Love and Information was written by prolific and inventive English playwright Caryl Churchill and was first produced in 2012. After fourteen years, it still feels timely and, at moments, even prescient. The play’s structure, a series of short and often emotional scenes, affords an experience not unlike that of scrolling through postings on a social media platform. The characters’ search for love and/or information is complicated by their histories, memories, conditions, and insecurities. And the impact that modern technology has on their quests, for better and for worse, is ever present. In short, an ocean and more than a decade may separate us from these characters, but I trust that you’ll recognize many of their circumstances and desires.
Allow me to share a few thoughts expressed by Yuval Noah Harari in his 2024 book, Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI:
“…Information sometimes represents reality, and sometimes doesn’t. But it always connects. That is its fundamental characteristic.”
“Among humans, the precondition for cooperation isn’t similarity; it is the ability to exchange information. As long as we are able to converse, we might find some shared story that can bring us closer. This, after all, is what made Homo sapiens the dominant species on the planet.”
“Nobody disputes that humans today have a lot more information and power than in the Stone Age, but it is far from certain that we understand ourselves and our role in the universe much better. Why are we so good at accumulating more information and power, but far less successful at acquiring wisdom?”
And, on a perhaps more hopeful note, from the lyrics of the song “Nature Boy” – recorded by Nat King Cole in the early ‘60s:
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn Is just to love and be loved in return”
Special Thanks
President Connie Book, Provost Rebecca Kohn, Dean Hilton Kelly, Performing Arts Chair Fred Rubeck
Treasure Capers Sloane Johnson Reagan Nasky Addy Reese Samantha Probst Sierra Safran
Costume Shop Manager
Heidi Jo Schiemer
Wardrobe Crew
Addison Gully Grace Santo
Electricians
Jessica Klein David Sebren
Light Board Op
George Eastman
Sound Board Op
Jack Shaffer
House Managers
Lillian Chen Izzy Carl Madelyn Neal Lachlan Apple Laird Stearns
Poster Design
Sydney Dye
Bios
Kirby Wahl
Kayla Higbee
Jessica Hightower
Fern Middleton
Michael Smith
Mia Basulto
Allie Bensimhon
Marissa Bishop
Graham Boggess
Parker Bowen
Denny Busi
Mallory Caballero
Treasure Capers
Mikyra Elston
Ava Foley
Keller Gilliland
Sadie Gompf
Jackie Harris
Owen Harsch
Juliette-Elise Hill
Tinkie Jones
Alan Kornbluth
Michael Mintz
Caroline Moore
Dylan Morse
Ailish O’Brien
Gennie Philpott
Philip Podhurst
Makenzie Pridgen
Anabelle Sumera-Decoret
Jeffery Wilson
Kirby Wahl
Kirby has directed and dialect coached many Elon productions. Locally, he’s performed in The Mystery of Irma Vep and The Illusion, at Greensboro’s Triad Stage, and The Prisoner’s Dilemma and Jude the Obscure, at the Burning Coal Theatre in Raleigh (where he’s served as dialect coach for numerous productions, including the 2014 London performances of The Iron Curtain Trilogy). Other professional acting credits include New York City’s Riverside Shakespeare Company, Arizona Theatre Company, & Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. A Certified Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework and Knight-Thompson Speechwork, other professional memberships include Actors’ Equity Association, VASTA, and Body-Mind Centering Association.
Kayla Higbee
Kayla Higbee (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in Theatrical Design and Technology. She has a BA in English from Centre College and an MFA in Production Design & Technology from Ohio University. Professionally, she has worked with Berkshire Theatre Group as wardrobe supervisor and Texas Shakespeare Festival as assistant costume designer. She was also resident costume designer and costume shop supervisor at Centre College for four years. At Elon, she is part of the Performing Arts Inclusivity Committee and serves as an Elon College Fellows mentor for multiple disciplines in Theatrical Design & Technology.
Jessica Hightower
Jessica Lynn Hightower has worked as a scenic designer & scenic fabricator in various venues across the U.S.. Recent designs include Little Women, The Seagull, and People, Places & Things. She has received two Kennedy Center national awards for her projection design work on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a national award for the ASTC-USITT Venue Renovation Challenge, and multiple regional awards in both scenic and media design from Southwest USITT, USITT Ohio-Valley, and KCACTF Region 6. Jessica received her MFA in Scenic Design from The Ohio State University. Visit her website, jessicalynndesigns.com.
Fern Middleton
Fern Middleton (they/them) is a freelance designer, educator, and performer. They earned an MFA in Drama with a Concentration in Design from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2024 and a BA in Theatre Arts from Furman University in 2020. They have designed lights for multiple shows across the southeast, including Legally Blonde at Centre Stage in South Carolina and Madeline’s Christmas at Creative Cauldron. They are grateful to the faculty, staff, and students of Elon for welcoming them back to design this unique production.
Michael Smith
Michael is an Associate Professor in the Theatrical Design and Technology program at Elon University. Michael has been designing in theatre for over 20 years, designing in professional, academic, regional and community theatre across the county. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and being in the outdoors.
Mia Basulto
Mia Basulto is an Acting BFA student and an English double major! At Elon, Mia has participated in the 24 Hour Play Festival as a writer, and been apart of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and The Grapes of Wrath as an actor. She thanks her mom, her dad, and her teachers for always supporting her in what she’s passionate about, and she thanks her cat for being cute!
Allie Bensimhon
Allie Bensimhon is a Junior majoring in Theatrical Design and Technology. She is so excited to be the Assistant Stage Manager for Love and Information! Recent credits from Elon include the 2025 Fall Dance (Stage Manager) and Paradise Lost (Scenic/Props Coordinator). She would like to thank her family and friends for supporting her!
Marissa Bishop
Marissa is a Sophomore Drama and Theatre Studies/Cinema and Television Arts double major at Elon University. This is her first time serving as a dramaturg, and she is extremely excited to be part of the team for Love and Information and further explore the art of storytelling.
Graham Boggess
Graham is so excited to be a part of such a brilliantly talented ensemble in Love and Information! He has performed before on the Roberts stage in The Antipodes, and on the McCrary stage in The Grapes of Wrath. He grew up playing baseball, but started theater after leading the Braves into the World Series as the starting catcher in 2021. @instagraham005
Parker Bowen
Parker is currently a junior Acting and Arts Administration major at Elon University. He was last seen as The Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Parker would like to thank his cast and crew for their hard work and dedication to this production.
Denny Busi
Denny Busi is a sophomore Arts Administration and Drama & Theatre Studies double major and is so excited to be stage-managing her first main-stage production! She has previously stage-managed productions such as School House Rock Live Jr., Seussical Jr., and Willy Wonka Jr., which sparked her love for technical theatre. At Elon, she has worked as the Assistant Stage Manager for Renegade’s The Drowsy Chaperone. She’d like to give a special thank you to her mom for her endless support. She is so grateful to have had the opportunity to continue learning and growing with this wonderful cast and production team. Break a leg!
Mallory Caballero
Mallory Caballero is a sophomore majoring in Theatrical Design & Technology and is excited to be working on another season of shows at Elon! Recent Elon Credits include An American In Paris (Asst. Costume Designer) and Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812 (Asst. Costume Designer). She would like to thank her family for always supporting her big dreams!!
Treasure Capers
Treasure Capers is a first-year BFA Musical Theatre student at Elon University. Her performance credits include Once On This Island (2024), Memphis: The Musical (2024), A Chorus Line (2023), Bring It On (2023), Once Upon a Time (2022), Sweeney Todd (2021), and SpongeBob the Musical (Sandy, understudy, 2025). She will appear in Bring It On at a summer stock theatre in Summer 2026. Treasure gives all glory to God and endless gratitude to her father, whose support made it all possible.
Mikyra Elston
Mikyra Elston is a first-year Acting BFA student from Cleveland, Ohio. This will be her first Elon production as an understudy. She started acting in high school by acting in her school’s musicals playing roles like Persephone in Hadestown and doing various plays in local community theatres. She can’t wait to continue her acting career at Elon!
Ava Foley
Ava is a second year acting student from Naples, Florida and is excited to be performing in her first main stage production at Elon! A few previous credits include Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins, Gavroche, Les Miserables, Catherine of Aragon, SIX, Dimitri, Anastasia, and Florence, The Odd Couple (female edition). When she’s not performing, she loves spending her time with her friends, a good book, and her cat, Violet!
Keller Gilliland
Keller is thrilled to be making his main stage debut in Love and Information! Keller is a 2nd year at Elon. Past credits include u/s Uncle John in last spring’s production of Grapes of Wrath. Enjoy the show!
Sadie Gompf
Sadie Gompf is a sophomore Theatrical Design and Technology major with a costume design concentration. Some of her work at Elon includes Assistant designer on RENT and Grapes of Wrath and Wardrobe Supervisor for An American in Paris and Grapes of Wrath.
Jackie Harris
Jackie is a sophomore BFA Acting student and is thrilled to be making her Elon mainstage debut! She has recently been a Swing in An American In Paris and an Understudy in Grapes of Wrath here at Elon. Endless gratitude for Mom and Dad’s support and all involved with this production. Go team!
Owen Harsch
Owen Harsch is a Junior BFA Acting Major here at Elon and is super excited to be back on the stage after a semester abroad in London. His previous credits at Elon include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Rosencrantz) and The Grapes of Wrath (Assistant Director). He’s super excited for you to see this brilliant show!
Juliette-Elise Hill
Juliette-Elise is a Junior Arts Administration and Drama & Theatre Studies double major who is proud to be assistant directing her 5th show at Elon.(The Antipodes, Legally Blonde, Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, Grapes of Wrath, Love and Information). She would like to thank her parents for supporting her education as well as Kirby Wahl for being an excellent mentor during this process. In the future, Juliette will continue to pursue directing and non-profit administrative work as well as pursuing further education through graduate school.
Tinkie Jones
Tinkie Jones is thrilled to be a part of Love and Information. She is a junior Music Theatre major and previous Elon credits include Merrily We Roll Along and Legally Blonde. Cheers!
Alan Kornbluth
Alan is a Senior Acting Major from Caracas, Venezuela. Previous credits include Concord Floral , As You Like It, The Grapes of Wrath and Instant Laughter Improv. He is grateful for getting to be a part of Elon’s Love and Information production. Alan works as a Stage, Film and Voice Over Actor.
Find out more about Alan and his work at: alankornbluthbenyes.carrd.co
Michael Mintz
Michael is thrilled to be performing in his first play at Elon! Michael is currently a first-year acting major here at Elon. Recently, Michael has understudied the role of Felix in Describe The Night. He has also played roles such as Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd, Juan Peron in Evita, and Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees. Michael would like to thank the incredible cast & crew for all of the hard work they have put in to making this show as amazing as it is!
Caroline Moore
Caroline is a senior BFA Acting major, and she is thrilled to perform in Love and Information as her last show at Elon! Previously at Elon, Caroline performed in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Tragedian), and The Grapes of Wrath (Ma Joad). Thank you to my supportive professors, peers, family, and friends!
Dylan Morse
Dylan Morse is a freshman BFA Acting major at Elon University. He is excited to be part of his first main stage production, Love and Information, serving as one of the three understudies for the show! He is also an active member in Instant Laughter Improv. He would like to give a world of thanks to his family, and all those who have and continue to support him on his journey!
Ailish O’Brien
Previous Elon credits include Grapes of Wrath (Pa Joad), Rosencrantz and Guildensternare Dead (Tragedian), and John Proctor is the Villian (u/s Ivy). She is thrilled to be apart of another production and can’t wait to share these stories with the audience.
Gennie Philpott
Gennie is so excited for the opportunity to be working on Love and Information! Other credits at Elon include understudy assignments in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Paradise Lost. She’s incredibly grateful for Elon Acting and its wonderful professors, and sends big love to her friends and family!
Philip Podhurst
Philip Podhurst is a BFA Acting major here at Elon! He is thrilled to be joining the cast & crew in this wonderful production. Before coming to Elon, he has previously been seen as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and Moritz in Spring Awakening. He hopes you enjoy Love and Information!
Makenzie Pridgen
Makenzie Pridgen is a Junior BFA Acting Major from Baltimore, MD and is so blessed to come straight back to performing after spending her fall semester abroad in London. Her previous Elon credits include The Grapes of Wrath (Jim Casy), Legally Blonde (Ensemble), Spring Dance Concert (Dissent/Descent), and John Proctor is the Villain (Chorus/ Nell US). She is so pleased to be apart of this show!
Anabelle Sumera-Decoret
Anabelle Sumera-Decoret (she/her) is a Senior BFA Acting Major from Seattle, Washington. Credits include: As You Like It (Celia), John Proctor is the Villain (Student Chorus, U/S Beth), Clue (U/S Cook, Telegram, Cop & Auxiliary Scarlet), and Concord Floral (U/S 8 (Fox)). IG: @reality.asd
Jeffery Wilson
Jeffery Wilson is a sophomore BFA Acting major here at Elon University. Previous Elon credits include: Describe the Night (Vova), Grapes of Wrath (Ensemble/ Jim Casy U/S). He is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this process and share his and his castmates’ work! For His glory first! Thanks, family for your love and support. Instagram: jwilson_p713
