DECISION HEIGHT

MADDIE AFFER (Norma Jean Harris) Big Rapids, MI; Junior, BFA Acting and Musical Theatre Minor.  Maddie has appeared in other projects at MSU such as Inherit the Wind (Mrs. Brady) and Horse Girls (Margaret).  She is excited for the opportunity to work with the wonderful people in Decision Height! Maddie would like to thank her family and friends for their endless support. @maddie_affer

JULIANA BARNERD (Ensemble/ US Alice) Alton, IL; Sophomore BFA Acting Major. Some of her previous performances through Second Stage Productions include Stop Kiss (Mrs. Winsley/Nurse) and Horse Girls (Trish), as well as being a member of After School Special Improv team. She is so excited to be a part of this incredible story and wants to thank her family for all their love and support!

LEXA BUSCH (Ziggy Lewis) Reed City, MI; Junior, BFA Acting & Digital Storytelling Double Major, Creative Writing Minor. You may have seen Lexa in past MSU mainstage shows such as Inherit the Wind (Bertrum Cates) or Clue (Unexpected Cop). She’s also recently acted in Second Stage Productions Stop Kiss (Callie) and The 25^th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee (Logainne ‘Schwartzy’). Lexa would like to thank her family, friends, professors, and cat for their constant support.

SAMANTHA DOBROWOLSKI (US Mildred) Saline, MI; Junior, BFA Acting Major. Samantha has appeared in other projects at MSU such as Bright Star (Lucy) and Hatful of Rain (Putski). She is so grateful to be included in the wonderful cast of Decision Height! Samantha would like to thank Alexis, her entire family, and her amazing boyfriend Karam for all of their support and love during this entire process!

ALLY DOEDERLEIN (Production Stage Manager) Gaylord, MI; Junior, BFA Stage Management, BA Business Management, Minor in Arts & Cultural Management. Some favorite productions at MSU include Spring Awakening (Assistant Stage Manager) and Bright Star (Assistant Music Director). She would like to thank her bestie/roommate/emergency contact Kate for always being there for her <3 @allydoeds

ARYNE DREWS (Carol Henderson) Canton, MI; Sophomore, BFA Acting, Screenwriting Minor. You may have last seen Aryne in a (variety of student productions, such as Roial Player’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Peaseblossom) or They’re So Dramatic’s Women. (U/S Meg/Amy) She would like to thank her family, friends, and all the other exceptional women in her life who brought her here.

CAYLA HADAWAY (Mildred Simmons) St. Joseph, MI; Senior BFA Acting. She is excited to be a part of this amazing piece and gives her love and thanks to the cast and crew. Past productions with the MSU THR include A Beautiful Day…Great Lakes (Trainer), Spring Awakening (Anna), Much Ado About Nothing (Hero), Charlotte’s Web (Fern), Corktown (Cop 3), and Second Stage Production’s Solace (Emma). She has been seen in the Young Playwrights Festival (2022-24) at Wharton Center for Performing Arts and Summer Circle Theatre’s 62nd season in Digging Up Dessa (Dessa). Cayla would love to thank her best friends and family for all their love and never-ending support.

TASIYAH HAMPTON (Rosalie Hartson) Detroit, Mi; Sophomore, BFA Acting Major. You may have seen her in Blackness Reimagined (Olamina) Or The Unscripted Improv at MSU. Other credits include The Wizard of Oz (Munchkin), and she also made her way to the screen in Blindly In love (Supporting Role, Street Film Production). She’s beyond hyped to bring Rosalie to life and grateful to her friends, family, and mentors for always having her back!  (insta: @xclusive.siya)

KAREN LAW (Alice) Portland, OR; First Year, MFA Acting Candidate. Karen is so thankful and honored to be a part of the Decision Height Family and to be able to tell this important story.  Her recent credits at MSU include Thinner Than Water (Renee) and Inherit the Wind (Matthew Harrison Brady). She is also incredibly grateful for her MFA Fam who have been running this race with her.

ELEANOR ROSSINI (Assistant Stage Manager) Chicago, IL; Freshman, BFA Stage Management & BA Business Management. Eleanor is so excited to be working on her first Department of Theatre Storefront production! She was recently an assistant properties artisan on 9 to 5: The Musical! and an assistant stage manager on MSU Unscripted.  Eleanor would like to thank her PSM Ally for being so kind and an amazing teacher throughout the rehearsal process, as well as Courtney Sue. She has had such an amazing time working on this show, and she is so excited to see it all come together! Break legs!

AUBRIANA SCOTT (Virginia Hascal) Harper Woods, MI; Freshman, BFA Acting & Finance. Aubriana has previously appeared in MSU Unscripted, Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife), Hello, Dolly! (Irene Molloy), Mamma Mia! (Tanya), and Legally Blonde (Brooke Wyndham). She would like to thank the entire team of Decision Height for being so amazing to work with. She would also like to thank her family and friends for their unwavering support! Insta: @aubriana.scott

SERAY SEZGEN (Ensemble, US Ziggie) Bursa, Türkiye / Rochester Hills, MI: Senior, BFA Acting, & BA in Public Relations. Throughout the last 4 years, Seray had been in many MSU productions such as Clue (Mrs. White), Charlotte’s Web (Martha Arable), and Monsieur D’eon Is a Woman (Morande). She would like to thank the entire cast and crew of Decision Height for always supporting her and making this an incredible last experience. She would also like to thank her family and friends for always making time to come see her shows and being the most amazing people in the world!

XHANNA TRAVINA (Mrs. Deaton) is a senior double majoring in Linguistics and Theatre with a minor in Spanish. She is particularly interested in the intersection of language and performance, using her linguistics background to enhance storytelling and character work. Past roles at MSU include Margarita (After the Blast), Licas (Love is the Greater Labyrinth), and a dancer/deviser in P\a. A proud feminist, she is honored to share the stage with the extraordinary women of Decision Height. She is endlessly grateful to her friends and family for their love and support. Enjoy the show! (Insta: @bibarbie313)

ADDY VANDERBUR (Dramaturg) is delighted to work with the MSU Department of Theatre again!  Recent credits include MSU DOT: Inherit the Wind (Assistant Director). Roial Players: Cabaret (Co-Director/Fight Coordinator), Trail to Oregon (Assistant Stage Manager). She also recently was the Script Supervisor for the short film Playdate with Gray Fin Productions. She is a fourth-year IDS major with a Theatre minor. She would like to thank Alexis for the opportunity, thank Rob for being the best advisor a dramaturg could ask for, and her father for always supporting her. Lastly, Addy would like to acknowledge the women who stepped up to aid in the war effort, their service will never be forgotten.

KELLIE VERWOERT (Edith “Eddie” Harknell) Saline, MI; Sophomore, BFA Acting & BA Psychology. Kellie is a member of the improv group, After School Special, and she has assistant directed two plays at state, Women with They’re So Dramatic and Horse Girls with Second Stage Productions. Kellie most recently acted in Inheret the Wind (Understudy). She would like to thank all the insanely strong, kind, and hilarious women working on this show and giving Kellie the greatest experience of fun and thoughtfulness. She also would like to acknowledge that she would not have been here without the endless support from her family to pursue her dreams and she feels immensely lucky to be living them.

RILEIGH BELLE WINE (Assistant Director) Stevensville, MI; Junior, BFA Acting and Peace and Justice Studies Minor. Rileigh previously directed Horse Girls with Second Stage Productions. You may have also seen Rileigh on stage in MSU Mainstage Productions of Beautiful Day… Great Lakes (Cheesecake), Much Ado About Nothing (Beatrice), and faculty project After the Blast (Anna). Rileigh was also a member of Summer Circle Theatre Company and performed in Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised] [Again] (Daniel) and Digging Up Dessa (Mary Anning). Rileigh would like to thank Alexis Black for her wonderful mentorship, the entire cast and production team for their heartfelt work, and her friends and family for their endless love!

ANNA YARNAL (Ensemble/US Eddie) Aldie, VA; Senior, BFA Acting and BA Broadcast Journalism Double Major. You may have seen Anna in past MSU Mainstage Productions of Inherit the Wind (Rachel Brown), Clue (Mrs. Peacock), and Bright Star (Ensemble) You may have also seen her in Second Stage’s Productions of Horse Girls (Ashleigh Whitford) and in The Glass Menagerie (Laura Wingfield). Anna is so excited and grateful to share the stage with the wonderful women of Decision Height! She would like to thank her family, friends, professors, and especially her amazing roommate Isabelle who is always there to cheer her on! Hope you enjoy the show!:) @annayarnal2