MIKEY FRIED   Frances Flute/Thisbe

is a Chicago-based comedian, actor, and writer. Graduating from WSU’s acting BFA program Fried has cut his teeth with performances as Doug in Rajiv Joseph’s Gruesome Playground Injuries, and KJ in Annie Baker’s The Aliens. Fried’s co-creation, The Criminals Go to Prison was met with critical acclaim after a 4-week run at Second City’s Blackout Cabaret. Fried is a resident artist with Two Chairs Theatre Co. (Chicago Reader’s best new Theater Company, 2023.)

COLIN GLOWIENKE   Egeus/Mustardseed

Excited to be making his BrightSide Theatre debut as well as returning to acting.

JAKE JONES   Demetrius

Emilio Estevez Scholar from Wright State University, BFA in Acting. (‘22) Professional credits include Upstream (Indy Fringe), God Gun, Destroy! All! Evidence! (Two Chairs Theatre Co.), Criminals Go to Prison (@ The Second City), Charlotte’s Web (Alphabet Soup Productions), and Dooby Dooby Moo (Lifeline Theatre). Jake is a member of the Chicago sketch comedy group Catastrophic Success. where he has performed shows at The Den and The Second City. #RaiderUp, Whodey, and Up the Chels! @____jakejones____

AUSTIN JONES   Tom Snout/Wall

He has been honing his improv skills for the past decade and acting for eighteen years. A Second City Conservatory graduate, he performed and wrote for All Part of the Show and appeared in Here 4 a Bit at Second City and The Gist at iO. He is excited to return to BrightSide Theatre after Dracula (Attendant/US Harker) with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. IG: @TheLameWillyWonka

SCOTT KELLEY   Nick Bottom/Pyramus

Thrilled to be on the BST stage once again, having appeared in 2024’s Lou Award-winning production of Deathtrap (Sidney), as well as Miracle on 34th Street and Spamalot (Patsy), among others. Past Shakespearean roles include Petruchio (Taming of the Shrew) and Malvolio (Twelfth Night), as well as a different Nick Bottom in Something Rotten! and the Bard himself in The Beard of Avon.

JASON LACOMBE    Theseus/Oberon

Overjoyed to be a part of this amazing project. Jason is a Chicago-based actor. He was mostly recently seen in Shadow Bright and Burning. Other credits include, Snout/Egeus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Big Noise Theater), Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (Citadel and Center Stage), Lodovico in Othello (Hoosier Shakespeare Festival), Rick (Midwest Players), and various roles at Michigan Shakespeare Festival.

GEORGE LI    Athens Guard/Cobweb

An actor in the Chicago area, is thrilled for his debut at BrightSide Theatre! Favorite credits include Claude in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Magical Starlight Theatre), Dan in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Theater for Charity), Mr. Winsky/Bill Walter in Diary of A Wimpy Kid, The Musical (Raue Center School for the Arts) and Anastasia (Natural Talent Productions).

JAKE HARRISON MURPHY    Pilostrate/Puck

is brimming with exuberance to make his debut with BrightSide alongside this fantastic production team and cast. Some previous roles include Mozart in Amadeus, Peter in Peter and the Starcatcher, Billy the Hero in Silent Laughter, and Warren in This is Our Youth. 

ABBY NADEN    Hermia

Thrilled to be making her BrightSide Theatre debut. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 2024. She has played Annie the Ragdoll in AlphaBet Soup’s The Christmas that Almost Wasn’t, toured with Missoula Children’s Theatre as a performer and theatre educator, and served as the dance captain for four shows at the Black Hills Playhouse in South Dakota (Cinderella, Something Rotten, The Drowsy Chaperone, and 9 to 5). www.abbynaden.com

GINA PHILLIPS    Hippolyta/Titania

is proud to be back on the BrightSide stage after playing Gwendolyn Pigeon in The Odd Couple, Truvy in Steel Magnolias, and Maude Bodley in Not Now Darling.   Other favorite roles: Kate Keller (All My Sons) Warehouse Theatre Company, Miss Ffoliot-ffoulkes (Murder On the Nile), Gerry (Play On) Oil Lamp Theater, Rosemary (Darkness After Dawn) Factory Theater and Rose (Bleacher Bums).  She is also in films and commercials.  

EMILY SHERMAN    Hippolyta Assistnat/Peasblossom

BrightSide debut! Previous credits: The Grimmest of Tales, Anne of Green Gables (Inkwell Arts); The Secret Garden (JPAC); Hairspray, Beauty and the Beast, Bullets Over Broadway (The Barn Theatre); The Comedy of Errors (Houston Shakespeare Festival). Emily holds a BFA in Musical Theatre Performance program from Western Michigan University.

JILL SHOEMAKER    Helena

A Chicago-based actor and recent BFA Acting alum of the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Other Chicagoland credits include Luciana in The Comedy of Errors and Nellie in Summer and Smoke.

TYLER SZARABAJKA   Lysander

Thrilled to be returning to the BST stage for this production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!! He portrayed Clifford Anderson during last year’s production of Deathtrap and welcomes the challenge of The Bard this time around.

SARA B.T. THIEL   Peter Quince

An editor and recovering academic making her BrightSide Theatre debut. She has taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Pittsburgh and holds a doctorate in theatre history. Previous roles include Viola in Twelfth Night.

GRETA THORNE    Athens Guard/Mote

is thrilled to be making her professional debut with BrightSide Theatre, and grateful to be returning after participating in their Youth Project 10+ years ago! Alma Mater: Boston Conservatory BFA Musical Theatre, Specializations in Songwriting and Tap Dance. Recent credits include Twelfth Night (Prague Shakespeare Company Summer Intensive), and Slyde (BOCO). Endless thanks to the brilliant cast and crew, her family, and her teachers. Special thanks to Ms. Jenn. gretathorne.com

SAM WELCH    Snug/Lion

Thrilled to be making their BrightSide debut. Previously, they have appeared in the Chicagoland area in Nevermore as Lucy (Goodly Creatures Theatre), Twelfth Night as Curio (Goodly Creatures Theatre), and Head Over Heels as Ensemble (Second Story Players).  Follow their other artistic pursuits on Instagram @sam___i___am___ 

JOHN ZIMMERMAN   Robin Starveling/Moonshine

Glad to be back on the BrightSide stage after appearing in The Odd Couple, Gypsy, and Deathtrap. He has performed in theaters in Chicago and the suburbs for 25 years. As a playwright, John has had dramas produced in Chicago, New York, and Hollywood. John is a retired journalist and special education teacher.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Playwright

(c. 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist.  He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon” or simply “the Bard”. His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.  Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

JASON HARRINGTON  Adaptor & Director

Jason is thrilled to return to BrightSide where he’s directed The Odd Couple (2022) and Deathtrap (2023). He’s a proud board member of Up and Coming Theatre where his directing credits include: Heathers: the Musical (Broadway World Award-best direction), Sweet Charity, Lippa’s The Wild Party, Hair and Footloose. Other directing credits include productions with: Second City, The Bailiwick, Glenview Theatre Guild, and the Library Theatre at Feltre. All his love to Erica and Wren.

CHERYL NEWMAN Costume Designer

Cheryl has been a theater kid her whole life. She recently quit her day job in special education to do theater stuff and is thrilled to join Brightside for the upcoming season. She also costumes the award-winning BAM children’s theater in Hinsdale, and directs and costumes for Wheaton North High school, the Westmont Park District and Westview Hills Middle School.

KURT OTTINGER  Lighting & Sound Designer

Kurt is happy to be working for BrightSide Theatre again. He retired a few years ago after 31 years as theatre technical supervisor/resident lighting and sound designer for the Northbrook Park District.  Kurt has designed lighting for Northbrook on Ice, York High School, St. Patrick’s High School, Loyola Academy, Big Noise Theatre, Highland Park Players and many other groups over the years. 

JEFF SAND (Technical Director)

works in IT at Villa Park Public Library and as a technician at COD’s McAninch Arts Center. Excited for another BST season!  BrightSide: She Loves Me, Gypsy (TD).  Summer Place Theatre: The Secret Garden (sound design), Don’t Dress For Dinner (TD), Joseph…Dreamcoat (co-TD, sound), and Mamma Mia! (producer/sound design). Natural Talent Productions: Urinetown (co-producer, sound), Disney’s Hunchback… (sound – regional premiere).  Riverfront Playhouse: Between Riverside and Crazy, Lady Day at Emerson’s… (lighting).