DARNELL PIERRE BENJAMIN (Ensemble, Third Season) returns to play with his CSC family, and is really looking forward to another year filled with challenges. Originally from Louisiana, Darnell graduated from UL Lafayette with a BFA in Theatre. Then, in 2009, Darnell earned an MFA from the University of Houston. Some of Darnell’s favorite roles at CSC are Valentine in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Malcolm in Macbeth, and Marc Antony in the touring company’s production of Julius Caesar. Other favorites in Cincinnati are Belize in Angels in America at the Know Theatre and dancing with Pones, Inc. in the 2010 and 2011 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Darnell sends a special thanks to the forces that have brought him to Cincinnati, and to those that are keeping him here—you know who you are.
IAN BOND (Ensemble, Third Season)grew up in Cincinnati, but has a B.A. in Theatre from Davidson College in North Carolina. Most recently at CSC he has been seen as Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility and Al in The Grapes of Wrath, but favorite roles with the company include Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice and Hamlet in the 2010-2011 touring production. He is ever grateful for the support and partnership of his fiancée, Jenny, in all of his performing, climbing, and traveling endeavors.
BILLY CHACE* (Ensemble, Sixth Season) has a BA in Theatre from George Mason University and is delighted to be returning for his sixth season as a resident ensemble member with CSC. Some of his favorite roles with the company have been Berowne in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice, King John in The Life and Death of King John, Renfield in Dracula, Speed in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Archbishop Cranmer & Signor Chapuys in A Man for All Seasons & Henry VIII, Grumio in The Taming of the Shrew, Dromio of Syracuse in Comedy of Errors; and as a diligent touring company member from Season 14 through 16. Sponsored by Bill Godshalk
SARA CLARK* (Artistic Associate, Ensemble, Seventh Season) is thrilled to return for a seventh year with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Favorite productions at CSC include The Grapes of Wrath, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Macbeth, Pride and Prejudice, Julius Caesar, and The Seagull. Sara holds a BFA from the University of Oklahoma and has appeared locally with The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center and New Edgecliff Theatre. When not onstage or directing, she teaches with the CSC Groundlings Program and writes grants in support of the fantastic programming at CSC. She sends special thanks out to her unfailingly supportive family and her loving husband, Nick, whom she is proud and happy to share the stage with every day. Sponsored by Thomas P. Lee
BRUCE CROMER* (Ensemble, Eighth Season)is a proud, active member of Actors’ Equity Association; recent credits include Apemantus in Timon of Athens (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons (Cincinnati Shakespeare Company), Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (seventh year in the role at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), Pete/Neil/John in Speaking in Tongues (Cincy Playhouse), a one-man Romeo & Juliet with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, and Richard in Time Stands Still (Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati). He played Dan in Next to Normal in July 2012, at the Ensemble Theatre. Bruce has also been a Resident Artist with the Human Race Theatre in Dayton, for over twenty-five years — and is a Certified Teacher of Stage Combat with the Society of American Fight Directors. Professor Cromer is the Head of Acting, in the Professional Actor Training Program at WSU.
CHARLIE CROMER (Ensemble, Debut) is grateful to Cincy Shakes for this introduction to Cincinnati’s theatre scene. An acting lifer, his first gig was Tiny Tim at age five in Dayton. He has continued performing in Ohio since then while also branching out to California, Colorado, and the UK. Favorite roles include Orpheus in Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice, Emory in MilkMilkLemonade, and Kieran in the Midwest premiere of The Irish Curse. Charlie would like to thank his parents, Bruce and Carol, and his brothers, Toby and Elliot, for sticking with him. Sponsored by Towne Properties
GILES DAVIES* (Ensemble, Thirteenth Season) Since last season’s CSC production of Sense & Sensibility, Giles returned to the Tampa area and began teaching at the Patel Conservatory, directing their production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He directed two productions with the Gorilla Theatre’s Young Dramatist Project, and taught Shakespeare with the American Stage summer program. Most recently, he was seen in Jobsite’s production of Fahrenheit 451 as Beatty, the fire chief. Favorite CSC roles include Coriolanus, Macbeth, Richard III, Iago in Othello, Caliban in The Tempest, Vladimir in Waiting for Godot, Trofimov in The Cherry Orchard, and Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest. Sponsored by David & Ruth Lahey
JEREMY DUBIN* (Artistic Associate, Thirteenth Season) is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Evansville and his master’s from Ohio State Univ. He has worked for several theaters across the country, including the Milwaukee Repertory Theater and the Unseam’d Shakespeare Company, and has appeared in a number of independent films. In addition to being an artistic associate and ensemble member, Jeremy is the director of the CSC Groundlings program and the CSC Summer Camp. He would like to thank his family for their unwavering enthusiasm and Kelly for her love and inspiration. Sponsored by Ken Griffiths, Molly Moloney, Sallie & Randolph Wadsworth
KEN EARLY (Ensemble, Debut) is very happy and excited to be apart of this exceptionally talented cast of actors. Ken’s credits include Porgy and Bess (ensemble) with The Cincinnati Opera, The Whipping Man (Simon), Grey Gardens (Brooks Sr. and Brooks Jr.), Snow White (Moe the Mole), The Frog Princess ( The Czar/Bear), all at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Janitor/Jesus), Oklahoma! (Jud) with Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Dead City (Gabriel Blossom), Take Me Out (Davey Battle), and Side Show ( Jake) with NSC. Ken would like to thank this family and friends for their constant love and support. Proverbs 4
TRAVIS EMERY (Ensemble, Debute)
(Ensemble, Debut) is overjoyed to be joining CSC’s artistic family! Hailing from Austin TX, he graduated with a BFA in Acting from Texas State University. Favorite credits include: Andres in Virgin w/10,000 Arrows (Debutantes and Vagabonds), Ferdinand in The Tempest (Austin Shakes), Jack in Jack's Adventures in American History (Bright Star Touring Theatre), Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew (Kentucky Shakes), and Bastian in the world premiere of House of Several Stories (Search Party). The play premiered at The Kennedy Center, and was soon after published by Samuel French. In a former life, Travis toured the country playing drums in bands. He would like to thank his friends and family for their unwavering love and support, without whom, none of this would be possible. Sponsored by Brook & Maria Bobbitt
SHERMAN FRACHER* (Ensemble, Twelfth Season) is happy to return for another season. Some of her favorite shows include Sense and Sensibility, The Grapes of Wrath, Julius Caesar, Pride and Prejudice, Much Ado About Nothing, The Seagull, Othello, The Winter’s Tale, and Twelfth Night. She has also been seen at ETC in String of Pearls, Moonlight and Magnolias, Sight Unseen, and Wild Oats. She is an advocate for MS research, raising funds with performances of Above the 37th Parallel. Other theatres include Actor’s Express, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Georgia Shakespeare, The Human Race Theatre Company, American Stage and most recently performing in The Glass Menagerie at Marin Theatre Company. Sherman is a registered yoga teacher, and the proud wife of director Drew Fracher. Sponsored by Doug Ignatius & Bruce Preston
JESSIE WRAY GOODMAN (Ensemble, Debut) could not be more excited to join Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Jessie traveled to Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia where she earned her BFA in Acting. Some of her favorite Shenandoah roles include Masha in The Three Sisters, Audrey in As You Like It, Maggie in Dancing at Lughnasa, Lampito in Lysistrata, and Helga in Kindertransport. Jessie also studied in London at Birkbeck, University of London. She would like to thank her family and friends for their unrelenting support and cherished love. Sponsored by Richard & Vanessa Wayne
JEFF GROH (Ensemble, Sixth Season) has appeared at CSC in The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, A Chance of Lightning, The Wars of the Roses, Our Town, Richard III and King John and locally at Playhouse in the Park in Going Gone and Othello, at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati in Blue Orange, A Midsummer’s Nights Dream, Violet, Gods Country and A Question of Mercy, at Know Theatre in A Wonderful World, Zoo Story, Gompers, Streamers, Hamlet, Militant Language and at Covedale Theatre in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Caine Mutiny. He has received a CEA Award for Best Lead Actor (2010) and LCT AWARD for Lead Actor (2012). Jeff is a Co-Founder of trueTHEATRE: True stories told by real people. Truetheatre.com
JIM HOPKINS* (Ensemble, Sixth Season) has recently been seen at CSC as Henry VIII in both A Man for All Seasons and Henry VIII: All is True. Additionally he spent most of last summer playing Geronte in The Liar at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Jim has also been seen at CSC as Don Armado in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Van Helsing in Dracula, Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, and Cardinal Pandulph in The Life and Death of King John, as well as numerous other roles since moving to Cincinnati six years ago. Other past appearances include: The School for Wives at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey; Romeo and Juliet at the Human Race Theatre; Harvey and Noises Off! at the Great Plains Theatre Festival; and as Jerry Springer in Jerry Springer the Opera for Playhouse on the Square in Memphis. Jim holds an MFA from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Sponsored by Al & Mary Lopez
MIRANDA MCGEE (Ensemble & Education Associate, Fourth Season) is looking forward to her fourth season with her CSC family. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, she has worked at theatres around the US and Australia including Long Wharf Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and the Howmet Playhouse. Some of her favorite CSC roles include Susannah (Bedroom Farce), Lydia Bennett (Pride and Prejudice), Rosaline (Love’s Labour’s Lost) and, on tour, Bottom/Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Cassius (Julius Caesar). Offstage, Miranda enjoys teaching the Groundlings Junior program because they always come up with the best ideas. Cheers to Mom and Daddy-Boy for their constant support and belief and Ry for being my favorite. Sponsored by Brook & Maria Bobbitt and Charles Parsons
KELLY MENGELKOCH* (Ensemble & Company Manager, Ninth Season) cannot believe how lucky she is to continue to be here at CSC. A Kansas native, she has worked regionally with St. Croix Festival Theatre, The Old Creamery Theatre, Kansas City’s New Theatre, and most recently with New Stage Collective and The Human Race Theatre Company. Some favorite memories with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company have been All’s Well That Ends Well, The Turn of the Screw, Henry VIII: All is True, and Sense and Sensibility. Special love and thanks to all my families...and “thanks, and ever thanks” to Mr. Dubin for calling me wife. Sponsored by Carol & Ed Pfetzing
CORINNE MOHLENHOFF*(Ensemble, Thirteenth Season) is always so thankful to share the stage with the gifted artists at CSC. She is a native of New Jersey and has had the pleasure of working for various local theatres including ETC, Human Race Theatre Company and Ovation Theatre Company. Favorite roles at CSC include Rosalind in As You Like It, Amanda in Private Lives, Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, Laura in Glass Menagerie and the Handmaid in the world premiere of Joe Stollenwerk’s stage adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Corinne thanks her parents for all their love and support. She is immensely proud of her amazingly talented husband and adores her role as “mom” to her wonderful son and daughter. Sponsored by Joe & Kay Ellis
BRIAN ISAAC PHILLIPS* (Producing Artistic Director, Ensemble, Fourteenth Season) assumed artistic leadership of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in the fall of 2003, and became Producing Artistic Director in 2010. Prior to these responsibilities, he served with the organization as Associate Artistic Director for one season, as well as four seasons as a member of the acting company. Mr. Phillips is a graduate of Morehead State University and has been a resident of Cincinnati for over ten years. In that time he has worked for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, The Children’s Theatre, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, New Stage Collective, as well as over 100 productions with CSC. Most recent credits include The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Handmaid’s Tale (world premiere), The Life and Death of King John, Dracula, Blithe Spirit, Krapp’s Last Tape, The Lion in Winter, All’s Well that Ends Well, Amadeus, Timon of Athens, The Seagull, Hamlet, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, King Lear, and Cymbeline. He also directed Angels in America: Millennium Approaches for Know Theatre and served as dramaturg for the Cincinnati Ballet’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Brian is the lucky husband of the most beautiful actress in town and the proud father of Holden and Annabel.
Sponsored by Nancy Helwig & Robert Roesbery
SAM RABINOVITZ(Ensemble, Debut) is honored to be joining the CSC ensemble. Sam spent the last two years touring the country with the National Players in productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, Of Mice and Men and The Scarlet Letter. In the summer of 2011 he appeared in Washington DC’s Capital Fringe Festival as Hamlet in Hamlet: Reframed, which won the festival’s award for Best Drama. Sam is a graduate of the American Shakespeare Center’s Professional Training Program and also the University of Virginia where he studied both Drama and Economics. Sponsored by John & Donna Meixner
MAGGIE LOU RADER (Ensemble, Second Season) feels blessed to be returning to her new home on Race St. Originally from Oklahoma, she received a B.A. in Theatre at William Jewell College in Kansas City and her M.A. at the Birmingham School of Acting in England. She has performed at Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, Birmingham Old Rep (UK), and Kentucky Shakespeare as Carnelle Scott in The Miss Firecracker Contest and Viola and Desdemona. At CSC her favorite roles have included Rosse in Macbeth, Puck in the touring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Rose of Sharon in The Grapes of Wrath. Love and thanks to her family who finds time to visit Cincy to see her live the dream they encouraged her to pursue. Sponsored by Kent & Twyla Rader
PAUL RIOPELLE* (Ensemble, Third Season) (Ensemble, Third Season) is deeply grateful to be returning home to CSC after 13 years away. Long-time patrons may remember his work in the ’98/‘99 and ‘99/‘00 seasons, when he played The Duke in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Prospero in The Tempest, Oberon in Midsummer (tour), and Hamlet in Hamlet (tour). Paul has appeared Off-Broadway (Edwin Booth, The Brothers Booth, Samuel Beckett Theatre), and at Classical companies from Utah to Chicago to Virginia. Paul recently completed the Broadway First National Tour of The Drowsy Chaperone. But his proudest moment remains working closely with his hero, Dustin Hoffman, while serving as the star’s stand-in on the film, Stranger Than Fiction. Paul thanks Brian and Jeremy for this joyous homecoming, Ed and Carol for their profound care, and his Mom & Dad for a lifetime of love and support. Sponsored by Judge Mark & Sue Ann Painter
NICHOLAS ROSE* (Ensemble, Eighteenth Season) is ever grateful to be here another year at CSC. A Cincinnatian for almost 20 years, he has performed with most of the Cincinnati Regional Theatres along with CSC, including Playhouse In the Park, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, and New Edgecliff Theatre. Some favorite memories with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company have been The Grapes of Wrath, Macbeth, Timon of Athens, and King Lear (both times). A Doctor Who fanatic, Nick is thankful to his wonderful constant companion of 6 years, Sara Clark, as well as the hundreds of friends, family and fans that have supported him along the way. Allons-y!! Sponsored by Brook & Maria Bobbitt
JOHN SCHELLER (Ensemble, Second Season) earned his Bachelors in theatre and history from Northern Kentucky University. Previous credits at CSC include Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing, Slender in Merry Wives of Windsor, Duke of Austria in King John, Turio in Two Gentlemen of Verona, George Wickham in Pride and Prejudice, and was a member of the 2010 touring company featuring A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet. He enjoys instructing high school students in the CSC Groundlings program as well as in the intensive summer camp. A special thanks to his family and partners at The Scheller Bradford Group for their unyielding support. Sponsored by Charles Parsons
ZACH SCHUTE (Ensemble, Debut) originally hails from Cincinnati and is a recent B.F.A. graduate from Wright State University’s Professional Actor Training Program. Favorite Wright State credits include Happy in Death of a Salesman, Howard in Picnic, and Geoffrey Haredale/The Stranger in Barnaby Rudge. Other regional credits include This is Our Youth, Never the Sinner, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He can also been seen in the films Profile and Anomaly. Sponsored by Charles Parsons
BRENT VIMTRUP* (Ensemble, Second Season) couldn’t be happier to be spending one more year in his hometown to play with new friends. In addition to a memorable first season at CSC, favorite credits include: The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Syracuse Stage), The Voysey Inheritance (Milwaukee Rep), King Lear and Merry Wives of Windsor (Riverside Shakespeare), Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth (National Shakespeare Company), and Orange Flower Water and Sight Unseen (InProximity Theatre) for which he was a nominated for a 2011 New York Innovate Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Featured Role. Brent has a BFA in Acting from Syracuse Univ. and a MFA in the same from Ohio Univ. When he’s not on the stage, you can find him teaching at Moksha Yoga Cincinnati. Many thanks to his family for their continued support. Sponsored by John & Elizabeth Grover
AMY WARNER* (Ensemble, Seventh Season) has credits at CSC including Pride and Prejudice, Cymbeline, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Other local credits include Speaking in Tongues, Twelfth Night, Reckless and A Christmas Carol at Playhouse in the Park; Collected Stories, 33 Variations, The Guys, and The Women of Lockerbie, at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati; Angels in America at Know Theater; A Little Night Music and The Goat, at New Stage Collective; Cinderella with De La Dance; Fable and Faith with Robert Moses dance company; Alma Mahler with Concert Nova, The Edge at Cincinnati Fringe Festival, and Les Belles Soeurs, produced by Dale Hodges. She worked three seasons Off- Broadway at the Classic Stage Company. She has had co-starring roles on The Practice, Boston Public, Ally McBeal, The Guardian, and E.R. Her solo show, As the Wind Rocks the Wagon, was directed by her husband, Michael Haney. Together they have produced it across the country and abroad.
TORIE WIGGINS* (Ensemble, Debut) is a graduate of the UC CCM with a BFA in Dramatic Performance. She has co-adapted and performed her one woman show, Your Negro Tour Guide, in Cincinnati and across the country. Currently residing in New York, she has appeared on All My Children, the feature film Love Me Through It and her voice can be heard on national television and radio commercials. She most recently performed as Seasonal Resident Artist with the Know Theatre, and appeared in Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party, Collapse, Afghan Women Writer’s Project, and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. She is thrilled to be joining the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for the first time.
* Actor appears courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
