Michael G. Bath returns for his 26^th consecutive holiday show with Ensemble Theatre, where he was last seen in The Dancing Princesses and Tiny Beautiful Things, as well as Crabble in Fly By Night, Eddie in The Legend of Georgia McBride, Ian Smithton in The Other Place, and Adam in Next Fall. He also played Duke Salinus and Dr. Pinch in The Comedy of Errors at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Michael is a graduate of Wilmington College and a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Beasley (they/them) is a multi-hyphenate theatre artist from Friendswood, Texas. They graduated in May 2022 from the University of Oklahoma with a BFA in Drama, where some of their credits include The Wolves (#25), Intimate Apparel (Esther), The Gap (Lee), and Marisol (Angel), as well as A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Starveling/Moon) at OK Shakespeare in the Park. They are a current member of Ensemble Theatre’s Professional Acting Apprentice Program and they are excited to be making their Cincinnati debut on the ETC stage.

Hannah Beaven (she/her) graduated from Northern Kentucky University in May 2023 with a BFA in musical theatre. Some of her favorite credits include Twelfth Night (Feste), Peter and the Starcatcher (Molly), Noises Off (Poppy), Three Sisters (Irina), The Merry Wives of Windsor (Mistress Page), and Much Ado About Nothing (Ursula/Messenger). Hannah is so excited to be member of ETC’s Professional Apprentice Program this year!

Darnell Pierre Benjamin (he/him)i s a creative, educator, and community builder from Southern Louisiana. He earned his MFA from the University of Houston’s Professional Actor Training Program. Darnell’s work lives at the intersection of art and activism, which is apparent in his  film 13^th & Republic, found at 13thandrepublic.com. He was last seen at Ensemble Theatre in The Dancing Princesses and Cinderella. Some of his other recent credits include Wrecking Ball and The Importance of Being Earnest with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Darnell is also a professor in the arts programs at Northern Kentucky University, Xavier University, and the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. He is a certified educator and performer in the Michael Chekhov Technique and is also a recipient of Cincinnati’s ArtsWave 2020 and 2021 “Truth & Reconciliation” grants.

TaShauna Ajoi Jenkins was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and is a senior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a BA major in general theatre. Some of her most recent roles include Narrator in The Calling: The story of Judge U.W. Clemon and Sarah in Pink Clouds at Red Mountain Theater Company, as well as Kayla in Coin, Vanessa in Significant Other, and Kendall in Disconnect at UAB.

Brandi La ‘Sherrill has dedicated her life’s work to telling stories that must be told. Her most recent credits include the jazz icon Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin) at The Carnegie and Dorothy in The Wiz Jr. (directed by Broadway’s Zhailon Levingston) at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, for which she was awarded Best Performer in a Musical in the 2022 BroadwayWorld Cincinnati Awards. In 2024, she will tour Harriet Tubman: Straight Up Outta’ the Underground, a one-person interactive storytelling experience she wrote. She was awarded Cincinnati Magazine’s 2020 Best of the City Award for interactive theater and the 2021 BroadwayWorld Cincinnati Awards for best play, best interactive play, and best performer in a play. Brandi will always be most proud of her role as wife to Michael and mom to Jordan, Tyson, and Kennedi.

Sara Mackie is just tickled whenever she’s asked to put a voice to new works! Some of her favorite Ensemble Theatre credits include Fun Home, Hands on a Hardbody, all three Wonderettes iterations, Rabbit Hole, Mauritius, and many holiday offerings with immense joy and gratitude. Some of her regional credits include This is Tom Jones!, An Act of God, and Family Ties, Human Race Theatre; Pump Boys and Dinettes, The Carnegie; Wrecking Ball, The Taming of the Shrew, and Pride and Prejudice, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, New Edgecliff Theatre. You can also catch her briefly in some of the great feature films shot in Cincinnati, such as The Bikeriders, The Public, and Dark Waters.

Andrew Maloney is thrilled to be returning to the Ensemble Theatre stage this holiday season in this world premiere musical! He was last seen at ETC as Mack in The Dancing Princesses, as well as Radio Singer/Earl in Violet, Man #2/Reggie in First Date, Dormouse in Alice in Wonderland, and many other holiday shows. Internationally, Andrew appeared as Action in the Ecuadorian premiere of West Side Story at the Teatro Nacional Sucre in Quito, Ecuador. Some of his other credits include Steve/Others/Mark Understudy in Rent, Balladeer in Assassins, Scuttle in The Little Mermaid, and Mike Costa in A Chorus Line. When not on stage, Andrew is a licensed real estate agent and helps clients buy and sell real estate all over the tri-state! He has BFA in musical theatre from Northern Kentucky University and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Erin McCamley (she/they) is so excited to make her Ensemble Theatre debut! Erin is a multifaceted performer, music director, singer/songwriter, and educator who believes strongly in the healing, transformative power of the arts. Some of her favorite roles include Siren in Lizard Boy and One/Six/Bronner’s Second Wife/Oldest Child in All One, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; Sir Oliver Martext in As You Like It, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Rumpelstiltskin in Rumpelstiltskin, Clearstage; Susan in [title of show], Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre; Ruth/Henri/Orphan in And Baby Makes Seven, Queer Theatre Collective; Steph/Snickers in SALTY, The Tank NYC; Anya in The Cherry Orchard, Columbia NYC; and more. Erin is the co-creator and performer of She’s Crazy, which has toured for seven years. She also has three albums of original music, one released this year called The Other Side of This.

Maddi O’Connell, a Cincinnati native, is thrilled to be back in their hometown working as a Professional Acting Apprentice at Ensemble Theatre for the 2023-2024 Season! They are a recent summa cum laude graduate and received a BFA in acting and minor in music from Baldwin Wallace University, where their credits include Julius Caesar in Julius Caesar, Mary Warren in The Crucible, Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, Usher/God/Understanding in Everybody, Hawkins in Men on Boats, Berthe in Boeing Boeing, and Marya in Uncle Vanya. Favorite local regional credits include Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Heather Chandler in Heathers, and Ilse in Spring Awakening.

Emmy Rice (she/her) is excited to be back on stage at Ensemble Theatre! She graduated from Xavier University with degrees in theatre performance and English and is a proud alum of ETC’s Professional Apprenticeship Program during the 2022-2023 Season. Some of her recent credits include Jeanie in Leveling Up, Xavier University; Sienna Ross in MLM Is for Murder (Or, Your Side Hustle Is Killing Us) and Natayla/Young Asa in The Dancing Princesses, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; and various shows in the Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

KG Rucker is so excited to be making their official Ensemble Theatre debut, where they recently understudied for What the Constitution Means to Me as the Debater. KG graduated with a BA in theatre and dance from Muhlenberg College, where they performed in many productions including the Bacchae Chorus in The Bacchae, Mary in A List, Angel Chastity in Anything Goes, and the Ensemble in Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. They were a member of Muhlenberg’s tap ensemble, Copacetic Rhythms, and a founding member of a choreographic collective called Threading 3. They also studied commedia dell’arte, clowning, and other forms of physical theatre at the Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy. KG strives to make theatre that is stimulating, ephemeral, and accessible to all.

Elexis Selmon is a graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans where she majored in theatre arts and psychology. Her recent credits include Gidela in The Dancing Princesses, Ensemble Theatre; Maude Lynn in The House That Will Not Stand, Le Petit Theatre; and Mercy in School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, The NOLA Project. Elexis is very excited to be a part of this production!

DeAndré Smith makes his mainstage debut at Ensemble Theatre with this production. In addition to performing locally, he has performed both nationally and internationally with companies based in Indiana, Montana, Ohio, and Virginia. DeAndré believes that all around us there are stories to be told, and as an ambassador of theatrical art, it’s his mission to help bring those stories that resonate with him to life. He hopes that you enjoy this story about America’s favorite hippo. His favorite credits include Once on this Island, A Wrinkle in Time, Bat Boy: The Musical, All-One! The Dr. Bronner’s Play, Jerry Springer: The Opera, and I Have a Dream: The Life and Times of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Brooke Steele is so happy to be spending the holiday season with Ensemble Theatre! Some of her favorite ETC credits include Cinderella in Cinderella, Vasilisa in The Frog Princess, Miriam in Fly By Night, Violet in Violet, and Suzy in The Marvelous Wonderettes. Brooke lives in Kennedy Heights with her husband, two daughters, one bunny, and their little black dog.

Jordan Whittaker (he/him) is originally from Morehead, Kentucky, and moved to the Greater Cincinnati region to pursue his passion for theatre. He recently graduated with a BFA in musical theatre and a BA in public relations from Northern Kentucky University, where some of his credits include Twelfth Night (Malvolio), Jekyll and Hyde (Gabriel Utterson/Hyde), New Year’s Eve at the Stop N’ Go (Jimmy), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Ensemble), and Three Sisters (Ferapont). Other recent credits include understudying for Comedy of Errors (Antipholus of Syracuse) at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and appearing in Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig’s Holiday Party (Ballroom Dancer/Party Guest) and Ersatz Express (Beryl Brown) for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s “Off the Grid” productions. He is immensely excited to be working with the fabulous people at ETC!

Kate Wilford is delighted to be part of this world premiere with these multi-talented creators! She was last seen at Ensemble Theatre in The Dancing Princesses (2022), and other holiday productions such as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. Some of her favorite ETC credits include Good People, Becky’s New Car, Hands on a Hardbody, and Women of Lockerbie. She has worked at every professional theater here in Cincinnati and has taught theater arts for over thirty years. Kate is working on her yoga teaching certificate and loves gardening, kayaking, and her talented painter husband Jay. She has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association for over forty years and hopes for forty more!

Zina Camblin is a playwright and television writer. Her most recent TV writing credits include WU-TANG: An American Saga (Hulu), Almost Family (FOX), The Right Stuff (Disney Plus), Big Sky (ABC), and Dear Edward (AppleTV). Her mission as a queer writer of color is to make sure these underrepresented stories are showcased and authentically told through the characters she advocates for and creates. She is represented by Creative Artist Agency and The Shuman Company. She is an alum of Cincinnati’s School for Creative and Performing Arts, and she completed the playwriting program at The Juilliard School under Marsha Norman and Christopher Durang, as part of the Juilliard Playwriting Fellowship. Her play And Her Hair Went With Her, a comedy about black women and hair, was optioned for a New York production when it caught the attention of actress Whoopi Goldberg. In addition, And Her Hair Went With Her has been produced by theaters around the country including The Phoenix Theater in Indianapolis, New Jersey Repertory Theater, Horizon Theater in Atlanta, The Fountain Theater in Los Angeles, and the Unicorn Theater in Kansas City.

David Kisor is a songwriter, performer, and producer who splits his time between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Spokane, Washington. He has a master’s degree in composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music but is a songwriter at heart. He has written extensively for musical theater since 1990, including works for Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. His children’s songs, written and recorded for the non-profit music publisher Growing Sound, promote positive social-emotional development in young children. He is proud, humbled, and blessed to be a part of the ETC family.

D. Lynn Meyers is the Producing Artistic Director of Ensemble Theatre, where she has directed over 80 world and regional premieres, including Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Hands on a Hardbody, Detroit ’67, I Am My Own Wife, Next to Normal, and The Dancing Princesses. She began her career as the Associate Artistic Director at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, has directed Off-Broadway at the York Theatre, and has directed extensively throughout the US and Canada. As a member of the Casting Society of America, Ms. Meyers’s recent feature credits include Carol, The Old Man & the Gun, and The Public, in addition to serving as the Location Casting Director for The Shawshank Redemption. She was named a finalist for the Zelda Fichandler National Award in 2011, is a past recipient of the YWCA Career Woman of Achievement Award, and recipient of the 2018 Rosa F. and Samuel B. Sachs Fund Prize for her regional arts impact and leadership.

Steve Goers is thrilled to return as music director at Ensemble Theatre, where some of his credits include Fun Home, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, and Grey Gardens as conductor and keyboardist. He is a member of the musical theatre faculty at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music and has worked locally with theatres throughout the region, including Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, The Carnegie, Cincinnati Landmark Productions, and NKU. Steve has composed numerous works for a variety of media, including ten feature film scores and twenty internationally produced musicals for young audiences. He has toured the U.S. and Africa with productions of Barnum, Jersey Boys, and Bubbling Brown Sugar and was featured as pianist and session producer on the album Ella Jenkins and a Union of Friends Pulling Together, which received a Grammy nomination for best children’s album. When not doing shows, Steve is a keyboardist and vocalist in several local bands including the Clyde Brown Band, the Ultrasonics, Aja: A Tribute to Steely Dan, and Just Strange Brothers. He is a graduate of the DePaul University School of Music and UC-CCM.

Brian c. Mehring (he/him) has designed more than 100 productions at Ensemble Theatre. His favorite productions include Thom Pain (based on nothing), Next to Normal, 33 Variations, Freud’s Last Session, and I Am My Own Wife. Mr. Mehring’s 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.

Maria Fernanda Ortiz Lopez (she/her) returns to Ensemble Theatre having designed costumes for Fiona: The Musical. A native of Mexico City, she studied fashion design in Mexico and earned her MFA in costume design and technology at the University of Cincinnati, where she designed and built garments for period and musical productions. After graduation, Maria worked as a production assistant on the second season of Apple TV’s The Afterparty and designed the costumes for On Earth as It Is in Heaven, an 1800s western short film. She previously worked as first hand for the costume shop at McCarter Theater Center and worked as a stitcher and wardrobe crew for the Texas Shakespeare Festival. She specializes in leather and crafts, having worked for several productions as a freelance in the New York and New Jersey area.

Emily Porter (she/her) makes her Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. She has worked on productions across the U.S., Canada, and overseas. An award-winning theatrical sound designer, Emily also teaches college and university theatrical sound design and technology. She would like to thank her family for their continued support.

Mia Catherine Teboe (she/her) is graduating with a BFA in sound design & technology from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music in April 2024. She recently worked as the Orchestra A2 on A Chorus Line at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, A1 for label•less with Lachey Arts, and audio engineer for Seussical, Jr. at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. She has a passion for designing accessible systems in the theater, which led her to narrating live audio description feeds. She is the current president of the student chapter of the United States Institute of Theatre Technology at UC-CCM and a recipient of the nationally recognized Pat MacKay Diversity in Design Scholarship.

Kelly has been the head of the Wig and Makeup Design program at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music since 2001, where her designs have been seen in several productions including The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Xanadu, and The Marriage of Figaro. She has worked on several productions at Ensemble Theatre, including Violet, (all of) The Marvelous Wonderettes, The Whipping Man, Mrs. Mannerly, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and many more. Her work has been seen at Phoenix Theatre, The Wolf Trap Opera, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Opera, Wright State University, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Denver Theatre Center, and Ford’s Theatre.

Darnell Pierre Benjamin (he/him)i s a creative, educator, and community builder from Southern Louisiana. He earned his MFA from the University of Houston’s Professional Actor Training Program. Darnell’s work lives at the intersection of art and activism, which is apparent in his  film 13^th & Republic, found at 13thandrepublic.com. He was last seen at Ensemble Theatre in The Dancing Princesses and Cinderella. Some of his other recent credits include Wrecking Ball and The Importance of Being Earnest with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Darnell is also a professor in the arts programs at Northern Kentucky University, Xavier University, and the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. He is a certified educator and performer in the Michael Chekhov Technique and is also a recipient of Cincinnati’s ArtsWave 2020 and 2021 “Truth & Reconciliation” grants.

Dee Anne Bryll (she/her) is very pleased to return to Ensemble Theatre, where her credits include The Dancing Princesses, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella: After Ever After, and Cinderella, among others. Additional theatre credits include work as directing and choreographing for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Landmark Productions, Northern Kentucky University, The Carnegie, Xavier University, Commonwealth Theatre Company, and Kings Island Entertainment. Dee Anne has had a long career working in educational theatre and is currently the director of NKU Prep’s Mainstage Musical Theatre Company, the director of CCM’s High School Musical Theatre Summer Workshop, and a mentor for the JumpStart Theatre Program at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, which brings theatre to underserved middle schools in the tri-state area. She serves on the faculty of Northern Kentucky’s School of the Arts Department of Theatre & Dance.

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 second season at Ensemble Theatre, this time as technical director. Jacob is a graduate of Morehead State University where he received a BA in theatre. Some previous technical direction credits include 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, and cat (Ronnie) for their continued support

Chris Lipstreu (he/him) is a concert and theatrical lighting specialist and project manager based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. He recently served as the lighting director for the national tour of Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet and served as the lighting designer for The Wild Party, Into the Woods, RENT, The Rocky Horror Show, and Spring Awakening at Short North Stage in Columbus, Ohio. Additionally, he is the owner of Centerline Productions LLC, providing lighting services for numerous concerts, productions, festivals, and political and corporate events in the region. Chris received his BFA in lighting design from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music in 2021. This is his first season as the Associate Production Manager & Master Electrician for Ensemble Theatre.

Margot Whitney (she/her) is thrilled to be a part of the Ensemble Theatre family! Her previous credits include Sweat on Broadway and the first national tours of 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 delighted to be back at Ensemble Theatre, where some of her credits include include Fun Home, The Wolves, Skeleton Crew, and Fly by Night. Other regional credits include Sex with Strangers, The House, Legendale, and 26 Pebbles with the Human Race Theatre. She is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and a graduate of Wright State University, where she received her BFA in Stage Management.