Fiddler on the Roof | Cast & Creatives

Produced in partnership with The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC

VELKASSEM AGGUINI

(THE FIDDLER) is a violinist currently living in Norfolk, Virginia. He is Kabyle Algerian and will be attending his senior year at the Governor’s School for the Arts this fall.

MIA BERGSTROM

(HODEL) is thrilled and grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to the tradition of this rich and beautiful show and community. Regional: Escape to Margaritaville (Ogunquit Playhouse), Sister Act (Sister Mary Robert, John W. Engeman Theatre & Virginia Musical Theatre), Legally Blonde (Vivienne, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina), The Music Man (Marian, Woodstock Playhouse), James Joyce’s The Dead (Gretta, Hangar Theatre). BFA from New York University Tisch School of the Arts New Studio on Broadway. Many thanks to her friends, family, and Henry for their endless support. @miagbergstrom 

AMELIA BURKLEY

(CHAVA) is thrilled to be performing as Chava in Virginia Stage Company’s Fiddler on the Roof! As an avid bookworm and self-proclaimed musical theater nerd, this has always been a dream role for her and she is so excited to bring this wonderfully nerdy and rebellious character to life on stage. This is Amelia’s third time performing with Virginia Stage Company, having previously performed in The Secret Garden (chorus) and The Tempest (Magical Creature). She graduated from Christopher Newport University with a BA in Theater (concentrating in Music/Dance), where she performed in Die Fledermaus (maid), Gianni Schicchi (Lauretta), The Pirates of Penzance (Isabel and understudy for Mabel), and The 25h Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre). Most recently, she performed as Mary/understudy for Crissy in Hair! with the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, for which she was awarded the Broadway World Regional Award for Best Ensemble alongside her fellow cast members, and as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. She hopes you may fall in love with this beautiful, classic musical and little Chavaleh just as she did!

JOHN K. CAUTHEN JR. 

(THE RABBI) is honored to return to VSC for Fiddler on the Roof.  Previous VSC appearances include: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Murder at Fernly Hall (online), The Great Christmas Carol Escape (online), Our Town, Pride and Prejudice, The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, All My Sons, and a Moon for the Misbegotten.  Now a Williamsburg resident, John taught high school English for 18 years in Virginia Beach.

CLARA COLEMAN

(BLUMA) is a junior at Cox High School and training at The Governor’s School for the Arts: Theatre and Film department. This is her Virginia Stage Company debut! Recent stage credits include Les Miserables (Cosette), The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberly (Lydia Wickham), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Mote), and The 39 Steps. Recent film credits include several student films. Endless gratitude to my family, my friends, and my parents for their constant support and encouragement.

EVA DEVIRGILIS*

(GOLDE) Is ecstatic to be making her Virginia Stage Company debut alongside such an extraordinary cast, director and crew. Credits Include: The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, Fiddler on the Roof (with Eddie Mekka) , Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding (Philadelphia Cast) , Tartuffe, Last of the Red Hot Lovers (Virginia Repertory Theatre) Urinetown, Footloose, Big, Rocky Horror, George M! (Bucks County Playhouse) and the world premieres of Sam & Carol, The End of War, and Hypocrites & Strippers (Richmond Triangle Players) Her one-woman-show In My Chair (VAREP/Cadence Theater) was named as “BroadwayWorlds Best.” The show has been featured on PBS and was awarded the RTTC award Best Original Work. She continues to perform the show throughout the country. An advocate for women and girls globally her TEDx talk on self-acceptance, In My Chair: A Makeup Artist’s Perspective on Beauty was featured on Upworthy and is one of the most watched talks in TEDxRVA history. TV/film credits include: Law & Order; Criminal Intent, Turn:Washington’s Spies and you can currently catch her in commercials for Audi & Mastercard. Named a 2023 Pipeline Fellow Eva is currently writing her next show under the mentorship of Pulitzer-Prize & Tony award-winning playwright, David Lindsay-Abaire (Kimberly Akimbo[3] ) She is a proud military spouse and serves as the Ombudsman for the Navy Reserve Forces Command. To learn all about Eva visit: evadevirgilis.com or follow her on all platforms @evadevirgilis

GIOVANNI DIGABRIELE*

(HERSHEL/SASHA/ASST. CHOREOGRAPHER) NYC: Broadway Bares. Broadway National Tour: Cats (Skimbleshanks), A Bronx Tale (Handsome Nick), A Chorus Line (Al), R+H’s Cinderella. Regional: Goodspeed Opera House, WST, MSMT, Fulton. Endless gratitude to his family, friends, Gary John, and his mentors.

GAVIN GAYER

(CHEDER BOY #1) is a 3rd grader at Academy for Discovery at Lakewood in Norfolk, and this is his first appearance on stage at VSC. When he is not collecting and trading all things Pokemon, you can find him on the soccer field with the YMCA. He loves singing, drumming, listening to 1980's metal bands, swimming, sushi, and cuddling his pomeranian puppy Flynn. He'd like to thank his mom, dad, and family for all their love and support!

JASPER GAYER

(CHEDER BOY #2) is a 6th grader at Academy for Discovery at Lakewood in Norfolk, and this is his second time on stage at VSC. The first, as a grasshopper at 2019 VSC Summer Theatre Camp. He also performed with the 5th grade Chorus at W.H. Taylor Elementary and at Push Comedy Theater. Jasper loves technology, videography, and photography. In his spare time he enjoys putting together Legos, playing the piano, electric scooter rides, scuba diving, sushi, traveling, and cuddling his pomeranian puppy Flynn. He'd like to thank his mom, dad, and family for all their love and support!
 

ALLY DODS, Pronouns: she/her/hers

(TZEITEL) (she/her) is honored to be making her Virginia Stage Company debut in one of her all time favorite shows. Some previous credits include: Riverside Center: Meet Me In St. Louis (Esther), Joseph and the… Dreamcoat, Camelot, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?; Virginia Repertory Theatre: Fiddler on the Roof  (Chava); American Pops Orchestra: APO Jukebox, NextGen- Finding the Voices of Tomorrow (Finalist); and numerous productions at theme parks including Kings Dominion and Idlewild with RWS Entertainment Group. She is a Richmond, VA based actor and a proud graduate of James Madison University where she received her degree in Musical Theatre. She is thankful for the love and support of her family and John! Allydods.com

GREG DRAGAS

(MOTEL) is pleased to be working with Virginia Stage Company as part of the team bringing this production to the stage. Born in Norfolk, VA, Greg has spent most of his professional career as an educator in Virginia Beach. He has been active on local stages for many years and holds degrees from The College of William & Mary and Wake Forest University. Greg is currently part of VSC's touring production of Every Brilliant Thing , performing at a number of venues around Hampton Roads and beyond. Other recent credits include The Tempest  (Sebastian) with Tidewater Community College’s Shakespeare in the Grove, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville (Sherlock Holmes) with The Little Theatre of Virginia Beach, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with CORE Theatre Ensemble.

MATT FRIEDMAN

(MORDCHA) has directed several plays including Hand to God, Enron, and Endpapers, co-written the Z Fringe Fest play Her Horror, and played roles ranging from John Adams to Mercutio to Seymour Krelbourn. He was most recently seen locally as Ed Boone in Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. He is a filmmaker, screenwriter, and composer, and in 2012 helped launch the film program next door at Governor's School for the Arts, where he still teaches. He also teaches screenwriting at Muse Writer's Center, cooks a lot, and is the proud parent of a traveling French piggy named Jam-Jam (follow him @filmtraveler #piggyjamjam), a sick but happy dog, and two cuddly cats. He briefly tasted notoriety as a co-creator of the "Man's Best Friend" Superbowl commercial in 2012, and today spends much of his spare time volunteering as a victim's advocate for YWCA, helping domestic violence & sexual assault survivors. While you're supporting VSC's important artistic mission, also consider supporting YW's mission of eliminating racism & empowering women. He performs tonight in memory of the funniest Jewish gentleman he's ever known, his dear departed uncle Archie.

ALEC GILLAM

(NACHUM, A BEGGAR) This is Alec's first production with the VSC, and he's thrilled to be making his Wells Theatre debut. Blink and you might miss him, but that's not important. Originally from New York, Alec has lived in Virginia Beach since 2004, except from 2019-2020 when he lived in Los Angeles. While there he received critical acclaim as an extra doing a lot of walking on camera for 12 hours a day. Anyway, enough about him. When's this show gonna start?

NATHAN MATTHEW JACQUES

(PERCHIK) is honored to make his debut at Virginia Stage Company with Fiddler on the Roof. Nathan is a Norfolk native with a degree in Communications from ODU. His recent regional theatre credits include the Storyteller in The Wreck of the Dictator  through GVI Productions and Roger Strong in Catch Me If You Can with Virginia Musical Theatre. Other credits include School of Rock at VMT (Ned Schneebly), The Full Monty at VMT (Dave Bukatinsky), and numerous appearances as a featured vocalist in offerings at the Zeider’s American Dream Theater (Grotesquerie Lake, Green Fields of Americay, Freedom Song). Nathan would like to thank his family, friends, girlfriend, and pets for their never-ending love and support.

JACQUELINE JONES, PRONOUS: SHE/HER/HERS

(YENTE), specializes in solo portrayals like Ann Richards (Ann, Firehouse Theatre), Golda Meir (Golda's Balcony, TheatreLAB; Jewish Family Theatre), Jocelyn (Sedaris's Season's Greetings, Richmond Triangle Players), Barbara Ellen ("Crafty"/The New Century, RTP), Mrs. Sorken (Durang’s Mrs. Sorken, K Dance), and the Spirit of Madame Blavatskaya (Hotel Greene, RVA). Last year, Jackie appeared as Jeannette (The Full Monty, Virginia Musical Theatre, VAB), Clara (Miracle On South Division Street, Swift Creek Mill Theatre, Colonial Heights, VA), Death (Everybody, Cadence Theatre, RVA), Clairee (Steel Magnolias, Emerald Coast Theatre Company, Destin, FL), Jeri Neal (Sweet Delilah Swim Club, SCMT), and Pig (Little Red Hen, SCMT, oink!). Pet projects include originating roles in Hugs and Kisses (VA Rep), helping prevent child sexual abuse, Songs From Bedlam (VA Rep), giving voice to the mentally ill, and Birth (FT), painting a portrait of childbirth in the USA. Jackie sparkled as Maylene (opposite Rainn Wilson, Permanent), the "sockdologizing old man-trap" (The Day Lincoln Was Shot, TNT), artist Helen Frankenthaler (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts), and Confederate Jewish spy, Eugenia Phillips (Smithsonian Institute). She broke hearts as a woman with dementia (Hello, Mother; Hello, Daughter) and hawked Virginia Lottery wares as spokesperson, Marge Cranberry. Inspired by Covid-19 lockdowns, a video series of Virginia Repertory Theatre Bedtime Stories, adapted and performed by Jackie, have been a hit with young and old. The award-winning actor mentors (Richmond Jewish Coalition for Literacy), role-plays (Virginia Department of Criminal Justice; Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine; Justice 3D; Federal Crisis/Hostage Negotiation), and volunteers (all over). Jacquelinejones.net

LAUREN KENT

(FRUMA-SARA/RIVKA/”RUMOR SOLOIST”) is delighted to revisit Anatevka and this beautiful story for the third time! Previous credits include A Christmas Story (National Tour and Regional Productions) Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde (Mason Street Warehouse), Into the Woords, Rent, The Wild Party, and The Addams Family. BFA Otterbein University. Thank you to the incredible cast, crew, and creative team. For my family, always. @laurentakenta9 www.laurenkent.net

MARYANNE KILEY

(GRANDMA TZEITEL/ANYA) fell in love with musical theater at the Tidewater Dinner Theatre’s 1987 production of Fiddler on the Roof. Now, she is a therapist and executive coach by day, and a theater geek by night, with recent performances as Bert in Mary Poppins (Cape Charles), Cabaret (Virginia Wesleyan), Pippin (Little Theater of Norfolk) and The Music Man (Cape Charles). Maryanne will direct Paula Vogel’s Pulizer-winning play Indecent at the Generic Theatre in May 2024. She would like to thank her partner Mel for their unwavering support. She dedicates this performance to the memory of her great grandparents and all those around the world who had to leave their Anatevkas behind.

MITCHELL MAGUIRE

(CHAIM/YURI) a recent Musical Theatre graduate of Coastal Carolina University and a Chesapeake local is extremely excited to return to VSC for their production of Fiddler on The Roof. The last time he performed at the Well’s Theatre he portrayed Sergei, the intimidating Russian mob boss, as well as was a member of the ensemble in VSC’s production of Matilda. Mitchell is also a soloist for the Ardent Dance Company based in Chicago. Mitchell would like to thank Gary John, the creative team, and VSC for giving him the opportunity to help tell this cherished and important story.

TARA R. MOSCOPULOS

(SHAINDEL)  is a Norfolk native making her professional theatre debut here with Virginia Stage.  Recent local appearances include Chess; The Musical (Svetlana), Macbeth (Lady Macbeth), and Blood Brothers (The Narrator) at Generic Theater and Holidivas at Zeider's American Dream Theater. In addition to her creative work, Tara also serves proudly as VSC's Finance Manager. SHe would like to extend her deepest gratitude to the cast and creatives, the staff at VSC, and her beautiful family.

EVAN NORRIS

(AVRAM) a 27-year-old Air Force Veteran, is a senior in Music Performance at Regent University. His past performance experience is with Suffolk Players Community Theatre and Tidewater Opera Initiative. He’s excited to start his first season with VSC.

JOHN PAYONK*

(TEVYE) Critically acclaimed baritone and actor John Payonk has appeared in over 100 roles in opera, operetta, musical theater and theater throughout the U.S and abroad during his four decades on the stage. John has sung such varied roles as Germont in La Traviata, Scarpia in Tosca, Tonio & Canio in I Pagliacci, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, Bartolo in The Barber of Seville, Frank in Die Fledermaus, Tevye & Lazar Wolf in Fiddler on The Roof, Tony in The Most Happy Fella, Mayor Dobbs in Bright Star, Old  Deuteronomy in Cats, Captain E.J. Smith in Titanic, Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, Carriere in Phantom, Kris Kringle in Miracle On 34 th Street, Mr Potter in It’s A Wonderful Life, Maurice in Beauty & The Beast and the title roles in Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, Gianni Schicci and Falstaff. John’s performances have been enjoyed from the stages of The Goodspeed Opera House, The Hall of Composers in St. Petersburg, Russia with the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Light Opera Works, Chicago Opera Theater, Pamiro Opera, Fargo-Morehead Civic Opera, L’Opera Piccola, Chamber Opera Chicago, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Virginia Musical Theater, Cincinnati’s Playhouse in the Park, Circa ’21 Dinne Playhouse, Theater at The Center, Derby Dinner Playhouse, Carousel Dinner Theater and many others.

NICK RICHARDSON

(MENDEL) is happy to make his VSC debut! A Virginia Beach native, Nick has performed with multiple companies in Hampton Roads, including Virginia Opera, Virginia Arts Festival, Virginia Musical Theatre, Zeiders American Dream Theater, and Little Theatre of Virginia Beach. He will join Virginia Opera again next year in the choruses of Sanctuary Road and Madama Butterfly. When not working in a theater, Nick is a substitute teacher in Virginia Beach City Public Schools. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theatre, both from Florida State University. He thanks his family, friends, and teachers for their support and patience. www.RichardsonNick.com

SCOTT ROLLINS

(THE CONSTABLE) is marking a theatrical milestone with his appearance in VSC's Fiddler - this is his 150th stage production since he first played Jonathan Harker in his high school's take on Count Dracula way back in 1981. Fiddler  also represents another career highlight for Scott - it's his 10th show with Virginia Stage Company, having previously appeared in A Streetcar Named Desire, The Elephant Man, Hamlet, A Line in the Sand, and A Christmas Carol, among others. Other Regional Theater: Tidewater Stage (Dial M for Murder), VMT (Grease, Annie, Kiss Me Kate, Nice Work If You Can Get It, How to Succeed...), Colonial Theatre, R.I. (Biloxi Blues). Other local credits include playing the title role in ODU's Dracula and portraying Capt. John Smith in the final 3 seasons of Virginia Beach's outdoor drama 1607: First Landing. Scott would like to give a special thanks to his talented & comely wife Lynn for all her love and support.

ELLIE MADELYN RUFFING 

(SHPRINTZE) is excited to be making her VSC debut with Fiddler on the Roof. As a student at TADA School of Performing Arts, some of Ellie's favorite shows have included Frozen Jr. (Olaf), The Lion King Jr. (Timon), and Seussical Jr. (Jojo).  For the past two years,  Ellie has also had the privilege of performing at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Scrooge No More (Tiny Tim). Ellie would like to thank VSC for this amazing opportunity and her friends, family, and teachers for always encouraging her to follow her dreams.

ANTHONY SILVIS

(YUSSEL) is a senior in the Dance Department of the Governor’s School for the Arts, and is thrilled to make his musical debut in VSC’s Fiddler on the Roof! Anthony has been dancing for almost 8 years and has preformed for Rhythm Live, Dean College, Nutmeg University, and many others. He would like to thank Mrs Jackie and his family for securing his spot and confidence for Fiddler on the Roof.

AVA DENAE STEVENSON

(MIRALA) is incredibly excited to be a part of her first Virginia Stage Company production! She is a senior at Old Dominion University studying Vocal Performance. Her most recent credits include Cinderella (Ella) with Old Dominion University and Hairspray (Ensemble) with The Little Theatre of Virginia Beach. You may also have seen her singing around Hampton Roads with The Doorway Singers. She is a 2023 national finalist of the National Student Auditions with the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). She was also given the Outstanding Student Opera award at Old Dominion University for 2022/2023. She would like to thank her teachers at ODU and her parents for their unending support.

STORMIE TREVIÑO

(BIELKE) is so excited for Fiddler on the Roof to be her first production with Virginia Stage Company.  At 7 years old and a second grader in Chesapeake, this is Stormie’s second professional theater role. She performed as Gretl in the Virginia Arts Festival and Virginia Opera’s production of The Sound of Music and several productions with The Hurrah Players.  She is an enthusiastic and disciplined student and would like to thank everyone at Hurrah, Ms. Dianna, Ms. Candice, her NYC coaches, dance instructors, family, and her older sister, who is currently in a Broadway National Tour, for showing her what life in musical theater is all about. @stormietrev

MORGAN WHITE*

(SCHLOIME/BORIS) is over the moon to be making his VSC debut! Previous credits include Signature Theatre (West Side Story), Olney Theatre Center (Carousel), Maine State Music Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Bay Street Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse, Riverside Theatre, among others, and happily dancing with TRDance. Proud AEA member. "To see us dance is to hear our hearts sing."

SCOTT WICHMANN*

(LAZAR WOLF) Is proud to make his Virginia Stage Company debut. Credits include A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, 1776, Shakespeare in Love, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Producers, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Say Goodnight Gracie, Fully Committed, Scapino!, and the world premieres The End of War, River Ditty and Ella and Her Fella, Frank at Virginia Repertory Theatre; I Am My Own Wife at Firehouse Theatre Project; Brimstone at Berkshire Theatre Festival; The Life of Galileo at Studio Theatre (DC), and ‘Old Tom’ in The Lost Colony in Manteo, NC. Film/TV: Loving, Lincoln, Lake Effects, Shooting the Prodigal, Legends & Lies: The Patriots, TURN: Washington’s Spies, True Terror with Robert Englund and The Good Lord Bird with Ethan Hawke. Recent host of The Richmond Forum with John Lithgow. Scott is a graduate of Wagner College, (Staten Island, N.Y.) and proudly serves as a chief petty officer in the United States Navy Reserve.

TIMOTHY WRIGHT

(FYEDKA) is making a childhood dream come true by having his VSC debut! Timothy, a graduate from AMDA NYC, is an actor/singer/dancer originally from Norfolk, VA but now lives in NYC with his partner Emma and their dog Ogie. Some credits include: Theatre: Shrek the Musical (Shrek), Little Women (Laurie) and Beauty and the Beast (Lumiere) Film/TV: Law & Order: SVU (NBC), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon) and Mr. Harrigan’s Phone (Netflix). @timdwright

Creative Team

GARY JOHN LA ROSA†

(Director/Choreographer) has staged well over 250 productions including the national tour of Footloose; the World Premiere of Michael Ching’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Opera Memphis; recording: Albany Records); Marry Me a Little (starring Brent Barrett & Sally Mayes); The Sound of Music at Ogunquit Playhouse (starring Rex Smith); Les Misérables, The Light in the Piazza and Next to Normal (Ostrander Award – Direction of a Musical) at Playhouse on the Square; Candide at Cabrillo Stage, Buddy – the Buddy Holly Story at Long Island’s Argyle Theatre; Fiddler on the Roof (starring Brad Oscar) at Barrington Stage Company (2 BroadwayWorld Awards) and at the St Louis MUNY (Judy Award) / Starlight Theatre in Kansas City (among others); Always...Patsy Cline (starring Sally Struthers) and Sister Act at Virginia Musical Theatre; The Full Monty at Phoenix Theatre; La Cage aux Folles at Downtown Cabaret (Connecticut Critic’s Award: Outstanding Direction); Die Fledermaus at Finger Lakes Opera and numerous productions at Broadway Sacramento, WV Public, Maine State Music Theatre; RI’s Theatre by the Sea and the Fulton Theatre in PA. Gary John has been a Guest Director at nearly two dozen universities, has staged over 100 corporate theatre shows and is a mentor at the Drama League. A UCLA graduate, he appeared on Broadway and in National/International tours including Fiddler on the Roof and conceived and directed the 50th Anniversary Broadway celebration of the musical (starring Topol and a cast of 90). He appears in the documentary “Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles” and dedicates this production to his late friend, lyricist Sheldon Harnick. www.garyjohnlarosa.com

BILL CLARKE§

(Scenic Designer) previously designed K2, ELEPHANT MAN, INTIMATE APPAREL, TASTE TEST, MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN, TOP GIRLS, ARMS AND THE MAN, SPEED-THE-PLOW, FAIRY TALES OF NEW YORK and others at VSC. He designed A WALK IN THE WOODS and ABBY’S SONG on Broadway; off-Broadway credits include THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW (Mint Theater; NYTimes 10 Best List in 2003 and revival at City Center in 2022), SO HELP ME GOD! (Lortel), MISALLIANCE (Pearl), LEMON SKY (Keen Co), ECCENTRICITIES OF A NIGHTINGALE (TACT), SECRET ORDER (59E59), JUNE MOON (Drama Dep’t), Ann Magnuson’s YOU COULD BE HOME NOW (NYSF), Keith Reddin’s THE INNOCENTS’ CRUSADE (MTC), Alan Havis’ MOROCCO (WPA), and THE CHERRY ORCHARD (Juilliard). Regional credits include Seattle Rep, Old Globe, Milwaukee Rep, Alley, Denver Center, A.R.T., Huntington, Portland Center Stage, Indiana Rep, Pittsburg Public, Rep Theater of St Louis, Wilma, Alliance, McCarter, Cleveland Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse, Berkshire Theater Group, Barrington Stage, Coconut Grove, PlayMakers Rep. Film: production design for the 2013 indie short THE MASTER CLEANSE. MFA, Yale School of Drama. Recipient: Hollywood Drama-Logue Award, San Diego Theater Critics’ Circle Award and an IRNE (New England) Award.

MICHAEL BOTTARI & RONALD CASE

(Costume Designe) created original designs for the South African Hairspray, were nominated for the 2008 Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, & American Theatre Wing Awards, and won the 2008 Lucille Lortel Award for Costume design for Die Mommie Die. In 2006 they were nominated for the Drama Desk Award and won best Set and Costume design (Dean’s List) for Fanny Hill. They won the 2003 Lucille Lortel Award, and were nominated for the Drama Desk that year for their costumes for Shanghai Moon. They have been a design team for over 50 years, having designed both sets and costumes for Baordway: Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s much loved State Fair (Producer David Merrick’s last Broadway show), Prince of Central Park, and Mark Shaiman’s Prop 8, The Musical on Broadway. Off-Broadway: Road to Qatar, After The Affair, Night of the Hunter, Little Me, Carnival!, Opal, Man Who Shot Lincoln etc. National Tours: I Do! I Do! (Lucie Arnaz), Camelot (Richard Harris), Man of La Mancha (John Raitt, Jack Jones) the World tour of My Fair Lady (Noel Harrison), the 25th Anniversary Tour of The King and I (Yul Brynner), Al Jolson, Tonight (Larry Kert), Funny Thing…Forum (Mickey Rooney), Showboat (Shirley Jones) to mention just a few. They have designed the last three national tours of Fiddler on the Roof with Theo Bikel.

JASON AMATO§

(Lighting Designer) has designed over 600 shows, across 30 years, including thought provoking plays by Suzan-Lori Parks, George Brant and Anna Deavere Smith and iconic musicals such as Chicago, Ragtime, Tommy, Next to Normal and Hairspray. Off-Broadway: Austin Shakespeare’s Anthem. Regional: Virginia Stage Company's Native Gardens, Grounded, The Tempest and Crowns. VSC/Norfolk State University’s production of Dreamgirls, The Earth Remembers and The Wiz. Virginia Musical Theatre's Jekyll and Hyde, Mamma Mia and many others. International touring dance at: Jacob’s Pillow, Lincoln Center, the Smithsonian and the National Theatre in Taiwan. Jason has received 40 regional awards for his lighting in shows, including BroadwayWorld’s 2019 Central Virginia, Best Lighting Design for VMT’s La Cage Aux Folles. www.jasonamato.com

STEVEN ALLEGRETTO

(Sound Design) is an accomplished sound designer with a passion for creating immersive experiences for live theatre. A graduate of Full Sail University’s prestigious Recording Arts program, Steven has honed his skills through years of hard work and dedication to his craft. In addition to his work as a sound designer, Steven is also a committed educator. He has served as an Adjunct Professor of Theatre Sound Design at the College of William & Mary, as well as a part-time instructor for the Governor’s School for the Arts. He also teaches privately, helping aspiring sound designers develop their skills and reach their full potential. Steven has had the honor of designing past VSC shows including Every Brilliant Thing, Dreamgirls, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Hobbit, A Merry Little Christmas Carol, and more. His ability to create complex sonic landscapes that transport audiences to other worlds has made him a sought-after collaborator in the Hampton Roads theatre community. Steven is thrilled to be back at the Virginia Stage Company, where he looks forward to sharing his vision for Henry V with audiences. With his expert ear and tireless dedication to his craft, Steven is sure to deliver a truly unforgettable sonic experience.

BART KUEBLER

(Music Director) Bart Kuebler’s artistic work includes music & lyrics for the Off-Broadway premiere of John Cariani’s LOVE/SICK; and book, music, and lyrics for Moonshiner, a Musical Fabulism, produced as part of the 2019 Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. Music directing credits include the world premieres of Second to Nun/Marguerite, Frog Kiss, and Love, Always; developmental workshops of more than a dozen new musicals; a slew of work at regional theaters; and years of worldwide touring accompanying artists diverse as Bernadette Peters and Piolo Pascual. Bart holds a degree in Philosophy & Ethics from Harvard University, and lives in Norfolk with Amanda, Bijou, and an infallible Magic Eight Ball. He invites you to join him in eschewing social media.

REFIYE TAPPAN

(Associate Music Director) returns to VSC after working on A Merry Little Christmas Carol in 2021 and 2022. Refiye is currently based in Virginia Beach and works in the Hampton Roads and D.C. areas. She is a collaborative pianist at The Governor’s School of the Arts in the Vocal and Music Theatre Departments, and with Norfolk Public Schools. Credits: D.C. Area: Constellation Theatre Company: Once On This Island (Music Director/Keys 1/Conductor. Helen Hayes 2023 nomination - Outstanding Music Direction). Mosaic Theater Company: Max & Willy’s Last Laugh (Associate MD). Creative Cauldron - On Air (MD. Helen Hayes 2020 nomination- Outstanding Music Direction); Always...Patsy Cline 2021 and 2022 Remount (MD); Audrey - A New Musical (MD); and multiple cabarets as MD and arranger. Synetic Theater: Gala 2020. Regional: Virginia Musical Theatre: Mamma Mia. Virginia Opera-VA Arts Fest: The Sound of Music. Virginia Stage Company: Under the Big Top Gala (MD/arranger); Zeider’s Theater: Fountain of You (Associate MD). Education: Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, UK; University of Reading, UK. Refiye would like to thank TQ and all at VSC for their wonderful collaboration, and husband Philip for supporting her creative endeavours. refiyemusic.com

EMEL ERTURGUL

(Casting Director) officially joined the Virginia Stage Company team in 2017 but worked on various projects with the company well before.  Her first casting adventure was the beautiful production Pride and Prejudice for Season 39.  Since then it has been a goal to strengthen and cultivate VSC's relationship with professional local and out of town artists.  Each season has provided new challenges and each production a new opportunity to find the perfect showcase of talent. Emel has most recently been seen performing in The Twelve Dates of Christmas on the Wells Stage and currently serves as the Operations Manager for VSC and the Producing Artistic Director for Core Theatre Ensemble.

KYRA BUTTON*

(Stage Manager) is excited to be returning to Virginia Stage Company for her third production. She previously worked on Dreamgirls and Henry V at The Wells. Her previous credits also include ABCD (Barrington Stage Company), Antigone, Where Did We Sit On The Bus?, Tiny Houses, Into The Breeches, and Pipeline (Cleveland Play House), Hurricane Diane (Dobama Theatre), Baby Camp (Leviathan Labs), Resistance (Semicolon Theatre), The Heart’s Impatience (Shufflefoot Theatre Company), A Streetcar Named Desire (St. Ann’s Warehouse), Medea and Dreamgirls (Red House Arts Center), This Day Forward (The Vineyard Theatre), and The Intergenerational Project (Rose Bruford, London). Kyra is proud to hold a BFA in Stage Management from Syracuse University’s Department of Drama and would like to wish her husband a happy one-year anniversary. Thank you, Austin, for your unending love and support, even when we are far apart.

Kim Fuller*

(Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to be back at Virginia Stage Company for their second season, and happy to join the stage management team this year. Kim has been a part of various productions across Hampton roads ever since graduating from Boston College with a B.A.,with a focus on stage management, in 2014. Past production positions include Production Stage Manager for Sound of Music at the harrison opera house, and various shows at Zeider's American Dream Theater. Kim is excited to make her equity debut with Fiddler, and thanks the cast and crew for all the hard work. 

JOSEPH STEIN

(Author) was a prolific American playwright and librettist, best known for his work on the beloved musicals Fiddler on the Roof and Zorba. Born on May 30, 1912, in New York City, Stein grew up in the Bronx and attended City College of New York. After graduating, he worked as a social worker and then as a writer for the Army Air Force during World War II. Stein began his career in theater as a writer for radio and television in the 1940s and 1950s, but it was his work on Broadway that earned him the most acclaim. His first Broadway credit was as a co-writer on the musical Plain and Fancy in 1955, but it was his collaboration with composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick on Fiddler on the Roof that established him as a major force in the theater world. Fiddler on the Roof, which opened on Broadway in 1964, tells the story of Tevye, a Jewish milkman in early 20th-century Russia, and his struggles to maintain his traditions in the face of changing times. The show was a critical and commercial success, running for over 3,000 performances and winning nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Stein's book for the show, which was based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem, is widely regarded as one of the greatest in the history of musical theater. Stein went on to collaborate with Bock and Harnick on several more musicals, including The Apple Tree and She Loves Me. He also wrote the book for Zorba, a musical adaptation of the novel Zorba the Greek, which opened on Broadway in 1968 and starred Anthony Quinn. Although Zorba was not as successful as Fiddler, it received positive reviews and has since become a cult favorite among musical theater enthusiasts. In addition to his work on Broadway, Stein wrote for television and film. He wrote the screenplay for the 1971 film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof, which was directed by Norman Jewison and starred Topol as Tevye. He also wrote for the television series Mister Peepers and The Phil Silvers Show. Stein continued to work in the theater throughout his life, writing plays and musicals up until his death in 2010 at the age of 98. His other notable works include Enter Laughing, a play based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Carl Reiner, and Rags, a musical about Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Stein was known for his wit and his ability to capture the human experience in his writing. In a 2001 interview with The New York Times, he said, "I think the theater is a way of expressing what's going on in the world and what's going on in people's hearts. It's a way of communicating on a very deep level, and that's what I've always tried to do with my work." Stein's contributions to the world of musical theater have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1994, and in 2008, the Tony Awards honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. His legacy lives on through his timeless works, which continue to be performed and beloved by audiences around the world.

JERRY BOCK

(Composer) Born into a Jewish family in New Haven, Connecticut, and raised in Flushing, Queens, New York, Bock studied the piano as a child. While a student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he wrote the musical Big As Life, which toured the state and enjoyed a run in Chicago. After graduation, he spent three summers at the Tamiment Playhouse in the Poconos and wrote for early television revues with lyricist Larry Holofcener. One of their songs, the three-part "The Story of Alice," was performed by the Chad Mitchell Trio on their Blowin' in the Wind album of 1962.

SHELDON HARNICK

(Lyricist) was born in Chicago in 1924. Following his service in World War II, he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree at Northwestern University, majoring in violin. After working as a professional musician in and around Chicago, he moved to New York in 1950 to pursue a career in the musical theater. Harnick’s first song for a Broadway show was the hilarious “Boston Beguine” for New Faces of 1952. He then contributed songs to the revues Two’s Company (starring Bette Davis), John Murray Anderson’s Almanac and The Littlest Revue. His collaboration with composer Jerry Bock produced such Broadway classics as Fiorello! (1959): Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award; Tenderloin (1960); She Loves Me (1963): Grammy Award; Fiddler on the Roof (1964) Tony Award; The Apple Tree (1966) and The Rothschilds (1970). Other collaborations include A Christmas Carol with Michel Legrand (1981); Rex with Richard Rodgers (1976); A Wonderful Life with Joe Raposo (1986) and The Phantom Tollbooth with Arnold Black (1995). For Dragons and Malpractice Makes Perfect, he provided book lyrics and music. He has written songs for the films The Heartbreak Kid (1972) and Blame It On Rio (1984), both with music by Cy Coleman; and Aaron’s Magic Village (1995) with Michel Legrand.

JEROME ROBBINS

(Original Choreographer) Born on October 11, 1918 in New York, New York, Jerome Robbins went on to become a dancer and celebrated choreographer, earning raves for his ballet debut piece “Fancy Free.” He eventually served as director and/or choreographer on a number of musicals destined to become classics, including The King and I, West Side Story, Gypsy and Fiddler on the Roof. Robbins won an Oscar for his directorial efforts on the film version of West Side Story, and later focused on creating ballets for the stage. He died on July 29, 1998.

Music Theatre International (MTI)

is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide. MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior™ shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.

TOM QUAINTANCE

(Producing Artistic Director) is in his eighth season with Virginia Stage Company. At the Wells, Tom has directed Henry V, A Merry Little Christmas Carol, Pride and Prejudice, The Santaland Diaries, Matilda The Musical and Every Brilliant Thing. He also directed the tour of Every Brilliant Thing, which continues across Virginia. Regionally Tom directed Twelfth Night at the Guthrie Theater, and as an Associate Artist at PlayMakers Repertory Company he directed An Enemy of the People, Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, and The Little Prince. As Artistic Director of Cape Fear Regional Theatre (CFRT), Tom produced over 35 plays and directed many others, including the World Premiere of Downrange: Voices from the Homefront, a play based on interviews with military spouses from Fort Bragg. As the founder of FreightTrain Shakespeare in Los Angeles, he earned a Drama-Logue Award for his direction of Pericles. Other Los Angeles credits range from King Lear to The Devil With Boobs. A member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Tom is a graduate of Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) with a B.A. in Theatre and Economics, and the University of California, San Diego MFA directing program, where he was the assistant director on the original production of The Who’s Tommy. Tom and his wife Wallis are the proud parents of Mireille Julia and Annika Christine.

JEFF RYDER

(Managing Director)  has been the Managing Director of Virginia Stage Company since March 2022. Prior to coming to VSC, Jeff served in several roles at Cleveland Play House from 2013 to 2022. Jeff holds a Master of Public Administration Degree from the Levin College at Cleveland State University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Tufts University. At Levin, Jeff was inducted into Nu Lambda Mu, the international honor society for the study of nonprofit management and philanthropy. Jeff also holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion for HR Professionals from Cornell University. He is the president of the board of Hampton Roads Pride and is the community service director for the Rotary Club of Norfolk. He has previously served on the boards of the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank, Theatre Forward, the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Cleveland, and the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. In Cleveland, Jeff was honored to be a part of the Cleveland Leadership Center’s Advanced Leadership Institute and the Cleveland Foundation’s Foundations for Philanthropy Program. Jeff has also been a stage manager at several theatres including Talespinner Children’s Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Berkshire Theatre Festival.

Henry V | Cast & Creatives

Presented by Virginia Stage Company and The Norfolk State University Theatre Company

VANIA AURSBY†

(Katherine/Bates) is excited to appear in her first Virginia Stage Company production Henry V. Alonnie is a Drama/Theatre Major at NSU and her previous credits include School Girls (Generic Theater); and Macbeth (ODU Rep Theatre). She would like to thank herself, her family, MadeInNorfolk, Rayna Johnson, Chelsea Mock and the NSU Theatre faculty for their part in making this all possible.As a message to other young Black girls in the crowd she leaves this message "When you do the work it’s undeniable, no one can impede on what God has instore for you except you” 

KEEAJAH BALDWIN†‡

(Grey/York) is a graduate of Norfolk State University with a B.A in Theatre and English. She’s ecstatic to be working on her second Virginia Stage Company’s production with Henry V. Previous credits include A Soldier's Play (Virginia Arts Festival); The Wiz (Virginia Stage Company); Black Nativity, Eclipsed, Ruined (Norfolk State University), and The Mountain King (Zeiders American Dream Theatre). She would like to thank her family, friends, and God for their everyday love and support. Special thanks to Aiden R. Baldwin, and an honorary thank you to her guardians above.

COREY BROWN†‡

(Cambridge/Michael Williams)  is ecstatic to be working with the Virginia Stage company again, in his 3rd production with them in Shakespeare's Henry V. Previous credits include The Wiz (Virginia Stage Company/Norfolk State University Theatre Co.); Our Town (Virginia Stage Company); Thoughts of a Colored Man, Top Dog/Underdog, Fences, Soldiers Play (Norfolk State University Theatre Company); Sweat (Generic Theatre). He would like to give an honor to God for blessing him with his gifts and talents, and give thanks to his family and friends for all their support as he continues to utilizes his passion to fulfill all his dreams.

MIGUEL GIRONA

(Nym/Constable) is honored to return to the boards of the Wells. Some other notable stage appearances include Solario/Solarino in The Merchant Of Venice, Sir Eglamour in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Messalla in Julius Caesar at the Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Landscaper in Native Gardens and Antipholus of Syracuse in Comedy Of Errors (School Tour) at the Virginia Stage Company, Banquo in Voodoo Macbeth, and Polonius in Ophelia Chooses at Zeider’s, as well as Morrocco/Solario/Duke/Tubal in The Merchant of Venice at Quill Theater.

JEFFREY A. HADDOCK

(Dauphin/Salisbury)  is a local actor and educator, currently working as a Teaching Artist with Virginia Stage Company on their touring production of GreenBeats, Live! Jeffrey holds a BA in Theatre Performance from Old Dominion University, and some of his favorite performance credits include: Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and Claude Bukowski in Hair (ODURep); and most recently Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit (Virginia Stage Company). Jeffrey would like to thank his lovely partner Krystal, his ever supportive family, his wonderful coworkers, and his friends who all inspire him daily. 

JORDAN HAMPTON†

(Scroop/Gower) is a Senior Drama and Theater Major from Harlem, New York and is excited to be a part of VSC's production of Henry V. He has previously performed as Peter Parker in Disney's, Spider Man and the Kid who Flew,  Anger in Thoughts of a Colored Man, Smalls in A Soldiers Play,  and an Off-Broadway production of Prospect High Brooklyn. 

CHRISTOPHER MARQUIS LINDSAY*‡

(King Henry) is delighted to be back at the Virginia Stage Company. Previous credits include Off-Broadway: A Raisin in the Sun (The Public Theater). Regional: Gem of the Ocean (Trinity Rep), The Tempest, The Parchman Hour, A Christmas Carol, (Virginia Stage Company). TV: Blue Bloods. He holds an MFA from Brown/Trinity Rep and a BA from Norfolk State University in English/Theater where he is also a charter member of the Alpha Theta Kappa Chapter of Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society.

TERRANCE LIVINGSTON, JR.‡

(Chorus/Governor) is excited to work in another production with the Virginia Stage Company and Norfolk State University in Henry V. Previous credits include A Soldier’s Play (Virginia Arts Festival), The Wiz (Virginia Stage/NSU), and A Christmas Carol (Virginia Stage). Film credits include Mother’s Deadly Son (Lifetime), The Shark side of the Moon (Tubi), and Eric Coker’s Good Poison.

SARAH MANTON*

(Montjoy/Hostess) One Man, Two Guvnors (Broadway), The Coast of Utopia, South Pacific  (National Theatre, London), Baby in Dirty Dancing (West End), Villette (Frantic Assembly /Stephen Hoggett), Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (UK tour), The Mikado, Major Barbara, The Madras House, Village Wooing, (Orange Tree, London) Time and the Conways (Old Globe, San Diego), What the Butler Saw (Mark Taper Forum, LA), Owners (Yale Rep), Pains of Youth (BAC, London), When We Are Married (Denver Center), Time of my Life (Pittsburgh Public), Things We Do For Love, Bedroom Farce, What the Butler Saw and Lettice and Lovage (Westport Country Playhouse), The Champion of Paribanou, (dir. Alan Ayckbourn, Scarborough), House and Garden (PICT), The Rivals (UK tour), Pains of Youth (BAC, London), Peter Pan (De la Warr Pavillion, UK) TV/Film: New Amsterdam (NBC), Doctors (BBC), Casualty (BBC), Seriously Dirty Dancing (Channel 5, UK) Radio plays: Whenever (BBC Radio 4), Christmas Carol (Westport), Sound of Siren (The Artist Experiment) Training: Guildford School of Acting, London. Member of The Actors Center NYC. 

ADAM E. MOSKOWITZ*†

(Westmoreland) is a sophomore Norfolk State University Drama & Theatre major from Hyattsville, Maryland.   He has previously appeared in the Virginia Stage Company and NSU Theatre Company co-production of Dreamgirls performing the role of C.C. White. Other credits include Shakespeare’s The Tempest (Shakespeare in the Grove); A Soldiers Play (Virginia Arts Festival and NSU Theatre Company); Skeleton Crew and Thoughts of a Colored Man (NSU Theatre Company).  After graduation Adam plans on attending graduate school to receive his MFA in Acting. He thanks his mother, family and friends for their love and support.

DERRICK MOORE*‡

(Exeter) is excited to come back for his fourth production at The Virginia Stage Company. Moore's previous productions were The Brother’s Size and A Raisin In The Sun at The American Players Theater. Before American Players Theater, Derrick completed his first feature film IN CONTRAST.  He also performed Choir Boy at the National Black Theatre Festival. Before making his debut at the Virginia Stage Company for the Christmas Carol and The Tempest, Moore presented the Atlanta Premiere of The Brother Size. Moore’s other credits include Comedy of Errors and Hamlet at the Houston Shakespeare Festival. You can follow Derrick @derrickd.moore on Instagram and Derrick Moore Facebook.

RON NEWMAN

(King of France/Erpingham)  is excited to return to Virginia Stage! Previous VSC productions: Guys and Dolls (Arvid Abernathy) , Pride and Prejudice (Sir Lucas/Mr. Gardner) , The Tempest (Francisco),  The Diary of Anne Frank (Mr. Kraler); East Coast Tour in Marlo Thomas' Free To Be You and Me; Additional Regional: Sister Act-the Musical (Monsignor O'Hara)  Jekyll and Hyde -the Musical (Sir Danvers), Freaky Friday (Grandpa Gordon) , Beauty and the Beast (Maurice) , Show Boat (Frank Shultz), The Music Man (Marcellus), The Sound of Music (Uncle Max) at Virginia Musical Theatre; The Importance of Being Earnest (Algernon) at Appalachian Theatre; Oliver! (Fagin), Dames at Sea (Dick), You Can't Take it With You (Tony) at Milburn Stone Theatre;  Television: Doctor Madblood (various characters) with Harrell Productions; The History of Tennessee (Tennessee PBS, Johnson City). Ron is a retired theatre and film instructor/director of 40 + years with Norfolk Academy, Cecil College,The Governor's School for the Arts, Virginia Stage, and Imagination Station in D.C.  He is graduate of Tusculum University (BA), American University ,and Old Dominion University (MA). Many thanks to everyone here at VSC. It's so good to be back! A special shout-out to my husband for all his support.

CAMILLE PETINAUD†

(English Soldier/Deck Crew) is a Junior at Norfolk State University. She is an active member in the NSU Theatre Company where she recently played Geneva Lee Browne in 1940’s Radio Hour, the understudy for the role Faye in Skeleton Crew, and was a Production Assistant for Virginia Stage Company and NSU Theatre Company collaboration of Dreamgirls, Virginia Stage Company’s A Merry Little Christmas Carol (Spot Operator), and Angry Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous (Wardrobe Dresser/ Run Crew) She attended and worked at Wingspan Arts Summer Conservatory in New York City, she played the role of Trix in The Drowsy Chaperone, and Gynecia in Head over Heels, and worked as Stage Manager for the play Metamorphoses. She is the founder, creative director, and producer of Cam Filmwork Productions where she wrote, directed, and produced her debut film World We Created. She wants to thank her family for their support and dedicate this performance to her father. Philippians 4:13

TOM QUAINTANCE †

(Chorus/Governor) is in his seventh season with Virginia Stage Company. At the Wells, Tom has directed Every Brilliant Thing, A Merry Little Christmas Carol, Pride and Prejudice, The Santaland Diaries, and Matilda The Musical. Regionally Tom directed Twelfth Night at the Guthrie Theater, and as an Associate Artist at PlayMakers Repertory Company he directed An Enemy of the People, Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, and The Little Prince. As Artistic Director of Cape Fear Regional Theatre (CFRT), Tom produced over 35 plays and directed many others, including the World Premiere of Downrange: Voices from the Homefront, a play based on interviews with military spouses from Fort Bragg. As the founder of FreightTrain Shakespeare in Los Angeles, he earned a Drama-Logue Award for his direction of Pericles. Other Los Angeles credits range from King Lear to The Devil With Boobs. A member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Tom is a graduate of Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) with a B.A. in Theatre and Economics, and the University of California, San Diego MFA directing program, where he was the assistant director on the original production of The Who’s Tommy. Tom and his wife Wallis are the proud parents of Mireille Julia and Annika Christine.

MEG RODGERS*

(Pistol/Alice) is thrilled to be joining Virginia Stage Company for her first season with Henry V. Previous Credits include Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, Comedy of Errors, Pericles, Une Tempete, The Tempest, Thrive, All’s Well That Ends Well, Macbeth, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, King and No King, Merry Wives of Windsor, Anne Page Hates Fun, Arden of Faversham, As You Like It, Emma, Richard III, Man of Mode (American Shakespeare Center); Shakespeare in Love, West Side Story, The Old Man and The Old Moon (Hope Repertory Theatre); Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing (Houston Shakespeare Festival); Enemies (Main Street Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Rec Room). She holds an MFA from the University of Houston and would like to thank her family, teachers, friends, and Milo for their love and snacks. Actors’ Equity Association. @meggrodgers

SATARA SALMON†

(Boy) is a newcomer to Virginia Stage Company’s production with Shakespeare’s Henry V, but not new to performing. Her stage credits include two student- directed plays, Call Her Simon and Turn This Mother Out-With Prayer, at Norfolk State University (NSU). In addition, she served as Head Prop Master in the production of Skeleton Crew (NSU). She would like to thank her family for supporting her acting journey thus far, and her friends for realizing her potential and always encouraging her.

ANNA SOSA

(Bardolph/French Soldier) is a proud Filipina American born and raised here in Norfolk,VA.  She has worked locally and internationally across theater, film, improv comedy and voiceover.  You may recognize her from VSC's production of The Hobbit, where she played Kili and Gollum, and most recently played the title role of Deborah Wallace's newest work Artemis, I.  She thanks CORE Theater Ensemble, Push Comedy Theater, TCC's Shakespeare in the Grove, the growing Viewpoints community, and the wonderful theater makers of NSU for empowering underrepresented artists.  She earned her BFA in Theater Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University.

JULIAN STETKEVYCH*

(Canterbury/Fluellen/Orleans) is excited to be back performing for the VSC audiences. At VSC he has appeared in The Thanksgiving Play, Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, and the virtual production Something Delightful. Off-off Broadway includes 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 includes A Christmas Carol at American Conservatory Theater, The Berlin Circle at Steppenwolf Theater, and Taking Measure at Zeiders American Dream Theater. He holds MFAs from the American Conservatory Theater and the University of Pittsburgh. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and an Assistant Professor of Acting at Christopher Newport University. 

CONNIE TATE†

(Ely/Bourbon/French Queen) is beyond thrilled to be a part of her first production at Virginia Stage Company as an actor. She previously worked in costumes for Dreamgirls (Virginia Stage Company). She is overwhelmed with gratitude for this opportunity with only her family and friends to thank for constantly supporting and uplifting her dreams.

AARON TYLER†

(Gloucester) is honored to be making his Virginia Stage Company debut alongside such a beautiful cast. He has been acting since he was a child, and most recently played Happiness (u.s.) in the American Collegiate Premiere of Thoughts of A Colored Man (NSU Theatre Company). He recently played a supporting role in the pilot episode of Jewel Hamrick IV’s upcoming show EXPOSED: THE SERIES, which will soon be picked up for production. Tyler is also a writer, and has had the esteemed honor of performing his original choreo-poem American Tableus for the Black Orpheus event at the Chrysler Museum. He would like to thank his family for always supporting his dreams of being a storyteller, and would like to dedicate his performance to his father, who recently joined the ancestors. Asé. Let’s stay connected…IG: iamaarontyler

Creative Team

TOM QUAINTANCE†

(Director) See bio above.

DAHLIA AL-HABIELI

(Scenic Designer) Recent and upcoming credits include designs for the Dallas Theatre Center, Trinity Rep, The Rep of St Louis, and Harvard College. She currently serves as Special Visiting Faculty in Scenic Design at Carnegie Mellon University, and has held faculty appointments at Wake Forest University and Albright College. While at Albright, Dahlia won the KCACTF Region II Award for Distinguished Scenic Design in 2020 for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime; she also directed an all-remote, communally-created adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, pairing a company of student actors with 50 artists of all ages from around the world. www.eloquentaction.com

JENI SCHAEFER

(Costume Designer) is the Director of Design and Resident Costume Designer at the Virginia Stage Company in her 21st season. Regional credits include: A Christmas Story at Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Hound of the Baskervilles at The Hangar and White Heron Theatre, Always...Patsy Cline PCPA Theatrefest, World premiere of Tom Jones for Florida Studio Theatre, Wit for Playmakers Repertory Theatre. VSC productions including; 39 Steps, The Hobbit, Every Brilliant Thing, Dreamgirls, Merry Little Christmas Carol, Dear Jack Dear Louise, Hold These Truths, Sense and Sensibility, Guys and Dolls, Matilda, Secret Garden, Fun Home, Always Patsy Cline, Crowns,The Hound of the Baskervilles, Pride and Prejudice, The Wiz, A Streetcar named Desire, Oliver, Peter and the Starcatcher, All my Sons,The Great Gatsby,The Fantasticks, Death of a Salesman, Red, Around the World in 80 days, Crowns, Billy Bishop Goes to War, Hank Williams Lost Highway and A Christmas Carol. Jeni Schaefer holds a MAC in Theatre/Costume Design from Wichita State University. Thank you to my family Tony, Sara and Ethan for being my inspiration and for always believing in me.

CHRISTINA WATANABE §

(Lighting Designer) is an award-winning designer and educator for theatre, dance, music, and events. At VSC: Guys and Dolls, Every Brilliant Thing, The Hobbit. Recent: Clue (Dallas Theatre Center), Gypsy, Jersey Boys (Theatre Aspen), Sueño (Trinity Rep), The 39 Steps (Rep St. Louis), Elf (Pioneer Theatre Company), This Bitter Earth (Theatreworks Hartford), Carla’s Quince (virtual, Drama League nomination), Where We Stand (WP Theatre), As You Like It (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), The Wild Party (Post Theatre Company), Peer Gynt (Barnard), Heartbreak House (Gingold Theatrical Group), A Christmas Carol (Florida Rep), Into the Woods (Charlottesville Opera), Peter and the Starcatcher (White Heron Theatre Company), Scissoring (INTAR), Dido of Idaho (Ensemble Studio Theatre), Small World: a fantasia (59E59), Neighbors: A Fair Trade Agreement (INTAR), Daniel’s Husband (Primary Stages/Cherry Lane), I Will Look Forward To This Later (New Ohio). TV: Colin Quinn: Red State Blue State (co-design, CNN). Lincoln Center Festival (2013, 2015-2017). USITT Gateway Mentor. Knights of Illumination winner. Faculty: Sargent Conservatory at Webster University. MFA: NYU. Member USA 829. www.StarryEyedLighting.com.

STEVEN ALLEGRETTO

(Sound Design) Steven Allegretto is an accomplished sound designer with a passion for creating immersive experiences for live theatre. A graduate of Full Sail University’s prestigious Recording Arts program, Steven has honed his skills through years of hard work and dedication to his craft. In addition to his work as a sound designer, Steven is also a committed educator. He has served as an Adjunct Professor of Theatre Sound Design at the College of William & Mary, as well as a part-time instructor for the Governor’s School for the Arts. He also teaches privately, helping aspiring sound designers develop their skills and reach their full potential. Steven has had the honor of designing past VSC shows including Every Brilliant Thing, Dreamgirls, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Hobbit, A Merry Little Christmas Carol, and more. His ability to create complex sonic landscapes that transport audiences to other worlds has made him a sought-after collaborator in the Hampton Roads theatre community. Steven is thrilled to be back at the Virginia Stage Company, where he looks forward to sharing his vision for Henry V with audiences. With his expert ear and tireless dedication to his craft, Steven is sure to deliver a truly unforgettable sonic experience.

EMEL ERTURGUL

(Casting Director) officially joined the Virginia Stage Company team in 2017 but worked on various projects with the company well before.  Her first casting adventure was the beautiful production Pride and Prejudice for Season 39.  Since then it has been a goal to strengthen and cultivate VSC's relationship with professional local and out of town artists.  Each season has provided new challenges and each production a new opportunity to find the perfect showcase of talent. Emel has most recently been seen performing in The Twelve Dates of Christmas on the Wells Stage and currently serves as the Operations Manager for VSC and the Producing Artistic Director for Core Theatre Ensemble.

KYRA BUTTON*

(Production Stage Manager) has previously worked at Cleveland Play House on The Great Leap, Antigone, Where Did We Sit On The Bus?, Tiny Houses, Into The Breeches, and Pipeline, to name a few. Her previous credits also include ABCD  (Barrington Stage Company), Dreamgirls (Virginia Stage Company), Hurricane Diane (Dobama Theatre), Baby Camp (Leviathan Labs), Resistance (Semicolon Theatre), The Heart’s Impatience (Shufflefoot Theatre Company), A Streetcar Named Desire (St. Ann’s Warehouse), Medea and Dreamgirls (Red House Arts Center), This Day Forward (The Vineyard Theatre), and The Intergenerational Project (Rose Bruford, London). Kyra is proud to hold a BFA in Stage Management from Syracuse University’s Department of Drama and would like to thank her family, particularly her husband, for their unflagging support.

EMMA D. EMDE*

(Assistant Stage Manager) is elated to be spending her first season with Virginia Stage Company. Her recent credits here include Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous, The 39 Steps, A Merry Little Christmas Carol and The Hobbit. Prior to coming to Virginia Stage Company Emma spent the summer in Ithaca, NY as the Assistant Production Manager at Hangar Theatre Company. As a recent graduate from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, her favorite collegiate stage management credits include Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe, She Kills Monsters, and The Old Maid and the Thief. Following the close of the season, she will be heading to the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Emma is a proud member of the Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honors Society and National Honors Society for Dance Association.

REFIYE TAPPAN

(Music Director) returns to VSC after working on A Merry Little Christmas Carol in 2021 and 2022. Refiye is currently based in Virginia Beach and works in the Hampton Roads and D.C. areas. She is a collaborative pianist at The Governor’s School of the Arts in the Vocal and Music Theatre Departments, and with Norfolk Public Schools. Credits: D.C. Area: Constellation Theatre Company: Once On This Island (Music Director/Keys 1/Conductor. Helen Hayes 2023 nomination - Outstanding Music Direction). Mosaic Theater Company: Max & Willy’s Last Laugh (Associate MD). Creative Cauldron - On Air (MD. Helen Hayes 2020 nomination- Outstanding Music Direction); Always...Patsy Cline 2021 and 2022 Remount (MD); Audrey - A New Musical (MD); and multiple cabarets as MD and arranger. Synetic Theater: Gala 2020. Regional: Virginia Musical Theatre: Mamma Mia. Virginia Opera-VA Arts Fest: The Sound of Music. Virginia Stage Company: Under the Big Top Gala (MD/arranger); Zeider’s Theater: Fountain of You (Associate MD). Education: Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, UK; University of Reading, UK. Refiye would like to thank TQ and all at VSC for their wonderful collaboration, and husband Philip for supporting her creative endeavours. refiyemusic.com

GREGG LLOYD

(Fight Choreographer) Is an award-winning Director, Fight Director, and Actor specializing in Stage Combat, Acting, and Musical Theater, Gregg has an MFA in Acting (WIU), a BA in Theater (North Central College), and is a Certified Teacher of Stage Combat (Society of American Fight Directors) with black belts in Hapkido and TangSooDo. Currently, Gregg serves as Head of Performance at CNU where he received the KC-ACTF’s Excellence in Directing Award for Brighton Beach Memoirs and When You Comin’ Back, Red Ryder. Fight Direction credits include: The Hobbit, The Valkyrie, Pagliacci, The Great Gatsby, Romeo and Juliet, Fences, I Hate Hamlet, Il Trovatore, and Don Giovani.  Acting credits include: King Arthur (Spamalot), Mark Rothko (Red), McKean (1776), Mushnik (Little Shop of Horrors), the Governor (Man of La Mancha), and Capulet in Romeo and Juliet. For TheaterCNU, Gregg has directed Pippin, Spitfire Grill, Noises Off, Once Upon a Mattress, I Hate Hamlet, HMS Pinafore, and The Adding Machine.

JEFF RYDER

(Managing Director) has been Managing Director of Virginia Stage Company since March 2022. Prior to coming to VSC, Jeff served in several roles at Cleveland Play House from 2013 to 2022. Jeff holds a Master of Public Administration Degree from the Levin College at Cleveland State University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Tufts University. At Levin, Jeff was inducted into Nu Lambda Mu, the international honor society for the study of nonprofit management and philanthropy. Jeff also holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion for HR Professionals from Cornell University. He has served on the boards of the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank, Theatre Forward, the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Cleveland, and the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. In Cleveland, Jeff was honored to be a part of the Cleveland Leadership Center’s Advanced Leadership Institute and the Cleveland Foundation’s Foundations for Philanthropy Program. Jeff has also been a stage manager at several theatres including Talespinner Children’s Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Berkshire Theatre Festival.

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
† Member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent labor union
§ Member of United Scenic Artists, local USA-829 of the IATSE

The role of Governor/Chorus is played in rotation by Tom Quaintance and Terrance Livingston, Jr.

Dreamgirls Interview: Tom Quaintance and Anthony Stockard

Virginia Stage Company couldn’t be more excited to welcome the Hampton Roads Community to the Wells Stage as it marks it’s fifth co-production with the talented and accredited artists at Norfolk State University Theatre Company in the form of Dreamgirls.

If you’re not excited yet then please take a listen to the words from Dreamgirls director and Norfolk State University Theatre Company Producing Artistic Director Anthony Stockard and VSC’s PAD Tom Quaintance as they exclaim the excitement, joy, and energy that is going to grace the Wells Theatre Stage.

This is a show you won’t want to miss! Make sure to get tickets at www.vastage.org/dreamgirls today!