Tom Ridgely is a Drama Desk-nominated director who has developed or presented work at the Public Theater, The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Red Bull and more, and his productions have won DFW Theater Critics Forum and ECNY Awards and been nominated for St. Louis Theater Circle, Connecticut Critics Circle and BroadwayWorld Connecticut Awards. He came to the Festival from Waterwell in New York City, the company he co-founded and led from 2002-2018. There he helped create and produce more than a dozen world premieres and adaptations of classics nominated for three IT awards, a Drama Desk, a New York Magazine Culture Award and a Village Voice “Best of NYC”. Since taking over the Festival, he has won a St. Louis Magazine A-List Award for “New Arts Leader” and oversaw the Festival’s shift to developing and producing new work, which also won an A-List Award for “New Programming”. 

Ryan Marshall is currently working as the artistic director of America’s Birthday Parade. He enjoys the connection of parades, puppets, theater, and television work where his 2024 Fourth of July parade received a regional Emmy award.  In 2019 The Sheldon Art Galleries featured his installation of a miniature Fabulous Fox Theater for their Golf the Galleries exhibit. In addition to puppets and parades, he is also a scenic painter at the Muny in Forest Park.

Britteny Henry* is back at the Festival and excited to spend the rest of the summer traveling with The Tempest company. Britteny is a local stage manager and creator.

Joy Christina Turner is a third-generation puppet enthusiast, is ecstatic to make her St. Louis Theatre debut with The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s TOURCO.  Back in Lancaster PA, her hometown, Joy did work with the Fulton Opera House and the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre. She also enjoyed such roles as Lady Macbeth and Antigone in College. Since moving to St. Louis 17 years ago Joy has been raising babies, now children, with her Hubs, directing and performing dramatic reading for her church family, and dancing! Joy dances with The SSBM’s ’s(@sassysouthernballettmama) Adult Dance Company Adult Dance Company and enjoys participating in collaborative community dance projects with The Dawn Karlovsky’s Dance Company. 

Alex Daspit (he/him) is thrilled to be making his St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and professional debut in The Tempest. Alex is on track to graduate from the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University with a BFA in Musical Theatre next spring. Recent educational credits include Reveler in Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812, Prince’s Guard in Romeo and Juliet, and Bellerophon/Matthew in Myths and Hymns. Connect with Alex on Instagram: @alex.daspit

Mr. Di Lorenzo earned Saint Louis University degrees in Drama & Literature before Stephens College offered him an opportunity to embark on a life in music and movement with a BFA Dance Scholarship which opened doors for professional immersion in a broader range of performances on both coasts of this continent and beyond. Recent credits include Heroes & Woman in Mind with Albion, Bitter Fruit & Don’t Wait for the Marlboro Man with Upstream as well as Hold On! & Wedding Band with the Black Rep. Isaiah is proud to work with this magnificent team of artists and grateful to Mr. Ridgley and the Festival for the opportunity to play before so many beautiful local communities.

Daisy Held (she/her), a rising senior at the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University, is honored to be a part of her first production with St Louis Shakespeare Festival. Recent favorite credits include Natasha in Great Comet… at Webster University, The St Louis Repertory Theatre’s It’s A Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play, and Arista/Ariel US in The Little Mermaid with Grandstreet Summer Theatre. 

Aliyah Jacobs is over the moon to be making her professional Shakespeare debut with this wonderful show. Aliyah is going into her final year as a BFA Acting major at the Sargent Conservatory of Theater Arts at Webster University. Recent credits include Into the Woods (New Jewish Theater), Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 (Sargent Conservatory), and Rain and Zoe Saves the World (Sargent Conservatory). @aliyahj12

Reginald Pierre is thrilled to be working again with St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. He last appeared in Blow, Winds in 2018. He’s a St. Louis native whose hobbies include watching TV, talking about TV, and pestering Ben Ritchie on Facebook. He hopes to someday recover from the 49ers losing the Super Bowl…again. Much love to Them Frogs. He thanks his family for their unwavering support.