Inherit the Wind

XANDER ADAMSKI (Reverend Brown) Okemos, MI: Sophomore, BFA Acting. Xander’s most recent performance with the MSU Theatre Department was in Waiting for Lefty (Clayton/Clancy). Some of his other shows include Sherlock Holmes and the 23^rd Baker St. Irregulars (Dr. Watson) and as a comedian in 2023’s MSU Unscripted.

MADDIE AFFER (Mrs. Brady) Big Rapids, MI: Junior, BFA Acting, Musical Theatre Minor.  Maddie’s recently been seen in productions such as Horse Girls (Margaret), MSU Unscripted, Cinderella (Ella), The Sound of Music (Louisa), and Our Town (Mrs. Webb).  She would like to express her gratitude to her family, friends, and to the wonderful people working on Inherit the Wind!

OLIVIA BATH (Drummond) Berkley, MI: Senior, BFA Acting, BA Communications, Musical Theatre Minor. Olivia has recently been seen in Spring Awakening (Wendla), Much Ado About Nothing (Verges/Balthasar), Schoolhouse Rock Live! (Shulie), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena), Charlotte’s Web (Lamb), and In Emily’s Words (Anne). She sends her love and thanks to everyone who helped her run lines, and to her family for always being there to support her.

MICHAEL BOLAÑOS (Assistant Director) Holland, MI; Senior, BFA Acting for Stage, Screen, & New Media, minor in Musical Theatre. This is Michael’s second time being involved in a mainstage play at MSU, after acting in Sweat (Oscar). While he is a bit intimidated by the immense amount of talent in the room, Michael feels truly fortunate to work with such phenomenal people in this production. He would like to thank his friends, family, the cast, crew, and Rob Roznowski for taking him under his wing during his time on this show.

LEXA BUSCH (Bertrum Cates) Reed City, MI; Junior, BFA Acting & Digital Storytelling double major with a minor in Creative Writing. You may have seen her in previous MSU shows such as Stevie in the Real World (Understudy) or Clue (Cop). Lexa has also been active in student groups and was in Second Stage’s production of The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Logainne ‘Schwartzy’). She would like to thank her family, friends, and cat for all of their support during her artistic career.

SOPHIA CATELLA (Chorus 1) Clarkston, MI; sophomore, BFA Acting, Musical Theatre minor. Her more recent performances include After the Blast (Pat) and MSU Unscripted (Performer). She would like to thank her friends and family for their love and support!

JACKSON COSMÉ-BROOKS (Assistant Stage Manager) Holt, MI; Third-Year BFA Stage Management Major, Arts & Cultural Management Minor. Recent works include Digging Up Dessa and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Stage Manager); Stevie and the Real World and Much Ado About Nothing (Assistant Stage Manager). He currently functions as Production Stage Manager for Cinderella at Holt High School, and The Laramie Project at All-of-Us-Express Children’s Theatre.

MATT DURLAND (Brady) Essex, CT; MFA Acting Candidate – First Year. Matt is thrilled to be playing Brady in his first MFA performance. He has had the honor of working as an actor, director, and music director for various colleges, theatres, and programs. Performance credits include the 39 Steps, Eurydice, Island Song – a new musical, A Piece of Monologue, Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew, 10,000 Cigarettes, Oliver, Hair, 25^th Annual ..Spelling Bee, and several others. As a director, Matt has worked on projects such as Contractions, Honk, Rock of Ages, Spelling Bee, Romeo and Juliet, High School Musical, Legally Blonde, and others. His work as a music director has been seen in Cabaret, Mamma Mia, A Funny Thing Happened. Forum 13, Little Shop of Horrors, Matilda, Sister Act, Is There Life After High School, How to Succeed …Without Really Trying, and many others. Thanks to the entire Inherit the Wind team for such an exciting first Grad school production!

AUGUST GARRETT (Chorus Understudy) Chicago IL; Sophomore, BFA Actor and MT Minor. This is August’s first MSU production, and he is very excited to be included as one of the cast members for ITW and in the DOT! He’s worked on crew on a few of the DOT’s shows such as Clue and Spring Awakening, and he wants to thank the cast, crew, and production team for their support and how hard they’ve all been working.

NICOLE JENOSKY (E.K. Hornbeck) South Lyon, MI; Junior, BFA Acting, Dance Minor, Musical Theatre Minor. Nicole is so excited to be performing in Inherit The Wind! She is so grateful to be part of this production with such a great cast and crew. Her previous work at MSU includes Spring Awakening (Fräulein Grossebüstenhalter, Frau Gabor, Frau Bessel, Doctor Von Brausepulver), Rocky Mountain High (Ensemble), and Food Waste and Sustainability: A Las Vegas Field Study (Producer/Director/Host/Editor). She would like to thank her family and friends for their endless support and encouragement, and to all her professors at school who are helping her through this educational journey.

KESSLER JONES (Scenic Designer) St. Petersburg, FL; Third-year MFA Designer in costumes and scenic. Recent scenic design credits include Stevie and the Real World, Digging Up Dessa, [Title of Show] (The Clean Version) and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged] (Revised) [Again] at MSU and asst. scenic design for Sense & Sensibility at LCC. Recent costume design credits include Clue, Sweat, Schoolhouse Rock Live! and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at MSU, and Ada and the Engine at Aquinas College. See more of their work at KesslerJones.com or @kesslerjonesdesign on Instagram.

LILLIAN KNIGHT (Chorus 5) Fenton, MI; sophomore, Art History, and Chemistry BA, minor in Leadership in Integrative Learning. This is Lilly’s first performance with MSU! She has performed with her high school productions Oliver Twist (ensemble), and Little Shop of Horrors (Mr. Mushnik). She looks forward to her future endeavors here at MSU.

KAREN THERESE LAW (Brady) Portland, Oregon; MFA Acting Candidate-First Year. Recent work includes serving as a teaching artist at The Berkley Playhouse, Town Hall Theatre and Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. Some of her favorite past roles are Hair (Crissy), Ola (Therapist) and Bluey X Camp (Performer). She is currently a company member with Towne Street Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

KARAM MAWAZINI (Chorus#?) Junior. This is Karam’s favorite theatrical piece. He is honored to bring life to the impactful and timeless words of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. This piece reminds him why reading is so special. Ideas are cool and important, but books for sure are more.

ALEXIS MENDEZ (Rachel Brown) Coatepec, Mexico. MFA Acting Candidate 1^st year. Alexis has performed as an actor and singer at New York venues such as Lincoln Center, The York Theatre Company and The Edison Ballroom. Past credits: The Elephant Man (John Merrick), El Frasco (David) and Electra (The Old Man). He is also a member of the Lucky Rat Artist Collective. A community of Artists keeping art alive during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alexis has written two short films in New York, Isochrona and Inner; he looks forward to continuing collaborating and creating art that has a positive impact on society.

NICOLE MERCHANT (Musician) Bloomfield Hills, MI; Junior BFA Acting, Creative Advertising, and minor in Musical Theatre. Previous credits include the world premiere of Love is The Greater Labyrinth, (Ariadna) Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Clarisse), and Spring Awakening (swing/swing/principal cover). Over the summer, Nicole performed as a part of the Young Playwrights Festival at the Wharton Center, where she played Mara in Strangers Like Us, and various roles in Roses Are Red. Nicole would like to thank her wonderful friends and family for their love and support over the years, and would like to extend a special thank you to the Trader Joe’s cashiers who encourage her to follow her dreams (and to buy more stuff)

CARSON MOORE (Chorus 2) Bay City, MI; Sophomore Pre-Law Major, Theatre Minor. Previously starred in Grease (Danny Zuko). He thanks his family for supporting him in his endeavors.  

NATHANIEL MYERS (Dramaturgy) Traverse City, MI, Third Year Arts and Humanity Major. Previously served as dramaturge on the Next Musical Laboratory’s In Pieces as well as having performer credits for The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Rocky Horror Show, and Rocky Mountain High. He would like to thank his family and friends for all their love and his fellow production members for all their support.

MELINA RODRIGUEZ (Sound Design) Northville, MI; Senior BFA Theatre Design/Tech with a focus in sound. Past credits include Digging Up Dessa (Sound Design, Audio/Electrics Technician) at Summer Circle Theatre, and Clue (Sound Design) and Stevie and the Real World (Assistant Scenic Design) for MSU DoT. Currently serves as Technical Coordinator for Second Stage Productions. They would like to thank Pietro for their endless support.

ASHLEY ROMO (Assistant Props Designer) Detroit, MI; Sophomore BA Philosophy and Theatre major with a minor in Writing. Past credits include MSU Unscripted (Actor) and Defying Gravity (Paint Artist) for They’re So Dramatic. She would like to thank her family and friends for their endless love and support!

CAMRON ROST (Assistant Scenic Designer) Livonia, MI; Sophomore BFA Theater Design with a focus in scenic; minor in Graphic Design. Past credits include Stevie and the Real World (props crew), and Unscripted (cast member) for MSU DoT. Past credits also includes Defying Gravity (Head of Tech) for They’re So Dramatic; 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; and Arsenic and Old Lace (Lighting Designer) for Second Stage Productions. Camron currently serves as Head of Tech for They’re So Dramatic.

TOBIAS SANDERS (Bertram Cates) Hazel Park MI; Senior BFA Acting and minor in Musical Theatre. Recent credits include Arsenic and Old Lace (Mortimer) and What If Wilhelmina (Skunk/Dad).  He’d like to thank his friend and family for their support, as well as his roommate Sebastian for always being a pookie bear.

TASHVI SHETTY (Assistant Stage Manager) Ypsilanti, MI; Sophomore BFA Stage Manager and Business Management major. Past credits include Horse Girls (Assistant Stage Manager) for Second Stage Productions and MSU Unscripted (Assistant Stage Manager). She would like to thank her family and friends for their support!

SARA SODKE (Chorus 3) Chicago, IL; Sophmore, BFA Acting, BA Advertising. Sara is thrilled to make her DOT debut! Besides performing with ROIAL’s improv show team, Sara’s most recent credits include Twelfth Night (Olivia), Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett), and Rent (Maureen Johnson). She would like to thank everyone involved and her friends and family for the love and support!

TIA K. SPICER (Production Stage Manager) Northville, MI; Senior BFA Stage Manager. Past credits include Peerless (Production Stage Manager) at MiStage, Bright Half Life (Assistant Stage Manager) at Williamston Theatre, and Clue (Assistant Stage Manager) for MSU DoT. Tia is also the Production  Manager at Second Stage Producitons, and has PM’ed shows such as 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Horse Girls, and Arsenic and Old Lace. They would like to thank their family for their never-ending support.

NICK TORRES (Drummond) Charleston, SC; First Year MFA Acting. Past work includes Eddie in Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party, Officer Barrel in Urinetown, Ensemble in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Nick loves board games, dancing, a lazy morning with coffee, and dog agility training. He wants to thank the cast and crew for their hard work and dedication to an incredible show.

ADDY VANDERBUR (Assistant Director) East Lansing, MI; Senior BASW and Theatre minor. Past credits include Cabaret (Co-director/fight coordinator) with ROIAL Players, Charlotte’s Web (Costumes) for MSU DoT, and Trail to Oregon (Assistant Stage Manager) with ROIAL Players. She would like to thank her father, boyfriend, and friends for their support and love. She would also like to thank both casts, crew, and production team for all of their hard work and dedication.

KELLIE VERWOERT (Chorus Understudy) Saline, MI; Sophomore, BFA Acting and Psychology Major. Some of her favorite performances at Michigan State University include MSU Unscripted (Actor), Horse Girls (Assistant Director), and Women (Assistant Director). She would like to thank her friends and family and all of the cast and crew for their support.

ALEX WALTERS (Musician) Birmingham, MI; Junior, Majors in Journalism, Social Relations and Policy. Minor in Jewish Studies. He is a percussionist in Michigan State University’s concert orchestra and the senior reporter at the campus newspaper, The State News. This is his first production with the Department of Theater. He would like to thank the whole cast and crew for being so welcoming!

IRIS WIDLANSKY (Reverend Brown) Salt Lake City, UT; Sophomore, BFA Acting, History minor. Iris’s recent roles include Arsenic and Old Lace (Abby Brewster), This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing (Carmen), and Tomorrow’s Your Day, Charlie Brown (Lucy). She is so excited to be part of this production and would like to thank everyone involved in this production for this opportunity!

CHAMANG YANG (EK Hornbeck) Fresno, CA; 1^st Year MFA Candidate: Yang graduated with his BA in Theatre Arts – Acting at Fresno State. His past credits include Hookman (Hookman, Adam/ Fresno City College), She Kills Monsters (Miles/ Selma Arts Center), Hib Hib: A Hmong Improv and Sketch Comedy Show (performer/ Artsonist), and Much Ado About Nothing (Dogberry/ Woodward Shakespeare Festival). Yang is currently a TA for a few theatre classes and an acting class.

ANNA YARNAL (Rachel Brown) Aldie, VA; Senior, BFA Acting, BA Broadcast Journalism. Anna is beyond grateful and excited to be part of this wonderful cast and crew! She has recently been in Second Stage’s Horse Girls (Ashleigh) and The Glass Menagerie (Laura). She has also been in the department’s productions of Clue (Mrs. Peacock), Bright Star (Dance Captain/Ensemble), and In Emily’s Words (Frances). She is thrilled to be part of this production and can’t wait to share this important story. She would like to thank Rob for trusting and challenging her with the role of Rachel. She would also like to thank her family, friends, and her wonderful roommate, Isabelle, for their constant support and kindness.

NATHAN ZARKOWSKY(Dramaturgy) a Junior Theatre(BA) and  James Madison Major with a minor in CMSE. Nathan has previously worked on Second Stage’s 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee(sound designer). The Departments Much Ado About Nothing(Deck Crew) and Spring Awakening(automation operator)