Biography

"I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart."   - Vincent Van Gogh

Travis Kendrick-Castanho is a professional director, choreographer, educator, and arts leader. Currently, he is the Manager Of Produced Theatre and Theatre Education at Midland Center For The Arts in Midland, Michigan. Prior to that, he served as the Director of Education at Mill Mountain Theatre and Visiting Faculty Member for both Hollins University and Virginia Tech. He received his MFA in Directing from the University Of California-Irvine in 2016 and his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Point Park University in 2008.

Travis was born in Hopewell, Virginia, and grew up singing in choir and playing in the band at school. He was first on stage at five years old, playing the title role in Peter Rabbit for his kindergarten musical. In middle and high school, Travis gained invaluable experience performing in a myriad of plays and musicals at the Fort Lee Playhouse. It was there that he found his love of the theatre, and that he realized he would be a lifelong theatre artist. When he was fifteen, he was in his first regional theatre production, playing Enoch Snow Junior in Carousel at Virginia Rep in Richmond, Virginia.

Travis knew he wanted to pursue musical theatre in college, and was accepted into Point Park University's Conservatory of Performing Arts, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. While at university, Travis studied directing, and was one of only four students accepted into the Advanced Directing Program. He is a founding member of the Experimental Theatre Project at Point Park, a theatre ensemble geared towards collaborating to create exciting new works in the arts. Travis had an active role in many projects with ETP, and he and artistic collaborator Ashley Laverty co-wrote the book and lyrics to DOTTY DOT: A Children's Musical. It had a staged reading and workshop production with Experimental Theatre Project, toured local elementary schools in Pittsburgh, and then premiered in NYC at The Secret Theatre - a production that was extended and ran for over a year.

Upon graduating from Point Park, Travis moved to New York City, and has worked both in NYC and regional theatre across the country. He was a company member at the Roxy Regional Theatre for two seasons, performing in numerous productions; founding and teaching musical theatre dance for the Roxy Regional School Of The Arts program; and serving as director, assistant director, and choreographer for many productions.

In the fall of 2013, Travis moved to southern California to begin his studies at the University of California - Irvine, pursuing his Masters Of Fine Arts in Directing. At UCI, he directed Baby The Musical, Fifth Of July, Oleanna, The Tempest, The Happy Journey To Trenton And Camden, Blood Wedding, Reverberation, and Evita.

Travis served as the Director of Education for Mill Mountain Theatre, an Equity Regional Theatre in Roanoke, Virginia, for over four and a half years, where he taught a variety of classes in musical theatre, acting, and dance and served as Director of the Apprentice Program and Internship Program. Some MMT directing credits include: Spring Awakening, A Christmas Story, Mamma Mia, Next To Normal, Shrek The Musical, The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow, Romeo & Juliet, The Jungle Book, The Little Lion, Patchwork, The Christmas Cup, A Simple Gift, Willy Wonka Jr., and Best Of Broadway: The Songs Of The 2000s, among others. As Visiting Faculty Member for Hollins University and Virginia Tech, Travis has taught Music Theatre Techniques, Viewpoints, Music Theatre Styles Dance, Contemporary Scene Study, Acting Dynamics, Musical Theatre Capstone, and Directing.

In August of 2018, Travis directed and choreographed Spring Awakening at Los Angeles's Lounge Theatre for Me+You Productions. He was nominated for Best Director for LA's Robby Awards and the production won Best Musical. The Roanoker Magazine named Travis as part of the Class of 2020 for the 40 Under 40 Awards, honoring "the dynamic young professionals who work tirelessly to affect positive change and enhance the community." In November of 2020, Travis was nominated for BroadwayWorld Central Virginia's Arts Educator Of The Decade. Several of the noteworthy productions he directed and choreographed were nominated as well, including Next To Normal and Spring Awakening for Best Production Of A Musical Of The Decade and A Christmas Story, Spring Awakening, and Mamma Mia for Best Ensemble Of The Decade.

Travis is the Manager Of Produced Theatre And Theatre Education for Midland Center For The Arts, serving as Artistic Director and Producer of Center Stage Theatre and Youth Theatre programs. Midland Center Credits include:  The Sparrow (Director/Choreographer), The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow (Director), Seussical (Choreographer), and The SpongeBob Musical (Director/Choreographer).

Travis is humbled and full of gratitude for the people along the way that have supported and shaped him into the theatre artist he is today, and the rich and varied experiences that have given him his distinct vision and voice.