Nafeesa Monroe (Calpurnia, Trebonius, Messala)

New York Classical Theatre debut. New York: Proof (Classics in Color & Quicksilver Theatre Company). International: Trouble in Mind, Cyrano, Sonny’s Blues (Shaw Festival). Regional: Kudzu Calling (Alabama Shakespeare Company); Still (Premiere Stages); Top Girls (A.C.T.); Sweat (Pioneer Theatre Company); Disgraced (Pittsburgh Public Theatre). TV/Film: “Manifest,” “The Punisher,” “Blue Bloods,” “HBO’s Def Poetry.”  MFA from The Academy for Classical Acting at GW University, BA from Wesleyan University (CT), graduate of The Meisner School of Acting. Nafeesa is the founder and Artistic Director of Classics in Color: An INclusive Theatre Company. 

Carine Montbertrand (Cassius)

New York Classical Theatre (Artistic Associate): All’s Well That Ends Well (Countess/Widow), Henry IV (Mistress Quickly, Worcester). Off-Broadway: Resident Acting Company, Classical Theatre of Harlem, The Acting Company, Soho Rep. Regional: Tales from the Guttenberg Bible (George Street/Bay Street Theatre); Comedy of Tenors (Florida Rep); Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Baltimore Center Stage); Private Lives (Hartford Stage); A Flea in her Ear (Westport Country Playhouse); Fool (Alley Theatre); Sherlock Holmes, Othello (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park); Pioneer; Rep/Shakespeare St. Louis, ATL, UDRep. Audiobooks: Recorded Books, Penguin Random House Audio, Audible. TV/ Film: “Neuman,” “The Red Shoe,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “As the World  Turns.”

Oneika Phillips (Brutus)

New York Classical Theatre debut. Broadway: FELA!, 1776, Spongebob Squarepants, Amazing Grace, Violet (Asst. Choreographer). Off-Broadway: Black No More (Signature Theatre); Watch Night (Perelman Arts Center–PAC NYC); Movies, TV Mayhem (Theatre Row); Forces of Nature Dance Theatre. Regional: Merry Wives (Shakespeare Theatre Company DC); A Room In the Castle (Folger Shakespeare Library); 1776 (American Repertory Theatre). *National/^International Tours: *1776; ^West Side Story; *^FELA!. Television: “The Tonys,” “Macy’s Day Parade,” “Spongebob Squarepants The Musical,” “GMA.” Honors: Astaire Award Outstanding Female Dancer/Ensemble (Broadway - FELA!), CBN Island Icon Arts Excellence Nominee, First Grenadian Woman on Broadway.

Briana Gibson Reeves (Portia, Ligarius, Cinna the Poet, Strato)

New York Classical Theatre (Artistic Associate): All’s Well That Ends Well (Lavatch, Lady B Dumaine), Henry IV (Lady Percy, Bardolph), Richard III (King Edward IV, Catesby, Archbishop). Off-Broadway: Made by God (Irish Repertory Theatre). National Tour: Amazing Grace. Regional: Becky Nurse of Salem (Capital Rep); Flyin’ West (Everyman Theatre); Stick Fly (Meadow Brook Theatre); As You Like It, Jane Austen’s Emma, Man of La Mode, Richard III (American Shakespeare Center); Moliere’s Don Juan (Taffety Punk). MFA from Academy of Classical Acting at George Washington University and BS Hampton University.

Nick Salamone (Soothsayer, Lucius, Casca, Lepidus)

New York Classical Theatre (Artistic Associate): All’s Well That Ends Well (King of France), Henry IV (King Henry IV), Cymbeline (Cymbeline), King Lear (2021: Gloucester, 2009: Cornwall), Romeo & Juliet (Capulet, Mercutio), The Rivals (Sir Lucius O'Tigger), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Egeus, Peter Quince, Fairy), The Taming of the Shrew (Baptista), As You Like It (Duke Frederick, Corin), The Seagull (Dorn), Playing Moliere (Moliere, La Grange, Sganarelle), The Tempest (Antonio), The School for Husbands (Sganarelle), Twelfth Night (Sea Captain, Fabian), Henry V (Archbishop of Canterbury), Richard III (Stanley), Hamlet (Marcellus, Player King, Priest). New York: Loyalty (Hudson Guild, Summerfest Best Actor Award); Macbeth 3 (HERE); Hillary Agonistes (Bleecker Street); Nightshift (Westbeth); Design for Living (Masterworks). Los Angeles: SWIPE (TicketHolder Award, best solo performance), Billy Boy, Red Hat & Tales, Riffs & Credos, Whale Watchers (Playwrights’ Arena); Dogeaters (Kirk Douglas, Backstage West nom.); Arturo Ui (Classical Theatre Lab, Backstage West nom.); Glengarry Glen Ross (Egyptian Arena); The Tempest (Taper Amphitheatre); Medea (Boston Court); Garden (Coast Playhouse); All Souls’ Day (Heliotrope, LA Weekly nom.); The Dying Gaul, Barefoot Boy, Kennedy’s Children. UK: Red Hat & Tales (British Stage Award nom.); Macbeth, Bill and Eddie, Sherlock Holmes: The Three Students. Film: “Nine Lives”, “All Kinds of Love” (Best Ensemble, Long Beach QFilm Festival).

Clay Storseth (Julius Cæsar)

New York Classical Theatre (Artistic Associate): Romeo & Juliet (2025 with Prague Shakespeare Festival, 2018: Montague, Paris, Apothecary), All’s Well That Ends Well (Lafeu), Henry IV (Assistant Voice & Speech Coach), King Lear (2020: Albany, 2009: Albany), The Importance of Being Earnest (Two Ways: Miss Prism, Dr. Chasuble), Macbeth (Banquo), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theseus/Oberon), Measure for Measure (Duke Vincentio), As You Like It (Jaques), The Tempest (Alonso), Twelfth Night (Orsino), Henry V (Exeter), Richard III (King Edward IV), Hamlet (Barnardo, Player Queen, Osric), Cymbeline (Pisanio), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Don Armado). Regional: The Waterfront Playhouse, A Noise Within, Laguna Playhouse, Musical Theater West, ICT, and Will & Company. Playwright’s Arena’s world premiere of Three (Tuzenbach) by Nick Salamone. Clay has been in nine productions at the Edinburgh Fringe, including Nick Salamone’s Fringe First Award winning musical Moscow. TV/Film: “Star Trek: Voyager.” Clay is a CalArts Grad.

Stephen Burdman (Director)

New York Classical Theatre: Romeo & Juliet (2025 with Prague Shakespeare Festival, 2018), All’s Well That Ends Well, Henry IV, Richard III, The Rewards of Being Frank (co-produced with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company), Cymbeline, King Lear (2021, 2020 Zoom workshop, 2009); The Importance of Being Earnest (Two Ways, 2019 Best Show TheatreScene.net), Macbeth (2017, 2008, 2001), The Rivals, The Winter’s Tale (2016, 2004), Measure for Measure, As You Like It (2014, 2005), The Seagull, Malvolio’s Revenge (workshop), A {15-Min!} Christmas Carol, Twelfth Night (2012, 2002), Playing Moliere, Henry V (New York Times Critic’s Pick), The School for Husbands, Much Ado About Nothing (2010, 2003), Hamlet, Misalliance, Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Comedy of Errors, Mary Stuart, Scapin, The Feigned Courtesans, The Triumph of Love, The Taming of the Shrew, King Ubu, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Producer: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, The Tempest, The Rover, Richard III, Cymbeline, The Recruiting Officer, All’s Well That Ends Well. Selected productions: Cymbeline (NYU), The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Waiting for Godot, Hamlet (Outstanding Production 1994 Season, Los Angeles Times), Three Sisters. MFA from the University of California, Irvine, and graduate of the National Theater Institute. Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society since 1994. Recipient of 2022 Sidney Berger award from the Shakespeare Theatre Association for outstanding talent and commitment to the works of William Shakespeare. All my love to Adena (my wife) and son, Zeke, who are the guiding stars of my life.

Garvin Hastings (Production Designer)

New York Classical Theatre: All’s Well That Ends Well, Henry IV. New York: Hungry Women (Soho Playhouse); The Learned Ladies of Park Avenue, The Shadow of a Gunman, An Domstol/En Anderssen, Pericles (NYU Tisch). Regional: Frankenstein (Studio Tenn Theatre Company); The Crucible, On The Lake (Syracuse Stage). TV/Film: “Major Barbara,” “Floating Carousel.” MFA from NYU Tisch and BFA from Syracuse University.

Stephanie Klapper (Casting Director) and New York Classical Theatre (Artistic Associate)

42 productions from 2003-2026 plus numerous readings and workshops. Proud NY Classical Gala Honoree 2022. Stephanie is ecstatic to continue her long-time collaboration with Stephen Burdman and New York Classical Theatre. SKC’s award-winning work is often seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally, internationally, film, and television, and streaming platforms. Klapper Casting is an Independent Casting Group, known for their limitless imagination and creativity on a wide range of projects. Stephanie, along with her exceptional team, is dedicated to continuing to expand and champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in the business and is passionate about arts education. Co-host of the podcast Someone’s Thunder. For Bob and Florence, always. klappercasting.com.

Nora Leonhardt (Voice & Speech Coach)

 New York Classical Theatre (Artistic Associate): All’s Well That Ends Well, Henry IV, Richard III, King Lear. Other: Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare@/The Curtain Theatre); The Outsiders (Holmdel Theatre Company, NJ). London: Juliet of the Spirits (London Metropolitan Theatre). MFA in Voice Studies from Central School of Speech and Drama and a BA in Theater from CUNY Lehman College in New York. Certified in Fitzmaurice Voicework. She currently teaches at Pace University. Previously teaching positions: American Academy of Dramatic Arts (NY), E15 Acting Conservatory (South-End-On-Sea, U.K.), and CASS School-London Metropolitan University (U.K.).

Sean Michael Chin (Fight Director)

New York Classical Theatre (Artistic Associate): Henry IV, Richard III, Cymbeline, King Lear, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Henry V. NYC: Othello (Broadway), The Good John Proctor (Bedlam); black odyssey (Classic Stage Company); Jane Anger (New Ohio Theater); Dracula (Classic Stage Company); Coriolanus (The Public); home/sick (The Assembly). Regional: Medea (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Jane Anger (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Romeo & Juliet (Hartford Stage). International: Medea (Greek National Opera). Figh Director and Certified Teacher, SAFD. Sean teaches stage combat at Muhlenberg College and Pace University, serves as Resident Fight Director for Mercury Store, and is an Associate Choreographer with SDC.

Alexandra Janowski (Design Assistant)

New York Classical Theatre debut. New York: Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (Friends Seminary); Elemental (Assistant Set Designer/Costume Designer, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club). Educational Theatre: Fugue State, You Got Older, The Doctor’s Dilemma (Tisch School of the Arts). Film: “Fire Eyes,” “Parkside East,” “Siblings,” “Motherhood,” “Baroque.”

Matt Chapman (Literary Director)

Matthieu Chapman is an author, dramaturg, director, and editor who is an Associate Professor of Theatre at the State University of New York at New Paltz. He holds an MFA from Mary Baldwin University's Shakespeare in Performance Program and a Ph.D. in Theatre and Performance Theory from UC San Diego. He is the author of three books Shakespeare and Antiblack World-Making (Palgrave MacMillan, 2025), Shattered: Fragments of a Black Life (WVU Press, 2023), and Antiblack Racism in Early Modern English Drama: The Other "Other” (Routledge, 2017). He is the co-editor along with Anna Wainwright of Teaching Race in the Early Modern World: A Classroom Guide (ACMRS Press, 2023). He has also published articles in Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England, Theatre Topics, Shakespeare, Literature Compass, TheatreForum, Theatre History Studies, Early Theatre, and others. His creative writing and essays have been featured in Callaloo, Pithead Chapel, Prose Online, Beyond Words, Revolute, and the Huffington Post.

Arielle Legere (Production Stage Manager, she/they)

New York Classical Theatre debut. New York: Dating Comprehension (Dramatists Guild Foundation); In Search of Elaina (Drift In, Act Out); Sustainable Fashion is a Drag, Sustainable Fashion is a Cabaret (zero waste daniel for NYFW); The Devouring (Paradise Club at The Times Square EDITION). Regional: Next to Normal, In The Heights, 25th Annual…Spelling Bee (Connecticut Stage Company); Tiny Beautiful Things, The Christmas Show Must Go On, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rabbit Summer, The Christmas Tree Farm, Funny Like An Abortion (world premiere), Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, The Burdens, 5 Times in One Night (Mile Square Theatre); The 24 Hour Plays: Hoboken (24 Hour Plays Co); box. bag— & blood (Edinburgh Fringe). All my love to Dan and Lola—you are my heart!

Yetti Steinman (Supervising Producer/Company Manager)

New York Classical Theatre (Artistic Associate): All’s Well That Ends Well, Henry IV, Richard III, Cymbeline, King Lear, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, The Rivals, The Winter’s Tale, Measure for Measure, As You Like It, A {15-Min!} Christmas Carol, The Tempest. Broadway: The Father (MTC). Off-Broadway: someone spectacular; Rinse, Repeat; Popcorn Falls (dir. Christian Borle); The Ruins of Civilization, Taking Care of Baby (MTC); The Gravedigger’s Lullaby, She Stoops to Conquer, Hard Love (TACT); A Man’s A Man (CSC); The Jammer (Atlantic). Other: The Enlightenment of Mr. Mole (B.H. Barry Production); A Streetcar Named Desire, She Stoops to Conquer, Three Hotels (Williamstown). TV Script Supervisor: Oscars, Tonys, Space Launch Live (Emmy Award), New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, A Capital 4th, NBA All-Stars, NASCAR Awards.

Colin Knapp (Director of Development and Communications)

Colin Knapp is the Director of Development and Communications at New York Classical Theatre, where he leads fundraising and audience engagement initiatives to support the company’s mission of providing free, accessible theatre to New Yorkers. His career spans leadership roles at the Metropolitan Opera, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Detroit Opera, where he specialized in donor cultivation, audience development, and strategic marketing partnerships. Colin holds a Master of Arts Administration from Indiana University and dual Bachelor of Music degrees in Organ Performance and Music Theory from the University of Michigan. A passionate advocate for the transformative power of the arts, Colin is also an organist, carillonneur, and composer—and a proud cat dad to Papageno and dog dad to Lady.

Lacey Szerlip (Assistant Stage Manager)

New York Classical Theatre debut. New York: DOOM: House of Hope (Park Avenue Armory). Regional: Wine in the Wilderness (Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum); What Will Happen to All That Beauty? (CATF); Sunday in the Park (Axelrod Performing Arts Center); Polar Express Train Ride (Rail Events Inc.); We Will Rock You, The Gift, Invitation to Dance (Royal Caribbean); On the Verge, Peter and the Starcatcher (Commonweal Theatre Company). BA from SUNY Purchase. So thankful for everything and everyone that has been with me through my journey.

Aleyna Karaca (Wardrobe Supervisor)

New York Classical Theatre debut. Off-Broadway: The Weir, The Honeytrap, It’s a Wonderful Life, Ulster American, The Approach (Irish Repertory Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (The Public Mobile Unit); The Ally (The Public). She holds a BA from the University of Virginia and an MFA in Musical Theater Writing from NYU.

Michael Devereaux (Production Assistant)

New York Classical Theatre debut. New York: Our Class, The Merchant of Venice (Classic Stage Company); Last Call (New World Stages). Regional: Our Class (Calderwood Pavilion, Z-Space SF), Eastline Theatre. Proud double grad of  Loyola University Maryland. Love and gratitude to family, friends, and Miranda!

Zoe Gray (Production Assistant)

New York Classical Theatre debut. New York: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Macbeth (Warp & Weft Co.); The Tempest, Henry IV, Part 1 (Foul Fiend Theatre Troupe); Romeo and Juliet (The Pop-Up Players). MA from Shakespeare’s Globe/King’s College and BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Co-founder and Artistic Director of Foul Fiend Theatre Troupe.

Penelope Jae Caswell (Run Crew)

New York Classical Theatre debut.  TV/Film: “The Welcome Table,” “Ping Pong and Everything Else,” “The Waiting Room.” 2026 graduate from Tulane University with a BA in Design & Psychology and a minor in French. Excited to join the crew at NY Classical and contribute to this season’s productions.

Emmett Schatell-Prince (Run Crew)

New York Classical Theatre: All’s Well That Ends Well. [New York: The Prodigal Son (NEST Theater); Hole in the Wall (ASU Theater). TV/Film: “Bury Your Gaze,” “Suitcase,” “Bloody Drunk.”]

Lauren Silverstein (Run Crew)

New York Classical Theatre debut. New York: Is He Gay? (All Out Arts). Virtual Production: Confessions of a College Student (Talking it Out: Virtual Arts Festival). Educational: Freedom to Fly, A Classic Love Story, Blind Dancing. BA from Muhlenberg College. Lauren is so excited to be part of this fantastic production.