WHAT IF WILHELMINA

MELEAH ACUFF (Faith) West Bloomfield, MI; Senior, BFA Acting, Musical Theater Minor. Meleah is ecstatic to be leading her last MSU mainstage show. Meleah was last seen in MSU productions of Much Ado About Nothing (Hugh Oatcake), Charlotte’s Web (Chorus), For The Love Of:(roller derby) (Joy Ride) and Head Over Heels (Mopsa). Meleah would like to thank God, her family and amazing professors for the endless laughs and support over the years. Lee out!

TOBY BOURNE (Lighting Designer) St. Johns, MI; Freshman. Toby is excited to be joining the What if Wilhelmina team after working in lighting for his high school productions for the past three years.

ANASTASIA BREEN (Mouse) Bay City, MI; Freshman, BFA Acting & BA JMC International Relations, Minor in Musical Theatre. Anastasia is so grateful to be a part of her first musical at MSU! Anastasia was last seen in MSU UnScripted (Actor) and They’re So Dramatic’s Seasons of Love Concert. She would like to thank her family and friends for always helping her through her “what ifs.”

KATHERINE CLEMONS (Choreographer) Greenville, SC; 3rd Year, MFA Acting Candidate, Katherine is a 2015 graduate of Ball State University. She was last seen on the MSU Stage as Linda Porter in Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter. Some of her more notable roles include Tracey in Sweat (Michigan State University – 2023 Wilde Award Winner, Best Leading Actress in a Play, Drama), Diane in The Birds (Huron Playhouse), Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods (Nettle Creek Players), and Rhetta Cupp in Pump Boys and Dinettes (Myers Dinner Theatre). Thank you to Jacob, Avery, family, and CoHort for their love and support!

GRACIE DUFFY (Dumptruck, Perimeter Person 1) Lake Zurich, IL; Sophomore, BFA Acting, Educational Studies Minor. Gracie is so grateful and excited for her first production at MSU! This experience has meant a lot to her! She wants to thank all of her amazing friends and her family for their continued love and support!

ANGELINA FRANZESE (Assistant Stage Manager) Ann Arbor, MI; Sophomore, BFA Stage Management, BA Arts & Humanities, Spanish Minor. Angelina is super excited to be working on her first DOT production and could not have asked for a better first show! Other works include SSP’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (ASM), ROIAL’s Romeo & Juliet (SM) & Trail to Oregon (SM).

SHELBY GINSBURG (Wilhelmina 1, Perimeter Person 2) Commerce, MI; Junior, BFA Acting Major, Creative Advertising Major, Musical Theater Minor. Shelby is thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of this show and bring theater to young audiences. Her most recent credits include Rocky Mountain High (Ensemble), Sweat (Jesse) and For the Love of (Squeaky Mouse). Additionally, she is a proud member of SSMT and leader of After School Special. To all those who have loved and supported her throughout her journey, thanks for all you do!

URAL GRANT (Assistant Director/Community Engagement Liaison) Memphis, TN; Third-year MFA Acting Candidate. Previously seen at Detroit Rep in Transfers (Clarence). Summer Circle 2022 in Distracted (Son) and The Play That Goes Wrong (Johnathan). Past productions at MSU DOT include Rocky Mountain High (Bork), Corktown (Reverend Johnson/Assistant Director), Hit the Wall (Carson), A Contemporary American’s Guide to a Successful Marriage (Jeremy).

RENEE KINSLER (Stage Manager) Holland, MI; Junior, BFA Stage Management & BS Mechanical Engineering. Renee is so excited to be part of What If Wilhelmina as a calling SM for the first time! Some of her recent show credits at MSU include Rocky Mountain High (ASM) and Bright Star (ASM/Automations Operator). She would like to thank her family and friends for their unwavering support. 

JACOB MAURER (Screamer, Thinker, Owl) Williamston, MI; Second year, LCC Theatre Student. Jacob was a cast member in the What if Wilhelmina school tour in the spring of 2023 and is very excited to be a part of What If Wilhelmina for another year. Jacob wants to thank his friends and family for their support. He also wants to thank Dionne for inviting him to be in this show over a year ago, allowing a neurodiverse actor to perform in a show for kids and for a neurodivergent audience is a dream for him. He also wants to thank everyone that came to see the show!

TYLER RADZE (Bulldog, Squirrel) White Lake, MI; BFA Acting, BA Business Management. Tyler was most recently seen in MSU’s productions of Clue (Colonel Mustard) and Charlotte’s Web (Uncle). Tyler would like to thank his friends and family for their support.

TOBIAS SANDERS (Dad, Skunk) Hazel Park, MI; Junior, BFA Acting & Musical Theatre Minor. Tobias is thrilled to be a part of What If Wilhelmina, and to share theatre with other neurodivergent audiences. Toby’s most recent show credits are CLUE (Chief of Police) and Bright Star (Stanford).

ALEX SPEVETZ (Wilhelmina 2, Son of Man) Lake Orion, MI; Sophomore BFA Acting & English BA in Creative Writing. Alex is grateful to be a part of What if Wilhelmina as their first mainstage DOT performance. They are grateful for their family and partner who support them unconditionally. They were recently featured in Jest Fest (Improv), The STEAM Plays (Abbey/Stage Manager), and Stefon’s Monsters and Other Strange Fantasies (Dancer).

ALEC TRAN (Papa) Novi, MI; Freshman, BFA Acting. Alec is so excited to be a part of his first musical at MSU. He would like to give a special thanks to all his wonderful friends, family and teachers who have supported his journey. The last show he did at MSU was MSU Unscripted as a part of the cast. 

DIONNE O’DELL (Lyricist, Book writer, Director) Dionne O’Dell is faculty in the Department of Theatre at MSU where she specializes in writing and directing plays for youth and community. She serves as the Artistic Director of the MSU Sense-Ability Ensemble, and What if Wilhelmina is the Ensemble’s fourth production for audiences that are neurodiverse under her leadership.

CHELLE PETERSON (Composer, Musical Director) Chelle Peterson, Mason, MI; Chelle is an MSU graduate (BFA Theatre- Design/Musical Theatre Minor). She has composed several works with Dionne O’Dell and MSU’s Sensibility Ensemble, as well as hundreds of other musical works. Her day job consists of being the staff costume designer at Lansing Community College where she also teaches costume and sound design, and stage makeup.