MEET THE CAST
CYMONE ARMSTRONG (She/They)
Cymone is making her High Tide Theatrical debut in The Laramie Project.
Previously, Cymone has been in shows such as ROE, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Little Black Dress and a Coffee.
When asked why she wanted to be a part of The Laramie Project, Cymone said, “I had the honor and privilege of working with Rachel in ROE & truly am honored to be able to work with her once more and the message of this play resonates with me deeply!”
To sign off, Cymone says, “Long live art & human expression, AI could never replace us!!”
HADLEIGH CALLAHAN (She/Her)
Hadleigh is returning to the High Tide Theatrical stage in The Laramie Project.
Previously at High Tide, Hadleigh has been seen in the ‘24 and ‘25 productions of The Rocky Horror Show (Phantom), and in our Pride, Duets, and Villains in Concert series. She also served as a Director for our Literature to Life concert.
Most recently, Hadleigh was seen in The Tempest (Ferdinand) with Queen City Shakespeare.
Hadleigh studied Theatre and Rhetoric at Wheaton College in Illinois.
Hadleigh said, “It’s hard to articulate everything that this show means to me in a short blurb; I’m a gay woman in a small town. I think what compels me most about this show is that there are no monsters in this play – hate is human and we beat it by taking accountability and choosing love” when asked why she was called to audition.
MACEO CORTEZZ (He/Him)
Maceo is debuting at High Tide Theatrical in The Laramie Project!
Professionally, Maceo has been seen in An Inspector Calls in the UK & Ireland National Tour and Feeling Lonely at Parties with Exeter Northcott.
In local productions you may have seen him in Shakespeare at The Column’s/Actor’s Theatre of Missouri’s productions of Titus Andronicus (Aaron) and Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio). He also performed in Romeo and Juliette (Romeo) with Forte Theatre.
Maceo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Acting from Mountview Academy of Theatre (London).
Maceo is thrilled to work with Rachel Jamieson and is extremely grateful
JONAH BERNARD DRAKE (They/Them)
Jonah is making their High Tide debut!
Some highlights from Jonah’s stage experience include Treasure Island (Ben Gunn/Job O’Brien/Jemmy Rathbone/Reverend Mainwaring/Parrot) with Springfield Contemporary Theatre, and The Tempest (Boatswain/Trinculo) and Shakespeare on Tap: Romeo & Julie-Ale (Romeo) with Queen City Shakespeare.
Jonah studied Theatre at Crowder College.
When asked what made auditioning for The Laramie Project important to them, Jonah said, “The Laramie Project is the sort of non-traditional theatre that I’ve always gravitated towards. Having been involved in devising work for the last few years, I was eager to try the “moment work” that Tectonic pioneered with the original production of this play.”
ERIKA DORIO (She/Her)
Erika is taking the High Tide Theatrical stage for the very first time in The Laramie Project!
Most recently in Springfield, she has been seen in Springfield Contemporary Theatre’s production of Roe (Ronda Mackey, Helen, Gloria Allred, Holly Hunter).
As a professional actress in New York City, Erika was seen in Off-Broadway productions such as The Misanthrope (Celimene), The Proposal (Natalya Stepanova), and The Lemon Manifesto (Valerie Kismet). In Connecticut, Erika performed, directed, and produced shows with The Community Theatre at Woodbury. There, she performed in God of Carnage (Veronica), Almost Maine (Rhonda), New York (Doctor), and KISS the Moon, KISS the Sun (Holly).
Erika Attended Interlochen Arts Academy and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Pennsylvania State University.
When asked why she auditioned, Erika said, “This play is a very important story to tell and to keep telling. I prefer to do thought provoking theatre and this material should make us think about the world in which we exist.”
She would also like to add, “I’m really happy to be making my High Tide debut. Everyone has been nothing but incredibly professional, supportive, and super cool. Many thanks to Rachel for this opportunity.”
KRISTIN FARR (She/Her)
Kristin is making her High Tide Theatrical debut in The Laramie Project!
Kristin has performed at area theatres for 30 years with her first show at Springfield Little Theatre in 1995. Previous credits include Springfield Little Theatre: Hot’l Baltimore, To Kill a Mockingbird, Dangerous Liaisons, Blithe Spirit, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Parental Guidance Suggested among others. At Springfield Contemporary Theatre, credits include Roe, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Enemy of the People, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, and Assassins. Other theatre credits include Hair at Missouri State University; The Gingerbread Lady, Deathtrap, and The Vagina Monologues at the Vandivort Center Theatre; and Speech & Debate at VCT 2nd Stage.
Kristin holds a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Theatre Education from Missouri State University. Kristin is a founding member of Devising Original Theatre Springfield (D.O.T.S.) and continues to serve on its executive team. She is also a founding member of Mick’s Usual Suspects Murder Mystery Players.
We asked her why The Laramie Project was a show she wanted to audition for, and she said, “Theatre is storytelling. The community of Laramie experienced a tragedy that played out on national television. I watched this story on the nightly news, heartbroken for a person I never knew. His murder struck a chord throughout the country. While Matthew was the victim of a horrific beating, the aftershocks reverberated through his community, affecting those he knew and those he didn’t. It is an honor and a privilege to bring to life their words and stories in an original devised theatre piece that gave a community an opportunity for closure.
She would like to extend many thanks to Dave for his unending support.
JODY FURNAS (She/Her)
Jody is making her High Tide debut in The Laramie Project!
Jody comes from a long theatre career in Minneapolis and St. Pual
You may have recently seen her on stage at Springfield Little Theatre in Oklahoma (Aunt Eller), Murder on the Orient Express (Princess Dragomiroff), and Steel Magnolias (Ouiser); Theatre North of 60 in Annie (Lily St Regis); NACC in Quilters (Sarah); Springfield Contemporary Theatre in ROE (Mary Nelson, others); and Shakespeare at The Column’s/Actor’s Theatre of Missouri in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Cobweb).
When asked why The Laramie Project was important to her, Jody quoted – George Santayana
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
BEN ISAACS (He/They)
Ben is taking the High Tide Theatrical stage for the first time in The Laramie Project.
Most recently, Ben was seen in The Tempest (Caliban) with Queen City Shakespeare. Ben holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Dance Theatre from Bringham Young University.
When we asked why he wanted to audition for The Laramie Project, Ben said, “This project is special to me because it shows the fruits of colonization laid bare. Until we reckon with our white colonial history, we are cursed to repeat it in violent acts.”
Ben also wants to extend special thanks to Mom, Seve, Andrew, Kevin, Lyric, et al.
COREY KILBURN (He/Him)
Corey is taking the stage in The Laramie Project for his High Tide Theatrical debut!
He has previously been involved in numerous productions in the Springfield and Branson area and was most recently seen at Springfield Little Theatre in The Play that Goes Wrong and The Giver. Corey also has professional experience as a Stunt Choreographer and Fight Director for both stage and film!
Corey is honored to help tell the story of The Laramie Project. He auditioned because he believes theatre can hold space for hard conversations and help a community listen with more empathy. This show is a reminder that our words, our choices, and our courage to stand up for one another matter. Corey is grateful to share this story with a cast committed to truth, compassion, and connection.
Outside the theatre, Corey Kilburn is heavily involved in the community and is the founder of RoundTable Legal and lead agent at RoundTable Talent; representing creatives and entrepreneurs in entertainment, intellectual property, contract, and business matters. He believes the best work happens when people feel protected, prepared, and seen.
AZZIE SMITH (He/Him)
Azzie will be making his High Tide Theatrical Debut in The Laramie Project!
Azzie’s other credits include being a part of the Necrobroth Theatre cast, and Springfield Contemporary Theatre’s production of Treasure Island (Jim Hawkins). Azzie was also a student in the Pre-Professional Track program at Springfield Little Theatre.
When we asked Azzie why he auditioned for The Laramie Project, he said, “The story of Laramie is one familiar to anyone from these parts of the Midwest. Even when an Ozarkian hears this story for the very first time, it rings a couple bells somehow”
Azzie wanted us to tell you all to “Be brave, be loud, be you. Connect with your fellow queer. And before you get to where you’re going, remember to enjoy your journey.”
MEET THE TEAM
RACHEL JAMIESON (She/Her)
Rachel is delighted to be making her High Tide Theatrical debut!
Rachel can usually be found behind the scenes in Springfield and Branson, having most recently directed Roe (Springfield Contemporary Theatre), Shrek: The Musical (Welk Resort Theatre), Lily Plants a Garden (Springfield Little Theatre), The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later (Ozarks Technical Community College), and the world premiere SOGI: A Docudrama (independent).
She holds an MFA in Actor Training and Coaching from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, as well as an MA in Educational Theatre in Colleges and Communities from New York University.
Rachel has performed, directed, stage managed, and taught actors of all ages in Chicago, New York, London, and Cork (Ireland), and she currently teaches for Missouri State University, Springfield Little Theatre Academy, and Missouri Alliance for Arts Education. Her most recent onstage work includes a traveling production of The Milly Project, which has performed around the state of Missouri.
Rachel currently serves as board president for the Springfield/SWMO chapter of PFLAG, and she has served in leadership positions with the Illinois Theatre Association and the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. She also enjoys traveling, reading, yoga, delicious food and drinks, art museums, live music, animals, activism, watching TV, films, and plays, as well as spending quality time with her sweet husband Ryan and their three adorable cats.
Rachel is so grateful to the brilliant HTT staff and board for their trust and support, and deeply appreciative of the dynamite cast and crew of The Laramie Project for their incredible talent and heart. It is an honor to share Matthew’s story, bring LGBTQIA+ awareness to our community, and help make the world a more inclusive place.
MALLORY MAGGI (She/Her)
Mallory is working with High Tide once again as the Assistant Director/Stage Manager for The Laramie Project.
Mallory has been involved with High Tide since the beginning, and directed the first production of the 2024 season, Tick, Tick… Boom! She has also performed in Leading Ladies, Villains, and Literature to Life in Concert. Mallory has also served as the Stage Manager for The Rocky Horror Show in 2024 and 2025 and has worked crew for Next to Normal and Hand to God.
Mallory holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Public Relations and Theatre Studies, as well as a Master of Professional Studies in Applied Communication from Missouri State University. She spent several of her college summers as a part of the Marketing and House Operations team with Tent Theatre and served as the Office Manager for the Missouri State University Marketing Office of Theatre and Dance.
When asked why she wanted to be a part of The Laramie Project, Mallory said, “Being able to share the significance of queer history and honoring those who have paved the way for where we are now is so important. We’ve come so far, but there is still so much to learn. I am honored to be a part of telling the Springfield community why it is important for us to remember what happened to Matthew, and to extend the H-O-P-E that we can learn how to be better neighbors to each other.”
