A Frosty Night

EMILY N. WELLS+ Director

Emily is an award-winning theatre director, creative producer and educator including a significant emphasis on new plays and musicals. She joined The Human Race Theatre Company as its 4th Artistic Director in 2022, and directed Grounded to kick off her first season followed by the world premiere of This Is Tom Jones! in 2023. Emily also directed the recent Houston Grand Opera World Premiere Another City, a new opera that tells the true stories of un-housed Houstonians. She sits on the advisory council for Sinclair Community College Fine and Performing Arts, as well as the festival selection committees for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and the New Play Exchange.  She’s often an adjudicator at Future Fest at Dayton Playhouse. Other directing credits include Wright State University, Rice University, Gulfshore Playhouse, Circuit Playhouse, Theatreworks/USA among others. She holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Memphis, a BA in Theatre from Washington University in St. Louis, and is an SDC and AEA Member. In her early career, Emily stage managed on and off Broadway, regionally and on national tours. She is proud to call Dayton home.

ALEAH VASSELL Assistant Director

Aleah (they/she) is excited to make their Assistant Director debut at HRTC! They are a Canadian born, Jamaican rooted, American based, multi-passionate theatre professional. Aleah holds a B.F.A. from Samford University and an MFA in Acting from UTK. She loves writing and directing new works about powerful women even though you will most likely find her on stage. Acting wise, Aleah has most recently been in Hands On A Hardbody at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Amen Corner at Cincinnati Shakespeare, and This Is Tom Jones! last year here at the Human Race. When they’re not doing theatre, you can find them lost in the woods with their spouse, Emme. www.aleahvassell.com.

GINA CERIMELE-MECHLEY Intimacy Director

Gina is one of the few female Fight Directors in the country with the Society of American Fight Director and is the resident Intimacy Director for The Cincinnati Opera and Cincinnati Ballet. Her work as an Intimacy Director has often been seen at The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and several high schools in the area. The respect for intimacy needs to begin early which is why she is seriously proud of the work she does for the high school programs. “It is just a kiss” is not a tolerable comment especially when it is a student’s FIRST kiss. Gina focuses much of her time on her now nationally recognized private acting studio and her theatre company, Cincinnati Actor’s Studio & Academy. Gina has been awarded The United States of America Distinguished Teacher Award, was the first recipient of the Cincinnati Arts Association Arts Educator Award, and was nominated for the “Excellence in Theatre Education Award” presented by The Tony Awards. She was just dubbed a knight by the order of The Knights of Madoc, in honor of her “work in the art of stage combat and in recognition of her fine character and enduring good will.”

MARK TYNAN Production Stage Manager

Mark is thrilled to be back in his native Ohio and able to see his great nephews, Elliott, Gabriel, Rowan, and Luca (and the rest of his family) in person rather than on the Facebook.  Mark got his BFA from Wright State University with his first two years at The Ohio State University.  He is a proud 40-year member of Actors’ Equity Association.  His career includes Radio City Music Hall, subbing on Broadway, national and international tours, regional theatre and corporate events.  It is an honor to be working with The Human Race Theatre Company, very grateful.

ERIC BARKER Scenic Designer

Eric is excited to be back with the HRTC family after a brief hiatus. He is the Assistant Professor of Scenic Design at Norther Kentucky University. His recent design credits include: Scenic Designer for The Play That Goes Wrong for NKU’s SOTA; Properties Designer & Artisan for Measure for Measure, The Three Musketeers, King Lear and Twelfth Night for Montana Shakespeare in the Park, Scenic Designer for As You Like It at The Richmond Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare In Love and As You Like It for Shakespeare Dallas; The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged for The Human Race Theatre, Romeo & Juliet and The Cay for the Indiana Repertory Theatre; King Lear and Comedy of Errors for The Richmond Shakespeare Festival; Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike for CATCO; I and You for The Repertory Theater of St Louis; The Glass Menagerie for The Human Race Theatre; Armide and The Marriage of Figaro for Opera Columbus; The Elephant Man, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Final Table and My Name is Asher Lev for CATCO; A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Titus Andronicus for The Richmond Shakespeare Festival; The Merry Wives of Windsor at Santa Cruz Shakespeare; The Marriage of Figaro, The Merry Widow, Spring Awakening and Twelfth Night at Chapman University; Twelfth Night and Macbeth for Shakespeare Orange County.

Eric received his MFA in Scenic Design from the University of California, Irvine and his BA from The Ohio State University.

AMEERA ANSARI Costume Designer

Ameera is Ohio Northern University’s Costume shop manager and Resident designer who teaches costume design and construction. She has worked as a designer and educator in theatre for 17 years. Ansari holds an M.F.A. in costume design from Illinois State University and a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University. She came from Eastern University, located outside the suburbs of Philadelphia, where she was the costume shop manager and resident designer. She is excited to be working again with The Human Race Theatre Company. She costume-designed 2023s holiday production of Reindeer Sessions. In addition, she has worked for other institutions, such as The People’s Light & Theatre Company, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Ursinus College, and The Savoy Opera. ONU costume designs include Ride the Cyclone, Ugly Lies the Bone, It Shoulda Been You, The Addams Family: The Musical, Julius Caesar, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Annual: The ONU Holiday Spectacular, Choreographers’ Showcase, Waiting for Lefty, Blocked!, The House of Bernarda Alba, Spring Awakening: the Musical (an Ezekiel 2020 board choice winner and award of distinction), Carrie: The Musical, and Hayavadana.  Her other credits include Wonderful Town, Godspell, Bell, Book, Candle, Good Person of Szechwan, Noises Off, Our Town, The Centurion, and Twelfth Night.

JESSICA ANN DRAYTON Lighting Designer

Jessica holds a BFA from Wright State University and an MFA from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Lighting Design. She is the 2024 Howell Binkley Fellowship Recipient. She has assisted on the second national tour of Hamilton and Ain’t Too Proud. Her selected lighting designs include Jersey Boys (Short North Theatre), Fat Ham, Amen Corner, Wrecking Ball, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Cincinnati Shakespeare), Beauty and the Beast, Singing in the Rain, Anxiety Project (Archbishop Alter HS), Once on This Island, Cunning Little Vixen, The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Cinderella (CCM), Winter’s Tale Remix (Epic Theatre Company, NY), Everly Brothers (Ivoryton Playhouse, CT), La Ville Morte (Catapult Opera, NY), and The Secret Garden (TheaterLab Dayton). She could not continue to pursue her craft without the love and support of her friends and family (especially Jonathan, Sophia & Nigel). Explore more of her work at DraytonDesignsLLC.com. Fiat Lux.

SYDNEY RIDDLE Assistant Lighting Designer

Sydney holds a BFA from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Lighting Design. Her lighting designs include A Wild Party, Poetry in Motion, How Deep is the Soul?, Inevitable Truth (CCM). Her assistant lighting designs include Sweet Charity, Spring Awakening, 30 Years of Stephan (CCM), and Book of Hours, Seven Sisters (Miami University Opera Theater). She also enjoys pursuing her passion for music as a trumpet player. She would like to thank her loving family and friends that support her every day. Find more information at SydneyRiddle.com.

BAILEY OLEAN Sound Designer

Bailey is ecstatic to make his “official” Sound Designer debut with the Human Race Theatre Company. Previously, he showcased his skills behind the soundboard for most of last season. Hailing from Rochester, New York, Bailey’s passion for music blossomed at the Eastman School of Music, where he immersed himself in jazz and musical theater. He has a BFA in Dance from Wright State University, where he showcased his talents in choreography, directing, and producing various student-run productions, main stage performances and cabarets. Additionally, Bailey performed with Dayton Ballet II. Bailey is deeply thankful for the chance to collaborate with such a dynamic company committed to presenting innovative new works. He thanks everyone involved, especially his supportive parents and Ryan.

SARAH GOMES Properties Designer

Sarah has worked both on stage and off in Dayton and surrounding areas for over 20 years. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Dayton and a Drama Diploma from The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. Sarah’s areas of specialty in props include puppets, paper goods, and historical artifacts. In addition to working as Properties Designer at The Human Race Theatre Company since 2021, she has worked with Zoot Theatre Co, The Rising Phoenix Theatre Co, Sinclair Community College, University of Dayton, Central State University, Dayton Theatre Guild, The Dayton Playhouse, and Town Hall Theatre. Sarah is proud to be part of the vibrant arts community that Dayton has to offer.