Meet the cast and creative team of Emma
ANNA CRIVELLI* (Emma Woodhouse) is a Brooklyn-based actor and teaching artist, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. Off-Broadway: 53% Of (Second Stage), Dollβs House Part 3 (Exponential Festival), Drink with Death (La MaMa) Regional: Blithe Spirit (White Heron Theatre), How to Defend Yourself (Victory Gardens, 43rd Humana Festival), Private Lives (Dorset Theatre Festival), Once Five Years Pass, Dental Society Midwinter Meeting (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Appropriate (Westport Country Playhouse), Airness, Steel Magnolias (Geva Theatre Center) Television: Evil (CBS) Film: Beijing Rodeo, The Falling World, Desert Window Training: M.F.A., Yale School of Drama; B.A., Fordham University at Lincoln Center.
RISHAN DHAMIJA* (Mr. George Knightly) is thrilled to be making his VSC debut! Select theater credits include: DATA Workshop (Arena Stage), Selling Kabul (Ensemble Theatre Company, SB), The Yoga Play (Syracuse Stage and Geva Theater Co), The Play That Goes Wrong (Syracuse Stage), Sense and Sensibility, Tartuffe, Dot, Leaving Eden, May Queen (Playmakers Rep). TV Credits: Not Suitable For Work (Hulu), Blue Bloods (CBS), New Amsterdam (NBC), Little Voice, WeCrashed (Apple TV+). Video Game/MOCAP credits: Crazy Taxi (SEGA). Education: MFA Acting '19, UNC Chapel Hill, MFA Dramatic Writing, '21, NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
ALANA DODDS SHARP* (Miss Bates & Mrs. Elton) Alana is delighted to return to the beautiful Wells Theatre! Credits include The Hobbit at Virginia Stage Company (Gandalf), Odessa in Water by the Spoonful (Firehouse Theatre), The Great Society at Arena Stage (Ensemble), The Jewish Queen Lear at Theatre J (The Cantor), Henry the IV, Part I at The Folger Shakespearean Library (Worcester u/s), East of Eden at Next Stop Theater (Eva), As You Love It at Zeiders American Dream Theatre (Eloise Langtree) and The Whole Shebang at Prologue Theatre (Carp). National commercials include Berdon LLC, The Veterans Administrationβs βREACHβ campaign and Farmerβs Focus Poultry. Many thanks to the Tom and the entire VSC team and love to Sam, Gaby & Sebastian for their unwavering support.
GREG DRAGAS (Frank Churchill & Mr. Elton & Mrs. Bates) Born in Norfolk, VA, Greg has spent most of his professional career as an educator in Virginia Beach. He has been active on local stages for many years and holds degrees from The College of William & Mary and Wake Forest University. Greg is currently part of VSC's touring production of Every Brilliant Thing, performing at a number of venues around Hampton Roads and beyond. Other recent credits include Frankenstein (Victor Frankenstein) with CORE Theatre Ensemble, My Brother Death (Jeremy) with Zeiders American Dream Theater, Pride & Prejudice & Dragons (Mr. Bingley) with ROΕͺGE, and As You Love It (Bartholomew Callow) with Zeiders American Dream Theater.
BLAIR HEINZ (Jane Fairfax & Robert Martin & Mrs. Elton) is beyond excited to join the brilliant cast, crew, and creative team of Emma! She has previously worked with VSC as the Assistant Stage Manager for Matilda. Her recent credits include: Athena in Medusa, Justine in Frankenstein, and Bridget in 40 Whacks: The Nightmare of Lizzie Borden all with the formidable CORE Theatre Ensemble. She also appeared as Margaret in the staged reading of Raising the Wreck (Unfinished Histories), Kit in the premiere production of Epiphany (Bridewell Theatre), and Eliza in the award winning short film Split Ends! Blair trained at East 15 Acting School in London and is a proud graduate of Old Dominion University. Many many thanks to her partner, to the people that fill her cup, and to you for coming to see the show- she hopes you enjoy!
BETHANY MAYO (Mrs. Anne Weston & Mrs. Bates) is thrilled to return to Virginia Stage Company for this production Emma. At The Governor's School of the Arts she teaches in the Theater & Film, Musical Theater and Vocal Music departments. She also teaches in the Theater Department at Old Dominion University. Selected Actor Credits include Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous (VSC), The Miser (Classic Theater of Maryland), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Fells Point Corner Theater), Men on Boats (Cohesion theater), Merry Wives of Windsor (Baltimore Shakespeare Factory), Othello (Chesapeake Shakespeare Company), Exit Pluto (Strand Theater Baltimore). She would like to thank her family for their continued support, her students and supervisors for their increased flexibility and teachers Katie Miller, Denis Hildreth and Melissa Alpers-Springer for seeing an artist in a kid twenty-some years ago and taking a chance on her.
JULIAN STETKEVYCH* (Mr. Weston & Mr. Woodhouse) is thrilled to be back performing with VSC for the Tidewater audience. VSC credits include: Henry V, The Thanksgiving Play, Sense & Sensibility, and Pride & Prejudice. At Zeiderβs, he appeared in Taking Measure by Chris Hanna. Off-off Broadway includes: Richard III and The Two Gentlemen of Verona with Oxford Shakespeare Co., Dog Act with Flux Theatre Ensemble, The Silent Concerto at NY Fringe Festival, and staged workshops and readings at Playwrightβs Horizons, Classic Stage Company, and Ensemble Studio Theatre. Regional includes: A Christmas Carol at American Conservatory Theater, The Berlin Circle at Steppenwolf Theater, and Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Theo Ubique. He holds MFAs from the American Conservatory Theater and the University of Pittsburgh. He is an Assistant Professor of Acting at Elon University in North Carolina and is a proud member of Actorsβ Equity Association.
LEA ZAWADA* (Harriet Smith) is delighted to join VSCβs production of Emma. She most recently performed as Viola in Twelfth Night (PCS), and originated the role of Monique in the world premier of awe/struck by Chris PeΓ±a (Profile Theater). Earlier this year she played Cady Greene in Law & Order SVU: Shock Collar (NBC). Other film/tv credits include a principle in the pilot Marvin Is Sorry (Slab Productions), as well as guest star roles in FBI Most Wanted: Inheritance (CBS), and Law and Order; As Hubris is to Oedipus (NBC). She received her MFA in acting from NYU. Lea would like to give a special thanks to her dear parents for their ongoing love and support, and a second thank you to her unmatchable partner Jack for making her laugh and adding joy to her life!
*Member of Actorsβ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
Creative team
CHARLOTTE BYDWELL (Choreographer) Charlotte has performed & choreographed at leading theaters around the world, and in recognized film/TV productions. Her choreography has been seen Off-Broadway, around NYC and at leading regional theaters including the Old Globe, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Houston Grand Opera and the Cape Playhouse. Most recently, she choreographed the premiere of Richard Nelsonβs βWhen the Hurlyburlyβs Doneβ at The Public Theater in NYC. She was the season choreographer for Comedy Centralβs series, ALTERNATINO, and for the national tour of A Charlie Brown Christmas. As a movement director, favorite shows include: The Thanksgiving Play and Kate Hamill's Sense & Sensibility (both at Virginia Stage Company!). Select credits as a performer include: The Michaels (Public Theater), HELP (The Shed), A Month in the Country (Williamstown), Much Ado About Nothing (The Old Globe) and Venus in Fur (VSC). Charlotte is a 2025 Resident at Baryshnikov Arts and was a finalist for the Soho Writer/Directorβs Lab. Her solo show, Woman of Leisure and Panic, was presented by the soloNOVA Festival, NY Fringe Festival (NY Innovative Theatre Award nominee), Exponential Festival, DanceNOW Raw at Gibney and Chashama. Her solo film, βThe Nude Modelβ, premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe. Charlotte has taught at Juilliard, LimΓ³n Dance, Gibney, Barnard and HB Studio. She is on faculty at Stella Adler and The New Group/Long Island University BFA Program. Training: Juilliard BFA in Dance, The Old Globe/USD MFA in Acting. www.charlottebydwell.com
JO WINIARSKI (Scenic Design) Jo designed, βDracula; a Feminist Revenge Fantasyβ last season a VSC. Off-Broadway credits include The Fears, HYPROV, Accidentally Brave, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, and Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Regional design credits include Pioneer Theatre; The Guthrie Theater; Arizona Theatre Company; Utah Shakespeare Festival (51 shows); The Old Globe; Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Dallas Theater Center; and Geva Theatre Center. Additional credits include Wishes for Disney Cruise Line. Jo was the original art director on Late Night with Seth Meyers (episodes 1-844) and received an Emmy nomination for art direction for A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All.
JENI SCHAEFER (Costume Designer) is the Director of Design and Resident Costume Designer at the Virginia Stage Company in her 23rd season. Regional credits include: The 39 Steps at White Heron Theatre, A Christmas Story at Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Hound of the Baskervilles at The Hangar and White Heron Theatre, Always...Patsy Cline PCPA Theatrefest, World premiere of Tom Jones for Florida Studio Theatre, Wit for Playmakers Repertory Theatre. VSC productions include; Three Musketeers, Dial M for Murder, Merry Christmas Carol, Henry V, The 39 Steps, The Hobbit, Every Brilliant Thing, Dreamgirls, Merry Little Christmas Carol, Dear Jack Dear Louise, Hold These Truths, Sense and Sensibility, Guys and Dolls, Matilda, Secret Garden, Fun Home, Always Patsy Cline, Crowns,The Hound of the Baskervilles, Pride and Prejudice, The Wiz, A Streetcar named Desire, Oliver, Peter and the Starcatcher, All my Sons,The Great Gatsby,The Fantasticks, Death of a Salesman, Red, Around the World in 80 days, Crowns, Billy Bishop Goes to War, Hank Williams Lost Highway and A Christmas Carol. Jeni Schaefer holds a MAC in Theatre/Costume Design from Wichita State University. Thank you to my family Tony, Sara and Ethan for being my inspiration and for always believing in me.
MARANDA DEBUSK (Lighting & Projection Designer | they/she/he) is an artist and educator specializing in lighting and media designs. They currently serve as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts at the Ohio State University. They were last seen at Virginia Stage designing lights and media for A Merry Little Christmas Carol (2021 - 2024), A Sherlock Carol (2024), and Matilda (2019). Select Design Credits: Music Theatre Wichita, The Warehouse Theatre (Greenville, SC), Actors' Express (Atlanta, GA); The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio (Columbus, OH), and The Center for Puppetry Arts (Atlanta, GA). Select Associate Credits: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Trinity Repertory Company, and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Their work has been shared internationally as an Emerging Artist at the World Stage Design Expo in 2017 in Taipei, Taiwan; and as a Featured Emerging Artist and a Featured Artist at the 2019 and 2023 Prague Quadrennial. At the core of all of their work is their belief in the power of the dramatic arts to create positive change in our communities. The greatest work is that which when let out into the world, improves it.
EMEL ERTUGRUL (Resident Casting Director) officially joined the Virginia Stage Company team in 2017 but worked on various projects with the company well before. Her first casting adventure was the beautiful production Pride and Prejudice for Season 39. Since then it has been a goal to strengthen and cultivate VSC's relationship with professional local and out of town artists. Each season has provided new challenges and each production a new opportunity to find the perfect showcase of talent. Emel has most recently been seen performing in The Twelve Dates of Christmas on the Wells Stage and currently serves as the Operations Manager for VSC and the Producing Artistic Director for Core Theatre Ensemble.
TOM QUAINTANCEβ (Producing Artistic Director) is in his seventh season with Virginia Stage Company. At the Wells, Tom has directed Every Brilliant Thing, A Merry Little Christmas Carol, Pride and Prejudice, The Santaland Diaries, and Matilda The Musical. Regionally Tom directed Twelfth Night at the Guthrie Theater, and as an Associate Artist at PlayMakers Repertory Company he directed An Enemy of the People, Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, and The Little Prince. As Artistic Director of Cape Fear Regional Theatre (CFRT), Tom produced over 35 plays and directed many others, including the World Premiere of Downrange: Voices from the Homefront, a play based on interviews with military spouses from Fort Bragg. As the founder of FreightTrain Shakespeare in Los Angeles, he earned a Drama-Logue Award for his direction of Pericles. Other Los Angeles credits range from King Lear to The Devil With Boobs. A member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Tom is a graduate of Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) with a B.A. in Theatre and Economics, and the University of California, San Diego MFA directing program, where he was the assistant director on the original production of The Whoβs Tommy. Tom and his wife Wallis are the proud parents of Mireille Julia and Annika Christine.
JEFF RYDER (Managing Director) has been the Managing Director of Virginia Stage Company since March 2022. Jeff serves on the board of Hampton Roads Pride, and was proud to be its president from 2023 to 2025. He is also the fundraising director for the Rotary Club of Norfolk. He was a member of the Civic Leadership Institute class of 2025. Jeff holds a Master of Public Administration Degree from the Levin College at Cleveland State University and a Bachelorβs Degree from Tufts University. At Levin, Jeff was inducted into Nu Lambda Mu, the international honor society for the study of nonprofit management and philanthropy. Jeff also holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion for HR Professionals from Cornell University. Prior to coming to VSC, Jeff served in several roles at Cleveland Play House from 2013 to 2022. In Cleveland, Jeff was honored to be a part of the Cleveland Leadership Centerβs Advanced Leadership Institute and the Cleveland Foundationβs Foundations for Philanthropy Program. He has previously served on the boards of the Cleveland Kidsβ Book Bank, Theatre Forward, the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Cleveland, and the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. Jeff has also been a stage manager at several theatres including Talespinner Childrenβs Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Berkshire Theatre Festival.