2022 Actors and Staff
Donna Devlin (Melissa LOVE LETTERS, Director and Writer, COULDABEEN HAMLET, Writer, REALLY HARD BARD) Having begun her career in musical theatre, Donna was accepted into and attended NYU's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts before switching her attention to film and television. This actress/producer/director/writer initially cut her teeth in the realm of television and film; starting a production company while still in college and moving on to creating, writing, producing and/or directing projects featured on (among others) MTV, Fox TV, Canada's CTV and Much Music. Her work has garnered daytime Emmy nominations and awards at the Cannes, Houston and Vancouver Film Festivals. She has worked for Warner Brothers TV and the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, as well as being an award-winning producer and/or director of numerous national tv commercial campaigns before being invited to serve as one of N.H.'s first female Film Commissioners. Since returning to her "first love" (theatre), she's attended the world-renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, U.K. and has appeared in London as Gertrude (HAMLET) and Maria in the world premiere of TWELFTH NIGHT: THE MUSICAL, among others. She’s a veteran of day and prime time television, feature films and many broadcast tv commercials as well as NYC, regional and national theatrical tours and her work has been featured in Time Out and as a “Pick of the Week” by the NY Post. She has directed, produced and/or written over 70 productions and, in addition to the dozens of newspaper and
magazine articles written about her unique approach to Shakespeare (including New York Times and numerous Boston Globe articles) she counts as some of her biggest honors having both her production of AS YOU LIKE IT (and her performance as Rosalind) selected as “The Best of The Best” by the Greater Boston Area theatre critics and receiving a 2011 NH Governor’s Special Commendation for her body of work and accomplishments. Favorite roles include Beatrice (MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING) Lady Macbeth (MACBETH) Adriana (THE COMEDY OF ERRORS at Murphys Creek Theater, CA) Aldonza (MAN OF LAMANCHA) Amy (COMPANY) and Cinderella (INTO THE WOODS). As well, she has served on the Fundraising Steering Committee for award-winning Broadway and Off-Broadway producers, The Transport Group Theatre, and consulted with them on their media strategy for the Obie and Drama Desk award-winning musical, THE QUEEN OF THE MIST starring Tony nominee Mary Testa. Prior to the pandemic, Donna collaborated (book and lyrics) on TATTERHOOD, a new musical (that was workshopped and debuted here at Theatre Under The Stars) and played Joan of Arc in best-selling author John Reed’s latest play, JOAN PUCELLE. Donna was selected to sit on the National Board of Directors for the Women in Arts and Media Coalition, where she was Secretary as well as Chair of the PR/Marketing Committee. Donna is the co-founder of Theatre Under The Stars and its’ Shakespeare in the Valley Fest. HUZZAH to the hard-working casts, THANKS to God and our many sponsors and patrons and LOVE to fiancée (and frequent co-star and co-founder of TUTS/SITV) Will Hammond!
Sean T. Ward (Andy, LOVE LETTERS and William Shakespeare, “COULDABEEN HAMLET) fell in love with acting at St. John’s Prep playing Cléante in their production of Molière’s The Miser. After taking a long hiatus from acting to become a US Marine, build a career, start a family and launch two businesses, Sean found his way back to the stage for a small comedy play that inspired him to pursue a life-long goal of being in film. Sean realized that goal starting with a principal role in the 2016 feature film Wish for Christmas (Alex) followed by featured and background roles in several films and television shows. Recent theatrical credits include live action dinner theater, “Saltonstall” (multiple roles) and “The Mousetrap” (Sgt Trotter). Sean appeared as The narrator in TUTS’ 2021 production of “Lovers”. When not acting, Sean owns and operates multiple businesses including Snowy Owl Inn in Waterville Valley NH.
Jillyan Newell (Teaching Artist, Set Designer, Polonious and Various, COULDABEEN HAMLET) This marks Jillyan’s return to the stage after a period of years spent primarily as a visual and graphic artist working in all mediums—digital, acrylics, photography, textiles, sketching and watercolors. She is a freelance web and graphic designer, photographer, video producer/editor at White Mountain Digital Media LLC in Littleton, NH and is a contributing member of the NOCO Mural Project. A graduate of Lyndon State College with a degree in graphic design and digital media, Jill won an award for her stop-motion animation work. She also ran “Imagination Theater”, a successful summer theater and arts camp in NH’s North Country. On stage, she has played the titular MACBETH, Vibrata (A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM) and Ensemble in ANYTHING GOES. A former ski racer, for several years she has been a race coach at Bretton Woods. She is excited to continue her work with young people by bringing her many artistic sensibilities to Creative Adventurer’s Club and lending her talents to Theatre Under the Stars this summer.
Madalena Rathgeber (REALLY HARD BARD, Cleopatra) has been performing in her schools--from Waterville Valley Elementary School to Connecticut College-- for 14 years, including acting in LOVE AND INFORMATION, WORDS, WORDS, WORDS (Swift) KING LEAR (Cordelia), TARTUFFE (Dorine) and SHE KILLS MONSTERS (Narrator). She has also participated in four productions with Jean's Teens at Jean's Playhouse in Lincoln, NH, appeared as Mary in a radio play version of IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE at Winnipesaukee Playhouse and has spent 15 years working with Theatre Under the Stars, starting in the kids camp at age 5, participating in the Young People’s Players as a tween, and (since 2019) performing with the adult company. Last summer she starred in AS YOU LIKE IT (Rosalind) and LOVERS (Narrator). In the fall she heads off to London’s British Academy of Dramatic Art to further her Shakespearean studies. HUZZAH!
Finley M. Brennan (Producer, Director and Hamlet, REALLY HARD BARD", Various COULDABEEN HAMLET) is a 12 year old new addition to the Valley, having moved here from Monroe, NY. Finley loves theater and says he has always wanted to work in film. In 2020, Finley participated in TUTS Creative Adventurer's Club production of "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Bottom, Oberon) as well as playing Henry V in THE WATERVILLE VALLEY FOLLIES OF 2020, a benefit in support of the Rey Center and Historical Society. In 2021 he did two TUTS/SITV shows—Peter Pan, BFF BARD, Oliver, AS YOU LIKE IT. Winter of 2022 he appeared in ETC’s Plymouth production of CAROUSEL. The 2021 TUTS/SITV Marc Paul Decoteau Prize winner chose as his project to produce and direct REALLY HARD BARD. He spent most of the Spring and Summer raising the funds—surpassing his goal!—and directing the show. In his spare time, he loves reading horror novels, spending time with friends, playing chess and D and D and is on a local soccer team.