ARTIST BIOS

FRANCISCO ARCILA - ALGERNON MONCRIEFF

Recent theater credits include: Girl in Window (Lab Barn reading series) Waiting for Lefty, Othello, The Grapes of Wrath, Machinalia (Ubuntu Theater Project) Twelfth Night (SF Shakespeare Festival) Macbeth (u/s Berkeley Rep). BA from UCSD class of 2015. He would like to thank the Grobers for providing a wonderful space and environment. 

ROSS BARRON - LANE

Ross Barron is proud to join this great cast in Encounters Theatre’s inaugural production! An actor and playwright/screenwriter, he’s studied at Stella Adler Studios, the Guildhall School in London, the Lucid Body House, and Princeton University. He most recently appeared in Fay Simpson’s Addiction performed in Riverside Park. His favorite acting credits include: Disco Pigs, The Seagull (Lewis Center for the Arts), and Richard III (Commonwealth Shakespeare Co). Playwright: Autumn Leaves (Dixon Place). Film: Screenwriter/Lead of *“Sticks and Stones” (Neymarc Visuals) *Award of Merit – Best Shorts Competition. @barron.it.all www.rossbarron.com

NAZLAH BLACK - GWENDOLEN FAIRFAX

Nazlah Black (Gwendolen) is a New York based actress whose most recent credits include Malcolm, Witch 2, and Lady Macduff in New York Shakespeare Company’s production of Macbeth and Juliet in an inner city educational tour of Romeo and Juliet. Recent film credits include starring as Spoon in Michael Irish’s latest feature film Permanent Collection. Nazlah Black received her BFA in Theatre from Cornish College of the Arts(2016) and this fall will be attending The Pig Iron School in pursuit of receiving her MFA in Devised Performance

MADELINE DANNENBERG- MISS LAETITIA PRISM

Madeline Dannenberg is a New York based actor, singer, and dancer from Perry, Georgia. She is a recent graduate of Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Music in Music Theater. Previous credits include Elinor Dashwood in “Sense and Sensibility” (Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park), Frances in “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” and Hodel in “Fiddler on the Roof” (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma), and Brenda in “Catch Me if You Can” (Sooner Theatre.) Thanks to Jenny for this opportunity, to her family for never missing a show, and to the weather if it decides to stay sunny. 

ROBERT GEMAEHLICH - DR. FREDERICK CHASUBLE

Robert is thrilled to be a member of this lively and highly creative cast.

KYLE LEIBOVITCH - JACK WORTHING

Kyle Leibovitch (Jack) is thrilled to join this production of The Importance if Being Ernest. Previous credits include The Seagull, Eurydice, and The Crucible. Film credits include This Always Happens and Day 9. To all my family, friends, Charlie and Kristen, I love you 3000.

MAYA MARTIN-UDRY - LADY AUGUSTA BRACKNELL

Maya Martin-Udry earned her BA in Women's and Gender Studies with a focus on Latinx theater from Wellesley College, where she was a member of the Wellesley College Shakespeare Society. She’s delighted to team up with Jenny again after a successful run as Duke Fredrick and CHARLES in Hamlet Isn’t Dead’s As You Like It.

LILY WALDRON - CECILY CARDEW

Lily is an NYC based actor and is thrilled to be working with this fantastic cast and crew on The Importance of Being Earnest! A graduate of Ithaca College with a BFA in Acting, her recent credits include: As You Like It (Phebe) and The Foreigner (Catherine). Thank you to LOM, my family and my friends.

DANIEL WALTON - MERRIMAN

Daniel Walton is so excited and grateful to be a part of Encounter's Theatre's Importance of Being Earnest! He recently graduated from NYU Tisch, through The Stella Adler Studio of Acting, The Experimental Theatre Wing, and Stonestreet Studios. He is a proud member of Shakespeare in the Square, a free Shakespeare company performing in Washington Square Park. He would like to thank the cast, crew, and of course the lovely Grober family for creating such a welcoming, supportive and utterly ridiculous environment! It's been a Wilde ride!

JENNY GROBER - DIRECTOR

Jenny is a New York-based director and the Artistic Director of Encounters Theatre. Other projects include Measure for Measure (Upcoming, Barefoot Shakespeare & Company of Fools), Larvae (Alchemical Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (The Walter Munk Theatre, La Jolla), and A Streetcar Named Desire (UCSD). Jenny has served as an assistant to Ed Iskandar, Sarah Wansley, and Kim Rubenstein among others. She received a BA in Theatre from UC San Diego and is a 2018-2019 Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Observership Class Member. www.jennygrober.com

KATHERINE BOENER - PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER

Katherine Boener is a NYC based theatre professional. She has worked as a stage manager, assistant general manager, company manager, and associate producer. Katherine is a graduate of The Florida State University where she received a BA in Theatre and International Affairs. NYC credits include: Party Face (New York City Center), Sweeney Todd (Barrow Street Theatre), Seeing You, Sleep No More (The McKittrick Hotel), The Doubtful Guest (Lubdub Theatre Company), Dishwasher Dreams, and The Mar Vista. For more: WWW.KATHERINEBOENER.COM

BEN BONNEMA - COMPOSER & SOUND DESIGNER

Ben Bonnema is a Jonathan Larson Award-winning composer-lyricist. The New Yorker recently raved about his show THE APPLE BOYS, calling it “a bushelful of delights” and that he wrote “clever, catchy songs” (HERE Arts Center, book by Jonothon Lyons). Ben wrote book, music & lyrics to Adult Swim's PETER PANIC, a musical video game that's been played by nearly two million people (developed by James Marion). His slumber party musical BOYS WHO TRICKED ME was called "heart-healing musical theatre" by Joshua Barone of the New York Times, and had a three-week showcase production at the Musical Theatre Factory. Other full-length: ONE WAY with Christopher Staskel (Goodspeed Writers Colony, 2018 NAMT Finalist), THE LOST GIRL with Arianna Rose, SLEEP NO MORE (additional sound design and composition). Film: MARY POPPINS RETURNS (Music Associate to Marc Shaiman, Oscar nom. for Best Score). Ben holds an M.F.A. from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program.

STEPHAN LAINE - SOUND TECHNICIAN

Stephan Laine recently graduated from Full Sail University with his bachelor's degree in Show production & touring. Upon graduating from Full Sail Stephan started his very own production company called SL Productions LLC. From the age of 7, Stephan started developing an interest for doing sound, video, and lighting at his local church. Throughout his career, he has worked with Grammy Award winning artists such as Beyonce and Jay Z, Shakira and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Stephan is making his debut working in Immersive theater.