Rough Magic

Aaron Sparks (Director) – Aaron is adjunct faculty in the School of Theatre at UNCG. New York directing credits include David Rabe’s The Orphan (The Tank), Disorder (United Solo Festival), Jean Genet’s Deathwatch (New York International Fringe Festival). Regional directing credits include Two Jews Walk Into a War…, TRAYF (2025 St. Louis Theatre Circle Nomination – Outstanding Direction of a Comedy), and My Name is Asher Lev for NJT – St. Louis, Every Brilliant Thing (Heartland Theatre), and Blood Clots (Coconut Grove Playhouse). New York and regional acting credits include A Soldier’s Play (NEC – 2018 AUDELCO Award, Best Revival), Eve and Her Neighbors, Good, Good Trouble…, Exodus (FringeNYC), Tribes (Heartland Theatre), A Few Good Men (Rhinoleap), and Fiddler on the Roof and Oliver! (The MUNY). MFA in Directing – Texas State University. BFA in Acting – NYU Tisch School of the Arts. www.aaronsparksdirector.com

Willow Bland (Alecto): Hi everyone, my name is Willow Bland (Will), and I am a senior BA Drama student with a minor in dance. I will be graduating this spring semester. I am incredibly excited for everyone to see this production and all the hard work that has gone into putting it together. This is my second show at UNCG. I was last seen on stage in our production of Galeta or Whatever You Be as Chorus 5. I would like to thank my amazing mother and family for their continued support of my theatrical journey. I hope everyone loves the show. Welcome to Rough Magic.

Keagan Cook (Caius Marcius, Lizard Caliban) is a third-year BFA Acting Major at UNC Greensboro from Asheville, North Carolina, with minors in Fashion, Dance, and Media Studies. He is beyond excited to be involved in Rough Magic as the brave and great Caius Marcius and then to slither back on as the transformed, nasty Lizard Caliban. He could have been previously seen as Laurant Tartuffe’s wicked little servant in Tartuffe. He could also have been seen in Everybody as one of the creepy crawlies B, and later getting lost as Senses. He is so ready for everyone to experience such a fun and awesome adventure that Rough Magic will offer. He is so grateful for this opportunity and would like to thank all of his professors and friends, as well as the cast for being such great people. You can often find Keagan doing activities like rating films on Letterboxd and listening and dancing to his favorite K-Pop groups Newjeans! (Ditto!)

Kalib D. Cormican (Ariel) is a senior BA Drama major with a minor in Interdisciplinary Art & Social Practice. He is originally from Marion, North Carolina. This is his second time acting in a UNCG season production. Other acting credits include Dogs Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead (Beethoven), Everybody (Mind/Evil), Swing of the Sea (Eggs), and Twelfth Night (Sebastian). This past spring, he directed a 10-minute play for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF). At the same festival, he devised and performed Momento, an ensemble-built piece, and received a Devised Theatre Initiative Certificate of Engagement. When he’s not acting, Kalib enjoys directing and building stories from different perspectives. Outside of his busy schedule, he enjoys spending time with loved ones, traveling, and playing Pokémon. This process has been amazing, and he is very grateful to the cast, crew, designers, Aaron, and everyone involved for making this possible. He would like to thank his friends, family, and professors for their never-ending support. Please enjoy the “primal annihilator”.

Xavier Devault (Magaera) is a second year BA Drama Major here at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. They are beyond excited to be a part of Rough Magic. This is their second production here at UNCG. Their other credit here at the university is playing the Usher in our production of Everybody. They would like to thank their parents for always being an amazing suppot. They are also so grateful for such a wonderful cast and crew.

Brianna Hucke (Linda Summers) is a senior BFA Acting major with a minor in dance and is so excited to bring this character to life. Previously, she has been seen on the UNCG stage as Flipote in Tartuffe, a zombie in Night of the Living Dead, Asha in Blood at the Root, and a chorus member in The Passion of Antígona Pérez. As well as Patty in the mainstage film production, Uncharted Potential. She would like to thank her parents, grandparents, and all her friends who have traveled to see the show, and her roommates who are always there for her. As well as all her professors who have supported her for the past four years.

Aidan Kinsey (Caliban) is a senior BA Drama major with a minor in Media Studies here at UNCG. His most notable roles include Somebody/Skeleton, in Everybody, Luke, in I Heart Collaboration, and Matt, in Dog Sees God. When he isn’t on stage, he’s probably working, reading, playing guitar, cooking, or writing. Aidan’s goal as an artist is to “create a community that spreads joy and hope.” He says, “these two things are at the core of theatre. Even if the play is sad, or even a bit silly. All theatre is a celebration of what it means to be human, and as such, it should be respected and protected.”

Brie Moon (Sasia/Fight Captain) is a second year BFA Musical Theatre student. Previously, Brie was a dance captain here at UNCG’s Side Show, Sally Bowles/Kit Kat Dancer at CHS, and Amy in Stolen Moon at the Charlottesville Playwrights Collective. She is forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a play this semester and learn from a new professor/director, and be included in a new process besides a musical! Enjoy the show!

Gavin Nourse (Prospero) is a senior BFA Acting major at UNC Greensboro. He has previously worked with the School of Theatre onstage in Much Ado About Nothing, Where-Else, and onscreen in I <3 Collaboration. He has been enthralled in the realm of fantasy seen in Rough Magic and is grateful for the opportunity to find truth in this world of magic. A huge thank you to the wonderful designers, technicians, and stage management who have made this show possible.

Malcolm Riley (Chet Baxter) is a sophomore BFA Acting major. His previous shows at UNCG include The Lightning Thief (Kurt Cobain) and Everybody (Lottery Character). When not acting, he enjoys walking, breathing, and replaying Breath of the Wild. He gives his biggest thanks to Aaron Sparks, Emily Soltes, Zoe O’Neal, and Sophie Ellenberger for bringing such a whimsical show to life, and to his fellow cast members for keeping the magic alive throughout the rehearsal process.

Jayveon Southerland (Shylock) is grateful to be a part of another production here at UNCG. He is a senior BA Drama major with a minor in Media Studies. Previous UNCG credits include Last Stop on Market Street (CJ U/S), Twelfth Night (Orsino), Bright Precious Things: An Adaptation of The Great Gatsby (Nick & George), The Accident (Tim), and his original work Good Kid, Mad City (Xavier), featured in the New Play Festival. Jayveon would like to thank his family and friends for their support, as well as the cast and crew for an amazing experience bringing this show to life! @jayyveonn on Instagram.

Cinnamon Stoner (Melanie Porter) is so happy to be a part of this production of Rough Magic with the rest of this wonderful cast. Cinnamon is a senior BFA Acting major at UNCG. You may have seen her before as Vernon in Last Stop on Market Street or as Nana in School Girls; The African Mean Girls Play, for which she was awarded “Distinguished Actor in a Play” from the Kennedy Center. Cinnamon is also the vice president of Spartaneous, UNCG’s Improvisational Comedy Troupe. You can follow her on instagram @cinnamonamonamon. Cinnamon would like to thank the entire cast and crew for making this magical show possible. She also wants to thank her family, friends, and fellow RAs (thanks for covering my duty shifts guys) for all their support. She knows you will enjoy the show. The Book of Destiny foretells it!

Jocelyn Stribling (Tisiphone) Jocelyn is a third-year senior BA Drama major who is thrilled to join the wonderful company of Rough Magic. You might have seen her in previous shows at UNCG, like: Galatea: Or Whatever You Be, Last Stop on Market Street, the staged reading of The Great Gatsby adaptation Bright Precious Things, and most recently in Everybody. She would like to thank her friends and family for their continued support. As well as a special thank you to her mom for always being her number one fan and biggest supporter.

Maiah Vargas (Miranda) is a second year B.A Drama student with a minor in Arts Administration here at UNCG. She is thrilled to be able to perform alongside her peers and is excited to make her debut on the UNCG mainstage. She would like to thank her friends and family for their encouragement and support throughout the years.

Kenna Wells (Tracy/Dr. Rosemary Ridgeon) is a second year BFA Musical Theatre Major. She is ecstatic to be a part of her first play at UNCG. She would like to extend a special thanks to her family and friends for always supporting her dreams. In addition, she would like to thank the cast and crew for making this an unforgettable experience and her professors for their continued guidance. @thekennawells

Carman Banser (Dramaturg) is a 4^th-year BA Drama major completing his last year in undergrad. This is his 8^th production with the School of Theatre, and he is proud to support this amazing cast as their Wardrobe Supervisor, Dramaturg, and member of the Social Media team.

Sophie Ellenberger (Assistant Director) is a third-year BA Drama major with a minor in Media Studies. Sophie’s previous credits include work on Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Carrie, and The New Play Festival, and she is ecstatic to be making her assistant directorial debut at UNCG! Sophie would like to thank Aaron Sparks, the amazing cast and crew, and her parents for all their support.

Zoë Glover (Assistant Stage Manager) is a second year pursuing a BFA Drama, Design and Technical Production major focusing on Stage Management. Previous credits include Everybody (Assistant Stage Manager) and School Girls; or The African Mean Girls Play (Sound Board Operator). She extends her gratitude to the cast, crew, and creative team.

Peyton Hiller (Assistant Costume Designer) is a senior BA Drama major with a minor in psychology. She has worked on other productions at UNCG, such as Side Show and Carrie: The Musical. She is excited to work alongside the costume designer for Rough Magic, and would like to thank her professors, family and cat for the opportunities at UNCG.

Percy Sluder (Lighting Designer) is a fourth-year BFA Design and Technical Production Major. Percy just completed a summer tour as a lighting technician for the Illusionist Brad Ross. In the past year, Percy served as a Lighting Designer for School of Theatre’s Everybody, the Production Electrician for Much Ado About Nothing, and designed a handful of pieces in collaboration with graduate student choreographers for the School of Dance’s BFA Thesis Concert ambedescent. As a Lighting Undergraduate Assistant, Percy can be found hanging lights, managing cable, and wrangling LED Tape for a plethora of School of Theatre productions- including the recent ReformED and Sweeney Todd. They look forward to their seventh UNCG electrics assignment this semester for Discovering Blackness, as well as designing lights for UNCG’s production of Frankenstein in the spring. They are forever grateful for the support of friends, faculty members, and family in allowing them to pursue their love of Technical Theatre.

Emily Soltes (Production Stage Manager) is a third year pursuing a BFA Drama, Design and Technical Production major, with a focus in Stage Management. Her previous credits include Everybody (Production Stage Manager), Much Ado About Nothing (Assistant Stage Manager), The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (Assistant Stage Manager), Tartuffe (Stage Crew). Emily would like to thank her family, friends, and fellow company members for making this a very magical and memorable experience.

Erik Thorson (Sound Designer) is very excited to have worked on Rough Magic. He is currently in his second year as a BFA Design and Technical Production major, focusing on sound. This is his first time working as a sound designer, and he has previously worked as a sound engineer for Everybody. He hopes you all enjoy the production!

Ella Zenzen (Costume Designer) is a student at UNCG School of Theatre. Ella has worked on several UNCG productions in a design capacity, including Carrie and Princess Fearless. This is her final show with UNCG as a student. She graduates in December 2025.