Jane Austen Unscripted

April 16 - May 8, 2022
In The Marshall Gardens

Producing for Garry Marshall Theatre
Joseph Leo Bwarie

Producing for Impro Theatre
Dan O’Connor
Sara Mountjoy-Pepka

Directors
Sara Mountjoy-Pepka
Paul Rogan

The Company

in lovely rotation…

Ted Cannon

From How I Met Your Mother, Justified, Bad Judge, and Freeform’s Party Girl, to the almost one hundred national commercials he’s done, Ted Cannon has spent a fair amount of time in your living room. Not in a creepy way, but in a “he’s supporting his family” kind of way.
@tedcannon

Eric Carthen

Eric Carthen is from Highland, CA, and is an Actor, Improvisor, and Storyteller. A Graduate from California Lutheran University with a BS in Criminal Justice. He found the stage while in college and never left. You can find Eric on TV in a couple of national commercials (Benjamin Moore, Walmart) and listen to his voice talents in Sonder: The Improvised Podcasts, available on all platforms. He has performed improv and sketch at Impro Theatre and Second City Hollywood. Through all the plays, short films, shows, and auditions; progress and the enjoyment of the work is what gets him through. Life Motto: "Live and be a blessing unto someone else.

@EricPCarthen

Nicholas Daly Clark

Nicholas Daly Clark is an actor, writer, and improviser. He has appeared on numerous television shows, shamelessly shilled for corporations in dozens of commercials, and been a staff writer on several funny, funny shows. He is a member of the Impro Company Ensemble and the Administrative Director of the Impro Theatre School.

@NicholasDalyClark

Leanna Dindal

Leanna began improv training in 2008. She has studied with Impro Theatre and is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory. She loves the sense of connection improvisation fosters between players and the philosophy that any offer can lead to something great. Leanna also has a background in dance and choreographed theTRIBE’s productions of Hair and Cabaret. She studied screenwriting at CSUN and currently writes for television animation (Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse).

@1eanna

Kari Coleman

Kari Coleman is a founding member of the Impro Company Ensemble. Some of her credits include: playing Helen Stacy in both The Amazing Spider-man movies, starring in the Netflix series, Zach Stone is Gonna be Famous with Bo Burnham, The Good Doctor, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Seinfeld and Veronica Mars.

@Itskaricoleman

Susan Deming

A theatre graduate of Northwestern University, Susan Deming’s onstage appearances include The Goodman Theatre and East West Players. Select television credits: The Affair, Fresh Off the Boat, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Tribeca TV Pilot, Tantalum. Additional improv credits: Groundlings Sunday Company, Second City Chicago & Los Angeles and iO West.

@susandemingofficial

Kirsten Farrell

Kirsten Farrell was a series regular on 10 Items or Less, an improvised comedy on TBS. She co-created and co-directed Tough Begonias at the Impro Studio. She has also been seen in over 15 commercial campaigns including 3 Super Bowl commercials and over a dozen national commercials.

@gronfarrellfield

Stephen Kearin

Stephen began his career as an improviser in 1987, and is a founding member of Impro Company Ensemble. He is the co-creator of Simlish. Stephen currently portrays the role of Sergeant Geller on Amazon Prime’s hit show, Wayne, and can be heard in the upcoming Netflix Animation feature The Magician’s Elephant.

@stephen.kearin

Jully Lee

Jully Lee is thrilled to return to the Garry Marshall Theatre (previously in The Enchanted Nightingale and Family Garden Days’ Story Hour) in her first performance as a member of the Impro Company Ensemble. Upcoming, she will make her Broadway debut in KPOP The Musical this Fall. jullylee.com

@jullyleeig

Kelly Lohman

Kelly is an actor and director from Los Angeles. She is a member of the Impro Company Ensemble and Ripley Improv. She recently directed Ripley Improv in As We Go Along, a trio of fully-improvised films. Kelly can be seen improvising musicals in The Show Offs on BYUtv. Favorite theatrical roles include Hope in Urinetown, Christine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Anne in The Elliots (an adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion), and Jennifer in The Dastardly Ficus. TV and film credits include Bones, Gilmore Girls, Days of Our Lives, and The Hillside Strangler.

@kellysueloh

Rebecca Lowman

Rebecca Lowman is thrilled to be back at the Garry Marshall Theatre, having last been seen in Impro’s Western Unscripted. Since then she has played in several other improvised plays, both streamed and IRL, including Sonder: The Improvised Podcast. She has also appeared on TV in Scandal, Code Black, All Rise, Dirty John, and Perry Mason, among others, and she will appear in the upcoming Peacock show, Would It Kill You to Laugh, with Kate Berlant and John Early. She is also a writer and an award-winning audiobook narrator. She lives in LA with her wife, an old cat, and a puppy.

@Lobecca

Michael Manuel

Michael Manuel is happy to return to GMT (Western Unscripted) Other Impro shows: Shakespeare Unscripted, Chekhov Unscripted, and Fairy Tales Unscripted. Michael has worked in regional theatres across the country including Pasadena Playhouse, Alley Theatre, A Noise Within, SCR, Berkeley Rep, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Mark Taper, LA Shakespeare Festival, Yale Rep, Seattle Rep, NJ Shakespeare Festival, among others. Michael is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.

@themichaelmanuel

Nick Massouh

Nick is a founding company member of Impro Company Ensemble, and a member of the award-winning sketch comedy troupe Summer of Tears. He has dozens of film/television credits, including the Oscar winning West Bank Story. Nick is also a life coach and employs the principles of improv in helping his clients take action towards more peaceful and productive lives.

@NickMassooouh

Sara Mountjoy-Pepka

This is Sara’s premiere directing job at both the Garry Marshall Theatre and in the Impro Company Ensemble. Previous directing credits: The Improvised Generation, ENCOUNTER (Ripley Improv), Little House on Vermont, and Bubbles in the Wine (Unexpected Productions). Sara is a member of Magic Circle Mime Company, and has performed across Asia, Europe, and North America. She is passionate for Shakespeare and previous credits include: Helena (Midsummer, twice), Hero, Narissa, Lady Capulet, Antonio (Tempest), and Dorcas. Upcoming: Great River Shakespeare Festival, Summer 2022 (Tranio, Fabian).

@smountjoypepka

Dan O’Connor

Dan is the founder of Impro Theatre. He has taught and performed narrative improvisation from Auckland to Dubai. He is an actor, writer, and director. He has co-authored two books on using improvisation to connect more with yourself and others: Ensemble! and Life Unscripted.

@danoimpro

Mike Rock

Impro Company Ensemble member, faculty, producer, director, creator & host of Impro Talk. TV: This Is Us, Black-ish, The Goldbergs, Modern Family, The Mentalist, Monk, Conan O’Brien, Law & Order. V/O: Discovery Network, TLC, NFL Network, Chelsea Lately. Produced/performed at Just For Laughs, Edinburgh Fringe, HBO-Aspen, MTV & Comedy Central.

@itsmikerock

Paul Rogan

A Londoner, Paul worked with the UK’s major improv groups, including Eddie Izzard and Friends. He has a ton of TV and film credits, and theatre includes ‘George’ in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and the ‘Emcee’ in Cabaret, plus BBC radio comedy shows, and hundreds of stand up comedy gigs. www.paulrogan.com

@itspaulrogan

GMTea Experience Tea Menu

We are delighted to support local business.

Hot Earl Grey, Geeky Teas

Snow Monkey Plum Iced Tea, Priscilla’s

Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwich, King’s Deli

Peanut Butter Bocce Ball, Vegan Madness

Apricot & Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, Village Bakery & Cafe

Flower Arrangements by The Enchanted Florist

Piano & Strings

Music Director and Piano, Ryan Whyman

Cello, Mikala Schmitz, Danica Pinner, Keith Williams

Violin, Madeleine Eaton, Megan Shung

Production Staff

Stage Manager, Giselle N. Vega

Choreographer, Michele Spears

Sound Design, Robert Arturo Ramirez

Costume Design, Jessica Champagne-Hansen

Hair and Wig Styling and Design, Laura Caponera

Scenic Consultant, Vince Davey

Costume Design Assistant, Eliza Sukiasyan

Scenic Painter, Alyssa Armas

Lead Audio Engineer, Álvaro Saldaña

Audio Crew, Madina Farmanova

Wardrobe/Backstage, Manee Leija

Cal State Long Beach Costume Design Interns, Macy Dailey, Frances Tate, Julia Perez, Jing Zhang, Vivian Phan

Hospitality Coordinator, Lawrence Evans

Branding Creative Director, Todd Gallopo

Branding Design Coordinator, Tory Davis

Garry Marshall Theatre Staff

Producer, Joseph Leo Bwarie

Managing Director, Kurt J. Swanson

Technical Director, Vince Davey

Lighting Director, JM Montecalvo

Sound Director, Robert Arturo Ramirez

Box Office, Tarumi Inouye

New Works Festival Co-Producer, Kimberly Arnold

Team Members, Josh Aguilar, Elizabeth Albright, Lawrence Evans, Ashley Felkner, Daniel Hwang, Aslan Mitchell, Marlyn Fisher Scott and Heather Hall

Impro Theatre Staff

Artistic Directors
Lisa Fredrickson
Tatiana Godfrey
Jen Reiter

Executive Director
Brianna Pitts

Founder
Dan O’Connor

Garry Marshall Theatre Board of Directors

Barbara Marshall, Chair
Kathleen Marshall, CEO
Heather Hall, Secretary
Scott Kay, Treasurer
Joan Boyett
Cathy King

Impro Theatre Board of Directors

Cooper Bates
Mike Blaha
Kari Coleman
Cheryl Faris
Lisa Fredrickson
Juliana Gondek
Alicia Ide
Andrew Pearce
Laurie Wee

The Production Staff

JOSEPH LEO BWARIE
Producer
JLB is known for his record-breaking turn as Frankie Valli in the Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys (over 2,000 performances – Las Vegas, Tour & Broadway). He is a Sherman Oaks native and a recording artist popular on XM Siriusly Sinatra. Albums: Nothin’ But Love, The Good Stuff, A Little Christmas. At Garry’s Falcon Theatre, he wrote/produced seven original family productions, performed in nine “Troubie” shows, played ‘Chachi Arcola’ in Happy Days the musical, and was associate director alongside Garry for the world premiere Billy & Ray. Bwarie directed A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To the Forum in the Inaugural Season of the Garry Marshall Theatre.

DAN O’CONNOR
Producer

*See cast bio.

SARA MOUNTJOY-PEPKA
Producer & Co-Director

*See cast bio.

PAUL ROGAN
Co-Director

*See cast bio.

KURT J. SWANSON
Managing Director – Garry Marshall Theatre
Chicago native, Kurt Swanson has been involved in theatre and performing arts since childhood. He has served in a variety of senior positions with social service and arts organizations including Theatre X, Steppenwolf Theatre, and Executive Director of Animal Samaritans SPCA. Swanson serves as a senior advisor with The Third Sector Company and as a consultant with SST Non-Profit Services aiding clients in administration, finance and executive search. Swanson has served as General Manager of the Broad Stage and Interim CFO of The Wallis among others. Swanson has lived in Toluca Lake for over 22 years.

VINCE DAVEY
Technical Director
Vince has been building sets since High School in Indiana. He received his MFA in Theatre Technology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He served as the Technical Director for the Monomoy Theatre in Chatham, MA, and The Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach, CA. His most recent productions include Santa Claus is Comin' to Motown, Holidaze Harmony, The Root Beer Bandits, and Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar and Grill.

ROBERT ARTURO RAMIREZ
Sound Designer
Robert is pleased to be designing at the Garry Marshall Theatre. For TV, he Sound Designed Netflix series Dear White People and helps in co-designing Manifest at Warner Brothers. Past theatrical designs: Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Motown (GMT), The Root Beer Bandits (GMT), Haunted House Party (Troubies/Getty Villa); Broads! (El Portal); Lady Day (GMT); The Grapes of Wrath (Theatreworks SV); Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses (asst. Sound, CTG Mark Taper). He’s received 3 Emmy /2 Ovation nominations. Other TV credits include Superman and Lois, Titans for HBOmax, DC’s Arrow. Film: Queen and Slim etc. He operates Orpheus SoundLabs in the NoHo Arts District. Thanks: Joe and Kathleen.

JESSICA CHAMPAGNE-HANSEN
Costume Designer
Jessica is an Ovation nominated costume designer and technician with credits in theater, dance, film, television, commercials, theme parks, and corporate clients. She is a published author and her work has been featured in numerous theater journals and books. Jessica is proud to be the head faculty and creator of the costume program at East Los Angeles College in the Theatre Arts Department. She is a member of IATSE Local 829 and serves on the Publication Committee for USITT. Jessica received an MFA in Costume Design from University of California, Irvine and a BFA in Costume Design & Technology from Emerson College.

RYAN WHYMAN
Musical Director
Ryan Whyman has made a living as a keyboardist and composer in Los Angeles for the last decade or so. As a keyboardist, he has music directed for numerous theater productions, most recently being the The Revue, The Root Beer Bandits (GMT), and Troubadour Theater Company’s Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Motown at GMT and Lizastrata at the Getty Villa. His piano music can also be heard on several TV and film soundtracks, including Showtime’s Penny Dreadful: City of Angeles and the popular video game Fortnite. As a composer, Ryan writes for video game and film productions, dance collaborative performances, and various commissions with orchestras, choirs, and chamber ensembles. His debut album, Fantasies & Memories has been well received and can be heard on all streaming platforms.

LAURA CAPONERA
Hair and Wig Consultant
As a lifelong admirer of theatre and the arts, Laura was drawn to theatre through school field trips and her father taking her to shows he worked on. She discovered wig making backstage on Angels In America in San Francisco, and found her path for the next 25 years; and counting. There is nothing as powerful as introducing young minds to the magic that can occur onstage. We create a better reality when art sets us free.

TODD GALLOPO
Creative Director
Grammy® nominated creative director, designer, mentor, author and business owner, Todd Gallopo, began his career designing innovative packaging and image campaigns for numerous rock legends. His expertise spans from music and entertainment, to hospitality, food & beverage, fashion and beauty. His work has earned numerous awards and acknowledgements globally. In 2000 Todd founded the award-winning, LA-based branding and design agency, Meat and Potatoes, Inc. Producing quality design, brand building, key visual, packaging, and strategy solutions for global & local brands, pop stars, rock gods, celebrities, chefs, aficionados, fashionistas, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, distillers, authors, entertainers, investors, carnivores, omnivores, vegetarians and vegans.

DAVIDSON & CHOY PUBLICITY
Press Representatives – Tim Choy, David Barber, Victoria Westbrook
Resume includes original LA productions of Evita at the Shubert through The Book of Mormon at the Pantages, and dozens of dance companies including many stints with American Ballet Theatre and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Currently The Actor’s Gang, Bai Holiday Ice Rink at Pershing Square, Boston Court Pasadena, The Broad Stage, Disneyland Park, El Capitan Theatre, Ford Theatres, Garry Marshall Theatre, Hollywood Bowl, Long Beach Opera, Lythgoe Family Pantos, Pasadena Playhouse, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Shakespeare Center Los Angeles, The Soraya, Verdi Chorus, and Walt Disney Imagineering. Recently Allegiance with East West Players and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.

Impro Theatre would like to acknowledge and recognize the design contributions of our longtime friends and design partners Sandra Burns and Trefoni Michale Rizzi. Select costume pieces and furniture pieces are still part of Jane Austen Unscripted to this very day.

Special Thanks
Joni Champagne, Evelyn Royston, Jenny Kanleos, Kathie Bretches-Urban, Ali Bretches, Anna Aimee White, Joan Hatton, Jennifer Hatton, Christine Lakin, Brandon Breault

Thank you to our signage sponsor
Circle Graphics

And with deepest thanks to Jane Austen.

Dan O’Connor, Stephen Kearin, Susan Deming, Paul Rogan, Sara Mountjoy-Pepka, Leanna Dindal, Mike Rock, Kirsten Farrell, Jully Lee, Eric Carthen, Kari Coleman, Ted Cannon

Jully Lee, Mike Rock, Sara Mountjoy-Pepka

Company Members of “Jane Austen Unscripted"

Sara Mountjoy-Pepka, Leanna Dindal, Paul Rogan, Stephen Kearin, Jully Lee, Dan O’Connor, Susan Deming, Ted Cannon, Eric Carthen, Kari Coleman, Kirsten Farrell, Mike Rock

Susan Deming and Stephen Kearin

Photography by Ginger Sole Photography.

Jane Austen Unscripted

April 16 - May 8, 2022In The Marshall Gardens

The Company

Ted Cannon

Eric Carthen

Nicholas Daly Clark

Leanna Dindal

Kari Coleman

Susan Deming

Kirsten Farrell

Stephen Kearin

Jully Lee

Kelly Lohman

Rebecca Lowman

Michael Manuel

Nick Massouh

Sara Mountjoy-Pepka

Dan O’Connor

Mike Rock

Paul Rogan

GMTea Experience Tea Menu

Piano & Strings

Production Staff

Garry Marshall Theatre Staff

Impro Theatre Staff

The Production Staff

April 16 - May 8, 2022
In The Marshall Gardens