Shake It Up:
The Remix

Pronouns he / him

S&Co: Director: The Tempest (2017), As You Like It (2018), Twelfth Night (2019) A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2023), Shake It Up (2024,2025), Circus & the Bard (2025). Shakespeare & Company performances: Flight of the Monarch, Henry VI, Part 2, A Walk in the Woods, King Lear, God of Carnage, Or, King John, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry IV, Part 1, among others. As Artistic Director of Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Allyn directed and acted in numerous productions. Other Boston area performances include Can You Forgive Her (Huntington Theatre), Breaking the Code (Underground Railway Theatre), Shipwrecked (The Lyric Stage), The Seafarer and The Homecoming (Merrimack Repertory Theater), Five by Tenn (Speakeasy Stage). Elliot Norton Award for The Homecoming, King Lear, Five by Tenn; IRNE Award for Breaking the Code. Off-Broadway: Bug, Killer Joe, Louis Slotin Sonata, Closetland. Regionally: Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, American Conservatory Theatre, Long Wharf, Denver Center, Walnut St. Television: Julia,The Broad Squad, Law and Order, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Against the Law. Films include The Company Men, Julie & Julia, Manchester by the Sea, Don’t Look Up, Tony, and the forthcoming Enemy of the People.

TV: White Famous, Showtime (series regular), Watchmen, HBO (series regular). Ray Donovan, Showtime (recurring), Feed the Beast, AMC (recurring). Only Murders in the Building, WU-TANG: An American Saga; New Amsterdam, God Friended Me, High Maintenance and more. Film: Superfly, Forty-Year-Old Version, Snakes, R+J, Possession of Hannah Grace, The Bygone, Julie Taymour’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The shallow tale of a writer...starring Steve Buschemi, Friendship, staring Paul Rudd . Broadway: Gypsy revival, (original cast) Shrek the Musical (original cast), Hands on a Hardbody, (original cast). Off-Broadway: Medea Reversed at RedBull theater (Lucille Lortel Nom) The Harder They Come at the Public Theater, (Lucille Lortel Nom, AUDELCO, Nom); Falstaff in Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare in the Park (Drama Desk Nom); Sir Toby Belch, Twelfth Night, Public Theater; Father Comes Home from the Wars, Public Theater, (Lortel Award, AUDELCO Nom); Cymbeline, and The Tempest; Public Theater. Mother Courage, Classic Stage Company; The Alchemist, Mammon at Red Bull Theater, (Lortel Nomination); Merchant of Venice, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theatre for a New Audience; Widowers’ Houses, Epic Theater Ensemble; On the Levee, Lincoln Center Theater. Regional theaters: Yale Rep, Long wharf, Berkley rep, lojolla playhouse, A.C.T, The Folger theater, The studio Theater, 5th Ave Playhouse, City Theater, Pittsburgh Playhouse, A.R.T, Emerson, Hudson valley Shakespeare festival. England: Birmingham rep, The Barbican. Writing/creator credits: How Shakespeare Saved My Life, the film Mac n Beth and Shake It Up Cabaret.

Jennifer Apple is an actor, coach, writer, and podcast host from NYC, who is in playful pursuit of truth, vulnerability, and empathy in the arts. She originated the role of Anna in the 10x Tony Award-winning The Band's Visit First National Tour and received the Elliott Norton Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical for Dina in The Band’s Visit at the Huntington/SpeakEasy Stage. With performances at regional theaters like The Huntington Theatre, Shakespeare & Company, Chautauqua Theater Company, American Conservatory Theater, Goodspeed Musicals, and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Jennifer has made her mark on both stage and screen, with TV credits including a recurring role on Law & Order: SVU and New Amsterdam. She has an MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater, has workshopped numerous new plays and musicals, and lent her voice to multiple original cast recordings. Jennifer’s mission as a sought-after acting coach is to empower others to embody their truest selves, so they can confidently and authentically express themselves with integrity in everything they do. She specializes in helping artists find new monologues through Monologue Sourcing, teaches strategy for breaking down text, and prepares folks for BFA/MFA auditions and last-minute auditions. She also teaches masterclasses and workshops virtually and in-person for schools, universities and theater programs all around the country, specifically within the framework of her Empowered Artist Intensive container. Jennifer is the founder and executive director of the Empowered Artist Collective, a community for women and non-binary artists to help foster sustainable and thriving careers in the arts. She hosts the Empowered Artist Collective Podcast, sharing valuable insights and advice for artists at all stages of their journeys. Discover more at www.JenniferApple.net or www.EmpoweredArtistCollective.com and follow her journey on Instagram at @JenniferApple_ and the podcast at @EmpoweredArtistCollective.

S&Co: Much Ado, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Merry Wives, As You Like It, 4000 Miles, Tartuffe, The Tempest; Ed. tours of Othello/Midsummer, Twelfth Night/Macbeth, Hamlet, R&J. Seven-time director for the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. Regional: Dear Jack, Dear Louise, Waitress, The Ladyslipper (The Majestic Theater); Marcus is Walking (Mixed Company); A Christmas Carol (Hanover Theater); As You Like It (Catskill Mountain Shakespeare); The Feast (Urbanite Theatre); Mary’s Wedding (The Theater at Woodshill); The Old Man and The Old Moon (The Umbrella Stage Company); WAM Theatre, Emergent Ensemble Theater, The Theatre at Monmouth, Looking Glass Theater (NY), and more. Greg serves on the faculty at Community Access To The Arts, and produces independent film, music and artwork. His short film Notification won Best Screenplay at the 2026 Easthampton Film Festival and is now available free on Youtube. Training: S&Co 2017 Month-long Intensive; (BA) UMass Amherst. For Caroline and Owen always.

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Trezure was recently in New York rehearsing for the new production of Dreamgirls as the youngest cast member. Previously, she served as an ensemble member and a repeated swing for the supporting and lead roles of I3 and Hope in the world premiere immersive experience, Bob Marley: Hope Road in Las Vegas. Based in Las Vegas, Trezure is a triple threat with extensive starring roles on stage. She is a versatile singer, proficient in everything from soulful ballads and reggae to rap and rhyme, and is also skilled in spoken word and poetry. A proud native of Newport News, VA, she is an alumna of both Norfolk State University and the FSU Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training.

Pronouns she / they

Native New Yorker Ani Djirdjirian is an Elliot Norton Award–winning actor, vocalist, and composer. Favorite credits include performing alongside Amber Ruffin on Late Night with Seth Meyers and the role of Marsinah in Kismet under the direction of Lonny Price, becoming the first SWANA woman to play this timeless role. Now living in LA, beyond the stage Ani facilitates somatic healing and breathwork experiences for artists and professionals through their platform, Awaken with Ani. Rooted in the intersection of performance, embodiment, and emotional healing, their work explores how voice can serve not only as artistic expression, but as a pathway toward liberation and human wholeness.

Kait Hickey is a writer, composer, and performer whose work is driven by the healing powers of dark humor. Her plays include SWIM (Finalist, ScreenCraft Stage Play Competition 2025; Semi-finalist, Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference 2025; Red List: Drama Stage Play), How to Hot-Wire a Lamppost (sold-out run: UNIT J, upcoming immersive remount). Jazz singer/bandleader: Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Blue Note and for over 3,100 hospital patients with Musicians On Call. BA: Music, Hunter College: Shirley P. Mintz Award for Excellence in Music.

Have you heard of Johnny Irion?

Maybe you have. Maybe you heard the new album, Sleeping Soldiers of Love, featuring Mike Mills of R.E.M. and Jeff Bridges (a.k.a. The Dude). Maybe you read about Johnny in Rolling Stone — six times now, between the 4-star U.S. Elevator review, the Mike Mills & Pat Sansone feature, the Ravi Shankar tribute with Jeff Bridges, and a "Songs You Need to Know" pick. Maybe you caught Johnny in Twin Peaks with Sharon Van Etten. Maybe you noticed Sir Chloe recorded at Camp Irion, his studio in the Berkshires centered around Jackson Browne's old 24-track Studer tape machine. Maybe you heard about Johnny curating Blackwing Music — the record label born out of the iconic Blackwing pencil brand, the same 602 favored by Steinbeck, Sondheim, and a century of Grammy, Emmy, and Pulitzer winners. Maybe you heard his work with Jeff Tweedy on Wassaic Way, recorded at Wilco's Loft. Maybe you heard his duet Tonight with cult underground folk legend Sibylle Baier of Colour Green. Maybe you saw the new US Elevator single Let Me Take Your Foto — a Speedies cover featuring artwork by Johnny's Berkshire neighbor, photographer Gregory Crewdson, who will also feature Johnny in his next photo series. Maybe you saw him on stage with the Guthrie family — alongside Pete Seeger, Arlo, and Sarah Lee at Carnegie Hall — or maybe you caught him at the Royal Albert Hall opening for the Black Crowes.

He's been writing songs since the tender age of 19 — Robert DeNiro, from his first band Queen Sarah Saturday, crossed a million streams on Spotify, and his best work has landed on Yep Roc, Smithsonian Folkways, and now Blackwing.

With Sarah Lee Guthrie, Johnny released a string of acclaimed records over two decades together, including Exploration (produced by Gary Louris of The Jayhawks), Bright Examples (produced by Thom Monahan and Andy Cabic of Vetiver), and the Grammy-nominated Go Waggaloo on Smithsonian Folkways — songs Johnny wrote for the children using lyrics from the Woody Guthrie archives.

As a solo artist and frontman of U.S. Elevator, Johnny has earned 4-star reviews in Rolling Stone and MOJO, a KCRW "Today's Top Tune" for Dangerous Love, and an NPR Weekend Edition feature for Driving Friend. He set Woody Guthrie's 1949 lyric Beach Haven Ain't My Home (a.k.a. Old Man Trump) to music at Nora Guthrie's request, and his Mike Stinson collaboration Working My Way Down was premiered by The Bluegrass Situation.

Sleeping Soldiers of Love (Blackwing Music) features Mike Mills, Pat Sansone, Jeff Bridges, and Griffin Goldsmith of Dawes. Rolling Stone France and No Depression reviewed it; Jeff Bridges and R.E.M. shared it on social.

So, if you haven't heard it, haven't seen it — click the links and get to know Johnny. Whether he's producing, singing harmonies, playing guitar, or sitting down at the piano, Johnny is at the top of his game right now. And he keeps on grinding.

Jimbo is celebrating 52 years of performing music! He has played bass guitar and guitar in many, many groups based in the Berkshires, the Pioneer Valley and the Greater Boston areas. He has toured the U.S. and Canada, performed extensively in Florida and on the East Coast. A native New Englander (and Berkshire boy), he studied music and business at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is currently developing a musical theater piece entitled “SHY”.

Benny Kohn is a Berkshire based pianist/singer/composer. Benny joins forces with many local artists spanning a variety of genres (Jazz, Blues, Funk, R&B, Popular, Rock) including Wanda Houston, Ed Moran, Andy Wrba, Gina Coleman, Glori Wilder, The O-tones, Samirah Evans, Hot Sauce, Chantell McFarland, The Rejuvinators, Rev Tor and many others. Benny can also be found leading his own combos and playing Solo.

Raya Malcolm is an actor and musician based in the Capital Region and thrilled to be back for the third year of Shake It Up! Select credits include: Majestic Theater (Steel Magnolias). Barrington Stage Company (10x10 Play Festival, ’25 & ’26). Capital Repertory Theatre (Midsummer Night’s Dream). Great Barrington Public (Things I Know To Be True, Breakwater). Central Square Theater (Matchless & The Happy Prince). Saratoga Shakespeare Company (Romeo & Juliet, Henry IV: Parts I & II). Raya also makes up one-third of local, award winning, indie-folk trio, Hold On Honeys. Instagram: @rayamalcolm

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Conor Meehan is a versatile drummer currently based in western Massachusetts. As an in demand sideman, Conor has appeared on over 50 recordings and has toured extensively throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Japan and Brazil. Since 2005, he has held the position "Artist Associate of Jazz Drums" at Williams College and has also served as a clinician at numerous summer institutes including Jazz in July at UMass and Interplay Jazz Workshop. Conor’s comfort playing a wide range of styles, from straight ahead jazz, to rock, r’n’b, samba and everything in between, has led to opportunities to work with artists across many genres, including Dr. John, Charles Neville, The Boston Pops, Brian MacNight, Honeyhoney, Ted Rosenthal Trio, John Medeski, David Spinozza, The Midtown Men, Reggie Workman, Albert Cummings, Jeremy Pelt, Heiruspecs, Sonya Kithcell, Samirah Evans, Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, Andy Suzuki & The Method, Norma Miller, Berkshire Symphony among many others.

Pronouns she / her

This is Jaclyn’s second season as a performer with Shakespeare & Company and her fourth as its Director of Marketing & Communications. Recent credits as a performer or speaker include: violin/vocals with Shake It Up: A Shakespeare Cabaret (Shakespeare & Company); A Conversation with Best-selling Author Terry Hayes (The Mahaiwe); Poet 13, From Stone to Song (and back again) – A Very Large Poem 2024, featured poet, Walkin’ with WordxWord, and Poet 47, The Very Large Poem 2023 (WordxWord at The Mount); feature violin at Bousquet Mountain Jam and The Iron Horse with Shakedown, and feature violin, PVPA Dance Company. Additional credits include television: Songwriter, singer, and violinist, Undressed Mtv. Albums: feature violin, Piano Planet, Derrick Cummings; singer and violinist, Pass the Sombrero, Singer Bad Dancer; feature violin, Matinee, Rob Cushing, and singer/violinist, the Cape Cod Musicians’ Social album.

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Luke Willson is a NYC-based lighting designer, technician, and/or manager with a passion for unlocking the puzzles at the heart of stories. He is thrilled to be back at Shakespeare & Company for the 2026 Summer Season as the staff Lighting Supervisor, as well as the lighting designer for Shake It Up, Circus & the Bard, and The Norwegians. Luke has worked on productions at The Riverside Theatre, The Danspace Project, Theatre for a New Audience, Life World, The Humanist Project, The Tank, The Flea, La MaMa, NYC Fringe, Target Margin Theatre, and many more. He would like to give a special shoutout to Sam Hoffman and Jonah Hane for all their hard work this season. You can check out his website at lukewillsonlighting.com.

Brendan F Doyle is a designer for live performance and fixed media: working with sound, projections, and reactive systems of all sorts. Works have been heard in bars and basements, chapels and concert halls; in intentional and improvised venues alike, as well as across the internet. Training includes an MSc in Sound Design from the University of Edinburgh, a BFA in Theatre Design and Technology from Emerson College, and more than two decades working with musicians. Brendan is the Technical Director for Performing Arts at SUNY Geneseo and a proud member of IATSE Local USA 829 - Previous Shakespeare & Company credits include Shake it Up, Taming of the Shrew, The Islanders, Midsummer, The Contention, Hymn, The Approach, hang, Art, Topdog/Underdog, The Waverly Gallery, and Macbeth. Work can be found at DoyleEndeavors.com

S&Co: Romeo & Juliet (2025), Taming of the Shrew, The Islanders, The Contention, Golda’s Balcony, Lunar Eclipse, An Iliad, Measure for Measure, The Chairs, King Lear (w/ Christopher Lloyd), Topdog/Underdog, Macbeth (2018), Heisenberg, Cymbeline, God of Carnage, Or, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged), It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Comedy of Errors (2015), Richard II, Love's Labour's Lost, Henry IV, Rough Crossing, Blue/Orange, The Ladies Man, Othello, Richard III, The Taster, As You Like It (2011), The Hound of the Baskervilles, The War of the Worlds, Santaland Diaries. Regional: TheatreSquared, Central Square Theatre, WAM Theatre, Barrington Stage Company, Berkshire Theatre Group, Majestic Theater, American Stage Company, Hartford Stage Company, Montana Repertory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, The Wilma, Wallis Center, The Public Theatre, McCarter Theatre, New Repertory Theatre, Hangar Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Stonington Opera House Arts, CLOC. Based in Pittsfield, MA, Hope Rose is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, Stage Managers’ Association where she serves as the International Cohort Chair, and OISTAT. Follow @doctorstgmgr on Instagram.

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Anthony Feola is excited to work with Shakespeare & Company for the first time! Selected credits: The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe (Production Stage Manager Sub) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Asst. Stage Manager) with Northern Stage; Next to Normal (Stage Manager), Marisol (Stage Manager), Spring Awakening (Asst. Stage Manager), Stupid F##king Bird (Asst. Stage Manager), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Production Supervisor), and Into the Woods (Assoc. Production Supervisor) with Emerson Stage; Big Fish (Stage Manager) and 13! The Musical (Stage Manager) with Emerson student theatre groups. Anthony recently graduated with a BFA in Stage and Production Management from Emerson College and would like to thank his family and friends for their support.

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This is Alex’s fourth season at Shakespeare & Company and first time designing for the Educational Tour. Alex’s passion and career is in stage props as well as all things arts and crafts. Alex loves blacksmithing and hanging out with friends. They invite you to laugh/cry along with us and enjoy the show!