Born in Hong Kong and raised in Singapore, Samantha is a graduate of Brigham Young University where she studied Theater Arts and Education. Growing up she struggled in school and was later diagnosed with ADHD. Her work on Different won the Vera Hinckley Mayhew Creative Arts Award for Best Concept of A Musical. Along with Different, her two other Mayhew Award-Winning plays include Long-Term Care and Time Management, which premiered at the BYU Microburst Theatre Festival in Fall 2021. Samantha has also been an actor, director, dramaturg, stage manager, and costume designer. Her recent acting credits include Amy in Little Women, Ophelia in Hamlet and Luciana/Angelo in Comedy of Errors. She was assistant director for the BYU production Escape from Planet Death and helped to stage manage 13 student productions in Winter 2022. She and her husband are planning a move to Virginia in the Fall where she will continue to pursue opportunities in Theater Education. She hopes this play will inspire young people who struggle in school as she did to celebrate their differences and be proud of who they are.

Isabella is a Junior at BYU with a major in Theatre Arts Education and a double minor in English Teaching and Music. During her time at BYU, she has worked on several advanced directing projects as both a stage manager and a dramaturg as well as on the BYU production of Escape From Planet Death as an assistant dramaturg. She is excited to be the head dramaturg for the Young Company production of Go, Dog. Go! in Fall 2022. She is honored to be the assistant stage manager for the world premiere of Different: The Musical and is so grateful to have learned so much about theatre and special needs from the talented cast and crew. She wishes to thank her supportive parents and family who have cheered her on through every new adventure; her friends, roommates, and boyfriend, all of whom are her own “best buddies,” who have encouraged her and let her rant about this incredible show all summer; Sammy, our extremely thoughtful director, who gave her the opportunity to participate in this musical; and the Master Creator, who teaches her a new lesson every day.

Marion is a super senior at BYU studying theatre education. She loves acting and singing, but also enjoys directing and stage managing. She was most recently seen on the BYU stage as Yente in Fiddler on the Roof and Henrietta Leavitt in Silent Sky. Marion has also recently worked on several productions, including this one, as music director, which she has also fallen in love with. She is so excited for the world premiere of this new musical and its very important story to tell. Lots of her family members are on the autism spectrum, and she has loved working on this show to help tell their story.

[see also CAST - Marion Pack as Mom]

I am a Junior at BYU. Majoring in Theatre Education (k-12) with a TESOL minor and an emphasis in Dramaturgy. I have provided dramaturgy for 3 Student Productions and 3 Main Stage plays at BYU: The Glorious Story Emporium, Radium Girls, and Much Ado About Nothing. This Fall I will be the dramaturg for The Merry Widow, my second foray into opera. I want to thank my "Twue Wuv" Pat Eyler, when he's not playing my Prince Charming, he also doubles as my Chef, Tech Support, Uber Driver & Personal Assistant. I also want to give a shout-out to my posterity, Lizzy & Ty, Michael & Raquel, and our newest addition, Tommy. I owe everything to my poor parents that put up with me singing into my hairbrush till they could start sending me off to rehearsals at the tender age of 8, thus kickstarting my life in the entertainment industry. And last, but not least ... "Thank you" to my Dramaturgy Professor, Shelley Graham, for teaching me everything I know about dramaturgy!