海角社区

George Judy

George Judy (Director/Richard Burbage) is Gresdna A. Doty Professor of Theatre at The Louisiana State University, where he headed the MFA Acting Program and served as Artistic Director of Swine Palace, the AEA theatre in residence at 海角社区. Professor Judy is a member of Actors' Equity Association and was recently invested as a Fellow of the American Theatre at the Kennedy Center alongside such theatre luminaries as Michael Khan and William Esper. His credits as an actor, writer, director and educator include work with the Royal National Theatre Studio, London, The Asolo Theatre, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, Pennsylvania Centre Stage, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Texas Shakespeare Festival and twelve seasons with the Tony award winning Utah Shakespeare Festival where he performed such favorite roles as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, and Polonius in Hamlet and was producer and director for USF鈥檚 Plays in Progress, which developed important new works and playwrights for the American theatre. More recent credits include Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Richelieu in The Three Musketeers and Alonso in The Tempest at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival and the title role in King Lear for Swine Palace where he has also starred as Sugar in Rising Water by John Biguenet and originated the role of Heinar in the American premiere of Andri Lupp鈥檚 Dove. His many regional credits include a stint as a Singing Ringmaster with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey and his highly praised adaptation of Ibsen鈥檚 A Doll鈥檚 House, premiered on the Swine Palace stage where he also has directed recently Arcadia, August: Osage County, a new stage version of Jane Austen鈥檚 Pride and Prejudice, and the Louisiana premiere of Adrian Hall鈥檚 adaptation of Robert Penn Warren鈥檚 All the Kings Men. His award-winning adaptation of Sophocles鈥� Antigone, published by Pioneer Drama, has been anthologized and performed across the country and he continues work to complete a new book, Designing Life: A Practical Approach to Acting and Living, which draws on his more than 30 years teaching acting and directing to countless gifted young students now working across the country in theatre, film and related fields. 

Ira Anderson

Ira Anderson (Compositor/Ensemble) is a senior Theatre(performance) major and Business minor. Credits include Swine Palace鈥檚 Craters and 海角社区 Mainstage鈥檚 AIRNESS. Also in 2022, he traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland with the 海角社区 School of Theatre and performed in Dreamlogos, as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Thomas Eldon Anderson

Thomas Eldon Anderson (Ben Jonson) is an Actors' Equity Association guest artist. Tom has a BA in Cultural Anthropology, and an MFA in classical performance. Tom has been a professional voice and dialect coach for A-list actors in film, and regional theatres for 30 years. Previous credits with Swine Palace include: The Seagull; Stupid F***ing Bird; Pride and Prejudice; All the King鈥檚 Men. Off-Broadway: Hyde in Hollywood (original cast). Selected Regional: Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, All's Well That Ends Well, Merry Wives of Windsor, Twelfth Night, Taming of the Shrew, Three Sisters, Cherry Orchard, Tartuffe, All My Sons, You Never Can Tell, Bedroom Farce, Amadeus, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Lie of the Mind, Noises Off, Threepenny Opera. Film/TV: Problem Child 2, NCIS New Orleans, PBS American Playhouse. BA Anthropology (Ithaca); MFA Theater (SMU).

Madison Antrainer

Madison Antrainer (Crier, Ensemble) is a senior Theatre (physical theatre) major and Dance minor. Credits include 30byNinety Theatre鈥檚 Little Shop of Horrors, and Theatre Baton Rouge鈥檚 Grease and Sweet Charity. In 2021, she traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland with the 海角社区 School of Theatre and performed Dream Logos 2.0 as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Brian Breen

Brian Breen (Ed Knight/Musician/Music Composer) is a guest artist. At Swine Palace he was the musical director and arranger for All the Kings鈥� Men and the staged reading of Lonesome Time. He has worked as a composer, musician, actor and director in diverse settings across the country and is pleased to share the stage and his mutual love of Shakespeare with so many skilled actors and friends, and to work with the always creative and inspiring George Judy. 

Timothy Bourgeois

Timothy Bourgeois (Crier, Ensemble) is a junior Theatre (performance) major and history minor. His previous credits include the 海角社区 Student Health Center鈥檚 2023 production of Tigerchat. The original show that he helped write show was performed for incoming 海角社区 freshman. He also performed in director Donald Cain and Chateaux Rouge Cinema鈥檚 short film Mr. Hanaki. 

Daniel Daigle

Daniel Daigle (Ralph Crane/Ensemble) is a first-year MFA Acting student returning to Swine Palace after their debut in Roe. Previous credits include: A School for Lies (Richmond Shakespeare), Twelfth Night (Richmond Catholic Theatre), Hamlet (Summer Shakespeare Wellington), The Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Night's Dream (University of Wyoming) 

Marina DeYoe-Pedraza

Marina DeYoe-Pedraza (Elizabeth Condell) is a first-year MFA Acting candidate. Previous credits include Sarah Weddington in Swine Palace鈥檚 fall production of ROE, Yamel Cucuy with Glass Half Full Theatre, American Blood Song with Trouble Puppet Theater Co., and Salvage Vanguard Theater鈥檚 Casta by Adrienne Dawes. She has also written and performed a solo show Vulva Pope: Our Lady of the Sacred Part directed by Mikala Gibson for the East Austin Studio Tour, in 2022. From 2014-2023, she was a soloist and company dancer for Austin based modern dance company, Ballet East. 

Craig Ester

Craig Ester (Marcus, Ensemble) is a first-year MFA Acting student. He is also the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Break The Chain Theatre Company of Detroit Michigan (BreakTheChainTheatreCompany.org). He would like to thank his family, faculty, and cohort for all they do to keep him afloat. Previous credits include: ROE (McClusky, Flowers, Ensemble) with Swine Palace, Death of a Salesman (Howard/Stanley) with Flint Repertory Theatre, Merry Wives of Windsor (Slender), and Henry V (Ensemble), Macbeth (Macduff) and Romeo and Juliet (Lord Capulet) with Michigan Shakespeare Festival, and Too Heavy For Your Pocket (Tony) with Open Book theatre. 

John Fletcher

John Fletcher (William Jaggard/Sir Edward Dering) is the Billy J. Harbin Associate Professor of Theatre at 海角社区, where he teaches script analysis, theatre history, and performance theory. Previous stage credits include Swine Palace's Twelfth Night and Vieux Carre as well as The Crucible at Theatre Baton Rouge. 

Michele Guidry

Michele Guidry (Rebecca Heminges/Anne Hathaway Shakespeare) is an Actors' Equity Association guest artist, holding an MFA from 海角社区鈥檚 Professional Actor Training Program, and graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Theatre from Penn State University. Prior to moving to Baton Rouge, she worked extensively in Philadelphia, PA with many companies such as The Wilma, The Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, The Lantern, Interact, and 1812 Productions, and was a part of the inaugural apprentice class for the Arden Theatre Company. 

Maura McErlean

Maura McErlean (Alice Heminges) is a first-year MFA Acting candidate raised in Hershey, PA and most recently based in Philadelphia. Selected credits include: ROE (Swine Palace), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and A Woman of No Importance (Walnut Street Theatre), Twelfth Night (Atlantic City Theatre Co.), The Wolves (Open Stage of Harrisburg), The Underpants and Our Town (Temple Theatres). Proud graduate of Temple University. Much love to Mom, Dad, Cara, and Bradley for their endless support. 

Tony Medlin

Dr. Tony Medlin (John Heminges), an Actors' Equity Association guest artist, is a theatre performance teacher at Baton Rouge Community College. He has directed and appeared in hundreds of productions throughout the South and Southwest, and performed leading roles in several national and international touring companies. In Florida and North Carolina's prestigious Visiting Artist Programs, he held six, year-long residencies as an actor, director, and playwright. He also was a principal actor in the cult, horror-vampire comedy, Blood on the Highway. 

Sarah Nansubuga

Sarah Nansubuga (Lady Nanier) is a second-year PhD (Theatre) student with minors in Communication Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Previous Credits include 海角社区 Lab Show鈥檚 Wolf Play, 海角社区 Swine Palace鈥檚 Airline Highway, and 海角社区 Mainstage鈥檚 Arcadia. She will be directing an original, self-authored show with 海角社区鈥檚 23/24 Lab season, titled Let Me Be: Grandma, Mama, and Me, opening April of 2024. Sarah is incredibly excited and grateful for this opportunity! 

Kayla Short

Kayla Short (Susannah Shakespeare/Ensemble) is a senior Theatre (performance) major, and she is thrilled to debut in her first production at her time here at 海角社区. She will be playing Mama in her upcoming production of Let Me Be, directed by Sarah Nansubuga. Upon graduation at the end of this spring semester, Kayla will teach middle schoolers in order to spread the joy of theater to underprivileged youth in the East Baton Rouge area. 

Douglas Streater

Douglas Scott Streater (Henry Condell) is no stranger to the stage. As a graduate of 海角社区鈥檚 MFA program, he is elated to be back on the Swine Palace stage at 海角社区 performing in the Book of Will. His first performance with the Swine Palace was in Airline Highway a few years ago and he is proud to add another performance to his Swine Palace performance list. He dedicates his performances to his mother, the late Gladys Samuel, his lovely wife Adrienne, and his rambunctious daughters Ari-Elizabeth and Catherine-Rowe. 鈥淚 never want to be anything more than I am; what I don't have, I don't need.鈥� -Louis Armstrong. 

Ansel Wilder

Ansel Wilder (Isaac Jaggard) is a Senior Theatre (Performance) major and a member of the Ogden Honors College. Previously, he has appeared in the 海角社区 Lab Season productions of Antigone: Presented By the Girl鈥檚 of St. Catherine鈥檚, To Stand in The Water, and The Goat (Or Who is Sylvia). He has been a member of the 海角社区 Improv Club since his freshman year, currently serving as the club鈥檚 Member at Large. 

John Michael Eddy

John Eddy (Props Designer) is the Props Designer/Mentor for the 海角社区 School of Theatre; he completed his undergraduate work at the University of Arizona and holds an MFA in Theater Production and Design from Temple University in Philadelphia. In addition to his prop work and scenic designs, he serves on the Board of Directors for Playmakers of Baton Rouge; Playmakers is a children鈥檚 educational theatre group who is proud to call the 海角社区 Reilly Theater their home. www.johhmeddy.com 

Nick Erickson

Nick Erickson (Fight Choreographer) received his M.F.A. in Acting at Cal-Arts. He has performed at such places as Swine Palace, Intiman Theatre, Empty Space Theatre, Colorado Shakespeare Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He has acted in several movies including College, A Perfect Day, The Staircase Murders and Mahjong. He also was a guest star on the Fox television series K-Ville. He was a founding member of Diavolo Dance Theatre and for seven years co-choreographed and performed in almost all of the company鈥檚 pieces on three national tours and abroad. Since 2008, he has produced and directed an 海角社区 student production to tour to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every other year as an Academic Program Abroad. He is the resident Fight Choreographer for all Swine Palace and 海角社区 Theatre productions.

Haley Hughes

Haley Hughes (Assistant Scenic Designer) is a senior Theater (design and technology) major. Previous credits include Swine Palace鈥檚 Craters, 海角社区 Mainstage鈥檚 At the Wedding, 海角社区 Lab Season鈥檚 Belleville, 海角社区 Lab Season鈥檚 Antigone: Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine鈥檚, and she will be sound designing 海角社区 Mainstage鈥檚 Marburg in the near future.

Tyler Keifer

Tyler Kieffer (Sound Designer) is the Assistant Professor of Sound Design and Technology for 海角社区 Theatre. Tyler is a sound designer for new plays, opera, and immersive theatre. He鈥檚 been twice nominated for the New York Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Sound Design in 2019 for Will Arbery鈥檚 Plano and in 2021 for Tectonic Theater Project鈥檚 Seven Deadly Sins. Other recent credits include Swine Palace鈥檚 Operating Systems, Craters, ROE; Tribes, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Le Petit theatre in New Orleans, and Found at the Cork Midsummer Festival Ireland. Tylerkieffer.com 

Jacob LeBlanc

Jacob LeBlanc (Vocal Coach) was born and raised in Louisiana, obtaining a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Theatre Performance from 海角社区 before moving to Richmond, Virignia. They have recently graduated from VCU with a Master of Fine Arts in Performance/Pedagogy. Jacob has also trained with the William Esper Studio of Acting and SITI company. They have taught at the university level, performed in professional productions as an actor, and have served as a vocal coach for professional and academic productions. They are thrilled to serve their alma mater as a vocal coach for this production.

Dori Leeman

Dori Leeman (Intimacy Coordinator) is a 5th year PhD student in Theatre History at 海角社区 where her research focus is mental health and the performing artist, as well as using drama techniques therapeutically. She has an MFA in Theatre Performance and worked as a professional actor and educator in the Dallas and Atlanta area for over 15 years at many of the professional theatres, including the Tony Award winning Alliance Theatre. Dori holds a Master of Science degree in Clinical Counseling Psychology and has trained with Theatrical Intimacy Education for the last year. In addition to her studies and creative work, Dori has an awesome husband and two amazing boys named Sam and Levi.

Isabelle Louis

Isabelle Louis (Stage Manager) is a senior Theatre (Design & Technology) major and Communication Studies minor. Previous stage management credits include 海角社区 Theatre Mainstage鈥檚 At the Wedding and Airness, 海角社区鈥檚 Lab Series production of Antigone, Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine鈥檚, 海角社区's 2023 Dance & Physical Theatre Showcase, and TBR's Rock of Ages. She also aserves as the secretary of the Physical Theatre Club and Public Relations | Outreach Chair of the University Theatre Alliance. Isabellelouis-sm.com 

James L. Murphy

James L. Murphy (Scenic Designer) is an Associate Professor and Head of the M.F.A. Technology and Design programs as well as Production Manager and Technical Director for Swine Palace and the 海角社区 School of Theatre. He teaches primarily in scenery engineering and construction as well as stage management. Design credits include Lighting Design for Swine Palace鈥檚 world premiere of Leigh Fondakowski鈥檚 Spill; Production Manager and Lighting Designer for the 海角社区 Theatre production of Origin, performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2014; Set Designer for Swine Palace鈥檚 world premiere of Ping Chong鈥檚 and Vince Licata鈥檚 Cocktail, honored by inclusion at the 2011 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space; Set and Lighting Designer for the 海角社区 Theatre production of Antigone presented at the 2010 Young Theatre Festival in Seoul, South Korea; and Lighting Designer for Swine Palace鈥檚, The Heidi Chronicles, which toured to Shanghai and Beijing, China in 2007. 

Smaida Massett

Smaida Massatt (Lighting Designer) worked as a lighting designer and electrician in the Chicago and Minneapolis areas. She earned her MFA in Lighting Design at the University of Minnesota. Some of the theatres she has worked for include Minnesota Children鈥檚 Theatre Co., Penumbra Theatre, Minnesota Opera, Theatre Latt茅 Da, Interact Theater Company. She has also worked in several capacities in numerous theaters and dance companies including Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Chicago Opera Theater, Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, and Chicago Puppet Festival. 

Sydney Sanchez

Sydney Sanchez (Assistant Stage Manager) is a sophomore Fine Arts (Film and Television) major. Swine Palace's Book of Will is her first time working on an 海角社区 production. When she is not in the theater, she works at Rivertown Animal Hospital as a veterinary technician.

Bethany Sassen

Bethany Sassen (Costume Designer)  is a current MFA in Costume Design and Technology Student. She  have been working in theatre since 2016 when she graduated from my undergraduate school of Carthage College. Bethany grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, but has moved around multiple times. Mostly in the midwest. Bethany moved to Louisiana from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Bethany is a very avid reader and general crafter. So if she's not working on something Costume related, she's more than likely reading. This will be her second production designing for 海角社区 and 6th working on. 

Makaylee Secrest

Makaylee Secrest (Associate Director) is a senior Theatre (performance) major and Psychology minor. Previous directing credits include the 海角社区 Lab Series productions of Belleville and The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? Assistant directing credits include Theatre Baton Rouge鈥檚 Little Women, How I Learned to Drive, and Romeo and Juliet. This summer, Makaylee was a directing intern at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey where she assistant directed And a Nightingale Sang... and As You Like It.