Laura Joffe Numeroff (Writer) is a best-selling children’s book author and best known for the series based on her book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. First printed in 1985, “Mouse” is now beyond its 60th printing. The fourth book in the series, If You Take a Mouse to the Movies was on the New York Times Children’s Best Seller list for five months—nine weeks at number one. Laura was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up as the youngest of three girls, surrounded by art, music, and books.  She attended Pratt Institute and graduated with a degree in communications and a contract for her first children’s book, Amy for Short, published in 1975 by Macmillan. In 2000, If You Give a Pig a Pancake was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show three times, and was recommended by Oprah’s first kids’ book club, as well as being noted as Oprah’s favorite children’s book of the year on her Christmas show. “Pig” was also on Publishers Weekly Bestseller List for over a year. In addition, the series has sold over 4.5 million copies, been printed in fourteen languages, and won the prestigious Quill Award in the picture book category.

Jody Davidson (Playwright) is also a director and arts administrator whose career and accomplishments in the field of theatre for young audiences spans 30 years. She is the founder of the Rainbow Company Children's Theatre and co-founder of both the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theatre and the Serendipity Theatre Company. She has the unique distinction and honor of being the only founder/executive director of three separate children's theatres to be named the "Best New Children's Theatre in the United States" by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. In addition to her dedication to the field of family theatre, her seminal work in the field of theatre for disabled artists has produced several scripts. Jody has been featured in People magazine and on Good Morning, America as well as in many other national publications and media.

Diego River-Rodriguez (Boy) is elated to be making his YPT debut. He is a Chicago-based actor; some of his recent credits include Chicago PD, Becky Nurse of Salem (Theatre Wit), and Winter's Tale (Invictus Theatre). He has a bachelor's degree in Theatre Performance from the University of Kansas. He would like to thank his friends and family for their support, and his nephew, Sayani.

Matías Kruse (Mouse) is ecstatic to be making his YPT and Chicago theatre debut. For the past 4 years Matías has been studying at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he earned his BFA in drama. Although he is quickly learning that life as an adult isn't all fun and games, he is sure that this production will be! Matías is represented by Gray Talent Group. Many thanks to all my friends, family, teachers, and cat.

Rachel Arianna (Understudy, she/her) is an NYC/Chicago artist who is thrilled to make her YPT debut! Some favorite credits include: TV- Saturday Night Live, Sesame Street. Off Broadway- HAPPILY: THE MUSICAL (Actor's Temple), BEND IN THE ROAD (NYMF), NUMBER THE STARS (The Davenport). Regional- MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (Alabama Shakespeare Theatre), TWIHARD: A TWILIGHT PARODY MUSICAL (Apollo Theatre), FREDERICK (Chicago Children's Theatre), RADIO MAN (Paradise Factory), WIZARD OF OZ (Metropolis Performing Arts Center). Go cats! She would like to thank the team for letting her play with them, her friends, and her family for all of their support! @rachelariannaw, rachelarianna.com

Randy White (Director) was founding Artistic Director of Cardinal Stage in Bloomington, IN., where he inaugurated the “Cardinal for Kids” series. In NYC, he directed Theatreworks USA’s Max and Ruby, (off-Broadway/national tour), Glen Berger’s Underneath the Lintel, assisted on Disney’s The Lion King, etc. He has directed at many regional theaters and universities. For the Greenhouse, he directed Truman and The Birth of Israel and was nominated for an Equity Jeff Award for his critically acclaimed production of Midsummer (A Play with Songs). He has also numerous YPT productions, including The Hobbit, A Year with Frog and Toad, Charlotte’s Web, Last Stop on Market Street, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, and others..

Britt Anderson (Movement Director) is a non-binary physical comedy nerd that has been in Chicago since 2012. They have led movement and choreography with companies such as Physical Theater Festival, The Second City Training Center, The Theater School at DePaul University, Aloft Circus Arts, The Artistic Home, and Theater Unspeakable. They are also co-Artistic Director of Whisper Theatre Collective, which most recently toured the shows Well-Balanced Dads and Arachne / Athena to the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe. Britt is a proud graduate of the Actors Gym Professional Circus Training Program and has their MFA is Devised Performance from Columbia College Chicago and ArtHaus Berlin.

Shane Cinal (Set Designer) is pleased to return to YPT after designing last season’s Elephant and Piggie: We Are In A Play. A Chicago-based scenic designer, artist, and educator, he enjoys creating thoughtful, immersive worlds through innovative theatrical design. Chicago-area credits include The Little Mermaid, White Christmas, Carousel, and Pippin. His work has received awards and accolades for productions including The Boatman, Assassins, The Jedi Handbook, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Shane has a strong background in new and conceptual works for theatre, opera, puppetry, and television, including FX’s The Bear and NBC’s Chicago Med. He holds a BA from Indiana University and an MFA from The Ohio State University. www.shanecinal.com

Kevin Rechner (Lighting Designer) has designed lights for YPT’s Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (twice!), Junie B. Jones - The Musical,Last Stop on Market Street, Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, Elephant and Piggie’s: “We are in a Play!, A Year with Frog and Toad, and The Hula Hoopin’ Queen. He has worked for numerous Chicago dance artists including Lucky Plush Productions, TheSeldoms, and Hedwig Dances. He has a bachelor’s degree in Theatre from  Illinois State University, spent 3 years in Paris, France studying with Jacques Lecoq and Daniel Stein, creating and performing 4 solo performance works. Kevin was Production Manager and Technical Director for the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago from 1996 to 2024.

Ellen MacKay (costume designer) is a professor of English and Theatre at the University of Chicago, where she specializes in Shakespeare, early modern theatre, and theories of performance. This year she is serving as interim deputy dean for the Arts. She has been designing costumes since college, and on occasion has also worked as a director, dramaturg and playwright. 

Amy C Gilman (props designer) Amy is returning to YPT after designing the sets for YPT’s summer camp productions of Hadestown Teen and Moana Jr. Other recent design credits include Blood of the Lamb (Promethean), yo ho (Babes with Blades), Unknown Variable (Momentary Theatre), Come Again (Stage Left), The Mark (Babes with Blades), Sweet Charity (Blank Theatre), Gather (Filament), Amy also designs museum exhibits. Her work can be seen at sites includingMagic Discovery Center, Children's Museum of Richmond, Toledo Main Library, and Edventure Children's Museum. Her work can be seen on her website: gilmandesign.com

Katie Pohlheber (stage manager) is very excited to be stage managing If You Give a Mouse a Cookie as her inaugural show with Young People’s Theatre of Chicago. Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Katie worked at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte (CTC) as Resident Stage Manager for seven seasons. Some of her favorite show credits with CTC include Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins, Roald Dahl’s Matilda, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook, and The Ghost of Splinter Cove. Katie dedicates this show to her nieces and nephews who are her favorite people in the world. ♡

James Hisanaga (assistant stage manager) is an interdisciplinary performance artist & manager originally from the California Bay Area. They graduated with a B.S. in Communication from Northwestern University, where they studied dance, theatre management, and gender & sexuality studies. James has now been based in Chicago for a year, where they are working as a dance coach, choreographer, and freelance stage manager. Northwestern credits include: R&H's Cinderella (PSM), Falsettos (Producer), Cabaret (SM), Dog Sees God (SM), and ReFusionShaka (dancer/choreographer). Professional credits include: Ballet Chicago (ASM), Tremor Cordis (SM), and ReFusionShaka (SM). instagram @jameshisanaga