Meet the cast of the 2026 season of Unto These Hills outdoor drama: Part 5
Meet the cast of the 2026 season of Unto These Hills outdoor drama. We have a lot of talented folks to introduce you to. Stay tuned to meet the many people it takes to bring the story of the Cherokee people to life each season.
Abelia Mahan-Flores
Abelia is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. She attends Cherokee High School, where she plays volleyball and basketball. Abelia enjoys spending time with her friends and family and listening to music. As a fifth generation actor, she has been involved in Unto These Hills since she was 5-years-old and looks forward to it each summer.
Abelia and her two younger siblings come from a long line of Unto These Hills actors. Her mom, aunt, grandma, and several other family members also work with Unto These Hills, so it’s a family affair! This summer, Abelia is also interning at Oconaluftee Indian Village to learn more about Cherokee crafts and culture. We love providing creative environments for young people, and we hope to have Abelia on the team for years to come.
Margo Mahan-Flores
Margo is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and attends Cherokee Elementary School. She enjoys helping her classmates and was proud to receive the 2026 Tribal Council Award. In her free time, Margo loves getting her nails done, watching YouTube, dancing around, and embracing her carefree spirit. Margo looks forward to Unto These Hills every summer.
Margo is the youngest of her siblings and began acting in Unto These Hills at age 5. We love having Margo and her family involved in the show both onstage and backstage. We’re happy that Margo followed in her siblings’ footsteps, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for her as she continues to grow.
Reichen Mahan
Reichen is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. He attends Cherokee Middle School and is a member of the Termite Cherokee Braves football team, who are three-time Cracker Bowl Champions. He also plays basketball with the AAU team Tsalagi Uniktena and has recently taken up fly fishing. Reichen has been in Unto These Hills since he was 5-years-old and played the role of Wasseton for several years. Now at age 11, he has taken on the role of Lowney for the first time.
It has been a joy to watch Reichen grow up and move from playing Tsali’s youngest son, Wasseton, up to the role of the middle brother, Lowney. We love having the Mahan siblings onstage, and we can’t wait to see how Reichen continues to grow as a young actor.
Rosalia Marana
Rosalia Marana is from South Carolina and graduated from Clemson University with her BA in Performing Arts. In addition to acting and dancing, she loves painting, reading, and listening to her favorite songs. This is Rosalia’s fourth season in Unto These Hills, and she loves seeing different talents come together onstage to tell one story.
Rosalia first joined us as an actor/technician when she was still in school at Clemson. We’ve enjoyed watching her grow as a dancer and performer. Rosalia is a joy to work with, and we are always happy to have her onstage.
Story Martens
Story Martens is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and attends Cherokee High School. She is a member of the Ravenrock Stomp Ground, Cherokee Youth Council, and Junior North American Women’s Association. She enjoys running track, playing soccer, and spending time in the outdoors with her family.
This is Story’s first season with Unto These Hills, and we’re glad she joined us. She’s a multi-talented young lady, and we can’t wait to see what else she accomplishes!
Chris Mayer
Chris Mayer attends Coastal Carolina University, where he is studying for his BFA in Physical Theatre. He studied abroad in London last fall and directed a new play at CCU. Some of his favorite roles include Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Spurio in The Revenger’s Tragedy, and Malcom in Macbeth.
This is Chris’s second season as a dancer with Unto These Hills. He also understudies some of the speaking roles and has gone on for Samuel Worcester this season. Chris is a hard worker and has a positive attitude, so we’re happy to have him in the cast again this season.
Tomas Meza
Tomas Meza is a graduate of South Houston High School and currently attends College of the Mainland in Texas. He recently played Noel Grubber in Ride the Cyclone. He shares his gratitude for his family, friends, directors, and fellow company members for all of their support.
This is Tomas’s second season as a dancer with Unto These Hills. He’s a hard worker, team player, always has a positive attitude, and is an asset to the team!
Tracy Michelle
Tracy is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. She has been acting for over 25 years in community theaters, professional theaters, and short films. When she’s not onstage, she is volunteering for arts programs around Western North Carolina and making costumes for local performers.
Tracy first joined Unto These Hills in the youth company in 2009. She returned as an adult ensemble member in 2025, and is now playing the role of War Woman. Tracy is passionate and dedicated, and we’re glad to have her as a member of the cast.
Gaby Nagel
Gaby is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and a member of the Deer Clan. She carries a deep love for music and the arts and uses creativity as both expression and remembrance. She is passionate about honoring, preserving, and sharing the stories of the Cherokee people. Through her work, Gaby seeks to uplift Indigenous voices, celebrate resilience, and keep culture alive for future generations.
Gaby joined the cast of Unto These Hills for the first time this season, and we’re so glad she did. She plays Nundayeli and understudies some of the other female roles. Gaby’s passion and hard work is an asset to the team, and we’re glad to have her in the cast this season.
Malea Niesen
Malea recently graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. She loves all things singing, dancing, and acting. She also loves to play guitar, adores stage combat, and dabbles in wig design.
Malea first joined us last year as a dancer. This season she’s dancing and playing Ann Worcester. You can also catch her playing guitar with the pre-show band before the show. Malea is a joy to work with, and we love seeing her bring her many talents to the stage.
Be sure to catch these talented performers onstage in Unto These Hills outdoor drama this season! Unto These Hills runs Mondays through Saturdays through August 22nd. You can find a full schedule and more info here. And stay tuned for the next installment of Meet the Cast, A to Z.