THE ARTISTIC COMPANY

Acting Company

Laura Welsh Berg*

Gossip 4/Fanny/Willoughby

Seventeen seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Credits with GLT include, most recently, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, Julius Caesar (Cassius), Pride and Prejudice (Lizzie), Mamma Mia! (Rosie), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Rosaline), And Then There Were None (Vera), Macbeth (Witch) and The Merry Wives of Windsor (Mistress Ford). She has a BA in theater from Baldwin Wallace University, and an MFA in acting from the theater school at DePaul. She is currently an assistant professor of acting and directing in the music theater program at Baldwin Wallace University, and a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Lynn Robert Berg* Understudy

Twenty-one seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Seven seasons as Scrooge (A Christmas Carol), Brutus (Julius Caesar), the title roles of Macbeth and Richard III, Friar John (Romeo and Juliet), Don Pedro (Much Ado About Nothing), Charlie Cowell (The Music Man), The Ghost and Player King (Hamlet), Zoltan Karpathy (My Fair Lady), Gremio (The Taming of the Shrew), Malvolio (Twelfth Night) and Frank Ford (The Merry Wives of Windsor). Other credits include Bill Austin (Mamma Mia!), Don Armado (Love’s Labour’s Lost ), Watson ( The Hound of the Baskervilles), and Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) at Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival; Hucklebee (The Fantasticks), Mayhew (Witness for the Prosecution), Friar Laurence (Romeo and Juliet), Jonas Fogg (Sweeney Todd) and Polixenes (The Winter’s Tale) at Idaho Shakespeare Festival; and Short Shakespeare MacBeth, Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Jillian Kates*

Understudy

Nine seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Select previous GLT roles include Stephano in The Tempest, Marian in The Music Man, Portia in Julius Caesar, Donna in Mamma Mia!, Jane in Pride and Prejudice, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and Texas/Sally understudy in Cabaret. She also appeared in the ensemble of the Broadway National Tour of Wicked and covered the roles of Glinda and Nessarose. Proud graduate of Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music. Oklahoma raised, Brooklyn based. So much love to the supremely talented creative team, cast, crew and office staff members that make up this magical place. @smallfirevintage

Maggie Kettering*

Elinor Dashwood

Six seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Previous shows include The 39 Steps, Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew, A Christmas Carol, Love’s Labour’s Lost, And Then There Were None, Blithe Spirit and Much Ado about Nothing. Additionally, she has worked with Peninsula Players (Miss Holmes, Outside Mullingar, Lend Me a Tenor), Milwaukee Repertory Theatre (Holmes and Watson), House Theatre (Season on the Line – Joseph Jefferson nomination), Shakespeare Theatre Company (Henry IV, parts 1 and 2), TimeLine Theatre (My Kind of Town) and Northlight Theatre (Season’s Greetings – Jack Springer Award). Maggie is a resident of Chicago, an Ironman finisher and a believer in Snuffleupaguses.

Vilma Silva*

Gossip 2/Lady Middleton/ Anne Steele/Mrs. Dashwood

Debut season with Great Lakes Theater

Most recently, Vilma appeared as Old Jo and Scrooge alternate in the McCarter Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol. Vilma has been a company member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for 25 seasons, most recently in King John, an all-female and non-binary OSF production in collaboration with the Upstart Crow Collective, as King Philip of France and Lord Salisbury. Some of her favorites at OSF include Destiny of Desire, Mojada, The River Bride, Water By The Spoonful, King Lear, Henry VIII, A View From The Bridge, The Taming of the Shrew, Gibraltar, Pericles, Two Sisters and a Piano, The Three Musketeers and The Magic Fire (OSF/Kennedy Center). Other theaters include Steppenwolf Theatre, TheatreWorks, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Dallas Theater Center, American Conservatory Theater and El Teatro Campesino.

Nick Steen*

Gossip 3/Colonel Brandon/ Robert Ferrars/Thomas/ Mrs. Ferrars

Ten seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Previous roles include Mark Antony in Julius Caesar, Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, Macduff in Macbeth, Caliban in The Tempest, Laertes in Hamlet, Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, Lombard in And Then There Were None, Orestes in Elektra and Clifford in Deathtrap. Nick holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Evansville, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the American Conservatory Theater. He’s also a voice actor whose work can be heard on Hulu, Spotify and social media. He has endless gratitude for his family and for the love of his life, Nicki. NickSteen.com

M.A. Taylor*

Gossip 5/John Dashwood/ Sir John Middleton/Doctor

Eighteen seasons with Great Lakes Theater

A proud new resident of Ohio who was previously seen in Romeo and Juliet, Peter; Much Ado About Nothing, Verges; A Christmas Carol, Charity Man, Old Joe; Julius Caesar,

Calphurnius; Macbeth, Murderer; and The Fantasticks, Old Actor. Favorite roles include Doolittle: My Fair Lady, Puck: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Carter/Dr. Wyatt: Witness for the Prosecution, Third Actor: Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Count Dracula: Dracula. Other companies include Resident Ensemble Theater, Boise Contemporary Theater and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. He holds an MFA from the University of Delaware/Professional Theater Training Program. Special thanks to his Families (genetic and professional). Forever to Dougfred and Kathryn.

Ángela Utrera*

Marianne Dashwood

Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater

From Asturias, Spain, Ángela was last seen on GLT’s stage as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Ghost of Christmas Past/ Ensemble in A Christmas Carol and Miranda in The Tempest, and is so excited to come back this spring! She has assistant-directed City of Altar and Teen Dad at the Sin Muros play festival at Stages Theatre in Houston. Ángela earned her acting/directing BFA from Sam Houston State University.

Hanako Walrath*

Gossip 1/Margaret/ Lucy Steele

Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Previous GLT credits include A Christmas Carol (Elizabeth/Martha/Fan), The 39 Steps (Pamela/Margaret/Anabella understudy), Romeo and Juliet (understudy) and Much Ado About Nothing (understudy). Other recent theater credits include The Sound of Music (Liesl) and South Pacific with the Cleveland Orchestra, Lizzie, Kinky Boots and Spring Awakening. Hanako is a senior music theater major at Baldwin Wallace University, and is thrilled to be graduating with a Bachelor of Music in the spring! Lots of love to Mom, Dad, Maiko and her puppy Romeo.

Joe Wegner* Edward Ferrars/ Mrs. Jennings

Three seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Off-Broadway: Judgement Day (world premiere) (Park Avenue Armory). Regional theater: Romeo & Juliet, The 39 Steps, Much Ado about Nothing, The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew (GLT, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare), Archduke (world premiere) (Center Theater Group), Guys and Dolls, A Wrinkle in Time (world premiere), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, Very Merry Wives of Winsor Iowa, Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land, Romeo and Juliet (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Guys and Dolls (Wallis Annenberg Center), The School for Lies (Arkansas Repertory Theatre), In the Blood (Mixed Blood Theatre). TV/Film: Tales of the City (Netflix).

Education: BFA, Southern Oregon University. www.joewegner.net

Understudies

Dario Alvarez, Lynn Robert Berg*, Jillian Kates*, Jaedynn Latter, Zoe Lewis, Grace McVey, Maddi O’Connell

Directors and Playwright

Sara Bruner Director

Seventeen seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Directing credits include Oregon Shakespeare Festival Alice in Wonderland; Repertory Theatre of St. Louis The Cake; Arizona Theatre Company Cabaret; Great Lakes Theater/Idaho Shakespeare Festival Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, The Taming of the Shrew and A Christmas Carol (four years); At Idaho Shakespeare Festival, directed/adapted educational tours of Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Much Ado about Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night and The Taming of the Shrew. Other theaters include Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, Drop Dance Collective, Baldwin Wallace University. Acting credits include Norma McCorvey in Roe (world premiere) at Arena Stage and Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Viola and Sebastian in Twelfth Night, Sue Trinder in Fingersmith (world premiere), LeFou in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Charles Wallace in A Wrinkle in Time (world premiere) at Oregon Shakespeare Festival; company member at Great Lakes Theater for 10 years, Idaho Shakespeare Festival 19 years, Oregon Shakespeare Festival five years. Education: Executive MBA, Boise State University. Awards: 2018 Princess Grace Award for directing.

Jaclyn Miller Director

Five seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Director credit for GLT: The 39 Steps. Choreography/Movement credit for GLT: Romeo and Juliet, Little Shop of Horrors, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, The Music Man, Julius Caesar, Mamma Mia!, The Taming of the Shrew, Pride and Prejudice and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Regional credits include Oregon Shakespeare Festival: It’s Christmas, Carol!, Hairspray, Alice in Wonderland, Book of Will, Shakespeare in Love, Twelfth Night, The Yeoman of the Guard, Fingersmith (world premiere), The Cocoanuts and My Fair Lady; South Coast Rep: She Loves Me; Arizona Theatre Company: Cabaret and The Music Man; Guthrie Theatre: The Cocoanuts; and Baltimore Center Stage: Fun Home Additionally, Jaclyn has worked as an associate director and/or choreographer around the country at theaters that include Arena Stage, Kirk Douglas Theater, Ogunquit Playhouse, Portland Opera and Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma.

Charles Fee

Producing Artistic Director

Twenty-one seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Directing credits at GLT: Much Ado About Nothing, Sleuth, Witness for the Prosecution, A Christmas Carol, Misery , Macbeth , Hamlet, And Then There Were None, Dial “M” for Murder, Deathtrap, Blithe Spirit, Romeo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of

Verona, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, All’s Well That Ends Well, Hay Fever, The Importance of Being Earnest, Arms and the Man and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). Charles holds a unique position in the American theater as producing artistic director of three independently operated, professional theater companies: Great Lakes Theater in Cleveland, Ohio (since 2002), Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise, Idaho (since 1991) and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in Incline Village, Nevada (since 2010). His appointments have resulted in a dynamic and groundbreaking producing model for the companies, in which more than 60 plays have been shared since 2002. In 2009, Charles was honored to receive recognition for his leadership by the Cleveland Arts Prize as a recipient of the Martha Joseph Award. Other awards include The Mayor’s and Governor’s awards for Excellence in the Arts, Idaho. From 1988 to 1992, he held the position of artistic director at the Sierra Repertory Theatre in California. He has also worked with The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, the Milwaukee and Missouri repertory theaters, Actor’s Theatre of Phoenix and the Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival. In addition to his work with the companies in Ohio, Idaho and Nevada, Charles is active within the community. He has served as a member of the strategic planning committee for the Morrison Center, as producer of the FUNDSY Award Gala (’96, ’98 and 2000), and as producer of the 1996 Idaho Governor’s Awards in the Arts. Charles has served on the board of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the Downtown Rotary Club. He received his BA from the University of the Pacific and Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego. Along with his wife, Lidia and daughter, Alexa, Charles resides in Boise, Cleveland and Lake Tahoe — a feat that is only possible because of the incredible love and support of his family, and the generous communities he serves!

Kate Hamill Playwright

Kate Hamill is an actor/playwright who was named Wall Street Journal ’s Playwright of the Year, 2017. Her work includes her play Sense and Sensibility (in which she originated the role of Marianne) and was the winner of the Off-Broadway Alliance Award 2016, Drama League Award nominee; and was performed more than 265 times offBroadway. Other plays include Vanity Fair at the Pearl Theatre (in which she originated the role of Becky Sharp; and was an OffBroadway Alliance Award nominee 2017), Pride and Prejudice at Primary Stages and Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (in which she originated the role of Lizzy Bennet and was an Off-Broadway Alliance Award nominee). Her plays have been produced off-Broadway, at A.R.T., Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Dallas Theater Center, PlayMaker’s Rep, Folger Theatre (receiving eight Helen Hayes Award nominations and was the S&S winner of Best Production), Arvada Center and others. Upcoming work includes productions at Shakespeare Theatre of DC, A.C.T., Trinity Rep, Portland Center Stage, Syracuse Stage, Pittsburgh Public, Kansas City Rep and Dorset Theatre Festival. Upcoming world premieres include Little Women at the Jungle Theater and Primary Stages and Mansfield Park at Northlight Theatre. She is currently working on new adaptations of The Odyssey and The Scarlet Letter, as well as several new original plays (Prostitute Play, In the Mines, Love Poem). Kate was one of the Top 20 most-produced playwrights in the country this season. kate-hamill.com

Artistic Staff and Designers

Iran Micheal Leon

Wig and Hair Designer

Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater

He has designed shows throughout the West Coast as a hair/wig designer and costume designer. Previous work includes wig master and interim key hair stylist for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Other theaters include Cleveland Play House, Great Lakes Theater, Celebration Theater, Pasadena Playhouse, Hollywood Bowl, A

Noise Within, Azusa Pacific University and Askew Theatre Company. Instagram: iml_ design_elements

Erica Lauren Maholmes

Lighting Designer

Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Previous design credits include Matt & Ben (Penobscot Theatre Company), Amerikin (Alley Theatre), The Cake (Omaha Community Playhouse) and The Fairy Doll (Kansas Ballet Company). Previous assistant credits include Bald Sisters (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), The Notebook: A New Musical (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), The 39 Steps (Great Lakes Theater), The Gradient (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis) and Pipeline (Cleveland Play House). Erica is an alum of the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas (2016, 2021), West Chester University (BA), and Illinois State University (MFA). She is a proud member of Black Theatre Network and Design Action.

Courtney O’Neill

Scenic Designer

Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Courtney returns to Cleveland after designing last year’s The 39 Steps. Her designs have been seen at Cleveland Play House, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Denver Center, Baltimore Center Stage, Apollo Theater, Court Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Victory Gardens, Writers Theatre, Mosaic Theater Company, Dallas Theatre Center, Children’s Theatre Company, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, Round House Theatre, South Coast Repertory and Milwaukee Repertory Theater, among others. Courtney teaches at DePaul University and Northwestern University, and has received multiple awards, including a Joseph Jefferson Award and the Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award. courtneyoneill.com

Mieka van der Ploeg

Costume Designer

Debut season with Great Lakes Theater

Credits include designs with Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater,

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, American Players Theatre, Court Theatre, Writers Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago (Lyric Unlimited), Lookingglass Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, Second City, Redmoon Theater, The Hypocrites, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, About Face Theatre, Steep Theatre, Theater Wit, Albany Park Theater Project, Manual Cinema and the Under the Radar Festival at The Public Theater. She won a Joseph Jefferson Award in 2020 for First Love is the Revolution at Steep Theatre. She is proud to be a member of USA829.

Paul James Prendergast

Composer and Sound Designer

Two seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Previous credits at GLT include Peter Pan and The Imaginary Invalid. Broadway credits include All The Way, The Great Society and Julius Caesar. Select regional credits include Oregon Shakespeare Festival (25 productions), Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Arena Stage, Mark Taper Forum, South Coast Rep, Long Wharf, Geffen, Hartford Stage, Cal Shakes, Berkeley Rep, American Conservatory, American Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Alley, Alliance, Kennedy Center, Cincinnati Playhouse and Baltimore Center Stage. Commercial work includes extensive theme park and museum installations. Accolades include Grammy and Drama Desk nominations; Broadway World, Ovation, Drama-Logue, Garland, Gregory, Footlight and Gypsy awards. Paul’s work as a singer/ songwriter has appeared in films, on recordings and in music venues nationwide.

Stage Management

Sarah Kelso*

Production Stage Manager

Six seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Previous shows include Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, The 39 Steps, Sleuth, Million Dollar Quartet, Beehive the

’60s Musical and A Christmas Carol. Twelve seasons with Idaho Shakespeare Festival include Ain’t Misbehavin’, The 39 Steps, Sleuth, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), Million Dollar Quartet, Beehive the 60s Musical, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Forever Plaid, The Fantasticks and Steel Magnolias. Ten seasons with Boise Contemporary Theater include The Wolves, With Love and a Major Organ, Good Bitch Goes Down, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and A Skull in Connemara. Sarah is a graduate of Boise State University’s Department of Theatre Arts.

Nicki Cathro*

Assistant Stage Manager

Seven seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Previously served as production stage manager for Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol, The Tempest and Julius Caesar. Assistant stage manager for Little Shop of Horrors, Sleuth, The Music Man, Witness for the Prosecution, Misery, Macbeth and Pride and Prejudice. Production assistant for Hamlet, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other theater work includes ASM for Every Brilliant Thing at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Nicki earned her BFA in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas and is a member of AEA. She is overjoyed to be back in the theater with her husband and friends.

Imani Sade*

Assistant Stage Manager

Three seasons with Great Lakes Theater

Imani is so excited to be back at The Hanna for her third season! Previous GLT credits include The Music Man and The 39 Steps. Other credits are LIZZIE (The Beck Center), Into the Woods (Baldwin Wallace University), Jersey Boys Streaming (Playhouse Square), Greenwood: An American Dream Destroyed (Karamu House) and If/Then (Lakeland Civic Theatre). Imani would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support.