Danielle Kerr (Ewe)
Danielle is delighted to be making her Lifeline debut! Recent credits include National Merit (Boho Theatre), A Grand Night for Singing (Dunes Summer Theatre), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Improv Playhouse), and A Fabulous 50’s Christmas (Towle Theater). Danielle is a recent graduate of Northwestern University, where she studied Theatre and English. Originally from Massachusetts, Danielle is very grateful to her Mom, Dad and older brother Nate for all those trips to Drumlin Farm to hang out with the sheep. She is represented by Stavins Talent. daniellemkerr.com
Jennifer Ledesma (Pig)
Jennifer is thrilled to be back at Lifeline where she was last seen in Giggle Giggle Quack. Recently, she performed in Broadway In Your Backyard (Porchlight Music Theatre), where she sang showtunes in Chicago parks throughout the summer season. Some of her other favorite theatre credits include: American Mariachi (TheatreSquared), West Side Story (Morris Performing Arts Center), Same Same But Different (New York City Children’s Theatre), the Chicago premieres of Bright Star (Boho Theatre) and If/Then (Brown Paper Box Company), Grand Hotel (Kokandy Productions), Hello, Again (Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre) and Almost Heaven (Theatre at the Center). Jennifer received her Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Theatre from Columbia College Chicago and is proudly represented by Big Mouth Talent. She’d like to thank Heather, Jim, and George for their collaboration and guidance on this fun show. www.jennifer-ledesma.com / @jennifermarieledesma
Scott Sawa (Farmer Brown)
Scott is elated to be back on the Lifeline stage, having last been seen as Cactus and Snake in We Found a Hat, and Father in Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters! Other fave roles include: Henry in Here Lies Henry (Interrobang Theatre Project) (Non-Eq Jeff Nomination – Solo Performance), Cliff Bradshaw in Cabaret (Cowardly Scarecrow); George/Valentina (u/s) in Casa Valentina, Bob Neal in Ten Dollar House (Pride Films & Plays), and “TV Ugly” Pete in Hey! Dancin! Hey! Musical! (Factory). TV/Web: Chicago Fire & RedLine to Howard. Scott is an Understudy for Bye Bye Liver!, and produces a podcast, “You’re On In Five! The Art of Understudying”, featuring conversations with (mostly) Chicago actors about their experiences and technique as understudies, currently available everywhere. Thanks and Love to Mom and Charlotte. When pronounced correctly, Scott Sawa rhymes with “Hot Lava”. www.ScottSawa.com
Sarah Beth Tanner (Cow)
Sarah Beth is thrilled to return to Lifeline after understudying Fable-ous! in 2017. Originally from Alabama, SBT is an actor-musician and culinary creative in Chicago. Past credits include: Always… Patsy Cline (Raue Center for the Arts), HAYMARKET: A New Folk Musical (Underscore Theatre, 2019 Jeff Award Winner: Best New Musical), Southern Gothic (Windy City Playhouse). SBT is represented by Big Mouth Talent. Find out more at sbtcooks.com or @sbtcooks. Lots of love to this incredible team and endless gratitude to Tyler and my wildly supportive family and friends.
Brian Tochterman Jr. (Duck)
Brian is so happy to be back at Lifeline and reprising his role as Duck after a long two years away! Recent credits include: Candide (Mudlark Theater), The Time Warp Trio, You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy?, and Giggle, Giggle, Quack (Lifeline Theatre). Brian is a resident teaching artist at Mudlark Theater and a graduate from Loyola University Chicago. He is represented by DDO Artists Agency.
Danny Ackman (U/S Duck)
Danny is so excited to be making his Lifeline Theatre debut! Recent credits include: America’s Best Outcast Toy (Pride Films and Plays) and Magician’s Child (Second City Conservatory). He recently received a B.A. in Theatre from North Central College and is a student at the Conservatory at The Second City. He thanks his family and friends for their constant love and support and his jaw surgeon for fixing his jaw this summer. @dannysfuntime
Connar Brown (U/S Cow)
Connar is thrilled to be moo-king her Lifeline Theatre debut as Cow Understudy. Some recent favorite theatre credits include Grimm (Theatre Above the Law), The Pillowman and Spongebob the Musical (Surging Films and Theatrics), and “Oh Hi Johnny!” The Room-sical Parody (Chicago Musical Theatre Festival.) Connar is also a producer of She | Them Productions. When she’s not performing, she can be found annihilating an entire bag of sour candy. Give her a follow @JGCBrown97 and @shethemproductions.
Jake Jones (U/S Farmer Brown)
Ashlyn Seehafer (U/S Ewe)
Ashlyn is over the MOOn to be understudying in her first Lifeline production! Recent credits include Shout! The Mod Musical (Metropolis), When There Are Nine (Pride Arts), and Beauty and the Beast (Beverly Arts Center). She can also be seen in Random Acts Theatre Company’s first feature horror film, Viral, screening throughout Chicago this fall. You can see more of what Ashlyn’s up to at www.ashlynseehafer.com. Thank Y-O-U for supporting this show!
Catherine Simmons (U/S Pig)
A recent transplant to the city, Catherine is excited for the opportunity to work with such a collaborative and talented cast and crew in her first production with not only Lifeline, but in the Chicago area as well. Recent credits include The Last Five Years (Neill Equality Center), The Drowsy Chaperone (Theatre Tulsa), The Skin of Our Teeth (Clark Theatre), and A Christmas Carol (American Theatre Company).
Heather Currie (Director)
Heather Currie is a member of the artistic ensemble at Lifeline Theatre, having developed, directed and performed in numerous productions over the last 14 years. Most recently directing the 6-part audio adaptation of Sense & Sensibility. For the Lifeline KidSeries, she most recently cowrote, directed and choreographed You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? Other directing credits: Spamalot (Wilmette Summer Theatre), Steel Magnolias (Big Noise Theatre), Don Quixote (Mudlark Theater), Madagascar: A Musical Adventure and Junie B. Jones The Musical (Magik Theatre, San Antonio). Heather teaches screenwriting in the department of Cinema Arts and Television at Columbia College Chicago.
James E. Grote (Adaptor)
Jim joined the Lifeline artistic ensemble in 1999. Dooby Dooby Moo is the fourth play (of five) in the Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type series, many of which have been produced at theatres all across the country. He has also adapted Katherine Applegate’s Newbery Award-winning The One and Only Ivan, Daniel Mason’s The Piano Tuner, and C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair for Lifeline. As an actor, Jim has appeared at Lifeline in Lyle, Lyle Crocodile; Around the World in 80 Days; and The Killer Angels (2004), among other shows. During the day Jim works as a legal secretary in the litigation department of a mid-sized law firm in the Loop.
George Howe (Composer & Lyricist/Music Director)
George has composed the scores for many Lifeline Theatre KidSeries shows including: Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Arnie the Doughnut, The Emperor’s Groovy New Threads, and five musicals in the Click, Clack Moo series. His MainStage musicals have each received Jeff Awards for Best New Musical; Queen Lucia: A Musical Romp, and Northanger Abbey.
Jai Sidi (Stage Manager/CCO)
Christopher Vizurraga (Assistant Director)
This is Christopher’s sixth production with Lifeline, after appearing as an actor in Middle Passage [2022], Miss Buncle’s Book, Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters, Giggle Giggle Quack (national tour), and the title role in Lyle Lyle Crocodile [2019]. Other credits include the Illinois Shakespeare Festival (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I <3 Juliet, Cymbeline), Chicago Shakespeare (A Q Brothers Christmas Carol u/s), First Folio (Women in Jeopardy, Captain Blood), and Milwaukee Rep (The History of Invulnerability, Noises Off, Ragtime). He can also be heard in the audio dramas The Vanishing Act and the newly released Fawx & Stallion.
Aly Renee Amidei (Costume Designer)
Aly is the Assistant Professor of Costume Design at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an MFA in Costume Design from Carnegie Mellon University in 2000. She is an ensemble member, designer, and playwright at two pillars of Chicago ensemble-based storefront theatre: Strawdog Theatre Company and Lifeline Theatre. She was also a founding member and the Artistic Director for the horror theatre company WildClaw. Her costume and makeup designs have also been featured at Steep Theatre, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre of San Antonio, Lakeside Shakespeare, Irish Theater of Chicago, Buffalo Theater Ensemble, Dupage Opera, Stage Left, Artistic Home, House Theater of Chicago, Teatro Vista, Collaboraction, and Vitalist Theater. Previously, she was the Associate Professor of Costume Design at UNC-Charlotte for seven years and previously worked for fifteen years as the costume and makeup coordinator for the College of DuPage theater and dance department. Her creative research focus concerns the role of the ‘designer as dramaturg’. She practices this research by designing new works and re-envisioned classics through the concept of ‘world-building’. In addition to creative research, her scholarship has contributed new perspectives on inclusive, equitable costuming in professional and educational theatre.
Diane D. Fairchild (Lighting Designer)
Diane has been an ensemble member since 2017. Previous Lifeline credits include: Miss Holmes Returns, Whose Body?, Emma, The Time Warp Trio, Anna Karenina, You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy?, Her Majesty’s Will, Northanger Abbey, and A Tale of Two Cities (Jeff Award winner). Regional credits: 1st Stage Springhill, City Theatre, Boise Contemporary Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and Michigan Shakespeare Festival. Other Chicago area credits include: Music Theatre Works, Teatro Vista, Rivendell (Ensemble Member), Wheaton College, Wilmette Parks District, Sarah Hall, and MOMENTA.
Noah Ginex (Puppet Designer)
Liz Hadden (Scenic & Properties Designer)
Liz is delighted to be collaborating with the Lifeline Theatre team! She has been in Chicago for a little over a year and most recently designed for Oil Lamp Theatre’s Frankenstein, Interobang Theatre’s Sub-Culture and technical directed Who’s Holiday last fall at Theater Wit. Before moving, she designed in Northern California for over a decade. Credits include The Tenth Muse, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and Comedy of Errors, Mary Stuart, On the Twentieth Century, As You Like It, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mud Blue Sky, Treasure Island, Beauty and the Beast, Rigoletto, 33 Variations, and Red at Davis Shakespeare Festival, B Street Theatre, Sacramento Theatre Company, Barnyard Theatre, Big Idea Theatre, and Sac Opera. In addition to set and props design, Liz co-founded a pop-up escape room company, Aviki Games (est. 2017-2020), and continues to design puzzle games for clients throughout the country. www.lizhaddendesign.com
Emily Hayman (Sound Designer)
Emily is a Chicago-based sound designer and recent graduate from The Theatre School at DePaul University. Recent sound design credits include, Men on Boats (Illinois Wesleyan University); The New Play Festival (Northwestern University); Squirrel Girl Goes to College, NEWSBREAK: an escape room, and Come Back, Little Sheba (DePaul University). Assistant sound design for The Notebook (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Seagull (Steppenwolf), and Choir Boy (Steppenwolf).
Paige Keedy (Production Manager)
Harrison Ornelas (Technical Director)
Mitchell Patterson (Lighting Supervisor)
