Marisa Kirby (she/her)

EIGHTH SEASON

Marisa is back choreographing on the Mainstage for Season 60 after directing and choreographing last season’s The Wedding Singer! Previously, she has choreographed Weathervane productions of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, White Christmas, Hello Dolly, American Idiot, Spring Awakening, Sister Act, Jesus Christ Superstar, and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Marisa also co-directed and choreographed Weathervane’s Nice Work If You Can Get It. Other regional choreography favorites include Elf, Chicago, Singin’ In The Rain, Mamma Mia, and The Addams Family. Throughout Marisa’s career, she has had the privilege of choreographing for many theaters, dance studios, and universities nationwide and has been recognized for her national award-winning choreography. She is a choreographer and instructor for Dance Dynamics in Little Rock, Arkansas. She also travels across the US as a dance adjudicator and masterclass instructor.

Bronwen Chan (she/her)

FIRST SEASON

Bronwen is excited to be at Weathervane this summer! She was most recently Associate Music Director on the North American tour of COME FROM AWAY. Selected credits: AGAIN (Orchestrator, Theater Mu); DOT DOT DOT: A NEW MUSICAL (Music Director, TheaterworksUSA); Wicked movies (Music Assistant, NBCUniversal).

Rien Schlecht (she/her)

TWENTY-FIRST SEASON

Favorite Weathervane designs include A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (NH Theatre Award), GUYS AND DOLLS (NH Theatre Award), EURYDICE, BUYER AND CELLAR, and SWEENEY TODD (NH Theatre Award). Her New York theatre credits – Out of the Box Theatrics, including the Drama Desk-nominated BABY, several seasons with Theatre For A New Audience, Radio City, Mark Morris Ballet, and many other theatres and TV commercials. She designed The Mysteries at The Flea (Drama Desk nom), The Jinx for HBO, worked on THE WOODSMAN at New World Stages, and the stage and film productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Julie Taymor. 

AP Pikiben (they/them)

THIRD SEASON

(Costume Design – Grease, Waitress | Intimacy Coordinator | Production Manager) is a theatre artist based out of the Midwest. They are currently working at Truman State University as a Professor of Theatre. AP is so excited to be back with their Weathervane family alongside their partner, Alexander. They are excited to create beautiful theatre in the North Country!

Emma Cullen (she/her)

FIRST SEASON

As a recent Angelo State University graduate, Emma is excited to join Weathervane for its 60th season! Some recent light design credits include SISTER ACT, DEARLY DEPARTED, THE CRUCIBLE, and EQUUS. Thank you to my partner, Adam, my friends, and my family for supporting me and keeping me sane!

Jeremy Baldauf (he/him)

THIRD SEASON

Based in Vermont, Jeremy has been a freelance technical designer for 10+ years, traveling the East Coast and beyond. He is excited to be returning for his third season with the Weathervane! Jeremy is also a gaffer and grip for film and television, and is an active member of IATSE Local #481.

Alexander Pikiben (he/him)

THIRD SEASON

Alexander is a freelance lighting and sound designer from Minneapolis. He is currently a lighting and sound professor at Truman State University.  He is excited to be working at the Weathervane this season with his wonderful partner AP. Free Palestine.

Gabbie Flores (they/them)

FIRST SEASON

Gabbie is a props artist based in San Angelo, TX, and a student at Angelo State University. They’ve worked on shows like DEARLY DEPARTED (assistant props & scenic) and THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON (props & puppet designer). They are excited to join Weathervane Theatre for this season.

Jason Luck (he/him)

SECOND SEASON

Jason is an Ohio-based scenic artist and designer. Previously, he designed SWEAT and BURIAL AT THEBES at Baldwin Wallace University. This is his second season scenic painting at Weathervane and recently painted ELF, FOOTLOOSE, and JOSEPH… at Broadway Sacramento. He hopes you enjoy the show! @jjluck10

Vero Villalobos (she/her)

THIRD SEASON

 Working her way through every position at Weathervane, Vero’s excited to be stepping in as technical director for the 60th season. Previous credits include: musician for EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE, THE FULL MONTY, and CABARET; playwright for GLOCK 17. Para mi Papa: ¡Mira, soy carpinterá como tú! Te amo.

TessaMarie Beard (she/her)

FIRST SEASON

TessaMarie is a Chicago-based theatre artist and stage manager. This is her first season with Weathervane, and she is super excited to be part of the theatre’s 60th anniversary season!

Ophelia Beebe (she/her)

THIRD SEASON

Ophelia

is delighted to be returning to the Weathervane backstage. She is a Windsock camper turned counselor and drama coach at Lisbon Regional School. She is studying Theatre Education at Keene State College. Her favorite works include – Debater (WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME) and Associate Director (FIDDLER ON THE ROOF).

Warren Casey (Author, Composer and Lyricist)

WARREN CASEY was born in Yonkers, New York, and attended Syracuse University. During the late ‘50s, he learned all about “greasers” while working as an art teacher in upstate New York. He moved to Chicago in 1962, where he hoped to pursue an acting career. He appeared in dozens of productions, including creating the role of Bernie Litko in David Mamet’s Sexual Perversity in Chicago. He supported himself with jobs in retail, including working as an assistant manager of a chain of apparel stores, and as a record salesman. In the meantime, he taught himself how to play the guitar and began writing songs. Mr. Casey acted with the Chicago Stage Guild (where he met Jim Jacobs), the Old Town Players, and the Kingston Mines Theatre. The latter company staged the original production of GREASE which he wrote with Jim Jacobs. After the incredible success of both the musical and the movie, the two collaborated on Island of Lost Coeds, a musical satire of the B-movies of the 1950s. Mr. Casey died in 1988.

JIM JACOBS (Book, Music and Lyrics)

Jacobs, who created Grease (in 1970) with Warren Casey, was born and raised on the mean streets of Chicago’s far northwest side. During the golden era of rock ‘n’ roll (1956-1960) he was a guitar-playing “greaser” student at Taft High School. In 1963, Jacobs met Warren Casey when they were both cast in a local theatre production of A Shot in the Dark. Seven years later they wrote what was to become one of the greatest musicals of all time. Grease opened in 1971 in a former trolley barn called the Kingston Mines Theatre in Chicago. A year later, Grease made it to Broadway and “Greasemania” took off, resulting in one of the longest running shows in Broadway history. The 1978 movie became and remains the highest grossing movie musical of all time. Originally an actor, Jacobs has been seen on television, in motion pictures, regional theatre, national tours, and on Broadway. He is the co-author of several other plays and musicals including Island of Lost Coeds, a musical spoof of the low budget sci-fi/horror/jungle movies of the 1950s, which he wrote with Warren Casey. In May 2014, Mr. Jacobs was presented with an honorary doctorate degree from Columbia College in Chicago. He currently resides in Southern California and remains active in the theatre, especially with the American Theatre Company of Chicago.

Concord Theatricals

CONCORD THEATRICALS is the world’s most significant theatrical company, comprising the catalogs of R&H Theatricals, Samuel French, Tams-Witmark and The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, plus dozens of new signings each year. Its unparalleled roster includes the work of Irving Berlin, Agatha Christie, George & Ira Gershwin, Marvin Hamlisch, Lorraine Hansberry, Kander & Ebb, Tom Kitt, Ken Ludwig, Marlow & Moss, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anaïs Mitchell, Dominique Morisseau, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Thornton Wilder and August Wilson.  As a producer and record label, the company has won three Tony Awards and two GRAMMY Awards in the past five years.