Guests

TV ACTOR GUEST

Dr. Jason Narvy

narvyJason Andrew Narvy is an accomplished film and stage actor from Los Angeles, CA. Between 1993 and 1999, he portrayed the role of the comic villain “Skull” in over 300 episodes of Fox television’s Emmy-nominated Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and its spin-offs, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, and Power Rangers in Space, as well as 40 episodes of Fox Television’sMasked Rider as the voice of “Chopper.” While under contract with Fox, Jason also filmed two feature length films under the MMPR franchise, Power Rangers: The Movie and Turbo, as well as leads parts in two pilots for Fox/Family, Men in White and The Bulk and Skull Show. In recent years Dr. Narvy has turned his attention to directing, theater, and the academic instruction of acting, earning of Masters in Shakespearean performance with the American Shakespeare Center and a PhD with University of California, Santa Barbara. He is now based in Chicago where he is chair of the Department of Theater at Concordia University Chicago and working with theaters companies such as Chicago Dramatists and Babes with Blades.

VOICE ACTOR GUEST

Nicki Rapp

nicki rappNicki Rapp is a voice actor and director from Oakland, California.  A fluent Simlish speaker, she played the girl child Sim in Electronic Arts’ The Sims for almost 12 years. Along with acting in the game, Nicki enjoyed voice directing the final Sims 3 Expansion Packs: Seasons, University Life, Island Paradise, and Into the Future.

Nicki’s adventures in video games continued with Double Fine’s
Psychonauts (Lili) , and most recently in their famous kickstarter game, Broken Age (Dead-eye Courtney). Other roles of note include: a brainy little frog named  “Tad” for Leap Frog, “Mighty Pirate Hunter Morgan LeFlay” in Telltale Games Tales of Monkey Island, and misunderstood survivor “Lilly” in Telltale’s The Walking Dead.

A few of her latest characters are “Moya, the Smuggler” and “Dibs, the Dreamer” from EA’s new MOBA, Dawngate.

Nicki recently had her Cartoon Network debut when she played the part of “Alex” in a Short called Long Live the Royals.

MUSIC GUEST

EIEN STRIFE – Cosplay Adventure Concert

Eien StrifeEien Strife is coming back to Anime World Expos, and this time they have leveled up their show once again. Since the group’s forming in 2011, the four heroes of the cosplay adventure rock band have been touring conventions all over the United States while putting on a brand new concert every time! It’s hard to explain everything that you will experience when you attend an Eien Strife concert. With high energy songs, catchy dance breakdowns, hilarious 8-bit animations, and crowd interactions like never before seen, there is something for everyone at an Eien Strife show. Since the release of their full length album Full Speed Ahead, the performers have sold thousands of copies at their shows and have recently recorded a
new single with the well-known voice actor and musician, Todd Haberkorn.

Not only will their performance at Anime World Expos be full of surprises and excitement, but it will also be one of the first times to get a copy of their brand new DVD! Get ready for the adventure!

For more information, please visit:
www.eienstrife.com
www.facebook.com/eienstrife

AUTHOR GUEST

Laura VanArendonk Baugh

Laura VanArendonk Baugh
Laura VanArendonk Baugh

AWX is pleased to announce bestselling author Laura VanArendonk Baugh as a guest for this year’s convention. Laura is the author of a half-dozen books and quite a few short stories, including the award-winning Kitsune Tales, a fantasy series set in Heian-era Japan and based on Japanese folklore, and Con Job, a murder mystery set in the world of fan conventions. Her nonfiction book Fired Up, Frantic, and Freaked Out had spent an incredible 105 weeks as an Amazon bestseller as of this writing and sold more than 17,000 copies. Laura is the winner of the 2012 Luminis Award for Kitsune-Tsuki and her story “And Only the Eyes of Children” has been nominated for the prestigious 2015 Pushcart Prize.

No stranger to fandom, Laura has been involved with fan conventions for well over a decade. She hones her geek cred in award-winning cosplay, playing Pathfinder and other games, and generally nerding out. When she’s not writing, Laura trains animals and travels the country or internationally to teach about behavior and training.

At AWX 2015 she will speak on a variety of topics including Japanese folklore and mythology, fiction writing, and the publishing industry, and she will also give a reading from antique collections of Japanese fairy tales.

Read more about Laura at www.LauraVanArendonkBaugh.com, or find her on Twitter at @Laura_VAB.

Samurai Dan & Jillian

Samurai Dan & Jillian
Samurai Dan & Jillian

Dan Coglan, a.k.a. “Samurai Dan” and his wife, Jillian are the acknowledged masters of marital… er, MARTIAL mayhem.  This dynamic duo travels the civilized portions of the U.S., bringing their unique show to curious and horrified audiences alike.

In addition to their high-energy, mostly safe stage shows (where razor sharp blades and barbs fly) the couple teaches historical and hysterical panels on the way of the warrior.  Offering a wide range of lectures and interactive workshops, Dan and his lethal love Jillian are guaranteed to provide con attendees fun and fulfillment.
Due to a supreme lack of filter, Dan also performs standup comedy, and lives to embarrass his wife onstage, in censored and uncensored settings.
A storyteller at heart, Dan is finishing his third horror novel, and offers insights into the creative process with panels for the aspiring writer as well.

Check them out at www.Facebook.com/SamuraiDanAndJillian