As You Like It Company Bios
D. Scott Glasser (Director)
is an actor, director and teacher who has worked with such theatres as the
Guthrie Theatre, GeVa Repertory Theatre, Opera Institute at Boston University,
A Contemporary Theatre (Seattle), Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Minnesota Opera,
Illusion Theater, Children's Theater Company in Minneapolis, Milwaukee Chamber
Theatre, Skylight Opera Theatre, Madison Opera, and the Utah and Nebraska
Shakespearean Festivals. Scott holds degree from the State University of New
York at Geneseo and Cornell University. He was on the faculty and helped create
a theatre program at Willamette University in Salem, OR. Scott was a founding
member of the Dakota Theatre Caravan, a theatre collective that created plays
about and for the people of the rural Plains. For eight seasons he was a resident
actor/director at Actors Theatre in St. Paul, where he also worked as a playwright
and Education Director. He produced and performed the play Minnesota
by George Sand at the 1987 Edinburgh International Festival, and, in 1990,
produced and directed his adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's
Dream in the Twin Cities. Scott was formerly associated with the Playwright’s
Center in Minneapolis and Midwest Playlabs. He was artistic director of Madison
Repertory Theatre from 1993-2002. His recent directing assignments include
Nebraska Shakespeare Festival’s The Tempest, The Passion of
Dracula at the University of Wisconsin, The Seduction of a Lady
for the Boston University Opera Institute, and in Milwaukee, Taking Leave
at Next Act and Treasure Island for First Stage. Scott is a member
of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, the American Federation
of Television and Radio Artists, and Actors Equity Association.
Dennis Christilles (Scenic and Lighting Designer) is associate professor
of theatre and film and a resident designer for The University Theatre. In
recent seasons, Dennis has designed the productions of Othello, Blithe
Spirit and Angels in America, Part I: Millennium Approaches as
well as directing and designing Jungalbook last season. Last winter,
Dennis led a group of KU design students on a tour of the Czech Republic.
During the summers of 2000 and 2002, he organized and directed a troupe of
KU students for a four-week stay in Katohi, Greece, where they staged productions
of classical Greek dramas in the ancient Greek theatre near Katohi. Dennis
will lead the tour again this summer.
Brian Hemesath (Costume Designer) holds a degree in theatre and art
from St. Ambrose University and a degree in costume design from Carnegie Mellon
University. He has worked throughout the country as a designer or assistant
designer for productions at the Zachary Scott Theatre, Judith Anderson Theatre,
Skylight Opera Theatre, Madison Repertory Theatre, Rockwell Theatre, Galvin
Fine Arts Center, Human Race Theatre, the Bronx Opera, Kresge Theatre, and
the New York City Opera. His previous Shakespeare designs include productions
of Twelfth Night and Macbeth. Now living in New York City, Brian
was an assistant costumer for the national tour of Titanic. He was
formerly Operations Manager for Dodger Costumes Inc., and has also worked
on costuming for The Today Show and Saturday Night Live on NBC-TV,
Angels in America for HBO-TV, the Caroline Rhea Show, and The
Christmas Tree for Fogwood Films. Brian is a member of United Scenic Artists
and is registered with IATSE Wardrobe Local 764.
Paul Boesing (Song Composer) is a singer-actor who began composing
music for the theatre during the 60s at The Firehouse Theater in Minneapolis,
MN. He and his former wife, Martha, a travelling folk duo, were commissioned
to write an opera for the Minnesota Opera Co. They continued to collaborate
on music theater works, their latest being The Mothers of Ludlow, based
on a true mining disaster in Colorado in 1914. Paul wrote the music for
The Glass Menagerie at Madison Repertory Theater for live glass instruments.This
is his second round with As You Like It; he composed the music and
songs for a production at the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, but the songs
in this production are in a very different style. Paul has completed a song
cycle of Rilke poems for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble, which will have
a workshop-reading in Berkeley, CA, this fall. He currently resides in Madison,
WI.
Theresa Buchheister (Phoebe) is a senior from Manhattan, majoring in
theatre. She will be seen later this fall in the Inge Theatre production of
Lulu. She has appeared in Jungalbook, The Two Gentlemen of
Verona, Othello, Six Degrees of Separation, Dinosaurus, and Temptation.
Theresa has also appeared in productions of 28 Scenes of Halloween, Big
Dildo/Vaudeville Show, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Theresa,
a Loren Kennedy Trainee for The University Theatre this season, is a member
of Friends of the Theatre.
Kelley Bryce Davies (Amiens) is a sophomore from Dallas, TX, majoring
in theatre and film. Last season he appeared as the First Slave in The
Magic Flute and as Jo, the young waiter, in You Never Can Tell.
Off-campus he has appeared in productions of Marvin's Room, Macbeth, Richard
III, Amadeus, and Servant of Two Masters.
Brandon DeLaney (Orlando) is a junior theatre and film major from Wamego.
This summer he portrayed Bomber in the Kansas Summer Theatre production of
Picnic. Last season he played multiple roles in The 10-Minute Play
Festival. Off-campus, Brandon has acted in Grand Ole Murder and
Auntie Grizzelda's Last Christmas.
Steve Ducey (Silvius) is a junior philosophy major from Overland Park.
This summer he was a member of the cast for Cloud Nine, produced by
the Barn Players of Johnson County. Last season he appeared in various roles
in The 10-Minute Play Festival as well as several 609 projects. An
honors student at KU, Steve is a member of the National Society of Collegiate
Scholars and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
Summer Eglinski (Corin) is a junior theatre major from Lawrence. She
was last seen in the spring as Baloo in Jungalbook. Earlier she was
cast in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Tomato Plant Girl, and Othello.
Summer previously appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream; Hello, Dolly;
Tony 'n Tina's Wedding; and The Children's Hour. Summer did hair,
wigs and make-up for the productions of The Royal Family and The
Magic Flute; this summer she was a costume intern at the Lost Nation Theatre
in Vermont.
Matt Greer (Touchstone) is a senior from Tulsa, OK. Last season he
was cast in The Dying Gaul and You Never Can Tell, for which
he was nominated for the Irene Ryan Acting Competition, sponsored by the Kennedy
Center/American College Theatre Festival. Earlier Matt was in South Pacific
and also appeared in the directing projects A Stye of the Eye and
The Actor's Nightmare.
Evan C. Grosshans (Jaques) is a senior theatre and film and theatre/voice
major from Lawrence. This summer he performed in the Kansas Summer Theatre
musical, A Grand Night for Singing. Previously he appeared in The University
Theatre productions of The Magic Flute, The Dying Gaul, You Never Can Tell,
Six Degrees of Separation, and The Bartered Bride. Evan sang in
the KU Opera productions of The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado.
Off campus he has acted in The Importance of Being Earnest and The
Devil's Disciple for the Stirling University Drama Society. A National
Merit Scholar and recipient of a KU Voice Scholarship, Evan also holds the
Robert C. Byrd Scholarship and the New Theatre Guild Scholarship.
Brian Heinen (Duke Frederick) is a senior from DeSoto, majoring in
secondary education with an English and speech communications emphasis. Last
spring he was seen as the First Priest in The Magic Flute.
R. Troy Hirsch (Adam) is a freshman theatre major from Hays. This is
his first KU production, but he has appeared off-campus in The Boys Next
Door and Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. During the summer,
Troy worked for the U.S. Forest Service as a wildland firefighter.
Sarah Elizabeth Homan (Audrey) is a senior theatre major from Overland
Park. This summer she acted in the Kansas Summer Theatre production of
Picnic. Last season she appeared in multiple roles in The 10-Minute
Play Festival and was stage manager for the Inge Theatre production of
Iphigenia at Aulis. Earlier she performed in Lear's Daughters and
The Accident. Sarah is an active member of the ACLU and is a Loren Kennedy
Trainee for the University Theatre this year.
Scott Johnson (Dennis and William) is a senior theatre and film major
from Lawrence. This summer he was a member of the cast for Cloud Nine,
produced by the Barn Players of Johnson County. Last season he appeared as
Gilbert Marshall in The Royal Family and the Outlaw in The Two Gentlemen
of Verona.
Justin Knudsen (Jaques) is a sophomore from Lakeville, MN, majoring
in creative writing. Last season he played multiple roles in The 10-Minute
Play Festival. Before coming to KU, Justin performed in productions of
West Side Story, The Impossible Years, and Oliver.
Adrienne Lamping (Celia) is a senior theatre major from St. Louis MO.
Most recently she played Elaine in The Dying Gaul. Earlier she was
seen in You Never Can Tell; Desdemona, a Play about a Handkerchief; Tomato
Plant Girl; Six Degrees of Separation, Fen, and the February Sisters'
production of The Vagina Monologues last winter at ECM. She has also
performed in productions at the St. Louis Municipal Theatre and Center of
Contemporary Arts in St. Louis.
Aaron Light (Charles) is a senior theatre and film major from Chesterfield,
MO. He has appeared in several 609 projects, including Wasp and
Rhinoceros. He was also on the props crew for Where to, Turelu?
Samara E. Naeymi (Rosalind) is a junior theatre major from Overland
Park. This summer she portrayed Madge in the Kansas Summer Theatre production
of Picnic. Later this fall she will appear in the Inge Theatre production
of Lulu. Last season Samara appeared as Gloria Clandon in You Never
Can Tell and played multiple roles in The 10-Minute Play Festival.
A member of the KU Honors Program, Samara holds the Mark Amin Scholarship
and is a Loren Kennedy Trainee for the University Theatre.
Danon Nicholae Park (Duke Senior) is a second-year graduate student
in theatre and a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Department of Theatre
and Film. This is his first University Theatre production, but he has appeared
in All’s Well That Ends Well, Love for Love, Othello, and The
Fantasticks. Last spring, Danon received the Outstanding New GTA in Theatre
and Film Award. In the spring, he will direct the Inge Theatre production
of Thirst by Kevin Mayer.
Joshua W. Vignery (Oliver) is a senior theatre major from Goodland.
Last spring he was one of the Bühnenarabiter in The Magic Flute.
He was also on the crews for Where to, Turelu? and You Never Can
Tell.
Phillip Vocasek (LeBeau) is a senior theatre major from Dodge City.
Last season he acted in the Inge Theatre productions of The Dying Gaul
and Iphigenia at Aulis and was one of the directors in The 10-Minute
Play Festival. Earlier he appeared in Othello, The Cherry Orchard,
and Six Degrees of Separation. At Fort Hays State University, Phill
was in Lysistrata, Anything Goes, There Goes the Bride, and West
Side Story. A member of the Dean’s list, he is also a Loren Kennedy
Trainee for the University Theatre this year.