Elisa Carlson is thrilled to be returning to Writers Theatre! She holds a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and theater from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Regional credits: The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Northlight Theatre), Almost Heaven (Clinton Showboat Theatre), Once (Writers Theatre and Paramount Theatre), Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Porchlight Music Theatre), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (American Blues Theater), One Man, Two Guvnors (Court Theatre), Pop Waits (Neo-Futurists), and American Idiot (The Hypocrites). Elisa is also a choreographer for young performers with GingerSnap Performing Arts, as well as a 20-year veteran of the solo and dueling piano bar scene around the world. All my love to Luis! www.elisacarlsonmusic.com

[Bio as of October 2025]

At Writers Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Once, Into the Woods, Trevor, Parade, and The Hunter and the Bear

MATT DEITCHMAN returns to Writers Theatre, where his previous credits include: Once (Jeff Nom., Music Direction/Ensemble), Into The Woods (Jeff Nom., Music Direction), Trevor, Parade, and The Hunter And The Bear. Matt is a NYC based music director, actor, composer, orchestrator/arranger, and multi-instrumentalist whose credits include: Broadway — The Heart Of Rock And Roll, Parade, A Strange Loop, Almost Famous. Off-Broadway — Trevor (Disney+ and Original Cast Recording). Chicago — Marriott Theatre (recently, Jeff Nom., Music Direction for Buddy), Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Mercury Theatre, Griffin Theatre, and many others. Add'l select regional: Arena Stage (DC), Shakespeare Theatre Company (DC), Asolo Repertory Theatre (FL), American Stage Theatre (FL), South Coast Repertory (CA), Ogunquit Playhouse (ME), Norwegian Cruise Lines. Northwestern University Grad. 

[Bio as of September 2024]

Matt Edmonds returns to Writers Theatre for some more accordioning, where he was last seen in Once as Billy. Matt’s been performing in Chicago for 17 years. Recent/favorite work includes: The Little Mermaid (Drury Lane Oakbrook), The Music Man (Marriott Lincolnshire), Murder For Two (Marriott Lincolnshire & Milwaukee Repertory Theatre), Ragtime (Griffin Theatre, Jeff Award for Best Musical), Death of a Salesman, All-American (Redtwist Theatre, Jeff Nominations for Best Supporting - Play), Rent (Theo Ubique, Jeff for Best Musical), The Last Five Years (Metropolis Performing Arts Center), and Twelfth Night (Notre Dame Shakespeare). Love to Katie and our imminent baby!

[Bio as of October 2025]

At Writers Theatre: The Band's Visit and Once

Jordan Golding returns to Writers Theatre following his WT debut in Once. Other credits include The Band's Visit (TheatreSquared); Chicago's Drunk Shakespeare (The Lion Theatre); Pump Boys and Dinettes (Timberlake Playhouse); Merry Wives of Windsor (Arc Theatre); Eurydice (Promethean Theatre Ensemble); Light Up The Sky (Citadel Theatre); and various productions at the Oberlin Summer Theater Festival, including Macbeth, Barefoot in the Park, and The Winter's Tale. He holds a BA in acting from Oberlin College and received classical training for a semester at British American Drama Academy's London Theatre Program (Macbeth, Ovalhouse Theatre).

[Bio as of February 2024]

Dana Saleh Omar is a proud Palestinian-Jordanian first generation child. She recently produced, co-wrote and starred in her own short titled “Stuck” which is looking for distribution. She is a musician, actor and creator from Chicago. Recently: The Antiquities (Goodman Theatre), Broadway National Tour: The Band's Visit, Off-Broadway:  We Live in Cairo (Joe’s Pub). Regional: Once (Writers Theatre) Frankenstein: A Ghost Story (composer/musician, KC Rep.), We Live in Cairo (American Repertory Theatre), Pirates of Penzance  (Pasadena Playhouse), HMS Pinafore (Actor's Theatre of Louisville), All Our Tragic (The Hypocrites), The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane  (People’s Light),  One Hundred Dresses  (Chicago Children’s Theatre), TV:  Chicago PD. Danasalehomar.com 

[Bio as of October 2025]

At Writers Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Once, Into the Woods, A Moon for the Misbegotten, and She Loves Me

Bethany is thrilled to join the big show after appearing at Writers Theatre in Once, Into the Woods, A Moon for the Misbegotten, and She Loves Me. Other credits include A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre); Marie and Rosetta, Songs For Nobodies (Northlight Theatre); Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Ragtime, The Color Purple (Milwaukee Rep); The Tempest (Chicago Shakespeare); Porgy and Bess (Court Theatre); Iphigenia In Aulis (Getty Villa); Moby Dick (Rep of St. Louis). Jeff Award Winner, 3Arts Awardee, Lunt-Fontanne Fellow. Fun with Teatro ZinZanni, Grelley Duvall, Jon Langford, Tawny Newsome, The Fly Honeys; original music on Apple, and Spotify.

[Bio as of September 2024]

At Writers Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and Once

Bridget, a Chicagoland native, is thrilled to return to Writers Theatre! Chicagoland credits include: The Music Man, Beehive: The 60’s Musical!, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (Marriott Theatre); Once (Writers Theatre); RENT (Porchlight Music Theatre); Queer Eye: The Musical Parody (The Second City); Haymarket (Underscore Theatre Company - Jeff Award Nominee – Performer in a Leading Role); If/Then (Brown Paper Box Co.; Jeff Award Nominee – Performer in a Supporting Role); Head Over Heels (Kokandy Productions); and many others! Bridget was also seen in an episode of Chicago PD. Represented by Gray Talent Group. @badamsking www.bridgetadamsking.com

[Bio as of September 2024]

At Writers Theatre: The Band's Visit and Once

Harper Caruso is a multi-instrumentalist, actor, and musical director based in Chicago. Writers Theatre credits: Once (Eamon/Emcee u/s), 2022/2023 Annual Gala (Musical Director). She also music directed the very first all transgender production of Tick, Tick... Boom! with Boho Theatre. Coming up, you can see her this spring as musical director for 9 To 5: The Musical at Metropolis Arts. Harper would like to thank her amazingly supportive family and siblings, Jenny the wonder dog, and Nidhi. Trans lives matter.

[Bio as of February 2024]

At Writers Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and Once

Carisa is so grateful to be simultaneously making her Writers Theatre debut and reigniting her love for piano in Once! She was most recently seen as Maria in The Sound of Music at The Paramount Theatre. Other Chicagoland credits include: Regina in Rock of Ages (Paramount) Debbie in Groundhog Day (Paramount) and Ensemble in both Kinky Boots and the world premiere of The Secret of My Success (Yes, also Paramount.) Carisa is super open to being hired by other theaters in Chicago. @carcass_g @thebarenakedpole @shirleyhamiltontalent

[Bio as of March 2023]

Previous Writers Theatre credits include: Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Twelfth Night, and Vietgone. Chicago credits include: Lucy And Charlie’s Honeymoon (Lookingglass), Lord of The Rings: A Musical Tale (Chicago Shakespeare), Antigone (Court Theatre), Cambodian Rock Band (Victory Gardens), he has worked regionally at Alliance Theatre, Berkeley Rep, Milwaukee Rep, and The Old Globe. Broadway Credits: Almost Famous: The Musical. Film and TV: Ghostlight, The Bear, Empire, 61st Street, Chicago PD/Fire/Justice. He is a Lookingglass Ensemble Member.

[Bio as of October 2025]

At Writers Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

At Writers Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and Once

KATIE SPELMAN is a Chicago-born choreographer and director, thrilled to be returning to Writers. Spelman made her Broadway choreographic debut this season with The Notebook.  Recent credits include The Music Man (Marriott Theatre, 8 Jeff Nominations), Cabaret (Barrington Stage Company, Berkie Award for Best Choreography); the world premiere of An American Tail (CTC); Hello Kitty Must Die (Edinburgh Fringe), Day 365 - Live from the Rainbow Room with Dylan Mulvaney, Once (Writers Theatre), Swearing in English (Ars Nova), aren’t you glad you stayed in(TEAM Petri Project),  AD 16 (Olney Theater, Helen Hayes Award for Best Choreography), The Beautiful Game (Tokyo, TOHO Productions), The Who’s Tommy (DCPA), and Oklahoma! (Goodspeed). She was the Associate Choreographer on Moulin Rouge for the Boston, Broadway, and Australian companies, as well as an associate on the Broadway productions of Amelie, American Psycho, and Once; she was the Associate Choreographer on RENT Live! on Fox, and the Associate Director for Close To You on the West End. Katie has also collaborated with Lookingglass, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Camerata Bern, Court Theatre, The Hypocrites, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Timeline Theatre, and Northwestern University. 

[Bio as of September 2024]

At Writers Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Once, Into the Woods, Trevor, Parade, and The Hunter and the Bear

MATT DEITCHMAN returns to Writers Theatre, where his previous credits include: Once (Jeff Nom., Music Direction/Ensemble), Into The Woods (Jeff Nom., Music Direction), Trevor, Parade, and The Hunter And The Bear. Matt is a NYC based music director, actor, composer, orchestrator/arranger, and multi-instrumentalist whose credits include: Broadway — The Heart Of Rock And Roll, Parade, A Strange Loop, Almost Famous. Off-Broadway — Trevor (Disney+ and Original Cast Recording). Chicago — Marriott Theatre (recently, Jeff Nom., Music Direction for Buddy), Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Mercury Theatre, Griffin Theatre, and many others. Add'l select regional: Arena Stage (DC), Shakespeare Theatre Company (DC), Asolo Repertory Theatre (FL), American Stage Theatre (FL), South Coast Repertory (CA), Ogunquit Playhouse (ME), Norwegian Cruise Lines. Northwestern University Grad. 

[Bio as of September 2024]

At Writers Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and Once

YAEL LUBETZKY returns to Writers Theatre after previously designing past season’s production of Once, (Jeff Award Nomination). Design credits include The Broadway production of Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam which won a Tony award for Best Special Theatrical Event; Off-Broadway productions with The New Group, The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, WP Theatre, York Theatre Company, The Joyce, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. Regional design credits include productions at American Conservatory Theatre, The 5th Avenue Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Trinity Repertory Company, Arizona Theatre Company, Arkansas Rep, Children’s Theatre Company, Pioneer Theatre Company.  Most Recent designs include Matilda (Wichita Music Theatre); On Your Feet, Kinky Boots, (Riverside Theatre); Master Class (Arizona Theatre Company); Amid Falling Walls (NYTF).  Yael is a recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development Grant for Designers. 

[Bio as of September 2024]

At Writers Theatre: The Band's Visit and Once

SAMMI GRANT returns to Writers Theatre where she previously coached Once. Other Chicagoland Theatres she has worked with include: Goodman Theatre, Timeline Theatre, Lyric Opera, Drury Lane, Marriot Theatre, Remy Bumpppo Theatre, Shattered Globe Theatre, Rivendell Theatre, and many more. Her film/TV credits include: Rescued by Ruby (Netflix), Patriot (Amazon Prime), The Exorcist (Fox). She is an Adjunct Professor of performance at The Theatre School at DePaul University. Sammi holds an MFA with Distinction in Voice Studies from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She is on the Board of directors of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA).

[Bio as of February 2024]

Katie Galetti is the Artistic Producer and Casting Director at Writers Theatre in Glencoe and a member of CSA. She also serves as the Casting Consultant at Remy Bumppo Theatre in Chicago, and is a freelance casting director regionally. In addition to her casting work, Katie produces and directs events of multiple genres, including opera, digital, experiential, and film. She's worked with Little Cinema Digital, 13Exp, and HERE Arts & Culture Consulting as a producer, is the founder and Artistic Director of Janus Concert Series, and is a founding member of the Chicago Opera Collective. Outside of theater, Katie is a volunteer with Resilience Chicago as a Sexual Assault Crisis Advocate and a classically trained vocalist. More information can be found at www.katiegaletti.com.

At Writers Theatre: As You Like It, Translations, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, The Band's Visit, Once, and Athena

MIRANDA ANDERSON is happy to be back at Writers where she has previously worked as the stage manager for Translations, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, The Band's Visit, Once and Athena. She has frequently worked with TimeLine Theatre where selected credits include: What the Constitution Means to Me, Trouble in Mind, Campaigns Inc., and Relentless. She has also worked at Rivendell Theatre, The House Theatre, First Folio Theatre, and The Hypocrites, among others. From 2012 to 2018, she toured with The Hypocrites’ Gilbert and Sullivan productions to regional theaters including Olney Theatre Company, Pasadena Playhouse, Skirball Center at NYU, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and American Repertory Theatre in Boston. Miranda is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

[Bio as of October 2025]

Natalie Cohen is thrilled to return to Writers Theatre where previous credits include Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, The Band's Visit, Manual Cinema's Christmas Carol, Once, and Athena. Select credits include Cats, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Kinky Boots (Paramount Theatre); A Raisin in the Sun, The Gospel at Colonus (Court Theatre); Clyde’s (Goodman Theatre). Natalie is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Love to Molly, always.

[Bio as of October 2025]