MICHAEL REYES (He/Him) is excited to join this awesome and beautifully queer cast and crew. A proud member of the Ensemble, Strawdog recent credits include Masque Macabre, The Night Season, and Cymbeline. Random smattering of other Chicago credits: Karenin in Anna Karenina (Lifeline Theatre); Nick in Mutt (Stage Left); Turv in Captain Steve’s Caring Kingdom (Factory), Player in A Kurt Weill Cabaret (Theo Ubique), El Gallo in The Fantastcks (Promethean), the titular character in Transgressive Theatre-Opera's The Boor; and many more with other great companies in the Chicago Theatre extended family. Special shout-out to Jeremy Ramey – partner, rock, and all-around artistic inspiration. And humble thanks to all of you for being here!

JOHNARD WASHINGTON (He/Him) PURPOSE (u/s), KING JAMES (u/s), THE COMPASS (u/s)(Steppenwolf Theatre); CAT’S CRADLE (Lifeline Theatre. JEFF NOMINATION-Best Ensemble); THIRST (Strawdog Theatre Company. BTAA Nomination-Best Featured Actor in a Play); AT THE TABLE (Broken Nose Theatre. Jeff Award—Best Ensemble); THE HAIRY APE, THIS HOUSE BELIEVES THE AMERICAN DREAM IS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE AMERICAN NEGRO (Oracle Productions); A HEDDA GABLER, A WALK ACROSS AMERICA FOR MOTHER EARTH, LEAR, THE SKRIKER, ELEPHANTS GRAVEYARD (Red Tape Theatre); GROSS INDECENCY (Promethean Theatre); HAND IN HAND (Akvavit Theatre); HOW WE GOT ON (Citadel Theatre). OUR LADY OF 121st STREET (Kitchendog Theatre-Dallas). Film: THE COWARD, THE RESENTFUL ANGEL. Johnard is a company member at both Strawdog Theatre and the Bramble Theatre Ensemble. Stewart Talent. @johnardw

JACK SEIJO (He/They) is making his Strawdog Theatre Company debut. Jack was last seen onstage at A Red Orchid Theatre (The Malignant Ampersands) and has worked with Redtwist Theatre Company (Jeff nomination recipient), Bramble Theatre Company, and Midsommer Flight. They appear in the feature films Albany Road (Dir. Christine Swanson) and What Rhymes with Magdalena (Dir. José Perez) among other indie short films, one of which is hitting the festival circuit this year. He’s also appeared in Chicago PD, and you can catch Jack on Chicago Med as Paramedic Jack. They are happily represented by DDO Artists Agency. www.jackieseijo.com.

KADE COX (He/They) is a Chicago-based actor, hailing from a tiny town just outside of Area 51. ...Ooh, Aliens! Most recently, they understudied Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Oak Park Festival Theatre. They graduated from Southern Utah University, with a BFA in Classical Acting. ...Ooh, Shakespeare! Other credits include Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet (The Den Theatre), Sharpe in Equivocation (Idle Muse Theatre Company), Ken in Red (Southern Utah Museum of Art), and God in An Act of God (Las Vegas Little Theatre). Kade is a fan of the color chartreuse, candelabras, and the "Chromatica II" into "911" transition by Lady Gaga. ...Ooh, insta: @kado.kade!

ANDI MURIEL (She/They) is a Chicago-based actress, artist, and arts educator. She’s most recently been seen in Midsummer Flight’s Cymbeline and Rivendell Theatre Ensemble’s Jeff Award winning Motherhouse. She is absolutely over the moon to be spending this Pride Month making her Strawdog debut in this marvelous and ridiculous celebration of queer joy.

LYNNE BAKER (She/Her) is excited to be working with Strawdog again after appearing in On the Greenbelt in 2022. Other Chicago productions include Beyond Therapy (Eclipse, Jeff nom); The Crowd You’re in With (Aston Rep); Nice Girl (Raven); Othello (Invictus); People in the Wind (Haven); and Scapin (Citadel). Lynne has also worked with The Artistic Home, Facility, Babes with Blades, Bramble, Theater Evolve, and Piven, among others. TV: Chicago Fire; Film: Double Major (Best Feature, Windy City Film Festival 2018), Happily Never After (Feature, Lifetime Movie Network). Lynne is represented by Big Mouth Talent.

CRYSTAL CLAROS (They/He/She) is so excited to be celebrating queer joy as Chasuble during pride month! Crystal is your friendly neighborhood gender-fluid, pansexual, Latinx performer. Born and raised in Virginia, they graduated from Millikin University in 2022, earning a BFA in Musical Theatre. Since moving in 2022, they have been seen as Michael in BoHo Theatre's trans-joy embodied and Jeff nominated production of Tick, Tick...Boom!, several TYAs for Marriott & YPT, as well as various cabarets and new play readings around the windy city. Outside of theatre, Crystal enjoys drawing, retro video games, weightlifting or hanging out with their emotional support cat, Luna. Catch them as U/S Yitzhak in Haven Theatre’s production of Hedwig and The Angry Inch this July!

They are represented by Gray Talent Agency. @crystalclaros on Instagram

MATT KEELEY (He/Him) is brimming with PRIDE to return to Strawdog Theatre after joining Hershel & The Hanukkah Goblins (Al/us). Regionally, he's appeared in Across the Sand: a Passover Play (Northbrook Theatre), Rich People in Space: an Anticapitalist Musical (Bughouse Theater, *Runner-up: Chicago Reader - Best Musical 2023), and the Shakespearean adaptations The Merchant of Sesame Street, PickleRickicles, and Super Richard World III with the Stupid Shakespeare Company. Additionally, Matt is a contributing writer for the online theatre satire publication The Broadway Beat. This summer you can catch him downtown for the return of Clue: a Walking Mystery, an interactive experience based on the treasured Hasbro board game. He'd like to thank his wonderful parents, and the entire creative team for staging a production that he believes Oscar Wilde would’ve loved to see. Find him at www.mattjkeeley.com and on Instagram @reallymattkeeley

AC RAKOTONIAINA (They/Them) loves telling queer stories and is excited to join Strawdog in doing just that! Their most recent work in the realm of queer theatre was as a member of the devising ensemble for The Faggots and their Friends Between Revolutions through The Guest House Project at Haven Chicago. Additional work includes Romeo & Juliet (Accidental Shakespeare Company), Mercury Hamlet (Quicksilver Shakespeare), and The Tempest (Commission Theatre). See them next in The Faggots and their Friends Between Revolutions at Bramble Arts Loft! Connect and stay up to date at acrakotoniaina.com

ZANE SADE (He/Him) is thrilled to be making his Strawdog debut! When he isn't cleaning up after his problematic brother Ernest, he can be seen singing with Allegrezza in the upcoming performance of Heroes: A Video Game Symphony. He was previously seen in the PrideArts 2019 production of The Christmas Foundling, as well as several Allegrezza and Windy City Gay Chorus concerts. Fort Wayne theatre credits include The Taming of the Shrew, Avenue Q, It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, and Anything Goes. He'd like to thank his amazing husband John (if that is his real name) for humoring all the "theatre kid energy" he's been bringing home from rehearsal every night.

NORA SHARP (They/Them) is a multidisciplinary performer and maker. A 2023 Queer|Art Fellow in Performance and 2024 Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist, Nora has had work presented by On the Boards, Movement Research at the Judson Church, New Dance Alliance’s Performance Mix 37, Open TV, Steppenwolf Theatre’s LookOut Series, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, the Fly Honey Show, and many other stages and screenings both DIY and institutional, and has been supported by residencies at The Croft, Hambidge, Links Hall Co-MISSIONS, and High Concept Labs.

CAMERON CAI (He/Him/They/Them) is elated to make their Strawdog debut! He'd like to thank every member of this production for creating a queer space that he can thrive and evolve in. Cameron most recently stage managed Pop Up! Production's Next to Normal. Previous Chicago credits include Black Cat Theatre, Nonsense Theatre Co. and APIDA Arts. Up next, Normal Heart with Redtwist. IG: @cameron.cai

WENDY LEE EVANS (She/Her) is thrilled to be a part of this collaborative production since it's one of her favorite plays of all time! She has attended many acting schools in Chicago and landed a co-star on Chicago Med last year. When she's not acting, she is playing her violin or viola in various orchestras in the area. She is grateful to her family for supporting her acting career.

JESSICA GOFORTH (She/Her) is delighted to work with Strawdog for the first time. Recent credits include Anne of Green Gables (The Morton Arboretum), Cymbeline (Midsommer Flight), Jeeves Intervenes (First Folio Theatre), Antigone (Redtwist Theatre) and Richard III (Promethean Theatre Ensemble). Television credits include Chicago Fire (NBC). Thank you to Strawdog and to Dennis for their support. This project is dedicated to the memory of Douglas Kondziolka (“Twinkle, Dammit!”).

JJ (He/Him) is delighted to make his Chicago theatre debut in The Importance of Being Earnest! You may have seen him as Cuddy Banks in WITCH (The Understudy Coffee & Books). JJ has a B.F.A. in Acting from Syracuse University and is represented by Stewart for Voiceover. He is grateful to all of his friends at The Understudy for their support :)