OLIVER ANGEL (Craig) Dearborn, MI; Senior, BS Advertising Management, Minor in Musical Theatre. Oliver is thrilled to be in his 5th DOT musical at Michigan State! Other credits include Brightstar, Rocky Mountain High, In Pieces, and 9 to 5. Oliver is currently the Social Media Marketing intern at Wharton Center. Outside of theatre, Oliver is a member of the MSU Accafellas (IG @msuaccafellas) and sings Baritone. He would like to thank Adam Yankowy and Dave Wendelberger for the opportunity to be in such a new and exciting show!

JULIA BLATSON (Assistant Stage Manager) Mattawan, MI; Sophomore, BFA Stage Management and Human Biology (BS), Lyman Briggs College. Her previous credits include Unscripted (Assistant Stage Manager), 9 to 5: The Musical (Props Crew), The Addams Family (Stage Manager), and Clue (Assistant Stage Manager). She would like to thank her family, boyfriend, and her peers in the BFA program for their support.

ANASTASIA BREEN (Amelia) Bay City, MI; Junior, BFA Acting and International Relations majors with minors in Musical Theatre and Science, Technology, Environment, and Public Policy. Anastasia is thrilled to be a part of this production with an incredible cast, crew, and creative team! Anastasia’s previous credits include Summer Circle Theatre’s Fools (Sophia) and Elephant & Piggie (Squirrelle), as well as MSU’s In Pieces (River), 9 to 5 (New Employee, u/s Doralee), and What if Wilhelmina (Mouse).

SOPHIA CATELLA (Chef; Baby) Clarkston, MI; Junior, BFA Acting major with a minor in Musical Theatre. Sophia is incredibly excited to be a part of the New Musical Laboratory for the first time, joining an amazingly talented cast, crew, and artists. Sophia’s most recent performances include 9 to 5: The Musical (Maria, u/s Roz), Stop Kiss (Sara), Inherit the Wind (Ensemble), and After the Blast (Pat). She would like to thank her friends and family for their unending love and support!

BROOKE COUSINS (June) Clarkston, MI; Senior, BFA Acting and BA English; Musical Theatre minor. Brooke is so grateful to be a part of the fabulous Taking Off! cast for her first New Musical Laboratory! Previous credits include MSU’s 9 to 5 (Violet), A Beautiful Day in November… (Cherry Pie), After the Blast (Carrie), and Much Ado About Nothing (Sexton, u/s Hero/Margaret), as well as Second Stage Productions’ Ride the Cyclone (Jane Doe) and Horse Girls (Tiffany). She would like to thank her parents, Alex, her roommates, and her cast and production team for all of their love and support!

SAMANTHA DOBROWOLSKI (Mindy) Saline, MI; Senior, BFA Acting major. Samantha is incredibly grateful for the chance to be a part of this show. She has had a blast collaborating with this production’s entire team! Samantha’s previous roles at MSU include Decision Height (Mildred US), Bright Star (Lucy), and Hatful of Rain (Putski). She would like to thank her parents, her siblings, and her loving boyfriend, Karam, for all of the support and positivity they bring into her life.

GRACIE DUFFY (May) Lake Zurich, IL; Senior, BFA Acting Major; Minors in Musical Theatre and Educational Studies. Gracie is so grateful to be a part of her second New Musical Laboratory and is honored to share the stage with such a talented company! Gracie’s previous credits include Summer Circle Theatre’s Fools (Mishkin) and Elephant & Piggie (Squirrelle), as well as MSU’s 9 to 5 (Margaret, u/s Judy), In Pieces (Morgan/Kit), and What If Wilhelmina  (Perimeter Person 1). She is also the proud PR Manager of MSU’s award-winning A Cappella group, Capital Green. She thanks her family and friends for their love and support!

CASEY FOSBENNER (Ensemble & U/S June/Chef) Philadelphia, PA; Sophomore, BFA Acting, Musical Theatre Minor. Casey is feeling ecstatic to be in her first DOT production. Her recent credits include: Something Rotten (Ensemble), Ride the Cyclone (Constance/Ocean U/S), and Shrek Kids (Director). She wants to thank her family and friends for their support. Special shoutout to her parents, she could not do anything without their love and guidance!

AUGUST GARRETT (Ensemble, U/S Alphonse/Craig) Chicago, IL; Junior, BFA Acting Major; Musical Theater Minor. August is super excited to take part in his first New Musical Laboratory and join the incredibly talented cast, crew, and team for Taking Off! Previous credits include MSU’s 9 to 5 (Josh, Male Ensemble), Inherit The Wind (Ensemble U/S), and Second Stage Productions’ Ride the Cyclone (Noel Gruber/Ricky Potts U/S). August would like to thank his friends and family for their love and support!

SONYA HAYDEN (Book/Lyrics) is an NYC-based lyricist, composer, librettist, and playwright. Recipient of the MAC John Wallowitch Songwriting Award, Kurt Weill Foundation Songbook Award, Across a Crowded Room Fellowship, ASCAP Plus Award, Legacy Theatre Residency, Marble House Project Residency, and Vermont Studio Center Fellowship. Finalist: Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre, Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellows. Her work has been featured at the Lincoln Center Festival, New Perspectives Theatre, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Little Fish Theatre, the Florida Festival of New Musicals, and more. Co-Director of Maestra Music’s Mentorship Program. Master’s in Playwriting, University of Edinburgh; B.A. Music, Princeton University. Thank you to Adam Yankowy, the MSU team, and everyone involved with Taking Off! sonyahayden.com @sonyahayden11

EMMA JESTILA (Stage Manager) Ishpeming, MI: Junior BFA Stage Management, Arts & Culture Management Minor. Some of Emma’s previous productions here at Michigan State University would include A Beautiful Day in November (assist. stage manager) and Inching Towards Yeolha (assist. charge artist). Emma was also lead carpenter for a production of Native Gardens at Peterborough Players this past summer. They would like to thank their family and friends for their amazing support!

ELLA JOHNSON (Assistant Stage Manager) Grosse Pointe, MI: Sophomore, B.F.A Stage Management, B.S. Human Biology, Lyman Briggs College, Honors College. Ella’s recent theatre credits include Orchesis (Co-Stage Manager), MSU Unscripted (Assistant Stage Manager), Little Shop of Horrors (Stage Manager), 12 Angry Jurors (Stage Manager). She would like her roommates, friends, family, and boyfriend for their unwavering support as she works on her first mainstage show here at MSU!

BRYCE LANG (Ensemble, U/S Julie, U/S Mindy) Milford, MI; Sophomore, BFA Acting major with minors in Musical Theatre and Education and Society. Bryce is making her Department of Theatre debut! She took part in MSU Unscripted and performed in Love Letter to Life with Second Stage MT. Bryce is a proud member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. She would like to thank her family and the entire cast, crew and creative team of Taking Off! Bryce gives all her love to her 26’s. 

KARAM MAWAZINI (Alphonse) Troy, MI; Senior, BFA Acting, BA Digital Storytelling. Karam started acting in Musical Theatre; however, has been distant from the art form for years. His passion for musical theatre never faded, and he is grateful to be participating in his first New Musical Laboratory, and first musical in years. Karam would like to thank his voice teacher, Adam Yankowy, for always pushing him towards excellence. He would also like to thank his girlfriend, Samantha, and their wonderful kitty, Missy.

DAVID MEAGHER (Assistant to the Composer, Assistant Music Director) Milford, MI; Senior, BFA Acting, BM Music Education. Previous credits include Ride The Cyclone (Music Director), 9 to 5: The Musical (Assistant Music Director), and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Assistant Music Director).

NICOLE MERCHANT (Ensemble, U/S May, U/S Trudy) Birmingham, MI; Senior, BFA Acting, BA Advertising, Minor Musical Theatre. Nicole is thrilled to be a part of her first New Musical Laboratory! Recent credits include Jesus Christ Superstar, (Ensemble) The Grown Ups, (Becca) and Love is the Greater Labyrinth. (Ariadna) This fall, she will be taking on the role of Blanche in Bonnie and Clyde at the Crosswell Opera House! She would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support and as always, Go Green!

ANTHONY MONTELEONE (Assistant to the Writer) Gillette, WY; Senior, BA Theatre, Screenwriting and Creative Writing Minor. Anthony Monteleone is a playwright and director who likes to explore themes of human nature through comedic lens. Some of recent credits include Apathy (Playwright), The Link (Director), Arsenic and Old Lace (Director), and Timeline’d! (Playwright).

NATHANIEL MYERS (Doctor) is ready for takeoff and is extremely excited to return to the New Musical Laboratory! You may or may not have seen him in previous NML Rocky Mountain High (Ensemble) or in other productions such as SpongeBob the Musical (Larry the Lobster), Rocky Horror Show (Narrator), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (William Barfee). He would like to thank his friends for making each day of this chaotic process a joy, and his family for believing in him for each crazy step.

COURTNEY SUE MULFORD (Production Stage Manager) Courtney Sue is thrilled to be back at MSU and working with her favorite SMs after teaching Stage Management in Spring 2025. An Ohioan turned world traveler, she is a 2019 graduate of Northern Kentucky University with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Marketing. Some favorite credits include: Stage Manager for Bigfork Summer Playhouse (2023-2025 seasons); Stage Manager with Rand Productions & MGM Beau Rivage; Assistant Technical Director with Dracula: The Failings of Men  (Havoc Movement Company); Production Stage Manager & Burning Girl/pyrotechnic stunt performer in The Lost Colony (Roanoke Island Historical Association). Special thank yous to Adam for bringing her onto this exciting production, Tina for bringing her to MSU, and Katie/Buddy for welcoming her into the family.

SHELBY PARKER* (Trudy) Fort Worth, TX; Second-year MFA acting candidate. Recent credits at MSU include Inching Towards Yeolha (Yeon-Ahm), Thinner Than Water (Angela), and A Beautiful Day in November… (Snapdragon). Shelby would like to thank the creative team and cast of Taking Off!, the MFA cohort and mentors, her partner Olivia, and her family for everything they do and are. It is a gift to be a part of this show and contribute to the development of new works!

AUBRIANA SCOTT (Julie) Harper Woods, MI; Sophomore, BFA Acting, BA Finance, Minors in Musical Theatre and Wealth Management. Aubriana is thrilled to be in her first musical at Michigan State! Some of her recent appearances include Decision Height (Virginia Hascal), MSU UnScripted, Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife) and Hello, Dolly! (Irene Molloy). She would like to thank the entire cast, team, and crew for making this short and ever-evolving show so fun! She would also like to thank her family and friends for their unwavering support! IG: @aubri.scott

PARIS THOMAS (Ensemble) Kalamazoo, MI; Sophomore, Secondary Education in English major, Musical Theater Minor. Paris is excited to be participating in her first New Musical Laboratory and first show at Michigan State University. She would like to thank the entire production team for giving her this opportunity, past mentors, directors, and family for their everlasting support. Some previous roles outside of MSU include Once On This Island (Ensemble/Featured Dancer), High School Musical: Onstage (Martha Cox), Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief (Annabeth Chase), The Lion King Jr (Rafiki), and School Of Rock  (Tomika). Paris is ready to partake in this show and make new memories!

NOAH TRAPP (Ensemble, U/S Doctor/Pilot/Emile) Livonia, MI; Junior, BFA Acting and International Relations. Noah is so excited for the opportunity to work on his first New Musical Laboratory and to bring this show to life with this wonderful creative team. He would like to thank Allysha, his past directors, friends, and family for all their support. Some previous roles include Inching Toward Yeolha (Jeh-Gun), 9-5: The Musical (Bob/Ensemble), and A Beautiful Day in November…(Smilesinger’s Husband).

MARA VANDER BEEK (Assistant Stage Manager) Kalamazoo, MI; Junior, BFA Stage Management. Some recent credits include Inching Toward Yeolha (Production Assistant), A Beautiful Day in November on the Banks of the Greatest of the Great Lakes (Assistant Stage Manager), Legally Blonde (Stage Manager), Something Rotten (Stage Manager). She would like to thank her friends and family 🙂

HUGH WATTERS (Emile; Pilot) South Lyon, MI; Junior, BFA Acting Major. Hugh is very excited to be in his first musical at MSU, as well as his first New Musical Lab. He is also currently a member of the award winning State of Fifths a cappella group, so singing on stage feels like home to him. You also might have seen him in A Beautiful Day in November…(Twin), and MSU Unscripted, but make sure to catch him in November as Cassio in Othello. He would love to thank his epic parents, family, and friends for their love and support.

OLIVIA WELCH (Ensemble, U/S Amelia) Romeo, MI; Junior, BA Management, Musical Theatre Minor. Recent credits include Ride The Cyclone (Constance) and Arsenic and Old Lace (Officer O’Hara) with Second Stage MSU. Olivia is thrilled to be making her MSU Department of Theatre debut alongside such an amazing cast and team! She would like to thank her friends and family for all of their love and support as she does what she loves!

MARK WILLIAM** (Jean-Christophe). Mark is thrilled to be working again with friend and frequent collaborator, Matt Lowy. Previous collaborations include the world premiere of Lowy’s original musical, How Christmas Feels, as well as Mark’s critically-acclaimed nightclub acts, and his second album, Mark William: If I Can Dream, which just dropped in August, and features music direction, arrangements, and orchestrations by Lowy. Mark is a 2-time BroadwayWorld Award-winner for his first album, Mark William: Come Croon With Me, and the live show of the same name. He has appeared on Broadway in Broadway Backwards, has had the honor of performing God Bless America at Yankee Stadium, and has shared the stage with such luminaries as Andrea Bocelli, Lea Salonga, Gloria Estefan, Brendan Fraser, Sarah Brightman, and Whoopi Goldberg. Mark is the lyricist and star of the new musical, Dorian’s Wild(e) Affair, which will have its world premiere production in 2026. He recently completed production on his first short film, Do you…?, and is in development and pre-production on multiple film projects as both writer and actor. Mark will return to EPCOT in November-December for his 3rd season singing with the Voices of Liberty in the annual Candlelight Processional. Thank you to MSU and the wonderful cast, crew, and creatives for lending your talent and resources to develop new musicals!