COURTNEY BALAN happily returns to Pittsburgh Public after playing Amy in Company. Her Broadway credits include the original companies of the 2016 revival of Falsettos, Finding Neverland, [title of show], Cry Baby, and In My Life. She has done extensive work Off Broadway and regionally at theaters such as the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA and the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and a proud member of AEA.

Charlotte Booker (Della) - is delighted to return to PPT, where she was Deirdre in The Humans, Amy in The Showoff (1985) and Sibyl in Private Lives (1984). New York theatre credits include both Broadway revivals of Born Yesterday, Off-Off-Off- premieres of Leave Me Green, Take Me Back, Ten Chimneys, Five Genocides, Deathbed, Fugue, and Bitch!, which she also wrote. Regionally, she played Grace in Fireflies (Maine Public Theatre and White Heron Theatre on Nantucket), Mildred in Miller, Mississippi (Long Wharf), Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Touchstone in an all-female As You Like It (Baltimore Center Stage), Marty in Circle, Mirror, Transformation (Cincinnati Playhouse), Ann Landers in Lady with All the Answers (Theatreworks and Capital Rep), Virginia in Clean House (Denver Center), and dozens more. Her numerous TV appearances include a recurring role on Power, guest spots on Bluebloods, Gaffigan, Boardwalk Empire, Law & Order, CI, and lots of sitcom reruns. Ms. Booker is a newlywed whose wedding featured TWO cakes, Red Velvet and Chantilly.

ARASH MOKHTAR lives in Brooklyn, NY. Recently, he debuted Off-Broadway as Rosencrantz in Hamlet. Other New York stage work includes: Rhinoceros (Berenger), Richard III (Buckingham), Coriolanus (Coriolanus), The Servant of Two Masters (Truffaldino), An Ideal Husband (Lord Goring), Killer Joe (Joe Cooper), Closer (Daniel Woolf), and Hurlyburly (Eddie). His regional credits include: Disgraced, Coachella Valley Rep (nominated Best Lead Actor in a Drama); Sinners (directed by Brian Cox), Mirror Repertory Theater, VT; Family Shots, Human Race Theatre Co., OH; and Kiss of the Spider Woman, Richmond Triangle Players, VA, among others. Arash’s TV work includes “The Blacklist,” “Instinct,” “Madam Secretary,” “Veep,” “Forever,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Elementary,” “Believe,” “Zero Hour,” “Person of Interest,” “Political Animals,” and “NYC 2 2.” His recent film work includes lead roles in Black Site Delta, Chosen (opposite Cathy Moriarty), Day 39 (Finalist, 42nd Annual Student Academy Awards, 2015), and Best Man in the Dark. www.arashmokhtar.com

VALERI MUDEK is thrilled to be at Pittsburgh Public Theater for the first time. At the Guthrie Theater: Uncle Vanya, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Time Stands Still, Charlie’s Aunt, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and the world premiere of Tiny Kushner, which went on to Berkeley Repertory Theatre and the Tricycle Theater in London. Other plays: As You Like It at Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., and numerous roles at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in New York, where Valeri also curated and directed the new works series “In Process.” New York City theater companies include Metropolitan Playhouse, Ugly Rhino and Page 73 Productions. Film credits: Above All Things, Insalata Caprese, Willie Jones on the Road, Night Monster, Ricky III, Land of Kings, Life and work with John Street Productions, Apartment 929, and Cult Comedy Pictures. Valeri recently wrote the short film The Trip, which she produced alongside dear friends. TV credits include “The OA,” “The Mysteries of Laura,” and “Forever.”

CECELIA RIDDETT is delighted to make her debut at Pittsburgh Public Theater. New York credits: Manhattan Theatre Club, The Mint, Circle in the Square, The Clurman, St. Clement’s, and others. Regional credits include: Arena Stage, the Mark Taper Forum, South Coast Rep., Cincinnati Playhouse, GeVa, The Folger, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arden Theatre Co., Fulton Opera House, Pioneer Theatre, Kansas City Rep., A.C.T., Olney Theatre, Two Rivers, among others. Film: Pride and Glory, Where Are My Children, Cafe Society, Of Love and Shadows. TV: “Law & Order,” “Empty Nest,” “Jessica Jones,” “The Adams Chronicles,” many soaps and commercials. Ms. Riddett records books for the Library of Congress and is a proud member of AEA for 45 years!

J. TUCKER SMITH is a graduate of Northwestern University. New York credits include Closer (standby) on Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club, One Dream Theatre. Regional: Most recently the world premiere of Flight of the Monarch at Gloucester Stage, Dinner With Friends at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Blackbird at TheaterWorks in Hartford (Connecticut Critics Circle Award), Antony and Cleopatra at Chicago Shakespeare, also in Chicago, Royal George Theatre, St. Nicholas. Television: “Daredevil,” “Damages” (recurring), “White Collar,” “The Following,” “Third Watch,” and many appearances on “Law & Order.” Film credits include Thirteen Days, Shaft, Hi Life, The Forgotten, Solidarity, and three soon to be released: Addicted, Sender, and The Coolest Girl in the World.

STEPHEN KARAM Plays include The Humans (Tony Award, Obie Award for Playwriting and Pulitzer Prize finalist), Sons of the Prophet (Pulitzer Prize finalist), and Speech & Debate. His adaptation of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard premiered on Broadway as part of Roundabout’s 2016 season; his film adaptation of The Seagull starring Annette Bening is upcoming. Recent honors include two Drama Critics Circle, Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards; a Lucille Lortel Award, Drama League Award and Hull Warriner Award. Stephen is a 2002 graduate of Brown University and grew up in Scranton, PA. www.stephenkaram.com

PAMELA BERLIN has directed ten previous productions at Pittsburgh Public Theater: Between Riverside and Crazy, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Glass Menagerie, True West, Clybourne Park, Red, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Talley’s Folly, Driving Miss Daisy, and Tea. New York credits include: Steel Magnolias (also Los Angeles, Chicago, and National Tour); To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday (Circle in the Square); The Cemetery Club (Broadway); Joined at the Head and Pretty Fire (Manhattan Theatre Club); The Family of Mann and Red Address (Second Stage); Black Ink and Elm Circle (Playwrights Horizons); Endpapers (Variety Arts); Snowing at Delphi, Club Soda and Peacetime (WPA); Winners and Close Ties (Ensemble Studio Theatre). Regionally, she has directed at The Long Wharf, Kennedy Center, Huntington, Seattle Rep, Pasadena Playhouse, Pioneer, Los Angeles Theater Center, Portland Stage, Virginia Stage, TheatreWorks in Palo Alto. Opera credits: La Traviata, Rigoletto, Madame Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor, Eugene Onegin, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Of Mice and Men, Bernstein’s Mass. She recently directed Stravinsky’s Histoire du Soldat. Pam has taught directing and acting at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and Brooklyn College, and served for six years as President of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national labor union.

Selected recent Pittsburgh Public Theater credits include Daddy Long Legs, Between Riverside and Crazy, Guys & Dolls, The Diary of Anne Frank, and Talley’s Folly. Selected Off-Broadway productions include The Bus and the American premiere of Frank McGuinness’ Gates of Gold (59E59), Bloodsong of Love (Ars Nova), The Black Suits (The Public Theater), Things to Ruin (Second Stage, The Zipper Factory), The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks (Theaterworks USA at The Lortel). Selected regional credits include productions at Portland Center Stage, Ford’s Theatre, The Old Globe, Cleveland Play House, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Saint Louis Rep, Sarasota Opera, The MUNY, Papermill Playhouse and multiple productions for Goodspeed Musicals including Fiddler On the Roof, The Most Happy Fella, Carousel, Showboat, Annie Get Your Gun, 1776, Big River, and Camelot. Tours: James Taylor’s One Man Band, ELLA, Motherhood the Musical. Other productions: Oklahoma! starring Kelli O’Hara and Will Chase celebrating the Oklahoma State centennial. Michael recently designed productions of Marie Antoinette the Musical and Phantom for EMK International in Seoul, South, Korea. www.msportfolio.com

JOHN LASITER has designed lighting on Broadway, Off-Broadway, internationally, and in such regional theaters across America as Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, Arizona Repertory Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Center Stage (Baltimore), Cincinnati Playhouse, Cleveland Play House, Dallas Theater Center, Florida Stage, George Street Playhouse, Geva Theatre Center, Goodspeed Musicals, Long Wharf Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, New Mexico Repertory Theatre, The Muny, Northlight Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pioneer Theater Co., Pittsburgh Public Theater, South Coast Repertory, Syracuse Stage, Virginia Stage Company, and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Mr. Lasiter’s opera design credits include Eos Orchestra, the Curtis Institute of Music, Glimmerglass Opera, Manhattan School of Music, Opera Delaware, Opera Carolina, and Skylight Opera Theatre. Dance credits include Ballet Memphis, Danzantes Los Angeles, Danzantes New Mexico, Irene Hultman Dance, Nora Reynolds Dance, Randy James Dance Works, and 10HL. www.johnlasiter.com

SUZANNE CHESNEYPittsburgh Public Theatre credits include Steel Magnolias, Clybourne Park, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Humans, The Glass Menagerie, Between Riverside and Crazy. Other regional The Play that Goes Wrong, The Wolves, Talley’s Folly, Next to Normal, To Kill a Mockingbird, Blithe Spirit, Turn of the Screw (Syracuse Stage); Third, Or What She Will, Degage, Chicago, A Christmas Carol (The Hangar Theatre); In Every Generation (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley); The Bookstore (New Jersey Rep). Suzanne is a member artist at the Ensemble Studio. 

Is a lifelong Tolkien fan and is thrilled to be collaborating on The Hobbit. His 100+ sound designs at Pittsburgh Public Theater include the world premieres of Billy Strayhorn; Something to Live For, L’Hotel, The Chief, Harry’s Friendly Service, The Glorious Ones, and Paper Doll; original music for Marjorie Prime, A Doll’s House Part 2, Hamlet, Equus, and Circle Mirror Transformation; as well as designs for Sweat, The Diary of Anne Frank, Thurgood, Red, and Little Shop of Horrors. Other collaborations include Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Reduced Shakespeare Co., Asolo Rep, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Playhouse, NBA Ballet in Tokyo, TheaterWorks Hartford, The Huntington, Long Wharf Theatre, and Dallas Theater Center.

Pat McCorkle, C.S.A. and Katja Zarolinski, C.S.A. Broadway: More than 50 productions including Amazing Grace, On the Town, End of the Rainbow, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, The Glass Menagerie, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Amadeus, She Loves Me, Blood Brothers, A Few Good Men. Off-Broadway: More than 60 original productions including Clever Little Lies, Becoming Dr. Ruth, Tribes, Our Town, Falling, Freud’s Last Session, Toxic Avenger, Almost Maine, Killer Joe, Driving Miss Daisy. Feature films: Senior Moment, Year by the Sea, Child of Grace, My Man is a Loser, Ghost Town, Secret Window, Tony and Tina's Wedding, The Thomas Crown Affair, The 13th Warrior, Madeline, Die Hard With a Vengeance, School Ties, etc. Television: “Twisted” (ABC Family), humans for “Sesame Street,” "Californication" (Emmy nomination), “Hack” (CBS),  “The Education of Max Bickford” (CBS), “Chappelle’s Show,” “Strangers With Candy,” “Barbershop” (Comedy Central), and series for Showtime, HBO, TMC.

FRED NOEL is happy to return for his 29th season as Production Stage Manager at Pittsburgh Public Theater. He also completed four seasons with The National Theatre of the Deaf, touring throughout the United States and China. Mr. Noel was Stage Manager for the Performing Arts Season at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf in Washington, D.C. and Gallaudet University’s tours of Europe, Argentina, Japan, India, South Africa, Mexico, and Romania. He also serves part-time as Production Manager for D.C. area Quest Visual Theatre; he assisted the company in producing Deaf Way II, an international deaf arts festival, and several shows as part of the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe. His credits also include the Off-Broadway production of Women of Manhattan. Mr. Noel is a Pennsylvania native and alumnus of Duquesne University. In Pittsburgh, he has also stage managed for Don Brockett Productions, Pittsburgh CLO, and Carnegie Mellon Showcase of New Plays.

SPENCER WHALE is a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Cornell University, where he studied Directing. Most recently, Spencer directed the sold out run of Big Fish for Front Porch Theatricals, LUNGS for Off the WALL, and Peter and the Starcatcher for Stage 62. He is the Directing and Producing Fellow at City Theatre on the South Side, where he cultivates his love for developing new works. In New York, Spencer has directed the original comedy 100 Aker Wood, developed The Flying Doctor by Molière (over and over and over) with flexCO., and helmed various new play workshops. Previous credits as ASM at Pittsburgh Public Theater include The Diary of Anne Frank and The Glass Menagerie, also directed by Pamela Berlin. As a teaching artist for PPT, he coaches and judges the annual Shakespeare Monologue & Scene Contest and recently developed a new education initiative called Bard for Beginners. www.spencerwhale.com