Mother Courage was first performed in Zurich in 1941 and is usually seen as Brecht's greatest work. Remaining a powerful indictment of war and social injustice, it is an epic drama set in the seventeenth century during the Thirty Years' War. The plot follows the resilient Mother Courage who survives by running a commissary business that profits from all sides. As the war claims all of her children in turn, the play poignantly demonstrates that no one can profit from the war without being subject to its terrible cost also.

Co-Directed by Ian Wolfgang Hinz & Rebecca Moseley
Notre Dame College Performing Arts Center | Feb 9-25, 2024
Fridays, & Saturdays @7:30. Sundays @2:00.
Run Time: 2hrs & 30min. There will be one 10 minute intermission.

“The translation, by American playwright Tony Kushner, is fast-moving, articulate, and reaches the heart of Brecht's reasonings”
–Daily Express

MEET THE CAST

Laura Rauh (Mother Courage) (she/her) is thrilled to be returning to the Ensemble stage after performing as The Other Woman in The River , as Mariya/Mrs. Petrovna in Ensemble’s award winning production of Describe the Night, and, almost a decade ago, in All This Intimacy. She has also played in many wonderful Cleveland and Chicago stage and screen productions, including King Henry VIII, The Maids, No Exit, Independence & Miracle on 34th Street.  Studies include Second City, Cleveland Play House, Steppenwolf Theatre, and a BFA from Ohio University. She is very grateful to Ensemble Theatre and her wonderful boys and husband for support.  

Joseph Milan (The Cook) (he/him) is thrilled to return to Ensemble Theatre! He extends his heartfelt appreciation to his fellow cast and crew. Joe's recent stage appearances were in ”A Fugitive’s Lesson” and "Wenceslas Square" for Ceasar’s Forum, “Alabama Story” and “The Hairy Ape” at Ensemble Theatre, “Candlelight Hypothesis” for Cleveland Public Theatre, and “Hamlet” for The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. Please be kind and creative, seek knowledge, and treasure the arts.

Dan Zalevsky (The Chaplain) is thrilled to be returning to the Ensemble Theatre stage in Mother Courage. He was previously seen in Ensemble's 22/23 season productions of Clybourne Park as Karl/Steve and as The Man in The River. Dan has a BA in Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado. New York credits: Vital Theatre’s The Tempest (Trinculo), Emerging Artists Theatre’s The Gay Naked Play (Dan), founding member/writer/performer with the award-winning sketch comedy group, Fearsome (Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theatre and the People’s Improv Theatre, NYC). Cleveland theatre credits: Mercury Theatre’s Clue (Professor Plum) as well as their reading of Lost in Yonkers (Uncle Louie), Heights Youth Theatre’s alumni production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Boris). Dan would like to thank his amazing wife, Claudia for her support and strength. This would not be possible without her. Thanks to Liam Claire and Hank for their energy, humor and love. 

Kyle Huff (The Singer) (he/him) is blessed to have the opportunity to return to Ensemble for Mother Courage. Kyle was seen most recently on the Ensemble stage during their award winning 2022 production of Describe the Night (Felix.) Kyle has been lucky enough to be an active participant in Cleveland theaters including Beck Center, WRP, The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, and Ensemble since 2012. Most recently, he played Polixenes in Western Reserve Playhouse's production of A Winter's Tale. He is excited to work on another Bertolt Brecht script with such a wonderful company of artists. He would like to thank everyone who puts their heart and soul into bringing the magic of theatre to life.

Leah Paige Smith (Yvette) (she/her) is so excited to return to Ensemble’s stage in Mother Courage. Previous roles at Ensemble include Rosie in Slow Dance on the Killing Ground, Tanya in Jerusalem, and Abra Bacon in East of Eden. Leah has just earned her MFA in Acting from the University of Arkansas where she played roles such as Hedda in Hedda Gabler, Coco Wawa in THIS BITCH, Ocean in Ride the Cyclone, Huldey in The Moors, Catherine in Love’s Labour’s Lost, and Gail Portman in In The Book Of. Other professional credits include Trinculo in The Tempest and Margaret in Much Ado about Nothing (Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre), Mrs. Fezziwig and others in A Christmas Carol, Big Kid in Matilda the Musical, Caroline u/s in Detroit ’67, and Leigh u/s in At the Wedding (TheatreSquared), Kate Monster in Avenue Q (Blank Canvas Theater), Tessie Tura in Gypsy (Beck Center for the Arts), and Leah in Michael Stanley Superstar (Last Call Cleveland). Gratitude and love to my family and my GDB: all my heart.

Michael J. Montanus (Swiss Cheese) (he/him) is a professional actor, stage manager, and tall guy for hire. He recently moved to Cleveland from Boise, Idaho where he earned his BA in Theatre Arts from Boise State University. Michael is thrilled to be making his Ensemble Theatre debut! Some of his other credits include Eddie, Trouble in Mind (Seat of the Pants), Isabella, Measure for Measure (Cleveland Shakespeare Festival), and the voice of Artie, After the Blast (Convergence Continuum). Thank you Mom. "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I’m living,
my mother you’ll be."

Santino Montanez (Eilif) (he/him) is proud to be making his return to Ensemble Theater in the role of Eilif. Santino has previously appeared at Ensemble in The Bloodless Jungle, The Hairy Ape, Mama Moon, Around the World in 80 Days, and in starring roles in The North Pool and Water By The Spoonful. Santino is a local actor who has been performing on stage for nearly 20 years. His most recent performances were as King Leontes in Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale, Rageneau in Cyrano De Bergerac, and Theo Maske in The Underpants at Western Reserve Playhouse. When Santino is not performing he is likely engaged in one of his other passions which are cooking, tattooing, or spending time with his family and his three dogs. Santino is grateful to you, the audience, for allowing him to share this experience with you. 

Emily Terry (Ensemble, Mother Courage U/S) last appeared on the Ensemble Theater stage nearly a decade ago when she performed in several plays, including Charles Smith's Knock Me a Kiss and Orson Welles' Voodoo Macbeth. She is happy to join an Ensemble cast once again to take on a timely production of Mother Courage. Before the pandemic began, Emily performed in musicals at Cleveland's Near West Theater. She especially enjoyed playing the role of political activist Emma Goldman in their production of Sondheim's Assassins. Off stage, Emily is proud to be a working board member for the InterReligious Task Force on Central America & Colombia, a local non-profit that works to change US policies, consumer behaviors and corporate practices that threaten human dignity, damage the environment, and undermine justice domestically and internationally. Emily is supported in the work she does on and off stage by generous and loving family and friends. !

Ariana Starkman (Ensemble) (she/her) a Cleveland native, is delighted to be making her Ensemble Theatre debut. Recent/favorite credits include Tilly (She Kills Monsters), River (Appropriate), and Celeste (Real Maple Syrup). She has a BA in Theatre and Social Change and has spent significant amounts of time studying acting in Arezzo, Moscow, and London. Ariana is trained in ten stage combat weapons, is a Consent-Forward Artist with Intimacy Directors and Coordinators, and is a 200-hour level yoga instructor. As Program Manager for a Cleveland non-profit organization focused on somatics, Ariana values embodiment and discovering ways our bodies tell stories. www.arianastarkman.com; IG: @ariana.starkman

Kelly Dunn (Ensemble) is a theatre artist and arts administrator from Cleveland, OH who is passionate about the power theatre has as a tool for exploring, challenging, and changing the world around us. Kelly received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Bowling Green State University in 2019 where she specialized in Musical Theatre. Some of her favorite credits include The Cake (Barrington Stage Company), You Got Older, A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, The Threepenny Opera, Diana of Dobson’s, Twelfth Night, and Evelyn in Purgatory (Bowling Green State University). See you at the theatre! Instagram: @kelly_a_dunn

Mattie Blick (Ensemble) (she/her) is a recent graduate of the Kent State University theatre department and is so excited to be working with Ensemble Theatre for the first time! This spring she made her directorial debut co-directing Minds of Dolls, a black box show at Kent. She has recently been seen at Cleveland Playhouse in the CWRU MFA production of The Tempest (Alonsa), at Blank Canvas Theatre in both The SpongeBob Musical (Sardine/Plankton Dancer) and The Last Starfighter Musical (Marty/Miss July), and at the Kent State University Trumbull Theatre in Romeo & Juliet (Romeo) and She Kills Monsters (Lily/Lilith). Mattie would like to thank her Mom, Dad, Grace, Lucy, and her cat Diana for always being there and believing in her. 

Jabri Little (Ensemble/Swiss Cheese U/S) Jabri Little started acting at the tender age of 12. Once he saw his first play he  knew his place in this life was on the the stage. Ever since he’s immersed himself in the craft. After graduating from the illustrious Cleveland School of Arts studying under the late great Dr. Scott Miller. He spent time at Baldwin Wallace in the BFA program . He’s now involved in the building of the craft of acting in the community of Cleveland with a non profit organization D.O.C studios. Prioritizing development, opportunity and community they hope to create an atmosphere where creativity and imagination are at the forefront. 
“Who said the sky was the limit, when there are more planets to seize” 

Keenan Carosielli (Ensemble/Eilif U/S) is eager to make his first appearance at Ensemble Theater. Recently, Keenan had the pleasure of appearing in Cyrano de Bergerac as an ensemble member and 1970 as Casey Pedersen. He would like to thank August James Scarpelli for giving him the opportunity at Western Reserve Playhouse. Keenan would not be here without his loved ones and would like to thank his brother, sister, Aunt Tee, grandmother, father, and mother for all of their love. Finally, Keenan dedicates this performance to his grandfather, John Anthony Carosielli.

MEET THE CREW

Ian Wolfgang Hinz (Co-Director) Bios Coming Soon!

Rebecca Moseley (Co-Director)

Kaya Sandel (Production Stage Manager)

Katie Wells (Costumes)