Meet the 2026 Season Directors!

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Director: Erin McCarson

Erin McCarson, former baby, is an actor, director, writer, and teacher based in WNC. Acting credits include: Fire & Flood (Sublime Theatre), Oklahoma (SART), Romeo & Juliet, Cymbeline, Midsummer 4 Haters (Nemesis Theatre), Every Brilliant Thing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, Bop & Evey (HART), The Greatest Christmas Story Ever Told by Two People or A Christmas Carol? (Calliope Stage), New Queer’s Eve, The Splatter Play (Magnetic Theatre). Directing credits include: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Cake, The Gods of Comedy, Calendar Girls, A Christmas Story (HART), Smoke on the Mountain (SART), How to be a Human (NC Stage). Writing credits include: It’s the Most ___ Time of the Year (Magnetic Theatre). Film/TV credits include: Momsters: When Moms go Bad, Do Not Disturb: Hotel Horrors (Investigation Discovery), What’s Your Emergency (Stage17), He’s Way More Famous than You (Logolite). Erin plays on the improv teams Gal Pals, Adesto Theatre, and Scuttlebutt.  www.ErinMcCarson.com 

Othello
Director: Stephanie Hickling-Beckman

Stephanie Hickling Beckman (she/her) is a leading figure in Asheville’s performing arts scene and the founder of Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective. As an actor, director, and producer, she centers inclusive, justice-driven storytelling that amplifies underrepresented voices and provokes thoughtful community dialogue. Under her artistic leadership, Different Strokes! has challenged norms around identity, equity, and empathy, earning the George A. Pareides Award for Excellence in Professional Theatre in 2022. Stephanie serves on the ArtsAVL Advisory Group and the board of the Reparations Stakeholder Authority of Asheville, and her civic and artistic advocacy has been recognized with the YWCA TWIN Award, the ACLU Evan Mahaney Champion of Civil Liberties Award, and a Tzedek Impact Award. She combines visionary artistry with sustained community commitment to create transformative, socially engaged theatre.

The Taming of the Shrew
Director: Jason Williams

Jason Williams (he/him) has worked with the Montford Park Players since 2000. His first show with MPP was The Winter’s Tale. He played the Young Shepard. Over those 25 years, he has worked in almost every aspect of the organization: from actor, to lighting designer, to director, to Board President, to serving as Artistic Director for last year’s season of Muse of Fire. During his time with MPP, Jason has also directed 20+ productions including acclaimed productions of: Love’s Labors Lost, Romeo & Juliet, The Importance of Being Earnest, As You Like It, Peter Pan, The Little Prince, Richard II and the repertory productions of Macbeth and Pericles.

Jason keeps returning to Montford Park Players because he respects their mission of providing low cost theatre, especially Shakespeare, to the community. Jason is an Asheville Native and graduate of the Drama program at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel
Director: David Doersch

David A. Doersch is a director, fight choreographer, and storyteller with over three decades of experience bringing bold, imaginative theatre to life. Holding an MFA in Directing from the University of Mississippi, David has helmed a wide range of productions – from Shakespearean classics to musicals to contemporary and experimental works – earning a reputation for dynamic staging, deep actor collaboration, and a cinematic eye for movement and rhythm. His work has been seen on regional theatre stages and Shakespeare Festivals such as The Guthrie Theatre, The American Players Theatre, The American Shakespeare Center, Clarence Brown Theatre, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, The Crossroads Theatre, The Dallas Theatre Center, Virginia Stage Company and more. As a widely known and well-regarded fight director, David brings a signature physical gusto to his productions. His previous productions at Montford Park Players were  Henry V (2024) and Treasure Island  (2023).

Romeo & Juilet
Director: Kristi DeVille

Kristi DeVille (she/her) has…

The Hope of Oz
Director: Gabby Bailey

Coming Soon!