School of Theatre and Dance presents “The Language Archive”
Researchers studying a dying language become involved in a love triangle in this absurdist farce that teases out the quirky differences between what’s expressed and what’s meant in “The Language Archive” written by Julia Cho, directed by Bethany Mangum-Oles and Emily Vitrano, and running in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance’s Sally Stevens Players Theater April 22-24 and 28-30.
Tickets are available at the online box office and are $7. NIU students are admitted free of charge.
Playwright: Julia Cho
Directors: Bethany Mangum-Oles and Emily Vitrano Lighting Designer: Alexa Wiljanen
Sound Design: Company Collaborated
Technical Director: Elizabeth Ahles
Dramaturg: Cody Marbutt
Assistant Director: Hani Jung
Assistant Lighting Designer: Alex Kozak
Stage Manager: Jessica Ferreira
Cast
George – Brennan James
Emma – Isabelle Ajemian
Mary – Emma Mansfield
Resten – Zachary Harness
Instructor/Old Man/Passerby/Conductor/Zamenhof – Jasmyn Richardson
Cast Bios
Brennan James (George) – is a second year BFA candidate. This is Brennan’s first show here at NIU and he is beyond grateful for this opportunity. This past summer he was involved in Studio Vibe’s “Shrek the Musical” as Donkey and is currently cast in “Matilda the Musical” as Mr. Wurmwood. Brennan would like to thank his parents for their continuous support through and through. He is ecstatic to share this experience with you in hopes that the story opens the outlook on your own personal language!
Isabelle Ajemian (Emma) – is a third year BFA Acting candidate. She has appeared in a couple of previous productions here at NIU, which include “A Bird in the Hand” directed by Bethany Mangum-Oles and “Everybody” directed by Edwin Lee Gibson. This will be her first in-person performance since 2019 and is so excited to share this piece of work that is so close to her heart.
Emma Mansfield (Mary) – is a second year BFA acting candidate and is excited to make her acting debut here at NIU. Hailing from Sault Ste Marie, Michigan; Emma has had years of experience studying throughout the mitten state. Some of her previous credits include #13 in “The Wolves,” Rizzo in “Grease,” and Miranda in “The Tempest.” She is thankful to, once again, perform with a live audience and is thrilled to share this story with you.
Zachary Harness (Resten) – is a third year BFA Acting candidate. Previous NIU credits include Fedotik in Anton Chekov’s “Three Sisters” B in “Town Hall,” Fish and Gaffles in “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.” You can see him this summer at Notre-Dame Shakespeare Festival in South Bend, Ind., as Bertram in “All’s Well That Ends Well,” and Tybalt in “Romeo and Juliet.” He hopes that you enjoy the show.
Naava Ofri-Akman (Alta) – is a third year BFA Acting student. Previous credits include “A Bird in the Hand” and “Everybody.”
Jasmyn Richardson (Instructor/Old Man/Passerby/Conductor/Zamenhof) – Jasmyn Richardson is a second year BFA Acting student from Chicago. This is her debut performance on the NIU stage. She is so excited to share this lovely performance with you and hope you all enjoy the show!
Production Team Bios
Julia Cho (Playwright) – Julia Cho “Labels are the way we make the world convenient” says playwright Julia Cho. Somewhat inconveniently, she rejects “Korean American” and identifies herself as simply as “American.” Born in 1975 to Korean immigrant parents on the West Coast, Cho explains “It was a very porous household. For me to say that being of Korean origin influences my work is the same as saying being a woman or being American influences my writing.” She cites Caryl Churchill, Chekhov, Chay Yew, and Sarah Ruhl as her “playwriting heroes.” Charles Isherwood, in his review of her 2016 play “Aubergine,” praises her
“perceptive sense of the invisible barriers that mysteriously spring up between people, and the equally mysterious impulses that bind them together.” Language and mortality are important to Cho. “The Language Archive,” a play about the death of languages, combines two of her favorite themes. Cho is a graduate of Amherst College, New York University and the Juilliard Playwrights. She teaches at UC Berkeley.
Bethany Mangum-Oles (Director) – Bethany is an actor, director, educator, and mama of two born and raised in southern California. Marking her ninth directed production with NIU, she is thrilled to be returning to the studio this season with her co-direction of “The Language Archive.” Bethany holds a BFA in acting from California State University, Fullerton, and an MFA in acting from NIU where her studies have taken her abroad to the Moscow Art Theater School in Moscow, Russia and the Adana International Theatre Festival in Adana, Turkey. Since gaining her MFA, she has found her artistic home here at NIU as full-time Performance Area Faculty. Bethany also serves as Rotating Voice and Movement Faculty at the Gately-Poole Studio, is a Certified Intimacy Captain, and currently in training for her Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Certification. Next semester at NIU, you can catch her direction of Sarah Ruhl’s “Melancholy Play.”
Emily Vitrano (Director) – Emily Vitrano is very excited to share “The Language Archive “with the NIU community. Emily is an Instructor of acting, voice, and movement at NIU, and an actor, director, and writer making her creative home in Chicago. She holds a BFA in Acting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an MFA in Acting from Northern Illinois University. She is a certified yoga instructor at the 200-hour level, and recently became certified in Mental Health First Aid. Working as a director and intimacy coordinator, Emily utilizes foundational principles created by theatrical intimacy education. These consent-based practices rely on the foundational understanding that consent is contextual, conditional, and revocable and include establishing and respecting boundaries, a de-loaded process, choreography, and documentation. As an actor, Emily has worked regionally on many stages, including: Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, and Allentown Shakespeare in the Park. Emily has also appeared on television in a national commercial for Batteries/Bulbs Plus, and regional commercials for Mills Fleet Farm, Sanford Brown University, and Walgreens. Emily is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and is represented by Talent X in Chicago. For Miles, Henry, and Ani: Mir Ne Glessalla, I never want you not with me.
Alexa Wiljanen (Lighting Designer) – Alexa Wiljanen is a second year MFA Lighting Design student. Alexa holds a BFA in Theatre: Design & Technology from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich. Previous design credits include: “You Are You” (NIU), Fall Dance Concert 2021 (NIU), “Twelfth Night” (NIU), “Kernel of Sanity” (NIU), Collide: Deos Contemporary Ballet (Grand Rapids, MI), “Amadeus” (WMU), and Mostly Medieval Theatre Festival (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
Hani Jung (Assistant Director) – Hani is a fourth year BA Theatre Studies candidate at NIU. This is her second show as an assistant director, and she is very excited and grateful to be a part of this production of “The Language Archive.”
Jessica Ferreira (Stage Manager) – Jessie is a senior BFA Design and Technology student at NIU pursuing stage management. This is her first show as stage manager at NIU and she has immensely enjoyed her time working on “The Language Archive.” Previously Jessie has been a part of “Everybody” (NIU) and “Twelfth Night” (NIU) as assistant stage manager.
Production Team
Scenic Coordinator – Sahin Sahinoglu
Scene Shop Supervisor – Kallen Eckert
Run Crew – Liz Karth
Costume Design Advisor – Jeremy W. Floyd
Costume Director – Lori Hartenhoff
Costume Shop Supervisor – Clare Ritchey-Kaplan
Lighting Design Advisor – Brandon Wardell
Resident Master Electrician – Chris Kurszewski
Properties Director – Dave Doherty
Technical Direction Advisor – Tracy Nunnally
Production Manager – Ethan Rosing
Stage Management Supervisor – Ethan Rosing
House Manager Supervisor – Tómas Dakan
Graphic Design Concepts for Program and Publicity – Vincent J. Augustine
Special Thanks: Terry McClellan, Dave Doherty, NIU Prop Shop Team, Ben Werner, Jeremy Floyd, Dr. Schneider, Chris Kurszewski, Alexa Wiljanen, Elizabeth Ahles, Jessie Ferreira, Ethan Rosing, Becky Mangum, Kathy, Jason, Bennett, and Georgia Oles, Logan Blake, and the acting company for their tireless efforts of physical and emotional storytelling.
Amanda Ranallo (Ana) is a junior BFA Acting candidate and is pumped to share You are You with U! Amanda’s past NIU SoTD productions include “Town Hall” by Caridad Svich and “Love and Information” by Caryl Churchill. She is beyond grateful for this experience and hopes you enjoy.
Caitlyn George (Gus Toocool/Reporter 2/Robot 1/Agent/Bus Woman) is delighted and excited to be in her first ever play in the School of Theatre and Dance program. She has very little theatre experience but has been an extra in the Stagecoach production of “Shrek the Musical” in 2015. She is a BA major with a dream to go into musical theatre in the near future.
Jeffrey Bozek (Marius) is a sophomore BFA Acting candidate here at NIU, and this is his first ever show here. He has been in shows before through his high school and outside of school he does competitive hip-hop dancing. He’s very proud of everyone who put in their hard work to make this play what it is now. He’s excited to share this story with you and he hopes you enjoy the show!
Katherine Drury (Mimi) is a junior BFA Acting candidate and dance minor. Originally from Nashville, Tenn., this is Kate’s third play here at NIU. She was previously seen in “Bird in the Hand” and “Edward II,” along with the past three faculty dance concerts. Catch her in the NIU School of Music’s Stephen Sondheim tribute concert later this semester!
Lauren Krelle (Ensemble) is a second-year BA Theatre Studies candidate. She is very excited to be a part of this adaptation of RUR. This is her second show at NIU. She has was previously seen in last semester’s production of “Edward II.” She is grateful for the training and opportunities she has received through the School of Theatre and Dance.
Rylan Johnson (Tyler/Reporter 1/Father) is a second year BFA Acting candidate. This is his first production with NIU. Previous notable performances are “Macbeth” as Banquo (College of DuPage), “Cinderella” as Sir Sebastian (CYT Chicago), “Elf the Musical” as Santa Claus (CYT Chicago) and “The Music Man” as Mayor Shinn (CYT Chicago). Rylan would like to thank everyone involved in the creation of this show for making it a fun and enjoyable process! Please enjoy the show!
Samantha Bliss (Sulla) is a junior BFA Acting candidate. Sam’s past NIU credits include “Edward II,” “Angels in America,” “A Bird in the Hand,“ and “Rogues’ Gallery” (Third Onion Series). Some of her favorite past credits from Commonwealth Theatre Center include Hermione in “The Winter’s Tale,” Queen Elizabeth in “Richard III,” and Aaron Kriefls and others in“The Laramie Project.” She is very excited to share this play with all of you! And remember, You are You.
Vincent J. Augustine (Rossum) – Greetings you, Vincent is officially a senior BFA Acting major at Northern Illinois University. Vincent was recently seen in “R&J” at Kane Repertory Theatre and as Drosselmeyer w/Beth Fowler Dance Studio at Dekalb’s Egyptian Theatre. His past NIU credits include Paris in Shakespeare’s “Troilus and Cressida,” Gabriel in “Bird in the Hand” by Jorge Ignacio Cortinas, and in “Town Hall” by Caridad Svich directed by Azar Kazemi. Vincent would like to give special thanks to his director Matt O’ Brien for his direction and vision, Cheers and enjoy the show!
Will Pavin (John/Guard/Radio Voice/Robot 5) Will Pavin is a theater minor and business marketing major. He is a senior set to graduate in May. This will be his first mainstage and first show at NIU. He has had an interest in acting since he was a teenager. His acting journey began towards the end of his high school career. He performed in Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” with some singing performances here and there. He continued his studies at McHenry County College for three years before transferring to NIU. Will is looking forward to sharing this show with everyone and hopes you enjoy the show.
Johnathan Samuel Allsop (Carson) is a third year MFA Acting candidate at Northern Illinois University. Jonathan received his BA in Music from the University of Pennsylvania before moving to Chicago. Some of his credits include: Sir Toby Belch in “Twelfth Night” (Northern Illinois University), Peter Quince in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival), Bus/Dryer (swing) in “Caroline or Change” (Firebrand Theatre), “Concrete Jungle” (Goodly Frame Theatre), Samuel in “Pirates of Penzance” (Savoyaires), and Leroy in “A Bright New Boise” (Northern Illinois University). He also performs with the renowned music improv group “Baby Wants Candy” at the Second City. Jonathan is also a singer and his debut album, Lavender Therapy, is available on all streaming platforms. To learn more about Jonathan and his work visit 
Nicholas James Bishop (Cop) is a sophomore BFA Acting student at Northern Illinois University. He has played many extra roles in several television and movie productions. Some of his favorite roles include Fuckhead in “Art Collectors” (Bryce Schwerbrock), Macbeth in “Macbeth” (Elgin Theater company), Rhode in “Three Sisters” (Alex Gelman), and Taste Tester in “Cookie Dough Commercial” (Olivia Cunnally). After the four years at NIU Nicholas plans to move to Moscow, Russia to pursue his acting education there.
Gabriel Montgomery (Cliff) is a fourth year BFA in acting candidate. His previous credits at NIU include Key Key in “The Walk Across America for Mother Earth, The Artist in “The Time of Your Life,” Butcher in “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui,” and S in “Town Hall.” Gabriel is excited to start his final semester at NIU with “Hit the Wall” and the rest of its members, bringing this historical moment to life.
Ua Smith (Mika) is a senior BFA: Acting Candidate. You might have seen them in the NIU SOTD production of “The Walk Across America for Mother Earth” as King Arthur, as Gunter in NIU’s production of “Summertime,” as Sheet/Ensemble in NIU’s production of “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui,” or as Belize in NIU’s production of “Angels in America.” Ua was also in NIU’s production of “Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will” last fall as Sir Andrew Aguecheek. They are extremely excited to share this beautiful, funny and mostly real story with a live audience. Enjoy.
JoLan Lacy-Jones (Roberta) is a fourth year BFA Acting candidate here at Northern Illinois University and this is her sixth show. She is very blessed and grateful to work with an amazing cast and with an amazing director. JoLan has learned and grown over the past three years at NIU, even through the pandemic JoLan has become a stronger actor. You may have seen JoLan in past NIU’s productions: “The Castle” as Olga & The InnKeeper’s Wife, “Bike America” as Rorie, “Summertime” as Mimi and NIU’s last year’s production “Edward The Second” as Warwick. JoLan is very excited and thrilled for everyone to watch the show and hopes everyone enjoys it as much as she does.
Maya Paletta (A-Gay) is a second year BFA Acting Candidate and is honored to be making her NIU acting debut. Recently you may have seen her in the NIU Fall Dance Concert: Best of Broadway, featured in the Westside Story Mambo, and 42nd Street opening number. Hailing from Seattle, Washington Maya has had many years of training in theatre, dance, and voice with companies all across the Puget Sound. She would like to send thanks to everyone involved in this production, and all those working to keep theatre alive in these trying times.
Shraga D. Wasserman (Newbie) is a year three MFA in Acting candidate. A native of Iowa City, Shraga graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a BA in Interdisciplinary Performing Arts with emphases in music, art, and theatre. They spent the following four years based in Minneapolis before relocating to pursue further training at NIU. Their favorite roles past include Moritz in “Spring Awakening” (Theatre Cedar Rapids), Marius in “Les Misérables” (TCR), Jamie in “The Great God Pan” (UNI), Peter in “Peter and Alice” (Candid Theater Co.), and Paul in “Quilt: A Musical Celebration” (MJP Theatrical / Candid NYC). Shraga is glad to be making art in these unwieldy times.
Megan Thompson (Madeline) is a junior BFA in acting candidate from Louisville, Kentucky. Some past credits include Chorus of Women in “The Trojan Women” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), Lennox in “Macbeth” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), A Flamingo in “Bird in the Hand” (NIU), and Mom in “Bike America“(NIU). This is her first live production here at NIU! Cheers to returning back to live theatre!
Tomás Dakan (Tano) is a lifetime resident of Southern California and attended Occidental College where he spent some time abroad at the London Dramatic Academy and graduated with a B.A. in Theater. Some of his other favorite roles there include Solyony in “Three Sisters,” Todd in “Far Away,” and Chip in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Other credits include “Twelfth Night,” “Nabucco,” and “The Merry Wives of Windsor” among others. He’s also been a part of Universal Studios: Halloween Horror Nights for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. After completing his thesis role as Andre in “Three Sisters,” Tomás is really excited to get one more time on stage as Tano in “Hit the Wall.” Reach him 
Shannon Austin-Goodin (Peg) is a BFA Acting candidate in her third year here at NIU! Her previous credits at NIU include “A Bird in the Hand” and “Town Hall.” She is so excited to share this beautiful show with you!
Ericka Ratcliff (Director) is very excited to work with the uber talented students of NIU in collaboration with this relevant and raucous production. Ericka is Artistic Director of Congo Square Theatre Company where she works to amplify the mission of celebrating the complexities of Black life and culture on stage. She has worked as an actor regionally and locally with Second City, Steppenwolf, Northlight, Victory Gardens, Chicago Shakespeare, Collaboraction, Mixed Blood, Milwaukee Rep, Kansas City Rep, CENTERSTAGE, Pittsburgh Playwrights and Alliance Theater to name a few. Ericka is also an artistic associate with Lookingglass Theater and an emeritus ensemble member with The House Theatre of Chicago.
Emily Vitrano (Intimacy Coach) is pleased to work with Ericka and the cast of Hit the Wall. Emily is an Instructor of acting, voice and movement at NIU, and an actor, and writer making her creative home in Chicago. She holds a BFA in Acting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an MFA in Acting from Northern Illinois University. She is a certified yoga instructor at the 200-hour level, as well as certified in Mental Health First Aid. She is currently pursuing her MA in Women’s Studies and Gender Studies from Loyola University in Chicago. Emily hopes to bring greater awareness, conversation and scholarship to the untold stories of women in an effort to shape global conversation. As an intimacy coordinator, Emily utilizes foundational principles created by Theatrical Intimacy Education. These consent-based practices rely on the foundational understanding that consent is contextual, conditional, and revocable and include establishing and respecting boundaries, a de-loaded process, choreography, and documentation. As an actor, Emily has worked regionally on many stages, including: Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, and Allentown Shakespeare in the Park. Emily has also appeared on television in a national commercial for Batteries/Bulbs Plus, and regional commercials for Mills Fleet Farm, Sanford Brown University, and Walgreens. Emily is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Noah Bunch (Solyony) is a fourth year BFA in acting candidate from Louisville, Kentucky. His credits at NIU include Narcissus in “Polaroid Stories”, Flake in “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui”, Blick in “Time of Your Life”, and Jay in “Something, Like Happiness.” Outside of NIU, Noah’s credits include Angelo in “Measure for Measure” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), Lysander in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), Herr Swetts in “A Bright Room Called Day” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), Conner in “Good Kids” (Commonwealth Theatre Center), and Benjamin Saar in “The Yellow Boat” (Alley Theatre).
Kaitlyn Cheng (Irina) is a third year MFA acting candidate who hails from California. Previous NIU credits include: “The Wolves” (#8), “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” (Clark), “Bike America” (Penny). It has been a joy to share this experience with a room full of generous people. It feels good to be back.
Tomás Dakan (Andrei) was born and raised in Pasadena, Calif. and received a B.A. in Theatre from Occidental College. He is thrilled to be back in a physical space to work on “Three Sisters” as his final project role, especially after the room has been so eager and hungry to find the beautiful moments in this play. His previous credits at NIU include Todd in “Bike America”, Felix in “Bird in the Hand”, and Edmund in “Summertime.” He wishes to thank all the NIU faculty and staff that have helped him up to this point and hopes you enjoy the show as much as he has enjoyed working on it.
Hannah Hammel (Olga) is a third year MFA in Acting candidate. She is the co-founder and marketing and PR mirector of Spicy Witch Productions, a feminist theater company based in New York City. Outside of NIU, she has performed with the Walnut Street Theatre, Newnan Shakespeare in the Park, Aftershock Entertainment, Truth Be Told Productions, Ritz Theatre Company, ReVamp Collective, Ignoble Shakespeare, Family Stages, Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival, and many others. At NIU, she’s been seen in “Angels in America: Millennium Approache”s (Hannah Pitt, Rabbi, Ethel Rosenberg), “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” (Old Dogsborough), and “A Bright New Boise” (Pauline). BA English – Haverford College. 
Zac Harness (Fedotik) is a third year BFA actor who is incredibly happy to have his first in-person appearance on a NIU stage. Previous NIU credits include “The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui“ as Gaffles/Fish/Bodyguard and “Town Hall” as B. He is so excited to be in a front of a live audience again and hopes that you enjoy the show!
James Hendley (Kulygin) is a third year MFA Acting student originally from Newnan, Ga. Previous shows at NIU include “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches”, “Love and Information”, and “Summertime.” Regional credits include the Nurse in “Romeo and Juliet” (Great River Shakespeare Festival), Haemon in “Antigone” (Barter Players), and Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet” (North Carolina Stage Company). James is also the proud co-founder and artistic director of Newnan Shakespeare in the Park, which produces free performances of the works of William Shakespeare every summer in Newnan, Ga. Much love to RJA always. Enjoy the show!
Kaz Qutab (Chebutykin) is a third-year Acting MFA candidate from central Massachusetts. “Three Sisters” is his first live production at NIU. He offers his deepest gratitude to the people who made this production, the people who came from many miles away to see it, and his person. Previous credits: Nick in “The Time of Your Life”, Givola in “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui”, and Death in “Everybody.”
James Arthel Reilly (Vershinin) is a third year MFA Acting candidate from the great state of Pennsylvania. He has previously appeared at NIU in “Summertime”, “Love and Information” and “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.” James is a writer, actor, teacher and filmmaker. He is enormously grateful to be back to work and cannot dream of a better group of people with which to take this journey.
Andrea Shapiro (Natasha) hails from Ann Arbor, Mich. She is a fourth year BFA Acting candidate, professional singer, and working on feeling solid enough to put “dancer” in her bio. NIU credits: #14 in ”The Wolves” and Arthur/Momus in Franz Kafka’s “The Castle.” Other credits include: Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” (Stage Coach Players), cast member in “Stockwell” (Intermission: A Virtual Theatre Festival), as well as multiple productions at Chicago’s Second City.
Gavin Struempler (Tuzenbach) is an Alaskan born and raised, fourth-year BFA acting candidate at Northern Illinois University. He was last seen on the live stage as K in “The Castle” and Lysander in Goodly Creatures “Midsummer Night’s Dream.” He has performed with Convergence Theater Collective and is a founding member of NYC’s movement theater group Babel. He’s so incredibly thankful to have you here, and hopes you enjoy the show.
Rachael Yoder (Masha) is a third year MFA Acting candidate hereat NIU. Favorite credits include, NIU: “The Wolves”, “Girls and Dolls”, “Everybody.” Regional: “Sleepy Hollow” (Capital Repertory Theatre) “A Christmas Carol”, “Amadeus” (Geva Theater Center) “Richard III”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “As You Like It”, “Othello”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “The Winter’s Tale” (MaineStage Shakespeare) “Love’s Labour’s Lost”, “Two Gentlemen of Verona” (Shakespeare in the Valley) New York: “Fifth of July, Independence” (The Stella Adler Studio of Acting) “Pretty Theft” (Jordan Bean & Co). Rachael also serves as managing mirector of The Outer Loop Theater Experience, overseeing partner projects in Tanzania with her husband Michael. She is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association. More at 
