LOST IN YONKERS
MEET THE CAST AND CREW OF
WHO’S WHO
JOSHUA GABRIEL KROLL (Jay) is thrilled to be playing Jay in Lost in Yonkers this summer. Most recently he was Jack Kelly in Newsies and Leo in The Book Women through Groves Performing Arts Company (GPAC). He will attend University of Michigan in the fall with a major in Philosophy. He would like to thank his family, the cast and crew of Lost in Yonkers, and Michigan Stage for this incredible opportunity to be in such a powerful show.
KRISTOFFERSON MORRISON (Arty) is ecstatic to be apart of his first Professional Acting gig. He has been acting since he was 6 and has played such roles as Jafar in Aladdin Jr., Oscar Delancey in Newsies Jr., Mr. Bucket in Willy Wonka Jr., and many more. He enjoys reading plays with his favorite playwrights being Christopher Durang, Neil Simon, and Neil LaBute. Kristoff wants to be a professional actor when he's older and he'd like to thank all his friends and family for their continued support of his passion.
JOSEPH SFAIR (Eddie) is a Michigan native from Eastpointe and holds a BA from Wayne State University. He has had the privilege of appearing on several stages across the state over the last decade, most recently including The Extra Mile Playwrights, Open Book Theatre, Shakespeare in Detroit, Theatre Nova, University of Detroit Mercy, Riverbank Theatre, and The Inspired Acting Company, where he recently accepted a position as an Associate Artist. Joe feels immensely honored to have been asked to participate in Michigan Stage’s first season of professional theatre, (performing Neil Simon, no less!). He'd like to send his thanks to Jessica, (both for telling him about the audition and generally tolerating him while he was learning his lines,) Michael, (for telling Jessica about the audition,) his friends & family for their support, and of course YOU in the audience for coming out to support live theatre! Enjoy the show!
ROB ROZNOWSKI (Director) is a Professor at Michigan State University and thanks you for supporting professional theater! He is thrilled to be part of this new and exciting company's inaugural production.
ELISE CASTLE (Bella) is thrilled to be joining Michigan Stage for their inaugural season! A Michigan native, Elise graduated from Oakland University, and has been in NYC ever since! Elise has done lots of plays, lots of sketch comedy, written lots of stuff, and has recorded lots of episodes of her podcast “We Couldn’t Help But Wonder”. Elise is grateful to Michigan Stage for bringing her “home” for the summer. @evcastle www.elisevcastle.com
KATIE DELLA MORA (Gert) is thrilled to be making her Michigan Stage debut. She spent a decade in NYC, writing and performing sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade and the Peoples Improv Theater. Off-Off-Broadway and select favorites: Arts or Crafts, See What I Wanna See (Actress), Recent Tragic Events (Waverly), Savage in Limbo (Denise Savage), As Bees in Honey Drown, The Life, She Loves Me. Her original humor writing has appeared in ClickHole, Reductress, WhoHaha, and more. BFA, MSU. Lots of gratitude and love to Mom, Pete, the family, Ted, Tim, and Rob.
LAUREN SPIEGAL (Lighting Designer) is a senior at Michigan State University currently pursuing a BFA of Lighting Design and a BFA of Graphic Design. Her recent designs at MSU include Much Ado About Nothing, Charlotte’s Web, and The Roller Derby (assistant). Additionally, she co-designed the projection/media design for Stevie and the Real World. Lauren is ecstatic at the opportunity to be designing with Michigan Stage and hopes you enjoy the show!
ALISON ENGLISH (Properties Designer) moved to Detroit in 2022 to pursue a rich, dynamic, and diverse theatre community. She is thrilled to have gotten involved with Michigan Stage almost immediately. She has worked as a director, designer, and artist for over 10 years since graduating with a BA from Clarke University. Favorite director/designer credits: MSND, That Mighty Day!, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!. She is the bassist and lead female vocalist for the Irish band, Ballyheigue.
KAREN SHERIDAN (Grandma) is excited to be a part of Michigan Stage’s inaugural production. Her credits include ‘Rain on Fire and Ragtime (Flint Rep); The Hat Box, Chapatti and Silent Sky (Williamston); The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Detroit Public); Boeing Boeing, Dancing at Lughnasa and Angels in America (Meadow Brook), Much Ado About Nothing (Wishing Well), Love Letters with husband Sam Pollak (Two Muses), Other Desert Cities [if you were there the day the standby went on] (Jewish Ensemble) and numerous roles at Peninsula Players. Karen also directs professionally—ask her what’s coming up. Here’s to family…and what it teaches.
DREW PARKER (Louie) was most recently seen in Shakespeare In Detroit’s production of As You Like It. Favorite regional credits include Death of a Salesman at The Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Secret Mask at Next Act Theatre in Milwaukee, and K2 at Virginia Stage Co. Other Michigan credits include Jake in 2AZ at the Purple Rose, and the title role in Hamlet with Shakespeare Royal Oak. He’ll be returning to SRO this summer in the role of Feste, acting beside his wife Meredith Parker (Viola) in Twelfth Night. Thanks to the entire creative team for sharing your dreams and visions. It’s been an honor to play a part in fostering in this wonderful new theatre. Mere, my heart, you are my Chemical X. Love you forever, Parker.
ABIGAIL GEARHART (Sound Designer) is a graduate of Oakland University (‘22) with a BFA in Theater Design and Technology. She has vast experience in the field and has worked for renowned institutions such Interlochen Arts Academy as an Audio, Video and Lighting Technician (‘19, ‘21), and Detroit Country Day Schools as Technical Director (‘22-23’). She began working on productions in high school during which she was a backstage runner, technician, sound designer, and stage manager and then went on to expand her interest in the field by assisting in middle school and community theater productions while in college with The Farmington Village Players, Spotlight Players and many more. Abigail is a sound designer, properties designer, scenic artist, and avid photographer. Her most notable works include her work as a sound designer for Oakland University's production of Bluestockings by Jessica Swale (19’) which is when she received the KCACTF Design, Technology and Management Legacy Award for Sound Design and Passage by Christopher Chen (‘22) as sound designer and audio engineer. www.abigail-gearhart.com
THALIA LARA (Scenic Designer & Costume Designer) has earned an MFA in Design for Theatre from Michigan State University (MSU). She has designed and created scenery, costumes, and properties for education, community, and regional theatres in Washington, California, and Michigan. Her recent design credits include Scenic Design for Williamston Theare’s production of Predictor (2024) directed by Billicia Hines, Scenic & Projections for MSU Opera Theatre’s production of Don Giovanni (2024) directed by Melanie Helton, and Scenic Designer for the MSU Department of Theatre production of Clue* (2023) directed by Ryan Welsh. *earned the Gretel Geist Award for Excellence in Design & 2 Lansing State Journal Thespie awards
NAN LUCHINI (Stage Manager) This is Nan's debut with Michigan Stage. With almost 20yrs as a professional stage manager, Nan has worked with Performance Network, Williamston Theatre, Meadowbrooke Ampitheatre, Ann Arbor Summer Festival Top of the Park and the Detroit Opera House. Since Covid, Nan has been able to travel and work on too many shows to list here with Lincoln Center Damrosch Park, San Diego Opera, Phoenicia Festival of the Voice, Annapolis Opera, Tulsa Opera, Pensacola Opera, Opera Naples, Palm Beach Opera, New Orleans Opera, Teattro Grattacielo, Opera Carolina, Opera Grand Rapids, Atlanta Opera, Florentine Opera. After Lost In Yonkers, and Guys & Dolls, with Michigan Stage, Nan will be stage managing La Traviata at the Detroit Opera House and Guest Lecturer/Mentor of the Stage Management at the University of Michigan for the fall semester. As always, Nan wants to thank her husband and daughter for their continued love and support of her career choice in live performance.
JAI DOWNING (Assistant Stage Manager) is a graduate of Wylie E. Groves High School, and incoming freshman to Northern Michigan University’s Theater Technology and Design major. While in high school, they participated in the Groves Performing Arts Company for 4 years as Stage Crew, Build Crew, Stage Crew Manager, Student Technical Director, and eventually Scenic Designer. They are excited to be working as the Assistant Stage Manager for both Lost in Yonkers and Guys and Dolls, as well as to have been given the opportunity to design the set for Peerless.