Dog Act Program

“At the end of the ‘wicked old world’, what do you hope lasts?”

After the show, we invite you to write a response to this question on our Etch-a-Sketch Epilogue on the wall outside the theater. Use a marker or an Etch-a-Sketch to share your thoughts. Take a photo and tag us on social media: @georgetown_dpa #dogact #hopelasts #etchasketchepilogue

Artistic Director’s Note 

Cast & Crew Bios:

Anna Dewey (Rozetta Stone): Anna is absolutely thrilled to be debuting in her first collegiate theatre endeavor as the marvelous Zetta Stone! Some of Anna’s previous roles include Olive Allison in The Women of Lockerbie (2021), Martha Dobie in The Children’s Hour (2020), and Mercy Lewis in The Crucible (2019), all of which were State-Championship-winning performances in the yearly Oklahoma OSSAA One-Act Play competition. She would also like to thank the cast and production crew of Dog Act for making this experience beyond wonderful. Additionally, a huge thank you is due to her mom, dad, brother, as well as family and friends back home for supporting 1,300 miles away. “An audience awaits! Play us off, Dog.”

Jake Teall (Dog, Fight Captian): Bark bark bark Bark bark bark Bark barking Bark & Bark Bark bark barks bark Bark & Bark Bark bark Bark Bark. Bark barks bark: Bark (Bark), Bark (Bark), Bark Bark (Bark Bark) #bark. Bark bark bark bark Bark! Bark bark Bark. “Bark bark bark’s bark bark.” — Barkbark Barkbark

Camila Madero (Vera)  is a second-semester junior in the College, double majoring in English and Theater and Performance Studies. She has recently starred as Young Woman in Mask and Bauble’s production of Sophie Treadwell’s Machinal and Macduff and Witch in The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art’s production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In addition, she is in Georgetown’s Sketch Comedy Society and has a really funny radio show with her best friend Aarushi that you should totally tune into from 1:30-3am on Saturdays called Rock Silly Glue.

Angelina Dressel (Jo-Jo): Angie is so excited to be in her first play at Georgetown. She has acted in high school theater, and is thrilled to be playing Jo-Jo. She hopes you enjoy the show, and she thanks her family for always being there for her.

Ali Shahbaz (Coke): Ali is excited to join the cast of Dog Act and is honored to be directed by Holly Twyford. He is a proud Hoya, and although most of his academic work has focused on policy and business, he is deeply interested in the creative arts. Ali is a writer published in the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, Newsday, and Forbes among others. He looks forward to further growing as an artist and exploring the craft of theatre and film. He wants to thank his family, friends and mentors for their continuous support and encouragement to pursue his passions.

James Beit (Bud): James is very excited to make his debut as Bud. James, a freshman from the dangerou vile swamps of Hobe Sound, Florida has previously appeared in a number of minor roles ranging from sea urchin No. 7 in Little Mermaid(2019) to Selsdon the burglar in “Noises Off”(2021). Now he takes on the rigors of the scavenger, “Bud”. James, surprisingly, is currently attending the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown where he seeks a degree in Finance and International Political Economy. James wants to thank his parents for supporting and believing in him in pursuing his education.

Designer & Staff Bios

Holly Twyford (Director): is thrilled to be collaborating with TPST at Georgetown University and especially with Natsu Onoda of whom she has been a fan for years.  She is particularly excited to be working on a play by one of the wittiest and thought-provoking playwrights working today, Liz Duffy Adams.  Holly has been acting and directing in the Washington area for many years alongside loved, respected, and talented friends Sarah Marshall, Kate Norris, Kim Schraf and Susan Lynsky.  She is the recipient of numerous awards as well as being a Lunt-Fontanne Fellow (2015), a founding member of Studio Theatre’s Cabinet and an Associate Artist at Ford’s Theatre. 

Dorothy Barnes Driggers (Custome Designer): is a costume designer, technician and educator. Currently the costume shop manager at Georgetown University and the costume coordinator for Maryland Lyric Opera, Dorothy teaches classes on sustainability and costume practicum. Her past design credits include Snow day for Arts on the Horizon, Mary Poppins at Central Piedmont Summer Theatre, Madeline’s War at the Volks Theatre in Vienna, Austria. Dorothy has been featured by vogue.com for her bespoke wedding dress design and creation. Beyond her work in design and education, Dorothy has worked as a costume technician at The Washington National Opera, Folger Theatre, The University of Maryland, and The Santa Fe Opera. 

Alicia DiGiorgi (Director of Production): is excited to kick off her second season with TPST. Previous TPST credits include Paperplay!, Cabaret & Violet. Prior to Georgetown Alicia served as the Director of Production and Head of the Stage Management program for Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts. She has been a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association since 2004 and stage managing professionally for over 20 years. Recently she had the privilege to substitute stage manage for the Hamilton Philips Tour at The Kennedy Center. Alicia has also enjoyed working with THE REP at The Pittsburgh Playhouse, City Theater Company, Bricolage, barebones productions, Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre, The Pittsburgh Public Theatre and Unique Staging Solutions. She would like to dedicate this season in Joey Cantwell’s memory.

Jasmine Gibbs (Stage Manager): Jasmine is very excited to be making her debut stage managing at Georgetown University. She previously worked with Natsu Onoda-Power in Olney Theatre’s 2019 production of Tiger Style! Her past credits include Sound Board Operator for Maryland Youth Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker, Assistant Stage Manager for Teelin Dance Company’s 2019 Spring Show, and Wardrobe Supervisor for University of Maryland’s (2019) The Heidi Chronicles. Jasmine studied Theatre Production and Design at Towson University, where she received a Bachelors of Science. Not only does she support the theatre, but she supports herself while she’s not working with hobbies that include sewing, dancing, learning the Korean language, and reading. She wants to thank her partner Andrew, and her mother for always supporting her passions.

Jameson Nowlan (Assistant Director): Jameson is a senior in the School of Foreign Service studying Culture & Politics and Theatre & Performance Studies. Her previous directing credits include assistant for We Hear You (Coal & Ice Festival 2022) and lead director for Machinal (Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society Season 170). She is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with Holly Twyford and the entire cast and crew of Dog Act!

Casey Kaleba (Fight Director) has staged intimacy and fights for more than five hundred opera and theatre productions including the Folger Theatre, Round House Theatre, Washington National Opera, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Guthrie Theatre, Wolf Trap Opera, Spoleto Festival, Rorschach Theatre, and Olney Theatre Center.  A three-time Helen Hayes nominee, Casey has staged fights for knights, musketeers, princesses, zombies, wolves, pirates, ninjas, and at least one alien tentacle.  Casey is a Certified Teacher and Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors, has crossed swords with Jojo Siwa, served as a guest artist in Sweden and Canada, worked as an audition choreographer for Marvel Universe Live, and smashed things on the YouTube show Men At Arms: Reforged.  www.toothandclawcombat.com

Naomi Boxman (Props Artisan): Naomi is very excited to be involved with her first Georgetown show! Currently a Masters student studying Neuroscience, Naomi has been involved with props for 10 years. Her past credits include Props Master for Macbeth for Wallbryd Theater Company, Props Master for Cabaret for the University of Rochester, Props Master for In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer for the University of Rochester and many others. She is incredibly grateful to work with the amazing cast and crew of Dog Act and hopes you enjoy the show! She would like to thank her parents, friends and her partner Kayla for always encouraging her. 

Natsu Onoda Power (Set Designer/ Davis Performing Arts Center Artistic Director): Natsu is a Professor of Theater and Performance Studies who teaches courses in adaptation of nondramatic texts for the stage, theatrical design, and special topics such as Performing Madness and Spectacle of Eating. Outside the classroom, Natsu creates original performances, directs plays, designs sets, and builds things. Professional directing/ design credits include Portland Stage; Olney Theater Center; The Studio Theatre; Baltimore CenterStage; Mosaic Theater; National Players; Theater J; The Hangar Theater; Imagination Stage; Spooky Action Theater, and others. She has received two Elliott Norton Awards and two Helen Hayes awards for her adaptation, direction and design. She is thankful for Holly for lending her brilliance to Georgetown TPST program, and for the entire team for pulling together this magnificent post-‘poc extrav-no-ganza!

Ben Sullivan (Lighting Designer): Ben is a DC-based designer, technician, and Georgetown University alumnus. Previous credits with TPST include Speech & Debate and The Lathe of Heaven. Other lighting and scenic design: Optimum Audio, Avant Bard Theatre, Mosaic Theater Company, Keegan Theatre, and Surflight Theatre (NJ). In addition to his theatrical work, Ben is a lighting controls designer at CM Kling + Associates, an architectural lighting design firm based in Alexandria. bensullivandesign.weebly.com

Stanley Bahorek (Community Engagement and Development Manager): is a producer, actor, and teacher. He is the co-founder and Creative Producer of Mind’s Eye Producing (www.mindseyeproducing.com). He co-produced the world premiere productions of Charles Mee’s soot and spit and the new play Sheila by The Associates in New York City. As an actor, he most recently appeared in the 2020 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Company and played ‘ Barry’ in the Emmy Award-winning Netflix show Master of None. He has taught at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy and Princeton University. He holds a BFA in musical theater from The University of Michigan, and an MA in arts administration from Baruch College. 

Veronica J. Lancaster (Sound Designer): is excited to be designing for Georgetown University again. She designed a number of shows for TDPS during her time as the Associate Technical Director at the Davis Center. In addition to designing for the Theater Department, she also served as lead engineer for many of the Music Department’s annual concerts. Veronica enjoys designing around the DMV area, having designed for such theaters as Shakespeare Theatre Company, Baltimore Center Stage, Everyman Theatre, Keegan Theater, Rorschach Theatre, and the University of Maryland, amongst others. Veronica holds a BA from the University of Maryland and an MFA from the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Amanda Welly currently lives in Maryland and received her Master’s in Interpreting from Gallaudet University. She has been working on her theater interpreting specialty since 2013 and has credits with TDF in collaboration with Broadway, Quest Visual Theatre, The John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts, and Lincoln Center. She is excited to be involved in this production. 

Acknowledgement:

American Sign Language Interpreting services provided by Welly Interpreting, Mandy Welly, Kevin Dyels.

Cast

ROZETTA STONE 

Anna Dewey 

DOG, ASSISTANT SET 

Jake Teall 

VERA 

Camila Madero 

JO-JO 

Angelina Dressel 

COKE 

Ali Shahbaz 

BUD 

James Beit 

Production Staff