CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION
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.
Circle Mirror Transformation
Creative Team
Scenic Design
Zoe Mills
Costume Design
Grace Cunniff
Lighting Design
Ari Flaherty
Sound Design
Catalina Mayoral
Properties Lead
Ryan Bates
STAGE MANAGER
Joanna Su
PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Mariana Morales
A note from the
Director, Alex Lonati
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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 — AMIT KESHET
Observing Director — GARAN GRAY
Technical Director — KRISTIN KNUTSON
Assistant Costume Designer — LARA KACZMARCYK
Wardrobe Supervisor — SINEAD KEANE
Assistant Lighting Designer — BEN GYMREK
Production Electrician — EMMA KLICK
Assistant Production Sound Engineer— HENRY HOUGHTON
Assistant Stage Manager — EMILY DEICH
2nd Assistant Stage Manager — SCARLETT LIANG
Production Assistant — PHOENIX HUNG
Associate Production Supervisor — LEO MARGIL
Company Manager — VICTORIA ROMANO
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
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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
Scenic Painter — Saskia Martinez
Properties Director — Ryan Bates
Assistant Properties Manager — Lauren Corcuera
Costume Shop Supervisor — Matthew Torbett
Draper/Cutter — Erika Krause
Electrics Supervisor — Timothy Fairley
Sound Supervisor — Marisa Barnes
Mentors & Advisors FOR THIS PRODUCTION
Stage Management Mentor — Brian Robillard
Scenic Design & Props Mentor — Ryan Bates
Costume Area Mentor –– Tristan Raines
Lighting Design Mentor –– Dan Jentzen
Electrics Mentor — Jess Elliot
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:
Verrine Farag, Ari Flaherty, Benjamin Gmyrek, Samuel Greenstein, Aiden Lank, Zoe Mills, Charlie O’Connor, Ernest Shao
Scene Shop Assistant Technical Director:
Mack MacIntyre
Volunteer Scenic Technicians:
Samuel Greenstein, Ernest Shao
Scenic Painters:
Lily Hourin, Elodie Lambert, Kristen Lee, Kiana McCully, Gabrielle Berry, Sophia Da Silva, Veronica Babiuk
Volunteer Scenic Painter:
Robbie Jones
Prop Shop Assistants:
Alexa Lunney, Sydney Williams
Props Stock Assistant:
Allison Johnson
Prop Artisans:
Mckayla Do, CJ Einhorn, Mawce Glancy
Costume Shop Assistants:
Natalie Alpert, Zee Cowan, Grace Cunniff, Parker Fedak, Maria-Renee Herman, Mia Langbert, Ila Nabi, Rylan Summers, Jaidyn Wein