Angel Correa (Vanya)

Angel Correa (Vanya) Angel is a current board member at the Costa Mesa Playhouse and Uncle Vanya marks his 10th production on its stage. He was last seen playing Vice Principal Panch in the Wayward's Artist's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (*2024 OC Theatre Guild and Orange Curtain Review nominee for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical).

He last performed at the playhouse playing Yvan in our critically acclaimed production of Yasmina Reza’s Art. Other select roles throughout various SoCal theatres include: Mitch in Tennesse Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire (*2022 OC Theatre Guild nominee for Best Supporting Performance); Tom in Dinner with Friends; Ralph D. in The M*therf*cker with the Hat; Uncle Louie in Lost in Yonkers (*2021 OC Theatre Guild nominee for Outstanding Ensemble); Uday Hussein in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo; the title character in Mr. Marmalade; Benito/Moon in References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot; The Devil in The History of the Devil.

Angel's voice can also be heard as part of English-dubbed casts for various streaming series and movies throughout Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Peter Hilton (Serebryakov)

Peter Hilton (Serebryakov) is excited to be back on the Costa Mesa Playhouse stage in his 15th production here! You may have just seen Peter earlier this season as Ansel in Killer Joe. Previous
productions include: ART (Marc), Buried Child (Tilden) (OCTG Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Performance), Clybourne Park (Russ/Dan) (OCTG Winner for Outstanding Supporting Performance), The Whale (Charlie) (Winner - Orange Curtain Review Best Actor,
OCTG Nomination for Outstanding Lead Performance), Of Mice and Men (Lennie), God of
Carnage (Michael), A Behanding in Spokane (Carmichael), True West (Lee), Dinner With
Friends (Gabe), The Christians (Pastor Paul), The 39 Steps (Clown), Avenue Q (Brian) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Flute).

Peter also co-directed last season’s Beauty Queen of Leenane and most recently directed and designed the set for How I learned to Drive. Peter is the Artistic Director here at The Playhouse and also serves on the Board of Directors. He is also very thankful of his loving family; Luzma and James for their unwavering support. Enjoy the show!

Matthew T. Hong-Jones (Astrov)

Matthew T. Hong-Jones (Astrov) is thrilled to make his Costa Mesa Playhouse debut in Uncle  Vanya. A graduate of the Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s Professional Acting Training Program,  Matthew’s greatest passion is the live stage. He believes theatre transcends—perhaps even  spiritually—delivering an experience that can offer both joyful entertainment and cathartic healing.  Through storytelling, he hopes to connect communities and bridge the divides that are all too  present in our world.

Some of Matthew’s personal favorite credits include portraying the Hobo in  Warner Bros.’ live adaptation of The Polar Express, where he performed on a moving train, as well  as Shakespeare in Love (Frees/Robin), A Midsummer Night’s  Dream (Lysander), Macbeth (Lennox), American Psycho (Craig McDermott), and Agatha  Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution (Leonard Vole).

Beyond the stage, Matthew works as a  cybersecurity expert and an arts fundraising consultant. One of his proudest achievements is  raising over $20 million with Center Theatre Group to reopen the legendary Mark Taper Forum in  Downtown Los Angeles. He extends his gratitude to the cast, crew, and his friends and family for  their support—most of all, his brilliant, beautiful, and loving wife, Yvette.

Andrea La Vela (Maria)

Andrea La Vela (Maria) began her theatrical journey almost 70 years ago, when as a first grader she  wrote, directed, and starred in a play for her class. The reviews were good, so she took it on the  road to perform for the third grade classes. Since that time, Andrea has taken on roles such as  both M’Lynn and Clairee in Steel Magnolias, Beatrice in A View From the Bridge, and Cassie in Rumos.  She played a detective in both Dial M for Murder and The Game’s Afoot (the latter at the  Stages Theatre right before COVID.)

However, the zenith of her acting experiences (equal only to  her first grade success) was tackling the role of Mag, a bitter and manipulative old Irish woman in  The Beauty Queen of Leenane here at the playhouse in 2023, under the direction of Michael Serna  and Peter Kreder (aka Hilton). She is thrilled to be back here working again with these two gifted  gentlemen, playing yet another “difficult” old woman.

Brooke Lewis Cruz (Sonya)

Brooke Lewis Cruz (Sonya) is overjoyed to be back at CMP! You may have seen her earlier this  season as Sabrina Daldry in the production of In the Next Room. Other previous shows at CMP  include RENT, Our Town, Dancing at Lughnasa, Vampire Queen of Mars, Mr. Burns, and A Streetcar  Named Desire.

Brooke graduated from USC’s School of Dramatic Arts with a BA in Acting. Special  thanks to Michael, the cast, the crew, and her family and husband Erick.

Kendall Sinclair (Yelena)

Kendall Sinclair (Yelena) Kendall is thrilled to be returning to her creative family for her 6th  production at Costa Mesa Playhouse. Some of her favorite roles include Sheila in A Chorus  Line (PVPA), Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire (Costa Mesa Playhouse), Morticia in The Addams  Family (Newport Theatre Arts Center), and Betsy/Lindsey in Clybourne Park (Costa Mesa Playhouse, OCTG Winner).

Thank you to all of the friends and family that continue to provide  divination, support, and unconditional love on this journey. 

Harriet Whitmyer (Marina)

Harriet Whitmyer (Marina) is thrilled to be back at Costa Mesa Playhouse after 36 years. Her last  show here was Gemini done in the spring of 1989. Since then, however, Harriet has continued to  perform throughout Southern California. Some favorite roles include, Ethyl Thayer in On Golden  Pond, Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Linda Lohman in Death of a Salesman, Fonsia Dorsey in The  Gin Game, Golda in Fiddler on the Roof and Lottie Wilton in Enchanted April. Most recently, she  played Carolyn Shepherd in the Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

Harriet thanks Michael for getting her  back on this stage and for the opportunity to work with such a great cast, production crew and  director. 

Mark Tillman (Telegin)

Mark is grateful to have been part of several acclaimed productions at Costa Mesa Playhouse, most recently portraying Joe Cooper in Killer Joe. Other memorable productions at the Playhouse include Noises Off (Freddie), Buried Child (Bradley), Clybourne Park (Jim/Tom), The Christians (Elder Jay), and Our Town (Mr. Webb) – a musically infused rendition in which he also served as music director and performed the songs of Bob Dylan.

Long active in the OC theater scene, Mark has appeared on stages across Orange County, including Newport Theatre Arts Center, STAGEStheatre, and The Attic. His favorite roles include Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey, Ransome Foster in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and Juror #8 in 12 Angry Men.