Aegeon
Skylar Thompson 

Duke Solinus
Nick Ivanoff  

Antipholus of Syracuse 
Kyan Muhammad  

Antipholus of Ephesus
TJPowell  

Dromio of Syracuse 
Kylee Fruin  

Dromio of Ephesus 
Kylee Moore 

Adriana 
Natalie Shank 

Luciana 
Haley Johnson 

Angelo 
Alyssa Ramirez 

Balthazar/Aemelia 
Rose Jimenez

Second Merchant/Officer
Sam Garcia  

Dr. Pinch 
Kaja Pusara 

Gaelor/Luce
Reagan Feld 

I have loved this play for as long as I can remember. It is often celebrated as one of Shakespeare’s most joyful comedies with a myriad of mistaken identities, misplaced affection, and hilarious confusion. Yet, beneath the funny, lies a deeply human question: Who are we when the world refuses to recognize us in the way that we need?

In this play, identity is fluid. A name, a face, a piece of clothing; any one of these can define a person in the eyes of others. Characters are trusted or doubted, loved or rejected, not for who they truly are, but for who they appear to be. As the twins at the heart of the story are separated, doubled, and repeatedly misrecognized, we are invited to consider how much of our own sense of self is built on the reflections we receive back from the people around us, and further, how it feels.

Our production embraces this tension and confusion between the inner self and the outer perception. Though the play is funny, it also reminds us that gaining clarity about who we are and how we belong, in any capacity, can be profound. In this production we celebrated reunion, recognition, and the joy of being truly seen.

Thank you for joining us in this journey of discovery. I wish you a truly wonderful night in the theatre!

Skylar Thompson

Aegeon

Skylar Thompson (he/him), is a third-year B.F.A. acting student at NIU. With The Comedy of Errors, he makes his penultimate appearance on the SOTD stage, followed most recently by his role as Mark Antony in Julius Caesar, Directed by Kay Martinovich. Other NIU credits include Prowess (Dir. Roxanna Conner) and Machinal (Dir. Alex Gelman). This year, he will be proudly completing a second year as camp counselor for the SOTD theater summer camp to enliven and uplift the creative spirit of young artists. He is delighted to be sharing this show with you, and would like to thank his peers, family, educators, and partner for always encouraging him to be the greatest version of himself he can be both artistically and personally. 

Nick Ivanoff

Duke Solinus

Nick Ivanoff (he/him) is a second-year B.F.A. acting and actuarial science student at Northern Illinois University. The Comedy of Errors marks his second SOTD mainstage appearance, following last semester’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist, directed by Alex Gelman, where he portrayed the superintendent. Outside of NIU, Nick has performed in seven productions, including The Crucible (Thomas Putnam), Crazy for You (Sam), and Mary Poppins (Neleus). He is actively involved in the local theater community, currently working as a stagehand at the historic Egyptian Theatre, previously serving as co-chair of the diversity and inclusion committee at Stage Coach Players, as well as previously mentoring with NIU Penguin Players. Nick is also a proud member of Phi Kappa Psi and a former flautist in the Huskie Marching Band, Pep Band, and Wind Symphony. He is endlessly grateful for the continued support of his friends and family and deeply appreciative of this incredibly talented cast and crew. Nick is thrilled to finally share this hysterical show with you. 

Ky Muhammad

Antipholus of Syracuse

Kyan “Ky” Muhammad (he/him) is a second year B.F.A. acting major and this will be his second mainstage show at NIU. His past credits include Julius Caesar where he played Casca/Titinius last semester and in 2024 Julius Caesar again where he played Cassius at Starlight Theatre in Rockford, Illinois. Last semester, Kyan was also rewarded as the first B.F.A. actor from NIU to receive the Sarah Siddons Society scholarship. Ky would like to thank God and his family and friends for always supporting him and believing in him as he continues to pursue his dream. Kyan hopes you all enjoy the wild and whimsical ride that is The Comedy of Errors! 

TJ Powell

Antipholus of Ephesus

TJ Powell (he/him) is a second-year B.F.A. acting major. He was the Inspector in the Sports Jacket in Accidental Death of an Anarchist in the fall of 2025 and he’s very happy to be part of this production of The Comedy of Errors.  

Kylee Fruin

Dromio of Syracuse

Kylee Fruin (she/her) is a second-year B.F.A. acting major at Northern Illinois University. This is her second production at NIU. This past fall, she played Portia/Clitus in Julius Caesar, directed by Kay Martinovich. Other works include: Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet; Sweetheart in Exit, Pursued by a Bear; Callie/B in Lost Girl and more. Kylee is absolutely thrilled to be a part of such a fun and magical show. She would like to thank her family and friends for supporting her since day one in making her dreams come true. She is incredibly grateful for having the opportunity to work with such talented and experienced people. It means the world to her that you are here, supporting the SoTD, and she hopes you all enjoy the show! xx  Instagram: kylee__kins 

Kylee Moore

Dromio of Ephesus

Kylee Moore (she/her) is a junior B.F.A. actor with a minor in communications. Kylee’s previous shows at NIU have been Macbeth, Holler River and Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Kylee is very thankful to work in this fun play with an amazing cast and crew. Kylee wants to thank her family and friends for their support and she hopes you enjoy the show! 

Natalie Olson-Shank

Adriana

Natalie Olson-Shank is a third year B.F.A. major and English minor. Natalie has played Inspector in the Sports Jacket and Constable (which was double casted) in Accidental Death of an Anarchist, played Helen Laius, Bird, Serza, Refugee, and Chorus in Anon(ymous), and News Reporter, Singer, and Jailer in Machinal. With her associates of arts degree already completed, she can focus completely on her craft and grow further in the work. She thanks you for coming and looks forward to the future. 

Haley Johnson

Luciana

Haley Johnson (she/her) is a third-year B.F.A. acting candidate at NIU School of Theatre and Dance. Her other credits include NIU’s production of Machinal (Woman/Woman at Bar), Anon(ymous) (Naja), and for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf (Lady in Yellow). She was also in Love/Sick, A Christmas Story, and the musical TV series Act Of Faith. She would like to thank her friends, her partner, and family for the love and support! 

Alyssa Ramirez

Angelo

Alyssa Ramirez (she/her), Angelo is a B.F.A. actor with a double major in psychology. She was previously in Julius Caesar as Calpurnia and Messala. She has done scenic design on Meteor Shower and When We Dead Awaken, a stage manager for Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties. Alyssa feels so blessed to have worked with Angelo, a character who has truly moved her, lived with her, and she has fallen in love with, as well as this world they and the cast built together with deep meaning and history. 

Rose Jimenez

Balthazar/Aemelia

Rose Jimenez (they/she) is currently a second year acting B.F.A., and a dance minor. Some of her favorite shows she’s done in the past include: Julius Caesar, The Crucible, The Addams Family, and Once Upon A Mattress. Rose is so excited to be a part of The Comedy of Errors, and to work with such an incredible cast and crew. They would like to thank her friends and family for their continued support. 

Sam Garcia

Second Merchant/Officer

Sam Garcia (she/they) is a second-year B.F.A. acting student at NIU. Her most recent credits include Lucius (Julius Caesar), Narrator (Puffs), Cecile (The Hundred Dresses). She is very proud of the work she and her cohort have worked on this past semester and would like to congratulate all of the cast and crew on opening this show. She’d like to thank the cast, crew, and Bethany for everyone’s hard work on the show, her family, friends, roommates, and boyfriend for their support. She is looking forward to many more performances and shows in her future.  

Kaja Pusara

Dr. Pinch/First Merchant

Kaja Pusara (she/her) is a second year B.F.A. acting student. This is her second show at NIU, following Accidental Death of an Anarchist from the fall of 2025. She is grateful for all of those who are here to see the show! 

Reagan Feld

Gaelor/Luce

Reagan Feld (she/her) is a first year B.A. theatre studies and psychology major at Northern Illinois University. She is so excited to perform in The Comedy of Errors as it is her first show at NIU! Other credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hermia), White Christmas (assistant director), Footloose (Wendy-Jo), and Little Women (Beth). Reagan would like to thank her family and friends for always supporting her and encouraging her to pursue her dreams. She is immensely grateful for the opportunity to create art with such a wonderful team of people. She hopes you enjoy the show! 

Bethany Mangum-Oles

Director

Bethany Mangum-Oles holds an MFA in acting from Northern Illinois University and a BFA in acting from California State University, Fullerton. Bethany is a Certified Intimacy Captain and is also trauma-informed yoga and yoga nidra certified. She has made her artistic home at NIU as Performance Area Faculty where she teaches all levels in the Meisner-based acting sequence and all levels of both voice and movement tracks, as well as directs in the official production season. Select directing credits for the School include Mary Stuart, Melancholy Play, Twelfth Night, Big Love, Bird in the Hand, Our Town, and A Song for Coretta. She also serves as Head of BFA Acting Recruitment. Bethany is Artistic Director at Kane Repertory Theatre where she oversees the daily workings of the company, season selection, and casting. She also works as rotating voice and movement faculty at the renowned Gately-Poole Acting Conservatory. Chicago acting credits include projects with The Organic Theater Company, MUSE Theatre Collective, Along the Way Productions, The Outer Loop Theatre Experience, Unnecessary Nowledge, and Kane Repertory Theatre. Favorite acting roles include Masha in Three Sisters, Lady Capulet in BCC: Romeo and Juliet, and Viola in the US premiere of Out of the Blue. Internationally, Bethany has studied at the Moscow Art Theater School in Moscow, Russia, and performed and facilitated workshops at the Adana International Theatre Festival in Adana, Turkey.  

Hans Herrera

Assistant Director

Hans Herrera (he/him) is a third-year B.A. theatre studies and art history candidate. Within the School of Theatre and Dance, he has previously served as dramaturg for Antígona Furiosa, assistant director for Accidental Death of an Anarchist, and an actor in Julius Caesar as Marullus/Soothsayer/Caesar’s Assistant as well as Jo/Casey in Holler River. He has also served as dramaturg for both parts of the Angels in America, wrote A New Life and Equal as We Are for the NIU 24 Hour Play Festival, and serves as a mentor for the NIU Penguin Players. His research has been presented nationally at the American Society for Theatre Research 2025 Conference: Generative Acts, analyzing Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya as a source of ecocriticism in the industrializing Russian Empire. You may have also seen his work with the NIU Foundation, appearing in the Huskies United 2025 campaign trailer, providing voiceover for the Huskies Unleashed promotion, and co-hosting the multi-million-dollar Forward fundraising event. He is eternally grateful for your support in the arts and hopes that you enjoy the show!  

Christopher Christ

Scenic Designer

Christopher Christ (he/him) is a first-year graduate student in scenic design with a background in performing and a B.F.A. in theater design and technology. Christopher is thrilled to work on The Comedy of Errors as his first design at NIU and is very excited to see what the next season of shows will bring! Designing in a new space provides so much inspiration and possibility, and his goal was to use the Black Box Theatre in ways that have never been done! He would like to thank his family and friends, his scenic mentor Sahin Sahinoglu, and the creative team of The Comedy of Errors for their support and assistance through this entire process. 

Check out more of his work on his Instagram – @christopherchristdesigns 

But for now, enjoy The Comedy of Errors!  

Kylee Galarneau

Costume Designer

Kylee Galarneau is a second-year graduate student at NIU studying costume design and technology. She previously received her bachelor of theatre arts at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. When Kylee is not sewing, she can be found curled up at home with her cat, Purrogi. Previous design and technical credits include: Edgar in The Red Room (costume designer/ Le Moyne College, Winner: Best English Production at Montréal Fringe), Macbeth (stitcher/wardrobe supervisor/Northern Illinois University), Holler River (costume designer/Northern Illinois University), Anon(ymous) (assistant costume designer/Northern Illinois University), Sunday in the Park With George (stitcher apprentice/Glimmerglass Festival), and for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf (costume designer/Northern Illinois University). Kylee would like to thank her mother and partner for being her cheerleaders from 700 miles away. Find more of Kylee’s work on Instagram: @kyleereneedesign 

Akaya Chambers

Assistant Costume Designer

Akaya Chambers (she/fae/they) is a first-year M.F.A. candidate for costume design and technology at Northern Illinois University. While being her first assistant designer role at NIU, The Comedy of Errors is not Akaya’s first experience in costume production and construction for theater. They have previously worked on several other plays as a stitcher or designer, including Boeing Boeing, Small Mouth Sounds, and Murder on the Orient Express; she also worked as an assistant, draper, and stitcher for last semester’s productions of for colored girls, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, and Fall Dance Concert. She is an avid cat lover and gacha player outside of her dedication to costumes and is extremely excited for everyone to meet this cast of comical characters. 

Max Garcia

Lighting Designer

Max Garcia (he/him) is a third-year B.F.A. design and technology major, with an emphasis in lighting and scenic design. Max is a multidisciplinary artist with a background in fine arts and carpentry. Previous credits include lighting designer for Monty Python’s Spamalot at Crystal Lake South High School, directed by Ben Stoner, and Dulcci at Rivendell Theater, directed by Mark Litwicki with Colectivo El Pozo, assistant lighting designer for Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches and Part Two: Perestroika at The Invictus Theater Company, directed by Charles Askenaizer. At NIU co-scenic designer for Julius Ceasar directed by Kay Martinovich, lighting designer for M.F.A./B.F.A. Actor Showcase directed by Kay Martinovich, co-lighting designer for the Spring Choreography Showcase and Art for Life by the NIU School of Dance, scenic painter for Prowess directed by Roxanna Conner, and assistant lighting designer for Macbeth directed Peter Andersen. 

Max would like to thank his partner, family, and friends for supporting him and inspiring him to keep creating. 

Find more of his work.

Gemma Baines

Associate Technical Director

Gemma Baines is a fourth-year B.F.A. student at NIU with an emphasis in technical direction and scenic design. Her past credits at NIU include Anon(ymous), Accidental Death of an Anarchist, and Art for Life. She is extremely grateful for the opportunity to work on The Comedy of Errors and is proud to have been a part of this show.

Kayleena Lopez

Properties Designer

Kayleena Lopez (she/her) is currently in her second year as a B.F.A. theatre arts design and technology student here at NIU. She has been a part of the fine arts since she was very little. This is her eighth show that at NIU. Kayleena is grateful for the opportunities that she gets while being here and working in the shops that help the plays here come to life. She would also like to express her gratitude for working on this show with such an amazing team and friends who encouraged her to do more. Kayleena would also like to give her deepest thanks to her mother Linda Ort, younger brother Crisantos Lopez II, and grandparents Bob and Brenda Baxter, and close friends and professors for believing in her. Along with them her father Crisantos Lopez, and great grandmother Willie Johnson, even though they aren’t here anymore, they will always brighten her nights with the other stars in the night sky. She hopes that you all enjoy the show as much as she did with designing it!

Sasha Norman

Sound Designer

Sasha Norman is a third-year theatre design and technology student. She is so excited to be making her debut as the sound designer! She has been working in the theater industry for over a decade. She has collaborated with an independent performer and toured 45 states, performing at notable venues and organizations such as the NASA Space Center, Disney World, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Miami Dolphins. 

She has served as deck crew chief for numerous productions, including The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, and most recently Macbeth. Sasha has also worked on flight crew for Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She was honored to participate in a two-week intensive study abroad experience at the Antalya Theatre Festival and throughout the Greek Islands. 

Her experience extends into stage management and design, having assistant stage managed and props designed for Prowess. She currently works in the prop shop at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora as well as the SOTD prop shop and has recently served as prop designer and assistant scenic designer for for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf as well as prop designer for Antígona Furiosa.  

Sasha is deeply grateful to the team and for all the hard work everyone has contributed to this production.

Madie Barnas

Stage Manager

Madie Barnas (she/her) is a third year B.F.A. design and technology major with an emphasis in stage management. She is so incredibly excited to be a part of this production with such an amazing cast, crew, and production team. You may have seen her as the stage manager for NIU’s fall production of for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf, the spring 2025 production of Prowess and the fall of 2024 production of Macbeth. She would like to thank her friends and family for their constant support and hopes that you enjoy the show!  

Peyton Armstrong

Assistant Stage Manager

Peyton Armstrong (he/him) is a junior transfer in the B.A. theatre studies program. Before coming to NIU, he graduated from Elgin Community College where he received his associates in arts. While at ECC he worked as an ASM on their production of That Day in Tucson and acted in their productions of Bluestockings and You Can’t Take it With You. He is so excited and grateful to be a part of The Comedy of Errors and have it be his first ASM position at NIU. He would like to thank his friends and family for all their support and hopes you enjoy the show! 

Jay Gonzalez

Assistant Stage Manager

Jay Gonzalez (she/they) is a second year B.F.A. theatre design and technology major with an emphasis on costume design and stage management. She is ecstatic to be ASM for their first Mainstage production here at NIU. You may have seen their name in programs for previous shows Accidental Death of an Anarchist, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, Anon(ymous), and Macbeth as wardrobe crew or wardrobe supervisor. She would like to thank everyone who has supported them through this journey. They are so grateful for the amazing and memorable experience of working with this talented and dedicated cast, crew, and director, and hope you enjoy the show.

Scenery

Scenic Coordinator – Sahin Sahinoglu
Scene Shop Supervisor – Adam Rager
Run Crew Chief – Reese Rodriguez
Run Crew – Sameer Datta, Andy Ramirez

Costumes

Costume Design Advisor – Jeremy W. Floyd
Costume Director – Lori Hartenhoff
Costume Shop Supervisor – Elias Dennis
Wardrobe Crew Supervisor – Lexi Foelkner
Wardrobe Crew – Sophia Testa
Student Technicians – THEA 210, 235 and 295 students
Costume Crew – THEA 210 students

Lighting

Lighting Design Advisor – Brandon Wardell
Resident Head Electrician – Chris Kurszewski
Production Head Electrician – Reece Deidrick
Lighting Shop Graduate Assistants – Christopher Christ, Ross Wheeler
Lighting Shop Student Employees – Emily Christianson, Reece Deidrick, Conall Doherty, Thomas Readling
Lighting Shop Student Electricians – Crowler Bonomo, Hans Herrera, THEA 210A students
Light Board Operator – Luke Cahill
Sound Board Operator – Summer McDonald

Properties

Properties Director – Dave Doherty
Properties Shop Employees – Kayleena Lopez, Sasha Norman
Properties Shop 295/395 Students – B. Leni, Jamel Hill, Michael Kocher
Properties Crew – Mari Phillips, Karinne Watkins

Production Management

Technical Direction Advisor – Tracy Nunnally
Stage Management Advisor – Angela A. Miller
House Managers – THEA 366 and THEA 497 students

Production Promotional Artwork – Cornelia Reed

Jason, Bennett, and Georgia Oles, Sasha Gelman, Kay Martinovich, Stanton Davis, Hans Herrera, Madie Barnas, Peyton Armstrong, Jay Gonzales, Kylee Galarneau, Christopher Christ, Chris Kruszewski, Dave Doherty, Roxanna Conner, Jorge Serrano, Tracy Nunnally, Max Garcia, Brandon Wardell, Kayleena Lopez, Sahin Sahinoglu, and Angi Miller.