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The Tempest

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The Tempest
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March 23 - April 2, 2022 , The Helen

CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program

Passage

written by Christopher Chen
directed by Donald Carrier

Run time: 2 hours, including intermission
Advisory: Gun prop used on stage; sounds of gun firing

Country X is dominated by Country Y. A friendship between two people is challenged in this climate of fear and distrust leading to an explosive accusation. A fantasia inspired by E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India, writer Christopher Chen creates a suspenseful story about the challenges of true connection. Passage marks the Cleveland debut of the Class of 2024!

Photos & Videos Download Hi Res Photos

The CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Class of 2024 and Donald Carrier, director of PASSAGE, and Director of MFA Acting Program. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Madeline Calais as Q and Shunte Lofton as F in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Ellen Grace Diehl as Mosquito in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

AJ Ruiz as R and Madeline Calais as Q in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Josh Bates as H in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

AJ Ruiz as R and Madeline Calais as Q in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Gavin Michaels as B in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Ellen Grace Diehl as J and Victoria Alev Duffy as G in the CWRU/CPH's production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Gavin Michaels as B and Shunté Lofton as F in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Shunté Lofton as F in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Madeline Calais as Q in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Dylan Ireland as M in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Shunté Lofton, Dylan Ireland, an Gavin Michaels in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Ellen Grace Diehl as Gecko in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Victoria Alev Duffy as G (foreground) and Gavin Michaels as B in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Dylan Ireland as M and Josh Bates as H in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Gavin Michaels, Shunté Lofton, and Madeline Calais in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Victoria Alev Duffy as G in the CWRU/CPH's production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

AJ Ruiz as R and Ellen Grace Diehl as J in the CWRU/CPH production of PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

The CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Class of 2024 in Christopher Chen's PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

The cast of Christopher Chen's PASSAGE. Photo by Nathan Henry.

Artists

Josh Bates

Josh Bates

(H) is a Southern California native who received his BFA in Acting from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Sic ‘Em Bears. He was recently seen in CWRU/CPH’s The Liar, Everybody and Passage and has spent time working as a professional musician in the New York area. He’d like to more(H) is a Southern California native who received his BFA in Acting from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Sic ‘Em Bears. He was recently seen in CWRU/CPH’s The Liar, Everybody and Passage and has spent time working as a professional musician in the New York area. He’d like to thank his family and friends for putting up with this ridiculous life of his. Glory to God!

Madeline Calais

Madeline Calais

(Q) Born and raised in Houston, TX, Madeline received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (summa cum laude) in Acting from the University of Houston's School of Theatre & Dance. Following undergrad, Madeline performed in theatres across the country with the American Shakespeare Center's national touring troupe based out more(Q) Born and raised in Houston, TX, Madeline received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (summa cum laude) in Acting from the University of Houston's School of Theatre & Dance. Following undergrad, Madeline performed in theatres across the country with the American Shakespeare Center's national touring troupe based out of Staunton, Virginia, for two years. Madeline had the immense pleasure of appearing in two world premieres this past summer which include 10CHILDREN’s Watching Butterflies (written by Eric Schmiedl) and Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival’s Hamlet 50/50 (adapted by Vanessa Morosco & Peter Simon Hilton). Other notable companies Madeline has worked with include the Illinois Shakespeare Festival and Red Bull Theater in New York City.

Ellen Grace Diehl

Ellen Grace Diehl

(S/D/J/Mosquito/Gecko) is an actor, teacher, and choreographer. Previous MFA credits: Cliton (The Liar), Love (Everybody). Other credits: Louise (Gypsy), Gigi (Gigi), Sophie (Mamma Mia), Sandy (Grease), and Ariel (The Little Mermaid). Much love always to family our wonderful cohort! @ellengracediehl www.ellengracediehl.com more(S/D/J/Mosquito/Gecko) is an actor, teacher, and choreographer. Previous MFA credits: Cliton (The Liar), Love (Everybody). Other credits: Louise (Gypsy), Gigi (Gigi), Sophie (Mamma Mia), Sandy (Grease), and Ariel (The Little Mermaid). Much love always to family our wonderful cohort! @ellengracediehl www.ellengracediehl.com

Victoria Alev Duffy

Victoria Alev Duffy

(G) (she/her) is elated to be a part of The Tempest. A proud New Jersey native, she spent her childhood summers studying theatre at the Paper Mill Playhouse and New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Victoria received her BA from Fordham University where she performed in The Most Massive Woman more(G) (she/her) is elated to be a part of The Tempest. A proud New Jersey native, she spent her childhood summers studying theatre at the Paper Mill Playhouse and New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Victoria received her BA from Fordham University where she performed in The Most Massive Woman Wins, Machinal, Eurydice, God of Carnage, DIMES: A New Musical, and more. Past CPH/CWRU credits include Watching Butterflies, The Liar, Everybody and Passage. Victoria has a passion for exploring theatre through a non-American lens, and has spent her past summers intensively studying devising techniques and experimental theatre in Berlin and Shakespeare in London. Thank you to Eleanor and everyone else involved with The Tempest. Instagram: @vickduff

Dylan Ireland

Dylan Ireland

(M) is 24 years old, coming from High Point, North Carolina. Ireland is excited to enter his third and final year of graduate school. Before acting, Ireland was a musician, and football player. Those communities instilled foundational qualities of self-improvement, and discipline that blend seamlessly with his new journey more(M) is 24 years old, coming from High Point, North Carolina. Ireland is excited to enter his third and final year of graduate school. Before acting, Ireland was a musician, and football player. Those communities instilled foundational qualities of self-improvement, and discipline that blend seamlessly with his new journey as an actor. Ireland has plans to move to New York City post-graduation to continue his acting career. In his spare time, he plays the saxophone and is an avid comic reader. Ireland gives glory to God, his family, and his friends both here in Cleveland and back home.

Shunté Lofton

Shunté Lofton

(F) is a graduate of the University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance and is thrilled to be on this next journey. Her previous Cleveland credits include: F (Passage), Death (Everybody), and Lucrece (The Liar). She’s had the privilege of growing up all over the world and comes more(F) is a graduate of the University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance and is thrilled to be on this next journey. Her previous Cleveland credits include: F (Passage), Death (Everybody), and Lucrece (The Liar). She’s had the privilege of growing up all over the world and comes to Cleveland from Houston. She is thankful to God and to her family for their continued support. A lover of the classics, she has performed her way through over half of Shakespeare’s canon. Some of her favorite credits include: Ophelia (Hamlet) and Princess of France (Love’s Labour’s Lost) with the American Shakespeare Center and Constance (King John) with Colorado Shakespeare Festival. She is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Gavin Michaels

Gavin Michaels

(B) is from wonderfully rainy Seattle, Washington. His stage credits include Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Orlando in As You Like It (BPA), Ferdinand in The Tempest, Hamlet in Hamlet (Kentwood Players), and Dorante in The Liar (CWRU). He has also worked with John Leguizamo at the Guthrie Theatre more(B) is from wonderfully rainy Seattle, Washington. His stage credits include Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Orlando in As You Like It (BPA), Ferdinand in The Tempest, Hamlet in Hamlet (Kentwood Players), and Dorante in The Liar (CWRU). He has also worked with John Leguizamo at the Guthrie Theatre to workshop his new play, Our Hood, as well as play Borrachio in a workshop of Tanta Bulla, y pa que? a bilingual adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing. His film credits include the school-shooter Derek in the short film Diabolos, Carl in the sci-fi drama The House, and Danny in the quirky comedy Danny Doom (Amazon Prime). He earned his undergraduate degree in Political Communication and Rhetoric from the University of Washington. When he’s not on stage you can listen to him playing his signature flavor of pop-punk/emo at local music venues or on your favorite music streaming platform. @_gavinmichaels / gavinmichaels.com

Alfredo Ruiz

Alfredo Ruiz

(R) has CPH credits in Passage and The Liar, is from Miami, and currently a 3rd year grad actor at the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program. Alfredo recently starred in the award winning short film, ‘Til Death. He was nominated for Best Actor at the Indie Short Fest in LA. more(R) has CPH credits in Passage and The Liar, is from Miami, and currently a 3rd year grad actor at the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program. Alfredo recently starred in the award winning short film, ‘Til Death. He was nominated for Best Actor at the Indie Short Fest in LA. He spent the majority of his time in Miami working in immersive regional theatre and releasing critically acclaimed works of indie film. Regional credits include: 7 Deadly Sins (Miami New Drama/Winner of the Drama League Award), Wynwood Stories (Juggerknot Theatre Co.). alfredojruiz.com

Christopher Chen

(Playwright) is an international award-winning playwright whose works have been produced across the United States and abroad. His play Caught was a New York Times critics’ pick, and enjoyed a sold-out run at The Play Company. Honors include the 2017 Lanford Wilson Award (co-winner); the 2015-2016 Sundance Institute/Time Warner more(Playwright) is an international award-winning playwright whose works have been produced across the United States and abroad. His play Caught was a New York Times critics’ pick, and enjoyed a sold-out run at The Play Company. Honors include the 2017 Lanford Wilson Award (co-winner); the 2015-2016 Sundance Institute/Time Warner Foundation Fellowship for theater; the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, through which he was 2013-2014 playwright-in-residence at Vineyard Theatre; the Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play; Phindie Critics’ Award; the Glickman Award; the Rella Lossy Playwriting Award; shortlist for the James Tait Black Award; nomination for the Steinberg Award; second place in the Belarus Free Theatre International Competition of Modern Dramaturgy; a MAP Fund Grant; a Ford Foundation Emerging Writer of Color Grant; and finalist for the PoNY and Jerome Fellowships. His works have been produced and developed at companies such as American Conservatory Theater, Arcola Theatre, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Beijing Fringe, Berkeley Repertory Theatre/Ground Floor, Crowded Fire, Cutting Ball, Edinburgh Fringe, hotINK Festival, Impact Theatre, InterAct Theatre, Lark Play Development Center, Magic Theatre, Playwrights Foundation, San Francisco Playhouse, Seattle Public Theater, Shotgun Players, Sideshow Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Sundance Theatre Lab, Mu Performing Arts, U.C. Berkeley/ Zellerbach Playhouse, and the Vineyard. Publications include Dramatists Play Service, American Theatre Magazine, Theatre Bay Area, and Theater Magazine (Yale). A San Francisco native, Chris is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley and holds an M.F.A. in Playwriting from S.F. State.

Donald Carrier

Donald Carrier

(Director) most recently directed The Liar for the MFA Program, Othello at Texas Shakespeare Festival and 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, more(Director) most recently directed The Liar for the MFA Program, Othello at Texas Shakespeare Festival and 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. He will be directing Middletown for the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program in Spring, 2024.

Cameron Caley Michalak

(Scenic Designer) is thrilled to be back with CWRU MFA Program! Regional Theatrical design credits include: Cleveland Play House productions of These Mortal Hosts, Venus in Fur, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and A Soldier’s Tale with Catch and Release. CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program’s design credits include Passage, She more(Scenic Designer) is thrilled to be back with CWRU MFA Program! Regional Theatrical design credits include: Cleveland Play House productions of These Mortal Hosts, Venus in Fur, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and A Soldier’s Tale with Catch and Release. CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program’s design credits include Passage, She Stoops to Conquer, A Philadelphia Story, The Three Sisters, The Misanthrope and The Winter's Tale. Cleveland Ballet’s The Nutcracker Suite, Alice, Provocativo. Selected local credits include When Farah Cries (Borderlight International Theatre Festival); Dance Nation, John, Appropriate, The Effect, The Night Alive, Becky Shaw (Dobama); Les Misérables, Mary Poppins, The Wiz, Assassins, (Near West Theatre); Meteor Shower, Really Really, and Seminar (Beck Center); and Aida, Sweeney Todd and Hairspray, among many others (M.A.D. Factory). Cameron recently completed his MFA from Goddard College, and acts as Technical Director and Instructor for Cleveland State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance

Esther M. Haberlen

(Costume Designer) has credits with the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program that include The Misanthrope, Too True to Be Good, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and last season's Passage. Her scores of theater and opera design credits range with companies as diverse as Great Lakes Theater, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Lake more(Costume Designer) has credits with the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program that include The Misanthrope, Too True to Be Good, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and last season's Passage. Her scores of theater and opera design credits range with companies as diverse as Great Lakes Theater, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Dobama Theatre, Cleveland Opera Theater, Cleveland Institute of Music, Chagrin Valley Performing Arts Academy, Willoughby Fine Arts Association, Cleveland Public Theatre, and the Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music. Esther holds a BFA in theater production and design from the State University of New York (Fredonia), and also worked as a costume technician at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and The Chautauqua Conservatory. Esther is costume shop director for GLT and its sister theatres, Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. A native of Syracuse, New York, she has proudly called Cleveland home since 2003.

Jaemin Park

(Lighting Designer) has been working as a lighting designer in South Korea for about 15 years. He has designed more than 100 productions in various genres such as plays, musicals, operas, and dances. While he was in South Korea, he worked as a full-time lighting supervisor and resident designer more(Lighting Designer) has been working as a lighting designer in South Korea for about 15 years. He has designed more than 100 productions in various genres such as plays, musicals, operas, and dances. While he was in South Korea, he worked as a full-time lighting supervisor and resident designer in a national theatre with about 1,200 seats in Daegu, South Korea. His unique background in studying vocal music during his undergraduate courses has given him a keen ear for analyzing and expressing music. He has been directing in opera and loves musical works. Based on his experience in South Korea, he is in his last semester MFA in lighting design at Kent State University. In June 2022, he will be designing the musical Little Shop of Horrors at Porthouse Theatre. He has enjoyed working with the Passage creative team.

Richard Ingraham

(Sound Designer) is a freelance sound designer, educator and audiovisual systems consultant. Richard has worked at numerous theatres, schools and attractions in the Cleveland area and throughout the United States, including Ashland University, Beck Center for the Arts, Baldwin Wallace University, Cain Park, Carnegie-Mellon University, Chagrin Falls Performing Arts more(Sound Designer) is a freelance sound designer, educator and audiovisual systems consultant. Richard has worked at numerous theatres, schools and attractions in the Cleveland area and throughout the United States, including Ashland University, Beck Center for the Arts, Baldwin Wallace University, Cain Park, Carnegie-Mellon University, Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Academy, Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cleveland State University, Dobama Theatre, The University of Evansville, Great Lakes Theater, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, The Jewish Community Center of Cleveland, Oberlin College, Playhouse Square Center, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. He has also worked as a consultant to award-winning software companies that create products for live event production including Stage Research and Richmond Sound Design.

Kenya Woods

(Choreographer) is a native of Cleveland, Ohio holds more than 30 years of experience in dance performance, choreography, teaching, and leadership. She holds a degree in Dance from Tennessee State University and is certified in Lester Horton Pedagogy, the official technique taught at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. more(Choreographer) is a native of Cleveland, Ohio holds more than 30 years of experience in dance performance, choreography, teaching, and leadership. She holds a degree in Dance from Tennessee State University and is certified in Lester Horton Pedagogy, the official technique taught at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. Her additional dance credits include Dance New Amsterdam and North Coast Ballet Theater. Madame Darvash, Dr. Diane McIntyre and Lynn Simonson have influenced her teaching style as well. She has worked nationally and internationally at regional dance companies, universities and school systems as an educator, performer, and choreographer. She continues to teach dance to students of all ages and lead programs that help cultivate technique, artistry, body awareness and empowerment and appreciation for dance. In the spring of 2022, Ms. Woods was a Hildegarde and Elbert Baker Visiting Scholar in the Humanities at CWRU. She most recently co-directed/co-choreographed Ain't Misbehavin'- The Fats Waller Musical at Near West Theatre.

Beth McGee

(Vocal 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(Vocal 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.

Catherine L. Albers

(Acting Coach) is a Cleveland-based actor and teacher. During the pandemic, she kept busy with a reading with Rattlestick Theater in New York City and another for a Canadian playwright with an international cast. She also offered online workshops in the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique through the Great Lakes more(Acting Coach) is a Cleveland-based actor and teacher. During the pandemic, she kept busy with a reading with Rattlestick Theater in New York City and another for a Canadian playwright with an international cast. She also offered online workshops in the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique through the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium, where she is the president and lead administrator, and saw a film she recently worked on appear at the Cleveland Film Festival. She is thrilled to be back as the acting coach for this MFA production. Despite all this work, she adamantly says she is retired!

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.

Tyree J. Franklin

(Stage Manager) (He/Him) is a Cleveland based stage manager and Artist with his BFA in Stage Management from Wright State University. His recent stage management credits includes Everybody, Passage and the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program Solo Shows (Cleveland Playhouse), Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity (Karamu House), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom more(Stage Manager) (He/Him) is a Cleveland based stage manager and Artist with his BFA in Stage Management from Wright State University. His recent stage management credits includes Everybody, Passage and the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program Solo Shows (Cleveland Playhouse), Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity (Karamu House), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Karamu House). He would like to thank his family and friends for their continued love and support!

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