Envoy

Alexandra Blum

Alexandra is a Junior at Binghamton University studying Theater with a concentration in Acting/Directing. She has had so much fun working with these incredible people on such a unique show and she wants to thank everyone involved in this show for making it a wonderful experience. Alex’s past productions with the BU Theater Department include Proof (Catherine) and Thrive, Or What You Will (Assistant Director). She hopes everyone knows that if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change ~ Michael Jackson, no, Batman, no, Alexandra Blum, yes, she is very wise.

Jillian Carley

Jillian is originally from Rocky Point, NY and is a junior at Binghamton University studying psychology and theater. Some of Jillian's past performances with Binghamton's theater department include Triptych: An Experience in Three Acts (The Jewish Wife), Into the Woods (Cinderella's Stepmother), and Thrive or What You Will (Jeanne 2/Asker Najwa). Jillian is incredibly grateful to be a part of such a wonderful production and ensemble of incredibly talented artists. Jillian would like to thank her parents, Edward and Dawn Carley, for their never ending support and encouragement, as well as the rest of her family and friends who’ve helped her along the way.

Linda Chen

Linda is in her fourth year of undergrad studying theatre acting and directing, at Binghamton University. This is her first mainstage show as a performer after she was an ensemble member in the studio show Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them in Fall 2022, and Les Miserables in high school. Past productions of crew work with the BU Theatre Department include: She Kills Monsters (props), Thrive or What You Will (costumes), and Rent (costumes). She is very excited to perform in a MainStage show with her friends! Good luck everyone!

Gisele Domingues

Gisele, a native of Oradell, NJ, is in her first year at Binghamton University studying musical theatre. She is very grateful that she gets to work with and learn from such awesome people. Gisele would like to thank everyone involved in this production for making her first show here so much fun to work on!

Alex Givens

Broadway: First National Tour of Tony Award-winning production of A Soldier’s Play. Select Regional Theatre credits: How to Catch Creation (Geva Theatre Center); The Christians, The Crucible, The Life of Galileo, Sense and Sensibility, My Fair Lady, Skeleton Crew (PlayMakers Repertory Company); Cymbeline, Macbeth, Shakespeare in Love, All’s Well that Ends Well, Richard the Third, King John (Great River Shakespeare Festival) Alex is an actor from Saint Louis, MO. Currently living in Brooklyn, New York. He recently graduated with his MFA from UNC-Chapel Hill. He also just finished his first Broadway National Tour and is excited to be here to help bring this story to life!

Kaitlyn Hennie

Kaitlyn, born and raised on Long Island, is in her third year at Binghamton University studying Theatre: Acting/Directing with a minor in Education. She is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Envoy. She would like to thank her family and friends for being so supportive, especially her Mom and Dad. Kaitlyn would like to take this opportunity to honor Cai. Rest peacefully. “I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one, I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done. I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways, of happy times and bright sunny days. I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun. Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.”

Jack Iovanella

Jack is a first year at Binghamton University in the Musical Theatre B.F.A program. He is extremely excited to be a part of this production and he hopes everyone can learn something new from Envoy! His favorite role he’s ever played is Shakespeare in Something Rotten! He would like to thank everyone in the cast and crew for welcoming him into the community, especially Brandon, the fantastic director!

Keenan Laurino

Keenan Laurino is an actor, recording artist, and producer from Bronx, NY. He started his creative journey at the age of 7, when he played in his elementary school play. Since then, he’s been actively dancing and studying his favorite movies. At age 10, he began writing and recording music on his mothers laptop and performing his arts at various events over the years. Today, he is a SAG-AFTRA actor who has performed in multiple TV shows and feature films.

Nick Parker

Nick is a second semester Sophomore at Binghamton University, originally from Upstate New York. He is a double major in Acting/Directing and Creative Writing. He is very happy and thankful for the opportunity to work on Envoy with such a tremendous cast and crew, and he would like to thank Brandon Wright for his terrific job directing! Previous shows at Binghamton include Into the Woods (The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince) and last semester’s Rent (Roger Davis). Thanks for coming and enjoy the show!

Yiorgos Stenos

Yiorgos was born and raised in Athens, Greece and is in his fourth year at Binghamton University, majoring in Theatre and Creative Writing. Envoy is his third main stage show with the BU Theatre Department with past productions including: She Kills Monsters directed by Brian Gillespie and Thrive or What you Will directed by Lisa Rothe. He would like to thank Brandon Wright for the opportunity to work on Envoy, and for his continued help and guidance both as a teacher and a director.

Zaina Vallon

Zaina Vallon, a native of Long Island, NY, is in her first year at Binghamton University studying biology under the pre-health program with a focus on veterinary medicine. She is grateful to be a part of Envoy, to have the opportunity to continue exploring her passions in the performing arts, and to learn alongside this show’s wonderful cast. Zaina would like to thank Brandon, Stage Management, and the Costume Shop for their guidance, patience, and support. Past productions include The Play That Goes Wrong (Annie) and Peter and the Starcatcher (Black Stache) with St.Mary’s Theater Department.

Amaini Varney

Amaini Varney is a sophomore majoring in theater. She was born in Harlem but raised in the Bronx where the arts and music were always prevalent. Throughout most of her life she has always been surrounded by the arts and talented people. She aspires to use the arts and creativity to be an inspiration for kids out there that struggle with speaking up for themselves or lack of confidence prohibiting them from becoming their higher selves. During her time here in Binghamton she's had the opportunity to perform in "Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them", the Dickinson community's “ Vagina Monologues”, as well as shows with her improv group “The Pappy Parker Players”. All in all, she enjoyed her time during these shows because they helped her respect the process of putting on a performance, while meeting amazing people. She hopes to continue participating in shows to help better her skills as an actress.

Keaton Hemminger

Keaton, from New Paltz, NY, is a senior at Binghamton University studying theatre, acting and directing. Last semester, she was an assistant to the director on Thrive, Or What You Will and previously was assistant director of Hinman Production Company’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Keaton would like to thank Brandon for this opportunity and entrusting her with this role. She would also like to thank the cast and crew for all of their hard work on this production.

Mamadee Konneh

Mamadee, a native of Harlem, NY, is in his fourth year at Binghamton University studying philosophy, politics, and law (pre-law) but has immense interest in the arts, noting that he is a singer. He is grateful to be a part of Envoy as an understudy especially because he has limited experience in theater. Being an understudy has granted Mamadee the chance to gain valuable experience and exposure in a professional theater production. It allows him to learn and prepare for a significant role, hone his acting skills, and expand his repertoire. Mamadee would like to thank Barbara Wolfe and Brandon Wright for the introduction to this world and their continued guidance and support.

Joshua Schull

Josh, a local from Binghamton, New York, is in his third year at Binghamton University studying Ancient Mediterranean History and Theater with a focus on acting and theater education. He is so grateful and excited to be a part of Envoy and get to work with these insanely talented and wonderful people. Josh would like to thank Brandon, Peter, and Tommy for their guidance and support as graduation looms ever closer. Past productions with the BU Theater Department include ‘In Pieces’ (Grey), ‘Pippin’ (Pippin), and ‘Covid, Technology, and the World We’ve Created’.

Belinda Bremner

Belinda Bremner Is an actor/director/playwright/teacher based in Chicago. For more than twenty years she taught in the Theatre Conservatory in the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. It was there she created Envoy as well as several other plays for college students including Mrs. Coney: A Tale at Christmas which won the Kennedy Center Prize. A Joseph Jefferson Award winner, she has worked at such Chicago theatres as the Goodman, St. Nicholas, Northlight, Court and First Folio. She was a founding member of the Body Politic ensemble and a founder of ShawChicago. She is a company member of Oak Park Festival Theatre.

Brandon A Wright

Brandon A. Wright, MFA - hails from Newark, NJ. Professor Wright received training at the NY Conservatory for Dramatic Arts before completing his MFA in Acting at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. He has performed regionally and toured with The Color Purple (2nd Nat'l) and A Soldier's Play (1st Nat'l). Professor Wright is a Resident Company Member with Titan Theatre Co in NYC, and has served on the Diversity & Equity in the Educator Workforce Advisory Board for the state of Michigan. Currently, he is pursuing his Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at Tennessee State University. Professor Wright is a member of Actor's Equity Association and represented by the Hell's Kitchen Agency in NYC.

Keaton Hemminger

Keaton, from New Paltz, NY, is a senior at Binghamton University studying theatre, acting and directing. Last semester, she was an assistant to the director on Thrive, Or What You Will and previously was assistant director of Hinman Production Company’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Keaton would like to thank Brandon for this opportunity and entrusting her with this role. She would also like to thank the cast and crew for all of their hard work on this production.

Taylor Denning

Taylor Denning, a Long Island native, is so excited to be stage managing her sixth show here at Binghamton! She is a senior double major earning a B.S in Biochemistry and a B.A in Creative Writing while minoring in Theatre with a focus on Stage Management. She is so grateful to be working with such a talented director and company this semester! Select educational productions include: Into the Woods (SM), A Super Happy Story About Being Super Sad (SM), In Pieces (ASM), and She Kills Monsters (ASM). Past regional productions include: Evita (ASM), Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (ASM), and Jersey Boys (ASM), at The Gateway Playhouse.

Erin Memmesheimer

Erin, from Staten Island, New York, is a sophomore at Binghamton University double majoring in Political Science and Anthropology. Previously, she has directed Something Rotten! and assistant directed We Will Rock You with Hinman Production Company. Erin would like to thank Brandon and Olivia for this opportunity, and Taylor, Miranda, Olivia, the cast and crew for making this such an incredible experience!

Miranda Hawkins

Miranda Hawkins is a Vestal local who is normally seen performing, but is happy to be assistant stage managing this semester. Previously she had assistant stage managed for She Kills Monsters in spring of 2022. Miranda was also seen in Rent last semester as an ensemble member as well as in Triptych as the Judith understudy. She is thrilled to be working with her fellow assistant stage manager Erin as well as working with their stage manager Taylor once again.

Olivia O'Brien

Olivia O’Brien is an AEA Stage Manager with over 15 years of experience as a stage manager, company manager, and production manager. As a New York City based stage manager she worked with various companies nationally and abroad. From 2017 to 2020 Olivia worked as a Production Supervisor at the Brooklyn Academy of Music where she worked with companies such as The Royal Shakespeare Company, Mark Morris Dance Company, Meredith Monk, and Grupo Corpo. Additionally, Olivia provided support for BAM’s Annual Gala, Apple corporate events, film premiere parties, and as the lead supervisor on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Working for a wide variety of companies and in many genres of theater including straight plays, musicals, devised work, dance, and vaudeville has afforded Olivia the opportunity to develop stage management skills to address the various needs of the directors, creatives, performers, and production personnel in each of those areas. Career highlights include Barrington Stage Company, The Spoleto Festival USA, Arena Stage, Lincoln Center, the New Victory Theater, The Joyce, Classic Stage Company, and La Jolla Playhouse. Favorite shows she has stage managed include Guys and Dolls, Sweet Charity, Mourning Becomes Electra, and Porgy and Bess.

Laura Fine Hawkes

Laura Fine-Hawkes' work broadly encompasses scenic design for theatre, opera and musical theatre, as well as art direction for live shows, themed visitor experiences, museum exhibits, events and television programming. Theatrical engagements include design for Houston Grand Opera, Utah Opera, Arizona Opera, Center Theatre Group at the Mark Taper Forum, Stages Repertory Theatre, Catastrophic Theatre, Big League Productions, the Geffen Playhouse, Ensemble Studio Theatre Los Angeles, the Road Theatre, Circle X Theatre, NoHo Arts Ensemble, the Fountain Theatre and a short film within Cirque du Soleil's Iris production at the Kodak Theatre, among many others. Fine-Hawkes joined the faculty of Binghamton University in the fall of 2017 as an assistant professor in scenic design, having served as chair of the Performing Arts Department at Santa Fe University of Art and Design in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is a 2016 recipient of the Laureate Education GPS Award for Leadership. Previously, Fine-Hawkes has worked with academic institutions and young artist training programs as a guest designer and guest faculty in scenic design. Highlights include Rice University Shepherd School of Music, the Opera Institute at Cal-State University Long Beach, San Francisco Opera Merola Program, UCLA Opera and Cal-State Los Angeles. Fine-Hawkes has participated in the development of multiple international large scale live shows and themed visitor experiences for Thinkwell Group, Inc. and the Hettema Group, both based in the greater Los Angeles area. She designed the THEA award-winning Air Force One Discovery Center housed in the Air Force One Pavilion within the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA. Art direction for television includes programming for NBC/Bravo, Comedy Central, PBS and the FUEL Network. Fine-Hawkes is a former assistant and associate of the late scenic designer David Mitchell. She holds an MFA in scenic design from UCLA. designhawkes.com

Devon Painter

After earning her MFA at the University of Texas at Austin, Devon worked in regional theaters as a draper, dyer-painter, a first hand and design assistant. She moved to New York in 1998 and began her freelance career as a costume design assistant to many award-winning costume designers, including Desmond Heeley, Jess Goldstein, Susan Hilferty, Paul Tazewell, and Andreane Neofitou on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in television and in opera. She now designs at major regional theaters across the country, including the Guthrie Theatre, The Denver Center, Geva Theater Center, Indiana Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and American Players Theatre. Learn more at devonpainter.com

Olivia Timmis

Olivia Timmis is a Senior Theatre and English double major from Clifton Park. This is her first time Assistant Costume Designing. Previously at Mainstage at Binghamton she has acted in She Kills Monsters (Tilly) and Into the Woods (Little Red), and Assistant Stage Managed (Rent).

Nate Wheatley

Nate Wheatley is a lighting designer from Kansas City, MO. He has worked with companies such as Opera Orlando, the Des Moines Metro Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Pittsburgh Opera, and more. Favorite productions include Frida (Florida Grand Opera), Alcina (Pittsburgh Opera), and Elizabeth Cree (LSU Opera). Productions Nate designed have been nominated for Emmy Awards twice and the Des Moines Metro Opera production of Bon Appétit won in 2020. Nate's upcoming work includes Bera Handa (Binghamton University) and Tosca (Opera Orlando). Before launching a design career, Nate assisted designers at Lyric Opera of Kansas City and was the Assistant Head Electrician for Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, RI. Nate also led an award winning and innovative boutique opera company in Kansas City called Opera180 for 5 years before moving to the southern tier.

Laura Kensley

Laura is originally from Indiana, but has lived and worked in various parts of the US including TN, NE, NC, SC, and NYC. She has worked on many productions in the roles of master electrician, sound engineer, lighting designer, sound designer, and more. Some of her favorite lighting experiences include designing The Jungle Book at The Rose Theater in Omaha, Spamalot, and Bright Star. She also had the opportunity to serve as a spotlight operator for The New Group's Off-Broadway production of Clueless: The Musical, and Good for Otto. She is eager to help students learn the ins and outs of lighting and sound technology, and she absolutely can't wait to be continually learning along the way.

Chris Hawkes

Chris Hawkes is an entertainment design and construction professional with 29 years of experience in specialty fabrication, focusing on project management and technical direction/design. Projects include a broad spectrum of work in live theatre, permanent installations for theme parks and museums, corporate events, trade shows and television. Most recently, as the Technical Director for the Performing Arts Department at Santa Fe University of Art and Design, Chris taught undergraduate BFA technical direction and production classes, in addition to leading all technical production areas. Prior to this, he was Technical Director for the Theatre Department at University of Houston and taught graduate level technical direction coursework. Chris spent many years in Los Angeles working as a technical director, project manager and production manager with multiple entertainment design firms, production companies and scenic fabrication companies. Production management projects include work for Thinkwell Group: Fernbank NatureQuest at Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, GA and Warner Bros. Theme Park in Abu Dhabi. With BRC Imagination Arts, Chris worked as Fabrication Manager for the Information and Communication Pavilion at World Expo in Shanghai. He has worked on three project teams which have received Themed Entertainment Association Awards. Additional projects involve project management work for Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios California, The Guggenheim at The Venetian Las Vegas and The Cerritos Millennium Library. Project management for corporate clients includes: Microsoft, Harley Davidson, Motorola, SmithKline Beecham, Time Warner, Qualcomm. Theatrical experience encompasses work as the Scene Shop Foreman for La Jolla Playhouse/University of California San Diego Theatre Department, Director of Opera Production at Rice University Shepherd School of Music, as well as fabrication for UCLA Opera, USC Opera, The Old Globe, The Geffen Playhouse, The Philadelphia Opera Theatre, among many others.

Scott Selmeski

Scott Selmeski is the Assistant Technical Director for the Binghamton University Theatre Department and Building Administrator for Fine Arts. As an alumni he earned a BA in Theatre from Binghamton University, and attended graduate school at Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts. With an eclectic background in many aspects of technical theatre, he has designed sets, sound and lights, constructed, painted and stage managed many productions in a variety of venues. Selmeski was the Master Carpenter/Assistant Technical Director at Broad Hollow Theatre Company on Long Island, NY for several years.

Clarence Hause

Clarence Hause is an award-winning artist who obtained his Master of Fine Arts degree from Brooklyn College in 2017, and his Master of Arts from Binghamton University in 2020. His artwork has been displayed in Brooklyn (Dumbo), N.Y.C., Albany, and Binghamton. He is also a published illustrator whose work can be found in 50 books. Hause has been a scenic artist on previous Binghamton mainstage theatre productions, most recently She Kills Monsters (2022), Sunset Mirage (2022) and Into The Woods (2022).

Olivia Richmond

Olivia Richmond, from Westchester, NY, is a senior at Binghamton University with a major in Theatre Technical Design. She is so grateful to be working on Envoy and work with the incredible Stage Management team. he would also like to thank Olivia O'Brien for giving her the opportunity to work on such an amazing show! Her previous credits include Triptych (Assistant Stage Manager), The Informer (Stage Manager), Into the Woods (Production Assistant), and Rent (Sound Crew).

Ariel Thomke

Ariel Thomke is a costumer and theatre technician from the greater Los Angeles area. Her passion for theatre has led her to house management, scenic painting, props, design, and teaching. She has worked on productions such as Les Miserables, Hamilton, Apollo 11 national tour, America's Got Talent, and the Academy Awards. Her interest in education has led her to Binghamton University as the costume shop manager where she is excited to help guide students to pursue their own theatre dreams.

Olivia Dilworth

Olivia Dilworth is a costume technician with experience in theater, opera, and dance. She graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a BFA focused in costume design and technology. Companies Olivia has worked for include The American Shakespeare Center, The Santa Fe Opera, Tuacahn Center for the Arts, and Norwegian Creative Studios. In her free time, Olivia enjoys creative writing and playing piano.

Jana Kucera

Jana is thrilled to be a part of the costume shop team! As an alumni, she earned her Masters of music in vocal performance and continues to perform in both professional and community productions. Performance credits include The Rev Theatre Company, Sugarloaf Performing Arts Center, and The Cidermill Playhouse. Jana has designed costumes for professional productions such as The Importance of Being Earnest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and A Christmas Carol as well as several community productions such as Something Rotten and Guys and Dolls. An avid cosplayer, Jana has also been selected to compete in the Crown Championships of Cosplay competition several times, and continues to participate in the 501st and Rebel Legion costuming groups.

LeAnn Almonte

LeAnn Almonte was born and raised in Queens, New York, and is currently a senior majoring in Human Development and minoring in Theater and Education. She has always had a passion for the art of makeup and when given the opportunity to combine this passion with a theater production she jumped at the opportunity. None of this would have been possible without the endless support of her family. She also wants to give a special thanks to Ariel Thomke and her amazing colleague and friend, Melissa Norman for their endless help and guidance through this journey.

Melissa Norman

Melissa Norman is a senior majoring in Biology on a pre dental track. She started up her passion for makeup when she was a freshman in college and continued to flourish within her next three years in college. She now has her own makeup business where she gets to explore more of her creative side through makeup. I want to give a special thanks to my best friend and colleague, LeAnn Almonte, who introduced me the Binghamton theater department! Thank you so much to the costume shop team for welcoming me with open arms.