Michael Ackerman

Michael Ackerman studied theatre at UNC Asheville and UNC Greensboro. He's one of the founders of Spirit Gum Theatre Company here in Winston-Salem. When he's not goofing off onstage, he's either working at the public library or playing with his dog Violet. He's very grateful to Becky for inviting him along on this spooky journey!

Ken Ashford

Ken Ashford has performed in and directed many theatrical productions with Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance, Little Theater of Winston-Salem, Stained Glass Playhouse, and Spirit Gum Theatre Company, among others. Some of his favorite roles are Sancho (Man of La Mancha) with LTWS, Amos (Chicago) and Roy/Ruth (Looking for Normal) with WS Theatre Alliance, and most recently, Bottom (A Midsummer Night's Dream) with Spirit Gum. Ken is an improv performer with Bunker Dogs -- a Winston-Salem improv troupe -- and the drummer in Banna, an Irish folk group (download our albums on Spotify or wherever you get your music!). This podcast is an exciting challenge and he is so thankful to Becky to be a part of it!

Maddox Butler

Bio forthcoming

Sara Butner

Sara E. Butner is a non-profit professional living in Winston-Salem. She is excited to explore a new medium after several years performing in local community theatre, including The Altruists, Church and State and The Drowning Girls (Spirit Gum Theatre); Clybourne Park and Oklahoma! (Stained Glass Playhouse); Silence! The Musical (Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance); and Moon Over Buffalo (Spring Theatre). Sara is also a proud “Jeopardy!” champion, competing during the show’s 35th season in 2018. This past spring she completed her Master of Public Affairs degree at UNC Greensboro.

Caleb Cabiness

Caleb Cabiness is an actor and singer from Archdale, NC. He has a B.A. in Theatre from Wake Forest University. He works freelance on Fiverr.com and runs a successful gaming YouTube channel in addition to his acting work.

Chris Cohen

Chris Cohen (He/Him) is an actor; Entrepreneur who owns/operates his own Construction company, specializing in all interior/exterior renovations; and loving and devoted father and husband. He is also the new Artistic Director for ARTC Theatre in Winston-Salem, and will be directing the upcoming production of Evil Dead: The Musical for Halloween. He will also be directing The Little Theatre of Winston Salem's production of The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer as well as performing as Stanley in ARTC's upcoming production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Past roles include Mike Talman in Wait Until Dark, Narrator in Every Brilliant Thing and Mak in Ironbound. Truly grateful to Becky for her beautiful work and this opportunity!

Matt Crawford

Matt Crawford (he/him) is a voice actor from Austin, TX. He studied theatre at Wake Forest University in the Class of 2020 and spent his first post-grad year as a Winston-Salem local. Although Matt has enjoyed his time in Winston-Salem, he will soon be moving to Dallas, TX to pursue his voiceover career further. He hopes that you enjoy his work in White Riders and Pinned in the Graveyard, where he plays Wyatt and Chuck, respectively.

Emily Emerson

Emily Emerson (she/her) lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She is a public librarian, as well as a playwright and actor. She has narrated several audiobooks, which you can find on Audible and iTunes. You can see her in Spirit Gum's upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Emily is very grateful for this project and everyone who worked on it.

Jon Furr

Jon Furr (he/him) is a librarian in Winston-Salem, NC by day (but voicing the ever-studious, book-loving Barnaby is totally not type-casting). By night, Jon is one of the Co-Artistic Directors for Spirit Gum Theatre Co. and has worked with several other theatre companies in the Winston-Salem area. Favorite past shows include The Altruists, Leading Ladies, Pride & Prejudice, and Hay Fever, to name a few.

Janel Fuller

Janel Fuller arrived in the Woods eager to lend her voice to a character or two. While living in Richmond, VA, her passion for theatre takes her where she's called. Janel has been honored to work with the talented writer and producer, Becky McLaughlin, and is forever grateful for her theatre family in Winston-Salem.

Ben Hill

Bio forthcoming

Lara Ianni

Lara Ianni is an actor, director, musician, and teaching artist. Theatre credits include work with Shakespeare & Company, Geva Theatre Center, Oberon Theatre Ensemble, and WallBryd Theatre Co. She has toured nationally with the improvised comedy musical The Greatest Pirate Story Never Told. Film credits include The Comedian (starring Robert De Niro) and Please Be Normal (starring Sam Waterston). Now based in Winston-Salem, NC she is currently directing A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Spirit Gum Theatre Company.

Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins (she/her) is an actor, vintage clothing seller, and a Co-Artistic Director of Spirit Gum Theatre Company. She has performed regionally with the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival, Temple Theatre, NCShakes, the Samuel French OOB Short Play Festival, The Lost Colony, and FringeNYC, among others. Favorite local roles include Marianne (Constellations) and Petunia (Clown Bar) with SGTC, and Cinderella (Into the Woods) and Miss Bingley (Pride and Prejudice) with the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem. Thank you to Becky for a new challenge!

 Mark Tyler Joy

Mark Tyler Joy is thrilled to be joining The Witch in the Woods podcast! Mark was born and raised in Winsted, Connecticut. He studied theatre at Western Connecticut State University. After college he spent time working with the Downtown Cabaret Theatre, performing in many of their children’s theatre and main stage productions. Since moving to North Carolina Mark has enjoyed roles with the Spirit Gum Theatre Company and the Little Theatre of Winston Salem. Mark has performed at the National black Theatre festival and was nominated for an Irene Ryan award at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. He was last apart of Spirit Gum Theatre company’s production of Shakespeare’s a Mid Summer Nights Dream where he played the role of Lysander.

Charlie Lovett

Charlie Lovett is a New York Times bestselling novelist and award winning playwright. His novels, which include The Bookman's Tale, First Impressions, and Escaping Dreamland, have been translated into languages from Japanese to Finnish. His plays for children have been seen in over 5000 productions worldwide. He is host of the literary podcast Inside the Writer's Studio with guests ranging from John Grisham and Louise Penny to Erik Larsen and Ian McEwan. You can find Charlie on social media or at www.charlielovett.com

Janice Lovett

Bio forthcoming

Piper Machado

Piper Machado is a rising 8th grader at Paisley IB, and is passionate about geology, music, and reading. She is also a lifelong Girl Scout who is currently working on her Silver Award.

Astoria McLaughlin

Astoria McLaughlin (she/her) is an eighth grader who not only lends her voice to the podcast but is also responsible for some of the art this season! She enjoys watching the Dream SMP, loves anime and takes hip hop and modern dance classes.

Krynn McLaughlin

Krynn McLaughlin (she/her) is a sixth grader who likes anime, acting, and drawing. She has done 8 plays at Winston-Salem theatre companies and is the daughter of the writer of this podcast!

Stella McLaughlin

Stella McLaughlin (she/her) is a sixth grader and this is her first voice acting gig! She has performed in Freaky Friday the musical and Disney's Descendants the musical; she also plays softball.

Riley Meehan

Riley Meehan (he/him) is the voice of Ari, as well as one of the main artists for the podcast/podcast merch! Though Acting is a favorite hobby of Riley’s, this will be the first Voice Acting opportunity of hopefully many in the future.

Sally Meehan

Sally Meehan is a middle school educator, mom of two, and works on theatre and film projects whenever she can. Favorite credits include: Masha (Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike) and Jack’s Mother (Into the Woods) with the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem; Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing) with Triad Shakespearience; Margaret (The Drowning Girls) with Spirit Gum Theatre. Film Credits include Storyteller at Reunion (Goodbye to All That, dir. Angus MacLachlan) and an uncredited voiceover in Lost Colony (dir. Christopher Holmes). She was proud to direct Becky McLaughlin’s winning entry in the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Theatre Festival, Stay For Dinner, in the glorious pre-pandemic world of 2019.

Alonna Rauton

Alonna Rauton (she/her) is an eighth grader and this is her first acting gig! She has taken dance four years of dance, studying hip hop and tap. She is also a cheerleader and enjoys painting in her spare time.

Sandy Scott

Sandy has been running her mouth for years. It’s no wonder she’s been having a great time voicing characters for “The Witch in the Woods”. She has made lifelong friends thanks to performing with community theatre groups over the years. When she’s not acting, she enjoys hanging out with her manic dog, Ziva.

Caitlin Stafford

Caitlin Stafford (she/her) got her BFA in Acting from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2007. She subsequently moved to Winston-Salem, NC where she Co-Founded Spirit Gum Theatre Company, which is now in its 8th Season. She is also now actively working as an Intimacy Director and hopes to have her full certification in the next couple of years. Caitlin is so proud to have been a witness to the development of this project and others by her best friend, Becky, and can’t wait to get to work on Season 2!

Sarah Thompson

Sarah has lived in many different places, and always comes back to calling Winston-Salem, North Carolina, home. She grew up in the theatre, and has been studying drama, dance, and voice since she was a small child. As an adult she studies yoga, life coaching, and hypnotherapy. You may have seen her in Spirit Gum Theatre Company's production of William Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream and Winston Salem Theatre Alliance's production of Elf the Musical. Next up you can see her on stage in Elvis the Musical and Cabaret at Winston Salem Theatre Alliance. She appreciates the support of her parents, husband, Shawn, and sons, Dylan and Jackson.

Emily Ultan

Emily is so excited to be a part of The Witch in the Woods! Emily is an actor, singer, and dachshund lover about town. She has worked with theater companies such as the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem, Spirit Gum Theatre Company, and Kernersville Little Theatre. In her spare time, Emily loves watching Jeopardy the next day on YouTube, doing crossword puzzles, eating brunch at Young Cardinal, spending entire days at Ardmore Coffee, drinking boxed wine while watching horror movies, picking up heavy things and putting them back down at the gym, starting to walk around Salem Lake before realizing it's way too long, and so much more. Hailing from New York, she concedes that there are, in fact, decent bagels in North Carolina. 

 Gregg Vogelsmeier

Gregg is very happy to be lending his voice to this podcast. He has appeared onstage at The Little Theatre, the High Point Community Theatre, the Stained Glass Playhouse, Theatre Alliance, Spirit Gum Theatre Company, Triad Shakes, Triad Playwrights Theatre and Camel City Playhouse. He has also directed shows for The Little Theatre, the Stained Glass Playhouse, 40+ Stage Company and for two seasons directed the annual Children's touring show for the Yadkin Arts Council. He is a retired teacher from the public schools and currently serves as artistic Director at the Stained Glass Playhouse and on the board of Spirit Gum Theatre Company. This is for Mom, Dad and Lori now listening from the orchestra seats on high.