Scenes from Shakespeare tracking a soldier’s experience.

Arranged by Richard Wirth, David Hanauer, Matthew Imholte, Chris Bennett, and Gary Pullen, of Olive Branch & Laurel Crown

Directed by Lauren Davis
Stage Managed by Eli Bendel-Simso
Costumes by Sandra Spence
Sound and Projections by Tessara Morgan

Produced by Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, The Studio
Ian Gallanar Founding Artistic Director
Lesley Malin Producing Executive Director
Ron Heneghan Director of Education

CAST
Christopher Bennett +
Brian Caelleigh
David Hanauer +
Matthew Imholte +
Matt Melenas
Gary Pullen +
Richard Wirth +

+ member of Olive Branch & Laurel Crown

Christopher Bennett + (Ensemble)
OBLC: Fluellen, Henry V; The Road to Bedlam. CSC Mainstage: Measure for Measure. CSC Summer HS Ensemble: Dogberry, Much Ado About Nothing. Grassroots Shakespeare DC: Grave Digger, Gildenstern, Hamlet. Walter Reed/CSC/Creative Forces: Puck, Lysander, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Retired US Army. Lives in Sykesville, MD.

Brian Caelleigh (Ensemble)
OBLC: Debut. Local: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Imagination Stage; War of the Worlds, Scena Theatre; Major Barbara, Pallas Theatre Collective; Hedda Gabler, Quotidian Theatre Company; Nero/Pseudo, WSC Avant Bard; Normal, Molotov Theatre Group. Los Angeles: Seminar, Flat Tire Theatre; Henry V, Pretend Productions; The Study, MB Stage Productions; A Completely Unauthorised David Lynch Christmas Carol, Defiance Theatre Company. Film/TV (selected): US Navy Seals: America’s Secret Warriors (Peacock Productions), Death on Arrival/ Recoil (Go Go Guppie Productions)

David Hanauer + (Ensemble) Ensemble Manager
OBLC: Henry V, Road to Bedlam.
CSC Mainstage: Measure for Measure, A Christmas Carol (Virtual ’20).
CSC Summer HS Ensemble: Don Pedro, Much Ado About Nothing.
Local: Thomas Putnam, The Crucible, Vagabond Players; Demon/Ahmenahmenon, Hellbent, Bear Creations.
Film: Dark Room; The Unwilling (series); Kidnapped (pilot); Hustle, Life after Prison, Redemption, and Twice, for LoveStar Entertainment.
U.S. Marine veteran of The Persian Gulf War. David is very grateful for the devoted support and enthusiasm of his partner, Emily. He is so appreciative for the support, work, and commitment of Ron Heneghan and Alex Hewett in creating and nurturing OBLC, and all of the support and contributions of CSC's teaching artists, directors, and staff.

Matthew Imholte + (Ensemble)
CSC Summer HS Ensemble: Borachio, Father Francis, Much Ado About Nothing.
Walter Reed/CSC/Creative Forces: Theseus/Oberon, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Matthew spent 10 years in the US Army, with Army Space Command and then Army Reserve. BSEE from Capitol College.

Matt Melenas (Ensemble and Musician)
OBLC: Debut. Othello (Duke of Venice) at Harrogate Dramatic Society, UK; Local: The Fully Monty, Harold, Silhouette Stages; Die, Mr. Darcy, Die!, Ensemble, Walking Shadow Readers Theater; Well, Spank My …, Larry, Philadelphia Dramatists Center. Thanks to Ron Heneghan, OBLC, and my lovely wife Laura for her support and love.

Gary Pullen + (Ensemble)
OBLC: Debut Local: Titanic, Captain Smith, Heritage Players; Little Mermaid, King Triton, September Song; Guys and Dolls, Arvide, Carroll Community College.
Thanks to Ron Heneghan, OBLC, wife Jewel, son Sebastian, cats Braveheart, Jack, Max, Milo, and Dana.

Richard Wirth + (Ensemble) OBLC Artistic Coordinator
OBLC: Artistic Coordinator, Director. Henry V, The Road to Bedlam, The Two Noble Kinsmen (*2022). CSC Summer HS Ensemble: Much Ado About Nothing.
Thanks: Alexandra Hewitt, Ron Heneghan, Pamela Wirth, the Staff and Teaching Artists at CSC.

+ member of Olive Branch & Laurel Crown

Lauren Davis (Director) hails from Baltimore and is proud to be directing the players of Olive Branch and Laurel Crown. She has written and produced 3 plays. She is currently working on a web series. Her acting theater credits include Love's Labour's Lost, Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and Antony and Cleopatra (Chesapeake Shakespeare Company); Acoustic Rooster and the Banyard Boogie: Starring Indigo Blume, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (The Kennedy Center); Corduroy, Akeelah and the Bee, Shrek the Musical, The Scarecrow and His Servant, Cinderella and Charlotte’s Web (Childrens Theatre Company); Oliver! (Theater Latté Da); Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet (Pillsbury House Theatre/Guthrie Theater); Greensboro Four and American Song Book (The Smithsonian). Television credits include America’s Most Wanted (Lifetime). She holds an M.F.A. from the Catholic University of America and a theater degree from Frostburg State. She looks forward to her upcoming project with The Kennedy Center. She would like to thank God and her family for their love and support.

Eli Bendel-Simso (Stage Manager) Previous stage management credits include No, Virginia, Angels in America: Millenium Approaches, and The Light Princess, Maryland Ensemble Theatre; 8 Short Plays, The Mercury; and Shenandoah University's faculty dance show.

Tessara Morgan (Sound and Projection Design) has designed projections for her theater company, Truepenny Projects, including: Close Your Eyes And Sleep (2020* cancelled due to the pandemic) and The Epic Adventures of Elienne (2021). She thanks Lauren Davis for the recommendation, and her partner Luke for the ongoing artistic support. For more information visit: tessaralaynemorgan.com

Sandra Spence (Costume Designer) Ms. Spence has worked at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company in the position of both Hair/Makeup Designer and Costume Designer. Sandy has also designed costumes at NextStop Theatre Company, UMBC, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre and Illinois Shakespeare Festival among others. Her design experience also includes 8 years as a Fashion Designer in Seattle and New York City. Sandy was nominated for a 2019 Helen Hayes award in the Outstanding Costume Design - Helen category. She holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Utah and a MFA in Costume Design from Illinois State University. Her work can be seen at www.sandyspence.com

+ member of Olive Branch & Laurel Crown

What does it mean to be a soldier?

The actors you will see and hear on this stage tonight are all military veterans. The boots we wear and the memories we share represent our combined service in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Central America and here at home. We have all experienced first-hand, to a greater or lesser extent; the fear, the horror, the bravery, and the pride that goes hand-in-hand with military service and armed conflict. Through Shakespeare’s immortal words, we share that with you tonight.

We dedicate tonight’s performance to citizen soldiers everywhere. The everyday men and women who have answered the call to take up arms to defend, not just their lives and their land, but the universal ideals of freedom, democracy, and human dignity. They are an enduring inspiration to us and freedom loving people throughout the world.

With every passing hour, they teach us what it means “To Be a Soldier”.

— The Olive Branch and Laurel Crown, Veterans Ensemble