Frida … A Self Portrait

Vanessa is a Round 11 recipient of the Theatre Communications Group’s Fox Foundation Actor Fellowships  (2017), as well as the Carlsbad, California, Artist in Residency (2022). Vanessa is certified in Suzuki Method and Viewpoints under the instruction of Ellen Lauren, SITI company. She is the playwright and actor of Frida ... A Self Portrait (2020 Kilroys List). Other works include Dracula in collaboration with Joanie Schultz (world premiere at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, 2024) and Rubik (world premiere, Spinning Tree Theatre, 2024). VanessaSevero.com

Associate Artistic Director of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Regional: Portland Center Stage, Pittsburgh Public, Everyman Theatre, Kansas City Rep, Studio Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Goodman, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Philadelphia Theatre Company. Opera: Chicago Opera Theater, Bayview Music Festival, Chicago Cultural Center, New Millennium Orchestra. Former Artistic Director of WaterTower Theatre, Dallas. Former Associate Artistic Producer at Victory Gardens as part of the TCG/Mellon Foundation Leadership U One-on-One Fellowship. Ensemble at Steep Theatre Company, Chicago; artistic cabinet at Studio Theatre, Washington DC. Teaching: Steep Theatre, Steppenwolf, WaterTower Theatre, Columbia College Chicago, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Roosevelt University. joanieschultz.com

Jacqueline has previously designed the set for Frida: A Self Portrait at GEVA, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Portland Center Stage, and Kansas City Rep. She is an Associate Professor at Columbia College Chicago. Her award-winning design work has been seen in Chicago and regionally. Some of her favorite collaborators include Lookingglass Theatre, Pegasus Players, Northlight Theatre Company, Steppenwolf Theatre, Next Theatre Company, and Remy Bumpo Theatre. She recently designed Big River for the Mercury Theater Chicago and Out Going Tide for the Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. She is a member of United Scenic Artists local 829. penroddesign.com

Katherine is pleased to help bring this show to Indianapolis. Aside from Frida … A Self Portrait, her recent designs include Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Johnson County Community College), Milking Christmas (Black Box Theatre), Sonnets for an Old Century (TTU-SOTD), Dracula: A Song of Love and Death (UMKC Theatre and KCAT), Brother Toad (OriginKC; New Works Festival), and more. When not designing, Katherine has been delving into the world of puppetry with Simple Mischief Studios, and playing Roller Derby. katherinedavis.org

IRT debut. Kansas City Rep: The Ripple, The Wave That Carried Me Home, Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson ó Apt 2B, Frankenstein, Of Mice and Men, Brother Toad, Man in Love, Evita, Sunday in the Park with George, A Christmas Carol. Elsewhere: Oklahoma! (Theatreworks); Fellowship! (NYMF); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Theatre League); Love Janis (Zach Theatre, Austin); The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds, The Cripple of Inishman (Kansas City Actors Theatre). Rachael lives in Kansas City with her partner of 19 years, Margaret, and their three dogs Cassie, Tessa, and Harley.

Thomas makes their IRT debut. Based in Chicago and an ensemble member at Steep Theatre, Thomas’s work has been seen across the country at companies such as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Kansas City Rep, Cleveland Play House, Geva Theatre Center, Jacob’s Pillow Dance, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and more. Recently, Thomas provided sound and music for Joanie Schultz and Vanessa Severo’s production of Dracula at Cincinnati Playhouse, and contributed work to the Chicago Architecture Biennial in collaboration with Theatre for One and the Poetry Foundation. Thomas teaches at DePaul University and Columbia College Chicago. thomasdixonsound.com.

Janine has been a stage manager and production manager for more than 20 years on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally, and on tour. Most recently, she had the pleasure of returning to the tour of The Lion King, having formerly been a member of the Original Broadway Company. Janine has stage managed more than 30 shows in the past eight seasons at Portland Center Stage. She has production managed at multiple regional theaters as well as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart “Democalypse 2012 Republican National Convention.” “Thanks to Vanessa and Joanie for keeping me in the Frida Family!” Proud NYU graduate and AEA member.