Team Bios

Haley Arnold (they/she) is a professional director, playwright, and producer based in the Lehigh Valley. Haley's notable directing credits include (& Medea), Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes), This Random World, The Vagina Monologues: A Retelling, Spark, and Queersighted. Notable writing credits include an award-winning essay series, The Garden, and plays Tiny Riot and The Play Without a Name. Haley also works with Touchstone Theatre in Bethlehem, PA as the Administrative & Audience Services Associate/Ensemble Associate, where she supports business operations under the Executive Director, assistant directs and stage manages productions, oversees accessibility and audience services initiatives, and teaches playwriting to elementary school students.  With particular interests in theatre for social change, devised theatre, and theatre for young audiences, Haley is thrilled to serve as ATC's Producing Artistic Director and navigate the journey of Amalgamation to create art and opportunities with and for people who share the same passion.

Madeline Burk is a theatre artist and educator based in Philadelphia. She earned her BA in Theatre from Muhlenberg College. She credits her additional training to Accademia dell’Arte in Italy (physical theatre) and the Yale School of Drama’s summer session. She works as a teaching artist and as a historic storyteller and first person interpreter in Philadelphia. She has played a wide array of roles as a performer; she always works to ground her characters in text and truth while bringing in plenty of eccentricity and vivacity. She loves finding ways to revitalize classic pieces, as she did with Daughters, Wives, Mothers, in which she collaborated with Shira Holtz. With Amalgamation’s first project, Patchwork, Madeline directed The Little Prince, a story she has always held dear. As an artist, Madeline is particularly passionate about storytelling, language, and the power of creating with joyful, reckless abandon.

Mattea Pappa (she/her) is an artist currently based in North Carolina. She earned a BA in Theater and Spanish with a minor in Anthropology from Muhlenberg College and underwent additional training in physical theater with Accademia dell ‘Arte. She has been a supporter of Amalgamation since its early days as Patchwork where she participated in “The Little Prince”. Since then, she has enjoyed performing in productions such as “The Guy who Didn’t Like Musicals,” “The Play that Goes Wrong,” and “Perfect Arrangement.” She is thrilled to be serving as Artistic Operations Associate and privileged to collaborate with such a creative and joyful team. Outside of Amalgamation, she is an actress, substitute teacher, tutor, and avid hobbyist.

John Yankanich is an actor, production leader, and educator based in New York City. He currently works remotely as the Operations Manager for Next In Line Comedy, a premier Philadelphia comedy club, where he previously served as Production Manager on-site for three years before relocating to NYC. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Temple University (Go Owls!), where his love for developing new theatrical works was first instilled. Prior to joining the team, John acted in several of Amalgamation's In The Works virtual play readings. Regional theatre credits include Swing! (Hunterdon Hills Playhouse), The Merry Widow (Delaware Valley Opera Co.), Chess (11th Hour Theatre Co.), and various workshop productions including Hamlet: A Pop Musical (Discovering Broadway). John has also served as a Drama Teacher for Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center and toured the U.S. as a Game Show Host & Tour Manager for ThinkFast® Interactive. johnyankanich.com

Ashley Paseltiner is a Florida based artist currently living in Orlando. In addition to her work as a Production Manager, Ashley is on the Show Production team for Disney Live Entertainment installing shows for Disney Cruise Line. Prior to Disney, Ashley attended Muhlenberg College where she earned her bachelor’s degrees in Theatre and Psychology. Ashley found her passion for theatre while at the Coral Springs Center for the Performing Arts where she worked as a Music Director for multiple children’s theater productions and grew up performing. Since then she has found joy working in all facets of entertainment and is looking forward to beginning this new role with the Amalgamation family!

Shira Holtz (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate theatre artist based in Westchester, New York. She loves the chance to make theatre alongside and in collaboration with other artists! Favorite acting credits include Daughters, Wives, Mothers (Scranton Fringe Festival, Amalgamation Theatre Collective), (&Medea), Everything I Do, I Do For Taylor Swift, Antigone, Seussical, and Mamma Mia. Putting her degrees in Theatre and Media & Communication from Muhlenberg College to good use, she is a co-founder and the Marketing Director at Amalgamation Theatre Collective. She also appears on the concept album of Waiting: A New Song Cycle, and the Muhlenberg Chaimonics' newest album, "With Love, From 149". Both albums are available on all major music streaming platforms. www.shiraholtz.com

Lauren Shilansky (she/her) is theatre performer and writer based in West Hartford, CT. She just graduated from SUNY at Fredonia with her BFA in Musical Theatre! Lauren strives to surround herself with creative individuals, and looks for joy in all places! This past summer, Lauren performed with the American Gothic Arts Festival in Ottumwa, Iowa, and worked as the resident director with the Palace Youth Theatre’s summer camp season in Manchester, NH! She loves to write sketch comedy, sight-read big band charts on her trumpet, and enjoys being pretty bad at the guitar (barre chords beware). She is stoked to be joining the team at Amalgamation as the Marketing Associate and is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with and meet so many other artists! @thelaurenshilansky

Simone Dutton is an Orlando-based project coordinator and producer currently pursuing her Master of Science in Themed Experience at the University of Central Florida in the Producing track. She earned her bachelor's degrees in Theatre and Business Administration from Muhlenberg College, where she developed a passion for blending creative storytelling with project management. Her background spans immersive entertainment, including theme parks and escape rooms, alongside experience in theatrical design. Passionate about creating engaging experiences that bring people together, Simone is excited to contribute to Amalgamation Theatre Collective and support its mission of fostering innovative and collaborative theatre.

Kara Scullin (She/Her) is a Brooklyn based theatre performer originally from Cincinnati, Ohio (WHO DEY!). She graduated from The University of Alabama at Birmingham where she earned her BFA in Musical Theatre. In addition to her performance work, she currently holds a position in theatre marketing and social media at Falcon Theatre. She is eager to explore a new opportunity in an administrative role focused on fundraising and development with Amalgamation. Her favorite acting credits include Irene Molloy in Hello, Dolly! (The Carnegie), Chrisitine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Spotlight Center), SHOUT! (Chenango River Theatre), and A New Brian (UAB). Kara believes in the power of live theatre to inspire and bring people together and is excited to join the Amalgamation team!

Originally from the west coast, Lindsey came to New York to study directing and dramaturgy. After receiving an MFA from the Actors Studio Drama School, she founded her own devised theatre company, Floor Thirteen. Lindsey is a lyrical theatre artist, which means she works with scripts that combine poetic staging and language with grounded stakes. Recent works include Cosmic (Secret Theatre), 21 Love Pogroms (Dixon Place), Burnout Kingdom: A New Wave Musical (NYTF), The Happiness Treatment (Floor 13), Sign of the End Times (Floor 13), Moonlight Becomes You (The Tank), Why (John DeSotelle Theatre Festival), The Edge of Tonight (Equity Library Play Festival), and Reflection of a Shadow (NYTF), the latter two of which were award winners. Follow her on instagram @lindseyaline512 and on her website: lindseyalterman.com.

Hudson Wolfe is a Philly-based playwright, dramaturg, and director. Hudson loves new work development and has been a part of the dramaturgical teams of KCACTF, The Garden State Play Festival, New Harmony Writer’s Conference, and Fresh Ink Theatre. He is also a Storytelling and Visual Arts teaching artist with Yes! And…Collaborative Arts. As an artist, he is dedicated to creating theatre that challenges audiences to question themselves and connect with their communities. He’s particularly interested in our perception of historical figures, criminality, religiosity, and monsters/”the othered.” He studied theatre at Howard University and graduated with a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Maryland.