Ever wonder what Austen characters think of quarantine? Find out with Something Delightful, a virtual and - well - delightful production conceptualized by director Jessica Holt and the cast of Sense And Sensibility! Premiered on June 2, and streaming was available through June 5, 2021. Watch the promo video

CREATIVES

Jessica Holt (Director)

is so thrilled to return to Virginia Stage Company and reunite with her Sense & Sensibility cast! Selected directing credits include: Ironbound by Martyna Majok (A.C.T.), Kate Hamill’s Sense and Sensibility, Fun Home, Venus in Fur (Virginia Stage Company), the world premiere of The Resting Place, and the West Coast premieres of Bright Half Life, The Lily's Revenge, Act 5 (Magic Theatre), Speech and Debate (Barrington Stage Company), Rich Girl (Florida Studio Theatre), the world premiere of The Daughters (San Francisco Playhouse), Ugly Lies the Bone (Alliance Theater), and The Wolves (A.C.T.’s Young Conservatory). She has also developed and directed work at Cape Cod Theatre Project, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, Magic Theatre, Berkeley Rep's Ground Floor, Rivendell Theatre, NYU, Pocono Mountains Music Festival, AADA, BAPF, Sewanee Writers Conference, among others. She received her MFA in Directing from the Yale School of Drama where she directed Twelfth Night, The Seagull and The Children. Jessica is a 2016 National Directors Fellow, as well as a proud member of the following organizations: SDC, Ring of Keys, and Wingspace. She is currently in development with The Kilbanes on their new rock musical ​The Code​, a commission by A.C.T.’s Young Conservatory, will partner with playwright Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin on her new play Tiger Beat at this summer’s Bay Area Playwright’s Festival, and over the last year has directed two remotely filmed showcases for the A.C.T. MFA Conservatory. https://www.jessicaholt.org/

miranda erin campbell

(she/they) is a Bay Area based stage manager. She has worked at regional theaters, on work premieres, on commercial productions, and on live events. Some of their favorite credits include IRONBOUND (A.C.T. MFA program), FINAL BOARDING CALL (Bay Area Playwrights Festival), INTO THE WOODS (A.C.T. Young Conservatory), THREE SISTERS (A.C.T. MFA program), HEAD OVER HEELS (101 Productions), and VIETGONE (American Conservatory Theater). In her free time she enjoys crochet and cuddling her cats. They’re very excited for the upcoming improvements to the industry as we return to the theater.

CHARLOTTE BYDWELL

(choreographer) returns to Virginia Stage Company after playing Vanda in Venus in Fur and choreographing Sense & Sensibility, both directed by Jessica Holt. A graduate of the Juilliard Dance Division and the Old Globe/USD Graduate Acting program, Charlotte has been working as a choreographer and performer on stage & screen for over a decade. Choreography credits include; Much Ado About Nothing, Pericles Price of Tyre and As You Like It (The Old Globe), Terezin (Playwrights Horizons), Woman of Leisure and Panic (multiple venues across the USA, New York Innovative Theatre Award nomination for Outstanding Performance Art Production), Alternatino (Comedy Central). Professional acting highlights include; The Michaels (The Public Theater), A Month in the Country (Williamstown), Much Ado About Nothing (The Old Globe), These Seven Sicknesses (The Flea), An Inspector Calls (Maltz Jupiter). Professional dance: Monica Bill Barnes & Co. (The Joyce, American Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow, among others), Keigwin + Co (The Joyce Theatre). More info at: charlottebydwell.com

CAST

M. ELIZABETH DICKERSON

(Mrs. Jennings/Gossip) Elizabeth is thrilled to be amongst all these talented folks again! The pandemic has left little to update in her bio other than an occasional Zoom reading of local playwrights' new works in progress. She received her BA in theater arts from St. Louis University, and has performed in most of the Hampton Roads Theater venues. Some of her favorite roles are: Hester Thrale in Generous Rivals—Zeiders American Dream Theater, Diane in Little Dog Laughed—Generic Theater, and M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias—Little Theater of Virginia Beach. She is grateful to Jessica Holt and The Virginia Stage Company for the opportunity to bring the irrepressible Mrs. Jennings back to life!

SEAN PATRICK GRADY

(John Willoughby/John Dashwood/Gossip) is thrilled to be goofing off with the Sense and Sensibility cast once again. Since Sense and Sensibility closed in January of 2020, Sean has spent 80% or more of the last year in his one bedroom apartment in New York City. He filled his days with a lot of walks and is so looking forward to live theatre again. Until then, please enjoy this fun piece, Something Delightful.

MAGGIE HATFIELD

(Mrs. Dashwood/Anne Steele/Gossip) is so ecstatic to be returning to Virginia Stage Company! Originally from Hampton Roads, she hails from Raleigh, NC and has made a wonderful home in its theatre community. Her theatre credits span a wide range of roles including playing Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing with Raleigh Women's Theatre Festival, Kitty Bennet in Pride and Prejudice with Virginia Stage, Trinculo in the Virginia Shakespeare Festival's collaboration with Jamestown Settlement's production of The Tempest, as well as many roles throughout her college career at Longwood University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. These roles include Queen Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Annie in Evil Dead: the Musical, Helen of Troy in Trojan Women, and Hedda in Hedda Gabler. Her film and T.V. credits include a collection of short films, independent films, and T.V. productions. Her other training includes many forms of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, hip hop, and partnering, as well as choreography and vocal performance.

KATIE HARTKE *

(Mrs. Dashwood/Anne Steele/Gossip): VSC: Sense & Sensibility. New York: Olivia (Twelfth Night), Lady Capulet/Lady Macbeth (Youth & Ambition), and Leena Breitwisch (Breitwisch Farm, world premier), Esperance Theater Company; Othello (Epic Theatre Ensemble); Wonder of the World (Core Theatre Comp.); Life Is A Dream (Flux Theatre Ensemble). Regional: Bedlam’s Sense & Sensibility (A.R.T.); 10 seasons with the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, where favorite roles include Viola (Twelfth Night), Imogen (Cymbeline), Lucrece (The Liar), Rosaline (Love’s Labours Lost), and Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream); Blithe Spirit (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina); cul-de-sac (Half Moon); Love/Sick (Arc Stages); Love/Sick, Clybourne Park (Shadowland); A Christmas Carol (Portland Stage); Maggie in Cat on A Hot Tin Roof (Middlebury Actors Workshop). TV/Film: Succession, The Blacklist, Boardwalk Empire, Law & Order: SVU, FBI: Most Wanted, Bedlam: The Series, Guiding Light, College Humor, The Circuit. Training: Catholic University, Circle In the Square Theatre School. Proud member of Actors’ Equity. Much love to her husband Ryan and daughter Zoë.

DREW HIRSHFIELD *

(Colonel Brandon/Thomas/Lady Middleton/Gossip) is pleased to make his Virginia Stage Company debut. He has acted at regional theaters around the country. Favorites include: Magic Theater, Huntington Theatre Company, Geva Theatre Center, Florida Studio Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, Wilma Theatre, New Harmony Theatre, Alley Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, among others. New York credits include new plays with Ensemble Studio Theatre, Collaboration Town, New York Stage & Film, 59E59 Theaters. Drew once played a lemur, professionally. He teaches acting at the New York Film Academy. He earned his MFA from American Conservatory Theater. Thanks to AMF and SRFH.

BRENDAN HOYLE

(Edward Ferrars/Robert Ferrars/Lady Middleton/Gossip) is thrilled to continue working with the fabulous Virginia Stage Company at the Wells Theater. He was most recently seen at VSC playing the roles of Edward Ferrars and Robert Ferrars (not to mention one of the Lady Middletons) in Sense and Sensibility. Additional roles include Broadway Bound, Biloxi Blues, The Mousetrap, and MASH. Brendan has also directed many shows all over Hampton Roads including Urinetown the Musical and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson at Generic Theater and The Drowsy Chaperone and The Importance of Being Earnest at Little Theatre of Norfolk. Brendan is a proud founding member of the sketch and improv comedy group, Plan B Comedy. He is the Theater Director at Norfolk Collegiate School and holds a theater degree from Sarah Lawrence College. Lots of love to Tara, Emma, and Charlotte.

ALLY FARZETTA

(Elinor Dashwood) is delighted to virtually reunite with her Sense and Sensibility cohorts! Prior to appearing in Virginia Stage Company’s 2020 production of Sense and Sensibility, Ally spent two seasons with the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA where her credits include Macbeth (Lady Macbeth), The Winter's Tale (Hermione), Sense and Sensibility (Elinor Dashwood), among many others. Additional regional credits include Guess Who's Coming to Dinner & Living on Love (Asolo Rep), It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Shadowland Stages), Boeing, Boeing (Theater at Monmouth), The Pitmen Painters (American Stage), and Theophilus North (Dog Days Theatre). MFA: FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Heartfelt thanks to Tom Quaintance and the VSC team for putting artists back to work.

MANNA NICHOLS *

(Marianne Dashwood) is excited to make her Virginia Stage debut! Broadway/Tour: Allegiance, The King & I (Tuptim); Regional/Off-Broadway: My Fair Lady (Arena Stage), The Music Man (Arizona Theatre Company), Guys & Dolls (Goodspeed), South Pacific (Guthrie), Austen’s Pride (5th Avenue), Miss Saigon (Walnut/Fulton/Kansas City Starlight), Les Miserables (Pioneer/Maine State), The King & I (Walnut/North Shore), Tokio Confidential (Atlantic Theatre), Death for Five Voices (Prospect Theatre), Allegro (APAC). Film: Cold Pursuit, Disney’s Live Action Beauty & the Beast. Concert Work: Fort Wayne Philharmonic Guest Soloist, USO Show Troupe. Gratitude to our entire show family! God is love. www.MannaNichols.com @manna_nichols

SARA BETH SCHAEFER

(Margaret Dashwood/Gossip)is so excited to be working with The Virginia Stage Company again on this wonderful show! You may have seen her as Belle in VSC's 2019 version of A Christmas Carol or as Margaret Dashwood in VSC's Sense and Sensibility in 2020. She would like to thank her loving family and her amazing boyfriend Benji for the constant love and support. I couldn't do it without you guys!

NANDITA SHENOY *

(Lucy Steele/Gossip)counts "Sense & Sensibility" as her last show before the pandemic! She has starred in the Off-Broadway production of her own play Washer/Dryer at Ma-Yi Theater Company and has originated roles in World Premieres of plays by Madhuri Shekar, Adam Szymkowicz, Chelsea Marcantel, Eric Pfeffinger,and Richard Dresser. She spent a season in the Repertory Company of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Television credits include season 3 of Netflix’ “Daredevil” and “The Last O.G.” on TBS. She is also a playwright whose work has been performed in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. She is a proud member of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab, dtfwaw, the Dramatists Guild, Actors Equity, and SAG/AFTRA. She also a part of the Obie Award-winning Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC). Nandita holds a BA in English literature from Yale University. www.nanditashenoy.com

JULIAN STETKEVYCH *

(Sir John Middleton/Doctor/Servant/Gossip) is happy to be back with this wonderful cast and team. At VSC he has appeared in Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice. Off-off Broadway: Richard III and The Two Gentlemen of Verona with Oxford Shakespeare Co., Dog Act with Flux Theatre Ensemble, The Silent Concerto at NY Fringe Festival, and staged workshops and readings at Playwright’s Horizons, Classic Stage Company, and Ensemble Studio Theatre. Regional: A Christmas Carol at American Conservatory Theater, The Berlin Circle at Steppenwolf Theater, and Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Theo Ubique. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and an Assistant Professor of Acting at Christopher Newport University. He holds MFAs from the American Conservatory Theater and the University of Pittsburgh.