Wendla Bergman | Cast Purple Summer

Brittany Sanders is a Dutch performer, choreographer and creator who has performed in both professional and community theatre in The Netherlands from the age of ten. She has had preliminary dance education at the Amsterdam school of the Arts and after recovering from an injury now finds joy again in performing on the community theatre stage. Past professional credits include Billy Elliot and Ciske de Rat with Stage Entertainment, choreography credits include The Addams Family(The Cauldron), Spamalot(HEA), Little Shop of Horrors(DOS), Once Upon a Mattress (HEA) and recently Shrek (HEA). On the community theatre stage she has had the honor to take on roles such as Mimi (Rent), Little Red Ridinghood (Into the Woods), Brooke Lohst (Be More Chill), Marie (Cinderella), Audrey (Little Shop of Horrors) and has recently played Heather Duke, Heather Chandler and Veronica in Happily Ever Afters Heathers. She is very excited to take on her dream role in this fantastic show.

Wendla Bergman | Cast Blue Night

Laura Maurer-Stroh is thrilled to be part of this production of Spring Awakening. She has previously been active in the Singapore theatre scene, appearing in Pangdemonium’s Dear Evan Hansen, Wild Rice’s Peter Pan in Serangoon Gardens, and ChildAid (2016–2018). Other notable credits include Sandy in Grease at SingTheatre. Since relocating to Amsterdam, Laura has performed with HEA in Heathers (ensemble) and Shrek the Musical (Teen Fiona/Elf/Three Blind Mice). Alongside performing, she continues to grow her singing platform on TikTok (@lauramaurersings) and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Media and Culture at the University of Amsterdam.

Melchior Gabor | Cast Purple Summer

Giovanni Vaccari is a Brazilian multidisciplinary artist based in the Netherlands. He began his career as a child actor before expanding into media, digital storytelling, and creative strategy across Europe. Alongside his professional work in innovation, he has collaborated with the Marina Abramović Institute (MAI) on artistic research and communication for performance art.

In 2026, he makes his Netherlands theatre debut as Melchior Gabor in Spring Awakening, marking a return to his roots in performance.

Melchior Gabor | Cast Blue Night

Born and raised in Budapest, Hungary, Tomi’s performing journey began at an early age: at seven he started ballroom dancing, and by nine he was training at the studio of renowned Hungarian musical theatre actor Sándor Sasvári. Over the following years, he studied singing, acting, and dance, performing both solo and ensemble material from productions such as Cats, Hair, Grease, Fame, Chicago, Somewhere in Europe, and The Attic.
Alongside his stage work, Tomi trained and worked as a voice actor, lending his voice to the Hungarian dubbing of numerous films and television series.
After moving to the Netherlands in 2018 to study Creative Business, he was forced to step away from the limelight for a while. Still, he continued to develop his voice, dreaming of one day joining a company of talented performers and creating something special together.
Spring Awakening marks Tomi’s debut with HEA, as well as his return to the stage — a place that has always felt like home.

Ilse Bessell | Cast Purple Summer

Britt Davis is a British-Dutch performer and theatermaker, who has been obsessed with stories for as long as she can remember, and feels lucky to play a small part in sharing them. Most recently, she has worked with Het Muziek, GRASpunt and Spaces Collective on her own work, and is continuing to write new works in all kinds of formats. She believes art is crucial for connection and opening up conversations, and Spring Awakening is a prime example of that. She feels very honoured to share some time with Ilse during this show. Instagram: @itsbrittsophie

Ilse Bessell | Cast Blue Night

Leire is a Spanish-Dutch performer hailing from Barcelona, now based in Amsterdam, where she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Music Studies. With a lifelong passion for the performing arts, Leire has enjoyed every second she's gotten to be on stage in productions including Heathers: The Musical, Shrek: The Musical, Carrie, Mean Girls: The Musical, We Are the Tigers and as a member of the Cor de Noies de l'Orfeó Català.

Moritz Stiefel | Cast Purple Summer

Sebastian loves discovering the little quirks that bring a character to life. He began acting in high school and was part of a local theatre group before pausing his stage life to explore the world of architecture. After taking singing and acting courses, he realised he could bring both worlds together through musical theatre and is now excited to be back on stage. He has appeared in previous shows by Happily Ever After Productions, including Avenue Q and Shrek the Musical.

Moritz Stiefel | Cast Blue Night

Keerthi is an ex-lapsed theater kid stoked to be returning to the stage for the first time in a decade. In days long past they've relished playing Angel in Rent and Abuela Claudia in In the Heights, but their creative energies have since been channeled through their music and their love for TTRPGs. Keerthi is Tamil by blood and has lived in the Netherlands for 8 years and counting. In between sourdough starter feedings and sci-fi novels, Keerthi is in the fourth year of their PhD, researching historical videogames.

Moritz Stiefel (Swing)

M is a Portuguese singer-songwriter living in The Netherlands, and a theatre fan who’s been lucky enough to play Pugsley (The Addams Family), Michael (Be More Chill), Jean-Michel (Cinderella), Eddie (Blood Brothers), and most recently, their dream role JD (Heathers). Can confirm, they’re still too happy about it to not be grateful for the shot.

Off-stage, they work in media and advertising for a sports company because, you know, someone has to balance spreadsheets with show tunes. Next up: Spring Awakening.
That being said, they make no promises about avoiding dad jokes, but they do promise to get endlessly excited about dogs if you bring it up.

Martha Bessell | Cast Purple Summer

Leana is a musical theatre student at the 'Dutch Academy of Performing Arts' in The Hague (2027) and a graduate of the Vocal-Master: 'Universal Voice Institute' in Amsterdam (2024). She has appeared in several productions, most recently starring as Girl Bad Idea Bear in 'Avenue Q' (HEA) and Bonnie Parker in 'Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical'. In 2024 she was part of the choir in The Passion, a televised event on NPO 1. She also has been a part of the Showballet/Dance Competition Team of Penney de Jager for six years (2017-2023). This summer she'll be playing the lead role of Cassie in 'A Chorus Line' (The Hague) and the absolute beautiful role of Martha in this production. A truly touching and vulnerable character, she very much looks forward to bringing to the stage.

Martha Bessell | Cast Blue Night

Lotte is a Dutch performer from Rotterdam and grew up with much love for the beauty of the performing arts. She currently studies acting at De Theaterschool in Rotterdam.

So far, she has been the female lead singer in a band for three years and has done a few community theatre productions here and there. In her spare time she loves photography, writing music, traveling and developing her vocal abilities.

She is delighted to be representing the role of Martha and can’t wait to step into her shoes in this beautiful production.

Anna | Cast Purple Summer

By day, Cathelijn studies political science; by night (and whenever possible), she is a musician. She performs with her band and writes songs as a way to bring us in touch with that which makes us deeply human: connection.
She has conducted several choirs and performed in a number of university-facilitated musicals (Mamma Mia, Legally Blonde, Dear Evan Hansen), and loves the joy and playfulness of theatrical storytelling. With her fascination for social structures, norms, and the relationships that form within them, Spring Awakening is an especially exciting show for her to step into and experience from the inside out.

Anna | Cast Blue Night

Alicia is a Franco-Chilean Philosophy student who's loved theatre ever since she can remember. Musical theatre had been a big part of her life before moving to the Netherlands in 2024 and she is thrilled for the opportunity to make her stage debut in Amsterdam with HEA.

Thea | Cast Purple Summer

Francesca Mizzi is a Maltese performer based in Amsterdam. She performed as Mrs Thistletwat/Ensemble in Avenue Q by Happily Ever After Productions last December and she is currently part of The Unplanned Musical with Easylaughs in Amsterdam. She has appeared in numerous productions in Malta, including the ensemble of Masquerade’s Cikku and the Chocolate Panto, Old Major in Animal Farm, and Lucetta in The Rover at Teatru Salesjan. She has also performed in various productions with Masquerade, MADC, and KSU. Francesca holds ATCL diplomas in both Musical Theatre (2022) and Speech and Drama (2019) from Trinity College London, alongside multiple Grade 8 distinctions in performance. She trained extensively with Masquerade (Malta) in acting, singing, and dance for over a decade, and also worked as a Musical Theatre tutor there. Beyond performing, Francesca was Singing Coordinator for Alice in Bormla and Toy Storey.

Thea | Cast Blue Night

Talitha is a Dutch musical theatre enthusiast currently studying Musical Theatre in Zwolle. She has a deep love for all things music, dance, and acting—and has even dipped her toes into writing and directing along the way. Always eager to grow, Talitha is currently auditioning to continue her training in musical theatre and/or to pursue teaching in musical theatre and acting.

She has already performed in several editions of Avondvrienden, an improvisation theatre project in Zwolle, and has appeared in multiple small-scale theatre and musical productions.

Talitha is beyond excited to make her debut with HEA, taking on the role of Thea in one of her all-time favourite musicals: Spring Awakening!

Ensemble | Cast Purple Summer

Suzi Diemel is a 19-year-old musical theatre performer from the Netherlands and currently a second-year student at the Dutch Academy of Performing Arts in The Hague. She also attended the ‘Theater havo/vwo’ in Rotterdam, where she received weekly lessons in acting, singing, and dance, and created multiple original performances together with her class. From a young age, she has had a strong passion for acting, singing, and dancing, and has been training in all three disciplines for most of her life through various theatre and music programs. Suzi has previously appeared in productions such as Fame (Ensemble) and Urinetown (Officer Barrel).

Alongside musical theatre, Suzi love to plays the piano and write her own songs. She is very excited to be working with Happily Ever After Productions and can’t wait to bring Spring Awakening to life together!

Ensemble | Cast Blue Night

Anne is a Dutch Performer. Musical is in her blood. She grew up with it, her mother took her to musicals from a young age. That's why she knew she wanted to do this as more than a hobby. In 2020 she graduated from the Frank Sanders Academy for Performing Arts and also obtained her Vocal Teacher certificate in the "Vocal Core" in 2022. The roles she has played so far are Johanna (Sweeney Todd), Brenda (Catch Me If You Can) and she was seen last year in the role of "Young Republicanette" in Hea's version of "Heathers The Musical". Spring Awakening is one of her favorite musicals, so being a part of this show is such a dream come true!

Ensemble | Cast Purple Summer

Neja is a soon-to-be neuroscientist whose love for musical theatre only emerged about five years ago. She has always enjoyed performing though, and she had followed singing lessons in Slovenia for a few years before relocating to The Netherlands four years ago. She starred in HEA’s recent productions of Heathers and Shrek the Musical, and she’s thrilled to be making her return to the stage in the upcoming production of Spring Awakening.

Ensemble | Cast Blue Night

Mylia is a Germany-born triple-threat performer with experience in acting, singing, and dance, trained across a wide range of styles and international settings. She has a strong background in musical theatre and opera vocals, alongside extensive dance training in Irish dance, Latin ballroom, jazz, and hip hop.
Her performance experience spans Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, South Korea, and Ireland, allowing her to work confidently across genres and cultures. Most recently, Mylia trained as a K-pop trainee in Seoul, South Korea, where she further developed her stage presence, versatility, and performance stamina.
Alongside her artistic career, Mylia is currently pursuing a Research Master’s in Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam, where she explores the intersections of media, performance, and popular culture. On stage, she performs as YOUR-Lia, bringing energy to every production.
Mylia is very excited to be joining the ensemble cast of Spring Awakening and looks forward to contributing her passion and artistry to this powerful show.
You can follow her performance journey on Instagram: @mylia.performs.

Hanschen Rilow (Rupert) | Cast Purple Summer

Originally from Manchester, Ronan recently moved to the Netherlands in October. This is his first production with HEA, and he can’t wait to get started. He works in client service at a bank, but in his free time he enjoys playing football and, of course, musicals.

Hanschen Rilow (Rupert) | Cast Blue Night

Casper is a Dutch singer and actor who works as a neurology nurse in a medical rehabilitation center by day, but loves to spend his free time performing and going to see shows/concerts. He performed in multiple community theater productions in the Netherlands from the age of 14 and was trained in singing and acting from the age of 12.

Past credits are Rent in Footloose, Rick in Pay It Forward, Lord Farquaad in Shrek, Chad in August Rush, Big Bad Wolf in Shrek (HEA) and various roles in originally written shows. He is so excited and honored to do his second show with HEA in Het Amsterdam Theaterhuis.

Ernst Röbel (Reinhold) | Cast Purple Summer

Born with a passion for storytelling, Michiel has worked as an actor professionally since the age of 14, when he toured with the Dutch National Theatre. He published his first book at 17, and never lost the taste for historical fiction. He also travels from school to school in the Netherlands with the company "Live Your Story", performing plays (and giving workshops) about tolerance and inclusivity.

When not writing gossip about dead ancient royalty or performing on stage, he's in the audience supporting his mother and sister, both of whom act as well. Spring Awakening will be his fourth musical.

Ernst Röbel (Reinhold) | Cast Blue Night

Mateo decided it was time to start performing again after taking a small break during their time at university. Having found HEA by pure chance, Mateo has had the pleasure of joining productions as Paul in a Chorus Line and be ensemble in Heathers and Shrek the musical. Also branching out form musicals, Mateo is the understudy for Arnold in the Cauldron Performing Arts rendition of Torch Song.

Georg Zirschnitz (Dieter) | Cast Purple Summer

Originally from the Washington, DC area, Warren has worked in a range of theatre productions including The Hunger Games (Unofficial) Musical (Cato), Little Shop of Horrors (Mr. Mushnik), Once On This Island, Hamlet, Sister Act, and Bring It On, among others. He has trained with the Shakespeare Theatre Company and received vocal training throughout the DMV, with experience in dance styles such as jazz, hip hop, and step. Warren also has a background in violin, directing, and dramaturgy, and enjoys working across performance, improvisation, and character-driven storytelling. He is excited to be part of his first theatre production in Amsterdam!

Georg Zirschnitz (Dieter) | Cast Blue Night

Manuel is a singer, improviser, and musician from Spain. He has appeared in Torch Song and Shrek: The Musical, and has been occasionally spotted performing at Boom Chicago. He plays a variety of instruments, the Asturian bagpipes being the obscurest of them all.

Otto Lämmermeier (Ulbrecht) | Cast Purple Summer

In primary school, her theatre teacher called her a "serial improviser". She took this back handed compliment and, 20 years later, turned it into a comedy career; notably with Easylaughs. She has also performed, among others, as Alan Turing in "Breaking The Code" and Beleaguered Geek in "Heathers".
Ramona traded The UK for Utrecht 8 years ago. She appreciates the opportunity to balance the improv she does professionally by engaging with the heavier topics of Spring Awakening.

Otto Lämmermeier (Ulbrecht) | Cast Blue Night

The first time Tom performed on stage was as one of the leads in his 6th-grade musical, before taking a long break from theater. Now nearing the end of his academic journey in International Business, he has spent years admiring musicals from the audience and longing for the stage, until a well-timed TikTok of HEA's Heathers presented him with an opportunity.

Mesmerized by the production, he experienced a stroke of inspiration (and severe lack of self-control), applying for his first musical theater bootcamp on the train home that same evening. Since then, he has been "livin' it up on top," joining two bootcamps where he performed as Orpheus and Alexander Hamilton. Tom is "not throwing away his shot" as he moves on from the bootcamps, and is thrilled to make his full-scale musical theater debut as Otto in Spring Awakening.

Robert (Gaston) | Cast Purple Summer

Wessel is an actor and Dutch teacher, born in Alkmaar and currently living his best like in Amsterdam. He played his first role when he was 18, getting butchered several times in the musical Sweeney Todd. Since then he has played in several productions, some highlights including Tom Collins in Rent and Munkustrap in Cats. He has studied musical theatre at the Musical Factory in Tilburg and can often be found dancing at his favourite spot in Amsterdam, Amsterdam dance center.

Robert (Gaston) | Cast Blue Night

Julian studied architecture, but calling himself just an architect has never felt completely right. He designs, yes, but what he really cares about is telling stories. Sometimes through spaces, sometimes through objects, sometimes through images. He is interested in how ideas take shape and how people move through them.

He grew up surrounded by music. Both of his parents are musicians, so rehearsals and instruments were simply part of daily life. Music was never something he picked up along the way. It was always there.

Eventually, the design world became his profession, and he committed to it. But music never stopped mattering. Joining theatre now feels less like a reinvention and more like allowing a different part of himself to take up space again.

Frau Bergman / Frau Bessell / Fraulein Grossebusten-Halter | Cast Purple Summer

Italian actress based in Utrecht. A multilingual performer, she played roles in several languages, including Japanese, Spanish, and French.

Studied stage acting and singing since the age of four, recently and extensively with Z/A Studio, and previously at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Experienced with classical, chorus, and pop signing.

Fran’s theatre credits include performances at Theatre Parnassos (Utrecht), Waseda University Theater (Tokyo), and Teatri Possibili (Trento). She has also appeared in web series and short films such as La Storia Infinita and Dante's Inferno – Guinevere's Testament, the latter of which she also directed.

Beyond acting, she has a background in music, dance, and various sports including archery and skiing.

Frau Bergman / Frau Bessell / Fraulein Grossebusten-Halter | Cast Blue Night

With a rich background and professional career in classical and jazz music, Amy rediscovered her passion for acting and musical theatre through HEA’s Legally Blonde bootcamp in October 2024, where she charmed audiences as the lovable Paulette. Soon after, she took to the stage at HEA’s Miscast Talent Show, delivering a heartfelt rendition of Paulette’s ballad, Ireland, in a performance that captured the spirit of the bootcamp. Energised and inspired, Amy leapt straight into another HEA bootcamp in early 2025 - Chicago! - where she sparkled (literally!) as Roxie Hart in Funny Honey. Eager to dive deeper into the world of theatre, she brought enthusiasm and attention to detail backstage, joining the team as Stage Manager for Heathers in the summer and autumn of 2025. After that, eager to get back on the stage, she took part in another HEA bootcamp, and enjoyed playing the role as Persephone in Hadestown, performing Our Lady of the Underground.

Fraulein Knuppeldick / Frau Gabor | Cast Purple Summer

Born in Cádiz 57 years ago, studied in Seville and moved to Amsterdam. She is a linguist by profession and an aficionado in everything else. She brings back the love to the word "amateur", lover, the one who loves what they are doing. And she loves lots of things. She loves learning above everything. She loves singing, acting, and theatre, as well as knitting, crocheting, sewing, and reading. She has two major projects in the making: a script for a series and a novel. It's taking her forever. She is a board member at easylaughs.

Fraulein Knuppeldick / Frau Gabor | Cast Blue Night

Originally from France, Letizia is an international school teacher and a mother of three girls! She has been passionate about music and singing ever since she was a child. She joined her first church choir at the age of 9 and, coming from a family of Opera enthusiasts, started studying Opera singing at 14 at the Conservatory of Music in Cannes, where she was also invited to join the “Operettes” performing group. Concurrently, she attended the first batch of the Musical theater program by Luckine Dance Company. As a teenager, Letizia was performing on a regular basis on stages in the south of France.

After university, life took her to live and work in 8 different countries, and everywhere she lived, she found her way towards music. She has been involved in all sorts of acapella groups, symphonic choirs, gospel choirs, bands and more. Most recently, she made it to the finals of Zing! with the SoulSisters. Letizia is extremely honored to be a part of the Spring Awakening cast and to be working with such a talented team!"

Adult Male Roles | Cast Purple Summer

Vasco has been learning and improvising in Amsterdam since 2025, following an interest in theatre that began during his teenage years. Portuguese by birth and international by choice, he brings to the stage his learnings from everyday masks

Adult Male Roles | Cast Blue Night

Hugh is an Amsterdam-based actor, teacher and lecturer who has been part of the city's English-speaking theatre scene since 2017. He has worked with InPlayers, OTC, Strike Me Pink and QETC as well as doing film and voice work, yet somehow this is his first show with HEAP. He's strapping himself in for a whole new experience.

Director

Anna has over 35 years of theatre experience as an actor, clown, director, writer, and teacher/trainer in both the UK and the Netherlands.

Recent theatre projects have included directing Cauldron Performing Arts’ sell out show 'She Kills Monsters', playing the affable and deliciously naughty Nanny Ogg in the InPlayers’ 'Wyrd Sisters’ and as Maia in Tellus Theatre Company’s London run of their philosophical comedy, 'Night Train'.

Anna has previously appeared in Happily Ever After Production’s, AvenueQ (2022 and 2025), Chicago as Matron Mama Morton and last year joined the 'Heathers Revival' company as the somewhat narcissistic teacher, Ms. Fleming.

Music Director | Pianist

Lori Copperman Evans accompanies singers and instrumentalists, plays in bands, and music directs and plays piano/keys for many musicals. Most recently, Lori won Best MD Broadway World NL 2025 for HEAP’s Once Upon A Mattress, MD’d and accompanied Our Way Productions An Evening of Jacques Brel, and also QETC’s sold-out run of La Cage aux Folles. In the US, some of the places Lori performed included Adventure Theatre, Washington DC’s longest-running children’s theater, The Greenbrier Hotel and Resort in WV, and The Greenbrier Valley Theater, WV’s only year-round professional theater. Lori currently teaches piano and drama classes in Haarlem, plays in the Blue Tone Big Band, and plays keytar/keys in the synthpop group Birmingham Electric. Photo by Randy Berends Photography.

Choreographer

Justyna’s journey as a performer began at the age of five when her mother enrolled her in vocal and dance classes in Lublin, Poland. She grew into a versatile dancer, competing in national and international championships and performing in artistic and commercial projects across Warsaw, Milan, Paris, and now Amsterdam.

In the Netherlands, she explored musical theater through workshops at Act Attack and Cauldron, which led to her joining HEA’s Chicago Revival as Hunyak and dance captain. In spring 2024, she brought magic to HEA’s Cinderella as an ensemble member, featured dancer, and co-dance captain, and last fall, she was last seen as Cassie Ferguson in HEA’s A Chorus Line. Recently worked on choreography for Heathers Musical as long as Hadestown and Hamilton Bootcamps with HEA.

Vocal Director

Evelien is a Dutch musical theatre performer. Having had a preliminary education in musical theatre at CodArts in Rotterdam, she now works at a publishing house in Amsterdam, but in her free time she loves to be on stage. Recent credits include Come From Away (Janice/others), Heathers (Heather Duke), A Chorus Line (Val), Dogfight (Marcy) and Company (Marta). Having vocal directed Avenue Q for HEA last year, Evelien is honored and excited to work on the incredible music and harmonies of Spring Awakening.

Assistant Director / Intimacy Coordinator

Shiro been acting professionally since 2013. She started out in Nairobi, Kenya where she born and raised. While there she worked in several TV shows, short films, Made-For-TV films and adverts. She then went on to study theatre in Paris at Cours Florent. Since moving to the Netherlands, she have been active in the English-speaking theatre scene first with Orange Theatre Company and in 2022 decided to try her luck with musicals. She’s been in Cinderella (Madame), A Chorus Line (Zach), Blood Brothers (Linda), Once Upon A Mattress (Queen Aggravain) Avenue Q (Gary Coleman). Safe to say she fully caught the musical theatre bug. She has also taken the plunge into the world of Intimacy Direction and Coordination teaching actors and productions alike to navigate the world of staged intimacy. She was Intimacy Coordinator for Constellations as well as Heathers in which she also doubled up as Assistant Director. She is very excited to take on these two roles again with Spring Awakening. She speaks English, Swahili, Dutch and has forgotten most of her French

Stage Manager

Michael returns to the happily ever stage, this time backstage, after having played in A Chorus Line (Zach), Spamalot (Knight of Ni, Father), Cinderella (Sebastian), Be More Chill (Mr Heere), and Chicago (Judge/Doctor). Before that he played a variety of roles in his native Canada including roles in Mamma Mia (Bill), Urinetown (Robbie), Beauty & The Beast (Gaston), The Full Monty (understudy for Horse), Jesus Christ Superstar (Matthew), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (Asher) and many others. Michael immigrated to the Netherlands in 2022, the country where his parents grew up.