Lindsey McWhorter* (Portia Long) (she/her) is excited to be working with CST again! Her Acting Credits include Anna Christie, Mr. Burns and Intimate Apparel (Lyric Stage Co. of Boston), Arabian Nights (Central Square Theater),The Farm (Boston Playwrights’ Theatre), In the Next Room (SpeakEasy Stage Co.), In the Continuum (Up You Mighty Race Theatre Co.),  A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It (Commonwealth Shakespeare Co.), To Kill a Mockingbird  (Montana Repertory Theatre, National Tour), A Christmas Carol (Berkshire Theatre Festival), Seussical and All Shook Up (Idaho Summer Repertory), Bloodline: the Children of Argos and The Overwhelming (Hangar Theatre). Other Training: Double Edge Theatre Co., and Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Lindsey received her MFA in Acting from Brandeis University in 2008 and BA from Alabama State University in 2005 and is Certified with the Society of American Fight Directors. Special thanks to God, her husband Joe, their three children, family and friends for their love and support.

Elbert Joseph (Jellaby) is so glad to be back for Arabian Nights’ fifth year—happy anniversary,  he is truly glad! He’s just finished his role as Louis in The Trumpet of the Swan at Wheelock Family Theatre.  He has done many,  many, many productions at Wheelock, he’s lost count. Last winter/spring, he did Susan Zeder’s Trilogy Plays (Mother Hicks at Emerson,  The Taste of Sunrise at Wheelock Family Theatre and last, The Edge of Peace at Central Square Theater) as Tuc. He has performed at American Reportery Theatre, Wheelock Family Theatre, Central Square Theater (The Nora Theatre and Underground Railway Theater) and beyond.  Also, he is an ASL [American Sign Language] coach and interpreter for Boston Across America,  Wheelock and others. He will be back …. in Arcadia,  he is looking forward to it! Thank you, Lee! Thank you, Debra! Thank you, Mimi! Thank you, Daniel! Thank you, cast and crew, and of course, everyone at CST!

Jackie Davis is making her debut at Central Square Theater in this URT/Nora co-production of Arabian Nights. She is the artistic director of the New Urban Theatre Laboratory, producers of  the annual NUTLab 5 & Dime.  On stage, she has performed roles in Hamlet (Gertrude), Bug (Agnes), and The Bluest Eye (Pauline). Film credits include The Company Men, Shuttle, and RIPD. Television credits include Body of Evidence and spots for Comcast and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Zena Chatila is thrilled to be returning to the cast of Arabian Nights. She is currently a sophomore at Wellesley College, where she studies theater and the sciences. Previous credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Chicago, Pride and Prejudice, Urinetown (Marlborough Theatre); Dark of The Moon, The History Boys (Marlborough Drama Ensemble); The Bald Soprano, On the Razzle, Durang/Durang (Wellesley Upstage); You Can’t Take It With You (Wellesley College); and Commencement (Theatre M, Edinburgh Fringe Festival). Zena would like to thank Gleason Bauer, Anne and Ernie Scarbrough, Doug Lowry, and the Marlborough Drama Ensemble for their inspiration and her family for their endless love and support.

Yavni Bar-Yam is excited to be back in the wondrous world of Arabian Nights. He is an actor, puppeteer, playwright, and artist. Boston appearances include the ART/MIT Media Lab US premiere of Death and the Powers: the Robots’ Opera (as a misery), The Visit with Chelsea TheaterWorks (Lobi), Richard III with Actors’ Shakespeare Project (Dorset) and Zalmen, or the Madness of God at the Harvard Arts First Festival (Zalmen/puppet designer). He wrote, designed, and puppeteered the narrated shadow-puppet play Wilderness Dreams. In 2009, he designed and created a puppet accompaniment to Osvaldo Golijov’s song cycle Ayre and performed it with an ensemble of musicians at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. His play Shrapnel was performed in the 2012 Boston Theater Marathon.