A Midsummer Night's Cirque: Cast
CAST
| Puck | Charlotte Shuber |
| The Deities | |
| Titania | Alli Braun |
| Oberon | Anna Hermanson |
| The Lovers | |
| Helena | Carlie Merola |
| Demetrius | Drake St. Pierre |
| Hermia | Katy Agans |
| Lysander | Ben Sulzberger |
| The Mechanicals | |
| Quince | Anna Meyer* |
| Bottom | Matthew Whalen |
| Flute | Zander Gulluppi |
| Starveling | Khristian Hevin Summerall |
| Snout | Rachel Esser |
| Snug | Areli Camargo |
Faeries: Kat Harvey, Julie Matolo, Camille Swift
Sprites: Michaela Dukes, Saydi Ogden, Ben Paynic, George Petermeier, Anisa Rosado, Trisha Stigge, Cesia Villatoro, Jenny Yaccino
*Cast Change: The role of Quince will be played by understudy Jenny Yacino.
UNDERSTUDIES
| For Puck | Anna Meyer |
| For Titania | Micheala Dukes |
| For Oberon | Julie Matolo |
| For Helena | Rachel Esser |
| For Demetrius/Bottom | George Petermeier |
| For Hermia | Anisa Rosado |
| For Lysander | Zander Gulluppi |
| For Quince/Snout | Jenny Yaccino |
| For Flute | Ben Paynic |
| For Snug/Starveling | Trisha Stigge |
CAST PROFILES
KATY AGANS (Hermia) is in her senior year at Dominican University where she was previously seen in Mamma Mia!, Silent Sky and She Kills Monsters. She is thrilled to be in a A Midsummer Night’s Cirque with this amazing cast and crew!!
ALLI BRAUN (Titania) is so excited to return to LIVE theatre at Dominican. An alumna of Dominican's theatre arts program, Alli was last seen acting in Dominican's 2020 Black Box Experience and co-directed 9 to 5, the Musical in 2019. Outside of the theatre, Alli is an aerial fitness instructor, a pole dance enthusiast, a project manager, and a parent to her beloved cat and Dalmatian. Alli began aerial arts in 2019 as a resolution to "try something new" (shout out to Aloft Circus arts in Logan Square and AIR Aerial Fitness locations in Chicagoland). Love to Becca.
ARELI CAMARGO (Snug) is a first-year theatre major at Dominican University. This is her first time performing Shakespeare as well as her first play at Dominican. Areli also worked backstage helping build scenic pieces. She is glad to be a part of a wonderful show and is looking forward to creating more theatre.
MICHAELA DUKES (Sprite / US Titania) is very excited to be a part of her first Dominican University production. Her most recent role was Nicola and ensemble dance captain in Kinky Boots. She graduated this year with a musical theatre degree from Aurora University, where she could be seen as Squidward in The Spongebob Musical. She would like to thank her friends and family members and is grateful for every opportunity she’s been granted.
RACHEL ESSER (Snout / US Helena) is a Dominican University sophomore and is extremely thankful for the opportunity to play Snout in this production of A Midsummer Night's Cirque! Favorite roles include: Lisa (Mamma Mia!), Starveling (A Midsummer Night's Dream), and Christmas Past/Present (A Christmas Carol). She would like to thank the amazing cast, crew, and director, as well as her friends and family for all their support. Enjoy the show!
ZANDER GULLIPPI (Flute / US Lysander) is delighted to make his debut with Dominican University! He is currently a PhD candidate in immunology at the University of Chicago, where he has also performed in over 15 productions. Zander's regional credits include work with Mercury Theatre Chicago, the Beverly Arts Center, This Moment Productions, and Underscore Theatre Company as part of the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. He would like to thank his parents, sister, and the incomparable Hope Campbell for all their love and support!
KAT HARVEY (Faerie) is an aerialist, dancer, and actor based in Chicago. She is excited to be in this show and looks forward to working with this wonderful group of artists!
ANNA HERMANSON (Oberon) is an actor, aerialist, and teaching artist originally from Minnesota. They're a huge nerd of anything Shakespeare and find as much joy in heightened text as they do in the air. They have their BFA in theatre (acting) from Viterbo University, recently graduated from The Actor's Gymnasium's Professional Training Program, and are a current Pro-Trainer at Aloft Circus Arts.
JULIE MATOLO (Faerie / US Oberon) is an accomplished dancer, acrobat, aerialist, stunt performer, actor, choreographer and teaching artist. She is based out of California and Chicago. Her artistic goals have led her to travel, tour and perform in the majority of our fifty states, in addition to Canada, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and throughout Europe. Julie toured with the largest touring stunt show, "MARVEL Universe Live", where she played Agent Maria Hill and Black Cat. This world traveler has also performed on Royal Caribbean as a dancer and as a featured aerialist. Julie considers The Joel Hall Dancers, her longtime home dance company. A few notable companies she has worked with include; Dhar Mann Studios, FELD Entertainment, On the Fly Productions, Royal Caribbean, Jockey, Sutter Health, 20th Century Fox, Andrea Kelly Dance Theater, Caroline Calouche & Co., Aerial Dance Chicago and more! Julie is grateful to be a part of A Midsummer Night's Cirque!
CARLIE MEROLA (Helena) is a senior at Dominican University studying theater performance, photo-cinema, and graphic design. She is thrilled to be acting in her fourth show at Dominican. She wants to thank the cast and crew for bringing this show to life, as well as her family and friends for their support and love through the process. She can't wait for you to experience A Midsummer Night’s Cirque!
ANNA MEYER (Quince / US Puck) has been in various community theatre productions in Mississippi. At Dominican University, she was part of the ensemble in Mamma Mia!, played the role of Gabby in She Kills Monsters, and Annie Cannon in Silent Sky. She’d like to give thanks to her parents for raising her, Krista Hansen for giving her a chance to be in this production, and all her wonderful cast mates for making this such a fun and enjoyable process.
SAYDI OGDEN (Sprite) is a dancer and circus artist/performer from Joplin, Missouri. She began her dance training at age four, and was introduced to aerial arts in 2013, training with Midwest Regional Ballet Company. There, she performed in many high intensity performances and attended a variety of workshops including those by William Henry, Cat Cogliandro, Caleb Brauner, The Legacy Dance Project, Mia Michaels, and Momix. She attended the intensive, Step It Up, in Los Angeles where she attended acting and theater workshops as well as a variety of dance workshops all over the city. She later moved to Chicago to continue her training at the Actors Gymnasium’s Professional circus program. Since Graduating, she is ecstatic to take on new projects and create using her vast mix of artistic talents.
BEN PAYNIC (Faerie / US Flute) is ecstatic to be back at Dominican University! Some previous credits include Mamma Mia! (Dominican University), Mamma Mia! (Brightside Theatre), and Surrender: A Devised Work (North Central College). Some fun facts: he is a Scorpio, sudoku connoisseur, and outside of theatre he is currently a dance teacher and barista. He would like to thank the team, his friends, and his family for all of the support.
GEORGE PETERMEIER (Sprite / US Demetrius / US Bottom) is an actor, musician and fight choreographer who also spends too much time sitting in front of his computer. He graduated from UIC with a BFA in acting, is an Actor/Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, and a member of the Chicago Swordplay Guild. He also dabbles in VFX and 3D modeling on his YouTube channel "george makes." A huge thanks to all his friends and family for their support!
ANISA ROSADO (Sprite / US Hermia) is a sophomore at Dominican University majoring in communications and Black world studies. She enjoys dancing and traveling. This is Anisa's third production at DU and she is excited to participate in many more. Special thanks to her family, friends, castmates and production staff for their support and guidance.
CHARLOTTE SHUBER (Puck) is a Dominican alumna (BS ‘07; MSW ‘18) and is delighted to return to the Lund stage. Though passionate about many forms of theatre, Charlotte is especially enthused about and enamored with Shakespeare. She previously played Maria in Twelfth Night and Celia and Rosalind in As You Like It.
DRAKE ST. PIERRE (Demetrius) is new to the Chicago theatre scene, as well as Chicago in general. Originally from Chatham, Ontario, Canada, he moved to Texas as a kid where he went to college and got a BA in theatre. Drake is excited to be part of this classic play with a new spin.
TRISHA STIGGE (Sprite / US Snug / US Starveling) is a dancer, actor, writer and arts administrator based in Chicago. In the last few months, Stigge has worked with Stage Left Theatre, Possibilities Theatre Company, k_e_r_n Theatre, and GreatWorks Theatre Company. Offstage, Trisha has been writing and choreographing Searching for Sera Until 9:00, a story of a modern quarter-life crisis. Learn more at www.Trishastigge.com
BEN SULZBERGER (Lysander) is thrilled to be playing at Dominican University for the first time. In Chicago he has previously appeared in The Magnolia Ballet at About Face Theatre, and Camelot Lost with The Alchemists in association with Renegade Productions. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a BA in theatre arts and cinema.
KHRISTIAN HEVIN SUMMERALL (Robin Starveling) is excited to be working on her first play and would like to thank her peers and the tech/stage crew for putting together this amazing show.
CAMILLE SWIFT (Faerie) is a Chicago-based circus artist, specializing in static trapeze, dance trapeze, and aerial sling, with extensive training in traditional arts (ballet, piano, oil painting) and a few less conventional ones (breakdancing, Japanese swordsmanship). Her passion is creating acts that are highly skilled yet imaginative, expressive and visually striking. She speaks fluent French and has traveled to Paris and Montreal to train and develop her acts. Camille is also a visual artist, focusing in figurative oil painting, book arts and collage. She has performed in AirOtic with Les Farfadais, CREACTIVE by Cirque du Soleil at Club Med Opio en Provence, multiple times at the Seattle Moisture Festival, and in various shows and cabarets across the Midwest. When not performing or creating, she works as a professional aerial coach, training her students in dynamic movement, efficient technique, building strength, flexibility and aerial awareness.
CESIA VILLATORO (Sprite) is new to the performing arts and is excited to explore her creative side!
MATTHEW WHALEN (Bottom) is happy to return to Dominican after performing as Bill Austin in Mamma Mia! last fall. This summer he was at Brightside Theatre understudying the three dads in Mamma Mia! and playing Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music. Other credits include The Bridges of Madison County, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Brightside), Doubt (Director) at Greenman Theatre, and shows with Metropolis, Light Opera Works, First Folio and Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. He thanks family, friends and his fiancée Lauren.
JENNY YACCINO (Sprite / US Quince / US Snout) is a theater veteran who has been performing in various operettas, musicals, and plays since the age of six. Some of her notable roles are Scuttle the Seagull in The Little Mermaid, Essie in You Can’t Take It with You, Wiesel in the second ever all-girls production of Newsies, and multiple other roles including Messenger in the world-premiere of The Morrigan. Jenny is also a former competition dancer, whose specialty is tap dance.