STAY-AT-HOME SHAKESPEARE
Meet the Cast and Staff
Stay-at-Home Shakespeare is doing livestream performances of Much Ado About Nothing on July 28, 2020,
and Twelfth Night on Aug. 1, 2020. Subscribe to the Upstart Arts YouTube channel to watch!
HEATHER BROWN
Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing
Heather Brown is a Type-A ISTJ Capricorn who has newly found some free time to perform. When she’s not navigating that work-life balance, she can be found under the covers bingeing Ozark and eating all of the quarantine snacks. Much love to all the Fillmore-Reifel-Browns.
ALYSSA BYERS
Boy, Sextant and Lord in Much Ado About Nothing,
Fabian in Twelfth Night
Alyssa will be going into her Junior Year of high school at Walkersville High School. This is her first production with Upstart, having previously worked with Gettysburg Community Theatre and Endangered Species in addition to her own high school productions. Her Shakespeare Productions include Ross/Angus in Macbeth at Walkersville High School, Henry V in Shakespeare's Greatest Hits at Walkersville High School, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at Gettysburg Community Theatre, and Verges and Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing at Gettysburg Community Theatre.
JOAN CONCILIO
Antonio in Much Ado About Nothing,
Curio in Twelfth Night
Joan Concilio likes reading, talking with their hands and doing stuff with their son, Ashar - and is grateful to be able to combine all of those during Stay-at-Home Shakespeare! This is Joan's first but hopefully not last season with Upstart. Other things Joan likes include writing, giving away stuffed penguins, scrapbooking, making websites and studying tang soo do at Inner Warrior Martial Arts, where they are a second-degree black belt.
EILEEN DAUB
Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing
Eileen has performed throughout central Pennsylvania. In 2019-2020, she has performed at Lebanon Community Theatre several times, Theatre Harrisburg, HersheyPark In The Dark, and Gettysburg Community Theatre's Shakespeare Zoom project. Away from the stage, she is a Marine Biologist/ Husbandry Manager at Lancaster's That Fish Place - That Pet Place.
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SAM EISENHUTH
Boraccio in Much Ado About Nothing
Samuel Eisenhuth is very happy to be a part of this virtual production of one of his favorite Shakespearean comedies. Past favorite roles include Benedick ("Much Ado About Nothing"), Nick Bottom ("A Midsummer Night's Dream"), and as himself in "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged]. All my love to Sarah!
CALVIN EMERY
Don John in Much Ado About Nothing,
Malvolio in Twelfth Night
Calvin is a level 32 human actorman, previously theatred with Upstart Arts in their Importance Of Being Earnest expedition and Arsenic and Old Lace. He likes industrial metal music and dislikes that the machinery of capitalism is oiled with the blood of the workers.
KITTY GEOGHAN
Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing
Kitty Geoghan is an actor, writer, storyteller, illustrator, and the graphic designer for Upstart Arts. She has previously appeared as Hortensio in The Taming of the Shrew and Celia in As You Like It, and she is excited that this summer’s productions will allow her to Zoom in from Florida.
PAIGE GROSS
Balthasar in Much Ado About Nothing,Â
Viola in Twelfth Night
Paige Gross is a senior theatre major studying at Messiah University who enjoys playwriting, performing, cosplay, and gaming! They were most recently seen last year as Demetrius in a Midsummer Nights Dream with Upstart Arts.
PAIGE HOKE
Watch in Much Ado About Nothing,
Feste in Twelfth Night
Paige Hoke is the Director of Theatre at York Country Day School. A proud graduate of Arcadia University's BFA in Acting program, Paige has worked as an actor, director, teacher and playwright.
DAVID LANG
Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing,
Sea Captain in Twelfth Night
David is excited to be making his Shakespeare debut with Upstart Arts. He has performed at Lebanon Community Theater (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), and at Hershey Area Playhouse (The Homecoming, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Little Mermaid). Â Virtual performance has been such a blessing in these difficult times. It has been a pleasure to become a part of a new theater family with these wonderful cast members.
PRISCILLA MCFERREN
Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing,
Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night
Priscilla McFerren is sweetly surprised to be part of this endeavor. She and husband Hal moved to State College in 2007. Then, miraculously, she was appearing as Mrs. Higgins on June 13, 2020, in a virtual reading of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion with DreamWrights Center for Community Arts and now this!
CHRIS MCGUINNESS
Antonio in Twelfth Night
Chris is from York and has performed in various shows at Gettysburg Community Theatre, OrangeMite Studos in Dover and York Little Theatre over the last 9 years. He's very grateful to have this opportunity to explore this artform in such a unique fashion during these unusual times.
JULIE MUSZYNSKI
Messenger and Watch in Much Ado About Nothing,
Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night
Julie Muszynski loves her kids, her (several) cats, reading, yoga, psychology and theatre. Her passion for Shakespeare is growing with guidance from her daughter and friends, and the tutelage of Michelle and Gayle. Thanks Upstart, cast and crew for this fun unique experience!"
ASHAR OTTO
Stage manager for the program,
First Officer in Twelfth Night
Ashar has done many different theatre productions with different groups. He has done some very fun productions with Upstart Arts, though his favourite thing to do for Upstart is being stage manager.
ELIZABETH PELLEGRINO
Hero in Much Ado About Nothing,Â
Valentine in Twelfth Night
Elizabeth Pellegrino is thrilled to be spending the summer reading Shakespeare with Upstart Arts. She has previously performed in Coriolanus (OrangeMite)  , Hamlet (Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center) , and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Gettysburg Community Theatre.)
ELAINE PFIEL
Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing
Elaine Pfeil has enjoyed playing a variety of roles such as Eulalie MacKecknie Shinn in The Music Man, Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret, Penny Sycamore in You Can't Take It With You, and Miss Shields in A Christmas Story. Thanks to Upstart Arts for keeping Shakespearean theatre alive in these pandemic days!
BRYANNA PYE
Sebastian in Twelfth Night
Bryanna is a senior theatre and public relations double major at Messiah College. When she’s not being shipwrecked, her hobbies include coffee drinking, reading, and having a good laugh with friends. Previous credits include W;t, Anne of Green Gables, Alice in Wonderland, and The Tempest. Bryanna’s thankful to explore new theatre mediums and hopes you enjoy the show. Soli de Gloria.
PAULA RINEER
Verges in Much Ado About Nothing
Paula Rineer is happy to be doing Shakespeare this summer in this new way. Have previously acted, sang and did props for a number of other Shakespeare shows. Hope everyone is staying healthy. Long distance and virtual hugs to all!
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MEREDITH SINGLETON
Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing,
Olivia in Twelfth Night
Meredith Singleton is a senior at Juniata College studying theatre and elementary education. She has performed Shakespeare with Gayle and Michelle for many years and is excited to be doing it this summer!
MIGUEL VELA
Orsino in Twelfth Night
Miguel graduated high school this year and is excited to be working with Upstart Arts for the first time this year. He's from Glenside, PA and is a server at Olive Garden during the day. He will be attending AMDA conservatory in New York this fall and loves to write and record all kinds of music.
GINA WAGNER
Ursula in Much Ado About Nothing,
Second Officer in Twelfth Night
Gina Wagner is a stay at home mom of three, and has been active both onstage and off at a few local community theaters since 2012. She first worked with Upstart Arts last summer playing Egeus and Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This is the first time she has worked on virtual projects and it has been an interesting experience.
ASHLEY WHITE
Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing,
Maria in Twelfth Night
Ashley White is from Central Pennsylvania. She has an AA in Theatre Arts Performance from Northampton Community College, a BA in Theatre Arts Performance from Florida Southern College, and a MLitt and MFA in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin College. She is excited to work with Upstart Arts again and wants to thank her friends and family for their ongoing support. Special thank you to her husband Andrew for putting up with her all these years.
SEBASTIAN WILLIAMS
Conrade in Much Ado About Nothing
Sebastian Williams is excited to make his first debut in Much A Do About Nothing. He enjoys cosplaying and music.
MICHELLE DENISE NORTON
Director
Michelle Denise Norton is the creative engine behind Upstart Arts. When not thinking about Shakespeare 370 days a year, Michelle is a writer, artist and podcaster.
GAYLE EUBANK
Music and etc.
Gayle Eubank writes original music for Upstart Arts. She is also the city editor at The York Dispatch.
Logo design by Kitty Geoghan.
Special thanks to Theresa Strange for her research help.
Upstart Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in York, Pa.
Members of the board: Gayle Eubank, Michelle Denise Norton, Jeremy Thompson