Candice Handy (she/her) (6 Seasons), CSC’s Education Director, is a local and regional actor, director, and teaching artist. She is filled with gratitude for the opportunity to play on the Cincy Shakes stage again! Ms. Handy was last seen in CSC’s King Lear, Every Christmas Story Ever Told, Romeo and Juliet, and All the Way. She has also played at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park (A Christmas Carol), Human Race Theatre (The Cake), the Island Shakespeare Festival (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Winter’s Tale), StageOne Family Theatre (Frankenstein) and Theatre Monmouth (The Pirates of Penzance). Ms. Handy recently directed CSC’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and the Know Theatre’s The Twunny Fo’. She was the Creative Director for the Educational Theatre Association project, Finding Voice- New Works for Young Theatre Artists of Color and is the founder of Cincinnati Black Theatre Artist Collective. Candice thanks God, her family, and friends for their unwavering support throughout the course of her career.

Brandon (4 Seasons) was born and raised in Cincinnati and a graduate of CCM at The University of Cincinnati (Class of 2008). This is Brandon's fourth season with Cincinnati Shakespeare. Past CSC productions include Titus Andronicus, A Flea In Her Ear, Henry Vi  and The Tempest. He has also been seen on stage at The Know Theatre, Carnagie in Covington and Children's Theatre of Cincinnati. Now based in OKC, Brandon is so happy to briefly return to  Cincinnati in the company of his theatrical family, while missing his own family. I love you Breya and Chaslee. 

Cary Davenport (he/him) (8 Seasons) is so very grateful to work at CSC for his 7th season! Locally, he has also worked with Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Pones Inc., Commonwealth Theatre Company and New Edgecliff Theatre. Looking back at so many creatively fulfilling productions, some of his favorites at CSC include One Man, Two Guvnors, The Grapes of Wrath and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Cary is grateful to have so many incredibly gifted friends to collaborate with at CSC, but he is most grateful for his family back home and for their unconditional love and support.

Warren Jackson (2 Seasons) is a Midwest kid at heart who recently returned from Orlando, as a Guest Artist, directing and working with young performers on an adaptation of W.E.B. DuBois' The Comet. After years' long journey on the East coast, some NY credits include: Off-Broadway debut as Bottom, in Midsummer, Masterworks Theater Co; Henry V, Classical Theater of Harlem; The Long Christmas Dinner, and Merry Wives as a company member with Brave New World Rep.; Coriolanus, Harlem Shakespeare Festival; Titus Andronicus, NY Shakespeare Exchange. Other Regional: King Lear, All the way, Cincinnati Shakespeare Co.; In Darfur, Wam Theater; Antony& Cleopatra & The Winter's Tale Nashville Shakespeare Festival; Fences, Palmbeach Dramaworks, The Clarence Brown Theater; NEA National Tours: Macbeth, AL Shakespeare Festival, Romeo& Juliet, Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Shoes, Victory Gardens (world premiere, BTAA nom). Having begun his career working with children as a teaching artist, he also received a nod, in the Best Ensemble category, from the Midwest Regional Emmy board for Chicago children's television show, Green Screen Adventures. Training: MFA, University of AZ

Matthew Johnson (20 Seasons) is a CSC veteran of more than fifty productions onstage and off for over twenty seasons. A proud husband to Megan and father to Sunny and Ollie, Matthew is the Director of the Appalachian Shakespeare Center at EKU where he runs the Theatre program as an Assistant Professor in the Institute for Creative and Collaborative Arts. A few favorite CSC roles include Falstaff, Hamlet, Pseudelous, Bottom, Marc Antony, Trigorin, Francis Henshall...and Bill O'Wray! 

Joneal Joplin* previously appeared at CSC in All The Way, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, A Flea In Her Ear, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Hughie/ Krapp's Last Tape, Richard II, and Of Mice and Men. His most recent performances in the Cincinnati area was Grand Horizons at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati with his son Jared and dear friend Dale Hodges. He has worked across the country, calling St Louis home for almost 50 years where he has performed in over 100 productions at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis among many others. Jop is a proud member of Actors' Equity (55 years), the proud father of two wonderful actors Jen and Jared, and the proud and fortunate husband of the lovely St. Janie (60 years).

Courtney Lucien (she/her) (9 Seasons) is grateful for another season with her CSC family. Recent CSC credits: Pride & Prejudice (Lizzy Bennet), Romeo & Juliet (Juliet), Hamlet (Player Queen, U/S Hamlet), Macbeth (Witch 2). She has also worked at Shakespeare Dallas, Theatre at the Center, and Cardinal Stage Company. She holds a BA in Theatre and Drama from Indiana University and is a member of the Actors’ Equity Association. CourtneyLucien.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.

Brianna Miller (she/her) (2 Seasons) is so happy to be a part of this lovely cast. In her debut season at CSC, she performed in the tour productions of Macbeth, Romeo And Juliet, and A Midsummer Night's Dream and the mainstage productions of Romeo And Juliet, Hamlet, and The Comedy Of Errors. After performing in CSC's Free Shakespeare in the Park tour of Twelfth Night this summer, she could not be more grateful for the wonder that is air conditioning.

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.

TBA

Matthew Leckenbusch (Debut) is currently the Director of Theatre, senior lecturer, and the technical director for the Department of Performing Arts at Clemson University and freelance lighting and carpenter for multiple theatre, video and dance companies in the Greenville, SC, area. He has done multiple regional and national commercials. Prior to Clemson, Leckenbusch was the production manager at The South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, technical director at The Warehouse Theatre and assistant technical director for Seaside Music Theatre. His proudest achievement is a happy marriage and raising his daughter and son.

Daryl Harris (he/him) (2 Seasons) MFA, Ph.D. is a veteran of theatre throughout North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia and has received multiple awards for his costume designs for The St. Louis Black Repertory Company. The Arts Council’s Druid Award is among the recognitions Daryl has received for Theatre Tuscaloosa (Alabama) and Tuscaloosa Community Dancers productions including Mame, The King & I, and Nutcracker. Canada’s Royal British Columbia Museum has exhibited his costumes. Locally, he received the Cincinnati League of Theatres Award for Outstanding Costumes for Northern Kentucky University’s (NKU’s) production of Alice Childress’ Trouble in Mind. Daryl is a Professor in NKU’s School of the Arts Theatre and Dance Program, where he designs, acts, directs, and teaches “Race, Gender and Theatre” courses. He regularly presents costume-related papers at national and international conferences. This is his first collaboration with CSC. Daryl embraces each costume design experience as sustained communion with the Master Creator.

Jessica Ann Drayton (Debut) works as a professional lighting/projection designer, assistant and programmer. Every production has a life of its own and she is happy that her lighting gets to help tell each and every unique story. Her most recent works include designing lights for Raisin in the Sun (WaterTower Theater), Bridges: Sisters of Salem (Flexible Grey Theater) and projections for Viva Diva! (The Dallas Opera). She has recently assisted on Dallas Theater Center productions such as Tiny Beautiful Things, Working: The Musical, Something Grimm, and In the Bleak Midwinter. I keep my work practical, relevant and creative! I could not continue to pursue my craft without the love and support of my friends and family (especially Jonathan David). Explore more of my work at JessicaAnnDrayton.com

Charlie Raschke is a Cincinnati based Lighting Designer, Assistant, and Programmer. His credits include work at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Theatre Raleigh, Carolina Ballet, North Carolina Opera, UNC Chapel Hill, BHS Dance, and the College-Conservatory of Music, as well as freelance. Some of his favorite credits include the world premiere of Peace of Clay, Yellow Face at Theatre Raleigh, the world stage premiere of Sanctuary Road at the North Carolina Opera and As You Like It, A New Musical at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. He was recently awarded the Broadway World Award for Best Lighting Design for his design of the world premiere of Peace of Clay. He is thrilled to be a part of this incredible project!

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.