Where We Belong Bios
Cast Biographies
GiGi Buddie is honored to be making her debut with The Umbrella Stage Company! As an artivist, her professional and personal pursuits converge at the intersection of art and climate justice. While on a gap year, she helped to bring frontline climate stories to Glasgow at the United Nations Climate Summit, and released her debut single “Ursa Major” – a love letter to the Iroquois story of the Celestial Bear. As an actor, singer, songwriter, and activist, she creates and contributes to stories of creation, resilience, and beauty from frontline communities. GiGi received a B.A. from Pomona College in Theatre Performance and Environmental Analysis. Previous credits include: Auntie 2 (Antíkoni, World Premiere), Anna (If Nobody Does Remarkable Things), Feste (Twelfth Night), Ruby (Daphne’s Dive), and Marty (Circle Mirror Transformation).
Chingwe Padraig Sullivan (Understudy) is
Creative Team Biographies
Brian Boruta (Producer) This is Brian’s 56th production with The Umbrella and his 52nd as the Director of Performing Arts, during which time he has earned Best Production nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Red, Angels in America, Equus and Bonnie & Clyde; a DASH Award for Best Play for True West and To Kill A Mockingbird, and Best Musical for Parade and Big Fish. The Umbrella directing credits include: Parade (Dash Award for Best Director of a Musical) Big Fish (DASH Nom.), Hair, Evita, Side Show, Next to Normal, The Rocky Horror Show. Elsewhere: Sweeney Todd, Legally Blonde, Godspell, Seussical the Musical, The Actor’s Nightmare, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You. Favorite on-stage credits include Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street (DASH Nom.), Judas/John the Baptist in Godspell, Cosmo Brown in Singin’ in the Rain, Austin in True West, and Greg in A Chorus Line. As a designer and educator, Brian has worked with numerous college, high school and community groups including Merrimack College, Goddard College, Framingham State University, The Performing Arts Center of MetroWest, Brookline, Chelsea and Wellesley Public School. His solo piece, UnMasqued, has been workshopped and performed at the Wheeler Theater in Port Townsend, WA. Brian holds a Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College and was named the recipient of the 2014 Framingham State University Young Alumni Achievement Award for his work in the performing arts.
Tree Brock (Wardrobe Supervisor) is proud to be working with The Umbrella again after joining them as Wardrobe supervisor on Network, RENT, Middleton Heights, The Color Purple, LIZZIE, The Minutes, and Now. Here. This.. They have previously worked as the costume designer with Hoovey Theatre doing Witch, Marjory Prime, and Pillowman. They were also costume designer with The Christmas Carol in Waltham. Most days Tree also works backstage and costume work for Drag me to Brunch and Strut or at Walnut Hill School for the Arts with the Dance department costumes and adjustments. During the summer they help at Creative Arts helping kids costume creation and looks for the summer productions. Their company is Red Bark Crafting and believes you should fly your fandom banners proudly.
Chris Brousseau (Sound Designer) Recent credits: Yellow Face, Footlight Club (Sound Design); Now. Here. This., The Minutes, The Umbrella Stage Company (Audio Tech); Sweat, Footlight Club (Sound/Video Design, EMACT DASH nominated); Appropriate, Hovey Players (Sound Design); Proof, Footlight Club (Sound Design); Xanadu, Footlight Club (Sound Design); Woman in White, Footlight Club (Technical Direction, Virtual Theater, EMACT DASH Award for Excellence in Technical Direction). More at chrisbrousseau.com.
Cass Meehan-Marinch (Costume Designer) (they/them) is a Mohegan craftsman, photographer, sewist, and more. They worked in Philadelphia as a Props Master, Costume Designer, Production Photographer, and Stage Manager before taking their current role as Arts & Crafts Program Coordinator within their Mohegan Tribe community.
Nerysa Powell (Stage Manager) has stage managed extensively for Lyric Stage Boston since 2002. Her most recent productions there were Crumbs From the Table of Joy and Urinetown. This is Nerys' first production with the Umbrella.
Baron E. Pugh † (Scenic Designer) is a Boston-based scenic designer for theater and opera. Select credits include: The Umbrella: Now. Here. This., The Colored Museum, The Old Man and the Old Moon; Off-Broadway: As Time Goes By (Out of the Box Theatrics in associated with Ice Berg Production), shadow/land (Associate Designer) (The Public Theater). NYC: King Lear, The Tempest (The Juilliard School, Drama Division). Regional: The Anonymous Lover (Opera Philadelphia), The Lehman Trilogy (Gulfshore Playhouse); Million Dollar Quartet, B.R.O.K.E.N code B.I.R.D switching (Berkshire Theatre Group); Primary Trust, ABCD (Barrington Stage); associate designer for: The Grove, Sojourners, K-I-S-S-I-N-G (Associate Designer), The Bluest Eye (Associate Designer) (The Huntington Theatre); A Raisin in the Sun, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, School Girls (TheatreSquared). Baron received his MFA in Scenic Design from Boston University. @bpscenic on Instagram
Ben Rush (Lighting Desginer) has spent over 30 years working in all aspects of theatre; as a performer, director, designer, technician, and youth educator. Ben received formal training from both Florida School of the Arts (Performance) as well as the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (Scenic Technology). His work has been seen on the creative team behind America's Got Talent (Assistant Creative Director), on The Dai Show (a cirque spectacular for the DRAGONE company), and with Jim Henson's Muppets. Credits include Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional, and Educational productions. Currently he is the Artistic Director of Wellesley Theatre Project, an arts academy for students age 4-18 in Wellesley, MA.
Sarabeth Spector (Properties/Set Dressing) is a scenic and properties designer based in Medford, MA. Credits include: A Christmas Carol (Props Designer; Commonwealth Shakespeare Comapny), Amour (Props Designer; Emerson Stage); Now. Here. This. (Umbrella Stage Company), Mermaid Hour (Assistant Scenic Designer, Properties Designer; Moonbox Productions), Cost of Living (Properties Designer; SPEAKEASY STAGE), Legally Blonde (Scenic Designer; Moonbox Productions), Honeyhole (Scenic Designer; Moonbox Productions), Boston New Works Festival (Properties Designer; Moonbox Productions), Jado Jehad (Properties Designer; Boston Playwrights’ Theatre), For The Fish (Associate Scenic Designer; Moonbox Productions), NIGHTTOWN (Scenic Designer; Lowell House Opera), Baltimore (Scenic Designer, Emerson Stage) sarabethspector.com
Kira Troilo & Ariel Welch, Art & Soul Consulting (EDI Consultants) ART & SOUL CONSULTING provides Equity, Diversity & Inclusion services tailored for theater and arts spaces. Since 2022, they've provided nuanced, care-forward support for theater & performance companies, educational institutions, and arts spaces nationally and internationally, serving organizations such as The Umbrella Arts Center, Goodspeed Musicals, Stratford Festival, TheatreSquared, TDM at Harvard University, SpeakEasy Stage Company, and more. Our preventive approach builds trust and creates long-term success, fostering brave, playful spaces where artists can safely explore and thrive. With a mission to build bridges between goals and action, and between people, we offer an outside perspective that embeds EDI into the fabric of organizations and show processes for meaningful, ongoing progress. www.artandsoulconsulting.com
