"Bare boards and a passion." - Peter O'' Toole
Meet the cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream...
Kat Anderegg
Kat Anderegg, Mustardseed and Music Guru, has starred in "Waste Fraud and Abuse", "Far From the Tree" and recently worked on "The Hunt", and "How to Do Everything". She has trained at HB Studios, Atlantic, and UCB. She's currently a part of singer songwriter duo Failing Organs. She would like to thank her wonderful partner, Tim Rousseau, for his undying support and encouragement.
Mustardseed / Music
Neev Bar-David
Neev is very excited to be making his first mainstage debut with Classic on the Rocks! Neev is a recent graduate from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts where his previous credits include OTHELLO (Roderigo) and ANONYMOUS (Ali). Upon graduating Neev has been fortunate enough to be a part of a few short films and some theater roles. He is also currently in rehearsals for AM I BLUE, an original play that has been accepted to the New York Theater Festival and will premier mid September. Neev is having a blast with the very talented team at Classic on the Rocks and is exciting to be tackling Shakespeare’s words once again!
Moth / Egeus
Connor Bullock
Connor Bullock is happy to be debuting at Classics on the Rocks in his favorite Shakespeare play! Previous credits include Guys and Dolls (Sky Masterson) with Polaris Productions, Twelfth Night (Malvolio) with PASJ, and Legally Blonde (Kyle the UPS Guy) at the Cupcake Theater in Hollywood. This summer he will portray Anders Wright in The 27 Club, a film by Phoebe Mattana, and make an appearance in the web series The Third Borough. Connor spends most of his time improvising at the Upright Citizens Brigade and the People’s Improv Theater, but is excited to be working with a script again, and hopes you enjoy the show!
Demetrius
William Downes
Before becoming the founder and artistic director of Classics on the Rocks, William Downes spent years honing his craft in and around New York City. He's had the honor of playing some of Shakespeare's most delightful clowns such as Dogberry(Much Ado About Nothing) Dromio of Syracuse(Comedy of Errors) Touchstone(As You Like It) and Launce(Two Gentlemen of Verona) and on the more serious side, he's played such intricate roles as Macbeth(MacBeth) Othello(Othello) Roderick(Double Falsehood) and Petruchio (Taming of the Shrew) As artistic Director of Classics on the Rocks, his goal is present the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries as they are, not what we think they should be. With no hidden agenda, we focus on the characters, and relationships that are at the core of these plays, that continue to resonate with us and remind us of what it means to be human.
Peter Quince
Kaitlin Hlywa
Kaitlin is excited to be making her debut with Classics on the Rocks as a part of this cast! She graduated from Belmont University with her Bachelors of Business Administration, and recently moved back to NYC. She is happy to be performing again after a brief hiatus, and wants to thank her family and friends for their continual support.
Starveling
John Kollmer
John Kollmer is a playwright, fight choreographer, and actor. He's stoked to walk the boards with his Classics family once more after appearing as Leontes in The Winter's Tale in 2018 and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice in 2015.
Puck / Robin Goodfellow / Fight Director
Clare McKelway
Clare McKelway was born and raised in Maine, and moved to NYC to pursue a career in theatre after getting her BA from the University of Southern Maine. She can often be found reading, binging The Great British Bake-Off, or playing Dungeons and Dragons with her fiancé, Matthew, and their Goblin-Dog, Jasper.
Hermia
Sam O'Sullivan
Sam O'Sullivan is excited to be back at Classics on the Rocks after being in Twelfth Night, and 3 Shakesdays! NYC Credits: Three Musketeers:20 Years Later, Hamlet (Hudson Warehouse), The Struggle for Space (Manhattan Repertory Theatre), The Way of the Pligram (Medicine Show Theatre). Regional Credits: Twelfth Night, King Arthur (Sacramento Shakespeare Festival), Little Red (Storytime Theatre), Guys and Dolls(City Theatre). Sam is also a member of the insane monthly sketch show "The Hell 9000 Dance Party" at Under St. Marks. Love to the fam!
www.samryanosullivan.com. IG:samwizzze
Francis Flute
Jenn Plotzke
Jennifer Plotzke is an actress and producer working in film, television and theatre. Her recent film credits include The Red Lotus, Lost + Found, My Dinner With Schwartzey and new media series, Awkwardly. Past favorite stage credits include Noises Off, Taming of the Shrew and Medea. She is thrilled to be working with Classics on the Rocks again!
Titania / Hippolita
Rachel Purcell
Rachel Purcell is thrilled to be working with Classics on the Rocks once again this season after having performed in Twelfth Night (Viola), Julius Caesar (Calphurnia/Octavius) and Merchant of Venice (Gobbo). Prior to moving to NYC, she spent three years with the Stanford Shakespeare Company, where she served as Artistic Director and performed in Julius Caesar (Portia), Othello (Desdemona), and Love's Labour's Lost (Boyet, Holofernia), among others. By day, she is a Consultant at Capacity Interactive doing digital marketing for arts organizations.
Helena
Jake Rivet
Jake is super excited to be back with Classics on the Rocks after a brief hiatus (he had like a kid or something). You may remember him from Classics’ other production including Twelfth Night (Curio/Gentleman/Officer), Shakesday ‘17: Love & Laughter (Lorenzo), and Shakesday ‘18: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered (Romeo/Shallow). He was also recently seen in St Jean’s Player’s productions of 12 Angry Jurors (Juror 12) and The Man Who Came to Dinner (Jefferson), along with Alpha NYC’s The Importance of Being Earnest (Chasuble). He would also like to thank the brilliant cast and crew, for making this another amazing production!
Cobweb / Philostrate
Sharon Romano
Sharon Romano is excited to make her Classics on the Rocks debut! This is Sharon’s second time playing a fairy, as she used to entertain children in the NYC area as Sparkle the Fairy Princess. She played Ariel in The Tempest in high school, but Ariel is a spirit, and that is different. sharonromano.net.
Peaseblossom
Connor Scott
Connor is thrilled to be back with the Classics family! Back from The Winter's Tale last year, he graduated from Northwestern University with a BA in Theatre and Economics. Previous onstage credits in New York and Chicago include J.M. Barrie (shadowplay), Kulygin (The Three Sisters), and Alf (Peter and the Starcatcher). Many thanks and much love goes to his family and friends in New York and the Midwest. www.connorcscott.com
Lysander
John St. Croix
This is John’s third season with Classics on the Rocks, having previously played Polixenes in The Winter’s Tale and Fabian/Sea Captain in Twelfth Night. Most recently he toured schools in Queens with Titan Theatre Company’s Shakespeare on Demand tour playing Costard in Love’s Labour’s Lost. Other previous credits include: Bernardo/Player/Priest in Hamlet (Titan Theatre Company) Dromio of Syracuse in Comedy of Errors (Underling Productions) Messenger in Medea (Onomatopoeia Theatre Company) and Guildenstern in Hamlet (Virginia Shakespeare Festival). John is a former acting apprentice of both New Jersey Shakespeare Festival’s and Berkshire Theatre Festival’s summer programs and a 2011 Graduate of Coastal Carolina University with a BA in Dramatic Arts.
Oberon / Theseus
Ben Tomaiuolo
Benvolio Tomaiuolo hasn't written one of these in a long time, but is extremely honored and grateful to be involved in a Classics on the Rocks mainstage! As a writer and director, he has had three one-act plays premiered at The Wild Project since late 2017; his short film 'Death Cab for Katie' was an official selection at the Midnight Film Festival earlier this year. Thanks to the entire Classics on the Rocks company, especially Will and Sharon, because theatre is best made with friends..
Snug / Lion
Tim Welsh
Tim Welsh is an actor living in New York. He is a certified teacher of the Michael Chekhov Technique. This is his first production with Classics on the Rocks. Recent credits include “Macbeth” (Macbeth), “Constellations” (Roland), and “Joseph and the Amazing....Non-Equity Nat’l Tour (Asher/ The Baker). He would not be here if it weren’t for his mighty fiancée, Anna, because she always knows where his keys are.
Nick Bottom
Jackie Wladis
Jacqueline Wladis is thrilled to be making her Classics on the Rocks debut! Previous classical roles include Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck) and Romeo and Juliet (Juliet) both with the Syracuse Shakespeare Festival. Favorite roles outside of the Bard's canon include American Idiot (St. Jimmy) and Peter and the Starcatcher (Smee). Huge thank you to Classics for this opportunity, especially Sharon, for reminding her how magical theater can be again.
Snout / Wall
Meet the Production Team...
Sharon Stevens
While Sharon’s love for performing began with a passion for musical theatre, in college she developed a profound love for classical works spanning from the ancient Greeks through the works of that well-known man from Stratford. She graduated from UCLA with a BA in Theatre in 2005, packed up her bags and moved to the Big Apple. She then spent her time traveling around with a few children’s theatre tours and various odd productions in NYC. Most recently she could be found performing as Hermione in Classics on the Rocks' production of The Winter's Tale (and earlier, Rosalind in As You Like It). Prior to that she worked extensively with the Oxford Shakespeare Company in some of Shakespeare’s finest female roles; Kate in Taming of the Shrew, Gertrude in Hamlet, and Cleopatra in Antony & Cleopatra. She is thrilled to be a founding member of Classics on the Rocks and share her passion and knowledge with others.
Director
Felisha Heng
Felisha Heng is honored to join the Classics on the Rocks team! Originating from Miami, Fl she is a Pace University Graduate and now proud New Yorker. Recent SM credits include: Stop Kiss, Flight (a serious musical comedy), and Much Ado About Nothing. She is thrilled to be managing Midsummer after appearing as Hermia's Father Egeus in highschool - her first (and favorite) onstage Shakespearean role. Thanks to this dream cast and crew for all their hard work and for welcoming her to the team with open arms! .
Stage Manager
Victoria Gomez Wood
After graduating with her BFA from Emerson College, Victoria returned home to New York to be a part of the classical theatre scene. After playing such roles as Viola (Twelfth Night), Mistress Ford (The Merry Wives of Windsor), Lady MacDuff (Macbeth), Nerrissa (The Merchant of Venice) and Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), she is now pursuing her Masters of Public Administration at Baruch College. Victoria has been doing Shakespeare shows with Will and Sharon for the last 5 years. Now being on board with Classics, she hopes to help the company grow and fulfill its mission to the fullest extent. Victoria would like to make a special thank you to Richard Harden, who has given her the tools and the confidence to endure this endeavor with all of her heart.
Costumes/Props Queen