AHRO Healthy Kids Team
Hello Friends and hearty congratulations to our fabulous cast of Rideout Healthy Kids actors and technicians!
To stay abreast of our efforts, we invite you to visit us online atRideout Healthy Kids Facebook.
Performers
Lydia Crist (Performer/Technician)
Lydia is a Yuba-Sutter native and well known to local audiences for her many starring roles with the FCS Players of Yuba City, as well as her work as a Children’s Theatre Associate Director. A member of the Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids since 2017, Lydia is currently on “sabbatical” while she attends George Fox University in Oregon as a Theatre Arts and Ministry major – but rejoins the team – partnering with her dad, Floyd Crist one of our Lead Technicians – in bringing the message of health, hope and healing to Yuba-Sutter kids and their families!
Shong Justy Her (Performer/Technician)
Shong is thrilled to be a part of Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids as a Performer and Technician. Justy is an aspiring actor that just started his exciting pursuit of the acting life in the summer of 2018. His first venture into the world of acting was as a student at Studio 24 in Folsom, CA, where he enjoyed it so much that after learning all the basics, he went on to audition for and then landed a handful of roles to add to his resume. Now Justy has decided to return to school to get his Theatre Arts degree to assist in his goal of making a name for himself. Justy also performs and works at Yuba College and keeps his days busy with his 2 beautiful kids and his wife.
Lauren Mattos (Assistant Director/Tour Manager/Performer/Scriptwriter)
After a several year “sabbatical” from performing onstage, Lauren Mattos returned to the stage as a Performer, Technician and Assistant Director of Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids in Fall of 2018. Lauren is well known to Northern California audiences as a performer and children’s theatre director and has also served communities in bringing and championing good health as an Ophthalmic Technician as well as pursuing her own health and fitness goals in competitive fitness training. As a wife and the mother of three VERY active boys, Lauren is excited to help bring the message of health, having a positive body image and “being the light” to audiences of all ages!
Joseph Moye (Performer/Technician)
Joseph is well known to Yuba-Sutter audiences and young children. Joe has been active in the community in our local theaters and public events as an actor, director, musician and Master of Ceremonies. Joe is also a Children’s Performer under the Nom de Plume “Sideshow Joe” and has worked in education as a teacher and a director in our local preschools. Joe is on the Board of Directors for the Sutter Performing Arts Association, where they are currently renovating the Sutter Theater in Downtown Yuba City and Joe is a host on the local Art Radio Today program on 93.3 FM on Sundays at 4:00pm. Currently, Joe is a contractor with The Families Learning in Play program with the Playzeum and lives with his Llama Mama in Law and his wife Lori in Yuba City. Joe is excited to be starting his journey with the Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids Team! Eat Healthy, Move Healthy! Be Healthy!
Alec Reische (Performer/Technician)
Alec has been an ARHK team member for 3 years and has numerous credits as an actor and technician as well as serving as assistant director of children’s theatre productions. Alec combines his passion for healthy living choices in his current “role” as an Environmental Engineering university student as well as being a third generation member of a Northern California walnut farming family – you might say Alec is “nuts about good health!”
Hailey Warta (Performer/Technician)
Hailey recently returned to the Yuba Sutter area for her 5th tour with Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids – Hailey began working with ARHK as a high school student through a school-work-community service internship program! Born and raised in Yuba City with extensive credits as a performer and children’s theatre assistant director, Hailey trained at Studio 24, The Beverly Hills Playhouse and recently graduated from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York where she studied Theatre, Film and Television. Hailey currently works with Cast Images Talent Agency and plans to continue working in theatre, film and casting in the “Golden State.” Hailey is elated to combine her love for youth and passion for the arts in her role with Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids!
Technical and Production Staff
Larry Badger (Technical Director, Asst. Tour Manager)
In his 4th year with ARHK, Larry Badger has been involved in theatre, technical theatre and audio production since high school. A life-long journalist and former newspaper editor, Larry is owner of Joyful Sound audio production company and has served as sound designer for many Northern California theatre companies, as well as producing weekly live-streaming broadcasts for the First United Methodist Church in Yuba City. Larry’s support, mentoring and encouragement of many Yuba-Sutter-Colusa young artists has been an amazing asset to thousands of young people and their families.
Kurt Baird, (Technician/Videographer)
In his 2nd year with Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids, Kurt is another well-known and highly regarded member of the Yuba-Sutter artistic community! An Air Force veteran, Kurt has also served our region in television, radio and as a recognized videographer – as well as being an award-winning bagpiper and member of the City of Sacramento’s regionally recognized pipe band! Kurt’s rendition of Amazing Grace has “graced” many, many local gatherings and events – and his wish is for continued grace and growth among Yuba-Sutter families in their health and well-being!
Floyd Crist (Lead Technician)
In his third year with Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids, Floyd came to the team when his daughter Lydia was one of ARHK’s lead performers! Lydia is now studying theatre at George Fox University in Oregon (and rejoins ARHK when back on breaks!) and Floyd continues to “let his light shine” as a key member of our tech team. Floyd also serves as facilities and maintenance lead at Faith Christian School in Yuba City and his wife Lynn teaches kindergarten in Yuba City as well. The Crist family’s commitment to health, education, the arts and well being for young people and their families is an inspiration to many!
Anne DeMeritt (Costumer, Support Staff)
Anne has served as a vital supporter of Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids since its inception in 2013, as mom to Lindsay and Lauren and as Nana/babysitter to their children while they were out performing – not to mention being the grace and anchor of the DeMeritt family and her husband, Paul, our founding director. Anne has worked in children’s theatre and elementary education for her entire career, is an Elly-award winning costume designer and loves helping kids and their families learn about healthy living – and being mom and Nana to her 4 children (plus their spouses) and 13 grandchildren!
Fred Kirchubel (Asst. Tour Manager/Technician)
In his second year with Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids, Fred is retired from a 50 year career as a television producer, director, writer in the Yuba-Sutter area as well as the greater San Francisco Bay Area; he and his wife Joy created and produced the nationally distributed elementary school art instruction series “Art with Joy.” Fred believes that giving children the basic knowledge of good health at an early age will help them develop healthy habits that will lead to a productive and happy life and is happy to be back with ARHK for his 2nd year.
Lindsay Roberts (Assistant Director/Tour Manger/Scriptwriter)
Lindsay is well known to Yuba-Sutter audiences and young performers. An alumnus of Faith Christian High School, a Summa Cum Laude graduate from Bethany University of Santa Cruz and with vocal training from Yuba-Sutter’s renown Joaquina Calvo Johnson, Lindsay has been able to perform and direct in a variety of different venues including as an actress for the Walt Disney Company at the Disneyland theme park and with Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids since its inception. Lindsay is also an experienced arts educator and director and has taught music and theatre at schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Yuba-Sutter community. Currently, Lindsay serves as director of Theatre Arts for Twin Lakes Christian School in Aptos, California; in addition, she keeps busy raising three beautiful children with her husband Aaron. Lindsay is thrilled to be a part of the Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids Team and to have the opportunity to share the important message of health and wellness with the young people of the Yuba Sutter community!
Paul DeMeritt – (Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids Founding Director/Program Coordinator)
An award winning theatre director, designer and choreographer, special projects/special events consultant and leader in the arts and culture in Northern California for over 40 years, Paul brings a wide range of credentials and life-experience to Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids. From a background in missions and pastoring, Paul served as Founding Director and Director of Theatre Arts of the FCS Players at Faith Christian School in Yuba City for 25 years, retiring in 2018; prior to that role, Paul was Director of Theatre Arts at Bethany University in Santa Cruz for 9 years and he has served as a theatre teacher, director, designer and mentor for artists of all ages, from elementary to adult. Paul’s background in the Yuba-Sutter community includes directing Beckwourth Frontier Days and special project consulting work with the Appeal-Democrat and numerous community groups, events and organizations. Paul also serves as leader team member on a regional and national level with men’s support groups and ministries. Paul and his wife Anne (an ARHK tech support team member) live in Yuba City, have 4 children (plus their spouses) and 13 grandchildren! Paul and Anne are so grateful to be part of the Adventist and Rideout Healthy Kids Team and for the privilege of helping to bring a joyous message of health, well-being and hope to young people and their families throughout our region and beyond!