Theater Arts Productions

Dani Salsberg '27 she/her (Marianne Dashwood) is from Manhattan, New York and a psychology and theater arts double major. Last year she appeared in the Brandeis theater department’s production of Eurydice (Loud Stone). She is grateful and proud to be working with such incredible people. She is so excited to play and honor a character who is unapologetically herself and leads with love. She hopes to do the same in life. Dani would like to thank her friends, family, and the Brandeis theater department for the community and opportunities it provides. 

Madelyn Zimbalist '28 she/her (Elinor Dashwood) is a sophomore double majoring in chemical biology and theatre. At Brandeis, she has previously been in the departments Eurydice (Smooth Stone) and UTC’s Ride the Cyclone (Ocean). She is absolutely thrilled to be a part of Sense and Sensibility and would love to thank the entire cast and crew for making this experience beautiful. This show has become incredibly special to her and will hold a place in her heart. A special shout out to her best friends for constantly running her audition monologues, I truly wouldn’t be here without you. Second special shout out to the C-Store being stocked with Starbucks Energy. If you want to see more of her (we know you do)…@maddiex_rosez on ig. Xoxo

Laura Araújo '29 she/her (Margaret Dashwood) is an English and Theater Arts major from Portugal, and she is very excited to make her Brandeis mainstage production debut! At Brandeis, she previously appeared in Our Town (Simone Stimson/Professor Willard) and in Cinderella, the 24-hour musical (Gabrielle) with the Brandeis Undergraduate Theater Collective. Laura is also part of Proscenium A Cappella and the Brandeis Ballet Club. She would like to dedicate this performance to Mr. Harle: she would not be here without him, and he is sorely missed. 

Jasper Woliver '28 she/they (Mrs. Dashwood)  is from Brattleboro, Vermont, where they participated in productions with their high school and the New England Youth Theater (NEYT), including Cabaret (Lulu), Mamma Mia (Tanya), 12 Angry Jurors (Juror 4), I and You (Caroline), and Something Rotten (Nostradamus). Jasper is a psychology major, and this is their first time participating in a show with Brandeis' theater department, where they are playing Mrs. Dashwood. She would like to thank her friends and family for their support, as well as this incredible cast for making this experience a core memory in Jasper's college experience.

JD Dowd '27 he/him (John Dashwood)  is thrilled to be making his acting debut with the Brandeis Department of Theater Arts! Previous Brandeis credits include Eurydice (Light Board Operator/Department), Pride and Prejudice (Mr. Darcy/Undergraduate Theater Collective), and Lost Girl (Slightly/Undergraduate Theater Collective). In his free time, JD loves speeding through sudoku puzzles, nerding-out in fandom spaces, and organizing elaborate plans with his friends. It has been a dream-come-true for JD to spend this time in Jane Austen's world, and he is extremely grateful to the cast, crew, creative, and production teams for inviting him into it. Enjoy the show!

Caroline Burke '28 she/her (Fanny Dashwood) is thrilled to make her Brandeis Department debut as Fanny in Sense & Sensibility! Prior to Brandeis, she appeared in North Shore Children's Theatre's Young Frankenstein (Elizabeth), Into the Woods (Cinderella), and Mean Girls (Regina), as well as Wellesley Theatre Project's Seussical (Mayzie). Currently, Caroline is majoring in Theatre Arts and working as a children's vocal coach. Caroline is so proud to be a part of this production and department!

 Lance Rothchild '26 he/him (Edward Ferrars)  is from Park City, Utah, making his Brandeis mainstage production debut. He is a senior majoring in History and Hispanic Studies with a minor in Dire Straits. He is a F.P.E. (Future President Emeritus) of False Advertising Musical Improv, a B.U.G.S. tutor for the Spanish Department, and a research assistant at the Mandel Center. Lance wishes to express his gratitude to the cast, crew, and design team for making this production such a welcoming and exciting environment. He would also like to thank his family for their encouragement, his friends for their support, and his roommates for their endurance of his dialect practice. 

Nico Sloan '28 he/him (Robert Ferrars) is excited to make his debut on the Brandeis mainstage. An actor at heart, he is studying English, Computer Science, and Voice. He'd like to thank his family, for always sticking around.

Liam Delaney '26 he/him (Colonel Brandon) is a senior majoring in theater arts and minoring in music. He is a UDR for the theater department and also holds work study positions as both a Prop Stock Manager and Costume Shop Stitcher. Liam has had the pleasure of performing in several different productions in the department, including the following credits: Spring Awakening (Hanschen), Five Doors One Room (Eldrid), Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew), Everybody (Everybody/Somebody), Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons (Oliver), and three senior thesis productions including the following: A New Play (Voice 2), An Evening with Lucie Rose (Dancing Waiter), and Only This (Stage Directions/Host). Liam is also currently writing his own senior thesis entitled Don’t Leave Me Alone, which will be performed at the end of April in the Laurie Theater. Liam would like to thank his family, friends, and the theater department for their support these last four years and he hopes you enjoy the show!

Simon Link '28 he/him (John Willoughby) is from Atlanta, GA and is very excited for his mainstage debut! Previously with the department, he was in The Thanksgiving Play (Player), Dance Nation (Luke), and Eurydice (Child / Lord Of The Underworld). He's studying Theater, Creative Writing, and Linguistics, and is proud to be playing an "unusually handsome young man"

Phoenix Yuan '26 he/him (Sir John Middleton)  grew up in China, Canada, and the U.S. He majors in Economics, International and Global Studies and minors in Legal Studies. Phoenix is excited to participate in his second department production as Sir John Middleton.

Emma Sadewasser '27 she/her/any  (Mrs. Jennings) is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and Theater Arts and minoring in Creativity, The Arts, and Social Transformation. In this Brandeis mainstage production of Sense and Sensibility, she will be performing the role of Mrs. Jennings. Emma has previously performed in Ride The Cyclone (Jane Doe) with the Brandeis Undergraduate Theater Collective, and in Speech and Debate (Diwata) with Brandeis FreePlay Theater Cooperative. Emma is thrilled to perform in this production and is grateful to the cast and crew for making this show a wonderful experience.

Eva Sanborn '26 she/her (Anne Steele, Gossip #2) is thrilled to be making her department debut during her final semester at Brandeis! Previously, she has been involved with Hold Thy Peace, Brandeis' Shakespeare and Classics club, and her credits include co-directing Julius Caesar, playing Ophelia in Hamlet and Medea in Argonautika, and doing costume design and dramaturgy for The Tempest and for a reimagining of The Merchant of Venice. She would like to thank her amazing family, friends, and girlfriend for their support throughout this process, and she would also like to thank the entire cast and crew for being so welcoming, talented, and wonderfully kind! And you didn't hear it from her, but sources say that Sam has been going method by eating hay during breaks and neighing at fellow cast members. Such shocking behavior!

 Kennedy Robertson '28(Lady Middleton, Gossip #3) ✰ Kennedy Robertson is a sophomore majoring in theater from Newark, NJ and is so excited to be making her mainstage debut! She has appeared in many shows in school since joining theater at 6, some highlights are: Rent (Maureen) and The Color Purple (Celie) at Washington Park High School, and assistant director for Ride The Cyclone with the Undergraduate Theater Collective. She extends a special thank you to the assistant director, Greg Roitbourd, for their support in her time at Brandeis and Jessica Lisboa for sticking by her. Kennedy is really excited to have this show come together and hopes you enjoy it! Oh also she heard that Lucy Ernst studies by eating books because she never learned how to read, that's why she can't find her script... but you didn't hear that from me. ✰

Sofia Senn '27 she/they (Doctor, Gossip #4) is playing the parts of Gossip #4 and Doctor (as well as a few other roles that she dare not spoil), and is making her Brandeis mainstage production (and Theatre Department!) debut. Since coming to Brandeis, Sofia has performed in Hold Thy Peace's Julius Caesar as Lucius. Otherwise, you will likely find her dramaturging, as she has for the Theatre Department's production of Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice. She has also Assistant Directed another Hold Thy Peace production and hopes to direct one soon. Sofia is incredibly grateful for her friends, family, and educators, who have supported her through so much. Also, she's heard that Eva doesn't like horses at all, which is truly a travesty for Sofia.

Sam Taxman '27 he/him (Gossip #5, Thomas, Mrs. Ferrars)  is an Overture Jerry Award winning actor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his roles as Gossip #5, Thomas, and Mrs. Ferrars in Sense & Sensibility marking his fourth department show at Brandeis, and Spingold Mainstage debut. Sam’s previous shows with the Brandeis Theater Department include Wolf Play (Peter Hunt), Eurydice (Orpheus), and The Thanksgiving Play (Jaxton). Sam would like to thank his mom, grandma, and the extended Taxman family for their support, as well as directors past and present. By the way… just between you and me, I heard that Kennedy intentionally orders her food in weird ways so when it shows up “wrong” she can complain about it to gain sympathy from others… she also eats yogurt without a spoon… but you didn’t hear it from me…

Lucy Ernst '27 she/her (Lucy Steele, Gossip #1) is a junior from Great Barrington, Massachusetts majoring in Applied Mathematics. She is delighted to return to the Theater Arts department, after making her debut last year in Everybody (Kinship). Other Brandeis credits include Noises Off (Brooke/Vicki) and Girls in the Boat (Girl #6) with the Undergraduate Theater Collective, and Julius Caesar (Portia) and As You Like It (Rosalind) with Hold Thy Peace. She would like to thank the cast and crew for their support. Lucy has heard reports that Sofie refuses to watch movies unless they are dubbed in Latin.

Brendon Fox he/him (Director) is the Artistic Director of the 93-year-old Peterborough Players in New Hampshire, as well as a director, teacher, author, producer whose work has been seen from Los Angeles to Prague. Directing credits include: Advice (Florida Rep, World Premiere), Murder on the Orient Express (Nebraska Rep), Hay Fever, Boeing Boeing (Peterborough Players), Much Ado About Nothing, Judith, Twelfth Night (THT Rep), The Winter’s Tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Hanover Theatre Conservatory), Troilus and Cressida, Henry VI Part 3, (Prague Shakespeare Company), Reborning (Urbanite Theatre), A Hundred Words for Snow (Connecticut Rep, US Premiere), Baskerville (Cleveland Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Long Wharf Theatre, Cape Playhouse), Shipwrecked! (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), Blithe Spirit (Peninsula Players), Lucy Loves Desi (LA Theatre Works, National Tour). He has collaborated on new work at the Asolo New Play Festival, the New Harmony Project, and the JAW Festival in Portland, OR. Member, SDC. His website is www.foxdirector.com.

Scott O'Brien he/him (Sound Designer) Off-Broadway/New York: The TEMPEST, THREE SISTERS, HAMLET, MACBETH, TITUS ANDRONICUS, THE WINTERS' TALE, HENRY V, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (American Globe Theatre)
Regional: THE ART OF COARSE ACTING, THE JUST (Chautauqua Theatre Company), SAFE HOUSE (Repertory Theatre of St Louis), SLASHES OF LIGHT, A BODY OF WATER, LONELY PLANET, SWIMMING IN THE SHALLOWS (Kitchen Theatre Company), ON THE OPEN ROAD, SCOTLAND ROAD, THE INNOCENTS, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, (Centenary Stage Company), MACBETH, NO CHILD, THE TEMPEST, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, IMBROGLIO (world premiere) (Great River Shakespeare Festival), CLYDE’S (George Street Theatre ), AN ILIAD (Theatre at Monmouth), TWELFTH NIGHT, POE DOUBLE HEADER, THE CRUCIBLE, DOUBT (Hanover Theatre Rep), CLYDE’S (Playmakers Rep), THE GENTLEMEN”S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER, STEEL MAGNOLIAS, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (Utah Shakespeare Festival)
Film: ELEANOR; GODMOTHER OF AMERICAN FASHION (Vanity Fair Films),
PHOENIX RISING; THE SILENT VICTIMS SPEAK (Noblevision Productions)

Baron E. Pugh he/him (Scenic Designer) is a Providence-based scenic designer for theater, opera, and other live performance arts. Select credits include:
Brandeis University: We are Proud to Present…., Orlando, Spring Awakening, Everybody; Off-Broadway: As Time Goes By (Out of the Box), shadow/land (associate designer) (The Public Theater). NYC: King Lear, The Tempest (The Juilliard School, Drama Division). Regional: The Lehman Trilogy (Gulfshore Playhouse); The Anonymous Lover (Opera Philadelphia), Million Dollar Quartet, B.R.O.K.E.N code B.I.R.D switching (Berkshire Theatre Group); Primary Trust, ABCD (Barrington Stage); Trouble in Mind (Hartford Stage); Associate designer for: The Grove, Sojourners, The Bluest Eye (The Huntington Theatre); A Raisin in the Sun, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, (TheatreSquared); Assassins, The Light, The Wiz (Lyric Stage Company of Boston). Baron received his MFA in Scenic Design from Boston University and is a proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. @bpscenic on Instagram

Stephen Petrilli (Lighting Designer) is designing for Brandeis for the first time. He has designed many shows over many decades in New York, New England and in his hometown of Pittsburgh, including the Pearl Theatre Company, Theatre Workshop of Nantucket and the Provincetown Theatre. In the dance community he has worked with Anikaya Dance Theatre, Prometheus Dance and Newport Contemporary Ballet. He has a 23 year old son, Liam. stephen-petrilli-lighting.com

Brooke Stanton (Costume Designer) is a costumer who has worked in theatre, film, and television. During her five years with George Lucas’ ILM, she built creatures for the Star Wars Special Edition Trilogy and The Phantom Menace. She has toured internationally and nationally designing for Peter Sellars. Other clients include Disney, Columbia Pictures, CBS, American Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, Aspen Music Festival, Santa Fe Opera, Boston Symphony Youth Orchestra, Commonwealth Shakespeare, S.F. Shakespeare, New England Conservatory, and Odyssey Opera. She studied Costume Design at NYU and Textiles at California College of the Arts. www.brookestanton.com

Emma Whiteside she/her (Prop Designer)  is a multidisciplinary artist based in Providence, Rhode Island and a proud member of IATSE Local 481. She enjoys taking on innovative and creatively challenging projects, and collaborating with dedicated artists to bring concepts to life. Her work for the screen and stage includes prop fabrication, set decoration, and graphic design. Recent film credits include "Real Housewives of Rhode Island" (Set Decorator) with Bravo TV, "Risk of Injury" indie short film (Production Designer, Property Master), and "Laundromat" indie feature film (Property Master, On-Set Dresser). https://emma-whiteside.com/

Kathryn M. Moncrief (Dramaturg) Paris Fletcher Distinguished Professor, Head of Humanities and Arts at WPI. Dramaturg: Peterborough Players (Boeing Boeing, Dial M for Murder, Spelling Bee, Native Gardens, Hay Fever), Hanover Theatre Rep (Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, The Crucible, Much Ado About Nothing), Prague Shakespeare (Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida, Henry VI 1, 2, & 3, The Winter’s Tale); Utah Shakespeare Festival (Twelfth Night, The Book of Will, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat); Colorado Shakespeare Festival (Love’s Labour’s Lost); Chesapeake Shakespeare (Wild Oats, Othello, She Stoops to Conquer, Henry IV 1 & 2, Hamlet); Nebraska Rep (Sense and Sensibility). Intimacy Choreographer: Playhouse on Park (The Baroness), Peterborough Players, Prague Shakespeare, THT Rep, Clark (Small Mouth Sounds, Sense and Sensibility, Song for a New World, The Moors, The Taming of the Shrew, Tartuffe, American Idiot). Director: THT Rep (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, WPI (Every Brilliant Thing, Silent Sky, Sense and Sensibility, Nothing is the End of the World, The Importance of Being Earnest).

Emma J. Hunt she/her (Production Stage Manager) Stage management credits include: The Hills of California, Sojourners, Clyde’s (Huntington Theater), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Preludes, Rooted, Thirst, A Sherlock Carol (Lyric Stage Boston), A Light Under the Dome (Plays in Place at the Massachusetts State House), The Fortune Teller and Nüwa in Fairyland (Chuang Stage), Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Titanic Theater Company), and Everyday Life and Other Odds and Ends (Sleeping Weazel/ArtsEmerson). Emma also works in the historic Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts and is a graduate of Northeastern University where she studied theater and history. Many thanks to the entire Sense and Sensibility team for this opportunity to venture into the world of Jane Austen!  

Greg Roitbourd he/him (Choreographer and Assistant Director) is a Senior from Brooklyn, NY majoring in Physics and Theater Arts. Sense and Sensibility is his final show at Brandeis! They were the Choreographer/Assistant Director for this production. Credits: Stupid Fucking Bird (Dev), Twelfth Night (Orsino), Everybody (AD), Intractable Woman (Ensemble). They’re a member of Boris' Kitchen Sketch Comedy and directed Ride the Cyclone for the Undergraduate Theater Collective last semester. Greg is grateful for their time in the department and is saddened to go. He’d like to thank Dmitry Troyanovsky, Adrianne Krstansky, Jen Cleary, Brooke Stanton, Arthur Holmberg, Andie Berry, and Robert Walsh for their support throughout his Brandeis career. He’s appreciative of his friends in the production for their collaborative spirit. He’d like to thank his family for their unending love, even a hundred miles away. He’d like to specifically shout out Trisha, Emma, Katja, Vivi, and Jae for keeping him sane. IG: @gregroit. 

Qian Wu '27 she/her (Assistant Stage Manager) is from China, a junior majoring in Theater Arts. Qian previously worked on Noises Off (Tech Assistant) Brandeis University Undergraduate Theater Collective and Dance Nation (Sound Operator) Brandeis University Department of Theater Arts. Other credits include The Last Man (Assistant Stage Manager) Shanghai Grand Theatre, School of Rock (Interpreter) Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. Qian is grateful to all the lovely people making this show happen!

Aurora Zhan '28 she/her (Assistant Director) is a sophomore majoring in neuroscience from Beijing, China, and is excited to work on her first Brandeis production as an assistant director. Before working with the Brandeis Department, Aurora appeared in Death on the Nile (Salome Otterbourne) in her high school production and The Last Moonlight: Story of a Qingyi Actress (assistant director, Xuefeng Li) with the Brandeis MAAN Chinese Theatre Club. Aurora would like to thank the entire cast and crew for their amazing work, both in creating this beautiful piece and in maintaining such a supportive environment throughout the process.