Impro Theatre’s Jane Austen UnScripted

DEC 14 – 22

Directed by Dan O’Connor and Paul Rogan

IMPRO THEATRE STAFF Dan O’Connor PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Rick Bernstein MANAGING DIRECTOR Nick Clark, Madi Goff ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS OF THE IMPRO THEATRE SCHOOL Paul Hungerford IMPRO STUDIO PRODUCER Matthew Pitner IMPRO STUDIO MANAGER Emily Rose Jacobson SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR McKenna Ryan PRODUCTION INTERN

PRODUCTION STAFF Trefoni Rizzi ORIGINAL SCENIC DESIGNER Sandra Burns COSTUME DESIGNER Leigh Allen LIGHTING DESIGNER Emily Rose Jacobson TECHNICAL IMPROVISER

ENSEMBLE Kari Coleman, Lisa Fredrickson, Madi Goff, Kelly Holden Bashar, Paul Hungerford, Stephen Kearin, Jo McGinley, Dan O’Connor, Edi Patterson, Mike Rock, Paul Rogan ENSEMBLE GUEST ARTISTS Nick Clark, Sara Mountjoy-Pepka, Matthew Pitner PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE 8 ABOUT THE PROGRAM

There will be one one 15-minute Our crew is improvising the happening on stage and intermission. sound and light changes right probably not hearing or Theatre at The Broad Stage made along with us. noticing that the story just possible in part by generous gifts changed because we were from Bill & Laurie Benenson and How do you rehearse this too busy thinking. The actor Susan Stockel. kind of show? must surrender his or her Impro Theatre is supported, in part, We immerse ourselves in the agenda. One of the by the Los Angeles County Board of particular genre and then challenges of performing this Supervisors through the Los Angeles reinvent it in an entirely new form of theatre is you never County Arts Commission. way, right in front of your know who you will be until eyes. Through the rehearsal you walk out on stage. process, we embrace the essence of that particular What is it like performing a Impro Theatre’s programming is performing style without play when you don’t have a made possible, in part, by a grant saying or performing script? from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs. anything that has been It is terrifying, inspiring and previously written or wonderfully exhilarating. The performed. performers are embracing whole-heartedly the acting You must prepare a loose tenet to “be in the moment” outline or know what as they have no other choice. characters you are going to WELCOME TO THE SHOW! play for each show? How do I know you are For the uninitiated, this Nope. We do not. It would be making it up? unique form of theatre even more difficult to plan We invite you to come back generates a few questions: ahead or use a “set” and see another show – it character. When you are will be completely different Who writes these plays? both actor and playwright from this performance. It is Everyone that is present on you can’t afford to plan one of the reasons why stage. Impro Theatre is an ahead – you have to stay in people come back and see ensemble of actor/ the moment. If we plan multiple shows! For more playwrights who write ahead, we are working information about Impro theatre as they perform it. against what is actually Theatre, go to www.ImproTheatre.com

ABOUT JANE AUSTEN

JANE AUSTEN (1775–1817) Jane Austen is one of the most widely read, innovative and beloved of novelists, and her works of romantic fiction, set among the English landed gentry, are notable for their realism, biting irony and social commentary. Her plots, though fundamentally comic, highlight the dependence of women on marriage to secure social standing and economic security. Her works, though popular, were first published anonymously and brought her little personal fame during her lifetime. Austen lived her entire life as part of a close-knit family and never married. Her works include Pride and Prejudice, Emma and Sense and Sensibility.

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KARI COLEMAN LISA FREDRICKSON Rita Rudner in the filmThanks and can (ENSEMBLE) began (ENSEMBLE) be seen in numerous commercials. improvising with In addition to Kelly is also a writer and one of the LA Theatresports as Impro Theatre, credits she is most proud of is being a founding member. Lisa has been an the co-writer of, and portraying She was most recently ensemble member of Pippin in, the critically acclaimed play seen in Rizzoli & Isles, Seattle Theatresports, Fellowship! The Musical Parody of It's Always Sunny in SAK Comedy Lab “The Fellowship of the Ring.” In addition Philadelphia and The Spoils Before Orlando, Disney’s Comedy Warehouse to being a main company member at Dying with Will Ferrell and Kristen and Inflatable Betty. She is the Impro Theatre, Kelly is also part of the Wiig, as well as reprising her role as resident improv teacher at California teaching faculty. Her best role, by far, Helen Stacy in The Amazing Spiderman Lutheran University. She was an is mom to Brooke and Maggie. 2. She also starred in the MTV series original cast member of Fellowship! Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous and The Musical Parody of “The Fellowship PAUL HUNGERFORD played Whitney on Switched at Birth. of the Ring” in Los Angeles, performed (ENSEMBLE) studied Guest star appearances include at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival acting and film at Scandal, NCIS: Los Angeles, Grey’s and performed in Boo at New York- Emerson College Anatomy, Glee, Wilfred, Major Crimes New York in Las Vegas. TV credits where he appeared and NCIS. She’s played George’s include Greek, Desperate Housewives in The Baltimore psychotic girlfriend on Seinfeld and and The Tick. She has been in Waltz and Red Noses. an embittered sex-ed teacher on numerous TV commercials, usually He also studied Veronica Mars. She’s also been a as some sort of uptight mother. at the British American Dramatic fire-eater with Penn & Teller in She loves babies and banjos. Academy’s summer in Oxford, where Las Vegas, debunked paranormal he played in As You Like It and Measure phenomena on syndicated TV and MADI GOFF for Measure. He has been seen in fallen off a mountain in an IMAX 3-D (ENSEMBLE) is an over 60 commercials and on such film T-REX. She is married to fellow improviser, writer and television shows as Grey's Anatomy, actor Kyle Secor and they have two actress originally from Dirty Sexy Money, My Wife and Kids and amazing daughters. the Texas hill country. a recurring role on Bravo’s Significant She has performed in Others. Film credits include Stark NICK CLARK Impro Theatre's Jane Raving Mad, Happy Holidays and Hate: (ENSEMBLE GUEST Austen UnScripted at A Comedy (Best Short Film at Aspen ARTIST) is an actor, The Broad Stage and at North Coast Comedy Festival). His voiceover work writer and improviser Rep, as well as in Fairytales UnScripted includes Blizzard Entertainment's based in Los Angeles. at the Lewis Family Playhouse in World of Warcraft: Mists of Panderia At Impro Theatre’s Rancho Cucamonga. Madison has and the animated short filmNougat Impro Studio, he also been a technical improviser for (Best Short winner at SXSW After has appeared in a many of Impro Theatre’s shows at Midnight Film Festival). Paul is director number of shows including Nancy The Broad Stage, Falcon Theatre, of Impro Theatre's LA Theatresports Drew UnSolved, Hope Falls, X-Files Ford Amphitheatre and many more. and is very proud to be working with UnClassified, Inspector Oxford, She also performed in and co-directed Impro Theatre. He is from Bridgeport, Oregon Trail UnCharted and others. Game of Falls, an epic soap opera in CT, and lives in Burbank with his wife, He is also a member of the LA the style of Game of Thrones at the two daughters and huge dog. Theatresports ensemble and has Impro Studio. trained at UCB. He has appeared STEPHEN KEARIN on numerous televisions shows KELLY HOLDEN (ENSEMBLE) began and in dozens of commercials. BASHAR (ENSEMBLE) his career with Bay Notable writing credits include was most recently Area Theatresports in Alan Tudyk/Nathan Fillion’s Emmy® seen on Speechless, San Francisco, where nominated series Con Man, TruTV’s and she played Martin he was a company You Can Do Better and Freeman’s wife, member for 14 years. Rooster Teeth’s Crunch Time. Pearl Nygaard, in the He was a founding Golden Globe and member of both Improv Theatre and Emmy®-winning hit miniseries Fargo True Fiction Magazine and is currently on FX. Some of her other recent a founding member of 3ForAll credits include Parks and Recreation, (Celebrating their 20th season). 2 Broke Girls, Dog With A Blog and Last year, he served as Gilmore Girls. She co-starred with co-director of Impro Theatre's

10 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Twilight Zone UnScripted and Laguna Playhouse, North Coast has worked with Book-It Repertory The Western UnScripted (Ovation Repertory, Falcon Theatre, Carrie Theatre, Montana Shakespeare in the Award nomination for his Hamilton Theatre at The Pasadena Parks, New Century Theatre Company, performance). Stephen is the Playhouse, Lewis Family Playhouse, Seattle Children's Theatre and Seattle co-creator of Simlish and was the New Vic Theatre, Odyssey Theatre Shakespeare Company. As an ensemble principal male voice of The Sims, and many others. Stage acting credits member of Unexpected Productions Sims 2.0 and Sims Medieval. He is featured include Improbable Theatre’s Life for 6 years, she also performed weekly in the DreamWorks Animation films Game (Off-Broadway) and shows with in Seattle TheatreSports. Currently, Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2 & 3, ACT and A Noise Within. Television Sara performs improvised theater Madagascar 2 & 3, Monsters Vs. Aliens, directing credits include ABC’s Sons at the Impro Studio where she is Megamind, The Penguins Of Madagascar and Daughters and Oxygen’s Campus director/producer/actor in and Home. He appears as the terrifying Ladies; acting includes Seinfeld, The Improvised Generation; a member Principal Mitchell on Disney XD’s VEGAS, Raising Hope, Campus Ladies, of the premiere Impro Lab ensemble; Kirby Buckets. Stephen has served as Starstruck and Malcolm in the Middle; a founder of Ripley, seven women an instructor at Stanford University, he also co-created and starred in improvising YA dystopia plays; Dreamworks Animation and NBC/PAX’s improv show World Cup and the monoscene duo Cirque du Soleil. Comedy. Dan has taught and directed In the Car with Nick and Sara. improvisational theatre to universities As a member of Magic Circle Mime JO MCGINLEY and companies worldwide including Company, Sara has mimed family (ENSEMBLE) has been USC, Duke, Pepperdine, UT Austin, concerts with dozens of major directing unscripted Dreamworks, Disney Animation and symphonies across North America, theatre since 1996. Cirque du Soleil. He is a graduate Europe and Asia, and will travel to Passionate about a of the Webber Douglas Academy of South Korea in May 2017 to perform playwright, writer Dramatic Art in London and he gave a The Listener. or film style, diving TED Talk about teaching the world to into their world and improvise. His book, Life Unscripted MATTHEW PITNER having the great fortune of working (co-written with Jeff Katzman), was (ENSEMBLE GUEST with the most talented improvisers/ recently published. ARTIST) was born actors around, is what keeps Jo www.danoconnor.net and raised in North inspired about live theatre. She Dakota. He received directed Twilight Zone UnScripted EDI PATTERSON his Bachelor's degree and Dorothy Parker UnScripted for (ENSEMBLE) played in Theatre Arts with Impro’s main company. She also loves Jen Abbott on HBO’s an emphasis on bringing improvisation into the sports Vice Principals with acting and directing. Along with his and business worlds, and recent Danny McBride and formal education, Matthew founded clients include the US Olympic Ski she plays Elizabeth an improvisational theatre troupe, Teams, Cisco, Accenture, Kaiser and on Tracy Morgan’s Bearded Men, which has been touring Salesforce Worldwide. One of her upcoming The Last and teaching across the country for favorite theatrical credits is playing O.G. on TBS. Some other credits the past 12 years. Bearded Men has a Superman’s wife in The Legacy, which include Nobodies, Black-ish, The weekly TV show on the popular Twitch won best comics-related film at League, Curb Your Enthusiasm, 2 Broke Channel Geek & Sundry. Matthew Comic Con. Girls, FX’s Partners, guest writing for has worked on various independent Saturday Night Live and doing various film projects which prompted his DAN O’CONNOR voices for We Bare Bears. She is also a move to Los Angeles in 2014. Along (CO-DIRECTOR member of the Main Company at The with auditioning and working in the / ENSEMBLE / Groundlings and performs there every film industry in LA, Matthew is also a IMPRO THEATRE’S Thursday night in the Cookin’ With Gas performer, director and instructor at PRODUCING ARTISTIC show. Instagram/Twitter: Impro Studio in Los Feliz. DIRECTOR) For @EdiPattersonHi Impro Theatre, MIKE ROCK Dan has directed SARA (ENSEMBLE) is a Chekhov UnScripted and co-directed MOUNTJOY-PEPKA Wisconsin native Jane Austen UnScripted, Fairytales (ENSEMBLE GUEST who worked as a UnScripted, The Western UnScripted, ARTIST) is a guest artist with Shakespeare UnScripted and Sondheim Los Angeles-based Impro Theatre for UnScripted. Collectively, these actor, improviser and over 5 years before shows have performed at The Broad mime. In the Pacific becoming a main Stage, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Northwest, she company member in January 2017.

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Most recently he was featured in the PRODUCTION STAFF highly acclaimed designs for Stop Kiss, 1966 Holiday Variety Extravaganza at Half of Plenty, Razorback and American The Broad Stage. He has also guested TREFONI MICHAEL RIZZI (ORIGINAL Dead. Other credits include: Beauty in Chekhov UnScripted, Twilight Zone SCENIC DESIGNER) Off-Broadway/ and the Beast (Musical Theater West); UnScripted, The Western UnScripted, Regional: A Woman of Will at The Daryl Champagne (Regent Cruise Lines); Shakespeare UnScripted, Jane Austen Roth Theater NYC; The Little Prince; Shimmy! (Princess Cruise Lines); UnScripted, Horror UnScripted and A Child’s Christmas in Wales; and The Snoopy On Ice, The Red Road (Native Dorothy Parker UnScripted as well Inspector General at The Colorado Voices); Killer Joe (Ovation Award: as performed in a number of Impro Shakespeare Festival. World/West Production of the Year); The Fab Four Studio shows including Campfire Coast Premieres: Maltby/Shire’s A Time (South Bay CLO); The Prince of LA (The Stories, Nancy Drew UnSolved, for Love at Arena Studio Theatre; P.J. Old Globe in San Diego); and Vincent Home for the Holidays, Micetro and Barry’s Bad Axe at Foothill Theatre in Brixton (Pasadena Playhouse). Leigh LA Theatresports. Mike’s extensive Company; Stephen Legawiec’s Peru also received the Los Angeles Drama background includes being the former in Africa at the Miles Playhouse; Critics Circle and LA Weekly Lighting Artistic Director of Madison Wisconsin Melanie Marnich’s Quake at Theatre Design Awards for Johnny Got His Gun. Theatre Sports and co-founder of the Pangea; and Lee Blessing’s Chesapeake comedy group The Bert Fershners. at Venice Theatre Works. Local: EMILY ROSE JACOBSON (TECHNICAL His TV credits include Black-ish, Parallel Lives at The Falcon Theatre; IMPROVISER) A native Texan, Emily is The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Copenhagen at Rubicon Theatre; Sex overjoyed to be working with Impro Chelsea Lately, After Lately, and Education at Laguna Playhouse Theatre. She has assistant stage The Mentalist, Monk, Conan and and Colony Theatre; Two Boys From managed and improvised lighting for a bunch of commercials. Brooklyn at The Palace Theatre; and several Impro Theatre productions Marilyn, Madness and Me! at the including Tennessee Williams PAUL ROGAN El Portal Theatre. Awards and Honors: UnScripted, Fairytales UnScripted, (CO-DIRECTOR / Ovation Award - Songs for a New World Jane Austen UnScripted and Sondheim ENSEMBLE) Originally at Rubicon Theatre. Guest Designer: UnScripted. She is a student at the from London, Paul Lincoln Center Theatre’s Director’s Impro Theatre School, and performs has worked with all of Lab. Member of United Scenic Artists both on and off the stage at Impro the UK’s major improv Local 829. Award Winning Author and Studio in Los Feliz. She is a member of groups, including the Publisher of Teddy’s Travels - America’s MB Stage Theatre Productions, as well Comedy Store Players National Parks. www.teddystravels.com as host on Game Fuel and Blockade and with Eddie Izzard and Friends. He Studios on Twitch. She would love joined Impro Theatre to co-direct and SANDRA BURNS (COSTUME DESIGNER) to thank her parents for their love perform in Jane Austen UnScripted. is an award-winning artist based in and support and her Impro family for U.S. TV includes Castle, Timeline, Los Angeles. She designs costumes adopting her. KC Undercover, I Didn’t Do It (as snarky and sets for theatre, dance, TV science teacher Mr. Jenkins), and film. Past collaborations include RICK BERNSTEIN (MANAGING Anger Management (two different work at DouglasPlus, REDCAT, DIRECTOR) has worked in Los roles), Legit, My Name is Earl, Big South Coast Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Angeles theatre since 2004 in many Love, Cougartown, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Broad Stage, Fountain Theatre, management capacities. He was the Sleeper Cell and Cory in the House. LATC, Odyssey Theatre, Managing Director at Rogue Machine Film includes Miss March, Thunderpants The Falcon Theater, St. Ann’s Warehouse Theatre, The Road Theatre Company and A Knight in Camelot. Theatre and PS 122. Sandra was the costume and Elephant Theatre Company and, includes George in Who’s Afraid of designer for the Academy Award prior to that, he was on staff at both Virginia Woolf, Emcee in Cabaret and nominated short filmNew Boy. The Colony Theatre and The Theatre Malvolio in Twelfth Night. He has been She is currently designing costumes @ Boston Court. He has also worked on lots of BBC Radio comedy shows, for the TV series Last Man on Earth as a marketing consultant, grant including 6 full series. As a stand-up and Lopez. Sandra received her writer and company manager for many comedian, Paul has played the Improv MFA from the California Institute companies and theatres throughout in Hollywood and hundreds of live, TV of The Arts (CalArts). the area. Rick’s film and television and radio gigs. www.paulrogan.com www.sandraburnsdesign.com production credits include The Tonight Show, K-PAX, Tomb Raider and Frozen LEIGH ALLEN (LIGHTING DESIGNER) Assets (which critic Gene Siskel named is a multi-award winner for lighting “The Worst Film of the Year”). He is a design, and is a recipient of the Career graduate of Stanford University. Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle. Leigh returns to Impro Theatre after her

12 PERFORMANCES MAGAZINE ABOUT THE ARTISTS

ABOUT IMPRO THEATRE the company should be seen — and reseen!” American Theatre Magazine Impro Theatre creates completely says, “These virtuosic talents simply improvised, full-length plays in are as superhuman as they seem. the styles of the world’s greatest These are serious professional actors, playwrights, authors and composers. classically trained, who can write on With no pre-planning or prepared their feet better than many writers scenarios, the performers start with can type at a desk. Impro’s work has audience suggestions and combine taught me to demand more from the verbal dexterity and dynamic theatre. Here might be the salvation physicality to bring character and plot the theatre seeks.” to life in an instant, making each show unlike any other theatrical experience. Impro Theatre currently has 14 The show you are about to see will different styles of shows in our never be seen again. repertoire: • Jane Austen UnScripted Founded as Los Angeles Theatresports • Chekhov UnScripted in 1988, IMPRO THEATRE has evolved • Dickens UnScripted from a successful short form improv • Fairytales UnScripted troupe into a critically acclaimed • Horror UnScripted theatre company. Impro Theatre’s • L.A. Noir UnScripted performances are unique; there are • Dorothy Parker UnScripted no repeated characters and no set • Play UnScripted story structure. Each performance • Shakespeare UnScripted offers an exploration into the • Sondheim UnScripted process of spontaneous creation • Tennessee Williams UnScripted while encouraging a profound level • Twilight Zone UnScripted of engagement between performers • The Western UnScripted and audience, who are all united • 1966 Holiday Variety Extravaganza in discovering what happens in the moment on that particular night. Impro Theatre also manages the Impro Studio performance space In Southern California, Impro has and the Impro Theatre School, which performed sold-out shows at South is the home of Narrative Improv in Coast Repertory, The Broad Stage Los Angeles. in Santa Monica, The Pasadena Playhouse, North Coast Repertory in San Diego, The Falcon Theatre in Burbank and many more. Venues around the world include the John Anson Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, 1727 North Vermont Ave., #211 The Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago, Los Angeles, CA 90027 Evans Auditorium at Texas State (323) 401-6162 University, The Melbourne Fringe in [email protected] Australia and Theatre Adyar in Paris. facebook.com/improtheatre Impro has received multiple Ovation @improtheatre Recommended honors and Critics’ Picks in Los Angeles Times, Back Stage Visit www.ImproTheatre.com and and LA Weekly. Los Angeles Times says sign up for Impro’s mailing list! Impro “Impro Theatre has evolved into a Theatre is available for corporate powerhouse improvisational company training, and we are the choice of in full-length shows that are off- many Fortune 500 companies. Let us the-cuff and consistently hilarious. help you tell your story An indigenous Los Angeles treasure,

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