Chicago Shakespeare Slam

Sonia Goldberg (she/they) is a performer, writer, educator, and a proud Chicago native. Recent credits include Corduroy, SITC: Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Into the Woods, American Psycho (Kokandy Productions), Pippin (Music Theater Works), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oak Park Festival Theatre), Songs for Nobodies (Northlight Theatre), and Once Upon a Mattress (Theo).* Sonia has also collaborated with Chicago Children’s Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, First Floor Theater, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, and many more. As a writer, her TYA choose-your-own-adventure play Think Fast, Jordan Chase! was developed through Filament Theatre’s SPARK program in 2021, which led to its World Premiere in 2023. Sonia was recently chosen as a finalist for Definition Theatre’s New Play Commission, Amplify (Series 4). She works in the education department at Court Theatre, and is a company member with Playmakers Lab. They’ve studied at Butler University, LAMDA, and The Moscow Art Theatre School. *Jeff Award Nomination.

www.soniagoldberg.com, IG: @soniagoldberg

Ariya Hawkins is a Chicago-based actor, singer & theatre educator. She began her training in the ChiArts Musical Theatre program and is a graduate of Millikin University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. In addition to teaching with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Ariya also works with Goodman Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, A.B.L.E Ensemble, Congo Square Theatre, and South Chicago Dance Theatre. When she isn’t teaching, Ariya enjoys working as an actor & performer with companies all over the country. Recent regional credits include Cabaret (The Studio Theatre at Tierra Del Sol), Haven (Outer Loop Theater Experience), a hit dog will holler (Artemisia Theatre), Shut Up Kiss Me (PrideArts), A Raisin in the Sun & A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Olney Theatre Center, National Players Tour 72). Ariya is proud to empower people of all ages through the use of theatre, all of her work centers on the idea that this art form is for all of us!

Charence Higgins is an actor and teaching artist from central Mississippi. Charence recently made her Chicago Theatre debut in Steppenwolf’s production of Describe the Night by Rajiv Joseph and is excited to continue to grow roots in this incredible artistic community. Regionally, Charence has taken the stage in A Raisin in the Sun at American Player’s Theatre, Hairspray at New Stage Theatre, Crumbs from the Table of Joy at Theatre at Monmouth and many more. As a teaching artist, Charence has created course materials and taught a number of theatre, musical theatre, and dance classes through Columbia College Community Schools Program, Madison Square Center for the Arts, UIUC, and currently Porchlight Music Theatre. She views the classroom as a space for exploration, elevation, emancipation, and elation! She holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology, speech communication, and theatre from Jackson State University and an MFA in acting from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. https://www.charencehiggins.com/

Kevin Long is a professor of theatre at Harper College, co-author of the book Bring on the Bard, the recipient of the Illinois Theatre Association’s 2012 Award for Excellence in College Theatre Teaching, and an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. He was nominated for the 2015 Tony Award® for Excellence in Theatre Education and was the recipient of the 2017 Motorola Solutions Foundation Endowed Award for Teaching Excellence. Kevin has worked professionally in various equity and summer stock theatres in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, and Illinois. He has been teaching acting and theater classes for over twenty-five years and has directed over sixty productions. He frequently presents his workshop “Shakespeare Whispers in Your Ear,” which explores the language and theater of Shakespeare through the use of the First Folio. Kevin holds an MA in speech and performing arts from Northeastern Illinois University.

CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Co-Creative Facilitator of Shakespeare in the Parks DREAM!, 3-Time Host of Shakes SLAM!, Q Brother’s Christmas Carol, Romeo and Juliet, Posner and Teller Macbeth, Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet, Short Shakespeare! Macbeth, Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night‘s Dream. CHICAGO: Antigone (Court Theatre); Kill, Move, Paradise, Too Heavy for Your Pocket (Timeline Theatre); A Moon for the Misbegotten (Writers’ Theatre). REGIONAL: Earthquakes in London (Guthrie Theatre); Pericles, King Lear, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Comedy of Errors, Eurydice, Cyrano de Bergerac (American Players Theatre); My Children! My Africa!, A Raisin in the Sun (Park Square Theatre); Slab (Square Product Theatre). TELEVISION: Chicago PD (NBC); Empire (Fox). EDUCATION: MA in design for social impact, Paris College of Art; BFA in theatre, University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre BFA Actor Training Program. Pierre is a recent addition to the Q Brothers’ Collective. He is also a Program Director of Berridge Programs located in Brix, Normandie, France.