Playbill | Meet the Creative and Production Team
MIA SELF
Director
Mia is the assistant director of acting and directing at North Carolina State University. She has a BA in theatre from Catawba College and an MFA in directing from the University of Mississippi. Mia worked as a professional actor, voice and text coach, playwright, and director around the Southeast and Midwest before beginning her career in theatre education in 2004. She is a proud board member of the North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC).
KATHERINE ANDERSON
Musical Director
Katherine is happy to be be music directing at NCSU for the first time. She is a music director, voice teacher, coach, accompanist, and performer. A Raleigh native, Katherine has music directed and/or performed at many area theatres in Raleigh, Durham, Sanford, Fayetteville, and Burlington. Katherine has a bachelor of music from Meredith College in voice performance and musical theatre with a minor in piano. Thank you to Josh and Mia for the opportunity, to the cast for being so great to work with, and to her sister Rebecca for being a great musical partner.
HEATHER J. STRICKLAND
Fight and Intimacy Choreographer
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 and The Prom, NC State University’s Assassins and She Kills Monsters, 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 and Puppetry Design
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 began working with University Theatre since 2010, and has been designing costumes for theatrical productions and historic re-enactors since 1999, with a focus on historically accurate clothing reproductions and historically inspired fantasy costuming. Her favorite costume design credits for University Theatre include The SpongeBob Musical, Ragtime, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hay Fever, and Murder at the Howard Johnson’s. She has done freelance costume design for area theaters including William Peace University, Honest Pint Theatre Company, Sweet Tea Shakespeare, South Stream Productions, and Bare Theatre. 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 Director
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!
DAIJA BLAISE
Assistant Director
Daija Blaise, is a senior in international studies.
GABRIELLE MORRIS
Assistant Director
Gabrielle is a junior in communication – public relations with minors in journalism and theatre. She has performed in multiple shows including Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible; stage manager for [title of show] and assistant stage manager for Urinetown, the Musical. Gabrielle is vice president of Alpha Psi Omega where she does service in the theatre community. She would like to thank the staff of University Theatre and her friends who support her.
BRIANNE CRAWFORD
Stage Manager
Brianne is a junior double majoring in electrical and computer engineering with a minor in German language. She has participated in multiple shows at University Theatre including stage manager for Muse, projections operator for She Kills Monsters, and supertitles operator for Urinetown. She would like to thank her family and friends who continue to encourage and support her passion for theatre. Brianne hopes you all enjoy the show!
LU MARTIN
Assistant Stage Manager
Lu is a freshman in life sciences. This is their first show at University Theatre. Previously Lu has crewed at their high school, serving as the stage manager for Jesus Christ Superstar, The Wizard of Oz and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. She would like to thank her family who continue to support her passion.
NICOLAS CHANCAFE
Assistant Stage Manager
Nicolas is a freshman in political science with a concentration in law and justice. Nick is making his debut at University Theatre as an assistant stage manager. He would like to thank his family, friends, and his dog Sparky for supporting him along the way. Nick hopes you enjoy the show and have the time of your life! Also, shoutout my boy Kai! He’s a real one and thanks for coming out to support me!!!