Special Guest Stars

hqdefault

“To me, one of the most curious things about this piece is its wonderful afunctionalism.”

Alison Anderson
Appearances: Episode 61: I’m Making Air Quotes, People

Alison started on Doctor Who when she was 7 years old with the fourth Doctor. (He was also her first cosplay, when she was about 10 or 11 years old. When your first doc is Tom Baker and you have brown curly hair, it’s a natural choice.) It was an awkward time socially for little Alison as she tried to share her love of this great TV show and was met with bewilderment and confusion. But fortunately, everyone else has caught on to the fun now.

Colin Baker
Appearances: Episode 15: Civilized Gentlemen
The Sixth Doctor. ‘Nuff said.

Windy Bowlsby
Appearances: Episode 19: Mingle With The Mummies and Episode 20: Give That Man A Dickey

Windy’s first Doctor was Tom Baker, as is true of so many. She loved the scarf, she loved the coat, the loved the theme song so much she recorded it onto her little portable cassette recorder and played it in the parking lot so she could roller skate to it. Windy likes old and new Who, books, movies, roller derby, costumes, being on podcasts, and her 7-year-old’s jokes.  Windy is also the co-host of the Xanadu Cinema Pleasure Dome podcast.

Rob Callahan
Appearances: Minisodes 10, 11, 12: Get Off My Planet!

Rob Callahan started working as a journalist back in the Twentieth Century. He took a break for a few years to write novels, then came back in 2009 as an arts and culture writer. His work in journalism has garnered a Marconi award, Associated Press awards, and recognition from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. His next novel, Duplicity, will tell the story of an underachieving young professional temping for the Devil, who’s accidentally promoted to project manager over the impending apocalypse.

Shanan Custer
Appearances: Episode 21: Super Tall Angry R2D2

Shanan Custer is a veteran of the Brave New Workshop (where she performed from the reign of Jesse Ventura to the Bush and Kerry election). A writer, actor, teaching artist, director as well as an improviser, Shanan’s original work includes: 2 Sugars, Room for Cream (with Carolyn Pool), which won an Ivey Award for Best Ensemble in 2013, Mick Sterling Presents: At Christmas (with Jim Robinson) and From Here to Maternity (with Joshua English Scrimshaw). Shanan has performed with Casting Spell Productions, Park Square Theatre, History Theatre, Frank Theater, Theatre Pro Rata, Comedy Suitcase, Mu Performing Arts and The Mystery Café as well as directed productions at Theatre in the Round and Artistry of Bloomington Center for the Arts. Shanan is also an improviser with the Theater of Public Policy.

Scott Glancy
Appearances: Episode 17: Dice Rolls, Sandwiches and Emotional Journeys, Episode 18: Brought To You By Laserson Brand Laser Probes, and Episode 51: Not Quite a Joke So Much

In 1998 Adam Scott Glancy left a perfectly functional career as an attorney to join up with the role-playing game publisher Pagan Publishing, the nerd equivalent of running away to join the Foreign Legion. Today he is the man in charge of Pagan Publishing (much in the same sense that the last surviving legionnaire can be said to be in command of Fort Zinderhoff), and Pagan Publishing continues to bring the best of Lovecraftian horror to gaming tables around the world. He is a contributing author on the award-winning Delta Green series of supplements for the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game and has had Cthulhu Mythos fiction published in several short story collections, including the recent The Book of Cthulhu II, Shotguns v. Cthulhu and the upcoming Swords v. Cthulhu.

Ed Huyck
Appearances: Episode 13: There Are No Giant CrabsEpisode 14: Stan Laurel Becomes Human and Episode 21: Super Tall Angry R2D2

Ed Huyck’s night job is covering Twin Cities theater for City Pages, the Twin Cities’ alternative weekly. He’s also written for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer-Press, Lavender Magazine, Backstage, and a host of little newspapers in Minnesota and Wisconsin. When he isn’t engaged in sitting in the dark with strangers, Ed will gladly share his opinions on the best Doctor (Sylvester McCoy); which Star Trek movie works best as a sleep aid (Star Trek III); why China Miéville is the best active writer of science fiction and fantasy; and which Magic: The Gathering set is his favorite (Tempest).

Christopher Jones
Appearances: Episode 32: Stand There And Look Pretty and Episode 47: Plungers Up!

Christopher Jones has worked on comics including Young Justice, Batman ’66, The Batman Strikes!, Day of Judgement, Justice League Adventures, Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and more. He just finished sci-fi/fantasy graphic novel Also Known As by Tony Lee, and is currently working on Doctor Who: The Third Doctor with Paul Cornell for Titan Comics.

Pablo Jones
Appearances: Theme MusicEpisode 8: What The Hell Are We Supposed To Do With A Hat Rack? and Episode 21: Super Tall Angry R2D2

Pablo is a Minneapolis based singer-songwriter who has performed throughout the U.S. and released two full-length CDs: Vulgar Modalities (1998 Spiderbone Records) and Bitches and Machines (2001 Sursumcorda). His latest recording, Absolute Prophetic Weakness (2008 Spiderbone Records), was written and recorded over a seven day period and released exclusively online. Pablo has been described as a folk artist with a post-punk sensibility, a poet whose influences range from Lenny Bruce to Walt Whitman, an unnervingly honest crafter of obscene and eloquent anti-tunes. In 1999 he was voted “Best Acoustic Performer” by City Pages. Most recently, Pablo has performed with The Scrimshaw Brothers and has written music for several theatrical works by Jon Ferguson, as well as the modern dance group HIJACK. His website is here.

Melissa Kaercher
Appearances: Episode 19: Mingle With The Mummies, Episode 20: Give That Man A Dickey and Episode 61: I’m Making Air Quotes, People

Melissa is Queen of the Lizard People, co-host of the Xanadu Cinema Pleasure Dome podcast and is sometimes allowed to write her own biographies. She has learned to love bubble wrap.

Matt Kessen
Appearances: Episode 25: Lumpy and Unpleasant, Episode 30: Outhouse On a Pile of Dynamite, Episode 33: As Sphinctery As Possible, Episode 52: Pantsuit, Episode 53: South Pole Base of International Stereotypes and Episode 65: The Substitute Teacher

Matt Kessen is a writer, actor, dramaturg, producer, and all kinds of stuff like that, living in Minneapolis. He is a core member of Green T Productions and has recently worked with Comedy Suitcase and Fearless Comedy Productions. His ongoing magnum opus, Reverend Matt’s Monster Science, which is a smorgasbord of facts about monsters and also jokes, appears monthly at the Minneapolis Encyclopedia Show, at other times in other places, and online at revmattsmonsterscience.com. He’s not sure who his favorite Doctor is, but his favorite companion is Liz Shaw, and his favorite monster is the Silurians.

Jimmy LeDuc
Appearances: Episode 32: Stand There And Look Pretty

Jimmy LeDuc is a theatre teacher and artist based in Minneapolis. He has directed numerous productions including Mrs. Charles, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Bright Ideas, Celebrity Book Club, and Grey Gardens.  He has appeared in a variety of shows including Ragtime, The Rocky Horror Show, Corpus Christi, and Buzzy’s Clubhouse. He has been a longtime Whovian since he first turned on the original show as a child on the PBS station, WKNO, in Memphis, TN. He is a confessed geek who also loves many other forms of speculative fiction.

Wendy Padbury
Appearances: Bonus Episode 2: Wendy Padbury for President
The one and only Zoe Heriot!

Ariel Pinkerton
Co- host Ariel started as a frequent guest star on Get Off My World, making appearances in: Episode 10: Swimming Pools and Comedy NazisEpisode 16: Dystopian Fruit Machines, Episode 21: Super Tall Angry R2D2, Episode 34: Precipice Of Failure!, Episode 37: I Can So Picture Mel Wearing A Baggy Sweater With A Giant Saxophone With Jazz On It, Episode 49: Eaters Of Mars, Episode 60: Dr. Who and the Sackbut, Episode 61: I’m Making Air Quotes, People, Episode 62: Get the Cloister Bell Ready, Episode 63: I Tolerate This Century But I Don’t Enjoy It, Episode 64: You’re Gonna Get Dunked, Episode 65: The Substitute Teacher, Episode 67: Kids Love Murder, Episode 68: Hippie Sh*t! and Episode 69: It’s Okay for It to Just Happen Like That, and Episode 74: Running Around Getting Killed and Not Getting Killed.

During the day, Ariel Pinkerton (formerly Ariel Leaf) is a baker at the worker-run Hard Times Cafe. At night she is a freelance actress, lighting designer, director, playwright and overall theatrical ne’er-do-well. She is a company member of Freshwater Theatre and Wonderlust Productions, the co-artistic director of Fortune’s Fool and the sole proprietor of Mermaid Productions. A Whovian since she was 7, she is also a dice roller, board game player and chess fanatic.

Zhac Rahkonen
Appearances: Episode 61: I’m Making Air Quotes, People

Zhac discovered Doctor Who by accident when she went looking for Monty Python but found instead freakish monsters and a crazy guy with a extraordinarily long scarf and has been a fan of the show ever since. As a teen in the ’80s she was a member of the local Doctor Who fan club, a regular commentator on a fan-run BBS, and even got to meet Peter Davison, the Fifth Doctor at a Doctor Who convention. She was delighted when they rebooted the show and loves to introduce new fans to the Doctor every chance she gets.

Gabriela Santiago
Appearances: Episode 58: Weird Maximalism, Episode 59: It’s Actually Nonfiction and Episode 61: I’m Making Air Quotes, People

Gabriela Santiago is a writer, performer, and one of the people of color destroying science fiction and horror in People of Colo(u)r Destroy Science Fiction! and People of Colo(u)r Destroy Horror! Her work has also appeared in Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, GlitterShip, and others. You can find her on Twitter as @LifeOnEarth89 or at writing-relatedactivities.tumblr.com, or in person at various storytelling venues and open mics of the Twin Cities.

Brian Schomburg
Appearances: Episode 27: Street Hassle

Brian’s love of Doctor Who may have no limits. For starters, he has tried to watch the unofficial P.R.O.B.E. spinoffs. During the day he leads a fantastically talented group of graphic designers in making Fantasy Flight Games look pretty. At night he can be seen playing games of all types or just going to bed early. Brian’s bucket list includes trying to watch all televised Doctor Who ever made and he has only twenty-three serials/stories left. He doesn’t have a website or anything to ballyhoo.

Aaron English Scrimshaw
Appearances: Episode 66: What Did You Do, Josh?

Aaron is the offspring of Joshua English Scrimshaw and is currently working toward a theater major. His mania for classic Doctor Who is only surpassed by his love for Big Finish. He’s never quite been able to pin down his favorite Doctor: It’s a three way tie between 6, 7, and 8 at the moment. Aaron recently dragged his girlfriend through The Trial of a Time Lord; she countered by making him read all 8,000 pages of Homestuck. Nerd justice was served.

Joseph Scrimshaw
Appearances: Episode 15: Civilized GentlemenEpisode 34: Precipice Of Failure, Episode 49: Eaters Of Mars, Episode 60: Dr. Who and the Sackbut and Episode 69: It’s Okay for It to Just Happen Like That.

Joseph Scrimshaw is a comedian and writer based in Los Angeles. He’s appeared at the San Francisco SketchFest, w00tstock, headlined the Jonathan Coulton Cruise, and appeared on Geek & Sundry’s TableTop. His writing credits include the movie riffing site RiffTrax, the radio show Wits (where he wrote sketches for Paul F. Tompkins, Dave Foley, Neil Gaiman), and more. Joseph’s podcast Obsessed is part of Feral Audio and has been listed as a Staff Favorite in comedy on iTunes. His latest comedy album Flaw Fest was released in 2013. John Hodgman said, “I am glad Joseph Scrimshaw has the power of thought and audible speech, or else this very funny album would not exist.”

The Sevateem
Appearances: Episode 38: Making the Celestial Toymaker Face, Episode 39: Sad Lava Monster Ballad, Episode 47: Plungers Up!, Episode 52: Pantsuit and Episode 58: Weird Maximalism

Christian Erickson and Janey Winterbauer are a boring married couple living in South Minneapolis. Christian grew up a hardcore Doctor Who nerd—even receiving a mock “Doctor Who Award” from his high school for being an incredible sci-fi dork. Janey, on the other hand, grew up in the theater doing much cooler things at CTC and other venues. The two met playing in electronic pop band Astronaut Wife at the turn of the millennium. Since the breakup of that band in the mid-2000s, Janey has become a ubiquitous voice in local music, lending her pipes to bands like The New Standards, The Suburbs and The Twilight Hours. She was also vocalist/cast member of MPR’s radio variety show “Wits.” For his part, Christian has tried desperately to pretend he is as talented as Janey by fronting a rock band, making beats and music videos and convincing his wife to be the “better half” of the music duo The Sevateem. The two recently fulfilled a lifelong dream of Christian’s by releasing The Caves, a concept album based entirely on the classic episode The Caves of Androzani.

Bill Stiteler
Appearances: Episode 35: Cheese of the Doctor

Bill Stiteler is a Twin Cities writer and director. He can be heard on the Aging Poorly podcast and also as the sidekick to his wife on the Birdchick podcast.

Jeff Tidball
Appearances: Episode 42: I Deny This Reality and Episode 43: All Future Humans Suck

Jeff Tidball is a game writer, designer, and producer, as well as the Chief Operating Officer of Atlas Games. He co-wrote (with Will Hindmarch) Eternal Lies for Trail of Cthulhu, which won an ENnie for Best Adventure. Other designs include the Origins Award–winning pirate coin game Pieces of Eight, the Fantasy Flight Games edition of Horus Heresy, and Doctor Who: Time Clash. In marginally related nonsense, he published the social mini-game Band or Album with Kenneth Hite. Visit Jeff online here; on Twitter, he’s @jefftidball.

The Unaffiliated Critic
Appearances: Series 8 Special: We Name You The Boneless!Episode 4: Old Guy Walking, Episode 21: Super Tall Angry R2D2, Episode 48: An Impossible Stack of Nonsense, Episode 54: Engineered Weepiness and Episode 55: Don’t Talk About Our Honeymoon

The Unaffiliated Critic, also known as Michael McDunnah, is a recovering lit major, freelance writer, pop-culture junkie, and—as of 2011—lay critic. (In his mild-mannered secret identity, he also has a real job, but that’s not important.) He lives in Chicago, with his wise-assed, longtime girlfriend “N,” who is known as The Unenthusiastic Critic.  You can read Michael’s film and television reviews (including Doctor Who) here and listen to his podcast here.

Tim Uren
Appearances: Episode 17: Dice Rolls, Sandwiches and Emotional Journeys, Episode 18: Brought To You By Laserson Brand Laser Probes and Episode 52: Pantsuit

Tim Uren has been an actor, director, playwright, improvisor, and comedian in the Twin Cities for over twenty years. He’s the devious mind behind Ghoulish Delights and every year he helps to bring the Twin Cities Horror Festival to life. He recently appeared in Theatre Pro Rata’s production of The Illusionand directed Shadow Horse Theater’s production of American Midget. Tim also writes and designs for board games and card games, and would probably love to share a game night with you.

Eric Webster
Appearances: Episode 52: Pantsuit

Eric Webster has been an actor, producer and writer for stage, radio and television for 25 years. Onstage credits include the Guthrie Theater, Park Square Theatre, Artistry Theater, Workhaus Collective, Paul Bunyan Playhouse, and Pioneer Place Theater. He is also a Theater Teaching Artist for the Guthrie Theater, Centennial Middle School, Avalon Charter School and the History Theater. He is the creator of the original radio theater drama Shades Brigade and co-host of The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Podcast.

Levi Weinhagen
Appearances: Episode 6: You’re A Beautiful Woman Probably

Levi Weinhagen is a writer, performer, theater maker, and educator. He’s the co-founder of the all-ages production company Comedy Suitcase and was named an Artist of the Year by City Pages in 2012. Levi is the host and producer of the podcast Pratfalls of Parenting, which was named 2012 Best of the Cities by Minnesota Monthly magazine. The show features conversations with creative folks about the relationship between being creative and being a parent. Levi co-produces and regularly appears in the monthly variety show “The Encyclopedia Show” in Minneapolis. He also writes about art, creativity, failure, and fatherhood on his personal blog, leviweinhagen.com.

Clarence Wethern
Appearances: Episode 12: I Wish They’d Touch Me MoreEpisode 14: Stan Laurel Becomes Human and Episode 21: Super Tall Angry R2D2

Dubbed an “Artist We Love” by Minnesota Monthly, Clarence Wethern is a Minneapolis-based actor who has become a fixture in Twin Cities theatre and film since relocating from his hometown of New Orleans in 2005. He has worked with such theatres as Park Square, Pillsbury House, Illusion, Old Log, Workhaus Collective, Theatre Pro Rata, and Walking Shadow, among others. Clarence has appeared in numerous independent films, including the dark, near-future sci-fi rom-com feature 2021 and award-winning shorts such as “Dinner Date” and “Vows.” Currently Clarence is filming the indie feature Twin Cities and will appear in the third season of the web series Theater People. Follow him on Twitter @cwethern.

Ray Winninger
Appearances: Bonus Episode 1: Ray Winninger In Genesis Of The Nerdery

Ray Winninger has been a professional game designer for thirty years now. In addition to Doctor Who, he worked on Dungeons & Dragons, Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel Superheroes, Torg, DC Heroes, Descent, and many others. He’s the creator of the cult favorite Underground RPG. Ray’s also worked on video games and consumer technology for Sony, Viacom, Palm, Microsoft, and HTC.

Laura Zabel
Appearances: Episode 52: Pantsuit

Laura Zabel is an actor and executive director of Springboard for the Arts. She is a frequent speaker on arts and community development at convenings such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, Urban Land Institute and Americans for the Arts. She was a 2014 Bush Foundation Fellow, was named one of the 50 most influential people in the U.S. Nonprofit Arts, and received the 2012 Visionary Leader award from the MN Council of Nonprofits.