The Details
Length: Approx 1 hour and 15 minutes (plus a 15 minute intermission)
Genre: Comedy Play
Age Recommendation: Age 6 and up. All patrons must have a ticket regardless of age. We ask that everyone in your party regardless of age be able to sit quietly through a performance without disrupting other patrons or the artists.
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February 27-March 15, 2026
311 South Euclid Street La Habra, CA 90631
Discounts for La Habra Residents, Students and Seniors!
All tickets are subject to an online service fee. All prices are subject to change.
ADA Seating: ADA Row Seats 1, 2, 3 & 4, Row A Seats 2 & 4, and Row B Seats 2 & 4 are colored dark blue on the theatre map. These dedicated ADA chairs are located in the front rows on the right side of the theatre near an accessible entrance with no stairs. Please call or email the box office if you have any questions.
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Accordion Content
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
Based on the book by Harry Allard and James Marshall
Miss Nelson can’t control her crazy classroom because she’s just too nice. But when she disappears, her replacement is the hard-as-nails, detention-loving, recess-canceling, homework-overloading substitute teacher Viola Swamp! With the Big Test approaching, the kids suddenly realize how much they miss Miss Nelson and they’ll do anything — including hiring a private eye — to solve the mystery of her disappearance and bring her back.
Alora Kinley (Miss Nelson) is thrilled to be bringing two wildly different characters—Miss Nelson and Miss Viola Swamp—to life onstage in the same production. Growing up immersed in theatre, Alora’s favorite performance style was HI (Humorous Interpretation), a form that celebrates rapid character switching, bold choices, and transformation within a single scene. She is especially excited to channel that love and skill set into this show.
This marks Alora’s second production with Phantom Projects and her first time performing at their iconic La Habra location. Her previous collaboration with Phantom Projects was in 2024 at the La Mirada Theatre, where she portrayed Mother in The Giver.
Since The Giver, Alora has been busy both onstage and on screen. She has appeared in two national commercials, landed her first supporting role in a television series—catch her in episode six of Smugshot on Apple TV+ and AMC+—and starred as the lead in a 90-minute one-shot feature film set to be released later this year. In addition, Alora produced, costumed, and designed the set for the award-winning Hollywood Fringe
Anna Bailey (Phoebe) is thrilled to be back at Phantom Projects, after making her debut this past winter as Mr. Rabbit in A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas Tail. Other favorite credits include: The Miracle Worker (Anne Sullivan), 9 to 5: the Musical (Judy Bernly), and Beehive (Laura). She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts from AMDA College of the Performing Arts in 2025. She’s so excited to tap into her inner child to help bring Miss Nelson Is Missing to life!
Taylor Garriga (Elvis) is an actor and writer who was born and raised in Alabama. After graduating high school he left his hometown to serve in the United States Air Force. During his time in the military he rediscovered his passion for acting. Now he finds himself splitting his time between the stage and the screen, fulfilling his childhood dream.
Stede Hendricks (Mouse) has been performing since 2006, when he joined the Long Beach Shakespeare Company. A professional actor based in LA, Stede Hendricks (Mouse) received his BA in Theater and Creative Writing from Indiana University, where he performed in several productions and received specialized training in stage combat and dialect work. This is his first Phantom Projects production
Matt Keim (Raymond) is excited to debut at the Phantom Projects Theatre! He has a degree in Theater and Film from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, and has been training in Meisner since 2017. He has been performing on stage for nearly a decade and recently has appeared in the ensemble cast of Zombie Joe Underground’s Urban Death, and the one act plays Penelope and Something Ancient. A personal highlight show was This is Our Youth, performed in Philadelphia. Beyond acting, he loves going to concerts and getting disappointed when his football team (the Cleveland Browns) loses.
Grace Mori (Kimberly) is excited to make her Phantom Projects debut. She holds a BFA in Acting from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Select credits include Hamlet (Ophelia), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hermia), and Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll (FX). She also stars in the award-winning short Feedback. Outside of acting, Grace is a martial artist, matcha tea ceremony–certified server, and ventriloquist. Special thanks to all involved in this production, her reps at Brave Artists Management and DDO, as well as her family and friends!
Aaron Oh (George) Hailing from Baltimore Maryland, Aaron is excited to make his Phantom Projects debut. His love for theatre dates back a decade as he grew up in community theatre circles which inspired him to chase the bright lights of Los Angeles. The stage means the world to Aaron because all the world’s a stage.
“No Jamal, you be trippin'” -Emma Stone
Mara Stanford (Lavita) is so grateful to be back in the Phantom Projects Theatre to help find Miss Nelson! She is a recent graduate of UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor’s School of the Arts, and attended UCI’s New York Satellite Program. You may have seen him here at the train depot as Christopher Robin in A Winnie the Pooh Christmas Tail, or Leaf Coneybear in Black Jack Theatrical’s inaugural show, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. She sends all her love and thanks to her friends and family for their love and support!!
Billy Mann (Principal Humleker) is excited to join Phantom’s production of Miss Nelson Is Missing! His colorful background as a former professional freestyle skier, college education in mechanical engineering, and global travels for social media influencing jobs has greatly informed Billy’s lust for life & comedy.
Joel-Steven (Detective McSmogg) is the fourth of five generations of performers, proud to be back in theater after a several decade break in theme parks (Disneyland, Knott’s), nightclubs (The Hop, Bootie), and radio (Radio AAHS, CFR). Recent stage productions include Malokov in Chess, Pop in We Will Rock You, and Buster the Elder in Groundhog Day The Musical. Joel produced, wrote and directed ‘Mr. Soul: The Sam Cooke Story’, and ‘Jukebox Time Machine’ Pts. 1 & 2 right here in La Habra. Another ‘semantic dance’ can be heard in the GoT parody ‘Winter Is Comic’ Pts. 1 & 2 by House Of Snark on Bungalo Records, UMG as writer, producer and performer. All-time favorite productions: B&K. Best sequel: Stevie Rose.
Director: Matthew W. Martinez
A lifelong passion for theatre and performance has shaped Matthew Martinez’s creative path from the very beginning, guiding his artistic voice and life aspirations. With an acting career spanning more than 20 years, Matthew has performed on stages across Southern California, building an extensive list of credits in both musical theater and plays. Most recently, he appeared in Amy and the Orphans with Phantom Projects, a production that reaffirmed his deep love for the craft.
Outside the theatre, Matthew works as a television executive for CBS and teaches in the Film and Television Department at Orange Coast College. He holds a B.A. in Film and Television Production and an M.F.A. in Screenwriting from California State University, Fullerton. A devoted supporter of the arts and an avid theatergoer, he believes deeply in the power of live performance to inspire, uplift, and unite.
Matthew extends his heartfelt gratitude to his beautiful wife, children, parents, sisters and extended family for their unwavering love and support. He also offers a special thank-you to Steve Cisneros, whose trust, mentorship, and friendship over the years have meant more than words can express. “I love you all.”
He hopes you enjoy the show as much as he’s enjoyed bringing it to life.
