Meet the Board
Chanel Bragg - Co-Founder and President
Chanel Bragg ( She/her) Founder- is ecstatic to be the newly appointed Associate Artistic Director at Arizona Theatre Co. For over a decade, she continues to passionately advocate for diversity within the arts and the mission to build a more equitable theater landscape in Arizona. In 2009, she co-founded the award-winning performance troupe “The Soul of Broadway”. In 2016, Chanel co-founded The United Colours of Arizona Theatre (UCAT), a Fine Arts based social justice organization that supports BIPOC performers and promotes equity, diversity, access, and inclusion. Chanel and her partner Jacqueline Castillo were honored to receive the prestigious Kyle Lawson Outstanding Contribution Award at the 30th annual Arizoni Theatre Awards of Excellence. Chanel solidified herself as a Director and a Producer when she partnered with Live Nation and sold out venues throughout Arizona and California as the director of “The Alexander Project”, a hard-hitting Hamilton concert revue. Lastly, she has been featured as one of the female directors to watch at Phoenix Theatre’s New Works Festival. In her free time, Chanel sits on the Board for Stray Cat Theatre, The Women’s Theatre Forum for The Phoenix Theatre Co., and recently a cohort panel for the Arizona Commission for the Arts. Chanel is a supporting vocalist in the local activist band, Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra. She can be reached at cbragg@arizonatheatre.org, Instagram: cmbragg, or https://chanelbragg.wixsite.com/phxactress
Jacqueline Castillo - Co-Founder and President
Jacqueline Castillo (she/her) is cofounder of United Colours of Arizona Theatre. Jacqueline spends her days as a SAHM and her evenings performing “nostalgia based entertainment”. She has performed professionally for the last 10 years and has been directing children’s musicals for the past three. Some of her favorite past performances include TiMoune (Once on This Island), Sarah (Ragtime), Lorrell (Dreamgirls) and Taylor (High School Musical). Jacqueline can be reached on instagram: @jacqui_monet
Aleks Hollis - Administrative Manager
Aleks Hollis (they/them+she/her) is an actor, foley artist, writer, photographer. They recently performed in Sp55’s Radio Free Europa and with Wedding Party at Free Fringe and VS: Improv Cagematch. They’ve acted in Dark of the Moon, Measure for Measure, and Blood Wedding. They’ve been a foley artist for Night of the Chicken, Torch Improvised Radio Show, and Az Actors Academy’s The Maltese Falcon. They co-created/co-hosted Represent!, a monthly POC improv jam. They have also won AriZoni Awards for Artistic Specialization and Sound Design. They’re currently a show mentor for Arizona Theatre Company’s ATCteen #ENOUGH Project.
Seth Tucker - Chief Development Officer
Seth Tucker (he/him) Seth has performed Off Broadway, on National Tours, and throughout Arizona. Recent credits include, Jacob in La Cage Aux Folles and directing/choreographing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, both with Arizona Broadway Theatre. Born and raised in Arizona, Seth double majored in Business Marketing and Music Theatre at ASU. Favorite past roles include: La Cage Aux Folles (Jacob, ABT), I Am My Own Wife (Charlotte et al., BLK BOX PHX), Parade (Leo Frank, Arizona Regional Theatre & Mesa Outback Theatre, AriZoni Nomination), The 25th Annual Putnam…(Leaf Coneybear, Phoenix Theatre, AriZoni Award & Encore Awards Winner), Lucky Stiff (Harry, ABT), Sunday In the Park with George (George, ASU), Santaland Diaries (David, ABT & FUSE Productions), Cabaret (Emcee, FUSE), Pageant (Miss West Coast, ABT & Off-Broadway, Original Cast Recording), and Into The Woods (The Baker, Quisisana). Author: Our Kiki: A Gay Farce, The Unusual Engagement of Chester Pringle and You're It! Web series’, “Acting Up” (ISN Best Actor Nom.) and “Tucker Talks.” Director: “Dating In Retrograde”(NYC Winter Film Awards best series finalist), Our Kiki: A Gay Farce (NY Intntl. Fringe), The Mitten (HVTI), As Bees In Honey Drown (ART), [title of show], Isolation Project (Limelight), Young Frankenstein (AYT, National Youth Award Nomination: Director), Altar Boyz and Pageant (ABT). Past recipient: 1st Place NATS (Music Theatre, College two time winner), Herberger Young Artists Award (Winner in Singing, Placed in Acting), Louise Lincoln Kerr Music Endowment, ASU Arts' Special Talent Award, Barbara V. Long Opera Scholarship, Tempe Top Ten Teens, and AriZoni Theatre Award Scholarship. He is currently teaching private lessons over Zoom and working on various digital concerts and shows. More info: www.SethATucker.com
Chris R. Chávez - EDI Consultant
Chris R. Chávez (he/him/his) is a native of New Mexico and has been living in Phoenix for almost 18 years. He came to Arizona in 2003 to pursue his Master’s degree in Vocal Performance/Musical Theatre which he completed in 2006. Since that time he has performed in and directed a number of shows in the valley. He has performed in such shows as In the Heights (Mesa Encore Theatre), Assassins (Fountain Hills Theatre), Man of La Mancha (Zoni nominee for Mesa Encore Theatre’s production), Rocky Horror Show (Desert Stages Theater), and many others. As a director he has had the privilege of directing The Laramie Project, (Mesa Encore Theatre) Shopping and F***ing (Laughing Pig Theatre), A Christmas Story: The Play (Desert Stages Theatre), Chicago: High School Edition (Desert Stages Theatre), Next to Normal (Arizona Regional Theatre), and Real Women Have Curves (Mesa Encore Theatre Blackbox). Chris has served on the board of Mesa Encore Theatre and is the current Creative Director for Virtual Theatre Lab. Most recently, Chris has been welcomed to the board of UCAT (United Colors of Arizona Theatre www.unitedcoloursaz.org). Through UCAT, Chris is focusing his efforts to help Arizona theatres to become more diverse, inclusive, and equitable . Outside of theatre, he works a day job in higher education and co-hosts a podcast four years running (for more information go to www.BSPodPhx.com or follow us on social media @BSPodPhx ). Chris is a big advocate when it comes to issues of social justice and mental health. In theatre, it is his hope that with his experience and knowledge that he can contribute, foster, and create safe spaces for people of all colors, sizes, genders, ages, and capabilities. Instagram: crc0377
JT Turner - Chief Communications Officer
JT Turner (He/Him) An Arizona native, JT grew up in East Mesa and is a graduate of Blackstone Career Institute where he graduated, with honors, with a degree in Paralegal Studies. After working and gaining experience in the legal field, he transitioned into Public Education before entering Public Relations in 2015. With a personal one-on-one approach, and with extensive experience working in the arts non-profit and small business sectors, JT seeks to strengthen ties and relationships to help organizations reach their goals. Founding his own organization in 2016, JT chose the name "JALT" which represents his full name, Jack Albert Lopez-Turner and pays tribute to his rich and diverse cultural background. As a performer, JT has been seen on stage in productions of Evita, Fiddler on the Roof, La Cage Aux Folles, Chicago, Cabaret and The Little Mermaid.