Skyler Schrempp is a Chicago based theatre artist and writer.  At First Folio she has worked as both an actor (Cymbeline) and a director (As You Like It, The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe). Skyler has worked in New York and Chicago with Manhattan Children’s Theatre, Griffin Theatre, BoHo, Oak Park Festival Theatre, The Gift, Artemesia, […]

Diana Coates made her First Folio debut in 2016 as Paulina in The Winters Tale under the direction of Alison Vesely. She assistant directed The Firestorm in the Spring of 2019 and most recently played the title character in First Folio’s summer production of Henry V. Around Chicago she has been seen in Force Continuum […]

Amy Creuziger spent her early career in Minneapolis/St. Paul gaining a wide range of experience including acting with the Tony Award winning company, Theatre De La Jeune Lune. Amy served as Associate Director of S.O.S. Players, and Technical Coordinator of Theatre in the Round Players. She directed for many small theaters and youth theater companies. […]

Heather Chrisler began at First Folio in 2015 as just an understudy for Laughter on the 23rd Floor, since she has been seen at First Folio in The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe, Captain Blood, and Mary’s Wedding. She will be in this season’s Jigsaw Bride. In Chicago she has been seen in The Last Match at Writers Theatre, Howards End at Remy Bumppo, Twilight Bowl at Goodman, Small Mouth […]

Joseph Zettelmaier is a Michigan-based playwright and four-time nominee for the Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association Award for best new play, first in 2006 for All Childish Things, then in 2007 for Language Lessons, in 2010 for It Came From Mars and in 2012 for Dead Man’s Shoes. Other plays include The Decade Dance, Ebenezer, Northern […]

Angie’s first show with First Folio Theatre was A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court in 2005. Since then she has designed scenery for over thirty productions at First Folio, most recently A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as preparing to design for this coming seasons productions of Dr. Seward’s Dracula, Captain Blood, and Silent […]

CASSY SCHILLO is a designer, actor combatant and director in the Midwest.  Since graduating with a theatrical BFA from UW-Whitewater, she has studied at Tisch in New York, taken classes at the Winter Wonderland Workshop as well as with the two crazy blondes in Chicago.  Favorite First Folio credits include her Jeff-Award winning prop design […]

NICK SANDYS is proud to be an Artistic Associate at First Folio, where he most recently appeared as Sherlock for the closing weekend of Sherlock’s Last Case. Previous productions including Captain Blood, Turn Of The Screw, Blithe Spirit (Jeff Nomination 2011), Twelfth Night (Jeff Nomination 2010), Much Ado About Nothing (Jeff Nomination 2008), Richard III, and Midsummer Night’s Dream. He has also directed The Merry […]

Michael has designed numerous productions with First Folio since 2009 including A Turn of the Screw for which he won the 2012 Joseph Jefferson Award for Lighting Design-Midsize Venue. Michael’s work has also been seen at a variety of other Chicagoland companies including Shattered Globe, Remy Bumppo, and Eclipse. He previously served for eight years as an Assistant Lighting Designer with the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy […]

Michael Keefe has been First Folio’s resident composer from it’s very first production, The Tempest, in 1997.  His music has been heard in multiple First Folio shows including Cymbeline: A Musical Folk Tale (Jeff Award = Original Music, with co-composer David Rice) ; Romeo and Juliet (2000), Much Ado About Nothing  (2000), Twelfth Night(2002), and […]

Mr. Jensen has been with First Folio since its very first show in 1997, initially as Resident Scene Designer/ Technical Director and now as an Artistic Associate. Chris is now the Technical Auditorium Director for West Chicago High School where he does the scenery, lights, sound, props and projections.  He has worked in various theaters including Eclipse, […]

SHELLEY STRASSER (Lighting Design) is a freelance lighting designer and educator based in the Chicago area. As an Artistic Associate with First Folio Theatre, Shelley has designed shows including Salvage, Underneath the Lintel, Tea at Five, and Woman in Black. Shelley has designed for many Chicago area theaters including Full Monty at Drury Lane Water Tower, The Whaleship Essex at Shattered Globe […]

LYDIA BERGER GRAY is a Chicago based actor most recently appearing at First Folio in the one woman show, The Amish Project (directed by fellow Artistic Associate, Melanie Keller), and as Maria in Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s Twelfth Night, Short Shakespeare!  and again in it’s remount in Shakespeare in the Parks.  Other First Folio credits include The Merry […]

Michael Goldberg has been with First Folio for 14 years, where he has directed, choreographed fights & movement and acted.  At First Folio Michael has directed Cymbeline: A Musical Folk Tale, Twelfth Night; Much Ado About Nothing; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe (2012 and 2010 productions). He has directed […]

KATE DANZIGER was with First Folio as Managing Director from February 2017 to August 2021. She has been connected to First Folio Theatre since 2005, when she was hired as the assistant stage manager for The Taming of the Shrew. She became First Folio’s resident AEA stage manager and an Artistic Associate and worked on 17 […]

MELANIE KELLER (Associate Artistic Director) has been an artistic associate with First Folio since 2004, making her First Folio debut in The Importance of Being Earnest. Other First Folio credits include The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, Salvage, The Turn of the Screw, Blithe Spirit, Jeeves in Bloom, Design for Living, Angel Street, Private Lives and Women […]

CHRISTIAN GRAY has appeared in over 20 productions with First Folio, including Jim Tyrone in A Moon for the Misbegotten (Jeff Nomination – Best Production), Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Edgar Allan Poe in The Madness of Edgar Allan Poe, Dr. Jack Seward in Dr. Seward’s Dracula, and Bertie Wooster in the Jeeves series.  He […]

Hayley Rice was most recently seen on stage with First Folio in Silent Sky and behind the scenes directing Henry V.  Other First Folio directing credits include The Man- Beast, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016) and The Winter’s Tale (Co-Director).  She was also seen trodding the First Folio stage as Carol in Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Lizzy in The Rainmaker, Nerissa in The Merchant of Venice, Edith in Blithe Spirit and Lady […]