Category: Class of 2024

Matt Hekking (they/he) is a native of Acton, Massachusetts. The small town, just 40 minutes outside of Boston, is where Matt fell in love with theatre and discovered his passion for acting. It is there where he immersed himself in the world of film as well, determined to discover what made a movie “good” and, more importantly, what made an actor’s performance impactful. During the summer of 2018, Matt spent 30 days backpacking in the Alaskan bush. The connection with nature he found there, along with his frequent spiritual and meditation practices, is where he believes the heart of his craft lies. Matt enjoys writing both poetry and sketch comedy, as well as singing, drumming, and doodling in his journal. His recent Rutgers Theater credits include: Chuck in She Kills Monsters, Lennox in Macbeth, Egeon in The Comedy of Errors at Shakespeare’s Globe, and Brain White in Smart People.

Meg Stefanacci (they/she) is an actor, singer, songwriter and lover of storytelling from Freehold, New Jersey. Meg found their love of theater in middle school, and for a while, it remained a serious hobby. By the time they graduated high school the hobby would evolve into a passion, one that they had no choice but to follow. When they aren’t acting, you can catch them singing, writing songs, playing guitar and piano, crocheting, or sending their friends pictures of cats. Born in a small town right outside Seoul, South Korea, they have found a love for stories that represent that Asian community. Meg is very excited to start their journey pursuing the arts and continuing to tell stories that have not been told before.

Talli Basile (she/they) is a Black-biracial actor from Washington, D.C. She attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where her pursuit of a career in theater began. Growing up, Talli trained as a singer and dancer. It wasn’t until theater was introduced as advocacy that it became their calling. As an artist, Talli wants to get their hands dirty. They want to use their craft to shift the social paradigm, give voice to underrepresented communities, and spark long needed, societal change. She loves a challenge and will take on bold projects, especially if they scare her. Some of their Rutgers Theatre Company credits include: Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Jackie in Mauritius, and Angelo in Comedy of Errors. Talli is thrilled to be entering the industry and hopes to have a long-lasting career chock-full of joy and contribution. 

Sophie Dahne (she/they) is proud to be from Baltimore, Maryland. Sophie first found her love for the stage as an elementary schooler in what her Jewish day school dubbed ‘The Lower School Production’ (a compilation of popular songs all with educational and religious twists). She continued her passion of growing as a performer by attending high school at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology and spending her summers at Stagedoor Manor. At Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts, Sophie has gotten the privilege to strengthen her skills as Smeraldina in Christopher Cartmill and Enrico Picelli’s translation of Carlo Gozzi’s The Green Bird, Mary in Mauritius, Witch 2 in Macbeth, and Dromio of Syracuse in Comedy of Errors at the Globe Theater. During her training she was also able to work with Sam Giberga through the development process of his new play Holy Week as the character Ellie. Sophie is a passionate lover of animals and enthusiastically stops every dog she sees for a pet. She hopes to expand her career to new works, film/television, and would love to start a theater company one day that focuses on drama therapy for adolescents. Above all, her ultimate goal as an artist is to inspire empathy. 

Simon Parker (he/they) hails from the tiny town of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. He first developed a love for theatre at 10 years old, when he played Mouse #3 in Cinderella. While not the most inspiring role, it was enough to send him down a path of several community theatre productions, attending Interlochen Arts Camp, and now, Rutgers University. Favorite Rutgers credits include: Antipholus of Ephesus in Comedy of Errors, Levi Suydam in Damocles, and Porter in Macbeth. Simon is also an avid writer, director, and visual artist. His first play premiered at the Youth Playwright’s Festival at Thingamajig Theatre Co., where he learned the value and beauty of developing new works. When he’s not acting, he loves to play with his cat, collect dinosaur figurines, and dream of a world where neurodivergent and queer artists are treated with respect.