A Little Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing

RAKESH PALISETTY (he/him) is a writer-director for theater, film, and opera based in New York. Originally from New Delhi, he completed his MFA in Theatre Directing at Columbia University in 2022. Prior to moving to the US, his productions toured extensively across India, including his hit theatrical adaptation of Twelve Angry Men, which has garnered a cult following. His eclectic portfolio of work draws heavily from post-modernist plays, and seeks to challenge our understanding of classic texts. Since the very beginning of his theater career, he has possessed a deep connection to work that challenges the status quo, and focuses on reimagining classics. His recent directing credits include Hedda Gabler (Lenfest Center for the Arts), Much Ado About Nothing (Two River Theater, A Little Shakespeare program), Sky of Darkness (Theatrelab), Thirty Six Questions (Columbia Stages), and Bedtime Plays (The Tank). His Assistant Directing credits include Misty (Dir: Omar Elerian,The Shed), Galileo (Dir: Michael Mayer, Workshop Production) Kimberly Akimbo (Directing Fellow, Atlantic Theater Company). He has also worked with directors like Ivo van Hove and Thomas Ostermeier.

Diana M. Fathi (ADAPTOR/DIRECTOR) she/her, is a multidisciplinary theater practitioner from Tehran based in California. Some of her recent directing credits are Thirteen (Odyssey Theater) Third Person Singular (Columbia University). Her recent dramaturgical credits include Glimpse (Rattlestick Theater), Hedda Gabler (Columbia University), and Loneliness (Columbia University). Diana received her BA and MA from Tehran Art University, her MFA from Columbia University, and is continuing her studies towards a PhD in Theater and Drama at UCI/UCSD.

ANA NOVAČIĆ (she/her) SCENIC DESIGNER is a Set and Production Designer based in New York. Originally from Yugoslavia, Ana has lived in several countries, including China, Cyprus, Sweden, and Ireland. She trained at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, and completed her MFA in Production Design at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Ana is interested in projects centering on the human condition and the relationship between an individual and society. Her design process is rooted in the value of research, as she believes the aesthetic of any film or play is painted by the characters’ psychological realm and identity. She is also a published poet and artist, and draws inspiration for her scenic work from a myriad of visual forms. Recent film and theatre credits include Svadba (Boston Lyric Opera), Dwelling (Loosysmokes), Homebody (dir. Shruti Parekh), and Chiqui (One Love Picture Classics). Ana is a Shubert Scholar and a member of the Irish Society of Stage and Screen Designers.

LUKAS WASSMAN (he/him) COSTUME DESIGNER received his BFA at the HAW Hamburg, Germany in 2017 and his MFA in 2021 at NYU Tisch, chair Susan Hilferty. Before studying abroad in 2016 at the California State University Long Beach, Lukas assisted in Moscow, Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, Zurich, and Salzburg in opera, musical, and film. He worked as a costume and scenic designer in California, Luxembourg and in Hamburg, Berlin, and in Chemnitz, Germany where he designed costumes for My Fair Lady, costumes & set for Viktoria & her Hussar, both directed by Erik Petersen. In New York he recently designed Echo in a Diner (by Evie Mason) and Indian Summer, both directed by Jacob Sexton with whom he currently works on set and costumes for This Hair I Tear is Mine. With Rakesh Palisetty he worked on Hedda Gabler and currently Much Ado about Nothing here at Two River Theater.

EMMA DEANE (she/her) (LIGHTING DESIGNER) is an Indigenous lighting designer based out of NYC and a citizen of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation. Recent credits include In the Southern Breeze (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), Manahatta (Yale Repertory Theatre), and Jeremy O. Harris’ YELL: A “DOCUMENTARY” OF MY TIME HERE. Other credits include Reykjavík, Trouble in Mind, shakespeare’s as u like it and Romeo and Juliet (Yale School of Drama); Little Boy/Little Man, Burn Book, The Light Fantastic, This Sweet Affliction, Mud, The Guadalupes, WOLF/ALICE and Camille: A Tearjerker (Yale Cabaret); Tiny Beautiful Things (TheatreSquared); The Adventures of Robin Hood, Pinocchio: A Folk Musical & Fog Island (Filament Theatre); The Amish Project, Still (Interrobang Theatre Project); Hitler on the Roof, Hand in Hand & Nothing of Me (Akvavit Theatre); Scarcity, The Seedbed (Redtwist Theatre); The Woman in Black (Wildclaw); Buddy Cop 2 (Pavement Group); and associate lighting design on Dreaming Zenzile (St. Louis Rep); and The Nutcracker (The House Theater). Additional credits include work with The Fisher Center at Bard, Court Theatre, The Goodman, Albany Park Theater Project, Steppenwolf Theater Company, Northlight Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Victory Gardens, Shakespeare Academy at Stratford, The Actors Gymnasium, and The Gannon Center for Women and Leadership. She holds a MFA in Stage Design from Yale School of Drama. emmadeane.com

Carsen Joenk (Sound Designer) is a multidisciplinary artist interested in the weird, wild, and unfamiliar. She is the co-artistic director of Rat Queen Theatre Company, ‘23/’24 Clubbed Thumb Directing Fellow, and a founding member of the interactive media company, Sour Milk. Select Sound: Off by One (People’s Light / Barrymore Aware Nom.), you don’t have to do anything (HERE Arts), Lettie (People’s Light), The Mountaintop (Weston Theatre Company), Goldenleaf Ragtime Blues (Shakespeare Theatre Co.), Made by God (Irish Rep), Bloom Bloom Pow (ART NY // The New Georges), Fiction (600 Highwaymen). www.carsen-joenk.com

JESSICA PARKS (she/her) has been working as a scenic designer for theater since 2003, and has been the resident scenic designer and prop designer for the New Jersey Repertory Company since 2010. She has worked as the prop supervisor for the Little Shakes program in the past and is very excited to have the opportunity to work with this wonderful program as a designer. Set designs in NYC include: Michael Tucker’s Fern Hill, Butler, The Housewives of Mannheim, Jericho and Poetic License at 59E59 St. Theaters. This is Not a Time for Peace, The End of Hester and Dan Lauria’s Dinner with the Boys at Theater Row on 42nd St. Other designs include: A Tailor Near Me, The Hummingbirds, Eden Prairie 1971, Memoirs of a Forgotten Man, Wolf at the Door, The Jag, Swimming at the Ritz, Happy and Broomstick at the New Jersey Repertory Company in Long Branch.

EMILY TODT (she/her) STAGE MANAGER is a native Missouri theatrical artist with an MFA in Stage Management and a BFA in Design & Technical Theatre. Emily focuses on work that allows her to collaborate with other artists to create art that instills awe and inspires deep emotion. She has previously worked with Rakesh on Hedda Gabler, Richard III, and The Cherry Orchard. Outside of the theatre you can find her searching for the world’s best mac and cheese. Thanks and love to Rakesh, the Fam, Ryan, and JEES. @emtodt

RYAN LINDNER (DIRECTING ASSISTANT/SWING) is so excited to be a part of Little Shakespeare for her third and final year! She is a senior at Middletown High School South, where she is a Stage Manager. She has worked on both A Little Shakespeare: Macbeth and Twelfth Night. She has spent so long at Two River Theater, and could not leave without doing one more show! She’d like to thank her family, friends, and the cast and crew of Much Ado About Nothing.

Isabella Como (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER) is a junior at East Brunswick Magnet School in Arts Technology. She has done quite a few shows since being in high school. Some of which include last year’s Little Shakes production of Much Ado About Nothing and her school’s production of Romeo and Juliet. She is excited to be back at Two River Theater for the second year in a row.

Easy Jack Portman (Directing Assistant) is a senior Creative Writing Major at Red Bank Regional High School and is thrilled to be rounding off his high school experience with the Two River Theater. Previously, he worked on the A  Little Shakespeare productions, Much Ado About Nothing (Assistant Stage Manager and Lighting Assistant), Romeo and Juliet (ASM and Understudy), and Love’s Labour’s Lost (ASM and Understudy). At school, he served numerous roles in multitudinous shows including, Mamma Mia! (Crew), Shrek the Musical (Stage Manager), The Dark Octet (Stage Manager), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Co-Writer and Stage Manager), and Murder on the Orient Express (Student Director). He is overjoyed to be back and forever grateful for the support Two River has offered him all four years of high school!

MAREL HIDALGO (SOUND ASSISTANT) is a 13-year-old musician who has been playing since he was four. He has played all over the U.S. in cities such as Denver, Cleveland, New York, and Philadelphia and many other locations. Marel can play multiple instruments such as the guitar, banjo, and piano. He has appeared on National and Local TV multiple times, as well in multiple newspapers.

BROOKE NORTON (COSTUME ASSISTANT) is thrilled to be involved in her first production of Two River Theater’s A Little Shakespeare program after previously participating in Summer Intensives. Theatre is a big part of her life, having broad experience both on and off stage including: Middletown High School North’s productions of A Chorus Line (Run/Build Crew) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Costume/Hair/Makeup); MHSN Theater Ensemble’s productions of Glass Menagerie (Costume Design) and Into The Woods (Florinda, Granny, and Cinderella’s Mom); and Thorne Middle School’s productions of Willy Wonka Jr. (Mrs Teevee) and Shrek the Musical (Ensemble). Brooke would like to thank Kate, and the entire cast and crew of Much Ado About Nothing for this opportunity.