Robert Jordan Bailey+* Last seen as Roy in Naperville, Season’s Greetings will mark his third Alan Ayckbourn play. As a member of BTE, Bailey has appeared in Defiance (Chaplain White), Outside Mullingar (Anthony), The Ding Dong, Improbable Fiction, Don’t Dress for Dinner, Glass Menagerie (Jim), Homeward Bound, Hamlet (Horatio), Bedroom Farce, Angels in America (Louis), Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, 70 Scenes of Halloween, Blithe Spirit (Charles), Fuddy Meers (Richard), Art (Marc), Sylvia (Greg), Three Days of Rain (Walker/Ned), Baltimore Waltz, Noises Off (Gary), The Woman in Black, Moonlight and Magnolias (Selznick), Private Lives (Elyot), Shining City (Ian), Drawer Boy (Angus), and Leading Ladies. Some of Bailey’s other favorite credits include: A Moon for the Misbegotten (Tyrone), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Valmont) and Lips Together, Teeth Apart (Sam) with Circle Theatre; Our Town (George), Equus (Dysart) and Rope (Rupert) with Bailiwick Repertory; Relationship Hell with Strawdog; Shadowlands (C.S. Lewis) with Borealis; and the premiere of Jamie Pachino’s Children of Cain with the Playwrights Center. Before Chicago, Bailey spent a year at the professional regional theatre Players’ Theatre in Columbus, Ohio, where he played Peter in Prelude to a Kiss and Young Skrudge in the musical A Country Christmas Carol. Bailey also spent two summers in stock with Southern Appalachian Repertory where he played Cliff in Cabaret and originated the roles of Lonny in The Battle of Shallowford and E.J. Fikes in Echo 4 mi.

Hugh Callaly* is absolutely chuffed to be returning to the BTE Stage. Past BTE performances include The Philanthropist, The Recruiting Officer, Our Country’s Good, The House of Blue Leaves, Twelfth Night, The Real Thing and The Mousetrap. Other productions include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and A Flea in Her Ear (Drury Lane/Oak Brook). Chicago productions include Wild Men, Four of a Kind, Happy, Happy Good Show and All You Can Eat and the Temple of Doom! Television credits include Early Edition, Chicago P.D., Patriot, The Red Line and Soundtrack. Thanx Family, for the support. 

Brad Lawrence has appeared in many commercials, films, industrials, and on stages around Chicago, most notably with the Goodman and Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (4th time, wooo!). Also a playwright, Lawrence’s plays have been produced at various venues around the city and suburbs. He was selected as a semifinalist in the Goodman’s David Mamet Speakeasy playwriting contest, and his work has been featured at Chicago Dramatists’ ASCAP Cabaret. Lawrence holds an MFA in acting from Western Illinois University, where he also taught acting, Shakespeare, and theatre studies. After the past few years, thank you for supporting live theatre!

Charles Loggins III has performed in a number of shows throughout the Chicago area for over 18 years working with different theatre companies like ETA Creative Arts Foundation and Chemically Imbalanced Comedy (CIC) Theater. Some of his theater credits include Henry V, Laugh In, Ray Bradbury's Pillar of Fire/The Foghorn, Seven Guitars (Floyd), Fences (Troy) and The Boys Next Door (Lucien). This is his fourth production with the Buffalo Theatre Ensemble as he was previously an understudy for Clybourne Park (2022), Naperville (2022), and Defiance (2019).

Katelyn McKeon is thrilled to be joining Buffalo Theatre Ensemble and humbled to be sharing the stage with many of her former mentors and teachers. Her past work includes BTE’s Time Stands Still (Understudy of Sarah), The Ding Dong or How the French Kiss (Understudy for Actor 5), College of DuPage’s These Shining Lives (Charlotte), Illinois State University’s Bug (Angnes), Players PleaseTheatre’s The Boys Next Door (Shiela), College of DuPage’s Anton in Show Business (Lisabette) and Smirnova’s Birthday (Paulina).

Kurt Naebig+* has worked professionally in theatre, film, television and radio for more than 30 years, and has been teaching and coaching actors since 1992. A Juilliard graduate, he has also studied at the Moscow School of the Arts in Russia. Naebig is the former Artistic Director of The Theatre of Western Springs, a member of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble and has worked as an actor at Portland Stage, Milwaukee's Pabst Theatre, National Jewish Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Naebig is a playwright and his solo show Stove Toucher was performed by him at Buffalo Theatre Ensemble last fall. He also appeared in such films as Public Enemies, The Express, Witless Protection, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, The Relic, Dillinger, Howard Beach: Making the Case for Murder, and has been in seen in the television shows, Fargo, A League of Their Own, Empire, APB, Sense8, Chicago Code, Detroit 1-8-7 and multiple episodes of Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, ER and Prison Break. Naebig has directed multiple seasons of VC - The Webseries. He has also directed Naperville, Defiance, The 39 Steps, Don't Dress for Dinner, The Drawer Boy, Trumbo: Red White and Blacklisted, and Leading Ladies at Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. Visit him at www.kurtnaebig.com

Renata Naomi is elated to be joining in on the holiday fun with so many familiar faces! Some of Naomi’s favorite credits include Grease and The Addams Family (College of DuPage Theatre), and student assistant stage managing on The Ding Dong or How the French Kiss (Buffalo Theatre Ensemble). Naomi has also choreographed several pieces for the dance department at the College of DuPage when she was a student. When Naomi’s not working or creating, you can find her snuggled up rewatching Gilmore Girls or packing a carry-on and catching a flight to the next adventure!

Laura Leonardo Ownby+ is thrilled to be returning to the stage for Buffalo Theatre Ensemble’s Season’s Greetings. She was last seen in BTE’s Defiance (Margaret Littlefield), Improbable Fiction (Jess) and Don't Dress for Dinner (Suzanne). Favorite acting credits include Outside Mullingar (Rosemary, Jeff nomination- best production, midsized), Noises Off (Belinda Blair) Theatre at the Center, Anne of Green Gables (Mrs. Blewett) with Provisions Theater, Unnecessary Farce (Karen Brown) with the Jedlicka Performing Arts Center. Other notable roles include The Graduate (Mrs. Robinson), Sonya, Vanya, Masha, and Spike (Masha), The Curious Incident of the Dog at Midnight (Siobhan), Summer and Smoke (Alma Winemiller) and Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Germaine). Leonardo Ownby would like to thank her husband, Jeff, and their four children for supporting her antics on and off the stage.

Tina Shelley is so excited to be on stage at BTE where she was just recently the understudy for Bev/Kathy in Clybourne Park. Thanks to Connie and the entire Season’s Greetings team for this opportunity. Favorite stage roles include: Jo in Nice Girl, Corryn in Gidion’s Knot, Veronica in God of Carnage, and Mama in Distracted. TV/Film Credits: Torque and America’s Most Wanted. She is the Artistic Director at Habakkuk Theatre. www.tinashelley.net

Shannon Bachelder is very happy to be back again, having just understudied with BTE for Clybourne Park. Previous credits include When There Are Nine (Pride Arts Center), Death Is So Much Worse (Nealshow Productions), Wit and Murdered to Death (Wheaton Drama) and Becky's New Car (Village Theatre Guild).

Cassi Fanelli is thrilled to be working with BTE on this production. She was a participant in the Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Actor’s Shadow Program as Della for The Cake. Favorite credits include Ross in Macbeth at COD, Piney Woods in The Outcasts of Poker Flat, Lily, Winnifred and Annie in What Are the Odds? A Musical Theatre Review, and Director of Gray Matter. She is a graduate of the Theatre program at Northern Illinois University.

Amanda Fisher was recently an understudy in BTE's production of Naperville as Anne. Prior to that, she played Anna Hauptmann in Hauptmann, which was paused for the pandemic but was finally performed this past fall. She has performed in several roles for suburban theatre companies in a variety of plays from Shakespeare to recently written one-acts. Her first college productions were in this very building as a student at COD. 

Ravi Kalani was most recently seen as Howard in Naperville at Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. Kalani performed in many shows with the College of DuPage theater program and has trained under both Connie Canaday Howard and Amelia Barrett

Ken Kaden is delighted to be along for the ride with this wonderful cast and staff for the Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. As an actor, he is the grateful recipient of the inaugural Lou Award for Best Performer in a Leading Male Role-Musical for his performance as Gomez in The Addams Family at Wheaton Drama and a nomination for his portrayal of Hank in The Tin Woman for the Elgin Theatre Company. Other favorite roles include Max Bialystock (The Producers), Fagin (Oliver), Captain Hook (Peter Pan), Vanya (Vanya, Sonia, Masha & Spike), Nathan Detroit (Guys and Dolls), Malvolio (Twelfth Night), Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof), and Judge Wargrave (And Then There Were None). He adapted and directed Nick Hornby’s A Long Way Down to benefit the National Center for the Prevention of Youth Suicide. He also served as director of The 39 Steps and Hauptmann at Wheaton Drama and As You Like It for Bard in the Burbs.  He is grateful to his co-conspirators, wife, sign language interpreter/actress/ teacher, Patti Shore Kaden, and son, Jeremy, for all their support.

Doug Long returns to Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, where he previously acted in Twelfth Night. He has directed several shows for the College Theater at the College of DuPage. Previous acting roles include Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs (Chopin Theatre), Uncle Billy in A Wonderful Life (Porchlight Music Theatre), Stanley in The Conversation (Chopin Theatre), and Armistead, etc. in The Killer Angels (Lifeline Theatre). He earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Ball State University and an MFA in Directing from Indiana University and is on the faculty at DePaul University.

Mike Pesola is pleased to be backwith BTE. He previously understudied onTime Stands StillandHolmes and Watson.Pesola’sfavorite credits includeLa Ronde(COD),As You Like It(COD) andThe CompleteWorks of William Shakespeare: Abridged(PPT)

Alexandra Price is thrilled to be making her Understudy debut with BTE’s Season’s Greetings, having been a part of their shadow program for Good People in 2017. She was a student of COD’s theatre program. Some of her favorite roles include, Mrs. Arbuthnot in A Women of No Importance, Fastrada in Pippin, and Mrs. Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank.

Benedict L. Slabik II is thrilled to be back working with BTE once again. He was last seen in BTE’s Midwest Premiere of The Ding Dong or How the French Kiss (U/S Vatelin) and Good People (Stevie). Some of his most recent productions have been: Multiple roles with the Elgin Shakespeare Project, Peter and the Starcatcher (Black Stache) at Wheaton Drama, Shakespeare in Love (William Shakespeare) and many others. Slabik has also completed the entire improv program with Chicago's Io Theater (formerly ImprovOlympics). Slabik is also a current member of the Village Theatre Guild, having sat on their play reading committee.

Connie Canaday Howard+* has directed numerous BTE productions including Good People, Time Stands Still, Noises Off, Into the Woods, Dancing at Lughnasa, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Rabbit Hole and Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune. Favorite BTE acting roles have been Della in The Cake, Annie in The Real Thing, Harper in Angels in America, Nancy in Frozen and Ruella in Communicating Doors. Canaday Howard is a member of Actors’ Equity, and is on the Artistic Team of the Jeff Committee. She holds an MFA in directing, and has worked regionally with Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival, City Theatre Company, Belvoir Terrace, Drama Workshop, Down River Dinner Theatre, Ingersoll Theatre, Charlie’s Showplace, and tours of both theater and dance, as well as helping to create and perform several improvisational shows. She was the state-wide co-chair of the Theatre Panel for Illinois Articulation Initiative for more than 15 years. Canaday Howard was Chair of the Theatre Department at the College of DuPage until her retirement in 2022, and was honored as COD’s Outstanding Faculty for 2003–2004.

Aly Renee Amidei+^ is the Assistant Professor of Costume Design at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Previously she was the Associate Professor of Costume Design at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte with an MFA in Costume Design from Carnegie Mellon University in 2000. In addition to being a BTE ensemble member, she is also an ensemble member, designer, and playwright at two pillars of Chicago ensemble-based storefront theatre: Strawdog Theatre Company and Lifeline Theatre. She was also a founding member and the artistic director for the horror theatre company WildClaw. Her costume and makeup designs have also been featured at Steep Theatre, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre of San Antonio, Lakeside Shakespeare, Irish Theater of Chicago, Dupage Opera, Stage Left, Artistic Home, House Theater of Chicago, Teatro Vista, Collaboraction, and Vitalist Theater. Previously, she worked for 15 years as the costume and makeup coordinator for the College of DuPage theater and dance department. 

Garrett Bell is excited to be joining Buffalo Theatre Ensemble again for Season’s Greetings. Recent local lighting design credits include Clybourne Park and Naperville with Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Future Perfect with Bellissima Opera, and The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story (Associate) with Oak Park Festival Theatre. Other recent credits include the world premiere of A Hidden Life at PURE Theatre in Charleston, South Carolina, and Tecumseh! in Chillicothe, Ohio. More of Bell’s work can be found at www.garrettmbell.com

Christopher Kriz+^ is a composer and sound designer based in Chicago, and an Ensemble Member with BTE. Previous BTE designs include The 39 Steps (Jeff Nomination), Naperville, The Cake, Holmes and Watson, Time Stands Still, and dozens of others. Chicago: Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Court Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Writers Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Victory Gardens, Timeline Theatre, The Gift Theatre, and many others. Regional: Seattle Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Crossroads Theatre, Montana Shakespeare, TheatreSquared, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, and others. A winner of five Joseph Jefferson Awards, Kriz is a proud member of United Scenic Artists 829. To hear more of his work, please visit christopherkriz.com

Rachel Lambert is so happy to be working with Buffalo Theatre Ensemble again. She is a freelance costume and props designer in Chicago whose previous credits include work with Goodman Theatre, The Second City, Northlight Theatre, Remy Bumppo Theatre, First Folio, The Gift, Eclipse Theatre, Redtwist, DePaul School of Music, Greenhouse Theatre, BoHo Theatre, Underscore Theatre, Signal Ensemble, and American Blues Theatre. She has been nominated for five Jeff awards. Regionally she has designed for Peninsula Players and the Texas Shakespeare Festival.

Sarah Lewis (Scenic Design) is thrilled to return to Buffalo Theatre Ensemble where she designed Clybourne Park, Naperville, Miracle on South Division Street and 39 Steps. Some of her credits include Emma, Arnie the Doughnut, Northanger Abby (Lifeline Theatre), Steel Magnolias (Big Noise Theatre), Darkness after Dawn, Fight City (The Factory Theater). Lewis is currently the Assistant Charge Scenic Artist at Steppenwolf Theater Company. Her work can be seen at sarahdaltonlewis.com

Neil Massey‡ is a Certified Teacher in the Society of American Fight Directors has been involved in stage combat for over 30 years as a performer, choreographer, and teacher in the US and abroad.  Massey has served on the Governing Body of the SAFD, as Assistant Coordinator for the National Stage Combat Workshop at UNLV, and as Coordinator for the Chicago Regional Stage Combat Workshop.  Locally Massey had taught stage combat at Roosevelt University, DePaul University, Columbia College, and College of DuPage. His choreography has been seen on various stages throughout Chicago, including Chicago Shakespeare, The Goodman, Steppenwolf, and others. He is thrilled to return to Buffalo Theatre Ensemble for another production. An accomplished sword cutler, his company, Rogue Steel, supplies theatres, universities, and individuals all over the world with high quality stage combat equipment.

Daniel Millhouse* is thrilled to be returning to Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. Previous productions with BTE include The 39 Steps and Naperville. Chicago Theatre: Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, The Shakespeare Project of Chicago, ShawChicago, A Crew of Patches, Remy Bumppo, and The Second City Training Center. Regional Theatre: Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Great Lakes Theatre, and Great River Shakespeare Festival. Film/TV: Chicago Fire. Motion Capture: Call of Duty Video Game Franchise. Podcasts: The Vanishing Act and The Onion's The Topical. Education: MFA in Acting/Directing - University of Wisconsin-Madison; BS - Eastern Michigan University. Millhouse is an Assistant Professor at the College of DuPage, a proud member of AEA, and is represented by Big Mouth Talent. Check out more information on his website at www.danielmillhouse.com.

Christopher Lindquist is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. He is ecstatic to be making his professional debut with Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. His favorite credits include Peter and the Starcatcher (Assistant Director) and Head Over Heels (Stage Manager) at UWEC, and Godspell (Ensemble) while attending COD.

Kaya Luckey◊ has performed in COD productions of Macbeth (Malcolm), Scenes From An Execution (Prodo), and Ocean 9-1-1 (Bruno). This is her first time in a behind the scenes role as BTE Student Stage manager.

Sarah West* is pleased to be back at Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. Previously at BTE she worked on the premiere of Stove Toucher. She is an Artistic Associate at First Folio Theatre, where credits include Mary's Wedding, Women in Jeopardy, As You Like It, Silent Sky, Captain Blood, Dr. Seward’s Dracula, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Amish Project, Jeeves at Sea, The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Gravedigger, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Salvage, Rough Crossing, The Rainmaker, Unnecessary Farce, Searching for Peabody’s Tomb and Macbeth. Other credits include Oak Park Festival Theatre (Edgar Allan Poe: A Love Story 2019 and 2021), United Solo at Stage 773 (Tall Boy), Mercury Theatre (Mary Poppins), Babes with Blades (Women of 4G), and Capital City Theatre (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). She is a proud graduate of North Central College.

Christopher Lindquist is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. He is ecstatic to be making his professional debut with Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. His favorite credits include Peter and the Starcatcher (Assistant Director) and Head Over Heels (Stage Manager) at UWEC, and Godspell (Ensemble) while attending COD.

Brandon Luna◊ First production with BTE and first time working in stage management. Luna has also acted and worked in many productions over the years, most recently in COD’s The SpongeBob Musical (Eugene H. Krabs). Favorite past credits include Smokefall (Colonel/ Johnny), The Elephant Man (John Merrick) at Glenbard North High School Theatre and She Kills Monsters (Orcus/Ronnie) at COD. Luna is a 2022 BTE Stage Management Scholarship recipient, as well as a 2017 Illinois High School Theatre Festival participant and a 2018 Charles A. Berglund Scholarship for education in the performing arts recipient.

+ Member of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers

^  Member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829

◊ BTE Stage Management Scholarship Recipient