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  White Trash Wedding and a Funeral  
 

by Mike Beyer and Bill Havle
Directed by Scott OKen *

 
   
 
Shotgunnin' just got stylish again
4.27.12


Will Earl receive his septic tank cleaning company inheritance from Aunt Shirley, or will fiance Connie foul things up with the aid of Lonnie? See how it all goes down at the American Legion Hall in White Trash Wedding and a Funeral.

 
 
White Trash Wedding and a Funeral

 
     
 
 

Opens April 27th and runs through June 2nd, 2012
previews (4/20 - 4/22) $10

Opening Night 4/27 and general run $20
GALA PARTY 4/28, $30
Industry Night 5/14 $5
$45 Flex Pass includes all 3 shows of our 20th Anniversary Season

Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm

Factory Theater at the Prop Thtr 3502 N. Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618




FOR RESERVATIONS: Please call (312) 409-3247


 
   
 
     
bullet The Cast  
     
  Walt -- Timothy C. Amos *
Drew -- Phil Claudnic *
Aunt Shirley -- Robyn Coffin
Clark -- Craig Cunningham
Earl -- Blake Dalzin
Lonnie -- Jordan Hoisington
Leanne -- Christine Celeste Jennings *
Bernice -- Ed Jones
George -- Ryan Oliver
Connie -- Shannon O'Neill *
Gladys -- Jennifer Pompa *
 
     
     
     
     
  Timothy C. Amos * (Walt)  
 

Timothy is so happy to be back home with his Factory Family in one of the "Old School" shows to kick off the 20th Anniversary Season. We have a great year ahead of us and we're happy that you are here to be a part of it. Get on the mailing list and get ready to have your face ripped off by the Factory's OSCAR CALIBER BRILLIANCE! Thanks and love to my Lucy and Family.

 
 
     
     
     
  Phil Claudnic * (Drew)  
 

Phil began his factory career by stage managing Hey Dancin! Then he stage-managed League of Awesome, Easy Six, and Gray Girl.  He has stage managed other places too!  For example, he stage-managed And a Child Shall Lead with Adventure Stage Chicago and Fifth of July with Infamous Commonwealth.  And now he is acting.  …what!?

 
 
     
     
  Robyn Coffin (Aunt Shirley)  
 

Robyn is so freakin excited to be working with The Factory Theater again! Thanks guys. Robyn has worked with Silent Theatre, Infamous Commonwealth, A Reasonable Facsimile, Jackalope, Serendipity Theatre Collective, Fineprint Theatre, The State, Theater Oobleck and Collaboration. Thanks to Walmart for paying her bills last year, thanks Stewart Talent, and thank you to friends who make life worth it! Mwah!!

 
 
     
     
  Craig Cunningham (Clark)  
 

Craig is very excited to be working with The Factory for the first time! Craig hails from Pittsburgh originally, but has called various neighborhoods in Chicago home since 2003. He has worked with various theaters since arrival, Mary Arrchie Theater Company, EP Theater and most recently Last Match Theater Company. Craig has worked with a ton of really talented people over the years and is amazed that he gets to make pretend in the greatest theater city in the world. He would like to thank his mum and dad for their endless support and his co-workers at Honky Tonk BBQ in Pilsen for being so great during all of this. Thanks to Scott and to all of The Factory for just being straight up amazing. Could not have done it with out you. This cast is stupid good. So Much.

 
 
     
     
  Blake Dalzin (Earl)  
 

Blake is very happy to be back with the Factory again.  This is the fourth production he has been fortunate enough to be a part of with this incredibly talented group of people.  He thanks the Factory for all the support, energy, and good times.

 
 
     
     
  Jordan Hoisington (Lonnie)  
 

Jordan is pleased as punch to be in his second Factory Theater Production. You may recall him appearing in two separate rolls in last fall's production of The Grey Girl, which would be pretty amazing because apparently the Factory did NOT remember, and went ahead and cast him again. That's all well and good according to Mr. Hoisington, who otherwise would simply be serving coffee, serving wedding guests, and lounging about on a porch all spring. Kudos to his intrepid cast-mates, the brilliant production staff, and moist of all, thanks to the crowd and remember; you came here of your own free-will. Don't blame us. Blame yourself, or God.

 
 
     
     
  Christine Celeste Jennings * (Leanne)  
 

Christine has been joyfully playing with the Factory since 1996. Happy, flippin 20th Anniversary to my 2nd familia! So extremely proud. I'm tickled to revise the role of Leanne the whore. Tonight's performance is dedicated to my late Da- Patrick, who was my mentor, and my beautiful, strong Ma- Rita- - 2 of my best friends. They saw me perform in White Trash about 80 times back in the day. Love to Safety J, and last but not least, YOU- for coming out to support The Factory and Chicago Storefront Theater. Now get ready to get TRASHY!!!

 
 
     
     
  Ed Jones (Bernice)  
 

Ed is deeeee...lighted to be a part of Factory's 20th Season and to be fooling around with such insanely talented kick ass folks! He is an ensemble member of Hell in a Handbag Productions where he has been treading the boards for the past decade and loving it. A big sweaty thank you to Scott, Esteban and to the rest of the White Trash cast, crew & family. This one is for Joey.

 
 
     
     
  Ryan Oliver (George)  
 

Ryan Oliver (George) would like to thank Factory for having him back to dust off this ol' bastard again He would also like to thank your momma..

 
 
     
     
  Shannon O'Neill * (Connie)  
 

Shannon hails from Carbondale, IL and is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a B.A. in Theater.  A Factory ensemble member since 2003, Shannon has performed in a handful of Factory shows including Dragon Tales, Dick Danger, Janice Dutts Goes To Life Camp, Mop Top.  She also wrote and performed in Factory's 2010 production of Jenny and Jenni. White Trash was the first Factory show she saw them perform in 1995 and she instantly fell in love with the company. Performing in the show now is perverted dream come true! She has also worked with other great Chicago theater companies namely Dog & Pony, Side Project, Steep, Trap Door and Lifeline.  Big hugs and snugs to Chuck and baby Eugene!

 
 
     
     
  Jennifer Pompa * (Gladys)  
 

Jennifer can't believe how happy she is to be doing White Trash Wedding and A Funeral again!  She started her journey of White Trash as Gladys in the 2001 Factory remount.  So much has changed since then.  Most of which she chooses not to remember or just can't.  She's been a member of the Factory since 1999 and is thrilled to be a part of the 20th Anniversary Season!  She has done a lot of stuff with the Factory as well as around town.  She has one Equity Jeff Award, but she's never been Equity.  Did she take it from someone?  Did she earn it?  No one really knows, or cares.  You can find out more details about Jennifer on her bio page at the Factory Website. You wanna see her on stage again?  Then, come see the Factory's next show, the hit remount of Ren Faire: A Fistful of Ducats (opening July 27th), where she will reprise her role as Tammy, the roast beef wench.  Also, see her brief cameo as another white trash trailer park character (who gets to have a scene with Thomas Lennon of "Reno 911" fame) in the upcoming movie release of "Eden Court", this summer.  That is, if they didn't cut her out.  Thanks & love to the Blazeks, Gehrs, Lane-McGarrahans, Hawkins' and everyone else that I'm related to.

 
 
     
     
bullet The Crew  
  Director: Scott OKen *
Assistant Director: Esteban Andres Cruz *
Technical Director: CW van Baale *
Production Manager: Carrie J. Sullivan *
Stage Manager: Jermaine Edward Thomas
Set Designer: Angelina Martinez *
Lighting Designer: Shannon Evans
Sound Designer: Chas Vrba *
Costume Designer: Rachel Sypniewski
Props Designer: Barbara Kanady
Graphic Designer: Jason Moody
Fight Choreographer: Johnny Moran

* Denotes Factory Ensemble Member
 
     
     
  Scott OKen *(Director)  
 

does not know how to love him...what to do…how to move him…he's been changed, yes really changed…in these past few days, when he…sees himself…he seems like someone else.....

 

Esteban Andres Cruz (Asst Director/Movement Director) was born in Berwyn and raised in Cicero and is a proud member of the Factory Ensemble / Resident Choreographer since May 2011.  Esteban has choreographed for Theater and Dance since 1997 and has been directing, co-directin and movement directing in Chicago since 2010, with his collaborator Coya Paz.  Chicago credits include both Easy Six (choreographer) and Hey! Dancin! (dance captain), Factory, Manuel for a Desperate Crossing (movement director), a play by Coya Paz for ATC's 10x10 Festival (director & movment director), Tour Guides (co-director / choreographer) & Unnatural Spaces (movement director), The Guild Literary Complex, Romeo & Juliet (choreographer) Oak Park Festival Theater, The Game Show Show & Stuff (choreographer) at various venues.  Esteban also choreographed the dance in a commercial for United Auto Insurance. He is also an actor and singer in Chicago.  Upcoming engagements include RENT (Angel) at ATC this spring and Oedipus El Rey by Luis Alfaro at Victory Gardens.  Esteban plays Creon and Chay Yew directs, this summer.  Thank you for supporting live theater, please do it again and often!  Become a FLEX-PASS subscriber to the Factory TODAY!!!

 

Jermaine Thomas (Stage Manager) is honored to be stage managing another Factory Theater show. Well, sit back and enjoy…

 

Shannon Evans (Lighting Designer) is delighted to work with Factory again, having lit the smash hit sensation Hey! Dancin! in 2010. Shannon works throughout Chicago as a director, designer, painter, and educator.

 

Angela Martinez * (Set Designer) Just so you know, there will be nothing witty, clever or hilarious about this bio. Angie doesn't want to get your hopes up, expecting something 'funny'... she respects you too much to bullshit you. And she's a new mom so, she's tired. Angie has been a proud member of Factory since 2008. Since becoming a member she has directed (Ceres) and Assistant Directed (Dead Wrong). She has appeared as an actor in Shameless Shamuses (Mrs. Hoehenzollern), Mop Top (Colleen), and The League of Awesome (Penny) and has designed sets for Bustin' Out of the Hell, 1985, Hey! Dancin!, 1985 (re-mount at the Storefront) and the 20th Anniversary edition of White Trash Wedding and a Funeral.

Before her tenure with the Factory, she has performed, directed, written and set designed for various off-loop theaters in the Chicago area.

On a final note: She loves her Factory family. She loves her sweetest, goofiest husband Mr. Eric Roach. And she loves and absolutely adores her sweetest bubba, Simon. (Not necessarily in this order…

 

Johnny Moran (Stage Combat Designer) Johnny has designed violence for companies such as A Red Orchid, Writer's Theater, and Bentlight. He has also designed for productions at Lane Tech College Prep, York High School, and Lake Forest College. You can also see his work in American Theater Company's production of RENT this spring.

 

Barb Kanady (Props) is honored, yes, HONORED, to be a part of Factory's 20th season.  Special thanks to her prop helpers Mathew Esplin and Imogen Esplin.

 

Carrie J. Sullivan * (Producer) is proud to Production Manage the first show of Factory's 20th anniversary. She is not white trash but she does have fond memories of government cheese and pot pies. Love to Sweetie, Harry and Bug.

 

CW van Baale * (Technical Director) is a homo sapien.  Born in Iowa, he moved in with his parents after birth, residing in their custody for about 18 years.  He has attended schools, traveled, worked, and slept during his time on this planet and currently teaches at the Chicago Academy for the Arts.  Also, a member of Will Act for Food, he primarily is a theatrical technician, or at least acts like one."

 

Chas Vrba * (Sound Design) thinks it's pretty sweet that White Trash Wedding and a Funeral has returned to the Factory stage.  You might have caught him in the role of Bernice in the 2001 production of the show at Angel Island.  This time around you won't be subjected to seeing him in drag, you'll only be hearing his work.  Previous sound design credits include work with The Neo-Futurists, Infamous Commonwealth, Will Act for Food, Open Eye Productions, The Journeymen, Navy Pier, and many Factory shows among others. Next up you can hear his design work in Ren Faire! A Fistful of Ducats this summer at the Factory.  You also might hear him DJing at various weddings, parties, bars, and cruise ships throughout the city.

 

Thanks to Sully, Oken, Jermaine, and the badass cast and crew!

 
     
 
  Previews (04/19 – 04/21)  
   
  Opens 04/26  
 
 
  This is our 21st Season in a nutshell  
   
  *nods* well, this is it!  
 
 
     
   
     
 
 
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