About Us

Director and Writer Dmitiry Yakubov

Dmitry Yakubov is a seasoned director, writer and videographer. He holds an MFA in Theater Directing, and has released several performances with stars of the European stage. After moving from St. Petersburg to Chicago in 2002, he continued to write plays and stage performances. Among them, the most famous is The Little Prince based on the book by Saint-Exupery (2016). He published the magazine Information Window as well as several books on culture and history; and worked as a graphic designer and videographer. In 2021, he co-produced the documentary Anderson’s Mission which drew acclaim at film festivals in Moscow and New York. He is also author and editor of a collection of essays Enlightened Century about mysticism, history and art; and is currently working on his doctorate degree. He has lived in Wheeling, IL since 2006.

A Christmas Tale

a one-act musical play for the whole family

Elena Goptseva, Music Director

In 2003 Elena Goptseva moved to Chicago Area where she continued her teaching and performing career as well as studying. In 2008 she founded her own studio and continued studying with various classical pianists. She has studied privately with Y. Lipmanovich (a student of Rosina Levin) and is currently studying with P. Checinski, a concert pianist who has studied with Claudio Arrau. Elena Goptseva is an active member of Music Teachers National Association, Illinois State Music Teachers Association, North Shore Music Teachers Association, Northwest Suburban Music Teachers Association and Chicago Area Music Teachers Association. She currently serves as a chair of a Gold Medal Recital for Sonata/Sonatina Festival at NWSMTA. Her students have been award winners at local piano festivals and competitions and active performers at various local recitals and events. Learn more about Elena Goptseva at www.gemusiclessons.com

Jessica Cygan

This is Jessica’s 5th musical production.  She is an 8th grader at Plum Grove Junior High. She loves to act, sing, and dance. She’s received top rewards from various voice and dance competitions. She is very proud to be part of this production and appreciates the opportunity to learn and grow. She looks forward to being in the show and hopes you enjoy watching it as well!

George Dougherty

George Dougherty is a student of acting and improv. He has appeared in a number of productions, most recently as Alonzo in the Tempest with The Goodly Creatures Theatre Company. He has also performed on stages at The Second City and IO theaters in Chicago and the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland. He is excited to be working with Dmitriy and the talented team he has created and hopes that everyone enjoys the show.

Caleb Scherr

Caleb fell in love with the theatre at age 6 when he joined his school’s drama club. He got his start playing Pigpen in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”  Since then he has taken multiple roles like Buster Moon in “Sing,” Bruno in “Encanto,” and a city kid in “Back to That Same Old Place” with City Kid Theatre. When he’s on stage Caleb feels happy and excited. Caleb is spirited, fun and smart. He excels in math and reading and enjoys playing lacrosse and violin.

Jerome R Marzullo

Jerome R Marzullo is delighted to Ье working with Splinter Theatre for the first time. Jerry is а native Chicagoan who lived and worked in Minnesota’s Twin Cities for thirty years where he stepped on а stage for the first time after а self-imposed thirty-year hiatus. Favorite roles in МN include Pops Nunzio in Топу n’ Tina’s Wedding, Santiago in Nilo Cruz’s Pulitzer prize-winning drama Anna in the Tropics, Duke Mantee in The Petrified Forest (City Pages 10 Best for 2012) MacDuff in Macbeth, Claudio in Hamlet, Sandor Turai in The Play’s the Thing and Ricky Roma in Glengarry Glen Ross (best offest MACT-Fest 2010). Since returning to the Chicago stage favorite roles include The Wolf in Bard Fiction, Don Vito in Corleone, Cromwell in А Man for АН Seasons, George in Of Mice and Men, Stage Manager in Our Town, Мг. Dussel in Diary of Anne Frank, Willy Clark in The Sunshine Boys, and Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing.

Не received а ВА in Theater from the University of Illinois and in the early years appeared as Stanley in Streetcar Named Desire, Emesto Roma in The ResistiЫe Rise of Arturo Ui, and Leslie in Seascape. His films include Spirits of St. Paul: The Gangster Era, (Tubi and Prime), Jada, and Where Sweet Dreams Die. He’s like to thank Dmitriy, Elena, and the rest of the cast for letting him play with them.

Leilani Kadzielawski

Leilani has loved music since a very young age and has a natural talent in singing. She also enjoys playing the piano, is very creative, and likes preforming on stage.

Zayden Clyne-Lunda

It has always been a dream to act seeing children on TV. I wish I could be like them. Then when I found this theatre I was like yes maybe finally I can have an acting career. I say I am pretty good at acting. I practice a lot at my school and at home.

Amy Beth Hart

Amy is very excited to be working with Dmitry in her second production with Splinter Theatre after playing the role of Elizabeth in “Splinter” earlier this year.   She lives in Naperville, where she works from home as an Account Manager in the Cheer and Dance industry.   Previously, she lived in Massachusetts, where she performed with many theater groups in Massachusetts and Connecticut including the Majestic Theater.  She received her B.A. in Dance Pedagogy from Butler University in Indianapolis, where she also danced with the Butler Ballet Dance Company.  While in Indy, she also performed with the American Cabaret Theater and Beef & Boards Dinner Theater.  Some of her favorite roles include Millie in “The Visitor from Philadelphia”, Nellie in “South Pacific”, Louise in “Gypsy”, Cassie in “A Chorus Line”, Pippi in “The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Fraulein Kost in “Cabaret”, and Lizzie in “Baby”. She has worked on various independent films in the Chicago area and also played a role in the TV series “St. Gabriel”, which is currently showing on Tubi TV.  This spring, she will be working on a TV mini-series “The Annihilator” in Knoxville, TN.  She would like to thank her husband and two boys for always supporting her in her artistic endeavors, and is very excited to share this experience with her son Finn in their first live performance together!

Sandra Malashchuk

Actress, singer, writer, artist, musician, performer Sandra always knew that she was an “Art” person. As a child, she was forced to take piano lessons, but she soon fell in love with it. She spent five years in music school mastering piano and successfully graduated with honors. Sandra is charismatic and talented in many ways. She has been passionate about dancing, singing, and performing since she was three years old. At a young age, she managed to perform nationwide with the dance studio. Sandra’s talent was acknowledged, and she was asked to perform in other countries such as Bulgaria and Georgia. Her solo singing performance took first place in the international competition in Bulgaria. She studies script writing at Adlai E. Stevenson High School. Sandra is the type of person that is full of interesting ideas and constantly works on improving herself. Currently, she is a swimming teacher who makes her lessons fun and memorable. She believes that in life and the theater, every role is essential. She is looking forward to the Theater performance.

Rose Enayat

Rose is a forth grade student who enjoys to dance, do gymnastics, play piano and sing. She has been doing those since she was 3 years old and has a passion to perform.

Finn Meek

Finn is ten years old and is a fifth-grader at Spring Brook Elementary School in Naperville.  He sings in a rock band, school choir and sometimes plays the piano.  He loves acting and is very excited to be in this show!



Splinter: A Romantic Comedy

Amy Beth Hart

Amy is very excited to be working with Dmitry in her second production with Splinter Theatre after playing the role of Elizabeth in “Splinter” earlier this year.   She lives in Naperville, where she works from home as an Account Manager in the Cheer and Dance industry.   Previously, she lived in Massachusetts, where she performed with many theater groups in Massachusetts and Connecticut including the Majestic Theater.  She received her B.A. in Dance Pedagogy from Butler University in Indianapolis, where she also danced with the Butler Ballet Dance Company.  While in Indy, she also performed with the American Cabaret Theater and Beef & Boards Dinner Theater.  Some of her favorite roles include Millie in “The Visitor from Philadelphia”, Nellie in “South Pacific”, Louise in “Gypsy”, Cassie in “A Chorus Line”, Pippi in “The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Fraulein Kost in “Cabaret”, and Lizzie in “Baby”. She has worked on various independent films in the Chicago area and also played a role in the TV series “St. Gabriel”, which is currently showing on Tubi TV.  This spring, she will be working on a TV mini-series “The Annihilator” in Knoxville, TN.  She would like to thank her husband and two boys for always supporting her in her artistic endeavors, and is very excited to share this experience with her son Finn in their first live performance together!

George Dougherty

George Dougherty has been fortunate enough to appear in numerous productions and on stages in the Chicagoland area, most recently as part of the production of The Crucible at the Invictus Theatre. He also loves improv and has performed at The Second City and IO theaters and the Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland. He is excited to be working with this talented cast and Director Dmitriy Yakubov and hopes that everyone enjoys the show.

Michael Radford