Klea Blackhurst has performed in legendary halls from The London Palladium to Carnegie Hall, The Royal Albert Hall to Jazz at Lincoln Center and with symphony orchestras from Atlanta to Philly, Ravinia to Tanglewood. She starred in Goodspeed Musicals’ 50^th anniversary production of Hello, Dolly!, Marvin Hamlisch’s last musical The Nutty Professor, directed by Jerry Lewis, and the title role in Hazel at Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago, where she also headed a critically lauded production of Gypsy. She’s brought her brand of comedy to the development of many new works, most recently Deaf West’s Elephant Shoes directed by Jeff Calhoun at Two River Theatre in Red Bank, NJ. Klea is a distinguished alumna of the University of Utah.

Chris Blem is a vocalist and creative producer whose performances have taken him around the world with leading symphonic orchestras, including the Tokyo Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Evergreen Orchestra (Taipei), Metropolitan Orchestra (Singapore), and Neverland Orchestra (Tokyo). His voice can be heard on three Disney on CLASSIC recordings and on Disney Channel Japan and Disney+. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, Chris’s Off-Broadway and regional credits include A Dog Story, Matilda, Beauty and the Beast, Hair, and Into the Woods, for which he received the League of Cincinnati Award. He is also the founder of The Network, producing live entertainment and immersive experiences.

John Boswell is an acclaimed pianist, composer, arranger, musical director, and vocalist whose career spans Broadway, television, concert halls, and symphony stages. He has served as musical director for artists including Judy Collins, Andy Williams, Bob Newhart, Sheena Easton, Scott Coulter, Faith Prince, Carmen Cusack, and Jason Graae. His Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include Crazy for You, The Secret Garden, Liza: Stepping Out at Radio City, and Back to Bacharach and David. John has also appeared on The Tonight Show, Today, and General Hospital. A recipient of UCLA’s Frank Sinatra Award for Popular Instrumentalists, he has released eight albums of original solo piano music.

Kenneth Early is honored to be a part of this production at Ensemble Theatre, where he was last seen in I Need That by Theresa Rebeck, as well as Who All Over There?, Pipeline, Red Velvet, The Whipping Man, Around the World in 80 Days, Grey Gardens, The Dancing Princesses, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, and The Frog Princess. Other regional productions include The Color Purple, Jitney, Once on This Island, Misery, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Christmas Carol, Of Mice and Men, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Amen Corner, Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew, Pluto, and The Adding Machine.

Chanduni Herath (she/her) is beyond excited to be making her first appearance at the Ensemble Theatre! She is a Cincinnati native and a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where she is pursuing a BFA in musical theater with a minor in speech therapy. Having performed in the workshop of Corner of the Sky: The Songs of Stephen Schwartz at CCM’s Moveable Feast gala fundraiser in January, she is thrilled and grateful to continue her journey with the project. Chanduni would like to express her deepest gratitude to both her family and friends for their endless love and support!

Jordyn Amani Jones (they/she) is a Washington DC native and a rising senior at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music pursing a BFA in musical theatre. Jordyn is so excited to be back at Ensemble Theatre after playing the role of Joy in The House on Watch Hill. Favorite credits include Celie in The Color Purple and Dear Even Hansen, The Carnegie; Lorraine in Hairspray, The Cape Playhouse; Jutta in In the Green, CCM; and ensemble in 30 Years of Stephen: The Music of Stephen Flaherty, Carnegie Hall. Jordyn is also an upcoming solo pop artist with original music on all streaming platforms under the artist name, JØRDYN. They would like to send love to their sisters and mom for inspiring them every day! Instagram: @jrdynofficial.

Gavin Poronsky (he/him) is so excited to return to Ensemble Theatre, where he was just seen as Tim in The House on Watch Hill. Some of his other recent credits include Sweeney Todd, The Shards of an Honor Code Junkie, and the original workshop of Corner of the Sky. He could not be happier as he begins his sophomore year University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music pursuing a BFA in musical theatre. He would like to thank his family and friends for all of their endless support!

Sydney Short is originally from Wilmington, NC and is a senior at University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music pursing a BFA in musical theatre. Some of her credits include Les Misérables, The Muny and Lexington Theatre Company; Grease, The Carnegie; and Seussical, CCM. She would like to thank Lynn, Vincent, Scott, and the rest of the ETC team!

Jessica Hendy is thrilled to be back at Ensemble Theatre. Her autobiographical one-woman musical, Walking with Bubbles, premiered Off Broadway, earning her a Drama Desk nomination and an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Solo Show. The cast album is available on all streaming platforms. Her credits span four Broadway shows, Off-Broadway shows, national tours, regional theatre, and symphony concerts across the country. Her work on Sondheim Unplugged Vol 3 earned a 2023 Grammy nomination.

Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for the current Broadway hit Wicked and has also contributed music and/or lyrics to Godspell, Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker’s Wife, Working (which he also adapted and directed), Rags, and Children of Eden. He collaborated with Leonard Bernstein on the English texts for Bernstein’s Mass and wrote the title song for the play and movie Butterflies Are Free. For children, he has written songs for two musicals, Captain Louie and My Son Pinocchio. He has also worked in film, collaborating with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney’s Enchanted as well as the animated features Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and writing the songs for the DreamWorks animated feature The Prince of Egypt. His first opera, Séance on a Wet Afternoon, was produced at Opera Santa Barbara and New York City Opera. A book about his career, “Defying Gravity,” has been released by Applause Books. Mr. Schwartz has been inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Awards include three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, and a tiny handful of tennis trophies.

Scott Coulter is one of New York’s most honored vocalists, having received five MAC Awards, five Bistro Awards, and two Nightlife Awards for Outstanding Vocalist, as well as Emmy and Grammy nominations. Scott was the director and star of A Christmas Carol: The Symphonic Concert in its world premiere with the Baltimore Symphony and reprised his performance in the Emmy-nominated PBS production. He is an Emmy nominee for his performance in American Song with composer Stephen Schwartz, who said, “One of the greatest things that can happen to a composer is to have his music interpreted by Scott Coulter.” Scott is founder/owner of Spot-On Entertainment, which produces and performs concert events around the world, and the executive and artistic director of the Palm Springs Pops Orchestra. He is a very proud graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (2010 CCM Young Alumni Award, 2020 CCM Distinguished Service Award, and 2026 CCM Alumni Guest of Honor).

Vincent DeGeorge is a professional stage and film director, choreographer, theatrical researcher, and artist educator. He is the Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre and the Joseph Weinberger Chair of Acting for the Lyric Stage at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. Vincent has developed The Theatrical Awareness Practice, a somatic and experiential approach to actor training that has become the cornerstone of his teaching and directing. The practice invites actors to cultivate a deeper awareness of the mind/body relationship and to engage more fully with their lived, embodied experience. Vincent has directed and choreographed more than 40 productions throughout his career. Over the past four years, his creative work has focused primarily on the development of new works for theatre, musical theatre, and live performance. Most recently, Vincent collaborated with writer and composer Blake Allen on the world premiere staging of Allen’s musical The Shards of an Honor Code Junkie. Vincent and Blake are continuing their collaboration on a new project, which will receive its first developmental workshop at CCM in the spring of 2027. Vincent currently serves on the faculty of the Trentino Music Festival’s Musical Theatre Performance Studio. Vincent is a proud member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Actors’ Equity Association, the American Massage Therapy Association, Theatre Movement Educators, Musical Theatre Educators, and Opera America.

John Boswell is an acclaimed pianist, composer, arranger, musical director, and vocalist whose career spans Broadway, television, concert halls, and symphony stages. He has served as musical director for artists including Judy Collins, Andy Williams, Bob Newhart, Sheena Easton, Scott Coulter, Faith Prince, Carmen Cusack, and Jason Graae. His Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include Crazy for You, The Secret Garden, Liza: Stepping Out at Radio City, and Back to Bacharach and David. John has also appeared on The Tonight Show, Today, and General Hospital. A recipient of UCLA’s Frank Sinatra Award for Popular Instrumentalists, he has released eight albums of original solo piano music.

Brian c. Mehring (he/him) is incredibly thankful to have served as the resident scenic and lighting designer at Ensemble Theatre for over two decades. Some of his favorite productions include Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Your Negro Tour Guide, Next to Normal, An Iliad, Sweat, and Fun Home. His regional favorites for set design include The Last 5 Years and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Henry IV, Part 1, The Georgia Shakespeare Festival; and I Am My Own Wife, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Peterborough Players, and Florida Studio Theatre. Brian would like to thank D. Lynn Meyers for her endless support and dedication to ETC.

Cat Schmeal-Swope is a costume designer and technician based in the Greater Cincinnati area. Cat is also the costume shop manager and an adjunct professor at Northern Kentucky University’s Theatre & Dance Program. Various regional costume design credits include Hands on a Hardbody, Ensemble Theatre; Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, The Carnegie; Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly and The African Company Presents Richard III, NKU; Looped and Around the World in 80 Days, The Human Race Theatre Company; Daddy Long Legs, CATCO; and Othello, The Ohio State University/Royal Shakespeare Company. Cat has also worked as a cutter/draper for numerous companies, including Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. She holds an MFA in theatre design from The Ohio State University and a BFA in theatre from NKU.

Jake Tillmann is a percussionist, sound designer, audio engineer, and technician from the Cincinnati area. He has performed in and designed many productions over his twelve-year career including Godspell, The Producers, Next to Normal, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, tick, tick… BOOM!, Ride the Cyclone, and more. Jake found theater during his studies at Valparaiso University, where he obtained a degree in music industry. He has consulted and designed for many theatres, venues, studios, and other organizations across the country. He is excited to be in his first season at Ensemble Theatre as the lighting and sound supervisor. Outside of music and theater, Jake can often be found traveling with his wife, Ashley, and Goldendoodle, Charlie.

Dani Lobello is the director of production for The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. She was previously the director of production for the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. She began her career as the production manager at Six Flags Great America, where she developed and managed several IAAPA award-winning theme park shows and parades. Dani has designed sound for several shows locally, including La Cage aux Folles, Dear Evan Hansen, The Color Purple, and more at The Carnegie and How to Train Your Dragon Jr., Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr., and more at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Danielle received her BA in theatre from Winona State University in Winona, MN.

Becca Schall is excited to be part of the Ensemble Theatre team to help bring these beautiful plays to the stage! She is a freelance videographer and editor in the Cincinnati area and has called Ensemble her home base since 2013. Becca works with ETC’s marketing team as the Creative Media Producer to create video content for each season. Alongside the incomparable D. Lynn Meyers, she also has the pleasure of casting for the various movies that film in Cincinnati and surrounding regions. She is a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Virginia, but a native Cincinnatian who is just lucky enough to live in a city where the arts are always thriving!

Shannon Rae Lutz  (she/her) earned her Master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music in 1996 and became Properties Master at Ensemble Theatre. Trained as a performer, she first appeared on ETC’s stage during the 1988-1989 New Works Festival. In 1991, she was granted an ETC internship. Now the Director of Apprentice Programming, she is honored to guide ETC’s essential ensemble: The Professional Acting Apprentice Company. Shannon would like to thank D. Lynn Meyers, Ruth Sawyer, and the Cincinnati theatre community and patrons for their generous, supportive, and tenacious spirit.

Jacob Dowell (he/him) is thrilled to be in his fifth season at Ensemble. He received a BA in theatre from Morehead State University. Some previous technical direction credits include The Match Game, Fiona: The Musical, Hands on a Hardbody, Kinky Boots, The Who’s Tommy, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Jacob would like to thank his family, friends, his wife, Colleen, and cats, Ronnie and Stan, for their continued support.

Margot Whitney (she/her) is thrilled to be back at Ensemble Theatre family! Her previous credits include Sweat on Broadway and the first national tours of Clue, Mean Girls, Come From Away, Bright Star, The King & I, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and War Horse. She has worked with The Public Theatre, Signature Theatre Company, New York Stage and Film, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, La Jolla Playhouse, Virginia Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati during the 2012-2013 Season, and Cincinnati Ballet. Margot received her BFA from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.

Lexi Muller (she/her) is thrilled to return for her eighth season with Ensemble Theatre. Some of her ETC credits include The Wolves, Fun Home, Pipeline, Sweat, Morning Sun, and Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. Regional work includes Fiddler on the Roof, Sweeney Todd, and The Full Monty at The Human Race Theatre Company. A proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and a Wright State University BFA graduate. Lexi lives by spike tape, snacks, and Sharpies. She is especially thankful to her family for always supporting her love of theatre.