Adina Kruskal (Book, Music, Lyrics, Music Director) graduated from Skidmore College with a B.S. in Theater in 2018. She also studied at the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center with a concentration in Musical Theater. Unison is her first full-length musical. Some of her short plays and musicals have been produced, including Cheers!, The Maculate Conception, and The Barista and the Banker: This is Not a Fairy Tale. She hails from Newton, MA.  www.adinakruskal.com.

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Elyse Anderson (Writer) 

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Mira Lamson Klein (Director) is a director, actor, and playwright from Cleveland, Ohio. Recent directing credits include: Unison (Skidmore Theater Playwright’s Lab), Knights of the Sales Office (Skidmore Theatre Studio Lab), and Life Is Like (PortFringe Fringe Festival). She has trained at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, MA, the Academia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy, and Dobama Theatre in Cleveland, OH. Additionally, she has interned for Adirondack Theatre Festival and Saratoga Shakespeare. BS from Skidmore College. www.miralamsonklein.com.

 

Brett Pepowski (Stage Manager) graduated from the University of Chicago in 2016 (BA Biology) and is delighted to work with CMTF for the second time. Past stage management credits include PLATH/HUGHES (Rhinofest, CMTF ’15, Poetry Is), The Bacchae and Iron Bridal Feast (UChicago CES), The Tutor (UChicago Commedia), and Rumors (University Theatre). Other credits include lighting design for PLATH/HUGHES (Rhinofest, CMTF ‘15, Poetry Is), stage crew for Centerstage Lake Forest’s summer musicals (’09-’18), and production management for The War of the Worlds (Poetry Is).

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Kevin Blair (Ned) is thrilled to be making his Chicago debut in the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival. Kevin is a 2018 BFA Acting graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was most recently seen at the Krannert Center in Twelfth Night as Fabian. Other favorite credits include Spring Awakening (Ernst), Travesties (Tristan Tzara), and The Aliens (Evan). In 2016, Kevin wrote and directed a workshop production, A Midsummer’s Nightmare at the Armory Free Theatre. Thanks and love to his friends and family!  Kevinblair.net

 

Rob Chesler (Joey) is excited to help bring Unison to life. He is a recent graduate of Roosevelt’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. Most recently he worked understudying A Christmas Carol at Drury Lane Theatre. When not on stage, Rob writes sketch comedy and hopes to have his own work produced around the city. Big thanks to his friends and family for all their support! (Especially you Kayla).

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Allison Grischow (Kat) is a Chicago based actor, aerialist, improviser, and musician. She received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Theatre and Music from Valparaiso University and studied with the Moscow Art Theatre School. Chicago credits include: Beth in The Next Big Thing (The Factory Theater), Liberty/Jack in Ubu II (The Plagiarists), Ensemble U/S in Hershel & the Hanukkah Goblins (Strawdog Theatre Company), among others. Regional credits include Bird in Peter and the Wolf (Northbrook Theatre) and Octavius/Soothsayer in Julius Caesar (Three Brothers Theatre). Allison is a graduate of Second City’s Music Improv Conservatory and is represented by Chicago Talent Network.

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Kayla Higbee (Alicia) is a Chicago based actor, singer, artist, and 2018 graduate from Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts. She recently debuted her Chicago career in The Polar Express, and is so thrilled to now be playing the role of Alicia in Unison. You can also see her perform as Dorothy Gale this coming spring in The Wizard of Oz with Windy City Performs. She extends all of her gratitude to her family and friends for their continued love and support! Enjoy the show!

 

Chelsea Milligan (Ms. Anderson) is a proud Chicago native, originally residing from Tennessee where she achieved a Bachelor's in Theatre from the University of Tennessee. She is also a proud Black Box Academy alum and Second City Conservatory graduate. She has performed with Progressive Village Performance Network, No Stakes Theatre, Random Acts Chicago and Surging Films and Casting as well as numerous improv theatres around the city. Chelsea is very excited to be a part of this new project! All the love in the world to Hunter, her friends, and family for their unending love and support.

 

Austin Nelson Jr. (John) is a 2018 graduate of Carthage College, where he received a degree in Music Theatre. Recently, you may have seen Austin in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as Judah or in Lusty Lil's French Revue at Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. His favorite credits include Godspell (Jesus), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Bazzard), and Heathers the Musical (Kurt Kelly). He would like to thank his friends and family for all of their undying support. He'd also like to thank Beyoncé...for everything she does.

 

Jenna Rapisarda (Jill) As a retired band kid (and current theatre kid), Jenna is PUMPED to be making her Chicago theatre debut as part of the CMTF in Unison! She is proudly from Evanston, IL, and got a BFA in music theatre from The Hartt School of Music, Dance, and Theatre in CT, all prior to finally moving to the all time greatest city ever, Chicago! She was last seen as Veronica in Heathers the Musical. Enjoy the show!

 

Allie Wessel (Baily) is excited to be a part of this wonderful festival with the Unison team. A recent graduate from the University of Illinois with her BFA in Acting, she works in comedy, musicals, and straight plays alike. Chicago credits: Goldstar (Reese), Bye Bye Liver (writer/performer), The Holiday Radio Play: 1943 (Doris). Other credits: The Wolves (#25), Kingdom City (Crystal), Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (Quincy), All The Kings Men (Jack Burden), and Assassins (Squeaky Fromme.) Thanks to her loving family! alliewessel.com