Designer bios

SHELLEY BARISH (Scenic Designer) is making her SpeakEasy debut.  Shelley works extensively throughout New England, and has designed productions for the Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Central Square Theater, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Greater Boston Stage Company, Wheelock Family Theatre, Northeastern University, Fairfield University, and Middlesex Community College.  Shelley is a Professor at UMASS Lowell and Director of its Theatre Studies Program, and was recently named the Nancy L. Donahue Endowed Professor in the Arts.  She received her MFA from Michigan State University. shelleybarish.com (she/her) 

ANNA DRUMMOND (Sound Design) is an award-winning, Boston-based freelance sound designer working with theatre companies, educational institutions, and artistic collectives. Anna’s work has been seen and heard in productions with Chuang Stage, Company One, Front Porch Arts Collective, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Fresh Ink, Akeem’s Alchemy, and Central Square Theater, and with undergraduate and graduate- level program collaborations at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Harvard, Yale, Brown, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Northeastern, UMass Boston, and Brandeis. In 2023, Anna won an Elliot Norton Award for their sound design work on K-I-S-S-I-N-G with The Huntington. They hold a degree from Emerson in Sound Design & Audio Post-Production. (they/them)

CHELSEA KERL(Costume Designer) returns to SpeakEasy having previously designed Cost of Living, Once on This Island, Pass Over, and Grand Concourse. Chelsea received her MFA in Costume Design from BU and is currently the Costume Shop Manager and Costume Design Professor at Wellesley College. She also teaches at Bridgewater State University and designs throughout New England. Select recent designs include Witch (The Huntington- Elliot Norton Award Winner, Outstanding Design: Large Theatre); Salvage (Dorset Theatre Festival);and Greater Good (C1/ART). www.chelseakerl.com. (she/her)

KAREN PERLOW** (Lighting Designer) returns to SpeakEasy, where, among the 30+ collaborations, her favorite productions include: The Inheritance, The History Boys, Five by Tenn, Bat Boy, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, A New Brain, and both the 2003 and 2025 productions of A Man of No Importance.  Other recent credits include: Kufre & Quay (Boston Arts Academy); Hello, Dolly! (Lyric Stage); and The Spitfire Grill (Umbrella Stage). Upcoming projects: The Rover (Suffolk University); Penelope (Lyric Stage); and Breaking the Code (Central Square Theater). When not sitting in a dark theater, Karen teaches ESL and serves as the treasurer of the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund (TCBF.org).   She is also a proud member of United Scenic Artists — Local 829. (she/her)

JASON RIES (Properties Design) is working with SpeakEasy for the first time, but has numerous New England design and production credits. Some highlights include productions with Company One, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Monkeyhouse, Central Square Theater, Lyric Stage, and numerous area dance companies. Jason won both Elliot Norton and IRNE Awards for his set and prop design for Chad Deity with Company One.  He also received an Elliot Norton Award as part of the design team for Twelfth Night with Actors’ Shakespeare Project. (he/him)

Stage Management bios

KENDYL TROTT* (Production Stage Manager) is honored that Primary Trust marks her debut as a Production Stage Manager with SpeakEasy.  Her other SpeakEasy credits include The Band’s Visit and POTUS.  She is a graduate of Suffolk University from which she received a BA in Theatre. Kendyl’s other recent credits include Two Strangers, The Odyssey, and Diary of a Tap Dancer (American Repertory Theatre) and The Triumph of Love, Leopoldstadt, and Toni Stone (The Huntington). Other credits include Conversations: David Letterman & Paul Schaffer (PAC – NYC); plus As You Like It, Macbeth, and The Winter’s Tale (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company). So much love to all of her friends, family, and cats. (she/her) 

ROSS GRAY (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to return to SpeakEasy, having previously worked on Pru Payne, Cost of Living, The Band’s Visit, The Prom, and English. Ross is a graduate of Suffolk University, from which he received a BA in Theatre. His recent credits include Two Strangers and The Odyssey (American Repertory Theatre); and Don’t Eat the Mangoes (The Huntington). Other credits include Toni Stone, Prayer for the French Republic, and Stand Up if You’re Here Tonight (The Huntington); plus, A Christmas Carol and The Tempest (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company). He gives many thanks to his friends and family for all of their support and love, especially Danny. (he/him)