BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Darren Smith
vICE-President
He/Him
Darren serves as president as well as technical director for And Toto too, Darren is responsible for the technical operations of the theater, determining technical staffing and equipment requirements for productions, and acts as the central coordinating point for the designers, the stage management team, the craftspeople, etc. – throughout each production. With more than 30 years of experience both on-stage and in almost every capacity behind the scenes, Darren brings a wealth of ideas and best practices to And Toto too.
Darren is not, despite what a 'vanity search' on the internet may lead you to believe, an editor and writer specializing in travel directories and feature magazine stories, an Australian rugby league player, the 1997 World Irish Dancing Champion, a football player for the Grand Valley State University Lakers, a new age composer living in Texas, or a Christian comedian and illusionist. He lives in Denver with his wife, sons, and their two dogs, and is also the co-founder of the leading B2B customer reference company Point of Reference.
MICHELLE OTANEZ
Secretary
She/Her
Michelle Otanez has worked with And Toto too Theatre Company as a graphic designer since 2010. In 2016, Michelle joined the board and continues to assist with creative design work for And Toto too. As a board member, she is a firm believer in arts-based projects that convey meaning and communicate ideas in thoughtful ways. She values the connection between personal meaning and external context, drawing on her cross-cultural competencies developed through her university training and travels to Nigeria, Malawi, the Netherlands, Italy and Ecuador. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Michelle completed a baccalaureate degree in Fine Art at San Francisco State University, with an emphasis in painting and drawing. In 2008 she moved to Denver where she lives with her husband and sons Declan (age 12) and Wole (age 10).
Susan lyles
FOUNDER/TREASURER
She/Her
Susan Lyles is the founder of the Denver, Colorado based not-for-profit, And Toto too Theatre Company. The inspiration for the company had been cultivated throughout her acting career, which began during her teenage years. Prior to creating And Toto too, Susan signed with Farrell Talent Management in 2001, providing her inroads where she appeared in several national commercials, industrials and local productions such as: Seuss, Seuss, Seuss with Memory Productions, The Food Chain with the Theatre Group and Accomplice with Conundrum State Productions.
Before relocating to Denver, Susan spent many years acting for the Wichita Center for the Arts, Wichita Community Theatre, The Wichita Summer Theatre and spent four years as a Selma Miller Theatre Scholar. Susan's Wichita credit includes: Rita in Pump Boys and Dinettes, Iphigenia in The Greeks and Popeye in the Miss Fire Cracker Contest, for which she was nominated for an Irene Ryan Scholarship Award providing recognition, honor and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education.
During her acting career, Susan spent six years in Chicago where she produced her first shows under the name of And Toto too. Susan has produced two original one acts that ran for four weeks and was produced for a budget of $330. To pay the bills, Susan worked for LaSalle National Bank, part of the ABN AMRO Banking Network, where she managed multi-million dollar accounts, affording her the necessary finance and business experience.
Susan graduated from Wichita State University with a BA in Speech Communications with an emphasis in Theatre Performance and was a board member and director with MJM Productions. Additional credits include the 1980's teen slasher film, Night Screams, Casting Antigone and Uncovering the Truth about Jesus. Susan also studied at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She is also the producer and owner of Ruff, Ruff Dog Productions, LLC an award winning film production company whose films include, Blameless, Susy McPhail; Adventures in Real Estate, Somewhere around the Corner, and Hytte.
Madison Kuebler
Board Member
(She/Her)
Madison is so excited to be back home in the theatre world and is honored to be working with And Toto too for the Queer Reading Series. She's worked as a sound designer, actor, and director for various companies in Denver over the last 10 years. She has a BA in Theatre from Metropolitan State University with a Minor in Women's Studies and is very passionate about telling stories from and about the Queer and LGBTIA+ community. She works in Death Care and currently works for a company passionate about conserving land to create eco-friendly memorial forests. She is also a certified Death Doula.