ALAN TYSON (Walter Lee Younger) is so thrilled to be back with ATC. He is so grateful to God and this cast and crew. All Socials: @AlanELTyson / www.Alan-Tyson.com.

OGECHI MGBUDEM (Beneatha Younger – “Bennie”) is a Nigerian-born American writer, photographer, and occasional actor. With aspirations to be a screenwriter, A Raisin in the Sun is her first acting credit.

LORI A. LINDSEY (Lena Younger – “Mama”) is extremely excited to make her debut with Actors’ Theatre of Columbus. She is an emerging actress and has been seen in CATCO’s Plays Toward an Antiracist Tomorrow #Matter (Kim), Onyx Productions’ A Colored Section (Racism), and Lincoln Theatre’s Harlem Renaissance (Jessie Redmon Fauset). She has also performed various monologues in numerous productions. Lori has a natural ability of engaging audiences by defining characters, emotions, and artistic visions. She is an accomplished dancer and enjoys art in many forms. She is honored to be a part of A Raisin in the Sun cast. Enjoy the show!

SHARIFA ANDREWS (Ruth Younger) is very excited to be joining this wonderful cast. This is her first production with Actors’ Theatre. She has previously worked with Curtain Players, LTOB, and Eclipse Theatre.

SEBASTIAN PEOPLES (Travis Younger) is excited to make his acting debut with the Actors’ Theatre of Columbus. He loves to perform and likes all things Sonic the Hedgehog. He would like to thank his friends and family for their continued support and especially his mom for always being there for him and helping him.

TYREESE BOWMAN (Joseph Asagai) is making his ATC debut this season. Tyreese, a graduate from Capital University, studied both business management and theater studies and has been performing since the age of 12. He’s had the opportunity to perform locally, collegiately, and internationally. When he’s not on stage, he’s working with nonprofits, doing yoga, and spending time with friends and family.

DUNCAN McKENNIE (George Murchison) is enthralled to be back in the park this year with such an amazing group of people. His past work with ATC includes: Player Duke (Hamlet, 1603), Mister (King Hedley II), Leonato/Conrade (Much Ado About Nothing), and Snug/Cobwebb ( A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Special thanks to his mom, dad, and brother.

CASEY MERKEY (Karl Lindner) is grateful to be enjoying his sixth season with ATC, and counts these productions as the high point of the summer. When not sweating on stage, he works a desk job doing “computer stuff,” and pursues too many hobbies to enumerate in the space allotted here. In case they read this, he’d like to remind his kids that he loves them and is proud of them beyond words. And he’d like to thank his wife, Sarah, for being the best part of his day every day (more or less) for the last 25 years.

ALICIA HOFFMAN (Bobo/Mrs. Johnson) is excited to be doing their first production with Actors’ Theatre. You may remember them from Crazy for You (Patsy), Bare (Sister Chantelle), and The Legend of Georgia McBride (Jo). When not on stage, they enjoy bowling in a league, playing video games, and hanging out with friends and family. They would like to thank their husband for watching their two beautiful children while they follow their dreams. They would like to leave you with a quote “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world” – Harriet Tubman

PHILIP J. HICKMAN (Artistic Director) is the artistic director of Actors’ Theatre. He has been part of ATC since 2010, and directed Robin Hood this summer and Queen Margaret this past summer in Schiller Park. Love and gratitude to Mikelle.

JULIE WHITNEY SCOTT (Director) has shared her directorial talents for over three decades in central Ohio with many theatre companies including her own company, Mine 4 God Productions, Columbus Black Theatre Festival (Come Alive, Woes of a Black Race, Risperdal Hall, Secrets of a Dark Skin Sister), State of the Arts Productions (Godspell and HOME), JCC Gallery Players (Intimate Apparel), and with the students she teaches at CATCO is Kids. Julie is excited to be directing for Actors’ Theatre of Columbus this summer (A Raisin in the Sun.) “A Raisin in the Sun remains as prevalent today as it did in the fifties, which makes it an important play that will still inspire people to have hope for a better tomorrow.”

ADAM SIMON (Managing Director) continues to be honored and humbled at being allowed to work with the finest theatre artists this city has to offer, presenting accessible art in the heart of his community. Thank you for your part in making that happen, whether you’re backstage, in the audience, or treading the (concrete) boards. Special thanks to Beth and Ruby for understanding and tolerating this passion.

MEGAN LEAR (Producing Director) is thrilled to be back on her favorite stage once again this summer. Previously with ATC: Phoebe (As You Like It) Dogberry/Hero (Much Ado About Nothing). Endless gratitude to Scarf & Nina. All of her love to Cody, Lily, and Mom.

NINA MARTIN (Production Manager) is stoked to be back for her fifth season with ATC! She is grateful for the opportunities to try on new hats with her ATC fam. Special thanks to her cats, Hamlet and Puck, for always offering her a snuggle after a long rehearsal!

ERIN FLANAGAN (Stage Manager/Props Manager) is super happy to be part of such a wonderful creative community for her second season with Actors’ Theatre. Erin is a Columbus suburb native who recently wrote a book of poetry titled Haikus to Irish Tunes. If you pass her reading in the park say hi!

MEG TAYLOR (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to be working with the Actors’ Theater for the first time. She thanks her partner and her friends for their excitement and support.

CODY SCHMID (Facilities Manager) is honored to be involved with ATC again. He was last seen in the park as Rosencraft in Hamlet, 1603. He wants to thank his wife (Alice in ATC’s Robin Hood – she’s the best), daughter, and mother-in-law for all the love and support.

BRADEN GRAVES (Scenic Designer) is a third year MFA candidate in scenic design at Ohio State University and is thrilled to be joining ATC this summer. While his focus is in scenic design, he is also a lighting designer and occasionally designs both. He is also interested in experience design and has worked with Curtis Elliott Design, an Ohio-based interior design company. In Ohio, Braden has designed for CATCO, Opera Project Columbus, and Ohio State University. Before moving to Ohio, he designed for Broadway Rose Theatre Company and several educational theatres in Portland, OR. Braden is also very involved in education and research and has taught theatre design and carpentry to a wide range of ages at several institutions. This fall, he will be joining Belhaven University as an assistant professor of theatre design.

STEVE PUHL JR. (Master Carpenter) is excited to be back in the theater world doing all the fun things!

KATIE GOLONKA (Build Crew/Charge Artist) is an artist, designer, and muralist operating out of Columbus as Cherry Alley Paint. Locally, she has worked as a scenic painter for CATCO and Opera Columbus. Katie’s permanent mural work can be seen in several locations throughout Columbus as well as other cities.

ROWAN WINTERWOOD (Lighting Designer) is returning for her seventh season in Schiller Park. She has worked with ATC as a lighting designer (Hamlet, 1603, Eurydice, and others), stage manager, artist educator, and sound board operator, and she directed Or, ATC’s most popular show of the 2020 season, at MadLab. She is thrilled to direct on the Schiller Park stage for the first time. In the “off” season, she is the master electrician at CATCO and a freelance lighting designer for companies such as Available Light Theatre (Cry it Out, Everybody, Witch), Columbus Children’s Theatre (A Christmas Story), CATCO is Kids (Luchadora!, Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins), and Denison University (You on the Moors Now). In her spare time she practices trapeze and grows dahlias.

CATHERINE RINELLA (Sound Designer) is an audio llama that has wandered back to the ATC corral. What is an Audio Llama? We don’t know, and now it won’t leave. This one is ATC’s resident sound designer – making noise, creating mild havoc, and stealing our coffee supplies. Has also been spotted as a board-op at WCBE 90.5 FM, and audio masterer for Rusty Quill podcasts. Warning: May Attract Spiders.

NIKKI PRICE (Sound Board Operator/Sound Engineer) is excited to be back in the park pursuing their passion of supporting art. Thanks to the constant, loving support of their mother.

LINDSAY SIMON (Costume Designer) is pleased to once again be designing costumes for Actors’ Theatre. This is her fourth production with the company. She is the resident costume designer for The Ohio State University Department of Dance. Her work has recently been on tour in Denmark, Brazil, and France. She has also designed shows for a number of local theatre companies and schools. Lindsay holds an MFA from OSU.

JAYLENE JENNINGS (Wardrobe Manager) is an Ohio State University graduate and a company member of Available Light Theatre in Columbus as costume designer, stage manager, and collaborator. In addition to being part of AVLT’s creative team, she also oversees the costume shop at Ohio Wesleyan University and other local schools. She has spent time working on Unanswered We Ride at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the regional tour of One Night with Janis Joplin and A Map of Myself: My Odyssey to America. Some of her favorite credits include Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, bobrauscenbergamerica, Remain in Light, and Dance Nation. She would like to thank Actors’ Theatre for this opportunity to be in the park this summer and her family for all of their support.

ALEXANDER “XAN” NELSON (Props Designer) is a Philadelphia native who has been an active part of the performing arts scene in Columbus for the past ten years. He spent last ATC season climbing ladders with an impact driver in hand to help build ATC’s sets. This year he is back for the 2023 season in the role of props designer. Xan’s background is in music education and performance, but his passion for building and making things pushed him to make a career change and take up woodwind instrument repair in 2018. When he is not working on musical instruments, sets, or props, Xan can be found playing in pit orchestras (most recently The Secret Garden at the Short North Stage) and at the occasional Gallery Hop with his saxophone quartet, Drastic Measures.

LEO SANTUCCI (Violence Designer) is a fight choreographer and actor in the Columbus area, and is ecstatic to be returning to Shiller Park as the season violence designer. He has been involved in a number of sword fights, both on and off stage, and his choreography has previously been seen with ATC in Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy… He is also an avid and semi-competitive fencer, in addition to being a certified actor/combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. Most of all, he hopes you enjoy another magical season of theatre in the park!

BETH JOSEPHSEN (Movement/Intimacy Coach) has been with ATC for 15 years in various roles as an actor, director, and staff member. When not in the park, she takes Shakespeare programming to local schools. Beth would like to thank her husband for his love and support.

COLTON WEISS (Dialect Coach) is excited to spend his summer in the park with Actors’ Theatre for the season! An actor, teacher, and dialect coach, Colton has worked on and off stage with companies throughout central Ohio and beyond. Favorite performance and coaching credits include: Newsies (CCT – Dir. Joe Deer), The Happy Elf (CCT – Dir. Dr. Aviva Neff), Verdi’s Rigoletto (Opera Columbus & Columbus Symphony), Matilda the Musical (Worthington Comm. Theatre), and Violet the Musical (A.R.T.@Oberon – Dir. Sammi Cannold). Outside the park, Colton works at Ohio State as an academic advisor/lecturer and offers private coaching and training through his business (CW Coaching: Voice, Speech, Dialects, & Acting). Learn more and contact him at coltonweiss.com. He is a proud graduate of OSU and Harvard University, and a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers’ Association (VASTA). Thanks to the ATC company and love to friends and family!

ERIN NICOLE WASHINGTON (Co-Dialect Coach) is an actress, teaching artist and somatic abolitionist. She is a professor in the practice of acting, voice and speech at Columbia College Hollywood, was on faculty at SUNY Purchase, her alma mater, and works freelance in production coaching for TV, film, and stage. She also pours her gifts back into her passion project, Amazing Grace Conservatory, a performing arts program for youth where the spark started for her.

SARAH MARIE WILSON (Social Media Manager/House Manager) is thrilled to return to the park this summer! Previously with ATC: Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy… (assistant director); Hamlet, 1603 (Ofelia); Little Women (Beth). Follow @actorstheatrecolumbus on Instagram and Facebook!

ROCHELLE HEUSER (House Manager) is happy to return to Schiller Park as a house manager. When she was in college, Rochelle loved participating in her university’s Shakespeare club and is happy to reignite that interest with ATC. Rochelle enjoys spending time with her dogs (she will sometimes bring her two poodles to the show), knitting, sewing, and reading cozy fantasy books. She is excited to welcome patrons to the shows!

COLLEEN UNDERWOOD (House Manager) is thrilled to be a part of the 2023 ATC season! She is so grateful to her director Robyn for gifting her with this incredible experience. She gives a big shout out to her friends and family who understand how bad she is with time management, but still give her all the love and support she could ever need.

MITCH WORDEN (House Manager) is excited to be making his official ATC debut this summer season. Previously, he was involved in the Cincinnati community theater scene, participating in productions such as The Philadelphia Story and Hay Fever. Mitch would like to thank his family, best bud/dog Hardy, and all the wonderful people that have supported him in his artistic pursuits. Above all else, he hopes you enjoy the show!