Program Notes

For as long as humans have been making art, we have been grappling with the unexplainable. One of the many reasons morality plays like Everyman, from which Everybody is derived, were created was to come to terms with the devastation the Black Plague brought upon Europe. Death had become a part of life, on a scale which had never been seen and has yet to be replicated. While the scale may be lessened, it’s hard to find anyone today who wasn’t affected in some way by the Covid-19 pandemic. When large numbers of people could not gather together, productions were held on Zoom and watched alone on our computer screens. And now that it’s safe for us to share the space, we can all experience what can only be offered by live theater, a communal catharsis, where the cast, crew, and audience create a unique performance every single night.

Today, in a world so obsessed with individualism, what can truly be said about Everybody ? How can we generalize 7.8 billion people? There must be something that bonds all of us together. How about our humanity, our capacity to love, to understand each other? Sometimes it feels like even that is waning. So what is the great equalizer, the one fundamental thing that binds all of us together? Everyone dies, and will deal with grief, loss, and what happens in the end. Dealing with death is the most essential part of life, and that’s true for Everybody.

—Charlotte LaBudde, Production Dramaturg

Production Biographies

Tommy Schrider (Director) is an actor and educator. He teaches acting at Montclair State University, where he has also directed The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and the BFA Senior Showcase. His work as an actor includes War Horse (Vivian Beaumont) on Broadway. He has appeared Off-Broadway at Theater for A New Audience, Red Bull, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and Keen Company, among others. Regional credits include Yale Rep, South Coast Rep, Huntington, Westport Playhouse, and Berkshire Theatre Festival. Recent TV credits include The Americans, POSE, Blacklist, and Elementary. He has also taught at The New Group/LIU Brooklyn, Marymount Manhattan, Playwrights Horizons Theater School/NYU, the Powerhouse Theater Training Program at Vassar College/New York Stage & Film, and at Avenues:

The World School. He received his MFA from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Acting Program.

Rick Sordelet (Fight/Intimacy Director) has served as this country’s most prolific fight director for over 28 years. He and his son, Christian, created Sordelet Inc., an action-based company providing stunt coordination, fight direction, and intimacy consulting for film, television, and theater. He has worked on over 80 shows on Broadway, from Beauty and the Beast and Lion King all the way to Tina. Sordelet recently returned from the UK, where he revived the fight direction on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, coming to Broadway next season. The Sordelets are the resident fight directors for the Santa Fe Opera, where they staged the fights for As You Like It and Eugene Onegin. They are also stunt coordinators for television and film: 12 years with Guiding Light, four years with One Life to Live, both seasons with Kevin Can Wait and The Crew, both starring Kevin James. Their most recent film is Ben Is Back starring Julia Roberts. Sordelet taught at Yale School of Drama for 22 years as well as at Kean University, Montclair State, and the William Esper Studio. From fight direction and teaching, Sordelet developed into a writer as well, selling several screenplays and a television series. He and his partner, David Blixt, run an E-publishing company called Sordelet INK.

Vanessa Butler (Choreographer/Movement Director) is a working actor and teaching artist based out of New York City. She began training in dance at an early age and participated in regional dance competitions before entering into pre-professional ballet programs with the Milwaukee Ballet and the Rock School of Ballet. She turned to acting later in life and is currently teaching movement at Stella Adler Studio for Acting and MSU. Butler has choreographed for the Sacramento Ballet, SOUL PRIDE (Beer & Ballet repertoire) in 2008, and Central Connecticut State University’s production of Rent in 2013. She holds an MFA in Acting from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) and received a BFA in Fine Art from Carnegie Mellon University. vanessarbutler.com

Sarah Koestner (Vocal Coach) has previously taught voice and acting at NYU and Rutgers University. She was mentored by Scott Miller in the Graduate Acting program at NYU and is a certified teacher of the Miller Voice Method. She earned her MFA in Acting at Rutgers University, where she trained under William Esper and Lloyd Richards, and received her BFA in Acting from Emerson College. New York theater credits include The Libertine, Love Song, Waiting for Lefty, The Truth about Christmas, and Betrayal. Regional credits include The Understudy, The Libertine, The Maids, Doubt, Landscape of the Body, and She Stoops to Conquer. She has been a vocal coach on numerous productions at MSU including The Rover, Black Snow, Orlando, As You Like It, Big Meal, and Top Girls. She is a proud member of Actors’ Equity.

Maggie Mckeon (Projection Design) is a projection designer who also works through different mediums as an actor and content creator. She has designed multiple shows for Ogunquit Playhouse’s Arts Academy as well as Montclair State University’s production of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis. She is happy to be back at her alma mater and she thanks Tommy, the cast, and crew for a wonderful process and collaboration.

Cast Biographies

Caitlyn Capre (Usher/God/Understanding) is a senior BFA Acting major at MSU. She was raised in both East Windsor, NJ, and Atlanta, GA. Her previous theatrical credits at MSU are #14 in The Wolves, Chorus: The People in ’Tasha, and Girl in The Big Meal. In the fall of 2022, Capre interned with Emmy award–winning casting director Judy Henderson, CSA.

Alex Fontes (Understudy) is a sophomore BFA Acting major. This is the third mainstage production he has worked on since coming to MSU. The content of Everybody resonated with him and he is happy to contribute to giving the audience an unforgettable journey through life!

Andrew Linden (Love) is a senior this year, and this is their final role at MSU! Linden was recently seen in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (Christopher Boone), As You Like It (Forester/Lord), and Top Girls (Pope Joan/Nell). Linden was also recently costumer designer and head of wardrobe/makeup for Dance Nation and is using their costuming skills for this production of Everybody as well.

Arianna Marmol (Understudy) is a sophomore BFA Acting major. They are grateful to be working on this show, which happens to be their third mainstage production.

Nala McCalla (Girl/Time) is a very passionate person who is always ready to work. She previously was in Black Snow earlier this year and is excited to be a part of this amazing cast.

Allie McGowan (Somebody) is a junior Theatre Studies BA and is in her first year at MSU. She transferred from Bergen Community College, having received her associate degree in 2021. Some of her credits at MSU include American Horror M.I.L.F., the Hunger M.I.L.F.s, and Pride and Prejudice through MSU Players. She is grateful for the opportunity to continue her involvement in the Theatre Department.

Yazmery Milian (Somebody) is a current junior in the BFA Acting program. She did her first mainstage production last semester playing Ashlee in Dance Nation, and Everybody is her second mainstage show. She is extremely grateful for the guidance she has received from the director and the amazing collaboration of the entire cast and crew.

Anna Moceri (Somebody) is a senior BFA Acting major at MSU. Past credits include Amiens in As You Like It, Punk Girl/Ensemble/Dance Captain in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, and Amina/Dance Captain in Dance Nation. She is thrilled to be closing out her college career with Everybody.

Emery Myers (Everybody) is a sophomore BFA Acting major transfer. He has been in The Big Meal and Black Snow the past few seasons and is overwhelmed with gratitude to be working on this show with the cast and crew and Tommy Schrider.

Mark Page (Understudy) was ecstatic to learn that his first role at MSU would be in the production of Everybody. With this being his first role as an understudy, he happily took his opportunity to learn from his fellow actors. He is appreciative of this experience and would do it all over again.

Jared Preston (Somebody) is a BFA Acting junior. He is thrilled to be a part of his first studio production at MSU. Previously they have appeared in ’Tasha, As You Like It, and Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, most recently assistant directing Black Snow.

Liat Rimoni’s (Understudy) latest productions at the Arts Academy were A Doll’s House (assistant director), Medea (Medea), and Facing Our Truth (Rebbeca/Raheem). Her most recent production was in her fall semester of her freshmen year at MSU, where she played Gloria/Mathew/Soldier 2 in Stephen Adly Gurguis’s The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.

A’Lysai Robinson (Everybody) is a junior BFA Acting major at MSU. Everybody is her fourth production at MSU; she previously played Simon the Zealot/Loretta/Soldier in