We’re proud to announce a new wing of our productions: FLIGHTS WITH FENIX!
The goal of this new umbrella of programming is to explore more of Shakespeare's works throughout the year in new ways, providing paid opportunities for more artists. A play in a day is the perfect first offering: quick to produce, engaging for the audience, and a dynamic challenge for our amazingly talented local actors and theater makers.
Something Wicked (Ambitious) This Way Comes!
No one knows what will actually happen when the show starts, and that's the real magic. At 9:00 AM on Sunday, November 2nd, twenty actors will gather at The Hill Arts to do something exhausting, ambitious, and very possibly stupid. They will arrive with only their lines memorized. They will not have the luxury of weeks of rehearsal. They will not have the “bells and whistles” of scenery or meticulously designed props and costumes. They will not have a comfort zone. Instead, these actors will rely on their dramatic instincts, weeks of solo preparation, the brilliance of a Shakespeare play, and the adrenaline that pumps through their veins on the knowledge that the audience will file in to see the show at 7:00 PM on the same day.
Will we pull it off? The only way to find out is to join us.
PLEASE NOTE: While the event is technically "sold out", we have a WAITLIST! We expect to have a large number of no-shows and ticket cancellations due to the nature of a free ticketing system. We HIGHLY recommend emailing info@thehillarts.me with your name, how many tickets you’d like, and your phone number. The Hill Arts will add folks in the order they hear from you — first come, first served.
We also hope to accommodate some walk-ups the night of the event.
To reduce cost barriers for our community members, we operate on a donate-what-you-can model rather than charging a ticket fee. We gratefully accept cash/check/Venmo donations at The Hill Arts on the night of the show, or you can donate online at any time using the button below. Thank you for your support!
Meet the Cast
SEAN RAMEY as MACBETH
Sean Ramey lives in Auburn, works in Biddeford and plays wherever he can. Much gratitude to MDT for believing that I could contribute to his bold venture. Forever humbled and thankful that there is an Angel stirring up the dust of my world. I continue to hope to be the actor you believe I am.
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KATELYN MANFRE (she/her) as LADY MACBETH
Kate is so thrilled to be a part of another Fenix endeavor, after appearing in 12th Night (2023), directing Love's Labor's Lost (2024), and joining the Board this year. By day she is the Director of Community Programs & Partnerships for Portland Ovations and lives in Portland with her family. Her theatrical pursuits have included work as an actor, director, and teaching artist up and down the east coast with Atlantic Theater Company, Pipeline Theatre Company, Folger Theatre, NextStop Theatre Company, the Peterborough Players, Lost Nation Theater, and Theater at Monmouth. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, an MFA from Shakespeare Theatre Company's Academy at GWU, and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Peterborough Players in NH. Endless thanks to her partner in all things, MDT, and this incredible team for taking on a project of such "vaulting ambition."
LUKE MYERS (he/him) as MALCOLM
Luke's most recent Maine credits include MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY at Penobscot Theatre Company, and the past two Fenix productions of AS YOU LIKE IT and LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST. He has worked with PCPA Theatrefest, SLO Rep, Capital Stage Company, Shotgun Players, Berkeley Playhouse, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival (California), Full Circle Theatre and Open Eye Figure Theatre (Minnesota). Training: PCPA Theatrefest, UMN/Guthrie BFA. Luke is a frequent producer with the global initiative Climate Change Theatre Action. www.lkmyers.com.
JAMES PATEFIELD (he/him) as MACDUFF
James Patefield is a Portland-based actor and director. He has performed (Feste, Twelfth Night) and directed (Midsummer Night's Dream) with Fenix, Portland Stage (Arsenic and Old Lace, various Too Strange to Live, Too Weird to Die / Play Me A Story readings), and Mad Horse (The Explorer's Club, various reading series). He helped found the site-specific performance collaborative Bare Portland, and loves making weird art from trash with his friends.
JONAS MAINES (he/him) as ROSS
Jonas Maines is an Augusta-based actor who has been performing in Central and Southern Maine since 2023. He received his BA in Theatre from the University of Maine at Farmington, and has worked professionally in Austin and Chicago. Previous Fenix credits include As You Like It (Charles/Silvius) and Love's Labor's Lost (Dumaine/Don Armado). Other recent credits include Deathtrap (Clifford) and The Cottage (Clarke) with the Waterville Opera House, and 100 Saints You Should Know (Matthew), by special arrangement with the University of Maine at Farmington. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Maine Arts Academy.
MARJOLAINE WITTLESEY (she/her) as BANQUO
Marjolaine Wittlesey is an educator at the Telling Room, in Portland ME. Her most recent work has been raising a kind and curious five-year-old. Not-so-recent local work includes: False Flag, Sofonisba and Cock (Dramatic Repertory Company), String Around My Finger (Portland Stage Co.), Cyrano (Theater at Monmouth), Traveling Light (Celebration Barn Ensemble), Macbeth (Bare Portland), Love & Information (Lorem Ipsum), and The Puzzle Box (Ziggurat Theater Ensemble). This will be her fourth time in Macbeth, but her first time as Banquo. She is so thankful for her friends in this community and excited for this challenge.
PAUL FIDALGO (he/they) as DUNCAN, DOCTOR, & SIWARD
Around the time that iPods were considered breakthrough technology, Paul spent a decade as a professional stage actor and musician, including five years in repertory with the American Shakespeare Center in Virginia, where they also served as music director and composer for several productions. Paul last performed with Fenix as Jaques and Duke Frederick in As You Like It, for which they also served as music director; as Boyet, Holofernes, and Longaville in Love’s Labor’s Lost, for which they wrote two original songs; and as Sir Andrew in Twelfth Night. They also recently played Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, and Eric in The Humans at Schoolhouse Arts, and directed nine productions for the UNE Players. Paul holds a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University, and is the proud and exhausted father of two incredibly dangerous and amazing offspring. Find Paul's music, under the name Pav Alexander, at https://www.youtube.com/@PavAlexander.
CONNOR HALL as LENNOX
Connor is grateful to return to Fenix Theatre following this summer’s production of As You Like It, where he understudied Orlando. After performing Shakespeare throughout high school, Connor is thrilled to revisit the Bard’s work with a theatre as welcoming and innovative as Fenix. He hopes you enjoy the show.
MICHELA MICALIZIO as FIRST WITCH
Michela Micalizio is a local and hopes to remain a local, rent prices permitting. She recently appeared in DRC's co-production with Portland Stage as Harper in Angels in America. She makes puppets and makes her money as a fry cook at The East Ender karaoke bar and restaurant. She lives in South Portland with her wonderful partner Wade, her dog Cupcake, and a family of brazen foxes.
SARABELL WRIGLEY (she/her) as SECOND WITCH
Sarabell Wrigley is thrilled to be joining Fenix for the third time since moving to Maine in 2023, having previously appeared in Love's Labour's Lost (Katherine/Jaquenetta) and As You Like It (Celia). Previous credits include At the Table (Sophie), I Love You Because (Diana), Spring Awakening (Wendla), Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), Taming of the Shrew (Tranio), Merrily We Roll Along (Meg), South Pacific (Liat). Love to D.
SARAROSE WILLEY (she/her) as THIRD WITCH
Sararose Willey is a Maine raised theatre artist, working both on and offstage in the Greater Portland area. She is honoured to be joining this skilled & daring cast/crew for Fenix’s first ‘flight’, and wonders what it will be like to experience this production in its entirety in tandem with our audience for the first time! Recently, she has had the pleasure of working with Maddy’s Theatre, Portland Theatre Festival, Portland Shakespeare Co., Acorn Productions, The Theater Project and more. Some roles close to her heart include Viola (Twelfth Night: A Holiday Musical - Fenix Theatre Co.), Lucy (A Bright Room in a Dark Place - Resurgence Dance Co.) and directing Totality Play by Julia Jennings as part of the 2025 Maine Playwrights Festival. She thanks you for being here, supporting Fenix, and for your energy as we embark on this weird & wonderful evening.
ELLIOT NYE as HECEATE & SEYTON
Elliot Nye is a puppeteer/prop designer/performer from Portland, Maine.
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MACKENZIE O'CONNOR (she/her) as LADY MACDUFF
When time allows in this busy season of her life, Mackenzie spends time doing site-specific performance art with some amazing collaborators. She studied Theater Performance and Music at Muhlenberg College and focused most of her education on Avant-garde Theater. Mackenzie lives in Portland with her partner James and toddler Simon with another family member arriving VERY soon...maybe even tonight. In her other life, she is pursuing a seminary degree to become an inter-faith hospital chaplain and is an event planner for Bowdoin College.
PETER BROWN as PORTER
Peter Brown is a Portland-based actor, director, and theater educator, who recently directed both parts of Tony Kushner’s epic masterpiece Angels in America at Portland Stage. He is the Artistic Director of Fenix Theatre Company, and the creator of Fenix’s holiday production, 12th Night: A Holiday Musical. Since his Portland acting debut in Portland Players’ production of Noises Off 25 years ago, Peter has been a regular performer in the Portland theater community, most notably with Fenix Theater Company (Prospero in The Tempest, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing and Malvolio in the 2010 production of Twelfth Night), Dramatic Repertory Company (Equivocation, Fabulouso, Swimming in the Shallows) and Mad Horse Theatre Company (The Normal Heart, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, The Pillowman, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Cloud 9). Peter's proudest role is one he shares with his husband R.J. McComish, as Dad to their sons Crosby and Lexton.
JACK JONES as DONALBAIN & YOUNG SIWARD
Jack Jones is a 14 year old actor in the Greater Portland area represented by Dirigo Talent Agency. Previous theater credits include; Chris (Make Believe; Portland Theater Festival), Edmund (The Lion,The Witch and the Wardrobe; Portland Players), Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice JR; Portland Players), Junior Theater Festival attendee (Twin City Theater Academy), Buddy (Elf JR; GAA), Genie (Aladdin JR; BDC), Lord Farquaad (Shrek JR; GAA), Eric (Matilda; SAC), Gaston (B&B JR; BDC), Rapunzel’s Prince (Into the Woods JR; SAC), just to name a few favorites amongst the 25 productions he’s been in! Previous film and commercial credits: Young Ralphie (Manodrome), Skate Punk (Sentinels), Hannaford Snack Pals and Visionworks. Jack enjoys taking lessons in piano, saxophone, voice and dance. He would like to thank Mom and Dad for all their hard work and dedication, as well as Jess Libby, Michael Donovan, Sue Remillard, Ann Guiney, Gigi Paquette, Sarah Cash, April Monte, all the Lemonts and Dave Stebbins for teaching him so much! Sending love to Rylee Robinson, Maggie Gaudet, Brenna Small and Molly Scott. Jack is excited and proud to bring this production of Macbeth to life for an audience in this unique “play in a day” project!
CROSBY MCCOMISH-BROWN as FLEANCE
Crosby is a fifth grader at Reiche Elementary School who performs with the Maine Youth Circus, enjoys swimming, basketball and soccer, and is learning the trombone. After acting in every Purim play since the first grade, this is Crosby's first professional production.
CHARLEY KENNEDY (he/him) as MACDUFF SON
Charley is thrilled to be in his first Shakespeare play! A sixth grader at Lyman Moore Middle School, he is a drummer in a rock band and enjoys making graffiti art.
NATHAN SPECKMAN (he/him) as CAPTAIN & MACDUFF (U/S)
Nathan is delighted to be involved in this new Fenix adventure and is grateful that you came out to support this company.
KAT MORAROS (she/they) as LADY MACDUFF (U/S)
Kat is a queer multi-hyphenate theater artist and Associate Artistic Director of Fenix. They directed the summer 2025 production of As You Like It in Deering Oaks Park, and other acting credits include work with Portland Stage, Good Theater, Mad Horse, Theater at Monmouth, Dramatic Repertory Company, and more. Kat trained at Bates College, London Dramatic Academy, Black Box Theater, and Theatrical Intimacy Education. Thank you for joining us for this wild first journey into Flights with Fenix - and thank you for supporting local Maine theater.
Meet the Production Team
Michael Dix Thomas (he/him)
Director
MICHAEL DIX THOMAS is an actor, director, and teacher from Maine. He has directed for Portland Stage, Theater at Monmouth, Maddy’s Theater at CMTM, and Keene State College. He has performed with the Kennedy Center, Folger Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Shakespeare and Company, Portland Stage, Portland Theater Festival, Fenix Theatre, and Theater at Monmouth. Michael is the Education Director at Portland Stage and was a co-founder of both the Lorem Ipsum Theatre Collective and the PortFringe Theater Festival. Michael holds a B.A. from Emerson College and an M.F.A. from the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s STC Academy at the George Washington University.
Where to find us
MACBETH: A PLAY IN A DAY performs at The Hill Arts, 76 Congress St, Portland ME.
It is accessible by public transit bus, walking, and there is free street parking in the East End neighborhood.
Special Thanks
The Hill Arts
Kat Moraros Photography
Dawn McAndrews and the Theater at Monmouth
Portland Stage
Marcus Kyd
and Taffety Punk
