Trash Macbeth: Artists

Will Bonfiglio (Dramaturg) is excited to continue working with ERA after performing in MAKE HAMLET and MOSCOW! in addition to co-adapting and performing in THE RESIDENTS OF CRAIGSLIST. Recent performance credits include OLD WICKED SONGS (New Jewish Theatre), AS YOU LIKE IT (Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble), ALL IS CALM (Mustard Seed Theatre), and MR. BURNS (R-S Theatrics). A huge thanks to the audience for supporting Saint Louis theatre and local artists!

Lucy Cashion (Director, Scenic Designer) is a multi-disciplinary theatre-artist. She is the Artistic Director and founder of ERA (Equally Represented Arts). Recently, she directed Trash Macbeth, a consumerist response to Shakespeare's bloody tragedy; she adapted, directed, and performed in Moscow!, a drinking-game version of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters; and she conceived of, directed, and designed R + J: A Telephone Play, an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet created through a game of telephone. Her The Residents of Craigslist, which she created with Will Bonfiglio, performed at SIUE's Xfest in 2015. Lucy is a Professor of Theatre at Saint Louis University, a Guest Director and Teaching Artist at Prison Performing Arts, and a Guest Director at Shakespeare Festival St. Louis. Lucy received her MFA from Columbia University, studied at l'École d'art dramatique Eva St-Paul, and trained with SITI Company.

Kristin Cassidy (Scenic Designer and Installation Artist) is a performer and installation artist who currently works with artifacts that she excavates from the banks of the Mississippi River. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, she is an avid skier and outdoors enthusiast. She utilized the long Alaskan winters to teach herself numerous skills (sewing, magic, textile-dying, filmmaking and calligraphy, to name a few). She began exploring theater at the age of eight, with The Alaska Theatre of Youth, and continued acting with them until she relocated to Orange County, California for high school where she attended South Orange County School of the Arts focusing on photography and sculpture. Outside of school she pursued acting for the screen. Upon graduation, she moved up to Los Angeles and continued to pursue acting, appearing in several television shows and films. She concurrently attended Santa Monica College, working towards a degree in Photography and Astrophysics. It was not long before she felt the stifling effects of commercialism, and on a whim she moved to St. Louis, Missouri to focus on her art practice. Kristin lists decorating the set of a Hollywood feature film, speaking about her art practice at the St. Louis Art Museum, and exhibiting her work at various gallery shows including exhibiting large conceptual installation pieces among her accomplishments since she moved to St. Louis in 2011. With ERA she comes full circle, back into the theater, delving into set design. You can see more of Kristin's work at www.KristinCassidy.com

Maggie Conroy (Lady Macduff, Witch2) is thrilled to be working with the the good people of ERA! A Saint Louis native, she has worked with many companies over the last 6 years, including Upstream Theatre, HotCity Theater, Onsite Theatre, Saint Louis Shakespeare, among others. She graduated with a BA in Performance from SIUE, and is currently the co-founder and co-producing director of YoungLiars. Big Thanks to Lucy and ERA for this experience.

Mitch Eagles (Macbeth, Murderer 3) Hailing originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Mitch is acompany member and associate producer with ERA, focusing on the use of improvisation in the theater. He performed in several of ERA’s productions (Make Hamlet and The Residents of Craigslist, R+J, and MOSCOW!). He is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, where he studied physics and mathematics, as well as performed in theatrical, dance, and improvisational productions. He now lives in St. Louis City and has worked with several companies in addition to ERA, including St. Louis Shakespeare, Stray Dog Theatre, and November Theatre Company, as well as performing regularly at The Improv Shop, where he is a graduate of their training program.

Katy Keating (Managing Producer) loves working with ERA. She is a theatre artist in the St. Louis area most recently seen in And In This Corner...Cassius Clay. She is the Artistic Director and Founder of Poor Monsters, and has appeared in their productions of To Whom Should I Complain? and Or What You Will. She is also an Assistant Producer at Shakespeare Festival St. Louis. Big thanks to the cast and crew for being rockstars. Huge thank you to each of you in the audience for coming to see this show!

Erik Kuhn (Lighting Designer, Fight Choreographer) has been working with ERA since their premiere production of "Make Hamletle of Henry Tudor." and is thrilled to be back on another exciting project. Between his work as an actor, fight director, and technician, he only wishes there was more time in the day to see more of the wonderful theater happening here in St Louis. He has served as Technical Director with Upstream Theater and TD/Lighting Designer at Visitation Academy, as well as serving as the Assistant TD and performing in Metro Theater Company's production of "And in this corner: Cassius Clay." He also recently completed his apprenticeship with Dueling Arts International to become an Associate Instructor and works locally as a teacher and director of stage combat. Most recently, he served as Fight Director for St Louis Shakespeare's production of "Richard III" where he also performed the role of Henry Tudor

Meredith LaBounty (Costume Designer) is thrilled to be given the chance to think outside the box while working in the dumpster. She graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2013 with her B.F.A in Production Design with a concentration in Costume Design. One of her first jobs out of college was Costume Designing “Make Hamlet” for ERA. Since then she has worked through out the St. Louis area. Most recently Meredith Costumed and Assistant Stage Managed the sold out production of “The Weir” with Cocktails & Curtain Calls. Right now she is costume designing “Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy” at COCA. He next show is “A Midsummer Nights Pub Crawl: 5 Acts 5 Bars” with Cocktails and Curtain Calls.

Her work can be found at her website: www.labounty-costumes.com

Carl Overly Jr. (Macduff, Murder 2) is thrilled to return for another adventure with ERA after appearing in R+J last spring. Carl has worked locally with The Black Rep, Slightly Askew Theater Ensemble, STLAS, Upstream Theater, Shakespeare Festival-STL, Magic Smoking Monkey, West End Players among others. He would like to thank his family and friends for their continued support. #Goseeaplay

Ellie Schwetye(Emily Post, 1st Witch) is a performer, director, and producer, primarily with Askew Theatre Ensemble (SATE). She previously appeared in ERA’s The Residents of Craigslist. She has performed in six of SATE’s productions, including Bachelorette, Macbeth, and an original play, Mary ShellSlightlyey Monster Show, which she conceived with coproducer Rachel Tibbetts. She directed SATE’s productions of Hamletmachine, Eleemosynary, Or, One Flea Spare and As You Like It. Ellie has also performed with the Black Rep, Mustard Seed Theatre, RS Theatrics, New Jewish Theatre, Stray Dog, and Hydeware. She worked extensively with Black Cat Theatre/Piwacket Theatre for Children including as a repertory performer and a director/teaching artist. Along with being a theatremaker, Ellie is an avid theatregoer and is proud to be a part of such a vibrant, artssupportive community.

Gabe Taylor (Stage Manager and Assistant Director) is excited to be back working with ERA on Trash Macbeth. He has previously stage managed and assistant directed for ERA on R+J: A Telephone Play or Don't Drink The Milk , Moscow!, and The Residents of Craigslist. Gabe also currently serves as New Line Theatre's resident stage manager and Associate Artistic Director for Theatre Nuevo, previously stage managing and assistant directing the inaugural production of This is Not Funny in July 2015. He directed Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, with the Southern Illinois UniversityEdwardsville theatre department, which was remounted for SIUE’s 2013 XFest, in partnership with the Student Experimental Theatre Organization. Some of Gabe’s favorite performances onstage include American Idiot with New Line, Fyodor Ilyich Kulygin in ERA's Moscow!, Husband 1 in The Frog and the Scorpion, Philostrate in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd. He thanks you for choosing live theatre over yet another movie about vampires.

Joe Taylor (Composer, Musical Arrangement, and Musician) is the songwriter and frontman of indie piano rock band, Kid Scientist, with whom he is currently recording a new album, directing a short film, and writing an original rock opera. He previously directed their original rock opera, Arboria. Previous collaborations with ERA include Moscow!, for which he wrote and performed the music, and SLU's production of Trash Macbeth, for which he arranged music. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis, where he studied German language and literature and physics. Joe also plays in the band Whoa Thunder and occasionally with the improv troupe Bodysnatchers.

Rachel Tibbetts (Lady Macbeth, 3rd Witch) has previously performed in ERA’s R+J: A Telephone Play or Don’t Drink the Milkand MOSCOW. She is a founding member of Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble (SATE) and has appeared in SATE’s productions of Top Girls, Nine/Sketch, Mary Shelley Monster Show, OR,, The 39 Steps, and As You Like It. Rachel directed SATE's productions of Macbeth, Burn This, The Woman in Black and Bachelorette. She will appear in SATE’s production of Cuddles directed by Joe Hanrahan in November. Rachel has also performed with R-S Theatrics in their productions of The Cherry Sisters: Revisited, Oh, Hell!, and Mr. Burns: a post electric play. She will perform in That Uppity Theatre Company’s Briefs Festival this April for the second time. Rachel will appear in the Tennessee Williams St. Louis this May. Rachel has worked in arts education since 2000 at the Delaware Theatre Company, Young Audiences of St. Louis and Prison Performing Arts; having recently co-directed Aphra Behn’s The Rover with ERA’s Artistic Director, Lucille Cashion, at the women’s prison in Vandalia. She received her B.A. in Theatre from Oklahoma State University and graduated from the 2006‐2007 Community Arts Training Institute at the Regional Arts Commission.

Wilson Webel (Scenic Designer, Production Intern) This is Wilson's first show with ERA, and he is extremely excited to be working with such an amazing group of artists. #blessed#trashmacbeth#eratheatre He has previously worked professionaly as run crew for the New Jewish theatre on The Sunshine Boy and Dramaturge/ Playwright for Gitana’s revival of Living the Dream. He was also the designer for SLU’s production of Trash Macbeth. This summer he is excited to be working with Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and Max&Louie Productions! This process has been an incredible learning experience. He couldn’t thank Lucille Cashion, and the others involved, enough for the invaluable lessons and welcoming him in. He also wants to thank his family and friends for their continuing support, especially Stacy Reynolds, Mark Reynolds, Alyssa Still, and the late Rod Webel. You can see more of his work at www.wilsonwebeltheatre.weebly.com

Philip Zahnd (Musician) is the drummer for several St. Louis bands including dream pop trio Golden Curls and rock/soul group Holy Posers. He is studying English at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Philip is a rock climbing guide certified by the American Mountain Guide Association.