CAST AND CREATIVES

  • Writer/Director

    Tom Salamon is a pioneer of immersive theater, starting with his first production Accomplice: New York, widely regarded as an influential work in the early days of immersive experiences. In the years since, his productions have been attended by 2.5 million attendees and surpassed sales of $40 million. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Time Out New York, Time Out London, The Globe And Mail, The Guardian, CNN, Variety, The LA Times, The Hollywood Reporter, LA Weekly, and New York Magazine, and he has written and directed work in New York City, London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington DC, Glasgow, and San Diego.

    Highlights include:

    • Large scale immersive adaptations (Bluey, Disney’s Encanto, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Trolls)

    • Experiential marketing activations for Amazon Prime (The Boys, The Expanse), Netflix (The Witcher) and Starz (Outlander)

    • Original immersive work for Tony-Award winning theaters (Accomplice for the Menier Chocolate Factory, The Grift for La Jolla Playhouse)

    • Walt Disney Imagineering development for immersive work inside the parks, cruise lines and tours.

      www.TomSalamon.com

  • Producer

    Aaron Burakoff is an entrepreneurial executive whose passion sits at the intersection of entertainment, education, and agriculture.  He founded his company, Evergreen Creations, in 2012 to help family-run farms profitably attract and inspire more visitors and has since worked with hundreds of farms worldwide to incorporate character-based stories, attractions, and merchandise into their on-farm fun and retail operations.  Aaron has also authored several children’s books, including The Apple That Fell Far From the Tree and farm-fractured fairy tales such as Jack and the Cornstalk and Beauty and the Bees. 

  • Clark Eileen Atkinson is an avid chocolate lover and is thrilled to be a member of this production! She graduated in 2024 from Point Park University with a BFA in Acting. Recently she has been seen as Martina from Almost Equal To and The Angel/Emily/Homeless Woman from Angels at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. She wants to thank her friends and family for their continued support, and you, for coming! Hope you enjoy!

  • Athan Fischer he/him - Is currently pursuing his BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Connecticut State University. WCSU credits include Curse of the Starving Class (Emerson), Legally Blonde (Kiki/Ensemble), Something Rotten! (Ensemble), and The Donkey Show (Fairy).He has also performed at Stages Theatre Company in Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical (Rudolph), Tuck Everlasting (Ensemble, U/S Miles), and You're A Good Man Charlie Brown (Schroeder). He would like to thank everyone involved with The Miracle Bean and The Chocolate Machine as well has his friends and family. IG: @athanfisch

  • Liam Huff (he/him/his) is a 22-year old actor from Ridgefield, CT. Having done theatre for over 12 years, and been in upwards of 50 productions, Liam is excited to be making his immersive performance debut. Recent credits include Assistant Stage Manager for the Ridgefield Theater Barn's summer 2025 production of Moon Over Buffalo, and a performance as Gleb Vaganov in Northeastern University's Spring 2025 NU Stage production of Anastasia.

  • ZOLA KNEELAND she/her - Is currently pursuing her BFA in Musical Theatre at Western Connecticut State University. WCSU credits include [title of show] (Heidi), The Donkey Show (Titania), Angels in America: Part Two, Perestroika (Hannah Pitt/Ethel Rosenberg), Sunday In The Park With George (Ensemble, U/S Nurse/Frieda), Angels in America: Part One, Millennium Approaches (U/S Hannah Pitt). Outside credits include Oy Band (Goodspeed), Catch Me If You Can (Center Stage Theatre) and Footloose (Center Stage Theatre). She would like to thank the entire team at The Miracle Bean And The Chocolate Machine for this amazing opportunity! IG: @zolakneeland

  • Maddi Landau is a Hudson Valley based actress. Her recent roles include: Olivia in Twelfth Night, Mrs Claus in Save Santa (Anywhere Theater Company), Dusty at POTUS (Elmwood playhouse) and Elvira in Blithe Spirit (Phoenix Theater Company). Catch her in her next production reprising her favorite role as Brooke/Vikki. She wants to thank the production crew for all they’ve done- and her friends and family for always being there. F+A

  • Majella Maltempi is a BFA Musical Theatre major at Western Connecticut State University from Rockland County, New York. Past credits at WCSU include Sunday in the Park with George (Frieda/Betty), Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika (Harper Pitt), The Donkey Show (Helen), Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches (U/S Rabbi/Ethel Rosenberg*performed), Marat/Sade (Patient/U/S Clowns*performed), and WCSU One Act, The Wedding Duet (Bride). Majella was also seen in Oy Band (Hannah) at the Goodspeed Festival of New Musicals. Instagram: @majellamaltempi

  • A curious and bombastic person, Matt Marsters lives a life of creative expression that crosses as many disciplines as possible. For over fifteen years they have been creating games and other entertaining interactive experiences for major media clients like Disney and NBCUniversal and independent game studios like 3301 Games. He loves marrying characters and narrative to game mechanics, creating balanced and compelling experiences, and getting wayyyy too into the details. With skills ranging from swordplay to saxophone, sculpture to swing dancing, he strives to be a smiling renaissance incarnate. Most recently, you may have heard Matt’s voice in Barnyard Daycare, where he voiced the Narrator.

  • KILLIAN MEEHAN (he/him) is overjoyed to indulge his sweet tooth in The Miracle Bean! Previous appearances include Pantochino Productions The Executioner’s Wife (Magistrate) and Dorothy’s Christmas in Oz (Lion/Huey). Other favorite credits: If We Really Were Witches (John Thomas), Beauty and the Beast (Gaston), and The Complete History of Theatre ABRIDGED (Bill). Offstage, Killian enjoys gaming, puzzles, D&D, and quality time with his dog Valkyrie and cat Morrigan. Eternal thanks to his wonderful parents, and Dani for all the support. More at www.killianmeehan.com

  • JESSICA RAGUCCI she/her - is currently pursuing her BFA in Musical Theatre at Western Connecticut State University. WCSU credits include Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Joanna Drayton), Legally Blonde (Margot, U/S Elle Woods), Something Rotten! (Ensemble), The Donkey Show (Fairy). She would like to thank everyone involved with The Miracle Bean and the Chocolate Machine for this opportunity!

  • Olivia Renee-Anne is an upcoming junior B.F.A. Theatre major from Los Angeles, CA.

    Her educational theatrical credits include Guess Who's Coming to Dinner as an understudy for TIllie, Elephant's Graveyard as Hungry Townsperson, Company as Jenny, After Class as Ms. Pimentel, and The Donkey Show: A Midsummer Night's Disco as Mia.

    Outside theatrical credits include The Cat in the Hat as Sally, A Night on Broadway as Ensemble, and It's a Wonderful Life as Chorus/Ensemble.

    And film credits include Save Yourself as Penelope.

  • Leilanis Sanchez [she/her] hails from Newburgh NY. She is a Junior BFA Musical Theatre Major and is so incredibly excited to perform in this production! This past semester, year she had the pleasure of playing Beverly in the Fredonia Performing Art Company’s production of Fairview. Some of her credits include ensemble in The Great Comet of 1812, understudy in The Crucible, and Josephine Jolly in The Book Women. She would like to thank all of the wonderful people who made this incredible production possible.

  • Ari is thrilled to be joining you on this magical adventure into the wonderful world of chocolate! Ari has worked behind the scenes for VICE Media, on indie film sets, and assisted with the development of The Pine Bush UFO & Paranormal Museum, where she wore many hats during their various events.

    Before finding her way behind the scenes, Ari started performing 10 years ago, playing roles such as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Maria in Twelfth Night, Pistol in The Merry Wives of Windsor, indie/student films, and can be seen on build boards and merchandise for Dead Man's Farm in Tennessee. She did her time on the road performing in various locations in Connecticut, Sleepy Hollow, Woodstock, Bethelwoods, and the greater New York area.

    When not getting paid to play, Ari is an adjunct writing professor, bartender, and full-time weirdo. You can find her lurking in your local cemetery, taking road trips to random places, or hiding in the woods (where she respectfully asks that you don't come find her - she's catching up with her friend, Big Foot).

    Thank you to Tom and Aaron for this incredible opportunity. Beans to the entire cast and crew!

  • Hi! I’m Alyssa, I’m a rising sophomore at the University of Oregon and I am from Connecticut. Theater and acting has been one of my passions since I was young, as well as sports like soccer and skiing! I have been an actor in and have helped backstage with my high school and middle school shows. I have helped manage sound and lights for the middle school shows and the local theater camp over the summer, as I have been a counselor for two years. I’m still involved in theater now that I am in college, and love coming back home for the summer for opportunities like this! I enjoy the outdoors but have a soft spot for the city. Some of my favorite shows are Falsettos, The Great Gatsby, and Cabaret. I hope to continue working in the arts throughout college and in my life and desperately want to branch out into comedy as well!

  • Hello! My name is Ryn. I am an incoming UConn student studying technical theater to become a lighting designer. I've been working on shows for five years now, and I am excited to be on board with The Miracle Bean and the Chocolate Machine!

  • MAX KONIDARIS is currently pursuing his BFA in Musical Theater at Western Connecticut State University. WCSU credits include Legally Blonde (Elle’s Dad, Winthrop, ensemble), Curse of the Starving Class (Ellis, Weston U/S*performed), The Crucible (Giles Corey U/S*performed), Three Sisters (Solyony), Foul Territory (Owen). He has also performed at the Theater of Putney in Anastasia (Dmitry), The Addams Family (Gomez Addams), Hamlet (King Claudius), and The Artificial Jungle (Zachary Slade). 

    Max is also a certified blacksmith, carpenter, and stage combat instructor. Crew credits include The Mound Builders (Master Carpenter, Rain Curtain Operator), Next To Normal (Spotlight Operator), Spring Awakening (Stage Manager), Aladdin (Spotlight Operator), Into The Woods (Head of Hair & Makeup, Spotlight Operator), Anastasia (Asst. Music Director), Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Stage Manager, Head of Hair & Makeup)The Artificial Jungle (Master Carpenter, Set Designer), The Addams Family (Special Effects Makeup), Curse of the Starving Class (Combat Choreographer, Fight Captain). He would like to thank Tom Swetz for allowing him to use the shop at WCSU for construction, mechanic Jack Dann for donating a significant amount of mechanical components used in the machine, and the entire Miracle Bean team for such a fun and unique opportunity!

    Instagram: @max.rené.k