Speakers

Like any good theatre kid, Kathleen's journey began with a community theatre production of Annie, she went on to perform professionally until the age of 25 at regional theaters throughout the country.  Favorite stage appearances include setting sail as Bonnie in Anything Goes, venturing into the woods as Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods, stepping into the Fandango Ballroom as Rosie in Sweet Charity, and taking on the iconic role of Anita in West Side Story.  Along the way, she discovered a passion for “the other side of the table” through her work as a choreographer, beginning a career that would take her from the stage to production, management, and leadership. She helped shape productions behind the scenes in New York City at Playwrights Horizons and Blue Man Productions, and later brought her experience to large-scale event production, serving as Stage Manager and Coordinator for the Parade of Athletes and Closing Ceremony of the Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia, and as Race Director for the Susan G. Komen Hawaii Race for the Cure. Her path ultimately brought her back to theatre in Hawaii, first at Honolulu Theatre for Youth and now as Executive Director at Mānoa Valley Theatre. Kathleen earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Stephens College, where she developed the foundation for a career in the performing arts.

Rob Duval currently serves as the Artistic Director at Manoa Valley Theatre, where he has directed productions of Dear Evan Hansen, Clue, Lend Me a Soprano, The Play That Goes Wrong, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Rocky Horror Show, Baskerville, The Who's Tommy, The 39 Steps, Tiny Beautiful Things, and many others. He was thrilled to collaborate with Hawaii Symphony Orchestra to present A Midsummer Night’s Dream last March. Directing credits at Hawai’i Theatre include Prescription: Murder, as well as the world premieres of Joe Moore's Wrestling Ernest Hemmingway, with Pat Sajak, Loretta Ables, and Joe Moore, and Heaven Forbid!, starring Joe Moore and the late Patty Duke. Some of Rob's directing credits at Diamond Head Theatre include Noises Off, The Mousetrap, Guys and Dolls, Lend Me a Tenor, Annie, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. As an actor, Rob has enjoyed roles in The House of Blue Leaves and Is He Dead?, at HPU, The Elephant Man, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert at MVT, the title role in Julius Caesar with Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, and To Kill a Mockingbird and Leading Ladies at DHT. He's been featured on Hawaii 5-0, Magnum P.I., and Doogie Kamealoha. He holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree both from UCLA.