JACKSON GRIFFIN

Actor 1: Lady Enid Hillcrest | Nicodemus Undersood | Alcazar | Pev Amri

Jackson is excited, thrilled, over the moon, on cloud nine, tickled pink, fit to be tied, losing his marbles, positively electrified, practically levitating, aglow with anticipation, phasing in and out of reality, rattling like a maraca, transcending the mortal plane, and rapturous beyond reason to be joining the cast of The Mystery of Irma Vep for TheatreFEST 2026. This is Jackson’s second time acting in TheatreFEST, first appearing in Holmes and Watson as Holmes #2. Other recent favorite credits include Officer Lockstock in Urinetown,The Musical, Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher, and Clown 1 in The 39 Steps.

GUS ALLEN

Actor 2: Lord Edgar Hillcrest | Jane | Intruder | Irma Vep

also appears…

MICHAEL EELS-MILLER

Swing for Actor 1

Michael is a rising senior in film studies and communication with a minor in arts entrepreneurship. He has performed in two shows during the 2025-26 season with University Theatre, including Lars in The Forest Night, and Dr. Eugene Sorn in Stupid F##king Bird. He would like to thank his family and friends who continually support his sincere passion for the stage and storytelling as a whole. Michael hopes you all enjoy the show this evening!

MATTHEW DELANEY

Swing for Actor 2

Matthew is thrilled to be part of this madcap show for his first year with TheatreFEST! An actor, producer, voiceover artist, and marketing professional, Matt holds an MFA in acting from UNCG and a BA from App State. Regional highlights include Providence Gap(Narvel Greene) and A Christmas Carol (Fred/Young Scrooge) at Triad Stage, as well as The Woman in Black (Kipps). Favorite recent roles include Mr. Tumnus, David in The Foreigner, and Berowne in Love’s Labour’s Lost. Endless love and gratitude to his wife, Catherine, and their two daughters.

DANICA JENELLE JACKSON

Director

Danica is an award-winning director and teaching artist, serving as the assistant director of performance at NC State. She teaches Theory and Practice of Acting, Advanced Acting, Introduction to Theatre, Period Styles Acting, Shakespeare in Performance (Study Abroad in Prague, CR), Performing Shakespeare, and multiple additional workshops every year. Recent productions directed include Stupid F##king Bird, The Forest Night, Blithe Spirit (TheatreFEST), and You on the Moors Now. Danica also serves as an intimacy director, fight director and accent coach for multiple productions and companies across the Triangle. 
www.danicajenelle.com

HEATHER J. STRICKLAND

Fight Director

Heather has worked in the triangle area for 25 years as a director, actor, and dance/fight/movement/intimacy choreographer. Recent acting credits include Soccer Mom in Peace University’s The Wolves and Patricia in Justice Theatre Project’s The Taming. Recent fight/intimacy choreography credits include Theatre Raleigh’s The Prom and Yellow Face, NC State University Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet, Jekyll & Hyde and She Kills Monsters, NRACT’s Appropriate and Parade, McGregor Hall’s Bridges of Madison County, and Theatre in the Park’s Hamlet and Pippin. Favorite projects include director for an all-female Titus Andronicus, EverScape, and What We’re Up Against and movement director for Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and The Wolves.

JAYME MELLEMA

Scenic 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 & 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 Peter and the Starcatcher, The Spongebob Musical, Ragtime, Urinetown, Cabaret, The 39 Steps, and Jekyll & Hyde. An actor as well, she has designed or performed with area theaters including Honest Pint Theatre Company, Raleigh Little Theatre, Sweet Tea Shakespeare, Henderson Rec Players, 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.

ROBYN WARFIELD

Lighting Design

Robin holds an MFA with scenographic traditions from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in design concentrating in lighting and scenery. Prior to her becoming part of the University Theatre staff, she was the resident lighting designer and master electrician for the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte. She was an integral part of the creative team for a new hip hop musical, Grimmz Fairytales, which was nominated for the 87th Drama League Awards in Outstanding Digital Theatre, Individual Production, for its filmed version during the winter of 2020. While at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, she had the pleasure to design and assist many shows that are new works that promote kindness and the ability to see growth and strength in each and every person including oneself. Not just working in Theatre for Young Audiences, she started out at theatre companies like Shakespeare Company in Lenox MA, that concentrate on classical and contemporary works. Robyn has also designed for various dance companies in the Northeast. 
rkwdesign.com

ERIC ALEXANDER COLLINS

Sound Design

Eric has worked in professional audio for over 35 years where he has designed and mixed shows across the U.S., Europe, and Australia, including in the iconic Sydney Opera House! Eric’s theatrical designs number in the hundreds of successful show runs, and have been awarded Best Sound Design by BroadwayWorld.com five times: Billy Elliot: The Musical (2015), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2016), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (2017), Once (2018), and Peace of Clay (2021).  Some of my favorite credits include: Tuacahn Performing Arts Center (Utah): Million Dollar Quartet, A Christmas Carol, White Christmas, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Pittsburgh Musical Theatre (PA): Dear Evan Hansen, Waitress, Once. North Carolina Theatre: Elf – The Musical; Beautiful – The Carol King Musical, Songs for A New World, Mamma Mia, NERDS (Broadway Preview). Theatre Raleigh: Bull Durham (Broadway Preview), Jane Eyre (reworking the show with John Caird), Once, The Secret Garden, Urinetown (awarded 2013 Best Sound Design), University Theatre (N.C.S.U.): Seussical, Jekyll and Hyde, The 39 Steps. Carolina Ballet: MacBeth (2016 world premier ballet – Robert Weiss Choreographer), Dracula and The Little Mermaid (both world premier ballets – Lynn-Taylor Corbett – Choreographer). North Carolina Symphony: Idina Menzel (in concert), Natalie Merchant (in concert), Renée Fleming (in concert).  Playmaker’s Rep. Co. (U.N.C.): She Loves Me, Peter and the Starcatcher, Theatre In The Park: Godspell. My work is dedicated to you, the patrons in the seats reading this.  The adventure continues!

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!

ALANA BROWN

Stage Manager

Alana is a 4th year sociology major at NC State. This is her 2nd production with University Theatre. Previously she has worked on The Forest Night as an assistant stage manager. She hopes you enjoy the show!

ORPHEUS LARSEN

Assistant Stage Manager

Orpheus is a senior at NC State majoring in English: creative writing with a minor in art studies. This is their fourth show with University Theatre, and their first time working at TheatreFEST. Previous UT show credits include Romeo and Juliet (swing), QuickSCRIPTS (director), and Mapping Instincts (assistant stage manager). Other show credits include Wake Tech’s two devised theatre shows and Metal Hamlet (Polonius/Bernardo/Bass Guitarist). They would like to thank their family and friends for their continued support of their passion for theatre!