It has been 133,920 minutes since this show ended on May 10th. What better day to reflect on a show about life than the day of my birth? I feel more and more grateful every day when I think of the memories I shared with this top tier team. I am proud to say I have never worked harder for a part than I did last semester. I have also never obsessed over a show the way I did with this one. I will greatly miss Roger. I never thought I was punk rock enough to pull him off, but I am very grateful that I was given the opportunity to fill those boots. His voice, his presence, and even his angst, I will miss it all deeply. I ended up relating to him much more than I ever expected.
Having another significant loss in my family has put this show into a different perspective as I have reflected on its importance over the summer. “Seasons of Love,” for instance, perfectly sums up how we forget the little things that seem to pass in the blink of an eye. I think that is a big reason why it was so hard to let this show go.
I truly love this show. Its political impact in raising awareness of the AIDS epidemic is monumental, and I am glad I was even a small piece of spreading its story. At its core, it is just a show about people. People trying to make it as artists. I do not know if there is a better show to do at a school like Columbia College Chicago than this one. Bohemians dreaming of a better tomorrow while forgetting that, most importantly, they have each other. This crew and cast gave 100 percent until 10:30 p.m. every night, and not once did I want to leave. You know you are doing what you are meant to do for the rest of your life when you love what you are doing, you are surrounded by talent 24/7, and you never want to stop watching the people around you create.
Thank you to this team and to the audience for giving me the confidence to do what I love most for a few unforgettable weeks. I am truly grateful.
8/11/2025
Directed by Daryl Brooks. Assistant Director Lindsay Smith. Music Direction by David Fiorello, with Assistant Music Director Maine Triplett. Choreography by Tanji Harper. Production Stage Manager Dylan Hirt, with Assistant Stage Managers Ambika Trivedi, Ruby Lundeen, and Moe Kuhlmann. Scenic Design by Al Villanueva, assisted by Lewis Beaver and Leigha Armstrong, with Scenic Charge Eddie Neal-Morales. Technical Direction by Quinn Gomez. Costume Design by Remus Depriest, assisted by Keelano Mayo, Sio Davis, and Jo Cigarroa-Ontivaros. Hair by Syd Ellis. Makeup by Beyrali “Bey” Santiago. Lighting Design by Al Popelka, assisted by Destiny Garner and Michael Meschbach. Sound Design by Benji Felix and Nina Domanus. Props by Mariah Bennett, assisted by River Wise. Dramaturgy by Max Christensen and Lia Gil. Intimacy Coordination by Julie Granata-Hunicutt and Celine Berger. Violence Coordination by Edgar Lopez and Shelby Fish. Photography by Hannah Johnstone and Julie Lucas.
Orchestra: Michael Bulaw (Bass), David Fiorello (Keyboard), Benjamin Heppner (Drums), Trevor Stewart (Guitar), and Cesar Romera (Guitar 2 / Keyboard 2).
I can’t even begin to express how much this show means to me. Without a doubt, it’s the most challenging production I’ve been a part of in my career so far. The sheer joy and passion in the music and script were embraced so effortlessly by this extraordinary cast on day one. I genuinely can’t imagine a better team to bring a show like this to life in 2024 it truly takes a village.
One of the greatest rewards of this experience was watching everyone immerse themselves in 1968, exploring who they would be as part of this Tribe, and what kind of Hippie they bring to the table. Maybe I’m biased because I love this era so deeply, but this could very well be the best show I’ve ever been a part of.
While it’s bittersweet to see it come to an end, I feel immense pride knowing we truly made a difference to our audience. ✌️&❤️ to everyone involved you made this unforgettable.
11/30/24
Directed by David Fiorello. Music Direction by Dr. John Elson Williams, with Assistant Music Director Joleigh Reiss. Choreography by Wilfredo Rivera and Maya Lee. Scenic Design by River Wise. Costume Design by Lou Baggett. Lighting Design by Socorro Park. Sound Design by Johnathan Webster and Mikhail Fiksel. Hair and Wigs Design by Syd Ellis. Dramaturgy by Jacob Sousley and Austin DeVine. Intimacy Coordination by Julie Granata-Hunicutt. Fight Choreography by Brady Tooley and Meg Koineczka. Production Stage Management by Mags Sowell, with Assistant Stage Managers Dylan Hirt and Bar Schaffer. Photography by Hannah Johnstone.
Pit Orchestra: Lara Regan (Reeds), Tony Scandora (Drums and Percussion), Monica Benson (Trumpet), Johnathan McQuade (Trumpet), Matt Flanagan (Trombone), Cesar Romero (Guitars), Trevor Stewart (Guitars), Michael Bulaw (Bass Guitar), and Kailey Rockwell (Keyboard).
Mary Poppins was a memorable experience for me as an actor in the summer of 2024. During the production, I had the opportunity to understudy the role of Bert while also performing as the Park Keeper. Understudying Bert allowed me to closely study and develop a major role, while playing the Park Keeper gave me the chance to showcase my love for British comedy. Preparing for Bert also gave me the opportunity to study one of my favorite performances, Dick Van Dyke’s portrayal of the character. Bert’s quirky yet warmhearted nature made him especially rewarding to explore, and working on the Cockney accent was a fun and engaging challenge. Mary Poppins is a truly heartwarming show and one I would gladly revisit again and again.
I was fortunate enough to perform as Bert for one performance, and I couldn’t have asked for a better audience.
3/5/26
Directed by Erica O’Neill, with Assistant Director Tre Campbell. Produced by Latrisha Green and Dani Wipperman. Music Direction by Shireen Banigan. Choreography by Alex Lovel. Scenic Design by Kerry Anne Dixon, with Master Builder Matt O’Neill. Costume Design by Opal Virtue, with Costume Assistants Eddy Arteman and Christina Dean. Sound Design by Eli Mundy. Lighting Design by Dan Virtue. Props Design by Jennifer Bethmann. Makeup Design by Jeff Ready. Dramaturgy by Ashleigh Rae-Lynn. Stage Management by Judy Stroh. Backstage Crew by Jordan Bruder. House Management by Brian Patrick Pihl and Wendi Ayers. Photography by Amanda Padgitt.
2023 felt like the perfect time to return to summer theatre. Playing the role of Davey in Newsies is an experience I still often think about. Davey is the type of character I do not often play, the new guy who is timid and unsure of himself in a world that is completely new to him. Taking on this role pushed me to better understand my strengths as an actor.
This cast brought an incredible amount of passion to every rehearsal, and it often felt like we were ready for an audience weeks before tech week. Musically, the show is incredibly memorable and has instantly become a modern classic. It is also a show that resonates with audiences of all ages.
This was my second time performing in Newsies, and it is a show I could see myself returning to many more times throughout my career. There are so many different ways to approach it, both as an actor and as a production. Community Players brought tremendous energy and enthusiasm to the process, making sure audiences received the best possible performance each night. I distinctly remember how the show seemed to grow stronger with every performance of the run.
3/5/26
Directed by Marcia Weiss, with Assistant Director Maggie Borkholder. Produced by Erica O’Neill and Matt Drat. Music Direction by Dr. Ben Sims, with Assistant Music Directors Megan McDillon, Shireen Banigan, and Jessica Sheetz. Choreography by Alex Lovel. Scenic Design by Kerry Anne Dixon. Costume Design by Opal Virtue, with Costume Assistants Christina Dean, Darlene Lloyd, Ken Sprouls, and Rosie Hauck. Props Design by Jennifer Bethmann. Lighting Design by Mark Wright, with Lighting Technician Maggie Borkholder. Sound Design by AJ Ainslie, with Sound Engineer Alex Lovel. Dramaturgy and Dialect Coaching by Kayla Pulliam Mendoza. Fight Choreography by T Bixby. Intimacy Coordination by Jimmy Chrismon. Stage Management by Judy Stroh, with Assistant Stage Manager Lyric Borkholder. House Management by Christina Dean. Spotlight Operation by John W. Hurney and Izzy Shivers. Run Crew by Jason Cook.
