Melissa Bennett (Master Carpenter, First Season) is a Cincinnati native who has worked as a designer, technician, fight choreographer and actress around the country. She received her B.A.C. from Bowling Green State University in scenic design and performance. When not at CSC, Melissa is also the Technical Director for New Edgecliff Theatre. Recent credit include Fight Director for SCPA's Moon Over Buffalo, Production Assistant for the Cincinnati Opera's education tour of How Nanita Learned to Make Flan, and Set Designer for New Edgecliff's Death of a Salesman.
Julia Gardiner (Costume Assistant, First Season) is a Cincinnati Native, back in the city after being in the Boston area for the last few years, where she earned her B.A. from Wellesley College in medieval and renaissance studies and art history. In the past she has worked with Wellesley College's Upstage, Summer Theatre and Shakespeare Society, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and New Stage Collective. She is excited to be working on Shakespeare again and to be joining CSC for its sixteenth season.
Justin McCombs* (AEA Resident Sage Manager, Fourth Season) is looking forward to serving as stage manager for CSC's productions this season. He received his theatre degree from Western Illinois University in 2004. Some favorite memories onstage at CSC include playing Konstantin in The Seagull, Paul Bratter in Barefoot in the Park, Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors, as well as the title role in Macbeth, and Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream in last season's touring productions. Special thanks to his "little chickens" in the Groundlings program and to Niki for her wisdom, patience, and unwavering confidence in her successor. "May I someday fill your shoes."
Heidi Jo Schiemer (Resident Costume Designer, Tenth Season) has lived most of her life in Orlando, Florida but after living in Cincinnati for nine years she now considers this city home. She received her M.F.A. in costume design and technology from the University of South Dakota. Heidi has most recently worked for Actors Guild of Lexington. In the past, she has worked with the Black Hills Playhouse, New Harmony Theatre, Nebraska Theatre Caravan, Orlando Shakespeare Festival, and Orlando Opera.
Hannah Schneider (Assistant Stage Manager, First Season) is a Washington D.C. native. She is a recent graduate of Muhlenberg College and has just finished working as a stage crew member at the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
Sara Watson (Resident Lighting Designer/Associate Technical Director, Fourth Season) is thrilled to be returning for a fourth year at CSC. She graduated from Centre College with a B.A. in Dramatic arts. Some of her favorite CSC designs have been Long Day's Journey into Night,Amadeus, Hamlet, and Timon of Athens. She previously designed for New Stage Collective (Jerry Springer: the Opera, Dying City, Dead City, and Bent) and The Carnegie (Secret Garden). Sara has also worked with The Berkshire Theatre Festival, Mill Mountain Theater, and The Actor's Guild of Lexington. She would like to thank her family for their support and her friends for being there.
