Our Mission:

At Melancholics Anonymous, we are dedicated to delivering sincere and accessible performances to our community. We believe in making eccentric, exceptional theater and are committed to fostering a culture of respect, collaboration, and joy in our creative process.

Our Values:

  • We are dedicated to eliminating both physical and financial barriers so that everyone in our audiences can engage with our work. To achieve this, we strive to produce performances in ADA-compliant venues; provide captions for all digital content; ensure 'pay-what-you-wish' performances; and continuously seek new ways to enhance and broaden access, both on and off the stage.

  • At the center of each Melancholics endeavor is commitment to the excellence and intentionality of our craft and to the holistic wellbeing of our artists, audiences, and community. Additionally, we are committed to constantly deconstructing our biases and creating timely and equitable work to be enjoyed by anyone.

  • While recognizing that theater can be used to convey all parts of the human experience, Melancholics seeks to highlight the heart in the stories we tell. We find joy in vulnerability, humor, relatability, and growth. We are committed to creating a safe space both for artists to explore these parts of their characters and for audience members to walk alongside them.

  • Melancholics Anonymous is built upon the work and time of our collaborators. Our mission is to honor and respect those contributions in clear, verifiable ways. We do this by being considerate and efficient with their time, by lifting up their voices and ideas, and by compensating their work as best we are able, a benchmark that is continually moving as we expand.

  • At the core of our company lies a dedication to sincere and authentic performances. Each of our members holds a genuine passion for what we create, from the sets we build and the performances our actors bring to the stage to the truths we hope to reveal about the world around us.

  • Melancholics believes that collaboration is not only fundamental to the creative process, but an opportunity to create something truly exceptional. By choosing ensemble-based productions, listening to audience voices, and connecting with artists throughout the community, we are intentional about creating room for collaboration and feedback in all of our working spaces and discussions.

Meet The Company of Melancholics Anonymous

Artistic Director - Rachel Ropella

Rachel Ropella (she/her) is a Midwest director and theater maker. Co-founder of Melancholics Anonymous, she has spent the past four years directing and writing award-winning new works at the Minnesota Fringe. Her recent directorial debut at Edinburgh Fringe received international praise and was remounted at The Pen Theatre in London. Rachel has assistant directed at Hartford Stage and at Portland Stage as a Directing/Dramaturgy Apprentice for the ’22-’23 season. She earned a BA in Theater from St. Olaf College in 2020 and is a proud alumni of DirectorWorks and the National Theatre Institute Advanced Directing program. @rachel_ropella

Technial Director - Mady Smith

A nurse by day and a theatre kid by night, Mady graduated from St. Olaf College with a nursing degree. While she loves the science of her profession, her true passion lies in the world of crafting and creativity. Whether she's painting, sewing, or creating props, Mady finds immense joy in watching ideas come to life on stage. She’s honored to be a part of Melancholics Anonymous, having worked with them multiple times over the past year. When she's not saving lives or crafting, you can find Mady spending quality time with the world’s most perfect cat, Egg.

Literary Manager - Bee Davis

Bee Davis is a Twin Cities based actor and musician. Their recent credits include A Girl Scouts Guide and 5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche with Melancholics. Bee enjoys any work that matches big movement to big text, but believes that the most important part of the theatre process is the vibe. They are thrilled to be joining Melancholics’ creative team and look forward to future projects with the collective.

Literary Manager - Claire Chenoweth

Claire Chenoweth (she/her) is a Twin Cities-based performer, teaching artist, poet, and long-term Melancholics collaborator. Passionate about intentional and empowered storytelling, she is a vocal advocate for intimacy direction and invested in building her own practice in the field. Claire is also enthusiastic about Creative Play pedagogy and helping young people build sustainable, satisfying artistry. Claire holds a BA in Theatre and Sociology/Anthropology from St. Olaf College and is an alumni of the National Theatre Institute. @clairecchenoweth

Director of Developement - Samantha Miller

Samantha Miller (they/them) is a Twin Cities based artist originally from Utah. After graduating from Westminster College, they obtained Grant Writing and Non-Profit Leadership certificates from Notre Dame and an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity certificate from the University of Minnesota. Since coming to the Twin Cities, Samantha has performed and designed on the stage as well as founding Kalliope to assist artists and organizations with non-profit development. They are passionate about the evolution of artistic organizations and are delighted to be a part of the Melancholics Anonymous team and further the reach of MA’s story telling.

Director of Engagement - Jeffrey Nolan

Jeffrey Nolan is an actor, teaching artist, and writer in the Twin Cities, and now a company member with Melancholics Anonymous! He is drawn towards ensemble driven work, Creative Drama, and physical theater. Recent projects include “A Girl Scouts Guide to Exorcism” with Melancholics Anonymous and “Sherwood” at Theatre in the Round. Jeffrey has a BA in theatre from St. Olaf College, and is an alumni of the National Theatre Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center.

Communications Manager - Meredith Enersen

Meredith Enersen is a twin cities resident with a strong love for theater and all its moving parts. She graduated from St. Olaf College in 2021, and during her undergraduate time she gained experience in performing, leadership, production, marketing, and design. She has worked with several local theaters and companies including Climb Theater, Church Basement Shakespeare, and of course, Melancholics Anonymous. Meredith enjoys an ensemble-based theater process, and loves that MA gives her a place to bring her experience in theater and beyond to collaborate with other dedicated artists.

Managing Director - Timothy Kelly

Timothy Kelly (he/him) is a Minnesota-based theater artist. Co-founder of Melancholics Anonymous and Thin Air Theatre, he enjoys producing ensemble-driven original works and resourceful and accessible classics. Previous credits – including Golden Lanyard Award-winning Minnesota Fringe play A Girl Scout’s Guide to Exorcism and an immersive, pot-luck-style Winter’s Tale – have cemented his passion for creating entertaining, engaging, and intensely local performance. Timothy holds a BA in theater and chemistry from St Olaf College and is dedicated to rooting himself more deeply in the vibrant Twin Cities theater community.

Production Manager - Anneliese Garner

Anneliese Garner is a frequent collaborator with Melancholics Anonymous and is proud to now be serving as their first Production Manager. After graduating St. Olaf College with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater, Anneliese moved to the Twin Cities and has since worked as a costume designer, dramaturg, and dresser. Alongside her love of theater, Anneliese has long been a historical aficionado. She spends much of her free time researching historical clothing, traditional fiber art, and sewing techniques. She spends the rest of her time thinking about putting that knowledge to use in theater.

Artistic Events Coordinator - Aerin O’Malley

Aerin O’Malley grew up surrounded by Twin Cities theater, and she is delighted to work alongside Melancholics to contribute to that community. Aerin is a St. Olaf College graduate where she received training in the social sciences. Currently, she works for YourClassical MPR’s Class Notes program where she helps bring MN artist ensembles to schools around the state for educational music concerts. As well, she is the creator and host of the Classically Training podcast. Aerin has worked as an actor and choreographer with Melancholics Anonymous, Lakeshore Players, Off-Broadway Musical Theater, and Bloomington Kennedy High School.