What Was Lost

Leslie Fitzwater (Laurette)

Leslie Fitzwater has been active in the music and theatre community for more than 40 years, and is thrilled to be making her debut on the Sunstone Studio stage. Leslie’s career spans opera, theater, music  theater, cabaret, and mime, and her roles have been as diverse as Paddington Bear and Carmen. While she has played her share of well-known characters such as The Witch (INTO THE WOODS), Marmee and Aunt March (LITTLE WOMEN) and Golda (FIDDLER ON THE ROOF), she is best known for her one-woman show EDITH PIAF ONSTAGE.  Leslie has been a private voice teacher at Pius XI High School since 2007.

Ashley Oviedo (Ruby, Marguerite, & Julie)

Ashley is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, with a BFA in musical theater and minor in dance. She was most recently seen in 54 Sings Barbie at Feinstein 54 Below. Some of her favorite roles include Beth in Little Women at Forte Theatre Company, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors at Skylight Music Theater, Ann in Babel at The Constructivists, Miss Jenny in The Whitlings with First Flight Theater Company, Cecily in Being Earnest at Skylight Music Theater, and Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde at UWM. She is super excited to be making her Sunstone debut and could not be happier with the beautiful art she has gotten to be a part of in this wonderfully artistic city!

Deshawn Thomas (SM, Randolph, & Frank)

Deshawn is a new Milwaukee-based actor. His most recent credits are: The Lisbon Traviata (Sunstone Studios), Twelfth Night (Shakespeare in the Park), and Sociable Companions (Sweet Tea Shakespeare). He has also had the superb opportunity to work as an Emerging Professional Resident in Acting with The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. When Deshawn isn’t onstage, he can be found either in front of the television binging anime or with his nose in a cookbook dreaming up new recipes. 

Cory Jefferson Hagen (Tenn)

After an entire pandemic away from acting Cory Jefferson Hagen is thrilled to be making his Sunstone debut with What Was Lost. Mr. Hagen graduated from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater with a BFA in Theater Performance. Stage credits include John Wilkes Booth in Angela Iannone's This Prison Where I Live, Lawrence Barrett in Angela Iannone's The Seeds of Banquo, and most recently Vaclav in Deanna Strasse's Before we Burn Out. 

Alyssa Higley (Margo)

Alyssa Higley is thrilled to perform in her first production with Sunstone Studios. You may have recently seen her as Jo March in Greendale Community Theatre’s Little Women, or in several cabaret shows at Waukesha Civic Theatre. Other favorite credits include Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and Sarah Brown in Guys & Dolls. She currently lives in Cedarburg and began her career at FIS after graduating from St. Norbert College in 2020.

Chris Hart (Eddie)

Chris is grateful to be in his first production at Sunstone Studios. He lived in Chicago for many years where he had the pleasure of working with various theater companies, including Oracle (The Sandman), Brown Paper Box (To Tree, Aloha), Waltzing Mechanics (EL Stories), TimeLine (The History Boys), American Theater Co. (The Dark at the Top of the Stairs), to name some. He would like to thank Amanda, Steven, the cast, crew and everyone at Sunstone for creating art in his hometown.

Steven Carl McCasland (Playwright)

Steven Carl McCasland is the author of the critically acclaimed and internationally produced Little Wars, which streamed virtually during the pandemic with a production starring Juliet Stevenson. In addition to What Was Lost, Steven's other plays, all centered around women in history, include Shades of Blue: The Decline and Fall of Lady Day, 28 Marchant Avenue: Six Summers at Hyannis Port and Der Kanarienvogel. He resides in NYC where he provides audition coaching and is at work on a new play about suffragettes. To learn more, visit www.stevencarlmccasland.com.

Amanda J. Hull (Director)

Amanda is a graduate of UW-Milwaukee's BFA Acting & Musical Theatre Programs, an Individual Artist Member of the MTA & Former Associate Producer/Production Manager of Milwaukee Entertainment Group. She is a Director, Actor & Singer locally, Director/Choreographer for Shorewood Drama Jr. & Costume Designer and Teacher for Shorewood Drama. Recent works include playing Clara Johnson in Windfall's production of The Light in the Piazza, Directing Julia Elizabeth with Milwaukee Irish Arts and Sunny Days by Raina Hardy for the Brink New Play Workshop at Renaissance Theaterworks. Up next please come see Shorewood Drama's fall production of Skin of our Teeth by Thornton Wilder running October 13th, 14th & 15th at 7pm. Amanda is thrilled to be working with Sunstone Studios and this incredible group of theatre makers to share this beautiful story with all of you. It is a very special piece for many reasons and she hopes that you are moved and find meaning for yourself within it. 

Maggie Marks (Scenic Designer)

Maggie Marks is an Actor and Mom from the Milwaukee area, and has been acting, training, and working in the theater world for 20 plus years. After graduating from Skidmore College with a double major in Spanish and Theater, she traveled and trained around the world  She has trained with Saratoga International Theater Institute (SITI), the British American Drama Academy (BADA) in Oxford, England, the Williamstown Theater Festival, Beverly HIlls Playhouse, and the Audition Studio (Chicago). She has lived in Spain, Peru, England, Chicago, L.A, Cleveland, and upstate New York, and traveled to several countries. While living in Cleveland, she worked with Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Fourth Wall Productions, Karamu Theater, Weathervane Playhouse, Charenton Theater Company, Theater Ninjas, Cleveland Public Theater, and toured an taught with the Illusion Factory (Children's Theater). After three years in Cleveland she returned to Milwaukee and acted for Milwaukee Shakespeare Theater Co. and Waukesha Civic Theater and a few others before starting a family and taking a 10 year theater hiatus. In that time she still did commercial work with Jennifer’s Talent and Lori Linns Agency, and acted occasionally as a Standardized patient for Froedert. During her hiatus, she also served as a Board member for the Shorewood Library, and was the head of the hiring committee for the current Library Director. In the Milwaukee area, she has worked with several theaters, such as: First Stage Children's Theater, Renaissance Theaterworks (House Manager and Actor), Mad Rogues (Actor and Board committee member) Sunset Playhouse, Milwaukee Entertainment Group, Voices Found Repertory, Schmitz and Giggles, and Sunstone Studios (Facilities Manager, Director, and Actor).

Alan Piotrowicz (Lighting & Sound Designer)

Alan has worked as a freelance director and designer in the greater Milwaukee area for the past fifteen seasons. Previous work at Sunstone includes production designs last season for TOIL AND TROUBLE, MACBETH, THE TAMING, and EXIT PURSUED BY A BEAR. He also directed and designed THE LISBON TRAVIATA earlier this season. Other design work includes shows with All In Productions, Brief Cameo Productions (Ivoryton, CT), Cooperative Performance, Danceworks, Falls Patio Players, First Stage Children’s Theatre, Four Seasons Theatre (Madison, WI), Hope Summer Repertory Theatre (Holland, MI), In Tandem Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Next Act Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Theatre Gigante, Theater RED, TITAN Theater (NYC), and Windfall Theatre. He currently sits on the board of Brief Cameo Productions and received his training at UW-Madison and The Santa Fe Opera. www.alanpiotrowicz.com

Melody Lopac (Stage Manager)

What Was Lost is Melody’s second show as stage manager. Earlier this year, she stage managed Death By Design with Milwaukee Entertainment Group. Usually, Melody is an actor, and was most recently Mara in Windfall Theatre’s Before We Burn Out by Deanna Strasse and Mom in Mayhem at Camp Marigold with The Box Theatre Co. Melody has a BA in Theatre from UW- Milwaukee. Melody will celebrate her one-year anniversary of beating breast cancer this November. She would like to remind everyone this Breast Cancer Awareness Month to do your breast self checks and encourage loved ones to do the same. 

An opening night reception was held at Tonic Tavern, the official opening night sponsor for our 2022-2023 season.