Theater 156:
Three friends open Christmas crackers at a holiday party. Two contain the usual paper crowns and bad jokes. The third contains something that's absolutely terrifying.
Writer: John Leslie
The Director:
Bernadette Armstrong
Bernadette Armstrong has been writing, directing, and producing successful plays in North Hollywood since 2000. Her most recent success occurred under the direst circumstances, the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic forced the closure of live theater, including the premier of her play Custody, Bernadette’s disappointment led her to launch a new theater venue, Open-Door Playhouse. Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast – similar to the radio dramas of the 1940’s and 1950’s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception, Open-Door Playhouse has presented over 80 new Short and 1ACT plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. She’s thrilled to be working with the SkyPilot team, and appreciates the opportunity to direct her first live play in Los Angeles since the pandemic.
The Cast:
Noelle Evangelisti as Abby
Noelle earned an MFA in Acting from California Institute of the Arts. She has worked on major motion pictures including: Terminator Two: Judgement Day, LA Confidential, The Babysitter and Pacific Heights. Noelle has performed in numerous theaters in Los Angeles and Chicago. Three of her favorite and most memorable roles were: Prudence in Beyond Therapy at Ruth Page in Chicago, Liz in The Philadelphia Story and The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet at Hillside Rep in Los Angeles. She still loves working on commercials and voiceovers and had a great time doing a radio play pre-Covid with the Screen Actors Guild. She feels blessed to work with Bernadette and everyone at Open Door!
Cynthia Gravinese Brown as Kristin
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Cynthia attended the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts, and made her way to NYC where she studied at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She began working in a variety of Off-Broadway and regional theatres. In Los Angeles, Cynthia had the pleasure of performing in one of her most memorable roles as Rose Weiss in A Shayna Maidel. In the comedy world, Cynthia became a member of the famed CANDID CAMERA improv troupe of actors pulling pranks and catching people.
off guard across the U.S. For 13 years she had the pleasure of running around the halls of Greystone Mansion in a red flapper dress, boa and high heels causing mayhem and havoc as the “saucy, hilarious, scheming British dance hall trollop”, in the smash hit, long-running show, THE MANOR, based on the Doheny family's infamous rise and devastating fall. Her love for dance and the diverse people she encountered at the local YMCA prompted Cynthia to write, produce and star in the award-winning, hit web series “MEET ME AT THE BARRE”. Currently streaming on YouTube, the series stars Cynthia, Pete Gardner, (from the Golden Globe award-winning show, My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), former Broadway dancer, Malinda Farrington, and Cheryl Harrington (Tulsa King). Cynthia will be seen in the upcoming Russo Brothers Film “Something’s More Than One Thing.”
Matt Foyer as Jim
Matt Foyer Selected acting credits include The Comedy of Errors
(Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Portland), Unseen Shepherd (Edinburgh
Fringe Festival - The Space on the Mile), Tir Na nOg (The Magic Theatre,
San Francisco), Unfinished American Highwayscape #'s 9 and 32, Mother
Courage and Her Children, and Tartuffe (theatre@Boston Court,
Pasadena), Oscar (The Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.), and most
recently, Once (Rubicon Theatre, Ventura), among others. He is a member
of Theatre Banshee in Burbank. Recent films include "Mistake" (currently
making the rounds at a film festival near you), "The Whisperer in
Darkness", and "Something Strange." Matt received his education and
training from The California Institute of the Arts. And, when not acting, Matt
can be heard playing flute, Irish penny whistle, harmonica, and mandolin
for the bands Slugger O'Toole and The Johnny Come Lately's. Matt is a
member of AEA and SAG/AFTRA.
www.mattfoyeractor.com
Kevin Carr as Gavin
Kevin Carr has acted professionally since the age of fifteen. Television credits include Beverly Hills 90210 and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, among others. He wrote and directed the film, Sine Zen Non (Nothing Without Zen), and his next effort, a HAMLET in progress, is due out at the end of 2025. Shakespeare is his first love, and he has written a dozen plays as Kevspeare, including The Impro Lear and Twelfth Night Andronicus. Kevin has also had a successful commercial career, which has enabled him to visit forty countries in forty years.
Gilbert Glenn Brown as Buddy
Gilbert Glenn Brown - His acting credits include the motion pictures; Respect as MLK Jr., Best of Enemies, the forthcoming Long Shadows, Lilly, and All Hail Anastasia to name a few. His television credits include: recurring: TWD: Darryl Dixon, MAYANS MC, BMF, MLK/X, NCIS, Stargirl, General Hospital, Young & the Restless, The Inspectors, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Good Behavior, S.W.A.T., Bosch: Legacy and Stranger Things.
His theater credits include: The Mountaintop (Garry Marshall Theatre), Power to the People (LA Philharmonic/Disney Music Hall), Dot (Billie HolidayTheatre/True Colors Theatre), LATW’s national tour of The Mountaintop, When Jazz Had the Blues (CEK Productions/The Matrix Theatre), Harriet Jacobs (Kansas City Rep), Civil War Christmas (Huntington Theatre), TopDog/UnderDog (Seattle Rep/CTG), Spunk (True Colors Theatre Company), The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek (Fountain Theatre), Serial. Black. Face. (Actor’s Express) and Charleston Olio (Goodman Theatre & National Black Theatre Festival).
His writing/producing and directing credits include the short film Half/Off, the web series All in the Timing, musicals Beyond the Obvious and C.H.O.I.C.E.S., and the upcoming series NICU-DC.
Gilbert’s numerous awards and nominations include appearing in the Emmy-winning Proctor & Gamble’s The Talk, NAACP Theatre Awards, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, and the Audelco Award. He has also appeared in and voiced several commercials for a variety of clients and several podcasts.Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Sound Production:
Oak House Recording Studio in Pasadena, CA with Sound Engineer David Peters.