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Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks

Artist bios

VOCAL ENSEMBLE

ADIA BELL (Vocal Ensemble) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Skates: A New Musical (Studebaker Theater); Groundhog Day, Cinderella (Paramount Theatre); Legends of the 50s and 60s: Greatest Hits (Music Theater Works); New Faces Sing Broadway 1979, Chicago Sings Rock & Roll Broadway (Porchlight Music Theater); The Color Purple (Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook). REGIONAL: The Music Man (Arizona Theatre Company). EDUCATION: BFA in musical theatre, University of Arizona.

 

CHRISTIAN DENZEL BUFFORD (Vocal Ensemble) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: The Tragedy of King Christophe (The House Theatre of Chicago); Groundhog Day (Paramount Theatre); The World Goes Round (Marriott Theatre); assistant choreographer for Life After (Goodman Theatre). TOURS: Nice Work If You Can Get It (First National Tour). REGIONAL: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Repertory Theater, Lincoln Center, STAGES St. Louis, SpeakEasy Stage Company, Riverside Theatre, The John W. Engeman Theater, among others. EDUCATION: University of North Carolina School of the Arts; BFA, Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Christian is a Chicagobased multi-disciplinary artist who blends the lines of theater, dance and film. ChristianDBufford.com; @eternal_lyfff

 

KIDANY CAMILO (Vocal Ensemble) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. REGIONAL: Creon in Oedipus El Rey (Indianapolis Shakespeare Company); José Mexicano in Four Guys Named José and Una Mujer Named María (Stageworks Theatre Arts); Tom in These Shining Lives (PowerStories Theatre); Earthworm in James and the Giant Peach (ThinkTank Theatre); Jedadiah Schultz/et al. in The Laramie Project (The Space at 2106); José Boricua in Four Guys Named José and Una Mujer Named María (Spanish Lyric Theatre). DANCE: Decay, Anticipated (Mad Shak Dance Company). EDUCATION: MFA in acting, Purdue University (2022); BA in theatre arts, University of South Florida (2018). AWARDS: Theatre Tampa Bay Emerging Artist Award (2018); Florida Theatre Conference All-Star Cast Award for Timmy Bell in Quilt (2017). www.kidanycamilo.com

 

JACKSON EVANS (Vocal Ensemble) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Ride the Cyclone, Seussical, Short Shakespeare! The Taming of the Shrew. CHICAGO: Beauty and the Beast (Paramount Theatre, Jeff Nomination - Actor in a Supporting Role); Boys in the Band (Windy City Playhouse); Matilda, Spamalot (Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook); My Fair Lady (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Avenue Q, Bunny Bunny (The Mercury Theater); Singin’ in the Rain (Marriott Theatre). REGIONAL: Peter and the Starcatcher, The Full Monty (Peninsula Players); Milwaukee Repertory Theater, First Stage Children’s Theater, McLeod Summer Playhouse. TOURING: The Realish Housewives (The Second City). FILM: Christmas Is Canceled. TELEVISION: Chicago PD (USA Network); Sirens (Freeform). EDUCATION: Northwestern University, School at Steppenwolf

 

HALEY GUSTAFSON (Vocal Ensemble) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: The Wizard of Oz. CHICAGO: Legally Blonde (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre); New Faces Sing Broadway 1979 (Porchlight Music Theatre); Peter and the Starcatcher (Big Noise Theatre); Heathers (Up and Coming Theatre Company). REGIONAL: Lizzie (Southern Plains Productions). TELEVISION: Mixtape (Netflix); Work in Progress (HBO). EDUCATION: NYU Tisch School of the Arts New Studio on Broadway; LINK Program at the Growing Studio.

 

BECKY KEESHIN (Vocal Ensemble) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Nunsense, Chicago Sings Sondheim, New Faces Sing Broadway NOW (Porchlight Music Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shrew’d (First Folio Theatre); Fiddler on the Roof (Lyric Opera of Chicago); 33 to Nothing, Killing Game (A Red Orchid Theatre); Junie B. Jones (Marriott Theatre); A Little Night Music (Writers Theatre). REGIONAL: Mockingbird, Tuck Everlasting, Auntie Claus (Nashville Children’s Theatre); San Diego Repertory Theatre, 11th Hour Theatre Company, American Theater Company. EDUCATION: BFA in acting, The Theatre School at DePaul University. WORKSHOPS: San Diego Repertory Theatre, 11th Hour Theatre Company, American Theater Company.

 

 

ARTS PARTNERS

JEREMY HEIGHTS (DJ) started playing trumpet and singing in a gospel choir at an early age. After honing his skills in audio production and sound design as a teenager, he decided to take on a new task: DJing. Jeremy loves to listen to new music and place his own creative spin on it, and is constantly changing, growing, and developing because that’s where music is going and becoming. “Music is about the here and now, as well as the past and future. In effect, I aim to be timeless.” For more music, remixes, beats, and other creative things follow him on instagram @jeremy_heights.

 

JAMES HEITZ (Guitar) has been studying classical guitar for twelve years and electric guitar for five years with Chime Music. He has performed at Chicago venues of note including Marytyrs, Schubbas, and Extraordinarium. James is a three-time winner of the Society of American Musicians Competition, placed first in Chicago International Guitar Fest, and studied at the Berklee School of Music for five weeks on a full scholarship. James’ aspiration is to tour the world with a band and make music for a living.

 

iasEL (Spoken word) is an actor, poet, and storyteller. He is the host of Legal Aliens—a podcast about living in America from an urban Latino perspective—as well as the host and producer of La Sala—Cuentos from the Latino Living Room, a storytelling series that features comedy, spoken word, and music. Previous Chicago Shakespeare credits include being a Green Show Artist for Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks The Comedy of Errors and Virtual Tour, as well as appearing as a featured performer in To Be 2021.

 

NOELLE KLYCE (Vocals) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Green Show Artist – Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Comedy of Errors, and Virtual Tour, To Be 2022. CHICAGO: It’s Just Like Coming to Church (Black Ensemble Theater); It’s a Wonderful Life (Oil Lamp Theater); Thirteen Days (City Lit Theater); The Tempest (Oak Park Festival Theater). REGIONAL: The Merry Wives of Windsor and Macbeth (Hoosier Shakespeare Festival). EDUCATION: BFA in theatre, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Klyce, a gifted crochet artist, runs the small business “Hook Me Up, Design Co.”

 

 

MOVE ME SOUL

BRASSEL CHANEY (Dance) is a principal dancer at Move Me Soul Dance Company of Chicago. He began dancing at age 7 and has trained with Move Me Soul since 2012. Brassel has studied and performed with Move Me Soul at the Edna Manley College of the Performing Arts in Kingston, Jamaica. He was recently featured with Damon Locks and the Black Monument Ensemble. He describes dance as “an emotional outlet.”

 

RAVEN LEWIS (Dance) is a principal dancer at Move Me Soul Dance Company of Chicago. She began dancing at age 6 and has trained with Move Me Soul since 2014. Raven has studied and performed with Move Me Soul at the Edna Manley College of the Performing Arts in Kingston, Jamaica. Raven has had opportunities to perform in a spring break tour in Texas as a backup dancer for Keisha Cole. She has also choreographed for two partnering projects with Move Me Soul and the Museum of Contemporary Art. She describes her dancing as “having a conversation without words.”

 

DIANA MUHAMMAD (Choreography) is an educator, community activist, and artist in Chicago. She has been the Managing Director of Move Me Soul Dance Company since 2010. She is the dance teacher at Beasley Academic Center in Chicago Public Schools, and has been dancing, teaching, and choreographing throughout Chicagoland since 1996 with programs such as After School Matters. Diana has a BS in elementary education and a Juris Doctor, both from DePaul University. She has had extended studies in dance at Northeastern Illinois University, Columbia College, and Loyola University. Diana is committed to building “excellence in art, education and character in young people.”

 

MARY THOMAS BRANCH (Dance) is a principal dancer at Move Me Soul Dance Company of Chicago. She began dancing at age 7 and has trained with Move Me Soul since 2011. Mary has studied and performed with Move Me Soul at the Edna Manley College of the Performing Arts, Kingston, Jamaica. In 2015, Mary trained with the “Dancing Dolls” of Lifetime television. She has a certificate in Child Development and works as a preschool teacher. Mary is the proud mother of twins and believes that dance is an opportunity “to tell a creative story.”

 

TIA YOUNG (Dance) is a principal dancer at Move Me Soul Dance Company of Chicago and is making her Chicago Shakespeare debut this summer. She began dancing at the age of 12, and has progressed at Move Me Soul from apprentice dancer to advanced dancer to company member. She has since then prospered to international dancing, national television shows and much more. Her greatest achievement has been performing in Kingston, Jamaica at the Edna Manley dance conference and dancing live on WGCI’s morning segment.

 

 

SEGUNDO RUIZ BELVIS CULTURAL CENTER

EDGAR ESTRADA (Bass) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Green Show Artist – Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks The Comedy of Errors. CHICAGO: Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center Afro-Caribbean Jazz Ensemble; World Music Fest. EDUCATION: Lincoln Park High School.

 

NATHANIEL MOHILL (Guitar) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Green Show Artist – Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks The Comedy of Errors. CHICAGO: Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center Afro-Caribbean Jazz Ensemble; Latin Jazz Fest. EDUCATION: Ravinia Jazz Scholars Program. AWARDS: Ravinia Jazz Scholars Awardee.

 

ANGELINA ORTIZ (Trumpet) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO PERFORMANCE CREDITS: After School Matters Showcase; Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center Teen Arts Tuesdays; UIC Jazz Festival; Ravenswood Block Party Jazz Show; Puerto Rican Parade in Humboldt Park. AWARDS: 2019 IHSA Music Competition State Champion.

 

TAINA RAMÍREZ (Percussion) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Dream: A Community Reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. CHICAGO: New Year’s Jazz Performance at Harold Washington Library; After School Matters Latin Jazz Showcase. Tai operates Atabey, a pop-up shop selling homemade jewelry, and founded the Latin Music Ensemble at her high school alma mater “to create a creative space for Latinos and others to spread art and music.”

 

ADRIAN RUIZ (Piano) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Dream: A Community Reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. CHICAGO: Destiny of Desire (Goodman Theatre); Aguijon Theatre Company; and clubs including Green Mill, Winter’s, and Andy’s Jazz Club, among others. REGIONAL: Frank Catalano, Von Freeman, Luis ‘Perico’ Ortiz, Brenda K. Starr, Van Lester, Willie Garcia, Jesse Charbonier, Ernie Adams, Frankie Vazquez, Frankie Negron, Alison Ruble, The Drifters, Kayvan Vega, Joan Collaso, Papo Cocote, Tony Vega, Los Bandoleros, Pedrito Martinez, Victor Miranda, Grammy Nominated Angel Melendez and his Mambo 911 Orchestra, Grammy Winners Roberto Vizcaino and Raul Pineda. INTERNATIONAL: Havana Jazz Festival. OPERA/DANCE: Harris Theatre; Roosevelt Theatre; Joel Hall Dancers; Luna Negra Dance Company. FILM: Stormy Weather (Composer); Rose Theatre (Composer). Adrian is a teacher with After School Matters.

 

 

YIN HE DANCE COMPANY

ANGELA TAM (Dance/Choreography) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Dream: A Community Reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. CHICAGO: Vice and Virtue, Visions (Yin He Dance), featured soloist at Choose Chicago’s citywide Chinese New Year kickoff events. EDUCATION: BA in East Asian Studies, New York University. AWARDS: Ethnic & Folk Arts Master Apprentice Grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Angela is the artistic director of Yin He Dance.

 

 

BAND

HAMPTON DOUGLAS (Drums) is a percussionist who has performed on classical stages, within opera pits, musicals, and more. Recently graduated from Northwestern University, he studied with the likes of She-e Wu, Christopher Lamb, and Ed Stephan, receiving program honors in Percussion Performance and a minor in Data Science. Notably, Hampton has played glockenspiel on Messiaen’s Exotic Birds and snare drum on Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 with Northwestern’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra, respectively. He also played timpani and percussion with the University’s Opera in performances of Béatrice et Bénédict: and Die Fledermaus. He premiered a trio for chamber percussion on vibraphone, entitled Essay for Percussion by Jonathan Bingham. Most recently, he recorded percussion for the Abandon All Hope cast album written by Northwestern alumni.

 

JOE NEDDER (Bass and Trombone) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Northwestern University Jazz Orchestra; Victor Goines Jazz Small Ensemble; Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts. EDUCATION: Jazz studies, Northwestern University. Joe has worked as a freelance musician since 2018, playing with and recording for groups such as the Beantown Swing Orchestra, the DW Jazz Orchestra, Stage Wombat Collective, Couch the Band, and his own Pop/R&B group, Morning Dew. He currently works as a contract composer for White Stork Music.

 

 

UNDERSTUDIES

ISABELLA ANDREWS (Understudy) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Sister Act (The Mercury Theater); Daddy Long Legs (Towle Theater); New Faces Sing Broadway 1987 (Porchlight Music Theatre); My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre); Heathers (The Drama Group); Shrew’d (First Folio Theatre). EDUCATION: BFA in musical theatre, Wright State University. Isabella is represented by Grossman & Jack Talent. www.isabellaandrews.net

 

BEN DOW (Understudy) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE Debut. CHICAGO: ELF, Forever Plaid (Drury Lane Theatre); Sons of Hollywood (Windy City Playhouse). EDUCATION: BFA in musical theatre, Indiana University.

 

CLARE KENNEDY (Understudy) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE Debut. CHICAGO: Blues in the Night, Chicago Sings: Sondheim, New Faces Sing Broadway 1961 (Porchlight Music Theatre). INTERNATIONAL: The Twelve (Edinburgh Festival Fringe). EDUCATION: BA in theatre and music theatre certificate, Northwestern University.

 

NOAH VILLARREAL (Understudy) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE Debut. CHICAGO: Wellesley Girl (Theater Wit); The Madness of Edgar Allen Poe (Oak Park Festival Theatre); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Music Theater Works). TELEVISION: The Chi (Showtime); commercials for Hickory Farms, Upstart, Huntington Bank. EDUCATION: BFA in musical theatre, Millikin University.

 

 

 

CREATIVE TEAM

MALKIA STAMPLEY (Director) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. REGIONAL: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (Farmer’s Alley Theatre); The Gift of the Magi (American Players Theatre); three years of Black Nativity (Black Arts MKE); Stew (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre); Nunsense (Milwaukee Repertory Theater); Five Guys Named Moe (Skylight Music Theatre); Antarctica, WI (First Stage); IN:SPIRATION/FLUENCE (University of Wisconsin-Madison). WORKSHOPS/READINGS: Congo Square Theatre Company, American Players Theatre, #ENOUGH, Texas State University Black and Latino Playwright Celebration. EDUCATION: theater arts, Marquette University. Malkia is a founder of the Milwaukee Black Theater Festival and Bronzeville Arts Ensemble, where she served as producing artistic director for three seasons before joining Goodman Theatre as producer in October 2021. Also an actor for television, film, and stage, Stampley hails from Milwaukee.

 

SHRAMAN GHOSH (Music Director) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. REGIONAL: Sons of Hollywood (Windy City Playhouse); Merrily We Roll Along (The Dolphin Show); Assassins (Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts). EDUCATION: theatre, Northwestern University. Shraman is also a skilled accompanist with over fifteen years of piano playing experience.

 

DANIELLE DAVIS (Assistant Director/Arts Partner Liaison) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Romeo and Juliet, Dream: A Community Reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks A Midsummer Night’s Dream. CHICAGO: Holiday Inn (Drury Lane Theatre); The Music Man (Goodman Theatre); BLKS (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Fun Home (Victory Gardens Theater); An Octoroon (Definition Theatre); Ragtime (Griffin Theatre); Rent (Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre). REGIONAL: How to Catch Creation (Geva Theatre). EDUCATION: BFA in acting, Chicago College of Performing Arts of Roosevelt University. TELEVISION: The Chi, Shameless (Showtime); Chicago PD (NBC); Empire (FOX); Sense8, Easy (Netflix). Danielle is an ensemble member of Definition Theatre and is represented by Stewart Talent-Chicago.

 

EMMA LYONS (Scenic Designer) is a studio member and guest curator at Fulton Street Collective, where she creates pieces ranging from acrylic abstract and figure paintings to resin decor. Her newest style is called “Art Moves,” where she dances paint onto the canvas in both planned and improvised choreography. While her onstage performing experience has led her to venues like Disney World and Pearl Harbor, Emma’s self-taught artistic career didn’t take off until the pandemic when she had too much time on her hands.

 

RYAN MAGNUSON (Costume Coordinator) Ryan is thrilled to return to Chicago Shakespeare Theater where he was the costume shop manager for over 10 years, leading the costume department on every show from Follies through The Beatles infused As You Like It. Ryan has been a part of every Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production since the program’s inception and is excited to join this 11th year in a new capacity!

 

ANDREA SAN MIGUEL (Verse Coach) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Short Shakespeare! productions of Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth; Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production of The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night. REGIONAL: As You Like It (Guthrie Theater); Twelfth Night (Writers Theatre); As You Like It, The Recruiting Officer, Our Country’s Good, The Maids, A Flea in Her Ear, Pericles (American Players Theatre); Appoggiatura (Indiana Repertory Theatre); The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Jungle Theater); Our Town, Company (Theater Latté Da); A Christmas Carol (Children's Theater of Madison). TOURING: The Taming of the Shrew, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Recruiting Officer, Henry V (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks). EDUCATION: BFA in acting, The University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater Actor Training Program.

 

DANNY FENDER (Production Stage Manager, through July 14) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER: Dream: A Community Reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. CHICAGO: Two Trains Running, The Lady from the Sea, The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice, The Mousetrap, Oedipus Rex, King Hedley II (Court Theatre); Pipeline, Rightlynd (Victory Gardens); Red Kite, Brown Box (Chicago Children’s Theatre); Ah, Wilderness!, The Music Man (Goodman Theatre). Danny is one of the founders and owners of The Understudy Coffee and Books, a new theater bookstore and coffee shop opening in Andersonville later this year.

 

NIKKI KONOMOS (Production Stage Manager, beginning July 15) CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE: Debut. CHICAGO: Seagull, BUG, The Brother’s Size, Choir Boy, Lindiwe (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Blue Man Group on Tour; TITANIC (Court Theater); Destinos International Festival (Chicago Latino Theater Alliance); Skeleton Canoe (Chicago International Puppet Festival); Henry V (First Folio Theater).

 

BOB MASON (Costume Coordinator) will celebrate 22 years as CST’s Casting Director in September. Among the 150 projects he has shepherded, his personal favorites include SIX: The Musical (CST, Broadway); numerous Shakespeare titles with Barbara Gaines and Sondheim productions with Gary Griffin; Rose Rage, directed by Edward Hall (CST, Duke on 42nd St); Ride The Cyclone (CST and MCC), directed by Rachel Rockwell; and The Moliere Comedies, directed by Brian Bedford. Prior to casting, Bob enjoyed a career as a Jeff Award-winning singer and actor.

 

PAIGE WHITSON-MARTINI (Program Lead/General Manager)) oversees arts administration and leads the Theater's community engagement programs and WorldStage presentations. REGIONAL: Arden Theatre Company (Gypsy; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Magic 8); The Old Globe (Julius Caesar); Point Loma Opera Theatre (Cendrillon, Trouble in Tahiti, Dido and Aeneas); Theatre Contra (The Lesson). INTERNATIONAL: Shakespeare400 Festival (Measure for Measure; Shakespeare’s Sister; “Domestic Shakespeare”); Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (First Stage: Jette Parker Young Artists Program). EDUCATION/TRAINING: MFA in Arts Leadership, DePaul University; MA in Shakespeare Studies, King’s College London; Arden Professional Apprenticeship.

 

 

 

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