Emmanuel

United
October 10-19 Methodist
Church
 UpStage Artists presents
KONG’S NIGHT OUT
by Jack Neary
Production Team
Director: Rick Bergmann
Stage Manager: Joanne Breen
Fight Choreographer: John Cusumano
Set Design: Rick Bergmann, Neil Swanson-
Chrisman
Set Construction: Joanne Breen, Rick Bergmann,
Neil Swanson-Chrisman, Izzy Morris, Stacey
Saunders, Michael Safko, Anna Fitzmaurice
Costumes: Rick Bergmann, Joanne Breen & Cast
Props: Rick Bergmann, Joanne Breen
Kong Designer: Joanne Breen
Sound and Light Design: Rick Bergmann
Light Technician: Izadora “Izzy” Morris
Sound Technician: Rick Bergmann
Headshots: John Cholod

Cast (In Alphabetical Order)

Laila Anderson as Daisy
Ed Brennan as Jack Driskel
John Cholod as Sig Higginbottom
Elisabeth Dorman as Bertille Siegel
Sophie Ellison as Ann Farrow
Camorra “Cam” Haffenden as Little Willie
Peter Rouleau as Carl Dennam
Neil Swanson-Chrisman as Myron Siegel
Lisa Troshinsky as Sally Charmaine
 Special Thanks
 Thank you to Emmanuel United Methodist
Church for providing UpStage Artists with a
space to perform. Thank you to Pastor Andrea
M. King, the Board of Trustees, and the
Congregation for being so accommodating.
 Prince George’s Federal Credit Union
 Greenbelt Arts Center for allowing us to
borrow the bar for our set
 Laurel Mill Playhouse for allowing us to
borrow the couch for our set.

We would like to thank you for attending today’s

performance
and hope you are as delighted as we are by what our
community
theatre has come together to create.
Please contact us at info@[Link] if you
have ideas or questions about how you can become
part of the UpStage Crew!

About UpStage Artists

Board of Directors
President: John Cusumano
Vice President: Stacey Saunders
Treasurer: Rick Bergmann
Secretary: Anna Fitzmaurice
Member At Large: Michael Safko
Member At Large: Joanne Breen
Member At Large: Melvin Smith
UpStage Artists was formed in July 2019 when a
group of artists and friends decided they wanted to
create a community theater experience for anyone
who wanted to give it a try. Our goal was always to
 remind those who work with us and those who
attend our shows that theater is fun. UpStage Artists
is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theater program
dedicated to providing affordable theater
experiences for everyone.

Our Mission
~To bring high quality theatre and arts programs to
the residents of Maryland.
~To produce innovative and approachable theatre,
classics, as well as new works.
~To provide professional level training for actors
and lovers of theatre.

Find us on the web

[Link]
[Link]
Instagram @upstage_art
YouTube: UpStage Artists
TikTok: @[Link]
Threads: upstage_art
Bluesky: @[Link]

Become A Patron
Become a supporter by going to
[Link]/donate
Tiers of Patronage
Fans: any amount between $1.00 and $9.00
Critic: $10.00
Stagehand: $25.00
 Director: $50.00
Producer: $100.00 or more

A Note From The Director

I remember when my parents bought our first
VCR. It was a marvel—we could go to a store, pick
out movies, and watch them whenever we wanted.
One of the very first tapes I chose was King Kong,
simply because the box art looked both fun and a
little scary. I was probably six or seven years old.
Since then, I’ve watched the original 1933 version
dozens of times. It remains one of my favorite films
because it fully immerses you in its world and its
characters.
Over the years, I’ve seen each of the remakes.
While they all have their strengths, nothing, in my
opinion, quite compares to the original. I’ve read
books on its production, watched documentaries
about its cultural impact, and studied how it was
made—yet every time I revisit it, I’m still astounded.
I just love it. Which brings us to Kong’s Night Out.
During the pandemic, like many of you, I suddenly
had a lot of time on my hands. I filled it by watching
TV, listening to music, spending far too much time
online—and reading. Plays, books, magazines—
anything I could get my hands on. That’s when I
came across Kong’s Night Out. Intrigued, I ordered
a copy. When it arrived, I opened it immediately and
started reading. I don’t often laugh out loud while
reading, but this script had me rolling. It was, hands
down, the funniest play I’d read in years.
When UpStage reopened, I put it on the list of
plays I hoped we could stage. It didn’t make the cut
that first year—or the second—or even the third. But
last year, it finally did, and I was thrilled. What I love
most is how it cleverly dovetails with the 1933 film.
You don’t need to know the movie to enjoy the show,
but if you do, your enjoyment will be that much
richer. The play takes a few of those iconic
characters and flips them in hilarious, unexpected
ways.
Now, after months of hard work with an amazing
cast and crew, I’m excited for you to see the results.
I hope you laugh as much as we did while bringing it
to life. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to
experience “the 8th Wonder of the World, Kong”—
this time in all his hilarious glory.

—Rick Bergmann, Director

Meet The Cast and Crew (in

alphabetical order)
Laila Anderson (Daisy)
This is Laila's first show with UpStage
Artists (and she is very excited). She
studied psychology and theater at
George Washington University. She has
been performing for 7 years, and this is
her 12th show (but her first with a giant gorilla).
Enjoy the show!

Rick Bergmann (Director)

Rick Bergmann has been involved in theater since
childhood, beginning his journey right here in this
very church—where his first role was playing a
donkey in a pageant. (Some might say that role was
fitting, but in truth it sparked a lifelong passion for
the stage.)
Rick studied theater throughout his years at High
Point High School and carried that love into
community theater. He served as president of the
board of directors for the Prince George’s Summer
Teen Theater—one of the longest-running teen
theater groups in the country—for a decade. Over
the years, he has acted and directed with several
local companies, including Laurel Mill Playhouse
and the Black Rock Center for the Arts, and he also
founded the Parkland Players theater program at
Parkland Middle School in Rockville.
A founding member of UpStage Artists, Rick
currently serves as its treasurer. He is deeply proud
of what UpStage has grown into and grateful for the
extraordinary talent—onstage, backstage, and on the
board—that makes it possible. He hopes you enjoy
the show!

Joanne Breen (Stage Manager)

Joanne Breen was born in Winnipeg,
Manitoba, where she quickly earned the
nickname “The Jumping Bean.” From an
early age, gymnastics, dance, and
theater have been central to her life. At
17, she discovered her love for tap dancing, a
passion that has carried her through countless
performances across the places she has called home.
While living in Portland, Oregon, Joanne performed
with The Skylark Tappers, The Portland Tap
Connection, and Northwest Senior Theatre. She
even had the unique opportunity to dance in a pre-
show performance for the Radio City Rockettes with
the Stellar Dancers Jr. Rockettes.
A lifelong theater enthusiast and Broadway devotee,
Joanne is thrilled to be a member of UpStage Artists
Community Theatre. She believes that theater is for
everyone—whether in the audience, behind the
scenes, on stage, or supporting as a patron—and
invites all to share in the joy and magic it creates.

Edward Brennan (Jack Driskel)

Edward is thrilled to be joining the cast
of UpStage Artists for the production of
Kong’s Night Out. This is his second time
on stage with them, and he is glad to be
back. He previously played Rupert Cadell
in Rope. When not enjoying the art of acting he
works as a high school English teacher in Calvert
County. In his free time, he enjoys writing and
playing tabletop role playing games. He’s had a
great time working with the cast and getting to
know everyone and he hopes you all enjoy this
production of “Kong’s Night Out.”

John Cholod (Sig Higginbottom)

After many years doing tech for the
federal government, I’m indulging my
passion for the arts. My favorite roles
have been Ruckly in One Flew Over the
Cuckoo’s Nest, The angriest of 12 Angry
Jurors, and Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing. In
addition to acting, I’m a printmaker and
photographer. Hope you enjoy the show!

Elisabeth Dorman (Bertille Siegel)

Elisabeth is thrilled to be making her
UpStage Artists debut in Kong’s Night. A
native of Pittsburgh, PA, has worked as a
government affairs professional in the
DMV for the past 13 years. Elisabeth holds a
Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from
Duquesne University. She’s grateful to her husband
Parsa’s love and support and her dogs Chip and
Rosie for their kisses and tail wags after every
rehearsal and show.

Sophie Ellison (Ann Farrow)

Sophie is so excited to be doing her first
production with UpStage! While this is
her first time with UpStage it's also her
first time adding a play to her resume,
usually she sticks with musicals. You may
have recently seen her in CCSI's Rocky Horror
Suicide prevention drive as a Phantom, or Theater
202's production of Footloose as Rusty. You may also
have caught her as Lilith in Eves Big Fat Family
Reunion over in DC or, in Merrily We Roll Along as
Evelyn over at Greenbelt Theater Center. Kong is
such a funny show, and she had so much fun
working with everyone to bring it together. She
hopes everyone enjoys the performance!

Cam Haffenden (Little Willie)

Hi, my name is Cam! I’m from Maryland,
where my mom and I left and returned
after a quick stint in Georgia. I
graduated from DeMatha and studied at
Towson for 2 years, where I developed
and grew a love for the arts. Since dropping out I’ve
been (sometimes) keeping a job while pursuing my
passions and interests. I’ve done drawing, music
production, screenwriting/nonfiction, content
creation, and rapping/singing. Though, I won’t stop
doing those things, I’ve finally landed on acting,
something I feel I can really pour my heart into. I’m
incredibly grateful to whoever sees this and thankful
for being a part of my journey!
 Izadora (Izzy) Morris (Light
Technician)
Izzy is excited to experience her first
time doing lights for a show. She has
previously acted in 3 shows at UpStage
Artists, and in total has been a part of 7
shows. She enjoys UpStage Artists and meeting new
people, as well as seeing the same familiar faces in
shows. Her hobbies outside of theatre productions
consist of art-related activities and cross country.

Peter Rouleau (Carl Dennam)

Peter is excited to return to UpStage
Artists for his fifth show, having
previously appeared in Arsenic and Old
Lace, A Raisin in the Sun, Much Ado
About Nothing, and The Mousetrap. He saw his first
set of Broadway shows earlier this year, so there's a
symmetry in playing a maniacal Broadway producer
towards the end of the year. Peter is a college
English professor and the author of the books
"Masquerade Ball" and "Connectivity." His current
project is a scripted podcast, "The Hidden Realm,"
which he hopes to release next year.

Neil Swanson-Chrisman (Myron

Siegel)
Neil is delighted to be working once
again with UpStage Artists in this
delightful comedy show. Neil has
appeared previously in shows such as
Arsenic and Old Lace, The 39 Steps, and Guess
Who's Coming to Dinner, where his acting was
described as "reliable" in a DC Theater Arts review.
Neil has been involved in theater since he was 8
years old, as an actor, director, stagehand,
technician, and house manager, among other roles.
He considers himself very lucky to be working with
such an amazing group of people to bring yet
another play to life.

Lisa Troshinsky (Sally Charmaine)

Lisa is thrilled to perform in a second
show at UpStage Artists. She was
previously seen as Hilary in Guess Who's
Coming to Dinner. Lisa has been acting
and dancing in the DC area for years and
is a theater reviewer for [Link].

Auditions For Our Next Show: The

Importance of Being Ernest
Auditions: December 3 and 4 at
7 pm
Interested? go to
[Link]/auditio
ns.
or scan the QR Code.

Next Season At UpStage Artists

The Importance of Being
Ernest by Oscar Wilde
Directed By Anna Fitzmaurice
The classic comedy about two friends,
each pretending to be a man named
“Ernest” to win over women who insist
they can only love someone with that
name. Chaos and comedy ensue in this
sharp, witty satire packed with lies, tangled plots, and
mistaken identities.
AUDITIONS: December 3 and 4 at 7 REHEARSALS BEGIN:
January 12
SHOW DATES: March 6-8 and 13-15

American Son By Christopher

Demos-Brown
Directed By Rick Bergmann
The award-winning play about an
estranged biracial couple who
must confront their feelings about
race and bias after their son is
detained by the local police
following a traffic stop incident.
Their disparate histories and
backgrounds inform their assumptions
as they try to find out what happened to their son.
AUDITIONS: March 18 and 19 at 7 pm
REHEARSALS BEGIN: April 13
SHOW DATES: June 5-7 and 12-14

The Maltese Falcon

Directed By John Cusumano
Based on Dashiell Hammet’s noir
classic about private investigator Sam
Spade as he gets entangled in a
dangerous hunt for a priceless
statuette, the titular Maltese Falcon.
Spade's partner is murdered, and
he's drawn into a web of deceit,
betrayal, and greed involving a cast of
ruthless criminals all vying for the
Falcon.
AUDITIONS: July 9 and 10 at 7 pm
REHEARSALS BEGIN: July 27
SHOW DATES: September 18-20 and 25-27
 Babes In Toyland: The
Musical
Directed By Rick Bergmann
This is our annual family show and
will have a mixture of children, teens,
and adults
Villainous Barnaby is determined to
marry sweet Mary Quite Contrary—
if not through wealth, then by
threatening her mother, the poor
Widow Piper. But Mary loves
Barnaby’s nephew, Alan. When
Barnaby’s plot to eliminate Alan fails, Alan returns to Mother
Goose Land in triumph. Mary flees to the magical Toyland,
pursued by Barnaby and the Mother Goose gang, where they
meet the whimsical Toymaker and his quirky helpers in a
delightful, year-round musical adventure.
AUDITIONS FOR ADULTS: October 3 at 7 pm
AUDITIONS FOR CHILDREN: October 4 at 11 am
REHEARSALS BEGIN: October 12
SHOW DATES: December 4-6 and 11-13
 Our Wonderful Cast!

Our Amazing Cast Hard At

Work