Meet The Soft Belly Team
Meredith Nelson
Co-Founder & Co-Artistic Director
Meredith is an actor, director, playwright, and educator based in Cleveland, Ohio. She is excited by new works and her aim is to collaborate with other artists on ways to celebrate, magnify, and showcase the voices of other women+ in the industry.
After graduating from the University of Evansville in 2019, Meredith moved to New York to intern with WP Theater for a year. After which, she received an exciting offer to teach students kindergarten through fifth grade music and drama in Colorado. She went on to teach in the public school system for three years before pursuing her master's degree in acting from Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Playhouse's prestigious program. She will be graduating in 2026.
Nathan Patrick Nelson
Co-Founder & Co-Artistic Director
Nathan is an theatremaker, musician, and educator currently based in Northeast Ohio. Nathan’s work as an actor is based in collaborative musicianship and live music in storytelling. His regional credits include time at the Coeur D’Alene Summer Theatre as Lt. Buzz Adams in South Pacific, Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby, u/s Mrs. Bumbrake and swing in Peter and The Starcatcher, Alan in Equus (Stage Left Theatre), and Jon in tick…tick…BOOM! (Gonzaga University, Irene Ryan Award Nominee Region VII).
Nathan served as associate education director for the Modern Theatre in Spokane, Washington where he also regularly acted as an accompanist and musical director in their 2016 season. His New York credits include The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Bank Street Theatre at the The New School for Drama), Jackie Theoharis’ Quarter Life Crisis (music direction and arrangements). Nathan’s first film, Ashes, received screening at the Lyons International Film Festival, and received awards in Cinematography from both the Oregon Short Film Festival and the Snow Low Film Festival. Nathan received degrees in Theatre and in Education from Gonzaga University, and an MFA in Acting from the New School in New York City.
Little Feller
Soft Belly Theatre's Official Mascot
With a joyful tummy and sunny hue, Little Feller is the proud personification of what it means to lead with a soft belly and live courageously. His aim is to inspire all those who look at him to be proud of who they are and to never be afraid to show vulnerability--even when it's scary. Little Feller is the divine brainchild of the very talented Madalyn Baker (Maddle Baddle). You can find more of her work at the link below: