Who’s Who: The Usual Unusual Cast

RASHEEDAT “RAS” BADEJO* (Virgo) is pleased to make their SpeakEasy debut with this Fantastic production ofThe Usual Unusual. Ras is a generative theatre artist from Kansas City, Missouri, now based in New York City. Some of their favorite credits include: Belfast Girls, Men on Boats, An Octoroon, Beasts of Burden, and their one person show Young Black Victorian. (they/them)

LILY CHRONES (Yaz) is delighted to make their SpeakEasy debut having been inspired by SpeakEasy productions since moving to Boston for college. Lily is a senior at Boston Conservatory at Berklee majoring in Contemporary Theatre. Their previous credits include the Boston Conservatory Senior Directed production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in The Night-Time (Christopher Boone), appropriate (Cassidy) at Earthstone Theatre Company, and Much Ado About Nothing (Verges/Messenger) at Oak Park Festival Theatre. They would like to thank their friends, family, and mentors who have inspired and encouraged them on their artistic journey. (they/them)

MICHAEL JOHN CISZEWSKI (Ryan) returns to SpeakEasy having recently appeared in The Boston Project workshops of Diaspora! and The Usual Unusual. Boston-area credits include Bent (Umbrella Stage Company); Murder on the Orient Express and The Little Foxes (Lyric Stage Company); Peter and the Starcatcher (Hub Theatre Company); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Apollinaire Theatre Company); and Holiday Memories (New Repertory Theatre). His debut solo show Everyone is Dying and So Am I has played in Boston (Open Theatre Project) and New York City (Theatre Row). Michael trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and is a proud graduate of Boston University’s BFA Theatre Arts program. Check out his website here. (he/him)

OLIVIA Z. COTE (Ash) is thrilled to be making her SpeakEasy debut—in podcast form, nonetheless! Select credits include The Wolves (Lyric Stage Company); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Apollinaire Theatre Company); and Gooney Bird Greene and Her True Life Adventures (Wheelock Family Theatre). She has also appeared with Theater in the Open, Anthem Theatre Company, Open Theatre Project, and The Theatre Offensive. Olivia’s plays have been produced with Acadiana Repertory Theatre, Brunch Theatre, and the Boston Center for American Performance. Thank you to the whole bookshop gang for making Zoom performance almost as satisfying as the real thing! BFA: Boston University. Check out her website here. (she/they)

WILL MCGARRAHAN* (Penn) is happy to return to SpeakEasy Stage where he has performed in The View UpStairs; Casa Valentina; Big Fish; Next Fall; The Drowsy Chaperone; Reckless; Some Men; The Mystery of Edwin Drood; Five By Tenn; Company; The Last Sunday in June; Elegies: A Song Cycle; Ruthless!; and A New Brain. Other local credits include Souvenir [Elliot Norton Award], Murder on the Orient Express, Peter and the Starcatcher, Light Up the Sky, Into the Woods, Death of a Salesman, The Chosen, The Temperamentals, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Grey Gardens, November, and Dirty Blonde. (Lyric Stage Company); A Raisin in the Sun (Huntington Theatre Company); The Wind in the Willows and Happy Days (Gloucester Stage Company); Nine Circles (Publick Theatre/Gloucester Stage Company); and The Moon for the Misbegotten and Buried Child (Nora Theatre). Will worked as an actor, singer, and pianist for many years in Seattle before moving to Boston’s South End in 2001. (he/him)

HAN C. PARK (Jesse) is grateful to be making his SpeakEasy debut. Although now an attorney, Han is a proud graduate of the Musical Theater program at the University of Michigan (go blue!). Deep gratitude to MJ for providing a voice to the voiceless and to the entire SpeakEasy team for its dedication to the arts. (he/him)

EDDIE SHIELDS* (Charlie) is thrilled to be working with SpeakEasy again on such a great project! Other SpeakEasy credits include The View UpStairs, Shakespeare in Love, Significant Other, and Casa Valentina. In New England, Eddie has worked with New Repertory Theatre, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Seven Angels Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Group, Wheelock Family Theatre, and The Nora Theatre Company. NYC credits include Theater Row, Primary Stages, Workshop Theater, The Drilling Company, and Rebel Theater. MFA in Acting from Brandeis University. Check out his website here. (he/him)

DEBRA WISE* (Margot) returns to SpeakEasy Stage after appearing in Brooklyn Boy and a developmental reading of The Usual Unusual. Recent roles: Mrs. J in Escaped Alone, Marie in A Doll’s House, Part 2 (The Gamm Theatre); Stage Manager in Vanity Fair, Homebody from Homebody/Kabul (Underground Railway at Central Square Theater, of which Ms. Wise is Artistic Director). Upcoming (2021): Hannah in Angels in America, a collaboration between Bedlam and URT/CST. Debra is currently helping produce a Cambridge outdoor series (Starlight Square), and working as dramaturg with playwright Melinda Lopez on Young Nerds of Color (working title), based on 60+ interviews with BIPOC scientists. (she/hers)