PERICLES Bios

PERICLES Cast

Fate 1-(plus Helicanus, Fisherman, Pirate)………Parker Matthews
Fate 2-(plus other characters, Fisherman, Pirate)………Kiki Yeung
Fate 3-(plus other characters, Fisherman, Pirate)……Riley Neldam
Pericles …………………………………………………………………Lance McQueen
Pericles …………………………………………………………………Jonathan Nawn
Cleon, Pander (and other characters) ……………………Phillip Mitchell
Dionyza (and other characters) ……………………………………Lori Evans
Simonides (and other characters) ………………………………Tony Leahy
Thaisa (and other characters) ……………………………Melissa Topscher
Lychorida, Leonine (and other characters)……………Monica Chilton
Marina (and other characters) ………………………………Luisa de Paula
Marina (and other characters) …………………………Elizabeth Deutsch
Bawd, Cerimon (and other characters)………………………Amy Wason
Antiochus/Lysimicus (and other characters) …………Caleb Slavens
Bolt (and other characters) ………………………………………Kevin Dailey

Production Team

Director: Robin Lynn Smith
Producer: Liza Comtois
Directing/Movement Consultant: Lee Eisler
Movement Director: Jessica Jobaris
Composer: Gino Yevdjevich
Musicians: Paris Hurley, Beth Fleenor,
Gino Yevdjevich
Lighting Design: Joshua Tillman
Fight Choreographer: Jesse Sherfey-Hinds
Set Design: Roberta Russell
Costume Design: Hannah Stern
Properties Design: Heidi Hunt
Sound Engineer: Alejandro Iragorri
Stage Manager: Kristina Kyees
Scenic Artist: Montana Tippett
Road Chief/Technical Director: Brandon Chapman
Assistant Director: Marquicia Domingue
Poster Design: Annya Uslontseva

Monica Chilton began her formal theatre training at Northwestern University. After college she accepted a scholarship to study law at Gonzaga, where she earned her degree and passed the state bar exam. Monica has lived in the Seattle area for ten years, working as a legal research professional and - after being presented with leisure courtesy of the recession - rekindling her love of the theatre. Also a classically trained singer, Monica has appeared in several lyric theatre productions throughout the Puget Sound area. "Pericles" marks Monica's first full Shakespeare production. Monica is eager to travel to the UK in mid-July, where she will be continuing her Shakespearean training at LAMDA (the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art).

Kevin Dailey would like to thank God, his Loving Family, Friends, his fellow cast members, ETI Staff, Freehold Theatre, The crew and Especially Robin! This is his first official Shakespeare piece and he is loving every second of it. Kevin has completed two years of training at freehold beginning with Meisner Method and now with the Ensemble Theatre Intensive Program. Currently he is in an improv/Sketch group "Closet Monsters" pursuing my ridiculousness! One day they hope to be Almost Live come Alive Again. This is just the beginning for Kevin with Mr. William Shakes!

Elizabeth Deutsch is a Seattle based actress. She has loved playing characters such as Jess in Neil LaBute's Bench Seat, Carolyn in Lee Blessing's Riches, and Laura in Horton Foote's Courtship. She is grateful to Freehold for all the doors it has opened for her. Elizabeth is a proud member of BASH Theatre and a proud member of this ensemble.


Lori Evans had the pleasure to tour last summer with Engaged Theatreʼs Julius Caesar. Also recently seen in Tacoma in Almost Maine with Gold From Straw, and previously in Book-Itʼs The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears, and touring The Merry Wives of Windsor, Taming of the Shrew, Puss and Boots, and The Artistʼs Brush with Last Leaf Productions. You can catch her this summer in various parks in Wonderland, a site-specific adventure with Theatre Simple. She holds a BA in Drama from UW. Many thanks to the teachers, staff, and students in the ETI program that have brought inspiration, discipline, and consistency to her work. She is extremely grateful.


Luisa de Paula has been taking acting classes with Freehold for 4 years. A native of Brasil, she has been dancing and performing for most of her life in a diverse setting of cultural influences. She is a member of the East-African Sukutai Music and Dance Group.





Tony Leahy is a Seattle based actor, writer, and director. He primarily works in film and video, but he is happy to be onstage again. After Pericles, he will be developing a feature length solo piece for the fringe circuit. He will also be seen around town performing with his improv/sketch group Safeword.




Parker Matthews has done many things in his life. But there's even more things that he hasn't done. For example, he hasn't ever written War and Peace. Nor has he completed 5 jigsaw puzzles in a day. He also hasn't ever eaten a sandwich. Actually, that's not true. In fact, that's ridiculous. Take-home message: never believe a bio. Actors lie to make themselves sounds impressive. Parker Matthews is no different. Parker Matthews is a liar. In fact, he lies in his cast bios. That sentence itself is a lie. However, he is lying slightly less when he thanks you for coming and hopes that you will be blessed by this show.


Lance McQueen is making his second appearance with Freehold’s Engaged Theatre. He has also been seen in productions at, Intiman, SCT, Book-It and Lakewood Playhouse among others. He is a graduating member of Freehold's ETI training program. Lance would like to thank the entire Freehold faculty and staff for their undying commitment to Freehold. Lance would also like to thank Tammie, Tracie, Chris, Jamie, Gitanya, Giovanna, Delano, Marcello, April, L.C and Gladis. Also, a special thanks to: PKTPJRCAMKMLLE his “bad-assed ETI classmates.”


Phillip Mitchell, after 25 years as an Amateur (for the love of it) Actor and a career in computer systems, Phillip is nearing the end of his career change to Professional Actor with this production of Pericles. Of course, training never ends for any professional but Phillip feels ready and tooled to begin the work of a theatre artist thanks to his training at Freehold including the Meisner Progression and ETI. Phillip would like to express his great admiration and affection for his many teachers, including classmates. Dedicated to Sandi with love and gratitude.


Jonathan Nawn is an actor and solo performer. His favorite roles include R.P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Todd in The Author's Voice. His solo performance work has appeared at On the Boards and Freehold Studio. He is a former associate artist with Backwards Ensemble Theatre Company. Also a freelance journalist, his writing has most recently appeared in Park Science Magazine. Thanks go out to his family for their continued support.


Riley Neldam is very proud to be onstage with his ETI comrades again in this last stunning installment of the Ensemble Training Intensive saga. This show means so much to Riley as it represents not just the end of a long weary journey but the start of a new one. Furthermore, he would like to let you know that if Freehold's target donation is doubled, he and fellow cast member Tony Leahy will be finishing the tour of Pericles shirtless, food for thought. You can see Riley performing at The Intiman theatre this Spring with the Seattle Shakespeare Company in the upcoming production of A Midsummer Nights's Dream.


Caleb Slavens moved to Seattle to work as a Mechanical Engineer, and as soon as he found a job in that occupation he started taking acting classes. After 5 years of numerous classes, working in a plethora of amazing shows around Seattle, and upon finishing Freehold’s Ensemble Training Intensive (a 1 year intensive acting training program, that he considered Grad-school-esque), he had to quit his job as an Engineer to see if a career in acting was really what he should be indulging in. And that is that story… If you are a friend, family member, and/or fan of Caleb, he thanks you SO MUCH for being here. Your support for art, and him, is what will help him keep the tumultuous tides of career-shift-anxiety at bay... His 'What's Next?' plans include a beautiful Seattle summer in GreenStage's: Antony & Cleopatra, and then he will set off on a year-long, round-the-world trip, to film a series on Fables and Myths from different cultures using local actors in each destination country.


Melissa Topscher, after graduating from George Mason University in 2006, moved to Chicago where she studied improvisation and comedy writing for two years with the Second City. In Seattle she has worked with Stone Soup, WARP, Macha Monkey, and of course, Freehold Theatre. She is currently working on a personal training certification and hopes to continue to bring her loves of theatre and movement together this fall as she ventures into the world of butoh with Angela Martinelli and Gin Hammond. She’d like to thank the ETI faculty and her classmates for reminding her that community is at the heart of good theatre. Thanks to all for such a memorable experience.


Amy Wason is very excited to be a part of Freehold's Engaged Theatre Tour production of Pericles. She has also loved being part of the Ensemble Training Intensive. She has enjoyed performing the character of Abby Normal in the Solo Festival and Olivia in the Shakespeare Recital.





Kiki Yeung is proud to be part of ETI and Pericles! Kiki performed and taught English Drama in Hong Kong. Recieved a BA in Drama at UW. Performed her solo piece at 12 Mins Max. She also works in commercials, industrials, film, voiceover, & modeling. Deepest gratitude to Robin!! Thank you to CAST & Kristina! Her husband, Kevin, Charles Waxberg and her agent, Gordon Adams! www.kikiyeungjohnson.webs.com

PERICLES Team Bios

Gino Yvedjevich, Composer and Musician
Music: Before the war in Bosnia 4 solo albums (2 of them gold), since 1999 in US w/Kultur Shock 7 albums, since 2003 played over 400 shows, touring Europe, US and Asia. In 2008 in Sarajevo received life achievement award for representing Balkan Music In The World. Theatre: since 1987 composed music and acted for National Theatre of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Chamber Theatre 55 in Sarajevo, Croatian National Theatre in Split, since 1995 in US; The Group Theatre, Teaching Assistant for Greek scenes at Cornish College of Arts. In the last 8 seasons, Music Director and Composer for Freehold’s Engaged Theatre Productions.

Jessica Jobaris, Movement Director
Jessica is a movement artist, performer and choreographer. She celebrates her third Engaged Theatre Tour as Movement Director/Assistant with Freehold Theatre. She has performed and choreographed throughout the US and EU, and is happy to be back in Seattle, and working with Robin. More about her work can be found at generamagicjjo.com

Joshua Tillman, Lighting Designer
Joshua is a recent Technical Direction, Lighting, Scenic and Sound Design graduate of Cornish College of the Arts. He works as the Company Technical Director at Seattle Musical Theatre, where he has been designing and crewing shows for four or five years. His recent works include lighting design for Hamlet at Cornish, lighting for The King's Proposal (an original work) with Seattle Musical Theatre's 2nd Season, Scenic Design for Don Giovannni the Musical with Fruition, and Sound Design for Camelot and Chicago both at S.M.T. He is excited to make his debut at Freehold working with such an excellent group of designers and performers and would like to thank Robin Lynn Smith for giving him the opportunity to work on the production and to Carine Boekee Hutchison whose smile makes the day brighter.

Montana Tippett, Scenic Artist
Montana earned her BFA from Cornish College of the Arts with a focus on scenic and costume design. Recent projects include scenic designs for Hamlet (Cornish), and for Summertime by Charles Mee (Cornish). She was awarded First Place for Regional Set Design at the 2011 American College Theatre Festival for Summertime, as well as a Meritorious Award for Regional Costume Design for a classroom project of Iphigenia and Other Daughters. She assisted Melanie Burgess, Costume Designer, on Jesus Christ Superstar (Village Theatre), All My Sons (Intiman Playhouse), and the upcoming Pilgrims Musa and Sheri in the New World (ACT Theatre). Montana is honored to be a part of an Engaged Theatre Program production.

Beth Fleenor, Musician
Since arriving in Seattle in 1998, clarinetist / vocal percussionist / composer Beth Fleenor has carved a place for herself as an energetic multi-instrumentalist and dynamic generative artist. Subscribing to the principle that "art is the discipline of being," Fleenor harbors a strong love for variety and all forms of sonic manipulation. Such flexibility has allowed her to move freely through genres including, but not limited to, jazz, rock, classical, contemporary chamber, metal, folk, ambient, surf, and noise. With performances ranging from shows in nightclubs, festivals, schools and galleries, to prisons, parties and concert halls, Fleenor's work has been featured in live music, theater, performance art, recordings, modern dance works, film, sound art and art installations. She has worked with artists including Robin Holcomb, Denney Goodhew, Wayne Horvitz, Butch Morris, Matana Roberts, Jherek Bischoff, Joshual Kohl, Eyvind Kang, Amy Denio, Robin Lynn Smith, and Gino Yevdjevich, among many others. Currently she can be found performing with Crystal Beth, Bling, Figeater, Owcharuk 5, Double Yoko, Chick Influenza, Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, and projects of the Monktail Creative Music Concern. She has also been sited ensuing mayhem with Balkan punk shaman clan Kultur Shock including performances at the Creation of Peace Festival (Russia) and Sayan Ring (Siberia). Fleenor holds a Bachelor of Music from Cornish College of the Arts. ;

Paris Hurley, Musician
Paris has been playing the violin in a multitude of orchestras, chamber ensembles, and bands for the last 23 years. While finishing her degree at Cornish College of the Arts, Paris became a core member of the hyper-experimental performance group, Degenerate Art Ensemble. For over two years she worked closely with the collective, collaboratively creating multimedia works that ranged from explosive rock club sets to large-scale dance/theater productions, notably performing at The Moore Theatre (Seattle), the REDCAT (L.A.), and throughout Germany. Since migrating to Seattle in 2003, she has put these skills into action writing, recording and performing with an array of local groups. In summer 2008, she joined the ranks of art-rock-gypsy-metal-punk band, Kultur Shock - since performing on the 2009 release, Integration, writing/performing/co-producing the 2011 release, Ministry of Kultur, and performing in over 100 shows throughout Europe in venues ranging from tiny punk clubs to 100,000 seater festivals including Sziget (Budapest), Stufstock (Romania), Exit (Serbia), The Creation of Peace Festival (Russia), Sayan Ring (Siberia), and Earth Festival (Greece). In fall 2009, Paris mounted her first piece as Artistic Director, the Live at the Film Forum presented interdisciplinary work, Bridging Wounds: staying the course of uncertainty. Currently, she is in the research and development phases of creating a new solo performance for dance and cassette player orchestra. DON’T PUT ME IN A BOX (i do that all by myself): a piece about dismantling limiting personal/social/cultural definitions, thoughts, and patterns through immersion in a confined space.

Heidi Hunt, Properties Design
Originally from Los Angeles, Heidi received a certificate in Emerging Theatrical Technologies from Citrus Community College before moving to Seattle and graduating from Cornish College of the Arts with a focus in Sound Design. She has participated in theatre as a designer and technician for the last eight years, including working for several event companies and as the Production Manager for the Pasadena POPS Orchestra. Her favorite flavor of ice cream is chocolate chip cookie dough.