Who’s Who

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Scenes and Settings

Rome, a public place.

As Romans celebrate Caesar’s military victory, the Soothsayer warns, “Beware the Ides of March.” Senators Brutus and Cassia watch from afar as Antonia offers Caesar a crown in an act of political theatre. Cassia hints at a plot against Caesar, who has an epileptic fit. After recovering, Caesar expresses concerns about Cassia with Antonia. Across the oval, a Senator named Cascus shares new details with Brutus and Cassia. Alone, Cassia plans to manipulate Brutus’s noble nature by forging letters imploring him to act on Rome’s behalf.

Rome, a street. Thunderstorm.

That night, Cassia recruits Cascus to join the conspiracy against Caesar. Cassia shares she has support from other Senators, including Cinna, who enters to retrieve the forged letters for Brutus.

Brutus’ orchard.

Meanwhile, a tormented Brutus concludes Caesar must be stopped. The conspirators arrive and Brutus agrees to join their cause. As they leave, Portia enters, imploring her husband to share his “cause of grief.”

Caesar’s house.

Like Brutus, Caesar is sleepless. His husband, Calpurnius, relates an ominous dream and persuades Caesar to stay home. Decius enters and reinterprets the dream. The conspirators arrive and escort Caesar to the capitol.

Rome, before Brutus’s house.

Brutus has told Portia about the conspiracy. She sees the Soothsayer and asks after Caesar, then wishes for Brutus that “the heavens speed thee in thine enterprise.”

Rome, the capitol.

Caesar calls the Senate to order. Under the pretense of seeking a repeal for Cinna’s banished brother, the conspirators crowd Caesar, stabbing him. Brutus strikes last. The betrayal shocks Caesar, who gasps, “Et tu, Brute?” Antonia returns aghast. Brutus promises to explain his motives at Caesar’s funeral. Antonia asks to speak as well. Though Cassia advises against it, Brutus agrees. Alone with Caesar’s body, Antonia weeps, vowing revenge and invoking civil war. A messenger arrives to report that Caesar’s nephew, Octavius, is headed to Rome.

Rome, Caesar’s funeral.

At Caesar’s funeral, the crowd demands an explanation for Caesar’s murder. Brutus argues that love of Rome made the assassination necessary. The crowd agrees. Brutus introduces Antonia, who enters with Caesar’s body. She walks a fine line, praising Caesar while also calling Brutus and the conspirators “honorable.” Antonia argues so cleverly that the crowd, who had been cheering Brutus, turns in anger against the conspirators, who flee from the city. The messenger confirms Octavius Caesar has arrived in Rome.

Rome, a street.

Whipped into a frenzy, the people form an angry, chaotic mob. They attack an innocent poet named Cinna, simply because her name is the same as one of the conspirators.

Antonia’s camp.

Octavius and Antonia confirm who they intend to kill, and prepare to fight Brutus and Cassia.

Camp near Sardis, before Brutus’s tent.

The relationship between Cassia and Brutus deteriorates into a quarrel. After the argument settles, Brutus reveals that Portia has killed herself. Their soldiers enter, and together they devise a strategy for battle. Later that night, Caesar’s ghost visits Brutus, warning the two will meet again at the battlefield of Philippi.

Philippi, the field of battle.

Octavius and Antonia disagree over tactics. Brutus and Cassia enter, and the leaders exchange insults. We learn it is Cassia’s birthday. She and Brutus bid farewell and go into battle. Brutus sees an opening for attack. However, Cassia misinterprets his movements and mistakenly concludes her legions are surrounded. Unwilling to endure defeat and dishonor, Cassia runs on her sword. Caesar’s ghost appears to Brutus a second time. He too concludes he would rather take his own life than yield to Antonia and Octavius. Antonia acknowledges Brutus as “the noblest Roman of them all.” As such, she and Octavius plot to use Brutus’s death and funeral to their advantage.

in alphabetical order

Steven Barkhimer* (Cascus) has appeared on stage in King Lear and Richard III (Actors’ Shakespeare Project), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Gypsy (Lyric Stage of Boston), Twelfth Night and Morning After Grace (Shakespeare & Company) and in films such as “The Fighter” and “American Hustle”. His original play Windowmen garnered the Elliot Norton and IRNE Awards for Best Play and Outstanding New Script of 2014. He is also a musician, director, and instructor. Relieved to be out of Zoomland, this live performance is dedicated to Elizabeth Packard.

Lizzy Brooks* (Portia/Assistant Fight Director)

Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Lizzy is an actor, singer and screenwriter. Her highlights include Tartuffe (Moliere in the Park), Storming Heaven (Playwrights Horizons), Diablo Love (SummerStage - Shakespeare in the Park), Hostages (NBC) and Hairspray (RCL). In Jan 2022, she will appear in the upcoming production of Gem of the Ocean at Trinity Repertory. She’s currently a rising 4th year at the Brown/Trinity Repertory MFA program. Her highlights at B/T include Martha (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf), Banquo (Macbeth) and Undine (Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine). She is so excited to join this amazing team of Julius Caesar in one of her favorite Shakespeare plays! As always, thanks to her family, her constant support and inspiration. @lizzy__brooks

Clew (Lucius) is excited to plunge into their first production with The Hanover Theatre Repertory. Regional credits include Mlima’s Tale (Second Thought Theatre); The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Altered Shakespeare); Gruesome Playground Injuries (Flexible Grey); Doom McCoy & the Death Nugget (Ochre House Theater); An Octoroon (Stage West Theatre); She Kills Monsters (Theatre Three); and The Tempest (Winedale Rep). They are taking a stab at an MFA in Acting from Brown/Trinity Rep. Outside of theatre, they enjoy taking walks, rollerblading and smelling the flowers. Welcome back and please enjoy the show. @clew.cifer

Joshua Wolf Coleman* (Brutus) is glad to finally work with The Hanover Theatre Repertory after an attempt to perform in their pandemic-interrupted Romeo and Juliet. Coleman has over 30 television credits, 40 theatre credits (most recently in the title role of Thurgood on tour, and, as well, at Trinity Repertory Theatre). He is a graduate of the UCSD MFA program. He is deeply grateful for the sacrifices Annie Brown is making to allow him to work in this role, the sacrifices Faye Coleman has made forever, to Olivia for the faith and to Luna for all of his current inspiration. Brandon Grimes* (Decius) is thrilled to be making his debut with THT Rep. National Tours: Jekyll and Hyde, All is Calm; OffBroadway: Calamity Jane (Musicals Tonight); Regional: The Greenbrier Ghost (Greenbrier Valley Theatre), Man of La Mancha (New Rep), Laertes in Hamlet (Colonial Theatre); Anthony in Sweeney Todd (NextDoor Theatre); Bobby in Company (Texas Rep), Pirates of Penzance (Ordway Center), and 1776 (Cape Playhouse). Film: “Abominable” and “A Voice”. Brandon is also a proud teacher of singing. He would like to thank his parents and Neil for their constant support and love. He is a graduate of University of Houston and University of Michigan. www.brandongrimes.com

Jihan Haddad (Soothsayer) is excited to make her debut with The Hanover Theatre Repertory. Originally from Portland, OR, she is currently finishing her MFA in acting with the Brown/Trinity Acting and Directing Programs. Some of her credits there include Summer & Smoke, The Tempest and “Millenarians” , a student produced film. Jihan is incredibly grateful to be back on the theatre stage with such an amazing cast and crew!

Lyndsey Hawkes ^ (Third Commoner) is thrilled to make her debut with The Hanover Theatre Repertory in Julius Caesar while studying Shakespearean acting in the Worc at Play program. When not directing or performing in local theatre, Lyndsey works as a manager at the Leicester Walmart. She holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Clark University, class of 2019. She thanks Aaron, her parents, and the COVID-19 vaccine for supporting her in this role.

Ellen Lokos ^ (Cinna the Poet) is thrilled to make her debut with The Hanover Theatre Repertory in Julius Caesar. Regional: Edith Stein (Fiat Productions), Nickel and Dimed (Factory Theater) and The Odd Couple (Lex Players). Her favorite roles include Edith Stein (Edith Stein), Sister Mary Ignatius (Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You) and Maggie (The Shadow Box). Ellen is a founding member of the “Actors in Residence” program (Playwrights’ Platform) and a two–time winner of the Audience Choice Award for Best Actor at the Summer Festival, Boston Playwright’s Theater. Many thanks to Livy, my friends at Worc at Play and The Hanover Theatre team for this opportunity! Love you, Alex & Stef.

Cristiano Lourenço, Jr. ^ (Messenger)

is a Brazilian actor who has been living in Worcester for the past five years. He is a student at The Hanover Theatre Conservatory and is very excited to be back on stage for Julius Caesar. Previous projects Cristiano has worked on include Em Azul Um Musical (In Blue, a Musical), Little Prince - The Musical, “Velorio a Brasileira” page 20 TheHanoverTheatre.org • 877.571.SHOW(7469) • TheHanoverTheatre.org/THTRep

(Funeral in Brazilian), an adaptation of the popular tv show “Castelo Ra-Tim-Bum”, as well as multiple national tours and over 10 different productions. Cristiano is grateful to be a part of this show and wanted to thank his parents for always supporting his career, as well as every teacher, director and choreographer who believed in his potential.

Yahya Mafumu Jingo ^ (Titinius) is excited to participate in his first theatrical performance. Yahya is originally from Uganda (East Africa) and currently resides in Charlton, MA. In 2008, Yahya earned his Bachelors in Business Computing from Kampala International University. In 2015, Yahya won the Spirit of Stonewall award for Human Rights Initiatives. He has his certificate from John Casablanca’s Modeling and Acting Agency. Yahya has found that through learning with Worc at Play, he has been able to free his mind and heart. He has learned that his doubts are traitors and fear has the ability effect one’s potential. Yahya’s performance is dedicated to his late mom Cissy Luwaga Nakisozi.

Amie Lytle (First Citizen) is delighted to make her official debut with The Hanover Theatre Repertory after performing in the reading of Romeo and Juliet last spring. Regional credits include Cry It Out, Chelsea People (Apollinaire Theatre Company), The Kritik, Uncle Vanya, Church (Harbor Stage Company), Nevermore, Around the World in 80 Days, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (WHAT), She Did All That, The MOMologues (Birch Tree Productions), Finish Line (Boston Theater Company, Boch Center) and Not Jenny (Bridge Rep.) She sends her love and thanks to Olivia and her wonderful family. www.amielytle.com

Lia Madeline (Cinna) is thrilled to perform again after this long intermission! Credits include Cicada (Luna Stage), Fatchley (She NYC Festival) and Pride and Prejudice (NH Theatre Project). She holds a BFA in Acting from Marymount Manhattan College. Lia is thankful to be a part of such an amazing production with The Hanover Theatre!

Gideon Malugge ^ (Fourth Commoner) A proactive team player with a solid work ethic, Gideon is a member of the first ever class of Worc at Play actor trainees at THT Rep, where he is studying the role of Romeo. Born in Kampala, Uganda to a family of actors, he now lives in Westford, MA and is a graduate of the John Casablanca School of Modelling and Acting in Connecticut.

Peter Mann (Second Commoner) is very excited to join the cast of Julius Caesar! Previously Peter performed in The Hanover Theatre Conservatory’s Zoom production of Romeo and Juliet, co-produced with THT Rep. Other regional credits include A Christmas Carol (Hartford Stage). A proud graduate of The Hartt School’s BFA program, Peter is ecstatic to be performing once again! Huge thank you to Rachel, mom and dad and the whole team at The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory! John Morello (Calpurnius) Born in Detroit and raised in Massachusetts, John has been on stage for over 20 years as an actor, comedian, and poet. Local audiences last saw him as Dave Caro in Between Riverside and Crazy and as Moe Axelrod in the Clifford Odets classic Awake and Sing. He is most known for creating the one-man show Dirt. A coming of age tale praised by The New York Times, Dirt has toured the world and been seen by millions. John is thankful to be performing for live audiences again and is especially honored to be doing so with The Hanover Theatre Repertory.

Dale Place* (Julius Caesar) Broadway: Heisenberg (MTC). National Tour: The Humans. Other New York credits include King Lear (New York Shakespeare Festival), and Nikolai and the Others (Lincoln Center Theatre). Mr. Place played Scrooge in the Hanover Theatre’s first four years of A Christmas Carol. Other regional credits include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Romeo and Juliet, Our Town (Huntington Theatre) and Blood on the Snow (Boston Old State House). He has also appeared with the Cleveland Play House, Northern Stage, Public Theatre of Maine, New Repertory Theatre, Lyric Stage Company, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre and (since 1981) The Barnstormers Theatre. Film credits: “The Fighter”, “The Proposal”, “Joy”, “Gone Baby Gone” and “What’s Your Number?”. Upcoming TV: “WeCrashed”, “Julia”.

Livy Scanlon* (Director, Antonia) is a Worcester-based actor, director, producer and teaching artist serving as Artistic Director of The Hanover Theatre Repertory and Managing Director of the BrickBox Theater in the Jean McDonough Arts Center. Prior to arriving in Worcester, Livy founded and helmed Bridge Repertory Theater, where she was recognized with a 2019 Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director (World Premiere, Dark Room by George Brant) and a 2018 IRNE Award for Outstanding Actress (Elizabeth Packard in Mrs. Packard by Emily Mann). Other regional credits include Nora Theatre, New Rep, Commonwealth Shakespeare, Trinity Rep, Asolo Rep, Hartford Stage and Paper Mill Playhouse. Livy teaches acting at MIT, WPI and The Hanover Theatre Conservatory. She earned an MFA in Acting from Brown University / Trinity Rep, and a BA in Theatre and Dance from Amherst College (summa cum laude). Special thanks to Troy and the THT team for getting behind this project. Love and gratitude always to R and R. @_worcplaymaker__

Michael Skrzek ^ (Pindarus, Octavius US)

could not be more proud and excited to be performing in his home city of Worcester once again. Regional credits include Swan Lake in Blue (Greater Boston Stage Company), A Christmas Carol (The Hanover Theatre), Singin’ in the Rain (Theatre By the Sea) and Mary Poppins (The Grove Theatre). Michael has also sailed the seas performing on the main stage with Disney and Norwegian Cruise Lines in their repertory companies. He was awarded the 2016 Los Angeles Scenie for Breakthrough Star of the Year. Having a mostly musical theatre background, he is stoked to finally train and work on a Shakespeare production. Here’s to Worcester! Cheers! The Hanover Theatre Repertory presents Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar page 21

Meri Stypinski* (Cassia) is simply delighted to perform in one of her favourite places in the world, Worcester MA! Regional credits include: A Christmas Carol (The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts), Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (Opera House Arts), The Wild Party (MoonBox Productions) and Dark Room (Bridge Repertory Theater). Favorite roles include: Maria (Twelfth Night), Dora Strang (Equus), Lysistrata (Lysistrata), Abby (The Musical of Musicals (The Musical)!) and Liz Morden (Our Country’s Good). Meri earned her BFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

Jade Ziane* (Octavius Caesar) feels so grateful and excited to be stepping back on stage after a long year and a half. OffBroadway: Tennessee Williams 1982 (Walker Space), Queens Boulevard (Theatre Row), Big Love (Schimmel Center). Regional: Intimate Exchanges (Central Square Theatre), Julius Caesar (Access Theatre) and The Legend of Bonny Anne (La Jolla Playhouse). Love to Livy, Moms, Pop, Dirsd and all the real ones out there. You know who you are.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Dewey Dellay (Sound Designer/Composer) Dewey is happy to be back in live theatre with The Hanover Theatre Repertory. Some of the shows he has designed for in the area are The Life Span of a Fact (Gloucester Stage); Cardboard Piano, The Bakelite Masterpiece (New Rep); The Little Foxes (Lyric Stage Company); Nat Turner in Jerusalem (Actor’s Shakespeare Company); Constellations (Underground Railway Theater); Admissions (SpeakEasy Stage): The Bacchae (Brandeis University). Dewey has received an Elliot Norton award for Outstanding Design and an IRNE for Best Sound Design. Some of his television credits include original music for Emmy nominated National Geographic’s “China’s Mystery Mummies” and he has composed music for five seasons of “Our America with Lisa Ling” (OWN Channel.) Dewey is presently composing music for digital children’s books produced by Live Oak Media. Robert Isaacson (Fight Choreographer): Robert has staged violence for more than 50 shows thus far in his career and is thrilled to be working with The Hanover Theatre Repertory for the first time. Highlights of past work include Parade (Moonbox Productions), Wait Until Dark (The Footlight Club), Cinderella (Open Door Theater), The Miracle Worker (Worcester Foothills Theater), Macbeth, True West and She Kills Monsters (Merrimack College). Robert is also a member of SAG-AFTRA, a Taekwondo black belt, and proud owner of both a 270-year-old house and a 6-month-old Leonberger.

Lex Liang (Scenic & Costume Designer) This is their debut with The Hanover Theatre Repertory. NYC/Off-Broadway: 50+ productions. Recent work includes Antigone, Nine Circles, and The Bacchae. Regional: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alliance Theatre, The Asolo, Barrington Stage, Cleveland Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Dallas Theatre Center, Denver Center, Geva Theatre, The Guthrie, La Jolla Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Portland Center Stage, Syracuse Stage, Woolly Mammoth and others. Lex is the founder and owner of LDC Design Associates, an experiential event design and production company in NYC. Recent projects include Ubuntu Pathways: Fight For Good, Operation Smile’s 35th Anniversary Gala, The Tony Awards Gala and BCBG’s 30 Year Retrospective, NYFW 2019. Member, United Scenic Artists-829. www.LexLiang.com

Devin McGovern (Sound Engineer/ Sound System Designer) is so excited to be working with The Hanover Theatre Repertory. Recent credits include Fun Home (SpeakEasy Stage Company), Poison of Choice (Salem State University Theatre Dept.) and Allegiance (SpeakEasy Stage Company). Devin holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Theatrical Design from Salem State University and is grateful for the opportunity to work on another of Shakespeare’s plays.

Dr. Kathryn Moncrief (Associate Director/Dramaturg/Intimacy

Choreography) is Paris Fletcher Distinguished Professor and Head of Humanities and Arts at WPI. She is co-editor of Shakespeare Expressed: Page, Stage and Classroom in Early Modern Drama; Performing Pedagogy in Early Modern England: Gender, Instruction and Performance; and Performing Maternity in Early Modern England and author of articles published in Hamlet: The State of Play, Literary Cultures and the Child, Shaping Shakespeare for Performance, Metaliterary in Practice, Gender and Early Modern Constructions of Childhood, and Renaissance Quarterly. Dramaturgy/text coaching: Utah Shakespeare Festival (Twelfth Night, The Book of Will, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat); Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Prague Shakespeare (Love’s Labour’s Lost); Chesapeake Shakespeare (Wild Oats, Othello, She Stoops to Conquer, Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2, Hamlet). Directing: WPI (Every Brilliant Thing).

Stephen Petrilli (Lighting Designer) is working with The Hanover Theatre Repertory for the first time. He has also designed for Theatre Workshop of Nantucket, Provincetown Theater, Gloucester Stage, Bridge Rep, Arlekin Players’ Theatre, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, The Pearl Theatre Company, NAATCo and The Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival in his hometown of Pittsburgh. In the dance community he has worked with Anikaya Dance Theatre, Doppelganger Dance Collective, Pilobolus Dance Theatre, Prometheus Dance, Zoe Dance and Ailey II. He has an eighteen year old son, Liam. stephen-petrilli-lighting.com

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Chadyn Case (Covid-19 Safety Officer) is excited to join THT Rep in a unique role for a unique time. She has spent half a dozen recent holiday seasons working on A Christmas Carol (The Hanover Theatre) in stage management and props. She sends her love to the ones who are steady, wild and true.

Natalia de la Torre (Wardrobe Supervisor) is a freelance costume designer, draper and scenic painter based in Philadelphia. Prior to the pandemic, they served as Costume Supervisor for the Lantern Theater. Regional design work includes: Nina Simone (People’s Light and Theater Company), The Tempest (Lantern Theater Company), Snow White (Arden Theater), Shitheads (Azuka Theater Company),