Interlochen Shakespeare Festival

Michael Liebhauser is delighted to return to Interlochen for another summer of Shakespeare. His past Interlochen Shakespeare Festival roles include Richard III in Richard III, Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing, Laertes in Hamlet, Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, and Edmund in King Lear.

Select regional credits include Jack in Dear Jack, Dear Louise (59E59/Shadowlands/Penguin Rep), Robert Langdon u/s in The Da Vinci Code (Ogunquit Playhouse), Chis in The Play That Goes Wrong (Lyric Stage Boston), Mr. Green in Clue (Greenbrier Valley Theater), and multiple roles at The Gamm Theatre, including Mozart in Amadeus, Sebastian in Twelfth Night, Isaac Babel in Describe the Night, and Czolgosz in Assassins. Other favorites include Casey in The Legend of Georgia McBride (Florida Rep), Hal in The Scarlet Pimpernel (Engeman Theater), Anthony in Antony and Cleopatra, both Antipholi of Syracuse and Antipholi of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors (Theater at Monmouth), and multiple roles at Quintessence Theatre Group, including Doc in Waiting for Lefty, Chorus in The Cure at Troy, and Duke Albany in King Lear.

Michael is an alumnus of Interlochen Arts Camp (’07, ’08) and Academy (’08–’12), and a graduate of the University of Minnesota B.F.A. Acting Program. Special thanks to PMA!

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Kaylin Rayne Gines (she/her) is a classically trained actor originally from Central Florida. A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and an alum of its celebrated summer program, she is now entering her final year in the BFA Acting program at the University of Michigan.

Recent credits include Liubov Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard, Veronica Sawyer in Heathers, and Brigid in The Humans. Earlier this year, she continued her classical training abroad at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, where she appeared as Olivia in Twelfth Night.

She vividly remembers seeing her first Shakespeare production—Much Ado About Nothing—at this very venue during the 2018 festival and is honored to now be part of its legacy.

Mishka Yarovoy (he/him) is a classically trained actor and proud graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy (’19). He holds a BFA in Acting from Boston University and is delighted to return to the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival this summer. His previous Interlochen credits include Sanctuary City.

Recent regional credits include Leopoldstadt at Shakespeare Theatre Company; As You Like It and Let the Right One In with Actors’ Shakespeare Project; Chicken and Biscuits with Front Porch Arts Collective; The Inheritance with SpeakEasy Stage; and Stupid F***** Bird with Parallel 45. 

On screen, he has appeared in Don’t Look Up (Netflix), Little America (Apple TV), and Brilliant Minds (NBC). He is honored to once again bring stories to life on the Interlochen stage, where his journey as an artist began.

Lucas Isiah Brown (he/him) is a classically trained stage and screen actor from the heat-soaked suburbs of Orlando, Florida. A proud graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy’s Drama Division (Class of 2022), Lucas is delighted to return for his Interlochen Shakespeare Festival debut. He has trained internationally at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), and is currently pursuing his B.F.A. in Acting at Boston University’s School of Theatre, where he will graduate next year.

Recent credits include Romeo and Juliet (Romeo, LAMDA), Julius Caesar (Trebonius, Boston University), and As You Like It (Orlando, RADA). Lucas is deeply grateful for the opportunity to tell this story on a stage that has always felt like home.

Dr. David Montee served as a theatre instructor at Interlochen Center for the Arts for 30 years, leading the department as Chair for 21 of those years. A passionate educator and artist, he was twice honored as a Distinguished Teacher in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program (2001, 2011), named Coca-Cola’s Distinguished Teacher in the Arts by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (2004), and received Honorable Mention for Excellence in Theatre Education by the Tony Awards and the American Theatre Wing (2016).

An accomplished author, Dr. Montee has written Translating Shakespeare: A Guidebook for Young Actors and Don't Put Your Daughter On the Stage. A veteran of the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival, he has performed in 10 of its 16 seasons, with standout roles including King Lear, Shylock, Jaques, Malvolio, Polonius, and Julius Caesar earning statewide Michigan Encore awards for several of his portrayals.

A proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, Dr. Montee has performed and directed in nearly 200 productions across New York, Boston, and regional and educational theatres nationwide, marking over 50 years of dedication to the American stage.

Shannon Michael Wamser is a New York City–based actor and fight director, thrilled to bring his passion for Shakespeare and stagecraft to the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival. His previous Shakespeare credits include Romeo in Romeo & Juliet (Arkansas Rep), Cassio in Othello (Orlando Shakespeare Festival), Laertes in Hamlet (Arkansas Rep), and Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet (Saratoga Shakespeare Festival).

Additional stage credits include Thomas Collymore in The Play That Goes Wrong (Theatre Raleigh), George in Of Mice and Men (Playhouse on Park), and Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest (Orlando Shakespeare Theatre).

On screen, Shannon has appeared in Interior, CBS’s Blue Bloods, and the independent feature The Thing Before the Thing, which he co-wrote, starred in, and executive produced (available on Amazon Prime).

He holds a B.A. from DeSales University and an M.F.A. from Ohio University. A dedicated educator, he currently serves on the faculty at Molloy University/CAP21 as Professor of Actor Movement, Stage Combat, and Shakespeare. Shannon is a member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, The National Alliance of Acting Teachers, and Dueling Arts International.

Myles Mathews (he/him) is an actor, educator, and advocate who recently graduated from the University of Michigan with a BFA in Acting and a minor in Community Action and Social Change. During his time there, he was deeply involved with the Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP), leading theatre workshops inside correctional facilities and launching the Department of Theatre & Drama’s prison tour initiative, which brought performances to incarcerated audiences across Michigan. 

An alum of both Interlochen’s camp and academy programs, he is thrilled to return to the place that helped shape his artistic journey—to perform and to assistant direct the intermediate production of The Jungle Book.

Laura Ames Mittelstaedt's professional acting credits include Proof (Catherine) at New Paltz Summer Repertory, A Mid-Summer Night's Dream (Helena) and King Lear (Regan), and As you Like It (Phebe) at Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and Romeo and Juliet (Juliet) with the Trinity Repertory Summer Shakespeare Project in Providence, Rhode Island. Chicago credits include work with TimeLine Theatre Company and Chicago Dramatists. Mittelstaedt is an Artistic Associate and founding member of the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival, where she directed the 2014 production of The Tempest and has played roles including Kate in Taming of the Shrew and Portia in The Merchant of Venice. Mittelstaedt earned her Master of Fine Arts in Acting from Pennsylvania State University and her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance from Rhode Island College.

Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Keith Contreras-McDonald graduated from The Juilliard School's Drama division as a member of Group 35. In addition to his education from Juilliard, Keith trained with the Upright Citizens Brigade (101-401 & Musical Improv). His regional theatre credits include: Pablo Del Valle at Arizona Theatre Company; Dracula and Usnavi at the Zach Theatre of Austin, Usnavi at the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma; Edward II at MOCA Chicago and REDCAT Los Angeles dir. Sam Gold; A Midsummer Nights Dream at MOCA Chicago and REDCAT Los Angeles dir. Joe Dowling; The Imaginary Invalid at Shakespeare Theatre of D.C. dir. Keith Baxter; Hope: Part II of a Mexican Trilogy with Center Theatre Group and the Latino Theatre Company of Los Angeles; Blue Man Group at Briar Street Theatre in Chicago; Bella: An American Tale at Sundance Musical Theatre Lab dir. Robert O'Hara (Workshop). Keith Contreras-McDonald's TV work includes: a recurring on Law and Order SVU, and guest spots on FBI, High Maintenance, Go On, The Electric Company, Medium, CSI: Miami, Metro dir. Stephen Gaghan, and has been a principal performer in over a dozen national commercials and industrials for major brands and retailers.

Matthew Lindstrom is originally from Lake View, New York. He is currently an Instructor of Dance and Theatre at Interlochen Arts Academy. Before coming to Interlochen, Lindstrom was Assistant Professor of Dance at Colorado Mesa University. He has given master classes and set work at Cornell College, University of Northern Iowa, West Texas A&M University, Iowa Wesleyan College, Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Company, and many others. As a performer, Lindstrom spent eight years as dance captain for Stephen Foster: the Musical in Bardstown, Kentucky. His choreography has been presented in Aspen, Boulder, Denver, New York, Costa Rica, San Juan, and throughout the Midwest. In 2010, his piece "If I were, you'd be(e)" was chosen to close the American College Dance Association's Northwest Region gala concert. Lindstrom has appeared in several Interlochen Shakespeare Company productions, and frequently performs in Interlochen Arts Academy's full-length ballets.

Scott is a Ph. D Candidate in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds an M.A. in Theatre History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.A. in Theatre and Dance from Alma College. His scholarship focuses primarily on acting theory and pedagogy. He has worked as an educator, actor, director and technician in Philadelphia, Chicago and New York, and has served on the faculties of Alma College and Parkland College. Scott is also a longtime presence at Interlochen. He is heading into his 26 summer at Interlochen Arts Camp, is a past Interlochen Arts Academy instructor, and has served as a cast member and dramaturg with the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival. Some of his recent scholarship has focused on Shakespeare pedagogy for younger actors and theatre historiography for preprofessional artists. He recently appeared as John of Gaunt in Madison Shakespeare Company's production of Richard II.

Scott is proud to have been a cast member in all 16 seasons of the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival.

Piper Lodato (she/her) is thrilled to return to Interlochen for this production of Measure for Measure. A recent graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy (Class of 2025), she will attend the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama this fall to continue her training. 

While at Interlochen, she appeared in roles such as Corvino in Volpone and Liz Essendine in Present Laughter. Outside of acting, Piper enjoys writing, reading, and singing—especially when it's loudly in her car. 

She is deeply grateful to make her Shakespeare Festival debut alongside some of her closest friends and most influential mentors.

Quinlan Welch (he/him) began acting at the age of six and hasn’t stopped since. In the summer of 2023, he attended Interlochen’s six-week camp and went on to study at Interlochen Arts Academy for two years. There, he appeared in multiple stage productions alongside remarkable performers and had the unique opportunity to star in a student film that received international recognition and earned him several awards. 

This marks his first professional stage experience, and he is thrilled to return to the place where he has grown so much as an artist.

Celia Evans is a proud alumna of Interlochen Arts Academy and Camp and is beyond thrilled to make her Interlochen Shakespeare Festival debut this summer. Originally from the U.S. and currently based in Dubai, UAE, Celia will begin her B.F.A. in Acting at Carnegie Mellon University this fall. Recent Interlochen credits include Volpone (Mosca), Into the Woods (Witch), and Hamlet (Rosencrantz, u/s Hamlet). She’s honored to return to the stage where her passion for performance was shaped.

Sloane Escobar is honored and deeply grateful that her Interlochen journey continues as she makes her Shakespeare Festival debut as Mariana in Measure for Measure. A recent graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, she will attend Boston College this fall, where she plans to double major in Theatre and Biology. 

Sloane loves to sing, dance, be loud, and live boldly. She extends heartfelt thanks to the incredible company from whom she has learned so much, and to her parents, whose unwavering love and support mean more than words can express. 

Ana Schroeder is thrilled to return to northern Michigan this summer for Measure for Measure. A proud alum of Interlochen Arts Camp and Academy, Ana is currently pursuing a degree in Stage and Production Management at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama. Last summer, she gained valuable experience as a Stage Management Intern at Paper Mill Playhouse. Ana is deeply grateful to be back on this beautiful campus, creating meaningful work with friends and fellow artists.

Henry Woods is thrilled to return to Interlochen for this summer’s production of Measure for Measure, marking his Shakespeare debut as Barnadine. A 2024 graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy with a concentration in Musical Theatre, Henry is now training at the University of Minnesota’s B.F.A. Actor’s Training Program. While at Interlochen, he appeared as Mungojerrie in Cats and Bolkonsky in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. Beyond the stage, Henry is passionate about singing, dancing, making music, running—and a daily game of Wordle. He aspires to live up to the ideal of a true Renaissance man, much like those from Shakespeare’s time.

William Church is the director of theatre at Interlochen Center for the Arts and serves as the artistic director for the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival, which he founded in 2008. Church has performed for theatre companies throughout the United States, including the American Repertory Theatre, California Theatre Center, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Publick Theatre, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. Recent performances include Scrooge in A Christmas Carol in Prose with Parallel 45; Captain Nick Flanagan in The Guys, Prospero in The Tempest, and Herr Drosselmeyer in The Nutcracker, all at Interlochen. His directing credits range from Shakespeare to contemporary work, including a touring children's theatre troupe he founded while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa. Directing credits at Interlochen include The Comedy of Errors, Julius Caesar, Othello, Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing, and King Lear for the Shakespeare Festival; Hamlet, An American in Paris, The Winter's Tale, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, My Fair Lady, RENT, Amadeus, Spring Awakening, and West Side Story at the Academy; as well as several productions at Camp. Church is a member of Actors' Equity Association, the Screen Actors Guild, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He has won multiple Wilde Awards for Best of the Bard for his professional Shakespeare productions and was named a Distinguished Teacher by the US Presidential Scholars Program. Church is a graduate of the American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University, has an M.F.A. from the Moscow Art Theatre School, a B.F.A. from Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts, and is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy.

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Patrick Ian McCall is a seasoned theatre practitioner and is pleased to make his Interlochen Shakespeare Festival debut. His regional stage and production management credits include work with Gateway Playhouse, The Hippodrome Theatre, The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre, Meadow Brook Theatre, Flint Repertory Theatre, and The Purple Rose Theatre Company.

A longtime former resident of Birmingham, Alabama, Patrick contributed in various roles to many of the city’s cultural institutions and events, including Birmingham Children’s Theatre, City Stages Music Festival, Birmingham Summerfest Musical Theatre, Samford University School of the Arts, Alabama Ballet, the International Festival of the Arts, and the Alabama School of Fine Arts.

Also an accomplished actor, Patrick’s favorite roles include Sharky Harkin (The Seafarer), Steve Heidebrecht (August: Osage County), and Joey (A Steady Rain), all performed with Birmingham’s City Equity Theatre, which has been dark since 2016. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.