Benjamin Monrad

A 1999 graduate of ASU with a B.A. in Theatre ­ Acting Emphasis, Ben has acted and designed sound for many plays in the Valley, and in Dublin, Ireland. Ben had worked with Ron for years before founding Stray Cat -- from ASU (Terminal Bar - Dwayne, sound) to Planet Earth (Shopping and Fucking - Mark, sound; Polaroid Stories - sound), back to ASU (Electropuss - sound), and a few places in between (Closer with The Upstairs Theatre Company - Dan, sound; Pterodactyls with InMixed Company - sound).

In addition to integral behind-the-scenes involvement in each Stray Cat production, Ben has designed sound for nearly all of Stray Cat's productions and acted in The Laramie Project, Hysteric Studs, Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange, and (after a nearly 3-year break) the 07-08 season opener A Number.

Professional sound designs include Arsenic and Old Lace for Victoria Holloway and Rumors for Graham Whitehead at Phoenix Theatre, The Real Thing, Augusta, and The Pursuit of Happiness for Actors Theatre, and several others for Childsplay, ASU, and Theater Works.

Ben covers his share of the mortgage with wife Amanda (and not-so-stray cat Finnegan) as a full-time Systems Management specialist for the Kyrene School District and on call as a consultant for many individuals and a few small businesses and other organizations around the Valley including Childsplay and The Grace Museum of America in Cave Creek.