David JC Alvarado

Maniac (striped cast)

David JC Alvarado is a fourth-year B.F.A. acting candidate from Elgin, Illinois. He was last seen as Jax in NIU’s production of Prowess directed by Roxana Conner. He wants to thank both his family and friends for their unwavering support. Enjoy the show! 

 

Phoebe Aston

Maniac (plaid cast)
Superintendent (striped cast)

Phoebe Aston is a fourth year B.F.A. acting major. They have previously appeared in Booked and Blessed… or BUST! directed by Frankie DiCiaccio, Mary Stuart directed by Bethany Mangum-Oles, and coming full circle, they also appeared in Alex Gelman’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle. This has been a wonderful experience, and they are honored to work with both of these casts, and Alex, for their last show. 

 

Nicholas Ivanoff

Superintendent (plaid cast)

Nicholas Ivanoff (he/him) is a second-year B.F.A. acting and actuarial science student at Northern Illinois University. He’s thrilled to make his SoTD mainstage debut after performing in last year’s Freshman Showcase and New Student Jamboree. Beyond NIU, Nick has appeared in eight productions, including The Crucible (Thomas Putnam), Crazy for You (Sam), and Mary Poppins (Neleus). He enjoys staying involved in the local theatre community by serving as co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at Stage Coach Players, completing a stage tech Internship at the Egyptian Theatre, and mentoring with NIU Penguin Players. Nick is a proud active member of Phi Kappa Psi and a former flautist in the Huskie Marching Band, Pep Band, and Wind Symphony. He’s endlessly grateful for the support of his friends and family and hopes you enjoy the show!  

 

Kylee Moore

Inspector Bertozzo (striped cast)

Kylee Moore (she/her) is a B.F.A. acting junior.  She previously participated in the plays Macbeth and Holler River.  Kylee would like to thank her family and friends for all their support! She also wants to thank the amazing cast and crew and director for this great experience! Enjoy the show! 

 

Natalie Olson-Shank

Inspector in the Sports Jacket (plaid cast)
Constable (striped cast)

Natalie Olson-Shank is a third-year B.F.A. major and English minor. Natalie played Helen Laius, Bird, Serza, Refugee, and Chorus in Anon(ymous), and News Reporter, Singer, and Jailer in Machinal.  She has also performed in New York City at Carnegie Hall. With her associates of the arts degree already completed, she can focus completely on her craft and grow further in the work. Natalie thanks everyone for seeing the show and cannot wait to perform in the shows to come. 

 

Skylee Pierce

Journalist (plaid and striped casts)

Skylee Pierce is a fourth-year B.F.A. acting candidate here at NIU. Her previous credits here include last semester’s Holler River as Kyle and Axe, Mary Stuart as Count L’Aubespine, Booked, Blessed or…BUST! as Trudy and A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Hippolyta and First Fairy. Other previous roles include Mayzie La’Bird in Suessical, Marcy Park in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and many more. She would like to thank her family and friends for their endless support, her boyfriend for his never-ending love, her cohort and professors for helping her grow; and the cast and crew of this production for their hard work. A special thank you to Alex Gelman for being an inspirational director and teacher to her throughout this process. Enjoy this exceptional story and her final work here! 

 

TJ Powell

Inspector in the Sports Jacket (striped cast)

TJ Powell (he/him) is a B.F.A. acting major and he would like to thank the NIU School of Theater and Dance for this opportunity and experience to perform in Accidental Death of an Anarchist. 

 

Kaja Pusara

Inspector Bertozzo (plaid cast)

Kaja Pusara (she/her) is a B.F.A. acting sophomore. This is her first time in an NIU production and she can’t wait to share what she’s learned so far in her acting classes! 

 

Mosi Weinberg

Constable (plaid cast)

Mosi Weinberg is a second-year B.F.A. acting student at Northern Illinois University. Mosi draws on his foundational experience at the Piven Theatre Workshop and the outstanding training he’s receiving at NIU. He has performed in Peter Pan, Emperor’s New Clothes, and many improv shows in Chicago. He is so excited to perform in Accidental Death of an Anarchist! 

 

Alexander Gelman

Director

Alexander Gelman is a Russian-born and American-trained director, who received his training at Boston University. Mr. Gelman has worked as a director and translator of plays from Russian to English. His many productions include Eugene Onegin, L’Incoronazione di Poppea, Turn of the Screw, L’Italiana in Algeri, Camelot, Twelfth Night, Side by Side by Sondheim, As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, Die Fledermaus, The Threepenny Opera, The Taming of the Shrew, Stage Struck, Barber of Seville, La Traviata, Carmen, School for Wives, Waiting for Godot, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Journey of the Fifth Horse, Tartuffe, Tango, The Lion in Winter, and The Burning Fiery Furnace.  

He has worked at such theaters as American Repertory Theatre, Arena Stage Company, Canterbury Opera (Christchurch, New Zealand), Chicago Lyric Opera, Utah Opera, Ashlawn-Highland Music Festival, Chattanooga Opera Association, Hartford Stage Company, The Acting Company, New York Shakespeare Festival, Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Company, Emmy Gifford Theatre, and The Juilliard School of Drama. Most recent productions at NIU include Machina, The Caucasian Chalk Circle and The Three Sisters.  

Professor Gelman served as Director of the School (2001-2021). Prior to joining NIU, he taught at University of Utah and University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he headed MFA directing programs. Mr. Gelman has also assisted such notable East European directors as Andrei Serban, Yuri Lyubimov, Lucian Pintilie, and Yuri Yeremin. 

 

Hans Herrera

Assistant Director

Hans Herrera (he/him) is a third-year B.A theatre studies and art history candidate. He has previously appeared on stage as Marullus/Soothsayer/Caesar’s Assistant in Julius Caesar, as well as Jo/Casey in Holler River with the School of Theatre and Dance. He also served as the dramaturg for both parts of the Invictus Theatre Company’s Angels in America, wrote and co-directed A New Life for the NIU 24 Hour Play Festival, and serves as a mentor for the NIU Penguin Players. 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! 

 

Ski Sciaraffa

Costume Designer

Ski Sciaraffa (they/them) is a third-year M.F.A. costume and props design candidate. Credits include: costume designer for Anon(ymous) (NIU); co-costume designer for Macbeth (NIU); props designer for Witch (NIU), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (NIU), and The Drowsy Chaperone (SPD); costume craftsperson for As You Like It, Henry V, Measure for Measure, and The Three Musketeers (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks); stitcher for Booked and Blessed…or BUST!  (NIU) and The Children’s Hour (NIU). This will be their final project and final time designing as a graduate student at NIU, and they couldn’t have asked for a better show or a better team to work on it with. They would like to thank every person who has helped them in their journey at NIU.  

 

Lexi Foelker

Assistant Costume Designer

Lexi Foelker (they/she) is a third year B.F.A. design and technology student. This is their first show being an assistant designer, and she has learned a lot from this opportunity. Getting to work on this show in and out of the costume shop has been something she enjoyed and hopes to do again while attending NIU. Some of their other work include being a costume shop apprentice for As You Like It and Henry V at Montana Shakespeare In the Parks. A stitcher for Macbeth, Prowess, Anon(ymous), and for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf at Northern Illinois University. And, involvement with wardrobe for Spring Dance ’24 (NIU), Macbeth (NIU), A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage! (The Egyptian Theatre)  and Anon(ymous) (NIU) at. To see more of their work, follow @lrf_sprout.creations_ on Instagram! 

 

Emily Christianson

Co-Lighting Designer

Emily Christianson (she/her) is a senior theater design and technology major. She has worked on several past NIU productions, most notably Prowess as the student head electrician and Mary Stuart as the lighting designer. She has also been working in NIU’s costume shop since spring ‘23. Additionally, she was awarded the Sally Stevens Scholarship by the School of Theater and Dance. Outside of NIU, she worked at Hope Summer Repertory Theater in Holland, Michigan as a stitcher/wardrobe assistant on all six of the shows during their Summer ’25 season.  She is excited to graduate in the spring and begin her career! 

 

Mike Kozel

Co-Lighting Designer

Mike Kozel is a fourth-year design and technology major here at NIU. He is very happy to be a co-lighting designer for this production. Some of the shows he previously worked on include, Prowess, Anon(ymous), Macbeth, and Anxious People. 

 

Drew Bagby

Sound Designer

Drew Bagby is a transfer junior from Parkland College/U of I studying theater design and technology with an emphasis in technical direction. He is very excited to see what this new chapter in life will bring. 

 

Sasha Norman

Co-Props Designer

Sasha Norman (she/her) is currently in her third-year as a theatre arts design and technology student at Northern Illinois University. This production marks her second time props designing and her 11th show at NIU. Over the summer, Sasha worked as a props artisan at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora and continues to contribute her talents in the NIU prop shop. She is deeply grateful to the incredible team she collaborated with on this powerful production and looks forward to future opportunities in scenic design and all that lies ahead. 

 

Kayleena Lopez

Co-Props 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. Her previous credits include being a props designer in her high school; All Shook Up, Xanadu, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Christmas Carol, and Trap. Last year she participated in the most shows she could work on which include, Macbeth, Prowess, and designing her first time in Anon(ymous). She is fulfilled to be the first out of her family to attend college and is trying to make her family proud! 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. Kayleena hopes you enjoy the show because she loved working on it! 

 

Gabriel Ford

Stage Manager

Gabriel Ford (he/she/they) is pursuing a design technology B.F.A. This is her first show as stage manager. Previously, she was assistant stage manager for Mary Stuart and Anon(ymous), both at NIU. She is very excited for everyone to see this show! 

 

Scenery

Scenic Coordinator – Sahin Sahinoglu
Scene Shop Supervisor – Adam Rager
Scene Shop Graduate Employees – Emery Foster, Jorge Serrano, Luigi Locascio
Scene Shop Undergraduate Employees – Mike Kozel, Jade Doherty
Scene Painters – Emery Foster, Gemma Baines
Student Technicians – THEA 395 students
Run Crew – Aaliyah Lesure

Costumes

Costume Design Advisor – Jeremy W. Floyd
Costume Director – Lori Hartenhoff
Costume Shop Supervisor – Elias Dennis
Costume Shop Graduate Employees – Kylee Galarneau, Akaya Chambers, Ski Sciaraffa
Costume Shop Employees – Lexi Foelker, Leni, Emily Christianson, Jay Gonzalez
Student Technicians – THEA 210, 235, and 295 students
Costume Crew – Sophie Rohr, Zach Zimmerman
Costume Crew Supervisors – Akaya Chambers, Jay Gonzalez

Lighting

Lighting Design Advisor – Brandon Wardell
Resident Head Electrician – Chris Kurszewski
Lighting Shop Graduate Assistants – Christopher Christ, Ross Wheeler
Lighting Shop Employees – Conall Doherty, Kateri Pfeiffer
Student Electricians – Drew Bagby, Madie Barnas, Reece Deidrick, Lexi Foelker, Danisha Gilmore, Blake Jablonski, Brianne Jankowski, Sasha Norman, Payton Shields, Zach Zimmerman, THEA 210 and 295 students
Light Board Operator – Crowler Bonomo
Sound Board Operator – Drew Bagby

Properties

Properties Director – Dave Doherty
Properties Graduate Assistants – Ski Sciaraffa
Properties Shop Employees – Sasha Norman
Properties Shop 295/395 Students – Kayleena Lopez

Production Management

Technical Direction Advisor – Tracy Nunnally
Production Assistant – Kev Kollman
Stage Management Advisor – Angela A. Miller

Production Promotional Artwork – Cornelia Reed

Richard Arnold (Emeritus)
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
Richard Grund
Lori Hartenhoff
Jennifer Ingle-Grund
Paul Kassel
Chris Kurszewski
Paige Larkowski
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
Brandon Wardell