Artist Biographies

KATE ABBRUZZESE (SHELBY EATENTON-LATCHERIE) Kate is delighted to be making her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut. In New York, she has workshopped plays such as The Good Ones, As You Like It and Richard II at the acclaimed Public Theater and Unicorn, Tiny Houses, Catch as Catch Can and Love at the New Dramatists Theatre Company. She has performed Off-Broadway with the Gingold Theatrical Group, The Tank Theater, The 52nd Street Project and opposite Christopher Lloyd in Pound. Regionally, she has played leading roles at The Old Globe Theatre Company, the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Chautauqua Theater Company, Baltimore Center Stage, Shakespeare & Company and more. Kate’s television credits include NCIS: New Orleans and The Blacklist. Her film credits include The Chaperone and Siren. Kate is a two-time winner of the Red Bull Short New Play Festival for her plays Motley Fool and An Evening With the Macbeths, the latter of which she expanded into full-length during her 2021 residency at the Bethany Arts Community.

GINA DANIELS (CLAIREE BELCHER) Gina is delighted to make her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut. Her Broadway credits include Network and All the Way. She has performed in Judgment Day (Park Avenue Armory), The White Snake (Wuzhen Theatre Festival) and Angels in America: Parts One and Two (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis) as The Angel. She has appeared in the American Players Theatre, Arena Stage, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Studio Theatre in Washington, DC, Syracuse Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Paper Mill Playhouse, Arden Theatre Company, TheaterWorks Hartford, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Delaware Theatre Company, Baltimore Center Stage, Virginia Theatre, Willamette Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre Center and Pittsburgh Public Theater. In 10 seasons and over the course of 25 years as a company member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Gina was in over 30 productions, originated roles in a dozen world premieres and ran Shakespeare’s gamut from Perdita to Portia to Puck. Gina played Representative Sydney Milsap in Studio Theatre’s audio play KINGS, can be heard in the Audible Original Crowded Hours and as Goneril in the Next Chapter King Lear podcast. Her film and television credits include The First Lady, FBI, Manifest, Orange is the New Black, High Maintenance and Lapsis. Visit gina-daniels.com.

ANNIE FITZPATRICK (M’LYNN EATENTON)

Annie is delighted to return to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park after appearing in Alias Grace (2019), A Prayer for Owen Meany (2016), To Kill a Mockingbird (2016), Pride and Prejudice (2014), Hank Williams: Lost Highway (2012) and seven seasons of A Christmas Carol. She was a founding member of The New Group Theater Company in New York City and toured both nationally and internationally with Murder a La Carte. Regionally, Annie has performed at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Geva Theatre Center, Florida Stage, Florida Studio Theatre, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Porthouse Theatre and The Human Race Theatre Company. Film and television credits include Chicago P.D., Army Wives, Those Who Kill, Fun Size, Milk Money, Broken Hearts, The Old Man and The Gun, Dark Waters and the upcoming Netflix film, White Noise.

NAOMI JACOBSON (OUISER BOUDREAUX) Naomi is delighted to return to Cincinnati Playhouse, where she played Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare In Love (2017) and Mrs. Meany in A Prayer for Owen Meany (2016). She is a Shakespeare Theatre Company Affiliated Artist and a Woolly Mammoth company member in Washington, DC. Theatre credits include Kennedy Center American College Theater, Ford’s Theatre, Arena Stage, Guthrie Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Signature & Studio Theatres, Center Stage, Theatre J, Olney Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Arizona Theatre Company, Delaware Theatre Company, the Berkshire Theatre Festival, and Wolf Trap Opera. Naomi’s received three Helen Hayes Awards, 12 nominations, the Inaugural Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship, the Anderson-Hopkins Award for Excellence in Theatre, and a DC Arts Commission Individual Artist grant. Television credits include a few guest spots for Homicide (NBC), and indie films and shorts for American Film Institute and A&E. Voiceover work includes NPR, PBS, Discovery Channel, the Smithsonian, and she narrates recorded books. Naomi holds an International Federation of Coaches certification (Active Communication) and coaches professionals in acting, public speaking and presentations at theatres, universities, government agencies, corporations and privately. Visit naomijacobson.com and follow her on Instagram @naomijactive.

BRITTANY ANIKKA LIU (ANNELLE DUPUY-DESOTO) Brittany is a proud Cincinnati native and is making her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut. She is so excited to be performing in her hometown after a decade away. Her off-Broadway credits include The Convent (Alliance of Resident Theatres) and Chekhov/Tolstoy: Love Stories (Mint Theater Company). Her New York appearances include Period Sisters (HERE Arts Center); Rapture, Blister, Burn (Tongue in Cheek Theater); and Preexisting Conditions (Corkscrew Theatre Festival). Brittany’s regional credits include Ah, Wilderness! (Hartford Stage); The Diary of Anne Frank (People’s Light); Airness (Geva Theatre); Tranquil (Luna Stage); Romeo & Juliet, All’s Well That Ends Well, Antony & Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Illyria: The Musical (Virginia Shakespeare Festival). She has appeared in the films The Christmas Experience and Fenced Off. Brittany also has a television appearance in Younger (TV Land). She received her BA in Film & Media Studies and BBA in Marketing from College of William & Mary. Visit brittanyanikkaliu.com and on Instagram @brittany_anikka_liu. Photography: b-liustudio.com. She would like to highlight her Cincinnati theatre homes: Cincinnati Actor’s Studio & Academy, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati and Anderson High School.

SUSAN LYNSKEY (TRUVY JONES)

Susan is delighted to debut at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, to reunite with longtime friends Blake and Connan, and collaborate with the lovely Laura Gordon and this glorious cast. Recent credits include: Off-Broadway The Jewish Wife (New Light Theater), Margaret Thatcher in Handbagged (59e59St Theaters), and Manke in Paula Vogel’s Indecent (Arena Stage/Kansas City Repertory Theatre/CenterStage). Regularly at The Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, Berkeley Rep, ACT, Roundhouse, Theatre J, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Susan is dedicated to new play development; her recent world-premiere commissions include: Daniel Handler’s (Lemony Snicket’s) Imaginary Comforts, Sarah Ruhl’s Becky Nurse, Lisa Loomer’s Roe, and LilaRose Kaplan’s Dybbukkim. Last season, Susan went toe-to-toe with Vincent D’Onofrio on TV’s Godfather of Harlem (Epix). Susan is a national teaching artist, serving as a professor at Georgetown University for over a decade, and Disability-in-Performance access-advocate,

who directs and develops cross-cultural performances with Deaf and hearing communities in ASL/spoken word. Acting accolades include: Helen Hayes Nominations for Outstanding Lead and Supporting Actress, Profiles in BroadwayWorld, WTR Magazine, American Theatre, and The Washington Post. Upcoming productions include: Intimate Apparel and playing Gloria Steinem in Gloria: A Life. Susan is represented by HCKR Agency. Website: Susanlynskey.com.

LIZ COMSTOCK (UNDERSTUDY: CLAIREE BELCHER/ OUISER BOUDREAUX) Liz is thrilled to be back at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park! Her last appearance was in Inspecting Carol directed by the late, great Ed Stern. Other recent credits include Bury the Rest at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, The Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins, Jr. at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Liz has performed regionally at The Human Race, Victoria Theatre, Commonwealth Theatre Company, Cincinnati Landmark Productions and The Carnegie. She also performs in the band Liz and the Perfectly Adequate Trio with her husband, Michael. Liz teaches Yoga at The Yoga Bar in Newport, KY and with the non-profit agency, Project Yoga. She is the proud mama of Frannie and Clark. Follow her on Instagram at @lizcomstock and check out the band at lizandthepefectlyadequatetrio.com.

ZOE ROSE DAVIDSON (UNDERSTUDY: SHELBY EATENTON- LATCHERIE/ANNELLE DUPUY-DESOTO) Zoe is thrilled to be working with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park for the first time on this production! Zoe was a Professional Acting Apprentice at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and has performed in Alice in Wonderland and Bob: A Life in Five Acts. Other local credits include Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner at Falcon Theater, Meet Me in St. Louis at the Covedale Center For the Performing Arts, Silent Scream at The Carnegie and Twitterhated at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Special thanks to D. Lynn Meyers, Blake Robison, Daunielle Rasmussen and YOU for supporting live theatre!

JENNIFER JOPLIN (UNDERSTUDY: TRUVY JONES/M’LYNN EATENTON) Jen is thrilled to return to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Originally from St. Louis and a graduate of Wright State, she has called this region her artistic home for almost 30 years. Some of her favorite roles include Mrs. Hubbard in Murder on the Orient Express at Indiana Repertory Theatre (and returning to the Playhouse next fall!); Amanda in The Glass Menagerie and Annette in God of Carnage at The Human Race; Aimee in The Humans and Rosemary in Outside Mullingar at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; Lady Macbeth and Cleopatra at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Grendel’s Mother in FEAST and Virginie in The Man-Beast at Know Theatre. She is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association. Great thanks to Jason and Max!

ROBERT HARLING (PLAYWRIGHT)

Robert Harling made his directorial debut with The Evening Star for Paramount, which he also wrote for the screen based on Larry McMurty’s novel. The Evening Star reunited Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson and co-stars Juliette Lewis, Bill Paxton, Scott Wolf, Miranda Richardson, and Marion Ross. The Evening Star is the continuation of one of the most beloved and acclaimed movies of our time, Terms of Endearment. Before launching a successful stage and screenwriting career, Robert graduated from Tulane University School of Law, but instead of taking the bar exam, he opted to become an actor in New York. After years of productive work as an actor in voiceovers and commercials, Harling was inspired to write the highly acclaimed stage play Steel Magnolias, which was based on events from his personal life. Steel Magnolias continues to thrive in theatrical productions throughout the world. Immediately bridging a career from stage to screen, Harling adapted his original play into the popular film of the same title, which starred Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Dolly Parton, and Daryl Hannah. Over the years, Mr. Harling has become a much sought-after screenwriter: other credits, to name a few, include Soapdish, which was based on Harling’s acting experience and starred Sally Field, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robert Downey Jr., and First Wives Club for Paramount, starring Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton.

LAURA GORDON (DIRECTOR)

A Milwaukee-based actor and director, Laura is so pleased to return to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park to direct Steel Magnolias. She last worked here as an actor playing the Nurse in Shakespeare in Love (2017) and Harriet Wheelwright in A Prayer for Owen Meany (2016). Other directing credits include productions at American Players Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Forward Theater and Actors Theatre of Louisville. A longtime member of the Milwaukee Repertory’s resident acting company, her credits there include Margie in Good People, Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman and Sister Aloysius in Doubt. A member of the Stage Director and Choreographers Association and the Actors’ Equity Association, Laura received her MFA in acting from the University of Iowa and is a Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Fellow.

REGINA GARCÍA (SET DESIGNER) Regina is a Chicago-based scenic designer from Puerto Rico, and she is thrilled to be making her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut. She has had long-standing relationships with the Latinx Theatre’s renowned Teatros including Repertorio Español, the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, Teatro Vista and Pregones Theater. She has also completed projects for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Players Theatre, Goodman Theatre and many more. She has upcoming shows at the Chicago Children’s Theatre, the Guthrie Theater and the Yale Repertory Theatre. Regina is a Fellow of The National Endowment for the Arts/Theatre Communications Group Career Development Program for Designers and the Princess Grace Awards-USA, a Regional Associate member of the League of Professional Theatre Women and company member with both Rivendell Theatre Ensemble in Chicago and Boundless Theatre Company in San Juan/New York. She is the Head of the Scenic Design program at The Theatre School at DePaul University and a founding Organizational member of La Gente: The Latiné/x Theatre Production Network. Visit www.Garciaportfolio.com.

HOLLY PAYNE (COSTUME DESIGNER) Holly is currently teaching costuming at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. She has designed for Utah Shakespeare Festival; Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre;Skylight Music Theatre in Milwaukee; Orlando Shakespeare Theatre; Milwaukee Chamber Theatre; Renaissance Theaterworks in Milwaukee; Delaware Theatre Center; Milwaukee Shakespeare; the Florentine Opera Company in Milwaukee; Milwaukee Repertory Theater;the Riverside Theater in Vero Beach,Fla.; the First Stage Children’s Theater in Milwaukee; the University of Tulsa; the University of North Carolina at Pembroke; the University of Arkansas; Parkview Arts and Science High School; Wildwood Park for the Arts; Arkansas Repertory Theater; TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, Ark.; and the Argenta Community Theater. Holly is a proud Union member United Scenic Artists and runs a small farm with her sweet husband, Aaron. Visit www.porchswingfarms.com.

JAYMI LEE SMITH (LIGHTING DESIGNER) Jaymi is pleased to be returning to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park where she previously designed Alias Grace (2019) and Treasure Island (2018). She has been designing around the country for the last 20 years at theatres such as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Dallas Theater Center, South Coast Repertory, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Alley Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Goodman Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Court Theatre, The Pasadena Playhouse, Hartford Stage, Alliance Theatre, Getty Villa Theater, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theater and Lookingglass Theatre Company. Her work also has been seen in China, Italy, Spain, Scotland and Ireland. She is currently a professor of Lighting Design and the Associate Dean for Student Success at University of California Irvine. Her website is jaymismith.com.

MELANIE CHEN COLE (SOUND DESIGNER)

Melanie (she/her) is pleased to make her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut. Her recent regional theatre credits include Macbeth at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, High School Play: A Nostalgia Fest at the Alley Theatre, The Supreme Leader at the Dallas Theater Center and Witch at The Huntington Theatre Company. Additionally, she has designed for the Goodman Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, The Old Globe Theatre and the La Jolla Playhouse. Melanie received her Master’s of Fine Art from the University of California San Diego. Visit melaniesound.com and follow her on Instagram @melaniechencole.

STEPHANIE KLAPPER, CSA (CASTING DIRECTOR)

Stephanie is thrilled to continue her 10th season of collaboration with Blake Robison and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Select shows she has cast for the Playhouse are Need Your Love; The West End; Destiny of Desire; Once on This Island; Alias Grace; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; The Thanksgiving Play; Two Trains Running and Cincinnati King. Her award-winning work is frequently seen on Broadway, off-Broadway, regionally, on fi lm, television and streaming media. She is dedicated to continuing to expand and champion diversity, equity and inclusion in the business. Connecting creative, caring people to each other to make extraordinary things happen is amongst Stephanie’s greatest joys. She is passionate about arts education and working with creative teams to develop new work and expand the scope of established work. She is a member of the Board of the Casting Society of America, Casting Society Cares and New York Women in Film.

BRANDON T. HOLMES (STAGE MANAGER)

Brandon is excited to be back with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, having worked as a stage management intern during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. Playhouse credits this season include the world premiere of The West End and A Christmas Carol. For eight seasons, he was the Production Stage Manager for Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati where he managed over 40 productions. Highlights with ETC include Fun Home, The Mountaintop, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Iliad, Grounded, Violet, Pipeline, The Humans, Skeleton Crew and Hands on a Hardbody. During the summers, he works with The Lexington Theatre Company where he has stage managed productions of A Chorus Line, The Music Man, Legally Blonde, West Side Story and Newsies. He has stage managed other regional productions including Hello, Dolly!, The Drowsy Chaperone and Side By Side by Sondheim (LOOK Musical Theatre); Red, White & Broadway, Golden: MTWichita at 50 (Music Theatre Wichita); and workshops with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Cleveland Play House. Brandon is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. He would like to thank his family, friends and A.J for their continued love and support.

ANDREA L. SHELL (SECOND STAGE MANAGER) Andrea is excited to be celebrating her 21st season with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, having worked on more than 90 productions, including 20 world premieres. This season, she takes the reins of the department, succeeding Jenifer Morrow as the Production Stage Manager. A highlight of every season for her is stage managing A Christmas Carol. Favorite Playhouse credits include Alias Grace; The Last Wide Open; The Roommate; Treasure Island; Be Here Now; Mr. Joy; Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End; Jane Eyre; Disgraced; Bad Dates; The Revolutionists; I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti; The North Pool; Merrily We Roll Along; As You Like It; Behind the Eye; The Understudy; Blackbird; Durango; Around the World in 80 Days; Altar Boyz; Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming; Reckless; Ace; The Clean House; A Picasso; One; Abracadabra (2002-2007); The Bible … (abridged);Dark Paradise; and Rooted. She has also stage managed at Dallas Theater Center, The Old Globe, Cincinnati Ballet, Alliance Theatre, The Second City, and Ingenuity Festival of Cleveland. In 2014, Andrea joined the adjunct faculty of Xavier University’s Theatre Program, and in 2018, she became a contributor for Dramatics.org, writing backstage articles for their online content. Andrea is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. She would like to thank her family, friends, Dylan and Scott for their unending support.