cast and crew biographies

Hannah Czaplicki (Ensemble) is a senior Music Theatre major. Carthage Mainstage Credits: SOMETHING ROTTEN! (Peter Quince/US Bea) and ROMEO AND JULIET WALK INTO A BAR (Meghan/Department Chair). Studio Productions: ORDINARY DAYS (Claire); Music Theatre Workshop Credits: HAIR (Sheila); LITTLE WOMEN (Amy March/Troll); SHE LOVES ME (Ilona Ritter); SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD (Ensemble). She would like to thank her mom, grandpa, her amazing roommate, Emma, her many other friends and family, and everyone at Carthage for giving her the four most lifechanging and enlightening years of her life. Instagram: @hannah_czaplicki

Emily Halfmann (Ensemble) is a sophomore Music Theatre & Directing double major and Spanish minor. Carthage credits: MEMENTO MORI (Cleo), SOMETHING ROTTEN (Tap Ensemble), LITTLE WOMEN (Aunt March). Emily thanks her family and friends for always supporting her.

Chloe Hilby (Ensemble) is a senior Theatre major. They are excited to be working on one of their dream musicals with such an amazing cast. Mainstage credits include PATIENCE AND FORTITUDE (Yoree) and ROMEO AND JULIET WALK INTO A BAR (Jill). Music Theatre Workshop credits include HAIR (Jeanie) and THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Stage Manager). Studio credits include ORDINARY DAYS (Stage Manager). They would like to thank their mom for always coming to support them, even if it means traveling 1,100 miles to do so.

Chase Juster (Ensemble) is a Freshman Music Theatre Major and Dance Minor. He is so excited to be a part of his first mainstage show at Carthage. Past shows: BAND GEEKS (Jake). Outside of theater he is a part of Merely Players Improv. Chase would also like to thank his friends and family for supporting him throughout his first year.

Massimo Manfredini (Ensemble) is a senior Music Theatre major. Previous roles at Carthage include the mainstage production of SOMETHING ROTTEN! (Ensemble), as well as the workshop productions of RIDE THE CYCLONE (Karnak) and HAIR (Margaret Mead/Tribe). Massimo would like to thank his family and friends for their support. Enjoy the show!

Bree Meinke (Ensemble) is a Junior Music Theatre major and Data Science minor. Carthage MT Workshop credits: SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD (Ensemble), LITTLE WOMEN (Mr. Laurence). Carthage Mainstage: MEMENTO MORI (Tori). Bree is also a member of the on-campus experimental theatre group, Neil-Futurists. Bree is so excited to share this super fun show with everyone!

Trevor Milne (Ensemble) is a freshman double major in Music Theater and Engineering Science. He has previously appeared in FML and the directing scenes work, SILENT SKY. He would like to thank all of the new friends made this year that pushed him to audition and his parents who have always supported him, this experience is one he’ll never forget.

Avery Morris (Ensemble) is a junior pursuing a degree in vocal music education with a minor in theater. LEGALLY BLONDE is Avery’s first main stage show at Carthage. Previous credits include HAIR (Hud). Avery is also a member of Carthage Choir. Avery would like to thank his family, friends, directors, and professors for all their support.

Jack Myers (Ensemble) is a senior Music Theatre major with a Costume Design minor. Previous Carthage theatre credits include: HAIR (Berger), SOMETHING ROTTEN (Brother Jeremiah), SHE LOVES ME (Sipos), SISTER ACT (Eddie), and FLORA THE RED MENACE (Willy). They want to thank their mother, sister, and Emily Jean for their constant support.

Ellie Neybert (Ensemble) is a sophomore Music Theatre and Directing double major with a Dance minor. Carthage Credits: Portia Understudy/Ensemble in SOMETHING ROTTEN, The Girl in MEMENTO MORI, and Professor Bhaer in LITTLE WOMEN (workshop). Other notable credits: Lady of the Lake in SPAMALOT, Jojo in NEWSIES, Grace Farrell in ANNIE, and Beatrice in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. @ellie.neybert

Danae Palmer (Ensemble) is a Sophomore double major in Music Theatre and Public Relations. She is excited to be performing with such an amazing cast in her first Musical Production at Carthage. Danae was last seen in the Fall 2022 Musical Theatre Techniques Showcase. She would like to thank all of the love and support from her parents that has inspired her to continue her musical career.

Melissa Schmidt (Ensemble) is a sophomore double majoring in Social Work and Theatre Performance. Carthage credits: FRONTLINE (Nurse One and Playwright), MEMENTO MORI and its KCACTF remount at the Capitol Theatre in Flint, MI. (Alice and Playwright). Former favorites: CLUE (Miss Scarlett), THE OUTSIDERS (Dallas Winston), and SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD. Melissa would like to thank her friends and family for being nothing short of an amazing support system.

Fangyiduo Wang (Ensemble) is a second-year Masters Student at Carthage College having attended the Beijing Dance Academy received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Theatre. Past credits include BULLETS OVER BROADWAY (Olive), DEAR EVAN HANSEN (Heidi). She also performed in the Chinese original shows WELCOME and ROMANCE OF THE WESTERN CHAMBER. She loves to try new things in fields that require body awareness such as Pilates, Yoga, Contemporary, Jazz, Music Theatre and street dance. When Flower performs she strives to connect with her audience in such a way that they might be healed through the power of art. Her goal is not to showcase her own talents but rather to show how the performance arts have the ability to give people a look into their own humanity.

Production Team Bios

Lawrence O’Keefe (Music and Lyrics): Laurence O’Keefe received 2007 Tony and Drama Desk nominations for his work on Legally Blonde. Larry thanks all Blonde producers and creative team. He won the Ed Kleban Award, the ASCAP Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award and a Jonathan Larson award for his music and lyrics. Off-Broadway credits: Bat Boy: The Musical (Lucille Lortel, Richard Rodgers, Outer Critics’ Circle awards), which has received 100+ productions worldwide; music for Sarah, Plain and Tall, lyrics by Nell Benjamin (touring with TheatreWorksUSA). Co-author with Nell Benjamin of Cam Jansen (Drama Desk nomination) and The Mice. Larry is a product of his education with the Harvard Krokodiloes, the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, the Harvard Lampoon and the Actors’ Gang, but especially the incomparable Nell Benjamin.

Nell Benjamin (Music and Lyrics): Nell co-wrote the score to Legally Blonde, the Musical with composer Laurence O’Keefe, which received Tony Award nominations, Drama Desk nominations, and the Olivier and Helpmann Awards for Best Musical. Nell wrote the lyrics to Mean Girls, which received multiple Tony Award nominations, including for Best Original Score and Best Musical. Nell’s play, The Explorers Club, won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play, the Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award, and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant. Nell has written book and/or lyrics for Pirates! (or Gilbert and Sullivan plunder’d), Sarah, Plain and Tall, Cam Jansen (Drama Desk-nominated), I Want My Hat Back, How I Became A Pirate, The Mice, Life of the Party and Because of Winn Dixie. Upcoming musicals are: Huzzah!, Life of the Party, Dave. Television writing includes “Unhappily Ever After”, Animal Planet’s “Whoa! Sunday with Mo Rocca”, “Electric Company”, “Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris”, “Ant