HAVEN SIFUENTES-DENSON (they/she; Romeo) is proud to be returning to Olde School Shakespeare with such an immensely talented cast and crew. A performer of over 16 years, Haven studied Theatre at North Central College and Deree: The American College of Greece. In the spirit of The Bard, Haven is passionate about reimagining the works of Shakespeare in a way that is accessible and relatable to contemporary audiences. Keep up with them @havensdenson on IG. “I am a revolutionary.” FILM: A Butterfly’s Gloom (Filenté Productions), BRIM (Visage Entertainment). CHICAGO: King John (Circuit Theatre), Henry IV (Olde School Shakespeare), Never Better (THEO), Warm On The Coolin’ Board (MPAACT), Gay Card (Pride Arts), Aztec Human Sacrifice (CityLit), Much Ado About Nothing (Concrete Palm Tree). UNDERGRADUATE: The Opportunities of Extinction (NCC), The Laramie Project (NCC), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (NCC).

Bailey Savage believes in a thing called love & that everyBODY is worthy of it. You might've seen them as Falstaff in Olde School Shakespeare's Henry IV or sometime over the past five years in varying states of undress at Drunk Shakespeare. William Shakespeare is Savage's biological grandfather. Special shout out those with kindness in their hearts and grace in their veins. XOXO

Emily Gustafson (she/her) is an actor, writer, and educator. Originally from Minneapolis, she has worked with The Neighborhood Theatre Project, Shakespeare on the Sound, the Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival, and others.

Christoph is a theatre artist and actor combatant, with previous Shakespeare credits including Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. He also works professionally as a massage therapist with over a decade of experience. Tremendous thanks to Old School Shakespeare for the opportunity to work with such excellent artists!

Michael Oakes (he/they) is an actor and stand up comic from Sault Ste Marie, MI. They’ve most recently worked with The Factory Theater and has done extensive shows with the Meat Machine Theatre Ensemble, including the Reader Reccomended show Ubu The King. They’re a Libra (yay!) who loves the movie Tenet (boo?) and will talk about both of those things at length. They’re excited to be returning to the Collective for a second time :)

Wyatt McCall is an actor, producer, and chef based in Chicago, IL. He attended the Sargent Conservatory at Webster University, where he majored in musical theatre. While attending Webster, Wyatt worked as an actor at various regional theaters, including Arrow Rock Lyceum Theater, Metro Theater Company St. Louis, Maples Repertory Theatre, and the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival.

Upon graduating, Wyatt moved to Chicago and worked on the administrative teams of several Chicago theatres, including The Neo-Futurists, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Lookingglass Theatre Company. Concurrently, he performed as an actor for multiple companies, including Avalanche Theatre, Inc. Theatre Co, and The Imposters Theatre Co.

Leveraging his knowledge of administration and the Chicago theatre landscape, Wyatt co-founded The Olde School Shakespeare Collective. The collective's mission is to address issues within the theatre community that became apparent in the wake of COVID-19 and to create theatre for the local working class.

When he is not working in theatre, Wyatt channels his love for people, culture, and hospitality into his work as a chef. He currently serves as a chef de partie at Maxwell’s Trading, which was recently named the best restaurant in Chicago by Chicago magazine.

Hey y’all! I’m very excited to be a part of this Olde School Shakes production and I’ve been itching to take a stab at Shakespeare’s words! I’m an Evanston native and graduate of Western Michigan University’s Acting and Creative Writing programs. My recent credits include: A Wisconsin Christmas Pie (feature film), The Story of Violence (Mud Theatre), Demon of Door Island (upcoming feature film), and Big Time (upcoming feature film). When I’m not acting, you can find me taking extremely long walks by the lake, reciting André 3000 verses to myself.

Sturge is a nonbinary Californian turned Chicagoan. They’re a stunt performer and fight choreographer here in the city! Some of their projects include Gladiator Fight Night with The Point Theatre Project, being a stunt performer at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair, fighting with Babes with Blades, and working with One and Done Stunts. They love Olde School Shakes and couldn’t be happier playing their dream role as Tybalt.

Lloyd Wayne Taylor (he/him) is overjoyed to make his Olde School Shakespeare debut.

A Filipino-American actor and educator, Lloyd received his MFA in Theatre from the University of Houston Professional Actor Training Program. Selected credits include: Romeo & Juliet (Romeo), King Lear (Edmund), Julius Caesar (Brutus), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Puck), The Tempest (Ferdinand), As You Like It (Jaques), Sanctuary City (B), The Chinese Lady (Atung), The Oldest Boy (Lama), Silence (Roger), and Lone Star (Ray). He's also worked with the Houston Grand Opera and Rec Room Arts. Lloyd is eternally grateful for his family, friends, and you for supporting the arts.

"Give yourself a try."

Keon is an African American actor/filmmaker of eight years in the industry. Born and raised in South Florida, he comes from an artistic background. His training extends from Stanislavski, meisner, Chekov, and Shakespeare. When it comes to film it is his biggest passion. As a filmmaker He tells various stories that range from real to surreal. Receiving many accolades through his production company. He believes there's no limits to the imagination of the mind and transfer that into the stories he creates.

Kahrynn Aaliyah is a multi-faceted creative new to the Chicago area from Michigan. They found the love of theatre and music early in life. Some favorite roles include… Glendower/Bardolph in Henry IV (Olde School Shakes), Anna-Mae/Afua in “By The Way Meet Vera Stark” (Hope College, 2024), Helena in “A Midsummer Night's Dream” (Kellogg Community College, 2022). In October of 2024, they had their debut as a Writer/Director for the Dinner Theatre Musical, Soup ‘N Salad for the Soul (Ebony Road Players, Grand Rapids, MI). In their free time they enjoy making music, time spent with friends, and nature.

Aleena is so excited to be a part of the thrilling experience at Olde School Shakes alongside such a wonderful cast in this classic tale. Previous roles include Ipsa in Persona Non-Grata, Gertrude in Hamlet, Adult Women in Spring Awakening. When not on stage, Aleena is on set, a shoot, or a show as a makeup artist; or photographing an event or some other artistry. Above all they love to be around others and uplift one another in community. They’d like to thank their roommate and best friend Zosia, for supporting them on stage and off, no matter what. And to thank Olde School Shakes for doing what they do, and doing it greatly!

Emma is over the moon to be making her OSSC debut with such a beautiful show! An obsessive and mostly self-taught Shakespeare fanatic, she moved to Chicago in 2024 after graduating with her BFA from the University of Idaho. Her favorite bard credits include Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Isabel in Measure for Measure, and one of the witches in Macbeth. She wants to thank her father, Simon, for being a constant source of inspiration and support in this crazy world. Currently seeking representation.

Emma Johnson (She/They) is a Director, Puppeteer, and Devising Artist excited to be working again with Olde School Shakespeare Collective as the Captain for Romeo and Juliet. Most recently, she worked with OSSC as First Mate for Henry IV. She also has worked with Split Lip as Assistant Director for Uncle Vanya, and has an upcoming Devised Project, called 2006, which will be coming to a basement near you. Before moving to Chicago, Emma was an Emerging Professional Resident at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, where she was an Assistant Director for five different productions throughout their season and directed a production of The Last Nickel by Jane Shepard. Other directing credits include 1999 by Stacy Isom Campbell (Staged Reading), Lesbian Woman by Anne Valentino (Staged Reading), Running With Coffee by Eileen Richards (Stage Reading), Proof by David Auburn, and Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang.

A founding member of The Olde School Shakespeare Collective, Drew is the coolest. 

Annie Considine is a Chicago theatre artist from Lenox, Massachusetts specializing in Shakespeare. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Theater and Performance Studies and holds a certificate in Shakespeare from LAMDA. She is a member of Actors’ Equity and has directed over 20 productions of Shakespeare’s plays with Shakespeare & Company, Hampshire Shakespeare Company, Riggs Theatre 37, and the University of Chicago. In 2016, she directed a bilingual production of Romeo & Juliet in Bosnia & Herzegovina with Youth Bridge Global, a non-profit facilitating youth theater productions in international communities based out of Dartmouth University. Annie also taught for six years in Shakespeare & Company’s education department under its founder Kevin G. Coleman, two-time Excellence in Theater Education Tony Award finalist. She has also taught with Hamptons Shakespeare Festival, Youth Bridge Global, and Dorset Theatre Festival. Find out more at her website www.annieconsidine.com

she/her - Lauryn is a co-founder and the Marketing Director of The Olde School Shakespeare Collective, where she oversees the company’s branding, graphic design, social media, and audience engagement. Since the Collective’s founding, she has helped shape its visual identity and build a growing community around its mission of making Shakespeare accessible, immersive, and just a little unruly.

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Outside of Olde School, Lauryn is a professional opera singer. She holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University and has performed with companies including Chicago Opera Theater, The Florentine Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Opera San Antonio.

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Lauryn is also the founder of Lauryn Nelson Graphics, a graphic design and creative services business specializing in websites, branding, and marketing materials for performing artists and arts organizations. Her work brings together her backgrounds in performance, design, and arts marketing, with a particular passion for helping artists and small organizations tell their stories in ways that feel authentic, engaging, and distinctly their own.