The Tempest

Emma L. Anderson (she/her) is thrilled to be making her Goodly Creatures debut this summer! Emma graduated with a BFA in Acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2020. She has performed in numerous new works, such as PSH*TTER: A Drinking Song for the Year of Our Lord 2020 and Because I am Your Queen, as well as a staged reading of Elephant with Theatre L’Acadie in Chicago. Check out emmalanderson.com if you’d like to know more!

Mezzo-Soprano Eunice Ayodele received her M.M. in Vocal Performance from Bowling Green State University where she studied under Myra Merritt and her B.A. from Aurora University. With over a decade of experience in performance, she is at home in a range of styles, including opera, musical theatre, jazz, rock, R&B, and blues. In addition to performance, Eunice has been teaching voice and piano for several years now. Ms. Ayodele is an active soloist and has appeared previously in Goodly Creatures' productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream as Titania/Hippolyta, Ghastly Creatures (three episodes), Much Ado About Nothing as Balthasar, and Lit Ladies as Dido Elizabeth Belle. She composed and performed original music to Shakespeare's lyrics for both Midsummer, and Much Ado. She has also appeared with the Toledo Opera Chorus. Some of her operatic roles include: Ino in Semele, Kathrine from L'ivrogne corrigé, Carmen from Carmen, and Dido from Dido and Aeneas. Her musical theatre roles include: Motormouth Mabel from Hairspray, Matron Mama Morton from Chicago, and The Witch from Into the Woods.

Holly Bud is a self-trained artist based in Elgin, IL. She has a love for art, film and music and likes to use them as inspiration when she works on commissions. Holly Bud works in mixed media, gouache and digital art. Shakespeare has always been a mystery to her, especially when she considers how one man could shape the English language with powerful storytelling. She is thrilled to offer her creativity to this production and share her love of Shakespeare's works with you through her art. Follow her on Instagram @hollybud29.

Nathan is excited to be back with Goodly Creatures for his second performance with the company! His previous performances include Oberon & Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Goodly Creatures in 2021, and as Jimmy in Almost, Maine at Elgin Community College. He would like to thank his friends and family for being so supportive of his endeavors in theatre, and especially Katrina Syrris and Erika Knutson for providing him the opportunity to be involved with Goodly once again. 

Beck (He/Him) is a Chicago based actor. He studied acting at The University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Previous credits include: The Book of Will (Edge of the Wood Theatre), Christmas Karol: a Holiday Intervention Cabaret (PrideArts), The Ugly Duckling & Mrs Claus, a Holiday Musical (Chicago kids company), Hair (Nebraska Repertory Theatre) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Dunes Summer Theatre). Find out more at Beckdamron.com.

Wyatt DeLair is a Chicago based actor making his Goodly Creatures Debut playing Ferdinand. He is pursuing a BFA acting degree at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts. Previous performances include Bob in Bob: a Life in 5 Acts (Roosevelt University) and Atlas in Whoever Shall Inherit This Earth (The Fricks Theater). He would like to thank his friends, family, his wonderful girlfriend Amber and his Quinn for all the support. Welcome to the island, Enjoy the show!

Steve Delaney is proud to return to the Goodly Creatures stage after performing last summer’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Nick Bottom).  Other recent roles include Bobchinsky in The Government Inspector (Independent Players), Pozzo in Waiting for Godot (Independent Players), and Kris/Scotty in Seasonal Tags (WT Productions). Steve also enjoyed spreading holiday cheer as the Conductor in The Polar Express (Fox Valley Trolley Museum).  He has a BA in Theatre from Loyola University Chicago, and an MBA from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Aaron Delaney is excited to perform in his first show with Goodly Creatures this summer. He has most recently played Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods at St. Charles East High School as well as other roles there such as the Writer in The Good Doctor and Captain Smith in 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas this year. 

Dorothea Delaney is delighted to make her Goodly Creatures debut.  Recently she performed as Troy Bolton in High School Musical (Vero Voce), Hero Boy in The Polar Express (Fox Valley Trolley Museum), Boy in Waiting for Godot (Independent Players), and Pepper in Annie Jr. (Marquee Theatre). Thea also enjoys playing bass and tuba at school and bass for the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Fox (they/he) is so excited to make their Goodly Creatures debut this summer! They were previously seen as Richard in The Man Who Came to Dinner (North Riverside Players) and performed as a singer and bassist with School of Rock Oak Park from 2015 through 2020. They are currently a rising junior at Emerson College studying television screenwriting. They are overjoyed to be performing with this incredible group of actors and hope you enjoy the show! They would also like it to be noted that they are genuinely terrified of boats.

George Dougherty is a student of improv and acting. He has performed at the Second City and IO theaters in Chicago and also at the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland. He has appeared in previous plays and productions and has a special love of Shakespeare having recently trained at RADA. He is excited to be part of this very talented group and appreciates the opportunities and entertainment Goodly Creatures has provided to all. 

Kristina Drendel is thrilled to be making her Goodly Creatures debut! Kristina holds a B.A. in Musical Theatre from Columbia College Chicago and is currently pursuing her Masters in English through Arizona State University. She has been seen in previous Chicagoland area productions such as The Thin Place (Canterbury Summer Theatre), Goldilocks (Chicago Kids Company), and the New Works Festival: Cocktails and Monologues (Paradox Theatre). She would like to thank her family, friends, and partner Hanson for supporting her in all her endeavors.

Justin Green is back at Goodly Creatures! Performing in last year’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Demetrius, he is ecstatic to come play Trinculo this year. He has been doing theatre for 15+ years, going from Larkin’s Visual and Performing Arts Academy, and performing in plays such as The Miracle Worker and Urinetown to Flower Mound, Texas where he performed as Nereus in Mary Poppins. He has been working in childhood development, food service, and non-profits in the interim, and streaming when he can. He sends his gratitude for you coming, and hopes you enjoy the show!

With a DePaul University B.A. in  Speech/ Drama and Loyola University M.A. in Education, Therese
taught Communication Arts in the Western suburbs and Acting /Play Production electives, while directing plays. In addition to  playwriting and screen writing pursuits, Therese immerses herself in primarily community theater arts, i.e. Theatre of Western Springs, Village Theatre Guild and Wheaton Drama, at times – on stage as actor/director/singer/dancer and behind the scenes in stage management, props, costumes, etc., and as a workshop teacher and student ! Shakespearean theatre-going and workshops at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, the Acting Studio (Bob Mason), along with under-study and tech experiences at  First Folio Theatre -- Richard III fueled  her passion for Shakespearean performance. Thankfully, Goodly Creatures and Gonzalo has awarded her another opportunity to stoke her fire. 

Brock is ecstatic to be making his Goodly Creatures debut as Stephano this summer. This is his first full-length production since 2019 and he is thrilled to be returning to the stage. Brock was most recently seen in Winter’s End as part of Dragonfly Theatre Company’s “Take Flight” New Plays festival. Favorite past credits include Inspector Kemp in Young Frankenstein, Professor Plum in Clue: the Musical (Theatre 7) and Lurch in The Addams Family (Millikin University). Brock holds a BA in Theatre from Millikin University. Welcome to Prospero’s island! We hope you enjoy the show! 

Jason Jakubaitis is a Chicago-based theatre technician, working with numerous area venues and production companies, as well as freelancing productions across northeast Illinois. His skill sets are highly diversified, with services ranging from lighting, to audio and video, to staging structures and scenic elements. Jason is well versed in theatrical productions, corporate events, festivals, and dance concerts. He is currently studying Entertainment Technology as well as Electrical & Computer engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Jacob Lopez is a college student currently in his last year pursuing a degree in Human Resource Development and working as an actor in his free time. The Tempest is Jacob’s debut with Goodly Creatures playing the role of Caliban, the misfortunate orphan of the Witch Sycorax. Jacob is grateful to be a part of this production, and thanks his family for their incredible support. 

Evin McQuistion is an actor and director based in Chicago. Most recently he’s performed with the Utah Shakespeare Festival in their touring production of Much Ado About Nothing and understudied for Redtwist Theatre’s Antigone. Other companies he’s worked with include Quicksilver Shakespeare and A Crew of Patches. He has a bachelor’s degree in Theatre from East Tennessee State University framed on the wall of his childhood bedroom in Appleton, Wisconsin.

With an academic and professional background in the sciences, Cameron is excited to have the opportunity to work on creative pursuits. Cameron is a hobby enthusiast with a passion for creating things. After renovating his entire house, Cameron has dabbled in hobbies ranging from rug-making, to blacksmithing. He is excited to put his passions to good use for this production. He hopes you enjoy the show! Follow Cameron's crafting adventures on Instagram: @thereddragoncrafts

James is proud to return to Goodly as part of the crew. Last year, James returned to the stage as Snout the Tinker in Goodly Creatures' production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, after a fifty-year hiatus since his last appearance as a solider in his high school's production of Coriolanus. In those past fifty years, he has since worked as a set builder for the Minnesota Opera House, "played chauffer" to a young actress named Katrina before she got her license, and built sets for Goodly Creatures Theatre and others. His favorite role of all time has been that of Dad. He sends love to his wife, son, his pup Cera, and of course, Katrina, for their love and support.

Katrina feels immense gratitude to her cast, crew, friends, and family for making this show possible! Playwright and director, Katrina has written and produced original plays for Goodly Creatures including Ghosts of Christmas Past (Or, Dickens, Capra, and Seuss Walk Into A Bar), Nevermore, and Goodly Creatures: A Review of Shakespeare's Sonnets for Modern Times, as well as Goodly's virtual mini-series Ghastly Creatures (available on YouTube). Other directing credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Yellow Wallpaper, Rope, Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It. As an actress, Katrina has been nominated for Best Actress on Broadway World Chicago for her portrayal of Alice in The Drowning Girls with the Riverfront Playhouse. Other notable roles include Marya in The Government Inspector (Independent Players), Woman #3 in The Big Meal (Independent Players), Annie in Over the Tavern (Fox Valley Repertory), and Gabriella in Boeing Boeing (Riverfront Playhouse). As the inspiration strikes her, you may also find her performing original standup comedy at the Martin Room in Elgin. She has served on the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission since March of 2019, and is passionate about providing local artists with professional opportunities in our great suburbs!