2016 Interns
Steve Looten - Head Intern
Steve Looten, Jr. is a fight director in the Twin Cities area, currently working on Human Combat Chess with Six Elements Theatre and Macbeth with Chameleon Theatre Circle. He is a veteran of outdoor drama, where he began learning knife, saber, tomahawk, and rifle techniques - eventually studying eight more years and becoming an Advanced Actor/Combatant with the SAFD. Steve has attended and been on staff for multiple regional/national workshops and also coordinates Destruction in Decatur: a two-SPT intensive in January, hosted by Millikin University. Steve holds a BA in Theatre from SIUC and occupies his free time with nerdy things and brilliant friends.
Chris Marchand
Chris Marchand is a performer based in the Minneapolis area. Chris has been a performer at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival since 2000 and involved with Six Elements Theater's Human Combat Chess Match as a performer since 2012 and choreographer since 2015. Chris has been studying and performing stage combat for 13 years and is currently recognized as an Actor Combatant by the Society of American Fight Directors.
Tom Ringberg
Bio coming soon!
Matt Herndon
Matt Herndon (Intern) is an Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and a fight choreographer based in Bloomington, IN. A Central Illinois Stage Combat Workshop alumnus and a former intern for the Winter Wonderland Workshop, Matt is very excited to work with the northernmost members of the SAFD. Favorite choreography credits include Dead Man Walking (Indiana University Opera and Ballet Theater), The Lieutenant of Inishmore (University Players), She Kills Monsters (Bloomington Playwrights Project), Oleanna (Ivy Tech Theatre), and the short films Born Again and Caligo.
Jess Cashion
Jessica Cashion is a Basic Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. She is a 2015 graduate of Truman State University in Missouri. Jess has earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Athletic Training as well as a Bachelor’s of Arts in Theatre. She has a passion for studying body movement and has over 1,000 hours of hands-on observation for Truman’s athletic practices and games for her athletic training studies. She has conducted published research on how exercise dependence affects individuals in various academic majors and is interested to continue this research as it relates to theatre. Jess enjoys performing and has recently discovered the magical world of stage combat. Over the last few years, Jess has helped choreograph and has been a fight director for a few shows, including Twelfth Night, Translations, and She Kills Monsters. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Theatre at Louisiana Tech University and aspires to become a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors.