MISF Team
Check out the incredible talent behind the 2024 Mackinac Island Shakespeare Festival! We’ll be announcing more artists in the upcoming weeks, so keep checking back here!
Christina Casano
Director, Henry IV
Christina Casano (she/her) CHRISTINA CASANO (she/her) is a theatre artist based in Chicago. Her training includes a BA in Theatre from Miami University, Victory Gardens Theater’s Director’s Inclusion Initiative, and the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Summer Professional Training Program. Selected directing credits: I Build Giants and Poison (The Plagiarists), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stone Soup Shakespeare), Socks & Co. (workshop, Eclectic Full Contact Theatre), Work in Progress (workshop, The Plagiarists) How To Murder… (workshop, Bramble Theatre), Blood of My Mother’s (workshop reading, Wayward Sisters), Plaid As Hell (Babes With Blades), Deep Shadows (audio drama, EFCT), Fame Heaux (staged reading, Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival), The Living Newspaper Festival (Jackalope Theatre). Other favorite projects: Short Shakes! Romeo & Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Some Like It Red and The Epic of Gilgamesh, etc. (The Plagiarists), How To Defend Yourself (Victory Gardens), Bury Me (Dandelion Theatre), The Light Fantastic (Jackalope Theatre). She is the Artistic Director of The Plagiarists and the Creative Producer at Remy Bumppo. www.cmrcasano.com
Sydney Schwindt
Director, Twelfth Night
Sydney Schwindt (she/her) is a director, actor, fight director, illustrator, and educator. Recent directing projects include "As You Like It" and "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" with San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. She has taught at Indiana University, ACT’s Graduate Program, and a variety of institutions around the country. Sydney is a resident artist and climate justice advocate with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and serves on the advisory board of the Same Boat Theatre Collective (an eco theatre). Sydney is an Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, as well as an Associate Member of SDC (Stage Directors and Choreographers Society). She has provided fight directing for ACT, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Livermore Shakespeare Festival, Awesome Theatre, and many others. Favorite acting credits include Livermore Shakespeare Festival, Bay Area Children’s Theatre, Perspective Theatre Company, Hartford Stage, Berkeley Rep, and The Hampton Theatre Company. Sydney received her BFA in acting from the Hartt School of Music, Dance, and Theatre. She also has trained with Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo Italy, SF Clown Conservatory, the New York Roving Classical Commedia Company, among others. www.sydney-schwindt.com
Detalion Dixon
Actor
Detalion Dixon (he/him) Making his Starling Shakespeare debut! Detalion Dixon is a MFA Performance graduate of the University of Mississippi. Past Roles include Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth in Macbeth, Lank in Detroit 67, A Drifter in Beautiful the Carole King Musical.
Rosemary Richards
Actor
Rosemady Richards (she/her) is thrilled to be making her Starling Shakespeare Company debut! Rosemary received her BFA in Musical Theatre from William Peace University and holds an MLITT and MFA in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University. Her favorite credits include: Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (The Wayne) Ophelia in Hamlet (Richmond Shakespeare), Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (Treehouse Shakespeare Ensemble), Isabella in Measure for Measure (Raleigh Little Theatre), Boy in Henry V (Cape Fear Regional Theatre), and The Narrator in Joseph…Technicolor Dreamcoat (William Peace Theatre). She would like to give a special thanks to her family, friends, S&P Community, and Treehouse Shakespeare Ensemble for their constant inspiration and encouragement. #staybleffed
Bradley Johnson
Actor
Bradley Johnson (he/they) is so excited to be bounding around the midwest doing The Bard this summer! He is currently a Twin Cities actor whose past credits include: Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet" (Zephyr Theater), Laurie in "Little Women: The Musical" (Artistry Theatre), Jeff in "Title of Show" (Lyric Arts), regional premiere of "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" (Theatre L'Homme Dieu), world premiere of "We Shall Someday" (Theatre Latte Da), Satan in "Analog and Vinyl" (Minneapolis Musical Theater), Peter in "Company" (Lakeshore Players Theater), and a soloist in "Some Enchanted Evening" (Artistry Theatre). Bradley is a proud Coloradan and graduate of The University of Minnesota with a BA in Theatre Performance. He must thank all of his dear goofball friends and family for their support. Please enjoy our revels! Instagram: @bradleygladley
Kristin Yates
Actor
Kristin Yates (she/her) Kristin is so excited to make her Starling Shakespeare Festival debut! She most recently played Hermia, Peaseblossom, and Snout on Shakespeare and Company’s Northeast regional tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Kristin has her B.F.A from Ohio University in Theatre Performance. Some of her favorite roles include: Urinetown and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (The Studio Theatre TDS), Little Shop of Horrors and Caroline Or Change (Tantrum Theater) and her NYC debut in This is How You got Me Naked(Jackie). She would like to thank God for his continued blessings, her family for their support and her mom especially for being her number one fan! IG: @kristinyatesactor
Jessie Lillis
Actor
Jessie Lillis (she/her) is an actor, director, and co-founder of Starling Shakespeare Company. She graduated in 2020 from Mary Baldwin University’s Shakespeare and Performance MFA program with a concentration in directing. Past roles include Caesar in Julius Caesar, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Troilus in Troilus and Cressida, Face in The Alchemist, Leartes/Guilderstone in Q1 Hamlet, and Moll in The Roaring Girl. A Coldwater, Michigan native, Jessie is thrilled to be returning to her home state for the third annual Mackinac Island Shakespeare Festival.
Andrea Williams
Designer
Andrea Williams (she/her) graduated in 2007 from the University of Arkansas with a M.F.A. in Costume Design and Technology and received her B.A. from Ripon College in 2004 with majors in Theatre, History, and Classical Studies. She has since worked professionally at several theatres and universities across the country as a Costume Technician and Designer. These include; American Players Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, The Goodman, Writer's Theatre, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre, The Milwaukee Rep, Kansas State, Northern Illinois University, Eastern Washington University, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Texas A&M University-Commerce. She particularly enjoys historical costuming and is also known for her baking (especially if it involves chocolate).
Jessica Boyles
Stage Manager
Jessica Boyles (she/her) earned her MFA from Mary Baldwin University's Shakespeare and Performance program. During her time there she directed productions such as The Roaring Girl and Q1 Hamlet. She has worn many hats, working as an actor and dramaturg, and has previously stage managed a Renaissance style production of Ben Jonson's The Alchemist in addition to SSC's productions of Julius Caesar and As You Like It. Jessica has been teaching middle school English and Social Studies for several years, and she is very excited for her second summer working with Starling Shakespeare Company.
Tim O’Hara
Composer
Tim O'Hara is a composer, performer, and educator based out of Jersey City, NJ. After graduating from NYU with a degree in music composition he toured China, Singapore, and the United States with various musical productions as a performer. Upon return, he began working in the themed entertainment industry, providing music and creative direction for shows/experiences in parks like Seaworld, Universal Studios, Vinwonders Phu Quoc, and many more. When he's not performing with his wedding band or in musical theater pits he runs Hop, Skip, & a Jump, a nonprofit music class that focuses on teaching special needs children through music and games. Tim loves Shakespeare and is delighted to be a part of this production of Twelfth Night, his favorite of the comedies! Thanks to my family, my cat, and to Jessie and Sydney for this opportunity.
Madison Hill
Fight Choreographer
Madison Hill (they/them) is excited to make their debut as a Fight Choreographer with Starling Shakespeare Company! You may have seen Madison’s work in other spaces such as Raven Theatre Company, Babes with Blades Theatre Company, The Plagiarists, Kerfuffle TVY, and Imagination Theater. Most recently, Madison was the intimacy designer for brother sister cyborg space at Raven Theatre Company, and coming up Madison will be the Assistant Fight Choreographer for A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Babes with Blade Theatre Company. They have multiple certifications with the Society of American Fight Directors, and regularly attend workshops and classes with the SAFD. Madison is thankful for their partners, chosen family, and their sweet little black void of a cat.