Theater Arts Productions

Nina Lokshin '26 she/her (Anna) is a senior from Sudbury, Massachusetts studying theater arts and education studies. She is so excited to be a part of Baltimore Waltz as Anna. She was also in Dance Nation as Vanessa/The Moms and was a part of Eurydice as the Understudy of the Stones. She is thrilled to be working on this production and wants to thank the people involved in the show for making it so fun and enjoyable!!

Gianni Storti '26 he/him (Carl) is from Natick, Massachusetts and is majoring in Theater Arts and Psychology. As a senior, he has previously performed in a number of productions with the Brandeis Department of Theater Arts, including Spring Awakening, (Melchior), Twelfth Night (Sebastian), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Chip Tolentino). Within the department, Gianni also serves as one of the Undergraduate Departmental Representatives, and works as one of the Prop Stock Managers. He super excited to be a part of this production, and would like to extend a big thank you to the whole cast and crew!

 Matthew Magee '26 he/him (The Third Man/Doctor) is a senior theater major from Dallas,Texas and is excited to be a part of his third department show at Brandeis after appearing in Twelfth Night (Captain/Priest) and Wolf Play (Ryan). Matthew is incredibly thankful to his professors, friends, and family, as well as the wonderful cast and crew of this production. 

Jennifer (Jen) Cleary she/her (Director) is an Assistant Professor in Theater Arts at Brandeis where she has taught for 25 years. Her courses include stage management, creative pedagogy, applied theatre, wellness/sustainable practice, and oral/group communication. Jen’s directing credits include: last season’s Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, Twilight Los Angeles: 1992 (Asst.), and graduate student projects B’Shalom, Losing the Game, and The War. Additional directing credits: Wait Until Dark (Asst.), Reckless, and The Golden Fleece. She has worked professionally as an Equity Stage Manager and serves as department mentor for student stage managers. Jen is also a licensed clinical social worker and supports department productions, students, and guests artists as the production wellness liaison. She is so grateful to be collaborating with this beautiful company of artists. 

A Special Thanks to Shana Gozansky, Adrianne Krstansky, Joel Sugerman.

Anna Drummond they/them(Sound Designer) Anna Drummond is a Boston-based sound designer specializing in live theatre and SFX curation. They work within the Northeast area for professional theatre companies and educational institutions. Previous Sound Design credits include: Front Porch Arts Collective - Chicken & Biscuits; The Huntington - K-I-S-S-I-N-G (Elliot Norton Award) and Dream Boston: 3 Miles; SpeakEasy Stage - BLKS and Pass Over; Company One (C1) - Leftovers, Black Super Hero Magic Mama, and can i touch it?; Fresh Ink Theatre - Shrike and Truth or Consequences; Trinity Repertory Company/Brown University - Eurydice, Prowess, soul tapes, and The Book of Lucy; Harvard University - Married or Made; Boston Conservatory at Berklee - Everybody, Machinal, and As You Like It; Northeastern University - Deferred, This Is Treatment, and Problem Play; Emerson College - Paris. Anna holds a BA with Honors in Sound Design/Audio Post-Production from the Visual & Media Arts Department of Emerson College.

Saskia Martinez they/them (Scenic Designer) is a Boston-based scenic designer and scenic artist. Boston-area scene design credits include: Lemons Lemons Lemons…, Twelfth Night (Brandeis University), An Irish Carol (Greater Boston Stage Company), The SpongeBob Musical, Little Women: The Musical (Wheelock Family Theater), Emma, Romeo and Juliet, (Actors’ Shakespeare Project), HER|alive.un.dead (Guerilla Opera), Ada (Babson College). They are the scenic charge artist at Emerson Stage. See their work at saskiamartinez.com.  

Kayleigha Zawacki she/her (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to return to Brandeis as the lighting designer for Baltimore Waltz. Kayleigha teaches theatre design as a full-time faculty member in the visual and performing arts department at Worcester State University. In addition to designing professionally for theatre lighting and scenery in the greater Boston area, she is a visual artist, as well as the lighting and scenic designer at Boston University Academy. Kayleigha holds a BFA in Theatre Design and an MFA in Lighting Design, both from Boston University.

 Kat Lawrence she/her (Costume Designer)  Kat is a performer and designer currently based in the Boston area. She attended Brandeis University where she received her degree in Music, Theater Arts, and minored in Film and Interactive Media. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with highest honors for her thesis, Orlando, for which she also won the Fisher Award for Creative Achievement in the Arts. Since graduating, her work as designer, actor, wardrobe, and stitcher have been seen with The Huntington Theater, Commonwealth Shakespeare, The Hub Theater, Fresh Ink Theater, Firehouse Center for the Arts, Boston Theater Company, and Birch Tree Productions. She is currently the costume and props teacher at Cambridge School of Weston teaching the next generation of theater makers. She is so happy to be designer for her alma mater! Special thank you to Brooke Stanton and Luisa Earle for their amazing hard work and making the costumes come to life! See more of Kat's work at www.kat-lawrence.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 credits include Real Housewives of Rhode Island (Set Decorator) with Bravo TV, Risk of Injury indie short film (Production Designer, Property Master), Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (Prop Manager) with the Boston Conservatory, Laundromat indie feature film (Property Master, On-Set Dresser), and various commercials and advertisement campaigns with Newfangled Studios (Art Assist, On-Set Dresser). https://emma-whiteside.com/

Jesse Hinson (Intimacy/Fight Coordinator)

Erika Bailey (Vocal/Dialect coach)  is the Head of Voice and Speech at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) and a faculty member at Harvard University. She has coached theater productions across the country and on Broadway. Previous Brandeis credits include Eurydice and Orlando. At A.R.T. she has coached Romeo and Juliet, The Odyssey, Diary of a Tap Dancer, and Life of Pi, among others.  She holds a M.A. in Voice Studies from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and an M.F.A. in Acting from Brandeis University. 

Maggie Hastings she/her (Stage Manager) is delighted to be working with the Brandeis Theater Department once again. Previously with the department, she has stage managed Without Blinking: A Devised Participatory Performance About Climate Change, Senior Studio Productions 2023, Senior Studio Productions 2024, and Intractable Woman. As a student, she stage managed The Opposite of People, a clearing, and 10, 9, Too Late… Blast Off! This show has been such a source of delight since she came to it, and she is so appreciative to her director (and former advisor) Jennifer Cleary for creating this space and experience.

Jae Fioribello they/them (Assistant Director) is a second-year student from New York majoring in Theater Arts, Creative Writing, and Film, Television, and Interactive Media. They have appeared in two productions in their time at university as Rizzo in the UTC’s 24 Hour production of “Grease”, and as Barry in Freeplay Theater Cooperative’s production of “How Was Your Day, Tom?” They are a writer, actor, director, choreographer, and social media coordinator for Boris’ Kitchen Sketch Comedy Club. “The Baltimore Waltz” is Jae’s artistic staff debut with the Brandeis Theater Department, and they are so excited to learn from the wonderful and talented individuals who contribute to the theatrical magic. Jae has had professional training in dance, direction, acting, scene study, and script analysis from the Atlantic School of Acting and Spotlight Acting Academy. Some of their previous directing works include shows such as “Once Upon a Mattress” and “Fun Home.” 

Iris Sano she/her (Assistant Stage Manager) is a Senior majoring in Theater Arts and Psychology and minoring in Philosophy from Oakland, California, and is very grateful to be Assistant Stage Manager for The Baltimore Waltz. Previous stage management credits include The Merchant of Venice: A Reimagining (Assistant Stage Manager) with Brandeis Hold Thy Peace, and Escape Artists (Stage Manager) with Brandeis Senior Thesis. She is super grateful to Maggie and Jen for their guidance, TCFI Acapella for their scheduling flexibility, and her friends and family for their unending support!

Ceil Shandell (Lighting Assistant)

• Micah Bryant
• Erin Klein
• Alexis Miller
• Connor Papantony
• Triona Suiter
• Kerry Zhao