A Little Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s greatest dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon”.

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.

Afsaneh Aayani (SCENIC DESIGNER) is an Iranian scenic designer and puppeteer. She graduated with her MFA in Scenic Design from UH in 2020. She has created work in Houston, NYC, Iran, China, Poland, Sri Lanka and Germany. In 2020 she was the winner of the USITT young designers scenic design award and previously has received multiple national/international awards for puppeteering and puppet making as well as directing and design. You can check out her work at www.afsanehaayani.com

Mariko Ohigashi (She/Her) A NY based Costume Designer, born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. Mariko is so thrilled to be back in Red Bank! Her U.S. theatre credits include A Little Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet (Two River Theater); Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance (Transport Group/Connelly Theater, NYC); Out of Time (NAATCO/The Public, NYC); Veil Widow Conspiracy (NAATCO/NYTW Next Door); Vis-à-Vis (New York City Ballet, Choreographic Institute); Hanjo (SITI Company/Japan Society, NYC); Williams College Dance Concerts. International theatre credits in Japan include Hansel and Gretel (Sony Music Foundation/Suntory Hall, Tokyo); Lulu (Shinjuku Bunka) and Carmen (Kanagawa Kenmin Hall) with Tokyo Nikikai. Professional training: MFA from NYU-Tisch, BA from UNC-Chapel Hill. www.marikoohigashi.com

Betsy Chester (CO-LIGHTING DESIGNER) is an NYC-based freelance lighting designer, passionate about creating work that sparks meaningful conversation. Most recently, she has designed work for productions with NYU Grad Acting, Tisch Dance, Columbia University, as well as Ayodele Casel + Arturo O’Farrill at the Joyce Theater. Betsy received her MFA in Lighting Design at NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2021. www.betsychester.com

Eric Norbury (CO-LIGHTING DESIGNER) Select credits include The Prom (WPPAC), Footloose (Argyle Theatre), Blue (Seattle Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Dutch National Opera), Only Human: A Musical (Theatre St. Clement’s), Till: A Musical (NYMF), Nimbus Dance at BAM Fisher. Previous work: LaMama ETC, NYTW, Playwrights Horizons, Barrington Stage Company, La Jolla Playhouse, New School of Drama, Washington National Opera, 5th Avenue Theatre, The Glimmerglass Festival, Seán Curran Dance Company, De Funes Dance, Second Avenue Dance Company and many others. MFA NYU/Tisch. Member USA829. www.ericnorburylighting.com

Austin Tooley (DRAMATURG) he/him, is an NYC-based director and dramaturg who received his MFA in Dramaturgy at Columbia University in 2021. Recent directing work includes Argonauts, by Jacob K Robinson, at Columbia University; The Outposters, for PrideFest at The Tank; and Narcissus, a Roman pantomime live-taped in partnership with PBS. Dramaturgical work at Columbia University included Three Sisters directed by Rebecca Miller-Kratzer; The Cherry Orchard directed by Rakesh Palisetty; and Mud/Springtime directed by Colm Summers. Tooley’s most recent work includes dramaturgy on A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Young Company and The Classical Theatre of Harlem; work in residency in Waterford Ireland on Purgatory by Colm Summers and Ciara Ní Chuirc, funded by the Irish Arts Council; and development work on Barbies by A.A. Brenner, at the Catwalk Art Residency in Catskill, NY.

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.

Kyle Jensen (SOUND DESIGNER) is an award-winning sound designer and audio engineer based out of Pennsylvania. Selected design credits: Somewhere Over the Border (assistant) (Teatro Vista, Chicago, IL – World Premiere), Something Grim(m) and Cake Ladies (Dallas Theater Center, Dallas, TX – World Premieres), Tuck Everlasting and Bright Star (Southeastern Summer Theatre Institute, Hilton Head, SC – Regional Premieres), and How to Succeed in Business… (American University, Washington, DC). Engineer appointments include GEVA Theatre Center and Nazareth College (Rochester, NY), Dallas Theater Center (Dallas, TX), Baltimore Center Stage (Baltimore, MD), Penn State (State College, PA), and American University (Washington, DC). He is a professional member of the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association (TSDCA), a member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), and an associate member of the Association of Sound Designers (ASD). kylejensenmedia.com, Instagram: @kylejensensound

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.

Michaella Craver (STAGE MANAGER) is thrilled to be returning to Two River Theater! Off-Broadway: Our Brothers Son, Chushingura – 47 Ronin. Regional: Lady Day… (Vanguard Theater), A Little Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet (Two River Theater), Little Women (Skyline Theater Company). Workshops: Sally & Tom (The Public), Play Like a Girl (Two River Theater), My Father’s Play (Gemini Music). Production Stage Manager of 1st National Tour of Jabari Dreams of Freedom! Norwegian Cruise Line. James Madison University alumni. For Mom, Dad, and Allegra.

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!