CAST ENSEMBLE
AALIYAH WAGNER, a 16-year-old who attended Ginn-Thompson School for Girls, loves to act and sing. She really loves theater and being a part of plays. She was a part of STEP 2025, where she played “Kitty” and other cool characters. She would love to thank her mom, her dad, God, and family.
AILENE MCCLUNEY is a performer and artist from Twinsburg, Ohio. She is going into her sophomore year and is in the drama club at her school. A former CPT Cleveland Act Now (CAN) student, this is her first time in STEP. She is excited to share this show with you all! She thanks her cast members for doing their best and all the people who came to see the show.
ALEENA BROWN is currently a student at Estero High School. She has a deep passion for storytelling and expressing herself creatively, which is why she loves to write, act, and direct. Her ultimate career goal is to become a successful writer and novelist, crafting stories that resonate with readers. She also hopes to write and direct a movie one day. After graduation, she hopes to attend New York University (NYU). She admires CPT’s commitment to innovative and engaging performances that push boundaries and explore important social issues. A former CAN Academy student, this is Aleena’s first year in STEP.
“I’m honored and excited to be a part of STEP 2025.”
ARIHSAY GONZALEZ-RIVERA is a rising sophomore at The Ohio State University. This is her second time participating in STEP. She loves anything to do with creativity, including songwriting, poetry, drawing, crocheting, and crafting. Her favorite part of being in the acting ensemble is improv or creative writing activities. Ever since participating in STEP last year, she has worked on plays, including Check Please!, Romeo & Juliet, and Love and Other Disasters. She is grateful for the experiences gained from STEP and wishes for you to enjoy what her and the other ensemble members have worked hard on.
ASHLEY-TATUM DELAINE is an actress and dancer from Lyndhurst, Ohio. She is a rising sophomore at Cleveland School of the Arts and a first-year participant in CPT’s STEP. Ashley brings bold energy and expressive movement to every performance, blending her passion for acting and dance into powerful storytelling. Known for her sharp wit and dynamic stage presence, she thrives in both physical and emotional roles. Her favorite part of STEP is the energizing workouts that build her strength and focus. Ashley is excited to keep growing as a performer and bring vibrant, real stories to life.
AUGUST SUMLIN is an actress and singer from Cleveland Heights, Ohio. She is a rising junior at Laurel School, where she is the leader of her acapella group, Bad in Plaid, a member of the International Thespian Society, and a consistent participant in the performing arts program. This is her second year with STEP, and she is so excited to present this creation to you and the community. Her favorite part of STEP is being able to watch herself and her ensemble grow and change throughout the process. She would like to thank Missy and all of the other teaching artists for guiding the way, this cast for their dedication and joy, and her friends and family for supporting her in all of her passions. Enjoy the show!
CHANTEL ROBERTS (AKA “Chanty”) is an actress and songwriter from Cleveland, Ohio. Chanty has been a songwriter for all her life and began her interest in acting at 10 years old. She has also participated in cheerleading, ballet, and marching band, and can play the flute and piccolo. Chanty will be a junior in high school and hopes to start a cheer team at her school after not having one for almost 11 years. This is her second time in CPT’s STEP ensemble, and she is so excited to show everyone how much she has grown since last year. Her favorite part of being in the acting ensemble is connecting and getting to know others. Chanty would like to thank Mrs. Zak and Miss Jenna for encouraging her for this opportunity to be in STEP, and she is ready to bring it!
DEANDRÉ CHAPMAN JR. is an acting artist that goes to Cleveland School of the Arts. As a theater major, he has already been in three performances in his freshman year alone, including Checked Out, Always Is Forever, and She Kills Monsters. He is currently in the STEP program at Cleveland Public Theatre and is working to better his ensemble skills.
EVA VERGEZ (Carved, The Midnight Mist) is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Los Angeles, now residing in Cleveland. She explores her identity in art through visual arts, photography, writing, music, and theater. She is excited for her third year in STEP and is so thrilled to share the ensemble’s hard work this summer with all of you!
FERNANDO MARTINEZ is an actor from Ohio. He’s a theater major at Cleveland School of the Arts, where he has worked on several plays and performed in She Kills Monsters as Vera. He also has been to theater classes.
GABRIELLA CAROL SILVA is an actress and singer from Cleveland, Ohio. She is an upcoming sophomore at Rhodes College and Career Academy, where she is a member of the drama club.
GABRIELLE MULEBA is a singer and actress from Lexington, Kentucky. She is a rising senior at Lincoln West Global Studies. This is her second year in STEP, and she is very excited to participate in the program again. Gabrielle is in love with theatre and singing and wants to show her passion on stage.
JAVION BATTLE is an actor from Cleveland, Ohio and a returning member of CPT’s STEP ensemble. When not in STEP, Javion likes to play basketball or video games. Javion would like to thank his mother for helping him with everything, and he is very excited for his second year.
JAYBRIONA WELLS is an actress from Cleveland and a rising Junior at Cleveland School of the Arts. This is her first year as a STEP member. She is excited for what this program has to offer her and her skills. Her favorite part of being in the acting ensemble is the dedication of others in the program. She would like to thank her school and family for encouraging her to be in theater and the cast for their dedication and creativity during the process.
JORDYN PATTERSON is a visual artist who decided to give theater a try to see if she enjoyed it. This is her first year at STEP, and while she has no prior acting experience, she loves working with the ensemble and working on the play.
LAKARRION MCNEAL is a senior in high school who dreams of acting for a big company like Marvel. He loves having fun and all things Marvel and is always ready to put in the effort.
LYNX VERGEZ is a national gold Scholastic Art and Writing Awards winner, brimming with talent. Lynx was born in the “city of angels,” Los Angeles, now living in the quaint city of Cleveland, where they were first introduced to the performing arts. They fell in love with writing and acting quickly and are happy to apply their skills and creativity into the coming summer! This is their first time as a member of the STEP ensemble at CPT, and they are so excited to be a part of it. Enjoy the show!!
MAKAYLA TAYLOR (AKA “Mickey”) is a young versatile artist from Cleveland, Ohio. Soon to be a high school senior, she looks forward to continuing her education. Makayla had a few interactions with CPT prior to this year’s STEP program but this time has plans to stay on as cast and perform like a star! Her favorite part of CPT is the dancing, singing, and laughs that come with it. Makayla thanks her castmates for being with her and CPT staff for accepting her with open arms.
“Let’s slay!!”
NATHAN THORPE is an actor and “decent vocalist” from Cleveland, Ohio. He is a member of the STEP Ensemble and is extremely excited to be back for his third year. You might recognize him from The Midnight Mist (STEP 2023) and Carved (STEP 2024). His favorite part of the day is the vocal warm-ups. He would like to thank his mom for always being there, and he is overjoyed to share what they create over the summer.
NICO LEHUA SMITH (AKA Nico Smith) is an actor from Las Vegas, Nevada who lives in Cleveland, Ohio. He goes to Cleveland School of the Arts, where he has a major in drama. This is his second time as a STEP ensemble member at CPT. He is excited to share his acting skills with the Cleveland community. His favorite part of being in the acting ensemble are rehearsals. He is excited to be in STEP this year.
PARADISE CRAIG is a first-time actress from Cleveland, Ohio. She is an upcoming sophomore at Max S. Hayes High School, where she was a cheerleader as a 9th grader. While in middle school, she used to join band, ukelele club & cheer, where she accomplished & completed her clubs. This is her first time/year being in STEP as a member. Her favorite part about the job is coming up with the topic of what the play is going to be about in every session. She is so very excited to pick her role & shine during their performances. She thanks herself & her family for signing up & for the support & the cast for having the amount of confidence she needed for her creativity. She is ready to shine like a star & perform like she never did! Go Paris!!
SASHA GODFREY is an actress/actor, singer, and artist/writer from Cleveland, Ohio. She is a freshman at Cleveland School of the Arts (CSA). This is her first time being a member of STEP at CPT, and she is excited to do a show for the Cleveland community. Her favorite part about being in the acting ensemble is the vocal warmups. She would like to thank her mom, sisters, and friends for encouraging her to be in theater and her coworkers for being so dedicated, creative, and helpful.
TAH’V’YHEER ZUBER is a songwriter, singer, artist, and athlete from Cleveland, Ohio who is also a theater major at CSA. He has wanted to be in the STEP program for years and is excited to finally get the chance! His favorite part of STEP is… EVERYTHING. He is ready to get into what STEP has in store!!!
TAKIYA LONG is a young artist who attends Lincoln-West School of Global Studies who dreams of making manga comics that someone will read. This is her second time in the STEP program and she’s ready to give it her all this time.
TERRENCE JOHNSON is an actor from Cleveland, Ohio who attends Cleveland School of the Arts (CSA), where he is a member of the drama club. This is his first time being in the STEP ensemble at CPT, and he is excited. He would like to thank his mom for encouraging him to be in theater.
WILLIAM WILLIS, JR. is a rising sophomore at St. Edward High School, where he plays volleyball and swims. This is his second year in CPT’s STEP ensemble. His favorite thing about acting is the characters that are introduced and getting to see his friends enjoy the roles given to them. Will would like to thank his friend Eva for bringing up STEP and his parents for supporting and helping fulfill his interests.
TECH ENSEMBLE
AMIRR EDMONDS is a member of CPT’s tech team who is going into the 11th grade at Ginn Academy. He enjoys building things with his hands, like the props he makes for the STEP production. Outside of STEP, his favorite thing in the world to do is play video games.
“I thank my family for everything they did for me, and I’m always grateful for everything. Small things matter.”
ARLAND (“AJ”) JACKSON is a tech team member, a STEP team member, and a junior at Max S. Hayes High School. In his second year in the STEP program, he is excited about being part of the team, the tour, and the fact that he learned sound design.
AVERY MOSLEY is a tech team member who sets up the stage and tent for the actor’s performance. He is a student at New Tech West High School and is on the varsity basketball team. This is his first time being a member of STEP or any type of theater program.
“I am excited for the first show I get to set up. I would like to thank my school for letting me know about the STEP program and all the friends I met at STEP.”
FAITH MCCLELLAN is a STEP tech crew member from Ohio who attends New Tech West. This is her first time in CPT’s STEP ensemble, and she is excited to watch and set up the plays. Her favorite part of tech crew is working with others and building. She would like to thank one of the tech crew members and her auntie for encouraging her to keep going and the rest of her cast for being so dedicated, creative, and kind during this weird time in the world.
“Let’s go!”
JOSEPH EDWARDS is from Cleveland, Ohio and a current high school student and member of CPT’s STEP tech team. Joseph enjoys working, sleeping, playing basketball, and doing warmups with the STEP team.
“I had fun talking to the acting team.”
NAELAH MOORE is an artist from Cleveland, Ohio and freshman at John Hay High School. This is her first time being a part of CPT’s STEP program. Her favorite part of being in tech is designing things.
NATE GRIFFITH is one of the tech crew that works backstage at the STEP shows. He is going into 11th grade at Gilmour Academy. This is his third year on the STEP tech crew. He likes building props and especially likes woodworking. He is excited to have larger props on the stage and hopes that everyone enjoys the show.
SAMPSON PARKER is a die-hard theater kid from Cleveland. He is a junior at Garret Morgan High School and is involved in their “Magic: The Gathering” club. Outside of school he is involved with Near West Theater and the Cleveland Print Room. This is his first show with CPT but not his first time in tech. He enjoys designing props and setting up sound systems. He would like to thank Cleveland’s theater scene for welcoming him with open arms, especially STEP’s acting team for allowing him to geek out over theater.
SHANTIELIZ CAPELES is a high schooler from Cleveland, Ohio. She goes to Lake Erie International High School and likes to sign up for different activities. This is her first time being a member of the CPT STEP program. Her favorite part about the program is meeting new people and building things. She would like to thank her dad for encouraging her to join the program.
SKYLAR ROBSON attends Cleveland School of the Arts where she is going to be a member of the dance team. This is her first time being a member of CPT STEP ensemble as part of the tech crew. Her favorite part is everybody working together and making new objects. She thanks her family and friends for encouraging her to be in the theatre.
STAFF
AVERY LAMAR POPE is a storyteller, arts educator, and self-published author from Cleveland, OH. Avery tells stories through theater, literature, and music. Acting credits: Cleveland Play House, Playhouse Square, Great Lakes Theatre, Karamu House, Dobama Theatre, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cain Park, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. Playwriting credits: Horizon Theatre Company, Dobama Theatre, and First Look Buffalo Theatre Company. Directing credits: Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, Cleveland Public Theatre (asst.). A respected poet, selected commissions include MetroHealth’s Physician Suicide Awareness Week and Patient Experience Week, NAREB’s 75th Annual Convention, the Ohio Crisis Text Line Campaign, and WKYC’s Breaking Barriers Program. He is also a founding member of The Sparrow’s Fortune Spoken Word Collective. An avid poetry, music, and theatre arts educator, he has taught at Playhouse Square, Great Lakes Theater, Karamu House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, and numerous theaters and schools across the city. Awards/Recognitions: 2024 Karamu House Room in the House Performing Arts Fellow, 2024 Cleveland Arts Prize Verge Fellowship Finalist, and 2022 Nord Family Foundation Playwright Fellowship Finalist. Avery graduated Cum Laude with a BFA in Performance from Ohio University.
BEA SHAKOW (she/her) is a professional Stage Manager and Event Production Manager in the Cleveland area. Coming from a tech theater background at Case Western, she has worked on all sorts of shows, from operas and plays to dance shows and concerts. Notable shows include SM for Alice Tierney at Oberlin Conservatory, SM for Danceworks 2025 at CPT, ASM for The Wolves at Dobama Theatre, SM for Women to Watch 2024 by Running Start, and many more. She values community more than anything and is so happy that her work gets her in touch with so many people in the Cleveland arts scene! She is always looking for ways to ease the technical and administrative burdens on artists, so that their work can shine even brighter. She loves being a calm, organized presence during chaotic and stressful times, being someone that people know they can come to for help.
CLIFTON HOLZNAGEL is a performer and video designer born and raised in Ohio City. For ten years, he lived in Portland, OR, where he studied, taught, and worked in theatre, clown, and devising. During that time, he created solo performances, group devised projects, and installations. He’s shown his work in theatres, galleries, and music festivals. Since 2023, he’s worked for Burning Man and similar events in construction, logistics, and recycling. He studied Acting at Ohio University, Clown at Dell‘Arte International, and Devising at the Institute for Contemporary Performance. He’s excited to spend the summer in his hometown, teaching (and learning) collaboration and self-expression!
MELISSA CRUM is a Cleveland-based director, writer, performer, educator, and meaning maker. Focused on humor, heart, and vulnerable truth-telling, she creates with a messy sort of whimsy that explores the crevices, complexities, and contradictions of our shared humanness. Melissa received the 2016/2017 Nord Family Foundation Playwright Fellowship through Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT), where she and co-writer & composer Caitlin Lewins developed Everything Is Okay (and other helpful lies), a dark musical comedy. Everything Is Okay (and other helpful lies) received a reading at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF) in the summer of 2019. Through this work, Crum and Lewins were finalists for the 2019 Mitten Lab. Melissa completed the 2013/2014 Joan Yellen Horvitz Director Fellowship at Cleveland Public Theatre, where she directed The Drowning Girls. Melissa has directed locally at Dobama Theatre, Talespinner Children’s Theatre, and Cleveland Public Theatre. Melissa served as a Staff Teaching Artist with Playhouse Square, worked as an Actor-Teacher with Great Lakes Theater, and has been a Teaching Artist with Cleveland Play House, The Musical Theater Project, Dobama Theatre, and is a member of the National Teaching Artist Guild. Melissa studied Directing Devised Theatre and Theatre Creation under the tutelage of Raymond Bobgan and holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Cleveland State University.
MONTAVIA SIMONE is an artist, educator, and performer dedicated to empowering youth through the arts. She holds a Master’s in Human Development and Family Studies from Kent State University and has taught in classrooms, studios, and community spaces across Ohio. As a member of Elevated Crew, she was part of the winning team at World of Dance Chicago 2024 and has performed and taught internationally at the ISME Music Conference in Glasgow, Scotland and in Vancouver, Canada. Through dance, storytelling, and mentorship, Montavia supports young people in finding their voice and creating meaningful, expressive work. She is thrilled to bring that passion to Cleveland Public Theatre as a STEP Teaching Artist.