Mother Courage and Her Children – Cast & Crew Bios
Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
Adapted by Tony Kushner
Directed by Leah Adcock-Starr
Translated by Tony Kushner
With the cooperation of the Heirs of Bertolt Brecht
Join the Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University’s Theater Department for our Spring production of Bertolt Brecht’s epic, Mother Courage and Her Children, at Skinner Theater at Raisbeck Auditorium.
Mother Courage and Her Children is an epic piece of theatre – in all ways. It is political, musical, a parable, a lesson, a devastating family drama, a black comedy, a tragedy.
Berlot Brecht wrote this play in 1939, while in exile from his home, furious, and watching the rise of the fascism in the West. In response to the threat of pervasive violence, warring factions, and impending despair of his own moment; Brecht went grasping through history for a similarly disrupting period of violence, and found the 30 Years War – a brutal and devastating conflict that changed forever the landscape and story of Europe. This reflex of Brecht’s to look toward history to reflect/interrogate/disrupt/illuminate the current moment is one that inspires this production as well.
From director Leah Adcock-Starr, speaking on their history of this production, “Mother Courage and Her Children made my stomach twist, it broke my heart, it enraged and disrupted me. It moved me and I became obsessed. I was probably the only 8th grader in my school reading Brecht. The stories wormed their way through me, sent me down rabbit holes reading histories and philosophies of violence and money and warring nations. I became a high school student who protested against American wars and profiteering and added Mother Courage to the bucket list of plays I had to direct someday. ”
Showtimes:
- Friday, April 3 – 8pm
- Saturday, April 4 – 2pm and 8pm
- Sunday, April 5 – 2pm (haze free)
- Thursday, April 9 – 8pm
- Friday, April 10 – 8pm
- Saturday, April 11 – 2pm and 8pm
Meet the Cast
Andrée Langevin
Kattrin Haupt
Andrée Langevin is a third-year Acting & Original Works student and will graduate in the fall of 2026. She has worked on multiple main stage shows during her time at Cornish, and considers playing Kattrin in Mother Courage as the perfect send off for her further work as a creator in the professional world. Andrée would like to dedicate this performance to her Mother Courage, Jennifer Langevin, for always being there.
Anton Busch
Eilif Nojocki
No bio provided
Camila Diaz
The One With The Eyepatch, The Farmer’s Wife, A Voice, Soldier, Second Soldier
No bio provided
Dorian Green
Anna Fierling aka Mother Courage
No bio provided
Ellie Nucci
Yvette Pottier
Ellie Nucci is in her third year and her third mainstage production at Cornish and is honored to be apart of this amazing team and production. It is such a privilege to tell such an intense and relevant story in a time of such chaos. She would like to thank Leah Adcock-Starr for truly seeing her in providing this opportunity, as well as her professors for helping her become the woman she is. For every person unheard throughout time, don’t look away. Don’t just survive. Act. Witness. Stand up, fight back.
Emrys Jean Brown
Recruiting Officer, Soldier, Young Soldier, A Voice, The Farmer’s Son
No bio provided
Jacob Guzman
The Sergeant, The Clerk, The Regimental Secretary, Soldier, The Farmer
No bio provided
Jamie Matthews
Town Crier
Jamie Matthews is super excited to be part of their first play with Cornish! They’re born and raised in Hawaii on Oahu and currently a 2nd year Acting & Original Works student at CCA. You may have previously seen them from “The Lore Project” at the 2025 Cornish New Works Showcase, the 2024-25 Cornish Neo Burlesque: Theory & Performance Showcases, and a few Cornish Burlesque Club shows from 2024 to now. Off campus they also perform for the burlesque company Garters And Gold in Bainbridge. Jamie thanks their friends and family for supporting their strong passion for performing and storytelling!
Jess Peters
Quartermaster, The Farmer, Singing Soldier, Soldier, A Voice, The Farmer’s Wife
No bio provided
Joeyy Whitaker
The Colonel, Second Solider, The Old Woman, The Lieutenant
No bio provided
Josh Miller
The Chaplain
No bio provided
Judd McReynolds
Swiss Cheese
Jude McReynolds is a sophomore at Cornish and is very excited to be a part of Mother Courage. He started his acting journey in freshman year of high school and has explored a few different subjects under theater. When Jude is not working on theater things he is playing video games, reading comics, drawing or sleeping.
Nathan Daymond
Sergeant, First Soldier, Singing Soldier, Soldier, Second Soldier
No bio provided
Olivia Freeman
General, Older Soldier, Singing Soldier, Young Man, A Voice, First Soldier
No bio provided
Void Gibson
The Cook
No bio provided
Meet the Creative Team
Bertolt Brecht
Playwright
Bertolt Brecht, Born in Bavaria, 1898. At 24, his cutting-edge Drums in the Night won him Expressionist recognition. His quickly written Threepenny Opera was Germany’s greatest hit of the 1920s. Revolutionary in form for 1928 Berlin – non-operatic, antihighbrow musical theater – and cynically satirical, it irritated the Nazis; Brecht let Germany with his family in 1933. He continued to write in Scandinavia (e.g. Mother Courage) until the Nazi invasion. In California, along with some work for Hollywood he wrote The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Galileo, produced in L.A. in 1947. The House Un-American Activities Committee interrogated him that same year; he left the U.S. the following day. He established the Berliner Ensemble in 1949 in East Berlin, opening Mother Courage with his wife Helene Weigel; its 1954 tour to Paris brought him recognition as Europe’s most important director, a year before his untimely illness and death.
Leah Adcock-Starr
Director
Leah Adcock-Starr (she/her) is a Midwest transplant to the PNW. Leah is a storyteller, director, and educator. Locally, she has directed for Strawshop, Seattle Shakes, Sound, Pony World, Seattle Public, UW School of Drama, and Cornish, among others. Leah is the Artistic Director of Bread & Roses, a touring company of rabble-rousers and clowns who bridge barriers to make work with and for audiences in shelters, community centers, and public libraries. Leah holds BAs in Theatre Arts and Theology from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, and an MFA in Directing from the UW School of Drama.
Ella Acciacca
Assistant Director
No bio provided
Jake Dahms
Composer and Music Director
Jake Dahms (he/him) is a Composer/playwright/arranger and performer. Past Cornish productions include Chess (2023), Amelie (2024), and Sweeney Todd (2025). His work as a playwright and musical theatre composer/lyricist has been featured in the Cornish New Works Festival. Jake is also an acclaimed Jazz vocalist and teaches Jazz in Seattle Public Schools and with Seattle Jazz Ed. His new musical “hope this helps” premieres April 24th at the Raisbeck auditorium. He’d like to thank his partner Jess, the glorious director Leah Adcock-Starr, and his mentor Rich Gray for their continued support.
Jon Butler
Assistant Music Director
Jon Butler (he/him) (Cornish ’23) is a bassist, pianist and vocalist specializing in music for theater and film, as well as golden age jazz, folk, and RnB. His studies crossed between theater and music during his time at Cornish, and since then, Jon has continued playing in pit orchestras, as an accompanist, and with various musical groups, including busking at Pike Place Market. As always, Jon is stoked and grateful to be part of another Cornish show, and to be surrounded by such driven and inventive artists.
Em Majewski
Choreographer
Em Majewski is a Seattle-based actor, director, and producer. In 2025, they graduated with a BFA in Acting and Original Works at Cornish College Of the Arts. Currently, Em is the Program Director for the PULSE Union Arts Center, a new community third space! In their free time, you can find them volunteering as a Teaching Artist with Freehold’s Engaged Theater Program, or caring for their collection of house plants! Visit em-majewski.com for more information about their upcoming projects and what inspires them as an artist.
Luna Mock
Scenic Designer
No bio provided
Carmen Gallegos
Lighting Designer
Carmen Gallegos is a 3rd year Performance Production major dedicated to doing as much as humanly possible. Her Cornish credits include The River Bride (LD), Alice by Heart (ALD), Aloha, say the Pretty Girls (SM), and Chess the Musical (SM). She also works as a technical assistant in the Cornish Scene Shop.
Em Weihofen
Assistant Lighting Designer
No bio provided
Flint Sellers
Head Costume Designer
Flint Sellers (they/he) has been experimenting with costumes for over five years, however having experience in the haunting and cosplay space for much longer. Flint provides a fantastic spin to costume in order to stand out and push the boundaries of what theatre can be. They currently study theatre costume design and work to become an sfx makeup artist, experimenting with different looks and methods constantly. Flints’s work is all about redefining what costumes really are.
Rae Collins
Assistant Costume Designer
No bio provided
Taylor Rose Budzynski
Assistant Costume Designer
Taylor Rose Budzynski is a Costume Design BFA 3 student at Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University. Previously they studied at The Theatre School at DePaul University, Chicago. Her work focuses on under-represented groups such as the LGBTQ+ and disabled communities. Professionally, Taylor has designed for Tacoma Musical Playhouse and works for IATSE Local 887 and 15 in Seattle, WA. Instagram – @taylor.rosebud
Orion Cartwright
Props Manager
Orion Cartwright (he/him) Orion Cartwright is delighted to be the Props Manager for Mother Courage after working as the Charge Scenic Artist for Sweeney Todd and Assistant Puppet Maker for The Winter’s Tale at Cornish Theater. He is a second year performance production student with a scenic focus, planning on pursuing scenic painting and props work in both theater and film.
Charlie Stuhlsatz
Assistant Props Manager
Charlie Stuhlsatz (he/him) has worked on past Cornish productions; Alice By Heart (A2), Sweeney Todd (Dresser). As well as working building and painting sets in the Cornish scene shop for River Bride and A Winter’s Tale. He hopes to continue working in scenic and props.
DJ Swan
Stage Manager
No bio provided
Meredith "Em" Phalen
Assistant Stage Manager
Meredith “Em” Phalen is back for their third show at Cornish College of the Arts at SeattleU, where they’ve previously been an Assistant Stage Manager for “Alice By Heart” (Dir. by Johamy Morales) and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (Dir. by Rich Gray). Their backstage and stage management experience started at Air Academy High School and the Youth Rep program at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.
Baiyinnah Athenah Muhammad
Assistant Stage Manager & Assistant Carpenter
Baiyinnah Athenah Muhammad (she/her) was born in Seattle’s Central District and grew up in Hilltop, Tacoma. This is her first time as an Assistant Stage Manager. She is a transfer student with junior standing at Cornish College of the Arts. Previous credits include River Bride (Light Board Programmer, Assistant Carpenter, Fall 2025), Aloha Say the Pretty Girls (Light Board Operator, Fall 2024), Amelie and Winter’s Tale (Lighting Technician, 2024–2025).
David Baldwin
Technical Director
David Baldwin (he/him) is currently the Technical Director at Seattle University and happy to now be working with Cornish College. A graduate himself, from Cornish, almost a half of a decade ago, David has worked for a number of professional theaters in Seattle, including The Seattle Children’s Theater, The Seattle Opera, ACT at Union Arts Center, and The 5th Ave Theater.
Aquarius Grimsley
Paint Charge
Aquarius Grimsley (xe/xem) Sophomore, past experience as dresser in A Winter’s Tale and spot op during Sweeney Todd.
