CIRCLE MIRROR TRANFORMATION
A LAB PRODUCTION
By Annie Baker
Directed by Alex Lonati
A warm, witty play about five strangers whose lives are unexpectedly transformed through a community acting class.
NOVEMBER 18-21, 2026
SEMEL theater
All performances open to the public
CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatics Play Service, concordtheatricals.com
Run Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes with no intermission
Content Advisory: Contains mentions of death, infidelity, molestation/sexual assault. Includes themes such as marital conflict, sexual themes, alcohol use, on stage intimacy, divorce.
Barbecue
Creative Team
Scenic Design
Verrine Farag
Costume Design
Maria-Renee Herman
Lighting Design
Lizzie Lamb
Sound Design
Evelyn Walyus
Properties Lead
Ryan Bates
STAGE MANAGER
Sydney Williams
PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Alyssa Schlaifer
Vocal coach
Tom Giordano
A note from the
Director, Jonathan Kitt
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CAST
Sandra — YASMEEN AALIYAH
Sara — AURA HENDERSON
Abner/Malik — SOFONYAS
Missy Sue/Candice — LUCABELLA SANGIN
LuAnne/Jade — DAKOTA FRYE
Understudies
Sandra — SAADIYAH PROCTOR
Sara — LAUREN WHITAKER
Abner/Malik — ANDREW KING
Missy Sue/Candice — PEYTON FENNER
Meet the
Artistic and Production Staff
Assistant Director — REIGN BAILEY
Technical Director — KRISTIN KNUTSON
Assistant Costume Designer — JACY ALPERT
Wardrobe Supervisor — NATALIE ALPERT
Assistant Lighting Designer — HUGO BILLIAU
Programmer — NATE PRITZKER
Production Electrician — EMMA KLICK
Lead Electrician — ABIGAIL THORNELL
Assistant Production Sound Engineer— ZEE COWAN
Assistant Stage Manager — VEE ROMANO
2nd Assistant Stage Manager — MOIRA POEPPERLING
Associate Production Supervisor — REN LAKE
Company Manager — PATRICK BRUDERLE
Cast Bios
YASMEEN AALIYAH (she/her) — Sandra
BFA ’28 Musical Theatre. Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Society’s Cabaret of Color. A special thank you to her mother for her endless support and guidance! @yasmeenaaliyah_
AURA HENDERSON (they/them) — Sara
Theatre and Performance BFA ’28. Emerson College credits: EmShakes’ The Sea Ends at Troy (Chorus #4); Beautiful (Margaret) at FreshFest. Other credits: The Laramie Project (Amanda Gorman); You Can’t Take it With You (Olga Katrina); The Crucible (Mary Warren), The Addams Family (Ancestor); Clue (Mrs. Peacock); The Man Who Came to Dinner (Sheridan Whiteside); Little Shop of Horrors (Crystal); The Princess Bride (Count Rugen); Friends Camp’s Beauty and The Beast (Belle). Thanks to: My mom and my sister, and to Alejandro I love you all. @aura.cle28
SOFONYAS — Abner/Malik
Acting BFA ‘26. Emerson Stage credits: I Love XXX (Ensemble). Emerson College credits: Crown Studios’ Pass Over (Kitch), EmShakes’ Metamorphosis (Gregor)—EVVY Award Winner. Jelly’s Last Jam (Jack); MTS’ The Summer I Turned Pretty Workshop (Rodney); Mercutio Troupe’s Romeo and Juliet (Paris, Montague, Sampson); The Effect (Tristan Frey); Write Me Down I Was Here (Core Ensemble/Deviser). Regional: Foundry Theatre’s Will Miracles Never Cease (Hobbes); Vegas Theatre Company’s On Golden Pond (Billy Ray Jr.); Dead Poets Society: Musical Workshop (Gerard Pitts). Upcoming: Chain Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet (Romeo), Off-Off Broadway debut. I attribute all glory to the man upstairs, and would not be here today without him. Can I get an Amen!? AMEN! I love you Mom, Dad, Kebi, Philip, Danny. You keep me going and inspire me to do better every day.
LUCABELLA SANGIN — Missy Sue/Candice
BFA ‘26 Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage credits: I Love XXX (Understudy). Select Emerson College Credits: RareWorks Theatre Company’s Paul Bunyan is my Boyfriend (Nancy); Kidding Around’s June July August (Harper), Dear Morgan Le Fay (Playwright); Mercutio Troupe’s Romeo and Juliet (Friar Laurence), The Hill (Death). Thanks to my amazing Mom and Dad I owe everything to you!! @bella.sangin
DAKOTA FRYE (she/her) — LuAnne/Jade
BFA ’26 Acting. Emerson Stage credits: The Impracticability of Modern Day Mastodons (Paula/Palentologist/Jess U/S) Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Society’s Bare: A Pop Opera (Tanya); Mercutio Troupe’s Jelly’s Last Jam (Amede/Ensemble). Emerson College film credits: EIV’s How to Get a Girl (Dorothy), This Isn’t My House (Beatriz). I would like to thank my family, friends, and teachers for their guidance and support. Instagram: @its.dakota.frye
SAADIYAH PROCTOR (she/her) — U/S Sandra
BFA ’28 Theatre and Performance. Emerson College credits: Bittersuite (Hazel); Not Our House (Mikayla); Romantics Anonymous (Asher). Regional Credits: Stage The Change’s Right Before I Go (Woman 2/ Kristin). Thank you to my family, my best of friends and the educators who always believed, encouraged, and supported my dreams and aspirations! @saadiyahproctor
LAUREN WHITAKER (she/her) — U/S Sara
BFA ’28 Theatre and Performance. Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Against The Grain’s Hair (Hud); RareWorks’ Wings (June). Thanks to the team and cast of Confederates for being so kind and uplifting during this process. This show is so important to me and I’m grateful to have this show as my first introduction to Emerson Stage! @laurenwhitakerr https://laurenwhitaker.my.canva.site
ANDREW KING (he/him) — U/S Abner/Malik
BFA ’28 Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage credits: NFSW: Death of Gogh (Vince). Emerson College credits: MTS’ High School Musical: On Stage (Chad); EmShakes’ Fairytales and Fables: A Staged Reading (Princess Track), The Inheritance Part One (Tristan). Much love to friends, family, and all who made this show possible! Thank you for yo time. @andyrewjacob
PEYTON FENNER (she/her) — U/S Missy Sue/Candice
BFA Theatre and Performance ’27. Emerson College credits: EmShakes Theatre Company’s Death of a Salesman (Howard/Ben); RareWorks Theatre Company’s Wings (Old Woman/Guard 1). Regional credits: Summer Place Theater’s Legally Blonde: The Musical (Brooke Wyndham). Thank you to my family for your support and my friend, Danika, for running lines with me!
Creative Team Bios
NAME (PRONOUNS) — Director
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NAME (PRONOUNS) — Properties Lead
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NAME (PRONOUNS) –– Intimacy Director
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NAME (PRONOUNS) –– Dialect Coach
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Meet the
Emerson Stage Staff
Staff
Director of Theatre Operations — Eric Paris
Production Manager — Angela Harrington
Artistic & Production Associate — Katie Meade
Technical Director — Kristin Knutson
Head Carpenter — Connor Thompson
Properties Director — Ryan Bates
Assistant Properties Manager — Lauren Corcuera
Costume Shop Supervisor — Richelle Devereaux-Murray
Draper/Cutter — Erika Krause
Electrics Supervisor — Timothy Fairley
Interim Scenic Painter — Matt Baynes
Mentors & Advisors FOR THIS PRODUCTION
Stage and Production Management Advisor —
Scenic Area Advisor –– Luciana Stecconi
Scenic Design & Props Mentor — Ryan Bates
Costume Area Advisor –– Tristan Raines
Costume Design Mentor — Chloe Moore
Lighting Area Advisor –– Dan Jentzen
Lighting Design Mentor —
Sound Design Mentor — Marisa Barnes
Sound Engineering Mentor — Ben Emerson*
Student Staff
Emerson Stage Office Assistants:
Emery Frost, Liliana Ravins, Alyssa Schlaifer, Joanna Su
Production Management Assistants:
Mariana Morales, Ben Browder
Scenic Technicians:
Lúa Azancot Garcia, Verrine Farag, Ari Flaherty, Kieran Graeff, Callie Herzog, Lizzie Lamb, Aiden Lank, Mack MacIntyre, Oscar McQuilkin, Zoe Mills
Volunteer Scenic Technicians:
Samuel Greenstein, Ernest Shao
Scenic Painters:
Rayan Afif, Gabriella Berry, Nel Blinman, Sophia Da Silva, Lily Hourin, Elodie Lambert, Kiana McCully, Leo Servetar, Maggie Stewart, Charlize Tabrizi
Prop Shop Assistants:
Alexa Lunney and Sydney Williams
Costume Shop Office Assistant:
Ila Nabi
Stitchers:
Anna Ten Eyck, Zee Cowan, Amanda Jacobson, Nina Turovskiy, Alexa Peterson-Ismail, Heidi Keithahn, Sidra Sundberg, Morgan Burke, Chiron Speidel, Evelyn Walyus, Parker Fedak, Jaidyn Wein
Crafts:
Madeline Henry, Georgianne Ten Eyck
Stock Attendants:
Sophia O’Quest, Maria-Renee Herman
* Denotes staff external to the college