The Company Theatre presents
PERSUASION
based on the novel by Jane Austen
adapted and directed by Carl Del Buono
December 5-21, 2025
28 Lawn Street
this production is made possible by our sponsors:
This project is made possible with funds from the Aid to Localities Program through the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts
and the New York State Senate.
With generous support from our media sponsor:
and our community partner for this production,
the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA)
.png)
THE CAST OF PERSUASION
Anne Elliot — Abigail Rice
Captain Wentworth — Caitlin Kenyon
Lady Russell — Sammi Cohen
Sir Walter — Vicki Casarett
Elizabeth Elliot — Jael Lopez
Mrs. Clay/Captain Benwick — Kiki Collins
Mary Musgrove — Fiona Criddle
Charles Musgrove — Briar-Rose Murphy
Louisa Musgrove — Juliet Besch-Turner
Henrietta Musgrove/Mrs. Smith — Campbell McDade Clay
Mrs. Croft — Lauren MacDonough
Admiral Croft — Meredith Utman
Mr. Elliot — Liz Preston
​
CREATIVE TEAM
Director — Carl Del Buono
Assistant Director — Ben Gillooly
Stage Manager — Adam Urbanic
Technical Director — Brodie McPherson
Costume Design — Carl Del Buono, Kendall Del Buono
Costume Consultant — Lisa Brown
Promotional Photography — Sammi Cohen
Production Photography — Ron Heerkens, Goat Factory Media
Dramaturg — Amy Canfield
​
ASL INTERPRETERS
Kierstin Delk, Bailey O'Brien
ASL Consultant: Joseph Fox
​
THE COMPANY THEATRE STAFF & BOARD
Artist Director: Carl Del Buono
Technical Director: Brodie McPherson
Board President: Susan Murad
Treasurer: Doris Ludek
Secretary: Jael Lopez
Board Members: Sammi Cohen, Christopher C. Conway, Ron Dufort, Meaghan Finlay, Lydia Palmer, Jill Rittinger, Jessica Ruby​
Photo Credit: Sammi Cohen
PERSUASION runs apprpoximately 2 hours with a 15-minute intermission.​
​
ABOUT THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM
Juliet Besch-Turner (Louisa Musgrove) is a 16-year-old high school junior, and she is thrilled to be making her debut at The Company Theatre! Juliet’s past local roles include: The Ferryman (Shena) with Rochester Community Players, Jekyll and Hyde (Emma) and Hadestown (Fate 3) with OFC Creations Theater Center, and A Christmas Carol (Servant Girl) at Geva Theatre. She has been studying acting technique privately with Lindsay Baker at the Eastman Community Music School for the past 4 years and trained in the Boston Conservatory pre-college musical theatre acting intensive this past summer. Juliet is also an accomplished singer who was awarded first place in the classical division in the Rochester Philharmonic League Young Artist Auditions, and at the Nazareth University Cotroneo Family Foundation High School Voice Competition. She has also been nationally recognized at the Classical Singer Convention, as a semi finalist for the classical division and a finalist for the musical theatre division. She has also attended both the Interlochen Arts Academy summer intensive and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute for classical voice. You can find her on Instagram at @julietbtperforms.
Vicki Casaret (Sir Water) has performed in myriad theatrical productions, including shows at Geva, Blackfriars, Rochester Community Players, Out of Pocket, JCC CenterStage, The Company Theatre, University of Rochester, Cobblestone Arts Center, Open Road Theatre, Shipping Dock, RAPA, Rochester Children’s Theatre, Rochester Fringe Festival, and several reader theatres. Last season, she portrayed Miss Pruell in Please Don't Let Me Die in Buffalo (Fringe), Emilia in Othello (ORT), Witch 3 in Macbeth (The Company Theatre), and Aunt Maggie Faraway in The Ferryman (Rochester Community Players' Irish Program). Vicki is a member of the Geriactors troupe, a MUCCC Artist in Residence, a veteran ENL teacher/tutor, and an acting/accent coach.
Sammi Cohen (Lady Russell) is delighted to be performing again with The Company Theatre, having previously appeared in Macbeth (Lady Macduff), The Summer Land (Elizabeth Cady Stanton/Mrs. Kane) and The Man Who Came to Dinner (Lorraine Sheldon). Other recent stage appearances include Cabaret (Fraulein Kost), A Funny Thing Happened…Forum (Domina), and Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberly (Anne de Bourgh) at Blackfriars Theatre; Ragtime (Ens., u/s Emma Goldman) and First Date at JCC CenterStage; and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Helena) and Much Ado About Nothing (Hero) with Rochester Community Players. Sammi is also proud to serve on the board of directors for The Company Theatre. When she isn’t performing, Sammi works in digital content marketing and serves as the creative director of Dear Blossom Studios, a Rochester-based portrait photography business (yes, they do headshots for performers!). Sammi has also been featured in Rochester Home and POST magazines for her stylish storytelling—which you can see for yourself on her blog, The Soubrette Brunette, and on her social media channels (@thesoubrettebrunette).
Kiki Collins (Mrs. Clay/Captain Benwick) is a Kentucky native who moved to the Flower City in May 2020. You might recognize her from appearances with Rochester Dance Theatre, the Fringe Festival production Emotional Baggage, The Company Theatre’s Romeo & Juliet , RCT’s The Little Mermaid or Blackfriars Theatre's Divas & Dance. Beyond the realms of stage and dance, Kiki is a chemist (specializing in drug product quality and training) and a mom with a baby boy, two cats, and a dog. Kiki is forever grateful for all the love and support from friends and family, especially Kevin -- who made this possible -- and all those cheering from three states away – xoxo. IG:kikigrrl96
Fiona Criddle (Mary Musgrove) is is overjoyed to be working with such a lovely and gracious group of creatives! This is her first role with The Company Theater and she couldn't be more excited. She is an actor, writer, and mental health clinician residing in Rochester, NY. Locally, she has worked with WallByrd Theatre Company, Nickel Flour, Blackfriars Theater Company, Rochester Community Players, and the Rochester Fringe Festival. Regionally, she has worked with the Amoralist Theatre Company, Barefoot Theater Company, the Flea Theater, and Roundabout Theatre Company. In 2016, she received her BFA in Acting and a minor in Psychology from Brooklyn College. Her favorite roles include Eva (The Rimers of Eldritch), Jackie (Mauritius), and Kate (The Taming of the Shrew).
Caitlin Kenyon (Captain Wentworth) is incredibly honored to be a part of the sensational cast of Persuasion. Some of Caitlin’s recent and past stage credits include Rona in The Amateurs (Out of Pocket Inc.), The Mouth of Sauron in A Middle Earth Press Conference (Rochester Fringe), Troika in Playing Siege (Rochester Fringe), Biddy/Mrs.Joe in Great Expectations (The Company Theatre), Banquo in Macbeth (The Company Theatre), Beth in Temptations at Sweetwater Creek (Improv Boston), Daphne in Dashboard Dramas (Rochester Fringe), Macduff in Macbeth (Walbyrd Theatre Co.), Claryssa in Moth (Gloucester Stage Company), and Isobel in Bull (SUNY Purchase College). Working on Persuasion has been such a wonderful gift and playing an iconic character like Captain Wentworth has been both challenging and enchanting. Finding the balance between his hard stoicism and soft emotional center encouraged so much play in the rehearsal room, and every moment was supported by an all-star cast and exceptional production team. Special thanks go to her husband Ian, loving family, and sweet cat children, Toyotathon and Spark Plug.
Jael Lopez (Elizabeth Elliot) was most recently seen as Witch 2 in The Company Theatre's production of Macbeth. Jael would like to thank her family and friends for the constant support and love that they give.
Lauren MacDonough (Mrs. Croft) is is thrilled to bring Persuasion to life with this incredible cast and crew! Recent and favorite credits include Enid Hoopes in Pittsford Musicals’ Legally Blonde, Pigeon in TYKEs’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth with Rochester Shakespeare Players. You can see Lauren next as Hen 2 and Grub in the world premiere production of Are You My Mother? with Theatre Young Kids Enjoy (TYKEs) in January. When not on stage, Lauren is the Director of Marketing for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (and the pre-concert voice telling you to silence your phones). Lauren teaches marketing in the Eastman School of Music’s Arts Leadership Certificate program and WERQ Dance Fitness on Tuesdays at the JCC. She is a proud member of the board of Out of Pocket Productions, Inc. She would like to thank the cast and crew, especially Carl for giving us the chance to bring his (and Jane Austen’s) words to the stage, and her family and friends for their unwavering support.
Campbell McDade Clay (Henrietta Musgrove/Mrs. Smith) is a lifelong Austen lover who is ecstatic to be in her mother’s favorite Austen! Campbell is a proud graduate of the SUNY @ Buffalo BFA Acting Program. Recent credits include Malcolm in Macbeth (The Company Theatre), Cecile Volanges in Les Liasions Dangereuses (Blackfriars Theatre), Edith Royston in Only the Dead (Rochester Fringe Festival), Masha in The Seagull (The Company Theatre) and Mary Bennet in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Blackfriars Theatre). She is infinitely grateful to this incandescent cast and crew. To her loving family, and to her partner Juan: Go raibh míle maith agat. Campbell offers her performance in loving memory of her late acting professor and dialect coach, Vincent O’Neill. A very special thanks to her mother, Maranne, her aunts Elizabeth and Cathy, and her late grandmother Libby, a handful of the women who have long loved Jane Austen’s work, and who instilled and nurtured a love of it in her.
Briar-Rose Murphy (Charles Musgrove) could not be more excited to bring this new adaptation of Persuasion to life! Briar was recently seen in The Company Theatre’s productions of Tartuffe (Chef/M.Loyal) and Oedipus Rex (Chorus), along with Rochester Community Players’ production of The Playboy of the Western World (Pegeen Mike). When she’s not portraying classic literary characters, you can find her performing stand-up and sketch around Rochester. Briar would like to thank Carl for this beautiful adaptation of the only Jane Austen book she’s ever read, her incredibly talented castmates and production team, and her mother for never missing a chance to see her on stage. She would also like to wish Jane Austen a very happy 250th birthday!
Liz Preston (Mr. Elliot) is so excited for everyone to see the fantastic cast of Persuasion at work. Some of their favorite shows include The Ferryman (Caitlin Carney), The Summer Land (Kate Fox), Pride & Prejudice (Jane Bennet), Peter Pan (Wendy), The Crucible (Elizabeth Proctor), Lord of the Flies (Ralph), My Medea (Medea), The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe (Susan Pevensie), Romeo & Juliet (Mercutio), and The Flower Debt (Persephone). Enjoy the show!
Abigail Rice (Anne Elliot) is so excited and grateful to be portraying one of her favorite Austen heroines, and to be part of her first production at The Company Theatre! She is a mezzo soprano, having earned her classical voice degree from Gettysburg College in 2016. Some of her favorite local roles include Mollie in The Mousetrap (Blackfriars Theatre), Mother in Ragtime (CenterStage Theatre), Laurey in Oklahoma! (CenterStage), Kate McGowan in Titanic (CenterStage), Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show (BT), Mrs. Bennet/Lady Catherine in Austen’s Pride (CenterStage) and Belle in Beauty and the Beast (RCT). She would like to thank the team at The Company Theatre, and sends all her love to Jordan.
Meredith Utman (Admiral Croft) is thrilled to return to The Company Theatre stage with this amazingly talented cast and crew. Favorite past performances include Aunt March in Little Women at Spotlight Studios, Genie Klein in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at JCC Centerstage, Marcus Lycus in Blackfriars Theatre's all-female production of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum, and Mrs. McCutheon in The Man Who Came to Dinner at The Company Theatre. Meredith would like to thank Carl Del Buono for his artistic integrity, vision and general vibe – FIRE! Much gratitude to Adam Urbanic and Brodie McPherson for the important roles they each play making this show a reality. Meredith would like to give a shout out to her phenomenal partner, and to all of her family for their love & support.
Carl Del Buono (Director)'s regional credits include VENUS IN FUR (Director) at The Company Theatre, THE SUMMER LAND (Director) at The Company Theatre, SWEENEY TODD (Sweeney Todd) at Blackfriars Theatre, MACBETH (Macbeth) at The Company Theatre, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (Director) at The Company Theatre, ROMEO & JULIET (Director) at The Company Theatre, RICHARD II (Director) at The Company Theatre, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Director) with Rochester Community Players, ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA (Director) with Rochester Community Players, THE SEAGULL (Director) at The Company Theatre, LITTLE WOMEN (Prof. Bhaer) at Bristol Valley Theater, SISTER ACT (T.J.) at Redhouse Arts Center, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (George) at Blackfriars Theatre, CARL AT BLACKFRIARS: A Benefit Concert, MY FAIR LADY (Quartet/First Cockney) at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse (now The REV), THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Jamie) at JCC CenterStage, DIE FLEDERMAUS (Frosch) with Finger Lakes Opera, ROMEO & JULIET (Friar Laurence) with WallByrdTheatre Co., and ANGELS IN AMERICA (Prior) with Method Machine. In addition to acting and singing, Carl is an experienced voice actor, acting coach, and director as well as the founding artistic director of The Company Theatre in Rochester, NY. He’s also cohost of the popular podcast BROADCAST REVISITED! For more information, follow Carl on socials @carldelbuono and @broadcastrevisited
Ben Gillooly (Assistant Director) needed no Persuasion to accept his first assistant directing position with The Company Theatre—and he’s had a blast spending his autumn evenings in such good company. In the period since his last directing venture (Godspell, 2017—8 years and a half is a period indeed!), he has been fortunate enough to tread the boards many a time with The Company Theatre and Rochester Community Players. Ben joins the cast and crew in sending love and everything proper ;)
Adam Urbanic (Stage Manager) is Rochester-based actor and stage manager and longtime collaborator with The Company Theatre. With The Company, he previously stage managed Spring Awakening and Only the Dead, and appeared in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dr. Baugh) and Triple Jeopardy (Seppings), among others. Other area credits include Pericles (Gower) and Twelfth Night (Sir Toby Belch) with Rochester Community Players, The 39 Steps (Production Stage Manager) and The Taming of the Shrew (Biondello) with Wallbyrd Theatre Co., and A Christmas Carol (Gravedigger, Ensemble, u/s Christmas Present/Fezziwig) for seven seasons with Geva Theatre. The challenge of a new piece (even based on a classic) is always exciting, and this is a fantastic team to be diving into it with!
Our 2025-26 season commemorative glasses are here! Purchase one (or more) at $10 each and your first beverage of choice is on the house! Available in the theatre lobby or at the concessions stand during intermission or after the show.
THANKS TO OUR 2025-26 SEASON DONORS:
LEADING ($500+):
Sally Cohen
Ron DuFort
Sally Millick
Susan Murad**
MAJOR($250+):
Denise Bartalo
Raymond Donovan
Jacquelyn Murad and Joyce Tencza
SUPPORTING ($100+):
Paul Allen
Helene Newman
Jill Rittinger**
Kate Royal
Diane Spacher
ENTHUSIAST ($50+):
Tom Bigongiari
Chris McCormack
David Munnell
Peter and Elaine Royal
Rick Staropoli
Deb VanderBilt
MEMBER ($25+):
Kathryn Bordn
Ben Licheten
Dara Lubin
Doreen MacDonough
Lauren MacDonough
Eric McKinley​​​
Donald Pingleton
Meredith Utman
Valentin and Jeannette Vargas
FRIENDS OF THE COMPANY THEATRE
Thomas Chew
Eugene Gallagher
David Jutsom
Judy Molner
Sreelehka Samala
Richard Steele
**Current Board Member
Any errors or omissions are purely accidental. Please email info@thecompanytheatreroc.org with corrections.
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
​
RIT|National Technical Institute for the Deaf
The Reverend Julianne Buenting and the Vestry of Christ Church
Monroe County Mid-Sized Arts Initiative
Lisa Brown & Kate Jorgensen – Jane Austen Society of North America, Central & Western New York Region
The Eastman School of Music
TheatreROCS
Diane Spacher
David B. Fisher
​
And a special thanks to our donors and patrons who have joined us thus far and for the many seasons to come.