Faces, Exhibit S: Phonograph 2

Remember alllllllll the way back to Monday, when you were introduced to Austin as Phonograph 1? Well, that '1' was there for a reason. He's got a partner in crime, and her name is Danelle Wildermuth! As Phonograph 2 in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party, Danelle is the other mastermind behind this whole menagerie of crazies. Watch in awe as she pulls the strings! Makes lions roar, scolds ostriches, buys a painting! So much to do, so much to do!

"Danelle Wildermuth is very excited to be joining The Nine for the first time. Chicago productions include Hangar 9 Theatre, Hobo Junction, Black Ensemble, and Village Players. Regional: The Lost Colony, Waterside Theatre, Great Plains Theatre, and Prairie Repertory. National Tours: Troupe America, Inc and Hampstead Stage. Much gratitude to Bries and the Nine for such an unexpected and great experience. Enjoy!"

Faces, Exhibit R: The Manager/Friend 1

Look at Anthony DeMarco! He's drinking a big ol' mug of beer! Could it be this is how he preps for his roles as Friend 1 in Peculiar Way and The Manager of the Eiffel Tower in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party? (Disclaimer: this is not how he preps for his roles as Friend 1 in Peculiar Way and The Manager of the Eiffel Tower in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party.) No, in reality, it's just that Anthony DeMarco is a fun-loving extra-wittical human bein'. Here, see for yourself:

"After a brief hiatus of several years, Anthony could not be happier than he is right at this very moment with where his artistic journeys have taken him. The past few years have seen him working at Mary-Arrchie Theatre, Lights Out Theatre Company, New Beast Theater Works, and Playing Space Theater as an actor, stage manager, director, and general roustabout. His talents are certainly many, but his passions are slightly more discriminating. Chiefly among those are the cast and crew and inner workings of The Nine, who have all made the past few months a joy to experience. He would also like to thank his mother and father and siblings and nephews, and all those who have supported his development - they happen to be worth their weight in gold... or platinum... or bird seed... or whatever the hell it is Glenn Beck advised DeMarx to purchase."

Faces, Exhibit Q: The Choreographer

I've been doing allllllllll this talking about dancing; I think it's about time I introduce the lady behind it all. Thanks to Lyndsey Rhoads, our Radio Silence choreographer, we have four, count 'em four, showstoppin' numbers by turns sultry, silly, somber, and infectious. (Yeah, infectious doesn't exactly start with an 's', but like Mama always said, alliteration can only take you so far, and then you're on your own.) So when we're shakin' or slidin' or stompin' or snappin' (there -- happy?) during the show, you know who gets the thanks!

"The pride of Ada, Oklahoma, Rhoads moved to Chicago after studying from birth at the Central Oklahoma Dance Center. The Senior Company Member of Chicago Dance Crash, Lyndsey has been performing with the company since 2004 and presented her choreographic debut, closing out the 2010 Duets for My Valentine Festival at a sold-out Park West."

Faces, Exhibit P: The Ostrich/Trouville Bathing Beauty/Art Collector/Radiogram 1

We've got another all-star character track on our hands, and this one belongs to Michelle Carlene Roth! First of all, she gets to play an ostrich on stage, which is hands down cool as ice. But she's not done yet! Mere minutes later, she returns as the Trouville Bathing Beauty for her very own solo dance number. Add a little Radiogram and Art Collector action, and you've got a regular Lady of 1,000 Faces. But you can call her Michelle.

"Michelle is thrilled to be working with this amazingly talented group of artists on the second installment of The Nine. Originally from Sioux Falls, SD, Michelle studied at North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND where she earned her BFA in Theater before relocating to Chicago in 2006. After being seen as Latrelle in The Easy Street Players production of Sordid Lives, Michelle decided to take a hiatus from the spotlight and attempt stage management. She is currently the Managing Director of The Right Brain Project and has recently stage managed their productions of My Filthy Hunt, Halfshut, Pretty Penny andThe Modern Prometheus. Michelle is so incredibly excited to be back on stage and wants to thank Bries for the opportunity, her family for traveling all the way from SD to see her and especially Colby for encouraging her to get back on stage!"

Faces, Exhibit O: The Stage Manager

Annnnnd, Retro Monday continues with part 2 of 2 and our stage manager, Mark Hurni, the sanest man in show biz. Mark also stage managed for Part One: subUrbia and he's back again, despite my seeming insistence on always forcing him to be a part of the onstage action. Mark's the yin to my crazy, and also knows all about the google stuff -- calendars and sites and spreadsheets and things that I should be checking much more than the one time when I'm initially set up for them. (Shhhhh!)

Mark's a big part of the reason that each part of The Nine hasn't melted into a puddle of disorganization and defeat. Give him big ups, eh?

"Mark is very excited to be working with The Nine, again. Most recently, he’s designed lights for the Signal Ensemble’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Aftermath, The Ballad of the Sad Café and Six Degrees of Separation, as well as Right Brain’s Modern Prometheus. His Chicago stage manager credits include the Nine’s first installment of subUrbia, the independently produced Sandoval at La Costa Theatre, Bohemian Theatre’s Gross Indecency and Right Brain’s A Devil Inside. Thanks to the cast for making this a fun experience. Thanks to Bries for including me in this great project. And thanks to Rach for her support."

Faces, Exhibit N: Phonograph 1

We took Easter off (hey, it's not every day that giant bunnies hand-deliver chocolate and jelly beans), so we're gonna make it up to you with an extra special two-fer of Retro Monday! First, you may remember Austin D. Oie as Tim in Part One: subUrbia. He was drunk, angry, and a bigot there. Here, he's a phonograph. Normally, you'd think playing an inanimate object is a pretty major step backward, but it worked for the dinosaurs on The Flintstones! No really, though -- the Phonographs (there's another who you'll meet her soon enough!) are the hub of The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party. Everything, and I mean literally everything, happens because of them.

That's right; we've put the machines in charge. Are we fools? Have we not seen Terminator? Are we spelling our own doom? Probably not. BUT WHO KNOWS?!?

"Hi friends!

Part Two of the Nine. Last time it was SubUrbia. I was angrytown. Now its Eiffel Tower Wedding Party. This time, I am crazytown. I'm an actor. Church/Pullman, WA (Red Tape Theatre), The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Project 891), The Man Who Was Thursday (New Leaf Theatre), Some Show I Haven't Yet Been Cast In (Steppenwolf Theatre Co). I take photos too. They're everywhere. I generally don't have people take their clothes off though. I dunno... I mean, don't get me wrong... that's pretty cool. I have some friends that like to do that. But I like taking photos of other things. Like people with clothes ON. Usually acting. Or headshots. I do those too. You wanna see? www.austindoiephotography.com Fair warning though, there isn't any nudity. So you'll have to seek that elsewhere. Let's see... what else... shout out to Meghan Reardon. This is show #5 for us. I think thats what? The cardboard anniversary? We're registered at 7-11. So, ya know... pony up. And don't be stingy with the fake cheese on that fake hot dog.

Love,

Phonograph 1"

Faces, Exhibit M: The General

What can you expect from a fine upstanding military man in Cocteau's world? Life lessons about mirages, epic orchestrated combat stories, fierce lion battles, and resurrection. If you know of a better character arc, I'd like to see it. And you lucky bastards get the pleasure of watching Dennis Newport take this crazy journey as The General in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party, but only if you grab your ticket quick before they disappear! Do it to it!

"I've come far from my first role as a courtier in an Off-Off-Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet, where a homeless man ran the lights and a cat wandered to and fro on the set during crucial scenes. It's all been up from there. I'm grateful to be back on the North Side with The Nine -- thanks to Bries for the opportunity. What a great cast and crew! Thanks to Kathy -- I will be home soon. I want to dedicate this performance to my grandchildren, Nate, Rodger, Aislyn, and Logan. May they inherit the best of all possible worlds. For complete resume go to www.dennisnewport.com ."

Faces, Exhibit L: The Assistant Director

Happy Good Friday! I've got the 'Spring Holiday' off from work, so me and assistant director Jesus Contreras have been running all over town picking up hardware and props and all kindsa shit as we get ready to head into tech week. So I figure what better day to introduce you to the man himself? Not only is he a great second set of eyes, he also knows where Micro Center is and has a helluva burrito hook-up. The man, the myth, the legend: Jesus Contreras!

(He's the one one the left. You'll meet that dude on the right in a minnit.)

"Originally hailing from the Second City, Chuy was born a poor black child under a bridge during a summer storm in Indiana. He overcame his fear of unicorns and cooked spaghetti using only a pot and sheer force of will. Chuy traveled to the underworld, clutching a stone of imperial greatness, which would one day wake princess Glenn Beck from her everlasting slumber. He then trekked across the country, helping small sparrows take flight from tall trees, scraping bubble gum off the bottom of desks, and at every stop, planting the seeds of burrito trees. Chuy has passed the Ramen Retention Barrier. He is also the first mate to the daring Han Solo who pilots the fastest ship ever, the Millennium Falcon. Although he is a master of the written word, he can best be described by the emotions of music. Chuy knows which side his bread is buttered on."

Faces, Exhibit K: The Wife

This here's Susan Myburgh. She's a tricky one. 'Cause, see, here's the deal: despite her taking on the role of the Wife in Peculiar Way, you will never actually get a chance to *see* her during Radio Silence. Oh, you'll *hear* her, but unless she just so happens to be in audience that night, Susan will be that one mystery actor who is only a voice to you. These are the strange and mystifying ways of working with radio plays!

Except I just ruined all of that 'only a voice' mystique by putting her headshot up here so you know exactly what sorta face to put to that voice. I've got a sneaking suspicion you're glad I did, though. Amirite or amirite?

"Susan Myburgh is a founding member of The Tympanic Theatre Company. Her directing credits include Alice in Wonderland, Gregor And The Squonk, Morality Play, The Great Black Vulutre, and Tea. She has been lucky enough acted with some of her favorite Chicago Theatre's inlcuding; The Mammals, Oracle Theatre, Redtwist Theatre, and The Right Brain Project. Next she can be seen in Verse Chorus Verse with Tympanic Theatre, and Sketchbook with Collaboraction. She is thirlled to be a part of this second installment of The Nine and hopes ya'll enjoy it as much as she enjoys working with this gang of hooligans!"

Faces, Exhibit J: The Lion/Cyclist/Art Dealer/Radiogram 3

Holy jeezus, will you look at all those parts? This is Angie Steffens, and she is what we call a multi-tasker. A super-multi-tasker. Come on out to Radio Silence and during the course of The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party, you will see her play a Radiogram (#3 to be precise), a Cyclist, back to a Radiogram (still #3, but this time with dancing!), a Lion (!!!RAWR!!!), and an Art Dealer! How on earth does she keep them all straight? And what's the transformation process from Lion to Art Dealer like, exactly? And when she's dancing as the Radiogram, does she ever have the urge to break out in a timely RAWR? All excellent questions from the reader grab bag, but you'll have to come to the show and ask her yourself if you *really* wanna find out!

(Once more for good measure: RAWWWWWR!)

"Angie Steffens is elated to be back on the Chicago stage after a too-long hiatus. The fact that she gets to make her debut with The Nine is icing on the cake! After appearing with Signal Ensemble in their production on The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, she took a break to pursue film projects, travel, and to begin a career in the fashion industry. However, the thrill of doing a live show was too good to pass up, and hopefully this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship with The Nine. Much love to Anders, the Hills, and the Zipps for their unending support. It's all happening!"

Faces, Exhibit I: The Costume Designer

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CREW, BRIES?!?!

Glad you asked. Let's hop over to that side for a hot second. You know all about those actor-type people, but let me relay the tale of a mystical person know as the Costume Designer. You see, there's a person in this process (let's refer to her as Carla Hamilton, eh?) who took a whole bunch of the ideas in my head, went away with them for a few weeks and then came back to return them all perfectly realized in clothing form. Those mysterious weeks may never be fully explained, but I tend to think Carla has some sort of magic loom that can translate Bries. And let me tell you, that's ruhhhl heavy magic. Or maybe she's got a Rumplestiltskin hanging out at her place. That's what he did, right? Spin nothing into a whole lot of something? Then again, it could be that she's a supercool Costume Designer and is just very, very good at her job.

Sure, if we're gonna get technical, the last answer's the correct one, but in the long run, it's just more fun to pretend it's all of the above. I mean, can you imagine the resale value on a Rumplestiltskin? Yeah, think about that...

"Carla is tickled to be working with The Nine! She graduated with a degree in psychology, but has found that she cannot stay away from theatre. She is now pursuing costuming in the city. Carla spent last summer sewing for the Black Hills Playhouse in South Dakota and recently finished designing for Goat Song Theatre's 'The Balcony.'"

Faces, Exhibit H: The Photographer

Alrighty, let's take it retro again on a Monday morning. Odds are you haven't forgotten Greg Wenz's bouncing off the walls as Buff in Part One: subUrbia. Well, he's back again, this time as The Photographer in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party! Funny thing is, this time he might be the only normal character of the bunch. Which means one of two things: either Greg's got him some range, or this play is tricked out with absolute nutters. My guess is a lot of Column A and a lot of Column B.

But don't let his headshot fool you. He has a beard. #secretsrevealed!

"Greg is extremely psyched to be a part of Radio Silence. Last year, he had a blast playing Buff in subUrbia in The Nine: Part One. Greg has been on many stages, playing many parts, throughout many years. He originally hails from the murky shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio making him a severely traumatized sports fan but a loyal fan nonetheless. Greg would like to thank the cast of Radio Silence for making rehearsals ridiculously hilarious, Mark Hurni for allowing him to constantly steal pens without too much backlash, Chuy for always telling it like it is and in particular Bries for allowing him to be a part of such an innovative and exciting piece of theater. Think for yourself, question authority. Spiral out, keep going...."

Faces, Exhibit G: The Child

Alright then, we've put our Bride and Bridegroom together. If you put any stock whatsoever into playground rhymes (and let's be honest, who doesn't?), the next step would be the baby in the baby carriage, right? Oh goodness, you have no idea just how right you are!

Today's face is dear Stephen Gawrit, who is playing the role of The Child in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party. Now I figuratively hear you saying that Stephen doesn't look like a child at all, much less the Child of our Bride and Bridegroom. And, figuratively, I may agree with you. But I have seen this man walk around carrying an oversized lollipop. And that, ladies and gents, is a little game-changer we call THE MAGIC OF THEATRE! Revel in it!

"Stephen, a native Chicagoan, is extremely excited to be working with The Nine channeling his cheeky childhood characterizations. He’s a graduate from both the Chicago Academy for the Arts (Theatre) and Illinois State University (B.A. Acting). Stephen has also trained with Profiles Theatre and the National Institute for Dramatic Arts Australia (NIDA). Recently Stephen has been seen, as an actor, in such productions as: SAINTS AND SINNERS (Goat Song), PRETTY PENNY (Right Brain Project), CHARLEY’S SONATA (On the Spot), GARDEN OF THE THREE (Gorilla Tango), COMEDY OF ERRORS (Chase Park Theatre), and TROILUS AND CRESSIDA (Tafety Punk Theatre). Stephen is a Company Member of The Right Brain Project and starting July 13^th 2011 his new SciFi play THE ARCHIVIST will premiere. Stephen can also been seen as Brutus in CAESURA: A BUTCHERY this August at New Rock Theater. Special thanks to his family, friends, teachers, and Amanda for their constant support."

Faces, Exhibit F: The Bridegroom

So, the initial thought was that I was only going to put up new faces on weekdays from now until opening. You know, give you guys the weekend off and all, 'cause it's like Lent and it only seems proper or something like that. However, I sat down and did the official math for the first time today, and between cast and crew, there are twenty-four faces that need to be blogpostified. Twenty-four! That's almost a whole alphabet full of exhibits!!! Who's gonna be Exhibit I? Or Exhibit P? Or the elusive Exhibit Q? You'll have to wait and see...

Anyways, the moral of the story is that if you're going to have any hope of meeting all of these people before we open, there's no rest for the wicked. And by the wicked, I mean the guy writing these blogs. No rest for him. Because obviously, he's putting SO MUCH time into them and they're not just coming off the top of his head. Obviously.

So now look here! In the interest of continuing the whole 'introduce the wedding party by pairs' thing as well as the whole show you just how amazeballs this cast and crew are, I present our very first special weekend introduction: Mr. Christopher Perez, soon to be appearing as The Bridegroom in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party! Rock and roll, team! Rock. And. Roll.

"Chris is a Chicago native and has managed to still do theatre all over. His favorite is outdoor theatre. His favorite role was Touchstone with the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. He has enjoyed working with this group of people very much, and hopes you enjoy the show half as much as Chris does."

Faces, Exhibit E: The Bride

I mean, the play's called The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party -- you knew there was gonna be a bride at some point, right? Well, here it is, the moment of truth! Allow me to unveil (Get it? Unveil??? Yeah, I'm gonna make that joke about a bajillion times, so get used to it.) our beautiful, blushing, Cocteau-spouting Bride: Erin Elizabeth Orr!

**Hooray! Fanfare! Limos with cans tied to the bumper! Elvis impersonators in cramped Vegas cathedrals! Confetti! Not rice because the birds will eat it and then explode! Unveiled!**

"ERIN ELIZABETH ORR is tickled to be playing with this fantastical group of talented and beautiful people! She has been lucky enough to work with such wonderful Chicago companies as the Right Brain Project, The Factory, Speaking Ring Theater, WNEP Theater, InFusion Theater, Per Diem, Point of Contention Theater, Silent Theater, Bootstraps Comedy Theater, and The Mammals (where she is a proud company member!) She also had the magical opportunity to play with Don Hall and Joe Janes in this year's Sketchfest 2011! Originally from Texas, she spent time as an acting intern at Milwaukee Repertory Theater before making her move to the Windy City. Her next projects will be working on the Chicago premiere of "Bonegrinders" with BENDSINISTER THEATRE, Joe Janes' 50 PLAYS PROJECT, and The Mammals' "Put My ____ In Your ______", "Mexican Wrestling Macbeth" and "All Girl Moby Dick". Erin is also one of the founding members of the Ex-Pats. In her free time, she likes to play her banjo and smooch a cute boy named Adam. Thanks to Bries and Chuy for being the coolest of the cool! xo"

Faces, Exhibit D: The Hunter/Radiogram #2

Today today today! That's when you get to meet Nick Freed. He's pulling off two roles in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party, playing both The Hunter (think Elmer Fudd without the speech impediment, the male pattern baldness, and whose rival is not a Bunny but an Ostrich -- who you'll be meeting soon enough) and Radiogram #2 (which means he dances, and let me tell you, he does a mean ballerina)!

Take a look at that hunka hunka dancing man. Fuh serious.

"Nick is a proud Missourian who has been transplanted in Chicago. After college he worked as a time traveling tour guide in Rhode Island before moving to Chicago three years ago to star in NachtKabarett at Gorilla Tango. Since then he has worked with The Building Stage (Dracula), Filament Theater Ensemble (Legend of Sleepy Hollow), The Right Brain Project (Hesperia), Chicago Fusion Theater (Proof), and Chicago dell'Arte, where he has done numerous shows including The Literati, A Christmas Carl, A Commedia Christmas Carol, and Much Ado About Nothing (Director) and of which he has been newly appointed Artistic Director. He loves Chicago more than he can express, and couldn't be happier to be working with Bries Vannon again and on this project with this fantastic cast. Nick wants to thank his friends for being there no matter what, and lastly his incredible family. If it weren't for their support and dedication and love, he would be a much lesser person."

Faces, Exhibit C: The Father-in-Law/Dad

Oh, don't worry, there are boys in this show, too! Here's one of them! Charles Schoenherr is playing The Father-in-Law in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party and has provided the voice of the Dad in Peculiar Way. Now, if you're paying attention, you'll remember that yesterday's face (it was Mary Jo, remember?) was responsible for The Mother-in-Law and Mom... 2 and 2 equals Charles and Mary Jo being married in two shows in one evening! Happenstance? Coincidence? Casting decision? What are the odds? No really: what are the odds? My bookie's waiting.

Ohhhh, ok. Enough with the crazy funny jokes. Put your meeting people caps on for one Charles Schoenherr!

"Charles Schoenherr is thrilled to be working with The Nine. A graduate of the Acting Studio at the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign, Charles has been performing in Chicago for nine years. Previous roles include "Rainey Brother #2" in The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, "Lucky" in Waiting for Godot, and "Don Jon" in Much Ado About Nothing all with Signal Ensemble Theater. While a company member with A Crew of Patches he has played multiple roles in many Shakespeare productions including: All's Well That End's Well, Julius Caesar, Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth."

Faces, Exhibit B: The Mother-in-Law/Mom

Hey look, another darling face! This one belongs to Mary Jo Bolduc! Not only can you come see her as The Mother-in-Law in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party, but you'll also get to *hear* her as the Mom in Peculiar Way. You see? Sight, sound, ALL THE SENSES! Or at least TWO of them!

Also, it's a little-known secret that MJ is functioning as our impromptu dance captain for The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party. What's that I say? Dances? Yes, and there are four of them, and they are so much fun you'll pee, and I'll tell you all about them in a future Faces post (hint: dances = choreographer). But first, you need to be feasting your eyes on this lovely lady:

"MJ is very excited to be a part of the second installment of The Nine, and has had a blast with this cast and crew! She is thankful to have performed with great theatres all over Chicago: WNEP, Mary Arrchie, New Leaf, Timeline, Provision, Trapdoor, Lifeline, Second City National Touring Co., Red Tape, Jackalope, Annoyance, ComedySportz, etc. Some credits include: “The Edward Hopper Project”, “MUD People”, “Six Years”, “Metaluna & the Amazing Science of the Mind”, “Beggars in the House of Plenty”, “Time of Your Life”, “Invasion of the Minnesota Normals”, “Amerikafka”, “The Shadow” (Jeff nominated - Best Supporting Actress), “Co-Ed Prison Sluts”, “365 Sketches”, the improvised “DanseMacabre”, “ScrewPuppies”, & “Dinner4Six”. Also, she thinks you look great in that shirt!"

OMG, the faces of Radio Silence! Exhibit A: The Bridesmaid

Well, Jesus H. Christ! It's Nine time again! I guess that means time to dust off the ol' blog, too, hunh? I have two birds that need killin' and one stone to throw, so let's lay this out. Last go around, I did a bad job at a) keeping this blog updated with production info, and b) giving you a place to go to peep the pretty and talented faces you saw at the show. (For the newcomers, we don't do programs at The Nine. Sorry.... kinda.) But the lightbulb went off, and I finally realized that this might be the perfect place to provide a go-to who's who! And since we have twice the cast that we did in Part One, I gotta get started early!!! So here's the first of many, many cast/crew members as we lead into opening on May 6th, where the awesomeness lurks.

First up, we have one of our very familiar faces from Part One: subUrbia. You might remember this lady from her stint drinking Jack Daniels on the roof of a 7-11... Ladies and gents, put your hands together and cheer with your faces for the one, the only, the Meghan Reardon -- soon to be rocking Radio Silence as The Bridesmaid in The Eiffel Tower Wedding Party!

"Meghan Reardon is proud to be a part of the second installment of The Nine, having played Bee-Bee in SubUrbia during the first production of this cycle last winter. She is a company member at Red Tape Theatre, where she has been seen as Tory in Church/Pullman, WA, Salvia in Obscura and Philomele in The Love of the Nightingale. Elsewhere, she has performed with Signal Ensemble, The Building Stage, Redmoon Theatre, The (a)Symmetry Cycle and more. Currently, she is workshopping the new play Aunt Susan by Seth Bockley at The Goodman Theatre. Meghan is a 2008 graduate of Knox College, home of the Prairie Fire. Special thanks to Bries for allowing her to come out and play with this talented group of rogues and rascals!"