic Theater Company at age 16. She went on to graduate with a degree in Theater from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2016, completing her studies in 3 years. Her most recent credits include her Off-Broadway debut as The Astronomer’s Wife in “Etched Glass Decanter” with Evening Crane Theater and as Court in “P*ssy Sludge” with Real Live Theatre. Vani is co-founder of the production company, Off Hand Co. and has performed in plays, films, and modeled all over the world.
