How to Defend Yourself

JAYNE MORGAN (Director) has been a professional writer for over 20 years. Jayne is also a professional actor and director, having appeared in numerous regional theatres and in the films A Good Baby, Big Fish, Something, Anything and Reuben, Reuben. She has been a member of Lou’s Loft writer’s group for over a decade. She’s the founder of the Acting Freedom studio and was also Artistic Director for Flying Anvil Theatre.

SAM-CLAIRE BIEBER (Fight Director) is a Fight Director and an Advanced Actor Combatant with the SAFD (Society of American Fight Directors). She has taught workshops for students at both UTK and UTC, the National Stage Combat Workshop, and other workshops in Dallas, Minneapolis, and Ann Arbor. Her choreography was last seen on the LAB stage in Anon(ymous). Sam-Claire also works as a disability advocate helping to educate choreographers, teachers, and administrators on how to implement greater accessibility within the movement arts and theatre as a whole. When not crafting moments of violence for the stage you can find Sam-Claire demonstrating her stunning impression of a crow.

CASEY SAMS (Intimacy Director) is Associate Department Head and Professor of Theatre at the University of Tennessee Knoxville where she teaches Movement, Acting, Musical Theatre, and Dance to both undergraduate and graduate students. She earned her BA in Theatre and English Literature and her MS in Motor Learning and Control from Penn State. She is also a Certified Movement Analyst (CMA) in Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) from the Laban/Bartenieff Institute for Movement Studies. She has served on the faculty at Penn State, Interlochen Arts Camp, The Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, and The Governor’s School for the Arts in Virginia. Prior to joining the faculty at UT, Casey served as the Education Director for Virginia Stage Company,where she created programming for students from pre-k to post-graduate. She has worked as a Director, Choreographer, Intimacy Choreographer, and Movement Coach at theatres across the country including The Clarence Brown Theatre, The Guthrie Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, The Roundhouse Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, North Carolina Stage Company, PlayMakers Repertory, Virginia Stage Company, Pennsylvania Musical Theatre, The Knoxville Opera Company, and Vermont Stage Company. She is also a certified meditation teacher with the American Meditation Society and Koru Mindfulness.

ALONDRA CASTRO (Scenic Designer) (she/her) is a first-year Scenic Design graduate student at the University of Tennessee. Previously she worked at Virginia Repertory Theater where she was the paint and pops apprentice for two seasons. She is also a proud graduate of Angelo State University in San Angelo, TX and Richland College in Dallas, TX. Some of her previous scenic design work includes The Colored Museum with BVTA in Richmond Virginia, I and You and Bright Ideas with ASU Theater in San Angelo, TX.

TORI NIEMIEC (Costume Designer) Originally from Arizona, Tori is a first-year costume designer in the MFA program. They have previously designed such shows as A Midsummers Night Dream (DC Shakespeare in the Park), Dance^2 (In Partnership with the University of Maryland), The Waffle House Musical (Andy’s Summer Playhouse) in addition to assisting at The Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Signature Theatre VA, Disney Theatrical Cruise line and The Utah Shakespeare Festival.

DYLAN TILLERY (Lighting Designer) Dylan is a first-year Lighting Design MFA candidate here at the University of Tennessee. This will be his first design at the Clarence Brown Lab Theatre. He received his BFA in Lighting Design and Technology from the University of West Florida in 2024. Previously, he has worked for the Ohio Light Opera, the Pensacola Opera, and the Brevard Music Center.

ELISABETH DUPUY (Sound Designer) she/her- Elisabeth is a first-year Sound and Media MFA graduate student, graduating this past spring with a B.A. in Theater from George Mason University. Recent credits include: Beautiful Indifference Capitol Fringe Festival, Antigone, Presented by the Girls of St. Catherines GMU SoT, Pippin Imagination Stage, 9 to 5 GMU SoT, and The Road to the End Capitol Fringe Festival. IG: @lis.ekd 

ADA HERMOSO (Stage Manager) is a sophomore Psychology major attending the University of Tennessee-Knoxville from Clarksville, Tennessee. Ada is excited to be stage managing her first production at the CBT! Theatre first piqued her interest in high school when she was able to play Martha in Arsenic and Old Lace but has since been engrossed with the role of stage manager after stage managing a production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever during her senior year of high school. Since then, she has worked on productions like Murder on the Orient Express as the projections operator and has since enjoyed working as the stage manager for a staged live reading of Delilah and the assistant stage manager for Anon(ymous) at the Lab Theatre. Ada would like to thank all her family, friends, and mentors that have supported her journey up to this point and hope they will continue to do so in the future.

KENNETH MARTIN (Department Head, Artistic Director) Ken comes from the University of Missouri, at Kansas City, where he was the Patricia Mcllrath Endowed Professor and Chair of the Theatre Division. His 26-year career in academia also included nearly 18 years serving as chair of the theater departments of Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina and Ashland University in Ohio. Tremendously successful as an administrator at both institutions, Martin navigated curricular revisions and development, managed resources effectively and efficiently, created innovative collaborations, cultivated significant enrollment growth, and forged international partnerships. A member of United Scenic Artists, his designs have been seen at theatres across the country including Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Florida Repertory Theatre, New Theatre, Ohio Light Opera, Cleveland Ensemble Theatre, Ocean State Theatre and many others. He has also designed shows for many colleges and universities including Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Coastal Carolina University, Cuyahoga Community College, and The Ohio State University. Martin has actively served his profession as a respondent for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, as a consultant for several regional theaters and through active participation in organizations like the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Educational Theatre Association and the Southeastern Theatre Conference.

TOM CERVONE (Managing Director) Tom is grateful and honored to serve the Clarence Brown Theatre as Managing Director. Cervone has also served as executive director for both Dogwood Arts and the Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation, but the CBT/UTK Theatre Department is Tom’s administrative and artistic home. Cervone arrived in Knoxville in 1989 as an MFA candidate in acting and was hired in May of 1993 as the company manager, then promoted to managing director in 1995. And for his brief foray downtown, Tom has been in this chair, blissfully, ever since. Tom is and has been very active within the UTK community, having served as Exempt Staff Council chair for many years, co-chair of the LGBT Commission, a member of the Diversity Council and many other UTK organizations. Cervone is a long-time board member of the WordPlayers and continues to evangelize on behalf of the art and culture community locally and nationally. Tom received the Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Service to the University in 2010. Cervone holds his undergraduate degree in Speech and English Education with an emphasis in Theatre from West Liberty University in West Virginia and a Master of Fine Arts and an MBA from UT. He is a graduate of and was selected as the Class Representative of the Leadership Knoxville class of 2011, the best class ever. Cervone was inducted into his undergraduate alma mater’s class of 2015 Wall of Honor and was appointed by the Governor of WV in 2021 to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees of WLU.

SUSAN L. McMILLAN (Production Manager) is in her eleventh year as Production Manager at the CBT and UT Department of Theatre. In addition, she teaches Stage Management. Prior, Susan was the Production Manager and Stage Management Instructor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, for 6 years. Susan is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, and was a Stage Manager at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for 18 years. Additionally, she has stage managed at the Guthrie Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Portland Center Stage, PCPA, Rogue Valley Opera, Portland Civic Theatre, and has toured to the Kennedy Center. Through science (B.S. degrees in Biochemistry and Biology from Oregon State University) and music (cellist), Susan found her way into theatre (Minor in Theatre from OSU). She is incredibly grateful for all the opportunities and adventures along the way, inspirational mentors, artistic and talented colleagues, amazing students, and the love and support of her family and friends. And very grateful for Molly – woof! This season is fully dedicated to her beloved, beautiful, and deeply missed mother, Grace – a shining light forever.

MOLLY BRENNAN (Brandi) is honored and excited to be part of this thought-provoking production. She is a Theatre major and member of the campus long-form improv team, ISP. Recently, she performed in The Moors at the Clarence Brown. Molly thanks her family, friends, and teachers for their infinite support and knowledge. She is grateful for this entire cast and crew for their wonderful personalities, intense dedication, and never-ending gifts. She also gives a special thanks to Liliana Padilla, for creating this brave and vulnerable play. She hopes you enjoy it.

JORDAN GOSKOWICZ (Eggo) To all the women and girls out there, take notes and protect yourself! Love y’all.

GG GRIGSBY (Nikki) is currently pursuing a degree in Theatre with an Acting concentration at UTK. Her first role was as a Kanine Krunchy in 101 Dalmatians. Recent work includes Ursula/Watchman in Much Ado About Nothing and Rosie in Sandbags at TSC. Upcoming projects include: Inherit the Wind at the CBT. She enjoys rollerblading, listening to music, and hanging with her dog in her free time. She’s also not as shy as Nikki, so feel free to say hi.

ALLISON HAHN (Diana) is a senior here at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. Being from New Jersey, she has always loved live theater and has been acting since she was eight years old. Some previous roles include William Dunn (Men on Boats), Aunt March (Little Women), and Antonio (Twelfth Night). Allie would like to thank Jayne and the creative crew for helping her every step of the way in this production.

ALANA MARA (Kara) is very excited to be a part of her first Clarence Brown Lab Theatre production of How to Defend Yourself. The topic of sexual assault, sexual assault prevention, and sexual assault awareness is very important to her as actress and an individual. She feels very honored to bring the role of Kara to life and hopes to make someone feel seen and understood. If you or someone you know or love has experienced sexual assault, dial the National Sexual Assault 24/7 Hotline: 1-800-656-4673. You are heard. You are seen.

EMILY LUNA (U/S Brandi and Kara), a BCMB and Psychology major who loves anything the arts has to offer, is thrilled to be working on How to Defend Yourself as the U/S for Brandi and Kara. Emily has showcased her talent in numerous productions, including Footloose (Ariel Moore), All Shook Up (Lorraine), and Les Misérables (Èponine). While she works in the sciences, she is continuing to hone her skills of acting, voice, and dance along the way. Emily extends her heartfelt gratitude to the incredible cast and crew for their dedication and support, making this journey unforgettable.

LARA QING-BODIYA (Susannah) is very excited to come back to the Clarence Brown Theatre after her debut last year in A Christmas Carol. Her credits also include Babe, The Sheep Pig at Knoxville Children’s Theater in Spring 2024. She would like to thank her family for all their support.  Lara was born in Haifa, Israel and has lived in Israel, Canada and China before moving back to the US. She is a fifth grader at Sequoyah Elementary School and in her spare time, she loves hiking, painting and making butter slime.

TREVOR SCHMITT-ERNST (Andy) is extremely excited to be a part of this great show! This is Trevor’s third show at the Clarence Brown Theatre, he has played Mr. Makus/Strygal in Anon(ymous) and Steve in She Kills Monsters. Trevor is a senior with a theatre major with minors in journalism and africana studies. Beyond theatre, Trevor is a resident assistant at Geier/Robinson Halls. Trevor also works at SEC Network at UTK where he has run replay for the past four years, and works the jumbotron at Neyland Stadium. Trevor also has Crohn’s disease and wants to increase visibility for everyone with invisible disabilities in theatre. Trevor would like to thank his family and friends for their support! Thank you to all the cast and crew for a wonderful show!

SUNIYAH (SUNNI) THOMAS (Mojdeh) is a sophomore at UTK. She is majoring in Astronomy and Physics with plans to be an astrophysicist for NASA. She is so excited to be making her Clarence Brown debut as Mojdeh and has enjoyed getting back into theatre. Her previous achievements include Eponine in Les Mis. She wants to thank her mother Mariah, little sister Pearl, and her friends on campus for being supportive and encouraging during her college and theatrical career thus far.