Once On This Island

SIMONE ALENE, (Andrea, u/s Erzulie) is so excited to be back at Village after her run as the head Shirelle in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Simone has worked all over Seattle, including The 5th Avenue Theatre, Renton Civic Theatre, InD Theatre Company, and SecondStory Repertory. Favorite roles include Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Ilse in Spring Awakening, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. Find her on Instagram at @simone_alene, or shop her Disney-themed small business at @grumpysunflowerstudios.

MARLETTE BUCHANAN, (Mama Euralie) is excited to return to Village Theatre! Village Mainstage: Medda in Disney’s Newsies, Queenie in Showboat, Asaka in Once on This Island. Recent/favorite credits include Aunt Em in The Wiz (The 5th Avenue Theatre); Effy in The Spitfire Grill, Mabel in Crowns, and Clairee in Steel Magnolias (Taproot Theatre); Myrna in Milk Like Sugar and Lula in Violet (ArtsWest Theatre); Carmina Burana (Spectrum Dance Theatre), Lily in Porgy and Bess (Seattle Opera), Nell in Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Sarah in Ragtime. Much love to family and friends!

KATAKA CORN, they/them (Erzulie) is ecstatic to be back at Village Theatre! Select credits: u/s Sophie and Ensemble in Mamma Mia! and Welcome Home - A Holiday Concert (Village Theatre), Yitzhak in Hedwig and The Angry Inch (ArtsWest), Dorothy in The Wiz and u/s Jo in Afterwords (The 5th Avenue Theatre). Kataka is grateful for the support of their community and family.

JASMINE HALL, she/her (Little Ti Moune) is delighted to make her Village Theatre debut! Recently, she was part of the Petit Cor in Carmen (Tacoma Opera), and supernumerary in Elixir of Love and the world premiere of A Thousand Splendid Suns (Seattle Opera). When she’s not on stage, Jasmine enjoys creating art, playing piano and violin, skiing, and gliding on roller skates. Special thanks to her family and friends and her first theatre teacher, Ms. Anne, for their endless support. Enjoy the show!

JESIMIEL R. JENKINS, (Armand, u/s Agwe, u/s Tonton). Village Theatre debut. A Thick Description of Harry Smith (Vol. 1), The Oresteia, and Father Comes Home from the Wars (University of Washington School of Drama). Local credits: Choir Boy (ACT Theatre), The Tempest (Seattle Shakespeare Company), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Tacoma Arts Live). Regional credits: Ragtime (Hangar Theatre) and Rent (Media Theatre). Commercials: Mitsubishi, Old Navy, and Pedego. Recent graduate, MFA in acting, University of Washington. “We tell the story!” IG: @jesimielross

SYDNEY QUILDON,(Ti Moune) is super excited to be making her Village Theatre debut! She is currently pursuing a BFA in musical theatre at The Hartt School. Sydney was most recently in The Goodspeed Opera House Festival of New Musicals. She sends her love and thanks to her friends, mentors, and family (and her puppy Rico)!! Instagram @_syd.q

KELSEY SCOTT, (Asaka). Kelsey’s theatre credits include the world premiere of Pearl Cleage’s What I Learned in Paris, the title role in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, and principal roles in Dreamgirls, Once on This Island, and Little Shop of Horrors. She is a two-time Emmy-nominee, best known for her work in 12 Years A Slave and “How to Get Away with Murder.” Additional screen credits include “Better Call Saul,” “Insecure,” “NCIS,” “True Detective,” and the recently released KEMBA.

YUSEF D. SEEVERS, he/they (Papa Ge) is excited to make his mainstage debut at Village Theatre. Yusef is new to Seattle and a queer Detroit native holding an MFA in acting and BFA in musical theatre. Select credits: Dr. Grayburn in Something’s Afoot and Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (The 5th Avenue Theatre); Narrator in Black Nativity (Intiman Theatre); and Prophet in Last Drive to Dodge (Taproot Theatre). Thank you, Mom and Dad, for always making sure I found joy. @Blackbassclef, Yusefseevers.com.

MARIAH SHRINER, (Little Ti Moune) is so excited to make her debut at Village Theatre. Mariah has appeared in several school productions and has done musical theater classes, dance, piano, and voice. In addition to singing and dancing, Mariah enjoys time with friends and reading books. Mariah is thankful for Jesus, family, and friends.

JESSE JONATHAN SMITH SR., (Tonton Julian) is thrilled to be joining this amazing cast and crew. He has been seen at various theaters around the Pacific Northwest, including Sound Theatre Company, ArtsWest, and The 5th Avenue Theatre. Much love to friends, family, Peggy, and Finn. This one is dedicated to you, Junior. Daddy loves you.

CHANDLER T. THOMAS, he/him (Agwe) is overjoyed to be returning to the Village Theatre stage; he was previously seen as a Drifter and Ensemble in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, u/s C.C. White and Ensemble in Dreamgirls, and u/s Seaweed and Ensemble in Hairspray. Other credits: Annie and Mamma Mia! (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Lola in Kinky Boots and Brad in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Tacoma Musical Playhouse), as well as educational tours with Book-It Repertory Theatre, Tacoma Arts Live, and The 5th Avenue Theatre. Peace and love!

JEFFERY WALLACE, (Daniel) is thrilled to be returning to Village Theatre. Previous credits: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Hello, Dolly! (Village Theatre); Once on This Island and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Tacoma Musical Playhouse); All Shook Up, Holiday Inn, and Big Fish (ManeStage Theatre Company). Off stage, Jeff runs his own interior design and coffee business, Saints Society. He is blessed to share his God given gifts and thanks his family, friends, and partner for their support. @Jbrianjr_

BRANDI BIRDSONG, (u/s Mama Euralie, u/s Papa Ge) is a So-Cal native performing artist with a BM in vocal performance. Some of her favorite credits include Ronette in Little Shop of Horrors (Village Theatre), Adriana in The Comedy of Errors (Seattle Shakespeare Company), and Duncan in Macbeth: A Rock Musical (Seattle Public Theater). Brandi has also had the privilege to work with Seattle Opera, Tacoma Opera, and was a featured artist on NPR Music Live Sessions.

SYDNEY RAE BLOSCH, she/her (u/s Andrea) is thrilled to be making her Village Theatre debut! Proud Oklahoma City University BM in music theatre alum. Previous credits: Party Worth Crashing (Our Time Players), The Bluest Eye, Sister Act, Hairspray, Rent (Oklahoma City University). To her family and friends—thank you for your unwavering support. To the cast and crew—what an immense honor it is to be telling this story with you. Enjoy the show!

NALICA HENNINGS,(u/s Ti Moune) graduated from Western Washington University with a BA in music and a minor in theatre. She has performed as Lucille/Ensemble in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Village Theatre), Chorus in Porgy and Bess (Seattle Opera), and Aquata/Ensemble in Disney’s The Little Mermaid (The 5th Avenue Theatre). Feel free to follow her on Instagram @nalica.performs

MATT LOCKETT, (u/s Daniel, u/s Armand) is a Seattle area actor and singer excited to be making his Village Theatre debut! He has been a soloist with the Seattle Men’s Chorus, and has worked on projects with Dacha Theatre, Renton Civic Theatre, The Shattered Glass Project, and Theatre Battery. He is beyond grateful for the opportunity to join the stellar cast of Once on This Island! MatthewLockett.com

ALIYAH SHINES, (u/s Asaka) is so very excited to be working with Village Theatre to help tell the beautiful story that is Once on This Island! Ever since going on a field trip with her high school drama club in 2018 to see Hairspray at Village Theatre, it has been Aliyah’s dream to be able to perform on this stage! Her credits include Aretha Franklin in Beehive, the Princess who kissed the frog in Disenchanted, Joy the Evil Stepsister in Cinderella, Sour Kangaroo in Seussical: the Musical, and she was a 2019 nominee for The 5th Avenue Theatre Awards for her role as Ms. Darbus in High School Musical! Aliyah would like to thank Clark, Laurel, and Petey for never giving up on her and a special thanks to her husband, sister, and mom for being her biggest fans. Enjoy the show!

AMEENAH KAPLAN, (Director, Choreographer) says thank you to this entire team for going on the journey with her. She is honored to return to Village to be a part of this production. She knows that it holds a special place in the hearts of many people, and hopes this production becomes a part of that legacy for you. Thirty years later, we all get to celebrate the magic that is Once on This Island. She thanks you for supporting live theater.

MICHAEL NUTTING, he/him (Music Director) is very excited to be back music directing at Village Theatre! Michael loves to stay busy on as many projects as possible. Favorite past shows include: The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes and String (Village Theatre); Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Into the Woods (The 5th Avenue Theatre); Urinetown and Little Shop of Horrors (ACT Theatre); and The Hello Girls (Taproot Theatre). When he is not music directing, he is an avid composer, arranger, and educator. Special thanks to all those whose hard work is fueling this production. Love to Jerra.

BRYCE CUTLER, (Set Designer). Previous designs include Grand Horizons (Broadway); 2020 Pulitzer Prize finalist Soft Power (The Public Theater); along with world premieres by John Patrick Shanley, Dael Orlandersmith, Matt Aucoin, and Grammy Award winner Steve Mackey. Other projects include Samsung’s virtual reality television series “Interpretation of Dreams;” Feel the Pride, an AI powered audio-visual installation with St. Vincent; and a virtual reality arcade for Muse’s 2019 World Tour. brycecutler.com

DANIELLE NIEVES, (Costume Designer) is thrilled to be back at Village Theatre. Her work has been seen in Sense and Sensibility (Village), The 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Rep, ACT Theatre, Intiman Theatre, The Old Globe Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, South Coast Rep, The Goodman Theatre, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Cleveland Playhouse. Off-Broadway: Pity in History, No End of Blame, Gertrude – The Cry, and Lovesong of the Electric Bear for Potomac Theatre Project/NYC at Atlantic Stage 2. daniellenieves.com

ROBERT J. AGUILAR, he/him (Lighting Designer). Credits at Village Theatre include Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, How to Break, Little Shop of Horrors, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and String. Regional credits include: Seattle Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theater Company, Portland Center Stage, ACT Theatre, Pioneer Theater Company, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Pittsburgh Public Theater, The 5th Avenue Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The Old Globe, Intiman Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Milwaukee Rep among others. Film: The Jinkx and Dela Holiday Special, Potato Dreams of America. robertjaguilar.com IG: @fake_robert.

ROBERTSON WITMER, (Sound Designer) is a Seattle based sound designer and musician. Previously at Village Theatre: Hello, Dolly! and Matilda. Other recent productions include: X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X (Seattle Opera); The Moors, Once More, Just for You (Seattle Public Theater); Murder on the Links (Laguna Playhouse); A Christmas Carol (Merrimack Repertory Theater); and The Tempest (Seattle Shakespeare Company). When he is not designing sound for theater, Robertson plays with several bands, including the Love Markets and “Awesome.”

AMBER MAYBERRY, (Associate Choreographer, Additional Choreography) is a performer, choreographer, and dance educator from Washington, D.C. BFA: State University of New York- Purchase College (Cum Laude). Concert dance companies: The Trey McIntyre Project, Spectrum Dance Theater, Wideman/Davis Dance and Elisa Monte Dance. Regional Favorites: Measure for Measure (Shakespeare Theatre Company) and Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity (Seattle Theatre Group). For the past 10 years, Amber has performed extensively with Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway and two national tours. IG: Ambernmayberry

JESSICA C. BOMBALL, she/her (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back at Village. Regional theater highlights include: Becoming Dr. Ruth (Village Theatre); Little Women, Lydia and the Troll, Bruce, Indecent, Tiny Beautiful Things (Seattle Rep); The Secret Garden, Disney’s Aladdin, and A Christmas Story: The Musical (The 5th Avenue Theatre). Other regional theatres include ACT Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, and Seattle Shakespeare Company.

ANNA VRANEY, she/her (Assistant Stage Manager) is so excited to be back at Village Theatre for this production. Some previous credits with the company include Hello, Dolly!, along with a multitude of shows with Village’s youth education program, KIDSTAGE. Other select credits include Stew, Choir Boy (ACT Theatre), Goodnight Moon (Seattle Children’s Theatre), Into the Woods (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Shout, Sister, Shout!, The Children (Seattle Repertory Theatre), and Always… Patsy Cline (Taproot Theatre).

JZ CASTING (Casting). Theatre work includes Broadway, off-Broadway and regional productions at Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, Baltimore Center Stage, Cape Playhouse, City Theatre, The Civilians, The Irish Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Kennedy Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Signature Theatre, South Coast Repertory, Studio Theatre, Theaterworks Hartford, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre. jz-casting.com.

ADAM IMMERWAHR, (Artistic Director) is responsible for season selection at Village Theatre, where he also oversees the artistic, education, and production departments. He recently directed Village’s productions of Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Fantasticks. He previously served as Artistic Director of Theater J, the Associate Artistic Director at McCarter Theatre, and the Resident Director of Passage Theatre. Adam’s producing credits include new works by Edward Albee, Christopher Durang, Danai Gurira, Fiasco Theater, Will Power, Stephen Wadsworth, Tarell Alvin McCraney, and Ken Ludwig, several of which have transferred to Broadway or off-Broadway. As a director, Adam’s work has been seen from Aspen to Zimbabwe, including at some of the top theaters in the country: The Public and Theater Row (both for Summer Play Festival), Ensemble Studio Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, McCarter Theater, Cleveland Play House, Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, Theater J, Passage Theater, Hangar Theater, Bristol Riverside, and many others. He serves on the Board of the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce and is an inaugural member of the Drama League Director’s Council. 

LAURA LEE, (Managing Director) began her tenure with Village Theatre in July 2022 and is responsible for the marketing, fundraising, patron services, operations – facilities & IT, human resources, and the finances of Village Theatre. She strives to keep the care and comfort of her board, staff, artists, volunteers, patrons, and donors at the top of her mind each day. She previously served as the Managing Director of Seattle’s ArtsWest for 10 years.

In addition to her theatre work, Laura is the founder of Production Sports, and was the first to bring elite, international, network-televised events to Everett, WA, working with U.S. Figure Skating, USA Gymnastics, USA Diving, and the Seattle and Snohomish Sports Commissions. Laura serves on the Lodging Tax Advisory Board of the City of Issaquah and is a supporter of the Mayors and Business Leaders for Public Safety.

Helping Hand for Relief and Development: 
Haiti is a Caribbean country facing a longstanding humanitarian crisis, due to its extreme poverty, poor infrastructure, and lack of resources. The situation is further exacerbated by natural disasters and political instability, as seen in the 2010 earthquake. The COVID-19 pandemic also increased the vulnerability of the population, adding an economic and health crisis on top of pre-existing humanitarian crisis. HHRD has been in the region since 2010, offering immediate humanitarian relief and long-term development projects. Patrons can learn more and make a contribution at www1.hhrd.org/Campaigns/Haiti-Relief

ArtsFund is proud to support Village Theatre’s mission as they continue to produce dynamic programming that highlights innovative artists in the Pacific Northwest. ArtsFund’s support of local arts organizations is only possible through the contributions of donors in this community, and we are immensely grateful to the generous individuals and businesses who have supported ArtsFund as well as Village Theatre. We will continue to support arts organizations, like Village Theatre, that elevate the voices of Washington state through our leadership, advocacy, and grantmaking programs. We are excited to see what will be performed throughout this season!

The Boeing Company is committed to improving the quality of life within the communities where our employees live and work. Our Global Engagement programs implement Boeing’s philanthropy through local charitable investments, volunteerism, employee drives, personal giving, disaster response, and other integrated programs. Boeing is proud to be a supporter of Village Theatre’s productions and musical theatre education programs, and we are pleased to welcome you back to live theatre. Enjoy the show!

Microsoft is pleased to sponsor Village Theatre’s 2023-2024 Season, and to welcome you to the production of Once on This Island. Village Theatre is a favorite among our employees and their families, and we are delighted to support a vibrant community arts organization that brings high quality entertainment to the Eastside. We encourage employee engagement and volunteerism in the community throughout the year and through support of great organizations like Village Theatre, we aim to foster a strong community culture where the arts will thrive for generations to come. Enjoy the show!

Wildfin American Grill has been serving hand crafted, locally sourced, high-quality cuisine and cocktails for nearly 13 years. We invite you to join us to try our brand new, seasonally relevant menu, providing the freshest product the Northwest has to offer. WildFin is proud to partner with local charities and non-profits that support our Pacific Northwest communities and environment. We are thrilled to sponsor Village Theatre’s production of Once on This Island, and to welcome you to the show.