Welcome to Legacy Stage’s As You Like It! We’re honored to continue the legacy of Shakespeare in the Park at the Cedar Grove Meadow, and dream of making it an annual event again. We’d like to give a special thank you to the City of Chico City Arts Grant, and our incredible sponsors and donors for supporting this production. Thank you also to our fantastic stage crew, performers and volunteers for dedicating your talent, time and energy.
We would like to thank the Mechoopda on whose traditional lands this event is taking place. We are humbled that this park resides upon sacred lands that since time immemorial have sustained the Mechoopda people and continue to do so today.
Help make next year’s Shakespeare in the Park production a success by signing up for our mailing list (be the first to know about new productions and auditions), volunteer, or make a donation.
Now that we’ve got your phone in your hand… can you please silence it for the duration of the production? Thank you! We hope you enjoy our performance this evening. Meet our incredible cast and crew below, and after the show come back and let us know what you think by leaving a review! Your quote might even make it onto our social media feed.
AS YOU LIKE IT
Runtime: 1 hour and 35 minutes. No intermission.
Please use caution maneuvering on the uneven ground in the meadow. Flashlights are available at the check-in desk should you need to move about in the dark.
Video recording, audio recording and photography is not allowed during this performance.
CAST
CREATIVE TEAM & CREW
MEET THE CAST
(ordered alphabetically)
Trevor Adams (Touchstone)
Trevor Adams (he/him/his) has just finished his 4th year of college at California State University, Chico, and is excited to start his summer by working with Legacy Stage again! Past credits include being in Puffs as J. Finch, in No Exit as Garcin, in Three Musketeers as King Louis XIII, in Romeo and Juliet as Gregory at Chico State, and in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Demetrius with Legacy Stage. He would like to thank his family and friends for their continued support and most importantly God for the opportunity!
Devonte Barr (Silvius)
A graduating senior this year with a love for theatre. Devonte attends CSU Chico and is majoring in Journalism and minoring in Economics. His passions include playing drums, basketball, and bike rides. See you out there! Enjoy the show!
Justin Bryant (Charles)
Justin Bryant (he/him) is a writer, comedian, and educator. He received his BA from Emory University in Atlanta, GA in Film Studies and has his MFA in English and Creative Writing from San Jose State and has studied improv at The Groundlings in Los Angeles. Currently, Justin is the President and education director of Slow Theatre. In addition to presenting world-class theatre, comedy, and improv entertainment for the North State community, he teaches youth tennis classes and leads improv instruction in schools throughout the region. Finally, Justin has designed and implemented improv classes in collaboration with Butte County Juvenile Hall to support the enhanced well-being and creative expression of at-risk youth.
Marlene Evelyn Bruce (Audrey)
Marlene (she/her) is a recent Chico state graduate in which she earned her BFA in musical theatre and minor in dance. Her most recent roles at Chico State were Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Fraulein Kost in Cabaret. This is her first production with Legacy Stage and she is so excited for this opportunity to create art in the park!
Susana Correa-Avila Robb (Rosalind)
Susana Correa (she/her) is a queer, Latinx immigrant performing artist. She graduated with her BA’s in Theatre Arts and Anthropology from Chico State University. Previous roles of hers include, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. She plans to continue pursuing performance and technical theatre post-grad. When she’s not doing theatre you can find her performing and writing for a Chico based band, the Bella Locas.
Evan Cromwell (Le Beau)
Evan Cromwell (he/any) is thrilled to be a part of the Legacy Stage production of As You Like It! Evan is a theatre arts major at Chico State. Credits include Bonecieux in Chico State’s production of Three Musketeers as well as Mercutio/Montague understudy in Chico State’s production of Romeo and Juliet. He would like thank all attendees for their support of the arts which allows us to continue to do what we enjoy 🙂
Marquita Goodman (Duchess Frederick)
Marquita (she/her) is thrilled to play in the forest with Legacy Stage once again. Theater has been such a blessing and an exciting part of her life since moving to Chico. The local theater community is something special and she is grateful to have been a part of many amazing casts and crews throughout Chico for the past six years. Some of her favorite roles you may have seen her in are Titania and Hippolyta in A Misummer Night’s Dream with Legacy Stage, Medda Larkin in Newsies with California Regional Theater, and most recently, Jo in The Legend of Georgia McBride with Theatre on the Ridge. Welcome and enjoy this years journey through the forest with Legacy Stage!
Sofia Gutierrez (Phoebe)
Sofia (they/them) is thrilled to be joining Legacy Stage once again for this production of As You Like It. They are a recent graduate of Chico State, graduating with a Musical Theatre BFA and Dance minor. You may have previously seen Sofia at Legacy Stage as a Witch in Macbeth or at Chico State as ‘Lily Polkadot’ in Polkadots: A Cool Kids Musical. Sofia would like to thank their family, friends, and theatre community in Chico for always supporting them and being a source of positivity.
Erin Horst (Duchess Senior)
Erin Horst (she/her) is a co-founder of Legacy Stage and an accomplished actor and theatre professional. She holds a BFA in acting from Chapman University and an MA in theatre from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Erin’s passion for theatre has led her to work at a number of prestigious venues, including La Jolla Playhouse, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, Starlight Theatre, and The Coterie Theatre. She has also performed in many productions in Chico, including the roles of Lady Macduff in Macbeth at Legacy Stage and Mrs. Daldry in In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play at The Blue Room. Erin moved to Chico with her partner 9 years ago and is proud to call it home. Her dedication and talent continue to make a significant impact on the local theatre scene.
Kyle Horst (Adam)
As You Like It is Kyle’s (he/him) second (but not his last!) show with Legacy Stage. He previously played Duncan in Legacy’s inaugural Shakespeare-in-the-park production of Macbeth. He has also performed in several shows at the Blue Room Theater. He believes in theater for the people and by the people! And this production is full of delightful people. Thank you to the cast and crew for carving out part of your life to make this dusty magic. Big thanks to Jami for holding all of us firmly and delicately as we played around with poetry in the dirt and mud. Thanks to the lovely souls behind the scenes at Legacy Stage who persist that Shakespeare has a place in the park. Most of all thanks to my beloved wife Erin!
David Lindstrom (Jaques)
David (he/him) has performed in choirs, bands, and theatrical productions since he was 6 years old. While he attended high school in Los Angeles, he took part in many musical productions. He attended Humboldt State as a Biology major, but spent all his time in the theatre department. He was part of Arcata’s Shakespeare in the Park and the Company of Strangers troupe. He moved to Chico in ‘84 and became a member of Theatre Out of a Suitcase as an actor, director, and technician. He studied Scenic Design at State. Since then, he has worked with almost every theatre company in Butte County. He loves Shakespeare and is very excited to be part of this Legacy production.
Ryan Matrai (William & Jaques de Boys)
Ryan (he/him) is a recent alumnus from Chico State, where he graduated in December with a BA in Musical Theatre & a Minor in Music. He has been acting in and around Chico for over a decade. You may recognize him from recent shows, such as 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (William Barfée, 2023) or Rent (Mark Cohen, 2022). You may have also seen him on your TV in a few commercials! If you want to see more of Ryan, check out his socials! @ryanmatrai
Demondra Martin (Celia)
Demondra (she/her) is a recent graduate from Chico State with a BFA in Musical Theatre! Recent Credits include Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act and Hickory/Tinman in The Wizard of Oz. She is so grateful to be apart of this production as her first show with Legacy!
Ronald Nawanage (Troubadour)
Ronald (or Ron – he/him) has a background in musical theater and stage choir. Ronald grew up in Sri Lanka and came to Chico State to study civil engineering. Naturally, he fell in love with Chico and made this great city his home. In his youth, his high school put on the production of Little Shop of Horrors, where Ronald played the two characters; a wino, and the customer and stole the hearts of the audience. Ronald has a deep passion for music and even had his own band in Sri Lanka where he was the lead singer. Now you may find him playing the guitar or ukulele for Story Time at the Chico Library or taking his two kids to their various activities.
Valentin Orozco (Oliver)
Alex Piasecki (Troubadour & Amiens)
Alex (he/him) – I am grateful for the chance and so excited to participate in this summer’s Legacy Stage production! Last year I helped direct the music ensemble accompanying A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I first fell in love with the violin and theater during a stage production of Fiddler on the Roof in my hometown of Stockton, CA at the ripe age of 7. Since then I’ve been involved in several theater productions with the Stockton Civic Theater and Changing Faces Theater Co. For more than 20 years violin has been a passion for me, a powerful pathway for spiritual life and community. I’ve been in Chico since 2015 and am so glad to be in this place with this community!
Samantha Shaner (Corin)
Samantha (she/her) – I was so excited to be playing Corin the Shepard in this year’s production of As You Like It that I adopted a flock of sheep to get into character. The sheep followed me into Cedar Groove for rehearsal one day and must have wandered off while I was doing my scene. If anyone happens to find my sheep during the show, please return immediately…..I miss those little guys.
Jaxon Strausbaugh (Dennis)
Jaxon (he/him) – This is Jax’s first year in Shakespeare In the Park AND first show with Legacy Stage! He is so excited to share the stage with his mother, Samantha Shaner, for his first performance with this company. He is just coming from playing Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde Jr, and can’t wait to play another role with the word “forest” in the name.
Alex Tanner (Orlando)
Alex Tanner (he/him) is delighted to return to the beautiful Bidwell Park to play with the wonderful folks at Legacy Stage! Alex has been an actor for most of his life, and by the time this production opens will have earned his degree in theatre from CSU Chico. Recent credits include Ernie Mac in Puffs, Athos in The Three Musketeers, and Starveling in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Skylar Wondrusch (Troubadour)
Skylar Wondrusch (she/her) is honored to be joining Legacy Stage in their third summer of Shakespeare in the Park. You may have seen her in as Romeo in Chico States Romeo and Juliet, or more recently as Helena in Legacy’s A Midsummer Nights Dream. She is currently pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance and loving every minute of it. She would like to thank her loving girlfriend Dominique, her bestest friend Savina, and her family who support her tirelessly. Finally she would like to thank you for coming to this Beirut’s show and being part of the magic that is live theatre.
MEET THE CREATIVE TEAM
(ordered alphabetically)
Evan Cromwell (Fight Captain)
Evan Cromwell (he/any) is thrilled to be a part of the Legacy Stage production of As You Like It! Evan is a theatre arts major at Chico State. Credits include Bonecieux in Chico State’s production of Three Musketeers as well as Mercutio/Montague understudy in Chico State’s production of Romeo and Juliet. He would like thank all attendees for their support of the arts which allows us to continue to do what we enjoy 🙂
John Crosthwaite (Fight Choreographer)
John Crosthwaite (he/him) is a Fight Choreographer and Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. John received his MFA in Acting from the Theater School at Depaul University (formerly the Goodman School of Drama) in Chicago, IL and is currently a lecturer at Chico State University in the Music, Theater, and Dance department. John has done fight choreography and violence design for over 40 different Stage, Film, and Video productions- a full list of credits can be found here.
Elizabeth Grace Davis (Costume Designer)
Elizabeth (she/her) is happy to be back with Legacy Stage for her second season! Originally from Ohio, Elizabeth has her BA in theatre from Ashland University and her MFA in Costume Design from Indiana University. She is currently the resident Costume Designer and Shop manager at Chico State. Design credits include The Wizard of Oz, Puffs, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Legally Blonde, Big Fish, Titus Andronicus, and many more.
Bruce Dillman (Carpenter)
Retired from high school science teaching, Bruce Dillman (he/him) is our carpenter, but an actor in his own right who played Jaques in Shakespeare in the Park 2004. Besides enjoying their grandkids, Bruce and his wife Jodie are avid travelers and birdhouse builders.
Melodie Ellison (Front of House Manager)
Melodie Ellison (she/her) is a Chico State Theatre Arts Alumna. She has a passion for reading, writing, and—of course—theatre. Her most recent credits include Props Director and Bird Puppeteer for Shrek with CRT and The Best of Broadway with CRT and the Paradise Symphony Orchestra. You may have also seen her perform with Children’s Choir of Chico as a Community Singer in their spring concerts: Songs of Good Cheer and Spring Sing. This is Melodie’s second year as Front of House Manager for Shakespeare in the Park. You might remember her from last year, greeting and checking in patrons for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. When she’s not on stage or backstage, she can be found in the audience, enthusiastically cheering on her fellow performers.
Julie Ewert (Choreographer)
Julie Ewert (she/her) is a recent graduate of Chico State with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a minor in Dance. She has a passion for dance that was sparked when her mother put her in her first dance class at age 3, and continues to this day. Some of her recent choreography credits include choreographer for Momentum Dance Collective, Assistant Choreographer for Chicago, and Assistant Choreographer for Cabaret. She is so excited to work with Legacy Stage on this production!
Delisa Freistadt (Co-Stage Manager & Prop Design)
Delisa (she/her) is excited to be joining Legacy Stage for the third time in Cedar Grove meadow! She has been an active participant in the Chico community theater scene for almost 20 years and looks forward to watching Legacy Stage grow and flourish!
Bill Harrington (Crew & Understudy)
Bill (he/him) has been involved in local theater since 2015, with some favorite roles including Theseus/Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Legacy Stage-2022), Colonel Mustard in Clue (Chico Theatre Company-2021), and Sam Katz in The Cemetery Club (CTC -23) He is thrilled to be working with Legacy Stage again and he is honored to be part of this amazing team!
Erin Horst (Producer)
Erin Horst (she/her) is a co-founder of Legacy Stage and an accomplished actor and theatre professional. She holds a BFA in acting from Chapman University and an MA in theatre from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Erin’s passion for theatre has led her to work at a number of prestigious venues, including La Jolla Playhouse, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, Starlight Theatre, and The Coterie Theatre. She has also performed in many productions in Chico, including the roles of Lady Macduff in Macbeth at Legacy Stage and Mrs. Daldry in In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play at The Blue Room. Erin moved to Chico with her partner 9 years ago and is proud to call it home. Her dedication and talent continue to make a significant impact on the local theatre scene.
Lilia Josephine (Assistant Costume Designer)
Hi! My name is Lilia Chavira (she/her), I am a senior at Inspire School of Arts and Sciences. I am the assistant costume designer for As You Like It. I’m so excited to work with Legacy on this production. I’ve always been into fashion and dressing people up so it was no surprise to my parents when I started designing costumes for some of my schools film and theatre productions.
Will Langley (Graphic Design & Marketing)
Will Langley (he/him) has served as a founding member of the Legacy Stage Board of Directors and is the Marketing Coordinator and Graphic Designer. He has been in the design industry for around fifteen years, and while working in community theater is a newer avenue of design for him, he is no stranger to the creative arts industry. Will has created graphic design work for hundreds of clients, most notably RuPaul, Jake Weber, Ricky Martin and Tony Award Winner, Levi Kreis. “I absolutely LOVE what Legacy Stage stands for. I believe in their mission, values and the community they’re building. Shakespeare in the Park is such a fun and unique way for the community to come together every year for one night, under the stars for an adventure together, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
Michelle Moore (Scenic Design)
Michelle (she/they) is currently a graduate student at Texas Tech University going into their final/thesis year of their MFA program. She received her bachelor’s degree in musical theatre from Chico State and is very excited to be a guest designer in one of her favorite places, Bidwell Park. She expects to graduate with her master’s degree next May and plans to teach design and scenic painting. She currently works as a graduate part-time instructor for Texas Tech and serves as their paint charge for productions.
Andres Raddavero (Lighting Designer)
Andres (he/him) is a Chico State Theatre Student, with many hours spent in the past 8 years doing technical theatre. His recent credits include co-lighting designer for Puffs and programmer for Wizard of Oz at Chico State Theatre. Andres would like to thank his mentors, family, and friends for their support over the years.
Kaila Roach (Assistant Director & Assistant Intimacy Choreographer)
Kaila Roach (she/her) is a recent Chico State graduate, where she earned her BA in theatre arts. This is her first time in both an assistant director and an assistant intimacy choreographer role. She is excited to be making her debut at Legacy Stage. Outside of directing, Kaila is also an actor, stage manager, and writer. In her free time, Kaila enjoys traveling, painting, playing board games, and spending time with her loving friends and family.
Gabriella Saxon (Co-Stage Manager)
Gabriella Saxon (she/her) is graduating with honors at California State University, Chico in May 2023, with a Bachelor’s in Theatre Arts. Her focus is in stage management and directing. She is happy to return to Legacy Stage for her second Shakespeare in the Park and she is so unbelievably excited to be here! She has worked professionally as an stage manager and assistant stage manager for Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, and on the educational level at Chico State. After her contract ends for As You Like It, she will spend her summer in North Carolina, working as a production stage manager for American Dance Festival, through Duke University. Gabriella strives to be a positive force in the theatre industry, and makes it a point to ensure the well-being of those she works with. She believes that the best art is made through respect and collaboration, and hopes to implement these practices with every piece she works on. Leading with kindness, equity, inclusion, and social justice, Gabriella hopes to make a positive impact in the theatre industry as she continues in her career.
Lara Tenckhoff (Co-Producer)
Chico Native, graduate of CSU Chico, and Legacy Stage Co-founder, Lara Tenckhoff (she/her) is thrilled to be a part of bringing Shakespeare in the Park to her hometown. Notable professional acting credits include Blithe Spirit (Ruth) and The Music Man (Eulalie Mackeccknie Shinn). Highlighted recent directing credits include These Shining Lives at Inspire High School, Bug at The Blue Room Theatre, and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre for which she received the River City Reader’s award for Best Direction of a Musical.
Jami Witt Miller (Director & Intimacy Choreographer)
Jami Witt Miller (she/her) is a co-founder of Legacy Stage, bringing her passion for acting, intimacy choreography, and directing. Holding an MFA in Acting from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and a BFA in Performance from Eastern New Mexico University, she has performed on stage in roles such as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth with Legacy Stage, and Elvira in Blithe Spirit at Clinton Area Showboat Theatre. Jami recently directed a production of Romeo and Juliet at California State University, Chico, and choreographed intimacy for Legacy Stage’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Jami has proudly called Chico home since 2015, where she resides with her partner and two children.
SPONSORS & CONTRIBUTORS
SPECIAL THANK YOU’S
Bruce Dillman
Mike Johnson
Inspire School of Arts
Chico State Costume & Properties Shop
Christi Harrington
Lisa Lomeli
Ken Pourdes
The Thiede Family
The Earl Foor Foundation
LEGACY STAGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jake Fender
Marquita Goodman
Erin Horst
Will Langley
Kate Ory
Lara Tenckhoff
Jami Witt Miller
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT!
After tonight’s performance, we would love to hear what you thought of everything! All feedback will be reviewed by our Shakespeare in the Park production team and the Legacy Stage board of directors. Your quote might even make it on our social media feed!