Meet the

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM

CAST

  • ARTURO

    Alton Alburo is a New York-based theatre & performance artist thrilled to be making his Philadelphia debut with Pig Iron. Recent work include “Blue Bloods” (CBS), to the yellow house (La Jolla Playhouse), Pinching Pennies with Penny Marshall (New York Theatre Workshop), and Ghostwriter with Kate Mara & Adam Scott (C13Features). Alton was a finalist for Soho Rep’s Writer Director Lab 2022/2023, and his play i cant help myself was featured on Hulu’s “The Come Up.” Rep: DGRW

  • ARMANTROUT / JIMMY 

    Benjamin Bass (they/them) is a queer multi-disciplinary artist living in Philadelphia and the founder of Broken Mirror Studio. Notable credits include We Own This City, Audrey's Children, the Obie Award-winning hit The Woodsman, Trey Lyford's The Accountant, and the Chinese national tour of One Starry Night. Benjamin was the former 1st year acting professor at UArts (RIP). They have taught master classes at N.Y.U., S.U.N.Y. Purchase, University of the Arts, UPENN, and Drexel University. Benjamin is a proud member of Actor's Equity Association and the Screen Actor's Guild. This production marks Benjamin’s Pig Iron debut, and they are thrilled to be playing! www.benjaminbass.com @BrokenMirrorStudio

  • TEMPLE

    Jameka Monet Wilson (they/she) is a lover of all that surrounds craft and French fries. They are especially enlivened by New Work and are honored to be a part of a show as exciting as Franklin's Key! Recent credits include: The Drag (Clair/Egopo), Last Summer at Bluefish Cove (Rae/Strides Collective), The Winter's Tale (Perdita/ Delshakes). She would like to thank her village for their endless support: Thank you for the ethereal magic you’ve put into a mundane world.

  • RICHARD

    Jacob Orr (he/him) is an actor and theatre artist based in New York, making his Pig Iron debut. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Jacob's background is rooted in the creation and development of new work, which he continues to be deeply committed to. Recent acting credits include Montag (SoHo Rep.), Evil (Paramount+) and Birthday Candles (People's Light), as well as assistant directing The Moors at his alma mater, NYU Tisch's Graduate Acting Program.

  • POLEDOURIS / JENKINS

    Izzy Sazak​ (they/them) ​​​​is a queer, genderful Turkish-Colombian-American trans-disciplinary artist, theater-maker, clown, educator and facilitator. They live, work, play and grow, on Lenni Lenape Land (Philadelphia). They are an associate artist of Delaware Shakespeare, and a company member of Applied Mechanics. Recent Credits: Home for the Holidays (Delaware Theater Company); Poor Judge (Pig Iron Theatre Company); Philly Baby Jam (Ninth Planet); Pinocchio (The Arden); Other Orbits (Applied Mechanics); Head Over Heels (Theater Horizon), 12th Night, O Lo Qué Quieras (Delaware Shakespeare), Geoff Sobelle’s HOME (U.S. and East Asian Tour 2019). Pig Iron/UArts MFA Class of 2018, University of Virginia BA in Drama (2011). izzysazak.com @dizzychalex

  • FORDHOOK

    Chris Thorn (he/him) was previously with Pig Iron: Twelfth Night (2014). Broadway: Death of A Salesman (Hudson Theater), Bernhardt/Hamlet (Roundabout) Off-Broadway: I Ought to Be in Pictures (TBTB), Greater Clements (Lincoln Center), Pride and Prejudice (Primary Stages), Miss Lily Gets Boned (Studio 42) Regional: A.R.T., Syracuse Stage, Chautauqua Theater Company, Opera House Arts, Merrimack Rep,The Guthrie, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, CATF, Barrington Stage,Theaterworks Hartford, Boston Playwright’s. Film/TV: Madam Secretary, Evil, The Good Fight, Girls on the Bus. Education: Boston University BFA. University of Idaho MFA. @ckthorn

  • PRENTISS

    Alice Yorke (she/her) is a Philadelphia-based actor and creator. She is a Founding Co-Artistic Director of Lightning Rod Special and the lead artist on their piece, The Appointment (Best of 2023 Theater – The New Yorker). With LRS: performer: Nosejob, performer/creator: SPEECH, Hackles, Let the Dog See the Rabbit and Sans Everything; creative producer: Underground Railroad Game (2015). Performance credits include 99 Breakups and Pay Up (Pig Iron), Much Ado About Nothing (Lantern Theater), Once Upon a Bridge (Inis Nua), The Gap (Azuka Theatre, Barrymore nomination, outstanding supporting performance). Director: We Are Trying to Reach You (LRS’s Sound Break series), Cerebral (UArts), and Lee Minora’s White Feminist (Ars Nova Ant Fest, Sick of the Fringe - London). Proud graduate of the inaugural class of the Pig Iron School for Advanced Performance Training. “Best Theatre Talent in Philadelphia” – Philadelphia Magazine. aliceyorke.com @alywoowho

MOVEMENT ENSEMBLE

  • GOGGLER

    Ben (he/him) is a proud graduate of the inaugural class of the Pig Iron School, and has been on faculty since 2016. He co-founded Almanac in 2013 with fellow alum Nick Gillette, which has created 16 full length works and toured to Egypt, Mexico, Croatia, Canada and the UK, and won Barrymore, Rocky and other awards. He co-founded, directed, and now serves as Head of Partnerships for Cannonball Festival, and received the 2025 APAP/CIPA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Creative Producing. At Circadium, he developed and taught a three year curriculum merging Lecoq pedagogy with circus skills. He’s performed in various Pig Iron shows, and his work has been presented on stages including Jacob’s Pillow, FringeArts, New York Live Arts, Queer Zagreb, and Breaking Walls Festival.

  • GOGGLER

    Makoto Hirano (he/him) is a Philadelphia-based choreographer. Over the past two decades, his award-winning performance projects have been presented and commissioned by festivals and venues from Cairo to Off-Broadway. As a collaborating performer, Hirano has originated over 35 roles including projects with Bill Irwin, Pig Iron Theatre Co., Nichole Canuso Dance Co., and Thaddeus Phillips/Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental. Hirano is a founding member and current advisor to the arts collective PAPA (Philly Asian Performing Artists); co-founder of installation art duo Gatto+Hirano; co-founder of Team Sunshine Performance where he is a creator, producer, performer, and choreographer (2018 Barrymore-Award nomination for Outstanding Choreography for ¡BIENVENIDOS BLANCOS! OR WELCOME WHITE PEOPLE!); next up is The Great American Gunshow (summer 2025). From 2007-2014 Hirano was a Facilitator with Philly/Baltimore/South Carolina-based professional development program Artists U, and is currently on faculty at the Pig Iron School. A former U.S. Marine, Hirano earned his BFA in dance at Temple University. Gratitude forever and always to the best wife!

  • GOGGLER

    As a creative and artist, Devon seizes opportunities to create exuberant and engaging productions that remind us of the limitless possibilities of storytelling. The Penn State alum is grateful and overjoyed to be making his Pig Iron debut! Devon works across the Greater Philadelphia region as an Actor, Director/Choreographer, and a Professor at Temple University and West Chester University. Most recently, his projects have spanned the Delaware Theatre Company (Stompin’ at the Savoy), Fulton Theatre (Jesus Christ Superstar), New Light Theatre (Kinky Boots), Walnut Street Theatre (Beautiful…Carole King) and more! Devon is also the 2024 & 2023 Barrymore Award Winner for Outstanding Choreography in a Musical. Vibrant thanks to his community of loved ones! www.FiveSixDevonEight.com | @CHOREATOR

CREATIVE TEAM

Script by

Dan Rothenberg & Robert Quillen Camp

Original Score by

Rosie Langabeer

with Josh Machiz & Gregg Mervine

Magic & Visual Effects

Skylar Fox

Video Designers

David Tennent
Joshua Higgason

New York Casting by

TBD Casting Co.

Associate Magic & Visual Effects

Michael Kras

Production Stage Manager

Samantha Flint*

Set Designer

Anna Kiraly

Sound Designer

Chris Sannino

Associate Set Designers

Carolyn Marz
Qingan Zhang

Associate Director

Jacinta Yelland

Lighting Designers

Amith Chandrashaker Stoli Stolnack

Costume Designer

Maiko Matsushima

Dramaturg

Mike Barsanti

Directed by

Dan Rothenberg

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Pig Iron Theatre Company, and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.