Christopher Carlos, Co-Artistic Director

Chris Carlos is delighted to be a Co-Artistic Director at Kitchen Dog Theater, where he has directed and acted in over 45 productions since 1995. Before coming to Kitchen Dog Theater, Chris was a founding member and Managing Director of the award-winning Actors' Stock Company where he produced, directed, designed, and/or acted in over 30 productions. He has also appeared at Dallas Theater Center, Theater Three, Teatro Dallas, Shakespeare Festival of Dallas, Actors' Theater, The Lean Theater, New Arts Theater, Stage #1, Moonstruck Theater Company, and The Gryphon Players. He has toured the continental US, Alaska and parts of Canada with The Nebraska Theater Caravan. Chris has directed productions for Alley Theater in Houston, Theater Three, Dallas Theater Center, Junior Players, Texas Worldwide Television, Young Audiences, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dallas, Voices Unsilenced, Project Discovery, and The Versatile Theater. He is a member of Actors Equity Association and is represented by The Horne Agency.

Tina Parker, Co-Artistic Director & Company Manager

Tina Parker, a native Texan, is a graduate of the Division of Theatre at Southern Methodist University, where she studied both acting and directing. She currently serves as the Co-Artistic Director and Company Manager at Kitchen Dog Theater. Active with the company since 1993, she has been directly involved, as an actor, director, or designer, with over 58 Kitchen Dog Theater productions. Her work has also been seen at the Dallas Theater Center, Junior Players, Shakespeare Dallas, WaterTower Theatre, Undermain Theatre, and the Arts and Letters Live Reading series. Tina has appeared in many film and TV projects, including recent roles in MINARI and WHAT/IF, as well as a recurring role on the award-winning BETTER CALL SAUL. Over the years, she has received many acting and directing awards from Dallas/Ft. Worth Critics Forum, Leon Rabin Awards, D Magazine and The Dallas Observer. Tina is active member of SAG/AFTRA. 

Tim Johnson, Managing Director

Tim Johnson’s first show with Kitchen Dog was thirty years ago and he joined the Artistic Company in 1997.  In 2011, Tim joined the staff as Development Manager and he stepped into the position of Managing Director in 2014.  His work as a director, writer, performer and producer has received numerous honors from the Rabin Awards, DFW Theater Critics' Forum and a variety of media outlets.  Prior to Dallas, Tim was Founder/Artistic Director of The Collective in Chicago and Artistic Director of the Brazos River Arts Council in Sealy, Texas. In Dallas, he was formerly the Director of Performance for The McKinney Avenue Contemporary (The MAC) and an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas. He holds a BFA in Theater from Southern Methodist University and an MFA from Naropa University.

Straton Rushing, Administrative Coordinator

Straton Rushing is a theatremaker, playwright, and educator originally from Sonora, Texas. Recent playwriting honors include the 2022 Bela Kiralyfalvi Playwriting Award, the 2022 Hear Me Out Golden Ear Award, Runner-Up for the 2024 McNerney Playwriting Prize, finalist in the 2023 ATHE Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting Award, and an Honorable Mention in the 2022 William Faulkner Literary Competition. His plays have been featured at numerous professional theatres, colleges and schools around the USA, Canada and India. Since 2017, he has been a writer and collaborator with Fort Worth’s SceneShop. Prior to joining Kitchen Dog, worked as the Sales & Marketing Director at Theatre Arlington. Straton holds degrees in Theatre and Philosophy from the University of Texas at Arlington. He received his MFA in Dramatic Writing at Arizona State University where he was recognized as an Outstanding Graduate for Excellence and Innovation in Creative Practice. Straton is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America.  

Rhonda Boutté

Claire Carson

Vicki Caroline Cheatwood

Cameron Cobb

Clare Floyd DeVries

John M. Flores

Lee George

Jenny Ledel

Ruth Stephenson

Jamal Sterling

Drew Wall

Sam McKenney

Christopher Carlos

Tim Johnson

Wolford McCue

Elizabeth Scott