SAMUEL PARTRIDGE (The Man in Pink) has been acting in Columbus, OH now for ten years. He’s especially grateful for all the people he’s met and the opportunities he’s had with Actors’ Theatre.

COLLEEN UNDERWOOD (Cecile) is thrilled to be back in the park this summer! She has been involved in theatre throughout her life and is so grateful for the friends and experiences it’s given her. Most recently she had the pleasure of playing Beatrice in Endeavor Theatre’s product of Much Ado About Nothing, and Eleanor in ATC’s Sense & Sensibility. Beauty & the Beast has held a special place in her heart since she was little, and this production has been no different. She hopes you have as much fun watching as the cast and crew had bringing it to life!

OGECHI MGBUDEM (Beauty) is a writer and graduate student at The Ohio State University. This is her second season with Actors’ Theatre. Beauty & the Beast will be her second play, her first being A Raisin in the Sun, also with Actors’ Theatre. 

WINNONA MADDREY (Lettice) 

JAKE JONES (Father) returns to the park after appearing as Gideon and Baron Stratford in last year’s production of Robin Hood. He began his professional acting career on stage with ATC in the 2006 production of Twelfth Night. Jake spent over a decade performing, directing, and teaching in the Chicago area, working with companies such as Dunes Summer Theatre, Stone Soup Shakespeare, Chase Park Theatre, Artists’ Ensemble, City Lit Theater, Imagination Theater, Navy Pier Entertainment, Greatworks Theater Company, and Oak Park Festival Theater. Locally, he has performed and taught with The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, and can often be found leading storytime and teen improv club in his work at the Columbus Metropolitan Library. Jake graduated from the UC’s College Conservatory of Music with a BFA in dramatic performance. He would like to thank all his family and friends for their never-ending support.

JT WALKER (Beast) (aka Chops) has regularly been involved in the Columbus theatre scene since moving here in 2003. Their previous Actors’ Theatre credits are Antigonus/Autolycus in A Winter’s Tale and Mr. Wickham in Pride & Prejudice. You may also recognize them from Evolution Theatre, Shadowbox Live, and Endeavor Theatre, or even her solo performance work in standup comedy, poetry, piano, or burlesque (under the name Emily Rose Lee). Chops loves reading, Doctor Who, Spider-Man, and cake. But most of all, Mora — the beautiful, ginger lady who screams at him for food.

LAUREN COLD ASH (Rabbit) grew up in central Ohio. You may recognize her from past appearances as your neighbor that is also currently grocery shopping, your cousin’s friend whom you met one time but can’t exactly place, or your dog’s dog sitter. Last year she was ASM for Robin Hood and Run Crew for Sense & Sensibility. She is thrilled to be back in Schiller Park for her début performance!

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

COSETTE PAYNE (Assistant Director)

ADAM SIMON (Managing Director) is in his fifteenth year with ATC. He thrives on the opportunity to enrich his local community with accessible art for all, and hopes that you enjoy consuming it as much as he enjoys creating it. Much love to Beth and Ruby.

NINA MARTIN (Production Manager) is stoked to be back for their sixth season with ATC! Some of her highlights over the years in the Columbus theatre scene are Fairview (Available Light), Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy… (ATC), Eurydice (ATC), and Falsettos (Gallery Players). Special thanks to her partner Erin and their cats, Hamlet and Puck, for always offering her a snuggle after a long rehearsal!

MADISON ANDRE (Stage Manager) resides in Chillicothe where she co-owns Amarissa Woods, a tea and spice shop. She holds a BFA in technical theater from Shawnee State where she became especially fond of lighting, props, makeup, and of course, stage management. Some of her favorite credits include The Three Musketeers, Bat Boy: The Musical, and dancing with The Bone & Fiddle Dance Collective. Madi loves sharing ideas, recipes, and positive energy. She sends a big thank you to ATC for making her part of the family, and special thanks to her husband and son who unfailingly support her in whatever wild idea she cooks up.

AMOS SMITH (Assistant Stage Manager)

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, daughter, and mother-in-law for all the love and support.

ZACH ANDRE (Run Crew)

ARTEMIS CHEESEMAN (Run Crew)

KATIE GOLONKA (Scenic Designer/Build Crew/Charge Artist) is a Columbus designer and muralist who has worked as a scenic painter for CATCO, Opera Columbus, and other local companies. Most recently she designed the set for Available Light Theatre’s 2023 production of Ghost Quartet and the sets for ATC’s 2024 season. Katie has been operating her mural business, Cherry Alley Paint, since 2014 and is a proud member of IATSE Local 12.

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

ROWAN WINTERWOOD (Lighting Designer) is returning for her eighth season in Schiller Park. She has worked with ATC as a director (Love’s Labour’s Lost, Or),  lighting designer, stage manager, artist educator, and sound board operator. Rowan is the lighting supervisor at the Wexner Center for the Arts, a company member of Available Light Theatre, a member of IATSE Local 12, and a freelance lighting designer. Selected lighting design credits: ATC (Love’s Labour’s Lost, Robin Hood, Hamlet, Eurydice), AVLT (Fairview, Ghost Quartet, What the Constitution Means to Me, Cry it Out, Everybody, Witch), and CCT (The Sleepwalker of Holstenwall).

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)

EMILY JEU (Costume Designer), the Mother of Dresses, is grateful to be returning this season with her costume design for Beauty & the Beast. She’d like to thank Adam Simon for being her greatest creative inspiration, Philip Hickman for continuing to include her in artistic endeavors, and Beth Josephsen for extensive contributions to her remaining sanity.

JAYLENE JENNINGS (Costume Manager)

ALEXANDER “XAN” NELSON (Props Designer/Build Crew) is a Philadelphia native who has been an active part of the performing arts scene in Columbus for the past ten years. This is his second year with Actors’ Theatre of Columbus as Props Designer and third as part of the set build team making sure the setting is just right to let the actors shine. 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 and at the occasional Gallery Hop with his saxophone quartet, Drastic Measures.

LINDSEY BLAGG (Props Intern)

LEO SANTUCCI (Violence Designer/Armorer) is a fight choreographer, armorer, and actor in the Columbus area, and is elated to be choreographing violence for a second season with ATC. He has been involved in a number of sword fights, both on and off stage, as he is also a semi-competitive fencer in addition to being an actor combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. He thanks you for supporting the arts, and helping to keep theatre accessible!

BETH JOSEPHSEN (Movement Coach/Intimacy Director) has been with ATC for 16 years in various roles as an actor, director, and staff member. Favorite shows over the years include playing Marian in Robin Hood, Mrs. Kate Sullen in The Beaux’ Stratagem, Dr. Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles, the villainous Mrs. Cheveley in An Ideal Husband, and Mrs. Dashwood/Anne Steele in last year’s production of Sense & Sensibility as well as directing Little Women and the Jebby Award-winning production of Eurydice.  When not in the park, she takes Shakespeare programming to local schools. Beth would like to thank her husband and niece for their love and support. 

SCOTT VEZDOS (Director of Marketing & Development) has served as the Director of Marketing & Development for Actors’ Theatre for nine years. He is also the founder and producer of the HER2-Revue, a new burlesque showcase based in Columbus, OH, He has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit arts sector, including 10 years as a radio personality for WCBE Public Radio. Scott also currently serves as a member of the marketing team of CAPA (Columbus Association for the Performing Arts) and as an arts consultant and strategist for several nonprofit arts organizations in central Ohio.

SARAH MARIE WILSON (Social Media Manager) is thrilled to return as Social Media Manager for a third season! She has served in various capacities at ATC since 2019, including assistant director (Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy…), performer (Sense & Sensibility; Hamlet, 1603; Little Women), artist educator, and house manager. By day she works for a wildlife conservation nonprofit. Follow us on @theactorstheatre on Instagram, Facebook, and X!

BEATRICE FELDBUSH (Front of House Manager) is excited to return for her fourth season at ATC, now as the Front of House Manager! Her previous credits with the company include Stage Manager (Sense & Sensibility and Queen Margaret), Assistant Stage Manager (The Secret Garden), and usher. Beatrice will graduate at the end of the summer with her Masters degree in arts administration with an emphasis on theatre and production management from Ohio University.