Coriolanus ~ Summer Shakespeare Residency ~ June 9-16, 2024

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(Director, Brutus, Musician) Mary Rose Valentine (she/any) is the Director of Theatre at the Colerain Center. She is from State College, PA. She grew up studying theatre locally under Chris Hults, Richard Biever, and Cynthia Mazzant, and at the American Shakespeare Center. She graduated from Penn State University in 2023 with BAs in Theatre Studies and Comparative Literature. She has been working with Colerain since 2023, and pioneered the Summer Shakespeare residency last year with As You Like It. Mary Rose hopes to continue the residency annually. Recently, she worked on Outside Mullingar with The Next Stage and Hamlet with Tempest Productions, and can be seen next weekend in Rapture, Blister, Burn with Sock and Buskin Theatre Company. She hopes you enjoy this production, and encourages every eligible audience member to check their voting registration.

(Martius/Coriolanus, Fight Director) Over the course of this week, Topher has fallen in love with Shakespeare's Coriolanus and the beautiful Colerain mansion. Topher is a director, fight director, intimacy director, and actor based out of Virginia. He most recently directed Shakespeare's King Lear (Shakespeare in the Dark). This upcoming winter, he will be directing Pirates of Penzance (Sinfonicron Light Opera Company). He also recently directed productions of Hamlet and John Lyly's Gallathea (Shakespeare in the Dark). His past acting credits include Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare in the Dark), King Henry in Henry V (American Shakespeare Center Theatre Camp), and Angelo in Measure for Measure (American Shakespeare Center Theatre Camp). Topher holds certifications in Single Sword, Sword and Shield, and Theatrical Firearms through the Society of American Fight Directors. You can find him on Instagram: @topherzane

(Lead Citizen/Messenger, Musician, Music Captain) Originally hailing from central Virginia, Spencer works as a stagehand and tech director in western Massachusetts. In 2022, they received a BA in technical theater and fabrication from Hampshire College. It feels so strange to be performing on stage again for the first time in four years! They can often be found on the crew of IATSE Local 232. Solidarity forever!

(Sicinius) Moth is delighted to return to Colerain’s Shakespeare Festival. Previously, they have appeared as Touchstone and Jacques in As You Like It and Don John in Much Ado About Nothing. Moth studied acting at SVA, voice acting under Melanie Ehrlich, singing with Virginia Marcs, and playwriting with Crystal Skillman.

(Virgilia/Lartius) Ruby Kellman is an artist based in Detroit. She is a student at Wayne State University studying metal smithing and ceramics. Last year, she participated in the Colerain’s inaugural Shakespeare production, As You Like It (Oliver and Corrin), and she is thrilled to be able to participate in this production!

(Cominius/Volscian Lord) Adam Wisenbaugh (they/them) is a world-traveling clown, playwright, piano prodigy, fantasy novelist, and ventriloquist native to Flint, Michigan. Prior accolades include degrees in English and Classical Archaeology from the University of Michigan and their very own IMDb page. They would like to give special thanks to Nike Wisenbaugh, and special un-thanks to Heinrich Schliemann, that scoundrel.

(Valeria/Second Citizen, Musician, Producer)

Since her return to the stage last summer as Audrey in As You Like It, Amanda has joined the board of the Colerain Center and now handles much of the social media and coordinates events. She's thrilled to again spend a week immersed in Shakespeare with an amazing group of people. This show is dedicated to my dad who sang me to sleep with songs like "Dark as a Dungeon."

(Stage Manager) Sam Birkenthal (he/they/she) is from Lutherville, MD and has been involved in theatre in the State College area since 2022. Past stage management experience includes the 2024 New Works Festival with Penn State's School of Theatre, the 2023 24/7 Play Festival with Penn State's Nouveau Theatre, and As You Like It with the Colerain Center for Education, Preservation, and the Arts. Other previous credits include Leontes and Paulina Are Very Much Not Dead (Leontes), Julius Caesar (Portia/First Citizen/Titinius/scenic designer), Leontes: A Winter's Tale (Antigonus/Shepherd's Son) and Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew Aguecheek).

(Dramaturg) Arushi Grover (she/her) is a dramaturg from Downingtown, PA. Past dramaturgy credits include seven shows with Penn State Centre Stage, the most recent being Bernarda Alba. In summer 2023, she was a Literary Fellow at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. This past May, she graduated from Penn State with BAs in Theatre Studies, English, and Comparative Literature. Next, she is excited to begin her MA Shakespeare and Creativity program at the Shakespeare Institute this fall. She thanks Mary Rose for this wonderful opportunity to do Shakespeare again with her and Sam. Portfolio: arushigrover.com