CAST
EVE DOYLE
Marlene
Eve Doyle is ecstatic to be a part of Top Girls! She is a recent transfer student to ISU, where she is pursuing her bachelor's degree in acting. Some of her previous roles include Marylin in A Behanding in Spokane, and Emma in Curse of the Starving Class at Wilbur Wright College. She has also performed in Fury Theater’s Hamlet, Henry V, The Winter’s Tale, and Twelfth Night. Eve would like to thank the cast and crew of Top Girls for making her first production at Illinois State so memorable!
ALEX JORN
Isabella Bird/ Joyce/ Mrs. Kidd
Alex Jorn is a senior Acting major. Previous roles in include #46 in The Wolves, Jessica in Hand to God, and Plumber in Yellow Inn. She is also the co-president of The Improv Mafia and loves being silly with her pals. She would like to thank everyone she knows, and also all the people she doesn't know yet.
SARAH FALSETTI
Dull Gret/ Angie
Sarah Falsetti, playing Angie and Dull Gret in Illinois State University's production of Top Girls, is a junior Acting major and Film Studies minor. Some of her past roles include Helen in Meet Me at Dawn, June in Caving In, and Narrator 2 in The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. She hope's you enjoy the show!
LEELA WOLGEMUTH
Patient Griselda/ Nell/ Jeanine
Leela Wolgemuth is a sophomore acting major at ISU. This is her second mainstage production, her first being The Wolves directed by Kelsey Fisher-Waits, in which she played the role of #2. Recent roles also include Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Martha Jefferson in 1776, and Marie Antoinette in The Revolutionists. She'd like to give a huge "thank you" to Paul and the rest of the production and design team for their extensive creativity and dedication to putting this show on despite the circumstances.
RILEY DOERNER
Waitress/ Kit/ Shona
Riley Doerner is playing the Waitress/Kit/Shona. This is her first production with the SOTD and she is beyond excited to be part of telling such an incredible story. Riley is currently a sophomore acting major at ISU.
TRINITY CARPENTER
Lady Nijo/ Win
Trinity Carpenter is a junior acting major at ISU. She started acting when she was seven years old and has recently been seen in The House of Bernarda Alba. She hopes you enjoy the show!
CAMERON PRIDE
Pope Joan/ Louise
Cameron Pride is a Sophomore Acting Major and Presidential Scholar. She is thrilled to be making her SOTD MainStage debut! She is also a writer and actor for sketch comedy troupe Illinois State Night Live. Previous roles include Viola in Twelfth Night, Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family Musical, and Sarah in The Labyrinth.
CREW
PAUL CHRISTOPHER
Director
A Wisconsin native, Paul has studied acting and stage combat for twenty years and has worked as an actor, choreographer, and director for several Midwestern theatre companies, helping found an outdoor Shakespeare company in 2001 in the Madison, Wisconsin area. He earned two Bachelor's degrees and a Master's before leaving the US in 2012, teaching Theatre and English Literature in Beirut, Lebanon and Kiev, Ukraine for seven years before returning to join ISU in 2019. He's excited to be directing his first production here at ISU and is grateful to the students, faculty, and staff for supporting and believing in him.
CONNOR KUBIL
Stage Manager
Connor is the stage manager for Top Girls this fall. The cast and production team put in a lot of work, and hopes everyone enjoys the show.
ALYSA CHANDLER
Assistant Stage Manager
Alysa Chandler is a Sophomore Theatre Studies major focusing in stage direction with an English minor. Last year, she is so grateful to have been able to be part of Guys and Dolls as the production assistant. Outside of the SoTD, Alysa is part of the University Scholar's program, the Honors Program, Phi Sigma Pi Honors Fraternity, and Spread the Magic! In her free time, you can find Alysa reading, in a coffee shop, or spending time with friends.
KYLEE HOZIAN
Assistant Stage Manager
Kylee is currently a sophomore theater design and production major here at Illinois State. She has so far been the production assistant for 1984 and the assistant stage manager for Top Girls. Her all time favorite thing to do is to travel and make memories with her friends.
HAYLEY BRENNER
Dramaturg
Hayley Brenner is a Junior double major in Acting and Theatre Studies. This is Hayley's second time working as the dramaturg for a Caryl Churchill play while at ISU. Previously she had worked on Churchill's Vinegar Tom. Other dramaturgical credits include Necessary Targets, Orlando, and Yellow Inn, which she took to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for dramaturgy. Hayley is also the co-production manager for FreeStage
REBECCA SADLER
Scenic Designer
Rebecca is a first year MFA: Scenic Design student. She graduated from Western Illinois University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in History and Theatre: Production and Design. She served as a Scenic Designer and Technical Director for productions at Marist High School (Little Women, 2018) and Carl Sandburg High School (Fiddler on the Roof, 2019). Rebecca worked as the Assistant to the Technical Supervisor at Joliet Junior College from 2019-2020 where was the Scenic Designer and Co-Technical Director for Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2019), All My Sons(2019), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (2020).
HUNTER WALTON
Assistant Scenic Designer
Hunter Walton is a transfer Junior this year. She is a Design/Production student here at ISU and is majoring in Stage Management. This is her first time being a part of the scenic design process for a show and she is excited to show her work at Illinois State! She wants to thank all for the help and encouragement during her first semester here! Follow her film podcast on Spotify: School of Score! She and another ISU alumni host together!
KAYLA MARIA SOTO PRABÓN
Lighting Designer
My name is Keyla Marie Soto Pabón and I am a Puerto Rican artist. I have a double Bachelor Degree in Theatre and Audiovisual Communications from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. I was awarded the Flavia and Carlos Marichal Award for being the most outstanding student in the area of design and theatrical technique of the Drama Department of the graduating class of 2018. I am currently earning a Master’s Degree in Lighting Design from Illinois State University.
EMMA MARINO
Assistant Lighting Designer
Emma is the Assistant Lighting Designer for Top Girls this fall. The cast and production team put in a lot of work, and hopes everyone enjoys the show.
TONY REIMER
Sound Designer
Tony is the Sound Designer for Top Girls this fall. The cast and production team put in a lot of work, and hopes everyone enjoys the show.
JESSE PADILLA
Sound Designer
Jesse Padilla is a senior at Illinois State University. This is her first-time sound designing a mainstage show. She is very grateful to have gotten this opportunity.
JARITT CATELLIER
Assistant Sound Designer
A first-year transfer student from Joliet Junior College, Jaritt comes to ISU as a Junior. This is his first show here at ISU. He is working towards a degree in Theatre Design and Production with a focus in sound, Top Girls was a great show to work on to see how college professional shows are performed.
JAKE MAGEE
Assistant Sound Designer
EMILY STRANSKI-BRAME
Costume Designer
Emily Stranski-Brame (Costume Designer) is delighted to be making her design debut with the ISU School of Theatre and Dance. Some of her more recent work includes costume design for Heathers the Musical(Moraine Valley), Evil Dead the Musical(Moraine Valley), and Cyclist Attacked by Mountain Lion (Triton College). She also recently designed costumes for the Desensitivity music video by Chicago band The Linden Method. She is a first year costume design MFA candidate. To see more of her work, CLICK HERE.
TAMARA DJUKIC
Assistant Costume Designer
Tamara is the Assistant Costume Designer for Top Girls this fall. The cast and production team put in a lot of work, and hopes everyone enjoys the show.
MOLLIE SPOERER
Hair and Makeup Designer
Mollie Spoerer is a senior at Illinois State University studying costume design. Mollie is so happy to have been able to help pioneer one of ISU's first rounds of zoom performances. She is so grateful to be supported by her family, friends, and the wonderful staff at ISU.
MICHAEL MASON
Prop Master
Michael Mason is a first year graduate student of Scenic Design. He comes to Illinois State University by way of Nashville, Tennessee. In 2015, Michael graduated from Austin Peay State University where he studied Theatre Design and Studio Art. Michael has had the pleasure of working with a variety of theatres in the Eastern U.S. including Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, Ash Lawn Opera, Studio Tenn, Lexington Children's Theatre, and The Little Theatre on the Square. To view Michael's website, CLICK HERE
Jacob McGee is a Design/Production Undergraduate focusing on Scenic Construction and Technical Direction. He is a Junior Transfer Student from Joliet Junior College. He worked in the theatre department for 2 years working scenic, lights, sound, and more. His acting credits include Sir Bedevere/ Knight of Ni in Spamalot, Hair, Elephant Man, Fiddler on the Roof, Barnum, 12 Angry Jurors, and, Arsenic and Old Lace. Jacob is an Eagle Scout and in his free time enjoys hiking and learning about Ecology-Conservation practices for the future welfare of the planet.
KATHERINE DOHOGNE
Assistant Prop Master
Katherine L. Dohogne is a sophomore Design/Production major focusing in Costume Design at Illinois State University. She has been involved in theatre for many years, but she discovered her passion for design just last fall. She has been most recently involved in Pipeline, and now Top Girls at Illinois State University. She plans to pursue an MFA in Costume Design following her undergraduate studies.
CONNIE DE VEER
Dialect Coach
Connie de Veer is a Professor of Acting and Voice in the School of Theatre and Dance at Illinois State University. She is also an actor, voice actor, singer, director, choreographer, 200 hour Pranakriya Yoga Teacher, AmSAT certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, and certified Co-Active (Life) Coach.To view Connie's website, CLICK HERE
