Meet the Troupe

Austin L. Carrothers – Founding Member

An actor and musician, Austin Lightning Carrothers was born and raised in the Hudson Valley. He found great joy in studying philosophy and English literature at SUNY New Paltz. For ten years, he managed farms where he also honed his carpentry skills. Austin discovered the joy of acting, finding a similar sense of fulfillment in exploring a character’s life as he found in studying philosophy and playing team sports. This path led him to theatre back home, befriending inspiring colleagues, and to the establishment of Troupe Enigma, a professional community theatre. This unwavering support gave Austin the push to enroll at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. A few of his favorite explorations include Oscar Wilde in Gross Indecency, Clifford in Deathtrap, Max in Lend Me a Tenor, Sergius in Arms and the Man, and Sydney Trefusis in Smash. Austin is grateful for the craft of acting, as it allows him to collaborate with individuals dedicated to telling stories that reflect and explore the variety of human experience.

Michael Juzwak – Founding Member

Michael is an actor and director who has lived in the beautiful Hudson Valley for over 28 years.  It has been his pleasure to have worked with the Rhinebeck Theatre Society, the Cocoon Theatre, CAST, CenterStage, TheatreSounds, Star Mountain Group, The New Deal Creative Arts Center, and the Performing Arts of Woodstock playing a variety of roles and directing numerous productions.  He has performed on off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway, regional theater and way-off-Broadway.  Michael was a founding member of two improv troupes in New York City. In New York City, Michael ran the front of house for Playwrights Horizons for 5 years and was their Assistant Production Manager for 1 season.  The same season James Lapine’s and Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George was work shopped.  He is a graduate of the Welsh College of Music and Drama.   The feather in his cap though, is having created TroupEnigma along with John and Austin. Three points of view; one vision: to support all theater throughout the Hudson Valley and encourage the best for and from all!

John Remington – Founding Member

John is a local actor, producer, writer and director in the Hudson Valley. He has performed in a dozen and a half shows since jumping back into the theater fray in 2016, after many years in a corporate gig with Target Corp as VP of Marketing and Communication and Executive Director for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  John has had the privilege to work at many of the theaters in the region including The Center for Performing Arts Rhinebeck, The Phoenicia Playhouse, Performing Arts of Woodstock, Voice Theater, Arts Society of Kingston, County Players and the Manhattan Repertory Theater. He considers all theaters in the region as partners and firmly believes that one of TroupEnigma’s goals is to support and encourage all theaters, not as competition but as partners in producing theater and art for all.   His early days of performing and theater production was a deep dive into satirical revue theater and improvisation. As the Artistic Director of Dudley Rigg’s Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis for ten years, John directed, co-wrote and performed in over a dozen comedy revues along with 100’s of Radio spots, commercials and industrial films.  His most crowning achievement today, however, is the formation of TroupEnigma, LLC along with fellow members Michael Juzwak and Austin Lightning Carrothers. “The pleasure of serving with these two men is immeasurable…no drama, always fun, and always the best we can do”