McNEAL
VIDEO DESIGNER
HERRO-FRANKE STUDIO THEATRE, MILWAUKEE REP, FEB 2026
THE TEAM
Mark Clements
Director
Terry Alexander*
Stage Manager
Emily Lotz
Scenic Designer
Mieka van der Ploeg
Costume Designer
Dan Kazemi
Sound Designer & Original Music
Timothy Kelly
Video Designer
Jason Fassl
Lighting Designer
Deanie Vallone
Dramaturg
Nick Sandys
Fight Director
Nick DePinto
Associate Sound Designer
Adriana Bollinger
Assistant Director
Libby Carroll
Stage Management Fellow
Head Electrician
Jonnie Painter
THE CAST
Peter Bradbury
Jacob McNeal
N’Jameh Camara
Natasha Brathwaite
Ty Fanning
Harlan McNeal
Jessica Ko
Sahra Grewal
Jeanne Paulsen
Stephie Banic
Sara Sadjadi
Dipti
Bridget Ann White
Francine Blake
Photos
Photos by Jason Fassl and Michael Brosilow
PRESS
“The projections and screen backdrop, designed by Tim Kelly, pushed the boundaries of what theater can look like. The videos which played on the stage became their own character, not only providing comedic moments, insight into Akhtar’s own process when writing the play, and subtle commentary on the characters’ choices, but also dipping into the uncanny with the occasional AI-generated deep fake.”
“The spectacular stage set, designed by Emily Lotz with video designs by Timothy Kelly and lighting design by Jason Fassl, shows us the prompts that McNeal slowly types into the program. [..] We see the program respond either by emitting output or stating its limits. Clements and the designers also project videos onto pieces of the set that range from deeply realistic to arty, as well as other remarkable light patterns that may suggest the unfathomable work going on inside the computer.
This is high-end stuff for live theater.”
“The pièce de résistance of this production was indisputably the special effects. A rotating stage and vivid projections – from the AI search bar to McNeal’s hallucinations – were essential to the story and brilliantly parallel the technological themes of the show.”
“Wow! The projections here - astonishing!”
“stunning projections”
“AI-enhanced phrases, typed as we watch, play with the audience’s minds. Bold, movie-like projection and hologram mimicry dart in front of and behind the whirling platform.”
