Playbill | Unpacking
GUS ALLEN
Playwright
Gus is a local actor and writer, as well as an acting instructor at Back-to-One Acting Studio here in Raleigh. Gus has been in many University Theatre TheatreFEST productions, most notably The 39 Steps, The Hollow, and Tea with Edie & Fitz. Gus loves board games, skydiving, the Minnesota Vikings and Culver’s restaurants. His two cats are named Rebecca and Louisa after characters from Alfred Hitchcock films. Gus is a massive introvert, so you’ll have to initiate any conversation. Or not. That’s okay too.
HEATHER BENJAMIN
Director
Heather is a recent transplant from the D.C. area, where she performed and directed with many professional and community theaters over the years. She was a troupe member with Precipice Improv for five years, doing longform improvised plays, and was the founding artistic director of Perisphere Theater. In the Triangle, she has performed with Southern Wake Players, QuickSCRIPTS and PlaySlam. In April, she will take part in a staged reading with OdysseyStage.
JONATHAN MAXWELL
Dave
Jonathan moved to Raleigh in 2018 and started acting the following year thanks to Gus Allen and Daryl Ray Carliles at Back-to-One Acting Studio. He owes them a lot for helping him be where he is today – which is here to perform for all of you! (Well, technically he is at home while this is being written) So if he does a poor job, you know who to blame! When he isn’t acting, he’s working… but, when he isn’t doing that, he is making episodes for his show about science and space! (What the what show).
LYDIA COCHRANE
Vanessa
Lydia is a freshman at NC State from Greensboro, NC. “I have been acting most of my life on stage and on camera. I love all things theater, film, and visual arts. My major is communications with a minor in film studies. My fun fact is that I have four adorable cats and I’m a huge Swiftie.”