Playbill | Meet the Creative & Production Team
DANICA JACKSON
Director
Danica is the assistant director of performance here at UT, serving as both acting teacher and director. Most recently, she directed Assassins for TheatreFEST and Urinetown, the Musical. Upcoming productions include [title of show] during this summer’s TheatreFEST. Immense gratitude and pride for this unbelievable cast, production staff and crew, and the work they have put forth to make this production another one of Danica’s favorites to date.
MICHAEL SANTANGELO
Musical Director
Michael is so happy to be working with the wonderful cast, crew, and orchestra of Jekyll and Hyde. Past credits include Disney’s High School Musical On Tour and Breaking Up is Hard to Do (Branson Production). Regional credits include Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Tuacahn – MD) High School Musical (TOTS – MD), Meshuggah Nuns (Gateway Playhouse – Keys), Jesus Christ Superstar (NCT – Associate MD), Sister Act (NCT – Keys), Altar Boys (NCT – Keys), A Chorus Line (NCT – Keys/Programming) and The Little Mermaid (NCT – Keys). Local/educational productions include In The Heights (NCT Conservatory – MD), Jesus Christ Superstar(NCT Conservatory – MD), Crazy for You (NCT Conservatory – MD), Divas! (RLT – MD), The Last Five Years(RLT – MD), Sister Act (RLT – MD), Little Shop of Horrors (RLT – MD), and Title of Show (NRACT – MD). Michael is a graduate of the Crane School of Music. Thanks to NC State for sharing this production with its audiences and thanks so much to my family and to my partner Bryan. Without them, nothing would be possible.
YI CHEN
Associate Musical Director
Yi is a second year PhD student in bioelectronics engineering, with undergraduate degrees in electrical and computer engineering, computer science, and music from Duke University. His previous University Theatre roles include Mr. McQueen in Urinetown the Musical and Larry in [title-of-show]. He is also a member of State Chorale and Chamber Singers. In his free time, Yi enjoys playing piano, conducting choirs, and flying airplanes for Civil Air Patrol. He is excited to explore the incredible music of Jekyll & Hyde with the cast and orchestra!
JESS BARBOUR
Choreographer
Jess holds a BFA in theatre from Elon University and studied at The William Esper Studio in NYC. Film: Most Wonderful Time, Oh Crappy Day (Best Actress nom- Madrid International Film Festival, Sunny Side Up Film Festival). Theater: The Play That Goes Wrong (Theatre Raleigh), Wit (NCT), Inherit the Wind (Justice Theatre Project), The Herd (Honest Pint). She has over 50 choreography credits spanning the last 13 years and is excited to add this production of Urinetown to the list. When she’s not at the theatre, she wears many hats as a SP trainer for the American Board of Anesthesiology, and adjunct professor at William Peace University. Thank you, Danica, Michael, Heather, and the cast for a wonderful time. Break all the legs! Strong and wrong!
MAYA McCALL
Choreographer
Maya is a former NCSU student and currently a sophomore at UNCG studying theatre education. He co-choreographed this production and has been in 3 shows in the past with UT: The SpongeBob Musical as Plankton, Urinetown the Musical as assistant choreographer and Ensemble, and She Kills Monsters as Puppeteer. They are so excited for you to see this show! He wants to thank the cast, crew, and creative team for having so much faith and trust in his work, and family and friends for their support!
BRANDON LEACH
Assistant Choreographer
Brandon is a sophomore in animal science with a veterinary bioscience concentration and a minor in theatre. He has been in multiple shows, two of which were with University Theatre. He was a swing in The Crucible, Ted in Peter and the Starcatcher, and others in high school, including dance captain for Legally Blonde. Brandon is a member of The District Dance Collective where all levels of dancers learn to excel in several styles of dance. He would like to thank his friends and family for their constant support and encouragement, for this show was a wonderful production to help choreograph. Brandon hopes you enjoy this phenomenal performance.
HEATHER J. STRICKLAND
Fight and Intimacy Director
Heather has worked for 20 years as a director, actor, and dance/fight/movement/intimacy choreographer. Recent fight/intimacy choreography credits include Theatre Raleigh’s Yellow Face, NC State University’s Assassins, and Raleigh Little Theatre’s The Mountaintop and Pippin. Favorite projects include director for Bare Theatre’s all-female Titus Andronicus and EverScape, director for RLT’s What We’re Up Against, choreographer for Justice Theatre Project’s Oliver!, movement director for RLT’s Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and Sonorous Road’s The Wolves.
JAYME MELLEMA
Scenic Designer
Jayme is the resident scenic designer, instructor, and theatre artist for North Carolina State’s University Theatre. Select designs at University Theatre include Ragtime, Men on Boats, Our Town, Bright Star, Cabaret, The Royal Family, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Love/Sick, The Secret Garden, The 39 Steps, Around the World in 80 Days, Little Shop of Horrors, The Burial at Thebes, The Heidi Chronicles, Chicago, and Rent. Jayme has also worked as a freelance designer for such venues as The Peabody Institute – Johns Hopkins University, North Carolina Theatre Conservatory, The Princeton Festival, Wolftrap Opera, The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Guilford College, Duke University, and Calvin University. As a theatre artist and creator, Jayme has also been a projection designer, writer, director, devisor, puppet creator, and an alternative reality experience collaborator. He earned his MFA in Scenic Design from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and prior to becoming a designer he was a professional scenic artist. jaymemellema.com
LAURA J. PARKER
Costume, Hair, and Makeup Design
Laura has been with University Theatre since 2010. She has been designing and creating costumes for theatrical productions and historic re-enactors since 1999, with a focus on historically accurate clothing reproductions and historically inspired fantasy costuming. Previously, Ms. Parker was the resident costume designer and instructor of costume design at William Peace University. Her favorite costume design credits for University Theatre include Hay Fever, The Secret Garden, Around the World in 80 Days, and Murder at the Howard Johnson’s. She has done freelance costume design for area theaters including Honest Pint Theatre Company, Sweet Tea Shakespeare, South Stream Productions, and Bare Theatre. She can often be found acting with local and regional theaters and performs improv comedy with Raleigh’s Village Idiots. Ms. Parker holds a Bachelor of arts in anthropology from Georgia State University and a Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University.
JOSHUA REAVES
Lighting Design
Joshua began work with NC State’s University Theatre in 2011 as the lighting and sound designer before being named director of the program in 2019. He obtained his MFA from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and a BFA from UNC-Greensboro. Before arriving at NC State, Mr. Reaves taught at Campbell University and the University of Cincinnati. He has freelanced for local and regional theatres including NCT, Raleigh Little Theatre, Manbites Dog, Justice Theatre Project, Burning Coal, NC Opera Company, The Alley Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, and New Harmony Theatre, among others. He is grateful to work next to such talented colleagues and thanks his wife Athena and two children, Piera and Aidan, for all their support during those long tech weeks..
ERIC ALEXANDER COLLINS
Sound Design
DAVID JENSEN
Technical Direction
David has been working at University Theatre since 2002. David attended Appalachian State University and UNC-Greensboro, where he studied theatrical design and production. He worked in Atlanta for seven years as a freelance theatre carpenter and technical director at most of the theaters in the metro area as well as many exhibit/design shops. David would like to remind everyone that the Arts NC State programs are open to any NC State student — Get involved!
REBECCA PEACE
Stage Manager
Rebecca is a junior in mathematics. This is her seventh show at University Theatre. Previously, Rebecca has worked as a production assistant, assistant stage manager, stage manager, and wardrobe head throughout her time at UT, and she is very excited to stage manage this production of Jekyll and Hyde.
JOHN WILSON CHEEK
Assistant Stage Manager
John is a sophomore in computer science with a minor in creative writing. He has been on crew for several shows however, this is his second show with University Theatre and his first time on the stage management team. John would like to thank his friends and family who continue to encourage and support his passion for theatre, and he hopes everyone enjoys the show!
LU MARTIN
Assistant Stage Manager
Lu is a freshman in the life sciences first year program. This is their second production with University Theatre. Previous shows they have worked include Into the Woods and Wizard of Oz with their high school, and this season’s fall production, Peter and The Starcatcher, in which they served as an assistant stage manager. She would like to thank her family and friends who continue to encourage and support their passion for theatre. Lu hopes you all enjoy the show!
KAT KIMBRELL
Assistant Stage Manager
Kat is a senior in criminology, forensic science, and psychology. This will be her sixth show with University Theatre. Kat is also a member of the event operations crew at Stewart Theatre where she assists with different kinds of arts performances throughout the school year. She would like to thank her family and friends who continue to encourage and support her passion for theatre. Enjoy the show!
MAKAYLA HARMAN
Assistant Stage Manager
Makayla is a freshman in computer science. This is her second show with University Theatre, and has previously stage managed fourteen shows including Footloose, Matilda, and Aladdin. Makayla is also a part of Cru campus ministry and Alpha Omega Epsilon Sorority. She enjoys dancing and playing tennis with friends as well. Makayla would like to thank her family and friends who continue to encourage and support her passion for theatre, and she hopes you all enjoy the show!