Jada Simone Francis (Silvia/Lucetta) (they/she) is a Bahamian actor, singer, and dancer, currently getting her BFA in Musical Theatre at Webster University’s Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts.. Her professional theatre credits include Peter and the Starcatcher (Molly) at Ozark Actors Theater, while her educational theatre credits include The Rover (Ensemble), Seize The King (Actor 4), (Our Dear Dead Druglord (Squeeze) and Our Town (Si Crowell/Choir). When she is not performing, she can be found singing around her apartment, crocheting, sewing, painting, and doing anything else to fuel the creative energy bubbling up inside of her.

Jayson Heil (Launce) is overjoyed to make his debut with St Louis Shakespeare Festival as a part of TourCo’s Two Gentlemen of Verona! STL Credits: The Ugly Duckling and Dial M for Murder (The Rep), Cabaret, First Date, and All My Sons (New Jewish Theatre), and Pride & Joy (The Midnight Company). 

Jayson is a proud Gorlock and Webster alumni, having received his BFA in Acting from the Sargent Conservatory in 2023. He is forever grateful for the theatre opportunities he’s been granted in St. Louis and is thrilled for his fall move to Chicago! He’d like to thank his family and friends for their undying support.

Otto Klemp (Valentine) (they/them) is thrilled to return to St. Louis Shakespeare Festival shortly after closing The Tempest! Favorite credits include Bobby/Clarinet in Cabaret (New Jewish Theatre), Josephine Decker’s newest film, Chasing Summer, and Ensemble/Roving Clarinet in Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 (Webster University). Education: BFA from Webster University’s Sargent Conservatory, GradCert Applied Shakespeare from University of Colorado at Boulder. insta: otto.klemp

Bryce A. Miller* (Speed) is thrilled to be making his Shakespeare Festival debut! Most recently seen at STAGES St. Louis as William Barfèe in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, other local credits include work at New Jewish Theatre, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and Upstream Theatre among others. Bryce is a proud recipient of 3 nominations, and 1 win at the St. Louis Theatre Circle Awards, and holds a BFA in Acting from Webster University’s Sargent Conservatory. Many thanks to Rebekah, Tom, and everyone involved in making accessible theatre possible in St. Louis. Proud AEA member.

Tristan Wallach (Proteus) Pleased to be working with STLShakes for his first professional production! Tristan is an acting student beginning his fourth year at the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts, where he’ll be graduating with his B.F.A. next May. Educational Credits: Ride the Cyclone (The Amazing Karnak), The Legend of Georgia McBride (Casey/Georgia), The Rover (Belvile)

Sarah Wilkinson* (Julia) is making her St. Louis Shakespeare Festival debut! Regional: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Marcy Park, STAGES St. Louis); The Sound of Music (Ensemble, The Muny). Select professional: An Orchard for Chekhov (Lalá, Upstream Theater); Into the Woods (Rapunzel, Florinda; The New Jewish Theatre); My Heart Says Go (Clara, Tesseract Theatre Company); and Anastasia (Anya, Tesseract Theatre Company). St. Louis Theatre Circle Award for Outstanding Performer in a Musical for Anastasia. A native St. Louisan, Sarah studied the performing arts at COCA and WashU. When not performing, Sarah works as a software engineer. Many thanks to her friends and family for their support! wilkinsonsarah.com @sarahwlknsn923

Rebekah Scallet is the Artistic Director of the New Jewish Theatre (NJT), a position she has held since 2022. Credits at NJT include: Cabaret, We All Fall Down and The Immigrant.  Other St. Louis credits include The Roommate at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Moliére’s The Learned Ladies for the Sargent Conservatory at Webster University. Rebekah was also  the Producing Artistic Director of the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre for nine years, where she directed many of Shakespeare’s works with some of her favorites being Twelfth Night, King Lear and Macbeth. Other recent credits include The Tempest at the Texas Shakespeare Festival, and The Winter’s Tale for Illinois Shakespeare Festival.  Rebekah received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and English from Brandeis University and her Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing from Illinois State University.

Britteny Henry is excited to be spending her sixth season with the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. Britteny is a Stage Manager, Creator, and a proud member of AEA. Hi Mom!

Michele Siler returns to the Shakespeare Festival after also having designed Shakespeare In The Streets’ “Winds of Change” as well as Educational Tour shows Cymbeline, Macbeth, A Most Outrageous Fit of Madness and Found At Sea as well as the St. Louis Theater Circle nominated Into the Breeches! Recent St. Louis credits include Prayer for the French Republic, Cabaret (St. Louis Theater Circle Honoree) The Heidi Chronicles (St. Louis Theater Circle Nominee) for New Jewish Theatre, Flyin’ West for The Black Rep, Stellaluna for the Rep’s Imaginary Theatre Company, The Rose Tattoo, The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire for TWStL, The Nerd and The Sound Inside for Moonstone Theatre, Life is a Dream (St. Louis Theater Circle Nominee), Myth of the Ostrich for Upstream Theater and Blithe Spirit, Waiting for Godot for St. Louis Actors’ Studio. Michele was named “Best St. Louis Costume Designer” in the 2016 Post- Dispatch GO! List and named a 2022 “Unsung Hero” by the St. Louis Jewish Light.

Katherine Stepanek is a scenic and lighting designer whose work spans regional theatre, opera, and higher education. Her designs have been seen at Clarence Brown Theatre, Thunder River Theatre, New Jewish Theatre, and Union Ave Opera, among others. She has received multiple SETC Scenic Design Awards, including first-place recognition for Detroit ’67 and Million Dollar Quartet at Clarence Brown Theatre. This summer, she returns to Shakespeare with Two Gentlemen of Verona for the St Louis Shakespeare Festival’s TourCo. Katherine holds an MFA in Scenic Design from the University of Tennessee and currently serves as Assistant Professor of Scenic Design at Webster University’s Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts. She is thrilled to be joining St Louis Shakespeare Festival for another production, after designing scenic, lighting, and props for Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, as well as designing props for The Tempest.