Orpheus Descending

Orpheus Descending is intended for mature audiences. This production contains the use of racial slurs, the appearance of racist regalia, and staged acts of racial violence. It includes the use of flashing lights, simulated gunshots, and partial nudity.

Cast bios (in alphabetical order):

Micah Abrams is a third year BFA actor from Montclair, New Jersey. Past Purchase Reps include Our Town (Professor Willard/Man Among the Dead) and Road (Prof & Curt). Other Credits include She Kills Monsters (Orcus/Ronnie) and Ordinary People (Dr. Berger). He thanks the people in his life that have helped him grow, family, teachers, and friends. Follow the IG @themabrams 

Heschel Bay is a first-year BFA actor from Boston, Massachusetts. Some of his credits include Radium Girls (Arthur Roeder) at Wheelock Theater Company and Romeo and Juliet (Romeo) at Boston Theater Company. Many thanks to his family and friends who have supported him the whole way!

Joshua Boyce is a 20 year old triple threat who was born in Barbados and began to study dance and music when he moved to New York at the age of four. Josh fell in love with theater when he debuted in the leading role of Boy #1 in The Polar Express. Josh hopes to be big someday and move into directing and choreographing. Remember his name - JOSHUA BOYCE. It will be popping up everywhere in theater very soon. A quote he lives by is “look with your eyes see with your heart” and he encourages you all to do the same.

Daniel Bravo Hernández is a third year BFA actor born and raised in New York City. Previous Purchase credits include Our Town (Stage Manager) and Road (Brink/Soldier). Other credits include The Mannequin Diaries (Timothy) directed by Trazana Beverley and numerous concerts with Tony Danza & the Stars of Tomorrow as well as the Cops and Kids Chorus. He’d like to give special thanks to his parents, Clara Bello, Brian D. Hills, Bijoux Lukelo, and stage management.

Kelsey Collins is a third year BFA actor from Libertyville, Illinois. Purchase Rep include: Our Town (Mrs Gibbs) and Road (Lane/Valerie). Other credits include work in many student films. Kelsey would like to thank her loving family, supportive friends, incredible teachers, and company of course!

Anthony Costello is a second year BFA acting major from Greensboro, North Carolina. Some previous credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Neo-Political Cowgirls), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Rhinoleap Productions) and A Christmas Carol (Triad Stage). Lots of love to Co. 49!

Jacquernst Fredchen Filias is a third year BFA actor who’s Haitian born, Brooklyn based. Purchase credits include: Our Town (Dr. Gibbs), Road (Eddie). Other credits include: A Midsummer’s Night Dream (Mechanic) at New England Academy of Dance. He thanks his family, professors, crew, and Dean Irby for their help in making this production possible.

Oona Gladding is a second year BFA actor from NYC. This is her first Purchase Rep production and she is thrilled to be a part of it. She would like to thank her friends and family for their love and support!

Trygve Gundersen is a first year BFA actor from Madison, Wisconsin. Favorite credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), Matilda The Musical (Bruce Bogtrotter), and To Kill a Mockingbird ​(Dill). Special thanks to Neenah Gundersen!

Amani Kojo is a third year BFA actor from Queens, New York. Kojo’s credits at SUNY Purchase began with his mainstage debut of Everybody (Kinship/Mind/Evil/Somebody), followed by Our Town (Mr. Webb), and most recently Road (Joey/Brother). He is happy to be playing the Conjure Man in this production and would like to thank everyone involved for their love and support.

Daniel Madigan is a third year BFA actor from Connecticut. Previous Purchase credits include Road (Scullery). Daniel would like to thank Lemon Ginger Tea for getting him through rehearsals. @manieldad

Jamie McQuagge is a third year BFA actor from Miami Beach, FL. She went to New World School of the Arts and was in the ensemble in Hamlet Machine, and at SUNY Purchase College she played Emily Webb in Our Town and Clare in Road. She thanks Dean Irby, stage management, the production team, and the cast for putting together this amazing show.

El Osborn is a third year BFA actor from Charlotte, North Carolina. Purchase credits include Our Town (George Gibbs), Road (Brenda/Chantal/Skin-Lad/Linda/Scotch Girl), and Everybody (Girl/Time). Other credits include She Kills Monsters (Tilly Evans) at Northwest School of the Arts, Twelfth Night (Viola) at Matthews Playhouse, and The Wolves (#7) at Actor’s Theater Charlotte. Many thanks to Dean Irby, the rest of the BFA faculty, and all of Company 48!

Isabella Rodriguez (Bella) is a third year BFA actor from Buffalo, NY. She has previously played Mrs. Webb in Our Town and Louise in Road. Bella would love to give many thanks to her family; they have her heart.

Lucia Rogerson is a third year BFA actor born and raised in New York City. Purchase Rep credits so far include Our Town (Rebecca Gibbs, Joe/Si Crowell) and Road (Dor, Marion). Lucia dedicates this and every performance to her family- Robin, Gus, and Frankie. She also wants to specially dedicate this show to her grandmother Dupta.

Steven Rutledge is a third year BFA actor from Brooklyn, New York. Purchase Rep credits include: Sweat (Evan), Our Town (Wally Webb/Constable Warren) and Road (Jerry/Barry). Other credits include A Few Good Men (Kendrick), Peter and The Starcatcher (Romeo), and Legally Blonde (Emmett Forrest). He thanks his friends, family and everyone else who supports him!

Ryley St.Rose-Finear is a third year BFA actor based in NY. Previous Purchase credits include Our Town (Belligerent Man in back of auditorium, Woman among the dead, Lady in a box) and Road (Mr. and Mrs. Bald, Helen). Ryley would like to thank her family for all their endless love and support, she could not do this without them.

Gabe Stein is a first year BFA actor from New York City. He is extremely excited to make his Purchase debut. Many thanks to his friends and family.

Katherine West is a third year BFA actor from Santa Clarita, CA. West’s Purchase credits include Our Town (Mrs Soames) and Road (Carol). She gives special thanks to Bethany, Morgan, Claire & the rest of the incredible production team, Dean Irby, Pamela Prather, and her brother Joe. @itskatewest 

Creative & Production bios:

Bethany Dolan is a fourth-year stage manager from Stockton-On-Tees, England. Purchase Rep credits include: Henry IV Pt 1 (SM), Life Is A Dream (SM), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (ASM) and Passage (ASM). Many thanks to her family and friends for their continued support.

Grace Dziedzic

Gaby Liriano is a fourth-year BFA D/T student concentrating in lighting design from Cortlandt Manor, New York. Purchase credits include: The Misanthrope (Master Electrician), The Colored Museum (Master Electrician), As You Like It (Programmer), Sweat (Sound Designer), Life Is A Dream (Assistant Sound Designer), and Make It Play (Lighting Designer). Many thanks to her Mohmmay.

Kyler Sterner is a fourth year BFA scenic Designer from Niagara Falls, NY. Purchase Rep credits include Barbecue (Asst. scenic Designer), As you like it (Props Charge), Life is a Dream (Props Charge),Sweat (Props Charge), and King Henry IV (Paint charge). Many thanks to his family, friends and everyone who supported him through his second round of college.

Michele Rohr is a third-year Costume Designer/Technician from St. Louis, MO. Purchase Rep credits include Everybody (Assistant Costume Designer) and Henry IV Part I (Wardrobe Supervisor). A special thanks to her husband and children and the Purchase faculty who have supported her on this phenomenal career change journey.

Jackie Cabrero is a fourth year Lighting Design student from White Plains, NY. Purchase Rep credits include Barbecue and Waiting for Godot (Sound Designer), Life is a Dream (Asst. Lighting Designer), Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile (Asst. Sound Designer), Wolves Eat Elk and Passage (Programmer). Jackie has also worked extensively with the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase, following credits include: Umbra, Over/Saturated, Mosaic, Tableau and Ethereal (Lighting Designer). Jackie would like to thank her friends and family for all of their support.

María Gonzálezpeña

Tulia Marshall

A. Dean Irby is a New York City–based director, actor, and educator. In his distinguished career, which spans more than three decades, he has acted and directed on Broadway and Off Broadway, for the New York Shakespeare Festival, Negro Ensemble Company, Arena Stage, New Federal Theatre, and Crossroads Theatre, and at numerous regional and university theatres. He is the recipient of two Audelco Awards for his direction of the original production of Home for the Negro Ensemble Company and Boogie Woogie and Booker T. for the New Federal Theatre. Irby is also the former acting coach for The Cosby Show and has appeared in more than 30 television commercials

In our teaching and art, the Conservatory values inclusiveness, equality, and excellence. Upholding all of our training is our aim to train and graduate citizen artists: multifaceted people with a strong sense of purpose in approaching an arts education.

What is a citizen artist? Citizen artists seek to discover how their unique voices can contribute to our world. They understand what it means to be an artist, and what they are here on earth to say and do and make.

The Conservatory trains future citizen artists in three degree programs:

+ BFA Actor Training. The BFA is an intensive professional training program offered to a highly select and diverse group of students. The professional training is anchored in four years of study in acting, voice, speech, and movement, complemented by offerings in dramatic literature and analysis, history of the theatre, stage combat, improvisation, mask work, acting for the camera, and the business of acting. As one of five schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs, Purchase is one of a handful of colleges in the world capable of training artists at this level—and of drawing a faculty from the ranks of professional theatre

+ BFA in Theatre Design/Technology. Emphasizing studio and classroom training, our professional training program in theatre design/technology gives students the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many of our alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors. Quite literally, Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all tristate venues, and with countless touring productions

+ BA program in Theatre and Performance. From traditional theatre to cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, the theatre and performance major encourages creativity, intellectual curiosity, social engagement, and critical thinking. The core requirements combine scholarship and practice to provide students with a strong foundation in theatre history and dramatic literature, with mandatory stagecraft/production courses. Theatre and Performance majors are encouraged to expand the scope of their education by studying abroad, as well as pursuing coursework in other programs of study within the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Purchase College