Welcome to our digital program! Please scroll down to read about the wonderful artists involved in this production and a thank you to our local sponsors. Feel free to click around and learn more about Midcoast Shakes, we’re so happy you’re here!

Meet our Cast & Crew

HJ Woodsum (Sebastian/Cesario) has 25 years of acting experience and a background working crew for drama programming with the Boston Centers for Youth and Families. Recent favorite credits include The Importance of Being Earnest (Algernon Moncrieff) at Vokes Theatre and Henry V (Fluellen/French Ambassador) with Theatre@First.

Julianna Paniphone Sundara (Viola/Cesario) is thrilled to be part of Twelfth Night. They’re grateful to have explored Shakespeare’s humorous yet complex world alongside such wonderful, intelligent people. This fall, Julianna will continue their training at LIU Brooklyn, pursuing a BFA in Acting for TV/Film. Thanks to the cast, production team, and Ma and Pa for everything—and thank you for coming!

Chris JM Maloney (Feste) is excited to be joining Midcoast Shakespeare for Twelfth Night. Most recently appearing onstage as Tybalt in the Concord Players Shakespeare in Love, Chris has been performing Shakespeare in Massachusetts including roles as Henry V, Falstaff, and the King of France in Henry V, Ben Johnson in The Book of Will, and Guildenstern in Hamlet with the Ghostlight Players.

Paul Cushing (Duke Orsino) has been a performer since the early 2000s. He has ranged in roles from Artie in House of Blue Leaves to Ancient Pistol in Henry V. Montague, MA is where he calls home. He is a shiatsu practitioner, goalkeeper coach, and chef as well.

Roger Alix-Gaudreau (Sir Toby Belch) is a New England native and has called Belfast home for two years. Involved in community theater since 2010, some of his favorite past roles are Caldwell B. Cladwell and Officer Lockstock in Urinetown, and John Heminges in The Book of Will. He’s deeply grateful to his loving wife for her unwavering support.

Elaine Appleton Grant (Maria) is a new Belfast resident, recently returned to her native New England from 12 years in Colorado. A veteran of NPR, she’s a lifelong journalist, audio producer, and mentor. After many years away from theater, she’s thrilled to be back and to help introduce MidCoast Shakespeare to Belfast and the surrounding midcoast communities! To learn more about her work, tap Elaine's photo to visit her substack.

Cliff Dike (Sir Andrew Aguecheek) has been involved with live theater for over twenty years. He loves Shakespeare and has appeared in and/or produced productions including Hamlet, Macbeth, All's Well…, Henry Vth, Midsummer's Night Dream, and Much Ado…, both in the United States and Scotland. He is excited to join Kat and MidCoast Shakespeare Studio's first production—he hopes it is the first of many!

Katie Brayson (Olivia) from Portland, Maine, studied Theater, English, and Education at UMaine. Some of her previous roles include Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (Ten Bucks Theatre Company), Elmire in Tartuffe (UMaine), and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (Ten Bucks Theatre Company). Along with acting, Katie enjoys armed stage combat training, improv with Portland’s Improv Incubator, and playwriting.

Michelle Leibowitz (Malvolio) is an Actor, Director, Choreographer and Theatre Educator with over 30 years of experience. When not onstage, or on camera, Michelle can be found Directing and/or Choreographing for community theaters and high schools. Most recently, Michelle has been the Director of the Upper School Fall Play at Beaver Country Day School. To learn more about Michelle’s artistic endeavors please tap her photo to visit her website.

Natalie Hebert (Antonio) is a native Texan, currently living on the West Coast, and often calls New England home. She’s been working as a visual and performing artist since 2006 as a photographer, theater + filmmaker, and actress. To visit her website, tap her photo.

Production Team

Kat Alix-Gaudreau (Director) earned a BA in Theater from UMASS Amherst in 1999. In 2011, she co-founded Ghost Light Players and has since directed over 20 plays. In 2018, Kat earned an MA from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England, where she also directed The Tempest and co-created the original work Stripp’d at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Kat was a professor of theater at Bridgewater State University before moving to Belfast, Maine, where she co-founded MidCoast Shakespeare Studio.

Krisha Hoyt-Macker (Producer) has been directing, producing, and acting in productions throughout New England since graduating from Clark University in 2006. She has also produced two shows that have been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She thanks her wife Chelsea for willingly becoming a theater widow and her fellow MCSS founders for making this journey fun and fulfilling.

Catherine Haverkampf (Stage Manager) is an actor, dramaturg, and stage manager. Currently based in Massachusetts, she has worked at theatres across the East Coast as well as internationally. Catherine is a proud co-founder of MidCoast Shakespeare Studio.

Michelle Leibowitz (Movement Choreographer) is an Actor, Director, Choreographer and Theatre Educator with over 30 years of experience. When not onstage, or on camera, Michelle can be found Directing and/or Choreographing for community theaters and high schools. Most recently, Michelle has been the Director of the Upper School Fall Play at Beaver Country Day School.

Taylor Acevedo (Sound Design) has worked in the performing arts for over ten years across New England and internationally. A versatile artist, she has enjoyed roles as actress, director, scenic, sound, and visual designer. She is thrilled to debut with Midcoast Shakespeare, designing Foley sound for Twelfth Night. Taylor thanks her family and friends for their continued support of her love for the arts.