MATT CHAPMAN (Director) is a physical theatre artist. He joined TAPS in 2017, teaching Movement, Mask, and Clown. Since 2001, Matt has been co-Artistic Director of Under the Table, a physical comedy trio. He has collaborated with NYC’s Eavesdrop; Durban, SA’s African Dream Circus; Sweden’s Cirkus Cirkor; Denmark’s Filuren and Jomfru Ane Teatret; Blue Lake’s Dell’Arte Company; and Arcata, CA’s Pequeño Teatro DanceTheatre. Matt also plays guitar in the Oakland punk band The Big Forgive.

VALEH AMIRI (Babette Biedermann) is a PhD candidate in Genetics who loves stepping out of her scientific shell and into the lives of real and fictional characters. She is trained in method acting, improv, and clowning. Recent acting credits at Stanford include Theater Lab’s Melancholy (Joan) and Flying Horse Films’ Tony Cries Again (Rebecca).

JAMES ARD (Sound Design Advisor) is a noisemaker specializing in new works and immersive productions. His designs include collaborations with Under the Radar at The Public Theater, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alley Theatre, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Internationally, his work has appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Sibiu International Theatre Festival in Romania. Local Bay Area collaborators include A.C.T., TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, San Francisco Playhouse, CenterREP, Shotgun Players, Golden Thread, and Shotgun Players.

NINA BALL (Scenic Designer) (she/her) is an award-winning scenic designer, production designer, visual artist, and educator. Her work has been seen at A.C.T., Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Repertory, St. Louis Rep., Theatreworks, and S.F. Playhouse, among others. Next up The Monsters, a world premiere at Berkeley Rep, and Girls:Chance: Music, a world premiere musical at A.C.T. She teaches Scenic Design here at Stanford. ninaball.com

BREN KEKOA BARTOL (Assistant Scenic Designer) is a junior majoring in TAPS. They are one of the Executive Producers of the Stanford Shakespeare Company (StanShakes), and their work has been seen in the TAPS Developmental series, StanShakes, Asian American Theater Project (AATP), and more.

LYLE BELGER (William Eisenring) is a coterminal student completing her Master’s in Communication, after receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with minors in TAPS and Spanish. At Stanford, she appeared in TAPS’s Fun Home (Older Alison) and Witch (Elizabeth Sawyer), Theater Lab’s Circle Mirror Transformation (Theresa), and served as lead vocalist for the five-piece student band, Clare’s in Town. Lyle begins her professional acting career in June with CenterREP’s Jagged Little Pill.

NADIA CHUNG (TAPS 39 Crew) is a senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Dance. She performs with Stanford’s Cardinal Ballet Company and is excited to be involved in the tech side of TAPS.

NOAH DEHLI (Assistant Scenic Designer) is a sophomore studying TAPS and Music. At Stanford, he has performed in Into the Woods (Baker), Witch (Understudy, Fight Captain), and Hunchback (Phoebus), and was involved with Come Again (Director, Set Designer, Intimacy Coordinator) and the second 48 Hour Musical (Set Designer). He is also a member of the Stanford Improvisers. 

OLLIE GARFINKEL (TAPS 39 Crew) is a frosh and future TAPS major. This is his first show through TAPS. Previously at Stanford, he has been involved with many student productions.

MADDIE GARFINKEL (TAPS 39 Crew) is a sophomore double-majoring in Physics and TAPS. Previously at Stanford, she was involved in TAPS’s Fun Home (Small Alison), TAPS’s Grad Rep (Costume Designer), Ram’s Head’s Legally Blonde (Ensemble and Costume Designer), and TAPS’s Three Sisters (U/S Irina). 

NATALIE GREENE (Intimacy Director) is an artist and educator working at the intersections of performance, consent, and community engagement. As a director, choreographer, and intimacy professional, Natalie has worked with A.C.T., Aurora Theater, Cal Shakes, Center Rep, Custom Made, Portland Center Stage, Shotgun Players, and several productions with TAPS. She is the former artistic director of the award-winning devised theater ensemble Mugwumpin, and currently Director of Education and Community Programs at American Conservatory Theater.

NALA MONET HAMILTON (TAPS 39 Crew) is a sophomore, majoring in TAPS. Aiming to grow as a fluent scholar-artist, she plans to explore acting in film and theatre. Nala’s credits include Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, as well as community productions such as Little Shop of Horrors, Pippin, and Chicago. Last year, she appeared as a principal performer in Fading In with the Stanford Light Opera Company.

SEBASTIAN HOCHMAN (Sound Designer/Composer) is a double-major in Music and TAPS, creating immersive sonic worlds for new work and classics alike. Credits include Huppet, Omelas, and work with Marin Shakespeare Company. He has worked with Daniel Kluger at The Public and DR2, and collaborated with creatives like John R. Lewis, Lauren English, Julius Rea, and Leigh M. Marshall. He is currently developing the original musical Port-Pourri, at Stanford, which will be staged in the Spring.

BEN HOLLINGSHEAD (Joseph Schmitz) is a sophomore double-majoring in TAPS and Economics. Previously at Stanford, he was involved in TAPS’s Fun Home (ASM), and has acted in The Stanford Shakespeare Company’s Henry IV (Prince Hal/Henry V) and NExT’s Hamlet: Prince of Denmark (Laertes). Elsewhere, he was recently in BADA Midsummer in Oxford’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Demetrius) and The Bishop’s School’s Hamlet (Hamlet).

EMMA HONG (Assistant Stage Manager) is a senior majoring in TAPS and Engineering Physics. You may have seen her work playing Winnifred in TAPS’s Witch, Samantha in AATP’s Man of God, and herself in Theaterlab’s Everything Must Go. On campus, she is co-Artistic Director of Asian American Theater Project (AATP) and ex-President of Women in Computer Science (WiCS).

STEPHANIE HUNT (Text/Vocal Coach) teaches Acting and Voice at Stanford. For TAPS, she directed Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters and has served many productions here as a voice/text coach. A core company member of the theater company Word for Word in San Francisco, Stephanie has acted in fully-staged stories by Upton Sinclair, Angela Carter, Tobias Wolff, Virginia Woolf, Kevin Barry, and Colm Tóibín. Her MFA is from the American Conservatory Theater. stephaniejanehunt.com

ATMAN JAHAGIRDAR (Gottlieb Biedermann) is a senior studying Design and Music. As a comedian, he has opened for Hasan Minhaj, created a live show with actors from Comedy Central and Netflix Is a Joke, and written a season of a comedy show in production. Atman has performed in SF Sketchfest, Eclectic Box SF, and LA’s Lyric Hyperion. At Stanford, he spent four years in Robber Barons Sketch Comedy. The Arsonists is his first play credit.

JASMINE KANG (Anna) is a freshman hoping to major in Mathematics. Previously studying in London, she acted in productions of When the Rain Stops Falling (Elizabeth) and The Good Soldier Svejk (Otto Katz), and tried her hand at translating and directing Lei Yu (Fan Yi). She is excited to be in her first Stanford production and hopes you enjoy the show!

BLUE KENNEDY (Chorus/US Schmitz/US Chorus Leader) (they/them) is a freshman majoring in Mechanical Engineering. This Fall, they acted in Ram’s Head Gaieties (Ensemble), and are currently involved in Ram’s Head Grease (Producer) and Theater Lab’s Pestilence Wow (TD and Assistant Director). They are so excited to be part of The Arsonists as an introduction to TAPS Mainstage and can’t wait to continue being involved.

JACK KIRKNER (Chorus/Policeman/US Biedermann) is very excited to be part of his first main stage Stanford TAPS play. Jack was recently in Gaieties 2025(Drew) and is looking forward to acting in many more productions at Stanford. He hopes you have a ‘fire’ time. 

JAHFARI MADDO (Doctor) (he/they) is a junior double-majoring in Psychology and TAPS. Previously at Stanford, Jahfari has acted as Lorenzo in Melancholy Play, Rode in Three Sisters, and various other roles. They are thrilled to be part of such a pertinent and timely production.

CHRISTIAN MEJIA (Lighting Designer) believes that light can tell stories that go beyond words. His design approach seeks to create environments that invite us to lean into and learn something about our shared humanity. His practice includes live performance, architectural lighting, and immersive entertainment. His work has been seen on stages and in built environments around the world. Christian serves on the Board of Directors at New Conservatory Theatre Center.

MIKEY MENDOZA (Laundry Crew) (He/Him) is a sophomore majoring in Environmental Systems Engineering. He’s been previously involved with TAPS’s Three Sisters (LC), Witch (LC), Fun Home (LC), as well as starred in short films such as Lens, To Love Thyself, Electrons, Audiobook, and productions such as Cesar Valenzuela’s Proportionality.

CHLOE MOLINS (Chorus Leader) is a junior studying International Relations with a minor in Creative Writing. She is also involved in Stanford’s Flying Treehouse Children’s Repertory Theatre Company and Ram’s Head.

GANESH NAIR (Chorus/US Doctor) (he/him) is a freshman planning to double major in Human Biology and Public Policy. This is his first production. 

TRINI ROGANDO (Assistant Stage Manager) is a senior double-majoring in TAPS and Design. Previously, she has been involved as a lighting designer for Ram’s Head’s Gaieties, TAPS’s Graduate Repertory, and StanShakes’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

LEETH SINGHAGE (Wardrobe Lead) is a multidisciplinary artist from Sri Lanka with international theater and TV credits, currently a senior studying MS&E and TAPS. Previously at Stanford, he acted in The Parentheses of Blood, Three Days, American Migration, No Exit, and Exorcism, and worked wardrobe on TAPS’s Assassins, Witch, and Fun Home. He has also toured with productions to Edinburgh Fringe Festival, United Solo Festival (NYC), and Bharat Rang Mahotsav (India). 

LAUREN THOMPSON (Chorus/Mrs. Knechtling/US Anna) (she/her) is a freshman who is still deciding her major. This is her first show at Stanford, and she is so appreciative to be part of it. Throughout high school, she acted in shows and in physical theater and mime, including Line (Fleming), The Standard of the Man Mime Show (Mrs. Trevers), and Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play (Colleen).

LENNY WANG (US Eisenring) is a sophomore majoring in Linguistics and TAPS. At Stanford, Lenny has served as an assistant director for TAPS’s Fall 2025 Developmental Stage Jjim-Jil-Bang and AATP’s Winter 2026 Main Stage Cabaret. Prior to arriving on campus this year, he was a K-pop trainee in Seoul, where he received intensive training in voice, dance, and acting. The Arsonists is unforgettably fun and marks his first acting performance at Stanford.

RAINA YANG (Assistant Lighting Designer) is a sophomore double-majoring in EE and TAPS. Previously at Stanford, she was in involved in TAPS’s jjim-jil-bang (LD), TAPS’s bed (LD), AATP’s Matilda the Musical (LD), Ram’s Head’s Legally Blonde (LD), and Ram’s Head’s Gaieties: Camp Stanford (SM).

CATHY ZHANG (TAPS 39 Crew) (she/her) is a freshman interested in majoring in Psychology and TAPS. She loves watching theatre and learning about all of the different components of a production and how they come together to create a show. She was involved with Gaieties in the Fall (ensemble) and is excited to be a part of The Arsonists (tech) and WiSH One-Act Plays (playwright) this Winter.

YINLIN ZHAO (Laundry Crew) is a sophomore double-majoring in Computer Science and English. He has previously been involved in TAPS’s Fun Home and Three Sisters.