Cast & Artistic Staff Bios

CAST

Olivia Lacie Andrews

(she/her) (Arista, Showgirl, Gull, Lily Pad, Maid, Princess) is a senior musical theater major from Bucks County, PA. Recent regional credits include: Kinky Boots (Ensemble, u/s Trish), Matilda The Musical (Ensemble, u/s Mrs. Phelps), Chicago (Annie, Ensemble), Rock of Ages (Constance). Recent Department of Drama credits include: Sweet Charity (Helene, mainstage) the musical adaptation of As You Like It (Phoebe, mainstage), and The Matchmaker (Ermengarde, mainstage). Additionally, Olivia made her choreography debut working on salt/ city/blues at Syracuse Stage. All the love to Syracuse Stage, Department of Drama faculty, family, and friends. Insta: @livdrews

Zach Asnis (Jetsam) is so excited and honored to be making his Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production debut in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Zach wants to thank his immediate and distant family (love you Mom, Dad, and Danny), friends, and his adorable cat Nala for the continuous support and love.

Sean Bell (he/him) (Scuttle). Sean is very grateful to be at Syracuse Stage for the first time. Most recently he played Bobby, one of the six Comedian Harmonists in Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman’s new Broadway-bound musical Harmony. In addition to touring the country with A Bronx Tale: The Musical, Sean has performed in plays and musicals in NYC and regionally at: The Kennedy Center, The MUNY, Signature Theatre, Pennsylvania Shakespeare, North Shore Music Theater, Northern Stage, Walnut Street, The Fulton Opera House, Maine State, Ogunquit, Arrow Rock Lyceum, and more. He has been seen on television in Succession (HBO), Z (Amazon), Boardwalk Empire (HBO), and Red Oaks (Amazon). Much love and thanks to his eversupportive family and friends, his manager Rochel Saks, and to everyone on the "Mermaid" team! @seanbell13 on Instagram, www.SeanWBell.com

Kailee Brandt (she/her) (Atina, Showgirl, Gull, Circus Flamingo, Maid, Princess) is thrilled to be making her Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production debut! She is from Honolulu, HI, and is a current sophomore musical theater major at Syracuse University. She is so grateful to be part of this production and would like to thank her friends, family, and Department of Drama professors for their constant love and support. @kaileerbrandt

Charli Bush (u/s Ursula) is thrilled to be a part of the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Originally from Pitts-

CAST

burgh, PA, Charli is a senior musical theater major at Syracuse University. Some of her previous credits include Ursula in Sweet Charity (Department of Drama mainstage), Cassandra in Sender (Department of Drama mainstage), and Ensemble/ Miss Trunchbull understudy in Matilda The Musical (Syracuse Stage/ Department of Drama co-production). A huge thanks to Melissa Rain Anderson, the entire creative team, Syracuse Stage, and the cast for all their wonderful work on this production. Finally, she sends love to her friends and family for all their love and support. IG: charlibush

Jessica Cerreta (she/ her) (Aquata, Princess) is a junior musical theater major from Hopewell Junction, NY and is thrilled to be in her first Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production. Recent credits: Annie u/s in The Play That Goes Wrong (Syracuse Stage), Ensemble/ Helene u/s in Sweet Charity (Department of Drama mainstage), and Ensemble/Dance Captain in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Redhouse Arts Center). She thanks her friends, family, and the creative team for their countless support. @jessica.rose.cerreta

Shaun Collins (he/him) (Flotsam) is a senior musical theater major from Hingham, MA. He is thrilled to be part of this amazing production! Recent credits include Matilda The Musical as Nigel (Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production), Hair and Kiss Me, Kate at Cortland Repertory Theatre, Sweet Charity (Department of Drama mainstage), the musical adaptation of As You Like It (Department of Drama mainstage), and Miss Havisham’s Wedding (New Works New Voices Initiative). He would like to thank all of his teachers at the Department of Drama for helping him grow as an artist, Melissa and Adam for this amazing opportunity, all of his pals for their kindness, and most importantly his parents for their unwavering support. @_shauncollins_

Joshua Dean (Sailor, Leeward, Swan, Courtier, Seahorse, Tentacle) is an aerialist and circus performer who has performed around the world and across the seas. His theatrical credits include productions at Syracuse Stage, Hartford Stage, LA Opera, Geva Theatre, The Fulton Theatre, Old Globe, and Arkansas Repertory Theatre, to name a few. He is a huge fan of cinnamon candy.

Gwendalyn Rose Díaz

(Swing, u/s Mersisters, Princesses, Flounder) is extremely honored to be making her debut in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid! This particular show holds a special place in her heart because it was the first musical she ever performed in as a 6th grad-

CAST

er and is the reason she is following her dreams! Originally from Houston, TX, she is now a sophomore B.F.A. musical theatre major in the Syracuse University Department of Drama. She was recently seen as Pipe in Our Dear Dead Drug Lord (studio project). Some of her other favorite credits include Belle in Disney’s Beauty in the Beast, Winnie Foster in Tuck Everlasting, and Cinderella in Into the Woods. Gwendalyn would like to thank everyone at Syracuse Stage and the Department of Drama for believing in her to uphold this opportunity, send lots of love to her friends and family for their endless support, and extends a warm hug to her #swingnation family for being her rock. Enjoy the show! Keep up with her on Instagram: @gwendalynrosediaz

Michael Di Leo (he/ him/his) (u/s: Scuttle, Eels, Flounder, Gulls, Male Circus, Male Dancers, Tentacles) is a sophomore musical theater major who is ecstatic to be making his Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production debut as a Swing in the cast of Disney’s The Little Mermaid this season! He would like to thank his family, friends, and professors for their endless support throughout his artistic journey. He would also like to thank Melissa Rain Anderson, Adam Cates, Andrea LeighSmith, Brian Cimmet, and the rest of the creative team for entrusting him with this opportunity. Recent credits include Syracuse Department of Drama’s Sweet Charity (mainstage), Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s West Side Story, Syracuse City Ballet’s The Nutcracker, and SU Danceworks: Walk of Fame. Michael is eternally grateful for this opportunity to work with such a wonderful cast, crew, and creative team and hopes you enjoy the production! (@michaeldileo_)

Katie Emerson (she/ her) (Ariel) is a NYC based actor, singer, and artist. She is so grateful to be under the sea again for the third time with this amazing team! Most recently, she covered half of The Marvelous Wonderettes at Alabama Shakespeare Festival and starred as Kira/Clio in Xanadu at Wolfbane Productions. Favorite credits: Peter Pan (Peter Pan), Penny Pingleton (Hairspray), Punky Who (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, North American Tour), and the countless new musicals she has helped to develop in NYC. Katie has performed OffBroadway, all over the world, and for President Bill Clinton. She would like to thank her family, friends, Melissa, Adam, and 2 Ring Circus for all their support. AEA. B.F.A. Elon University. Insta: @itskatieemerson www.katieemerson.org

Will Foohey (Swing, u/s Grimsby, Chef Louis, Pilot) is so grateful to make his professional debut in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production of Disney’s The

CAST

Little Mermaid. Will is a senior acting major from Baltimore, MD. He would like to thank his friends and family for their support and congratulate everyone involved in The Little Mermaid for their work on this beautiful production! @will.foohey

Ben Franklin (Chef Louis) is thrilled to return to Syracuse Stage after co-creating and appearing in The Wizard of Oz a few years ago! Founding member of 2 Ring Circus. Favorite productions and roles include: Seussical (The Cat In The Hat at CFRT), Godspell (Arkansas Rep), The Ghosts of Versailles (LA Opera), My Fair Lady w/ Kelsey Grammar and Brian Dennehy (Lincoln Center/NY Philharmonic), The Music Man w/ Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy (Bushnell Theatre), and the film version of The Producers, among many others. Special thanks to Bob Hupp and Michael McCurdy for the incredible opportunities and collaborations over the years. www.iambenfranklin.com

Sammy Haines (u/s Flounder, Eels, Jellyfish, Sting Ray, Ensemble) is a senior musical theater major from Belmont MA. In the Department of Drama he previously played Oscar in Sweet Charity (mainstage), Lynx in Sender (mainstage), and was the understudy for Carl in Lonely Planet with Black Box Players.

Alexandra Kafrissen

(Adella, Maid, Princess, u/s Ariel) is excited to make her professional debut in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production Disney’s The Little Mermaid! Alexandra is a junior musical theater major from Philadelphia, PA, who began performing at the age of nine. She was previously seen in the Syracuse University Department of Drama production of the musical adaptation of As You Like It in the role of Rosalind, directed by Rodney Hudson. Alexandra is grateful to her family and friends for their love and support and would like to thank all those involved in Disney’s The Little Mermaid for making it such an incredible experience.

Katarina Kelly (she/ her) (Andrina, Showgirl, Lily Pad, Princess) is a senior musical theater major from Los Gatos, CA. In the Department of Drama, she has been seen as Charity Valentine in Sweet Charity (mainstage), Éadaoin O’Conghalaigh in the New Works New Voices workshop of Miss Havisham’s Wedding (studio project), Kayleen in Gruesome Playground Injuries (student project), as a part of the cast of I.D. (devised studio project), as Jessie in ’night, Mother (student project), and as Yellow Girl in Shout! The Mod Musical (studio project). Katarina also recently created and organized an event as a part of her honors thesis called Performing with Pain, where she presented research

CAST

and personal accounts of performers to promote better health practices both in this Department and in the industry as a whole.

Rachel Langetieg (Water Specialty, Showgirl, Lily Pad, Maid, Dance Captain, Swing) is a senior musical theater major at Syracuse University from Hermosa Beach, CA. This is her second show at Syracuse Stage and she is loving every second of it! Recent credits include Department of Drama’s Sweet Charity (Ponytail Girl / u/s Nickie / Dance Captain), the musical adaptation of As You Like It (Principal Swing, Perf: Jaques), and Syracuse Stage’s Matilda The Musical (Scary Big Kid / The Acrobat). Rachel is so pumped to be finishing out her last production in college surrounded by such a hardworking and talented cast, production team, and orchestra. Huge thanks to her beautiful family and iconic best friends for all their love and support. Enjoy the show! @racheltieg

Maddie Lentz (she/her) (Allana, Princess) is so happy to be returning to Syracuse Stage after being a swing in last season’s co-production of Matilda The Musical and is known by her peers to be the biggest Little Mermaid fan you will ever meet. She is currently a senior musical theater major at the Syracuse University Department of Drama and is looking forward to making the move to NYC in the new year. Most recently, Maddie worked at the Weathervane Theatre performing in Jesus Christ Superstar, Blood Brothers, A Chorus Line (Judy Turner), and lastly A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Phoebe Dy’Squith), which was directed by Bob Hupp. Big thanks to all friends and family who made this possible. Instagram: @_maddielentz

David Lowenstein

(Grimsby, u/s King Triton) was last seen as Miss Agatha Trunchbull in Matilda the Musical, Cogsworth in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Mr. Greenway in Elf The Musical (SALT Award Best Supporting Actor in a Musical). Other Syracuse Stage credits include Professor Marvel and The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz, Admiral Boom, Bank Chairman, and Policeman in Mary Poppins, and his SALT Award-winning turn as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. Lowenstein’s Broadway credits include: The Frogs (original cast) at Lincoln Center, Seussical (original cast), On the Town, 1776 (original cast, Joseph Hewes), King David, A Christmas Carol (original cast) at Madison Square Garden, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (original cast). He performed as Major Duomo in Fanfare for New York City Ballet. Concerts include: South Pacific, Anyone Can Whistle, and Jubilee! at Carnegie Hall. Lowen-stein’s Off-Broadway credits include: Howard Crabtree’s Whoop-DeeDoo!, The Truth about Ruth (all the

CAST

men), Anything Cole, Lady Be Good (Birdie). National Tours include: Company (Paul), 42nd Street (Andy Lee), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, On Your Toes (Hank J. Smith/Louis Capataletti). Regional credits include: The Threepenny Opera (Tiger Brown) at The Connecticut Grand Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita at Papermill Playhouse, The Merchant of Venice and A Christmas Carol at Syracuse Stage. David’s voice is featured on the original cast recordings of the above Broadway credits, concerts, Whoop-Dee-Doo!, and in the animated films Anastasia, Bartok the Magnificent, and Buster and Chauncey’s Silent Night. David is professor of practice in the Syracuse University Department of Drama, as well as an alumnus, and artist in residence at Cazenovia College.

Kirk Lydell (he/him) (u/s Sebastian, Prince Eric, Sailor, Leeward, Courtier, Tentacle) is so excited to be a member of this company. This is his first time at Syracuse Stage and he’s very thankful for the opportunity. Other credits: 1st National Tour of A Bronx Tale (Ensemble/Swing), Kinky Boots (Ensemble/ Swing), Rock of Ages (Dance Captain), and Mamma Mia (Pepper). He wants to give thanks to God, his fiancé Ronnie, and his family and friends for their support. And huge thanks to Melissa for thinking of him for this role, getting to work with you again has been a dream! Ayana Momoki (Swan, Showgirl, u/s Seahorse, Swan), a native of Japan, began her classical ballet training at an early age with Vaganova Method. After continuing her ballet training throughout high school, she moved to the U.S. and studied theater jazz, lyrical jazz, modern, contemporary, Hip-Hop, and aerial. She has worked with choreographers such as Richard Pierlon, Derek Mitchell, Peter Gregus, Amit Shah, and many more. She has performed in Mystic India – The World Tour, seasons 2016-2020, including South Africa tour and U.S. national tours; NBA: Philadelphia 76ers halftime show; The Wendy Williams Show; “Can You Feel It?” (Dance Remix); Red Bucket Follies; Broadway Bares; and the short film “Time Difference” (choreographer).

Jay Owens (Sebastian) is a senior musical theater major from Chicago, Il. Recent credits include Catch Me If You Can, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and State Fair. At the Department of Drama, Jay has been seen as Vittorio Vidal/Daddy Brubeck in Sweet Charity (mainstage), Man 2 in Working: The Musical (mainstage) and John Smith/Mr. Burlybust in Movie Night (studio project). Many thanks to his entire Department of Drama family, especially the class of 2023, for being his inspiration and strength over the past few years. IG: @jaykowens website: www.jaykowens.com

CAST

Erick Pinnick (King Triton) is excited to be at Syracuse Stage among so many talented young and up and coming artists. He returns to the role of King Triton after previously performing the role at Cape Fear Regional Theatre. Mr. Pinnick has appeared in NYC in Susan Stroman’s A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden starring Frank Langella and in Roundabout’s The Tin Pan Alley Rag. He recently toured the country in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and has also toured the US in Sunset Boulevard starring Petula Clark. He’s also toured Europe as Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar and in On the Town. Other past credits include Curtis in Dreamgirls (Prince Theater), Doc Gibbs in Our Town (Peterborough Players), Tin Man in The Wiz (Hangar Theatre), Mitch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Pioneer Theatre & FST), and three seasons as Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol (Denver Center). He can also be seen on the current season of The Good Fight and the upcoming season of The Blacklist. Mr. Pinnick is a graduate of James Madison University and a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Jackson Poulin (he/ him) (Pilot, Lily Pad, Merman, Swing, u/s Prince Eric), proud Rocklandite, is finishing his senior year at Syracuse University pursuing a B.F.A. in acting. Department of Drama: Dane in The Dream of the Burning Boy (sophomore projects), Pitchfork Cavalier in The Pitchfork Disney independent student show), Washington Roebling in The Bridge (New Works, New Voices), Ensemble #26 in Love and Information (mainstage), Iachimo in Cymbeline (mainstage), and wrote, produced, and directed Kykeon (honors thesis project). Jackson is thankful to be in his first co-production with Syracuse Stage. Best wishes for the whole team on Disney’s The Little Mermaid! Instagram: @j.b.poulin

Tom Riggleman (Flounder) is a senior actor/ singer major from Las Vegas, NV, and is honored to be working in this Syracuse Stage/ Department of Drama co-production. Recent Department of Drama credits include Orlando in the musical adaptation of As You Like It (mainstage), and Melchior in Spring Awakening (Black Box Players). Tom wants to thank his family, friends, and mentors for their continued love and support. Enjoy the show! Instagram: @tom.r

Rachel Revellese (u/s Scuttle, Mersisters, Showgirls, Gulls, Maids, Princesses, Water Specialty) is thrilled to be dancing under the sea this winter! She is a singer/dancer/actor and a current junior musical theater major in the Syracuse University Department of Drama. You’ve

CAST

seen Rachel last winter as a swing in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production Matilda The Musical. Rachel was recently seen at Interlakes Theatre in Grease (Patty, u/s Sandy) and Cats (Jennyanydots). Originating from the world of tap dance, Rachel has multiple regional and national titles in the style and is a brand ambassador for the global dance brand SoDanca. All the love to her family. Follow her on Instagram: @rachel.rev.

Crystal Sha’nae (Ursula) is excited to be Under the Sea with you! Broadway: Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Diva Donna u/s, Adult Dara; 1st National Tour). Off-Broadway: Dogman The Musical (Flippy, Lucille Lortel). Select Regional: Nina Simone: Four Women (Nina Simone, Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Marlena, The Rev) Parade (Minnie, Angela; The Rev), The Call (Rebecca, Arkansas Rep). TV: The Blacklist (NBC), Flatbush Misdemeanors (Showtime), Unforgettable (A&E). Graduate of Syracuse University. Glory to God! Thanks to Melissa, Adam, and Brian for bringing me along on the ride. Sending love and gratitude to my Wolf Talent crew, my family, my beautiful niece Ariel, and my Nehemiah for always supporting me. I shine because of you. This is dedicated to you. Too Blessed to Be Stressed. Jeremiah 29:11 Anna Stanley (she/her) (Water Specialty, Gull, Lily Pad, Swing) is beyond thrilled to be performing in her first show as a Syracuse University Department of Drama student. She wants to thank her family, her professors, her beloved classmates, and Syracuse Stage for this wonderful opportunity. She invites the audience to soak up every ounce of magic within this timeless story.

Sissa Strain (she/her) (Showgirl, u/s Gulls, Swan, Flamingos, Seahorse) is a commercial theatre creative based in NYC. Originally from southern Louisiana, she trained from a young age in many styles of dance, theatre, acrobatics, and circus arts. She furthered her training at Indiana University and The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Dance and Kinesiology. Performing has afforded Sissa the opportunity to travel the world! Some of her favorite credits include: In The Heights movie (2021), Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Guys & Dolls at The Fireside Theatre, Porsche Shanghai, MGM, RWS, Choice Hotels, Southwest Airlines, FX’s American Horror Story: Freakshow, AMC’s Roots, and HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones. Sissa is the director of operations for the Commercial Dance Intensive, a 10-year member of Dance Masters of America, and is proud to be represented by Lucille DiCampli Artist

CAST

Representation. Sissa would like to thank to Adam Cates for his years of mentorship and her husband George Skrapits for his love and support. Follow her @sissa.strain

Truman Tinius (Sailor, Under the Sea Silks, Circus Flamingo, Courtier, Tentacle) is a sophomore B.F.A. musical theatre major and is thrilled to be making his Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production debut in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. He was most recently seen in the Department of Drama’s Sweet Charity (mainstage), The Glimmerglass Festival 2022 Season’s productions of The Sound of Music and Carmen, Syracuse City Ballet’s The Nutcracker, SU Danceworks Walk of Fame, and Arabesque (Short Film). Truman would like to thank his family, friends, and professors for their unwavering support and guidance. @TrumanTinius

Isaiah Tucker (Sailor, Merman, Windward, Lily Pad, Courtier, Swing, u/s Sebastian) is from Philadelphia, PA, and he’s currently a sophomore B.F.A. musical theater major at Syracuse University. He recently performed in Bucks County Playhouse’s production of Kinky Boots as a member of the ensemble. Other shows include Sweet Charity, Mamma Mia, and A Chorus Line. Isaiah is excited to make his Syracuse Stage debut in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. He wants to thank the family and friends that have supported him up to this point.

Axel Vera (Sailor, Merman, Under The Sea Silks, Lily Pad, Courtier, Swing, u/s Windward, Leeward) is a first-generation Venezuelan American actor from Miami, FL. A junior musical theater major who is extremely excited to be working again with Syracuse Stage but this time in the Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama coproduction of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. His recent credits include the Syracuse Stage Bank of America Children’s Tour: The Girl Who Swallowed A Cactus, Movie Night, and most recently seen as an onstage swing in Syracuse University’s Department of Drama production of Sweet Charity (mainstage). He would like to thank his family for always supporting him in his journey and the amazing talent in this cast. Love you mom, dad, and broski! @axel_vera__

Rileigh Very (she/her) (Swing, u/s Mersisters, Showgirl, Princesses, Maids, Water Feature, Female Circus, Eels, Flamingo, Seahorse) is a junior musical theater major from Pittsburgh, PA! At the Syracuse University Department of Drama, Rileigh was previously in “ID” as a writer, actress, and choreographer of the devised film piece. She also played Mama Corin/ Ensemble in the Department of Dra-

CAST

ma’s production of the musical adaptation of As You Like It. She is so excited to be cast in her first professional production as a swing in Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama’s co-production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

Dylan Knight Weaver

(Prince Eric) is thrilled to be making his professional debut in this Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama coproduction. Dylan is a senior musical theater major from Boulder, CO. Dylan’s most recent Department of Drama credits include Sweet Charity (mainstage), the musical adaptation of As You Like It (mainstage) as Duke Senior, and Sender (mainstage) as Jordan. Dylan is so excited to be back on stage in this wonderful production and would like to thank everyone who has supported him up to this point!

Bella Zonderman (she/ her) (Swing, u/s Water Feature, Mersisters, Showgirls, Maids, Eels) is a sophomore musical theatre major. She is thrilled to be making her swing debut in this Syracuse Stage/Department of Drama co-production. Some favorite credits include West Side Story at Glimmerglass Opera Festival, Meg March in Little Women, and Cinderella in Cinderella. Bella’s first love is classical ballet, and she has spent summers training pre-professionally at Philadelphia Ballet and The Rock School for Dance Education. Huge thanks to her family, the cast, and the crew of this beautiful production!

ARTISTIC STAFF

Kimberly Powers (Scenic Design) is an Arkansas-based set designer and artist who is thrilled to be a part of the Mermaid team at Syracuse Stage. Regionally, her work has been seen at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma (OK), Skylight Music Theater (WI), Arkansas Repertory Theatre (AR), Florida Repertory Theatre (FL), TheatreSquared (AR), Virginia Repertory Theatre (VA), Cape Fear Regional Theatre (NC), Charleston Stage (SC), Stages (TX), Southern Rep (LA), Casa Mañana (TX), and Northern Stage (VT), Stages (TX), Orlando Rep (FL), among other venues. She was the resident set designer and props manager for Ocean State Theatre Company’s inaugural season and resident set designer for five years at Ohio Light Opera, as well as the first design assistant at The Denver Center Theatre Company. Kimberly has also been a freelance scenic artist since 2000 and has also worked professionally as a muralist, props master, event designer and coordinator, graphic designer, and exhibit designer. She occasionally teaches in the theatre department at The University of Arkansas and is a proud member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829. Her work is available to view at kvpowersdesign.com and on Instagram @kvpowersdesign.

ARTISTIC STAFF

Rafael Colón Castanera (Costume Design) is delighted to be making his Syracuse Stage costume design debut with Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Rafael’s designs have been seen on stages in Arkansas, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, Utah, New York and Arizona where he received the Arizoni Awards for Best Costume Design in 2009 and Best Makeup and Wig Design in 2009 and 2014 for his costume designs for Les Miserables directed by Bob Hupp. Rafael holds a B.A. in theatre from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and holds an M.F.A. from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Rafael is the director of production for Children’s Theater of Madison.

Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz (he, him) (Lighting Design) is a professor at the University of California, Irvine, where he is the head of the lighting program. He has designed Peter Pan, Deathtrap, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, and The Miracle Worker previously at Syracuse Stage and is delighted to be back for Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Recent designs include Million Dollar Quartet for South Coast Repertory; Curie Curie for Transversal Theatre Company in Irvine, CA and Warsaw, Poland; A Christmas Carol at the Denver Center; American Mariachi and A Shot Rang Out at South Coast Repertory; All is Calm at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival; Mojada at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Portland Center Stage. He is an associate artist at South Coast Repertory and Cornerstone Theater Company and is the resident lighting designer at South Coast Repertory, Great River Shakespeare Festival, and Ballet Repertory Theatre. He is also an associate artistic director at the Great River Shakespeare Festival. He is a member of the United Scenic Artists, Local 829/ International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. His complete design portfolio can be found at www. lradesigns.com.

Jacqueline R. Herter (Sound Design) has served as resident sound designer at Syracuse Stage and Syracuse University’s Department of Drama since 1997. She shifted and combined theatrical design with video/film design for the 20/21 season. Herter has designed for Indiana Repertory Theatre, Studio Arena, the Wilma, Geva, Round House, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Virginia Stage, and the Hangar Theater as well as other theatres across the nation. Some favorite designs have been: Annapurna, Beauty and the Beast, Next to Normal, Mary Poppins, Nine, Hairspray, The Overwhelming, Caroline, or Change, The Miracle Worker, The Wolves, The Day Room, The Christians, Radio Golf, Parade, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Red Noses, The Real Thing, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, M. Butterfly, A Raisin in the Sun, A Lesson Before Dying, Copenhagen, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Inherit the Wind, and Big River.

Jason Kyle Estrada (he/him/his) (Wig Design) is a hair and makeup artist and costume designer currently based out of Winston-Salem,

ARTISTIC STAFF

NC. He is a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts with an M.F.A. in wig and makeup design. Jason has worked in many arenas of the entertainment industry from the stage to the screen. He builds custom wigs from his studio and loves to garden. He is also a proud member of IATSE local 322. Previously, Jason designed wigs for Matilda The Musical here at Syracuse Stage and is happy to be back for this journey under the sea.

Jacob Stebly (Associate Music Director) is a Syracuse-based pianist and a graduate of The Eastman School of Music. He is the assistant music director and a voice teacher for the Department of Drama at Syracuse University. While at Syracuse University, he has music directed A Grand Night for Singing, Little Shop of Horrors, A Little Night Music, and workshops of the new musicals The Bridge and Miss Havisham’s Wedding. He has assistant music directed A Chorus Line, The Wild Party, Into the Woods, and Crazy For You. At Syracuse Stage he has been heard playing piano and occasionally conducting for How to Dance in Ohio, Matilda The Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Elf The Musical, and The Wizard of Oz. Outside of Syracuse he has recently music directed The Last Five Years for Southern Colorado Repertory Theatre and served as music director at Stagedoor Manor. Some of his compositions and arrangements have been heard as incidental music for theatrical productions, podcast theme songs, and music videos. www.jacobstebly.com. Andrea Leigh-Smith (Associate Choreographer) is a professor of dance in the Department of Drama’s musical theater program. Department of Drama choreographic credits include Arabian Nights, Lysistrata, A New Brain, The Cradle Will Rock, Merrily We Roll Along, Violet, Seussical, Spring Awakening, Parade, Avenue Q, Kiss Me, Kate, The Spitfire Grill, Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill: A Musical Voyage, The Baltimore Waltz, The Wild Party, and On The Lake. Andrea choreographed The Underpants with Syracuse Stage as well as last season’s holiday coproduction Matilda The Musical. She has worked at The Hangar Theater choreographing Louis Braille: The World at Your Fingertips and Into the Woods. Andrea has worked as a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher in the U.S. and Canada. Broadway credits include Jerome Robbins Broadway and SMILE. She also has numerous credits with national tours, Radio City Music Hall, and major regional theatres in the U.S. and Canada. Andrea is cofounder and resident choreographer for The Irondale Ensemble Project Canada. Her choreographic works include contemporary concert, jazz, and musical theatre repertoire. Andrea is also a company member of The Building Company. She dedicates this production to Howard Ashman with whom she had the great pleasure to work with in SMILE.

William Ian Auld (he/him) has traveled the world flying people for circus, theatre, live events, and film

ARTISTIC STAFF

for decades and he still enjoys it. He owns and runs his own company dedicated to rigging and special effects [Auld Entertainment] and ran the School of Theater and Dance at Kent State University Tuscarawas for a decade, before stepping down in 2019. Prior to all that he jumped out of perfectly good airplanes with the US Army Airborne Corps Special Operations.

2 Ring Circus is excited to be back at Syracuse Stage to literally take Disney’s The Little Mermaid to new heights. Founded in 2011, 2RC was created by a team of versatile and multifaceted artists. Starting off as musical theatre performers, 2RC set out to create storytelling circus that seamlessly can fit in to theatre and dance. The company has toured across China with its original show Cirque le Jazz and created works for theatres across the states. Theatrical works include The Wizard of Oz (Syracuse Stage), Godspell (Ark Rep), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Geva Theatre), Ghost of Versailles (LA Opera), and Seussical (Cape Fear Regional Theatre). www.2ringcircus.com

Stuart Plymesser (Production Stage Manager) is in his 26th season at Syracuse Stage where he has stage managed over 100 plays, musicals, and special events, working with such talents as Jason Alexander, Olympia Dukakis, Frank Langella, Elizabeth Franz, and Phylicia Rashad. Stuart has worked at numerous regional theatres around the country and in Cape Town, South Africa, and has toured nationally. Locally, he has also stage managed events for Syracuse Fashion Week. In addition, Stuart is adjunct faculty for Syracuse University’s Department of Drama and has been a guest speaker/lecturer for Ithaca College, Wells College, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Fredonia, and the Zabalaza Festival in Cape Town. Outside of theatre, Stuart holds the rank of Nidan (second degree black belt) in Aikido and the title of Fukoshidoin (assistant instructor) at Aikido of Central New York. Stuart is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.

Bass/Valle Casting (Casting) formerly Harriet Bass Casting, is a leading NYC boutique casting office. To know more about their upcoming projects and casting philosophy please visit www.bassvallecasting.com. Harriet Bass has cast for ABC/TV, Fox Television Studios, The Public Theatre: NEW WORK NOW, The Minetta Lane Theatre, The Women’ s Project, La MaMa E.T.C., New York Women in Film and Television, and The Jewish Repertory Theatre. She has cast the last three of the late August Wilson’s ten part play series: the original Radio Golf, Broadway Gem of the Ocean, and Off-Broadway Jitney. Harriet is also a leading educator in audition technique, side and monologue coaching, and the business of acting. She has taught at the nation’s top universities and professional training programs. Gama Valle

ARTISTIC STAFF

is a director, playwright, screenwriter, children’s book author, and casting director. His casting credits include: The American Tradition, The Great Novel, Split Second, I Wanna Fuck Like Romeo and Juliet, among others. He is a proud member of New Light Theatre Ensemble and the recipient of the Van Lier Directing Fellowship at Repertorio Español. Gama received the First Prize in playwriting from Puerto Rico’s Institute of Culture for his play Queishd&Dilit. Their regional casting credits include: Mark Taper Forum, Hartford Stage, Arena Stage, Trinity Rep, San Jose Rep, GeVa, Syracuse Stage, Pittsburgh Public, Merrimack Rep, Longwharf Theatre, Alliance Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, Kansas City Rep, Baltimore Center Stage, Huntington Theatre Company, Virginia Stage Company, Dallas Theatre Company, Berkeley Rep, Portland Center Stage, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. Feature films credits include: Pushing Hands directed by Ang Lee, Underheat, starring Lee Grant, First We Take Manhattan, produced by Golden Harvest Inc., and Graves End, directed by Sal Stabile.

DIRECTOR

Melissa Rain Anderson

(she/her) is thrilled to be back at Syracuse Stage after directing The Wolves in 2020. Melissa first directed Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Arkansas Repertory Theatre under Bob Hupp’s artistic direction and is so happy to be recreating this version with her collaborators Adam Cates and 2 Ring Circus here in Syracuse. Melissa most recently directed The Book of Will at Phoenix Theatre Company. Selected directing work includes the regional premiere of The Play that Goes Wrong, The Wolves, and The Marvelous Wonderettes at The Repertory Theater of St. Louis; Macbeth, Big River, and The Cocoanuts at Utah Shakespeare Festival; A Christmas Carol at Denver Center Theatre Company 2016-2021, All is Calm- The Christmas Truce of 1914 at Alabama Shakespeare Festival; RII at Santa Cruz Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet at Rehouse Arts Center. As an affiliate artist at Geva Theatre Center, she directed In the Heights, HAIR, La Cage Aux Folles, A Funny Thing…Forum, Spamalot, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee among others. Melissa’s acting credits include co- stars on Law & Order: SVU and Lipstick Jungle, Head Nurse in the national tour of South Pacific. Off-Broadway credits include Bessie in Time and Again at Manhattan Theater Company, Baby Rose in Babes in Arms, and Jessica in Tenderloin at City Center. Melissa can be heard on several cast recordings including Babes in Arms Encores, Tenderloin Encores, and Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His Music. Melissa lives in New York City with her husband, actor Jim Poulos, please visit Melissarainanderson.com

MUSIC DIRECTOR

Brian Cimmet has previously served as music director for Syracuse Stage’s productions of Matilda The Musical, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Last Five Years, Elf the Musical, Next to Normal, The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, and Hairspray. He also is a member of the Department of Drama’s full-time faculty and serves as program coordinator for Musical Theater. Outside of Syracuse, Brian’s credits include the Broadway companies of The Drowsy Chaperone, Mary Poppins, and Grease; the Off-Broadway companies of I Love You Because (also the cast album), The Tin Pan Alley Rag, That’s Not His Name, and Newsical, and a lifetime of summer stock and regional theatre. In an unrelated but parallel universe centered on crossword puzzles, Brian hosts a weekly podcast (Fill Me In) and an annual tournament (Lollapuzzoola), and if that sort of thing interests you, please visit www.bemoresmarter.com to learn more.

CHOREOGRAPHER

Adam Cates currently heads the education and development departments of the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts (Reno, NV) where he also produces performance events and outreach tours. Choreographer credits include productions for Hartford Stage, Santa Fe Opera (also associate director), Juilliard Opera, Theatre Under the Stars, Arkansas Rep, Gulfshore Playhouse, Music Theatre Wichita, Memphis Playhouse on the Square (also director), Pacific Conservatory Theatre, Anchorage Opera (also director), Theatre Aspen, Bard Music Festival, New London Barn Playhouse. Creative Consultant/Director: Celebrity Cruises. Author: The Business of Show, The World According to Snoopy. Associate/Assistant director and choreographer credits include Broadway: Anastasia, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, Anything Goes with Sutton Foster and Joel Grey. National Tours: Tommy Tune’s Dr. Dolittle, The Wizard of Oz, Gentleman’s Guide. Lincoln Center: Hansel & Gretel, Babes in Toyland, Prokofiev’s Cinderella. TV: 90210, Live from Lincoln Center. Regional: Goodspeed, Paper Mill Playhouse, The Old Globe, Seattle Opera. Adam holds an M.F.A. in interdisciplinary Arts and previously taught on the faculties of Pace University, Marymount Manhattan College, Broadway Dance Center, and Steps. Thank you to Melissa, Bob, Michael, J. Dean, Benji, Andrea, Dennyse. For Steve. Proud SDC member. @adamcnyc

CREATIVE TEAM

Alan Menken (Music). Theatre: God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Little Shop of Horrors, Real Life Funnies, Atina: Evil Queen Of The Galaxy, Kicks, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas

CREATIVE TEAM

Carol, Weird Romance, King David, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Leap Of Faith, Aladdin, and Newsies. Film: Little Shop of Horrors, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Hercules, Life With Mikey, Lincoln, Home On The Range, Noel, Enchanted, Shaggy Dog, Tangled, and Mirror Mirror. Songs: Rocky V, Home Alone 2, and Captain America. Awards: eight Oscars (19 nominations), 11 Grammys (including Song of the Year), seven Golden Globes, Tony® (plus four nominations), Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics, Olivier, and London’s Evening Standard Award, Drama League. Honors: Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, Doctorates from New York University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Howard Ashman (Lyrics). Best known as a pivotal creative mind behind the renaissance of Disney animation and his work on The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast (which is dedicated to, “Our friend, Howard Ashman, who gave a Mermaid her voice and a Beast his soul...”), Ashman’s first love was theatre. Ashman was a founder of off-off-Broadway’s renowned WPA Theater, where he conceived, wrote and directed God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, as well as the classic musical, Little Shop of Horrors (both music by Alan Menken). In 1986, he wrote and directed the Broadway musical Smile (music by Marvin Hamlisch). Lamented as a lost treasure of the 1980’s theatre scene, Smile remains popular on high school and college campuses throughout the country. Howard Ashman died in 1991 from complications of AIDS. For more information, please visit howardashman.com.

Glenn Slater (Lyrics) co-created Disney’s 2010 worldwide smash Tangled (2011 Grammy winner, 2010 Oscar and Golden Globe nominee), as well as the Broadway and international hit musicals Sister Act (2011 Tony nominee - Best Score) and Disney’s The Little Mermaid (2008 Tony nominee - Best Score, Grammy nominee - Best Cast Album), and most recently, School of Rock (2015). With longtime collaborator Alan Menken, he is executive producer and lyricist for the ABC-TV musical comedy series Galavant and has also written songs for the Disney animated film Home on The Range (2004) and the Broadway musical Leap of Faith (Tony nominee - Best Musical, 2012). In the West End, Glenn provided both book and lyrics for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies (2010 Olivier nominee - Best Musical), the sequel to Phantom of the Opera. Other work includes an Emmy-nominated song for the ABCTV comedy The Neighbors (2013) and the stage revue Newyorkers at The Manhattan Theatre Club (Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations). Glenn is the recipient of the prestigious Kleban Award for Lyrics, the ASCAP/Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award, and the Jonathan Larson Award. He is an alumnus of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, and a member of both ASCAP and the Dramatists’ Guild.

CREATIVE TEAM

Doug Wright (Book). GLAAD Media Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Drama League Award and a Lucille Lortel Award for I Am My Own Wife. His screen adaptation of Quills was named Best Picture by the National Board of Review and nominated for three Academy Awards. Doug was cited by the American Academy of Arts and Letters and awarded the Tolerance Prize from the Kulturforum Europa. Currently, he serves on the board of the New York Theatre Workshop and serves as secretary on the Dramatists Guild Council. Works include: Interrogating the Nude (1988), Quills (1995), Unwrap Your Candy (2001), I Am My Own Wife (2003), Grey Gardens (book) (2006), The Little Mermaid (book) (2007), The Pavilion (2009).

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Robert Hupp is in his seventh season as artistic director of Syracuse Stage. He recently directed The Play That Goes Wrong, Eureka Day, Annapurna, Talley’s Folly, Amadeus, Noises Off, Next to Normal, and The Three Musketeers for Stage. Prior to coming to central New York, Robert spent seventeen seasons as the producing artistic director of Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock. He directed over 30 productions for Arkansas Rep ranging from Hamlet to Les Miserables to The Grapes of Wrath. In New York City, Robert directed the American premieres of Glyn Maxwell’s The Lifeblood and Wolfpit for the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble. He also served for nine seasons as the artistic director of the Obie Award-winning Jean Cocteau Repertory. At the Cocteau, Robert’s directing credits include works by Buchner, Wilder, Cocteau, Shaw, Wedekind and the premieres of the Bentley/Milhaud version of Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children, Seamus Heaney’s The Cure at Troy, and Eduardo de Filippo’s Napoli Millionaria. He has held faculty positions at Pennsylvania’s Dickinson College and, in Arkansas, at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Hendrix College. Robert served as vice president of the Board of Directors of the Theatre Communications Group and has served on funding panels for the New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, the Theatre Communications Group, the New Jersey State Council of the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. While in Arkansas, Robert was named both Non-Profit Executive of the Year by the Arkansas Business Publishing Group, and Individual Artist of the Year by the Arkansas Arts Council. He and his wife Clea ride herd over a blended family of five children, one dog, and two cats.

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Jill A. Anderson has served as managing director of Syracuse Stage since 2016. Jill is responsible for Stage’s $7.5 million operating budget and has oversight of fundraising, marketing, and operational matters within the organization. Prior to joining Stage, Jill spent a decade as general manager at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. During her tenure, the O’Neill completed a $7 million capital campaign and campus expansion, doubled its operating budget, and was honored with a 2015 National Medal of Arts and the 2010 Regional Theatre Tony Award. Under the O’Neill’s aegis, Jill also developed the Baltic Playwrights Conference, an annual international new play development retreat held in Hiiumaa, Estonia. Previously, Jill spent five years in the production office at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage, after working as a stage manager in Minnesota, New Mexico, and Massachusetts. In addition to her work at Stage, Jill is an instructor in the Theater Management program of the Syracuse University Department of Drama, building on her work with high school and college students elsewhere, including at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Jill was recognized as part of the Central New York Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” awards in 2017 and has served on numerous municipal and non-profit boards. Jill is delighted to call Central New York home, but will always be a proud cheesehead, originally hailing from Marshfield, Wisconsin.

ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Melissa Crespo is a director of new plays, musicals, and opera. She can’t wait to direct this season’s co-production with Hartford Stage of Espejos: Clean by Christine Quintana, followed by the Off-Broadway world premiere of Bees and Honey by Guadalís del Carmen at MCC Theater. As a playwright, her play Egress, cowritten with Sarah Saltwick, received the Roe Green Award at Cleveland Playhouse and has since been produced by Amphibian Stage, Salt Lake Acting Company, and Theatreworks Hartford. Fellowships and residencies include: Time Warner Fellow (WP Theatre), Usual Suspect (NYTW), The Director’s Project (Drama League), Van Lier Directing Fellow (Second Stage Theatre), and the Allen Lee Hughes Directing Fellow (Arena Stage). Melissa received her M.F.A. in directing from The New School for Drama. She is a founding editor of 3Views on Theater and was featured in the 2020 Broadway Women’s Fund “Women to Watch on Broadway”.

RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT

Kyle Bass is the author of Possessing Harriet, commissioned by the Onondaga Historical Association, which premiered at Syracuse Stage in 2018, was subsequently produced at Franklin Stage Company, and will be produced at the East Lynne Theater Company later this year. Possessing Harrietwill be published this month by Standing Stone Books. Citizen James, or The Young Man Without a Country, is a one-man show on James Baldwin, commissioned by Syracuse Stage, which streamed nationally in 2021. His libretto for Libba Cotten: Here This Day, a new opera based on the life of American folk music legend Libba Cotten, was commissioned by The Society for New Music and premiered in 2021. Through a NYSCA Individual Artist Grant, Kyle is currently under commission by Franklin Stage company for a new play titled Wakeman & Toliver. His drama Tender Rain (selected by Edward Albee for the Great Plains Theater Conference) will receive its world premiere in Syracuse Stage’s 22/23 season. His other full-length plays include Bleecker Street, Baldwin vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers, which has been presented at Cornell University, Colgate University, the University of Delaware, and at Syracuse University, and Separated, a documentary theatre piece about the student military veterans at Syracuse University, which was presented at Syracuse Stage and the Paley Center in New York City. With National Medal of Arts recipient Ping Chong, Kyle is the co-author of Cry for Peace: Voices from the Congo, which premiered at Syracuse Stage and was subsequently produced at La MaMa Experimental Theatre in New York City. He has also written for Noh theatre under commission by Theatre Nohgaku. He is the co-author of the original screenplay for the film Day of Days (Broad Green Pictures, 2017), which stars award-winning veteran actor Tom Skerritt. Kyle was the script consultant on Thoughts of a Colored Man, which premiered at Syracuse Stage in 2019 and opened on Broadway in 2021. He worked as dramaturg with acclaimed visual artist and MacArthur Fellow Carrie Mae Weems on her theatre piece Grace Notes: Reflections for Now, which premiered at the 2016 Spoleto Festival USA. Other plays, screenplays, and writings have appeared in the journals Callaloo and Stone Canoe, among others, and in the essay anthology Alchemy of the Word: Writers Talk about Writing. Kyle was the founding curator of Syracuse Stage’s annual Cold Read Festival of New Plays. After five seasons as associate artistic director at Syracuse Stage, in 2021, Kyle was announced as the theatre’s first-ever resident playwright. He is currently assistant professor in the Department of Theater at Colgate University, where he previously served as the Burke Endowed Chair for Regional Studies. Previously, Kyle was faculty in the M.F.A. Creative Writing program at Goddard College, taught playwriting in Syracuse University’s Department of Drama and at Hobart & William Smith Colleges and was the 2019/20 Susan P. Stroman Visiting Playwright at the University of Delaware. A two-

RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT

time recipient of the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fellowship (for fiction in 1998, for playwriting in 2010), a finalist for the Princess Grace Playwriting Award, and Pushcart Prize nominee, Kyle holds an M.F.A. in playwriting from Goddard College, is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and is represented by The Barbara Hogenson Agency.

CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

Ralph Zito (he, him) is in his thirteenth year as chair of the Department of Drama. He came to Syracuse University from the Juilliard School Drama Division, where he had been a teacher and director from 1992 to 2010 and chair of the Voice and Speech Department since 1999. He was a director and adjunct lecturer in the Barnard College Theater Department from 2006 until 2010 and has been a guest artist at training programs across the country, including the Old Globe in San Diego, The University of Texas at Austin, and the Academy for Classical Acting in Washington, DC. Directing credits for the Department of Drama include: The Spitfire Grill, As You Like It, Gruesome Playground Injuries, and The Aliens. He has served as a voice, text or dialect consultant for numerous professional productions both on and off-Broadway, including: The Light in the Piazza; Awake and Sing!; The Herbal Bed; Mrs. Klein; The Fiery Furnace; The Time of the Cuckoo (Lincoln Center Theatre); Tongue of a Bird; The Merchant of Venice (New York Shakespeare Festival); The Pitchfork Disney (Blue Light Theatre Company); Birdy (The Women’s Project); The Model Apartment (Primary Stages); the New York premiere of Tony Kushner’s SLAVS! (New York Theatre Workshop); and The African Company Presents Richard III (The Acting Company). His regional theater credits include numerous productions at The Shakespeare Theatre and Arena Stage in Washington, DC; Syracuse Stage; Baltimore CENTERSTAGE; Hartford Stage; and the McCarter Theatre, among others. A former touring member of The Acting Company, he served as artistic associate of The Chautauqua Theatre Company for seven years and was a member of the Board of Directors of The American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT) for six years. He is a graduate of Harvard University, The Juilliard School, and the American Center for the Alexander Technique. He was recently awarded the prestigious Juilliard President’s Medal in recognition of his contributions to both Juilliard and to the broader performing arts community.