TICKETS

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Vanessa Watersm Rachel Kanouse and Paige Handler in The Women

Paige Handler, Lindsey Jacobson, MJ Karmi, Rachel Kanouse and Bibi Tinsley in The Women

Stephanie O'Neill, Vanessa Waters and Jenni Fontana in The Women

Jennie Fontana, Dana Lyn Baron and Aline Elasmar in The Women

Cast Bios

Dana Lyn Baron

Dana Lyn Baron Euphie, Saleswoman, Lucy, Society WomanDana Lyn Baron is thrilled to be making her Circus Theatricals debut in The Women. Favorite stage roles include: Meg in Crimes of the Heart (HB Playwrights Foundation), Darlene in Hurly Burly (The Actors' Loft, NYC), Carol in Red Cross (Duality Playhouse, NYC), and Maria in Twelfth Night (Knightsbridge Theatre), among others. Her professional stage life began singing and hoofing away in musicals: Slings and Eros (West Coast Premiere), Weird Romance (West Coast Premiere), Bye Bye Birdie, 42nd Street, Singing in the Rain, No No Nanette, Sugar Babies, and Phantom. Upcoming films: David Zucker’s An American Carol (starring Kelsey Grammar), Rene Alberta’s Dream Date, Tasha Oldham’s Everything’s Going to Be Alright. Television: General Hospital. Voice Over: 24 Day Zero (as Teri & Kim Bauer, opposite Kiefer Sutherland), World of Warcraft, Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, among many others. While living in NYC, she began producing short films under her LongStoryShort Productions banner, including Riley’s Fan and Ultraviolet. Dana attended the British American Drama Academy at Oxford, the La Jolla Playhouse Summer Conservatory, and is a graduate of UCLA (BA Communication Studies). www.danalynbaron.com

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Aline Elasmar Miriam Aarons, Salesgirl, NurseThe Women is Aline’s first show with Circus Theatricals. Past work includes roles in Streetcar Named Desire, Macbeth, Antigone, and Three Sisters at Dallas Theatre Center, the Monomoy Theatre, and Shakespeare Dallas. Aline recently graduated from University of Houston with her M.F.A. in Acting. Thanks to all the women involved for making this show such a great experience.

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Jenni Fontana

Jenni Fontana Sylvia Fowler, Miss FordyceJenni is a recent addition to LA, having relocated from Chicago where she worked in theatre for 10 years. LA credits include Safe: Festival of New One-Act Plays here at Circus, and Still Photos at Celebration Theatre. Chicago roles include Mary Bailey in ATC’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play; Lady Oona O’Neill Chaplin in Piven Theatre’s world premiere Lady Chaplin & Her Tramp; and she originated the role of Francesca in Live Bait Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of Blind Tasting, which earned her a Jeff Citation nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Additional Chicago credits: Buffalo Theatre (The Weir), Circle Theatre (On the Verge, Salome), Theo Ubique (Les Liaisons Dangereuses), Prop Theatre (1001 Afternoons in Chicago), as well as productions with Steppenwolf, Northlight, Profiles, and many others. You can catch her on the pilot episode of Joss Whedon’s new show DOLLHOUSE on Fox in January. Jenni wishes to thank Elise, Jack, Jeannine, and her extremely talented fellow actors for this wonderful opportunity and experience.

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Paige Handler Haidresser, Fitter, Miss Watts, Helene, Party Girl

Paige was most recently seen playing the hysterically vapid Elaine in The High and the Mighty. Previous stage credits include; Dickie and Babe (Ensemble) at The Blank, Awake and Sing (Hennie) at the International City Theater, and Four Girls From Vassar, a Running Fools Production. Paige is a founding member of the NYC Theater Company OYL with whom she worked on an original adaptation of The Oresteia (Electra) which premiered in NYC and then went on to tour Greece and Italy. Other favorite roles include; Libby in Blue Window, Naomi in Naomi in the Living Room, Lena in A Mouthful of Birds, and the Little Nun in House Of Blue Leaves. Paige is a graduate of Vassar College (B.A Drama)

Lindsey Jacobson Pedicurist, Salesgirl, Miss Trimmerback, Party Girl Lindsey was born and raised in Oklahoma and is still a newcomer to Hollywood. She has her BFA from the University of Central Oklahoma, and since moving to LA has performed at The Upright Citizens Brigade and become a member of both The West Coast Ensemble Theatre Company and Circus Theatricals. Her stage credits include such roles as Trudy in Comic Potential, Kess in Independence, Sarah in The Lover, Natalia Stepanovitch in A Marriage Proposal, and Mrs. Clayton in Early Frost, to name a few. Lindsey is currently studying with Karen Austin (Advanced Scene Study), Elise Robertson (Circus Theatricals), and Improvisation (Upright Citizens Brigade). Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Rachel Kanouse Jane, Hairdresser, Cigarette GirlRachel was born and raised in Los Angeles, and is a proud member of a multi-generation native Angeleno family. Credits include numerous short films, among them the multiple award-winning short film Confessions of a Late Bloomer, screened at Tribeca and Cannes, and feature film Death's Door. Past theater includes Proof, The Imaginary Invalid, House of Yes, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Marriage of Bette and Boo.

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

MJ Karmi Countess de Lage, Saleswoman Since her arrival in Los Angeles in 2001, M.J. has appeared as Helen in A Taste of Honey at 2100 Square Feet, Annie in Short Hairs at The Third Street Theatre, Maureen Folan in The Beauty Queen of Leenane at The Hudson Guild, Nanette in Miss Anita’s Big Pies at The Lillian Theatre and Blackout at The Egyptian Theatre. New York credits include Handshake at The Miranda Theatre, Electra at The Actors Studio Raw Space, Helen in A Taste of Honey at Playwrights Horizons and Gertrude in Hamlet. At the Circle in the Square Downtown she was seen as Martha in Too Hot to Kill, and Kay in Kay’s Needle. Her regional credits include Chamber Theatre in Washington, D.C., Dona Elvira in Don Juan, Josie in Moon for the Misbegotten, Elsa Barlow in A Road to Mecca and Eugenia in Breaking the Silence and Molly in Road at The Studio Theatre. TV credits include Brothers and Sisters Cold Case, Criminal Minds, Jericho, Guiding Light, The Guardian on CBS TV, Ghost Stories on UPN and The Awful Truth on Bravo. Film credits include Julia, Moonlight Sonata, The Key Man, The Accountant, Curtains and Flatbush. M.J. holds an MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio at The New School and is a Life Member of the Actors Studio. She teaches at The Lee Strasberg Institute for Film and Television.

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Emma Messenger Edith Potter, Maggie, DowagerLast seen onstage at the Circus Theatricals Festival of One Act Plays playing Clairice in Jack Kenny’s The Bird’s Sing Too Loud, Emma is originally from England. She spent her childhood in Texas, graduating from TAMU with BA’s in both Theater and English. She interned at American Stage in St. Petersburg, Florida. Favorite roles include Julia in Lend Me a Tenor, Maria in Twelfth Night, Stella in Dear Liar, Eleanor in The Lion in Winter, and Amanda in The Glass Menagerie. Recent films include Young Again and Rite. She can also be seen in the online pilot for Retail at www.retailpilot.blip.tv. And she plays the mother in the web series 2/8 Life to be found on the Independent Comedy Network at www.icn.tv/series/28life.

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Cameron Meyer Nancy Blake, Princess Tamara

With Circus Theatricals: Joey (Circus Theatricals Festival of New One Act Plays), SAFE

Other theatre includes: Cold/Tender (Theatre at Boston Court), Six Characters In Search Of an Author (Timothy Childs Theatrical in NYC), Sounds from a Converted Garage (The Groundlings), The Eminem Christmas Special (Sacred Fools). TV: “Monk,” “Veronica Mars,” “Day Break,” “As The World Turns,” “All My Children.” Film: “Pic Six,” “Mao.” Sketch comedy: recurring role in web series “Sands of Passion” directed by Jerry Zucker (nationalbanana.com); weekly performances at The Laugh Factory, Improv Olympic and the Friars Club of Beverly Hills. Training: Yale, Wynn Handman Studio. Thanks to Jack Stehlin, Jeannine Stehlin and Elise Robertson.

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Jessica Noboa Peggy Day, Fitter

Circus Theatrical credits include: Irene in Saver, Maria in The Heiress, Sophie in Honor (Actors Showcase “Questionable Acts”), Catherine in Proof (Actors Showcase “Liars, Lovers and Thieves”), Anya in The Cherry Orchard and Irina in The Three Sisters (Great Scenes from Chekov and Ibsen). Other Theatre Credits include: A Boy’s Life and Tribute to SNL (Hollywood Fight Club Theater), Romeo and Juliet (Eve Productions), Golden Child, The Glass Menagerie and Moving (University of Washington). Jessica recently wrapped production on the feature horror film “The Telling” with Breakout Entertainment. Jessica has also been in several independent films in Seattle and Los Angeles. She is currently finishing her B.A. in the Theatre Acting Track at UCLA. For recent images and more info on Jessica Noboa go to jessicanoboa.actorspad.com Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Stephanie O'Neill Crystal AllenA native to San Francisco, Stephanie's theatre credits include: The Odyssey, performed in Santa Barbara with Boxtales Theatre Co., the LA premiere of Giants Have Us in Their Books by Jose Rivera, Dibujos de Nuestra Frontera performed in Puebla, Mexico as part of the 3er Festival Inter. de Pantomima, Catherine in A View From the Bridge, Amiga Gringa from In The Blood, Talk Radio, Fork, and a variety of original works. Film credits include: This is How We Know and The Sound on the Moon. Stephanie works through East Los Angeles Classic Theatre Company teaching performing arts and playwriting to children throughout the Los Angeles public schools. She received her BFA in Theatre at UC Santa Barbara. Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Chelsea Povall Little Mary, Model, Exercise Instructress, Debutante

With Circus Theatricals: Star Song (Circus Theatricals Festival of New One Act Plays) Week 50 in 365 Days/Plays
Born and raised in the LA area, Chelsea’s theater credits include: The Night of the Black Cat at Edgemar Center for the Arts, Brigadoon GCT, at PCPA Theaterfest: Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Sound of Music, and Brighton Beach Memoirs. At Tuacahn Amphitheater: Annie Get your Gun, Seven Brides... Oklahoma!, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She also performed as a Lead Singer and Dancer for Holland America Cruise Lines, in Alaska and the Caribbean. She is a graduate of The Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts. (PCPA).

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Ivory Tiffin Salon Manager, Miss Myrtle, Society Woman, Girl in DistressIvory Tiffin recently relocated from Chicago to LA with her dog, Sammie. Her former home away from home was WNEP Theatre where she performed in David Mamet’s REVENGE OF THE SPACE PANDAS, the sketch show. CHRISTMAS MY ASS and the Victorian era comedy TALLAHASSEE. She also worked the Chicago indie film circuit and hopes to work in film again and again and again here in LA. Ivory would like to give special thanks to her family for staying in one place where she can always find them and to her number one girl, Sammie, who always comes along for the ride.

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Bibi Tinsley Olga, Mrs. Morehead, Sadie

In Chicago, Bibi worked with Element, Steppenwolf, and Frump Tucker. Los Angeles theatre: Cubicles, Dancing With The Bad Man, Sister Cities at Alliance Rep; Hamlet, The Fox, As Bees In Honey Drown, Frozen at The Ark; A Match Made In Hell at TheatrExpresso; and 10 X Ten and The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell at The Met Theatre Company. Films include: “Baron Road”, and “Almost Salinas”.

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.

Vanessa Waters Mary HainesWith Circus Theatricals: Friend #1 in Star Song from The Circus Theatricals Festival of New One Act Plays 2007/2008, Directed Week 50 of 365 Days/Plays. Vanessa has made many appearances on stage here in Los Angeles. Some favorite roles are: Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jessica in The Merchant of Venice, Jill in Johnson Over Jordan, Helen in Baby with the Bathwater, Petra in An Enemy of the People and Queen Elizabeth in Richard III. On screen Vanessa can be heard in X-Men II as a loop group artist and seen in various independent films. Vanessa is a graduate of the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts (PCPA Theaterfest) and received her BFA in Theater from Ithaca College.Thanks to Jack, Jeannine, Elise and the wonderful cast of The Women for such an amazing experience!

Member of the Circus Theatricals Studio Ensemble.
Vanessa is also Production Coordinator for Circus Theatricals.

Derrick McDaniel

DERRICK MCDANIEL Lighting Designer
With Circus Theatricals: SAFE, Man.gov, Harm's Way, Twelfth Night, Complexity, Greensward The Misanthrope and Iphigenia in Aulis. Derrick began his acting apprenticeship in 1990 at Theater East in Studio City, CA. This is where he honed the craft of stage lighting. A few of his lighting credits include “The Godfather Workout” for the HBO comedy festival in Aspen; “The Quiet Room” at the Whitefire Theater, “Worse Than Murder” at the Ventura Court Theater, and “Eubie Weller” at the Stella Adler Theater; “Among The Thugs” at the Odyssey Theater- and many others. Derrick was nominated for a 2004 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle award for lighting, in “Among The Thugs”, as well as, a 2005 ADA lighting nomination. He has earned critical acclaim, many times over, for his designs. Derrick would like to thank you for your support of live theater. Enjoy.

Norman Mamey Musical Director

Mr. Mamey is a composer, conductor, motion picture scorer and concert-jazz pianist. He has been conductor of the Capistrano Valley Symphony and the founder and music director/conductor of the Glendale Festival Orchestra. Mr. Mamey received an Emmy nomination for the Magic of David Copperfield on CBS. and scored the Jim Carrey motion picture, Man on the Moon. Mr. Mamey has completed albums for Sesame Street (a Halloween album and a Christmas album) and two Christmas Albums for Disney. Mr. Mamey has been musical director for such stars as Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Danny Thomas, Shields & Yarnell, Anthony Newley, Roslyn Kind, Joanie Sommers, and Bob Fosse's Dancin' on Broadway.

Clare Boothe Luce Playwright

(1903 - 1987) was a playwright, legislator, social activist, war correspondent and diplomat. Born in New York City, to William Franklin Boothe, a pit orchestra violinist and former chorus girl Anna Clara Snyder. Educated at private schools, Luce had the careers of many women. From 1930 to 1934 she held editorial positions on such magazines as Vogue and Vanity Fair. As a playwright, her plays include Abide With Me (1935), The Women (1936), Kiss the Boys Goodbye (1938), Margin for Error (1939), Child of the Morning (1951), Slam the Door Softly (1970). Screenplays including the Oscar nominated "Come to the Stable" (1949). As a legislator, she served as a Republican member of the House of Representatives from Connecticut (1943 to 1947) where she received an appointment to the Military Affairs Committee. She often sided with the administration on issues like funding for American troops and aid to war victims. Luce won a second term in the House in 1944 and was instrumental in the creation of the Atomic Energy Commission. Finally, she served as an oft-praised Ambassador to Italy under the Eisenhower Administration; the first American woman ambassador to a major country. She held the post until 1957.

Elise Robertson

Elise Robertson Director/Set DesignerElise Robertson Director/Set Designer
Elise is an Associate Artist, director, and teaches acting at Circus Theatricals.
Circus Theatricals directing credits include the critically acclaimed world premiere production of Sister Cities by Colette Freedman, (which traveled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer), Sam Shepards Seduced, Ellipses, What Went Wrong with the King and Queen of America, Max (which she also wrote), The Birds Sing Too Loud, and Phyllis and Eliot. As an actor, selected Circus Theatricals stage credits include:The Three Sisters, The Seagull. Other Theatre: Betrayal, Ourselves Alone, Oleanna.TV/Film credits include: "Six Feet Under," "Greys Anatomy," "Gilmore Girls," "Good Humor Man," "Two and a Half Men." Elise also writes and directs for tv and film, and her Emmy and Cine-Golden Eagle award winning work includes adaptations of F. Scott Fitzgeralds "The Sensible Thing" and Ralph Ellisons "King of the Bingo Game" and scenes from Ralph Ellisons novel "Invisible Man" for the PBS documentary "Ralph Ellison: An American Journey." (Selected clips at www.empathyfilms.com.)

In a past life, Elise worked as a scenic artist and model builder on films like "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "Starship Trooper" and "Kundun," and she is thrilled to bring a bit of her fine art background to the set design for this show. Other set design credits include "Ourselves Alone," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Of Mice and Men."

JEANNINE STEHLIN Managing DirectorProduced over 40 plays for Circus Theatricals, including Man.gov, Harm's Way, Twelfth Night, Sister Cities, Greensward, Complexity, phigenia in Aulis, The Misanthrope, Macbeth, Tartuffe, The Cherry Orchard, Richard III, Hamlet and The Cheats of Scapin, (Odyssey Theatre/Circus Theatricals co-productions) The Circle and the award-winning The Job by Shem Bitterman (LA and Off-Broadway). Sound design credits include Circus Theatricals 7th Annual Festival of One Act Plays (now playing), and The Circle (LA Weekly "Best Sound Design" nomination). Her long list of acting credits include Macbeth, Twelfth Night, The Job, Peer Gynt, Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, Hippolytus, The Stronger, The Art of Success, Women and Wallace and the films, “Watch It,” and “Rancho Cucamonga." Jeannine made her television debut as a child on the popular children's program, "Romper Room" in Pittsburgh. Jeannine earned B.S. in Advertising from the University of Illinois, and an M.B.A. in Marketing from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

JACK STEHLIN Artistic DirectorJack founded Circus Theatricals in New York in 1983, and has produced over 50 plays in NYC and Los Angeles. An award-winning actor, Jack has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theatre, and stages around the world. Jack is an alumnus of John Houseman's The Acting Company and a graduate of the Juilliard School. Most recently, he as seen on stage in the Circus Theatricals production of Complexity, and the Los Angeles premiere of Salome with Al Pacino, directed by Estelle Parsons. As an actor, his Circus Theatricals productions include The Misanthrope, The Circle , Macbeth, Hamlet, Richard III, Tartuffe, True West, The Cheats of Scapin, The Job. Other Los Angeles Theatre:Speed-the-Plow (Los Angeles premiere), and Habitation of Dragons (Zephyr). His extensive notable New York credits include Richard II (dir. Steven Berkoff), Henry V (w/Kevin Kline), Casanova (w/ Ethan Hawke, dir. by Michael Greif), Henry IV, I (w/Mandy Patinkin, dir by Des McAnuff), Julius Caesar (w/ Al Pacino and Martin Sheen),Timon of Athens (dir. by Brian Kulick), Richard Foreman’s Don Juan, and Romeo and Juliet (dir. by Les Waters). TV and film credits include the film "Salomaybe?" (with Al Pacino) and guest star roles on "Without a Trace," "Monk," "JAG," (recurring), "Buffy" (recurring ), "NCIS," "Judging Amy," "The Practice," "Crossing Jordan," "NYPD Blue," "ER."

This past summer, Jack returned as DEA Captain Roy Till on the Showtime series "Weeds."