Hey Creeps and Campers, Anthony here, it’s been a while and we’ve had news for you. So grab a seat.

“Phase 1” of Terror-Rama is quickly coming to a close. I like to refer to this as the “Making something out of nothing” phase. Since last October’s reading,  new drafts of both scripts have been completed, an infrastructure has been built, the design staff has been assembled, posters are being printed and a cast has been selected. Phase 2 will involve one last draft, the rehearsal process and building the show.

Let’s catch up in broad strokes shall we?

As I write this, we have 12 days left in our Kickstarter campaign, which has been a nerve-wracking experience, to say the least. I mean here we are basically saying “validate me and my idea with money”. Every day without a donation, I walk around Eeyore (“I’m producing a play…not that it matters”), every day we get $100 I feel like an Icon of American Theatre. And thanks to the support of friends, family, and the Bay Area Theatre community, we are $900 away from goal.

On Friday the 13th of June (See what we did there?) We will have our second developmental reading and our end of Kickstarter party. This will either be a celebration of our fundraising triumph or an opportunity to see me cry in public. Either way it promises to be a great time. We took all the input from the last reading and can’t wait to present the newest drafts of Camp Evil and Creep. With all the craziness swirling around this show I forget sometimes that is also a play development project. We’re building two brand new plays from the ground up, neat right?

One of the fun things about DIY theatre is finding space. We held three days of auditions in glamorous places like the Public Library, a Police station community room, and my living room. So it takes a special kind of person to hear “hey come audition for my Horror Play at the LIBRARY” and react enthusiastically.  You know, crazy people.

With a loving statement like that, and more than enough “Letter from the Artistic Director” nonsense as introduction, let’s meet the folks who will be bringing this show to life on stage this October.

Cast of Terror-Rama 2014:

Ashley Cowan is originally from Avon, CT. After graduating from Roger Williams University, she moved to New York City to become a starving artist before moving to San Francisco as a moderately hungry artist where she’s been acting, writing, and enjoying burritos ever since. She’s had the privilege of working with such Bay Area theater companies including: Atmos Theatre, San Francisco Olympians Festival, Custom Made Theatre, Piano Fight, No Nude Men, Young Performers Theatre, and Theater Pub.

Vince Faso is an actor, writer, teacher, and director with a degree in Performing Arts and Social Justice from the University of San Francisco.  He has worked with companies such as Custom Made, CalShakes, SF Theater Pub, Performers Under Stress, Diablo Actor’s Ensemble, The Cutting Ball Theater, Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, and is a founding member of the SF-based comedy improv team, Chinese Ballroom.  Hair-raising terror, spine-tingling suspense, confusion, doubt, and insecurity are merely part of his daily life…as a middle school drama teacher.

Tavis Kammet sleeps with all of his closets closed and blocked.  He received his BA in Drama from University of Exeter and his MA in performance from University of London Goldsmiths.  Tavis Kammet used to run from the bathroom after he flushed the toilet once he saw the cover to the film ghoulies.  He has performed for CalShakes, Impact, Custommade, Thunderbird, All Terrain, and Punch Drunk theatres.  As well as for his Grandmother and those children only she could see.

Jordan Kersten is thrilled to make her horror debut with Colin Johnson and this excellent cast.  Her love affair with Lady Theatre began when she was seven years old, and she has performed in a variety of plays and musicals and formally studied acting at UC San Diego.  Favorite roles include Brooke in Noises Off with Actor’s Ensemble Theatre (another Colin Johnson masterpiece), and Bambi in Foothill Musical Theatre’s Curtains. Jordan is eternally grateful to her family and friends for all their love and support.

Tonya Narvaez is all atremble to be part of Terror-Rama. She acts, writes, and directs in the Bay Area. Previous projects include the San Francisco Olympians Festival, Hot Mess, Love in the Time of Zombies, and The Merchant of Venice. Up next is a staged reading of her play Hydra, a modern take on the Greek monster in one act with the San Francisco Olympians Festival: The Monster Ball. She is extremely excited to get to creep everyone out this October! 

Brian Quakenbush hails from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. He received his B.A. in Theatre and Philosophy from Grand Valley State University where he was recipient of the Shakespeare Scholarship. Since then he has worked locally as an actor, writer, director, designer and producer for his Co-Founded companies Battle Stache Studios  and Round Belly Theatre Company, as well as with B.O.A., Piano Fight, Theater Pub, Actors Ensemble Berkeley, Quixotic Players, Footloose Dance Company, The Thick Rick Ones and Rebel Home Dance. He is excited to be working with Awesome Theatre for the first time.

Adrienne Whitney is exSCREAMely excited to be back in The Bay Area where she has  been seen at Berkeley Rep (Yellowjackets, Oliver Twist) and Impact Theatre (Colorado). TV credits include House, M.D.; Parenthood; and Vegas. She received a BA in Theater & Performance Studies from UC Berkeley and has studied at The Groundings, ACT, and Playhouse West. She currently resides in Los Angeles where she has performed with sketch comedy groups like The Third String Kicker. Visit http://www.adriennewhitney.com, and prepare for untold HORRORS…or just more about Adrienne.

Liana Winternitz is creeped out and absolutely disturbed beyond comfort to be in Terror-Rama! A theatre administrator by day, Liana is always surrounded by so many talented artists that make up this Bay Area theatre community and she is happy to be a part of it. Thanks, dear reader, for supporting the performing arts! And thank you Awesome Theatre – So Say We All.