Theater 27: The Canterville Ghost
Today we bring you our first presentation in our new collaboration series we’ve titled - Across The Pond Theatre, the joining of Open Door Playhouse Theatre, based in Pasadena, California, and Our Kid and Me Productions, based in Oxfordshire, UK. For our first joint effort, we are pleased to present a dramatization of Oscar Wilde's famous supernatural short story, "The Canterville Ghost".
Writers
Oscar Wilde’s "The Canterville Ghost" adapted for audio by Bernadette Armstrong, along with John and David Hunter.
Oscar Wilde
BernadetteArmstrong
Bernadette moved to Los Angeles to work in film in the late 1990s and after her first two films went to festivals she took a short hiatus from writing until she fell in love with small theater. Since 2008 she has had several successful theater projects produced in No Hollywood. Her play The Reading Group was named Pick of the Week by LA Weekly Magazine and in 2017 her play Simple Lives was nominated for Outstanding Writing of an Original Play or Musical by the Valley Theater Awards (the only woman nominated) She is also the founder of Open-Door Playhouse!
Bernadette Armstrong
John Hunter
John has been active in amateur dramatics for over 40 years. involved in a wide variety of productions ranging from Operetta, Musicals, and drama. An actor who more recently has worked in audio drama both as producer and director roles in addition to taking on character parts in productions ranging from science fiction, horror, and historical drama.
John Hunter
David Hunter
David has been active in amateur dramatics for over 50 years. involved in a wide variety of productions ranging from Drama, Musicals, as well as Pantomime, a very British theatre experience. An actor who more recently has worked in audio drama as Executive Producer as well as adapting stories for audio together with taking on character parts ranging from science fiction, horror, and historical drama.
David Hunter
Cast:
Gareth Thomas, Lord Canterville
Gareth Thomas is a writer and musician who has written, directed, produced, scored, and acted in countless amateur productions since childhood. In another world, Gareth worked for many years in Mergers and Acquisitions in the UK and US and founded a vaccine company that is trialing a COVID-19 vaccine pill.
Gareth Thomas
Amir Abdullah as Hiram Otis
Amir Abdullah is an award-winning actor and writer. His TV work includes The Odd Couple and Tosh.0, as well as extensive commercial work both on-camera and in voice-over. Amir also voices the antagonist in the video game Abo Khashem. Amir has appeared on stage in dozens of productions, including Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Amir can be seen in the feature film Radioflash and is a member of SAG and Actor’s Equity.
Amir Abdullah
Elaine Mello as Elizabeth Otis
Elaine Mello is excited to be participating in Open-Door Podcast. Elaine has been working with Bernadette on many projects and continues to do so because of her creative talents and willingness to seek innovative and thought-provoking material. Grateful to be part of such an accepting movement of the arts.
Elaine Mello
McKenna Koledo and Virginia Otis
McKenna Koledo is an actress, singer, and dancer from the Bay Area, based in Los Angeles. She grew up in Musical Theatre, starring in roles such as Roxie Hart in “Chicago”, Tracy Turnblad in “Hairspray”, Kate Monster in “Avenue Q”, and Mulan in “Mulan”. From school productions to community theatre, to audio dramas, McKenna rediscovered her love of acting and is moving to New York City to actively pursue her artistic career.
When McKenna is not acting, she spends her days working as a Creative Strategist at an integrated marketing agency developing creative ideas for brands such as Netflix, Disney, and IMDb.
Big thanks to Bernadette and Open-Door Playhouse for the opportunity to be a part of this special project.
McKenna Koledo
Franco Machado Washington Otis
Franco was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and moved to the United States at the age of 3. Franco has lived in Chicago, Ann Arbor, and now resides in Los Angeles. Since the age of 16, Franco has worked both in front and behind the camera, which has allowed him to explore and embrace different perspectives within his writing. In 2019, he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Screenwriting and a minor in Sociology from Chapman University’s Dodge College. Franco has had the opportunity to work with many well-known artists including Anthony Ramos, Leonardo DiCaprio, Francis F. Coppola, Rita Wilson, Jessy Terrero, Lil Peep, Lil Twist, and CD9. He’s directed two short films, Our Lives Matter (2017) and Be a Man (2017), and a music video for TAKARA.
Franco Machado
Roland by Gary Reed and Matthew Scott Montgomery
Gary Lee Reed (Director) Prior to Covid19 Gary directed the Gore Vidal play The Best Man at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood and earlier in the year the critically acclaimed All My Sons for Theatre Planners. Other TP directing credits include The Andersonville Trial (Grove theatre Burbank) And the World Goes Round (NOHO Arts center) The Story of Alice (Matrix) Villa Thrilla (Atwater Village). As Artistic Director of Actors Co-op he directed Godspell, Most Happy Fella, Soldiers Song, Lights, Woman in Black and To Kill a Mockingbird. Other Regional and LA theatre credits include I love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (Crown City Theatre) Disinherit the Wind (Complex) Hah Nah (Lounge) Shades (LATC) My Way and Bonnie and Clyde (Bend Or) Falling Lightly (Winner of the Jerome Lawrence Playwrights festival) In addition to directing He has performed in hundreds of plays, TV shows, films, and commercials...written a book called Little Book of Theatre Games (Lillenas Publishing) and a play called Personal Effects. Gary is grateful to be working with Open Door Playhouse during this difficult year. Many thanks to Bernadette.
Gary Reed
Matthew Scott Montgomery
THEATRE: Stage Kiss (The Geffen Playhouse), YELLOW (Best Actor Winner at the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, The Coast Playhouse), Dead Boys (writer/star, West Hollywood One City One Pride Excellence in LGBT Theatre Winner, The Blank Theatre, Celebration Theatre), I Know What You Did Last Summer: The Musical (El Cid, Three Clubs), Anchorman: The Musical (El Cid), A Walk to Remember: The Musical, The OC Musical, BROLESQUE (Rockwell Table & Stage), Definitely Not Clue: A Live Murder Mystery Musical for Twitch (After Hours Theatre Company). FILM & TELEVISION & WEB: Southern Baptist Sissies, Jane the Virgin (CW), White Famous (Showtime), Sonny With a Chance, So Random!, Shake it Up!, Austin & Ally (Disney Channel), SMOSH (recurring), Nasty Habits, .AEA & SAG/AFTRA. Instagram: @matthew_scott_montgomery Twitter: @irobotyoujane TikTok: @matthewscottmontgomery
Matthew Scott Montgomery
Jennie Cosgrave as Mrs Umney
My name is Jennie Cosgrave from Wantage in England.
I have always loved performing. Even as a child I had my ‘party piece’ to present at family parties. Throughout my school, college, and teaching life I was either acting or singing in amateur productions or as a teacher, directing.
I joined Springline Amateur Dramatics in 2007 as a founder member performing in Pantomimes (a great British Christmas Tradition), soirées, and variety shows. I usually play comic roles but deep down there is a Lady Macbeth lurking!!
I also love singing and am a member of 2 choirs one of which has been producing songs, virtually, during the pandemic.
I joined Springline Radio players when it first started. I really love it and I have been part of quite a few of their productions.
Working with Open Door Playhouse has been a different but highly enjoyable experience mainly due to the lovely people and Bernadette’s gentle directing!
Jennie Cosgrave
John Hunter Ghost, Sir Simon de Canterville
John has been active in amateur dramatics for over 40 years. involved in a wide variety of productions ranging from Operetta, Musicals, and drama. An actor who more recently has worked in audio drama both as producer and director roles in addition to taking on character parts in productions ranging from science fiction, horror, and historical drama.
John Hunter
Director:
Bernadette Armstrong
Bernadette moved to Los Angeles to work in film in the late 1990s and after her first two films went to festivals she took a short hiatus from writing until she fell in love with small theater. Since 2008 she has had several successful theater projects produced in No Hollywood. Her play The Reading Group was named Pick of the Week by LA Weekly Magazine and in 2017 her play Simple Lives was nominated for Outstanding Writing of an Original Play or Musical by the Valley Theater Awards (the only woman nominated) She is also the founder of Open-Door Playhouse!
Bernadette Armstrong
Sound Production:
Recorded at ES Audio Services in Glendale, CA.
Recorded and Mixed by Hall Cantrell
Sound Editor: Hall Cantrell
