IN EMILY'S WORDS

ZACHARY BARKER (Ensemble) East Lansing, Michigan, Highschool Junior, Beauty And The Beast: Beast/Prince, Treasure Island: Captain Smollet, Brighton Beach Memoirs: Stanley, Children Of Eden: Noah

SEBASTIAN BARNETT (Ensemble) Muskegon, MI; Junior, Dual Major BFA Acting and Psychology, Musical Theatre Minor. Back in the Passant theatre for his 3rd MSU Mainstage production, Sebastian is ecstatic to be working on this project with the team and cast! He would like to thank his family, his friends, and his newly gained 3 cats for getting him through the rehearsal and performance process. Enjoy the show and follow Seabass on Instagram at @seabass.b.67 

OLIVIA BATH (Anne) Berkley, MI; Sophomore, BFA Acting, Communications, Musical Theatre Minor. This is Olivia’s first mainstage show at MSU and she is so excited to be involved. She wants to say thank you to the incredible team that made this production possible, and her family and friends for supporting her!

MICHAEL BOLANOS (Ensemble) Holland, MI; Sophomore, BFA Acting for Stage, Screen, and New Media, Musical Theatre minor. Michael is very excited and thankful to be in his first main stage production at Michigan State after previously starring in Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here, a Second Stage production of MSU. Michael would like to thank his friends, mom, sister, and the ĭmáGen team for making this possible. 

ANDREW BROWN (Edgar) Casper, WY; Junior, BFA Acting, Musical Theatre Minor. Andrew is ecstatic to be back onstage for his second mainstage production at MSU. He is so grateful to be a part of staging this gorgeous new musical. Previous MSU credits include Head Over Heels (Dametas) and Pandemic’d (Andrew). He would like to thank Jessy and the creative team for generating such a thrilling experience with this show and his mother and grandmother for the continued support and making the long trek from Wyoming to see the show. @andrew_brown817 

EMILIE BURKHART (Maria/Ensemble) Mt. Pleasant, MI; Sophomore BFA Actor, Musical Theatre Minor. Emilie has been in two shows here at MSU, Freshman Showcase (Improvisor) and Monsieur D’eon Is a Woman (Vergy/Pompadour). She is so excited to be a part of this process and show! She would like to thank her friends and family for their endless support, and dedicate their performance to professor and mentor, Deric McNish. 

JONATHAN CHRISTOPHER (Heathcliff): Praised for his “hearty baritone” voice, Bermudian American singer Jonathan Christopher is swiftly establishing himself as a versatile vocalist and actor around the world. Jonathan currently performs in the national tour of the musical Hamilton, covering Aaron Burr and George Washington– which he performed here at the Wharton Center! In New York, he has performed in critically acclaimed opera and musical productions at Lincoln Center (Davóne Tines and Michael Schachter’s The Black Clown), Signature Theatre (Dave Malloy’s Octet), and Brooklyn Playhouse Theatre (David Chesky’s La Farranucci). Regionally, he has worked with Eugene Opera (La Fanciulla del West), Syracuse Opera (Tosca, Sweeney Todd), Michigan Opera Theater (La Traviata), Knoxville’s Clarence Brown Theater (Candide), and Milwaukee’s Skylight Music Theater (Porgy and Bess). He has been involved with three musicals set to open on Broadway in the coming seasons and has performed in musicals and operas throughout North America, Europe, and the Caribbean, including the role of Collins in Aruba’s premiere of the musical Rent. Over the years Jonathan was seen dancing with Diana Ross, working out with Lady Gaga, and most triumphantly singing with Celine Dion on the Today Show. Jonathan was awarded the esteemed Johnny Mercer Award at the 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition and holds The Bermudian Magazine’s 2020 Best of Bermuda Award alongside his brother Nicholas. With degrees in voice and opera from the University of Michigan and McGill University, Jonathan looks forward to continuing his eclectic and ever-evolving musical journey. IG – @geezjawn .  

ZACH DEANDE (Hindley) Dallas, TX; Junior, BFA in Acting for Stage, Screen, and New Media, Musical Theatre Minor. Some of his most recent credits include Pippin (Pippin), The One Act Play That Goes Wrong (Max), Head Over Heels (Musidorus) and his very first Imagen show, Particle (Escalate) here at MSU. Zach is so excited to be working in the Imagen program once again with such a talented group of people! He hopes you all enjoy the show, and he would love to thank his amazing family and friends for always being there for him and being his biggest fans!  

MEL DYK (Emily) Grand Rapids, MI; Junior, BFA in Acting for Stage, Screen, and New Media, Musical Theatre Minor. Their most recent credits include Pythio (Head Over Heels), Shotgirl (Particle), and Katherine (Newsies). This is their second time working with Imagen, and they are loving every moment of it! They hope the message of boundless creativity will inspire the audience to seek the wild winds on their own Moor. Mel wants to thank their partner for always grounding them in crazy times like this. 

CHRISTOPHER EASTLAND (Mr. Earnshaw) Whitney, TX; Second-year MFA acting candidate. BFA @ Baylor. MA @ BGSU. MSU Theatre: Hit the Wall (Cop), The Whirligig (Mr. Cormany), & A Contemporary…Marriage ©1959 (Narrator). Summer Circle Theatre: Pippin (Charlemagne), Distracted (Dad), The One-Act Play that Goes Wrong (Robert), & White Rabbit Red Rabbit. Thank you Wendy, the pups, and the Cohort Tales, Woo-oo! 

MICHAEL EATON (Assistant Music Director/Pit Synth) Michael Eaton is a composer and pianist from Leslie, Michigan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music composition from MSU. He is influenced most by all the clashing styles in music and media, and he wants to continue to be involved with music always – but with video games in particular. 

CIARA FUNK (Ensemble) Ciara is a sophomore at Harper Creek High School in Battle Creek. She is thrilled to be apart of this amazing production with such an incredible cast! Ciara would like to thank the entire team for their kindness throughout these past few weeks! She does lots of community theatre back in her hometown as well as sing for her high school’s jazz band and choir. Ciara plans to attend college for musical theatre when she graduates. She also hopes to perform at the Wharton center again in the future! 

RAYNA GOLD (Assistant Stage Manager) Huntington Woods, MI; Junior, BFA Stage Management, ACM & PR Minors. Rayna is the public relations intern here at Wharton Center and president of Wharton Center Student Marketing Organization. Her favorite shows she’s worked on at MSU are Monsieur D’eon Is a Woman and this new musical! She thanks her family, Tina, and the DoT community for the support! 

JHON GOVAERE (Ensemble) Chelsea, MI; Sophomore, BFA actor. Jhon is excited to be in this year’s workshop production of In Emily’s Words. Some of Jhon’s favorite past shows have been Xanadu and Monsieur D’Eon. Jhon would like to thank his beloved friends and family for their continuous support. 

GRACE HEEMSTRA (Isabella) Grandville, MI; Junior, Communications Major, Public Relations Minor, Musical Theatre Minor. Grace is thrilled to be making her first appearance in a show at MSU. She could not imagine working with a more talented cast and creative team. A few of Grace’s past productions include The Music Man (Marian) and She Loves Me (Amalia). Grace would like to thank Jessy and the rest of the cast and creative team for their imagination, dedication, and generosity. She also would like to thank the audience for coming and hopes that you fall in love with the show as much as she has! 

CHLOE KIRCHMEIER (Ensemble) Jackson, MI; Junior, Neuroscience Major, Musical Theater Minor. Chloe is so happy to be a part of In Emily’s Words, her first production at MSU! Chloe enjoys spending her free time participating in any musical activity, including Glee Club, Second Stage Musical Theater. She is so grateful to be a part of bringing this masterpiece to life, and she would like to thank Jessy for writing this beautiful story and giving her another musical to obsess over! Chloe would also like to thank her amazing sister and best friend for always believing in her and pushing her to be her best performer. 

MARIS KELLER: (Covid Compliance Officer): Sterling Heights, MI; Senior, BFA Stage Management Major with a focus in Arts and Cultural Management. Maris just recently finished a semester abroad in London where she studied all things theater. This is Maris’s last show at MSU before she graduates in December, and she has loved working on this show and getting to know all of the people involved. Some of her other credits include the Michigan Thespian Festival (Assistant Production Manager), Orchesis Modern Dance Company’s Clarity (Production Manager), and the world premiere of Wendy and the Neckbeards (Stage Manager). She hopes to continue her events management career once she graduates and she would like to thank all those who support her and will continue to do so in the future.  

MANDY MARSILI (Ensemble/Mary Robinson) Troy, MI; Sophomore, BFA Acting, Musical Theatre Minor. Mandy is so excited to be a part of her first īmáGen production! Mandy was in Freshman Showcase last year as an improviser! She has also done many shows at Stagecrafters Baldwin Theater throughout the years. She is thrilled to be involved in this incredible show and thanks her friends and family for their endless love and support. 

BEE NEUHOUSER (Writer’s Assistant) Portage, MI; Junior, BFA Stage Management, Arts and Cultural Management minor. Bee is thrilled to be working on this production with so many wonderful people! Their favorite show they have done at MSU is, you guessed it, In Emily’s Words! They would like to thank their family, Basil Winters, and most importantly, Jessy Tomsko for giving them this opportunity.  

JAMESON PATRONA (Ensemble) Romeo, MI: Sophomore, Business Major, Musical theatre minor. This is Jameson’s second show at MSU after Hit the Wall last spring. He is so excited for all of his friends and family to see this great show! 

LUCY PRUSH (Ensemble) Holt, MI; Sophomore in high school. Lucy is so grateful for this incredible opportunity and is extremely excited to be a part of the show! She would like to thank the amazing cast, crew and creative team for making this process so much fun, and her wonderful parents for driving her to each and every rehearsal.

CAITLYN SANDERS (Elizabeth/Ensemble); Owosso, MI; Sophomore, Animal Science and Theatre major. Caitlyn is thrilled to be working on this amazing production as her first MSU mainstage show. She is the development director of the department’s StART board and is one of the leaders of Second Stage Musical Theatre. Caitlyn would like to thank her friends and family for their continuous support, and Jessy for writing such an amazing piece to bring to life. 

KAMRYN SARRATT (Charlotte) Carmel, IN; Senior, Physiology and Theatre Major, Musical Theatre Minor. In Emily’s Words marks Kamryn’s last Imagen show at MSU. While bittersweet, she could not imagine ending her Imagen career with such an amazing production! You may have seen Kamryn in Hit the Wall (Roberta) and last year’s Imagen production Particle (Morgan). Kamryn would like to thank her family and friends for their continued support, and the amazing cast and crew for making this last Imagen experience the most memorable. 

HANNAH SPENCER (Ensemble) Hannah is a sophomore at St. Johns High school in St. Johns. She is honored to be a part of such an incredible adaptation of Wuthering Heights and Emily Brontë’s story. Hannah would like to thank the incredible cast for being so unconditionally accepting and supportive. She is also involved with recreational and competitive theatre, sings in the choir, and is a part of many clubs. When she graduates, Hannah plans to attend college to study history. She would love to one day return to Wharton! 

LUCAS SOMERS (Ensemble): Lucas Somers is a 16-year-old junior at Howell high school. He is incredibly grateful for this amazing opportunity to be able to perform at the Wharton center. Lucas would like to thank the incredible crew and creative team for putting on the program and helping him learn more about the arts world. He would also like to thank his parents, friends, and brother for their continuous support and constant motivation to always improve.  

ALAINA STAFFORD (Ensemble) is from Battle Creek MI, she is a homeschooled sophomore. Some of her favorite shows she has done in the past are Fame Jr. (Mable Washington), High School Musical (Martha Cox), and New Tales of Mount Olympis (backstage). She would like to thank her parents for their support! 

VEE ROSE (Assistant Stage Manager) Senior; BFA Stage Management. Vee’s most recent productions include The Hat Box (assistant stage manager) at Williamston Theatre, and stage managing Pippin, Distracted, and The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong with MSU’s Summer Circle Theatre. She is especially passionate about new works, and is thrilled to be starting her senior year by working on MSU’s imaGen workshop for the second year in a row. 

RACHEL VOS (Cathy) Bay City, MI; Senior, BFA Acting and MT Minor. Rachel is enthusiastic about sharing In Emily’s Words with such a talented and passionate team with an audience. This show is beautiful and inspiring, and she hopes everyone can take home a newfound appreciation of creativity and imagination! Before, Rachel was seen in Head Over Heels (Philoclea) and Abandon All Hope..Here (Head #3/Georgie). She also has been a part of two previous Imagen productions. She’d like to thank the entire creative team for being sensational humans and providing an amazing experience that she’ll remember forever! @_rachelvos_ 

KELLEY WHITEHOUSE (Mrs. Robinson/Ensemble) Rochester Hills, MI; Senior BFA Acting and Musical Theatre Minor. Other credits include understudying both Pamela and Pythio in MSU’s Head Over Heels and playing Dorothy in A Contemporary American’s(…)1959. Kelley has adored being in this show, as it has been such an incredible learning experience! Keep up with their endeavors on KelleyWhitehouse.com 

BASIL WINTERS (Assistant Director) Mio, MI; Junior; Theatre, Professional and Public Writing, Political Science-Prelaw major, Law, Justice, and Public Policy minor. Basil is serving both as the student dramaturg and the assistant director for this show, and they are beyond proud to share their first show at MSU here with you! She would like to note that working with the entire design team has been such a joy, but it was learning under Susanna that will stick with her for life. 

ANNA YARNAL (Frances/Lydia Robinson) Aldie, VA; Sophomore, BFA Acting and Broadcast Journalism. This is Anna’s first mainstage production at MSU, and she is so excited and can’t wait to perform with so many talented people! She wants to thank Jessy and the entire creative team for allowing her this incredible opportunity. She also wants to thank her family and friends for always being there and being the best people ever! Go Green! 

MARK ZUM MALLEN (Ensemble) Sugar Land, TX. BS Mechanical Engineering, BFA Acting, Minor in Musical Theatre. This is Mark’s final year at MSU and he is absolutely thrilled to be a part of such an incredible piece of new work. Previous musical credits include Something Rotten! (Francis Bacon, Ensemble), Head Over Heels (Ensemble), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Leaf Coneybear, Dan Dad), and Newsies (Oscar Delancey, Bill, Ensemble). Much love to family, friends, Kelley, and Riley for continuous love and support.