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February 21 - March 2, 2024 , The Helen

CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program

Middletown

written by Will Eno
directed by Don Carrier

Run time: TBD

Welcome to Middletown, USA. Population: Stable. Elevation: Same. It’s an ordinary small town. With ordinary people. All living seemingly ordinary lives. And yet, from all this ordinary emerges the extraordinary—the absurd, the comedic, and the beautiful moments of lives being lived. Told with humor and deep compassion, this spiritual successor to Our Town shows us the joy, sadness, small victories and defeats we experience as we go through the ups and downs of being human. This production will introduce the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program’s Class of 2026 to local audiences.

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Artists

Madalyn Baker

Madalyn Baker

(Mechanic/Auntie) is an actor, illustrator, and musician originally hailing from Northern California. She earned her BA in Theatre from Fordham University, and has spent the last 9 years living and creating in New York City. In addition to being an actor, she writes music, and has her own illustrative more(Mechanic/Auntie) is an actor, illustrator, and musician originally hailing from Northern California. She earned her BA in Theatre from Fordham University, and has spent the last 9 years living and creating in New York City. In addition to being an actor, she writes music, and has her own illustrative art brand called Maddle Baddle. She draws everything from silly cartoons to her own custom deck of playing cards! To learn more about Madalyn, you can check out her work at Madalynbaker.com, or @madmaddybaker.

Byron Johnson

Byron Johnson

(Public Speaker/Male Tourist/Male Doctor/Freelancer) is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the son of Trudy Johnson and the late Byron Johnson. He also has a sister named Destiny. Byron is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, where he was a collegiate football player and team captain. He more(Public Speaker/Male Tourist/Male Doctor/Freelancer) is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the son of Trudy Johnson and the late Byron Johnson. He also has a sister named Destiny. Byron is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, where he was a collegiate football player and team captain. He enjoys playing sports, being outside, hanging with his family and friends, along with eating good food. Byron also writes poetry in his spare time and hopes to learn the piano and guitar. His acting credits include a Guest Star Recurring Role on SHOWTIME’S American Rust, along with roles on NBC’s Young Rock, and Walker on CW.

Brendan Lowry

Brendan Lowry

(Astronaut/Tour Guide/Male Date/Landscaper/Attendan) is originally from Colorado Springs, CO. He has just finished his BFA in Musical Theatre from Colorado Mesa University, where he had the privilege of working on his dream role and show of Floyd Collins as the titular character in his final semester there. Other credits more(Astronaut/Tour Guide/Male Date/Landscaper/Attendan) is originally from Colorado Springs, CO. He has just finished his BFA in Musical Theatre from Colorado Mesa University, where he had the privilege of working on his dream role and show of Floyd Collins as the titular character in his final semester there. Other credits include Sky Masterson (Guys and Dolls) and Judas Iscariot/John the Baptist (Godspell). He is ecstatic at the opportunity to join the CWRU/CPH program and looks forward to being a part of the class of 2026. He'd like to thank the village of family, friends, and teachers it took to get him to this point. @bkylowry

Christina McSheffrey

Christina McSheffrey

(Female Doctor/Female Tourist/Sweetheart/Ground Con) (she/her) has spent the last few years in Phoenix, Arizona, where she got her B.A. in Theatre at Grand Canyon University. She has been seen performing in companies across the state, including Southwest Shakespeare Company and Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival. Some of her favorite roles include more(Female Doctor/Female Tourist/Sweetheart/Ground Con) (she/her) has spent the last few years in Phoenix, Arizona, where she got her B.A. in Theatre at Grand Canyon University. She has been seen performing in companies across the state, including Southwest Shakespeare Company and Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival. Some of her favorite roles include Adriana in Comedy of Errors and Miranda in The Tempest. She also has an extensive background in improv comedy, where she trained at The Second City in Hollywood. She went back to teach improv at GCU and has taught theatre and voice at Childsplay Theater, The Phoenix Theatre Company, and Phoenix Conservatory of Music.

Calder Meis

Calder Meis

(John/Janitor) is thrilled to be starting this new journey. REGIONAL: 35 MM: A Musical Exhibition (Ben), Grease (Sonny), Joseph...Dreamcoat (Joseph u/s). Other favorite credits include The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Peachy Weil), Abigail/1702 (John Brown), and Footloose (Ren). He received a BFA in Theatre Performance from Baylor University. He more(John/Janitor) is thrilled to be starting this new journey. REGIONAL: 35 MM: A Musical Exhibition (Ben), Grease (Sonny), Joseph...Dreamcoat (Joseph u/s). Other favorite credits include The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Peachy Weil), Abigail/1702 (John Brown), and Footloose (Ren). He received a BFA in Theatre Performance from Baylor University. He would like to thank his girlfriend, Payton, for being his rock in this life. “Cleveland, this is for you!” -LeBron James

Brianna Miller

Brianna Miller

(Mary/ Cop Voice Over) grew up in Gilbert, Arizona but considers the Midwest a home-away-from-home. She graduated from Earlham College in 2021 with a Bachelor's in Theatre Arts. Since then she has been a part of the acting ensemble at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for their mainstage productions and outdoor more(Mary/ Cop Voice Over) grew up in Gilbert, Arizona but considers the Midwest a home-away-from-home. She graduated from Earlham College in 2021 with a Bachelor's in Theatre Arts. Since then she has been a part of the acting ensemble at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for their mainstage productions and outdoor tours--yes, in the height of cicada season. Some of her favorite roles include Camae in The Mountaintop (Uptown Performing Arts Center), Matt/Mr. Burns in Mr. Burns; a post-electric play(Earlham College), and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Park Tour)

Meredith Nelson

Meredith Nelson

(Librarian / Female Date / Intercom Voice) is an actor, director, and educator from Denver, Colorado. She received her undergraduate degree from The University of Evansville and is thrilled to be pursuing her master's with CWRU/Cleveland Playhouse. Some favorite roles she's played include Prospera in The Tempest, Betty 1 more(Librarian / Female Date / Intercom Voice) is an actor, director, and educator from Denver, Colorado. She received her undergraduate degree from The University of Evansville and is thrilled to be pursuing her master's with CWRU/Cleveland Playhouse. Some favorite roles she's played include Prospera in The Tempest, Betty 1 in Collective Rage, and Julie in Miss Julie. She and her husband are delighted to make Cleveland their new home for the next three years!

Adam Ortega

Adam Ortega

(Cop/Ground Control) was born and raised in Plantation Florida. He went to The University of Michigan where he earned his BFA in Acting. After graduating, he lived in New York City and performed Off-Broadway in Drunk Shakespeare. He's very excited to be moving to Cleveland to pursue his master's more(Cop/Ground Control) was born and raised in Plantation Florida. He went to The University of Michigan where he earned his BFA in Acting. After graduating, he lived in New York City and performed Off-Broadway in Drunk Shakespeare. He's very excited to be moving to Cleveland to pursue his master's degree with CWRU/CPH.

Donald Carrier

Donald Carrier

(Director, Director of CWRU/CPH Acting Program) most recently directed The Liar for the MFA Program, Othello at Texas Shakespeare Festival, Ellis Island: The Dream of America for The Cleveland Orchestra and Doubt for the Beck Center. For the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program, he has also directed Passage, Fifth of more(Director, Director of CWRU/CPH Acting Program) most recently directed The Liar for the MFA Program, Othello at Texas Shakespeare Festival, Ellis Island: The Dream of America for The Cleveland Orchestra and Doubt for the Beck Center. For the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program, he has also directed Passage, Fifth of July, Clybourne Park, The Misanthrope, Too True to Be Good, and The Violins of Hope. Other directing includes Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Seminar, and Really Really (Beck Center for the Arts); and Becky Shaw (Dobama Theatre). Other selected directing credits include The Crucible, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Twelfth Night, As You Like It, Habeas Corpus, The Pirates of Penzance, and Oh! What a Lovely War. He has appeared at Cleveland Play House in Shakespeare in Love; All the Way; Luna Gale; The Crucible; The Little Foxes; Yentl; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play; Ten Chimneys; Noises Off; and Lincolnesque. Regional credits include The National Arts Center, Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, Great Lakes Theater, The Studio Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre, The Wilma Theater, The Huntington Theatre, The Intiman Theatre, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He spent nine seasons at the Stratford Festival, three seasons at the Old Globe, and two seasons at the Shaw Festival. Television/Film: Guns, The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Passion of Ayn Rand, and Dead by Monday. Don is a proud Lunt/Fontanne Fellow and is the Director of CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program.

Ben Needham

(Scenic Designer) (he/him) serves as the Program Director for the Academy For the Performing Arts, overseeing the technical theatre and film aspects of the Academy for the past 16 years.Ben holds an MFA from the University of Georgia in Theatre Design and a BA from Case Western Reserve University more(Scenic Designer) (he/him) serves as the Program Director for the Academy For the Performing Arts, overseeing the technical theatre and film aspects of the Academy for the past 16 years.Ben holds an MFA from the University of Georgia in Theatre Design and a BA from Case Western Reserve University in Theater Arts. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia, Case Western Reserve University, Lakeland Community College, Lake Erie College, and Kent State University.He is the Owner and Principal Designer of Digital Squirrel Studio (www.digitalsquirrel.net), a full-service animation, design, and architectural illustration studio. He has designed over 900 theatre productions in the past 25 years. His film and television design credits include Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy, Killing Reagan, Meg Ryan’s Ithaca, and AMC’s Turn: Washington’s Spies. Ben was most recently a set designer on the films The Outpost and Son of the South.

Jeffrey Van Curtis

(Costume Designer) is Cleveland Play House’s Costume Shop Manager. CPH design credits include A Carol for Cleveland, My Name is Asher Lev, Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Doubt, I Am My Own Wife, Rounding Third, Proof, Dinner with Friends, and Art. CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program design credits include Angels more(Costume Designer) is Cleveland Play House’s Costume Shop Manager. CPH design credits include A Carol for Cleveland, My Name is Asher Lev, Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Doubt, I Am My Own Wife, Rounding Third, Proof, Dinner with Friends, and Art. CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program design credits include Angels in America, Fifth of July, She Stoops to Conquer, A Philadelphia Story, The Winter’s Tale, An Orchard, and others, along with several CPH Theatre for Children productions. Other design credits include Singin’ on the Ohio and The Goblins Will Git You at The Lantern Theatre, productions at Coconut Grove Playhouse and Studio Arena Theatre, and work on the film Kansas City. He has also created wigs for a number of CPH productions. He holds his Master of Fine Arts, Costume Design and Technology from University of Missouri–Kansas City. Jeffrey thanks CPH's Costume, Wardrobe and Wigs staff for their creativity, enthusiasm and support.

Catherine L. Albers

(Acting Coach) is a professional actress and Professor Emeritus at Case Western Reserve University, where she was a master teacher in the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program. She has performed throughout the country and does film and commercial work. She is a founding member of Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium, more(Acting Coach) is a professional actress and Professor Emeritus at Case Western Reserve University, where she was a master teacher in the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program. She has performed throughout the country and does film and commercial work. She is a founding member of Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium, a producing and teaching organization. Since her retirement she has continued to work on stage and on camera. She will be seen this May at Dobama in Significant Other.

Eliza Ladd Schwarz

Eliza Ladd Schwarz

(Movement Coach) is a performer, director, stage writer, composer, and choreographer from NYC. She is thrilled to join the faculty at CWRU / Cleveland Playhouse MFA after 10 years teaching at the FSU / Asolo Conservatory. Eliza has created original multi-disciplinary work in NYC at PS 122, Dixon Place, more(Movement Coach) is a performer, director, stage writer, composer, and choreographer from NYC. She is thrilled to join the faculty at CWRU / Cleveland Playhouse MFA after 10 years teaching at the FSU / Asolo Conservatory. Eliza has created original multi-disciplinary work in NYC at PS 122, Dixon Place, Movement Research, the Knitting Factory, and Joyce Soho, and performed at La Mama, the Kitchen, NY Theater Workshop, St. Ann’s Warehouse and with Shakespeare and Company in MA. Notable recent works include Agridulce / Bittersweet, an Andrew W Mellon Foundation funded project; Work / Play / Work, a theatrical ensemble zoom response to the 2020 call for social justice; and, her solo works Gravity and Levity and Autobiography of the Human Species. Eliza holds a BA in Comparative Religion from Harvard University and an MFA in Theater: Contemporary Performance from Naropa University. www.elizaladd.com

Beth McGee

(Voice Coach) is a member of Actor’s Equity and a voice, speech, and dialect coach. She is one of the co-founders of Cleveland’s immersive theater company Shadow of the Run LLC, and was the playwright for their first immersive piece, Wanderlust. She was the on-set dialect more(Voice Coach) is a member of Actor’s Equity and a voice, speech, and dialect coach. She is one of the co-founders of Cleveland’s immersive theater company Shadow of the Run LLC, and was the playwright for their first immersive piece, Wanderlust. She was the on-set dialect coach for Cinemax’s 2016 television series Quarry, directed by Greg Yaitanes. She has acted as dialect coach for many Cleveland area theaters and dialect coached the 2002 film Welcome to Collinwood starring George Clooney, and directed by the Russo Brothers. She has coached and/or acted in productions at numerous Cleveland area theaters. She is a Professor of Voice and Acting at CWRU. Devotees of folk music can find her 1980 Folkways album Love is Teasing housed in the archives of the Smithsonian Institution. McGee is an active member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Jeffrey Ullom

(Dramaturg) is an Associate Professor of Theater at Case Western Reserve University where he teaches theatre history and dramaturgy. He is the author of several books and articles focusing on regional theatre, including his most recent book on Cleveland Play House America’s First Regional Theatre. As a more(Dramaturg) is an Associate Professor of Theater at Case Western Reserve University where he teaches theatre history and dramaturgy. He is the author of several books and articles focusing on regional theatre, including his most recent book on Cleveland Play House America’s First Regional Theatre. As a dramaturg, he worked with notable playwrights including Tony Kushner, David Henry Hwang, John Patrick Shanley and others at the Humana Festival of New American Plays, and he has served as a dramaturg for several Cleveland Play House productions. He is currently working on two books—a broad history of regional theatre and a murder mystery involving theatre history.

Lisa O'Brien

(Assistant Director) is currently a fourth-year Theatre and International Studies major at CWRU. You may have seen her act as the Moor-Hen in the undergraduate production of The Moors this past fall, but now she is taking on a role on the other side of the table. After graduation more(Assistant Director) is currently a fourth-year Theatre and International Studies major at CWRU. You may have seen her act as the Moor-Hen in the undergraduate production of The Moors this past fall, but now she is taking on a role on the other side of the table. After graduation she hopes to follow her passions of doing all things theatre and entertainment. This is her first time assistant directing a full length production, and she would like to thank Don and the theatre department for giving her this opportunity.

Santino Garofalo

(Stage Manager) is happy to be here again at CPH. Santino graduated from the University of Dayton in 2020 and started his stage managing career at CPH in the fall of 2021 with the CPH/CWRU production of Twelfth Night. Santino’s most recent gig was a concert for the American more(Stage Manager) is happy to be here again at CPH. Santino graduated from the University of Dayton in 2020 and started his stage managing career at CPH in the fall of 2021 with the CPH/CWRU production of Twelfth Night. Santino’s most recent gig was a concert for the American Music Abroad at the Maltz Performing Arts Center in which he received a certificate of appreciation from the United States Department of State. Santino would like to thank his friends and family who have continued to support his stage managing in the greater Cleveland area.

Eight Scenic Designs in Two Minutes

Eight Scenic Designs in Two Minutes

Our friend Robert Mark Morgan, Scenic Designer (Into the Breeches!, Diary of Anne Frank, The Whipping Man) created a fun video showing all of the uniq...

Read the full story

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