Brett is a proud Strawdog company member and is thrilled to be returning to the Strawdog stage. His previous Strawdog credits include (Mark Antony) Ides of March: A Pocket Knife Julius Caesar, and (Benedick) Much Ado About Nothing. His regional credits include Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, Muse of Fire, Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Parks, Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre, and Oklahoma City Children’s Theatre. His film credits include The Scottish Play, A Complicated Matter, Bricktown, and Dirty Stars. He received a BFA from Oklahoma City University. He is immensely grateful to his wife, Sam, and his fur baby, River. I love you both and wouldn't be able to do any of this without y'all.

Rikky is a Montanan actor making her theatrical debut in Chicago! She graduated from the University of Montana with her BFA in Acting and moved to Chicago briefly before heading back home to tour with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks where she played Celia in “As You Like It” and the Chorus in “Henry V”. Other credits include Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, Sally Bowles in “Cabaret”, Bradley in “Men on Boats” (UM Theatre & Dance), and Melissa in The Montana Repertory’s Educational Outreach Tour. She loves Shakespeare and working with her partner Blake and is SO happy to be onstage for the first time in Chicago. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Carolyn is excited to be back at Strawdog! Most recently, Carolyn played Lady Macbeth at Invictus and Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. She was a company member with Irish Theatre of Chicago (RIP) for over a decade where she played the roles of Molly Sweeney, Lily in Lay Me Down Softly, Alice in The Dance of Death, Jen in Spinning, Neasa in Shining City, Josie in A Moon for the Misbegotten and Agnes in Dancing at Lughnasa - among others. Carolyn has also had the pleasure working with - Next Theatre, Theater Wit, The Artistic Home, The Hypocrites, Profiles, Remy Bumppo, Theo Ubique, Wildclaw, New Leaf Theatre, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Redtwist and the Strange Tree Group (Non-Equity Jeff Award - Best Ensemble for King Phycus.) Other credits include Chicago P.D. (NBC), The Onion Fusion Election Special (The Onion). Carolyn is represented by Paonessa Talent Agency.

Joseph Barth is excited to debut with Strawdog after most recently appearing as Bubnoff in Gwydion Theatre Company's The Lower Depths. They hold a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance from Virginia Tech, class of 2021. They would also like to extend a very special thank you to director Bobby Bowman and Dr. Matthew J. Hall, M.D.

Blake Sowers is a Chicago based actor who was raised in Great Falls, Montana. In 2024, he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and then moved to Chicago with his partner. While in school, Blake studied Shakespeare, learned stage combat, collaborated on devised projects, and worked with a variety of techniques. His recent credits in Missoula include Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (University of Montana), Gabe in Record Store Fantasia (Montana Repertory Theatre), and was most recently seen as Richard II in Chicago (Fowl Play Theatre Company). He’s excited to be making his debut with Strawdog and to be bringing Hamlet to life here in Chicago! He hopes you enjoy the show.

Carmine is happy to be back on stage again with his Strawdog family for the first time since he appeared as Travis the singing space cowboy in our 2019 production of Take Me. Following his first STC appearance in The Waltz Invention in 1998, Carm has been involved in something like 40 productions both on the boards and behind the scenes. Favorite exploits include getting murdered by robots in RUR, building yet another car for The Sweeter Option, constructing a blood cannon complete with zombie guts while also getting murdered in Pontypool, general tomfoolery in St. Crispin's Day, general mayhem in Marathon '33, General Black in FailSafe. Falling asleep on stage multiple times during Uncle Vanya, Plastering the entire set of 3 Sisters, writing, directing and performing in countless radio plays from the WIRELESS series to the Hit Factory, Karaoke auditions for Tooth of Crime, Hopping down the enormous staircase at 3829 after first rehearsal of Puntila to head to the ER for crutches...I mean, he could write a book...

WRITER

DIRECTOR

Bobby Bowman - Director - Bobby (he/him) is beyond excited to make his Chicago directorial debut with Strawdog. He has been an actor in various productions in Chicago including: The Seagull (Red Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare in Love (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Through the Elevated Line (Silk Road Rising); Fair Maid of the West (Oak Park Festival Theatre); Hand to God (Victory Gardens Theater); Richard III (The Gift Theatre); A Loss of Roses (Raven Theater). REGIONAL: The Comedy of Errors, Death of a Salesman, King Lear (American Players Theatre); Julius Caesar, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks); The Merchant of Venice, Richard III (Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival). EDUCATION: BFA in acting, Oklahoma City University.

PRODUCER/ADAPTER

see above

ADAPTER

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STAGE MANAGER/SOUND DESIGNER

Yasmeen Abiad (she/her) is a stage manager and teaching artist in Chicago. She teaches at public and private schools in the Chicago area through Raven Theatre and Creative Root. She Assistant Directed A Little Night Music at Theo. Most recently, she was ASM for Jekyll & Hyde at Kokandy productions where she will return to ASM Hair this summer. This is her first time stage managing with Strawdog and she’s very grateful for the opportunity and experience. Yasmeen recently earned a BFA in Theatre Arts and a BA in English at Depaul University. She is originally from New York City, where she attended LaGuardia High School.

INTIMACY DIRECTOR

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PRODUCER/LIGHTING DESIGNER

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