LEGACY ENSEMBLE
Hannah Connelly (Joan, Nele Prager, Thea Lindermann) is a local actress who is delighted to be a part of this talented ensemble of performers. She has performed in multiple venues, and with multiple companies in and around the Hudson Valley. Hannah would like to thank everyone who has supported her, both on and off the stage. And she hopes you enjoy the show!
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emé Esquivel (Hans Cassell, Berliner #5, Bobby, Officer #3, Café Patron, Officer #6) is a first-generation latiné artist born and raised in the 818 area code of the San Fernando Valley. They received much of their formal training as a performer in-and-around the Greater Los Angeles Area beginning in the Fall of 2015. They’ve been blessed with steady working opportunities in the field ever since. Credits include: Refugee Stories (Voice Theatre); OBSESSED! (Theater for the New City); Beauty and The Beast (Secret Rose Theatre); Dracula (LAVC Horseshoe Theatre). emé is honored to be a part of this production and extends their many thanks to: family and friends, for their boundless support, love, and patience; Shauna Kanter, for her stewardship and generosity; and, of course, the audience — for being in attendance. Stay up-to-date with emé and their projects @icarus_landed.
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John Gazzale (David Liben, Berliner) is delighted to return to Voice Theatre, where his credits include Art, All My Sons, Our Country's Good, Birds on a Wire, and Hay Fever. His Off-Broadway credits include Raft of the Medusa (Cherry Lane Theatre), Dog Day Afternoon (Theatre Row), Spring Storm (Theatre at St. Clement's), and June Again (Ensemble Studio Theatre). John is the recipient of the Best One-Man Show award at the United Solo Festival for his original solo play, Under the Rainbow. As a producer, he co-produced the award-winning short films Nuclear Knack Knacks and Bande de Jeunes. His television credits include Netflix's Stamped from the Beginning. John is deeply grateful for the love and support family and friends give to him and the theatre.
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M. King (Berliner-Clara, Woman in Bed Clothes, Student on the Train, Passenger #1, Boat Passenger) (Voice Movement Collective) is pleased to make her Voice Theatre debut with this production of Legacy. Most recently, she played Helen in the Definitely Human production of Next Door at the Center for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck. She has spent most of her career working in the mental health field and is the mother of two little lovely people. She is originally from the Bay Area and now happily lives here in the Hudson Valley.
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John Michalski (Yasah Bartow, Berliner #1, Train Passenger) Legacy marks John’s second appearance with Voice Theatre this season having played Chebutykin in Three Sisters. John has played On, Off and Off-Off Broadway in New York, toured around the country, appeared in theatres from coast to coast and in many Horton by the Steam offerings in Elka Park and Hunter NY over the years. He is a New York Classical Theatre Associate Artist having recently played Falstaff in Henry IV in New York City parks. Since 1992, John has resided in Cottekill, NY where he volunteers as a steward for the OW Rail Trail and the Cottekill Vol. Fire Company among other distractions. He is a Group 2 graduate of the Juilliard School Drama Division.
Ezra Czermerys (Gert Prager, Officer #3, Officer #5, Café Patron, Berliner #2) is honored to be joining Voice Theater for such a powerful show. Recent roles include Speed (The Two Gentlemen of Verona) with Bird On A Cliff’s Woodstock Shakespeare Festival, and Joan (Fun Home) with the Rosendale Theater and the Phoenicia Playhouse. He would like to give his endless thanks to his family, friends, and partners for their undying support of him in his recent return to the stage, and he’s thrilled to bring this story to life alongside such an incredible group of actors. .
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Marina Penzner (Berliner-Annika, German Mother, Woman who is forbidden to Board Ship, Train Passenger) Marina Penzner’s last stage appearance was a twelve-minute solo performance in an adaptation of Morocco from Big and Little Scenes by Botho Strauss at the North American Cultural Laboratory. Upcoming productions include roles in two comedy skits for Mark Singer’s Variety Show in November at the Doctorow Theatre. She has taken part in many staged readings including for the County Players at Wappingers Falls in Joshua Harmon’s Admissions as Ginnie Peters. Marina loves participating in play labs that develop works by talented, local playwrights. She has studied at Voice Theatre with Lance Marshall, and is currently studying with Julie Polk at Shadowlands Stages. A big thank you to Shauna for casting me in this production! I am honored.
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Samantha (Sammi) Pohly (Anna Prager) is an NYC-based actress who is thrilled to be playing Anna Prager in her Voice Theatre debut! Previous credits include: Fiddler on The Roof (ACT of CT), The Wolves (Southampton Cultural Center), Bedroom Pop (The Tank), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Alhambra Theatre and Dining). She is represented by AKA Talent Agency and STATE Management Lifestyle. She is a proud Yale University graduate, Class of 2024. As always, innumerable thanks to her friends, family, mentors, coaches, and cheerleaders. Learn more about her at www.samanthapohly.com.
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David Sharbowicz (Berliner-Conrad, Boat and Train Passenger, Officer #1, Immigration Officer, German-Jewish Son) Though born and raised on Long Island, David has spent the past twenty-seven years living in Ulster County. He studied acting at TVI Actors Studio in Manhattan, and had professional instruction from several acting coaches. David loves challenging roles, from multiple murder mysteries to serious theater. He had the rare and unique opportunity of portraying one of his favorite characters, Renfield, in front of the castle on Bannerman Island, during Theatre on the Road's production of Dracula. When David is not acting, he proudly sings bass vocal with the Mendelssohn Club of Kingston and produces original cooking videos for his YouTube channel.
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Ali Shinall (Vera Liben, Berliner #3, Lotte Jastrow) is excited to be working with the Voice Theatre again on such vital material as Legacy. Previous Voice Theatre credits include Three Sisters (Masha), The Importance of Being Earnest (Gwendolyn Fairfax), and Summer and Smoke (Nellie Ewell). Prior to relocating to the Hudson Valley, Ali was acting in the UK, appearing on stage as Beulah Binnings in Tennessee Williams’ Orpheus Descending (Stockwell Playhouse, London), Jaques in an open-air production of As You Like It (YAOW Theatre, Windsor), and Cornelia in the debut of Spitfire Sisters (The Space, London). Select other theatre includes: The Gellar Girls (True Colors Theatre, dir. Kenny Leon), The Taming of the Shrew (Georgia Shakespeare Festival), Macbeth (Georgia Shakespeare Festival), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Kellet Theatre), Amber Brown (National Tour), and Fall (Synchronicity Playhouse). Ali has received professional training in Boston, London, and NYC and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity.
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Mackenzie Silver (Sara Liben, Ruth Prager) is a graduate of Tulane School of Music in New Orleans, Mackenzie has performed in over 30 countries and is thrilled to be making her Voice Theatre debut. Favorite past roles include Marian in The Music Man (Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre) Éponine in Les Misérables (Summer Lyric Theatre) and Cinderella in Into The Woods (Tulane University). Endless thanks to family and friends. This performance is dedicated to her father, who has always encouraged a curious, kind and creative mind. Eternally grateful he continues to share their own family’s legacy.
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Benjamin Watkins (Berliner-Detlef, Officer #2, US Soldier, Train Passenger #2) is based in Kingston, NY. Born and raised in Buffalo, he lived in New York City and Seattle before settling in the Hudson Valley. He's spent years performing music, some as a lead vocalist and frontman, dabbled in improv, and is currently studying acting with Voice Theatre in Kingston. His on-camera work includes a starring role in a music video and involvement in independent film projects. He’s honored and thrilled to make his on-stage debut in this production. Outside of performing arts, he works in design and occasionally illustration, and enjoys various active pursuits in the mountains and spending time with his son.
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Jordan Zakka (Ari Steinbach, Berliner, Officer #4) is a Woodstock-based actor who attended conservatory at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Jordan is excited to be back for a second show with Voice Theatre. He is immensely grateful for an opportunity to tell a story that puts a mirror up to society, and shows how history may not exactly repeat itself, but does rhyme. Favorite recent credits: Antipholous of Ephesus in Columbia County Players’ Comedy of Errors, Andrey Prozorov in Voice Theatre’s Three Sisters, Dimitri Gurov in Melania Levitsky's CHEKHOVEK, Adam Sorenson in MATH's The Shape of Things. IG: jordanzakka