Theater Arts Productions

Samantha Landay '27 she/her (Logan)  is from Scottsdale, Arizona and is so proud to be making her debut with the Brandeis Theater Department as Logan in the Thanksgiving Play. Samantha is majoring in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science with minors in Theater Arts and Music. She serves as the Vice President of the Undergraduate Theater Collective and her participation with them includes Pippin (Leading Player), Dog Sees God (Tricia), and Fugitive Songs. Samantha would like to thank her friends and Rather Be Giraffes a cappella for always supporting her, the director and stage manager for their flexibility and being so fantastic to work with, along with the cast for being the best! Samantha is also sending love and appreciation to her parents who flew all the way from Arizona to see her in this production.

Sam Taxman '27 he/him (Jaxton) is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is studying psychology and performing arts. Having played a bigot his freshman year in Wolf Play (Peter Hunt), and a sentimental artist last spring in Eurydice (Orpheus), Sam is super excited to be back in the Laurie for another department show, finally returning to his comedic roots! Prior to coming to Brandeis, Sam was involved in productions such as Clue: On Stage (Wadsworth), and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (The Child Catcher) for which he won an Overture Jerry Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance. This year for Thanksgiving Sam is thankful for his cousins, mom and grandma, the extended Taxman family, and his friends, as well as directors past and present. He’d also like to apologize for being a woke liberal ally and single-handedly shutting down the government this past month... ENJOY THE SHOW!

Michael Lewis '27 he/him (Caden) is a junior from Raleigh, North Carolina majoring in Theater Arts and Environmental Studies with minors in Legal Studies and Music. Michael’s previous Brandeis credits include Lemons x5 (Oliver U/S) and Spelling Bee (Leaf Coneybear/Carl Dad) with the Department of Theater Arts. Additionally, he performed in Lost Girl (Peter) and Fugitive Songs (Gavin) with the Undergraduate Theater Collective. Outside of theater, he’s a member of Brandeis’ premiere sketch comedy group, Boris’ Kitchen! In the spring, he is looking forward to studying abroad in Bath, England. He hopes you enjoy the show!!

LaRue Vigil '26 they/them (Alicia) is a Senior at Brandeis University studying Theater Arts. They are thrilled to be performing in their fourth department production as Alicia! LaRue’s past credits include Dance Nation (Zuzu), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Logainne) and Twelfth Night (Valentine) with the Brandeis Theater Department, As You Like It (Phebe) with the Prague Shakespeare Company, and Legally Blonde the Musical (Paulette) at The Grove Theater Center. LaRue is thrilled to share their last Brandeis Department show with such wonderful people!

The Thanksgiving Players:

Connor Papantony '26 he/him (Thanksgiving Player) is a senior at Brandeis studying Theatre Arts and History. Previously with the Theatre department, he appeared in Everybody (Cousin). In addition to his work with the Theatre department, Connor is also the President of the Undergraduate Theatre Collective and Co-Artistic Director for FreePlay Theatre Cooperative. With the Undergraduate Theatre Collective, Connor has been in Murder's In The Heir (Simon), Lost Girl (Nibs/Doctor/Boy), and Girls In The Boat (Journalist). Connor is very thrilled to be acting as a Thanksgiving Player in this production, and he would like to thank the cast and crew for the amazing experience!

Renee Saint-Amour '29 she/her (Thanksgiving Player) is a first year student from Dedham, Massachusetts and is planning to study Theater Arts at Brandeis. She’s so excited to be making her Brandeis Theater Arts debut. Renee also acts in the student-run sketch comedy group at Brandeis, Boris’ Kitchen. She would like to thank the cast and crew, and especially Shana, the director, for making her first department show so memorable!

Simon Link '28 he/him (Thanksgiving Player) is from Atlanta, Georgia, and is pumped for his third department show at Brandeis, and third time in a row playing a kid! He's glad to take advantage of his youth while he still has it. Previously, he was in Eurydice (Child/Lord Of The Underworld) and Dance Nation (Luke) with the mainstage, and Julius Caesar (Cassius) with Brandeis' Hold Thy Peace. He is proud to be the Music Director for Proscenium a capella. He's majoring in Theater, and considering a double major in Creative Writing or Linguistics. Simon wants to give a big thank you to the director for giving him an opportunity to be in this show, and to his cast for making rehearsals fun!

Sasha Lintovska '29 she/her (Thanksgiving Player) is from Storozhynets, Ukraine. She is a first-year Wien International Scholar, majoring in Film and Business, with a minor in Creativity, the Arts, and Social Transformation. This production is her debut on the Brandeis mainstage. Earlier this year, she performed the lead role of Madame in Cinderella, staged by the Undergraduate Theater Collective as part of the 24-Hour Musical tradition. Sasha thanks the cast, crew, and the Department of Theater Arts for making this production such a meaningful experience and for patiently answering a million questions about American pop culture! She is also deeply grateful to everyone who helped her get to Brandeis—her family, the Ukraine Global Scholars program, and the Defenders of Ukraine.

Shana Gozansky she/her (Director) wears a lot of hats. She directs plays, writes books for kids, and coaches parents. She has directed and taught throughout Boston and beyond, holds an MFA in Directing from the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs, and is a graduate of Bard College. She lives in Massachusetts with her spouse, tween, and a dog named Miss Piggy. Visit www.shanagozansky.com to find out more.

 Jeffrey Petersen he/him (Scenic Design) . Jeffrey is thrilled to return for another design at the Spingold Theatre Center at Brandeis University. Jeffrey is a Minnesota transplant with a fading accent. He has worked throughout New England for professional institutions including: Commonwealth Shakespeare Co., Huntington Theatre, SpeakEasy Stage, Boston Playwrights' Theatre, New Repertory Theatre, Odyssey Opera, Boston Midsummer Opera, Opera Hub, Greater Boston Stage, Gloucester Stage. He holds an MFA in Scenic Design from BU’s School of Theatre and is a proud member of the United Scenic Artists local 829. www.jeffreypetersendesign.com 

Anshuman Bhatia he/him (Lighting Designer) is an award-winning lighting and scenic designer for opera, dance, and theater. His designs have been seen on stages across the U.S. and internationally, including Santa Fe Opera, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The McKittrick Hotel, and Wolf Trap Opera, among others. He is an Assistant Professor at the College of the Holy Cross, a proud member of United Scenic Artists 829, and holds an M.F.A. from NYU. www.bhatiadesign.com

Kiara Escalera She/her(Costume Designer)  is a Fashion Stylist, Costume Designer and Hair and Makeup Artist. Favorite previous works include: America’s Test Kitchen: Next Generation Wardrobe Coordinator (Amazon Prime); Absolution Costume Production Assistant (Boat Yard Productions); Blue Man Group Wardrobe Supervisor (Cirque du Soleil); Romeo & Juliet Wig Runner (American Repertory Theatre); Don’t Eat The Mangos Costume Design Assistant (Huntington Theatre Company) The Mountaintop Costume and Hair Designer (Front Porch Arts Collective); Damnation of Faust Costume Designer (Boston Youth Symphony). 

Jake Young he/him (Sound Designer) is a sound designer and composer living and working in Boston, MA. Outside of the theater, he works at an audio-production cooperative, Mumble Media, which he helped found in 2020, and spends time with his two cats.

Emma Whiteside she/her (Prop Designer) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Providence, Rhode Island. 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, Small Potatoes indie feature film (Property Master, On-Set Dresser), and several commercials and advertisement campaigns with Newfangled Studios (Art Assist, On-Set Dresser).

Erika Bailey she/her (Voice 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 Dance Nation, Eurydice, Intractable Woman. 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.

Anna Silva (Intimacy Coordinator)

Ted Hewlett he/they (Movement Consultant) is a teacher, director, fight director, and intimacy director. They are on the full-time acting faculty at Emerson College, as well as being a senior faculty member at Shakespeare & Company. In Boston, they have directed Yellow Face at Lyric Stage, and Macbeth (twice) for Shakespeare Now!. Violence and intimacy choreography credits include multiple productions at A.R.T., Huntington Theatre, Hartford Stage, Shakespeare Theatre, and SpeakEasy Stage. As an actor they have been seen in the original Broadway cast of Shōgun, as well as performing swordfights in the films Hook and Army of Darkness.

Skylar Neidig '27 she/her (Production Stage Manager)  is currently a junior double majoring in Applied Mathematics and Theater Arts with a minor in Computer Science and is thrilled to be production stage managing her first department show! Previously with the department, she has assistant stage managed The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, as well as worked crew on Bad Jews. She is thankful to Shana for being able to work with her again, her assistant stage manager for always keeping her sane, and the cast and crew for all of their amazing work on this incredible show.

Eliana Lippman '27 she/her (Assistant Stage Manager)  is a junior majoring in Theater Arts at Brandeis and is so excited to be working on her second department production! She previously assistant stage managed Eurydice in the Spring of 2025. Eliana has had so much fun working on this show with this group of people and extends so much gratitude to her family and friends for their support.

Nina Borzekowski

Jae Fioribello

Franny Gindi-Chiafullo

Sage Inman

Nina Lokshin

Matthew Magee

LaRue Vigil

 

Broadway Premiere Produced by Second Stage Theatre, New York, 2023 Carole Rothman, Artistic Director, Khady Kamara, Executive Director
Playwrights Horizons, Inc., New York City, produced the World Premiere of  “THE THANKSGIVING PLAY” in 2018
“THE THANKSGIVING PLAY was commissioned and originally produced by Artists Repertory Theatre Damaso Rodriguez, Artistic Director Sarah Horton, Managing Director Portland, Oregon”
Playwrights Horizons: Playwrights Horizons is dedicated to cultivating the most important American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, as well as developing and producing their bold new plays and musicals. Tim Sanford became Artistic Director in 1996 and Leslie Marcus has been Managing Director since 1993. Under their decades of leadership, Playwrights builds upon its diverse and renowned body of work, counting 400 writers among its artistic roster. In addition to its onstage work each season, Playwrights’ singular commitment to nurturing
American theater artists guides all of the institution’s multifaceted initiatives: our acclaimed New Works Lab, a robust commissioning program, an innovative curriculum at its Theater School, and more. Robert Moss founded Playwrights in 1971 and cemented the mission that continues to guide the institution today. André Bishop served as Artistic Director from 1981-1992. Don Scardino succeeded him and served until 1996. Over its 47-year history, Playwrights has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including six Pulitzer Prizes, 13 Tony Awards,
and 39 Obie Awards. Second Stage Theater: Under the artistic direction of Carole Rothman, Second Stage Theater operates three New York City venues, exclusively dedicated to producing living American playwrights. Second Stage recently completed its 43rd season, which included the Tony Award-winning revival of Richard Greenberg’s Take Me Out and the New York premiere production of Lynn Nottage’s Tony nominated play Clyde’s, as well as the world premieres of Rajiv Joseph’s Letters of Suresh and JC Lee’s To My Girls. The company’s 2021–22 productions received several nominations and awards including Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play (Take Me Out) and Best Featured Actor in a Play (Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Take Me Out); the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Revival of a Play (Take Me Out), Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Take Me
Out) and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play (Uzo Aduba, Clyde’s); the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Projection Design (Shawn Duan, Letters of Suresh); and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design for a Play (Jennifer Moeller, Clyde’s). Second Stage’s first season on Broadway at The Hayes Theater included Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonergan, directed by Trip Cullman (Tony nominee for Best Revival of Play, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role, Michael Cera and Brian Tyree Henry) and Straight White Men by Young Jean Lee, directed by Anna D. Shapiro. Among Second Stage’s 180 productions are the 2015 Pulitzer Prize winner Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis; the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner Next to Normal by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey; the 2012 Pulitzer Prize winner Water by the Spoonful by Quiara Alegría Hudes; Mary Page Marlowe by Tracy Letts; The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown; Dogfight by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Peter Duchan; Dear Evan Hansen by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Steven Levenson; By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Lynn Nottage; Trust and Lonely, I’m Not by Paul Weitz; Grand Horizons by Bess Wohl; The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz; Everyday Rapture and Whorl Inside a Loop by Dick Scanlan and Sherie Rene Scott; Let Me Down Easy and Notes From the Field by Anna Deavere Smith; Becky Shaw by Gina Gionfriddo; Torch Song by Harvey Fierstein; Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl; The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane; Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin; Jitney by August Wilson; Crowns by Regina Taylor; Saturday Night by Stephen Sondheim; Afterbirth: Kathy & Mo’s Greatest Hits by Mo Gaffney and Kathy Najimy; This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan; Coastal Disturbances by Tina Howe; A Soldier’s Play by Charles Fuller; The Good Times Are Killing Me by Lynda Barry; and Tiny Alice and Peter and Jerry by Edward Albee. The company’s more than 170 citations include six 2017 Tony Awards for Dear Evan Hansen (Best Musical; Best Lead Actor in a Musical, Ben Platt; Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Rachel Bay Jones; Best Book of a Musical; Best Original Score; Best Orchestrations); the 2009 Tony Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Musical (Alice Ripley, Next to Normal), Best Score (Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, Next to Normal), and Best Orchestrations (Tom Kitt and Michael Starobin, Next to Normal); the 2007 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (Julie White, The Little Dog Laughed); the 2005 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical (Rachel Sheinkin, ...Spelling Bee) and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Dan Fogler, ...Spelling Bee); the 2002 Tony Award for Best Director of a Play (Mary Zimmerman for Metamorphoses); the 2002 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Body of Work, 29 Obie Awards, 11 Outer Critics Circle Awards, four Clarence Derwent Awards, 17 Drama Desk Awards, 11 Theatre World Awards, one Dorothy Louden Award, 20 Lucille Lortel Awards, the Drama Critics Circle Award and 23 AUDELCO Awards. In 1999, Second Stage Theater opened The Tony Kiser Theater, its state-of-the-art, 296-seat theater, designed by renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. In 2002, Second Stage launched Second Stage Theater Uptown to showcase the work of up-and-coming artists at the 99- seat McGinn/Cazale Theater. The Theater supports artists through several programs that include residencies, fellowships and commissions, and engages students and community members through education and outreach programs. In
2018, Second Stage began producing at its 581-seat Broadway home, The Hayes Theater. Originally named The Little Theater and built in 1912, the city landmark has been remodeled by David Rockwell of Rockwell Group. For more information, please visit www.2ST.com.