Meet the Cast
(In order of appearance)
Nan Macy - Hannah Pitt, Rabbi Isidor Chemelwitz, Doctor (Henry), Ethel Rosenberg, Aleksii Antedilluvianovich Prelapsarianov (The World's Oldest Bolshevik)
Nan Macy lives in Columbus, IN with her wonderful family. She has worked in regional theatre for many years both as an actress and an administrator. Nan has played Shakespearean roles such as Lady Macbeth in “Macbeth”, Claudius in “Hamlet”, and Volumnia in “Coriolanus”. Other favorite roles include: a suspicious and hard-nosed nun in “Doubt”, an aging movie star in “Vanya and Sonja and Masha and Spike”, a daffy divorcee in “The Women”, a bitter Grandmother in “Lost in Yonkers” and Super Diva, Maria Callas in “Master Class”. Nan loves dancing of every kind and is a dedicated ballroom dancer. She attends regional and national dance competitions where she gets to wear beautiful dresses loaded with rhinestones. Nan is very excited to become a part of the Bard Fest Production Team. It is a great honor to work with such dedicated and passionate artists.
Chris Saunders - Roy Cohn, Ghost # 2
Chris is thrilled to be working with BardFest for the first time and will be returning later this season as the director of 'Hedda Gabler.' Chris has worked as an actor in Indy, Chicago, and New York. Locally, he has worked at various theaters including Phoenix, District, IndyFringe and IRT. Acting in this production again has been a real treat since most of his energy is spent as the Founding Artistic Director of American Lives Theatre where he has also directed several plays, most recently 'The Lifespan of a Fact.' For more info, visit www.americanlivestheatre.org. Special thanks to Glenn, Max and the hardworking 'Angels' team.
Joe Wagner - Joe Pitt , Ghost #1, The Eskimo
Joe couldn’t be more excited to be a part of his first BardFest production. To be performing this show, with this cast and crew, at this time in our country’s history is a honor. Joe received his bachelor’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. Originally from Southern Indiana Joe has been performing in Indianapolis since 2016. Past roles include; Jim Fingal in Lifespan of a Fact (American Lives Theater), Various Roles in Love/Sick (Theater Unchained), Lenny in Of Mice and Men (Main Street Players). Joe would like to thank his friends and family for the support and a special thank you to husband Dustin Branum for the constant encouragement and love. And finally, Joe would like to thank you for coming to support this iconic epic. Enjoy the show!
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Miranda A. Nehrig she/her/ella - Harper Pitt, Martin Heller
Angels in America is an unapologetically queer show. I think it's important to emphasize that from the beginning.
Millennium Approaches was written before I was born, yet the themes, the deeply personal ache for truth, and the heartbreak these characters grapple with remains. In the 2023 Legislative Session alone, over 471 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been proposed nationwide, 18 of those being here in Indiana. While theatre is often used to escape the ugliest parts of life, this show invites you, urges you, begs you to wrestle with the world that has been shaped for us and what we choose to do with the pieces left. It is an honor to bring this story to you and this city, especially now, when we deserve hope.
Some Resources: https://www.aclu-in.org/act & https://actupny.org/
Thank you to this cast and artistic team for being a part of my chosen family, now and always. Thank you to my actual family for all of the love and support to create something that feels so much bigger than myself. And thank you to Harper for letting me dwell in a space of constant truth-telling, especially when it hurts the most. I love you all, endlessly.
"I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable, I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world." - Walt Whitman, Song of Myself 52
Allen Sledge - Belize, Mr Lies
Allen Sledge is happy to finally have caught up to a character he’s been chasing for nearly 20 years. He is thankful for the opportunity to interpret a character as Fierce and compassionate as Belize. Previous works include Ragtime, The Wild Party, Working the musical, amongst many others. In honor of Pride Allen has two requests… Enjoy the show and fight fight fight back against the Anti-Trans bills in our state and beyond! All of us deserve to live full lives! Much appreciation to Bard Fest for this opportunity, and to my partner Brandon for his love and support.
Jay Hemphill - Prior Walter
Jay is a Midwest-based actor, theatre educator, and arts administrator. He has performed and taught throughout the Midwest and Southeast for three decades. Locally, he has been seen on stage at the Phoenix Theatre, Civic Theatre, IndyFringe Theatre, and the District Theatre, among others. In May 2020, Jay received a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre and Drama from Indiana University. Offstage, he is the Program and Administrative Manager for Dance Kaleidoscope. Jay lives in the historic Herron-Morton neighborhood with his partner of 17 years and their miniature schnauzers, George and Otis.
Matt Anderson - Louis Ironson
Matt works during the day as an actor at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, portraying dozens of characters ranging from Anne Frank's father to a Minecraft game show host. In the evenings Matt has been seen in various local theaters over the years as Richard III, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Count Dracula, amongst others, and this fall he will be directing Titus Andronicus for Bard Fest 2023. Huge thanks to Matt's incredible wife Lisa for her endless support and encouragement.
Afton Shepard- The Angel, Sister Ella Chapter, Emily - a Nurse Practitioner, The Voice, and the Homeless Woman
Afton is thrilled to be trusted with the weight of the wings and is honored to work with such a talented group of people. Classically trained, Afton has been seen in various film and theatre productions. Most recently seen on the daytime television show The Way I Heard It in the featured role of Peg Entwistle. She has starred in three feature films which will be released over the next year on Amazon Prime. Favorite past theatre roles include A Chorus Line (Val), The Drowsy Chaperone (Janet), and All Shook Up (Sandra). Recent BardFest credits include: Richard II (King Richard), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hippolyta/Titania), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Honey), and Antony and Cleopatra (Cleopatra)– to name a few. When not performing, Afton is a student of aging studies and cultural anthropology. Thanks to her husband and daughter for their love and support. Follow Afton at @shepardafton.
Lucy Fields she/her Angel Shadow
Lucy is thrilled to return to Bard Fest, in one of her dream shows no less! Having last graced the Bard Fest stage in Lysistrata (Lampito), Lucy's other recent credits include directing Ballad of the Book Women, writing The Divine Alchemists (both through DivaFest in collaboration with IndyFringe and Theatre Unchained), and performing in Love/Sick (Ensemble) through Theatre Unchained. A recent graduate from the University of Indianapolis, Lucy last appeared in a staged reading of The Divine Alchemists (Aerith) and the department's production of The Taming of the Shrew (Katherine). Lucy wants to thank the entire cast, staff, and crew for their ceaseless dedication in putting this show together. When she is not involved in a show or serving up coffee at her day job, Lucy enjoys writing and spending time with her family, both related and chosen.
Eli Robinson- Angel Shadow
Eli Robinson is very happy to be involved in his 3rd Bard Fest associated production!
Eli would like to thank his fellow actors and Glenn for a wonderful telling of a story that deserves to be told in these times. In a time where rights are being attacked on an unprecedented level, this show and its story are a light in the darkness.
Much love to Eli’s spouse, Jenn, for her endless support and incredible love.
Jeff Goltz Angel Shadow, Lead Puppeteer, Angel Wing
Angels in America marks Jeff's debut with Bard Fest. A talented design artist, Jeff designed and built our glorious angel wings and well as the many puppets we use in the production. When he is not doing theater, Jeff is a professional puppeteer, ventriloquist, and stand up comedian who travels the state performing regularly in multiple venues.
Scott A. Fleshood Angel Shadow, Angel Wing
Scott has had the pleasure of performing with the Old National Road Players, Indianapolis Civic Theatre, The Belfry, Footlite Musicals, Ball State University Opera, Buck Creek Players, Bard Fest, and as featured vocalist with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. Scott co-directed Riley Children's Theatre for two seasons. He is a past Encore Award Winner and Emmy © nominee, and has appeared in various commercials for radio and television. Scott is an Eagle Scout, former Co-Host of the PBS magazine television series, “Indiana Outdoors” and has previously served on the Board of Directors for Buck Creek Players.
Kelly Keller Angel Shadow
Kelly returns to Bard Fest this year for Angels in America. He is a sought after actor and director who performs at multiple theaters here in the Indianapolis area.
