A Note from Rose
A play within a play…within a play.
All of our shows venture to remove the barrier between actor and character, and in this experiment of a play we’re challenging ourselves even further by adding another layer of character to strip away. The classic Midsummer Mechanicals, become for us at Chaotíque a proxy for ourselves.
They become the Mechaníques! A ragtag group of friends and collaborators that make each other laugh, pitch ideas (helpfully or unhelpfully…), have unique relationships, and want to make something thier audiences will enjoy.
Inspired by the follies of Midsummer’s young lovers and meddling fairies, we (and the Mechaníques) supplanted the usual play-within-a-play of Pyramus and Thisbe, found in act five of Midsummer, with our version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
The tale of Pyramus and Thisbe was the inspiration for Romeo and Juliet, one of his most popular and (in our opinion) best written works. The play-within-a-play of Midsummer would have been, in Shakespeare’s time, a clear self-referential nod to his own work.
As he presented a send up of the stupidity, sexuality, and splendor of love, from Midsummer to R&J, so do we…just all at once and in one night. As he self-referenced and self-reflected, as do we, pardoying our own work and it’s trimuphs and pitfalls.
It’s totally an experiment, and we don’t know if it works yet, but we hope you’ll find the paralells between the acts - in the text, the characters, the doubling, and even some of the staging.
But f you don’t know anything about that, it really doesn’t matter! Just sit back, relax, and fall in love!
ABOUT CHAOTIQUE
The philosophy of Chaotíque Company is “Just Be People.” We don’t separate the performer from the role, from the audience, from the artist. All the actors and musicians you see in the show tonight are also here to watch the show and create the show, even as they perform in it. We want to make each other laugh just as much as we want to make you laugh. We want to find something new tonight, just as we have in rehearsal. We’re just here being people, the real people we are in the world, and people that exist in the world of the play. We’re just people all the time and now is no different. And people require forgiveness, patience, and faith. We’ll have some in you, if you grant the same for us.
CARLOS CHAVEZ (PUCK/PHILOSTRATE // MERCUTIO)
Born in Peru, Carlos R Chavez started acting from a young age. Carlos fell in love with the art form after performing in Hamlet. This love compelled him to take the leap and move to Los Angeles, where he would earn an Associates in Fine Arts degree. In 2019, the BroadwayWorld Regional Awards nominated him for Best Actor for his performance in “Telenovela”. In 2022 The Valley Theater Awards nominated Carlos and the rest of the cast of “Romeo and Juliet in Hell” for best Ensemble. Most recent accomplishments in the industry see Carlos among the stardom of Christopher Lloyd and Richard Kind in the movie “Tankhouse”. Carlos truly believes in the healing powers of performance. Working with Chaotique for the third time Carlos learned that from the laughter of comedy to the tears of tragedy, performance brings us all together for just a moment where no matter race or creed, we get to take part in something transcendent.
JACK de SANZ (DEMITRIUS/SNUG // TYBALT)
Jack de Sanz is an actor, improviser, and founding member of the Chaotique Company. This marks his fifth Shakespeare production with director Rose Bochner. Jack met the bulk of the clowns of this cast in college at NYU Tisch, after accidentally auditioning for the study abroad Shakespeare program in London. He performs regularly at the UCB Theater in Hollywood doing sketch and improv comedy, and has appeared in feature films such as Strays and Big Boys. Despite this, his proudest accolade remains the "Junior Rodeo Greased Pig Round-Up" trophy from 1999 that he displays prominently on his mantle. The trophy is a golden pig. Find him on instagram @sackdejanz
EMMA FACTOR (HELENA/STARVELING // BENVOLIO)
Emma Factor is an actor and received her BFA in acting from University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She is a writer/performer with the sketch team My Totally Real Girlfriend here in Los Angeles. Later this year you can see her in the film You’re Dating a Narcissist! starring Marisa Tomei. Other credits include CBS’ Madam Secretary, Syfy’s Happy! and starring in Eminem’s trailer for his album Houdini.
DUNCAN GREGORY (LYSANDER/SNUG // PARIS)
Duncan is a director working across comedy, theater, podcasts and film. He trained at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and performed with Hammerkatz and Dangerbox, appearing at the Del Close Marathon, ComFest, and the National College Improv Tournament. He’s the creator and director of Late Night Lecture Series and PLAY: A Full-Length Improvised Play, and is a writer/performer with the sketch team My Totally Real Girlfriend. Recent theater credits include ANDRONICUS! with Chaotique Company as well as directing SHOWBOAT! The James Comey Musical, As Told Through the Music of the Chainsmokers. His podcast work includes the Webby Award-nominated Gay Future, directing Who Killed Avril Lavigne?, and producing Tiny Dinos with Connor Ratliff + James III and Walkin’ About with Allan McLeod for HyperObject Industries.
HEATHER KNOBEL (TITANIA/HIPPOLYTA // GREGORY/PETER)
Heather is so thrilled to be joining Chaotique for her first performance! You may have seen her on Season 2 of Monster(s): the Menendez Story on Netflix, Heist, or (what season are we on now?) of Grey’s Anatomy. She’s toured Nationally with a production of Don Quixote (Dulcinea) and made her off-broadway debut in Macbeth (Ensemble) at the Park Avenue Armory starring Sir Kenneth Branagh. Having walked for NYFW and modeled in National campaigns for brands like Target, Sephora Cosmetics, and Knix Wear, Heather is a passionate member of the body positive movement. She studied at NYU Tisch School of the Arts at the Stella Adler Studio, Experimental Theater Wing, & Stonestreet Studios.
CONSTANTINE MALAHIAS (BOTTOM // ROMEO)
Constantine Malahias is a Greek-American actor and magician. He has worked with director Rose for many years, including at NYU's Shakespeare in the Square. He starred in and co-produced Hamlet in the Golden Vale, which won Best Feature at the Manhattan Film Festival and is now streaming on Apple TV and Amazon. Other screen credits include Season 3 of Netflix’s Monster by Ryan Murphy and Tankhouse (Amazon, Hulu). Constantine is the co-founder of Absolutely Incredible, a production company behind the original musical The Legend of D.C. Colorado, which premiered at Hollywood Fringe. As a member of the Magic Castle, Constantine blends theatrical storytelling with sleight of hand. He's a graduate of NYU Tisch and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). ConstantineMalahias.com Insta : @constantinemalahias
CHRIS MERLINO (OBERON/THESEUS // MONTEGUE/FRIAR LAWRENCE)
Christopher Merlino is an actor, writer and fantasy landscape painter who is honored to play the unofficial leads of this play. He has previously performed at The Globe (for 7 minutes, without an audience as part of a Shakespeare class he took ten years ago). Cheers! @christophermerlino/chrismerlino.com
NED RECORD (EGEUS/SNOUT // LORD CAPULET)
This is Ned’s second show with Chaotique, having played Saturninus in Titus. He has a Master’s Degree in Classical Acting from The Royal Central School and Speech Drama in London, and was happy to find Rose and Chaotique doing Shakespeare the way it should be done…you know…as a form of entertainment as opposed to feeling like you’re in a High School English Class. He’s performed all over the country, but is happy to call LA Home. Outside of Acting in Ned is an avid horseback rider and a Magician Member of the Magic Castle.
TIROSH SCHNEIDER (QUINCE/FAIRY // PRINCE/NURSE)
Tirosh Schneider (He/They) is a Berlin-born, LA-raised, NY-shaped playwright, actor, comedian, educator and professional Crossword writer (it's true!) They perform monthly in Los Angeles with the UCB sketch comedy team “Lasers," and have performed Off-Broadway with the Peccadillo Theater Company and regionally with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, at LA’s The Groundlings, UCB, and on television in Hulu's High Fidelity, Apple TV's Little America, and NBC’s American Auto. Learn more at TiroshSchneider.com.
MCCALLISTER SELVA (HERMIA/FLUE // JULIET)
McCallister Selva is excited to be making her Chaotique debut! She is originally from Southern California, and has loved Shakespeare ever since she was 10 years old and played Bottom in Midsummer in Laguna Playhouse’s youth conservatory! She trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. During her time at RCS, she was chosen to represent her school in Paris and Warsaw at conferences with a coalition of European drama schools. She was awarded the Nora Cooper Mulligan Award for Verse Speaking and the James Bridie Silver Medal for her achievements at RCS. She recently moved to LA, and she is a proud member of the Archibald Studio.
ROSE BOCHNER (DIRECTOR/ADAPTOR)
Rose Bochner is a theatre director and casting professional. Rose works with The Telsey Office, a premiere casting organization. Her television projects include, Ryna Murphy’s “Monster” (Netflix) “Atypical” (Netflix), "Little America (Apple+), and four seasons of the award winning television hit "This Is Us" (20th Century Fox/NBC). She also has worked on several productions at the Tony Award-winning Pasadena Playhouse, among many other theatre, film, and television projects. Rose was a part of the Lincoln Center Directors' Lab and has her BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in Dramatic Writing. Rose was the Co-Founder of Shakespeare in the Square (SITS) and Chaotique Company.
MAT SEVERNS (TECHNICAL DIRECTOR)
Mat has worked behind the scenes making magic since the age of 13. From stagehand/electrician work in theater and events, to being a Grip on innumerable tv/film sets. He now works at Walt Disney Imagineering R&D where he gets to help innovate ways to use technology to further storytelling.
LAUREN FISHER (MUSICAL DIRECTOR/CELLO)
Lauren Fisher is delighted to be part of the Love Notes for her second Chaotique production as music director! When she’s not performing, Lauren spends most of her spare time leading the Strategic Partnerships team at Select Management Group and exploring the Valley’s best burritos.
JON HESS (DRUMS)
Jon Hess is a writer and comedian who has been playing the drums since 2003, but hasn't practiced consistently since 2010. Nevertheless, he’s extremely happy to be a part of this production, and promises to do his best. Jon was an original company member of Shakespeare in the Square (Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, Macbeth), and a Chaotique alum (Andronicus!), and is over the moon (Earth’s moon) to be back for Mostly Midsummer. His influences as a drummer include John Bonham, Dave Garibaldi, and Animal the Muppet. He spent way too much money on improv and sketch classes at UCB in New York, as well as on a Film and TV Production degree from NYU Tisch, but is now putting those skills to good use writing half-hour and feature-length comedies that people seem to like, but not enough to buy yet. You can see him performing stand up comedy all around LA, and playing the drums... here. Right now. It may be your only chance.
RACHEL HOPKINS (PIANO)
Rachel Hopkins is a composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist, and has performed with and arranged for various groups across the US and Europe. She's very excited to be playing piano for her second show with Chaotique, and hopes that everyone enjoys the show!
EMILY HUBBARD (VIOLIN)
With one previous Chaotique band performance under her belt (Andronicus! Titus with Ten Clowns), Emily Hubbard is thrilled to be back at it again—playing violin in the band for Mostly Midsummer. Emily graduated from Elon University in 2019, majoring in Music Production and Recording Arts. She spends most of her days recording and editing video game dialogue, but in her spare time she enjoys long walks on the beach, concerts, and horror movies.
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SPECIAL THANKS:
Paige McGhee, Victoria Frings, Oren Soffer, Zach Terry Photography, NoHo Copy, Anna and Diana, ACE Studios, NYU in LA