Tesia Benson

Melissa Crespo

(Playwright) is most known as a director of theater, opera and film. She has developed new work at: The Lark, Atlantic Theatre Company, Two River Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Ars Nova, Labyrinth Theatre Company, and more. Her production of Native Gardens by Karen Zacarías was recently co-produced at Syracuse more(Playwright) is most known as a director of theater, opera and film. She has developed new work at: The Lark, Atlantic Theatre Company, Two River Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Ars Nova, Labyrinth Theatre Company, and more. Her production of Native Gardens by Karen Zacarías was recently co-produced at Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre Center and next Portland Center Stage. She recently directed the world premieres of Wickedest Woman by Jessica Bashline (Strange Sun Theatre), graveyard shift by Korde Arrington Tuttle (San Francisco Playhouse), and Brother Toad by Nathan Louis Jackson (Kansas City Repertory Theatre). She is most known for her hybrid musical/opera production of ¡Figaro! (90210) by Vid Guerrerio at LA Opera and Off-Broadway. She’s also very proud of her production of Tar Baby by Desiree Burch and Dan Kitrosser seen in NYC, Edinburgh, London, Finland, and New Zealand. Fellowships & Residencies: Time Warner Fellow (WP Theatre), Usual Suspect (NYTW), The Director’s Project (Drama League), Van Lier Directing Fellow (Second Stage Theatre), and the Allen Lee Hughes Directing Fellow (Arena Stage). She received her MFA in Directing from The New School for Drama. She wants to thank her co-writer Sarah Saltwick—without you this play could not have happened. melissacrespo.com

Kristine Davies

Nicholas Drashner

(Sound Designer) is a Cleveland-based sound designer and projection designer. Credits include: THIS (Dobama Theatre), The Seagull (Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House), This Might Be The End (THE TRIP, Theatre Lab NYC), Macbeth(Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House), The Last Tiger in Haiti (La Jolla Playhouse/Berkeley Repertory Theatre), more(Sound Designer) is a Cleveland-based sound designer and projection designer. Credits include: THIS (Dobama Theatre), The Seagull (Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House), This Might Be The End (THE TRIP, Theatre Lab NYC), Macbeth(Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House), The Last Tiger in Haiti (La Jolla Playhouse/Berkeley Repertory Theatre), Orpheus & Eurydice (THE TRIP, Theatre Lab NYC), The Astronaut Farmworker (La Jolla Playhouse), Suzette Who Set to Sea (La Jolla Playhouse/Honolulu Theatre for Youth), Beijing Spring (East West Players), Kingdom City (La Jolla Playhouse), Fool for Love (Chalk Repertory Theatre), Chagall (Malashock Dance), Lonely Boys Guide to Survival (La Jolla Playhouse), Words By (North Coast Repertory Theatre), Topdog/Underdog (Ion Theatre). He received an MFA in Sound Design for Theatre and Dance from University of California San Diego, and is currently Assistant Professor of Sound Design & Projection Design at Kent State University.

Benjamin Gantose

(Lighting Designer) is a lighting, scenery, and installation designer and a Cleveland native. He is Resident Lighting Designer at Cleveland Public Theatre where recent designs have included Gloria, Fire on the Water, and Red Ash Mosaic. Other Cleveland design work includes Maelstrom Collaborative Arts, Beck Center for the Arts, more(Lighting Designer) is a lighting, scenery, and installation designer and a Cleveland native. He is Resident Lighting Designer at Cleveland Public Theatre where recent designs have included Gloria, Fire on the Water, and Red Ash Mosaic. Other Cleveland design work includes Maelstrom Collaborative Arts, Beck Center for the Arts, Talespinner Children’s Theater, Mamai Theatre Company, Baldwin Wallace University, Cleveland State University, Inlet Dance Theatre, and Verb Ballets. He is Resident Lighting Designer at Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Associate Design work includes lighting and scenic designs at Cincinnati Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Cedar Fair Amusement Parks, Cain Park, and Lakeland Civic Theatre.

John Godbout

(Stage Manager) was Cleveland Play House's resident stage manager from 2001 to 2008 and returned to CPH in the fall of 2011. "Most recently, John stage managed A New Brain at Barrington Stage Company. John has also stage managed at North Shore Music Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, The more(Stage Manager) was Cleveland Play House's resident stage manager from 2001 to 2008 and returned to CPH in the fall of 2011. "Most recently, John stage managed A New Brain at Barrington Stage Company. John has also stage managed at North Shore Music Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, The Weston Playhouse, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Northern Stage, Seaside Music Theatre, and Porthouse Theatre.

Roe Green

(Honorary Producer) is an arts patron, community activist, and chief executive officer of the Roe Green Foundation. With a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Communications from the University of Colorado and a master’s degree in Theatre from Kent State University, her experience in stage and business management includes more(Honorary Producer) is an arts patron, community activist, and chief executive officer of the Roe Green Foundation. With a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Communications from the University of Colorado and a master’s degree in Theatre from Kent State University, her experience in stage and business management includes Cain Park, Cleveland Opera, and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Today she is president emeritus of CAVORT, Inc., the Conference About Volunteers of Regional Theatres and serves on the Kent State University School of Theatre and Dance advisory board, the foundation board of Kent State University, the board of Porthouse Theatre, the board of Maltz Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter, FL, and the board of Cleveland Play House. She is responsible for the Roe Green Visiting Director Series for the School of Theatre and Dance at Kent State and the University of Colorado. Ms. Green has received numerous awards for her support of the arts and new play development including the 2009 State of Ohio Governor’s Award for Arts Patron, the Dramatist Guild’s Patron of the Arts Award (2013), the Muse Award (2014) from the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, and the Theatre Forward Chairman’s Award (2017). In 2013, she received the CPH Centennial Star Award that recognizes select individuals who have made special and important contributions to CPH’s rich legacy of artistic and educational programming. She is the first recipient of the CPH Super Nova Award (2015) in recognition of her leadership and generosity which has been instrumental in elevating CPH’s presentation of new works through New Ground Theatre Festival. 2019 marks the eighth year of the Roe Green Award at CPH which recognizes a playwright and the development of a new work.

Rachel Lerner-Ley

(CPH Dramaturg) is in her ninth season at Cleveland Play House, where she is the literary manager and resident dramaturg. Dramaturgy at CPH includes Light It Up!, Clue, Our Dad is in Atlantis, Christina, The Hat Box, Egress, Cicada, Tiny Houses, Minton’s Place, Ghost Party, The Chinese Lady, The more(CPH Dramaturg) is in her ninth season at Cleveland Play House, where she is the literary manager and resident dramaturg. Dramaturgy at CPH includes Light It Up!, Clue, Our Dad is in Atlantis, Christina, The Hat Box, Egress, Cicada, Tiny Houses, Minton’s Place, Ghost Party, The Chinese Lady, The Nolan Williams Project, CARE monologues, The Good Peaches, FEED, Little Row Boat, Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors, and the Violins of Hope concert with the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program and the Cleveland Orchestra. Additional dramaturgy credits include Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Civilians, Actors Theatre of Louisville, WildWind Performance Lab at Texas Tech University and Girl Be Heard. She is a graduate of Smith College. Member LMDA.

T. Paul Lowry

(Projection Designer) is a Cleveland-based projection, scenic and lighting designer. Recent designs include Egress at Cleveland Play House; Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Irregulars, Ella Enchanted, The Nether, Airness, and Kill Move Paradise at Dobama Theatre; Black Nativity, Greenwood, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at Karamu House; The 39 more(Projection Designer) is a Cleveland-based projection, scenic and lighting designer. Recent designs include Egress at Cleveland Play House; Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Irregulars, Ella Enchanted, The Nether, Airness, and Kill Move Paradise at Dobama Theatre; Black Nativity, Greenwood, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at Karamu House; The 39 Steps, Via Brooklyn, and Jane Eyre for Cleveland Musical Theatre. Recent music and dance design include projects with International Festival of Arts & Ideas, ChamberFest Cleveland and GroundWorks Dance Theater.

Sarah Saltwick

(Playwright) is a playwright based in Austin, TX, a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at UT Austin and was a Jerome Fellow at the Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis. Recent productions/workshops include Tender Rough Rough Tender at Northpark University in Chicago, Limits are For Suckers by Scriptworks at more(Playwright) is a playwright based in Austin, TX, a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at UT Austin and was a Jerome Fellow at the Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis. Recent productions/workshops include Tender Rough Rough Tender at Northpark University in Chicago, Limits are For Suckers by Scriptworks at Hyde Park Theater in Austin, TX, and The Girl Who Became Legend at Zach Scott Theater in Austin, TX. Egress was previously developed as part of the Hyde Park Theater New Play Development Workshop. In 2015, Tender Rough Rough Tender was awarded the David Mark Cohen award for best new play by the Austin Critic's Table. Sarah’s plays have been recently produced or developed by the Lark, the Vortex, Scriptworks, groundswell theatre company, Hyde Park Theater, Kitchen Dog Theater, Swan Dive, the Navigators, Red Theatre Collective, Phoenix Theatre, the Icicle Creek Theater Festival, WildClaw Horror Theater, University of Texas at Austin, Weber State University, Barnyard Theater; as well as in cars, backyards, dressing rooms, lobbies, and a swimming pool. She is also a Co-Director of Holden & Arts Associates, a theatrical booking agency. She shares her home with her husband, musician and visual artist Toto Miranda, their daughter Beatrix, and their cat Lulu. You can find Sarah’s plays at on the New Play Exchange.

Sarah Wansley

(Director) is the 2018-19 Artistic Directing Fellow at Cleveland Play House and the Artistic Producer at Chautauqua Theater Company. At CPH, Sarah directed The Seagull by Anton Chekhov with the CWRU/CPH MFA program and assisted Laura Kepley on the 2015 production of The Crucible. Recent directing projects include Revolt. more(Director) is the 2018-19 Artistic Directing Fellow at Cleveland Play House and the Artistic Producer at Chautauqua Theater Company. At CPH, Sarah directed The Seagull by Anton Chekhov with the CWRU/CPH MFA program and assisted Laura Kepley on the 2015 production of The Crucible. Recent directing projects include Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again by Alice Birch at Dobama Theatre, and The Amish Project by Jessica Dickey at Chautauqua Theater Company. She has directed new work at The Flea Theater, Ensemble Studio Theatre, the La Jolla Playhouse's Without Walls Festival, the McCarter Theatre's Youth Ink Festival, Fordham University, New York University and Columbia University. Up next: A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare at Chautauqua Theater Company. Sarah is a New Georges Affiliated Artist, a 2015 Drama League Directing Fellow and a member of the 2011 Lincoln Center Director's Lab. Sarah received her MFA in Directing from UCSD and a BA in English Literature from Columbia University (summa cum laude). She is an Adjunct Lecturer at Fordham University.