Angelique Archer (3 Seasons) is thrilled to be back at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for a second season! She was last seen in “it’s not a trip it’s a journey” at the Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Some of her favorite credits with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company include Jane Bennett and Miss de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice and Ophelia in Hamlet. Angelique is a proud graduate of Hamilton College, where she majored in both Theatre and Economics. She also spent a semester in London studying with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. In addition to acting, Angelique is passionate about arts education, intimacy direction, and photography! Check out her website, angeliquearcher.com, for more information about intimacy direction and her hopes of continuing to share stories that showcase underrepresented voices. Special thanks to her family for their continued love and support.

A.J. Baldwin (she/her) (5 Seasons) is delighted to finally perform this production of Hamlet at CSC! She is an Actor/Playwright from Montgomery, AL who has grown very fond of Cincinnati. Recently, A.J. has filmed The Wind in the Willows at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, as well as Theater: A Love Story and Zack at The Know Theatre of Cincinnati, which will produce her play The Twunny Fo’ in April 2022. Before Covid, she has been seen at Trinity Repertory Company, A Christmas Carol (Ghost of Christmas Past/Lucy), StageOne Family Theater, Lawbreakers! (Olivia, Sojourner Truth), Theater at Monmouth (Esther in Intimate Apparel and Mistress Page in Merry Wives of Windsor). A.J. sends love to all who may be reading.

Geoffrey Warren Barnes II* (he/him) (8 Seasons) is overjoyed to return to CSC for his 7th season. Finally, at last! Credits include The Drunk Santa Xmas Spectacular (video), All the Way, Fences, Macbeth, Twelfth Night with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, After AIDA (joint project with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and Cincinnati Opera), Hands on a Hardbody (Ronald McCowan) at ETC, and Marian: or the True Tale of Robin Hood at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Geoffrey holds a BFA in Musical Theater from Webster University in St. Louis and an MFA in acting from the University of Texas at Austin. He is an alumnus of the Cincinnati School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Thank you to his family, friends, and Katie for their love and encouragement. Be well, stay safe, and get vaccinated!

Darnell Pierre Benjamin (he/him) (12 Seasons) sits in gratitude as he returns to CSC, having worked in the company as an actor, choreographer, and director—favorites include Titus Andronicus, A Raisin in the Sun, and Fences. Regionally, Darnell has performed with Ensemble Theatre, Know Theatre, and Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, to name a few. He serves as a professor at Northern Kentucky University and College-Conservatory of Music. Darnell is on the boards of Treehouse Cinci, Pones, Stop the Stigma Productions, and Caracole. As a producer, Darnell collaborates with local LGBTQAI+ and allied artists in Queen City Pride Cabaret, supporting education efforts in LGBTQAI+ orgs. In 2020, Darnell premiered his film “13th & Republic”, which can be viewed at https://13thandrepublic.com/

Billy Chace (14 Seasons) is happy to be returning to the Cincy Shakes Ensemble for a 14^th season.  Past roles include Walter Jenkins in All The Way, Falstaff in The Merry Wives Of Windsor, Victor/Poche in Flea In Her Ear, Autolycus in The Winter’s Tale, Sir Toby in Twelfth Night, Richard in Richard III, Touchstone in As You Like It, Enobarbus in Antony and Cleopatra, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Renfield in Dracula, Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Lucio in Measure For Measure, Berowne in Love’s Labors Lost, and Clown 1 in The 39 Steps. He is also proud to have been featured in The Other Place with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and as a voice actor in Cincinnati Ballet’s 2011 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He is blessed and very thankful for his loving and supportive family and friends. 

Colleen Dougherty (she/her) (3 Seasons) is so thrilled to be back at CSC for another great season! Recent credits at CSC: Comedy of Errors (Luciana), Romeo and Juliet (Peter/ Gregory), Hamlet (Bernardo/ Player), and Pride and Prejudice (Lydia u/s). She has also been seen at The Repertory Theater of St Louis. She received her BFA in musical theater from the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University. She would like to thank her Mom and Dad for their constant love and support! colleenmdougherty.com

Ken Early* (he/him) (6 Seasons) is excited and honored to be cast in his fifth production with CSC. His stage credits with CSC include Macbeth, Guest Who’s Coming to Dinner, Mice of Men and To Kill a Mockingbird. His other regional credits include Pipeline, Red Velvet, The Whipping Man, Dancing Princesses, Snow White, Alice in Wonderland and Grey Gardens all at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Misery, Jitney, To Kill a Mockingbird and Once on this Island all at Playhouse in the Park. Once on this Island at Actors Theatre of Louisville and On Golden Pond at The Human Race Theatre. Ken is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.

Jennifer Jopline (9 seasons) is so happy to be back at Cincy Shakes. Originally from St. Louis and a graduate of Wright State, she has called this region her artistic home for almost 30 years. Some of her favorite roles include Maria in Twelfth Night and Cleopatra at CSC; Mrs. Hubbard in Murder on the Orient Express at Cincinnati Playhouse and Indiana Rep; Aimee in The Humans and Rosemary in Outside Mullingar at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; Amanda in The Glass Menagerie and Annette in God of Carnage at The Human Race; Grendel’s Mother in FEAST and Virginie in The Man-Beast at Know Theatre. She is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association. All the love and great thanks to Jason and Max!

Josh Innerst (he/him) (debut) is excited to join CSC for the first time. He is based in the Cleveland area with his wife and two dogs, where he has appeared often at the Cleveland Play House (Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Three Musketeers, and the world premier of CLUE) as well as Dobama (Stupid F**king Bird, and The Old Man and the Old Moon). Josh has spent most of his career in classical companies across the country including several seasons with Utah Shakespeare Festival, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and five years as a resident company member at the American Shakespeare Center. Some of his favorite roles include Hamlet (Hamlet), Algernon (The Importance of Being Earnest), Touchstone (As You Like It), Mr. Marks (Intimate Apparel), and The Chorus (Henry V) among many others. When he's not onstage, Josh spends his time working as an audiobook narrator and commercial voiceover artist. Feel free to visit his website at www.joshinnerst.com to find out more.

Sara Mackie (she/her) (3 Seasons) is a proud Equity and SAG/AFTRA member. Selected Cincy Area Credits: Pride and Prejudice (CSC); Fun Home, Hands on a Hardbody, Wonderettes, Rabbit Hole (ETC); An Act of God, Family Ties, Twelfth Night (HRTC); Pump Boys and Dinettes (Carnegie); and Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune (NET). You can also catch her briefly in the feature films The Public and Dark Waters. Coming up for Mz. Mackie this 21-22 season is Cinderella at ETC and a one night only original concert at The Carnegie, Cov. – being created as you read this – Cheaper Than Therapy. Be sure to catch the remount of Pride and Prejudice! Welcome back, Cincy Theatre. Missed you. www.saramackie.com

Justin McCombs* (he/him) (16 Seasons) is proud to call CSC his artistic home for another season. A company member of over 100 productions for CSC, audiences may remember him from Every Christmas Story Ever Told!, 1984, Macbeth, Othello, Noises Off, Henry V, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The 39 Steps, The Great Gatsby, and The Grapes of Wrath. Justin has appeared on Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s and Know Theatre of Cincinnati’s stages as well as in the Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile opposite Zac Efron. He is the proud husband of local actress and playwright Maggie Lou Rader, to whom he dedicates his season. They live in Cincinnati with three charming, hilarious pets.

Mollie Murk (they/she) (debut) is an actor, teaching artist, dancer, and choreographer based down the street in Louisville, KY. Mollie is an artistic associate at Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, most recently seen as Queen Elizabeth in Richard III, Joan of Arc/Warwick in Henry VI, Juliet in R&J, and (coincidentally) Viola in Twelfth Night! They have also worked with Actors Theatre of Louisville (Dracula (Mina), The Wolves (#8), and Are You There? in the 44th Humana Festival), Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Ambo Dance Theatre, and Suspend Aerial Arts, among others. Mollie is passionate about art as a social practice, and recently started a space for Queer/Trans youth to use Shakespeare to build resilience, community, and freedom, which has been her greatest joy. Mollie is an alum of Hope College, Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training, and is a proud member of the Ring of Keys Network.

Maggie Lou Rader is thrilled to be back on stage at CSC. An Oklahoma native, she attended William Jewell College in Kansas City and then crossed the pond to attend Oxford University and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. She’s performed regionally and internationally with such theaters as Human Race Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Kentucky Shakespeare, Know Theatre, StageOne, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, The Kitchen Theatre, Birmingham Old Rep, and the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Some of her favorite memories on stage have been playing Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, June in the rolling world premiere of Alabaster, Jo March in Little Women, The Pilot in Grounded, and Marie Antoinette in The Revolutionists. She is also a national award-winning playwright of epic plays about epic women. Follow her journey as an actor and writer at www.maggielourader.com. She sends love to her family, husband Justin Lee, and their three fur babies with four eyes between them.

² Dramatists Guild

Torie Wiggins* (she/her) (7 Seasons) is overjoyed to be back at CSC for another season! Her Cincinnati theatre credits include Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Harry and the Thief at Know Theatre of Cincinnati; The Mountaintop, Violet, and His Eye is on The Sparrow at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; Mame, Crowns and The Revolutionists at Human Race Theatre Co.; To Kill a Mockingbird at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 by Anna Deveare Smith and Your Negro Tour Guide. Here at CSC, Torie has had the pleasure of performing in To Kill a Mockingbird, Oliver Twist, A Raisin in the Sun, and Fences. Her greatest role is that of a loving wife to her amazing husband, Aaron, who always supports her.

Jemma Alix Levy (she/her) (Director, 2 Seasons) is an Associate Professor of Theater at Washington and Lee University.  She has directed nationally and internationally for over 20 years, including critically acclaimed productions in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, and Illinois, where she spent ten years as Artistic Director of Muse of Fire Theatre Company. Jemma received her Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College, then graduated from The Juilliard School's directing program, where she studied with JoAnne Akalaitis, Michael Kahn, and Garland Wright.  She also earned a Master’s degree in Humanities from the University of Chicago, and a Masters of Fine Arts in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University’s program in association with the American Shakespeare Center. Recent directing work includes a multi-media production of Natsu Onoda Power’s kamishibai adaptation of Thumbelina, Moliere’s Tartuffe at Prague Shakespeare Company, and Miss Holmes at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.  Jemma is also a playwright, and has written two Shakespearean adaptations: Queen Margaret, from the Henry VI tetralogy and Richard III; and Believe None of Us, from Hamlet.  She also adapted Lope de Vega’s Fuenteovejuna, and "Jenny Aloo," a short story by two-time National Book Award nominee Howard Norman.  Before joining the faculty at Washington and Lee, Jemma taught at Webster University's Conservatory of Theater Arts, Wabash College, Roosevelt University Chicago College for the Performing Arts, Mary Baldwin College, and The Brearley School.

Chris Holloway (he/him) (2 Seasons) is excited to become a part of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in his first season as Technical Director. He is also ecstatic to be back to building scenery for live theatre. Before joining Cincy Shakes, Chris was the Assistant Technical Director at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and a Scenic Carpenter at The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina in Hilton Head, SC. He received his education at the University of South Carolina Aiken.

Samantha Reno (she/her) (2 Seasons) is excited to be heading into another season at CSC! Recent favorite designs include "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet," "Comedy of Errors," and "Living Dead." In the last year, she has also enjoyed working with the Cincinnati Opera ("Fierce"), the Cincinnati Ballet (Bold Moves Festival), Northern Kentucky University ("Noises Off"), and B Street Theatre in Sacramento, California. The most gratitude and joy to her wonderful, supportive husband and two amazing kids!

Kristina Sneshkoff (Debut) is happy to join Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for her first production! Her other regional design credits include Skylight Music Theatre, Children’s Theater of Madison, FirstStage, Forward Theater Co., Renaissance Theaterworks, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, McLeod Summer Playhouse, Ivoryton Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Barrington Stage Co, Two River Theatre Co., Seaside REP, Florida Studio Theatre, Asolo REP, Opera New Jersey, Ballet Nouveau Colorado. Previous faculty positions at UW-Stevens Point, Rutgers University, Princeton University, Western CT State University, North Park University. www.kristinasneshkoff.com

Kevin Semancik (he/him) (3 Seasons) is a Theatrical Sound Designer, Audio Engineer, and Live Production Specialist based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Kevin is well versed in audio system design and optimization - having completed advanced  training from Meyer Sound, d&b audiotechnik, Figure 53 and Rational Acoustics. As a Sound Designer, Kevin has worked on productions for the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Public Theatre, Theatre Row, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati and Memorial Hall of Cincinnati. He regularly works with The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company as a Sound Designer for their live productions and Recording Engineer Engineer for their Audio Dramas with WVXU. Kevin is currently the resident Sound Designer and Audio Engineer for the Children's Theatre of Cincinnati. He enjoys working in a supportive educational environment where he can help train students in professional design and engineering practices.
Read more about Kevin and his work at https://www.semanciksound.com/ 

Robert Carlton Stimmel (he/him) (4 Seasons) is thrilled to be returning to Cincinnati Shakespeare Company! He is a Cincinnati area native, hailing from Fairfield, Ohio. After receiving his BA in Theatre at Miami University, he has worked with various theatre including Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Alliance Theatre, Short North Stage, and Tantrum Theatre. In addition to his technician and design work, he is also a performer and producer and is always looking to expand his artistic abilities! Robert is the Artistic Director of Impaired Vision Productions, a local theatre organization that produces new works. He would like to thank his wife Kayla for her constant support of his artistic aspirations and her unconditional love.

Kara Eble Trusty (she/her) (3 Seasons) is delighted to be returning to make art with CSC for a second season. A Cincinnati native, she saw her first CSC production at 12 and is amazed that she gets to collaborate with some of the same people that inspired her love of theatre and art at a young age. Kara has worked locally with the Know Theatre of Cincinnati, The Carnegie, and the Clarence Brown Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee. She would like to thank her friends and family, especially her parents Bob and Sue, for their love, support, and encouragement as she continues down this incredible and irrational artistic path.

Brian Isaac Phillips* (Producing Artistic Director and Ensemble, 22nd Season) has been leading the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company since 2003.  During his tenure, Mr. Phillips has guided the organization to artistic and financial success, including the opening of The Otto M. Budig Theater, a $17.5MM world-class facility at the corner of 12th and Elm Streets in OTR, as well as the completion of Shakespeare's 38 play canon, making Cincinnati Shakespeare Company one of the first five theatres in the United States to accomplish this milestone.

Mr. Phillips, originally from Pittsburgh, PA, is a graduate of Morehead State University and has been a resident of Cincinnati for over two decades.  In that time he has collaborated with virtually every arts organization in the region.  He is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and the Stage Director’s and Choreographer’s Society.

In 2020, Mr. Phillips was awarded the international Shakespeare Theatre Association's prestigious Sidney Berger Award for excellence in artistic direction and was also named as one of Cincinnati Magazine's 300 Most Powerful Business Leaders. Mr. Phillips was nominated in 2019 and 2016 for the SDCF Zelda Fichandler Award for outstanding artistic contribution to our region. Mr. Phillips was recognized by both Mayor John Cranley and Mayor Mark Mallory for service at CSC and to the city of Cincinnati. He was also selected for the 2014 Class of Forty Under Forty and a has been nominated for the Ohio Governors’ Arts Awards. In 2016, Mr. Phillips graduated from Cincinnati USA Chamber’s 39th Class of Leadership Cincinnati and is now happy to serve on one of the steering committees.  Also in 2016, Mr. Phillips was selected as a finalist for the Business Courier’s 2016 C-Suite Awards for Chief Executive Officer.

Most recent CSC directing credits include All the Way, The Merry Wives of Windsor, August: Osage County, 1984, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Dracula, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest (Co-Director), The Elephant Man, Antony and Cleopatra, Death of a Salesman, Cyrano de Bergerac, One Man, Two Guvnors, Waiting for Godot, The Birds, and The Great Gatsby.

Brian is the lucky husband of one of the most amazing actors in town and the proud father of Holden and Annabel.