Xavier Theatre Student Showcase 2024 Bios

Hannah Barbee

Stage Manager (Janitor’s Closet). Theatre Education 2027. Hannah is thrilled to make her Stage Management debut at Xavier University. Her previous work at Xavier has included The Prom (Assistant Stage Manager), Non-Player Character (Assistant Stage Manager), and The Sound of Music (Frau Schmidt, Nun Vocal Captain). Some of her favorite past roles include Guenevere (Camelot), Eliza Doolittle (Pygmalion), and Regina (Rock of Ages). She would like to thank the Janitor’s Closet cast and crew for making every day shine. She is incredibly thankful for their joy, enthusiasm, and dedication to making every moment matter. Thanks to Suann Pollock, Devlin Decutler, Kristal Seid, Amy Cave, and countless others for their love, support, and mentorship.

Erin Bonham

Director (No Exit). Theatre 2025. Erin is proud to have directed Xavier University Theatre’s production of No Exit. As a senior, this show is a culmination of the wisdom she has garnered over her 4 years at Xavier. Erin is a Cincinnati and Chicago based actor, and Co-founder of Cincy Changelings. She is best known as Runner Up for “Best Performer in a Play” of The 2022 BroadwayWorld Cincinnati Awards and for her appearance in the Chicago Int’l Film Festival CineYouth Film Festival 2024. She wants to thank her friends and family for their unwavering support. To see Erin’s journey you can follow her on Instagram @erin_bonham._

Olivia Burklow

Dancer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2028. Olivia is beyond excited to be apart of The Choreographer’s Workshop. This will be her first Xavier Theatre performance and she couldn’t be more appreciative of this experience. Outside of Choreographer’s workshop, Olivia is involved with Xavier Theatre’s Improv Group, Toolbox. She would like to thank Brianna Starkey, Leo Jenkins, Veronica Talbert, Mary McMurray, and the production team for supporting her and helping her in expanding her dance skills. She feels that the hard work put into this show by the choreographers, and everyone involved has been truly inspiring and she is grateful to have gotten to work with such creative and talented minds! She hopes you enjoy the show!

Zoe Carlson

Dancer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Biochemistry Major 2027. Zoe is from Baltimore, Maryland and is a sophomore biochemistry major at Xavier with a minor in forensic science. This is her first production with Xavier Theatre. She is on the Xavier Dance Team and has been dancing for about ten years. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Mattie Cieplak

Sound Designer (No Exit), Dancer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2025. Mattie (she/her) most recently performed in Jesus Christ Superstar as Mary Magdalene. Previous sound designs include Xavier Theatre’s production The Moors and John Proctor is the Villain. Post-graduation, she plans to stay in Cincinnati or return to the Chicagoland area. She is incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed to the Student Showcase process, as well as her family for supporting her throughout her collegiate education. @mattiecieplak

Molly Ciuci

Run Crew (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2028. Molly is excited to be a part of The Choreographers Workshop, which is her first Xavier Theatre production. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with the talented choreographers and dancers and would like to thank everyone involved for being helpful and welcoming!

Owen Clark

Lighting Designer (No Exit). Musical Theatre 2025. Owen is excited to design his second show here at Xavier. You may have seen him onstage previously in Xavier Theatre’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar (Annas), John Proctor is the Villain (Mr. Smith), The Sound of Music (Max Detweiler), 9 to 5 (Joe), Something Rotten (Ensemble/Bard Boy), Eurydice (Orpheus), and Mamma Mia! (Ensemble). He is a proud member of the Toolbox Improv Troupe and is the Scene Shop Supervisor! He is excited to embark on his final year here at Xavier and cannot wait for what the world has in store for him.

Eric Clayton

Ethan (Janitor’s Closet). Musical Theatre 2027. Eric is thrilled to be performing in Janitor's Closet! Eric has previously been seen in The Prom and The Sound of Music. When not on stage, Eric is active in both dance and theatre, balancing a busy schedule with dedication and passion. They would like to thank Tate, their friend and director. Enjoy the show!

Tate Clemons

Director (Janitor’s Closet). Musical Theatre 2025. Last seen on Xavier's stage as Angie (The Prom) and Maria (The Sound of Music), Tate is thrilled to have the opportunity to direct for this Student Showcase. She is so grateful to the cast and crew (and Reece!) of Janitor's Closet for their amazing hard work and trust these past few months — as well as the love and support of her family, roommates, and boyfriend. She hopes this show reminds you that in a world full of challenges, we have the power to create love, joy, and purpose for ourselves and each other. Stand up, speak out, and make your voice count. Follow her at tateclemons.me!

Loften Cooper

Run Crew (No Exit). Theatre 2028. Loften is a first-year student at Xavier University. This is his second production with Xavier theatre, having just completed Jesus Christ Superstar. Loften is extremely excited to have the opportunity to work on crew for the Xavier Theatre Student Showcase production of No Exit.

Kate Crisp

Dancer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2025. Kate is a senior musical theatre major and arts administration minor from Downers Grove, Illinois. At Xavier, she has been in Mamma Mia, Macbeth, Something Rotten, Lizzie, The Sound of Music, The Prom and Jesus Christ Superstar. Next semester, she will be playing Fastrada in Pippin! She has also been involved with costumes, lighting, and run crew. Kate would like to thank her mom for her endless support, and she would like to thank her friends and family for coming to the show!

Mia D'Ascenzo

Light Designer (Janitor’s Closet), Dancer (The Choreographers’ Workshop). Theatre Education 2026. Mia is excited to be part of The Student Showcase with Xavier University Theatre. Her past XUT performance credits include Jesus Christ Superstar, John Proctor is the Villain, The Choreographers’ Workshop (winter ’24), The Sound of Music, 9 to 5, and Something Rotten! Mia is a junior theatre education major. Outside of performing, Mia works in the scene shop and serves as vice president for Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society. Mia wants to thank her family, friends, and the incredible team that made this show possible.

Raya Franklin

Sound Designer (Janitor’s Closet). Theatre 2027. Raya has had so much fun working as a sound designer for Janitor’s Closet. She has also sound designed for Non-Player Character. This will be her fourth show with Xavier Theatre, having been in Jesus Christ Superstar (Ensemble), The Sound of Music (Nun/Fräulein Schweiger), and John Proctor is the Villain (Ensemble/U.S. Nell). Favorite roles include Hotbox Dancer in Guys and Dolls (Pickerington Community Theatre) and Ella(Ellard) in The Foreigner (Pickerington Community Theatre). In addition to Theatre, Raya works as a Promotion Assistant at Radio One-Cincinnati and in her free time she enjoys watching horror films!

Nicole Grace

Set Designer (No Exit). Musical Theatre 2028. Nicole is beyond happy she got to be a part of this amazing show. This is her first time designing a set of her own and she is so glad she had the opportunity. she is hopeful that she will be able to do it again in the future!

Emma Halloran

Dancer, Stage Manager (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2025. Emma is so excited to dance in the Choreographers’ Workshop! Past XUT credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Apostle), Non-Player Character (Naomi), Once (Baruska), and Mamma Mia (Ensemble). This spring, she will making her final XUT stage appearance in the world premiere of Summer Slay-Cation. Emma is a four-year member and co-president of Toolbox, Xavier Theatre’s improv troupe. She would like to thank her family, friends, the choreographers, dancers, crew, and creative team for their love and support.

Luke Heetderks

Sound Tech/Assistant Stage Manager (Janitor’s Closet). Musical Theatre 2027. Luke is excited to be part of another Xavier show. He’s enjoyed the variety of hats he’s worn during this production and the skills he’s learned. He would like to thank the entire Xavier Theatre program for their constant support. You can see occasional life updates on his Instagram @lwheet1

Anna Hittepole

Set Designer (Janitor’s Closet). Musical Theatre '28. Anna is so grateful for the opportunity to be the set designer for the world premiere of Janitor's Closet! This is Anna's first time working in set design. She wants to thank Joe Leonard for being a mentor during this process and Tate Clemons (Director) for being a great collaborator. Recently, Anna was a follow spot operator during XUT's production of Jesus Christ Superstar. She is so excited for everyone to see Janitor's Closest for the first time ever!

Ben Hunt

Garcin (No Exit). Theatre 2026. Ben is extremely excited to step into the role of Garcin in No Exit! You may have seen him on stage with Xavier Theatre in Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter), Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew), and many others. Ben wants to thank his family for their continued support and overwhelming love. It’s because of them he gets to do what he is passionate about. He also wants to thank his roommates for putting up with his ridiculous schedule. Lastly, he wants to thank everyone involved in No Exit for their tremendous work, patience, and care throughout the process. To keep up with his life biannually, follow Ben on Instagram: @bhunt072.

Jaime Israel

Costume Designer (Janitor’s Closet). Theatre 2027. Jaime is so excited to have their first solo costume designing project on this world premiere play! This is Jaime’s third time costume designing a play at Xavier, their previous works being the two plays that comprised Xavier’s previous Student Showcase: Non-Player Character and The Moors. They would like to thank Jessica Pitcairn and the rest of Xavier’s Costume Shop staff for all their help and support while they ventured into this process.

Leo Jenkins

Dancer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2026. Leo cannot wait for you to see him dance across the stage with his fellow cast members in the Choreographers Showcase! You may have recently seen him in Xavier’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon) or over the summer in CYPT’s production of Anything Goes (Moonface Martin). He would like to thank his family and friends for their out-of-this-world support and the cast and crew for all the hard work they have put into the show to make it what it is tonight.

Taylor Mattingly

Run Crew (Janitor’s Closet). Musical Theatre 2028. Taylor is so excited to be a part of her first production at Xavier Theatre on tech crew! She was recently in Jesus Christ Superstar (Ensemble). Before her time at XUT, she did shows with Theatre Under The Stars in Houston, including Sweeney Todd (Teen Ensemble) and Les Miserables (Whore #1, Texas All State Musical). She thanks her family for supporting her exciting journey and hopes that you enjoy the show!

Sarah McKinney

Dancer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Psychology Major 2027. Sarah is a sophomore psychology major at Xavier University from Greenwood, IN. This is her first show with Xavier Theatre. She is a member of the Xavier dance team, performing at basketball games and competing at Nationals in Daytona. She has been dancing all her life and is so thankful Xavier has given her many opportunities to perform. She would like to thank the choreographers, cast, and crew for this wonderful experience. Enjoy the show!

Mary McMurray

Costume Designer (No Exit). Dancer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Theatre 2025. Mary is very excited to be dancing in the Choreographer’s Workshop and costume designing for No Exit (her third show as costume designer at XUT after The Moors and Non-Player Character). She was just recently on Xavier Theatre’s stage in Jesus Christ Superstar. She wants to thank her family and friends for their unending love and support.

Anna Meister

Assistant Stage Manager (No Exit). Theatre 2028. Anna is excited to be a part of No Exit, her first production with Xavier Theatre. Anna is extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work on this amazing show, and with the cast and crew members who constantly taught her new things. She would like to extend thanks to all the cast and crew of the Student Showcase, specifically the talented director, Erin Bonham, and the outstanding stage manager, Maria Zierolf, who served as outstanding role models and companions who made her feel welcomed and heard during this process. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Benny Mitchell

Assistant Stage Manager (Choreographers’ Workshop). Theatre 2026. Benny is stoked to be a part of this process. He has been seen onstage at Xavier recently in John Proctor is the Villain (Ensemble) and not-so-recently in The Music Man (Ensemble), in 2014. When not in a process, he can be found creating his own work, whether that’s making short films with friends or as of now, writing his third play (name TBD). He would like to thank the cast and crew for their trust and patience, and his amazing roommates for keeping up with his crazy schedule. Enjoy the show, and God bless!

Andres Murcia

Valet (No Exit). Musical Theater 2025. Andres is excited to create this role at Xavier as his final thesis project. His recent work at Xavier was on The Prom last spring semester. He wants to thank his family and friends for always believing in him and being his rock. Be sure to contact him at: https://www.andresfelipemurcia.com

Reece Niederhausen

Playwright (Janitor’s Closet). Theatre Education 2025. Reece is absolutely thrilled to be working on the world premiere of Janitor's Closet at Xavier Theatre. This will be Reece's thirteenth production with the Xavier Theatre program (Jesus Christ Superstar being his most recent credit). In the spring Reece will be student teaching at the Cincinnati School for Performing Arts with James Jones. Reece is endlessly grateful to both Stephen Skiles and Joe Leonard for the opportunity they have given him to produce his first play as a part of this year's student showcase. Although he is sad his time at Xavier is ending, he cannot think of a better way to end his senior year!

Gracie Phlipot

Choreographer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2027. Gracie grew up in Fishers, IN and is now a sophomore Musical Theatre major at Xavier University with minors in Public Relations and Management. This is her fifth production with Xavier. You have previously seen has her on stage in The Sound of Music, The Prom, and last season’s Choreographers’ Workshop. Gracie's love for dance has allowed her to take on multiple choreography roles in the past, and she is so happy to now be choreographing at the university level. Gracie would like to thank her cast of dancers for making her visions come to life, as well as everyone a part of this show for their hard work!

Richie Pokrywka

Jack (Janitor’s Closet). Musical Theatre 2025. Richie is thrilled to be performing in his first non-musical production at Xavier. You may have seen him in The Prom (Mr. Hawkins), The Sound of Music (Captain Von Trapp), and many others! He wants to thank his friends and family who have supported and encouraged him to become the man and actor he is today. He is proud of the work he and his incredibly talented peers have put into this production, and he hopes you enjoy it as much as he has!

Cohen Rice

Assistant Stage Manager (Janitor’s Closet). Musical Theatre 2027. Cohen is so excited to be able to assistant stage manage Janitor's Closet! He is very grateful to be surrounded by such talented and wonderful people in the cast and crew. This is his second time being on the technical side of a show and he can't wait to keep learning more through these new experiences!

Loretta Rubin

Inez (No Exit). Theatre 2027. Loretta is a sophomore at Xavier and is so grateful to be a part of this amazing show. You may have seen her onstage last year in Twelfth Night, Non-Player Character, or John Proctor is the Villain. She is also a member of the Toolbox Improv troupe and plays violin in her free time. She is so incredibly lucky to work with such an amazing cast and production team, and she hopes you enjoy the show!

Jayley Sams

Estelle (No Exit). Theatre Education 2026. Jayley is so grateful to be apart of Xavier Theatre’s No Exit. You might have also seen her in Love and Information and Non Player Character here at Xavier. She cannot wait to work on Summer Slay-Cation this upcoming spring semester! Jayley would like to thank the cast, crew, and Erin Bonham for this amazing experience and hopes that you enjoy the show!

Kyra Sander

Choreographer/Dancer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2027. Kyra is beyond thrilled to be making her choreographic debut with Xavier Theatre. After dancing in last year’s production, this marks her second year in the Choreographers' Workshop. You may have seen her as part of Xavier Theatre’s The Sound of Music last fall, and she will be performing in Pippin this February. Kyra extends heartfelt thanks to the entire cast and crew for their unwavering dedication, and to Teresa VanDenend Sorge, for being an amazing mentor and constant source of inspiration. Endless gratitude to her friends, family, and all those who encouraged her to pursue her love of dance and theatre—she wouldn’t be here without you. Enjoy the show!

Julianne Schultz

Props Designer (Janitor’s Closet). Theatre 2027. Julianne is very excited to be working on this groundbreaking production. She previously designed props for Xavier Theatre’s production of The Prom, but this is her first time being the sole props designer on a project. This process has been a fantastic learning experience for her, and she cannot wait to see what amazing experiences are yet to come. She would like to offer her thanks to the audience for their support of Xavier Theatre, as her work would not be possible without them. Feel free to follow her theatre journey on Instagram: @julianne_behind_the_scenes

Reilly Somerville

Choreographer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre & Psychology 2027. Reilly is ecstatic to share her work in The Choreographers’ Workshop at Xavier Theatre. She has previously worked on The Sound of Music (Assistant Stage Manager), The Choreographers’ Workshop (Dancer), The Prom (Ensemble), and Jesus Christ Superstar (Costume Crew) at Xavier Theatre. She wants to thank her fellow choreographers and Teresa VanDenend Sorge for their continuous collaboration and support in helping produce such a wonderful production. She also graciously thanks her cast for making all her choreographic dreams come true throughout this process. She hopes the audience enjoys watching this production as much as she did when creating it!

Anya Sperber

Light Designer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre and Theatre Education 2028. Anya is excited to be a part of her second production at Xavier University. You may have previously seen her in Jesus Christ Superstar (Apostle). Anya is so grateful to have the opportunity to work with everyone involved with the production and she hopes you enjoy the show as much as she does!! Anya would like to thank her family friends for all their support as they mean so much to her.

Brianna Starkey

Choreographer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2027. Brianna is excited to choreograph for the Student Showcase. She has recently been in Anastasia at North Canton Playhouse, as well as dancing in last years Choreographers Workshop at Xavier. She has held multiple tech positions at Xavier including her most recent, A1, for Jesus Christ Superstar. She wants to thank her family and friends for their love and support. She couldn't do any of this without them.

Jamie Swisshelm

Lighting Designer, Light Board Operator (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2028. Jamie is excited to be co-lighting designing the Choreographer's Workshop this fall! Their previous work at Xavier includes Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas), John Proctor is the Villain (Run Crew), The Prom (Emma), and The Sound of Music (Louisa). They are also co-lighting designing Janitor's Closet! Jamie would like to thank their professors, mentors, friends and family for their unwavering support, and they hope you enjoy the show!

Veronica Talbert

Dancer (Choreographers’ Workshop). Musical Theatre 2027. Veronica is a sophomore at Xavier University. This is her fifth production at Xavier Theatre and her first time in The Choreographers’ Workshop. She was previously on the crew for the productions Jesus Christ Superstar and John Proctor is the Villain. She was onstage in The Sound of Music and The Prom. She is very excited to be a part of her first dance show and for everyone to watch this amazingly talented and creative group!

Bri Willingham

Allie (Janitor’s Closet). Theatre 2027. Bri is so excited to be working on her third process at Xavier! Her most recent credits include John Proctor is the Villain (student ensemble) and The Sound of Music (Baroness/ensemble). She would like to thank her friends and family for being endlessly supportive, as well as her incredible director, cast mates and technical team who made this show a truly amazing experience. She hopes you find as much strength and inspiration in this show as she did!

Maria Zierolf

Stage Manager (No Exit). Musical Theatre 2024. Maria is thrilled to stage manage her second show at Xavier. You may have recently seen her onstage with Xavier Theatre in Jesus Christ Superstar (Pilate) or with the Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre in The 25th Annual…Spelling Bee (Olive). She would like to thank the company of No Exit for their support and dedication, especially Erin Bonham and Anna Meister, as well as her family for their endless encouragement. Maria will graduate in December – she invites you to keep up with her adventures on Instagram! @mariazierolf.