TWELFTH NIGHT PROGRAM
From the director, Nick Medina
What you will see tonight is the product of generously donated labor and creativity. A group of talented performers, musicians, and technicians came together to create a play for you today and I intend on using this director's note to shout them out.
The Actors: what a crew! Some have never touched a script before these rehearsals while others are more than halfway through playing Shakespeare’s canon. You have been remarkable, thank you for your constant flexibility and willingness to try anything. Thanks also to the Actors’ partners, families, and friends– you don’t get enough credit, it’s tough supporting an actor in your life! Special shout out to the cast dog Scrimshaw.
Thanks to costume designer Mary K Hobson, a kind and generous artisan who radiates enthusiasm for costumes wherever she goes, and Michelle Kiyoi who hauled forty costumes across a city block to our rehearsal. Thanks to Cindy McGean for use of her home for auditions; Morningstar Assisted Living for rehearsal space; and the neighbors around Oregon Park for putting up with our howling rehearsals. Thanks to the experts: Text, Isabella Buckner; Physicality, Michael O’Neill; and Stage Combat, John Armour. Photos by Greg Parkinson, and we got our swords from Kristen Mun-Van Noy.
The Board, ahh if only every board in America was so hardworking! Melissa Sondergeld-Hood, who plays clarinet and Curio, also sourced all of the props and made the poster. Matthew Ruckman wrote the music and plays guitar in the band, he was my right hand through the audition process, and mucked out the storage unit, which was a real “you had to see it to believe it” situation. And Megan Murphy Ruckman, our Feste, handles the paperwork, hauls the props, coordinates the locations, and keeps the checklist of all things ticking away in her head. This would not have happened without you three and you should feel proud of what you personally manifested into the world.
Finally, I would like to thank you, the audience. Whether you know someone in the play, love outdoor Shakespeare, or just wandered by, thank you! Your curiosity, sense of community, and willingness to participate with us in this ancient tradition of live theater fills me with love and hope. Play On!
THANK YOU TO OUR SEASON SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS
KELLY WELLINGTON IN MEMORIAM OF IVY GEFFEN WELLINGTON, CELTIC HARPER, "CYMBELINE," SUMMER OF 1978
CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM OF
TWELFTH NIGHT
CAST
Viola
Olivia
Maria
Sir Toby Belch
Sir Andrew Aguecheek
Malvolio
Fool
Fabian
Duke Orsino
Valentine
Curio
Sebastian
Antonio
Captain
Priest
Officer
Officer
Liana Dillaway
Yoonie Cho
Karyn O’Bryant
TJ Carter
Liam Kamp
David Loftus
Megan Murphy Ruckman
Lydia Sheehey
Griffin Pahl
Grace Allen
Melissa Sondergeld-Hood
Helena Fisher-Welsh
Nick Medina
Emma Chang
Grace Allen
Melissa Sondergeld-Hood
Emma Chang
CREW
Director
Music Director
Fight Choreographer
Costume Team
Photographer
Audience Coordinator
Nick Medina
Matthew Ruckman
John Armour
Mary Hobson & Michelle Kiyoi
Greg Parkinson
Elizabeth Esch Brown
FEATURING MUSIC FROM
BAROQUE 'N QUILLS
Cello & Backing Vocals
Guitar & Backing Vocals
Guitar & Baroqulele
Clarinet & Backing Vocals
Emma Chang
Grace Allen
Matthew Ruckman
Melissa Sondergeld-Hood
BIOS
Liana Dillaway
(Viola)
Liana fell in love with theater at the age of 13. She acted in and managed a number of shows throughout high school and continued pursuing her passion at UCLA where she earned a degree in theater with an emphasis in stage management. She has stage managed over 50 theatrical, opera, and circus productions around the country. In 2021, she was re-bitten by the acting bug and has been seen in the Portland area in Moon Over Buffalo and Inherit The Wind at Mask and Mirror and in A Christmas Carol at Magenta Theater.
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Yoonie Cho
(Olivia)
Yoonie is honored to take part in the Portland Actors Ensemble’s first production after the company’s hiatus. Yoonie had great fun rehearsing under the rustling trees and swatting mosquitoes with this very special cast and crew. She is grateful that she was cast in three Shakespeare plays in 2024-2025. She was Gertrude in Portland Shakespeare Project / The Actors Conservatory co-production of Hamlet, Lady Montague in Anonymous Theatre Company’s Romeo and Juliet, and Calphurnia and ensemble in Cannon Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Yoonie will be playing Hippolyta, Snug, and Cobweb this fall for Shake and Pop’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Karyn O'Bryant
(Maria)
Karyn has performed live, on-camera, and behind the microphone for over 30 years. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she's a professional voice actor with credits in many genres. She has received several awards for her work on stage, in audiobooks, her comedy podcast "My Friend Lyssa", and more. Karyn is a member of Portland's own "The Tesla City Stories" and RebeLoop ADR/loop group. She's a proud member of the Portland Area Theatre Alliance, OMPA, and other arts organizations. Karyn likes to go outside and play, stay inside and make food, and ballroom dance.
TJ Carter
(Sir Toby Belch)
TJ is an improv actor based in Portland, Oregon. When not on stage at Curious Comedy or Kickstand, TJ works as a writer, editor, and designer, specializing in family story anthologies, memoirs, and other book-length passion projects. Twelfth Night is his “Shakespeare in the Park” debut. He posts short comedy sketches under the handle @TJCgoofs on Instagram and TikTok.
Liam Kamp
(Sir Andrew Aguecheek)
Liam is thrilled to make his theatrical debut as Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Portland Actors Ensemble's Twelfth Night! Drawing on his experience in improv and stand-up comedy, Liam aims to bring joy and laughter to the stage. When he's not performing, you'll likely find him happily cooking up a storm in the kitchen. He's incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of his friends and family, especially Lily, who patiently ran lines with him, even on his grumpier days!
David Loftus
(Malvolio)
David is delighted that PAE is back from the dead. He played Duke Senior in the company’s “As You Like It” (2005), Macduff in “Macbeth” (2006), and at least four characters (including the Soothsayer) in “Julius Caesar” (2008). A voice actor and editor, author of four published books, David is also training to run the Hood-to-Coast Relay in August. Unlike Malvolio, he can thank his wife Carole for 34 years of unstinting love and support.
Megan Murphy Ruckman
(Fool)
Megan has been a Shakespeare lover and musical performer since she was young. Originally from Northern California, she spent her formative years in conservatory with California Theater Center and obtained a degree in theatre arts and communication at Whittier College. She has worked with theatre companies in the Portland Metro Area since 2004 as a performer, crew and a board member. She has recently been instrumental in reviving Portland Actors Ensemble. She thanks her husband, Matthew, for supporting the family and her, through all these theatrical exploits. She is pleased to do a show with him for the first time!
Lydia Sheehey
(Fabian)
A Portland native who hasn't acted in a Shakespeare production since she was a child. Having recently gotten back into acting in the last year, she is excited to find all the ways to bring whimsy and joy back into her life! She is so excited to be in this production and thanks her loving partner, Joey, and moody cat Socrates for all their support! She couldn't have done it without them!
Griffin Pahl
(Duke Orsino)
Griffin has been acting off-and-on since elementary school and is grateful to be back on stage again! He has always been a fan of romance and wordplay, so naturally he lept at the chance to play a lovesick prince in this silly-sooth Shakespearian comedy. He also enjoys performing comedy improv in Portland at Curious Comedy Theater.
Grace Allen
(Valentine, Priest)
(Musician: Baroque 'n Quills)
Grace grew up in Jacksonville, Fl. Her family encouraged the arts from a young age. Youth orchestra, ballet, and performance art camps at local museums were a highlight of her life. She moved to Portland in 2013 and did background acting on three seasons of Portlandia and the A24 film 'Green Room'. In the wake of the pandemic, She began improv classes at Curious Comedy where she met the Director, Nick, as his student. She perform regularly as a member of the musical improv troupe 'Ticklish Puppets'. Professionally, she work for UCP Oregon as a personal support provider for intellectually disabled adults. She is so grateful to PAE and my cast for this opportunity to perform Shakespeare!
Melissa Sondergeld-Hood
(Curio, Officer 1)
(Musician: Baroque 'n Quills)
A teaching/theater artist in the Portland/Vancouver area. When not teaching private voice/piano skills she can be found music directing, stage managing, or on the stage itself! Most recently she took on the role of Managing Director at Stages Performing Arts Youth Academy. Recent work includes Alice By Heart (music director/MPA), Absurd Person Singular (co-director/Gresham Readers Theater), and One Slight Hitch (Nutz and Boltz). Many thanks to Kaleb for supporting all these various creative endeavors!
Helena Fisher-Welsh
(Sebastian)
Helena Fisher-Welsh has worked in Portland with Enso Theatre Ensemble (Pride and Prejudice, Much Ado), Artists Repertory Theatre (Ah! Wilderness), Salt and Sage Productions (Twelfth Night, Hamlet), Portland Civic Theatre Guild, and with Portland Shakespeare Project's Project's Proscenium Live workshop and the Fertile Ground Festival. In New York she has worked with Fiasco Theater (A Midsummer Night's Dream), and Arachne Theater (Twelfth Night), and in Vancouver, British Columbia with the directors Kathleen Duborg (The Seagull) and Barbara Tomasic (Little One). She is excited to be joining Portland Actors Ensemble’s production of Twelfth Night in its final week. Stay cool!
Nick Medina
(Antonio)
Nick Medina is an actor, director, and educator based in Portland OR. Shakespeare credits include: Malcom in Macbeth, Nathaniel in Love's Labors Lost, (Ojai Shakespeare Festival), Iago in Othello (Barestage Productions), Stephano in The Tempest (Do It Live! Productions), Sir Andrew in Twelfth Night, all roles in rotation in Hamlet Roulette (Shotgun Players), Bottom and Lysander in Midsummer (We Players), Macbeth (Zoom Theater) and Malvolio (Penguin Productions). He has also directed As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Henry IV Part One, Romeo and Juliet, and Comedy of Errors. This is his third time directing Twelfth Night.
Emma Chang
(Sea Captain, Officer 2)
(Musician: Baroque 'n Quills)
Emma is a Taiwanese American actress, playwright and musician. She has a BFA in Acting and Original Works from Cornish College of the Arts and has studied classical acting abroad at LAMDA. She is a current company member with the Original Practice Shakespeare Festival and has also performed with The Broken Planetarium and the Seattle Historical Theater Project. Recent credits include Solange in The Maids, Hunter in Mastergate and Emma in Fefu and Her Friends. Many thanks to Zeb for his endless love and support.
And, special thanks to her daughter Jinju for helping her run her lines many, many times.
Matthew Ruckman
(Musician: Baroque 'n Quills)
Matthew has experience with orchestral music and musical theatre. Primarily a bass guitar and upright bass player, he has moved to acoustic guitar over the years. He is very proud to have written the music for this version of Twelfth Night, along with his fellow Quills.
Matthew is also a member of the local punk band The Seditionists.