The Messenger

Artistic Staff Bios

JEFF TALBOTT (Playwright) Jeff Talbott’s play “i” had its world premiere at PTC in 2018. His first play The Submission (MCC Theater, NYC) won the Laurents/Hatcher Award and the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award for New American Play. Other plays: The Gravedigger’s Lullaby (off-Broadway – TACT/Theatre Row), Civics And Humanities For Non-Majors (Commissioned And Produced By Montclair State University), A Public Education (Out Of Box Theatre, Atlanta); Joseph Cook, How To Build A City, Three Rules For The Dragon, Elliot And All The Stars In The Midnight Sky. He writes musicals with composer Will Van Dyke; their EPs and singles are available wherever you stream music. Together, Jeff and Will were finalists for the 2022 Edward Kleban Award and the 2019 Fred Ebb Award. Jeff graduated with honors from the Yale School of Drama. www.jefftalbott.com

WES GRANTOM (Director) is delighted to be back at PTC after directing The Lifespan of a Fact, The Lion in Winter, A Comedy of Tenors and three Play-by-Play presentations. He has also worked at Ars Nova, Pittsburgh CLO, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Asolo Rep, Berkshire Theatre Group, Theatreworks USA, Premiere Stages, the Atlantic, New Harmony Project, Roundabout Theatre Company, among others. Wes has a number of Broadway credits as resident and associate director, working alongside James Lapine, Emma Rice, John Rando, Anthony Page and Rufus Norris. He is a recipient of multiple Drama League Fellowships, a member of Lincoln Center Directors Lab, and is on faculty at the University of Evansville.

WILL VAN DYKE (Original music) is a New York City based songwriter, music supervisor, and a 2020 Grammy Award nominee. Will has orchestrated and arranged shows both on Broadway and off, and is a frequent collaborator with many of New York City’s finest talents. Will has released multiple albums, which are available wherever digital music is sold. He writes musicals with Jeff Talbott and has a band. Will has a BFA from New York University, and a Master’s degree from Berklee College of Music. For the latest information visit www.willvandyke.com

YOON BAE (Scenic and Costume Design) Yoon is an international scenographer. She is delighted to return to Pioneer Theatre Company and work with talented production staff. For The Messenger, Yoon is grateful to have the unique opportunity to design both set and costume for a PTC’s world-premiere production. Previously for PTC, she designed set for Once and costumes for Once On This Island. Other credits include Don Giovanni (Welsh National Opera), Candide (Tokyo), Closer (Seoul), Oedipus El Rey, The Great Gatsby, Three Sisters, The Importance of Being Earnest, Emma, The Sunshine Boys, Evita, Murder On The Orient Express, The Magic Flute, Anything Goes, As You Like It. UK world premieres include Running the Silk Road (Barbican), Three Thousand Troubled Threads (Edinburgh International Festival), Bedevilled (Crucible), Disconnect, Caridad Svich’s Archipelago, and Howard Barker’s Wounds To The Face. She is a professor at the University of Kentucky and a member of Local USA 829 and Wingspace. www.yoonbae.com

BRIAN TOVAR (Lighting Design) is an award winning and Drama Desk nominated lighting designer who has created original work for major off-Broadway and regional theaters, everywhere. Brian has designed lighting for World and NYC Premieres of over 50 productions including Nick Balemire’s Soon (Signature Theatre), Michael Mitnick’s Ed Downloaded  (Denver Center Theater) and Sleeping Rough. Brian’s regional credits include Goodspeed Musicals, Signature Theatre, Denver Center Theatre, Two River Theatre, Northern Stage, ReVision Theatre and Flat Rock Playhouse. Broadway Assistant credits include HAIR and Passing Strange. Brian is also the co-founder of Livesight, a multi-disciplined design and production company.

JENNIFER GREGORY (Production Stage Manager) is thrilled to be a part of PTC. Prior to this, she stage-managed in Chicago, where her credits included X-Marks the Spot (Tour, Chicago Children’s Theatre); Bloomsday, Frankenstein, Puff: Believe It or Not, The Skin of Our Teeth, and Born Yesterday (Remy Bumppo Theatre Company); A Parcel from America (Irish Theatre of Chicago); The Little Flower of East Orange (Eclipse Theatre Company); and Disgraced, A Christmas Carol, Another Word for Beauty, The Matchmaker, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, and War Paint (Goodman Theatre). Outside of Chicago, Jennifer has also worked at Mason Street Warehouse, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company and PTC for the season opener Ain’t Misbehavin’.

MARY P. COSTELLO (Stage Manager) has worked on over 60 productions during 11 seasons with PTC. Favorites include Sting’s The Last Ship, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Les Misèrables, In the Heights, Next to Normal, and Rent. Other stage management teams: Indiana Repertory Theatre, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Boston Theatre Works, Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival, and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Proud Equity member. #blacklivesmatter #translivesmatter

EMILY NACRISSA GRIFFITH (1st Assistant Stage Manager) graduated from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Arts with emphases in performance and design/technology. Griffith earned the Kennedy Center’s Meritorious Achievement Award for her work as the production stage manager of UVU’s Next to Normal, which received the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival national award for Outstanding Production.

SAMANTHA WOOTTEN (Hair and Makeup Designer) is excited to join the Pioneer Theatre Company and the University of Utah as Wig Master. Previous career highlights include Washington National Opera in D.C., Glimmerglass Opera in N.Y., Los Angeles Opera in CA, and Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.