the whiskey maiden

Theatre of NOTE presents the world premiere of
THE WHISKEY MAIDEN
By Chris Kelley
Directed by Chris Kelley
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Stage Managed by Kelly Jonske
Produced for NOTE by Chantelle Albers, Claudia de Vasco,
Aaron Saldaña and Jason Denuszek
Scenic Design
Lighting Design
Costume Design
Sound Design
Prop Design
Graphic Design
Publicity
Todd Pate
Rebecca Raines
Jolie DeJohnette
Rebecca Kessin
Hannah Dean
Alexis DeLaRosa
David Elzer/DEMAND PR
This show is produced with special permission from and under
the guidelines of the Actors’ Equity Association 99-Seat Plan.
This performance is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
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THE WHISKEY MAIDEN
Cast
(in alphabetical order)
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Margaret ............................................................................................ Chantelle Albers
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Phil ......................................................................................................... Doug Burch*
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Raoul ................................................................................................ Alexis DeLaRosa
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Staci ....................................................................................................... Erin Fleming*
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Father..................................................................................................Carl J. Johnson*
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Danny ......................................................................................................... Joe Mahon
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Bill ....................................................................................................... Darrett Sanders
Understudies
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Father: David Bickford* ; Staci: Sigi Gradwohl ; Margaret: Channing Sargent ;
Raoul: Aaron Saldaña
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association,
the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
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Member of SAG-AFTRA
Hoc est corpus: In the Latin mass, “This is my body.”
Spoken at the moment of transmogrification of the bread into the body of Christ.
Later, rephrased by magicians into the magic words: “hocus pocus.”
All things are alterable.
The Whiskey Maiden is performed without an intermission.
The restroom will not be available during the performance.
Please turn off all electronic devices.
Texting, tweeting, flash photography or any other use of these devices
is prohibited during the performance.
No sound and/or image recording devices are permitted in the theatre.
AFTER THE SHOW, FOLLOW US
on Twitter: @theatreofNOTE #whiskeymaiden
on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheatreofNOTE
on Instagram: @TheatreofNOTE #whiskeymaiden
The Whiskey Maiden Crew
Master Carpenter:
Master Electrician:
Front of House:
AMC Liaison:
Program Design:
Proofreaders:
Set Construction:
Todd Pate
Jonathan Klein
Cat Chengery
Kjai Block
Dan Wingard
Phil Ward, Tony DeCarlo
Todd Pate
Special Thanks
Kirsten Vangsness & Tom Lenk
James Olsen & John Kenower
Judith Levit
Morgan Heino
Diana Jonske
Eric Quon-Lee
Trevor H Olsen
David Bickford
Laura Finnegan
Playwright’s/Director’s Notes
I’ve heard stories that sometimes mythic things happen when one finds oneself truly
alone in despair. When one sits on the ground or on the edge of the bed or behind the
wheel of one’s Bentley and asks heaven (or whomever might be listening) for help, I’ve
heard that someone appears. Maybe a paramedic, or a stranger, or your agent calls. An
angel. And sometimes she brings whiskey. The word in Arabic was Al Axir: The
Philosopher’s Stone, the alchemical transformation of base metal into gold. But the origin
of this myth is actually believed to have been the first concoctions that treated the pain of
soldiers on the battlefield. It was a golden liquid that magicians (today we call them
pharmacists) gave to the broken and hopeless and, whether or not it cured them, it took
away the pain and the fear. The Irish later named it uisquebaugh, which became
“whiskey.” Magic.
Bill’s whiskey and his angels exist like the muses or the goddesses in our minds,
imperfect and unreliable and probably not the best solution to our problems, if they exist
at all. The play also, noticeably, allows much of the “plot” to exist offstage, leaving
onstage sometimes slight interstitial moments between major events. So maybe the play
itself is a space between things. It seems to linger between despair and desire, in the
purgatory of want. In this way, perhaps, it’s dreamlike. A convulsive allegory for the
nature of suffering.
Angels and demons exist in the spaces between our practical lives and their influence is
assumed to be magical. An altered state of mind. Maybe the real tragedy of the play isn’t
Bill’s actions past or present, nor his failure to reconcile his dark memories, but, maybe,
it’s the failure of faith itself. Maybe his suffering is really the loss of magic, the final
dissolution of our elixirs in the harsh light of modern life.
Cast Biographies
Chantelle Albers (Margaret) is delighted to be
producing/acting in this wonderful Whiskey Tale. After
working in regional theatre and independent film, this
marks her fourth production onstage at NOTE, her theatre
home for the last three years. Some of her past NOTE
productions include What May Fall, Do Not Disturb, and
Niagara Falls. She's excited for the upcoming release of a feature film she
produced/acted in called The Sixth Friend and also her upcoming film
Between Lives. Thank you to NOTE, the 99-seat family of Los Angeles,
and to amazing parents Lyle and Claudia.
Doug Burch (Phil) has worked in regional theatre, as well
as up and down the coast of California, having performed in
San Francisco at the Eureka Theatre and the Magic Theatre.
As a member of NOTE, he performed in the original
productions of Holy Ghost, Film, and Sheetcake Sliding.
His film work includes The Road, L.A. Confidential and A
River Runs Through It. He can also be heard in the animated films The
Simpsons Movie, Team America, Happy Feet and The Lego Movie.
Alexis DeLaRosa (Raoul) has previously appeared on the
NOTE stage in Niagara Falls, Disassembly, Eat The Runt,
and I Wanna Hold Your Hand. He is truly honored to be
part of his first Chris Kelley yarn. A native New Yorker and
proud graduate of Wesleyan University, he regularly does
TV and stuff. Credits include: Hawaii Five-0, Battle Creek,
and Castle among others. Thank you to all the permanent residents of my
heart, especially Crystal, for making life amazing and possible.
Erin Fleming (Staci) is originally from Seattle and has
been with NOTE since 2007. She has appeared in numerous
NOTE shows including Titus Andronicus as Lavinia. Other
work she has done includes Terminator: the Sarah Connor
Chronicles, Days of Our Lives, Castle, etc. Currently Erin is
producing Shakespeare In The Sphere, a series using virtual
reality as an educational tool, supporting art in schools in a new,
progressive way. www.ShakespeareintheSphere.com
Carl J. Johnson (Father) has performed numerous roles at
NOTE, The Road and other LA theaters. He is delighted to
be working with Chris Kelley again. When NOTE was on
Kenmore Avenue, he played Bill (Burroughs) to Kelley’s
Jack (Kerouac) in the acclaimed Walking Down The
Fellahin Streets. He also appeared with Chris in the dearly
missed Dennis Miles’ The Guileless Side. More recently he was in
Kelley’s award-winning Wreck of the Unfathomable. Here's to Chris, The
Whiskey Maiden, NOTE, 99-seat theater, and to you!
Joe Mahon (Danny) – Most recently, Joe performed at
NOTE in Niagara Falls and Banshee. A graduate of USC,
he has appeared in Come Back, Little Sheba (Kirk Douglas
Theatre), Birdy (Lounge Theatre), INTERNment (Elephant
Theatre), and the workshop and world premiere productions
of Gospel According to First Squad, for which he received
Ovation and LA WEEKLY nominations in the category of Best Acting
Ensemble. Absolute gratitude to his family, teachers, and everyone at
NOTE for making this possible.
Darrett Sanders (Bill) – For the last four years Darrett was
part of a psychological experiment that studied the effects
of audience on the artist. Control Group A did various
shows in repertory to a live audience while Group B
performed the same schedule of shows to an empty house.
The actors in Darrett’s group suffered many health
problems and mental imbalances. “Without an audience there is just no
point.” But he did learn to insulate himself from the destructive tendencies
of his fellow performers. “I learned to travel in my own inner dimensions
and meet the beings that inhabit the quantum world.” Darrett now teaches
classes in Strategic Driving: How to escape road rage by diving into
Quantum Bliss. “It’s amazing the things you can do while simultaneously
walking and talking. I live multiple existences while most just live one or
two.” And he is also full of shit.
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David Bickford (Understudy: Father) has appeared in
many shows in over twenty years as a NOTE member,
including Chris Kelley’s Monstrosity and Marat/Sade (as
the Marquis de Sade). He has produced a dozen shows here,
including Kelley’s Wreck of the Unfathomable, four Erik
Patterson plays and the world premiere of Bertolt Brecht
and W.H. Auden’s adaptation of The Duchess of Malfi, and composed the
music for a few, too.
Sigi Gradwohl (Understudy: Staci) is a bicoastal IsraeliSwiss-American triple citizen and a proud new member of
Theatre of NOTE. Favorite theater credits are the title role
in The Diary of Anne Frank (winner of Best Leading
Actress at Theatre Palisades) and Askance (Scenie Award
winner). TV: Girl Meets World, Jessie (Disney), The
Middle (ABC), Chelsea Handler's After Lately (E!). FILM: James Franco's
Killing Animals, Little Loopers, Spare Parts (Outfest Film Festival
selection). Sigi co-created the online series Bad Nannies and stars in the
viral Youtube hit Girls are Assholes. She lives to create comedic content
and is currently in post-production for her project Sig'NHil. You can catch
Sigi performing weekly at The Improv Space. www.sigigradwohl.com.
Aaron Saldaña (Understudy: Raoul) – Workaholic
member of Theatre of NOTE. www.Tech-Tor.com.
Channing Sargent (Understudy: Margaret) hails from the
magical land of Salt Lake City, Utah. She holds a B.F.A. in
acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She studied at
the Moscow Art Theatre and is an alumnus of the Upright
Citizen’s Brigade comedy improv training program. She
recently obtained her Master’s Degree in creative writing
from USC’s Master of Professional Writing Program. She writes for LA
WEEKLY, LA Magazine and Los Angeles Downtown News and is
completing her first book. She was previously seen in NOTE's mainstage
production of Steve Yockey's Disassembly as Mirabelle, the crazy cat
lady, and in Joshua Fardon's Do Not Disturb as Mary, an entitled, pilladdicted wife.
Production Team
Chris Kelley (Playwright/Director) has had twenty plays produced in Los
Angeles, Chicago and Austin. Previous productions at Theatre of NOTE
include Darkness, Monstrosity, The Chimesman, Richard III and The
Wreck of The Unfathomable, which was awarded an LA WEEKLY Award
in 2008. He writes for television in his spare time and makes his home in
Los Angeles with his ten-year-old daughter and their twenty-year-old cat.
Kelly Jonske (Stage Manager) is elated to be back in the booth for her
second NOTE production. She is currently a student at the University of
Southern California, studying theatre and the music industry. You may
have seen her pushing buttons and making faces from mission control in
NOTE's spring show Entropy.
Chantelle Albers (Producer) – Please see Chantelle’s bio under “Cast
Biographies.”
Claudia de Vasco (Producer) is happy to be a new member of NOTE and
producing her first show already! A performer since the age of four, she's
been working in LA (stage and screen) for nine years. She's performed in
ISC's Griffith Park Shakespeare Festival for five years, and worked with
other theaters regionally. She is a co-founder of ShockPulse Theatre,
producing their first show in January 2016. Claudia is also a professional
dialect coach, a singer, and a newlywed. More about her career
performing, political organizing, and coaching at
www.claudiadevasco.com.
Aaron Saldaña (Producer) – Please see Aaron’s bio under “Cast
Biographies.”
Jason Denuszek (Producer) is happy to be back from leave and fully
involved with NOTE again, having spent the last year producing his own
latest ongoing project: a daughter! For NOTE, he was an Associate
Producer on Copy by Padraic Duffy in 2012 and was seen on stage in
What May Fall (2013), Figure 8 (2012), 30 Story Masterpiece (2012), and
PTSD (2011). For more info go to www.jasondenuszek.com. Congrats and
thanks to the cast, crew, designers, director, and YOU for supporting this
wonderful theater.
Todd Pate (Set Designer) is a set builder, guitarist, actor, furniture maker,
playwright, handyman, author of several short stories, a horse wrangler,
singer/songwriter and does anything else he has to do to pay the bills.
Jolie DeJohnette (Costume Designer) is a college student from the Art
Institute of California – Hollywood, currently earning her Bachelor’s
Degree in fashion design. For as long as she can remember, Jolie has
loved the performing arts. She is a California native who particularly loves
theatre and is still learning the ropes in both the fashion and the
entertainment worlds. She hopes to be a successful person one day.
Rebecca Kessin (Sound Designer) – Recent designs include If You Can
Get to Buffalo (Son of Semele), Niagara Falls (Theatre of NOTE), What
the Butler Saw (Associate Design – Mark Taper Forum), The Why (The
Blank), The Max Factor Factor (NoHo Arts Center), Object of Her
Affection (Automata), Woman Parts (Son of Semele), The Homosexuals,
Revolver (Celebration), Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers (The
Blank Theatre), The Black Suits (Assistant Design – Kirk Douglas), Tribes
(Associate Design – La Jolla Playhouse), Wrap Your Heart Around It
(Falcon Theatre), Thoroughly Modern Millie, Dancing at Lughnasa,
Children of Eden, The Hot L Baltimore, Once On This Island, Cabaret, A
Secret Garden, Twelve Angry Jurors, Legally Blonde, A Christmas Carol
(AMDA), Vera Stark, Next Fall, In Motherwords (Associate Design – The
Geffen Playhouse), Clybourne Park (Associate Design – Mark Taper
Forum), The Savannah Disputation, On Golden Pond, The All Night
Strut!, Educating Rita (The Colony), Gypsy, Three Tall Women,
Crumbs..., Fabulation!, Miss Witherspoon (West Coast Ensemble),
Stranger (Bootleg Theatre – Garland Nomination), Kiss of the Spider
Woman (Havok – Garland Nomination), and The Miracle Worker (High
Street Arts Center – Four Star Award). www.rebeccakessin.com
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Rebecca Raines (Lighting Designer) is a Georgia native who has spent
fifteen years performing, stage managing, and designing lighting. She and
her husband founded LightRaines, a company which provides events with
lighting, sound, management, and multimedia services. She just became
the Technical Director at the Complex Theatre. Her lighting has been seen
in the Edinburgh Fringe, Hollywood Fringe, six seasons at Atlanta
International School, and Zephyr Theatre's productions of House of Yes
and Low-Hanging Fruit. Enjoy the show!
Hannah Dean (Prop Designer) has a rich and varied background in the
performing arts, interior and graphic design. She recently graduated from
the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor’s Degree in
Psychology. She has worked alongside Walt Disney Imagineering and
nonprofits in Hollywood to bring a therapeutic experience to physical
structures. This is her first production with Theatre of NOTE and she is
excited to do more in the future.
Alexis DeLaRosa (Graphic Designer) – Please see Alexis’ bio under
“Cast Biographies.”
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Vote for NOTE! Use your smartphone’s QR scanner on
the code below to give The Whiskey Maiden one to five
stars. Of course, the more stars you give us, the more
likely it becomes that a member of the cast will hug you
after the show. 
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