Jeff Broitman, he/him (E.K. Hornbeck) Jeff is thrilled to be returning to Edge, where he was previously seen in The Language Archive, for which he received a Jeff nomination, and The Book of Will. Jeff has written, directed, taught, and performed theater & improvisation for over 30 years in New York City; Minneapolis; and Chicago. Recent credits include The Blood Countess (Idle Muse Theatre); The 7-Year Glitch (Yellow Rose Theatre); and the solo show The Day After (Lucid Theatre). Thanks to Chris & everyone at Edge for this opportunity!

Bill Chamberlain*, he/him (Reverend Brown) Bill is a Resident Artist and is thrilled to be returning for his eighth show! He was last seen at Edge as Mr. Oldfield in The Minutes. Other recent credits include Three Sisters (Chebutykin) at Sandbox Collective, Buried Child (Dodge) at Albright Community Theatre, The Man Who Came to Dinner (Sheridan Whiteside) at St. Sebastian Players, and The Secret Garden (Ben Weatherstaff) at THEO. Many thanks to Chris and the hardworking production team at Edge and to his patient husband, Howard.

Christa Ciesil*, she/her (Rachel Brown) Grown just five minutes away, Christa performed as a child with the Resident Theatre (The Secret Garden, Our Town, Drood) and completes the circle with another adult appearance (following our Studio Series’ A Doll’s House, Part 2 and Nice Fish). BFA: NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She likes using theatre for collective grief (with laughter!), most notably in Tisch’s mainstage biographic play, Memorial. Christa is a licensed SLP + giggling vocalist. Come chat after the show!

Ryan Clark, he/him (Howard) Ryan is a Chicago-based actor and singer who began his performing journey at the age of five. With a strong stage presence and a passion for storytelling, Ryan has portrayed a variety of memorable characters, including Prince Charming in Cinderella, Donkey in Shrek Jr., and Daddy Warbucks in Annie. He has performed multiple solos and continues to develop his singing abilities alongside his acting. Now entering his high school years at Loyola Academy, Ryan is eager to expand his training and explore new creative opportunities. Whether in musicals, plays, or future stage projects, Ryan brings energy, dedication, and heart to every performance.

Jo Conte, she/her (Melinda) Jo is thrilled to move up to the Resident Theatre, after years of classes at Edge of the Wood! At only ten years old, Jo has already found a true passion for acting, having played leading roles such as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden; supporting roles such as Gracie Shinn in The Music Man and Mrs Bedwin in Oliver!; and scene-stealing funny roles such as Drizella in Cinderella and Lucy in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown“. When not on stage, Jo likes to play guitar, knit and crochet and hang with friends. She would like to thank Edge for this opportunity and her family for support. 

Micah Cronin, he/him (Howard) Micah is a 7th grader who began his theater journey at age 8 with Edge of the Wood.  This is his first time performing with the Resident Theatre and he’s thrilled to be a part of Inherit the Wind. In his free time, Micah enjoys playing soccer, tinkering with computers and gaming with friends. He is excited to share the stage with this talented cast!

Alexandra T. Cross, she/her (Meeker/Mrs. Blair, Judge u/s) is thrilled to be making her Edge of the Wood debut! Recent credits include Dragons Love Tacos (Person in Suit) with Big Noise Theatre, 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress (Trisha), Barefoot in the Park (Corie), and The Book of Will (Alice), all with the Saint Sebastian Players. Alexandra would like to thank her partner, Scott, and her friends and family for their never-ending love and support.

Alex Duty, he/him (Davenport/Bollinger, Cates u/s) Alex earned his BFA in Acting and Directing from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2019 and relocated to Chicago in 2023 after spending a few years in the Denver scene. Some of his favorite theatre credits include: Warren in This is Our Youth, Jason in Sweat and Lenny in Rumors. He would like to thank his family, friends, girlfriend and dog for their support; none of this would be worth it without them.

Karyn Louise Doerfler, she/her (Mrs. Brady) Karyn is excited to be making her Edge of the Wood Theatre debut. Her recent credits include Anastasia (Countess Lily), Natural Talent Productions; Rumors (Claire) and Steel Magnolias (Truvy), Galaxy Theater Company; On Golden Pond (Chelsea), MadKap Productions; Nunsense (Sister Mary Hubert) and The Book of Will (Rebecca Heminges), Saint Sebastian Players; Young Frankenstein (Elizabeth Benning) and The Crucible (Elizabeth Proctor), Devonshire Playhouse; and Mamma Mia! (Tanya), Golden Ticket Productions.

Douglas Levin, he/him (Elijah/Hurdy Gurdy Man, Reverend Brown u/s) Douglas is thrilled to make his debut at Edge of the Wood. Chicago credits: Fiddler on the Roof (Music Theatre Works), Boy Gets Girl (MadKap), The Infinity Play (Curious Theatre Branch) and Rudolph The Red-Hosed Reindeer (Hell in a Handbag). Regional: Twelfth Night, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival), The Little Dog Laughed (Live Theatre Workshop), Mrs. Dalloway (Rogue Theatre), Faustus: That Damned Woman (Scoundrel & Scamp). Gratitude to Chris, John, and the entire team.

Toni Mansfield*, she/her (Mrs. Krebs) Toni is thrilled to return to the Edge of the Wood stage. She was in the inaugural production of The Secret Garden (dancing ghost), Into the Woods (Rapunzel), She Loves Me (shop girl/featured  dancer), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Dream Rosa), solidifying her place as Edge’s resident dancing ghost. Toni is very appreciative to the director, production team, and cast, for the opportunity to take on a non-musical role.  She has also been in productions with Highland Park Players, the Winnetka Village Follies, and The Nutcracker on Ice at Robert Crown.  Love to squish and the pups! 

Jojo Nabwangu, she/her (Melinda) Jojo is excited to make her debut at Edge of the Wood Theatre. She has previously been in Mary Poppins – A Staged Concert (Metropolis), Winnie the Pooh and The House At Pooh Corner (Morton Arboretum), Billy Elliot (Paramount), and Gypsy (Marriott). She is a proud company member of Inkwell Arts And Learning. She would like to thank Gray Talent Group, her family, her dog Teddy, and her bird Mango.

Stephen Oberhardt*, he/him (Reuters Man/Esterbrook, Davenport u/s) Stephen is excited to be spending more time in his favorite basement where he was born and raised. This past summer he directed Nice Fish for our Studio Series with a cast of some of our finest Resident Artists, and before that stage managed Edge’s “Jeff Awarded” production of The Minutes by Tracy Letts. In his limited time outside the walls of Edgebrook Community Church he rides his bike around the city of Chicago, plays DnD with his friends, and plays keys in local rock band Ivy Drip.

Jeanann Power*, she/her (Judge/Loomis) Jeanann holds an MFA from the Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. She has appeared in a number of Edge productions, including It Is So (If You Think So!), The Minutes, The Crucible, The Book of Will, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Seagull, She Loves Me, Our Town, The Man Who Came to Dinner, and The Secret Garden. She also portrayed Emily Dickinson in The Belle of Amherst at Edge, and the show then transferred to open the South Haven Theatre Series.

R. Scott Purdy*, he/him (Matthew Harrison Brady) Scott is thrilled to return to the boards at Edge of the Wood, having appeared in Edge productions of: Our Town, The Fantasticks, Holiday, The Seagull, Arcadia, The Book of Will, The Crucible, The Language Archive, and Nice Fish. Scott has been in hundreds of stage plays, dozens of films and many commercials. He is represented in Chicago by Shirley Hamilton Talent. rscottpurdy.com

Kevin Schwartz, he/him (Goodfellow/Dunlap, Drummond u/s) Kevin is excited to return to the stage and make his debut with Edge of the Wood Theatre.  He taught, acted and directed in Milwaukee for many years. Regional credits include The Lion in Winter, San Jose Repertory; A Winter’s Tale, California Shakespeare Theater; Richard III, ACT; Volpone, Milwaukee Repertory Theater; Chapter Two, The Glass Menagerie, Sunnyvale Summer Rep.  Kevin studied at American Conservatory Theater and is a proud SAG/AFTRA member.

Douglas Self, he/him (Platt/Sillers) Douglas is a father, poet, military/combat veteran, and acting newcomer whose body of work includes a successful run of Lucky Thirteen at Chicago’s Otherworld Theatre, and on screen in the recently released Behold, A Pale House and the upcoming horror feature, Landlord. He is grateful and excited to join the Inherit the Wind cast with the renowned Edge of the Wood Theatre.  

Maratea Siegel, she/her (Timmy) Maratea is delighted to be part of Inherit the Wind. Her recent acting credits include Betty in The Music Man, Oliver in Oliver!,  and Jane in The Secret Garden. In her spare time, she is a 6th grader at Thorp Elementary. She loves reading, tennis, gymnastics, and of course, tigers. She would like to thank Mom, Dad, and Hobbes for letting her quench her thirst for books and theater!

Lisa Stran, she/her (Mayor/McClain) Lisa is thrilled to be joining her sixth production with Edge of the Wood. Previously she has performed as Sarah Bernhardt (U/S) in Bernhardt/Hamlet, the Instructor in the Jeff-nominated The Language Archive, Ms. Matz (U/S) in the Jeff-nominated The Minutes, Signora Cini in It is So (If You Think So!) and one of her favorite roles to date, Frances Black in Light Up the Sky. Lisa graduated from Northwestern University in 1996 and has been performing in storefront theater in Chicago ever since. You may also catch her on the radio as Lisa, one of the voices of Lakeside Bank since 2018. Many thanks to Chris, Katie and the rest of the cast and crew for their hard work and dedication toward making this show a success. And most of all thank you for coming to support Edge of the Wood!

James Turano, he/him (Henry Drummond) James debuts with Edge of the Wood Theatre. He has been nominated for four Jeff Awards, including “Best Performer” in Invictus Theatre’s 2023 Jeff Award-winning “Best Play”, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and in 2024, as “Best Supporting Performer” in Invictus’ The Crucible. Highlights include: Network (Howard Beale) Invictus Theatre, A View from the Bridge (Alfieri) Playhouse 38, Amadeus (Salieri) Steel Beam Theatre, Glengarry Glen Ross (Roma) Greenman Theatre Troupe, Deathtrap (Sidney) Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, and Waiting for Godot (Pozzo) Triton College. James dedicates this show to his late mother, Lorraine–“Now she’s in me, always with me.”

Mark Yacullo, he/him (Bertram Cates) Mark is ecstatic to be making his Edge of the Wood Theatre debut! Some of his favorite credits include Baby (Nick) and Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Einstein) Citadel Theatre, Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour) Metropolis Performing Arts, Columbinus (Freak) Random Acts Chicago, The Wild Party (Sam) Blank Theatre Company and A Tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. (Dean Martin) Black Ensemble Theatre. 

David Ablao*, he/him (Elijah/Sillers u/s) Bio coming soon!

Amelia Bell*, she/her (Rachel u/s) Amelia is a proud Resident Artist at Edge of the Wood after having appeared in numerous productions including Arcadia, Pride & Prejudice, The Crucible, and most recently, The Language Archive.  Originally from Houston, Amelia has been performing across Chicago at theatres including Kokandy, Hell In a Handbag, and more since graduating from Northwestern University. Offstage, she is a teaching artist at Bubbles Academy. Love to all my family, friends, Liam, and the Edge team.

John Chambers*, he/him (Hornbeck u/s, Ensemble Swing) John is the Artistic Director of the Resident Theatre. As an actor,  he has appeared at Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace, Invictus Theatre, Theatre at the Center, Shakespeare on the Green, Court Theatre, and Light Opera Works, among others. With the Resident Theatre, he has produced and directed The Secret Garden,  A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Into the Woods, The Man Who Came to Dinner,  She Loves Me, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Meet Me in St. Louis, and Light Up the Sky. Favorite Edge acting credits include Johnny Case in Holiday, Noakes in Arcadia, and Mr. Carp in our Jeff-nominated production of The Minutes.

Eve Doyle, she/her (Meeker/Mrs. Blair/Mrs. Krebs u/s) Eve is thrilled to be a part of Inherit the Wind! Her credits include Marlene in Top Girls (Illinois State University), Marilyn in A Behanding in Spokane (Wilbur Wright College), and Emma in Curse of the Starving Class (Wilbur Wright College). When Eve is not acting, she loves to work behind the scenes as an assistant stage manager! She would like to thank the cast and crew for such a wonderful experience!

Stephen Loch*, he/him (Brady u/s) Stephen is an actor and graduate of the Theater School at DePaul University. He has appeared in many Edge of the Wood Theatre productions, including Light up the Sky, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Our Town, The Fantasticks, Bernhardt/Hamlet, Arcadia, The Minutes, and The Book of Will.

Hanna Beth Mitchell, she/her (Mayor/Mrs. Brady u/s) Hanna is a Chicago actress who is delighted to be collaborating with such a wonderful company! She is originally from Southern California where she grew up doing summer stock with her family. Favorite credits include: Mercutio and Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet), Susy Hendrix (Wait Until Dark) and Emily Bronte (Bronte). When not onstage she loves reading, sword fighting with the Society of American Fight Directors and playing with her new baby daughter. “Thank you AJ for supporting my calling and loving me more deeply each day.” sDg Instagram: @hannabethmitchell

JEFF AWARDS

Recognized for excellence

The Resident Theatre at Edge of the Wood produces family-friendly, professional-caliber shows in our community, engaging and inspiring young people as performers and theatre-goers. 

Four Jeff nominations for The Language Archive

• Production (Short Run)
• Director (Short Run) – Stacey Lind
• Performer in a Supporting Role (Short Run) – Jeff Broitman
• Performer in a Supporting Role (Short Run) – Ellen Shaw

The Jeff Awards honor excellence in Chicago theatre. Congratulations to all the nominees!