ABOUT US
The Rigby Theater Company, founded in 2024, is a theater company led by High School & college-age student artists from around the Tucson Area, dedicated to giving the voices of student playwrights the stage to have their ideas workshopped and celebrated.
THE PRODUCTIONS
LONG WAY HOME - An original play with music, 9/10 - 12, 2026
SIZZLE! - A neofuturist-inspired variety show, 7/2 - 3, 2026
YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS SHOWCASE 2025, Featuring "THE PERFECT BLEND" & "LIFE ITSELF", 11/28 - 29, 2025
DEATH DO US PART - An original western musical, 8/7 - 8, 2025
BRUISERS - An original song cycle featuring songs written by various Tucson students, 3/1 - 2, 2025
YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS SHOWCASE 2024 - Featuring "CAROLINE LANE" &"SPIRAL", 10/4 - 5, 2024
THE PEOPLE
Sylas Smith (President) is a 16 year old Junior at University High School. As a child, Sylas became infatuated with film and music and has been acting since 2017. Around town, Sylas has starred in roles such as SpongeBob in SPONGEBOB THE MUSICAL, Tobias in SWEENEY TODD: SCHOOL EDITION, Mad Hatter in ALICE BY HEART, and Scarecrow in THE WIZARD OF OZ. He was also the recipient of Arts Express' 2025 Best Up and Coming Actor award. When he's not on the stage, you'll find Sylas playing guitar and piano, hanging out with Jacob Toole and friends, or watching movies at your local Cinemark. This year, Sylas plans to continue his studies of film and music while maintaining his academic vigor at UHS, and is incredibly excited for the boundless opportunities at the Rigby Theater Company in the year to come.
rigbytheater@gmail.com | @mr_pro_nerd on Instagram
Jacob Toole (Production Manager) is a second-year undergraduate at Northwestern University and the founder of and producer of the shows at the Rigby Theater Company. As a young stage and writer, his work has been featured around the Tucson area for the past five years. Jacob wants to help others with the art he's grown to love, and is proud to have found an avenue to do so here at the Company.
Company Credits: Sizzle! (Performer), Death Do Us Part (Book/Lyrics, Director), Bruisers (Book/Lyrics, Jockey), Young Playwrights Showcase 2024 (Actor). Credited as producer for all Rigby productions.
rigbytheater@gmail.com | @jdtrigby on Instagram
Ben Teller (Music Chair) is a music director, pianist and composer who currently studies classical and jazz piano and voice at Lawrence University. He fell in love with musical theater during high school, and wishes to continue using music to tell stories however possible.
Company Credits: Death Do Us Part (Composer, Music Dir.), Bruisers (Composer, Music Dir.), Young Playwrights Showcase 2025 (Audio Engineer, Music Dir.)
Outside credits: Ride the Cyclone (Accompanist, Inner Voice Studio), Theory of Relativity (Accompanist, Inner Voice Studio). Into The Woods (Narrator/Mysterious Man, Salpointe), The Book of Will (Isaac Jaggard).
His classical piano experience includes a recent appearance as a soloist with the Civic Orchestra of Tucson and an invitation to the Progressive Musicians Laureate Gala at Carnegie Hall.
ben.teller.88@gmail.com | @ben_teller01 on Instagram
Special thanks for the help of: Isis Rivenbark, Dani Wright, Kevin Larkin and the Catalyst Creative Collective, Tyler Pierce and the Unity Church of Tucson, Melyna Carrillo, Kaitlin Bertenshaw, Alana Ortiz, and Peter McDougall.