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Banji Aborisade, Choreographer BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL Broadway: Beetlejuice the Musical (Assistant Director), Select Directing/Choreography Credits include: Good Man Charlie Brown at Forestburgh Playhouse, Urinetown. Off-Broadway (Choreographer), Starblasters at Manhattan School of Music (Choreographer), Guys and Dolls at the Arthur Storch Theater, Urinetown at Riverside Theater, and Derailed at Theatre Now. Film/TV: SC7NARIO on BroadwayHD, The Last Fall, While You Were Dreaming, SYNC: The Dance Series (Choreographer), and Every Right. Assistant/Associate credits include: Bye Bye Birdie at The Kennedy Center, Hairspray National Tour, Oliver at New York City Center, The Griswolds Broadway Vacation at 5th Avenue, Virgin Voyages It's A Ship Show, Beetlejuice on Norwegian Cruise Line, How to Load a Musket at 59e59, and SoftPower at the Public Theater. 

 

Peter Amster, Director GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR

Peter is thrilled and grateful to be returning to the Asolo, having been a guest director, choreographer and performer there for 15 years. He directed such shows as Three Musketeers, Morning After Grace, Born Yesterday, Living on Love, The Matchmaker, You Can’t Take It With You, and Murder on the Orient Express.  He also directed Dead Man’s Cell Phone for the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training program, choreographed 1776, and crooned some tunes on the outdoor stage in We Need a Little Christmas. He has been directing and choreographing theatre and opera for over 50 years. In Chicago, he directed and choreographed at the Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Northlight, Apple Tree, Route 66, Live Bait, the Lyric Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre, Chicago Symphony, and Steppenwolf. Elsewhere in the United States, he directed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, American Players Theatre, Peninsula Players, Weston Playhouse, Indiana Repertory Theatre, the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Syracuse Stage, Laguna Playhouse, and most recently, Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples. He taught theatre, opera, and performance studies at Northwestern University, Louisiana State University, CalArts, Columbia College, and Roosevelt University.

 

Shelley Butler, Director BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL


Shelley has over forty Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional credits to date. She has worked extensively with writers on new plays and musicals and has directed over two-dozen new works including the world premiere of Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House Part 2 (South Coast Repertory) and the Japanese premiere of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Shelley spent two seasons as artistic associate in charge of new play development for Hartford Stage, three seasons as artistic associate for Great Lakes Theater Festival, and currently serves as Artistic Director for the newly created South Carolina New Play Festival. Shelley has directed and developed work nationwide for companies including: Ars Nova, Primary Stages, E.S.T., WP Theater, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Old Globe, Milwaukee Rep, Hartford Stage, South Coast Repertory, Denver Center Theatre Company, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Geva, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Pioneer Theatre Company, Contemporary American Theater Festival, New York Stage and Film, Partial Comfort, New Georges, The Playwright’s Realm, Keen Company and New Dramatists. Shelley is the recipient of a Drama League Fall Directing Fellowship, a 2018 Drama League Directing Resident, a 2005 Director’s Guild of America Trainee, a member of SDC, the Lincoln Center Directors’ Lab and the WP Directors Lab. Upcoming: The world premiere of Jake Brasch’s The Reservoir in a tri-production for The Denver Center, The Alliance Theatre and The Geffen Playhouse. Learn more at Shelleybutler.com 

 

Joe Dowling, Director DANCING AT LUGHNASA
Joe was born in Dublin, Ireland and became a member of the Abbey Theater acting company early in his career. In 1978, at age 29, he was appointed the youngest ever artistic director of The Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s national theatre. In 1986, his production of Sean O’Casey’s Juno and The Paycock at The Gate Theatre became a local and international success playing on Broadway, in Edinburgh, Jerusalem, London’s West End, on tour in Ireland and in the UK. In New York, he directed the Tony nominated productions of Moliere’s Tartuffe and Dion Boucicault’s London Assurance. For the Public Theater, he directed Othello, with Raul Julia and Christopher Walken. At The Manhattan Theatre Club, he directed Brian Friel’s Translations. In 1995, Joe Dowling was appointed artistic director and CEO of The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.  He was the driving force behind the relocation of the theatre from its original location to the banks of The Mississippi River in a new three-theatre complex. During his tenure at The Guthrie, he directed many successful productions including a musical version of A MidSummer Night’s Dream, which was revived three times. With the University of Minnesota, he created a BFA programme and The Guthrie hosted a summer programme for theatre students from around The United States.  

 

Jenny Kim-Godfrey, Musical Director JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

RUBY E. AND CAROLE CROSBY FAMILY FOUNDATION GUEST MUSICAL ARTIST Jenny is a Korean-American music director, voice coach, and an award-winning opera singer. She is a resident voice coach with Cirque du Soleil, PerformerStuff.com, and a resident music director with Norwegian Cruise Lines. She has served on the Faculty at University of Albany, University of Tampa, and Sehan University (Korea). Some of her favorite directing credits include: Cabaret, Tell Me On a Sunday (Peterborough Players), Velvet, The Choir of Man (NCL) and Inherit the Wind, Man of La Mancha (Asolo Rep: Broadway World Winner of Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance). Jenny holds her master’s in Opera and Choral Conducting with an outside field in Arts Administration from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Jenny is a proud immigrant from South Korea and is grateful to return to Asolo Rep on the other side of the table. Full bio: JennyKimGodfrey.com | IG:@jennykimgodfrey

 

Erick Lichte, Musical Director ALL IS CALM

Enjoying a diverse career as a conductor, composer, and record producer, Erick has been hailed by Washington Post for the “audacity” of his programming and noted by the Chicago Tribune for the “meticulous preparation” of his choirs. The New York Times recently called his direction and composing “thrilling” and said of his work that the “sensation is tremendous and the musical chill effect engulfing.” As a founding member, singer, and Artistic Director of the male vocal ensemble Cantus, Lichte created and sustained one of only two full-time vocal ensembles in the United States. From 2000-2009, Lichte’s programming and artistic direction were heard in over 60 concerts a year and he has collaborated with artists such as Bobby McFerrin, the Boston Pops, and Minnesota Orchestra. In January 2013, he began his tenure as Artistic Director of Vancouver, Canada’s Chor Leoni. Since that time, he has grown the choir into one of the most active and popular amateur choirs in North America, performing over 35 concerts a year to over 15,000 patrons. His first recording with Chor Leoni, Wandering Heart, received a perfect five-star review from the UK’s prestigious Choir and Organ Magazine, and Oregon Arts Watch has declared that, under his leadership, Chor Leoni is now “one of the best male choirs on the continent.” In the summer of 2018, he led Chor Leoni to multiple awards and Grand Prix appearances at both the Singapore and Bali International Choral Competitions. In 2020, his world premiere recording of When There Is Peace: an Armistice Oratorio was nominated for a JUNO Award. His work with Cantus and Chor Leoni garnered him both the 2009 and 2019 Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence, the highest honour from the professional choral organization Chorus America. He is only the second conductor to have ever won this award with two ensembles. Lichte is an active proponent of new music and has commissioned over 300 new works from composers such as Lee Hoiby, Eriks Esenvalds, Gavin Bryars, Jocelyn Morlock, Steven Sametz, Edie Hill, Mary Ellen Childs, and Zachary Wadsworth among many others. As a record producer, Lichte has made over 30 albums. His recent release for Naxos of the choral music of Eriks Esenvalds spent multiple weeks as the number one classical album on the Billboard charts. He is also an active composer and arranger, especially known for co-creating All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 which has toured North America annually and been performed on three continents. The work’s 2018 off-Broadway run in Greenwich Village garnered Lichte a Drama Desk Award for both his composing and his musical direction. In November 2020, a filmed version of this production will air across the United States distributed through PBS.

 

Marcela Lorca, Director ANNA IN THE TROPICS (ella/she)
Marcela is Artistic Director of Ten Thousand Things Theater in MN. Her directing and choreography have been seen in theaters like Theatre Latte Da, The Guthrie, McCarter, Milwaukee Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Syracuse Stage, Mixed Blood, The Goodman, Washington Shakespeare, Juilliard Drama School and others. Some of her directing credits include Stones in His Pockets, Twelfth Night, Emilia, Iphigenia at Aulis, The Comedy of Errors, Thunder Knocking on the Door, The Sins of Sor Juana, The Winter’s Tale, Into The Woods, Disgraced, The Count of Montecristo, Scorched, Caroline; Or Change, Crimes of the Heart, The Burial At Thebes, Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike, The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde, House of the Spirits, Blood Wedding, The Clean House, and numerous original plays. At the Guthrie Theater she directed movement for over 150 plays, choreographed over 20 and co-founded two actor training programs. In 2019 she received the prestigious Zelda Fichandler award.

 

Ken Ludwig, Playwright KEN LUDWIG’S LADY MOLLY OF SCOTLAND YARD may well be the most well-performed playwright of his generation.  He has had six productions on Broadway and eight in London’s West End. His 34 plays and musicals are staged around the world and throughout the United States every night of the year. They have been produced in over 20 languages in more than 30 countries, and many have become standards of the American repertoire. His first play, Lend Me a Tenor, won two Tony Awards and was called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century” by The Washington Post. Crazy For You was on Broadway for five years, on the West End for three, and won the Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical. His play Murder on the Orient Express will shortly begin a tour of China and his musical Crazy For You is currently touring Japan. In addition, he has won the Edwin Forrest Award for Contributions to the American Theatre, two Laurence Olivier Awards, two Helen Hayes Awards, the Charles MacArthur Award, and the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of the Year. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for writing the Kennedy Center Honors. His other plays include Moon Over Buffalo; Leading Ladies; Baskerville; Sherwood; Twentieth Century; Dear Jack, Dear Louise; A Fox on the Fairway; A Comedy of Tenors; The Game’s Afoot; Shakespeare in Hollywood; and Moriarty. They have starred, among others, Alec Baldwin, Carol Burnett, Tony Shaloub, Joan Collins, and Kristin Bell. His book How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, published by Penguin Random House, has been a bestseller and is coming out this year in a new, expanded edition. It won the Falstaff Award for Best Shakespeare Book of the Year. His essays on theatre are published in the Yale Review, and he gives the Annual Ken Ludwig Playwriting Scholarship at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. His first opera, Tenor Overboard, opened at the Glimmerglass Festival in July 2022. His most recent world premieres were Lend Me A Soprano and Moriarty, and his newest plays and musicals include Pride and Prejudice Part 2: Napoleon at Pemberley, Lady Molly of Scotland Yard, Beginner’s Luck and Easter Parade. He has been commissioned to write plays by the Agatha Christie Estate, the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Old Globe Theatre, and the Bristol Old Vic. For more information visit www.KenLudwig.com.

 

Josh Rhodes, Director JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

Josh's choreography has been featured on Broadway, the West End in London, film, television, and in theaters across the U.S.  He has had the great pleasure of choreographing for some of musical theater's best actors and some of the dance world’s greatest dancers. On Broadway he choreographed Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, First Date, It Shoulda Been You, and Bright Star.  He was also the choreographer of Carousel on London's West End. Josh has directed and choreographed numerous productions at New York City Centre Encores, the MUNY, Asolo Rep. and the Old Globe. as well as choreographing for English National Opera, and the European tour of Doctor Dolittle. Recently Josh directed and choreographed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor, Dreamboat at the MUNY, The Drowsy Chaperone at Pittsburgh CLO, choreographed Knoxville at Asolo Rep, and a directed a film version of Beau.

Peter Rothstein, Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director, Director of KEN LUDWIG’S LADY MOLLY OF SCOTLAND YARD and ALL IS CALM
Peter is the Producing Artistic Director for Asolo Rep where he directed Inherit The Wind, Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd, and Ragtime. He works extensively as a director of theater, musical theater, opera, and new work development. For 25 years Rothstein served as the Founding Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da, a Minneapolis based company dedicated to new and adventurous music-theater. Other collaborations include the Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, Ten Thousand Things, and Seattle’s 5th Avenue, as well as the Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Chicago Opera Theater. Rothstein is the creator of All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, which had its Off-Broadway debut in 2018 receiving the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience and has been seen around the globe airing on PBS. Rothstein served on the board of directors for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Alive and Kickin’, and the Twin Cities’ Ivey Awards. He has been a panelist and evaluator for the Playwrights’ Center, the McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals. He holds degrees in music and theater from St. John’s University and an MFA in directing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

 

Angela Steiner, Musical Director BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL
Select regional theater music director and/or conductor, orchestrator credits include: Beautiful, Crazy for You, Cabaret and Sweeney Todd (Asolo Rep); Cabaret, La Cage and Next to Normal (upcoming) (Barrington Stage Company); Hair! (The Old Globe); Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Geva Theatre); A Little Night Music, Rattlesnake Kate, The Who’s Tommy, Oklahoma, Indecent, Twelfth Night (Denver Center for the Performing Arts). Angela holds a bachelor’s degree in piano from Wichita State University and a masters in collaborative piano from the University of Northern Colorado. She specializes in creating and collaborating on new musicals. Recent workshops have included Influence/Her and Ghost Girl. Go to angelasteiner.com for more info!

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Sasha Andreev He/Him (Juror #4) Sasha is delighted to reprise his role in Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical, having been part of the original cast at Theater Latté Da. Previous Asolo Rep credits include Intimate Apparel, Inherit the Wind and Ragtime. Sasha has performed off-Broadway, on tour and in the PBS broadcast of the Drama-Desk-winning All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914.  Regional credits include Guthrie Theater, Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theater, and Theatre de la Jeune Lune. On screen, Sasha recently appeared in A Taste of Love (Hallmark Channel) and Stranger Things (Netflix).  He’s been seen as host of Curb Appeal (HGTV) and Operation Build (A&E), as a guest host on TV shopping networks in the US and abroad, and in numerous commercials and films. IG: SashaAndreevNow   

 

Curtis Bannister (Juror #8) Winner of the Actors Equity Foundation Roger Sturtevant Award: Outstanding Performance in Musical Theater; Drama League Award nominee: Best Concert Performance; Joseph Jefferson Award (The Jeffs) nominee: Outstanding Performance by a Principal Actor in a Musical. Recently, Curtis has performed in Big River (Jim) at Mercury Theater Chicago, Bernstein’s MASS (Soloist 1, Celebrant u/s) at The Kennedy Center, The Pajama Game (Sid) at Theater at the Center, Ragtime (Coalhouse), Candide (Ragotski) with The Philadelphia Orchestra alongside Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan, The Last Five Years (Jamie), and debuted the role of Juror 8 in the world premiere musical adaptation of Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical with Theater Latté Da. He is currently the concert partner of Tony and Grammy Award-winner Heather Headley throughout the U.S. and will make his solo concert debut in November 2024 in Washington DC. Film and TV credits include his Tribeca Film Festival debut in The Conductor, the Apple TV+ Peabody Award-winning series Dickinson (Marquis), and NBC’s Chicago Fire (Reimers). thecurtisbannister.com, IG: @thee_cb, X: theecb. 

 

Charlie Clark He/Him (Juror #3) Charlie is making his Asolo Rep debut and resides in Minneapolis, but has lived in Chicago, Cincinnati and Indianapolis. Charlie was most recently seen as Bela Zangler in Crazy For You. Favorite roles include Bruce in Fun Home, Ross in The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, Dan in Next to Normal, Don in Rapture, Blister, Burn, Hanratty in Catch Me if You Can, Mason in Take Me Out, George in Sunday in the Park with George, Charlie in On Golden Pond, Freddie in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Pastor Jay in Luna Gale, and Benny in Hands on a Hardbody. 

 

James Michael Detmar He/Him (Juror #10) AEA, SAG/AFTRA. James is thrilled to reprise his role from the world premiere of Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical. In Minneapolis, James performed with The Guthrie Theater, Ordway Theater, Theater Latté Da, Chanhassen Theaters, History Theater, Old Log Theater, and Dudley Riggs BNW. Nationally at Berkeley Rep, The Garry Marshall Theater, and Orlando Theater Project. He spent nine years performing improvisational comedy at Disney World’s Comedy Warehouse. TV/Film: Thin Ice, Best Man Down, Factotum, America’s Most Wanted, Santa Barbara, and Clarissa Explains It All. James just finished penning his new musical comedy — LEAGUE NIGHT: The Bowled and The Beautiful. 

 

Matthew Griffin (Juror #7) Matthew is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut and to be a member of this incredible company and production. Credits include— Broadway: The Collaboration (u/s Jean-Michel Basquiat), Tina — The Tina Turner Musical (OBC), Off-Broadway: This Land was Made (Vineyard Theatre) The New Yorkers at City Center, Born For This (Cutler Majestic), Cruel Intentions the Musical, Much Ado About Nothing, and others, TV Credits: Inventing Anna (Netflix, Co-Star), Godfather of Harlem (EPIX, Co-Star). Thankful for God, my beautiful family and friends, KMR family, Chad Eric Murnane and casting, and you. 

 

Cooper Grodin (Juror #11) Actor, singer, musician and composer, Cooper is honored to make his Asolo Rep Debut. Title role in Phantom of the Opera National Tour, Les Misérables National Tour, The Band’s Visit Lab directed by Hal Prince, Shakespeare in the Park’s Into the Woods, Carbonell-nominated Best Actor in the Carbonell-winning Best Musical Sunday in the Park with George, Drama Desk-nominated The Golden Land, Henry Award-winning Best Musical Oklahoma! at the Denver Performing Arts Center, A Little Night Music at Barington Stage, NBC’s The Blacklist, ABC’s Deception. Original album “It’s the Little Things”. With The Price Group. @CooperGrodinOfficial 

 

Alex Hatcher (u/s Juror #1/Juror #2) Alex is a current MFA Acting candidate at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut this season! He holds a BFA in Acting from Boston University with a concentration in Musical Theater and Dance. Favorite stage credits include West Side Story (Milwaukee Rep), 1776 (New Rep), Hamlet (LAMDA), and Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (BU).alexanderhatcher.com 

 

Marcus A Jordan He/Him (u/s Juror #8/ Juror #9) Marcus is excited to make his Asolo Rep debut with Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical! Regional Credits: Into The Woods (The Baker), Ragtime the Musical (Coalhouse Walker Jr./Booker T. Washington), Rent (Benny Coffin III), and Working, The Musical (Frank). Marcus is a Professor of Musical Theatre at Southwestern Michigan College and Western Michigan University. “Thanks to my tribe for providing authentic community! Dedicated to GG&G.” 

 

Pedro Ka’awaloa He/Him (u/s Juror #5/Juror #6) Pedro is happy to be back at Asolo Rep. He is an actor, director, teacher, and coach. Pedro was The King in the national tour of The King and I and has also performed regionally with notable companies such as Alabama Shakes, Fulton Theatre, and Orlando Shakes. He also actively works as a music director when not on stage and has his own private performing arts studio (Hana Hou Studio). IMUA! @pedrokaawaloa pedrok.com 

 

Brian Kim McCormick (Juror #5) Theater Latté Da: NEXT Festival. THEATER: TheatreSquared: Tiger Style!; Quantum Theatre: Chimerica; South Coast Rep: You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown; San Diego Rep: Aubergine; Olney Theatre: Labour of Love; NYTW: Dinner with Georgette; Pan Asian Rep: The Emperor’s Nightingale; Full Circle Theater: Caught; Theater Mu: The Korean Drama Addict’s Guide to Losing Your Virginity, Fast Company, Flower Drum Song; Mixed Blood: Interstate; Ordway Center: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Children’s Theatre Company: Mulan Jr.; The Old Log: Charlotte’s Web; Chanhassen Dinner Theatre: Les Misérables, Joseph...Dreamcoat, 42nd Street, The Producers. VOICEOVER: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed (Cartoonito), Squid Game, The King’s Affection, Pokémon: Sun and Moon (Netflix); Naughty Nuts (Amazon Prime); Last Man, Kingdom(Crunchyroll); Regal Academy (Nickelodeon); Parcast: Mythology, Solved & Unsolved Murders (Spotify); EDF: Iron Rain, Modern Combat: Versus. IG: asian_with_a_camera 

 

Conor McGiffin He/Him (u/s Juror #4/ Juror #11) Conor is a New York based actor, puppeteer, and writer. He’s a proud University of Michigan graduate and is thrilled to perform at Asolo Rep! Recent productions include Myster Science Theatre 3000 (TV and Tour), Fiddler On the Rood (First National Tour) and Sunset Boulevard (ACT). You can watch him as Tom Servo on the MST3K streaming app! Thank you, Take 3 Talent. Mom, Dad, and Bridget, I love you! IG:@cjdmcgiffin 

 

Riley McNutt He/Him (Juror #2) This is Riley’s first production with Asolo Rep, but his second time around in this remarkable new musical.  Based out of Minneapolis, he most recently was seen in Alice in Wonderland at The Children’s Theater Company.  He performed off-Broadway, national tours, and on PBS in the Drama Desk Award winning All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Other regional credits include Theater Latté Da’s Next to Normal, A Little Night Music, Ragtime, and Hello Dolly!, The Ordway Theater’s Beauty and the Beast, Minnesota Orchestra’s Carousel, Artistry’s Phantom, Les Miserables, Cabaret, A New Brain, La Cage au Foul, and with Flying Foot Forum inHeaven. 

 

Matt Riehle He/Him (Juror #1; u/s Juror #3) Matt is a musician, actor, songwriter, and music director from Minneapolis. He’s extremely excited to make his Asolo Rep debut and has been honored to work with Theater Latté Da for 10 shows, including Next to Normal, Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical, Once, and Assassins, History Theater (Sweet Land), Artistry (Memphis), and Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (Jesus Christ Superstar), among others. Matt plays keys and sings in Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Queen tributes, and loves writing for Take It With You, Live Radio Theater in Duluth, MN. He’s most fulfilled when working, playing, and creating with his incredible fiancé, Bri. 

 

Marc Cedric Smith (Juror #9) Marc is thrilled to make his Asolo Rep debut. He is a Pennsylvania native and graduate of the University of Washington, where he studied Voice and Psychology. After college he began modeling but continued to sing with Opera companies and Symphonies around the world. After a Seattle Symphony concert, Marc was asked to join Hal Prince’s First National Tour of Show Boat, (US, Canada and London), then Ragtime, Secret Garden, Lion King, Music Man, Aida, Aladdin, Phantom, Tarzan, Little Mermaid and Frozen. A proud Equity member, Marc lives in Los Angeles where he works in Film, TV, Voiceovers and of course, Theatre. 

 

Jason Thomas Sofge He/Him (u/s Juror #3/Juror #10) Jason is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut! Credits: The Constable Fiddler on the Roof (1st National Tour), Elvyra From The House of the Dead (Metropolitan Opera, National Opera de Paris, Staatsoper im Berlin), u/s Maitre D The Merry Widow (Metropolitan Opera), Tommy Fatty, Fatty No Friends (Off Broadway at Soho Playhouse). “Special thanks to my rockstar agents at Firestarter Entertainment!” 

Alexander Swift He/Him (Juror #12) Asolo Rep Theatre debut! Born and raised in NYC, he most recently ended a five year run with Hamilton performing in Puerto Rico alongside Lin Manuel Miranda, San Francisco, across the U.S., and Canada. Other credits include The National Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard of Oz, Barrington Stage Company, New York Theatre Workshop, Northshore Music Theatre, Opera North, Geva Theatre, Fulton Theatre, Theatre by The Sea. Graduate of The Boston Conservatory. Endless thanks to his Grandmother for her love, support, and guidance.

Adán Varela He/She/They (Juror #6) Adán has performed with Children’s Theatre Company (Carmela Full of Wishes), Theater Latté Da (Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical); Minnesota Opera (Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, Roberto Devereux, Silent Night, and others); History Theatre (Christmas of Swing, Not For Sale); Ordway Center (In the Heights), FRANK Theatre (Good Person of Setzuan, The Visit); Second City (Realish Housewives of Edina); Artistry (Les Misérables, Carousel); Lyric Arts (Evita, The Mystery of Edwin Drood); and Hey Rube(So Bright the Night). He has also directed pieces with Morris Park Players (Ragtime); Mixed Precipitation (Hit the Wall, #Matter); and Gadfly Theatre (Lobstermen in Love). 

 

Will Westray He/Him (u/s Juror #7/ Juror #12) Will is in his first year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. He received a degree in musical theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory and is a proud DMV native. He has recently understudied at Asolo Rep in Inherit the Wind and Born With Teeth.  

 

Drayton Alexander He/They (dramaturg) Highlights at Asolo Rep include Cabaret (transfer to The Old Globe), Man of La Mancha, Chicken and Biscuits, and workshops of Stellar Atmospheres and Dancing in the Blue Light. Other dramaturgical highlights include Spin at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Theatre Weekly Award, Best Solo Performance), Taylor Mac’s ball-pit play The Fre (world premiere), Not My Monster (OBA nomination, Best Family Entertainment), Syncing Ink, Scraps (world premiere), and good friday at The Flea Theater. Drayton was the Co-Artistic Producer of Serials for two years and has worked with such theater companies as The Vineyard, The New Group, New Earth Theatre, and Singapore Repertory Theatre. He received an Olwen Wymark award from the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an MFA from NYU Tisch Asia.  

Kelli Foster Warder (choreographer) Kelli has been working with Theater Latté Da since 2013. Highlights include choreographing Ragtime, Chicago and Once, and most recently directing and choreographing Jelly’s Last Jam. Kelli has been a teacher and arts administrator for over 25 years. Her work as a choreographer and director has been seen on stages in the Twin Cities and across the country including The Ordway, Hennepin Theatre Trust, Children’s Theatre Company, Artistry, The 5th Avenue Theater, and Asolo Rep Theatre. Kelli has produced and created productions internationally in La Paz, Bolivia and Panama City, Panama.

Michelle Hart She/Her (Hair/Wig & Make-up Design) Michelle designs for Asolo Rep Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, Free Fall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film and television: Lady Of The Manor, Paradise, FL, and The Real Stephen Blatt.    

Michael Holland (composer and orchestrations) Michael is a composer/lyricist arranger/ producer/performer based in NYC. Recent projects include incidental music for Clue: A New Comedy (Paper Mill Playhouse in 2022, and various venues around the country [as Cluedo, currently on tour in the UK]), and Bay Street Theater’s virtual production of Moby Dick in 2020. Other original shows include Horizon (NEXT Festival 2014 at Theater Latté Da), You’re Gonna Hate This (Joe’s Pub; Feinstein’s 54 Below), Hurricane(NYMF), Believe in Me... a Bigfoot musical (fringeNYC). He was the orchestrator, vocal arranger, and recording co-producer for the 2011 Broadway revival of Godspell, and provided music direction/new arrangements for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s acclaimed actor/musician production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown in 2019. He has contributed incidental music for productions at Dallas Theater Center, Alley Theater, Old Globe, Playwrights Horizons, and others. He is the producer/arranger of On Vinyl, a new studio recording from Broadway’s Farah Alvin, due in the fall of 2022.

Jenny Kim Godfrey (music director) RUBY E. AND CAROLE CROSBY FAMILY FOUNDATION GUEST MUSICAL ARTIST (Music Director and Vocal Arrangements) Jenny is a Korean-American music director, voice coach, and an award-winning opera singer. She is a resident voice coach with Cirque du Soleil, PerformerStuff.com, and a resident music director with Norwegian Cruise Lines. She has served on the Faculty at University of Albany, University of Tampa, and Sehan University (Korea). Some of her favorite directing credits include; Cabaret, Tell Me On a Sunday (Peterborough Players), Velvet, The Choir of Man(NCL) and Inherit the Wind, Man of La Mancha (Asolo Rep: Broadway World Winner of Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance). Jenny holds her master’s in Opera and Choral Conducting with an outside field in Arts Administration from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Jenny is a proud immigrant from South Korea and is grateful to return to Asolo Rep on the other side of the table. Full bio: JennyKimGodfrey.com | IG:@jennykimgodfrey

Mathew LeFebvre (costumer designer) Mathew has designed costumes for more than 20 productions at the Guthrie Theater, including The Music Man, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Importance of Being Earnest, Pride and Prejudice, Sweeney Todd, 1776, and She Loves Me. Other regional credits include Signature Theatre Company, New York Theatre Workshop, The Seattle Opera, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, The Minnesota Opera, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Indiana Rep, Arkansas Rep, The Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Arizona Opera, Opera Montreal, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, and Mixed Blood Theatre. Mathew is a recipient of a 2014-2015 McKnight Theatre Artist Fellowship, 2012 TDF-Irene Sharaff Award, and a 2015 Ivey Award. He is a Professor of Costume Design at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Benjamin Olsen He/Him (set designer) ASOLO REP: debut. THEATER: Theater Latté Da: Stones in his Pockets, Christmas at the Local, Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical (Set Designer), C., Gypsy, All is Calm, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Steerage Song (Properties). Artistry: The Last Five Years, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, All My Sons, Phantom, God of Carnage, La Cage aux Folles (Set Designer). OPERA: Minnesota Opera: Trouble in Tahiti & Service Provider (Set Designer). Chicago Opera Theater: The Life & Death(s) of Alan Turing (Set Designer). Upcoming -- TLD: Johnny Skeeky (Set Designer). TRAINING: BA, St. Olaf College; M.Arch., Yale School of Architecture. Benjamin is a broadminded design practitioner focused on designing the next generation of attainable housing. @benjamindavidolsen

Peter Rothstein He/Him (Director, Producing Artistic Director) Peter is the Producing Artistic Director for Asolo Rep where he directed Inherit the Wind, Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd, and Ragtime. He works extensively as a director of theater, musical theater, opera and new work development. For 25 years Rothstein served as the Founding Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da, a Minneapolis-based company dedicated to new and adventurous music-theater. Other collaborations include the Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, Ten Thousand Things, and Seattle’s 5th Avenue, as well as the Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Chicago Opera Theater. Rothstein is the creator of All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, which had its Off-Broadway debut in 2018 receiving the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience and has been seen around the globe airing on PBS. Rothstein served on the board of directors for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Alive and Kickin’, and the Twin Cities’ Ivey Awards. He has been a panelist and evaluator for the Playwrights’ Center, the McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals. He holds degrees in music and theater from St. John’s University and an MFA in directing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  

David Simpatico (playwright) Career highlights include: The Screams of Kitty Genovese, (winner Jonathan Larson Award; music by Will Todd); book/stage adaptation of Disney’s High School Musical; libretto for choral symphony, Garden of Light (composer Aaron Jay Kernis). Current plays include: Ex-Gay Bar; Wilde about Whitman; Waiting for the Ball to Drop; The Last Supper. His musical adaptation of Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical, music and lyrics by Michael Holland, received its world premiere production in June, 2022 at Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis, directed by Peter Rothstein. His grand opera, The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing, with music by Justine F. Chen, received its world premiere at Chicago Opera Theater in March, 2023, also directed by Peter Rothstein. David lives with his husband, Robert C. Strickstein in Rhinebeck, NY. 

Nia Sciaretta She/Her (Production Stage Manager) Selected Asolo Rep credits include PSM for Knoxville, Cabaret, Man of La Mancha, Silent Sky, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys & Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep. Member of AEA.    

DeWanda Smith Soeder (Cultural Competency Coordinator) DeWanda is proud to be AsoloRep’s  Cultural Competency Consultant and President of Smith-Soeder Enterprises, LLC. In addition to providing cultural competency for all Asolo Rep productions, she is the (IDEA) Specialist for Asolo Rep supporting organizational culture change and development. Her cultural competency process is based on her research and thesis, “Theatre as a Diversity Intervention”.  

Nicholas Tranby He/Him (sound designer) Nicholas is the Audio Supervisor at Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis, MN. Productions at Theater Latté Da include Twelve Angry Men, Next to Normal, The Color Purple, Christmas at the Local, Falsettos, We Shall Someday, Merrily We Roll Along, Hello, Dolly! Jelly’s Last Jam, La Bohème, All Is Calm, Once, Chicago, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Candide, A Little Night Music, Man of La Mancha, Peter and the Starcatcher, Ragtime, Gypsy, Assassins, and Five Points. He was Head Audio Engineer for international tours of The Wedding Singer and The Wizard of Oz; Other venues have included Guthrie Theater, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Children’s Theater Company. He received a B.F.A. in Sound Design/Production from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.

Paul Whitaker (lighting designer) THEATER LATTÉ DA: Sweeney Todd, Evita, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Light in BIOGRAPHIES 12 TWELVE ANGRY MEN: A NEW MUSICAL, the Piazza, Lullaby. THEATER: New York credits include work at The Public Theater, MCC Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage Theatre, Atlantic Theater Company and others. Regional credits include: The Guthrie, The Alley, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Denver Center, The Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, The Children’s Theatre Company, The Long Wharf Theatre, The Huntington Theatre Company, Center Stage, Hartford Stage, Dallas Theater Center, Minnesota Opera, San Diego Opera, and others. Paul is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama. Paul is a Principal Lighting Designer/ Theatre Consultant for Schuler Shook. schulershook.com paulwhitakerdesigns.com

 

Musicians

Robert Carmichael (trumpet and flugelhorn) Robert is a professional trumpet player, trained in both classical and jazz trumpet. His performances cover a wide variety of music genres including jazz, classical, modern, pop, funk and many others. Robert is also a trumpet teacher with a degree in music education from Appalachian State University in North Carolina and a Performance Degree from University of South Florida. He has taught musicians and classes of all grade levels, from elementary to collegiate students.

Jonathan Godfrey (guitar) Jonathan’s previous Asolo Rep credits include Inherit the Wind (Music Supervisor), Man of La Mancha, (Arranger and Guitarist), and pit-musician for Knoxville, Stand Back Sarasota!, The Sound of Music, Ragtime, and Evita. He has appeared with the Sarasota Orchestra, in over 20 programs with The Florida Orchestra, and on the national tours of Mean Girls, Chicago, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Stardew Valley: Festival of Seasons. He is on faculty at the University of South Florida, Florida Southern College, and the State College of Florida. He holds a Doctor of Music from Indiana University. TampaBayGuitar.com

Carl Haan He/Him (Associate Music Director/ Rehearsal Pianist/Keys 1) Carl is originally from Chicago but recently relocated to Sarasota from NYC and is super excited to join Asolo Rep family so soon after moving. He has been super blessed to play on Broadway, off-Broadway, regionally, all around Chicago, for a national tour, and on the high seas. He is most proud of teaching at Wagner College and with Rosie’s Theater Kids. Much love to Tugba. XOOX

David Hardman (drums) David, former Director of Percussion Studies at the University of Central Oklahoma, is originally from Richmond, Indiana. He has played and/or recorded with numerous world-class musicians, including jazz artists Phil Woods, Bill Watrous, Nat Adderley, and the Woody Herman Band, and pop acts Aretha Franklin, Yes, Ray Charles, and Barry Gibb. He is a member of the Brass Band of Battle Creek and has performed with several symphony orchestras.

Mauricio J Rodriguez (upright bass) Mauricio is a Cuban bass player, composer, producer, and educator. He gained recognition as a member of Fervet Opus, a renowned Cuban Latin jazz band. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Music at Saint Leo University, holding a Master of Music Performances from the University of South Florida. He has composed music performed worldwide and has two Latin Grammy nominations. He is also a member of the Recording Academy Grammys.

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Mark Benninghofen (Inspector Hubbard) Actors Equity Association. Mark is delighted to return to the Asolo stage after his turn as Henry Drummond in Inherit The Wind. Other credits include: Juno and the Paycock, Born Yesterday, Appomattox, Time Stands Still, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide, Great Expectations and St. Joan at The Guthrie Theater. Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Six Degrees of Separation and To Let Go and Fall at Theater Latte Da. Tyrone and Ralph and Lord Gordon Gordon for The History Theater and The Hot House at Dark & Stormy. TV and film credits include Movie Stars, Frasier, Drew Carey, Chicago Hope, The Public Domain, Wilson, Older Than America and Herman, USA. 

Tony Carter He/Him (Tony Wendice) Tony is excited to be making his Asolo Rep debut! While he’s based in Chicago, he loves bouncing around the country for work. Some of his favorite credits include Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast (Drury Lane Theatre), Chris in The Play That Goes Wrong (Oregon Cabaret Theatre), Freddy in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Actors Theatre of Indiana), and Oliver in As You Like it (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre & Milwaukee Rep). He’s also proud to have worked at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, PCPA: Pacific Conservatory Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, and Utah Festival Opera. Follow him on instagram @tonyscarter. 

Christina Mei Chen She/Her (U/S Maxine Halliday) Originally from Beijing, Christina has spent the past 10 years in Boston and Manhattan, where she made her off-Broadway debut in Flying Tigers Flying Away (Theatre at St. Peter’s Church). Regional: Vietgone (Company One Boston) and The Wolves (Lyric Stage Boston). Other NYC Theatre: girl power sex positive joy ride (SheNYC festival), Measure for Measure (Backroom Shakespeare Project), Thirteenth Night (New York Theatre Festival). Education: Northeastern University, LAMDA, American Conservatory Theatre. FSU/Asolo Conservatory MFA Candidate Class of 2026.   

Alex Hatcher (U/S Tony Wendice) Alex is a current MFA Acting candidate at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut this season! He holds a BFA in Acting from Boston University with a concentration in Musical Theater and Dance. Favorite stage credits include West Side Story (Milwaukee Rep), 1776 (New Rep), Hamlet (LAMDA), and Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (BU). alexanderhatcher.com 

Zia Lawrence They/She (Maxine Hadley) Thrilled to making their Asolo Repertory Theater Debut. Credits Include: Alls Well That Ends Well, Cymbeline, Pipeline, Cloud Nine. Off Broadway: Where the Men Work (Prague Fringe Festival) 42nd Annual Harriet Holland (New Georges) Film: Gossip Girl (HBO) Proud NYU Grad Acting alum. She thanks her family endlessly for always being down to love and make art.  

Billy Lyons He/Him (U/S Inspector Hubbard) Billy, from NYC, is a first-year student with FSU / Asolo Conservatory. Off-Broadway: Dancing at Lughnasa at The Irish Rep and The Things They Carried with The American Place Theatre; Regional credits include Dancing at Lughnasa, The Imaginary Invalid, and The Time of the Cuckoo at the Schoolhouse Theatre. He directed a documentary, It Takes a Lunatic, about his acting teacher and mentor, Wynn Handman, which is streaming on Netflix. BFA Ithaca College.   

Sharon Pearlman She/Her (U/S Margot Wendice) Sharon was last seen on the Mertz stage in Inherit the Wind as Mrs. Bollinger/Reuters Reporter/Vocal Captain. She also understudied in Our Town, Knoxville, and Eureka Day. Other credits include Rudolph in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (National Tour), Crissy in Hair, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka, Japan (original cast). Sharon is a third-year M.F.A. student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. B.F.A. from NYU (Tisch). www.sharonpearlman.com   

Jackson Purdy He/Him (U/S Lesgate) Jackson was born and raised in Bellows Falls, Vermont, and is a recent graduate of Temple University (B.A. Theater). He has enjoyed working with the Philadelphia New Playwrights Festival, and locally in Sarasota with Asolo Rep and Florida Studio Theatre. He is currently in the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Much love to all his friends and family!   

Mikhail Roberts He/Him (Lesgate) Mikhail first worked with Asolo Rep in the 2021/2022 season, as Understudy for Our Town, Grand Horizons, Hood, and Eureka Day -- the last of which he stepped in for the role of Don during intermission. This season at Asolo, Roberts performed the role of Bertram Cates in Inherit the Wind. Other credits can be viewed in his website: mikhailroberts.com   

Brooke Turner She/Her (Margot Wendice) Brooke is an FSU/Asolo M.F.A. candidate and intimacy director from Cleveland, OH, where she earned her B.F.A. in Classical Acting from Baldwin Wallace University. Some previous credits include: Inherit the Wind (Mrs. McLain) and Our Town (Wally U/S) at Asolo Rep, Pride and Prejudice (Elizabeth U/S) and Misery (Annie U/S) at Great Lakes Theatre, and Richard III (Lady Anne) with The Idaho Shakespeare Festival. She is grateful to Dad, Christian, her friends/family, and Asolo Rep.   

Drayton Alexander He/They (Dramaturg) Highlights at Asolo Rep include Cabaret (transfer to The Old Globe), Man of La Mancha, Chicken and Biscuits, and workshops of Stellar Atmospheres and Dancing in the Blue Light. Other dramaturgical highlights include Spin at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Theatre Weekly Award, Best Solo Performance), Taylor Mac’s ball-pit play The Fre (world premiere), Not My Monster (OBA nomination, Best Family Entertainment), Syncing Ink, Scraps (world premiere), and good friday at The Flea Theater. Drayton was the Co-Artistic Producer of Serials for two years and has worked with such theater companies as The Vineyard, The New Group, New Earth Theatre, and Singapore Repertory Theatre. He received an Olwen Wymark award from the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an M.F.A. from NYU Tisch Asia. 

Summer Dawn Wallace She/Her (Intimacy Consultant) Summer is a playmaker: a versatile theatre professional working as producer, director, actor, intimacy coordinator and educator. Summer is the Producing Artistic Director at Urbanite Theatre, which focuses on contemporary new works and has produced over 50+ new plays. She is happy to be returning to Asolo Rep after playing Mrs. Gibbs in Our Town in 2022. Regional Credits include: 1st Stage, Vashon Repertory Theatre, Cumberland County Playhouse, Dog Day’s Theatre, FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, New College of Florida and the list goes on. She is a proud member of AEA and Sag-Aftra and would like to express her deepest gratitude to the incredible Sarasota patrons and the Asolo Repertory Theatre team.   

Patricia Delorey She/Her (Voice & Dialect Coach) Asolo Rep favorites include: Knoxville (world premiere), Silent Sky, Crazy For You, Cabaret, Sweat, The Cake, Sweeney Todd, Gloria, Ragtime, Rhinoceros, Roe, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, The Great Society, Josephine (world premiere), All The Way, West Side Story, Sotto Voce, Other Desert Cities, The Grapes of Wrath, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Clybourne Park, The Innocents (world premiere), Twelve Angry Men, Bonnie & Clyde (world premiere), Doubt, Equus. Other credits include Judith (world premiere Urbanite Theatre), Pitmen Painters (American Stage Theatre), The Smuggler (Urbanite Theatre), Studio Six’s production of Plasticine (The Baryshnikov Arts Center), Saturday Night Fever (Royal Caribbean International Cruises), Stone Cold Dead Serious (world premiere American Repertory Theatre), and Nocturne (world premiere American Repertory Theatre).     

Tracy Dorman She/Her (Costume Design) Tracy has designed numerous productions at the Asolo Rep including last season’s The Three Musketeers. She has designed productions at regional theater and opera companies around the country including at Syracuse Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Cleveland Play House, GEVA, Milwaukee Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Drury Lane (Chicago), Kansas City Rep, Gulfshore Playhouse, Maltz-Jupiter, Manhattan School of Music, Virginia Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Omaha, Chicago Opera Theatre, Glimmerglass, and New York City Opera. From 2005-2008 she was an associate costume designer on the CBS daytime drama As the World Turns, for which she won an Emmy Award for Costume Design. Please visit www.tracydorman.com for a more extensive listing of production credits. 

Robert Elhai He/Him (Original Music Compositions) Robert is a Tony and Drama Desk nominee for his work on Broadway’s The Lion King, is based in Minneapolis where his theater music has been performed by Theatre Latté Da, Jungle Theater, The History Theatre, and Nautilus Music-Theater, among others. His arrangements have been heard in many theaters, concert halls, and even arenas (The Who and Metallica) around the world. He has orchestrated nearly 200 film scores including those by Elliot Goldenthal (the Oscar-winning score to Frida), Michael Kamen (Band Of Brothers) and Brian Tyler (Fast and Furious franchise). robertelhai.com 

Antonio Troy Ferron He/Him (Scenic Design) Antonio is returning after designing Chicken & Biscuits with Asolo Rep last season. He is a designer for stage and screen based out of Los Angeles and raised in nearby Ocala, FL. He is the Assistant Art Director for the series Bel-Air, streaming on Peacock. Additional television credits include Archive 81 (Netflix), and Disco Inferno (Netflix). Theatre work includes assisting for Broadway and regional productions with Shakespeare Theatre of NJ, Geffen Playhouse, and Second Stage Theater, as well as set design for productions including, I Hate Hamlet (Ocala Civic Theatre) and The Fantasticks (Jean’s Playhouse). 

Michelle Hart She/Her (Hair/Wig & Make-up Design) Michelle designs for Asolo Rep and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, Free Fall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film and television: Lady Of The Manor, Paradise, FL, and The Real Stephen Blatt.     

Jeffrey Hatcher (Playwright) Broadway: Never Gonna Dance (Book). Off-Broadway: Three Viewings and A Picasso at Manhattan Theatre Club; Scotland Road and The Turn of the Screw at Primary Stages; Tuesdays with Morrie (with Mitch Albom) at The Minetta Lane; Murder By Poe, The Turn of the Screw and The Spy at The Acting Company; Neddy at American Place; and Fellow Travelers at Manhattan Punchline. Other Plays/Theaters: Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Mrs. Mannerly, Murderers, Mercy of a Storm, Smash, Armadale, Korczak's Children, To Fool the Eye, The Falls, A Piece of the Rope, All the Way with LBJ, The Government Inspector, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and others at The Guthrie Theatre, Old Globe, Yale Rep, The Geffen, Seattle Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, South Coast Rep, Arizona Theater Company, San Jose Rep, The Empty Space, Indiana Rep, Children's Theater Company, History Theater, Madison Rep, Intiman, Illusion, Denver Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Rep, Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Actors Theater of Louisville, Philadelphia Theater Company, Asolo, City Theater, Studio Arena and dozens more in the U.S. and abroad. Film/ TV: Stage Beauty, Casanova, The Duchess, and episodes of Columbo. Grants/Awards: NEA, TCG, Lila Wallace Fund, Rosenthal New Play Prize, Frankel Award, Charles MacArthur Fellowship Award, McKnight Foundation, Jerome Foundation and Barrymore Award Best New Play. He is a member and/or alumnus of The Playwrights Center, the Dramatists Guild, the Writers Guild and New Dramatists. 

James E. Lawlor III (Lighting Designer) Jimmy is a Scorpio, father, cat owner, and a music enthusiast, who enjoys scotch and bourbon. He only runs when chased.  Jimmy designs lighting for opera, theatre, dance, corporate clients, architecture, interiors, and more. At Asolo Rep: The Three Musketeers, Eureka Day. New York works include Broadway, Off Broadway, and beyond. Regional work includes Opera, Theatre, and Dance. Jimmy’s work has been seen internationally in Abu Dhabi, Sydney, Mexico, Canada, Austria, and Germany. MFA from NYU Tisch. Member USA 829.  lawlordesign.com 

Kristin Loughry She/Her (Assistant Stage Manager) Kristin is thrilled to be back in sunny Sarasota! Previous Asolo Rep credits include Inherit the Wind, Silent Sky, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, The Cake, Grand Horizons, Eureka Day and the unopened production of The Great Leap in the Cook. Additional credits include shows with Baltimore Center Stage, Hangar Theatre Company, Infinity Theatre Company, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, NewArts, New London Barn Playhouse, Primary Stages, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Soho Playhouse, Virginia Stage Company, NYU Grad Acting, and The New School. Proud AEA member and Ithaca College alum. Mucho mucho amor para Gaby (y Turbo). 

Sharath Patel He/ Him (Sound Design) Based in Portland, Oregon, Sharath works nationally and internationally focusing on experimental, commercial, academic, political, and socially conscious theatre. Recent designs: Asolo Rep, Cleveland Play House, The Alley Theatre, The Alliance, Theatrical Outfit, TheatreWorks of Silicon Valley, Portland Center Stage, Seattle Children’s Theatre, A.C.T., American Rep, Artists Rep, Seattle Rep, Yale Rep, Indiana Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Dallas Theatre Center, The Contemporary American Theatre Festival, and Alabama Shakes. Additional work: New York City, San Francisco, L.A., India, France, England, Germany, and Romania. Affiliations: USA829, Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association, Arts Envoy for the U.S. Department of State, National Respondent for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Resident Artist at Artists Rep. BFA: Ohio University. MFA: Yale School of Drama. sharathpatel.com 

Mark Rose He/Him (Fight Choreographer) Mark is a NY based fight choreographer, stuntman, actor, and Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. Fight Choreography credits: Asolo Rep: Dial M for Murder, Intimate Apparel, Crazy for You, Cabaret, Camelot, Into The Breeches, Lifespan of a Fact, Rhinoceros, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Romeo & Juliet. Trinity Rep: Sweeney Todd, The Good John Proctor, Fences, Becky Nurse of Salem, Tale of Two Cities, Sueno, A Christmas Carol (2022). Legoland NY: The Big Test Stunt Show (2022). Idlewild & Soak Zone Theme Park: Frontier Follies Stunt Show (2018-2019). Sparta NJ Renaissance Faire: The Kings Tournament (2017-present), Misfits of Fortune Pirate Show (2021-present). You can see more at mark-rose.com or on Instagram: @Mark.Rose.Stunts 

Céline Rosenthal (Associate Artistic Director; Resident Casting Director; Director) Céline is a Tony®-nominated producer, “Key”; member of The Ring Of Keys and New Georges Affiliate Artist. At Asolo Rep they directed Grand Horizons, The Incident At Our Lady Of Perpetual Help, The Lifespan of a Fact, Camelot, the Educational Tours of Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest, and served as AD to Frank Galati on Knoxville. Céline developed new work with NYMF, New Georges, MTF, Kidoons, and National Queer Theatre, and helms Asolo Rep’s new work series, The Ground Floor. Other Recent Projects: In The Next Room, Angel Street, A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre); Trayf (New Rep); Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T); the Award Winning short film Wildflower. They are an Alumnus of CTI and BMI Lehman Engel Workshop. celinerosenthal.nyc   

Nia Sciarretta She/Her (Production Stage Manager) Selected Asolo Rep credits include PSM for Knoxville, Cabaret, Man of La Mancha, Silent Sky, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys & Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep. Member of AEA.    

DeWanda Smith Soeder (Cultural Competency Consultant) President of Smith-Soeder Enterprises, LLC. In addition to providing cultural competency for all Asolo productions, DeWanda is the (IDEA) Specialist for the Asolo supporting organizational culture change and development. Her cultural competency process is based on her research and thesis, “Theatre as a Diversity Intervention”. Other cultural competency consulting engagements include; Hadestown (Broadway and Tour), Little Shop of Horrors, Off-Broadway, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, RCI Productions, LDK Productions, Martians Productions, other regional theaters, playwrights and actors. She holds a M.A. in Psychology, and a B.S. in Health and Human Services. In addition to being a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), her credentials include; Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, Instruction Design and Development, Human Behavior and Interaction, Emotional Intelligence and Adjunct Professor of Psychology.   

Click here to view and download the photos 

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Sasha Andreev He/Him (Mr. Marks) Last seen in Ragtime as Tateh, Sasha is delighted to return to Asolo Rep. Originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, now based in Minneapolis, he has performed off-Broadway, on national tour, and on PBS in the Drama-Desk-winning production of All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914.  Regional credits include Guthrie Theater, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Theater Latté Da, History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theater, and Walker Art Center. On screen, Sasha has been seen in Stranger Things (Netflix), as host of Curb Appeal (HGTV) and Operation Build (A&E), as a product expert on shopping networks in the U.S., Canada and Australia, and in numerous commercials and films. IG: SashaAndreevNow 

Curtis Bannister (George) Winner of the Actors Equity Foundation Roger Sturtevant Award: Outstanding Performance in Musical Theater; Drama League Award nominee: Best Concert Performance; Joseph Jefferson Award (The Jeffs) nominee: Outstanding Performance by a Principal Actor in a Musical. Recently, Curtis has performed in Big River (Jim) at Mercury Theater Chicago, Bernstein’s MASS (Soloist 1, Celebrant u/s) at The Kennedy Center, The Pajama Game (Sid) at Theater at the Center, Ragtime (Coalhouse), Candide (Ragotski) with The Philadelphia Orchestra alongside Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan, The Last Five Years (Jamie), and debuted the role of Juror 8 in the world premiere musical adaptation of 12 Angry Men with Theater LatteDa. He is currently the concert partner of Tony and Grammy Award-winner Heather Headley throughout the U.S. and will make his solo concert debut in November 2024 in Washington DC. Film and TV credits include his Tribeca Film Festival debut in The Conductor, the Apple TV+ Peabody Award-winning series Dickinson (Marquis), and NBC’s Chicago Fire (Reimers). www.thecurtisbannister.com, IG: @thee_cb, X: theecb. 

Ariel Blue (u/s Mrs. Dickson) Ariel is an actor, writer and recording artist, and a well-known member of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. She was recently featured in Motherless in New York and at WBTT. Ms. Blue was last seen in WBTT’s Joyful, Joyful. Her stage credits include Sistas in the Name of Soul, The Amen Corner, Dreamgirls, & Avenue Q. In her free time, Ariel reads and spends time with her niece and nephew. www.simplyarielblue.com / IG: @simplyarielblue @ariedotcom 

Trezure B. Coles She/Her (Mayme) Trezure is from Newport News, Virginia. Some works include Eureka Day (Asolo Rep), Stick Fly, Love’s Labour’s Lost (FSU Conservatory), Antony and Cleopatra, Eurydice (TAM), A Christmas Carol, Comedy of Errors (Virginia Stage Company), Once on This Island, Gem of the Ocean, The Color Purple (NSU Theatre Company). Education includes B.A. in Drama and Theatre at Norfolk State University, 3rd year M.F.A. acting candidate at FSU Asolo Conservatory. 

Aneisa J. Hicks She/Her (Esther) Aneisa is really grateful to be making her Asolo Rep debut. Recent credits include POTUS (Steppenwolf Theatre- u/s Chris), POTUS (Hippodrome Theatre- Chris), The Ripple, The Wave that carried me home (Goodman Theatre/ Berkeley Repertory Theatre- Helen), Hurricane Diane (Theater Wit-Beth), The Mountaintop (TheatreSquared- Camae). Aneisa is signed with DDO Artists Agency. 

Rebecca Rose Mims She/Her (u/s Esther) Rose is overjoyed to be in Asolo Rep’s 2023 – 2024 season. She is currently in her 3rd Year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Her most recent credits include The Tempest (Miranda) and Othello (Emilia) in Shakespeare on the Green at Nebraska Shakespeare. Rose would like to thank her oldest sister, Rachel, for running so that she might fly; and her second older sister, Jessica, for loving her unconditionally. 

Adelin Phelps She/Her (Mrs. Van Buren) Adelin is thrilled to be making her Asolo Rep debut! She is currently a Minneapolis based stage, film and voice over artist and is excited to expand to more corners of the country.  She has worked and created with The Guthrie Theater, The Jungle Theater, Yellow Tree Theater, Theater Latté Da, Transatlantic Love Affair, New Dawn Theatre Company, History Theatre, Park Square Theatre, Girl Friday Productions, Dark &Stormy Productions, and more. Adelin received her B.A. in Theatre Arts from Coe College and studied with The Actors Workout, Guthrie Theater from 2010–2018. Visit adelinphelps.com to learn more. 

Jordan Sam Rich He/Him (u/s Mr. Marks) Jordan hails from Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from The University of Michigan’s BFA Acting program. At Asolo Rep, Jordan performed in Fountain and Our Town (U/S Howie Newsome) and understudied Hood (Little John) and Eureka Day (Eli). Professional credits: Pete the Cat National Tour, No Villain at the Public Theater starring Judith Light. Regionally, Jordan performed at Santa Rosa Rep and worked in many capacities at The Eugene O’Neill. For MDZPLBNMJ. @jordy214    

Angelle Mishon She/Her (u/s Mayme) Angelle is a first-year student with FSU/Asolo Rep Conservatory. Angelle is from New Orleans and graduated from Louisiana State University with degrees in Performance and International Affairs. Angelle is eager to further explore intersectional identities through performance during her training. She hopes it will allow her freedom to exceed the scope of imitations imposed on identities and bring truth to stage. She has previously worked with Swine Palace (LA) and Williamstown Theatre Festival (MA).    

Danielle Vivcharenko She/Her (u/s Mrs. Van Buren) Danielle is ecstatic to be back with Asolo Rep while in her final year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Previously at Asolo Rep, Danielle performed in the staged reading of Fountain and understudied Lady Anne/Much in Hood and Joe Crowell in Our Town. In the conservatory season, she was Kimber in Stick Fly. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. All the love to Mom and Dad! Daniellevivcharenko.com 

Rueben Wakefield  (u/s George) Hailing from Chicago Il, Rueben is ecstatic to be back on the Mertz stage. He was previously an understudy for Asolo Rep’s 2021 production of Our Town as Professor Willard. A third-year student at the FSU /Asolo Conservatory, he has been in productions of Sense & Sensibility, Stick Fly, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Midsummer Night’s Dream. He was recently seen in Inherit the Wind. 

Regina Marie Williams She/Her (Mrs. Dickson) Regina Marie Williams originated the title role of Nina Simone in Christina Ham’s Nina Simone: Four Women, performed at Kenny Leon’s True Colors, The Peoples Light, and at Park Square Theater where it was commissioned. Prospera in the Tempest at Guthrie Theater, Dinah Washington in Dinah Was at Penumbra Theater, and Mama Nadi in Mixed Blood’s Ruined are among her favorite roles. For her work in 2023, which includes Clytemnestra in Iphegenia at Aulis with Ten Thousand Things Theater, Dolly in Hello Dolly at Theater Latte Da, Gertrude in Hamlet and the Narrator in Into The Woods at Guthrie Theater. The Minneapolis Star Tribune hailed Williams Artist of the Year. She is delighted to be at the Asolo Rep. 

Drayton Alexander He/They (Dramaturg) Highlights at Asolo Rep include Cabaret (transfer to The Old Globe), Man of La Mancha, Chicken and Biscuits, and workshops of Stellar Atmospheres and Dancing in the Blue Light. Other dramaturgical highlights include Spin at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Theatre Weekly Award, Best Solo Performance), Taylor Mac’s ball-pit play The Fre (world premiere), Not My Monster (OBA nomination, Best Family Entertainment), Syncing Ink, Scraps (world premiere), and good friday at The Flea Theater. Drayton was the Co-Artistic Producer of Serials for two years and has worked with such theater companies as The Vineyard, The New Group, New Earth Theatre, and Singapore Repertory Theatre. He received an Olwen Wymark award from the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an M.F.A. from NYU Tisch Asia. 

Jeff Lowe Bailey (Sound Designer and Original Compositions) Jeff has performed in a wide variety of musical settings as a musician, composer, sound designer, producer, and educator. He has performed with world renowned artists: Craig Taborn, Joey Arias, Joey McIntyre, Eric Gravatt, Karrin Allyson, Doc Severinsen, Minnesota Orchestra, Jonatha Brooke, Geoff Keezer, Andres Prado, Fareed Haque, Charley Drayton, and James Moody. Jeff has composed original music and sound design for: Raisin In The Sun (Guthrie Theater), In The Next Room (Yellow Tree), Rule of Thumb (Park Square), B.A.M’s Next Wave Festival, White Savior (Sparkhouse), and Punic Wars (The Hittite Empire). Jeff is currently Professor of Practice and Director of the Music Production program at Hamline University, which encourages traditional and non-traditional music makers to gain fluency with modern music technology. 

Alexa Burn She/Her (Assistant Stage Manager) Credits include Clyde’s (ASM) at the Denver Center, The Royale (SM) at American Players Theatre, Bald Sisters (SM) at San Jose Stage, The Three Musketeers (ASM), Chicken and Biscuits (ASM), The Great Leap (ASM), Grand Horizons (ASM), and Hood (ASM) at the Asolo Repertory Theatre, A Leg Up (ASM) and Clue (ASM) at Bristol Riverside, The Code (SM) at American Conservatory Theatre SF, Chess (SM) and A Little Night Music (ASM) at 42nd Street Moon. Alexa was also a stage manager at the Disneyland Resort for many years, working with the Disneyland Band, Dapper Dans, and many more. She is thrilled to be back at Asolo Rep! 

Summer Dawn Wallace She/Her (Intimacy Coordinator) Summer Dawn Wallace is a playmaker: a versatile theatre professional working as producer, director, actor, and educator. Summer is the Producing Artistic Director at Urbanite Theatre, which focuses on new work. She is happy to be returning to Asolo Rep after playing Mrs. Gibbs in Our Town in 2022. Regional Credits include: 1st Stage, Vashon Repertory Theatre, Cumberland County Playhouse, Dog Day’s Theatre, FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, New College of Florida and the list goes on. She is a proud member of AEA and Sag-Aftra and would like to express her deepest gratitude to the incredible Sarasota patrons and the Asolo Repertory Theatre team. 

Patricia Delorey She/Her (Voice & Dialect Coach) Asolo Rep favorites include: Knoxville (world premiere), Silent Sky, Crazy For You, Cabaret, Sweat, The Cake, Sweeney Todd, Gloria, Ragtime, Rhinoceros, Roe, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, The Great Society, Josephine (world premiere), All The Way, West Side Story, Sotto Voce, Other Desert Cities, The Grapes of Wrath, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Clybourne Park, The Innocents (world premiere), Twelve Angry Men, Bonnie & Clyde (world premiere), Doubt, Equus. Other credits include Judith (world premiere Urbanite Theatre), Pitmen Painters (American Stage Theatre), The Smuggler (Urbanite Theatre), Studio Six’s production of Plasticine (The Baryshnikov Arts Center), Saturday Night Fever (Royal Caribbean International Cruises), Stone Cold Dead Serious (world premiere American Repertory Theatre), and Nocturne (world premiere American Repertory Theatre).    

Alan C. Edwards He/Him (Lighting Designer) : Off-Broadway: Kill Move Paradise (National Black Theatre), Harry Clarke (Vineyard Theatre, Berkeley Rep); Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Signature NYC & A.R.T); Fires in the Mirror, The Hot Wing King, Sunset Baby (Signature NYC); Twelfth Night (Classical Theatre of Harlem). Regional: Sally & Tom (world prem. by Suzan-Lori Parks at The Guthrie); Paradise Blue, Lights Out: Nat King Cole (Geffen Playhouse). Dance: Chasing Magic and Where We Dwell by Ayodele Casel; In the Same Tongue by Dianne McIntyre; Lifted by Christopher Rudd for American Ballet Theatre. Broadway: Associate to Jennifer Tipton on The Testament of Mary. Awards: Lucille Lortel and Audelco Awards, Drama Desk nomination. He is a graduate of Yale School of Drama, where he is also an assistant professor of lighting.  www.alancedwards.com. 

Michelle Hart She/Her (Hair/Wig & Make-up Design) Hart designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, Free Fall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film and television: Lady Of The Manor, Paradise, FL, and The Real Stephen Blatt.    

Michael Hoover He/Him (Scenic Design) has previously designed Ragtime and Man of La Mancha at Asolo Rep. Michael has collaborated on Scenic Designs with Peter Rothstein at Theater Latte Da in Minneapolis over the past 25 years. He has also designed at many other theaters in the Twin Cities, including the Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Opera, Six Points Theater, Park Square Theater, History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, Jungle Theatre, Illusion Theater and Yellow Tree Theatre. Outside of Minnesota, he has designed at the 5th Avenue Theatre (Seattle, WA), Zach Theatre (Austin, TX) and The Naples Players (Naples, FL). Michael is the former Head of Scenic Art at the Guthrie Theater and he is a member of United Scenic Artists Local USA 829. 

Matthew J. LeFebvre He/Him (Costume Design) Mathew has designed costumes for more than 20 productions at the Guthrie Theater, including The Music Man, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Importance of Being Earnest, Pride and Prejudice, Sweeney Todd, 1776, and She Loves Me. Other regional credits include Signature Theatre Company, New York Theatre Workshop, The Seattle Opera, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, The Minnesota Opera, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Indiana Rep, Arkansas Rep, The Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Arizona Opera, Opera Montreal, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, and Mixed Blood Theatre.  Mathew is a recipient of a 2014-2015 McKnight Theatre Artist Fellowship, 2012 TDF-Irene Sharaff Award, and a 2015 Ivey Award. He is a Professor of Costume Design at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. 

Lynn Nottage (Playwright) Lynn Nottage is a playwright from Brooklyn. Her plays include Crumbs from the Table of Joy, Mud, River, Stone, Por 'Knockers, Poof! (Heideman Award), and Las Meninas, which premiered at San Jose Repertory in 2002. Her plays have been produced Off-Broadway and regionally by The Acting Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Alliance Theatre, Buffalo Studio Arena, Crossroads Theatre, Freedom Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, South Coast Repertory, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Yale Repertory, the Vineyard Theatre and many others. Ms. Nottage has received playwriting fellowships from Manhattan Theatre Club, New Dramatists, and the New York Foundation for the Arts. She is also the recipient of a Playwrights Horizons Amblin/Dreamworks Commission, AT&T Onstage award and a NEA/TCG (1999-2000) grant for a year-long residency at Freedom Theatre. She is a member of New Dramatists and a graduate of Brown University and the Yale School of Drama. 

Matthew T. Parker He/Him (Projection Design) Matthew received his B.F.A. in Theatre Production Design and Technology from Ohio University. He was the resident sound designer at Monomoy Theatre in 1990. He has worked sound and special effects at The Flat Rock Theatre in North Carolina on such shows as I Hate Hamlet, the world premiere of Gilligan's Island: The Musical and others in the 1992 season. Since 1993, Matthew has designed sound for many of Asolo Rep's productions. In addition, he wrote and performed musical scores for The Count of Monte Cristo and Nicholas Nickleby. Outside the theatre world he has designed and programed the show control system for Livingston's Amusements Bazooka Ball arena and produced virtual expositions for the National Watercolor Society. 

Mark Rose He/Him (Fight Choreographer) Mark is a NY based fight choreographer, stuntman, actor, and Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. Fight Choreography credits: Asolo Rep: Dial M for Murder, Intimate Apparel, Crazy for You, Cabaret, Camelot, Into The Breeches, Lifespan of a Fact, Rhinoceros, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Romeo & Juliet. Trinity Rep: Sweeney Todd, The Good John Proctor, Fences, Becky Nurse of Salem, Tale of Two Cities, Sueno, A Christmas Carol (2022). Legoland NY: The Big Test Stunt Show (2022). Idlewild & Soak Zone Theme Park: Frontier Follies Stunt Show (2018-2019). Sparta NJ Renaissance Faire: The Kings Tournament (2017-present), Misfits of Fortune Pirate Show (2021-present). You can see more at www.mark-rose.com or on Instagram: @Mark.Rose.Stunts  

Jacqueline Singleton She/Her (Stage Manager) Jacki is delighted to be back at Asolo Rep! Previously: Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers, Chicken & Biscuits, Our Town, The Great Leap, Terrace Season 2020-21, The Crucible, A Doll’s House Part 2, and Noises Off. 22 seasons with American Players Theatre (Spring Green, Wisconsin), including recent projects Anton’s Shorts, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Oedipus. Others: Animal Farm at Milwaukee Repertory & Baltimore Center Stage, Outside Mullingar at the Clarence Brown Theater in Knoxville, TN, three seasons at Forward Theater (Madison, WI), seven seasons at Madison Repertory Theatre, and numerous Chicago theaters including the Goodman Theatre, Writers’ Theatre, and Next Theatre.  

DeWanda Smith Soeder She/Her (Cultural Competency Coordinator) DeWanda Smith Soeder, Cultural Competency Consultant, President of Smith-Soeder Enterprises, LLC. In addition to providing cultural competency for all Asolo productions, DeWanda is the (IDEA) Specialist for the Asolo supporting organizational culture change and development. Her cultural competency process is based on her research and thesis, “Theatre as a Diversity Intervention”. Other cultural competency consulting engagements include; Hadestown (Broadway and Tour), Little Shop of Horrors, Off-Broadway, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, RCI Productions, LDK Productions, Martians Productions, other regional theaters, playwrights and actors. She holds a M.A. in Psychology, and a B.S. in Health and Human Services. In addition to being a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), her credentials include; Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, Instruction Design and Development, Human Behavior and Interaction, Emotional Intelligence and Adjunct Professor of Psychology.   

Austene Van (Director) THEATER DIRECTION: Guthrie Theater: A Raisin in the Sun, Skeleton Crew, New Dawn Theatre: Crowns, Yellow Tree Theatre: The Rats, The Wasps Nest, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar &Grill, HoliDate, In the Next Room, Passing Strange, Skeleton Crew, The Royale, Ordway: Annie, Blues in the Night, Ten Thousand Things: Intimate Apparel, Park Square Theatre: Rule of Thumb, Gee’s Bend, Lady Day…; Penumbra Theatre: Black Nativity, History Theatre: Lonely Soldiers, Stage North: Ain’t MisBehavin’; ACTING CREDITS: GUTHRIE Steel Magnolias, Familiar, Disgraced, Trouble in Mind, Crowns, The Darker Face of the Earth, McCarter Theatre Center/Milwaukee Repertory Theater: Disgraced; Penumbra Theatre: Weathering, Wedding Band, The Owl Answers, Detroit ’67, Spunk, The Amen Corner, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Dinah Was, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Seven Guitars; Theater Latté Da: Aida; Indiana Repertory Theatre/Cleveland Play House: Radio Golf; Ten Thousand Things: A Streetcar Named Desire, Henry IV, Into the Woods; Jungle Theater: In the Next Room; Park Square Theatre: To Kill a Mockingbird; Children’s Theatre Company: Shrek, Once on This Island; Ordway: Singin’ in the Rain; Chanhassen Dinner Theatres: Hair.  AWARDS: McKnight Theater Artist Fellowship; Ivey Award Founder/Executive Artistic Director at New Dawn Theatre Company; Executive Artistic Director at Yellow Tree Theatre. 

 

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Matthew Amendt He/Him (Kit) Matthew has appeared on screens and stages across the US and internationally. Broadway: Bernhardt/Hamlet. Off-Broadway: Dracula (title role at Classic Stage), Coriolanus, ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore(Red Bull), Julius Caesar, Tamburlaine the Great, Much Ado About Nothing (Theatre for a New Audience at Polonsky Shakespeare Center), Henry V in the title role (The Acting Company and Guthrie Theatre); The Subject Was Roses, The Misanthrope (Pearl Theatre Compnay).  Regional: 13 productions at the Guthrie Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre Co., Alley Theatre, Seattle Rep., Pittsburgh Public, The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Westport, and others. Awards: Presidential Scholar, Ivey Award, Emery Battis Award for Acting, Best Production/Leading Man: Hamlet – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Best Actors – Houston Press.

 

Dylan Godwin He/Him (Will) Dylan is a Resident Acting Company Member at the Alley Theatre in Houston Texas.  Recent credits include: Little Comedies, world premiere with Richard Nelson (Aplombov); Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Ralph Paton); The Servant of Two Masters (Silvio); Clue (Wadsworth); and Born With Teeth (Will) at both the Alley Theatre and Guthrie Theatre; Fully Committed (Sam); Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew); The Winter’s Tale(Clowne); Picasso at the Lapine Agile (Einstein). National Tour: Fiddler on the Roof. Regional: Miller, Mississippi (Dallas Theatre Center); Beauty and the Beast, 110 in the Shade, Reefer Madness, The Music Man, First Date, Bonnie and Clyde, Oliver, Sweet Potato Queens (Theatre Under the Stars); Life Could Be A Dream, AltarBoyz (Stages). Love to ZH.

Alex Hatcher (u/s Kit) Alex is a current MFA Acting candidate at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut this season! He holds a BFA in Acting from Boston University with a concentration in Musical Theater and Dance. Favorite stage credits include West Side Story (Milwaukee Rep), 1776 (New Rep), Hamlet (LAMDA), and Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (BU). Alexanderhatcher.com

Will Westray He/Him (u/s Will) Will is grateful to be in his first year at the FSU Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Most of his training and professional experiences have been in the DC area and NYC. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory and is a proud DMV native. He looks forward to continuing this new chapter with the Asolo Repertory Theatre, following his first role as understudy in Inherit the Wind.

Liz Duffy Adams (Playwright) Liz Duffy Adams’ Born With Teeth premiered at the Alley Theater in 2022 and moved to the Guthrie Theater in 2023; it received an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award and Houston Theater Awards’ Best Play/Production and Best New Play, and was a Steinberg-ATCA New Play Award finalist. Her Neo-Restoration comedy Or, premiered Off-Broadway at WP Theater and has been produced over 80 times since, including at Magic Theater and Seattle Rep. She’s a New Dramatists alumna; other honors include a Lillian Hellman Award, Women of Achievement Award, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship, and a Will Glickman Award for Best New Play for her post-apocalyptic vaudeville Dog Act. More including links to her plays at lizduffyadams.com

Cliff Caruthers (Sound Design and Original Compositions) Cliff is a West-Coast based sound designer and composer with over 20 years’ experience in the field of theatre sound design. He has created music and soundscapes for over 300 productions near and far, including Troilus and Cressida for Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Frankenstein at Guthrie Theatre, 1984 at Alley Theatre, Caucasian Chalk Circle for American Conservatory Theater, TRAGEDY: A Tragedy for Berkeley Repertory Theater, Man in Love for Kansas City Rep, and A Clean House for TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, where he was Resident Sound Designer for seven years. Mr. Caruthers is co-curator and technical director of the San Francisco Tape Music Festival, teaches sound design at San Francisco State University, and is a proud member of United Scenic Artists.

Anna Crace She/Her (Assistant Director) Director: Dragons Love Tacos: The Musical (STC); The Girl On The Train(Lyric Arts); Geminae (The Southern Theater); The Daughter Abroad (Theatre503); This Wall (English Theatre Berlin); you/me/tomorrow (Apiary Studios); Stranded (National Youth Theatre). Associate & Assistant Director: Born With Teeth(Oregon Shakespeare Festival, scheduled for Sept. 2024); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Filter Theatre, U.K. Tour); Born With Teeth (Guthrie Theater), Twelfth Night (Guthrie Theater), Small Mouth Sounds (Jungle Theater); The Seagull, The Plough and the Stars, Jack and the Beanstalk (Lyric Hammersmith). Dramaturg: Vietgone (Guthrie Theater), A Different Pond (STC), Raymie Nightingale (STC), A Christmas Carol (Guthrie Theater).

Ross Egan (Managing Director) Ross is the Managing Director at Asolo Repertory Theatre. Ross’ arts ad- ministration career began in Chicago where he was a co-founder of Jeff-award-winning Refuge Theatre Project. Ross has served as Managing Director at Barter Theatre, the nation’s longest-running professional theatre, and as Director of Marketing & Operations at Illinois Shakespeare Festival. Ross holds a B.F.A. in acting from Michigan State University and an MBA from Illinois State University. He lives with his family in Lakewood Ranch and proudly serves as a den leader for the Boy Scouts of America. 

Michael Locher He/Him (Scenic Design) Michael is pleased to make his Asolo Rep debut with Born With Teeth. Recent regional credits include productions for the Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Yale Repertory Theatre, California Shakespeare Theatre and Houston’s Alley Theatre, where he serves as the Director of Design. Michael’s designs have been seen Off-Broadway and at venues throughout New York and the Northeast. Michael served as a professor at San Jose State University for six years and works as an illustrator and graphic designer specializing in work for the performing arts. Graduate: University of California San Diego, Yale School of Drama.

Rob Melrose (Director) Rob is the Artistic Director of the Alley Theatre where he has directed The Winter’s Tale,1984, Murder on the Orient Express, Sweat, the world premiere of Born With Teeth, as well as his adaptation of A Christmas Carol, and his translation of The Servant of Two Masters. He has directed at The Public Theater (Pericles, Prince of Tyre), The Guthrie Theater (Born With Teeth, Frankenstein, Happy Days, Freud’s Last Session, Pen, Julius Caesar - with the Acting Company); The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Troilus and Cressida – in association with the Public Theater); Magic Theatre (An Accident, world premiere); and The Old Globe (Much Ado About Nothing); PlayMakers Rep (Happy Days). He was previously the Founding Artistic Director of The Cutting Ball Theater.

MCCORKLE CASTING LTD.; PAT MCCORKLE, CSA (New York Casting) Pat McCorkle and McCorkle Casting continue to strive for inclusivity and social awareness during their 35 year history in casting. Broadway: Over 50 productions including: On The Town, Amazing Grace, End of the Rainbow, A Few Good Men. etc. Off-Broadway, Over 60 productions, Highlights: Tribes, Our Town, Driving Miss Daisy. Regional Theatre: Guthrie, Barrington Stage, George Street Playhouse, hundreds of other regional theatres. Feature films: Currently working on 6 films. Previous projects: Premium Rush, Ghost Town, The Thomas Crown Affair, Die Hard with a Vengeance and more. Television: two new films for Hallmark, Twisted, humans for Sesame Street, Californication (Emmy Nomination), Chappelle Show, Strangers with Candy and more. 

Carolina Ortiz Herrera (Lighting Design) Carolina is a Mexican-born and New York-based Lighting Designer for theater, opera, and dance. Broadway: Good Night, Oscar (Belasco & Goodman Theatre); Regional: American Mariachi (Alley Theatre & Arizona Theatre Company); Born With Teeth (Guthrie & Alley Theatre); Native Gardens (Dallas Theatre Center); Everything Rises (BAM & Royce Hall); All’s Well That Ends Well (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Seven Guitars (Yale Repertory Theatre); Doubt: A Parable & 4000 Miles (Westport Country Playhouse); Macbeth (Merrimack Theatre Repertory); Yellowman, an Audelco Awards Best Lighting Design nominee (Billie Holiday Theatre); Cruzar la Cara de la Luna (Minneapolis Opera); and Florencia en el Amazonas (Shubert Theatre). Member of USA Local 829.Graduate of Yale School of Drama. carolinaeortiz.com

Peter Rothstein (Producing Artistic Director) Peter is the Producing Artistic Director for Asolo Repertory Theatre where he directed Inherit The Wind, Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd, and Ragtime. He works extensively as a director of theater, musical theater, opera, and new work development. For 25 years Rothstein served as the Founding Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da, a Minneapolis- based company dedicated to new and adventurous music-theater. Other collaborations include the Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, Ten Thousand Things, and Seattle’s 5th Avenue, as well as the Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Chicago Opera Theater. Rothstein is the creator of All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, which had its Off-Broadway debut in 2018 receiving the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience and has been seen around the globe airing on PBS. Rothstein served on the board of directors for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Alive and Kickin’, and the Twin Cities’ Ivey Awards. He has been a panelist and evaluator for the Playwrights’ Center, the McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals. He holds degrees in music and theater from St. John’s University and an M.F.A. in directing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Nia Sciarretta She/Her (Production Stage Manager) Selected Asolo Rep credits include PSM for Crazy for You, Knoxville, Cabaret, Man of La Mancha, Silent Sky, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as Assistant Stage Manager for Rhinoceros, Guys & Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous of-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep. Member of AEA.

Jocelyn Thompson (Stage Manager) Alley Theatre: Pictures from Home, Edward Albee’s Seascape, Born with Teeth;  North Carolina Theatre: The Color Purple; Guthrie Theatre: Born with Teeth; American Shakespeare Center: Taming of the Shrew, Measure for Measure, Pass Over, Much Ado About Nothing; Virginia Repertory Theatre: The Wiz, Airline Highway, West Side Story, Raisin in the Sun, Fences, Once; Cutting Ball Theater: Marcus Gardley’s ...And Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi, Ubu Roi, The Chairs; Jocelyn has also worked at Brava for Women in the Arts, Shotgun Players, Portland Center Stage, Richmond Shakespeare, and Magic Theatre. Training: Howard University. Member of AEA. 

Alejo Vietti He/Him (Costume Design) Originally from Argentina. New York: Broadway’s Allegiance (Drama Desk Nomination), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical - (also West End - Olivier Nomination, National Tour, Australia and Japan) and Holiday Inn, as well as works for the Radio City Rockettes, Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, NYC Center Encores!, Atlantic Theatre Company, NYC Opera, Primary Stages, and MCC, among others. Has also extensively designed for regional Theatres across the U.S., commercial projects, and dance. Other credits: Titanique(Lucille Lortel Award), Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Japan, Germany and Austria, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Minnesota Opera, Donesk Opera (Ukraine), Colorado Ballet, and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Recipient of the 2010 TDF Irene Sharaff Young Master Award. @alejo_vietti_costume_design

 

 

 

 

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Sasha Andreev He/Him
(E.K. Hornbeck) Last seen in Ragtime as Tateh, Sasha is delighted to return to Asolo Repertory Theatre. Based in Minneapolis, he was recently seen as Marvin in Falsettos at Theater Latté Da. Sasha performed off-Broadway, on tour, and on PBS in the Drama Desk-winning All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Regional credits include Guthrie Theater, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theater, and Theatre de la Jeune Lune. On screen, Sasha has been seen in Stranger Things (Netflix), as host of Curb Appeal (HGTV), as a guest expert on multiple shopping networks, and in numerous commercials and films. IG: SashaAndreevNow 

Riley Aparicio-Jerro She/Her
(u/s Melinda Loomis) Riley makes her debut in Inherit The Wind with Asolo Repertory Theatre. Known for her standout roles as Nemo in Finding Nemo at Sarasota Players and Young Ti Moune at West Coast Black Theatre, Riley brings a dynamic energy to every performance, and is thrilled to have this opportunity to work with the amazing cast, director, and production team at the Asolo. Riley would like to thank her mentors, friends, and family for their support and encouragement in her theatrical journey. 

Curtis Bannister
(Reverend Jeremiah Brown) 2021 winner of the Actors Equity Foundation Roger Sturtevant Award: Outstanding Performance in Musical Theater, 2021 Drama League Award nominee: Best Concert Performance, 2023 Joseph Jefferson Award (The Jeffs) nominee: Outstanding Performance by a Principal Actor in a Musical. Recently, Curtis has performed in Big River (Jim) at Mercury Theater Chicago, Bernstein’s MASS (Soloist 1, Celebrant u/s) at The Kennedy Center, The Pajama Game (Sid) at Theater at the Center, Ragtime (Coalhouse), and The Last Five Years (Jamie). He is currently the concert partner of Tony and Grammy Award-winner Heather Headley throughout the U.S. and will make his solo concert debut in November 2024 in Washington DC. Film and TV credits include his Tribeca Film Festival debut in The Conductor (Marquis), the Apple TV+ Peabody Award-winning series Dickinson, NBC’s Chicago Fire (Reimers). www.thecurtisbannister.com, IG: @thee_cb, X: theecb. 

Mark Benninghofen
(Henry Drummond) Actor Equity Association. Guthrie Theater: Juno and the Paycock, Born Yesterday, Appomattox, Time Stands Still, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide, Great Expectations, St. Joan, A Christmas Carol, The Merry Wives of Windsor. Theater Latté Da: Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Six Degrees of Separation, To Let Go and Fall. History Theater: Tyrone and Ralph, Lord Gordon Gordon. Minnesota Jewish Theater Company: Compulsion. Park Square Theater: Shooting Star. Dark & Stormy Productions: The Hot House. TV and Film: Movie Stars, Frasier, Drew Carey, Chicago Hope, The Public Domain, Wilson, La Stanza Accanto, Older Than America, and Herman USA. 

Danny Bolero
(Meeker) Danny was recently awarded the NYC 2023 Bisto Award and MAC award for his critically acclaimed one-man show; They Call Me Cuban Pete, the music and genius of Desi Arnaz. He made his Broadway debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and returned to Broadway with In The Heights, which led to him originating the role of Kevin on the first National Tour. Last year, he returned to Broadway once again in In Plaza Suite, starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. He is proud to be the voice of character Abuelo on the PBS Kids animated series Alma’s Way. Films: Townhouse Confidential, Rapid Eye Movement, Low Tide. Many thanks to everyone at CTG and Entertainment Labs, and to the Angeles on my shoulder. @ELAactorinNYC, www.dbolero.com. 

David Breitbarth
(Mr.Goodfellow/Judge; u/s Henry Drummond) Over 80 productions at Asolo Rep include: Murder on the Orient Express (also at Maltz Jupiter), Rhinoceros (also at American Conservatory Theartre; San Francisco), The Little Foxes, Both Your Houses, The Grapes of Wrath, Glengarry Glen Ross, Clybourne Park, God of Carnage, Once in a Lifetime, Twelve Angry Men, The Immigrant. World premieres of Men of Tortuga, Perfect Mendacity, A Few Good Men, Laughing Stock, A Flea in Her Ear, Rounding Third, Art, Hobson’s Choice, and Nicholas Nickleby. Broadway First National Tour: Spring Awakening. Off-Broadway: Short Change, Perfect Crime, Fluorescent Hunger, and This Hard Life. Los Angeles: Life in the Trees (West Coast premiere) and David’s Mother. Film and television: Frasier, Taken!, Law & Order, and Fame. He is a 12-year ensemble member at Florida Repertory Theatre in Ft. Myers and has appeared regionally around the country. David is a 2013 Lunt-Fontanne Fellow selected by the prestigious Ten Chimneys Foundation. He is thrilled to be back at Asolo Rep. 

Jaliyah Campbell She/Her
(Melinda Loomis) Jaliyah is thrilled to be performing in Asolo Rep’s Inherit the Wind. Jaliyah has a natural talent for acting, singing and dancing. Her past performances include Brundibar, Black Nativity, Fame The Musical, The Technicolor Musical, Once This Island, and Holidays in Hamony. In June 2021, Jaliyah landed her first movie role in Playing Through.  At 12 years old, this dynamic performer always strives to give 100 percent; with the talent, dedication and charisma that captivates the hearts of audiences every time. 

Luke HoonMin Choi
(u/s Cooper/Dr. Allen Page/Elijah/Sillers) Luke HoonMin Choi is a dedicated actor based in New York, who was born in Korea. He is known for his commitment to the craft. He started his career at Meta Artist Troupe and recently finished his B.A. in theater at Queens College, NY. With a range of experiences and skills, he brings authenticity to every role he takes on.   

Trezure B Coles She/Her
(Mrs. Loomis; u/s Rachel) Trezure Coles is from Newport News, Virginia. Some works include: Eureka Day (Asolo Rep), Stick Fly, Love’s Labour’s Lost (FSU Conservatory), Antony and Cleopatra, Eurydice (TAM), A Christmas Carol, Comedy of Errors (Virginia Stage Company), Once on This Island, Gem of the Ocean, The Color Purple (NSU Theatre Company). Education includes: B.A. in Drama and Theatre at Norfolk State University, 3rd year M.F.A. acting candidate at FSU Asolo Conservatory. 

Zach Harris He/Him
(u/s Betram Cates/Organ Grinder/Bannister) Zach is very excited to begin training and learning at FSU/Asolo Rep. He looks to vastly expand his skills and knowledge in Theatre during his time at the Conservatory. Zach graduated from UNC Wilmington, where he discovered his passion for acting, and earned a B.A. in Theatre and a minor in Biology. He is looking forward to growing alongside the class of 2026.   

Brielle Rivera Headrington She/Her
(Rachel) Brielle is grateful to be participating in her second season with Asolo Rep and sharing the stage with her class of 2024. You last saw her on Cook Stage as Sheila in An Inspector Calls, and The Princess in Love's Labour's Lost. She adores and thanks God, her family, friends, and teachers here at the Conservatory. She'd like to recognize Denise Parker, Gayle Justice, and Cheryl Williams for the support that has gotten her to this point in her life. A special shoutout to her husband, Isaiah. 

Jason Hedges
(u/s Dunlap) Jason is a multi-instrumentalist musician, singer/songwriter, and actor from Gainesville, Florida and has been performing since childhood. He has been a SAG/AFTRA Member for the past 20 years and studied improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade and film acting at HB Studios in NYC. Jason is also a professional musician and when he’s not recording, performing and touring, he spends his time playing bedside for patients at local hospital’s Arts in Medicine program. 

Calee Gardner She/Her
(u/s Mrs. Bollinger) Calee is overjoyed for her Asolo Rep debut as part of her FSU/Asolo Conservatory M.F.A. Acting journey. Recent credits: Siobhan in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Tampa Rep), Margot Frank in The Diary of Anne (Stageworks), Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility (HTCO) and The Sketchbook in Scenes of an Execution (PTP/NYC). Originally from Utah, she holds a B.F.A. in Music-Dance-Theatre and is an accomplished dramaturg and vocal instructor. Caleegardner.com 

Lorenzo Gonzalez
(u/s Howard Blair) Lorenzo, a vibrant 10-year-old born in Bogotá, Colombia, now resides in Sarasota, Florida. Since moving at the age of three, he has embraced his new surroundings with enthusiasm. Currently in fifth grade at Pine View School, Lorenzo shines with his artistic talents. His passions for acting, dancing, and playing the piano are evident, showcasing his incredible artistic qualities from a young age. Lorenzo's zest for the arts makes him a standout student and a budding artist. 

Amara Kali She/They
(u/s Mrs. Krebs) Amara is a Sacramento native, black feminist storyteller, and first-year student at FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Her recent regional credits include Beneatha in A Raisin in the Sun (6th Street Playhouse), Lily in Crumbs from the Table of Joy (Town Hall Theatre), and staged readings at Berkeley Rep and Crowded Fire. She sends immense gratitude to those who have provided the foundation for her to tell stories – her family, lifelong mentors, and ancestors. 

Andrew Long He/Him
(Matthew Harrison Brady) Broadway – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. BAM- Richard III (directed by Sam Mendes), The Iceman Cometh. London Old Vic – Richard III. International Tour – War Horse. Park Avenue Armory – The Oresteia, Hamlet. Hartford Stage – Heartbreak House, Hamlet. Arena Stage- The Watch on the Rhine, Good People. Shakespeare Theatre Company – Coriolanus, Cyrano, Richard II, The Duchess of Malfi. Guthrie – M. Butterfly, Gross Indecency. Signature Theatre – My Fair Lady, I Am My Own Wife. Repertory Theatre of St. Louis- Copenhagen, Enrico IV , Amadeus. Studio Theatre- Frozen. Film- Blue Jasmine. TV- Archive 81, Blindspot. Helen Hayes Award, Will Award, Lunt Fontanne Fellow.   

Jay Lusteck He/Him
(Mayor/Dr. Amos Keller) Jay is thrilled to return to Asolo Repertory Theatre! Previous Asolo Rep productions include 1776 and A Tale of Two Cities. Selected credits - Broadway: A Tale of Two Cities. Off-Broadway (City Center Encores!): Road Show, Damn Yankees, Kismet, Of Thee I Sing, Juno, Fanny, Pipe Dream. Off-Broadway (Carnegie Hall): Showboat. Off-Broadway (Irish Repertory Theatre): The Bells of Christmas, Beowulf . National Tours: Big River (Deaf West), The Phantom of the Opera, The Producers. Regional: 1776, The Full Monty, Sweeney Todd, Fiddler on the Roof, The Mikado, The Most Happy Fella, Knickerbocker Holiday. Proud AEA member. Love to Shevhan and Bridget! www.JayLusteck.com 

Billy Lyons He/Him
(u/s Mayor/Dr. Amos Keller; u/s Judge) Billy Lyons, from NYC, is a first-year student with FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Off-Broadway: Dancing at Lughnasa at the Irish Repertory Theatre and The Things They Carried with the American Place Theatre. Regional credits include Dancing at Lughnasa, The Imaginary Invalid, and The Time of the Cuckoo at the Schoolhouse Theatre. He directed a documentary, It Takes a Lunatic, about his acting teacher and mentor, Wynn Handman, which is streaming on Netflix. B.F.A. Ithaca College. 

Finn MacBeth
(Howard Blair) Finn is a native New Yorker and a 6th grade student at Booker Middle School in the Visual & Performing Arts Program. He sings with the Sarasota Youth Opera, where he has been a participant since 2018. He has appeared in many productions with Bay Haven School, most recently as Horton in Seussical Jr. Finn has studied violin and piano, both for three years. He is very excited and proud to be appearing at Asolo Repertory Theatre! 

Michelle McCord
(u/s Mrs. Brady) Michelle is excited to be involved at Asolo Repertory Theatre for the first time! Michelle’s career spans from being a ballerina at the Hannover State Opera, to performing in over 30 productions at Theater des Westens Berlin, including Grand Hotel, Anything Goes, Cabaret, Sweet Charity. 2004 she was a faculty member at NKU and CCM. In 2013, Michelle and her husband Matt opened Ovation- School of Musical Theatre and then Ovation Theatre Inc. 

Rebecca Rose Mims She/Her
(Mrs. Krebs) Rebecca is overjoyed to be in the Asolo Repertory Theatre’s 2023 - 2024 season. She is a recent graduate of Central Michigan University with a B.F.A. in Acting/Directing. Her most recent credits include The Tempest (Miranda) and Othello (Emilia) in Shakespeare on the Green at Nebraska Shakespeare. She would like to thank her oldest sister, Rachel, for running so that she might fly, and her second older sister, Jessica, for loving her unconditionally.  

Angelle Mishon She/Her
(u/s Mrs. Loomis) Angelle Mishon is a first-year student with FSU/Asolo Rep Conservatory. Angelle is from New Orleans and graduated from Louisiana State University with degrees in Performance and International Affairs. Angelle is eager to further explore intersectional identities through performance during her training. She hopes it will allow her freedom to exceed the scope of limitations imposed on identities and bring truth to stage. She has previously worked with Swine Palace (LA) and Williamstown Theatre Festival (MA).  

Yaala Muller She/Her
(u/s Reuters Reporter; u/s Goodfellow) Yaala Muller is honored to participate in her first season with Asolo Repertory Theatre. Originally from Israel, she has spent the last few years working as an organizer and voting rights advocate. Yaala is thrilled to return to the theater as a part of the ensemble at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Some favorite projects include: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Village Players) and Thinking It (Washington University in St. Louis). 

Falcian Page He/Him
(Organ Grinder/Bannister; u/s Davenport, Meeker, Hot Dog Man) Falcian is VERY excited to be back on the Mertz Stage. He was last seen at Asolo Rep. in Our Town (u/s Simon Stimson). Other credits include Yvan in Art, Matt in Red Light Winter, and Governor John Slaton in Parade. Falcian is a third-year M.F.A. candidate at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. B.S. & B.A. from University of Tennessee. All the love to his friends and family! 

Sharon Pearlman She/Her
(Mrs. Bollinger/Reuters Reporter) Sharon was last seen on Asolo Rep’s stage in Eureka Day (u/s Suzanne). She also understudied Our Town and Knoxville during the 2021-2022 season. Other credits include Rudolph in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (National Tour), Crissy in Hair (White Plains Performing Arts Center), and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka, Japan (original cast). Sharon is a third-year M.F.A. student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. B.F.A. from NYU (Tisch). www.sharonpearlman.com  

Jackson Purdy He/Him
(Elijah/Sillers) Jackson was born and raised in Bellows Falls, Vermont, and is a recent graduate of Temple University (B.A. Theater). He has enjoyed working with the Philadelphia New Playwrights Festival, and locally in Sarasota with Asolo Repertory Theatre and Florida Studio Theatre. He is currently in the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Much love to all his friends and family!  

Ashley Brooke Raymond She/Her
(u/s Mrs. McLain) Ashley is thrilled to be joining Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory class of 2026! She recently graduated from Western Connecticut State University in 2022 where she acquired a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theater Performance and Psychology. She looks forward to taking part in her first season at Asolo Repertory Theater and is thankful for the warm welcome she has received from this community.  

Jordan Sam Rich He/Him
(Hot Dog Man/Tom Davenport; u/s E.K. Hornbeck) Jordan Sam Rich hails from Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from The University of Michigan’s B.F.A. Acting program. At Asolo Rep, Jordan performed in Fountain and Our Town (U/S Howie Newsome) and understudied Hood (Little John) and Eureka Day (Eli). Professional credits: Pete the Cat National Tour, No Villain at the Public Theatre starring Judith Light. Regionally, Jordan performed at Santa Rosa Rep and worked in many capacities at The Eugene O’Neill. For MDZPLBNMJ. @jordy214  

Mikhail Roberts He/Him
(Bertram Cates) Mikhail first worked with Asolo Rep in the 2021/2022 season, as Understudy for Our Town, Grand Horizons, Hood, and Eureka Day, in which he made his stage debut as the character of Don at intermission (in his street clothes)! Roberts remained in the role for six performances. His international career spans over two decades, and his latest film is set to release this year. Other credits can be viewed in his website: www.mikhailroberts.com  

Ryan Schmidt He/Him  
(Dunlap) Ryan Schmidt is a multi-instrumentalist and performer from Parrish, Florida. Ryan grew up playing and performing in the Manatee-Sarasota area as a guitarist, drummer, bassist, mandolinist, and pretty much anything else he could get his hands on. This is Ryan’s second time performing with the Asolo Repertory Theatre. He has also performed with the Young Americans Dinner Theatre in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and has been a featured performer with Disney Cruise Line, including being a part of the opening cast of the Disney Wish.  

Brooke Turner She/Her  
(Mrs. McLain) Brooke is an FSU/Asolo M.F.A. candidate and intimacy director from Cleveland, OH, where she earned her B.F.A. in Classical Acting from Baldwin Wallace University. Her previous credits include: Our Town (Wally U/S) at Asolo Rep, Pride and Prejudice (Elizabeth U/S) and Misery (Annie U/S) at Great Lakes Theatre, and Richard III (Lady Anne) at The Idaho Shakespeare Festival. She is grateful for this opportunity and the support of Dad, Christian, and her friends/family. 

Danielle Vivcharenko She/Her  
(Mrs. Blair/Margaret Aaronson) Danielle is ecstatic to be back with the Asolo Repertory Theatre while in her final year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Previously at the Asolo Repertory, Danielle performed in the staged reading of Fountain and understudied Lady Anne/Much in Hood and Joe Crowell in Our Town. In the conservatory season, she was Kimber in Stick Fly. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. All the love to Mom and Dad! Daniellevivcharenko.com 

Rueben Wakefield  
(Cooper/Dr. Allen Page; u/s Reverend Brown) Hailing from Chicago Il, Rueben is ecstatic to be back on the Mertz stage. He was previously an understudy for Asolo Rep’s 2021 production of Our Town as Professor Willard. A third-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, he has been in productions of Sense & Sensibility, Stick Fly, and Love’s Labour’s Lost. He was last seen in Asolo Rep’s tour of Midsummer Night’s Dream as Oberon. Next up Intimate Apparel.  

Rickey Allen Watson Jr. He/Him
(Harry Esterbrook/Phil/Photographer) Rickey received his B.F.A. in acting from UNCSA and is now in his final year of his M.F.A. at FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Recent Credits: Lysander/Bottom— A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Asolo Rep), Don Armado— Love’s Labour’s Lost (FSU/Asolo), Kent— Stick Fly (FSU/Asolo), John Dashwood— Sense and Sensibility (FSU/Asolo), George (U/S)—Our Town (Asolo Rep), Tommy (U/S)— Grand Horizons (Asolo Rep), George— Our Town (Triad Stage), Richard— Intangible (MCC Theatre), Kaa— Jungle Book (Peppercorn Theatre), King— Princess and the Pea (Missoula Children’s Theatre). 

Sally Wingert She/Her  
(Mrs. Brady) Sally Wingert is very happy to be back at Asolo Rep. Her previous appearance here was as Mrs. Lovett in Peter Rothstein’s production of Sweeney Todd. Sally has worked across the country at The Alley, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Arena Stage, ART, Yale Rep, The McCarter Theater and others. She played London’s West End and Broadway in La Bete, directed by Matthew Warchus. Sally makes her home in the Twin Cities where she has been in over 90 productions at The Guthrie, most recently Lady Bracknell in The Importance of being Earnest. Her work there includes numerous productions with Theater Latté Da, Mixed Blood, Ten Thousand Things, Six Points and many others. 

Will Westray He/Him 
(u/s Harry Esterbrook/Phil/Photographer) Will Westray is grateful to be in his first year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Most of his training and professional experiences have been in the DC area and, until recently, NYC. He holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory and is a proud DMV native. He looks forward to starting a new chapter with Asolo Repertory Theatre. 

Yueying (Uri) Zhang 
(u/s Mrs. Blair/Margaret Aaronson) A native of Shanghai, Uri began her acting career in 2011 and graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy with a B.A. in Musical Arts in 2019. Uri is recognized for her diverse roles in stage productions, TV dramas, films, and singing competitions. Notably, she played the role of Nala in the Chinese version of Disney's The Lion King. Uri feels fortunate and proud to be the first international student at FSU/Asolo Conservatory and is eagerly anticipating collaborating with her talented peers this season.   

Drayton Alexander He/They 
(Dramaturg) Highlights at Asolo Rep include Cabaret (transfer to The Old Globe), Man of La Mancha, Chicken and Biscuits, and workshops of Stellar Atmospheres and Dancing in the Blue Light. Other dramaturgical highlights include Spin at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Theatre Weekly Award, Best Solo Performance), Taylor Mac’s ball-pit play The Fre (world premiere), Not My Monster (OBA nomination, Best Family Entertainment), Syncing Ink, Scraps (world premiere), and good friday at The Flea Theater. Drayton was the Co-Artistic Producer of Serials for two years and has worked with such theater companies as The Vineyard, The New Group, New Earth Theatre, and Singapore Repertory Theatre. He received an Olwen Wymark award from the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an M.F.A. from NYU Tisch Asia. 

Ross Egan
(Managing Director) Ross is the Managing Director at Asolo Repertory Theatre. Ross’ arts administration career began in Chicago where he was a co-founder of Jeff-award-winning Refuge Theatre Project. Ross has served as Managing Director at Barter Theatre, the nation’s longest-running professional theatre, and as Director of Marketing & Operations at Illinois Shakespeare Festival. Ross holds a B.F.A. in acting from Michigan State University and an MBA from Illinois State University. He lives with his family in Lakewood Ranch and proudly serves as a den leader for the Boy Scouts of America. 

Fabian Fidel Aguilar He/Him  
(Costume Design) Fabian attended the Yale School of Drama for his M.F.A. and Boston University (B.F.A.) to pursue theatrical costume design. Credits include DIG (Playwright Horizons), Three Sisters, Twelfth Night (Two River Theater), Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Max Makes a Million, Winnie the Pooh (Alliance Theatre), Wait Until Dark, Queen of the Night, Slow Food (Dorset Theater Festival), Straight White Men, Mlima’s Tale, In the Heights, Man of La Mancha, Romeo and Juliet (Westport Country Playhouse), American Mariachi, Mother Road (PCPA), Afterglow, Safeword (Midnight Theatricals), Recent Alien Abductions (Play Co.), ¡Bienvenidos Blancos! or Welcome White People! (Team Sunshine, Philadelphia), A View from the Bridge, Seven Spots on the Sun. Set and costume for The War Boys (NYC), Sotto Voce (Portland Stage), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Moors (Yale Repertory Theater world premier).   

Jonathan Godfrey He/Him  
(Music Supervisor) Jonathan is a guitarist and composer whose internationally commissioned works have been described as “invitingly poetic” (Boston Globe) and range from choral music to a banjo concerto. Previous Asolo Rep credits include arranger and guitarist for Man of La Mancha and pit-musician for Knoxville, Stand Back Sarasota!, The Sound of Music, Ragtime, and Evita. He has performed over 20 programs with The Florida Orchestra and in the national tours of Mean Girls, Chicago, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He is on faculty at the University of South Florida, Florida Southern College, and the State College of Florida, and music directs for Parrish United Methodist Church. He holds a Doctor of Music from Indiana University. www.TampaBayGuitar.com 

Michelle Hart She/Her  
(Hair/Wig & Make-up Design) Hart designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, Free Fall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film and television: Lady Of The Manor, Paradise, FL, and The Real Stephen Blatt.   

Jenny Kim-Godfrey She/Her  
RUBY E. AND CAROLE CROSBY FAMILY FOUNDATION GUEST MUSICAL ARTIST (Music Director and Vocal Arrangements) Jenny is a Korean-American music director, voice coach, and an award-winning opera singer. She is a resident voice coach with Cirque du Soleil, PerformerStuff.com, and a resident music director with Norwegian Cruise Lines. She has served on the Faculty at University of Albany, University of Tampa, and Sehan University (Korea). Some of her favorite directing credits include; Cabaret, Tell Me On a Sunday (Peterborough Players), Velvet, Choir of Man (NCL) and Man of La Mancha (Asolo Rep). Jenny holds her master’s in vocal performance (opera) and choral conducting with an outside field in arts administration from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Jenny is a proud immigrant from South Korea and is grateful to return to Asolo Rep on the other side of the table alongside her husband Dr. Jonathan Godfrey as a collaborator. Full bio: www.JennyKimGodfrey.com | IG:@jennykimgodfrey 

Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee  
(Playwrights) Jerome Lawrence (1915-2004) and Robert E. Lee (1918-1994) collaborated for more than fifty years and were among the most prolific playwriting teams in the American theatre. In addition to their Pulitzer-nominated Inherit The Wind, their other major stage works include the comedy hit Auntie Mame, the books for the musicals Mame and Dear World, and the plays The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail, The Gang’s All Here, and First Monday in October. In 1990, they became members of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre at the Kennedy Center and were inducted into the National Theatre Hall of Fame. 

In addition to receiving recognition for their work in the theatre, they have also been honored for their contributions as writers for radio, television and film. Master craftsmen and teachers of playwriting, Lawrence and Lee communicated to their students a passionate belief that the theatre must be a forum for ideas and issues of social significance. The Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute, established at The Ohio State University, houses an outstanding growing collection of memorabilia and personal papers of theatre artists from all over the world. 

Kristin Loughry She/Her  
(Assistant Stage Manager) Kristin is thrilled to be back in sunny Sarasota! Previous Asolo Rep credits include Silent Sky, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, The Cake, Grand Horizons, Eureka Day and the unopened production of The Great Leap in the Cook. Additional credits include shows with Baltimore Center Stage, Hangar Theatre Company, Infinity Theatre Company, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, NewArts, New London Barn Playhouse, Primary Stages, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Soho Playhouse, Virginia Stage Company, NYU Grad Acting, and The New School. Proud AEA member and Ithaca College alum. Mucho mucho amor para Gaby (y Turbo).  

Victor Meyrich  
(Production & Operations Director) Victor is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and its facilities. He wrote the architecture program for both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Koski II expansion and is the owner's representative on both projects. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969.   

Matthew T. Parker He/Him  
(Sound Design) Matthew received his B.F.A. in Theatre Production Design and Technology from Ohio University. He was the resident sound designer at Monomoy Theatre in 1990. He has worked sound and special effects at The Flat Rock Theatre in North Carolina on such shows as I Hate Hamlet, the world premiere of Gilligan's Island: The Musical and others in the 1992 season. Since 1993, Matthew has designed sound for many of Asolo Rep's productions. In addition, he wrote and performed the musical scores for The Count of Monte Cristo and Nicholas Nickleby. Outside the theatre world he has designed and programed the show control system for Livingston's Amusements Bazooka Ball arena and produced virtual expositions for the National Watercolor Society. 

Philip S. Rosenberg  
(Lighting Designer) Broadway and West End: Mrs. Doubtfire, Pretty Woman, The Elephant Man, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and It’s Only a Play. Regional: Kennedy Center, La Jolla Playhouse, Ford’s Theatre, The Guthrie Theater, The Old Globe, TheatreWorks, Hartford Stage, Alliance, Huntington Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Dallas Theatre Center, Denver Center Theatre, The Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, The McCarter Theatre, Manhattan School of Music, Portland Stage Company, TACT, Barrington Stage Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Dorset Theatre Festival, Bay Street Theatre, Goodspeed Opera, Two River Theatre Company, George Street Playhouse, and Westport Country Playhouse. 

Céline Rosenthal  
(Resident Casting Director) Céline Rosenthal is a Tony®-nominated producer, “Key” member of The Ring Of Keys, and New Georges Affiliate Artist. At Asolo Rep they directed Grand Horizons, The Incident At Our Lady Of Perpetual Help, The Lifespan of a Fact, Camelot, the Educational Tours of Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest, and served as AD to Frank Galati on Knoxville. Céline developed new work with NYMF, New Georges, MTF, Kidoons, and National Queer Theatre, and helms Asolo Rep’s new work series, The Ground Floor. Other Recent Projects: In The Next Room, Angel Street, A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre), Trayf (New Rep), Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T), the award-winning short film Wildflower. They are an alumnus of CTI and BMI Lehman Engel Workshop. www.celinerosenthal.nyc   

Peter Rothstein
(Producing Artistic Director) Peter is the Producing Artistic Director for Asolo Repertory Theatre where he directed Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd, and Ragtime. He works extensively as a director of theater, musical theater, opera and new work development. For 25 years Rothstein served as the Founding Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da, a Minneapolis-based company dedicated to new and adventurous music-theater. Other collaborations include the Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, Ten Thousand Things, and Seattle’s 5th Avenue, as well as the Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Chicago Opera Theater. Rothstein is the creator of All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, which had its Off-Broadway debut in 2018 receiving the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience, and has been seen around the globe airing on PBS. Rothstein served on the board of directors for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Alive and Kickin’, and the Twin Cities’ Ivey Awards. He has been a panelist and evaluator for the Playwrights’ Center, the McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals. He holds degrees in music and theater from St. John’s University and an M.F.A. in directing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  

Jacki Singleton She/Her  
(Production Stage Manager) Jacki is delighted to be back at Asolo Rep! Previously: Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers, Chicken & Biscuits, Our Town, The Great Leap, Terrace Season 2020-21, The Crucible, A Doll’s House Part 2, and Noises Off. 22 seasons with American Players Theatre (Spring Green, Wisconsin), including recent projects Love’s Labour’s Lost and Oedipus. Others: Animal Farm at Milwaukee Repertory & Baltimore Center Stage, Outside Mullingar at the Clarence Brown Theater in Knoxville, TN, three seasons at Forward Theater (Madison, WI), seven seasons at Madison Repertory Theatre, and numerous Chicago theaters including the Goodman Theatre, Writers’ Theatre, and Next Theatre. 

DeWanda Smith Soeder She/Her  
(Cultural Competency Coordinator) DeWanda is an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) strategist whose work involves change management, talent, organization development, and training experience. Specific to this work is her research and thesis, “Theatre as a Diversity Intervention.” She holds a M.A. in Psychology, and a B.S. in Health and Human Services. In addition to being a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), her credentials include Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, Instruction and Development (DDI), Human Interaction (NTL), Emotional Intelligence (The Hay Group), and Adjunct Professor of Psychology.   

Kate Sutton-Johnson 
(Set Designer) In 2019, Kate made her Asolo debut, designing the set for Sweeney Todd. She is so pleased to be back this season, collaborating again with the theater’s talented administrative staff, artisans, fabricators, and stagehands. Kate is based in the Twin Cities and has designed dozens of shows locally and nationally, most recently for a new play entitled Sounds Inside which she also wrote and directed. Her theater design credits include contemporary dramas, classical theater, large-scale musicals, devised work, and everything in between. Additionally, Kate works extensively in the museum world, designing exhibit experiences that focus on natural history, anthropology, science, childhood development, ethnography, archaeology, and conservation.     

Click here to view and download headshots. 

Cast

Lindsay Lee Alhady She/Her FIRST SEASON (Follies Dancer/Ensemble; u/s Irene Roth) Lindsay is absolutely thrilled to be making her Asolo Repertory Theatre debut! Recent credits include A Christmas Story (John W. Engeman Theater), Chicago (The Lexington Theater Company), The Little Mermaid (The Lexington Theater Company), and Singin’ In The Rain (Lyric Theater of Oklahoma). She would like to thank her Mom, Dad, and sister for the love and support and a special thank you to everyone at Bloc helping to make this possible!

Delaney Benson She/Her FIRST SEASON (Follies Dancer/Ensemble; u/s Polly Baker) is thrilled to be making her Asolo Rep debut with a show she has been dreaming about being in since she was young. Delaney recently graduated in April 2023 from CCM with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a Minor in Psychology. Select credits includeGypsy (Louise), Singing In The Rain (Kathy Seldon), Charlie Brown (Lucy Van Pelt), and Gentleman’s Guide (Phoebe D’Ysquith). Immense gratitude to Kat, everyone at DGRW, Hayes, my family, and my chosen family. What a dream come true to be in this beautiful show. This one’s for you, Mom. xoxo @delaneyybenson www.delaneybenson.net

Darien Crago She/Her FIRST SEASON (Follies Dancer/Ensemble) is honored to be part of this beautiful production making her Asolo Rep debut! NYC credits: HOLIDAY INN on Broadway, PAINT YOUR WAGON and LADY, BE GOOD (tapping with Tommy Tune!) at NY City Center. She’s traveled the country with the national tour of WHITE CHRISTMAS and some of her favorite regional theaters: Goodspeed Opera House, The Muny, Paper Mill, PCLO, Cape Playhouse, The Lex. TV: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Fosse/Verdon. Many thanks to Geoff, Bryan, and to Denis for another delightful opportunity. This show is extra special sharing the stage again with my husband Daniel (Bobby!).

Madeleine Doherty FIRST SEASON (Lottie Child/Patricia Fodor) Recently: Broadway at Sacramento and The Many 2023. 6 Broadway Shows: Les Miserables (ensemble, Madame T u/s, dance captain) Christmas Carol (original cast, char woman) The Producers (original cast Hold Me Touch Me) Sister Act (original cast Sister Mary Teresa) Gigi (original cast, revival, Mamita/Alicia u/s) Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (original cast Grandma Georgina) 2 OffBroadway Shows: Romance, Romance (original cast) A Time for Singing (York Theater). 6 National Tours, over 50 Regional Theater. 1 son, 1 grandson, 4 step kids, 5 step grandkids, 1 dog, 3 unions.

Sara Esty She/Her FIRST SEASON (Polly Baker) Asolo Rep debut! Sara is a former soloist with Miami City Ballet, and a Princess Grace Award recipient for dance. She was most recently seen as Meg Giry in the final Broadway company of The Phantom of the Opera. Various theater credits: An American in Paris (Lise Dassin - Broadway/1st National Tour), Brigadoon (Jean - NYCC Encores!), A Chorus Line (Maggie - Encores!, Cassie - Cape Playhouse), Marie Dancing Still (The Fifth Ave. Theater, Seattle), Alien/Nation (Williamstown Theatre Festival). Film/TV: Maestro, West Side Story (dir. Steven Spielberg), Fosse/Verdon, EVIL. Love to this team, my family, and BRS/Gage! @estygrl  

Kirsty Fuller She/Her FIRST SEASON (Follies Dancer/Ensemble; u/s Irene Roth) is thrilled to be performing in this exhilarating show! West End: 42^nd Street (Swing/Cover Anytime Annie), Up Next Gala (National Theatre London). US Regional: 42^nd Street at Goodspeed Musicals (Dance Captain/Swing), Beauty and the Beast (Associate Choreographer/Dance Captain/Silly Girl). Off Broadway: Broadway by the Year 20th Anniversary. UK Regional: White Christmas 2021 UK tour (Dance Captain/Cover Martha), Sleeping Beauty (Dance Captain/Cover Beauty), Chapel Choir (The Royal Albert Hall). UK Television: BBC Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two. Love and endless gratitude to family, friends, and Carlos for always supporting me. Luke 1:37

Danny Gardner He/Him THIRD SEASON (Bela Zangler) Last seen as the Asolo Rep as Marcellus in The Music Man. His Broadway credits include Dames At Sea, Flying Over Sunset, and A Christmas Carol. His other New York credits include Lady, Be Good! at City Center Encores, The New York Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Musical Hall, Cheek to Cheek (The York Theater), Time Step (New Victory Theatre), Room 17B and Everybody Gets Cake (59E59th Street Theaters). National Tours include Here to Stay – The Gershwin Experience!, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, and 42^nd Street. www.danny-gardner.com @dannyjgnyc

Beau Harmon He/Him FIRST SEASON (Moose/Cowboy/Ensemble; u/s Everett Baker) Asolo Rep debut! TV/Film: So You Think You Can Dance (Top 6), SNL, and IF directed by John Krasinski. Stage: Music Man (Marcellus/Co-Choreographer) &Guys and Dolls (Angie the Ox) at Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts and NBC Upfront at Radio City Music Hall. He’s a proud faculty member of Steps On Broadway in NYC. BFA Texas State MT. Much love and thanks to Bloc and his family, given and chosen. @beauharmon_

Candice Hatakeyama She/Her FIRST SEASON (Irene Roth) is originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, now based in NYC. She recently made her Broadway debut in Funny Girl. Other regional credits include: 42nd Street (Goodspeed Musicals); Sally Bowles in Cabaret (Hangar Theatre), Catch Me If You Can (Arena Stage); Cinderella (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Mistress Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor (Texas Shakespeare Festival), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Syracuse Stage); Liat in South Pacific (Flat Rock Playhouse). Syracuse University BFA Musical Theatre. Thank you Denis, Ann, Caitlin, and the entire Asolo Repertory Theatre Crazy For You team! Instagram: @canditheduck

Leeds Hill He/Him SECOND SEASON (Cowboy/Ensemble; u/s Bela Zangler) Asolo Rep: Cabaret (Hans/Ernst u/s (performed)/Cliff u/s) also performed at The Old Globe. Broadway: Cabaret (Bobby/Emcee u/s (performed)/“Two Ladies”/Violin). Leeds understudied Alan Cumming and played the Emcee on Broadway and on Tour. National Tour: Cabaret (Dance Captain), Mary Poppins (Neleus). Regional: Singin’ In The Rain (Cosmo u/s (performed), Ogunquit), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (Ozzie, The Muny), A Chorus Line (Greg, TUTS), Beauty and the Beast (Lumiere u/s (understudying Gavin Lee), Paper Mill), La Cage (Hanna, Riverside). Proud AEA Member. CCM MT grad. Instagram: @leedshill

Bryan Thomas Hunt FIRST SEASON (Cowboy/Ensemble; u/s Bobby Child) Asolo debut! National Tours: White Christmas and Billy Elliot. Regional: Alliance, Ahmanson, MUNY, North Shore Music Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Riverside, Goodspeed Opera House, North Carolina Theatre, Westchester, Berkshire Theatre Group and the Engeman Theater. Favorite shows include 42nd Street, The Drowsy Chaperone, Singin in the Rain and Mary Poppins. Graduate of the Boston Conservatory. Thanks to CGF, everyone at Asolo Rep, and Denis. Love to his family and his wife Kelly, whom he is crazy for. This one, and every one is for his Dad.

Masumi Iwai She/Her FIRST SEASON (Patsy/Follies Dancer/Ensemble) Born and raised in Japan. Masumi moved to NYC to pursue a career in musical theater. Broadway: Funny Girl (Dir. Michael Mayor, Choreo. Ellenore Scott, Ayodele Casel), National Tour: The King and I. Other favorite credits include FLY (La Jolla Playhouse, Dir. Jeffrey Seller, Choreo. Andy Blankenbuehler), Mamma Mia (NSMT), Nice Work If You Can Get It (Surflight Theatre) Education: Osaka University of Arts, Peridance International Dance School.
 Much love to my agents at Daniel Hoff. Grateful for all my friends and family for supporting me on this journey, especially my husband who checked my English to create this bio. 

Elliott Mattox He/Him SECOND SEASON (Eugene Fodor/Cowboy/Ensemble) Elliott is happy to be returning to Asolo Rep after playing Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls in 2016. On Broadway, Elliott appeared in the original companies of Beetlejuice (u/s Beetlejuice) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Regionally, Elliott has worked at The MUNY, Music Theatre Wichita, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Cape Playhouse and many others. B.M. Music Theatre from Oklahoma City University. Thanks to the team at DGRW. For my new husband, Michael! @elliottmattox 

Daniel Plimpton He/Him FIRST SEASON (Bobby Child) is over the moon to be making his Asolo Rep debut with this dream role. National Tours: Book of Mormon, White Christmas, Spring Awakening. Regional Theatre: Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Pioneer Theatre, Denver Center, Bucks County Playhouse, Fulton Theatre, O’Neill Playwrights Conference, and so many more. Daniel is a proud member of the Actors’ Union, Knock for Democracy, and Sing for your Seniors, and an avid traveler (all 50 states!). Thanks to this dream team, especially Denis, Bryan, and my real-life song and dance partner, Darien. Come find me after if you want to play tennis and enjoy the show! BFA: The Boston Conservatory. www.danielplimpton.com

Jody Reynard He/Him FIRST SEASON (Cowboy/Ensemble) Broadway credits include Thoughts of a Colored Man, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Legally Blonde, Taboo, Saturday Night Fever, and Fosse. Regionally, he’s played Bernardo (West Side Story), Mitch Mahoney (…Spelling Bee), Phaedra (La Cage aux Folles), “Ken” (Smokey Joe’s Café) and Darren Lemming (Take Me Out).  His film and TV credits include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Rosie Live, One Life to Live, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Show Business: The Road to Broadway. Jody has also performed with the Omaha Symphony, South Dakota Symphony, and New York Philharmonic Orchestras.

Barrett Riggins He/Him FIRST SEASON (Lank Hawkins) Barrett is an actor, composer, and lyricist based in Brooklyn. Recent credits include: Fritz in Harmony (NYTF off-Broadway), Barry Mann in Beautiful (Theatre Aspen), Huey in Memphis (TUTS), and Mordred in Camelot (The MUNY). He has released two studio albums, Good Ol' and Smoke Machine, which are available on all streaming platforms. He also writes musicals with Graham Techler. Their shows include Helsinki (2023 O’Neill NMTC Semi-Finalist) and The Panic of ’29 (59E59). Barrett is a current member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop and a proud graduate of the University of Michigan. @barrettadamriggins

 

Lily Rose She/They FIRST SEASON (Tess/Follies Dancer/Ensemble) Lily is thrilled to be joining the cast of Crazy for You at Asolo Rep! Broadway: Bad Cinderella, Regional: In the Heights/Musical Theater Heritage, The Who’s Tommy/Flint Rep, Goosebumps/The Coterie. Lily is a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theater. All love to her amazingly supportive friends and family.

Michael Schimmele He/They FIRST SEASON (Cowboy/Ensemble) Asolo Rep debut! NY: At the Barre (Shawn). Regional: RENT (Angel Standby, The MUNY), RENT (Paul, Mr. Jefferson, The Man, Paper Mill Playhouse), Sister Act(Ernie, Paper Mill Playhouse), Sister Act (Pablo, North Carolina Theatre), In the Heights (Piragua Guy, North Carolina Theatre, STAGES St. Louis, BroadwayWorld Nominations), Grease (Roger, Pioneer Theatre Company), The View UpStairs (Freddy, RTP, regional premiere), An Enchanted Evening (“I Am What I Am”, Transcendence Theatre Company). BFA Elon University. Member of AEA. Thanks to the Asolo Rep family, Denis Jones, JZ Casting, CGF Talent, Mom, Dad, and Archie. @michaelschimmele

Craig Waletzko He/Him SECOND SEASON (Everett Baker) Craig was last seen at Asolo Rep in Backwards in High Heels (in 2010!) His Broadway and National Tour credits include Kinky Boots (George), Guys and Dolls, Young Frankenstein, Spamalot, A Christmas Carol, Cats, Steel Pier, and Gypsy. Favorite regional roles include Bruce in Fun Home (VA Stage), Jerome in Merrily… (Huntington), Father in Ragtime (Westchester Broadway), Phil in White Christmas (Syracuse Stage), and Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast (Pioneer). TV/film appearances include The Blacklist, Ocean’s 8, House of Cards, Boardwalk Empire, Blue Bloods, Alpha House, and The Knick. Craig is a graduate of Carnegie-Mellon and a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. www.craigwaletzko.com

 

Michael Warren Bingham He/Him FIRST SEASON (Swing; u/s Lank Hawkins) Michael Bingham recently placed third in the Lehigh Valley’s blueberry pie eating contest. When not eating pie, Michael finds time to perform. National Tours: Bandstand, Tootsie. Regional Theater: Shakespeare Theater Company DC, Fulton Theater, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, GLOW Lyric, Central Piedmont. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Dustin, Kristen, Carolyn. Before he discovered his love for blueberry pie, Michael grew up in Hawaii. If you are able, please support the victims of the Maui fires at https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong

Sarah Dearstyne She/Her FIRST SEASON (Swing; u/s Polly Baker) Asolo Repertory Theatre debut! Previous credits include Bandstand (1st National Tour) and 42nd Street (Goodspeed). Many thanks to my family and friends, JZ Casting, and our incredible creative team. For my wonderful husband, Garrett. @sarah.dearstyne 

Alex Pouloutides She/Her FIRST SEASON (Swing, u/s Tess) Alex is thrilled to be joining this incredible team. She is a 2022 graduate from Elon University’s Music Theatre Program. Most recent credits include Babette in Beauty & The Beast at the Summer Theatre of New Canaan, Anybodys in West Side Story at Flat Rock Playhouse, Hello Dolly at Marriott Theatre, Annie in 42nd  Street at Elon University.  She is grateful to her family and PMT for their support.  All glory to God! 

Maria Scherer She/Her FIRST SEASON (Swing; u/s Patsy) Maria is thrilled to be here! Previous credits include Pittsburgh CLO, Casa Mañana. BFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College. Thanks to the team, casting, and everyone at Bloc. For my family, always! I love you. @riacorsi 

Jack Wunsch He/Him FIRST SEASON (Swing; u/s Bobby Child) Jack, an Australian native, most recently performed as the Solo Dancer in Phantom of the Opera at the Sydney Opera House. He originated the role of Mitch in the new Australian musical, The Deb, produced by Rebel Wilson. Australian Tours: performer in Sugarbabies!, choreographer/performer for both Scoundrels! & Ziegfeld Boy. Notable credits: Adam/Felicia u/s in Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert and Burn The Floor (NCL). @jackwunsch

Brett Cole Young He/Him FIRST SEASON (Swing; u/s Moose) is so stoked to be making his Asolo Rep debut! New York based actor/singer/dancer/musician. Regional Credits: The Drowsy Chaperone, The Wizard of Oz, 42nd Street, Kinky Boots. Sacramento California native and proud graduate of the University of Oklahoma. Endless thanks to Mom, Dad, Jake, Nikki and Sydney. @brettcoleyoung www.brettcoleyoung.com

Drayton Alexander He/They SECOND SEASON (Dramaturg) Highlights at Asolo Rep include Cabaret (transfer to The Old Globe), Man of La Mancha, Chicken and Biscuits, and workshops of Stellar Atmospheres and Dancing in the Blue Light. Other dramaturgical highlights include Spin at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Theatre Weekly Award, Best Solo Performance); Taylor Mac’s ball-pit play The Fre (world premiere), Not My Monster (OBA nomination, Best Family Entertainment), Syncing Ink, Scraps (world premiere), and good friday at The Flea Theater. Drayton was the Co-Artistic Producer of Serials for two years and has worked with such theater companies as The Vineyard, The New Group, New Earth Theatre, and Singapore Repertory Theatre. He received an Olwen Wymark award from the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an MFA from NYU Tisch Asia.

Patricia Delorey She/Her TWENTIETH SEASON (Voice and Dialect Coach) Asolo Rep favorites include: Knoxville, Silent Sky, Cabaret, Sweat, The Cake, Sweeney Todd, Gloria, Ragtime, Rhinoceros, Roe, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, The Great Society, Josephine, All The Way, West Side Story, Sotto Voce, Other Desert Cities, South Pacific, The Grapes of Wrath, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,

Clybourne Park, The Innocents, Twelve Angry Men, Bonnie & Clyde, Doubt, A Few Good Men,

A Tale of Two Cities, Equus. Other credits include Pitmen Painters (American Stage Theatre),

The Smuggler (Urbanite Theatre), Studio Six’s production of Plasticine (The Baryshnikov Arts

Center), Saturday Night Fever (Royal Caribbean International Cruises), Stone Cold Dead

Serious (American Repertory Theatre), and the world premiere of Nocturne (American

Repertory Theatre). 

 

Michelle Hart She/Her TWENTY-SECOND SEASON (Hair/Wig & Make-up Design) Hart designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet; Palm Beach Drama Works; Free Fall Theatre; Urbanite Theatre; Florida Studio Theatre; West Coast Black Theatre Troupe; Banyan Theatre; Ruth Eckerd Hall; Venice Theatre; Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage and Open Stage Theatre . She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills and Nia Hills; Music videos “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain; film and television: “Lady Of The Manor”, “Paradise, FL.” and “The Real Stephen Blatt”.

 

Denis Jones He/Him SECOND SEASON (Director/Choreographer) is a two-time Tony Award nominated choreographer and his work has been seen on Broadway in Tootsie, Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn and Honeymoon in Vegas. Recent credits include Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz (Paper Mill Playhouse), Guys and Dolls (Kennedy Center), Oliver! (Maltz-Jupiter Theatre), Eurydice (Metropolitan Opera), Sister Act (Muny, St Louis), Hello Dolly! (Marriott Theatre), A Chorus Line (Signature Theatre), The Tempest (NY Shakespeare in the Park), The Sound of Music (Lyric Opera), Paint Your Wagon (NY City Center ENCORES!), The Music Man (Goodman Theatre), and The Flamingo Kid (Hartford Stage). Denis is a two-time Carbonell Award winner. 

Jaclyn Kanter She/Her THIRD SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to return to Asolo after ASMing Cabaret last fall – and, previously, two seasons of growth as a Stage Management Apprentice. Select credits include Cheek to Cheek (The York Theatre Company), A Beautiful Noise (AEA Tier Three Workshop), Plays for the Plague Year (The Public Theater), and On Sugarland (New York Theatre Workshop). She has also worked two seasons at The Muny and three seasons at The Santa Fe Opera. Thanks to Nia for another year of shenanigans and lots of love to the friends and family who support her every step of the way.

Adam Koch SECOND SEASON (Scenic Design): Previously at Asolo Rep: The Three Musketeers. Stage designs for multiple off-Broadway and national tours. International credits include: Dreamgirls, Sister Act (Seoul); Pretty Woman (São Paulo) and Norwegian Cruise Line. Hundreds of regional productions including designs for: Signature Theatre, The Old Globe, Goodspeed Musicals, Ford’s Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Miami New Drama, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Baltimore Center Stage, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Music Theatre Wichita, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Westport Country Playhouse. Awards include: Suzi Bass award for Outstanding Scenic Design for the outdoor production of Titanic (Serenbe Playhouse), as well as Helen Hayes Award nominations for both Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Signature Theatre), and Bat Boy (1st Stage). Education: Carnegie Mellon University. See more at adamkochassociates.com and Instagram @instadamkoch.

Jason Lyons He/Him FIRST SEASON (Lighting Design) Recent: A New Brain (BSC), Sweeney Todd (TUTS), Austen’s Pride (Carnegie Hall), Beauty & the Beast (MUNY). Broadway: Hand to God, On the Town, Bronx Bombers, Bring It On, Rock of Ages, The Threepenny Opera, Barefoot in the Park, and Good Vibrations. Theater: Between the Lines (2nd Stage), Gloria: A Life (ART), Austen’s Pride, Romy & Michele’s…  (5th Ave), Junk (Arena Stage), Skylight(McCarter), Clueless (New Group), Sugar In Our Wounds (MTC), Familiar, Robin Hood, Red Velvet, Macbeth, Love’s Labour’s Lost (Old Globe); Kings, Dry Powder, Barbecue (Public); Crazy For You, Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story,  Cabaret (Signature); Heathers (NWS). TV: Final 2 episodes of Fosse/Verdon on FX. Obie Award Sustained Excellence in Lighting Design. Artistic Director for the Bakowski Bridge of Lights.  jasonlyonsdesign.com

Victor Meyrich FIFTY-FIFTH SEASON (Production & Operations Director) is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and its facilities. He wrote the architecture program for both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Koski II expansion and is the owner's representative on both projects. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969. 

Mark Rose He/Him SIXTH SEASON (Fight Director) Mark is a NY based fight choreographer, stuntman, actor, and Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. Fight Choreography credits: Asolo Rep: Cabaret, Camelot, Into The Breeches, Lifespan of a Fact, Rhinoceros, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Romeo & Juliet. Trinity Rep: Sweeney Todd, The Good John Proctor, Becky Nurse of Salem, Tale of Two Cities, Sueno, A Christmas Carol (2022). Legoland NY: The Big Test Stunt Show. Idlewild & Soak Zone Theme Park: Frontier Follies Stunt Show (2018-2019). Sparta NJ Renaissance Faire: The Kings Tournament (2017-present), Misfits of Fortune Pirate Show (2021-present). You can see more at www.mark-rose.com or on Instagram: @Mark.Rose.Stunts

Céline Rosenthal SEVENTH SEASON (Resident Casting Director) Céline Rosenthal is a Tony®-nominated producer, “Key”; member of The Ring Of Keys and New Georges Affiliate Artist. At Asolo Rep they directed Grand Horizons, The Incident At Our Lady Of Perpetual Help, The Lifespan of a Fact, Camelot, the Educational Tours of Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest, and served as AD to Frank Galati on Knoxville. Céline developed new work with NYMF, New Georges, MTF, Kidoons, and National Queer Theatre, and helms Asolo Rep’s new work series, The Ground Floor. Other Recent Projects: In The Next Room, Angel Street, A Doll’s House, Spike Heels(Studio Theatre); Trayf (New Rep); Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T); the Award Winning short film Wildflower. They are an Alumnus of CTI and BMI Lehman Engel Workshop. www.celinerosenthal.nyc 

Nia Sciarretta She/Her TWELFTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Selected Asolo Rep credits include PSM for Knoxville, Cabaret, Man of La Mancha, Silent Sky, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys & Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep. Member of AEA. 

Eduardo Sicangco EIGHTH SEASON (Costume Design) is happy to be back working with his favorite collaborators, David Covach and the artists of the Asolo Rep costume shop. For this theater, he has designed the scenery and costumes for “Das Barbecu” and “The Plexiglass Slipper” and the costumes for the world premiere of “Josephine”, “The Game’s Afoot”, “The Imaginary Invalid”, “Boeing Boeing” and “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.” Website: eduardosicangco.com  

DeWanda Smith Soeder She/Her THIRD SEASON (Cultural Competency Consultant) is the President of Smith-Soeder Enterprises, LLC. She is an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) strategist who developed the Affinity Space and Triage cultural competency processes based on her research and thesis, “Theatre as a Diversity Intervention”. Cultural competency consulting engagements include Theatrical Institutions; Asolo Rep, Florida State University Conservatory for Actor Training, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Old Globe Theater. Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Touring Production Companies; RCI Theatricals,  LDK Productions, Tom Kirdahy Productions, Octopus Productions, Louis on Broadway, Martian Entertainment, Skidrow Downtown. 

Angela Steiner She/Her THIRD SEASON (Music Direction/Additional Arrangements/Conductor) Angela is elated to be returning to Asolo Repertory Theatre for another season. Other select regional theater music director and/or conductor, orchestrator credits include: Cabaret and Sweeney Todd (Asolo Repertory); Cabaret (Barrington Stage Company); HAIR! (The Old Globe); Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Geva Theatre); A Little Night Music, Rattlesnake Kate, The Who’s Tommy, Oklahoma, Indecent, Twelfth Night (Denver Center for the Performing Arts). Angela holds a bachelor’s degree in piano from Wichita State University and a masters in collaborative piano from the University of Northern Colorado. She specializes in creating and collaborating on new musicals. Angelasteiner.com

Ken Travis NO PRONOUNS SECOND SEASON (Sound Design) Asolo Rep: Cabaret. Broadway: In Transit, Jekyll and Hyde, A Christmas Story, Scandalous, Newsies, Memphis, The Threepenny Opera, Barefoot in the Park, Steel Magnolias. Numerous New York and regional theaters and companies including: DCPA, The Old Globe, The 5^thAvenue Theater, McCarter Theater, Seattle Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, LA Center Theatre Group, ACT Seattle, Guthrie Theater, KC Rep, Dallas Theater Center, Playwrights Horizons, The New Group, NYSF Public Theater, CSC, Signature Theater NYC, SoHo Rep, Vineyard Theater, The Civilians, Mabou Mines, and national and international tours.

JZ CASTING Geoff Josselson, CSA and Katja Zarolinski, CSA (New York Casting) CURRENT/UPCOMING NEW YORK: Spamalot (Broadway), Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors (New World Stages), Translations (Irish Repertory Theatre). SELECT NEW YORK: The Civilians, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Irish Repertory Theatre. SELECT REGIONAL: Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, Baltimore Center Stage, Cape Playhouse, City Theatre Company, Goodspeed Opera House, Kennedy Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, People's Light, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Round House Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre, Theaterworks Hartford, Weston Theater, Woolly Mammoth. www.jz-casting.com. 

Intimacy Coordinator – TBD 

 

 

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REESE BRITTS, he/him FIRST SEASON (The Barber/Muleteer) is elated to be making his Asolo Rep debut with such a powerful production. Select credits include Merrily We Roll Along, Twelve Angry Men, Jelly’s Last Jam (Theater Latte Da), Beauty and the Beast, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Mamma Mia! (The Ordway), South Pacific (The Guthrie), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Children’s Theatre Company), The Music Man (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres). Training: University of Minnesota Duluth. Immense gratitude to Peter and the whole Asolo Rep team. Much love to Ryan, my family, and my amazing chosen family. reesebritts.com

SYDNEY CHOW she/her FIRST SEASON (Antonia) is happy to make her Asolo Rep debut! Some of her favorite credits include Camelot (The Muny), Oliver (Maltz Jupiter Theatre), White Christmas (Engeman Theater), Hair (Forestburgh Playhouse), and Spamalot (Northern Stage). She is a 2021 graduate of Wagner College Theatre & Dance. Rep: Pantera/Murphy the Agency. Follow her @ sydchow! sydney-chow.com

AARON DE JESUS, he/him FIRST SEASON (Sancho Panza) is thrilled to be in this production. Aaron most recently completed a 10-year run with Jersey Boys where he played Frankie Valli. Some other select theatre credits include Disney’s The Lion King (Timon), Spamalot (Patsy), Wicked (Averic, Boq u/s), Peter Pan (Peter), Little Shop… (Seymour), …Forum (Pseudolus), El muerto disimulado (Clarindo), The Crucible (Cheever). On screen credits include City on a Hill, Law and Order SVU, The Last OG, Touched by an Angel. He is the TV Spokesperson for Elderplan in NYC. Special thanks to God, Gail, Lydia, Mom, Dad, and Dave at Hoff. Instagram: @aaron.dejesus Website: aarondejesusonline.com

JAVIER IGNACIO, he/him FIRST SEASON (Pedro) was in the recent Broadway revival of Company starring Patti LuPone and Katrina Lenk. After originating the roles of Harry Houdini and Dog Boy in the 2014 Broadway production of SideShow, Javier toured the country in Fiasco Theatre’s Into the Woods (Baker/ Mysterious Man/ Rapunzel’s Prince u/s). He has performed at The Kennedy Center, The La Jolla Playhouse, and Music Theater Wichita, as well as Off-Broadway in Fiasco Theatre’s Twelfth Night (Sebastian),The Public/PublicWorks’ Twelfth Night (Standby), and New York City Center’s Encores! Call Me Madam. Javier studied Musical Theatre at Wichita State University and is a proud AEA member. @iamjavierignacio

C. MINGO LONG FIRST SEASON (The Governor/The Innkeeper) Broadway: South Pacific, Purlie and House of Flowers. National tour: Parade and Les Misérables. Off-Broadway: Liberty the Musical. Favorite roles include Coalhouse Walker (Ragtime), Delray (Memphis), Andrew Carnes (Oklahoma), Barbershop Quartet (The Music Man), Papa (Starlight Express), Tonton (Once on the Island), Sportin Life (Porgy and Bess), Jake (Side Show), Pa (The Color Purple). Thanks to my agent, Craig, at Avalon Artists for their support and trusting my talent, my partner, Bob, for putting up with me, and my best friends Maestro Jalmari, Dorothy, and Frank for all their help. Facebook/Instagram: Mingo Long.

MAURICIO MARTÍNEZ, he/him FIRST SEASON (Miguel de Cervantes/ Alonso Quijana/Don Quixote) Mexican Emmy-winning actor and recording artist. Broadway: On Your Feet!. Off Broadway: Children Of Salt (NYMF), SEIS (Teatro Círculo). Regional: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Unmasked (PaperMill Playhouse), Evita (Kansas City Repertory Theater) Rodgers & Hammerstein’s A Grand Night For Singing (Goodspeed Opera House). Mexico City: Disney’ Beauty and the Beast, Saturday Night Fever, Jesus Christ Superstar, A View From The Bridge, Sweet Charity, The Drowsy Chaperone, among others. TV: El Vato (NBC), Señora Acero (Telemundo), over 10 telenovelas with Televisa (Univision), Kennedy Center Honors, The Talk (CBS), Gershwin Prize, One Voice (PBS). Music available on all platforms. Follow @martinezmau

BRIAN KIM MCCORMICK, he/ him FIRST SEASON (The Padre/ Muleteer) is thrilled to make his Asolo Rep debut with this beautiful staging. He previously worked with Peter Rothstein on the world-premiere of 12 Angry Men: A New Musical at Theater Latté Da. Brian is based in Los Angeles and has worked with companies around the country including Pan Asian Rep, Theater Mu, Ammunition Theatre, Quantum Theatre, TheatreSquared, South Coast Rep, Oklahoma City Rep, The Olney, and NYTW. As a voiceover artist he can be heard on shows including Squid Game and Pokémon, video games like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, and as the audiobook narrator of Stacey Lee’s Winston Chu vs. The Whimsies.

CATHY NEWMAN, she/her FIRST SEASON (Maria/The Housekeeper) is thrilled to be joining the company of Man of La Mancha! She hails from Southern California and was last in Florida at The Gulfshore Playhouse in a 10-person version of My Fair Lady. She has performed in eight national tours, traveling throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea & China. Highlights include U.S. and Chinese premiere of Les Misérables (with Colm Wilkinson); Lincoln Center’s South Pacific, The National Theatre of Great Britain’s My Fair Lady, La Cage Aux Folles, and Deaf West Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of Big River. Thank YOU for coming out to support live theatre!

RODOLFO NIETO, he/him FIRST SEASON (The Duke/Dr. Carrasco/ Muleteer) is excited to make his Asolo Rep debut. Based in Minneapolis, his theater credits include multiple appearances with Theater Latté Da, including Colline in La Bohéme, Count Carl- Magnus Malcolm in A Little Night Music, Czolgosz in Assassins, and as an ensemble member of All is Calm. Other notable roles include Dr. Jafar Berensteiner in A New Brain (Artistry), and Carlos/ Rygor in Dirty Business (History Theater). As a composer, Rodolfo has written a number of songs and arias, many of which have reflected his Hispanic heritage. They can be found on his YouTube channel.

PETER S. RAIMONDO, he/him FIRST SEASON (Muleteer) is a third-year FSU/Asolo Conservatory student. He is from Buffalo and holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Niagara University. Peter made his Mertz Theatre debut this season as King Louis in The Three Musketeers and understudied Looking For Ithaca, Cabaret, and Silent Sky. His Conservatory credits include Belleville (Zack), The Learned Ladies (Clitandre), Twelfth Night (Antonio), and Asolo Rep’s BardWired: Much Ado About Nothing (u/s perf., Claudio). Peter is grateful for the loving support of his family and thrilled to be alongside his classmates, celebrating their first season with Asolo Rep.

JANELY RODRIGUEZ, she/they/he FIRST SEASON (Aldonza) is thrilled to be making her debut with Asolo Repertory Theatre. Janely hails from Miami, FL and holds a B. F. A in Musical Theatre from Brenau University. They’ve had the pleasure of working with a number of theaters in the Twin Cities including the Children’s Theatre Company (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Diary of a Wimpy, Annie, Cinderella); Theater Latté Da (Hello, Dolly!); Ten Thousand Things Theater Company (Iphigenia at Aulis); and Artistry Theater (Shrek the Musical, Songs for a New World).

EDWARD STAUDENMAYER, he/him FIRST SEASON (The Captain/ Muleteer) Broadway: Wonderland, Girl from the North Country, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me. Tours: Anastasia, Phantom of the Opera, Anything Goes, Beauty and the Beast, Scarlet Pimpernel, Joseph… Other: 28 years with Forbidden Broadway (3 Cast Recordings) South Pacific (Guthrie), Spamalot (Vegas), Spamilton, Man of La Mancha, Addams Family, Something Rotten, Mamma Mia, Pageant, Children of Eden, 1776, On The 20th Century, Jane Eyre, Noises Off, A Room With A View, Cats (Hamburg) Ed’s currently in the Focus Feature A Thousand and One. Nominations: Helen Hayes, Barrymore, National Theater Award, Music Center Spotlight Award Finalist, and Carol Burnett Award recipient at UCLA.

SYDNEY STORY, she/her FIRST SEASON (Summoned Person) is incredibly excited to embark on this final leg of her MFA journey. Her favorite roles include Olive in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Dorothy Brown in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Maria in Love’s Labour’s Lost. She has also been fortunate enough to sing backup for Kristin Chenoweth and work on a new musical with Bandstand’s Richard Oberacker. She would like to thank her mom, stepdad, and best friends for all their support.

JERALD WHEAT, he/him FIRST SEASON (The Guard) is grateful to be back on the Mertz stage this season. He was last seen as the Duke of Buckingham in The Three Musketeers. Jerald is a member of the 2023 graduating class of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. He would like to thank his family and Asolo Rep’s administration for this opportunity.

BEVIN BELL-HALL, she/her FIRST SEASON (u/s Maria/The Housekeeper, Summoned Person) is thrilled for her Asolo Rep debut! NYC credits: Swingtime Canteen at Cherry Lane, Everyone’s a Hero… at Theatre Row, and original musicals at TNC. Regional: A Doll’s House, Part 2 (Nora) at CRT, The Hilberry’s Way of the World (Wishfort) at Lincoln Center Library, and Princess and the Pea at Santa Cruz Shakespeare. She holds an MFA from Wayne State, is an award-winning documentarian, and puppetmaster for Shadow Box Theatre. bevinbellhall.com

CHRISTIAN DOUGLASS, he/him FIRST SEASON (u/s The Captain/ Muleteer, The Guard) is overjoyed to return to the Mertz stage and is a third-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Credits include Max in Cabaret, Peter in Silent Sky this season, and Cinderella’s Prince/ Wolf in Into the Woods, Pharaoh/Jacob in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, at The Bigfork Summer Playhouse. He enjoys long car rides and longer walks on the beach. Big thanks to Jolene, Mom, Dad, Ryan, Katelyn, and Aunt Rose.

PEDRO KAʻAWALOA, he/him FIRST SEASON (u/s The Duke/Dr. Carrasco, The Padre/Muleteer) is a Harvard graduate, performer, director, teacher, and coach. Performer: The King and I national tour (The King), The Fantasticks (El Gallo), Cinderella (Jean-Michel), Evita, South Pacific, The Addams Family, The Producers, JCS, White Christmas, Les Misérables. MD/Conductor: Cabaret, Les Misérables, Seussical, The King and I, Putnam Spelling Bee, First Date, Always...Patsy Cline, The Magic Flute. Pedro is also a musician, conductor, and composer. He also has a private studio. IMUA! @pedrokaawaloa pedrok.com

CELENA VERA MORGAN, she/her FIRST SEASON (u/s Aldonza) is over the moon to be making her Asolo Rep debut! Proud Paraguayan American based in NYC by way of Minnesota. Select credits: Into the Woods off- Broadway (Little Red), Sister Act (Sister Mary Robert), The Rocky Horror Show (Columbia). BFA in Musical Theatre, Ithaca College. celenaveramorgan.com Big thanks to FireStarter Entertainment. Love to Mom, Mimi, Nana-Banana, my family, and Ariel. For Dad, always.

ROBERT QUILES, he/him FIRST SEASON (u/s Sancho Panza, The Governor/The Innkeeper) is excited to be making his Asolo Rep debut! Past professional credits include Hunchback of Notre Dame (Ensemble). The Rev. Robert would like to thank his family (Mom, Dad, Sam, and Juli) for always supporting him. You can follow Robert on Instagram @Robertredpanda, and you can check out his website robertquiles.com.

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

FABIAN FIDEL AGUILAR, he/him FIRST SEASON (Costume Design) attended the Yale School of Drama for his MFA and Boston University (BFA) to pursue theatrical costume design. Credits include Three Sisters, Twelfth Night (Two River Theater) Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Max Makes a Million, Winnie the Pooh (Alliance Theater); Wait Until Dark, Queen of the Night, Slow Food (Dorset Theater Festival); Straight White Men, Mlima’s Tale, In the Heights, Man of La Mancha, Romeo and Juliet (Westport Country Playhouse); Mother Road (PCPA); Afterglow, Safeword (Midnight Theatricals); Recent Alien Abductions (Play Co.); ¡Bienvenidos Blancos! or Welcome White People! (Team Sunshine, Philadelphia), A View from the Bridge, Seven Spots on the Sun, set and costume for The War Boys (NYC); Sotto Voce (Portland Stage); Midsummer,; The Moors (Yale Repertory Theater world premier).

DRAYTON ALEXANDER, he/they FIRST SEASON (Dramaturg) is thrilled to be joining Asolo Rep this year as literary associate, following a decade working in play development in New York, London, and Singapore. Some dramaturgy highlights include world/NYC premieres of Taylor Mac’s The Fre, Kristiana Rae Colón’s good friday, Nsangou Njikam’s Syncing Ink, Idris Goodwin’s Hype Man: a break beat play, Geraldine Elizabeth Inoa’s Scraps, The Q Brothers’ Liz Estrada, and Catya McMullen’s Locked Up Bs. As artistic producer of Serials @ The Flea, he led the Serials Writers Room for two years, and he has developed plays by Amy Ng, Tuyen Do, and Joyce Julie Lee for New Earth Theatre. Drayton has received an Olwen Wymark Award for the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an MFA from NYU Tisch Asia.

PAUL BEHRHORST, he/him FIRST SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is an AEA stage manager, a theatre safety professional, and an accessibility consultant. He has worked in multiple theatres in Colorado and Oregon, including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. He recently moved to New York to start ConsultAbility with his wife Jenna. ConsultAbility is an accessibility consulting company focusing on creating a safe and inclusive environment for all disabled theater artists.

CAT BRINDISI, she/her FIRST SEASON (Choreographer) is co-founder of 7th House Theater creating new musicals at the Guthrie Theatre (Jonah & the Whale, The Great Work, & The Passage). The Southern: Sounds Inside. Cedar Summerstock: Beehive. Actor: The Guthrie (12 shows since 2014 & upcoming Into The Woods), New World Stages: NAMT 2017; Signature Theatre: NYMF 2019; St. Louis Rep; Alabama Shakes; Mixed Blood; Theater Latté Da, The Ordway. Thank you to MOLM Associate, Laura Park. Cat is based in NYC and gives love and credit to Peter Rothstein who has given her an entire career, and a husband, David Darrow (whom Peter cast opposite Cat in his production of Spring Awakening). Her and David now share a 2-year-old son named Henry. Thanks for a beautiful life, Peter!

JOE DARION (Lyrics) worked in every field in which words are put to music, from popular songs to works for the concert stage. His opera based on Don Marquis’ immortal characters Archy and Mehitabel was turned into the Broadway musical Shinbone Alley, for which Mr. Darion supplied the book and lyrics. Popular songs for which he has supplied the lyrics, including “Ricochet,” “Changing Partners” and “Midnight Rain,” have sold in the tens of millions. One of the most popular has been “The Impossible Dream,” the hit song from Man of La Mancha, which won Darion the 1965-66 Tony Award for the best lyrics of the Broadway season. He also supplied the lyrics for the Broadway musical Illya Darling, adapted from the film Never On Sunday. In addition to the Tony, he has received the Drama Critics Circle Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Gabriel Award, The Ohio State Award, and the International Broadcasting Award.

LINDA DIGABRIELE FIFTIETH SEASON (Managing Director) has served as Asolo Rep’s managing director since 1989. Prior to that, she held other positions with Asolo Rep, including director of touring programs and stage manager. During her 12-year tenure with the touring programs, Linda orchestrated 26 regional and national tours for Asolo Rep’s mainstage and educational companies. She has served several terms on the board of directors for the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a national organization of regional not-for-profit professional theatres. Linda has been an advisory panel member for the National Endowment for the Arts and, for five years, the John F. Kennedy Center’s Theatre for Young Audiences. She is a past president of the Florida Professional Theatre Association and has served the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs as a member of various panels including the Grant Awards Task Force, Theatre Grants, Arts in Educations Grants, and the Cultural Institution Programs. Other board appointments include ASSITEJ/USA, an international theatre organization for young audiences, the Florida Cultural Alliance, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. A graduate of Florida State University, Linda’s professional theatre experience includes acting and directing. She is honored to have been recognized by the Richard G. Fallon Award for Excellence in Professional Theatre, the Florida Theatre Conference Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance Leadership Award.

MARCUS DILLIARD FIRST SEASON (Lighting Design) has designed for theatre and opera across North America, most recently at PlayMakers Repertory Theatre as the lighting designer for Blues for an Alabama Sky, Atlanta Opera’s Don Giovanni, Pittsburgh Opera’s Rusalka, Theater Latté Da’s Christmas at the Local and Sugar in Our Wounds at Penumbra Theatre. He has designed numerous productions for Minnesota Opera, the Guthrie Theater, American Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. He has also designed for the Spoleto Festival (Italy); the Athens Festival, Lyric Opera Kansas City, Portland Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Vancouver Opera, Opéra de Montréal and Canadian Opera Company. Marcus is a graduate of Boston University’s School for the Arts and a member of United scenic Artists Local USA 829.

MICHAEL DONALD EDWARDS EIGHTEENTH SEASON (Producing Artistic Director) has served as producing artistic director of Asolo Rep since 2006. He was previously the associate artistic director of Syracuse Stage and served as artistic director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz. A Garland Award and Drama-Logue Award winning director, Michael has directed at Cleveland Play House; Indiana Repertory Theatre; Geva Theatre; Syracuse Stage; The Shakespeare Theatre; San Jose Rep; Opera San Jose; the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; the Old Globe in San Diego; Virginia Stage Company; the Virginia Opera; the State Theatre of South Australia; Opera Australia; Victoria State Opera; and the Metropolitan Opera, where he staged revivals of Aida, The Barber of Seville, Porgy and Bess, and Phillip Glass’ The Voyage. In previous seasons for Asolo Rep, Michael has directed Disgraced; Our Betters; The Grapes of Wrath; Clybourne Park; My Brilliant Divorce; Hamlet, Prince of Cuba; Las Meninas; La Bête; The Last Five Years; The Life of Galileo; Perfect Mendacity; The Winter’s Tale; Equus; A Tale of Two Cities; Darwin in Malibu; Nobody Don’t Like Yogi; Amadeus; The Smell of the Kill and, most recently, The Crucible.

ANNIE ENNEKING, she/her FIRST SEASON (Violence and Intimacy Choreographer) is a fight director, musician, and former actor, hailing from Minnesota. Her work in these various capacities has been seen on nearly every stage in the Twin Cities. Stage violence highlights include To Kill a Mockingbird and Raisin in the Sun at the Guthrie Theater, Ragtime and Man of La Mancha at Theater Latté Da, and Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet at The University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA Training Program (where - as a recognized Full Instructor with Dueling Arts International - she is also a teaching artist). Annie is a 2010 Playwright’s Center McKnight Theater Artist Fellow and fronts the rock band Annie and the Bang Bang. This is her Asolo Rep debut.

GREG EMETAZ, he/him SECOND SEASON (Projection Design) is a filmmaker and video designer, excited to return to Asolo Rep after designing Murder on the Orient Express and The Three Musketeers. Stage: Champion, Fire Shut Up in My Bones (The Metropolitan Opera), La Fanciulla del West National Center for Performing Arts Beijing, Tristan und Isolde Croatian National Theatre. World premieres: Bel Canto (Chicago Lyric Opera), Dolores (Claiborne San Francisco Opera), Champion, An American Soldier, Shalimar, 27, The Golden Ticket (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis). Screen: feature film Camp Wedding, short films: Bowes Academy, Spell Claire, Get the F K Outta Paris!, Death by Omelette and webseries Do it Yourselfie co-directed with Amanda DeSimone. He’s also created behind-the-scenes documentaries for Julie Taymor’s The Tempest & Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. MINORapocalypse.com

MICHELLE HART, she/her TWENTY-FIRST SEASON (Resident Hair/Wig & Make-up Designer) designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, freeFall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage, and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos: “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film/TV: Lady of the Manor; Paradise, FL; and The Real Stephen Blatt.

MICHAEL HOOVER SECOND SEASON (Scenic Design) has previously designed at Asolo Rep in 2018, working with Peter Rothstein on the scenic design for Asolo Rep’s production of Ragtime. Michael has designed scenery with Peter over the past 25 years at Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis. He has also designed at many other theaters in the Twin Cities, including the Guthrie Theater, Six Points Theater, Minnesota Opera, History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, Jungle Theatre, Girl Friday Productions and Yellow Tree Theatre. Outside of Minnesota, Michael has designed at the 5th Avenue Theatre (Seattle, WA), Zach Theatre (Austin, TX) and The Naples Players (Naples, FL). In addition to his freelance career as a Scenic Designer, Michael is on staff at the Guthrie Theater as the Head of Scenic Art.

JENNY KIM-GODFREY she/her THIRD SEASON, 2022-2023 RUBY E. AND CAROLE CROSBY FAMILY FOUNDATION GUEST MUSICAL ARTIST (Music Director and Additional Arrangements; Conductor) is a Korean American Music Director, Voice Coach, and an Award-Winning Opera Singer. Jenny has performed throughout the world as a soloist, and frequently concertizes in the Soprano-Guitar duo Corda Voce with her husband Dr. Jonathan Godfrey. Jenny recently music directed/conducted/orchestrated Cabaret at Peterborough Players and is a Resident Music Director with Norwegian Cruise Lines. She also served on the Voice and Musical Theater Faculty at University of Albany, University of Tampa, and Sehan University (Korea). Jenny holds her Master’s in Vocal Performance (Opera) and minor in Choral Conducting with an outside field in Arts Administration from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Jenny is a proud immigrant from South Korea and is grateful to return to Asolo Rep on the other side of the table! Full bio: JennyKimGodfrey.com @JennyKimGodfrey

MITCH LEIGH (Music) was a composer, producer, director, and businessman from Brooklyn. He is best known as the Tony Award-winning composer of Man of La Mancha, for which he also won the Drama Critics Circle Award and the Contemporary Classics Award from the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame for “The Impossible Dream.” In 1957 he formed Music Makers, Inc., a radio, and television commercial production house; with Leigh as its creative director, the agency won every major award within the advertising industry. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for directing Yul Brynner’s farewell tour of The King and I, which he also produced. In the last decade of his life, Leigh began developing Jackson 21, a community for nice people in Ocean County, NJ. He studied with Paul Hindemith at Yale School of Music, from which he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and he was the first recipient of the Yale Arts Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition.

VICTOR MEYRICH FIFTY-FOURTH SEASON (Director of Production & Operations) is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and its facilities. He wrote the architecture program for both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Koski II expansion and is the owner’s representative on both projects. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969.

FRANK J. PAUL FOURTH SEASON (Puppet Design) graduated from The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2004. Since, Frank has been singing and performing on stages across the country as a proud member of Actors Equity. He spent seven years in Chicago building scenery and props for countless theatrical and commercial productions, and 3 years in NYC as the Master Carpenter and lead installer building Holiday Windows for Fifth Avenue stores such as Lord and Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany’s. In Sarasota, Frank was the Head of Props at the Opera, and has been Senior Props Master at Asolo Rep since 2019.

GABY RODRIGUEZ, she/her SECOND SEASON (Cultural Competency Coordinator) is a director, dramaturg, teacher, and storyteller from Santiago de Cuba. She has directed at Asolo Repertory Theatre, Theatre Nuevo, The Center of Creative Arts in St. Louis, TheatreWorks USA, The University of Oklahoma, Webster Conservatory, and Shakespeare Festival STL. As an Assistant Director, she has worked at Great River Shakespeare Festival in Minnesota, at The Repertory Theatre of STL, and at Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, TX. She has also worked as a translator and educator in multiple theatres, including the MUNY, Asolo Rep, and Metro Theatre Company. Her work focuses on adapting classic stories for today and she has a passion for bringing more Latin representation to the stage.

CÉLINE ROSENTHAL, she/they SIXTH SEASON (Local Casting; Associate Artistic Director) is a Tony-nominated producer and “Key” member of The Ring Of Keys and New Georges Affiliate Artist. They are in their sixth season at Asolo Rep, having directed Camelot, The Lifespan of a Fact, Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and co-directed We Need A Little Christmas with Michael Donald Edwards. Céline has developed new work with NYMF, The New Georges, The Musical Theatre Factory, The Kidoons, Tamasha, and National Queer Theatre, as well as creating Asolo Rep’s premiere new work series, Asolo Rep: Ground Floor. Other Recent Projects: Trayf (New Rep); Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T); A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre); Motherf**ker with the Hat (FSU/ Asolo Conservatory); the award-winning short film Wildflower. Céline was a member of the 2018/19 MTC Directing Fellowship class, and was awarded an SDC Observership and Asolo Rep Directing Fellowship. They are an alumnus of the Commercial Theatre Institute, BMI Lehman Engel Workshop, NYU Tisch (BFA), and The New School for Drama (MFA). celinerosenthal.nyc

PETER ROTHSTEIN, he/him FIFTH SEASON (Director) is thrilled to return to Asolo Rep where he staged Ragtime and Sweeney Todd. Rothstein works extensively as a director of theatre, musical theatre, opera, and new work development. He is the Founding Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da, a Minneapolis-based company dedicated to adventurous music-theatre. Since the company’s inception in 1992, Rothstein has directed 82 main-stage productions, including 13 world premieres. Other collaborations include the Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, Ten Thousand Things, The 5th Avenue, Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and most recently the world premiere of The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing with Chicago Opera Theater. He holds degrees in Music and Theater from St. John’s University and an MFA in Directing from the University of Wisconsin- Madison.

NIA SCIARRETTA, she/her ELEVENTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Favorite Asolo Rep credits include stage manager for Knoxville, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys & Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep.

JUSTIN STASIW he/him THIRD SEASON (Sound Design) is an NYC-based sound designer and engineer. Broadway (as associate): Moulin Rouge!, Beetlejuice, Frozen, Something Rotten!, Side Show, It’s Only A Play. Off-Broadway: The View Upstairs, Songbird. Regional: A Christmas Story (5th Ave), Jasper In Deadland (5th Ave), How to Succeed… (5th Ave), Paint Your Wagon (5th Ave, Ordway), The Secret Garden (STC, 5th Ave), Josephine (Asolo Rep), Beatsville (Asolo Rep). International: Sweeney Todd (Manila, Singapore), Jersey Boys (Manila), Ghost (Manila). Justin is a proud member of IATSE and of USA/829.

DALE WASSERMAN (Playwright) wrote for theater, television, and film for more than 50 years and is best known for the musical Man of La Mancha, a multiple Tony Award winner. He also wrote the stage play One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, based on Ken Kesey’s novel, which has won several Tony Awards. Both shows continue to be produced nationally and internationally with an estimated 300 productions a year. In January 1979, Dale met Martha Nelly Garza, who became his wife, loyal partner, and loving companion. More than once, Dale commented that Martha Nelly was the best thing that ever happened to him (aside from MOLM) and that it was their 30-year partnership that had been the greatest contribution to extending his life and his talents to age 94. Together, they worked on numerous musicals and several new plays which can be found on his website, dalewasserman.com.

BINDER CASTING (New York Casting) was founded 40 years ago and is now a part of RWS Entertainment Group. The office has cast 150+ Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Touring productions, in addition to countless national and international projects spanning both stage and screen. Binder is a proud eleven-time recipient of the Artios Award for Excellence in Casting and is a supporter of Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. The office holds a deep respect for their legacy, as well as a commitment to growth. To facilitate this growth, Binder has partnered with the Disruptive Equity Education Project (DEEP) to dismantle harmful practices and to carry this work into their organization, client relationships, and audition rooms. They acknowledge that the work is on-going and strive to do better. bindercasting.com

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Click here to view and download photos. 

Click here to view and download photos. 

Click here to view and download artwork and headshots. 

LISE BRUNEAU*

FIRST SEASON (Josephine “Jo” O’Shea) is making her Asolo Repertory Theatre debut, despite having been directed as Desdemona by Michael Donald Edwards one or two years ago at Shakespeare Santa Cruz. She currently lives in DC, where she appears at the Shakespeare Theatre, Arena Stage, and Studio Theatre, among others. She has played on Broadway and at regional theatres across the country. As a director, she’s helmed productions of Measure for Measure, Savage in Limbo, Twelfth Night, and more. While continuing to cause trouble at DC’s upstart Taffety Punk Theatre Co., Lise trained at RADA and hopes 15-year-old Percy can join her at Galaxy’s Edge.

 

WILLA CARPENTER, she/her

SECOND SEASON (Becky O’Shea) is a Sarasota native. She has had a passion for entertaining and singing for others as an expression of love and kindness from her earliest days. Willa is currently in 7^th grade, attending Booker Middle School. She enjoys all things anime, singing, laughter, and sleeping in on the weekends. Regional credits include Rufus understudy in Knoxville and Amaryllis in The Music Man. She would like to thank her mentors and peers at Spotlight Kids Theatre and her Mom and Dad for their love and support! 

 

SUZANNE GRODNER*, she/her

TENTH SEASON (Theresa “Terri” Carmichael) is thrilled to be back at Asolo Rep, where past shows include Grand Horizons, The Plexiglass Slipper, Nunsense, Tartuffe, and How the Other Half Loves. Broadway credits include Beautiful, Bye Bye Birdie, and The Rose Tattoo. Off-Broadway credits include Old Jews Telling Jokes, Sarah/Sarah, Cakewalk, and Death-Defying Acts. National/Int’l Tours include Beautiful and Ken Hill’s Phantom. Regional Theatre: Over 80 productions in over 45 theatres, including V&S&M&S (Cincinnati Playhouse), Jane Austen’s Emma (The Old Globe), The Sisters Rosensweig (Indiana Rep), Ragtime (TheatreWorks), Becky Shaw (SF Playhouse), among many others. TV/Film includes Ray Donovan, Law & Order/SVU/CI, Ed, and Muck. For Alba.

 

ERIN O’CONNOR≠, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Linda O’Shea) is very excited to make her Asolo Rep debut! Past credits include Viola in Twelfth Night, Armande in The Learned Ladies, Everybody in Everybody (FSU/Asolo Conservatory); Coco in The Cocoanuts, Swing/Ens. in Head Over Heels, and Cassius/Portia/Mark Antony in Julius Caesar (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). She is also an actor combatant certified in unarmed, rapier, rapier/dagger, and broadsword. Much love to her Mom, Dad, and Sean for their unconditional love and support! erincoconnor.com

 

JAY RUSSELL*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Mike O’Shea/Father Lovett/Betty Heckenbach) Broadway: End of the Rainbow, The Play What I Wrote. Off-Broadway: Our Town, Travels with My Aunt, Around the World in 80 Days, The Normal Heart. National Tours: Wicked, Beauty and the Beast. International: Fully Committed (Vienna), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Frankfurt). Regional: Guthrie, Arena Stage, Long Wharf, PaperMill, Westport, Humana (Louisville), Baltimore Center Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, St. Louis Rep, Goodspeed, Alabama & Utah Shakespeare. Carbonell Award Winner: Indecent at Palm Beach DramaWorks. TV/Film: Gotham, Louie, Boardwalk Empire, Ugly Betty, The Sopranos, Law & Order, Morning Glory, Ride, In Lieu of Flowers, Queen of Knives. Jay wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning short RUOK. jay-russell.com

 

MARTHA VELEZ-REID, she/her

SECOND SEASON (Grandmother O’Shea) is overjoyed to be working with Celine on this Asolo Rep delight! Broadway: Hair. Off-Broadway: Our Town, The Skin of Our Teeth, American Heartbeat. Recipient of the Los Angeles Write on Woman’s Award for Playwriting and Acting. Member: Dramatist Guild of America, League of Professional Theatre Women, SAG. Television: ER, L.A. Law, a.k.a. Pablo, Falcon Crest. Fifteen feature films including Sundance winner Star Maps, Safe (Julianne Moore), Fatherhood (Halle Berry/Patrick Swayze), Nails (Dennis Hopper), and 187 (Samuel L. Jackson).   

 

MACARIA CHAPARRO MARTINEZ, they/she

FIRST SEASON (u/s Theresa “Terri” Carmichael) is about to conclude their final year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, and it has been an odyssey of an education! They love projects that are impactful and important as well as silly little works of fun. Favorite credits include Mrs. Lovett, Belise in The Learned Ladies, and Telemachus in Asolo Rep On Tour’s Looking for Ithaca. Macaria also reps UC Irvine as well as Ventura College! Kindly, enjoy the show!

 

ALLIE McLAUGHLIN, she/her

THIRD SEASON (u/s Becky O’Shea) is thrilled to return to Asolo Rep, where her credits include The Sound of Music (Marta Von Trapp), Fountain (Andi), and Roe (u/s Emily, u/s Melissa). Allie most recently performed in The Music Man (Ensemble) at Manatee Performing Arts Center. She is a 7^th grader in the VPA program at Booker Middle School. Allie is profoundly grateful to work with everyone involved in this production and would like to thank her family, Ms. Christine, Ms. Cynthia, and Mrs. Mills for their love and support. 

 

KATHRYN PARKS, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Josephine “Jo” O’Shea) is an actor, singer, improviser, filmmaker, and Sarasota native. Stage credits include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Maggie), No, No, Nanette (Nanette), and seven seasons with Powel Crosley Theater. Her films, Her Place (2020) and 50 Words (2018), were awarded Best Florida Film while The Fabulous Ohs (2022) is playing festivals nationwide. She’s appeared with Treble in Paradise at FST Improv, WBTT, Asolo Rep, American Stage, and St. Pete Opera. @kathrynparks, kathrynparks.com 

 

SYDNEY STORY, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Linda O’Shea) is incredibly excited to embark on this final leg of her MFA journey. Her favorite roles include Olive in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Dorothy Brown in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Maria in Love's Labour’s Lost. She has also been fortunate enough to sing backup for Kristin Chenoweth and work on a new musical with Bandstand’s Richard Oberacker. She would like to thank her mom, her stepdad, and her friends for all their support.

 

BRIAN ZANE

FIRST SEASON (u/s Mike O’Shea/Father Lovett/Betty Heckenbach) is a first-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Regional credits include Master Class at TimeLine Theatre Company, Far from Heaven and City of Angels at Porchlight Music Theatre, Anything Goes at Music Theater Works, The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire at JPAC Theatre, The Hollow Men at NYC Fringe Festival, Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Charleston Stage Company, and Safety Net at Crossroads Rep.

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

≠ Appears courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association

LINDA DiGABRIELE

FIFTIETH SEASON (Managing Director) has served as Asolo Rep’s managing director since 1989. Prior to that time, she held other positions with Asolo Rep, including director of touring programs and stage manager. During her 12-year tenure with the touring programs, Linda orchestrated 26 regional and national tours for Asolo Rep’s mainstage and educational companies. She has served several terms on the board of directors for the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a national organization of regional not-for-profit professional theatres. Linda has been an advisory panel member for the National Endowment for the Arts and, for five years, the John F. Kennedy Center’s Theatre for Young Audiences. She is a past president of the Florida Professional Theatre Association and has served the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs as a member of various panels including the Grant Awards Task Force, Theatre Grants, Arts in Educations Grants, and the Cultural Institution Programs review committee. Other boards of directors’ appointments include ASSITEJ/USA, an international theatre organization for young audiences, the Florida Cultural Alliance, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. A graduate of Florida State University, Linda’s professional theatre experience includes acting and directing. She is honored to have been recognized by the Florida Professional Theatre Association’s Richard G. Fallon Award for Excellence in Professional Theatre and the Florida Theatre Conference’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

MICHAEL DONALD EDWARDS

EIGHTEENTH SEASON (Producing Artistic Director) has served as producing artistic director of Asolo Rep since 2006. He was previously the associate artistic director of Syracuse Stage and served as artistic director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz. A Garland Award and Drama-Logue Award winning director, Michael has directed at Cleveland Play House; Indiana Repertory Theatre; Geva Theatre; Syracuse Stage; The Shakespeare Theatre; San Jose Rep; Opera San Jose; the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; the Old Globe in San Diego; Virginia Stage Company; the Virginia Opera; the State Theatre of South Australia; Opera Australia; Victoria State Opera; and the Metropolitan Opera, where he staged revivals of Aida, The Barber of Seville, Porgy and Bess, and Phillip Glass’ The Voyage. In previous seasons for Asolo Rep, Michael has directed Disgraced; Our Betters; The Grapes of Wrath; Clybourne Park; My Brilliant Divorce; Hamlet, Prince of Cuba; Las Meninas; La Bête; The Last Five Years; The Life of Galileo; Perfect Mendacity; The Winter’s Tale; Equus; A Tale of Two Cities; Darwin in Malibu; Nobody Don’t Like Yogi; Amadeus; The Smell of the Kill and, most recently, The Crucible.

 

KATIE FORGETTE

FIRST SEASON (Playwright) spent most of her professional life as an actor. At the Seattle Repertory Theatre, she was privileged to work with such directors and playwrights as Doug Hughes, Bill Irwin, Pamela Berlin, Dan Sullivan, John Patrick Shanley, Liviu Ciulei, Lillian Garrett-Groag, and Jon Robin Baitz. Her plays include A Facility for Living, Evidence of Things Unseen, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily, The O'Conner Girls, Everybody's A Critic, It Went Like This, The Body Snatcher, and Welcome to Vital Vista Village. Her plays have been produced at the Florida Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Human Race Theatre, Greater Boston Stage, Seattle Repertory Theatre, ACT Theatre, Manitoba Theatre Centre, People's Light, Park Square Theatre, Barter Theatre, The Dorset Theatre Festival, and Vertigo Theatre. 

 

DEREK A. GRAHAM, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Original Compositions) is excited to work with Asolo Rep for the very first time! Recent composer credits include In Every Generation (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley); Toni Stone (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre/Alliance Theatre); Protocol, Redwood (Portland Center Stage); The Chinese Lady (Artists Repertory Theatre). Recent works in sound design include Detroit ’67 (Baldwin Wallace University Theatre), I Shall Not Be Moved/Your Negro Tour Guide (Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati), Kill Move Paradise (Dobama Theatre). BA: Music at Elizabeth City State University. MFA: Sound Design at Ohio University. Derek is co-founder of Life by Design Media & Production with his spouse and life-partner, Jessica.

 

MICHELLE HART, she/her

TWENTY-FIRST SEASON (Resident Hair/Wig & Make-up Designer) designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, freeFall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage, and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos: “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film/TV: Lady of the Manor; Paradise, FL; and The Real Stephen Blatt.

 

KRISTIN LOUGHRY*, she/her

FOURTH SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back in sunny Sarasota! Previous Asolo Rep credits include The Cake, Grand Horizons, Eureka Day, and the unopened production of The Great Leap in the Cook. Additional credits include shows with Baltimore Center Stage, Hangar Theatre Company, Infinity Theatre Company, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, NewArts, New London Barn Playhouse, Primary Stages, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Soho Playhouse, Virginia Stage Company, NYU Grad Acting, and The New School. Proud AEA member and Ithaca College alum.

 

VICTOR MEYRICH

FIFTY-FOURTH SEASON (Director of Production & Operations) is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and its facilities. He wrote the architecture program for both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Koski II expansion and is the owner’s representative on both projects. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969.

 

DRISCOLL OTTO

FIRST SEASON (Lighting Designer) recently designed the lighting for the Encores! production of The Life re-imagined and directed by Billy Porter, lighting for Dallas Theatre Center’s production of Trouble in Mind, lighting and projections for Houston Grand Opera’s Marian’s Song, lighting for The Huntington Theatre Company’s production of The Purists directed by Billy Porter, projections for Maggio Musicale Fiorentino's The Flying Dutchman. In the summer of 2021, Driscoll was invited to Austria to design lighting for an outdoor environmental production of Turandot for Opera in the Quarry. Driscoll designed lighting for productions of Legally Blonde and Rock of Ages for Norwegian Cruise Lines. Highlights to his resume include projection design for Santa Fe Opera’s production of The Golden Cockerel and The Metropolitan Opera’s production of La Donna Del Lago. 

 

SHARATH PATEL, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Sound Designer) is an Oregon based designer who works internationally, focusing on experimental, commercial, academic, political, and socially conscious theatre. Recent designs: Asolo Rep, A.C.T., The Alley Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, Theatre Works of Silicon Valley, Portland Center Stage, Alliance Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Indiana Rep, Artists Rep, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, American Rep, Seattle Rep, Cal Shakes, Alabama Shakes, Seattle Children’s Theatre. Additional work in New York City, San Francisco, L.A., D.C., Boston, Norfolk, Raleigh, Aspen, India, France, England, Germany, Romania, Vietnam. Affiliations: USA829 IATSE, Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association, arts envoy for the U.S. Department of State, national respondent for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, resident artist at Artists Rep. BFA: Ohio University. MFA: Yale School of Drama. sharathpatel.com 

 

RIW RAKKULCHON, he/they

SECOND SEASON (Scenic Designer) is a set and costume designer, animator, and chef from Bangkok, Thailand. Select credits - Broadway: associate set designer, Pass Over, & Juliet. He/They has worked at Yale Repertory Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Drury Lane Theatre, Asolo Rep, The Acting Company, 59E59, Edinburgh Fringe, Primary Stages, The Old Globe, Hartford Stage, The Public Theatre, amongst others. Board member of WithAll, a non-profit organization on a fight to end eating disorders. BFA Ithaca College, MFA Yale School of Drama. Member of United Scenic Artists 829. @riwrdesign 

 

CELINE ROSENTHAL, she/they

SIXTH SEASON (Director; Local Casting; Associate Artistic Director) is a Tony-nominated producer and “Key” member of The Ring Of Keys and New Georges Affiliate Artist. They are in their sixth season at Asolo Rep, having directed Camelot, The Lifespan of a Fact, Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and co-directed We Need a Little Christmas with Michael Donald Edwards. Celine has developed new work with NYMF, The New Georges, The Musical Theatre Factory, The Kidoons, Tamasha, and National Queer Theatre, as well as creating Asolo Rep’s premiere new work series, Asolo Rep Ground Floor. Other recent projects: Trayf (New Rep); Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T); A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre); Motherf**ker with the Hat (FSU/Asolo Conservatory); the award-winning short film Wildflower. Celine was a member of the 2018/19 MTC Directing Fellowship class and was awarded an SDC Observership and Asolo Rep Directing Fellowship. They are an alumnus of the Commercial Theatre Institute, BMI Lehman Engel Workshop, NYU Tisch (BFA), and The New School for Drama (MFA). celinerosenthal.nyc

 

NIA SCIARRETTA*, she/her

ELEVENTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Favorite Asolo Rep credits include stage manager for Knoxville, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys and Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep.

 

DEE SULLIVAN, she/her

FOURTH SEASON (Costume Designer) is so grateful to be a part of the Asolo Repertory Theatre’s 2022-23 season! She obtained her BA in Theatre with an emphasis in costume design at the University of Wyoming. Her recent costume design credits include The Learned Ladies (The Edinburgh Festival Fringe & FSU/Asolo Conservatory), The Smuggler (Urbanite Theatre), Everybody (FSU/Asolo Conservatory), Camelot: In Concert (Asolo Repertory Theatre), Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (FSU/Asolo Conservatory), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Asolo Repertory Theatre), The Thanksgiving Play (Urbanite Theatre), Theophilus North (Dog Days Theatre), Apples in Winter (Urbanite Theatre), and Wakey, Wakey (Urbanite Theatre). Thank you to Kris for her love and support. Also, a MASSIVE thanks to my theatre family in the Asolo Rep costume shop. 

 

BINDER CASTING

(New York Casting) was founded 40 years ago and is now a part of RWS Entertainment Group. The office has cast 150+ Broadway, off-Broadway, and National Touring productions, in addition to countless national and international projects spanning both stage and screen. Binder is a proud 11-time recipient of the Artios Award for Excellence in Casting and is a supporter of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The office holds a deep respect for their legacy, as well as a commitment to growth. To facilitate this growth, Binder has partnered with the Disruptive Equity Education Project (DEEP) to dismantle harmful practices and to carry this work into their organization, client relationships, and audition rooms. They acknowledge that the work is on-going and strive to do better. bindercasting.com

 

CLAIRE SIMON CASTING

(Chicago Casting) Claire and associate Cassidy Price have worked in Chicago and the Midwest for 5½ years. Claire and her team have cast for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Writer’s Theatre, Indiana Repertory, Madison Rep, Milwaukee Rep, St. Louis Rep, Kansas City Rep, The Cleveland Playhouse, Asolo Rep, Syracuse Stage, Million Dollar Quartet in Chicago, and the Clarence Brown Theatre. TV: Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Somebody Somewhere, Dark Matter, Proven Innocent, Easy, Empire. Recent films include Candyman. Claire has been nominated four times for Artios awards, winning in 2016 for Excellence in Casting for her work on Empire and in 2006 for Prison Break. A board member of the Illinois Production Alliance, she and her team also started an annual food drive 16 years ago called Meal for Monologues, to collect food for the homeless.

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Click here to view and download production photos. 

DRAYTON ALEXANDER, he/they

FIRST SEASON (Dramaturg) is thrilled to be joining Asolo Rep this year as literary associate, following a decade working in play development in New York, London, and Singapore. Some dramaturgy highlights include world/NYC premieres of Taylor Mac’s The Fre, Kristiana Rae Colón’s good friday, Nsangou Njikam’s Syncing Ink, Idris Goodwin’s Hype Man: a break beat play, Geraldine Elizabeth Inoa’s Scraps, The Q Brothers’ Liz Estrada, and Catya McMullen’s Locked Up Bs. As artistic producer of Serials @ The Flea, he led the Serials Writers Room for two years, and he has developed plays by Amy Ng, Tuyen Do, and Joyce Julie Lee for New Earth Theatre. Drayton has received an Olwen Wymark Award from the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an MFA from NYU Tisch Asia. 

 

DEDE AYITE

SECOND SEASON (Costume Design) Broadway: Topdog/Underdog, Ohio State Murders, American Buffalo, How I Learned to Drive, A Soldier’s Play, Slave Play, Chicken & Biscuits, American Son, and Children of a Lesser God. Select off-Broadway: Merry Wives (The Public); The Secret Life of Bees, Marie and Rosetta (Atlantic); By The Way, Meet Vera Stark (Signature); School Girls… (MCC). Regionally, Dede’s work has appeared at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf, and more. She has worked in television with Netflix and Comedy Central. Awards: Drama Desk, Henry Hewes, Obie, Lucille Lortel, Helen Hayes, Theatre Bay Area, and Jeff Awards; two Tony nominations.

 

ALEXA BURN*, she/her

SECOND SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is from Cupertino, CA. She is thrilled to return to Asolo Rep after being a Stage Management Apprentice last season! Her past credits include The Great Leap (ASM), Grand Horizons (ASM), and Hood (ASM) at Asolo Repertory Theatre, A Leg Up (ASM) and Clue (ASM) at Bristol Riverside Theatre in Bristol, PA, The Code (SM) at the American Conservatory Theatre SF, as well as Chess (SM) and A Little Night Music (ASM) at 42nd Street Moon. Alexa also stage managed at the Disneyland Resort for many years, working with the Disneyland Band, Dapper Dans, and more.

 

LINDA DiGABRIELE

FIFTIETH SEASON (Managing Director) has served as Asolo Rep’s managing director since 1989. Prior to that time, she held other positions with Asolo Rep, including director of touring programs and stage manager. During her 12-year tenure with the touring programs, Linda orchestrated 26 regional and national tours for Asolo Rep’s mainstage and educational companies. She has served several terms on the board of directors for the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a national organization of regional not-for-profit professional theatres. Linda has been an advisory panel member for the National Endowment for the Arts and, for five years, the John F. Kennedy Center’s Theatre for Young Audiences. She is a past president of the Florida Professional Theatre Association and has served the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs as a member of various panels including the Grant Awards Task Force, Theatre Grants, Arts in Educations Grants, and the Cultural Institution Programs review committee. Other boards of directors’ appointments include ASSITEJ/USA, an international theatre organization for young audiences, the Florida Cultural Alliance, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. A graduate of Florida State University, Linda’s professional theatre experience includes acting and directing. She is honored to have been recognized by the Florida Professional Theatre Association’s Richard G. Fallon Award for Excellence in Professional Theatre and the Florida Theatre Conference’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

MICHAEL DONALD EDWARDS

EIGHTEENTH SEASON (Producing Artistic Director) has served as producing artistic director of Asolo Rep since 2006. He was previously the associate artistic director of Syracuse Stage and served as artistic director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz. A Garland Award and Drama-Logue Award winning director, Michael has directed at Cleveland Play House; Indiana Repertory Theatre; Geva Theatre; Syracuse Stage; The Shakespeare Theatre; San Jose Rep; Opera San Jose; the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; the Old Globe in San Diego; Virginia Stage Company; the Virginia Opera; the State Theatre of South Australia; Opera Australia; Victoria State Opera; and the Metropolitan Opera, where he staged revivals of Aida, The Barber of Seville, Porgy and Bess, and Phillip Glass’ The Voyage. In previous seasons for Asolo Rep, Michael has directed Disgraced; Our Betters; The Grapes of Wrath; Clybourne Park; My Brilliant Divorce; Hamlet, Prince of Cuba; Las Meninas; La Bête; The Last Five Years; The Life of Galileo; Perfect Mendacity; The Winter’s Tale; Equus; A Tale of Two Cities; Darwin in Malibu; Nobody Don’t Like Yogi; Amadeus; The Smell of the Kill and, most recently, The Crucible.

 

ANTONIO TROY FERRON, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Scenic Designer) is a designer for stage and screen based out of Los Angeles and raised in nearby Ocala, FL. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied Scenic Design and Architecture. Antonio currently works as assistant art director for the TV series Bel-Air, streaming on NBC Peacock. Additional television credits include Archive 81 (Netflix) and the upcoming horror short film Disco Inferno (Netflix). Theatrical work includes assisting designers for Broadway and regional productions with Shakespeare Theatre of NJ, Geffen Playhouse, and Second Stage Theater, as well as set design for productions including I Hate Hamlet (Ocala Civic Theatre) and The Fantasticks (Jean’s Playhouse).  

 

JARED GOODING, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Lighting Design) is excited to be making his Asolo Rep debut. He is a Chicago based artist. His design credits include designs for Syracuse Stage, Fulton Stage, Florentine Opera Company, Indiana Repertory Theater, Writer's Theater, First Stage Theater, DePaul University, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Victory Gardens Theater, Timeline Theater, Bristol Riverside Theater, Madison Children's Theater, University of Illinois Chicago Theatre, Remy Bumpo Theater, Strawdog Theater, The Hypocrites, Definition Theater, Windy City Playhouse, Sideshow Theatre, Jackalope Theatre, First Floor Theater, About Face Theatre, MPAACT, and serving as the lighting assistant for The Wiz Live on NBC, along with associate designing for The OFFICE's touring of Yamandja in Berkeley, CA, and The Kennedy Center in DC. He is an ensemble member with American Blues Theater and MPAACT. His design work is featured at goodingdesigns.com.

 

MICHELLE HART, she/her

TWENTY-FIRST SEASON (Resident Hair/Wig & Make-up Designer) designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, freeFall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage, and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos: “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film/TV: Lady of the Manor; Paradise, FL; and The Real Stephen Blatt.

 

RASEAN DAVONTÉ JOHNSON

FIRST SEASON (Projection Design) is delighted to be working with Asolo Repertory Theatre. A Chicago-based video artist and theatrical designer, his designs have been seen at many regional institutions, such as New York Philharmonic, The Public Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, Olney Theatre Center, The Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Manual Cinema, Yale Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Portland Opera, Toledo Opera, Folks Operetta, and internationally with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland), B-Floor Theatre (Thailand), and the Ningbo Song and Dance Company (China). Additionally, his video and installation work has been seen at the Bay Street Theatre, Yale Art Gallery, and the Logan Center for the Arts. MFA in stage design, Yale University School of Drama. raseandavontejohnson.com.

 

BIANCA LaVERNE JONES

THIRD SEASON (Director) is a multi-hyphenate artist, actress, and director. In 2021, she made her Broadway debut as associate director in Chicken & Biscuits. Asolo Rep audiences will recognize Bianca from her directorial debut with Eureka Day by Jonathan Spector and from acting in 2016’s production of Disgraced by Ayad Aktar. Bianca’s directorial productions have been staged at Syracuse Stages, Baltimore Center Stage, NJPAC, Pittsburgh Public, Classical Theater of Harlem, Teatro Latea, Playwrights Horizon, HERE Arts, Billie Holiday Theater, and Carne Theater. Since the pandemic, Bianca has worked with several theatre companies who kept the flame and directed episodes 108 and 109 of the Emmy nominated The Gaze: No Homo web series. Bianca is the first African American woman to graduate with a master’s degree in directing from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. She attended North Carolina School of the Arts, SUNY Purchase Acting Conservatory, and Yale School of Drama for acting. Bianca is a 2019 BroadwayWorld Best Actress and performed as Sandra in the 2022 west coast premiere of Confederates by Dominique Morriseau at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. 

 

DOUGLAS LYONS

(Playwright) is an actor, writer, director, composer-lyricist, and playwright. He served as a writer and composer on Apple TV’s 2022 series Fraggle Rock. Douglas received a GLAAD nomination for his Broadway playwriting debut, Chicken & Biscuits. His music and lyrics have been featured on BET Plus, CBS's Sunday Morning, Carnegie Hall's Voices of Hope Festival, and Lincoln Center’s Broadway Songbook Series. As an actor he's appeared on Broadway in The Book of Mormon and Beautiful (original cast), as well as the tours of Rent and Dreamgirls. Other theatre writing credits include: Polkadots (Off Broadway Alliance Winner Best Family Show, Atlantic Theater Company), Beau (Adirondack Theatre Festival), and Five Points, currently in development with Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler. With musical writing partner Ethan D. Pakchar, Douglas is a 2020 Jonathan Larson Grant finalist. twitter: @douglassings, IG: @chocolatehipster

 

VICTOR MEYRICH

FIFTY-FOURTH SEASON (Director of Production & Operations) is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and its facilities. He wrote the architecture program for both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Koski II expansion and is the owner’s representative on both projects. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969.

 

NICOLE PERRY, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Intimacy Choreographer) is a Silver Palm award-winning intimacy director, as well as intimacy coordinator. Career highlights include intimacy coordination for God Forbid (Hulu) and a Carbonell nomination for the intimacy direction of To Fall in Love (Theatre Lab). She holds an MFA from Goddard College. Nicole apprenticed with Intimacy Directors International and is certified by Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (IDC). TikTok and IG: @intimacychorefl

 

CELINE ROSENTHAL, she/they

SIXTH SEASON (Local Casting; Associate Artistic Director) is a Tony-nominated producer and “Key” member of The Ring Of Keys and New Georges Affiliate Artist. They are in their sixth season at Asolo Rep, having directed Camelot, The Lifespan of a Fact, Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and co-directed We Need a Little Christmas with Michael Donald Edwards. Celine has developed new work with NYMF, The New Georges, The Musical Theatre Factory, The Kidoons, Tamasha, and National Queer Theatre, as well as creating Asolo Rep’s premiere new work series, Asolo Rep Ground Floor. Other recent projects: Trayf (New Rep); Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T); A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre); Motherf**ker with the Hat (FSU/Asolo Conservatory); the award-winning short film Wildflower. Celine was a member of the 2018/19 MTC Directing Fellowship class and was awarded an SDC Observership and Asolo Rep Directing Fellowship. They are an alumnus of the Commercial Theatre Institute, BMI Lehman Engel Workshop, NYU Tisch (BFA), and The New School for Drama (MFA). celinerosenthal.nyc

 

NIA SCIARRETTA*, she/her

ELEVENTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Favorite Asolo Rep credits include stage manager for Knoxville, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys and Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep.

 

JACQUELINE SINGLETON*, she/her

FOURTH SEASON (Stage Manager) is so happy to be back at Asolo Rep! Previously: Our Town; The Great Leap; Terrace Season 2020-21; The Crucible; A Doll's House, Part 2; and Noises Off. American Players Theatre (Spring Green, Wisconsin), 21 seasons, including recent projects Love’s Labour’s Lost, Oedipus, and Rough Crossing. Other stage management work includes Animal Farm at Milwaukee Repertory and Baltimore Center Stage; Outside Mullingar at the Clarence Brown Theater (Knoxville, TN); three seasons at Forward Theater (Madison, WI); seven seasons at Madison Repertory Theatre; and numerous Chicago theatres, including the Goodman Theatre, Writers' Theatre, and Next Theatre.

 

DeWANDA SMITH SOEDER, she/her

SECOND SEASON (Cultural Competency Coordinator) is an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) strategist whose cultural competency process is based on her research thesis, “Theatre as a Diversity Intervention.” At Asolo Rep, DeWanda has provided cultural competency coordination for the world premiere of Knoxville and facilitated affinity spaces for Our Town, Eureka Day, and Hood. Other credits include cultural competency coordination for Confederates, Once on This Island, and King John (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). She holds the following credentials: MA in Psychology, BS in Health and Human Services, Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), Prosci Certified Change Practitioner (CCMP), Instructional Design, OD/Human Interaction (NTL), Emotional Intelligence (The Hay Group), and Adjunct Professor of Psychology.

 

UPTOWNWORKS

(Sound Design) UptownWorks sound is a dynamic team of designers that creates for theatre, film, podcasts, music production, and other media. By working together, they aim to bring all the necessary skills and knowledge that the design requires with the unique perspectives and approaches that only a team can provide. Select sound design highlights include the ripple, the wave that carried me home (Berkeley Rep/The Goodman); Complicity Island (Audible); Blues Clues and You! (Round Room Live); Happy Life (The Hearth); Queen (Long Wharf Theater/A.R.T.NY); Choir Boy and Today is my Birthday (Yale Rep); Fires in the Mirror (Baltimore Center Stage/Long Wharf Theatre); already there (The REACH at the Kennedy Center); First Down (59E59); Pleasure Machine (Colt Coeur); Sidewalk Echoes (En Garde Arts); Nightwatch (Dorset Theatre Festival); The Masses are Asses (Wesleyan CFA). This design was led by Bailey Trierweiler (btsounddesign.com) with co-design by Noel Nichols (noelnicholsdesign.com) and Daniela Hart (uptownworksnyc.com). Bailey, Noel, and Daniela received MFAs in Sound Design from the Yale School of Drama.

 

BINDER CASTING

(New York Casting) was founded 40 years ago and is now a part of RWS Entertainment Group. The office has cast 150+ Broadway, off-Broadway, and National Touring productions, in addition to countless national and international projects spanning both stage and screen. Binder is a proud 11-time recipient of the Artios Award for Excellence in Casting and is a supporter of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The office holds a deep respect for their legacy, as well as a commitment to growth. To facilitate this growth, Binder has partnered with the Disruptive Equity Education Project (DEEP) to dismantle harmful practices and to carry this work into their organization, client relationships, and audition rooms. They acknowledge that the work is on-going and strive to do better. bindercasting.com

 

CLAIRE SIMON CASTING

(Chicago Casting) Claire and associate Cassidy Price have worked in Chicago and the Midwest for 5½ years. Claire and her team have cast for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Writer’s Theatre, Indiana Repertory, Madison Rep, Milwaukee Rep, St. Louis Rep, Kansas City Rep, The Cleveland Playhouse, Asolo Rep, Syracuse Stage, Million Dollar Quartet in Chicago, and the Clarence Brown Theatre. TV: Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Somebody Somewhere, Dark Matter, Proven Innocent, Easy, Empire. Recent films include Candyman. Claire has been nominated four times for Artios awards, winning in 2016 for Excellence in Casting for her work on Empire and in 2006 for Prison Break. A board member of the Illinois Production Alliance, she and her team also started an annual food drive 16 years ago called Meal for Monologues, to collect food for the homeless.

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

 

 

LA SHAWN BANKS*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Reginald Mabry) is thrilled to make his Asolo Rep debut. Credits include Choir Boy, The Wheel (Steppenwolf), Sense and Sensibility directed by Peter Amster, Around the World in 80 Days (Indiana Repertory), Sweat (Mark Taper), Oedipus, Twelfth Night, The Book of Will, The Island, and Edward Albee's Seascape (American Players), among a host of others. Thank you to the Almighty.

 

DREAA KAY BAUDY, she/her

FIRST SEASON (La’Trice Franklin) is a New Orleans native, but currently resides in Sarasota, FL. She graduated from Tulane University with a BA in Philosophy and is currently a MFA candidate for a Master’s in Acting at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Some of her credits include Somebody in Everybody, Ophelia in Hamlet, and Maria in Twelfth Night. Besides her passion for acting, Dreaa Kay loves to travel, is a plant enthusiast, and a cat mom. @baukaydre

 

ERNEST BENTLEY*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Kenny Mabry) Asolo Rep Debut. Guthrie Theater: A Raisin in the Sun, Appomattox, Burial at Thebes; Goodman Theatre: Ohio State Murders; Court Theatre: Titanic; The Acting Company: Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Comedy of Errors. Training: MFA Wayne State University, BFA University of Minnesota

 

TRACEY CONYER LEE*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Baneatta Mabry) Recent acting: six productions of Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill, US premiere of Serving Elizabeth, NYC workshop of Marian, and recurring as Det. Ross on CBS’s FBI. Tracey has directed off-Broadway, for The Fire This Time festival, and is director and script consultant for two new musicals in development. An award-winning playwright, Tracey’s work has been produced in NYC, Chicago, Nashville, and DC. She is published by Methuen/Bloomsbury. An audiobook narrator and proud member of the Tony-awarded Broadway Inspirational Voices, Tracey is the co-founder of Be Ready, a non-profit building Black and brown leaders of tomorrow. traceyconyerlee.com

 

DEAN LINNARD*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Logan Leibowitz) Regional credits include Dave Malloy’s Octet (Berkeley Rep), The Winter’s Tale (Cal Shakes), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), Thrill Me (Luna Stage), Hand to God (Left Edge Theatre), The Rub (New Orleans Fringe Festival), Groundhog Day: The Musical and Indecent (San Francisco Playhouse), as well as five seasons with Vermont Shakespeare Festival. Dean toured to 25 states with the musical The Lightning Thief. New York credits include performances at the Guggenheim and Met museums, plus the world premiere of Dave Harris’ Tambo & Bones at Playwrights Horizons. BFA from NYU Tisch, Stella Adler Studio, RADA. deanlinnard.com

 

CANDICE McKOY*

FIRST SEASON (Brianna Jenkins) has worked in film, TV, and theatre. She received her MFA from American Conservatory Theater and is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. Favorite theatre roles are Esther in Intimate Apparel, Titania/Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Beverly in Chicken & Biscuits. Audelco Award nomination for Best Ensemble, Love & Marriage & New York City. Her recent short film Wet Grass is an official selection for the Baltimore International Black Film Festival and the Wheaton Film Festival. TV/Film credits include Law and Order: Criminal Intent, The Path, and Man on a Ledge.

 

JASMINE RUSH*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Beverly Jenkins) is a Milwaukee-bred, Brooklyn-based, B L A C K actress/writer/director. Select credits include Off-Broadway: Joe’s Pub (Public Theater). Regional: Cleveland Play House, Hangar Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, TheatreSquared, New Repertory Theatre. Television: New Amsterdam, Bull, Blue Bloods, The Sinner, Difficult People. Jasmine is a proud company member of Quick Silver Theatre Company (NYC). Training: MFA - STC’s The Academy at The George Washington University, BA - University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. jasminerush.com

 

IMANI LEE WILLIAMS, she/they

FIRST SEASON (Simone Mabry) Raised in the south (Stone Mountain, GA), Imani acknowledges the unique effect Southern artistry has on the world and is proud to represent that. This is Imani’s final year as an FSU/Asolo Conservatory student and first year on the Asolo Rep stage. Imani thanks the educators of her past and present who present her with opportunities for greatness. She thanks her family and loved ones for reminding her of grace, joy, and dedication.

 

JASMYN ACKAH, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Simone Mabry) is an actress, singer, and dancer born and raised in the heart of New York City. She is a recent graduate of Temple University, majoring in the Acting concentration. Jasmyn would like to thank her family and friends for their unwavering support and love, and she would especially like to thank her grandmother Sonia, who always pushed for her to follow her passions and who she knows is cheering her on from above.

 

JOE AYERS, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s Logan Leibowitz) has had the pleasure of working on and off stage at companies such as ACT, Asolo Rep, San Francisco Playhouse, Cal Shakes, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Aurora Theatre Company, Berkeley Playhouse, 6th Street Playhouse, and Center REP. He holds three BA degrees from UC Berkeley in Theater and Performance Studies, Dance and Performance Studies, and English. He is currently an MFA Acting candidate at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training in Sarasota, FL.

 

KATHY-ANN HART, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Beverly Jenkins/Baneatta Mabry) is pleased to be making her debut at Asolo Rep. She considers herself a Harvard-trained lawyer and a born actor. Favorite roles include Mrs. Muller in Doubt (Firehouse), Lena/Francine in Clybourne Park (Threshold Stage), and Astrid (Sci Fi Theater). She dedicates this performance to her offspring, the indomitable Trae Wier. kathyannhart.com.

 

ASHLEY McCAULEY MOORE, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s La’trice Franklin) is from Durham, NC, and a first-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Some of her prior work includes For Colored Girls and Once in a Wife Time. Ashley spent time in Los Angeles, CA, where she was featured in several television shows produced by Disney and ABC. Upon joining the Conservatory, she was afforded the privilege of an understudy role in The Three Musketeers as Constance and Chicken & Biscuits as La’Trice.

 

NYDIRA McMILLAN

THIRD SEASON (u/s Brianna Jenkins) is a 2022 FSU/Asolo Conservatory graduate, whose most recent theatre credits include: Our Town (Asolo Rep), Much Ado About Nothing (Asolo Rep, Bard Wired Tour), Julius Caesar, and Twilight Los Angeles 1992 (FSU/Asolo Conservatory); and the Historic Asolo Theater’s Work in Progress production, Intermezzo. She currently resides in Sarasota and is thrilled to be working on her final show before she and her husband flee the US to relocate to Portugal this April.

 

IBUKUN J. OMOTOWA, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s Kenny Mabry) is a Nigerian American actor who grew up in Idaho Falls and developed a love for acting in Atlanta, GA. An actor with a love for historical fiction, being at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory program is “nothing short of a dream come true.” With a penchant for social justice, Ibukun eagerly awaits the upcoming performances this season.

 

ZARI RICE

FIRST SEASON (u/s Reginald Mabry) is making his debut at Asolo Repertory Theatre. Zari is a native of South Carolina, where he got his first opportunity in theatre in the state's capital. 

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

 

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KENDRA JO BROOK*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Henrietta Leavitt) is a Montana native and NYC-based, HOH actor and musician. Jo is the founder of the all-female bluegrass collective The Snowy Mountain Sisters. Credits include Silent Sky (Barnstormers Theatre), October Sky (Universal Stages), The Goree All-Girl String Band (NYMF), Wild Fire (Denver Center), Big River (Alpine Theatre Project), and Bright Star (Barter Theatre). kendrajobrook.com

 

LISE BRUNEAU*

FIRST SEASON (Williamina Fleming) is making her Asolo Repertory Theatre debut, despite having been directed as Desdemona by Michael Donald Edwards one or two years ago at Shakespeare Santa Cruz. She currently lives in DC, where she appears at the Shakespeare Theatre, Arena Stage, and Studio Theatre, among others. She has played on Broadway and at regional theatres across the country. As a director, she’s helmed productions of Measure for Measure, Savage in Limbo, Twelfth Night, and more. While continuing to cause trouble at DC’s upstart Taffety Punk Theatre Co., Lise trained at RADA and hopes 15-year-old Percy can join her at Galaxy’s Edge.

 

CHRISTIAN DOUGLASS, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Peter Shaw) is overjoyed to make his debut on the Mertz stage and is a third-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Previous credits include Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf in Into the Woods, Pharaoh/Jacob in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Glen in The Wedding Singer at The Bigfork Summer Playhouse. He enjoys long car rides and quick walks on the beach. Big thanks to Jolene, Mom, Dad, Ryan, Katelyn, and Aunt Rose.

 

SUZANNE GRODNER*, she/her

TENTH SEASON (Annie Cannon) is thrilled to be back at Asolo Rep, where past shows include Grand Horizons, The Plexiglass Slipper, Nunsense, Tartuffe, and How the Other Half Loves. Broadway credits include Beautiful, Bye Bye Birdie, and The Rose Tattoo. Off-Broadway credits include Old Jews Telling Jokes, Sarah/Sarah, Cakewalk, and Death-Defying Acts. National/Int’l Tours include Beautiful and Ken Hill’s Phantom. Regional Theatre: Over 80 productions in over 45 theatres, including V&S&M&S (Cincinnati Playhouse), Jane Austen’s Emma (The Old Globe), The Sisters Rosensweig (Indiana Rep), Ragtime (TheatreWorks), Becky Shaw (SF Playhouse), among many others. TV/Film includes Ray Donovan, Law & Order/SVU/CI, Ed, and Muck. For Alba.

 

ZOYA MARTIN, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Margaret Leavitt) is thrilled to be making her Asolo Rep debut! Some credits include Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Henrietta in The Learned Ladies, and Abby in Belleville. She graduated with a BFA from Azusa Pacific University in Pasadena, CA, and will be receiving her MFA this spring from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Zoya sends love and thanks to her incredibly supportive friends and family!

 

MACARIA CHAPARRO MARTINEZ, they/them

FIRST SEASON (u/s Annie Cannon) is about to conclude their final year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, and it has been an odyssey of an education! They love projects that are impactful and important as well as silly little works of fun. Favorite credits include Mrs. Lovett, Belise in The Learned Ladies, and Telemachus in Asolo Rep On Tour’s Looking for Ithaca. Macaria also reps UC Irvine as well as Ventura College! Kindly, enjoy the show!

 

ELLE MILLER, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Henrietta Leavitt) is absolutely thrilled to serve as an understudy on the Asolo Repertory Theatre stage as a first-year FSU/Asolo Conservatory student. Her recent credits include Marianne in Constellations at the Jacoby Arts Theatre in Alton, IL; co-facilitator and cast member in the Theatre for Anti-Racist Action Allegiance via Principia College; Kent in King Lear via the Globe Theatre Education Program; and Portia in The Merchant of Venice.

 

AYDA OZDOGANLAR, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Margaret Leavitt) graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BS in Biology and a minor in Drama and is thrilled to start her first year as a student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. At Carnegie Mellon, she performed roles such as Sophie in Mamma Mia! (2019) and Amelia in The Summerland Project (2020). With an interest in vocal performance, she has sung with the National Association for Music Education’s (NAfME) All-Eastern National Treble Choir and Pennsylvania All-State Choir.

 

PETER S. RAIMONDO, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s Peter Shaw) is a third-year student with the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. He is from Buffalo, NY, and holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Niagara University. His Conservatory credits include Belleville (Zack), The Learned Ladies (Clitandre), Twelfth Night (Antonio), and Asolo Rep’s BardWired: Much Ado About Nothing (u/s perf., Claudio). Peter is grateful for the love and support of his family and thrilled to be alongside his cohort, beginning their first season with Asolo Rep.

 

CLARE WARD, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Williamina Fleming) is originally from Helena, MT, and is no stranger to Asolo Rep, as she was the Asolo Angel coordinator for eight years. Clare has a degree in Theater Studies from Saint Mary University and is currently a paralegal at Legal Aid of Manasota. Clare makes her home in Southgate with her husband Alvin and her chat fou Teddy.

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

 

KARMA CAMP, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Choreographer) has staged over 150 productions for theatre, film, TV, and events. Stage credits include The Graduate w/Kathleen Turner (Broadway), A Salute to the 1940s (Lincoln Center), off-Broadway, and regional productions. She is an artistic associate at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre, affiliated artist at the Shakespeare Theatre, and a recipient and 13-time nominee of the Helen Hayes Award for Theatrical Excellence. Last year she was honored to stage the opera tribute to Justino Diaz for the Kennedy Center Honors (CBS). Creative associate for Disney Cruise Line and Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Staff with Washington National Opera. TV credits: July 4th from the White House, National Christmas Tree Lighting, In Performance at the White House & New Year’s Eve at Rockefeller Center (PBS), 25 commercials, and I Wanna Know with Reese Witherspoon and Owen Wilson.

 

KATIE CISZEK, she/they

FIRST SEASON (Dramaturg) is a DC-based dramaturg, director, and directing assistant whose credits include The Kennedy Center, Ford’s Theatre, Catholic University, and Adventure Theatre MTC. Katie was the 2018/2019 dramaturgy apprentice at Olney Theatre Center, where she served as dramaturg on nine productions. Other dramaturgy credits include Westport Country Playhouse, the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, and Barrington Stage Company. Education: James Madison University; theatre, media arts & design, and creative writing.

 

LINDA DIGABRIELE

FIFTIETH SEASON (Managing Director) has served as Asolo Rep’s managing director since 1989. Prior to that time, she held other positions with Asolo Rep, including director of touring programs and stage manager. During her 12-year tenure with the touring programs, Linda orchestrated 26 regional and national tours for Asolo Rep’s mainstage and educational companies. She has served several terms on the board of directors for the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a national organization of regional not-for-profit professional theatres. Linda has been an advisory panel member for the National Endowment for the Arts and, for five years, the John F. Kennedy Center’s Theatre for Young Audiences. She is a past president of the Florida Professional Theatre Association and has served the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs as a member of various panels including the Grant Awards Task Force, Theatre Grants, Arts in Educations Grants, and the Cultural Institution Programs review committee. Other boards of directors’ appointments include ASSITEJ/USA, an international theatre organization for young audiences, the Florida Cultural Alliance, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. A graduate of Florida State University, Linda’s professional theatre experience includes acting and directing. She is honored to have been recognized by the Florida Professional Theatre Association’s Richard G. Fallon Award for Excellence in Professional Theatre and the Florida Theatre Conference’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

SHAWN DUAN, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Projection Design) is a New York based projections/media designer. Recently in New York: Letters of Suresh (2nd Stage; Lortel Award, OCC nomination), The Chinese Lady (Ma-Yi/The Public; Lortel nomination, Drama Desk nomination). Broadway: David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish. Other NYC: the Met Museum, New York City Opera, the Public Theater. Regional: Arena Stage, The Alliance, Berkeley Repertory, Dallas Theater Center, Denver Center, Goodspeed, The Guthrie, The Muny, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Repertory, South Coast Repertory, and Yale Repertory. Tour/Concert work includes several shows in Las Vegas as well as numerous US/International commercial entertainment tours. Consultant work includes corporate events, activations, music festivals, and film post-production.

 

MICHAEL DONALD EDWARDS

EIGHTEENTH SEASON (Producing Artistic Director) has served as producing artistic director of Asolo Rep since 2006. He was previously the associate artistic director of Syracuse Stage and served as artistic director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz. A Garland Award and Drama-Logue Award winning director, Michael has directed at Cleveland Play House; Indiana Repertory Theatre; Geva Theatre; Syracuse Stage; The Shakespeare Theatre; San Jose Rep; Opera San Jose; the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; the Old Globe in San Diego; Virginia Stage Company; the Virginia Opera; the State Theatre of South Australia; Opera Australia; Victoria State Opera; and the Metropolitan Opera, where he staged revivals of Aida, The Barber of Seville, Porgy and Bess, and Phillip Glass’ The Voyage. In previous seasons for Asolo Rep, Michael has directed Disgraced; Our Betters; The Grapes of Wrath; Clybourne Park; My Brilliant Divorce; Hamlet, Prince of Cuba; Las Meninas; La Bête; The Last Five Years; The Life of Galileo; Perfect Mendacity; The Winter’s Tale; Equus; A Tale of Two Cities; Darwin in Malibu; Nobody Don’t Like Yogi; Amadeus; The Smell of the Kill and, most recently, The Crucible.

 

SAMANTHA EGLE, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Intimacy Choreographer) is thrilled to be joining Asolo Rep for this production! Her work has been seen on the stages of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities, Colorado Spring Fine Arts, Denver Children’s Theatre, Mizel Center for Arts and Culture, Athena Project Festival, Lagoon Theme Park, New York Fringe Festival, University of Northern Colorado, University of Denver, and numerous other educational institutions. She was a resident artist as an intimacy director at Arena Stage in 2019 and an apprentice with Intimacy Directors International. She is the founder of Humble Warrior Movement Arts, producing international virtual and local in-person stage combat and intimacy training. She is the regional representative and a certified teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors.

 

LAUREN GUNDERSON

(Playwright) has been one of the most produced playwrights in America since 2015, topping the list twice, including 2019/20. She is a two-time winner of the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for I and You and The Book of Will, the winner of the Lanford Wilson Award and the Otis Guernsey New Voices Award, a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and John Gassner Award for Playwriting, and a recipient of the Mellon Foundation’s Residency with Marin Theatre Company. She studied Southern Literature and Drama at Emory University, and Dramatic Writing at NYU’s Tisch School, where she was a Reynolds Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship. Her newest play, The Catastrophist, about her husband, virologist Nathan Wolfe, premiered digitally in January 2021. She co-authored the Miss Bennet plays with Margot Melcon, and her audioplay The Half-Life of Marie Curie is available on Audible.com. Her work is published at Playscripts (I and You, Exit Pursued by a Bear, The Taming, and Toil and Trouble), Dramatists Play Service (The Revolutionists, The Book of Will, Silent Sky, Bauer, Natural Shocks, The Wickhams, and Miss Bennet), and Samuel French (Emilie). Her picture book Dr. Wonderful: Blast Off to the Moon is available from Two Lions/Amazon. She is currently developing musicals with Ari Afsar, Dave Stewart, and Joss Stone, and Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk. laurengunderson.com

 

MICHELLE HART, she/her

TWENTY-FIRST SEASON (Resident Hair/Wig & Make-up Designer) designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, freeFall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage, and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos: “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film/TV: Lady of the Manor; Paradise, FL; and The Real Stephen Blatt.

 

KRISTIN LOUGHRY*, she/her

FOURTH SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back in sunny Sarasota! Previous Asolo Rep credits include The Cake, Grand Horizons, Eureka Day, and the unopened production of The Great Leap in the Cook. Additional credits include shows with Baltimore Center Stage, Hangar Theatre Company, Infinity Theatre Company, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, NewArts, New London Barn Playhouse, Primary Stages, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Soho Playhouse, Virginia Stage Company, NYU Grad Acting, and The New School. Proud AEA member and Ithaca College alum.

 

VICTOR MEYRICH

FIFTY-FOURTH SEASON (Director of Production & Operations) is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and its facilities. He wrote the architecture program for both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Koski II expansion and is the owner’s representative on both projects. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969.

 

ANDRE PLUESS, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Sound Design and Original Compositions) Broadway: Good Night Oscar (upcoming, Belasco) The Minutes (Cort/Studio 54), 33 Variations (Eugene O’Neill Theatre), I Am My Own Wife (Lyceum Theatre), Metamorphoses (Circle in the Square). Off-Broadway: The Clean House (Lincoln Center), Milk Like Sugar and BFE (Playwrights Horizons). Regional: multiple productions with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Center Theatre Group, Yale Repertory, Arena Stage, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, Court Theatre, Berkeley Repertory, Williamstown Theatre Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, The Huntington, and South Coast Repertory. Based in Chicago, Andre is an ensemble member of Lookingglass Theatre Company.

 

MILAGROS PONCE DE LEÓN, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Scenic Design) Recent regional credits include School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play at Cincinnati Playhouse; Detroit ’67 at Signature Theatre; Quixote Nuevo at Round House; and Steel Magnolias at Everyman Theatre. Additional credits include Silent Sky, Into the Woods, and Ragtime at Ford’s Theatre; The Thanksgiving Play and Matilda at Olney Theatre Center; Gala Hispanic Theatre; Imagination Stage; The Kennedy Center; Ensemble Studio Theatre in NYC; and Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, among others. Milagros heads the BFA program in Theatre Design & Technology at Penn State. She holds MFA degrees in Studio Arts and Scenic Design from the University of Maryland and a BFA in Painting from Catholic University of Peru. Milagros is a five-time Helen Hayes nominee for scenic design in the Washington, D.C. area, a member of USA-829, and an associate artist at Ford’s Theatre.

 

RUI RITA, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Lighting Design) Selected Broadway: Skeleton Crew, Velocity of Autumn, Trip to Bountiful, Present Laughter, Dividing the Estate, Enchanted April. Off-Broadway premieres: Paradise Blue (Signature), Horton Foote's Old Friends & Orphans' Home Cycle (Hewes Award, Signature), Happiest Song Plays Last (Second Stage), Just Jim Dale (Roundabout), Nightingale, Moonlight, and Magnolias (Manhattan Theatre Club), Carpetbagger's Children, Far East (Lincoln Center Theater), Dinner with Friends (Variety Arts Center). Off-Broadway revivals: The Piano Lesson (Signature), Talley's Folly (Roundabout), and Engaged (Obie Award, TFANA). Recent regional credits include Alley, CenterStage, Center Theatre Group, Dallas Theater Center, Ford's, Guthrie, Huntington, Oregon Shakespeare, Old Globe. designbyrui.com

 

CELINE ROSENTHAL, she/they

SIXTH SEASON (Local Casting; Associate Artistic Director) is a Tony-nominated producer and “Key” member of The Ring Of Keys and New Georges Affiliate Artist. They are in their sixth season at Asolo Rep, having directed Camelot, The Lifespan of a Fact, Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and co-directed We Need a Little Christmas with Michael Donald Edwards. Celine has developed new work with NYMF, The New Georges, The Musical Theatre Factory, The Kidoons, Tamasha, and National Queer Theatre, as well as creating Asolo Rep’s premiere new work series, Asolo Rep Ground Floor. Other recent projects: Trayf (New Rep); Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T); A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre); Motherf**ker with the Hat (FSU/Asolo Conservatory); the award-winning short film Wildflower. Celine was a member of the 2018/19 MTC Directing Fellowship class and was awarded an SDC Observership and Asolo Rep Directing Fellowship. They are an alumnus of the Commercial Theatre Institute, BMI Lehman Engel Workshop, NYU Tisch (BFA), and The New School for Drama (MFA). celinerosenthal.nyc

 

NIA SCIARRETTA*, she/her

ELEVENTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Favorite Asolo Rep credits include stage manager for Knoxville, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys and Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep.

 

IVANIA STACK, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Costume Design) is delighted to be part of her first season at Asolo Repertory Theatre. Her work as been seen at several regional and DC area theatres, including Arena Stage, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, The McCarter Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, The Wilma Theatre, Gulf Shore Playhouse, Everyman Theatre, Andy’s Summer Playhouse, The Second City, The Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Ford’s Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre (company member), Round House Theatre, Imagination Stage, Olney Theatre Center, Studio Theatre, Theatre J, Pointless Theatre, and Gala Hispanic Theatre. Ivania has an MFA in design from the University of Maryland, College Park. Ivania is also a proud member of United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829.

 

SEEMA SUEKO, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Director) is a freelance director and the 2022 recipient of the TCG Alan Schneider Director Award. Raised in Honolulu, she received her MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago and serves on the boards of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) and its Foundation (SDCF). Her current projects include adapting Kiana Davenport’s novel Song of the Exile to a playscript and organizing learning circles about Solidarity Economy for the theatre community. For past credits or more information, visit seemasueko.com.

 

BINDER CASTING

(New York Casting) was founded 40 years ago and is now a part of RWS Entertainment Group. The office has cast 150+ Broadway, off-Broadway, and National Touring productions, in addition to countless national and international projects spanning both stage and screen. Binder is a proud 11-time recipient of the Artios Award for Excellence in Casting and is a supporter of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The office holds a deep respect for their legacy, as well as a commitment to growth. To facilitate this growth, Binder has partnered with the Disruptive Equity Education Project (DEEP) to dismantle harmful practices and to carry this work into their organization, client relationships, and audition rooms. They acknowledge that the work is on-going and strive to do better. bindercasting.com

 

CLAIRE SIMON CASTING

(Chicago Casting) Claire and associate Cassidy Price have worked in Chicago and the Midwest for 5½ years. Claire and her team have cast for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Writer’s Theatre, Indiana Repertory, Madison Rep, Milwaukee Rep, St. Louis Rep, Kansas City Rep, The Cleveland Playhouse, Asolo Rep, Syracuse Stage, Million Dollar Quartet in Chicago, and the Clarence Brown Theatre. TV: Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Somebody Somewhere, Dark Matter, Proven Innocent, Easy, Empire. Recent films include Candyman. Claire has been nominated four times for Artios awards, winning in 2016 for Excellence in Casting for her work on Empire and in 2006 for Prison Break. A board member of the Illinois Production Alliance, she and her team also started an annual food drive 16 years ago called Meal for Monologues, to collect food for the homeless.

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

 

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JOE AYERS, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Inn Keeper & Ensemble) has had the pleasure of working on and off stage at companies such as ACT, Asolo Rep, San Francisco Playhouse, Cal Shakes, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Aurora Theatre Company, Berkeley Playhouse, 6th Street Playhouse, and Center REP. He holds three BA degrees from UC Berkeley in Theater and Performance Studies, Dance and Performance Studies, and English. He is currently an MFA Acting candidate at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training in Sarasota, FL.

 

LA SHAWN BANKS*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Treville) is thrilled to make his Asolo Rep debut. Credits include Choir Boy, The Wheel (Steppenwolf), Sense and Sensibility directed by Peter Amster, Around the World in 80 Days (Indiana Repertory), Sweat (Mark Taper), Oedipus, Twelfth Night, The Book of Will, The Island, and Edward Albee's Seascape (American Players), among a host of others. Thank you to the Almighty.

 

DREAA KAY BAUDY, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Constance) is a New Orleans native, but currently resides in Sarasota, FL. She graduated from Tulane University with a BA in Philosophy and is currently a MFA candidate for a Master’s in Acting at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Some of her credits include Somebody in Everybody, Ophelia in Hamlet, and Maria in Twelfth Night. Besides her passion for acting, Dreaa Kay loves to travel, is a plant enthusiast, and a cat mom.

 

MACARIA CHAPARRO MARTINEZ they/them

FIRST SEASON (Fache & Ensemble) is about to conclude their final year at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, and it has been an odyssey of an education! They love projects that are impactful and important as well as silly little works of fun. Favorite credits include Mrs. Lovett, Belise in The Learned Ladies and Telemachus in Asolo Rep On Tour’s Looking for Ithaca. Macaria also reps UC Irvine as well as Ventura College! Kindly, enjoy the show!

 

CHRIS DUVAL*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Rochefort & D’Artagnan’s Father) Regional: 19 years as an actor/fight director/guest teacher at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Other theatres include Dallas Theater Center, South Coast Repertory, Utah/Montana/Colorado/Orange County/Idaho Shakespeare Festivals, Great Lakes Theater, Pioneer Theatre Company, Salt Lake Acting Company, Utah Opera, Sacramento Theatre Company, Laguna Playhouse, Syracuse Stage. Chris received his MFA from UC Irvine, is a Certified Teacher/Fight Director/Theatrical Firearms Instructor with the SAFD, a Master Teacher with DAI, and holds a 2^nd degree black belt in Aikido.

 

RAY HUTH, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s D’Artagnan & Aramis) is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, BFA in Drama. Since graduating, he has worked around the country on two national tours and residencies at theatres such as The Fulton Theater, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Maine State Music Theater, and Heartwood Regional, along with working as a commercial and voiceover artist in NYC. Dedicated to my loving family and Hummingbird. rayhuth.com

 

TRACIE LANE*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Milady) is thrilled to be wintering in Sarasota and making her Asolo Rep debut! Recently, Tracie played Sarah Boyd in the world premiere production of Burst at the Alleyway Theatre. Her favorite credits include Pelagiya/Dragana in Martyna Majok’s Queens at Juilliard, Joan la Pucelle in Henry VI Pt. 1 at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Portia in The Merchant of Venice at the American Shakespeare Center, and Milady de Winter in The Three Musketeers at Orlando Shakes. TV: The Good Fight. Tracie earned her MFA from the Juilliard School and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. IG: @tracielane48

 

DEAN LINNARD*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Porthos) Regional credits include Dave Malloy’s Octet (Berkeley Rep), The Winter’s Tale (Cal Shakes), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), Thrill Me (Luna Stage), Hand to God (Left Edge Theatre), The Rub (New Orleans Fringe Festival), Groundhog Day: The Musical and Indecent (San Francisco Playhouse), as well as five seasons with Vermont Shakespeare Festival. Dean toured to 25 states with the musical The Lightning Thief. New York credits include performances at the Guggenheim and Met museums, plus the world premiere of Dave Harris’ Tambo & Bones at Playwrights Horizons. BFA from NYU Tisch, Stella Adler Studio, RADA. deanlinnard.com

 

ERIN O’CONNOR, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Sabine) is very excited to make her Asolo Rep debut! Past credits include Viola in Twelfth Night, Armande in The Learned Ladies, Everybody in Everybody (FSU/Asolo Conservatory); Coco in The Cocoanuts, Swing/Ens. in Head Over Heels, and Cassius/Portia/Mark Antony in Julius Caesar (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). She is also an actor combatant certified in unarmed, rapier, rapier/dagger, and broadsword. Much love to her Mom, Dad, and Sean for their unconditional love and support! erincoconnor.com

 

PETER S. RAIMONDO, he/him

FIRST SEASON (King Louis XIII & Ensemble) is a third-year student with the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. He is from Buffalo, NY, and holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Niagara University. His Conservatory credits include Belleville (Zack), The Learned Ladies (Clitandre), Twelfth Night (Antonio), and Asolo Rep’s BardWired: Much Ado About Nothing (u/s perf., Claudio). Peter is grateful for the love and support of his family and thrilled to be alongside his cohort, beginning their first season with Asolo Rep.

 

MARK ROSE*, he/him

FOURTH SEASON (Ravanche) is a NY based fight choreographer, actor, and stuntman. His previous Asolo Rep credits include fight choreographing Rhinoceros, Into the Breeches, Lifespan of a Fact, Camelot, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Romeo & Juliet, and The Tempest. Mark’s work has also been seen at Trinity Rep, Cleveland Play House, Opera North, Legoland NY, and Walt Disney World.

 

JASMINE RUSH*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Abbess & Ensemble) is a Milwaukee-bred, Brooklyn-based, B L A C K actress/writer/director. Select credits include Off-Broadway: Joe’s Pub (Public Theater). Regional: Cleveland Play House, Hangar Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, TheatreSquared, New Repertory Theatre. Television: Bull, Blue Bloods, The Sinner, Difficult People. Jasmine is a proud company member of Quick Silver Theatre Company (NYC). Training: MFA - STC’s The Academy at The George Washington University, BA - University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. jasminerush.com

 

JAY RUSSELL*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Cardinal Richelieu) Broadway: End of the Rainbow, The Play What I Wrote. Off-Broadway: Our Town, Travels with my Aunt, Around the World in 80 Days, The Normal Heart. National Tours: Wicked, Beauty and the Beast. International: Fully Committed (Vienna), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Frankfurt). Regional: Guthrie, Arena Stage, Long Wharf, PaperMill, Westport, Humana (Louisville), Baltimore Center Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, St. Louis Rep, Goodspeed, Alabama & Utah Shakespeare. Carbonell Award Winner: Indecent at Palm Beach DramaWorks. TV/Film: Gotham, Louie, Boardwalk Empire, Ugly Betty, The Sopranos, Law & Order, Morning Glory, Ride, In Lieu of Flowers, Queen of Knives. Jay wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning short R U OK? jay-russell.com

 

LEIGHTON SAMUELS*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Athos) is an actor based in New York City. Theatre credits include Ransome Foster in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Onomatopoeia Theater), Sextus in The Rape of Lucrece (New York Shakespeare Exchange), Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (Theater at Monmouth), Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (Media Theater), Robert in One Christmas Eve (NY Fringe). TV credits include Mindhunter (co-star), Gossip Girl (co-star), and Surina and Mel (guest star). VO credits include Chandler (supporting) in Fear, A Love Story. Commercial credits include Samsung Galaxy Note 10 (Host) and TD Ameritrade (Know-It-All Barista). leightonsamuels.com

 

EVAN STEVENS, he/him

FIRST SEASON (D’Artagnan) is excited to be making his debut at Asolo Rep this season. Originally from Boise, ID, Evan received most of his professional acting experience working for the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, his favorite experience of which was performing with Shakespearience (the company’s educational outreach program) in three consecutive tours. In addition to theatre, Evan enjoys guitar, Legos, and tumbling. He is grateful to the countless people who have helped him along the way.

 

SYDNEY STORY, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Septime & Ensemble) is incredibly excited to embark on this final leg of her MFA journey. Her favorite roles include Olive in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Dorothy Brown in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Maria in Love's Labour’s Lost. She has also been fortunate enough to sing backup for Kristin Chenoweth and work on a new musical with Bandstand’s Richard Oberacker. She would like to thank her mom, her stepdad, and her best friends for all their support.

 

JERALD WHEAT, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Duke of Buckingham & Ensemble) is humbled to be making his debut on the Mertz Theatre stage. Jerald is a member of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory class of 2023. He was last seen on the Cook Theatre stage, performing in all four productions of the Conservatory’s 2022 season. Jerald would like to thank the Asolo Rep administration for this opportunity.

 

IMANI LEE WILLIAMS, she/they

FIRST SEASON (Queen Anne) Raised in the south (Stone Mountain, GA), Imani acknowledges the unique effect Southern artistry has on the world and is proud to represent that. This is Imani’s final year as an FSU/Asolo Conservatory student and first year on the Asolo Rep stage. Imani thanks the educators of her past and present who present her with opportunities for greatness. She thanks her family and loved ones for reminding her of grace, joy, and dedication.

 

JASMYN ACKAH, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Queen Anne) is an actress, singer, and dancer born and raised in the heart of New York City. She is a recent graduate of Temple University, majoring in the Acting concentration. Jasmyn would like to thank her family and friends for their unwavering support and love, and she would especially like to thank her grandmother Sonia, who always pushed for her to follow her passions and who she knows is cheering her on from above.

 

JONATHAN ACOSTA

FIRST SEASON (u/s Treville) is originally from Navasota, TX. He is a recent graduate from Texas State University in Performance and Production and is now a graduate student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. He has been in over 20 shows and has done theatre for 10 years now. He would love to thank his family and friends for their endless support. He is extremely excited to continue his education and continue getting to know his amazing cohort.

 

WILLIAM ROWLAND-JACKSON CROWDER, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s Duke of Buckingham & Ensemble) is an Artist/Human from Chicago, IL. He has been acting for a few years now and continues to express himself through the human experience. He is a graduate of Morehouse College and has plans on leading the youth through artistic experience.

 

A.J. GAGLIARDI, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s Rochefort & Ravanche) is an actor and stunt performer that is excited to make his debut appearance at Asolo Repertory Theatre in this production of The Three Musketeers. Finally getting to tread the boards again, A.J. has most prominently performed as a stunt double in various TV shows and movies, including She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Home Team, and Leverage: Redemption. He'd like to thank his wife, Sabreena, and family for their constant love and support.

 

JOHN LEGGETT, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s King Louis XIII & Ensemble) is excited to be joining Asolo Rep this season by way of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training! A native of Myrtle Beach, SC, and a graduate of the South Carolina School of the Arts in 2019, John is an Actor Combatant with The Society of American Fight Directors and is certified in six weapons. John is excited to learn with Asolo Rep and FSU for the next three years!

 

CATHERINE LUCIANI, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Sabine) is honored and grateful to be a part of this year’s Asolo Rep ensemble as an FSU (’25) graduate acting student! Select credits include NY: All About Image/We Are The Elite (NY Fringe Festival); Mrs. President (Manhattan Rep); Village, My Home (DreamUp Festival!). Regional: Nevermore (Old Sturbridge Village); The Panto Games (imaginary beasts); Sisters (Keeler Tavern Museum); The Independents (Curtain Call); Julius Caesar (Curtain Call); Fall River Axe Murders (imaginary beasts).

 

ELLE MILLER, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Fache, Abbess, & Ensemble) is absolutely thrilled to serve as an understudy on the Asolo Repertory Theatre stage as a first-year FSU/Asolo Conservatory student. Her recent credits include Marianne in Constellations at the Jacoby Arts Theatre in Alton, IL; co-facilitator and cast member in the Theatre for Anti-Racist Action Allegiance via Principia College; Kent in King Lear via the Globe Theatre Education Program, and Portia in The Merchant of Venice.

 

ASHLEY MCCAULEY MOORE, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Constance) is from Durham, NC, and a first-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Some of her prior work includes For Colored Girls and Once in a Wife Time. Ashley spent time in Los Angeles, CA, where she was featured in several television shows produced by Disney and ABC. Upon joining the Conservatory, she was afforded the privilege of an understudy role in The Three Musketeers as Constance and Chicken & Biscuits as La’Trice.

 

IBUKUN J. OMOTOWA, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s Inn Keeper & Ensemble) is a Nigerian American actor who grew up in Idaho Falls and developed a love for acting in Atlanta, GA. An actor with a love for historical fiction, being at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory program is “nothing short of a dream come true.” With a penchant for social justice, Ibukun eagerly awaits the upcoming performances this season.

 

AYDA OZDOGANLAR, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Septime & Ensemble) graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BS in Biology and a minor in Drama and is thrilled to start her first year as a student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. At Carnegie Mellon, she performed roles such as Sophie in Mamma Mia! (2019) and Amelia in The Summerland Project (2020). With an interest in vocal performance, she has sung with the National Association for Music Education’s (NAfME) All-Eastern National Treble Choir and Pennsylvania All-State Choir.

 

CAITLIN ROSE, she/they

FIRST SEASON (u/s Milady) is grateful as a first-year FSU/Asolo Conservatory student and understudy at Asolo Rep! While they have experience in film and modeling, Caitlin’s true passions are with classical performance and developing new plays. Favorite credits: Lynn Redgrave in Shakespeare for My Father, Medea in Medea, and Judy in the world premiere of The Sniper’s Nest. Caitlin offers gratitude to their family, partner, friends, FSU staff, and patrons for their support, inspiration, and love.

 

BRIAN ZANE

FIRST SEASON (u/s Cardinal Richelieu) is a first-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Regional credits include Master Class at TimeLine Theatre Company, Far from Heaven and City of Angels at Porchlight Music Theatre, Anything Goes at Music Theater Works, The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire at JPAC Theatre, The Hollow Men at NYC Fringe Festival, Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Charleston Stage Company, and Safety Net at Crossroads Rep.

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

 

DRAYTON ALEXANDER, he/they

FIRST SEASON (Dramaturg) is thrilled to be joining Asolo Rep as Literary Associate, following a decade working in play development in New York, London, and Singapore. Some dramaturgy highlights include world/NYC premieres of Taylor Mac’s The Fre, Kristiana Rae Colón’s good friday, Nsangou Njikam’s Syncing Ink, Idris Goodwin’s Hype Man: a break beat play, Geraldine Elizabeth Inoa’s Scraps, The Q Brothers’ Liz Estrada, and Catya McMullen’s Locked Up Bs. As Artistic Producer of Serials @ The Flea, he led The Flea Theater’s Serials Writers room for two years, and he has developed plays by Amy Ng, Tuyen Do, and Joyce Julie Lee for New Earth Theatre. Drayton has received an Olwen Wymark Award from the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an MFA from NYU Tisch Asia. 

 

PETER AMSTER, he/him

THIRTEENTH SEASON (Director) is thrilled and grateful to be returning to Asolo Rep, having been a guest director, choreographer, and performer for 13 years. He directed such shows as Morning After Grace, Born Yesterday, Living on Love, The Matchmaker, You Can’t Take It with You, and Murder on the Orient Express. He also directed Dead Man’s Cell Phone for the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, choreographed 1776, and crooned some tunes on the Terrace stage in We Need a Little Christmas. He has been directing and choreographing theatre and opera for over 50 years. In Chicago, he directed and choreographed at the Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Northlight, Apple Tree, Route 66, Live Bait, the Lyric Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre, Chicago Symphony, and Steppenwolf. Other directing credits include the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, American Players Theatre, Peninsula Players, Weston Playhouse, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Syracuse Stage, Laguna Playhouse, and Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples. He’s taught at Northwestern University, Louisiana State University, CalArts, Columbia College, and Roosevelt University.

 

ALEXA BURN*, she/her

SECOND SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is from Cupertino, CA. She is thrilled to return to Asolo Rep after being a Stage Management Apprentice last season! Her past credits include The Great Leap (ASM), Grand Horizons (ASM), and Hood (ASM) at Asolo Repertory Theatre, A Leg Up (ASM) and Clue (ASM) at Bristol Riverside Theatre in Bristol, PA, The Code (SM) at the American Conservatory Theatre SF, as well as Chess (SM) and A Little Night Music (ASM) at 42nd Street Moon. Alexa also stage managed at the Disneyland Resort for many years, working with the Disneyland Band, Dapper Dans, and more.

 

VICTORIA DEIORIO

FIRST SEASON (Original Compositions) is a critically acclaimed sound designer and composer for theatre and film based in Chicago, making her Asolo Rep debut! Off Broadway: Nine Circles (Sheen Center), A Christmas Carol (St. Clements), Two Point Oh with Active Theatre (Primary Stages), Arnie the Doughnut at the NYMTF (The Pearl), Cassie’s Chimera at Joe’s Pub (The Public), The Bluest Eye with Steppenwolf (The Duke Theatre), Ophelia at the NYC Fringe Fest (The Connelly). Regional: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Goodman, Steppenwolf Theatre, Hartford Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Seattle Repertory, Syracuse Stage, Cleveland Playhouse, Indiana Repertory, and many others. Victoria has won seven Joseph Jefferson Awards, two After Dark Awards, and a SALT Award. She is the head of Sound Design at DePaul University. victoria-sound-design.com

 

PATRICIA DELOREY, she/her

TWENTIETH SEASON (Resident Voice and Dialect Coach) Asolo Rep favorites include: Knoxville, Sweat, Sweeney Todd, The Cake, The Crucible, Gloria, Ragtime, Rhinoceros, Roe, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, The Great Society, Josephine, All The Way, Living on Love, West Side Story, Sotto Voce, Other Desert Cities, South Pacific, The Grapes of Wrath, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Clybourne Park, The Innocents, Twelve Angry Men, Bonnie & Clyde, Doubt, A Few Good Men, A Tale of Two Cities, Equus. Other credits include Pitmen Painters (American Stage Theatre), Studio Six’s production of Plasticine (The Baryshnikov Arts Center), Saturday Night Fever (Royal Caribbean International Cruises), Stone Cold Dead Serious (American Repertory Theatre), and the world premiere of Nocturne (American Repertory Theatre). 

 

LINDA DIGABRIELE

FIFTIETH SEASON (Managing Director) has served as Asolo Rep’s managing director since 1989. Prior to that time, she held other positions with Asolo Rep, including director of touring programs and stage manager. During her 12-year tenure with the touring programs, Linda orchestrated 26 regional and national tours for Asolo Rep’s mainstage and educational companies. She has served several terms on the board of directors for the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a national organization of regional not-for-profit professional theatres. Linda has been an advisory panel member for the National Endowment for the Arts and, for five years, the John F. Kennedy Center’s Theatre for Young Audiences. She is a past president of the Florida Professional Theatre Association and has served the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs as a member of various panels including the Grant Awards Task Force, Theatre Grants, Arts in Educations Grants, and the Cultural Institution Programs review committee. Other boards of directors’ appointments include ASSITEJ/USA, an international theatre organization for young audiences, the Florida Cultural Alliance, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. A graduate of Florida State University, Linda’s professional theatre experience includes acting and directing. She is honored to have been recognized by the Florida Professional Theatre Association’s Richard G. Fallon Award for Excellence in Professional Theatre and the Florida Theatre Conference’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

TRACY DORMAN, she/her

SEVENTH SEASON (Costume Design) has designed productions for the past 25 years at regional theatre and opera companies around the country. She has designed at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Play House, Syracuse Stage, GEVA, Milwaukee Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Drury Lane (Chicago), Kansas City Rep, Gulfshore Playhouse, Maltz-Jupiter, Manhattan School of Music, Virginia Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Omaha, Chicago Opera Theatre, Glimmerglass, and New York City Opera. From 2005-2008 she was an associate costume designer on the CBS daytime drama As the World Turns, for which she won a 2007 Emmy Award for Costume Design. For more credits, visit tracydorman.com

 

MICHAEL DONALD EDWARDS

EIGHTEENTH SEASON (Producing Artistic Director) has served as producing artistic director of Asolo Rep since 2006. He was previously the associate artistic director of Syracuse Stage and served as artistic director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz. A Garland Award and Drama-Logue Award winning director, Michael has directed at Cleveland Play House; Indiana Repertory Theatre; Geva Theatre; Syracuse Stage; The Shakespeare Theatre; San Jose Rep; Opera San Jose; the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; the Old Globe in San Diego; Virginia Stage Company; the Virginia Opera; the State Theatre of South Australia; Opera Australia; Victoria State Opera; and the Metropolitan Opera, where he staged revivals of Aida, The Barber of Seville, Porgy and Bess, and Phillip Glass’ The Voyage. In previous seasons for Asolo Rep, Michael has directed Disgraced; Our Betters; The Grapes of Wrath; Clybourne Park; My Brilliant Divorce; Hamlet, Prince of Cuba; Las Meninas; La Bête; The Last Five Years; The Life of Galileo; Perfect Mendacity; The Winter’s Tale; Equus; A Tale of Two Cities; Darwin in Malibu; Nobody Don’t Like Yogi; Amadeus; The Smell of the Kill and, most recently, The Crucible.

 

SAMANTHA EGLE, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Intimacy Coordinator) is thrilled to be joining Asolo Rep for this production! Her work has been seen on the stages of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities, Colorado Spring Fine Arts, Denver Children’s Theatre, Mizel Center for Arts and Culture, Athena Project Festival, Lagoon Theme Park, New York Fringe Festival, University of Northern Colorado, University of Denver, and numerous other educational institutions. She was a Resident Artist as an Intimacy Director at Arena Stage in 2019 and an apprentice with Intimacy Directors International. She is the founder of Humble Warrior Movement Arts, producing international virtual and local in-person stage combat and intimacy training. She is the Regional Representative and a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors.

 

GREG EMETAZ, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Projection Designer) is a filmmaker and video designer. Stage: Fire Shut Up in My Bones (The Metropolitan Opera), La Fanciulla Del West (National Center for Performing Arts Beijing), Tristan Und Isolde (Croatian National Theatre). World premieres: Bel Canto (Chicago Lyric Opera), Dolores (Claiborne San Francisco Opera), Champion, An American Soldier, Shalimar, 27, The Golden Ticket (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis). Screen: feature film Camp Wedding, short films Bowes Academy, Spell Claire, Get the F K Outta Paris!, and Death by Omelette, and webseries Do it Yourselfie, co-directed with Amanda DeSimone. He’s also created behind-the-scenes documentaries for Julie Taymor's The Tempest & Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. MINORapocalypse.com

 

MICHELLE HART, she/her

TWENTY-FIRST SEASON (Resident Hair/Wig & Make-up Designer) designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, freeFall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage, and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos: “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film/TV: Lady of the Manor; Paradise, FL; and The Real Stephen Blatt.

 

GEOFFREY KENT, he/they

FIRST SEASON (Fight Director) is an award-winning fight director based out of Denver, CO. Regional Theatre - Denver Center for the Performing Arts (20 Seasons): Richard III, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo & Juliet, Sweeney Todd, Pillowman, Superior Donuts, 1001; Colorado Shakespeare Festival (14 Seasons): King Lear, Macbeth, Troilus & Cressida; Utah Shakespeare Festival: Treasure Island, As You Like It, Henry 6 Part 1; Orlando Shakespeare Theatre: Cymbeline, Henry V, Taming of the Shrew; American Shakespeare Center: Julius Caesar, Antony & Cleopatra; Opera Colorado: Porgy and Bess, Macbeth, Don Giovanni; Aspen/Sante Fe Ballet: Romeo & Juliet; Curious Theatre Company: Lieutenant of Inishmore. Geoffrey is one of 20 recognized Fight Masters with the Society of American Fight Directors. geoffreykent.com, @geoffreykent.

 

ADAM KOCH

FIRST SEASON (Scenic Design) International: Dreamgirls (Seoul). United States: off-Broadway, National Tours, as well as productions at Signature Theatre, Goodspeed, Ford’s Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Baltimore Center Stage, Miami New Drama, Westport Country Playhouse, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Cincinnati Playhouse, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Ogunquit Playhouse, Syracuse Stage, Music Theatre Wichita, Fulton Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Tuacahn Center for the Arts, and Portland Stage. Awards include Suzi Bass award for Outstanding Scenic Design for the outdoor production of Titanic (Serenbe Playhouse), as well as Helen Hayes Award nominations for both Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Signature Theatre), and Bat Boy (1st Stage). Education: Carnegie Mellon University. adamkochassociates.com, Instagram @instadamkoch.

 

JAMES E LAWLOR III

SECOND SEASON (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to return to Asolo Rep after designing for Eureka Day. Jimmy is a Scorpio, new father, cat owner, and a music enthusiast, who enjoys scotch and bourbon. He only runs when chased. Jimmy designs lighting for opera, theatre, dance, corporate clients, architecture, interiors, and more. New York work includes Broadway, off-Broadway, and beyond. Regional work includes opera, theatre, and dance. Jimmy’s work has been seen internationally in Abu Dhabi, Sydney, Mexico, Canada, Austria, and Germany. MFA from NYU Tisch. Member USA 829. lawlordesign.com

 

KEN LUDWIG has had six shows on Broadway, seven in London's West End, and many of his works have become a standard part of the American repertoire. His 28 plays and musicals have been performed in over 30 countries in more than 20 languages and are produced throughout the United States every night of the year. Lend Me a Tenor won two Tony Awards and was called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century” by The Washington Post. Crazy For You was on Broadway for five years and won the Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical. In addition, he has won the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of the Year, two Laurence Olivier Awards, two Helen Hayes Awards, and the Edwin Forrest Award for Contributions to the American Theater. His plays have starred, among others, Alec Baldwin, Carol Burnett, Tony Shaloub, Joan Collins, and Hal Holbrook. His stage version of Murder on the Orient Express was written expressly at the request of the Agatha Christie Estate, and his latest play, Dear Jack, Dear Louise, won the 2020 Charles MacArthur Award for Best New Play of the Year and is optioned for Broadway. His book How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, published by Penguin Random House, won the Falstaff Award for Best Shakespeare Book of the Year, and his essays are published in The Yale Review. He is a graduate of Harvard and Cambridge and is a frequent guest speaker for groups as varied as The Oxford-Cambridge Society, The Jane Austen Society of North America, The Folger Shakespeare Library, and The Baker Street Irregulars.

 

VICTOR MEYRICH

FIFTY-FOURTH SEASON (Director of Production & Operations) is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and its facilities. He wrote the architecture program for both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Koski II expansion and is the owner’s representative on both projects. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969.

 

MATTHEW T. PARKER, he/him

THIRTIETH SEASON (Sound Design) received his BFA in Theatre Production Design and Technology from Ohio University. He was the resident sound designer at Monomoy Theatre in 1990. He has worked sound and special effects at Flat Rock Playhouse in North Carolina on such shows as I Hate Hamlet, the world premiere of Gilligan's Island: The Musical, and others in the 1992 season. Since 1993, Matthew has designed sound for many of Asolo Rep's productions. In addition, he wrote and performed the musical scores for The Count of Monte Cristo and Nicholas Nickleby. Outside the theatre world he has designed and programmed the show control system for Livingston's Amusements Bazooka Ball arena and produced virtual expositions for the National Watercolor Society.

 

CELINE ROSENTHAL, she/they

SIXTH SEASON (Local Casting; Associate Artistic Director) is a Tony-nominated producer and “Key” member of The Ring Of Keys and New Georges Affiliate Artist. They are in their sixth season at Asolo Rep, having directed Camelot, The Lifespan of a Fact, Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, and co-directed We Need a Little Christmas with Michael Donald Edwards. Celine has developed new work with NYMF, The New Georges, The Musical Theatre Factory, The Kidoons, Tamasha, and National Queer Theatre, as well as creating Asolo Rep’s premiere new work series, Asolo Rep Ground Floor. Other recent projects: Trayf (New Rep); Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T); A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre); Motherf**ker with the Hat (FSU/Asolo Conservatory); the award-winning short film Wildflower. Celine was a member of the 2018/19 MTC Directing Fellowship class and was awarded an SDC Observership and Asolo Rep Directing Fellowship. They are an alumnus of the Commercial Theatre Institute, BMI Lehman Engel Workshop, NYU Tisch (BFA), and The New School for Drama (MFA). celinerosenthal.nyc

 

NIA SCIARRETTA*, she/her

ELEVENTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Favorite Asolo Rep credits include stage manager for Knoxville, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys and Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep.

 

JACQUELINE SINGLETON*, she/her

FOURTH SEASON (Stage Manager) is so happy to be back at Asolo Rep! Previously: Our Town; The Great Leap; Terrace Season 2020-21; The Crucible; A Doll's House, Part 2; and Noises Off. American Players Theatre (Spring Green, Wisconsin), 21 seasons, including recent projects Love’s Labour’s Lost, Oedipus, and Rough Crossing. Other stage management work includes Animal Farm at Milwaukee Repertory and Baltimore Center Stage; Outside Mullingar at the Clarence Brown Theater (Knoxville, TN); three seasons at Forward Theater (Madison, WI); seven seasons at Madison Repertory Theatre; and numerous Chicago theatres, including the Goodman Theatre, Writers' Theatre, and Next Theatre.

 

BINDER CASTING

(New York Casting) was founded 40 years ago and is now a part of RWS Entertainment Group. The office has cast 150+ Broadway, off-Broadway, and National Touring productions, in addition to countless national and international projects spanning both stage and screen. Binder is a proud 11-time recipient of the Artios Award for Excellence in Casting and is a supporter of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The office holds a deep respect for their legacy, as well as a commitment to growth. To facilitate this growth, Binder has partnered with the Disruptive Equity Education Project (DEEP) to dismantle harmful practices and to carry this work into their organization, client relationships, and audition rooms. They acknowledge that the work is on-going and strive to do better. bindercasting.com

 

CLAIRE SIMON CASTING

(Chicago Casting) Regional credits include working with the Clarence Brown Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Guthrie Theatre, Indiana Rep, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Lyric Opera in Chicago, New Theatre, Kansas City Rep, Madison Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Paramount Theatre, Syracuse Stage, and Writers’ Theatre. Chicago theater credits: Broadway in Chicago’s Working; critically acclaimed The Doyle & Debbie Show; the Tony Award-winning Million Dollar Quartet; Show Boat, Carousel, and The King and I for the Lyric Opera; Old Jews Telling Jokes. TV: Empire, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Sense 8, Crisis, Betrayal, Detroit 1-8-7, Boss, Mob Doctor, Chicago Code. Recent film credits: Divergent, Contagion, Jupiter Ascending, Unexpected. She won the Artios Award for casting season one of Fox’s Prison Break.

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

 

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GABE AMATO*, they/them

FIRST SEASON (Victor) is thrilled to be performing at Asolo Rep this year. Tours/Regional Theatre: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (The Muny), R&H Cinderella (17-18 Tour) Training: BFA Musical Theater from LIU Post. All the love to my Mom, Grandmother, family back home, the city girlies, and Ben. I wouldn’t be here without you guys. AEA Member

 

ANNELISE BAKER*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Texas) is ecstatic to be a Kit Kat Girl at Asolo Rep! She was recently in the workshop for the new Outsiders musical directed by Danya Taymour. As a performer, Annelise made her Broadway debut in the original cast of Jagged Little Pill in 2019 and opened with it again on Broadway in 2021. Her previous credits include Opera: The Merry Widow (The Metropolitan Opera and The Lyric Opera of Chicago) directed by Susan Stroman. Off-Broadway: Speakeasy (Bond45). Regional: Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Merry-Go-Round), Chicago (Riverside), Oklahoma (Paramount), and West Side Story (Drury Lane).

 

IRIS BEAUMIER*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Sally Bowles) is excited to debut at Asolo Rep with this amazing show. She recently made her Broadway debut as The Narrator alternate in The Little Prince and previously played Josephine Baker in The Dark Star from Harlem at LaMaMa Theatre (AUDELCO Best Lead Actress Award). Select Regional: Ragtime (Theatreworks Silicon Valley), Godspell (Theatre Aspen), Marvelous Wonderettes (St. Louis Rep), and Dr. Rees Ziti’s Pageant (ArsNova ANTFest). TV/Film: Modern Love (Amazon), Blindspot (NBC), Alternatino (Comedy Central), and Mariannes Noires (Round Room Image), a documentary about Black French womanhood. Carnegie Mellon University, proud NYC native. @iris.beaumier

 

EMILY BORDLEY, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Frenchie) graduated from Point Park University with a BFA in Dance & a minor in Musical Theater. She has performed works by Lisa Stevens, Marc Robin, and Kiesha Lalama. Immediately after graduation, she was cast in Engeman Theater’s Aida, Fulton Theater’s Evita, and Axelrod Theater’s production of Grease as Frenchy. Making her Asolo Repertory Theatre debut, she is excited to bring this show to life. Keep up with her at @emily.bordley on all social media platforms!

 

ALAN CHANDLER*, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Clifford Bradshaw) Regional Theatre: Knoxville (Asolo Repertory Theatre); Time Stops! (The Kravis Center - FL); Gruesome Playground Injuries, Lone Star, Oliver! (HART Theatre - NC); Pretty Theft (COW Theatre - NYC); Coriolanus, Arcadia, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Great God Brown, The Drowsy Chaperone (Loessin Playhouse - NC). Grateful to Mom, Hannah, and family. I love you, Kyra!

 

ABBY CHURCH*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Fräulein Kost/Fritzie) Broadway: How to Succeed... (Rosemary u/s), White Christmas. Tours/NY: Billy Elliot (1st Nat’l), 42nd Street (Asia), multiple City Center Encores, Irish Repertory Theatre. Regional favorites: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie), Matilda (Miss Honey), Into the Woods (Cinderella), The Drowsy Chaperone (Janet), Crazy for You (Polly), Legendale (Zelayna – US premiere), Great American Trailer Park (Pickles), and many more. Currently featured in commercials/print/VO for Delta, Disney, Bowflex, Zicam, Dave & Busters, Wren, Riunite wine, and Sling TV. BFA in Acting, Ithaca College. Cheers to Bloc and special thanks to Audrey and Silke. Love to the Church-Phillips-Lang-Hunt-Smith family and her cat, Dr. Anthony Meowci. For Shaun, always.

 

LINCOLN CLAUSS*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Emcee) is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut. Select credits include Bat Out of Hell (NYC/Toronto), FLY (La Jolla Playhouse), Sweeney Todd (The Muny), Burn All Night (American Repertory Theater), Evocation to Visible Appearance (Actors Theatre of Louisville, Humana Festival of New Plays). He recently starred as Evan Blake/Wolf Spider on the CW’s Batwoman. Training: Ball State University. Gratitude to Josh and the entire Asolo Rep team, with Big Love to his folx back in Indy and New York. @lincolnclauss

 

CHRISTIAN DOUGLASS, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Max) is overjoyed to make his debut on the Mertz stage and is a third-year student at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Previous credits include Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf in Into the Woods, Pharaoh/Jacob in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Glen in The Wedding Singer at The Bigfork Summer Playhouse. He enjoys long car rides and quick walks on the beach. Big thanks to Jolene, Mom, Dad, Ryan, Katelyn, and Aunt Rose.

 

YONI HALLER, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Herman) is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut, and in such an iconic show! Regional: North Shore Music Theatre, New London Barn Playhouse, The Lexington Theatre Company, Theatre by the Sea, Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals, Hartford Stage. BFA The Hartt School, proud alum of Walnut Hill School for the Arts. Rep: Ann Steele Agency. Thanks to everyone at Asolo Rep for this incredibly special opportunity! All the love to my friends, family, and Tanner.

 

LEEDS HILL*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Hans) is thrilled to be back at the Kit Kat Klub. Broadway: Cabaret (Bobby/“Two Ladies”/Emcee u/s). He understudied Alan Cumming and played the Emcee 7 times on Broadway. National Tours: Cabaret, Mary Poppins (Neleus). Select Regional: Lumiere u/s (understudying Gavin Lee) in Beauty and the Beast (Paper Mill Playhouse), Greg in A Chorus Line (TUTS), Ozzie in Jerome Robbin’s Broadway (The Muny). Immense gratitude and love to my family for all of their support! @leedshill

 

PHILIP HOFFMAN*, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Herr Schultz) was last seen at Asolo Rep 30 years ago, in Frank Wildhorn’s Svengali. A veteran of 12 Broadway shows, including Into the Woods, Falsettos, Is There Life After High School?, Baby, The Scarlet Pimpernel, A Catered Affair, and Cabaret (2014). Off-Broadway: Merrily We Roll Along, A Letter to Harvey Milk, All in the Timing. Regionally: Angels in America, Perestroika, Speed-the-Plow, Hairspray, Lend Me a Tenor, Jekyll & Hyde, and three productions of Titanic. TV: Billions, Bull, Law & Order, The Blacklist, FBI: Most Wanted, Madoff, Orange Is the New Black, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Plot Against America (HBO). 1philiphoffman.com

 

EMILY KELLY*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Rosie) is thrilled to be performing at Asolo Rep for the first time in Cabaret! Favorite credits include Grand Hotel (Encores! City Center), Jersey Boys (Francine, Maine State MT & The Fulton), Matilda (Acrobat, Engeman Theatre), A Chorus Line (Maggie, Westchester Broadway), and Mamma Mia! (Ali, Maltz Jupiter & Broadway at Music Circus). Originally from Sacramento, CA; proud Indiana University grad, go Hoosiers! Big thanks to Josh Rhodes and The Collective Talent. All my love to Alex, my amazing fam, and ever-supportive friends! @emckelly

 

KELLY LESTER*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Fräulein Schneider) is originally from Los Angeles but is now based in NYC. Theatre: Denise in The Baker’s Wife (off-Broadway), Old Lady in Candide (Bangor Symphony Orchestra, ME), Princess Puffer in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (CT Repertory Theatre), Mame (Mame), Urinetown (Pennywise), The Spitfire Grill (Hannah), The Boy from Oz (Marion). TV: Law & Order season 21, Sprung, City on A Hill, Halston, Law & Order: SVU, Angie Tribeca. Film: Your Place or Mine, Becoming Bond, Mr. Church, J. Edgar. Married to actor Loren Lester, parents of 3 actress-daughters: Jenny, Lily, and Julia. kellylester.com and @kellylesternyc

 

CORINNE MUNSCH*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Helga) is thrilled to be making her Asolo Rep debut! Previous credits include Cheek to Cheek with Randy Skinner (off-Broadway), The Nutty Professor (Ogunquit Playhouse), Judy in A Chorus Line (Signature Theatre), Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins (Paper Mill Playhouse). Nat’l Tours: Bullets Over Broadway, Elf, Seven Brides… TV: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Mountains of gratitude to Josh Rhodes and this beautiful cast, crew, and team. She’s sending love to her family at CESD- Rebecca and Sofia, and to her family at home- Avery and their pup Pearl. corinnemunsch.com

 

NATALIA NIEVES-MELCHOR*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Lulu) was born in Puerto Rico and raised in South Carolina. Her TV credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. On stage, Natalia has appeared in On Your Feet! at the Westchester Broadway Theatre and at The Muny. Also, at The Muny, she appeared in Legally Blonde and worked as a Swing and Assistant Choreographer for Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat during the 104th season. Natalia attended Pace University as a Commercial Dance BFA major. She is represented by CESD Talent Agency in New York City. @natalianievesm

 

BLAKE PRICE*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Ernst Ludwig) is exhilarated to be making his Asolo Rep debut! NYC: NYMF, Freedom Summer (Mickey Schwerner). US National Tours: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Monty Navarro). Regional: Florida Studio Theatre - Maytag Virgin (Jack Key), North Shore Music Theatre - Oklahoma! (Curly McLain), Palm Beach Dramaworks - The Spitfire Grill (Joe Sutter), Texas Shakes - Carousel (Billy Bigelow). TV/Film: FBI: Most Wanted (Officer Tillman), Land of the Outlaws (Bobby Ames), Duress (Kurt). Education: BFA Music Theatre Performance, Western Michigan University. Rep: The Price Group, NYC. Twitter/IG: @blakewprice, blakewprice.com

 

MICHAEL SELTZER*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Bobby) is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut. Based in NYC, he made his Broadway debut in West Side Story as a principal cover for The Jet Boys. He has performed regionally in venues such as The Muny (Jersey Boys and Paint Your Wagon), and The Weston Playhouse (Hair, Lost in Yonkers, Mamma Mia, and Guys and Dolls). Michael received his BFA in Musical Theater from The Boston Conservatory and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. Much love to Josh, Lee, Angela, and his family. 

 

JOE AYERS, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Swing) has had the pleasure of working on and off stage at companies such as ACT, Asolo Rep, San Francisco Playhouse, Cal Shakes, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Aurora Theatre Company, Berkeley Playhouse, 6th Street Playhouse, and Center REP. He holds three BA degrees from UC Berkeley in Theater and Performance Studies, Dance and Performance Studies, and English. He is currently an MFA Acting candidate at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training in Sarasota, FL.

 

SYLVIA DAY, she/her

THIRD SEASON (u/s Fräulein Schneider) is thrilled to be back at Asolo Rep, where her credits include Fountain (Adelaide/Ensemble), Grand Horizons (u/s Nancy), Sweeney Todd (u/s Mrs. Lovett - performed), Sweat (u/s Tracey), and A Doll’s House, Part 2 (u/s Nora). Off-Broadway credits include 50 Shades of DAY, which she wrote and directed. Locally, she has performed at Florida Studio Theatre, Hermitage Artist Retreat, and SaraSolo Festival. Sylvia has also performed extensively in Europe and speaks five languages. sylvia-day.com

 

GABRIEL KEARNS, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Swing) is overjoyed to be a part of this fantastic cast and community here at Asolo Rep! Previous Regional: The Cher Show, Newsies, A Chorus Line, Legally Blonde, Saturday Night Fever. National Tour: Hairspray as Sketch and u/s Link Larkin. He is from Houston, TX, and graduated with a BFA from Montclair State University. He would love to thank his entire family, Tara Rubin, Jack, and Dana! @gabrielkearns

 

MARK KONRAD, he/him

EIGHTH SEASON (u/s Herr Schultz) is delighted to be back again with the Asolo Rep family. Past Asolo Rep credits include u/s Tim, The Cake; Wingblatt, Both Your Houses; Ensemble, The Grapes of Wrath; Senator Dugan, Philadelphia Here I Come; Head G-Man & u/s Martin (performed), You Can't Take it With You; Wirtz, Operation Epsilon. TV/Film credits include 30Rock, One Life to Live, and the award-winning Blue Collar Boys. And numerous independent films, short films, music videos, and industrial films.

 

LIZZIE MARKSON, she/they

FIRST SEASON (Swing) is honored to be here. Huge thanks to Josh, everyone at Asolo Rep, JWS, TR Casting. Select Credits: Farewell National Tour of Mamma Mia! (Sophie), West Side Story at IHI Stage Around Tokyo (Anybodys), Next to Normal (Natalie). Love to my family and close circle. For my resilient queer siblings, Jewish ancestors, and the descendants of millions of people who, without hate, could’ve been here to laugh and cry next to you in the theatre. lizziemarkson.com

 

KAITLYN MAYSE, she/they

FIRST SEASON (Swing) In honor of Sally Bowles (and so many people who find themselves in similar situations), Kaitlyn has donated to the NNAF. National Tour: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Cinderella), Bandstand (Julia u/s). Select Regional: The Little Mermaid (TUTS), Oklahoma! (The Engeman), Beauty and the Beast (Belle, Variety St. Louis), 1776 (Martha Jefferson, Cardinal Stage). Thank you to Josh, Lee, Danny & Meghan, Tara Rubin Casting, and Bryan. For Edie and Sharon, always. @kaitlynmayse

 

PETER S. RAIMONDO, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Swing) is a third-year student with the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. He is from Buffalo, NY, and holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Niagara University. His Conservatory credits include Belleville (Zack), The Learned Ladies (Clitandre), Twelfth Night (Antonio), and Asolo Rep’s BardWired: Much Ado About Nothing (u/s perf., Claudio). Peter is grateful for the love and support of his family, and thrilled to be alongside his cohort, beginning their first season with Asolo Rep.

 

JOHN VISO, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Swing) is a New York City based performer who was born and raised in Kansas City. He is a Ball State University BFA Musical Theatre alumnus. He would like to thank his friend and family for always supporting his dreams. John is represented by The Price Group. His credits include: MSC Cruises (RWS Entertainment); A Chorus Line, Newsies (The Lexington Theatre Company); Anything Goes, Newsies (Porthouse Theatre); Bright Star (Phoenix Theatre). @visoinlights

 

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

DRAYTON ALEXANDER, he/they

FIRST SEASON (Dramaturg) is thrilled to be joining Asolo Rep this year as Literary Associate, following a decade working in play development in New York, London, and Singapore. Some dramaturgy highlights include world/NYC premieres of Taylor Mac’s The Fre, Kristiana Rae Colón’s good friday, Nsangou Njikam’s Syncing Ink, Idris Goodwin’s Hype Man: a break beat play, Geraldine Elizabeth Inoa’s Scraps, The Q Brothers’ Liz Estrada, and Catya McMullen’s Locked Up Bs. He led The Flea Theater’s Serials Writers Room for two years and developed plays by Amy Ng, Tuyen Do, and Joyce Julie Lee for New Earth Theatre. Drayton has received an Olwen Wymark Award from the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and holds an MFA from NYU Tisch Asia.

 

TIJANA BJELAJAC, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Scenic Design) is a New York/Los Angeles based set designer and visual artist. Most recently she has designed sets for Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors at Capital Repertory Theater, Disney's The Little Mermaid at Sierra Repertory Theatre, and she has been one of the design assistants on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella (Broadway, spring 2023). Her set designs include Disney's Beauty and the Beast; Othello; Glass Menagerie; Blood Wedding; Three Penny Opera; Kiss Me, Kate; Amadeus; My Fair Lady. She was associate set designer on the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors, Signature Theater’s Course of the Starving Class, and Julie Taymor’s The Magic Flute at the Sydney Opera House. Additionally, she worked on set designs for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

 

PATRICIA DELOREY, she/her

TWENTIETH SEASON (Resident Voice and Dialect Coach) Asolo Rep favorites include: Knoxville, Sweat, Sweeney Todd, The Cake, The Crucible, Gloria, Ragtime, Rhinoceros, Roe, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, The Great Society, Josephine, All The Way, Living on Love, West Side Story, Sotto Voce, Other Desert Cities, South Pacific, The Grapes of Wrath, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Clybourne Park, The Innocents, Twelve Angry Men, Bonnie & Clyde, Doubt, A Few Good Men, A Tale of Two Cities, Equus. Other credits include Pitmen Painters (American Stage Theatre), Studio Six’s production of Plasticine (The Baryshnikov Arts Center), Saturday Night Fever (Royal Caribbean International Cruises), Stone Cold Dead Serious (American Repertory Theatre), and the world premiere of Nocturne (American Repertory Theatre).

 

LINDA DiGABRIELE

FIFTIETH SEASON (Managing Director) has served as Asolo Rep’s managing director since 1989. Prior to that time, she held other positions with Asolo Rep, including director of touring programs and stage manager. During her 12-year tenure with the touring programs, Linda orchestrated 26 regional and national tours for Asolo Rep’s mainstage and educational companies. She has served several terms on the board of directors for the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), a national organization of regional not-for-profit professional theatres. Linda has been an advisory panel member for the National Endowment for the Arts and, for five years, the John F. Kennedy Center’s Theatre for Young Audiences. She is a past president of the Florida Professional Theatre Association and has served the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs as a member of various panels including the Grant Awards Task Force, Theatre Grants, Arts in Educations Grants, and the Cultural Institution Programs review committee. Other boards of directors’ appointments include ASSITEJ/USA, an international theatre organization for young audiences, the Florida Cultural Alliance, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. A graduate of Florida State University, Linda’s professional theatre experience includes acting and directing. She is honored to have been recognized by the Florida Professional Theatre Association’s Richard G. Fallon Award for Excellence in Professional Theatre and the Florida Theatre Conference’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

FRED EBB

(Lyrics) was an award-winning lyricist, librettist, and director who frequently and successfully collaborated with composer John Kander. Theatre: Flora the Red Menace; Cabaret; The Happy Time; Zorba; 70, Girls, 70; Chicago; The Act; Woman of the Year; 2x5; The Rink; And the World Goes ’Round - The Kander and Ebb Musical; Kiss of the Spider Woman; and Steel Pier. Film: Cabaret; Norman Rockwell: A Short Subject; Lucky Lady; New York, New York; Funny Lady; Kramer vs. Kramer; A Matter of Time; Places in the Heart; French Postcards; Stepping Out; and the 2003 Academy Award^® winner for best picture, Chicago. TV: Liza with a Z; Goldie and Liza Together (starring Goldie Hawn and Liza Minnelli); Ol' Blue Eyes is Back (starring Frank Sinatra); Baryshnikov on Broadway; An Early Frost; and Liza in London. His last projects included a musical version of The Skin of Our Teeth and Curtains, with book by Rupert Holmes.

 

MICHAEL DONALD EDWARDS

EIGHTEENTH SEASON (Producing Artistic Director) has served as producing artistic director of Asolo Rep since 2006. He was previously the associate artistic director of Syracuse Stage and served as artistic director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz. A Garland Award and Drama-Logue Award winning director, Michael has directed at Cleveland Play House; Indiana Repertory Theatre; Geva Theatre; Syracuse Stage; The Shakespeare Theatre; San Jose Rep; Opera San Jose; the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; the Old Globe in San Diego; Virginia Stage Company; the Virginia Opera; the State Theatre of South Australia; Opera Australia; Victoria State Opera; and the Metropolitan Opera, where he staged revivals of Aida, The Barber of Seville, Porgy and Bess, and Phillip Glass’ The Voyage. In previous seasons for Asolo Rep, Michael has directed Disgraced; Our Betters; The Grapes of Wrath; Clybourne Park; My Brilliant Divorce; Hamlet, Prince of Cuba; Las Meninas; La Bête; The Last Five Years; The Life of Galileo; Perfect Mendacity; The Winter’s Tale; Equus; A Tale of Two Cities; Darwin in Malibu; Nobody Don’t Like Yogi; Amadeus; The Smell of the Kill and, most recently, The Crucible.

 

MICHELLE HART, she/her

TWENTY-FIRST SEASON (Resident Hair/Wig & Make-up Designer) designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, freeFall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage, and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos: “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film/TV: Lady of the Manor; Paradise, FL; and The Real Stephen Blatt.

 

CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD was a novelist, playwright, screenwriter, autobiographer, and diarist. He was homosexual and made this a theme of some of his writing. He was born near Manchester in the north of England in 1904, became a US citizen in 1946, and died at home in Santa Monica, CA, in January 1986. 

 

JOHN KANDER

(Music) is a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy-winning composer, a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors Award, and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame. With frequent collaborator Fred Ebb, he composed the score to dozens of Broadway musicals, including Cabaret, Zorba, Chicago, The Act, Woman of the Year, The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Steel Pier. 

 

JACLYN KANTER*, she/her

THIRD SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to return to Asolo Rep, where she previously worked on The Sound of Music and Knoxville. Select credits include Cheek to Cheek (The York Theatre Company), A Beautiful Noise (AEA Tier Three Work Session), On Sugarland (New York Theatre Workshop), and various productions at The Muny and The Santa Fe Opera. Lots of love to the friends and family who support her every step of the way.

 

JOE MASTEROFF

(Book) was born in 1919 in Philadelphia and had only one dream from infancy: to write for the theatre. After the essential lonely childhood and four-year stint in the Air Force, he came to New York to face his future: book writer or book seller? Luckily, luck intervened. Before long he had three shows on Broadway bearing his name: The Warm Peninsula starring Julie Harris and two musicals, She Loves Me and Cabaret, for which he was the book writer. His other work included the libretto for 70, Girls, 70 and Desire Under the Elms and book and lyrics for Six Wives and Paramour. Thanks to indulgent parents, the New Dramatists, Hal Prince and many others, Joe retired and lived in subdued luxury until his death in 2018. 

 

VICTOR MEYRICH

FIFTY-FOURTH SEASON (Director of Production & Operations) is a graduate of Carnegie Tech and worked at New York Shakespeare Festival, Brandeis, University of California Institute of Repertory, APA, American Conservatory Theater, and again in New York. As head of production and technical staffs, he is responsible for the overall technical operation of Asolo Rep and its facilities. He wrote the architecture program for both the Center for the Performing Arts and the Koski II expansion and is the owner’s representative on both projects. He has been a member of the Asolo Rep family since 1969.

 

NATALIA NIEVES-MELCHOR, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Associate Choreographer) was born in Puerto Rico and raised in South Carolina. Her TV credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. On stage, Natalia has appeared in On Your Feet! at the Westchester Broadway Theatre and at The Muny. Also, at The Muny, she appeared in Legally Blonde and worked as a Swing and Assistant Choreographer for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat during the 104th season. Natalia attended Pace University as a Commercial Dance BFA major. She is represented by CESD Talent Agency in New York City. @natalianievesm

 

ALISON NOVELLI, they/them

FIRST SEASON (Intimacy Coordinator) is an intimacy professional, facilitator, and consultant. They are passionate about decreasing stress and co-creating alchemically resilient artistic spaces. Credits include Stephen King’s The Stand (CBS), Cursed/Too Bad (King Princess), numerous shorts: Save the Date, Pair, Pillow Talk... For stage: Much Ado About Nothing (Hudson Shakespeare Company), The Easiest Thing (dir. Daniel Rattner). Alison is dedicated to creating dynamic stories of intimacy for stage and screen with an emphasis on authenticity, dignity, and compassion. cheektocheekintimacy.com

 

CORY PATTAK

SECOND SEASON (Lighting Designer) Previously at Asolo Rep: The Sound of Music. New York: The Lucky Star (59E59), Final Follies (Primary Stages), Stalking the Bogeyman (New World Stages), The Eyes of the World (Carnegie Hall), Handle with Care (Westside Theatre), Freddie Falls in Love (Pershing Square), Unlocked, The Blue Flower (Prospect Theatre). Regional: Resident LD for the Broadway Center Stage series at the Kennedy Center, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Weston Playhouse, Olney Theatre, Old Globe, Portland Stage, Goodspeed, Kansas City Rep, Ogunquit Playhouse, Syracuse Stage, Miami New Drama, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse, and the National Tour of Flashdance. International credits include Singing in the Rain, Sunset Boulevard (São Paulo, Brazil), shows with Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises. corypattak.com IG: @corypattak 

 

JOSH RHODES, he/him 

NINTH SEASON (Director/Choreographer) is thrilled to be back in Sarasota. At Asolo Rep, Josh directed Hair, Ana Isabelle and Friends, The Sound of Music, Evita, and Guys and Dolls, and choreographed the world premiere of Knoxville, Barnum, Working, My Fair Lady, and Yentl. Other directing credits include Mack & Mabel, Grand Hotel (NY City Center Encores!); The Who’s Tommy (Kennedy Center); Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville (Old Globe Theatre); Paint Your Wagon, Jersey Boys (Muny); Guys and Dolls (Old Globe); Spamalot (5th Ave.); Showboat (Bucks County Playhouse); and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. He also choreographed the Broadway productions of Cinderella, It Shoulda Been You, First Date, and Bright Star. On London’s West End, he choreographed Carousel at the English National Opera and Sweeney Todd starring Emma Thompson. Other choreography credits include Company starring Neil Patrick Harris, Sondheim: The Birthday Concert (PBS), and the U.K. tour of Doctor Dolittle. Josh is forever grateful to Michael Donald Edwards for so many years of friendship, leadership, and vision.

 

MARK ROSE, he/him

THIRD SEASON (Violence Coordinator) is a NY based fight choreographer, actor, and stuntman. His previous Asolo Rep credits include fight choreographing Rhinoceros, Lifespan of a Fact, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Romeo & Juliet, and The Tempest. Mark’s work has also been seen at Trinity Rep, Opera North, Legoland NY, and Walt Disney World.

 

CELINE ROSENTHAL, she/they

SIXTH SEASON (Local Casting; Associate Artistic Director) is a Tony-nominated producer and "Key" member of The Ring Of Keys and New Georges Affiliate Artist. They are in their sixth season at Asolo Rep, having directed Camelot, The Lifespan of a Fact, Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, and co-directed We Need A Little Christmas with Michael Donald Edwards. Celine has developed new work with NYMF, The New Georges, The Musical Theatre Factory, The Kidoons, Tamasha, and National Queer Theatre, as well as creating Asolo Rep’s premiere new work series, Asolo Rep: Ground Floor. Other Recent Projects: Trayf (New Rep); Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T); A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre); Motherf**ker with the Hat (FSU/Asolo Conservatory); the Award Winning short film Wildflower. Celine was a member of the 2018/19 MTC Directing Fellowship class, and was awarded an SDC Observership and Asolo Rep Directing Fellowship. They are an alumnus of the Commercial Theatre Institute, BMI Lehman Engel Workshop, NYU Tisch (BFA), and The New School for Drama (MFA). celinerosenthal.nyc

 

NIA SCIARRETTA*, she/her

ELEVENTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Favorite Asolo Rep credits include stage manager for Knoxville, The Great Leap, The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and the 2020-21 Terrace Stage season, as well as assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys and Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep. 

 

DeWANDA SMITH SOEDER, she/her

SECOND SEASON (Cultural Competency Coordinator) is an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) strategist whose cultural competency process is based on her research thesis, “Theatre as a Diversity Intervention.” At Asolo Rep, DeWanda has provided cultural competency coordination for the world premiere of Knoxville and facilitated affinity spaces for Our Town, Eureka Day, and Hood. Other credits include cultural competency coordination for Confederates, Once on This Island, and King John (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). She holds the following credentials: MA in Psychology, BS in Health and Human Services, Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), Prosci Certified Change Practitioner (CCMP), Instructional Design, OD/Human Interaction (NTL), Emotional Intelligence (The Hay Group), and Adjunct Professor of Psychology.

 

ANGELA STEINER, she/her

SECOND SEASON (Music Director and Additional Arrangements; Conductor) is a Denver based music director, pianist, composer, voice coach, and orchestrator/arranger. Originally from Wichita, KS, she has music directed at theatres all over the United States. Creating and collaborating on new musicals is her favorite. She most recently music directed the Colorado premiere of Futurity. In the past year, she helped bring to life Neyla Pekarek’s (formerly of the Lumineers) Rattlesnake Kate at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Other favorite productions include Indecent, Oklahoma, and The Who’s Tommy (Denver Center), Hair (The Old Globe), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Alabama Shakespeare Festival) and Sweeney Todd (Asolo Rep). Angela holds a bachelor’s degree in piano from Wichita State University and a master’s in collaborative piano from the University of Northern Colorado.

 

KEN TRAVIS 

FIRST SEASON (Sound Design) Broadway: In Transit, Aladdin (and all international companies and tours), Jekyll and Hyde, A Christmas Story: The Musical, Scandalous, Newsies, Memphis, The Threepenny Opera, Barefoot in the Park, and Steel Magnolias. Regional and off-Broadway: Annie National Tour, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, The Public Theater, The New Group, The Civilians, Atlantic Theater Company, Soho Rep, Classic Theater Company, Playwrights Horizons, Signature Theater, Mabou Mines, Old Globe, Alliance Theater, Shakespeare Theater Company, ACT Seattle, 5th Avenue Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre, LA CTG, The Guthrie Theater, McCarter Theater, and Paper Mill Playhouse.

 

JOHN VAN DRUTEN was an English playwright and theatre director. He began his career in London, and later moved to America, becoming a US citizen. He was known for his plays of witty and urbane observations of contemporary life and society. 

 

ALEJO VIETTI

THIRD SEASON (Costume Designer) Originally from Argentina. New York: Broadway’s Allegiance, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (also West End - Olivier Nomination, National Tour, Australia, and Japan), and Holiday Inn, as well as works for the Radio City Rockettes, Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, NYC Center Encores!, Atlantic Theatre Company, NYC Opera, Primary Stages, and MCC, among others. Has also extensively designed for regional theatres across the US, commercial projects, and dance. Other credits: Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Japan, Germany, and Austria, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Minnesota Opera, Donetsk Opera (Ukraine), Colorado Ballet, and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Recipient of the 2010 TDF Irene Sharaff Young Master Award. @alejo_vietti_costume_design

 

LEE WILKINS

FIFTH SEASON (Associate Director) is thrilled to be back at Asolo Rep after working on Ana Isabelle and Friends, The Sound of Music, Evita, and Guys and Dolls. Most recently directed the Disney Branded Television showcase at D23 as well as working with his husband Josh on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The MUNY. Lee has worked on many shows in many theatres across the country and could list them here, but he’d rather take this space to celebrate the beauty that is Asolo Rep and its incredible artistic leader Michael Donald Edwards. Thank you, Michael, for 17 glorious seasons! “Darling” you are loved. It is always a pleasure to return to home.

 

TARA RUBIN CASTING

(Casting) Asolo Rep: Hair, Eureka Day, Grand Horizons, Camelot, The Sound of Music, The Music Man, Evita, Guys and Dolls, Beatsville, Living on Love (New York Casting), Luck Be A Lady, HERO: The Musical. Selected Broadway and National Tours: KPOP, Mr. Saturday Night, Six, Ain’t Too Proud, King Kong, The Band’s Visit, Prince of Broadway, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon, Dear Evan Hansen, Cats, Falsettos, School of Rock, Bullets Over Broadway, Big Fish, Billy Elliot, Shrek, Spamalot, …Spelling Bee, The Producers, Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera. Selected off-Broadway: Sing Street, Trevor, Between the Lines, Clueless, Gloria: A Life, Smokey Joe’s Café, Here Lies Love. Film: Here Today.

 

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

 

 

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BILLIE AKEN-TYERS*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Much) has worked as an actor, director, and playwright, appearing on numerous stages internationally. Selected credits: Fairycakes (off-Broadway, Greenwich House Theatre), Ragtag Theatre's Cinderella (Soho Playhouse, Redhouse Arts, Barrington Stage Company). Regional: Hood (Dallas Theater Center); Mamma Mia! (Mill Mountain Theater); How to Succeed, Footloose, Much Ado, Pirates of Penzance (Scranton Shakes). Directing: Your Alice (BAM, Edinburgh Fringe, Arcola Theatre, London), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (SSF), and Lysistrata Jones (Nominated for Outstanding Production, NYIT Awards). Writing: Your Alice (BAM, Edinburgh Fringe, Ophelia Theatre), Next Round (Underbelly Cowgate 2023), We Carry On - A series of radio plays. For Beckett and Josiah billieakentyers.com

 

ANTHONY CHATMON II*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Robin) Broadway: Hadestown, Be More Chill. National Tours: Fiasco’s Into the Woods, The Book of Mormon. Regional: West Side Story (Hollywood Bowl), Bernstein’s Mass (Disney Concert Hall), Freedom Riders (NYMF), Hairspray (Dallas Theater Center), Lempicka (NYC Lab). TV/Film: Kenny in A Jenkins Family Christmas (BET), Reasonable Doubt (Hulu), Invasion (Apple TV) Law & Order (NBC), Blue Bloods (CBS), The Other Two (Comedy Central), and Bull (CBS). 

 

CAITLIN HUMPHREYS*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Lady Anne) is beyond grateful to be making a return to live theatre and her Asolo Rep debut. Some of her favorite credits include the National Tour of Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Ogunquit Playhouse), Lucille in Parade and Kate/Lucy in Avenue Q (3-D Theatricals). Endless love and gratitude for my Hood family, Asolo Rep, Firestarter Entertainment, and, of course, the unwavering support of my family. IG: @caitlin707

 

SAVY JACKSON*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Marian) is so excited to be making her Asolo Rep debut! Savy recently earned her BFA in Musical Theatre at Pace University after being on the road with the First National Tour of Once on This Island (Storyteller, u/s Ti Moune). So much love and gratitude for the creative team, Tara Rubin Casting, and the endless support from friends, family, and her team at Buchwald.  ~GGs IG: @savy.jackson savyjackson.com

 

ERIN KEI*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Lady Jane) is thrilled to make her Asolo Rep debut with Hood! Off-Broadway/NY Theater credits include BAM, MMAC, and NYMF. Erin spent three years on tour with Elf The Musical. Her TV/Film/Commercial credits include Hulu's The Path, BroadwayHD's Sc7enario, and Olay Whips. Select Regional Theater credits include Dallas Theater Center, Syracuse Stage, Casa Manana, Phoenix Theatre, and Mill Mountain Theater. Erin also serves as the Associate Artistic Director for NY-based dance company Thistle Dance. A huge thank you to the Hood team and cast, Asolo Rep, as well as her friends and family for their continued support. @erinnish @thistle_dance

 

AURY KREBS*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Meg) is a Queer, Brooklyn-based artist who is committed to the exploration and elevation of dynamic, intersectional storytelling. Aury has appeared off-Broadway in Darling Grenadine (Roundabout Theatre Company) and A Letter to Harvey Milk (Theatre Row). Film and TV credits include Leverage: Redemption and Way Down: A Queer Webseries. Love as always to John and Soonduk, who made it all happen. Please say Gay.

 

DANIEL LOPEZ*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Alan A'Dale) is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut alongside his trusty guitar and this sensational group of artists! Theatre credits include Into the Woods at The Hollywood Bowl (Steward), West Side Story (Tony), Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party (Burrs). TV credits include FBI (CBS), Blue Bloods (CBS), Ways & Means (CBS), and Shattered (IDTV). Daniel is a signed artist with DECCA/Universal Music with his group The Opera Men, whose debut album comes out this fall! Love and thanks to family, friends, Jen, Kathy, Ted, Mike, Aki, and Elvis. daniellopezactor.com Instagram: @realdaniellopez

 

JAMEN NANTHAKUMAR*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Tuck) is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut with this stellar company. He was most recently seen starring in the world premiere of Other World, a new musical by [title of show] creators Hunter Bell, Jeff Bowen, and Ann McNamee (Delaware Theatre Company). Other recent credits include the off-Broadway premiere of Douglas Carter Beane’s Fairycakes (Greenwich House Theater), The KILL ONE Race (The FEATH3R Theory/Playwrights Horizons), Half the Sky (Radio Play/5th Avenue), Diana (World Premiere/La Jolla Playhouse), Mary Stuart (Pioneer Theatre Co.), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Pittsburgh Public). IG: @jamen_nanthakumar 

 

LUKE ANTONY NEVILLE*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Will Scarlett) couldn’t be more thrilled to be participating in this wonderful production after two years of postponement. Luke is a British actor based in New York City, where he graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He has since worked on professional theatre productions across both the US and the UK. His recent TV credits include starring opposite Ryan Eggold on Season 4 of NBC’s hit series New Amsterdam and being on the winning team of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses, hosted by Dame Helen Mirren on HBOMax and TBS. This one's for you, Mum. lukeantonyneville.com

 

NICK REHBERGER*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Sheriff of Nottingham) couldn’t be happier to be here. He recently appeared as Robert Martin in The Drowsy Chaperone (FPAC), Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (St. Louis Rep), and Will Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Nick was seen as Fyedka in Bartlett Sher’s revival of Fiddler on the Roof and stood by in John Tiffany’s production of The Glass Menagerie. Screen credits include The Equalizer and Elementary on CBS, Girls and The Deuce on HBO, Gotham on FOX, and the films I Am Michael and Thirdy. He is a proud graduate of the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama. Follow @nickrehberger

 

JORDAN SAM RICH, he/him

FIRST YEAR STUDENT, FIRST SEASON (u/s Will Scarlet) hails from Atlanta, Georgia. Jordan graduated from The University of Michigan’s BFA Acting program. Professionally, Jordan appeared in the Pete the Cat National Tour and No Villain by Arthur Miller at the Public Theatre starring Judith Light. Regionally, Jordan appeared in three shows at Santa Rosa Repertory Theatre and has worked in many capacities at The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center. For Mom, Dad, Z, Bub, Nan.

 

MIKHAIL ROBERTS, he/him

FIRST YEAR STUDENT, FIRST SEASON (u/s Friar Tuck) understudied Grand Horizons and Our Town at Asolo Rep, and made his FSU/Asolo Conservatory debut in The Learned Ladies. Professional credits include the Equity tours of Stuart Little, By the Great Horn Spoon, and the opening cast of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan. On film, he has starred in The Monster's Mind, Saki the Killer, and the upcoming feature film And I Feel Fine. 

 

ZACHARY FRANCIS STEWART*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Little John) was expecting to make his Asolo Rep debut a long two years ago. He is incredibly grateful to have finally made it to the Mertz. Born and raised in Kentucky, he now resides in Brooklyn, NY, where he’s had the opportunity to work on creating new and inventive theatre. Favorites include The Bad Years, Legendale, Solana, Twiggy Fartdust and Her Nemesis from Mars, Mars 2076, We Are Pilgrims. He offers deep thanks to his family and teachers who honored his sense of self, loved him, and allowed him to thrive. Please Say Gay! IG: @zacharyxfrancis

 

DARIUS VINES, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s Robin, Little John) is thrilled to be making his debut at Asolo Rep!  Some of his favorite credits include the National Tour of A Bronx Tale (Jesse, u/s Tyrone), In the Heights, Songs for a New World, and The Mile Long Opera. He would like to thank Asolo Rep, the production team, Tara Rubin Casting and his agents at Firestarter Entertainment for the opportunity! BFA from Howard University. @mrdvines2u

 

DANIELLE VIVCHARENKO, she/her

FIRST YEAR STUDENT, FIRST SEASON (u/s Lady Ann and Lady Jane) is ecstatic to be with the Asolo Repertory Theatre while training at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Previously in the season, Danielle understudied Joe Crowell in Our Town. She was born and raised in Cleveland, OH, and a recent graduate of Kent State University. She’d like to thank her professors and her family for supporting her through this new chapter in her life. daniellevivcharenko.com

 

TAYLOR ERIN WADE, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Much, Gamble Gold) is thrilled to be making her Asolo Rep debut! Off-Broadway: The Baker’s Wife (Inez). Regional: Beehive (Gina), Hairspray (Dynamite 2), Seussical (Bird Girl 2), and Gypsy (Dolores). Thank you to Joey for always believing in me and being the best voice teacher, a girl could ask for. Thanks, Mom, for everything. You are my biggest supporter and the best reader ever. Love you Dad, Poppy, Iris, and Mads.

 

IMANI YOUNGBLOOD*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Gamble Gold) is grateful to make her Asolo Rep debut! She graduated from the AADA and was a member of the Academy Company 2017-2018. Academy credits include To Wong Foo (Miss Rachel Tensions, World Premiere); Stupid F*cking Bird (Nina); Hamlet (Horatio); and Kentucky (Hiro). Other stage credits include Romeo & Juliet (Juliet, Lady Shakes Theatre Company); Little Shop of Horrors (Chiffon, EPIC Players); Shakespeare in Love (Viola, Opera House Arts); Desdemona, a play about a handkerchief (Bianca, Opera House Arts); Step Show: The Musical (Meghan, Bickford Theatre) and Lysistrata Jones (Myhrrine, Ophelia Theatre Group).

 

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

DOUGLAS CARTER BEANE

FIRST SEASON (Book) Musicals: Cinderella, Lysistrata Jones, Sister Act, Xanadu. Plays: The Little Dog Laughed, The Nance, As Bees in Honey Drown, Music From A Sparkling Planet, Fairycakes, Shows for Days, The Closet, Mr. & Mrs. Fitch, Advice from a Caterpillar, The Country Club. Met Opera: Die Fledermaus. Revues: White Lies, Mondo Drama. Film: To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar; Advice from a Caterpillar. TV: Tracey Ullman’s Show.

 

MARK BROKAW, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Director) Credits include the New York off-Broadway premieres of Heisenberg, The Long Christmas Ride Home, How I Learned To Drive,  As Bees In Honey Drown, Lobby Hero, This Is Our Youth, and the Signature revival of Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train. His Broadway revival of How I Learned to Drive opened in April. Regional credits include the Guthrie, Center Theatre Group, Steppenwolf, Seattle Rep, Hartford Stage, La Jolla Playhouse, Yale Rep, Berkeley Rep, Williamstown, Sundance Theatre Lab, and the O’Neill Theatre Conference.  His work has also been seen at London’s Donmar Warehouse and Menier Chocolate Factory, Dublin’s Gate Theatre, and the Sydney Opera House. Mark is a current SDC Executive Board member and President of the SDC Foundation.

 

AMANDA DAVIS*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) is making her Asolo Rep debut. Her previous regional credits include Earth to Kenzie, Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt, The Scorpions’ Sting (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Roz and Ray, A Wonder in My Soul, Where Did We Sit on the Bus? (Victory Gardens); Murder for Two, A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol (Chicago Shakespeare); and The Humans (American Theater Company).

 

LEWIS FLINN, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Music/Lyrics/Arrangements/Orchestration) has written musicals for Broadway and off-Broadway and scored over 50 plays on Broadway, off-Broadway, and at regional theatres across the country. He’s scored films and national commercials and written songs for many recording artists. His favorite, and frequent, collaborator is husband Douglas Carter Beane. When not composing, he loves being a father to their teenage children, Cooper and Gaby. Thanks to the American Academy of Performing Arts and Dallas Theater Center for their support of Hood and all the actors, musicians, and designers who have put their hearts into the show through the years. 

 

JUSTIN GOLDNER, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Co-Orchestrator) is a music producer, orchestrator, and session musician. He has been privileged to make music with Sting, Ricky Martin, Macy Gray, Donald Glover, Ledisi, Jordin Sparks, Tori Kelly, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Sondheim, Ben Platt, Steve Martin, Jane Monheit, Max Martin, Alan Menken, Jason Robert Brown, Kelli O’Hara, Audra McDonald, and a host of others. He’s contributed to Grammy, Tony, and Golden Globe-winning projects, including Dear Evan Hansen (Broadway, film) and The Greatest Showman, and performed onstage at such storied venues as Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall (Ben Platt Netflix special), the Apollo Theater, Madison Square Garden (60th annual Grammy Awards), and Turkmenistan’s Mukamlar Palace. funkybutter.com

 

JACOB GRIGOLIA-ROSENBAUM, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Fight Director) has worked on Peter and the Starcatcher (Broadway, NYTW, New World Stages, Tour), Peter Pan Live! (NBC/Universal), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Broadway, The Public, Williamstown), Cyrano de Bergerac (Broadway), Here Lies Love (The Public), The Robber Bridegroom (Roundabout), Sailor Man (co-creator; NY Fringe; winner Best Play) and Robin Hood (Williamstown). Some of his work with the Old Globe includes Romeo and Juliet, The Last Goodbye, Othello, Ken Ludwig’s Robin Hood!, and Hamlet. He’s also designed fights for Disney Cruise Line, Ogunquit Playhouse, Prospect Theater Company, Connecticut Free Shakespeare, and the Robin Hood Foundation. He was stunt coordinator and creature performer for Dark Was the Night (Caliber/Image) and a D1 varsity fencer for Yale. He is honored to be making his Asolo Rep debut with Hood!

 

JEFFREY GUGLIOTTI, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Associate Choreographer) is a choreographer and teacher based in New York City. He received his dance degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst while also performing and teaching throughout New England with Quicksilver Dance, Vacanti Ballet, and Urbanity Dance. Jeffrey is currently the Co-Artistic Director of ELSCO Dance, a NYC-based contemporary fusion dance company. His choreography has been performed along the east coast at StylePointe NYC, the Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, and the University of South Carolina. His work was also featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and The View. Jeffrey is most recently the associate choreographer for the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors, Mr. Saturday Night at Barrington Stage, and the Broadway revival of Funny Girl. IG: @jeffgugliotti

 

DAVE KLODOWSKI, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Associate Music Director) is excited to be working on Hood. He is a music director, arranger, and vocal coach based in New York City. His Broadway national tour credits include Kinky Boots, Elf the Musical, Escape to Margaritaville, and A Charlie Brown Christmas (where he played Schroeder). In New York, he played for off-Broadway's Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish directed by Joel Grey and is a staff pianist at various schools and universities, most recently music directing Matilda at The Hewitt School. After graduating from Ithaca College, he toured the world performing on cruise ships for 2 years and has sung in various a cappella groups. Additionally, he writes original children’s pop music as “Davey K.”

 

NICK LEHANE, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Puppet Designer) is a Brooklyn-based theatre maker and puppet artist. Original Work: Chimpanzee (HERE Arts Center), Fly Away (co-creation with Derek Fordjour, Petzel Gallery, among “The 10 Best Theater moments of 2020” - New York Magazine). Select Puppet Design: Three Sisters (Two River Theater, dir. Sara Holdren), The Tale of Despereaux (PigPen Theater Company, The Old Globe, Berkeley Rep), The Phantom Folktales (PigPen, Virgin Voyages). Select puppet performance credits: Madama Butterfly (The Metropolitan Opera), Robin Frohardt’s The Plastic Bag Store and The Pigeoning (HERE, international tour), Petrushka (Giants Are Small, New York Philharmonic, Barbican Centre), Doug Fitch’s El Retablo de Maese Pedro (American Symphony Orchestra, Bard SummerScape), James Ortiz’s The Little Mermaid, That Life (Unknown Mortal Orchestra), and Lore (Amazon).

 

 

JOSHUA PILOTE*

FIRST SEASON (Stage Manager) Touring: The Lion King, Miss Saigon, The Bridges of Madison County, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia!, Dirty Dancing, RENT, Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Other: Blue Man Group, Dallas Theater Center, La Jolla Playhouse, LA Philharmonic, The Old Globe, Public Theater, Roundabout, T.U.T.S. Proud AEA Member. BA: The College of Idaho. Thank you to Nia, Devon, Domingo, Alexa, and Sarah. Follow his adventures on Instagram @co_pilote.

 

ADAM RIGG, they/them

FIRST SEASON (Scenic and Costume Designer) is an award-winning set and costume designer based in New York, who has designed more than 50 world premiere plays, musicals, and operas. Broadway: The Skin of Our Teeth (Lincoln Center Theater). Off-Broadway: On Sugarland (NYTW), Cullud Wattah (Public Theater), Fefu and Her Friends (Theatre for a New Audience; Special Citation, Henry Hews Design Award), Is God Is (Soho Rep), Fabulation (Signature Theatre), Continuity (MTC), Blue Ridge (Atlantic Theater Company), and The House That Will Not Stand (NYTW). Opera: The Lord of Cries (Santa Fe Opera), Breaking the Waves (Opera Philadelphia), and Prism (LA Opera), among others. Upcoming projects: The Listeners (Norwegian National Opera), Soft (MCC). adamriggdesign.com

 

ELLENORE SCOTT, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Choreography) Broadway: Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night. Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors. Associate choreographer: Head Over Heels (Broadway), King Kong (Broadway). Assistant choreographer: Cats (Broadway/Tour) and Falsettos (Broadway/Tour). Other choreography credits: Single All the Way (Netflix), Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical. Artistic director of ELSCO Dance Company. Finalist on So You Think You Can Dance? @ellenoreshoto/@ellenorescott

 

BRAD SIMMONS, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Music Director) Remembered from the films Camp and The Last Five Years, Brad has shared the stage with Broadway luminaries Tonya Pinkins, Alice Ripley, Beth Leavel, Donna McKechnie, and recording artists Sandi Patty and The B-52s’ Kate Pierson. He music directed Lysistrata Jones, Mr. & Mrs. Fitch with John Lithgow, Me and the Girls with Alan Cumming, and the musical film Hello Again with Audra McDonald and Martha Plimpton. He music directs The Lineup with Susie Mosher weekly at Birdland. Brad composed the musicals A Kiss from Alexander, A Woman Onstage, and A Dickens of a Carol with librettist Stephan DeGhelder. Find Brad’s recordings, including Dreamworld, Mundane Existence, The Simon & Garfunkel Collection, and his upcoming Troubadour album, on all music platforms. thebradsimmons.com

 

JAPHY WEIDEMAN, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Lighting Designer) is a five-time Tony-nominated lighting designer. His notable Broadway credits include Dear Evan Hansen, The Visit, The Nance, Of Mice and Men, Airline Highway, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sylvia, The Snow Geese, Old Times, Macbeth, Cyrano de Bergerac, Significant Other, and Marvin’s Room. His work off-Broadway has been seen at Lincoln Center Theater, The Public-NYSF, NYTW, Second Stage, Playwrights Horizons, MTC, MCC, LAByrinth, The Vineyard, Ma-Yi, and others. On the West End he designed lighting for Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward), A Nice Fish (Harold Pinter Theatre), and Blackbird (Albery Theatre).

 

ELISABETH WEIDNER, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Sound Designer) is thrilled to be making her Asolo Rep debut. She has served as Associate Sound Designer for Funny Girl on Broadway and Assistant Sound Designer for Trevor off-Broadway. She has designed at many regional theatres, including PCPA-Pacific Conservatory Theatre, SLO Rep, The Oregon Cabaret, First Stage Milwaukee, and Bike City Theatre. Elisabeth is the Vice Co-Chair of the TSDCA, a contributing blogger for SoundGirls.org, and a proud member of Local USA 829 IATSE. elisabethanneweidner.com

 

MIKE CASTEEL MUSIC SERVICE

FIRST SEASON (Supervising Music Copyist) Mike (he/him) and Lori (she/her) Casteel have been copyists for over 30 years and have enjoyed working with Sting, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Leslie Odom Jr., Train, Panic! At the Disco, Aretha Franklin, and countless others. Broadway credits include Sting’s The Last Ship; Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812; Getting’ the Band Back Together, and the off-Broadway revival of Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Feature film credits include The Greatest Showman, The Astronaut Farmer, In the Heights, and tick, tick…BOOM! They are thrilled to be joining Asolo Repertory Theater’s production of Hood. 

 

CSA TARA RUBIN/CLAIRE BURKE, CSA 

(Casting) Asolo Rep: Evita, Guys and Dolls, Beatsville, Living on Love (New York Casting), Luck Be A Lady, HERO: The Musical. Selected Broadway: King Kong, Ain't Too Proud, The Band’s Visit, Miss Saigon, A Bronx Tale, Dear Evan Hansen, Cats, Prince of Broadway, Bandstand, Falsettos, Sunset Boulevard, Disaster!, School of Rock, It Shoulda Been You, Bullets Over Broadway, Aladdin, Les Misérables, Mothers and Sons, Big Fish, The Heiress, How to Succeed.., A Little Night Music, Billy Elliot, Shrek, Guys and Dolls, Young Frankenstein, The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Spamalot, …Spelling Bee, The Producers, Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, The Phantom of the Opera. Off-Broadway: Here Lies Love; Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Regional: Yale Repertory Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Bucks County Playhouse, Westport Country Playhouse, The Old Globe.

 

THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ARTS (AADA) is a performing arts conservatory in New York and California. The oldest acting school in the English-speaking world, the Academy was founded in 1884 by Franklin Haven Sargent. AADA is the only professional actor-training school in both major centers of American entertainment. Notable alumni include Robert Redford, Danny DeVito, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Paul Rudd. In the school’s 137-year history, past students reflect a distinguished level of actor, as well as countless prominent and influential names from all disciplines within the entertainment industry. Academy alumni hold a total of 110 Oscar, 340 Emmy, and 95 Tony nominations.

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Click here to view and download production photos. 

Click here to view and download rehearsal photos. 

Click here for photos of Frank Galati, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. 

Click here to download headshots and artwork.

SARAH AILI*†, she/her 

SECOND SEASON (Sally, guitar) lives in Nashville, TN, as a recording artist, actor, songwriter, dancer, & design business owner. She has had the pleasure of working with Jenny Giering in Alice Bliss (Weston Playhouse), Mary Zimmerman in Argonautika & The Arabian Nights, Les Waters in To the Lighthouse (Berkeley Rep. Theatre), and Nashville Rep. in Avenue Q. Sarah is grateful to her family and friends for their support and is excited to join this incredible cast for her Asolo Repertory Theatre debut in Knoxville! Check out her original music on all streaming platforms and at her website: sarahaili.com

 

NATALIE VENETIA BELCON*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Jessie) was last seen on Broadway as Mrs. Phelps in Matilda. She originated the role of Gary Coleman in Avenue Q. She has originated roles in off-Broadway shows as well, her favorite being Columbina in Ahrens and Flaherty's The Glorious Ones. She has guest starred and recurred in numerous television shows and has had supporting roles in a few films. Natalie is THRILLED to be involved with this absolutely brilliant creative team in this wonderful new show.

 

JADEN BOYD, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s The Ferryman/Doctor Dekalb) is thrilled to be making his Asolo Rep debut! Past regional credits include Dreamgirls (C.C White), 1776 (Samuel Chase), and Ragtime. BFA Ithaca College 21. He thanks his friends and family for their love and support! jadenboyd.com

 

WILLA CARPENTER, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Rufus Follet) has a passion for entertaining others as an expression of love and kindness. Today, she is very grateful for her Mentors at Spotlight Theater, including Ms. Cynthia and all the teachers and staff at Booker Middle School. Willa is in 6th grade and enjoys anime, all things Asian, laughter, and sleeping in on the weekends. She has an older sister, an older brother, and a house full of pets of all shapes and sizes.

 

JACK CASEY, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Rufus Follet) is from NJ, and he began singing and dancing at his family-owned school for the arts at age 4. Regional credits: Frozen, Seussical, Into the Woods, Matilda. Film/TV: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Law & Order, Give or Take, Paw Patrol. Jack is honored to be part of the Knoxville family. Thanks to Mom, Dad, and brother Finn Douglas! He dedicates his performance to his Mamaw in Heaven, who was his biggest fan and support. @jackcaseyactor

 

ALAN CHANDLER, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s James Agee, Jay Follet) Off-Broadway: Pretty Theft (COW Theatre - NYC). Regional: Gruesome Playground Injuries, Lone Star, Oliver! (HART Theatre - NC); Coriolanus, Arcadia, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Great God Brown, The Drowsy Chaperone (Loessin Playhouse - NC). Grateful to Mom, Hannah, and family. I love you, Kyra!

 

SADE CROSBY, she/her

FIRST SEASON (u/s Victoria) is thrilled to be making her Asolo Rep debut! Sade earned her BFA in Musical Theatre from Jacksonville University. Favorite credits include Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida (Aida), Grease (Jan), Evil Dead the Musical (Linda), and Avenue Q (Gary Coleman). She would like to thank her friends and family for their love and support! saderaycrosby.com

 

JASON DANIELEY*, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Author/James Agee) originated roles on Broadway in Pretty Woman, The Visit, Curtains, and The Full Monty. He also starred in Chicago, Next To Normal, and Candide. Other originating credits in NYC and regionally include Floyd Collins, Dream True, Beauty, and The Highest Yellow, with starring turns in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Sunday in the Park..., 110 in the Shade, and Brigadoon. Televised concerts include Carousel, South Pacific, Sondheim: A Birthday Celebration, and Ring Them Bells! A Kander & Ebb Celebration. Symphony concerts globally include Boston Pops; L.A., NY & Czech Philharmonics; San Francisco & San Diego Symphonies; and the BBC Concert Orchestra. jasondanieley.com

 

DWELVAN DAVID*, he/him

FIRST SEASON (The Ferryman/Doctor Dekalb) is excited to spend this spring making his Asolo Rep debut. Off-Broadway: Emojiland, Till, and Standby. 1st National Tour: Finding Neverland, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess. Favorite Regional credits include Spamalot; Ain't Misbehavin'; Sweeney Todd; The Wiz; Caroline, or Change; Ragtime; and many more. Dwelvan can be seen streaming in Season 2 episodes of Natasha Lyonne's Russian Doll, Gravesend with Mario Cantone and SYFY's Happy! opposite Christopher Meloni. Other TV: Law & Order SVU, Bull, and Gotham. A native Chicagoan, Dwelvan holds a BFA from Millikin University. AEA Proud. Major thanks to Frank, Lynn, Steve, Josh, Michael, Corinne, and EntLabNY Shalom Y’all! dwelvandavid.com 

 

HANNAH ELLESS*, she/her

SECOND SEASON (Mary Follet) starred on Broadway as Margo Crawford in Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s musical Bright Star and most recently originated the role of Jess in Jack Thorne’s Broadway adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Other Broadway credits include the latest revival of Godspell and the off-Broadway productions of Summer and Smoke, Come Back Little Sheba, Picnic, and The Other Josh Cohen. Her film and TV credits include She's Fine, Broadway & Salt, The Lake Effect, Nora Ephron Goes to Prison, The Deuce (HBO), and Glee (FOX). You can find her on social media @hannahelless.

 

ELLEN HARVEY*, she/her

SECOND SEASON (Aunt Hannah) Broadway: Present Laughter (w/Kevin Kline), How To Succeed… (w/Daniel Radcliffe), The Phantom Of The Opera, The Music Man, Thou Shalt Not. Off-Broadway: Little Women, Big Love. Shakespeare in the Park: Into the Woods. National Tours: Mary Poppins (Miss Andrew), Disney’s High School Musical (Ms. Darbus), Mamma Mia! (Tanya). Regional favorites: Company (Joanne, Barrington Stage Co. w/Aaron Tveit; Berkshire Critics Award), Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett, KC Rep), Animal Crackers (Mrs. Rittenhouse, Williamstown Theater Festival), Last Night of Ballyhoo (Boo Levy, Bay Street Theater), Pericles (Dionyza, Two River Theatre), and Sister Act (Mother Superior, NSMT). TV: Martha Wilson on House of Cards, Blacklist, Gotham, Younger, WeCrashed. ellenharvey.net & @ellenharveynyc

 

IAN JOHNSTON, he/him

FIRST SEASON (u/s Andrew Lynch, Ralph Follet, Man at the Scene) is excited to join the company in his Asolo Rep debut. Having spent time playing in the orchestra on the national tour of The Sound of Music, as well as producing video content for Broadway shows including Dear Evan Hansen and Bandstand, he’s thrilled to be back as a part of an acting ensemble. Big thanks to Craig Holzberg and the team at Avalon Artists Group. @ianhjohnston

 

PATRICIA M. LAWRENCE, she/her

SECOND SEASON (u/s Jessie, Catherine) embarked on a professional acting career five years ago after occupations in academia, raising kids, teaching drama, and founding and running a children’s theatre. Off-Broadway and regional credits include Roz in Mike & Mindy’s Wild Weekend Jam, serial killer Amelia Dyer in Blood on My Mother’s Apron, and Ensemble/Norma Understudy in Sunset Boulevard. Television credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Blacklist. patriciamlawrence.com

 

BARBARA MARINEAU*, she/her 

SECOND SEASON (Catherine, egg shaker) appeared as Grandma in the 2019 critically acclaimed production of Billy Elliot at Goodspeed Opera House. Ahrens/Flaherty musicals include Man of No Importance, Anastasia, My Favorite Year, and Marie, Dancing Still. She has appeared in eight Broadway shows and 10 national/international tours. Off-Broadway/regional appearances include Irish Repertory, Guthrie, Goodman, 5th Avenue, Old Globe, Kennedy Center, Alliance, MUNY, PaperMill and Cape Playhouses. She co-starred on FX’s Fosse/Verdon and CBS’s Murphy Brown. She received Florida’s Carbonell, Michigan’s Oscar Wilde, and Connecticut Critic’s Awards for Robber Bridegroom, Catered Affair, and Sweeney Todd. A WMU Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, she shares a Musical Theatre Scholarship, in her name, with Marin Mazzie.

 

PAUL ALEXANDER NOLAN*, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Jay Follet) is originally from Canada, where he spent six seasons at the Stratford festival before transferring their 2011 production of Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Des McAnuff to Broadway. Since then he has led 7 productions in New York City: Once, Doctor Zhivago, Daddy Long Legs, Bright Star, Chicago, Escape to Margaritaville, and Slave Play. TV and Film: The Scottish Play, The Code, Madam Secretary, Instinct. Paul is in the final stages of finishing his concept album T+L with the support of the Canada Arts Council. paulalexandernolan.com

 

WILLIAM PARRY*, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Joel) is very pleased to be back to work on Knoxville at Asolo Rep after a two-year hiatus. Broadway credits include Groundhog Day; James Lapine & Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George and Passion - both filmed for PBS; Agamemnon at Lincoln Center; Gypsy with Bernadette Peters, Camelot (understudy to Richard Burton and Richard Harris); and the original Jesus Christ Superstar. Off-Broadway: original productions of Sondheim and Weidman’s Assassins and Road Show, and Ahrens and Flaherty’s Dessa Rose at Lincoln Center. National Tours: A Few Good Men, Memphis, and Titanic (Captain E.J. Smith). Some 40 regional productions. Numerous TV and Film credits.

 

SHARON PEARLMAN, she/her

FIRST YEAR STUDENT, FIRST SEASON (u/s Sally) is a first-year FSU/Asolo Conservatory student and is so excited to be understudying at Asolo Rep this year! Previous credits include Rudolph in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: the Musical (National Tour), Amber in Hairspray, and Crissy in Hair. Sharon also was part of the opening cast of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka, Japan. sharonpearlman.com

 

NATHAN SALSTONE*, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Andrew Lynch, cajon/egg shaker/guitar) Broadway: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child OBC. First National Tour: Hadestown. Off-Broadway: Enter Laughing (York Theater). Regional: Rags (Goodspeed), Rock of Ages (Pittsburgh CLO), Spring Awakening (TUTS). Carnegie Mellon University. 

 

ABIGAIL STEPHENSON*, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Victoria, mandolin/violin) is extremely excited to be a part of Knoxville and to be making her Asolo Rep debut! Her past theatre credits include Hi, My Name is Ben at Goodspeed Musicals, Little Shop of Horrors at Pittsburgh Public Theatre, and Ragtime at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. She has also appeared in The Good Fight on Paramount Plus. Abigail would like to thank Asolo Repertory Theatre, Craig Burns with The Telsey Office, and the Knoxville team for having her. She would also like to thank Wolf Talent Group, Maureen, Aubrey, Alexander, and Forrest McClendon for their unwavering support.

 

JOEL WAGGONER*, he/him-ish

SECOND SEASON (Ralph Follet, accordion/violin) is a writer, performer, multi-instrumentalist, comedian, and one-time game show winner. He performed on Broadway in Be More Chill and School of Rock. His breakout Instagram series, "Advent Carolndar" with Julia Mattison, has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with Ben Platt and NPR Weekend Edition. Off-Bway: Southern Comfort (Public Theater), The Joel Waggoner Experience (Joe's Pub). TV: Wig Mediums on Broadstream, $100,000 Pyramid season 3 premiere. Composer: Presto Change-o, SupaDupa Kid, Hester Street. Vocal Arranger: Broadway Bounty Hunter, off-Bway. MFA from NYU Tisch. “Unlikely Warrior” available on iTunes. joelwaggoner.com

 

SCOTT WAKEFIELD*

THIRD SEASON (Man at the Scene, banjo/guitar/harmonica/mandolin) has appeared on Broadway in It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues, Ring Of Fire, and Hands on a Hardbody. Off-Broadway: Texas in Paris; The Hello Girls; The Joy Luck Club; Paint Your Wagon; Red Roses, Green Gold; and others. Regional theatre work includes The Old Globe, Cincinnati Playhouse, Seattle Repertory, Milwaukee Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Alliance Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Spoleto Festival, to name a few. Best Actor Awards for “Will Rogers” (Will Rogers Follies), “Woody Guthrie” (American Song), “Ed Earl Dodd” (Best Little Whorehouse). An avid singer/songwriter, Scott has two acclaimed CDs: Older Than Dirt and Vegetarian Nightmare. scottwakefield.com

 

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

†Dance Captain

 

LYNN AHRENS (Lyrics) and STEPHEN FLAHERTY (Music)
FIRST SEASON, 2021-2022 Ruby E. And Carole Crosby Family Foundation Guest Musical Artists
Ahrens and Flaherty have been collaborators in musical theatre since 1983. For Broadway’s Ragtime, directed by Frank Galati, they won the Tony Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. They wrote the song score for Twentieth Century Fox’s animated feature Anastasia, earning two Academy Award nominations and two Golden Globe nominations, and adapted the hit musical Anastasia for Broadway. Their credits include Once on This Island (2018 Tony Award, Best Revival of a Musical); Seussical (one of the most produced shows in America); Rocky; Ragtime (2009 revival); Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life; Lincoln Center Theater’s My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance, Dessa Rose, and The Glorious Ones; Lucky Stiff; and the Broadway-bound Little Dancer. Additional honors include the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement, London’s Olivier Award, and four Grammy nominations. In 2015, they were inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. Ahrens and Flaherty are Council members of the Dramatists Guild of America and co-founders of the DGF Fellows Program for Emerging Writers. They are delighted to premiere Knoxville at Asolo Rep. ahrensandflaherty.com

MATTHEW BROOKS*, he/him 

FOURTH SEASON (Assistant Stage Manager) could not be more excited to be back with Knoxville and Asolo Rep. His previous shows in Sarasota were Shakespeare in Love, Rhinoceros, Roe, Hair, Julius Caesar, and Knoxville. His work has been seen on tour around the country with Rosie Revere, Engineer & Friends (TheaterWorksUSA); A Christmas Story, The Musical (Big League Productions); and An Officer and a Gentleman, The Musical (Work Light Productions). Additional regional credits: New York Stage and Film’s Powerhouse Theater, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Dorset Theatre Festival, and Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Matthew is a proud graduate of the stage management program at the University of Illinois. 

 

BRUCE COUGHLIN, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Orchestrator) is making his Asolo Rep debut. He has created orchestrations for nearly 100 shows, on Broadway and off, including War Paint and Amélie on Broadway, 9 to 5 (Dolly Parton), Giant, and Grey Gardens. He co-orchestrated The Light in the Piazza, orchestrated the memorable Floyd Collins, the Broadway hit Urinetown, The Wild Party (LaChiusa), and the Grammy Award-winning revival of Annie Get Your Gun. He recently orchestrated the new material for the Metallica/San Francisco Symphony mega-concert S&M2 and was on the orchestration team for Annie Live! on NBC. In the opera world he has co-orchestrated five operas by Ricky Ian Gordon. He’s won a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and an Obie, and has received several additional Tony and Drama Desk nominations. brucecoughlin.com

 

PATRICIA DELOREY, she/her

NINTEENTH SEASON (Resident Voice Coach) Asolo Rep favorites include: Sweat, Sweeney Todd, The Cake, The Crucible, Gloria, Ragtime, Rhinoceros, Roe, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, The Great Society, Josephine, All The Way, Living on Love, West Side Story, Sotto Voce, Other Desert Cities, South Pacific, The Grapes of Wrath, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Clybourne Park, The Innocents, Twelve Angry Men, Bonnie & Clyde, Doubt, A Few Good Men, A Tale of Two Cities, Equus. Other credits include Pitmen Painters (American Stage Theatre), Studio Six’s production of Plasticine (The Baryshnikov Arts Center), Saturday Night Fever (Royal Caribbean International Cruises), Stone Cold Dead Serious (American Repertory Theatre), and the world premiere of Nocturne (American Repertory Theatre).

 

FRANK GALATI, he/him

NINTH SEASON (Book Writer & Director) previously directed at Asolo Rep for Rhinoceros; The Little Foxes; Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner; Both Your Houses; Philadelphia, Here I Come; 1776; My Fair Lady; Twelve Angry Men. He is a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. His adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden opened the theatre’s 40^th anniversary season. Over the years, he has received nine Joseph Jefferson Awards for his work in Chicago theatre. He has directed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Rep, Mark Taper Forum, Long Wharf Theatre, Chicago Opera Theatre, San Francisco Opera, Dallas Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, The Stratford Festival in Canada, and the Roundabout Theatre in New York. For 20 years, he was an Associate Director at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. He won two Tony Awards in 1990 for his adaptation and direction of the Steppenwolf production of The Grapes of Wrath on Broadway and was nominated again in 1998 for directing Ragtime on Broadway. In 1989, Frank was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay (with Lawrence Kasdan) of The Accidental Tourist. In 2000, he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Frank is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Performance Studies at Northwestern University. He lives in Sarasota.

 

MICHELLE HART, she/her

TWENTIETH SEASON (Resident Hair/Wig & Make-up Designer) designs for Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Other credits: Sarasota Ballet, Palm Beach Drama Works, freeFall Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Banyan Theatre, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Venice Theatre, Dorset Theatre, Barrington Stage, and Open Stage Theatre. She has also done hair and/or make-up for Joan Rivers, Doris Roberts, Martin Short, Jane Russell, Arlene Dahl, Soledad Villamil, Jane Pauley, Richard Dreyfuss, Castille Langdon, Christopher Higgins, Mary Mara, Heather Robb, Lauren Sweetser, Justin Long, Paul Downs, Douglas Sills, and Nia Hills. Music videos: “Second Chance” by Shinedown, “Reverse Cowgirl” by T-Pain. Film and television: Lady of the Manor; Paradise, FL; and The Real Stephen Blatt.

 

GARTH HELM, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Sound Designer) Designs include Pippin (Broadway, Tony nomination “Best Sound Design” 2013), Pippin (1^st National Tour), The Heart of Robin Hood (Winnipeg/Toronto). Associate sound designer for Rocky the Musical (Broadway); We Will Rock You (U.S. Tour); Ghost: The Musical (Broadway, 1^st National Tour, South Korea); Les Misérables 25^th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena (London, 25^th Anniversary U.S. Tour); Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Toronto, NYC, U.S. Tour); Dirty Dancing; Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular.  Garth is a sound designer and audio consultant for various live music and performance spaces throughout North America. He has worked on Broadway musicals for over 25 years. His active musicianship (drummer) has brought a unique style to his sound designs.  

 

DONALD HOLDER, he/him

THIRD SEASON (Lighting Designer) From the Mississippi Delta (1993), Centerburg Tales (1994). Broadway: 58 productions, including Tootsie; Kiss Me, Kate; My Fair Lady; Anastasia; Oslo; She Loves Me; Fiddler on the Roof; The King and I; On the Twentieth Century; The Bridges of Madison County; Golden Boy; Spiderman; Ragtime; Movin’ Out; and Thoroughly Modern Millie. He is the recipient of two Tony Awards for The Lion King and South Pacific, and 13 Tony nominations. Opera: Rigoletto, Othello, Two Boys, The Magic Flute, Samson et Delilah, Porgy and Bess (New York Metropolitan Opera), and many others. TV/Film: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Studios), Gossip Girl (HBO Max), Smash (NBC Dreamworks), Oceans Eight (Warner Brothers Pictures), Spirited (Apple Studios). Donald is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama and Head of Lighting Design at Rutgers University.

 

CALEB HOYER, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Music Director) is delighted to be conducting his first show at Asolo Rep. His piano/conductor credits include the Broadway productions of Anastasia, Dear Evan Hansen, Beetlejuice, and Flying Over Sunset, the national tour of The Bridges of Madison County, and the regional premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. As a composer/lyricist, his work includes Nightfall, Hesitation Waltz, Fifteen Minutes to Midnight, and Dance Moms: The Musical, which was featured on the Lifetime TV series of the same name. Awards include a Bistro Award (Outstanding Musical Series for If It Only Even Runs a Minute) and The Alan Menken Award. He also co-hosts the podcast Parenthood Pals (parenthoodpals.com).

 

HIRO IIDA, he/him

SECOND SEASON (Electronic Music Design) was born in Tokyo and has worked on numerous Broadway productions, such as MJ, Diana, The Band’s Visit, Mean Girls, Tootsie, Amélie, Beautiful, and Spider-Man. International and tour productions include We Will Rock You, Death Note, The Man Who Laughs, Xcalibur, MataHari, Shrek, and Elf. Hiro is a member of The Bob Moog Foundation Board of Advisors and also serves as a consultant/co-developer for Roland, Yamaha, Korg, and Apple.

 

MATTHEW R. MECKES

SECOND SEASON (Assistant Music Director) is pleased to be working with Asolo Rep for the first time. Recent credits include copyist for MJ the Musical (Broadway), music director for Passing Through (Regional), and assistant music director for Cyrano (Goodspeed Musicals) featuring Peter Dinklage. He is thankful to be working with some wonderful creators and would like to thank Stephen, Lynn, and Tom for their endless trust. For my family and Dixie. 

 

TRINA MILLS, she/her

THIRD SEASON (Associate Choreographer) is honored to be back with Josh Rhodes at Asolo Rep for her third season after being in Evita and The Sound of Music for her first and second seasons respectively. Her regional choreography credits include The Sound of Music; Rising Star Project: WSS, Rising Star Project: Spamalot, and Rising Star Project: Carousel at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre; Assassins at Seattle’s A Contemporary Theatre (ACT); Little Shop of Horrors at Pittsburgh Public Theatre; String and ...Spelling Bee at Village Theatre; Public Works: The Odyssey and Public Works: The Winter’s Tale at Seattle Repertory Theatre; and Dogfight, American Idiot, and Sweeney Todd at ArtsWest. Other choreography: Seattle Sea Gals NFL cheerleaders. Associate choreographer on various productions at The 5th Ave and The Ordway.

 

TOM MURRAY, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Music Supervisor) Broadway/New York City: Anastasia, Honeymoon in Vegas, The Bridges of Madison County, Nice Work If You Can Get It, A Little Night Music, Sunday in The Park with George, Songs for a New World. London: A Little Night Music (Garrick Theatre), Parade (Donmar), Pacific Overtures (Donmar), The Last Five Years (St. James Theatre). Chocolate Factory: The Bridges of Madison County, Aspects of Love, A Little Night Music, The Last Five Years. Premieres: Bedknobs and Broomsticks (U.K.), The Flamingo Kid (Hartford Stage), The Last Five Years (New York, London, film), The Glorious Ones (Ahrens/Flaherty), Loving Repeating (Galati/Flaherty), Saturday Night (U.S. premiere). Recipient of four Joseph Jefferson Awards (Chicago) and one Barrymore Award (Philadelphia) for music direction. Future project: Farewell, My Concubine (Jason Robert Brown).

 

ROBERT PERDZIOLA, he/him

SIXTH SEASON (Scenic and Costume Design) At Asolo Repertory Theatre: Rhinoceros; A Doll’s House, Part 2; Born Yesterday; and Living on Love. Robert has designed sets and costumes for American Ballet Theatre, Bolshoi Ballet, Boston Ballet, Kyoto Performing Arts Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Australia, Opera Boston, Metropolitan Opera, Opera Monte Carlo, Saito Kinen Festival, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Ballet, Santa Fe Opera, and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Among these designs have been Capriccio and Il Pirata for the Met, Arabella for Opera Australia, and Anna Karenina for Florida Grand Opera. In 2022, his designs will be featured in a new ballet on the life of Sibelius for the Finnish National Ballet and The Pharoah’s Daughter for the Mariinsky.

 

JOSH RHODES, he/him 

EIGHTH SEASON (Choreographer) is thrilled to return to Knoxville. At Asolo Rep, Josh directed Hair, Ana Isabelle and Friends, The Sound of Music, Evita, and Guys and Dolls, and choreographed Barnum, Working, My Fair Lady, and Yentl. Other directing credits include Mack & Mabel, Grand Hotel (NY City Center Encores!); The Who’s Tommy (Kennedy Center); Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville (Old Globe Theatre); Paint Your Wagon, Jersey Boys (Muny); Guys and Dolls (Old Globe); Spamalot (5th Ave.); Showboat (Bucks County Playhouse); and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. He also choreographed the Broadway productions of Cinderella, It Shoulda Been You, First Date, and Bright Star. On London’s West End, he choreographed Carousel at the English National Opera and Sweeney Todd starring Emma Thompson. Other choreography credits include Company starring Neil Patrick Harris, Sondheim: The Birthday Concert (PBS), and the U.K. tour of Doctor Dolittle. Josh is forever grateful to Michael Donald Edwards for his incredible leadership and vision. 

 

CELINE ROSENTHAL, she/they

FIFTH SEASON (Assistant Director; Associate Artistic Director) is a Tony-nominated producer and "Key" member of The Ring Of Keys and New Georges Affiliate Artist. They are in their fifth season at Asolo Rep, having directed Camelot, The Lifespan of a Fact, Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, and co-directed We Need A Little Christmas with Michael Donald Edwards. Celine has developed new work with NYMF, The New Georges, The Musical Theatre Factory, The Kidoons, Tamasha, and National Queer Theatre, as well as creating Asolo Rep’s premiere new work series, Asolo Rep: Ground Floor. Other Recent Projects: Trayf (New Rep); Drowning in Cairo (N.Q.T); A Doll’s House, Spike Heels (Studio Theatre); Motherf***er with the Hat (FSU/Asolo Conservatory); the Award Winning short film Wildflower. Celine was a member of the 2018/19 MTC Directing Fellowship class, and was awarded an SDC Observership and Asolo Rep Directing Fellowship. They are an alumnus of the Commercial Theatre Institute, BMI Lehman Engel Workshop, NYU Tisch (BFA), and The New School for Drama (MFA). celinerosenthal.nyc

 

CHARLIE SAVAGE, he/him

FIRST SEASON (Music Preparation) Past credits include Diana (La Jolla Playhouse/Broadway), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Broadway, 1st National Tour), Escape to Margaritaville (Ogunquit Playhouse), Altar Boyz (Cape Playhouse), Prince of Broadway (Broadway), Anastasia (Hartford Stage/Broadway). He has also appeared at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, The Side Door Jazz Club, Feinstein's 54 Below/HC/Club Nikko, and at the Tri-C Jazz Festival in Cleveland, OH.

 

NIA SCIARRETTA*, she/her

TENTH SEASON (Production Stage Manager) Favorite Asolo Rep credits include stage manager for last year’s Terrace Stage season as well as for The Sound of Music, Into the Breeches, The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, Sweat, Shakespeare in Love, Roe, and assistant stage manager for Rhinoceros, Guys and Dolls, All the Way, South Pacific, and Hero: The Musical. Previous off-Broadway credits include work on Jesus Hopped the A Train, In the Blood, and The Wayside Motor Inn at the Signature Theatre. Nia has also worked with Creede Repertory Theatre, the Hangar Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the Flea Theatre, and Penguin Rep.

 

DeWANDA SMITH SOEDER, she/her

FIRST SEASON (Cultural Competency Coordinator) is an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) strategist whose work involves change management, talent, organization development, and training experience. Specific to this work is her research and thesis, “Theatre as a Diversity Intervention.” She holds a MA in Psychology and a BS in Health and Human Services. In addition to being a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP), her credentials include Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, Instruction and Development (DDI), Human Interaction (NTL), Emotional Intelligence (The Hay Group), and Adjunct Professor of Psychology.

 

THE TELSEY OFFICE

(Casting) With offices in both New York and Los Angeles, The Telsey Office casts for theater, film, television, and commercials. The Telsey Office is dedicated to creating safe, equitable, and anti-racist spaces through collaboration, artistry, heart, accountability, and advocacy.

 

 

*Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.