Professor Kash is grateful to collaborate with this exceptional cast and imaginative production team on Peter and the Starcatcher.

At Heidelberg University, Ms. Kash has directed Alice, The Prom, Into the Woods, Godspell, Assassins, Wendy and Peter Pan, SpongeBob the Musical, Macbeth, and Measure for Measure, and choreographed Fiorello! She is now in her fourth year as Associate Professor and Director of Theatre at Heidelberg, marking her twentieth year as a full-time university educator. Karla feels deeply fortunate to be part of the Heidelberg community in Tiffin.

A professional director and choreographer, Ms. Kash is a proud member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers. She is also a professional actor and a member of Actors’ Equity Association. She is trained in intimacy direction and is a fight director certified in six weapons through the Society of American Fight Directors. She is becoming a certified teacher of the Michael Chekhov Technique and is certified in Mental Health First Aid.

Some of her favorite acting roles include Barbara in August: Osage County (Repertory Theatre of Iowa); Susan in [title of show] and Becca in Rabbit Hole (StageWest); Diana in Next to Normal (Des Moines Onstage); Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet (American Theatre of Actors, NYC), where she also served as fight director; and Martha in A Piece of My Heart (Metropolitan Playhouse, NYC). One of the most profound experiences of her career was playing Josie in A Moon for the Misbegotten opposite her mentor, the late Jonathan McMurtry, at North Coast Repertory Theatre under the direction of David Ellenstein.

Her favorite professional directing, choreography, and fight direction credits include Parade, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Spring Awakening, and Avenue Q (StageWest); West Side Story, Rock of Ages, and The Wedding Singer (Des Moines Playhouse); The Glass Menagerie, Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, and Twelfth Night (Repertory Theatre of Iowa); The World Goes ’Round (International Lyric Academy, Italy); and Shipwrecked! (Black Hills Playhouse). A career highlight was serving as fight director for the Broadway National Tour of La Cage Aux Folles.

Ms. Kash earned her BFA in Acting with emphases in Dance, Directing, and Musical Theatre from Wright State University and her MFA in Acting with a focus in Classical Theatre and Movement Studies from Brandeis University. Her proudest career accomplishment remains receiving the distinguished Madlyn Levitt Mentor of the Year Award at Drake University, where she also earned tenure.

 

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Alexa “Lex” Lowery she/her (Production Manager) born in Piqua, OH is excited to work with students on Peter & the Starcatcher as well as Spring Awakening this Fall 26’ semester. Lex is Faculty at Heidelberg University and works in Admissions as a ‘Transfer & Graduate Enrollment Counselor’ as well as an ‘Adjunct Professor of Theatre’. This semester she is teaching a ‘Theatre Production’ class and next semester she will teach ‘Advanced On-Camera Acting’. Lex is also involved at the Ritz Community Theatre in Tiffin: She recently worked as Assistant Lighting Designer for 9 to 5 Musical and was on stage as Katherine Wiley in Radium Girls. She has her BA from The Ohio State University and MFA from Loyola Marymount University. Lex recently moved back to Ohio from Los Angeles, CA where she spent 11years as a working Actress, Intimacy Coordinator. Director, Producer, and Casting Assistant. Credits available on IMDB: www.imdb.me/alexalowery Lex is excited to bring a bit of Hollywood to Heidelberg!!! Lex is also repped as a Commercial Actress through Professionally Pretty and is looking forward to working as Costume Designer next Spring 27’ for HU’s Production of Shrek.

 

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Dr. Doug McConnell is Professor Emeritus of Composition and Music at Heidelberg University; his compositions have been performed throughout the U.S. and internationally. Doug has written for a variety of performing mediums, but he especially enjoys writing for voices; his work in this area includes a variety of works for choirs. He has also composed several song cycles and collections, based on poetry by Langston Hughes, Sara Teasdale and William Reyer. Dr. McConnell continues to compose incidental music/sound design for the Heidelberg Theatre program. Recent shows include The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Oedipus Rex, Lysistrata, Eurydice, Measure for Measure, The Trojan Women, Macbeth, Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass and Peter and the Stargazer. 

 

Dr. McConnell’s CD/steaming project, While I Run This Race was released in November 2025; it includes two major chamber works (Langston’s Lot, for tenor voice, alto saxophone, piano), and While I Run this Race, for piano trio. Both compositions have been performed at Heidelberg. The release also features two organ pieces performed by his wife Joan. For information on how to order a CD or digital copy, please contact AMP Recordings (https://www.amp-recordings.com). CD copies are also available for purchase in the Heidelberg Bookstore. The release can be heard on the major streaming services. 

 

 

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Carol Dusdieker, is so excited to join the cast and crew of Peter and the Starcatcher as Music Director. It has been an absolute delight collaborating with Karla Kash and Doug McConnell, as we bring to life this rowdy group of Pirates, Orphans, Sailors and More.  It is a joy to be behind the piano for this production, sharing her passion for healthy vocal production that supports creative character development.  Thank you to our cast, crew and production team for the opportunity and outstanding artistic vision and collaboration.  

 

 

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Hannah Lewis (Production Stage Manager, Props Designer, Co-Dialects Designer, Assistant Fight Director) is a senior musical theatre major from Solon, Ohio and she is thrilled to be doing her first show as a Production Stage Manager. Hannah also has appeared in various productions on the Heidelberg stage including Into the Woods (The Witch), Macbeth (Banquo), Legally Blonde (Vivienne), Trojan Women (Cassandra), Sweet Delilah Swim Club (Vernidette),The Half Life of Marie Curie (Marie), Assassin's (Squeaky), and Measure for Measure (Lucio). She has also worked as props, dramaturg, stage management, dialect designer, assistant intimacy director and more on 15 separate productions since coming to Heidelberg and has loved the opportunity to work on both sides of the curtain. Hannah is also in concert choir, studio to stage, make a scene, and is the president of Alpha Psi Omega (our theatre honorary). Hannah is so appreciative of the trust the cast and crew has put in her for this production and is grateful for everyone's hard work. Most of all she wants to thank her family for all their support as she pursues her dreams. She hopes you enjoy the show!!!

 

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Lily Brown she/they (Assistant Director) is so excited to begin her junior year with this fabulous show! Lily is a Musical Theatre and Music double major. At Heidelberg, she has previously performed in Legally Blonde (Elle’s Mom), Trojan Women (Greek Chorus), and Godspell (Ensemble). Her previous production roles have included The Prom (Dramaturg), and The Sweet Delilah Swim Club (Assistant Stage Manager). Outside the theatre, Lily is involved in the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, as well as Delta Sigma Chi sorority! She’d like to thank the entire cast and crew for all of their excellent work putting this together, and she hopes everyone enjoys the show!

 

 

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Ethan Kohler (ASM) is a Junior double major in history and education. At Heidelberg, he has performed in “Legally Blonde” (ensemble), “Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass” (March Hare, Haigha, Aged Aged Man, etc) and enjoyed being a member of the crew for “Into the Woods”. He wants to thank Karla Kash and the production team for the opportunity to work with them. He is also a member of the Heidelberg Concert and Chamber choirs, President of Alpha Phi Tau Fraternity and a Zeta Ember. Enjoy the show!

 

 

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Kendall Randolph she/her (Assistant Stage Manager) is a first-year English and education major with a theater and art minor from Wadsworth, Ohio. She is excited to begin her first year with Heidelberg Theatre and continue growing as a performer and artist. Kendall’s previous theatre credits include Lost Girl (Wendy Darling), A Wrinkle in Time (Ensemble/Aunt Beast), The Holiday Channel Christmas Movie Wonderthon (Sound Technician), and The Waiting Room (Student Director). She was also involved in Speech & Debate, marching band, and Wind Ensemble throughout high school. Kendall is grateful for the opportunity to begin this new chapter at Heidelberg and would like to thank her family, friends, and mentors for their continued support.

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Sue Hlavinka is thrilled to be back at Heidelberg University as a guest lighting, costume, and set designer for Peter and the Starcatcher! After spending the last few years designing, teaching, building, painting, and generally making technical theatre happen at Heidelberg with the help of her students, Sue has headed west to join the faculty at Western Colorado University as a Lecturer in Immersive Arts & Technical Theatre. Her work at Heidelberg has included scenic, lighting, and costume design, and she is happiest when a good story, a crazy idea, and a pile of materials collide.

At Western, Sue continues to carry with her the question that has always been at the heart of her work as a designer and educator: “What if?” What if we tried something a little different? What if the impossible became possible? And what if a crazy idea turns into something magical onstage?

 

Sue is especially grateful to Karla for inviting her back for this wonderfully imaginative adventure. 

And because apparently one Heidelberg adventure at a time is not enough, Sue will be back as the scenic designer for Shrek the Musical in the spring. She may have headed west, but clearly she hasn’t completely left the Berg quite yet!

 

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Addison Miller she/her (Scenic Charge) is thrilled to be working behind the scenes of Peter and the Starcatcher!  This is Addison’s first time being scenic charge and she absolutely loves it. She has always been a lover of art and has taken many classes throughout her life. You may have seen her onstage last year in Into the Woods as Little Red Riding Hood and she is currently working on Heidelberg’s black box musical Ordinary Days where she plays the role of Deb. Addison is looking forward to the year ahead and hopes you enjoy Peter and the Starcatcher! 

 

 

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Dylan Reid (He/Him) (Technical director, Master electrician, Head carpenterIs a current Sophomore Theater Production major with a concentration in Technical direction and a minor in music at Heidelberg University. He is excited for this production to come alive into the blackbox, this is one of his favorite shows and one of his dream shows to Technical direct.. Some of his other works at Heidelberg include: Legally Blonde(Head carpenter, light board operator, Co-sound engineer/Co-sound board operator, Master rigger), 5 Lesbians eating a Quiche(Master Electrician, Assistant carpenter), Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors (Head Carpenter, Master electrician), Macbeth(Co-Production Stage Manager, Head carpenter, Master electrician), Alice(Head carpenter, Master electrician), Superhero (Head carpenter, Master electrician, Master A/V Technician, Sound Engineer), Shrek. Jr(Head carpenter, Master electrician, fly operator), Into the Woods(Head carpenter, Master electrician, Co-sound board operator, spotlight operator, Head of special effects), Peter and the starcatcher(Sound-Engineer, Master electrician, Head carpenter)

He hopes you enjoy the show.