Shakespeare at the Green - 2009

Part of the 2009 Charlotte Shakespeare Festival

Directed by Joe Copley

Cast and Crew Biographies

Ken Akers (Sea Captain/Priest) – This is the fourth year Ken Akers has been a cast member of a Charlotte Shakespeare production. He’s played such notable roles as a rude mechanical, a wall, a crotchety old servant and Lord Montague. In real life, Akers, owner of Acorn Communications, is a writer and television producer. This year he is also serving as the President of the Board of Collaborative Arts. He will gladly accept your donations to continue the work of the Charlotte Shakespeare Festival.

Chad Calvert (Malvolio) – Chad has done a lot of work with BareBones Theatre Group (as an actor, director, designer, producer, etc.) including The Illusion, Closer, The Turn of the Screw, The Underpants, The Blue Room, and An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, for which he won the MTA Award for Best Director. For several years, Chad was also the Resident Stage Director at Opera Carolina, where he staged productions including The Magic Flute, La Vida Breve, Pagliacci, and Don Giovanni. Chad recently returned to the other side of the stage, starring as Orson Welles in BBTG’s Orson’s Shadow. This is his first performance with Collaborative Arts, for which you should thank (or blame) Peter, who convinced him to do this.

Joe Copley (Director) – Joe is delighted to be working with such a talented cast & crew! He is directing his third Collaborative Arts Shakespeare production, after serving as co-director for Collaborative Arts' As You Like It in 2007, and director of its 2007 production of The Sublet Experiment. He has also appeared in several Collaborative Arts' Shakespeare productions, as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Lord Capulet in Romeo & Juliet, and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. He most recently appeared in The Last Night of Ballyhoo at Theatre Charlotte. Joe is the Managing Director for Collaborative Arts.

Erin Dougherty (Costume Designer) – Erin is the Costume Design professor at Catawba College. She also manages the costume shop and has worked professionally for several regional companies, including Glimmerglass Opera Company and Trollwood Performing Arts School. Her costume designs include Pirates of Penzance, Urinetown: The Musical (Catawba), Much Ado About Nothing (Parkway Playhouse), Seussical the Musical (UNCG), and Death of a Salesman ( Tribhuvan University, Nepal) to name a few. While she considers herself a relative theatre generalist, she has a love for costume crafts and millinery.

David Fichter (Curio) – David graduated from Winthrop University with a degree in Theatre performance in the fall.  He has been seen in various shows at Winthrop and in Theatre Charlotte's Shakespeare in Hollywood. He is pleased to be mixing it up with the Bard again in Twelfth Night.  He would like to thank Joe for the opportunity, and his fiancée and parents for their support.

Andrew Fisher (Sebastian) – Andrew was educated in theatre at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and has since called the stage and screen a home away from home. He is thrilled to work with such a wonderful and talented cast and crew!

Andrea King (Sir Andrew Aguecheek) – Andrea is one-half actor, one-half teacher and one-half real-life twin.  And had she been a boy, her parents would have named her Andrew.  Coincidence?  Yeah, probably.   You may have seen Andrea as various mice and chickens in any number of Tarradiddle Preschool Shows.  She has also been known to tour CMS schools with Shakespeare plays including Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth and Henry IV.  Thanks to Kelly for the dance.  Now, enjoy the show and guard your alcohol…or, offer it to me.

Caleb Moore (Valentine) – Caleb is excited to be working once again with Charlotte Shakespeare Festival.  Last year Caleb played the role of Gregory/Watchman in Romeo & Juliet and was a production assistant in Much Ado About Nothing.  Caleb has also acted in Actor's Theatre of Charlotte's production of Lieutenant of Inishmore, Theatre Charlotte's A Christmas Carol, and Davidson Community Player's The Bully Show.  Caleb received his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Gardner-Webb University in May 2008. 

Stan Peal (Set Design/Composer) – Stan is pleased to work with Joe and Elise one more time. His previous work for Collaborative Arts includes original music for As Y’All Like It and set design for Sitcoms Live! Stan has previously worked in Charlotte as a playwright, director and actor with Epic Arts Repertory Theatre, Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte, Children’s Theatre, Opera Carolina, Off-Tryon and BareBones. Upcoming and current projects include set and sound design for Epic Arts’ final production Dancing at Lughnasa, and contributing material for The Fairy Tale Chronicles at Theatre Charlotte. Stan now resides in Lanesboro, Minnesota.

Chaz Pofahl (Orsino) – Charlotte native Chaz Pofahl is excited about his third season with the Charlotte Shakespeare Festival.  Chaz has also appeared in numerous productions with the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, CP Summer Theatre, Barebones Theatre Group, Charlotte Summer Theatre, Pineville Dinner Theatre, and Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte.  In addition to performing, Chaz works as a theatre and music educator, and doting husband to his new wife.

Sarah Provençal (Stage Manager) – Sarah is quite delighted to be working with Collaborative Arts for the first time! Her most recent onstage role was April in Savage in Limbo at Carolina Actor's Studio Theatre and most recent backstage role was that of director for the AvantVanGuard Anti-Valentine's Day Show (also at CAST). When Sarah is not stage-managing she is either teaching theatre (for CMS and Davidson Community Players), directing/acting/learning light design/box office at CAST, or going to see her boyfriend Dave's improv shows (at Charlotte Comedy Theatre). Thank you to the Twelfth Night team for such a fabulous experience!!!

Melissa Robinson (Production Manager) – This is Mel's second summer braving the heat and wind on The Green, and she's excited to be back with so many fun and talented people!  When not working with Collaborative Arts, Mel can be found down the road at the Children's Theatre (where she stage manages, road manages, works as a stagehand, puts foam eyeballs together, and generally just bugs Pete Smeal) or at Fabulous Fountains and Pools, Inc. (where she grudgingly admits that her high school chemistry teacher was right and that stuff really did turn out to be useful).  Enjoy the show!

Trista Rothe (Lighting Designer) – Trista is excited to be on the Green with Collaborative Arts for the second year! Trista is beginning her second year as a lighting designer in Charlotte. The past year has included The Fiddler on the Roof, Jr., Secret Life of Girls, The Full Monty, Dangerous, and more. Before moving back to Charlotte, Trista received a BS from Greensboro College, a MFA from Florida State, and worked as a Production Manager and Lighting Designer for On Location Lighting Systems. Trista is looking forward to more great Shakespeare this summer!

James Shafer (Antonio) – James is an actor and director and has worked with Collaborative Arts, UNC Charlotte Theatre Department, Carolina Actor's Studio Theatre, Twilight Repertory Theater, Theatre Charlotte, Old Courthouse Theatre, and Narroway Productions. He performs for God's glory and thanks Jesus Christ for everything. James has recently developed an insatiable love for crossword puzzles and playing Wii Mario Kart with his step-sister, Nora.

Peter Smeal (Sir Toby Belch) – Peter Smeal is a masochist. What else can explain why he agreed to spend a third summer shouting iambs into the hellish sweltering air. When he is not watering the Green with half his body's liquid weight he builds delights, curiosities, and mad contraptions for Children's Theatre of Charlotte— who he wishes to thank for letting him out of his cage once a year to do this festival.

Craig Spradley (Feste) – Craig returns to Collaborative Arts Summer Shakespeare after appearing as Leonato in last season’s production of Much Ado About Nothing. Regular Charlotte theatre audiences may recall him as Donnie in Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte's production of The Lt.of Innishmore and Neal Tilden in 1940's Radio Hour for the late Charlotte Repertory.  He also keeps busy as director for many companies including Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte, Old Courthouse Theatre, and Uwharrie Players.  Craig would like to thank Joe and Elise for this opportunity and his wife Pam for her patience.

Ashli Stepp (Maria) – Ashli’s Charlotte credits include Collaborative Arts’ Much Ado About Nothing, Sitcoms Live! and Queen City’s Dog Sees God. A BFA graduate of Emerson College, Ashli worked as a casting director, producer and actor in Los Angeles for over a decade before moving back to Charlotte to teach drama and musical theatre to delightful middle school children. She sends love to her family and the Pink Princesses!

Anna Thrift (Assistant Costume Designer ) – Anna is a costume designer involved in theatre in NC and SC for several years. Past shows include Guys & Dolls, Jr., David Copperfield, The Dining Room, Little Shop of Horrors, The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit, Words, Words, Words, Evita and My Son is Crazy...but Promising. She is studying technical theatre and costume design at Mars Hill College, where she is a junior. Anna also enjoys art, fashion and spending time with her family and friends. She gives thanks and love to her family and Josh for their support. Love, love, love. Love is all you need.

Elise Wilkinson(Viola) – Elsie is the co-founder and Executive Director of Collaborative Arts and The Charlotte Shakespeare Festival. After directing the first three seasons of productions on The Green, she is excited to make her “green” acting debut in Twelfth Night. Locally, Elise has also appeared as Beatrice in last year’s production of Much Ado About Nothing at the McGlohon as well as several productions with BareBones Theatre Group. She returns to the director’s chair for the festival’s production of Julius Caesar in August.

Greta Marie Zandstra (Olivia) – Greta is glad to be back on the Green for a third season with the Charlotte Shakespeare Festival.  You may have seen her as Juliet last year or Celia in As You Like It (2007), or perhaps around town acting or teaching at other theatres, or even more likely trying out new restaurants with her new husband, Chaz.  Enjoy the show!

 

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For more info:
Call 704-625-1288
Email hi@collaborativeartstheatre.com