NIU SCHOOL OF THEATRE AND DANCE PRESENTS

Emma

by Kate Hamill

Directed by Melanie Keller

Director
Melanie Keller

Choreographer
Rose Jimenez

Assistant Director
Lilithe Buttron

Scenic Designer
Cristopher Christ

Costume Designer
Akaya Chambers

Lighting Designer
Kateri Pheiffer

Technical Director
Emery Foster

Properties Designer
Sasha Norman

Intimacy Choreographer
Greg Geffrard

Stage Manager
Madie Barnas

Assistant Stage Manager
Reese Rodriguez

This show is approximately two hours and will have a 10 minute intermission.

CAST

Emma
Nya Warner

Mr. Knightley
Kyan Muhammad

Harriet Smith
Rose Jimenez

Mr. Woodhouse
Mosi Weinberg

Mrs. Weston
Kaja Pusara

Ensemble
Rio Christen

Mr. Elton
Michael Kocher

Jane Fairfax
Lyssa Ramirez

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Copy to come.

A NOTE FROM THE DRAMATURG

DRAMATURG'S NOTE

Copy to come.

CAST BIOS

Nya Warner

Emma

Nya Warner (she/her) is a senior Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) acting major. This production marks her fifth stage performance. Her previous credits include Macbeth, Anon(ymous), for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, and Antigona. Nya’s time in this program has been an incredible journey, and she is thrilled to be part of another outstanding production. Nya is deeply grateful to the faculty and fellow students who have supported and challenged her throughout this eye-opening experience. She values everything she’s learned and is excited to continue growing as an artist and embracing the opportunities ahead.

Kyan Muhammad

Mr. Knightley

Kyan Muhammad (he/him) is a third year B.F.A. actor, and this is his third production NIU. His past credits include Julius Caesar where he played Casca and Titinius, and then The Comedy of Errors where he played Antipholus of Syracuse. Ky thanks his loved ones for continuing to support him as he pursues his dream and he truly couldn’t do it without them. He’s very excited to be a part of this production, and he hopes you all enjoy the dynamic, and every bit of chaotic show of Emma.

Rose Jimenez

Harriet Smith

Rose Jimenez (she/they) is so grateful to the cast and crew of Emma for making her third production at NIU such a magical one! Harriet has been such a dream to play, and Rose couldn’t be happier to share her work with everyone! She would also like to thank her friends and family for their continuous support throughout her theatre career, and can’t wait for everyone to see what she considers one of her absolute favorite projects to date!

Mosi Weinberg

Mr. Woodhouse

Mosi Weinberg (he/him) is excited for his third show at NIU. This is one of his first shows in British dialect, and he hopes you enjoy the show!

Kaja Pusara

Mrs. Weston

Kaja Pusara (she/her) This is Kaja’s third show at NIU, following her roles as Dr. Pinch and First Merchant in The Comedy of Errors and her role as Inspector Bertozzo in Accidental Death of An Anarchist. She is excited to show her skills and hopes you enjoy the show!

Rio Christen

Ensemble

Rio Christen (he/him) is a B.F.A. acting student at Northern Illinois University and is excited to be playing Robert Martin in Emma. He loves acting and finding new ways to grow as a performer. Mario is grateful to be part of the production and hopes you enjoy the show and Robert Martin’s large dialogue.

Michael Kocher

Mr. Elton

Michael Kocher (he/him) is very excited to be an actor in Emma. This is his first show at NIU and he is playing Frank Churchill and Mr. Philip Elton. He would like to thank his mother and his father for supporting his dreams and aspirations in acting and any other endeavors. He can’t wait for future projects and hopes everyone enjoys the show.

Lyssa Ramirez

Jane Fairfax

Lyssa Ramirez (she/her) is a third year B.F.A. actor who is excited to be taking on the roles of Jane Fairfax and Mrs. Elton. Previously in roles of Angelo in The Comedy of Errors and Calpurnia and Messala in Julius Caesar. She very excited to breach out in range in this production of Emma and just break out her shell a bit.

PRODUCTION TEAM BIOS

Melanie Keller

Director

Melanie Keller is thrilled to be returning to collaborate with the talented students and faculty at NIU. An actor and director based in Chicago, Melanie spent seven years as the associate artistic director of First Folio Theatre where she directed Little Women, Silent Sky, and Mary’s Wedding, among others, and where she acted in more than ten productions. As a member of Signal Ensemble, she directed the Jeff-nominated The Drowning Girls. Acting credits with Signal include East of Berlin and The Russian Play (Jeff Award for Best Actress), and The Weir (Jeff Nomination for Best Supporting Actress). For Oak Park Festival, she directed several productions and performed as Lady Macbeth. Additional directing credits include Peninsula Players, Waterfront Playhouse, Cortland Rep in New York, Portland Stage in Maine, Montana Shakespeare, Shakespeare Project of Chicago, Chicago Dramatists and Illinois Wesleyan. Acting credits include productions at Chicago Shakespeare, Peninsula Players, Goodman Theatre, Northlight, and seasons at the Stratford Festival of Canada, Lakeside Shakespeare, and the Michigan Shakespeare Festival. TV and film credits: Dark Matter, Chicago Med, Fire, and PD, UberEx, Scary New Year, Curse of the Sin Eater.

Akaya Chambers

Costume Designer

Akaya Chambers (she/fae/they) is a second-year M.F.A. candidate for costume design and technology and the costume designer for Emma. She received a bachelor’s degree in English and theatre at Rice University in 2023. Akaya has previously worked on several other plays as a costume technician or designer, including working as a design assistant, pattern drafter, and stitcher for NIU’s productions of for colored girls, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, The Comedy of Errors, and the Fall and Spring Dance Concert. This play is their first mainstage production at NIU—they hope you enjoy this snappy, modern adaptation of one of Jane Austen’s classic masterpieces. They’d also like to thank her friends and family for their continued love and support throughout her time at NIU. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Emery Foster

Technical Director

Emery Foster is a third-year M.F.A. technical direction candidate at Northern Illinois University. They received their B.A. in visual art (concentration in scenic design) at Southeastern Louisiana University, which is in their hometown of Hammond, Louisiana. Their previous professional credits include technical director at Creede Repertory Theatre, carpentry at Upstaging, Inc., assistant technical director at the Egyptian Theatre, and freelance scenic design in New Orleans. Emery is excited to technical direct Emma as their capstone project!

Sasha Norman

Properties Designer

Sasha Norman is a senior B.F.A. design and technology student. This production marks her 14th production at NIU and her fifth time serving as a props designer for the school. She has previously worked as a prop artisan at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora and as a scenic carpenter at Music Theater Works in Skokie. Sasha has had such a lovely time working with Melanie, as she doesn’t often get the opportunity to work with outside directors. She would like to thank the entire team for helping create such a creative and colorful atmosphere for this production. She has especially enjoyed creating all of the unique props and bringing them to life. As she prepares to graduate, Sasha would also like to thank her friends and family for their continued love and support throughout her time at NIU. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Hans Herrera

Assistant Scenic Designer

Hans Herrera (he/him) assistant scenic designer is a fourth-year B.A. theatre studies and art history candidate at Northern Illinois University. Hans wears many hats within the School of Theatre and Dance, having worked on fourteen productions ranging from acting, designing, playwriting, stage management, assistant directing, and dramaturgy. He also served as dramaturg for the multi-award-winning production of Angels in America at the Invictus Theatre Company and serves as a mentor/designer for the NIU Penguin Players, where he collaborates with adult with physical and cognitive disabilities in performing musicals. His theatre 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. A huge thanks to everyone who helped assemble and paint all his ambitious elevations and thank YOU for your continuous support of the arts!

PRODUCTION STAFF

Scenery

Scenic Coordinator – Sahin Sahinoglu
Scene Shop Supervisor – Adam Rager
Scene Shop Graduate Employee – Jorge Serrano
Scene Shop Undergraduate Employees – Mike Kozel, Jade Doherty
Student Technicians – TBD from THEA 210 Students

Costumes

Costume Design Advisor – Jeremy W. Floyd
Costume Technology Advisor – Blake James
Costume Shop Supervisor – Elias Dennis
Costume Shop Graduate Employees – Akaya Chambers, Kylee Galarneau
Costume Shop Employees –
Costume Shop 395 Students –
Student Technicians – THEA 210, 235 and 295 Students
Costume Crew – TBD from THEA 210 Students

Lighting

Lighting Design Advisor – Michael Stanfill
Resident Head Electrician – Chris Kurszewski
Lighting Shop Graduate Assistants – Ross Wheeler, Alexa Wiljanen
Lighting Shop Student Employees – Thomas Readling, Luke Cahill, Reece Deidrick, Max Garcia
Lighting Shop Student Electricians –
Light Board Operator – TBD from THEA 210 Crew
Sound Board Operator – TBD from THEA 210 Crew

Properties

Properties Director – Dave Doherty
Properties Graduate Assistant – Christopher Christ
Properties Shop Employees – Sasha Norman, Kayleena Lopez, Leni Morningstar
Properties Crew – TBD from THEA 210 Crew

Production Management

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

Production Promotional Artwork – Cornelia Hayes Reed

Emma is presented through special arrangement with TRW 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036. theatricalrights.com

This production utilizes ________________________.

SPECIAL THANKS

Thanks text to come.

FACULTY AND STAFF

Richard Arnold (Emeritus)
Logan Blake
S. Alan Chelser (Emeritus)
Judith Chitwood (Emerita)
Gibson Cima
Roxanna Conner
Stanton Davis
David Doherty
Lila H. Dole (Emerita)
Jasmine Eleazar
Elias Dennis
Jeremy W. Floyd
Paula Frasz (Emerita)
Kent Gallagher (Emeritus)
Kathryn Gately (Emerita)
Alexander Gelman
Audrey Geysbeek/Yang
Richard Grund
Lori Hartenhoff (Emerita)
Cornelia Hayes Reed
Jennifer Ingle-Grund
Chris Kurszewski
Marc Macaranas
Bethany Mangum-Oles
Kay Martinovich
Terrence McClellan (Emeritus)
Angela A. Miller
Randall Newsom (Emeritus)
Tracy Nunnally
Richard Poole (Emeritus)
Adam Rager
Patricia Ridge (Emerita)
Deborah Robertson (Emerita)
Michel Rodriguez Cintra
Sahin Sahinoglu
Stephanie Sailer
Taryn Sarto
Robert Schneider (Emeritus)
Sarita Smith Childs
Michael Stanfill
Blair Vaudelle

Tickets

Tickets for Theatre and Dance productions are available online only. There are prices for adults, seniors, faculty and staff, and non-NIU students. NIU students are admitted free of charge to all performances with pre-reserved tickets. Most recitals are not ticketed.

Upcoming Events

The NIU College of Visual and Performing arts puts on more than 200 live performances and exhibitions every year. See what’s coming up next in the School of Music, School of Art and Design, School of Theatre and Dance and the NIU Art Museum.