Kellogg Community College
Battle Creek, Michigan USA
Presents:
PANDO
By Brad Poer & Pando Company #2
Appearing at
Edinburgh Fringe 2025
August 2 at 2:00pm
August 4 at 2:00pm
August 5 at 2:35pm
August 6 at 2:35pm
All Performances £7
-An All Ages Show-
Venue Info:
theSpace@Surgeon’s Hall
[The Grand Theatre]
Royal College of Surgeons
Nicolson St.
Edinburgh EH8 9DH, UK
the SHOW
Pando is a philosophical comedy set in video game worlds- inspired in part by the work of Alain de Botton and a short story by Andy Weir. The script was designed to be unusually customizable; almost anyone can play any role (no preset age, gender, type or ethnicity for any characters)- and each new cast is encouraged by the playwright to customize dialogue. Six interlinked scenes hide lessons in empathy and human understanding, with an overarching metaphysical mystery to piece together as well.
Produced by KCC Theatre at Kellogg Community College, Pando features students and community members from Battle Creek, Michigan in their international performance debuts. This production premiering at The Fringe is the condensed 1hr version of the script- informally dubbed by this company as Pando ‘Express’. The full-length version of Pando was first produced in 2024. Interested in putting up your own production of Pando? See links at the bottom of the page for contact info.
the SCENES
Prologue- Interim Space
Sc1- Dark Matter IV: The Reckoning
Sc2- Kart Racer Xtreeeme
Sc3- The Badge: Mime Spree
Sc4- Interim Space
Sc5- Critter Junction
Sc6- Yes, Chef!
Sc7- Mats of Fury
Epilogue- Someplace Else Entirely
the CAST
AV1- Patrick Lucas
AV2- Sofia Casey
AV3- Jenny Wheeler Barnhart
AV4- Bella Albarran
AV5- Maddy Haywood
AV6- Alex Wade Cole
AV7- Nina Gillett
AV8- Teri Noeill
AV9- Garrett Martin
HOST/PF- Lisa Perez
PLAYER 1- Elijah Reed
PLAYER 1,2- Kristina Keefer
PLAYER 1,2- Lauren Davis
Additional Support- Lindsay Draime
the BIOS
Patrick Steven Lucas: AV1
Patrick Lucas, a timeless eldritch being, is an actor and singer from Battle Creek, MI. He hails from a long line of performers, including his parents, and his three younger siblings who currently live and work in Los Angeles.
While he has done significantly more stage work (including but not limited to) Avenue Q, Into the Woods, The Pirates of Penzance, and the original production of Pando, his acting skills truly shine on the big screen. Patrick has starred in two independent films; an untitled horror anthology that is currently in post, and The Life of Grace which can be found at https://tinyurl.com/Life-Of-Grace-Movie
Patrick is also a valuable member of the Kellogg Singers, one of Kellogg Community College's community choirs. Patrick enjoys a wide variety of music- from classical, to country, to his new favorite genre, Electro-Swing. His favorite artists include Johnny Cash, Styx, Electric Swing Circus, Eminem, and Bach.
Patrick enjoys many hobbies such as gaming, gardening, writing, crafting and tinkering. His favorite board games are Monopoly and Talisman, his favorite video games are Bioshock and Tomba. He has played D&D but prefers Pathfinder. He has an interest in Warhammer: 40k and Battletech. Patrick occasionally streams on Twitch. Check him out at Twitch.TV/Patback2DaFuture
Patrick is a huge sci-fi and fantasy fan. Lord of the Rings is his favorite fantasy series, while the Alien/Predator franchises scratch that sci-fi itch. He appreciates Star Wars, but he's team Star Trek all the way (though Babylon 5 will always reign supreme!). Given all this, it should come as no surprise that Patrick is a huge advocate for AI, and always picks the green ending in Mass Effect 3.
Patrick navigates life by the credo ‘to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven’, and to ‘do unto others, as you would have others do unto you’. Ever striving towards perfection, Patrick hopes his experience in Scotland will bring new connections, both neural and social. His only regret is that he can't bring his spiritual predecessor and fellow eldritch being Gregg Morris along with him. But he'll bring him back a candy bar or two. Maybe some smut; we'll see. If you would like to contact Patrick, you can email him at PatrickTheActorLucas@gmail.com
"From the moment I understood the weakness of my flesh, it disgusted me. I craved the strength and certainty of steel"
-Magos-Dominus Reditus, Warhammer 40K: Mechanicus
Sofia Casey: AV2
Sofia Casey, from Battle Creek MI, is relentlessly passionate and creative; whether that be in fiber arts, sewing, playwriting, or acting- where her passion lies. She has been acting since she was 6- and her favorite shows include Hairspray Jr., Nunsense, and The Bad Seed.
Outside of theatre, she is heavily involved in the sustainability efforts in Detroit- where she attends Wayne State University studying Civil/Environmental Engineering. After graduation, she hopes to work within the government to develop more sustainable infrastructure- built on her empire made of collected Juno DVD’s.
Her favorite games are Minecraft, Scategories, and NERTZ (the best card game ever made).
“They don't let you do this if there's something wrong with you”
- Nathan Fielder
Jenny Wheeler Barnhart: AV3
Jenny Wheeler Barnhart is a Michigan based performer with a long history of jazz, ballet and tap dance which eventually lead to receiving a BA in theatre. Jenny has a strong connection with theatre, including meeting her best friend and roller coaster buddy during a production of Xanadu the Musical in which they played Calliope and Melpomene. Jenny has also had experience doing theatre growing up with her parents, and now performing with her children or spare children (who also pushed her to take this trip to Scotland). Her favorite shows have been West Side Story, playing Blind Pew in Treasure Island, and having the opportunity to tap dance as Oogie Boogie in Young Frankenstein: The Musical.
In her free time, Jenny enjoys more relaxing activities such as diamond paintings, reading, writing and tap dancing. She enjoys getting together with family and playing games such as Cards Against Humanity, Jack Box Games or Ticket to Ride. She is excited for this acting opportunity in a place she has always wanted to visit.
“The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live.”
-Buffy Summers
Bella Albarran: AV4
Izabella Albarran is an actress from Battle Creek, Michigan- and for most of her life, she has mostly stayed in the same place. Ever since she was convinced to do her first musical in 7th grade, she knew that theatre was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. As of recent, her most notable and favorite role she has played in a musical is Jane Seymour from SIX!, so she has at least some connection to The Fringe already. This show, along with all of her recent productions she has acted in, are all at community theatres in the Kalamazoo and Marshall, Michigan areas.
Bella has attended KCC for a year, but will be attending the American Music and Dramatic Arts Academy in the fall of this year. She attended AMDA’s summer program in 2024 and has been working towards actually attending, and finally will begin her journey to accomplishing her dream as an established musical theatre performer!
Outside of the theatre, Bella enjoys listening to music, painting, skiing, biking, and hanging out with her friends. Her favorite moments stem from the same people she spends time in the theatre with, and loves them all dearly. She also loves fashion and video games, both of which she can use as a creative outlet when the stage doesn’t quite fill that hole. Thrifting is one of her favorite hobbies as of now, and she constantly is visiting vintage markets and shops in the local area to find new bits and bobbles. Her favorite video game is called Stardew Valley, a cute farm game where you get to build your own farm and interact with the townspeople of the area you just moved to.
“Falling in love feels more like crashing
Stars spin around my head, so I’m asking
Will my worries ever melt away?
Run out of sentences to say?”
-Laufey
Maddy Haywood: AV5
Maddy Haywood is an actor, stage manager, & wig designer based in southwest Michigan. Since graduating with her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Michigan, she has been passionate about working in the arts.
She has been working on and off-stage since 2010, with her favorite show credits including Fiddler on the Roof (Golde), Anastasia: Youth Edition (stage manager/wig designer), and A Streetcar Named Desire (Ensemble). Maddy also works as a Grant Specialist and Box Office Manager.
Her favorite video game is Stardew Valley, and her hobbies include coloring and spending time with her pets. She wants to thank the entire cast and crew for their hard work; her mother, brothers, and her partner Jeramie for their continuous love and support; and you for supporting live theatre!
“Anyway, here’s Wonderwall”
-The Internet
Alex Wade Cole: AV6
Alex Wade Cole has grown up in the same house, on the same little farm, in the same village, in Michigan for all of his life. When he was younger he found that theatre and its community was the right fit for him, and he began doing shows regularly throughout middle/high school. In high school he directed, assistant directed, working on & backstage for his former middle school program called Masque. Once he graduated high school, he went to Grand Valley for a time, and starred in the show Puffs! at the Grand Rapids Community theatre. Once back from Grand Valley he began doing theatre in Kalamazoo & Marshall, MI and is currently prepping for Kalamazoo Civic theatre’s production of Camelot, as Mordred (when he’s not in Scotland). Overall, he has had involvement in over 45 productions in some shape.
Outside of the theatrical side of his life, he enjoys hiking, exploring, snowboarding, traveling, sight seeing, & anything to do with learning or talking about political or historical systems. He loves music, collects vinyl, and is learning how to play the electric bass. Anything ranging from 40s jazz to modern experimental, although he has recently been on a 70s kick. He also loves trains—more specifically steam locomotives and early British rail history. He has been known to watch the odd Thomas & Friends classic tv series episode every so often, and has quite the extensive collection towards the series. He collects old maps, swords, Lego, old clothing, & other odd bits & ends. His favorite game is Minecraft, with him enjoying designing and decoration in real life, too.
“Ain’t that just the way?”
-Greg, Over the Garden Wall
Nina Gillett: AV7
Nina Gillett has always gravitated toward bold, quirky, and big-hearted characters as a performer, and it shows in some of her favorite productions—including Firebringer, Xanadu, and our current run of Pando. Reprising her role in Pando for an international audience has been an unforgettable experience, and she’s thrilled to be bringing the story abroad. Whether she’s roller skating across the stage or chanting about fire, Nina brings humor and heart to every role she takes on.
Offstage, Nina enjoys time with others by bringing out her competitive spirit that comes out strongest during family Uno nights—especially when her daughter plays to win. She’s also a hockey fan who watches as many Red Wings or K-Wings games she can. Her interests range from theatre to being outside in nature, and she’s a big believer in the power of play, laughter, and well-timed sarcasm. She also enjoys helping others, especially when learning and creativity are involved. Her latest hobby is helping her partner work on houses. Her favorite bits of wisdom from Miss Taylor Allison Swift include “just because something is over doesn’t mean it wasn’t incredibly beautiful” and “I cry a lot but I am so productive. It’s an art.”
“Everything hurts and I’m dying.”
-Leslie Knope
Teri Noaeill: AV8
Teri Noaeill is the Executive Director of What A Do Theatre and the Artistic Director of The Music Center of South Central Michigan. A passionate advocate for the arts, Teri specializes in youth theatre and is committed to making theatre accessible to the Battle Creek community, where she was born and raised.
Her impact reaches across Michigan: Teri is a teaching artist for Wharton Center’s Disney Musicals in Schools program and an adjudicator for the Sutton Foster Awards, traveling throughout the state to support and celebrate high school theatre programs. In 2024, she was honored with Lakeview High School’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award. She was also selected for the Michigan Arts and Culture Council’s prestigious Rising Leaders cohort, recognizing her as an emerging voice in the state’s arts scene.
On stage, her favorite roles include Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire (which won Best Play at the Michigan Wilde Awards in 2016), Molly in Peter and the Starcatcher, Miep in The Diary of Anne Frank, and Cherie in Bus Stop. Bus Stop was the show that brought her back to the stage and ultimately launched her professional career in the arts. She is especially grateful to Brad Poer and their ongoing partnership building community theatre through What A Do and KCC.
Outside the theatre, Teri is a lover of classic card games and is an unapologetically competitive UNO player. Most of all, she loves spending time with her husband and daughters, and is endlessly thankful for their support as she takes on the opportunity of a lifetime—performing in Scotland at the world famous Fringe!
Garrett W. Martin: AV9
Garrett W. Martin is a playwright, craftsman and performer from Olivet, Michigan- where he fell in love with theatre. He has acted in several plays during high school- performing such roles as Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast, Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun, and Diego from State of Siege. He has also won several awards for his acting and stage crafting skills.
Recently he has been attending Kellogg Community College, where his passion for performance and stagecraft have been reignited. He played John Silver in Ken Ludwig's Treasure Island, Cinderella's Father in Into The Woods, as well as a few other smaller productions.
Outside of playwriting and acting, he works with the What A Do Theatre Company as a Production Assistant. He is also a husband and father of two. He enjoys camping, working out, writing, and studying various subjects to improve his crafts and hobbies.
His favorite games include Dungeons & Dragons, Ember Forge or any TTRPG, Bears vs Babies, Settlers of Catan, Dominion and the Fallout Series as far as video games go. His hobbies include building with Lego, fiddling with puppetry, and cooking.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"
-Wayne Gretzky [via Michael Scott]
Lisa Perez: HOST/P.F.
Lisa Perez is an actor and singer from Michigan, USA, where she has performed such roles as Alma Stossel in The Christmas Schooner, Cinderella’s Stepmother in Into the Woods, and Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown the Musical. She especially enjoyed her recent engagement as Celeste Fielding in Into the Breeches, a role that let her blend bold comedy with just the right dose of Shakespearean flair.
Lisa studied vocal music performance in college and still loves to sing, even if her day job took her in a very different direction—she currently works in data transformation for an international software company, where her theatre training comes in handy more often than you'd think.
Outside of work and the stage, Lisa is happiest near water (preferably Lake Michigan), spending time with her husband, family and dogs, tackling home improvement projects (she’s currently three years into a three-month renovation) or attending theatre and comedy shows. She’s a puzzle enthusiast who’s always up for a good challenge, and her favorite card game is euchre—though anything with logic and problem-solving is fair game.
Lisa is honored to share this heartfelt, funny, and resonant production with audiences in Scotland and beyond—and grateful for the community that brought it to life.
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been”
-George Eliot
Elijah Reed: PLAYER 1
Elijah Reed is an actor, artist and poet from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He’s previously performed in the original Pando 2024 cast, as well as KCC’s productions of Starkid’s Firebringer and the Rocky Horror Show. Eli’s favorite productions include Waitress and Hadestown, where he is a self admitted sucker for raw emotions and tragic romance.
Eli has a great love for film, writing poetry, and spending time with his family and loved ones. He also has a fascination with shipwreck history, and the horror film franchise: Final Destination. Eli’s passion for the strange and interesting shine through in his love for theatre, and dedication to authentic performance.
Eli’s favorite video game is Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, citing quirky voice acting and colorful character writing, as well as strange horse physics. Eli also loves playing card games such as Dominion, and has an extensive collection of Cards Against Humanity Cards.
“Picture a wave in the ocean. You can see it, measure it - its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through - and it's there, and you can see it, and you know what it is: it's a wave. And then it crashes on the shore and it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be for a little while. That's one conception of death for a Buddhist: the wave returns to the ocean, where it came from, where it's supposed to be.”
-Chidi Anagonye, The Good Place
Lauren Davis: PLAYER 1, 2
Lauren Davis is a 20-year old arts enthusiast. She is a photography and multimedia student at Kellogg Community College, where she has been awarded twice for her work. She is a newborn photographer with WelcomeNewborn during the day, and a fine art film photographer by night.
At the age of nine, she started performing onstage in We Are Monsters. She has worked with four different theatre companies and been in over 35 shows. Her favorite shows that she has been in are Newsies, Lion King, and High School Musical, and her dream role is Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd.
Her favorite game to play with her family is euchre. On the PS5, she loves to play GTA 5, Detroit: Become Human, and the South Park games. But her true favorite games are Detroit sports, particularly hockey, football, and baseball. Rather than spending her free time out with friends, Lauren can typically be found at home forcing her boyfriend to watch the Lions.
"Live your life how you want, but don't confuse drama with happiness."
-Ron Swanson, Parks and Rec
Kristina Keefer: PLAYER 1, 2
Kristina Keefer is a dynamic 25-year-old creative currently studying Computer-Aided Design (CAD) at Kellogg Community College. Though her academic focus is technical, Kristina thrives in artistic spaces—both onstage and off. Some of her favorite theatre credits include the irreverent and puppet-filled Avenue Q and the cult classic The Rocky Horror Show, where her passion for bold storytelling and offbeat humor shines.
When she’s not under stage lights, Kristina channels her boundless creativity into painting, writing, designing new products, and exploring expansive virtual worlds—Minecraft being her pixelated happy place. She’s also one of the minds behind the comedy sketch group What’s Up Next (@whatsup_next on YouTube), where she acts, writes, and films sketches that merge wit with weirdness. Her favorite food is whipped cream—yes, just whipped cream. With a love for the quirky, the heartfelt, and the ingeniously imaginative, Kristina brings her unique energy to every production she joins.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive”
-Howard Thurman
the STAFF
Brad Poer:
Script, Direction, SFX
Brad Poer has joyfully served as Theatre Professor/Program Coordinator at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, Michigan since 2011. A Georgia native with a BFA in Theatre Performance from Valdosta State University (‘94) and an MFA in directing from the University of Montana (‘06), Brad spends his days preaching the good that visual and performing arts bring to all students regardless of area of study. He then spends many evenings running rehearsals- as he has directed more than 25 productions at KCC since his tenure began. A late-bloomer to the playwrighting game, Pando is Brad’s first original script- following a contemporary adaptation of Sophocles’ Antigone (Antigone: Closure) which KCC produced in 2016. His pedagogy is aimed at helping both students and audiences connect the dots between art, context and understanding humanity- with a particular focus on the beauty that lies in how art is cobbled together in the 21st century. A theatre kid since the age of 6, he believes that the analog skills inherent in practicing theatre are more valuable than ever in our increasingly digital world. His tenure at KCC is his dream job- and he is eternally grateful for every day and night he’s spent there bringing people together. As a totally unexpected perk of the job, Brad has had the honor of officiating 3 separate weddings (with a 4th coming in September!) featuring folks he has directed at KCC over the years. He has thankfully presided over zero divorce proceedings caused by rehearsal processes thus far.
A shameless geek of many trades, Brad will gladly converse for hours about contemporary funk music, non-fiction graphic novels, automotive design, Calvin & Hobbes, YouTube video essays, acoustic guitars, and, as the existence of Pando suggests, video games. His favorite kinds of games are ones that offer enough freedom to spend time doing extremely immersive, innocuous tasks like leisurely walking and panning the camera around a game map like it’s an old E3 demo, designing endless sports team uniforms or buying groceries and gleefully obeying all traffic laws in Grand Theft Auto. He can also connect pretty much anything to the Star Wars franchise.
Brad and his amazing wife of 24 years (and fellow theatre kid/arts advocate) Nicki are constantly on the go transporting and supporting their two children Etta and Brogan- who are turning into theatre kids themselves for some completely unpredictable reason. This production is dedicated to Brad’s wife Nicki; and to the memory of his father- Bryard ‘Moose’ Poer. Thanks, Daddio.
“The wise man knows he knows nothing”
- Some Idiot
Jennifer M. Philp:
Technical Direction, THE VOICE
Jennifer M. Philp has been the Manager of the Binda Performing Arts Center at Kellogg Community College for the last 11 years. She holds a BA in Performing Arts from the Oakland University and an MFA in Lighting Design from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is excited to bring a group of students and community members to Scotland to experience the Fringe.
Jennifer is the current Board President for What A Do Theatre and is excited for community collaboration and future endeavors. In her free time, she enjoys going to see theatrical performances, reading, and hiking. She also volunteers with Kitten Konnection as a foster parent.
“...in theory”
- Jennifer Philp, when asked if one of Brad’s goofy ideas will work
the THANX
-Massive thanks and gratitude to our friends, family and loved ones for supporting us in preparing for this adventure- and holding down the fort while we’re across the pond.
-Many thanks go to our team of KCC administrative support staff and faculty who encouraged and helped us get here in so very many ways: Barbara Sudeikis, Emily Houldsworth, Michelle Wright, Kate Coplin, Tom DeVault, Dawn Larson, Dr. Gerald Blanchard, and Dr. Paul Watson.
-Lastly, huge love and gratitude go out to the WorldStrides/ICTF support team for all they’ve done to make this happen- especially to Ray Nedzel and our ‘abroad Mom’, Lee-Lee Lawless.
the LINKS
Kellogg Community College
KCC Theatre FB
KCC Theatre Instagram
KCC Theatre BlueSky
Licensing Inquiries: pandotheplay@gmail.com