Meet The Team
The movers, the shakers, the strong choice makers
Managing Artistic Director
Natasha Parnian
Natasha is a director, producer, playwright, theatre critic, and lifelong artist recognized for her daring and emotionally fearless work. She attended the School of the Arts at UNC and is protégé of Michael R. Simmons. Natasha founded Dark Horse Theatre Company in 2009. Her diverse background, ranging from classical vocalist and film actress to USA Gymnastics coach and cross-country motorcyclist, informs her immersive, experimental staging and her commitment to productions that defy conventional norms.
As an "actor’s director" and practitioner of psychological realism, Natasha leverages her Meisner and improvisation training to foster raw, honest performances. Her approach prioritizes in-depth character development and dynamic ensemble chemistry, consistently challenging audiences to find a deeper connection with the craft. Beyond the stage, she is the creator of Calamity: The Show and IMPROVICON, and she serves as a performance speaking strategist for organizations like TEDx and Toastmasters.
When she isn't plotting her next theatrical experiment, Natasha manages a mobile veterinary business, leads corporate workshops, and enjoys life as a homeschooling mother, motorcyclist, and animal lover. She remains perpetually driven by the pursuit of "acting that attains a level of something that we know nothing about."
Associate Artistic Director
Arianne Warner
Arianne Warner is a proud member of Actors’ Equity with over twenty years of stage and screen experience. Arianne is graduate of James Madison University and continued training at Circle in the Square and STC D.C. Ms. Warner is thrilled to be the Associate Artistic Director at Dark Horse Theatre Company, her favorite place to create! Beloved roles include Oleanna-Carol (DC Theatre Scene nominee Best Actress), Craving for Travel-Joanne (Broadway World nominee Best Actress), No Exit- Estelle. A former New Yorker now thriving in the Virginia mountains, Arianne splits her time between the stage (actor, writer, director) and teaching yoga (Ruby Yoga, Legend Yoga).
Senior Artistic Advisor
Michael R. Simmons
As Managing Artistic Director of Carolina Actors Studio Theatre, Michael R. Simmons has become synonymous with the gritty, high-impact aesthetic that defines CAST’s most acclaimed work. He is a director who thrives in the tension of crafting productions that critics have called “blunt, brave, and blisteringly human.”Over the years, Simmons’s leadership has pushed CAST into a creative territory where audiences are drawn into an unfiltered immediacy rarely found on regional stages. His productions are often met with praise for their creative/immersive staging, brilliant sets, and the “astonishing performances” he pulls from his casts. Uncompromising in his artistic values, Simmons continues to steer CAST toward theatre that "thinks outside of the blackbox" and refuses to settle for safe.
Artistic Associate
Scott D. Pafumi
Mr. Scott D. Pafumi is the Theatre Arts Director at Herndon High School since the fall of 2019. He has been teaching and directing last 30 years. He has taught Theatre and Drama in multiple Virginia and Fairfax County schools at every grade level from kindergarten to college, beginning in 1993. Mr. Pafumi has also taught as an Adjunct Theatre Professor at Northern Virginia Community College on the Loudoun campus, teaching both Acting and Technical Theatre courses. He has served as the past President of the FCPS Theatre Arts Directors Association. He has been a company member at Dark Horse since 2018. Mr. Pafumi earned a BA in Theatre and English Literature at Virginia Tech (1995) and holds a master’s in Arts Management from George Mason University (2010). He is currently studying to get is PhD. Mr. Pafumi specializes in teaching and directing American Drama and Comedy, Shakespeare, Commedia dell’ Arte, Improvisation, Technical Theatre, and Storytelling. He is also a community theatre actor and a workshop teacher for hire, having worked at community centers, colleges, and educational theatre conferences throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
As the founding Theatre Director at Westfield High School (2000-2010), his program was the subject of a two-hour television documentary which aired nationally on ABC’s 20/20 in the winter of 2008. The program, Drama High: The Making of a Real High School Musical, earned an Emmy nomination for Cultural Arts Programming. Scott is happily married to another Theatre teacher and is the proud father to three adult children who all make a living in the arts and education. He enjoys staying actively involved with his church, as well as traveling cross country on motorcycle tours.
Artistic Associate
Katie Bull
Katie is a Northern Virginia native and studied theatre performance and art history at VCU, which naturally led to a career in the legal field. She lives in Herndon with her kiddo, two cats, and whatever is scurrying around her attic at night.
Artistic Advisor
Jo Ormesher
Previously the Cultural Arts & Marketing Director, City of Fairfax, and concurrently Executive Director, Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts, Inc. Prior to moving to the USA in 2000, she was the Owner and Principal of Profile Marketing Associates in the United Kingdom (UK). Currently a Board member of The Prince’s Trust (UK) and Fall for the Book Festival. A Member of the Institute of Directors (MIoD), UK & Europe; Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) (UK); National Capital Area Marketing Directors. Her qualifications include BSc in Business, Economics and Law, University of London. BA in Politics and Philosophy, an MA in Marketing, University of Wales.Certified Parks & Recreation Professional (CPRP) with an accreditation (Masters)as Director NRPA from North Carolina University/National Recreation and Parks Association.
Business Advisor
Adam Solomon
Adam is an entrepreneur and owner of Second Star Moto Tours. He is an avid and active motorcycle rider with more than 10 years of experience both on and off road. He is a supporter of the arts and has appeared in A Mid-Social Night's Distance at Dark Horse.