Extended Bios from the Dice: Romeo and Juliet
​Cast and Production Team

*denotes company member

^denotes producing board member

Emily Huntingford^ - Dice Ensemble

​Emily (she/her)  is a producer and actor throughout Seattle and loves classical works and new means of storytelling. You may have caught her in Dacha's digital shows, The Moors, many Dice productions, or shouting Shakespeare in the parks with GreenStage. When not working she enjoys chocolate, board games, and yelling at old episodes of Survivor. emilyhuntingford.com.

​Casey Bowen^ - Dice Ensemble

Casey (he/him) is an actor and artistic producer with Dacha Theatre with a BFA from California State University, Fullerton. Casey is very pleased to be onstage for Dacha's latest DICE show and has established extremely unrealistic expectations, so please be nice. He would like to thank the very cool cast, crew, and company for letting him fight people way smaller than he is. Enjoy the show!

Jerik Fernandez* - Dice Ensemble (alt. Fight Captain)

Jerik (he/him) is an actor, DJ, and Twitch streamer. Jerik is a graduate of Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts and Cornish College of the Arts. He was last seen in Romeo and Juliet (Romeo) and Hamlet (Polonius) with Seattle Shakespeare. He is part of the Young Hot Thespian (YHT) collective.

Beth Pollack* - Dice Ensemble (Fight Captain)

Beth (she/her) is a Seattle-based actor, teaching artist, and arts administrator. You may have seen or heard her work with Seattle Shakespeare Company, Book-It, or a variety of Dacha shows since 2017. She was part of the Dice ensemble for Twelfth Night, Hamlet, As You Like It, and Pride & PrejuDICE and is thrilled to be taking on the challenge for a 5th time. More at beth-pollack.com.

Mimi Santos*

Mimi (she/her) loves Shakespeare and is delighted to be able to bring you along through Verona! She doesn’t just memorize lines she is also an activist, educator, actor, and an avid reader who loves learning! When she isn’t speaking the speech, you can find her going on spontaneous adventures!

Ella Ruth Francis* - Dice Ensemble

Ella Ruth (she/her) is an actor, singer, and dog mom originally from San Francisco. She is thrilled to be returning to Dacha after playing Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing. Dice has been the most challenging and gratifying experience of her career, and she is so excited to share the stage with these incredible performers. See more at ellaruthfrancis.com. Thank you to Myles and Mac for the constant love. YHT is the regime, the takeover is now.

Mike Lion^ - Dice Ensemble, additional Production Director

Mike (he/him) is a director, actor, translator, and clown. He is the co-Artistic Director and the program associate and improv coach at Youth Theatre Northwest. Mike recently directed Dacha's summer tour of Dears in Headlights. He has been part of the dice series from the first production of Shakespeare Dice: 12th Night and is thankful for the joy and the semi-annual brain exercise that this format provides.

Haley Thomas^ - Stage Manager

Haley (she/her) is an assistant production manager and administrator for the School of Drama at the University of Washington. She also house manages, and serves as an Artistic Producer and Secretary for Dacha’s Producing Board. When Haley is not breaking up brawls in Verona streets, she enjoys exploring the PNW with her partner, Adam, and their dog Dahlia.

Orianna O'Neill^ - Asst. Stage Manager, Band Leader u/s

Orianna (she/her) is a teacher, singer, dancer, actor, musician, and lover of Pluto. By day she is an elementary music teacher, and by night Ori moonlights as a choral singer and performer with Viva Vocalists. You may have seen her flying across a nebula in Star Play (2021), An Awfully Big Adventure (2017), or as a stage manager on many shows with Dacha. She enjoys rock climbing, cross stitch, and a good color-coded spreadsheet.

Sam Levatich* - Band Member

Sam (he/him) likes to play the piano! You may have seen him act before but NOT TODAY. (Previous Dacha credits include Star Play, Ghost Party, Who Killed Otters Babies [acting], and web app creative design for :robot_face:)

Kyle Levien* - Band Member u/s

Kyle (he/him) is thrilled as always to be working with Dacha once again! Kyle is a musician, composer, and sound designer. You may have seen (or heard) him in past Dacha shows including Pride&PrejuDICE, Secret Admirer, and Star Play. He likes long walks on the beach, chromatic approach notes, and floating in lakes.

Zane Suarez - Lighting Design

Zane (he/him, they/them) is thrilled to be designing with Dacha again after a two year hiatus from the craft! In that time, he has developed a passion for woodworking and spends most of his time in the shop making little wood bowls. He plans to carve some spoons next. When not in the shop, Zane can be found hiking through the woods with his fiancée and their dog, playing DnD, or nerding out over public transit infrastructure.

Samuel Edgren* - Props Design, Master Carpenter

Samuel (he/him) is a dog-petter, tea-drinker, and hyphen-fancier who makes his living as an actor and carpenter. He loves rain, poetry, strawberries, and long walks on the beach. Please tell your dog he says "hi." (Previous Dacha credits include: Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing)

Claire Stark^ - Production Manager

Claire (she/her) is a Production Manager and AEA Stage Manager originally from Indianapolis. Recent credits include the 5th Ave Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, IRT, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, and Dacha. Claire enjoys coffee, Shakespeare, and a well organized tech schedule.

Nathan Olson* - Stage Management Swing, Asst. Production Manager

Nathan (he/him) has been so happy to be able to return and be a part of Dice: Romeo & Juliet after stage managing Much Ado About Nothing with Dacha last year! This fine company keeps luring him back to help on shows wherever he can, and it has been his absolute privilege to be a builder/organizer/jack-of-all-trades for this show! On those rare occasions where he is able to sneak away from the theater, he enjoys audio books and a warm cup of coffee or tea.

​Benjamin Symons* - Dice Ensemble

Benjamin (he/him) is an Actor, Sound Designer, and IT professional.  He loves board games, reading books, and playing the guitar poorly. He'd like to thank his wife for going along with all the nonsense.

Rachael Uyeno* - Dice Ensemble (Fight Captain)

Rachael Uyeno (she/her) is thrilled to be back with Dacha for her first Dice show, and with so many swords! Last seen in Queenfisher (Shattered Glass Project), other credits include Isabella in Measure for Measure, (Original Practice Shakespeare Festival) Emilie in the Moors, (Dacha) and America Shirley in In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson (Honolulu Theatre for Youth).

Kate Drummond^ - Dice Ensemble, Intimacy & additional Production Director

Kate (she/her) is a director, intimacy director, and co-Artistic Director of Dacha Theatre. She works with the Pacific Northwest Theatrical Intimacy collective, and is passionate about good jokes, consent-based rehearsal rooms, and pep talks – her work is born of all three. She created and directed Dacha's STAR PLAY; recent intimacy direction credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Dacha) and Christmas Carol (ACT Theatre).

​Olivia Kridle^ - Dice Ensemble u/s, Asst. Intimacy Director

Olivia (she/they) is a producing board member with Dacha, a film and theatre actor, writer, director, pop culture encyclopedia, music/movie enthusiast, & just happy to be here! They’re passionate about kimchi jjigae, their dog, and how to be a better human. Seattle/LA, more at oliviakridle.com. As always, she’s thankful to her partner & family: 사랑해.

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Nansi Dwendi - Director

Nansi Dwendi (he/him) is a director, writer, and actor that seeks to realize complete worlds and truly urgent storytelling. He is a member of the Young Hot Thespian collective, a budding chess enthusiast, and a friend to all cats. Find out more about him and his work at nansidwendi.com. (Previous Dacha credits include: DJ/Balthazar in Much Ado About Nothing)

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Morgan Grody - Fight Director

Morgan Grody (he/him) is a fight choreographer, stunt performer, and actor. His work aims to reveal the true gravity of violence, from its effect on the body to its impacts on witnesses and communities at large. Morgan is also a proud Cornish College of the Arts and International Stunt School alum. He has been choreographing locally since 2016 and is pursuing a Stage Combat teaching certificate to make combat training more accessible for performers.

Claire Idstrom* - Band Leader

Claire Idstrom (she/her) is excited to be involved in her 6th (!!!!) Dacha show, and is eternally grateful for the space these amazing folks have created. When not making music, she works at Town Hall where she enjoys music, civics, and literature from around the globe. She also scores for film and has a library of original music on all streaming services. Everlasting love to Dylan, her beautiful parents, and her cat Klaus.

Josh Padilla - Band Member

Josh (he/him) is a bass player, actor, teacher, and comedian in Seattle. He spends his days teaching pre-k kids how to be people and his nights performing improv, playing in his punk band(nice), or doing the occasional play(usually with Dacha!). You may recognize his face from DICE Hamlet, The Snow Queen(mustache there too!), or Quick Bright Things!

Devin Petersen - Scenic Design

Devin (he/him) is thrilled to be back making theatre with Dacha! Local credits include working with Intiman, Broadway Bound Children's Theatre, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Annex, On-the-Boards, Seattle Musical Theatre, The 5th Avenue Theatre, and Whitman College. Upcoming productions: Village Kidstage’s Matilda the Musical, and Broadway Bound’s Spring Season. BA: Whitman College. MFA: NYU Tisch. devinpetersen.com

Josh Valdez - Sound Design

Josh Valdez (he/him) is an educator and sound designer/engineer in the Greater Seattle community! He’s worked with several community theatre houses, filmmakers, and with nonprofits to support first-gen students and artists. This is his first time working with Dacha and is excited to present some of the sounds heard in Dice. Outside of all things theatre and education, he also enjoys anime/manga, streaming, and DJing!

Briana Schwartz* - Costume Design

Briana (she/her) is thrilled to join Dacha for her second Dice show! You may have seen her previous work in previous Dacha shows, including As You Like It, Light Princess, and Much Ado About Nothing. Outside of costuming, she works at Arundel Bookshop. Craving more Shakespeare? (Or a new Sci-if?) We have a lovely selection! She’s had a fabulous time sewing clerical collars and turning tablecloths into wrap skirts for this production!

Ryan Long* - Text Coach

Ryan is a playwright, dramaturg, and jack-of-all-trades theatremaker with a soft spot for iambic pentameter. When not toiling over Shakespearean minutiae, they spend their time reading, purchasing absurd mugs, or perched on an A-frame ladder communing with the ghosts.