About This Show

Savage In Limbo is an early play by John Patrick Shanley, prize-winning writer who has received an Oscar (Moonstruck) a Tony and a Pulitzer (Doubt). The action is set in a seedy bar in the Bronx. The Bronx in 1985 (the year of the play’s original production) was largely Italian and Irish, but the diverse casting of the current production more reflects the Bronx of today. Shanley subtitled his piece A Concert Play, suggesting that his dialogue had a calculated musicality to it as well as his intent to include the audience in the world of his characters. Scales, the bar, is populated by regulars with no place better to go. The characters are 32 years of age, which suggests the bloom of youth is starting to fade, even though middle age has not yet arrived. There’s Murk, the sullen bartender, April White, a boozy failed nun, Linda Rotunda, a woman with too many lovers and too many illegitimate kids, Tony Aronica, the neighborhood stud for whom Linda pines, and there’s Denise Savage, the Savage of the title. She’s alone in life, and may be the Bronx ‘s oldest virgin. Savage sees an opportunity to change her status (i.e. dispense with her virginity as well as her loneliness and alienation), as she suspects a growing disaffection between Linda and Tony. Savage makes a play for Tony, as she surmises that she is actually what Tony desires. Linda, however, is not the type to give up her man without fighting for him. Denise will have several surprises coming her way. Chris Stone directs a cast that includes Jolene Kim, Laura Bottrell, Pamela Donnelly, Steve Kehela and Jamil Al-Chokhachi.

BIOS

Chris Stone, Director. Chris Stone’s directing work includes Bob Jesser’s production of Foaming at the Mouth at The Complex (Backstage West, Critic’s Pick), Steve Spiro’s Bullies and Blisters at The Larry Moss Studio, and beginning in 2001, the acclaimed Made in Taiwan, written and performed by Michelle Krusiec, with performances at the 2002 HBO / U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado, through the most recent, 2007 performance at the National Asian American Theatre Festival in Manhattan. Mr. Stone trained as an actor for many years with renowned acting teacher Larry Moss and has taught acting at The Larry Moss Studio and with Theatre Junkies. He has performed on stage and film and was seen on TV as the Creepy Janitor on ABC’s Ugly Betty. Stone’s skills in many media has led to notable set designs for Foaming at the Mouth, Christine Dunford’s Out Loud, Phillip Irwin’s Counting for Thunder, PRT’s production of Lone Star & Laundry and Bourbon, and most recently Henry Jaglom’s Always but not Forever.

Raquel Brussolo, Producer. Raquel has been in the “biz” since her early years. At age 8, she wrote, produced, cast, starred in, and directed her first play in her home backyard. Her career consists of film, theater, TV, commercials, singing, modeling, and producing. Raquel studies with Larry Moss and her music mentor is George Clinton, who is producing her solo album. Raquel’s song I Can Dance made it in George’s new album “How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent?” She wrote and sang the background lyrics, co-produced the track, and played the keyboard. Raquel co-produced and starred in the award winning musical The Night of the Black Cat which ran for almost a year. Currently, Raquel is one of the leads in the upcoming feature film Horrorween 3D. A UC Berkeley graduate, Raquel is also involved in the fitness and wellness industry. She loves teaching kickboxing, Pilates, Self-Defense, Boot Camp, Yoga, among other formats.

Jolene Kim (playing Denise Savage) and Producer. Jolene is a native of Honolulu Hawaii. She studied at the Guildhall School of Drama in London this past summer and currently studies with Nancy Banks and Larry Moss. She is a member of ACME’s Charlie sketch comedy. Her credits include a recurring role on 24’s sixth season as Melinda. She is currently in a McDonald’s, Progressive Insurance, and AVIVA Insurance commercials. Her voiceover work includes Family Guy and American Dad. Her most recent theater show was the critically acclaimed kid’s show at the Geffen Playhouse. Aside from acting, she enjoys Kung Fu, pole dancing, yoga, and singing.

Laura Bottrell (playing Linda Rotunda) and Producer. Laura is a Los Angeles native born and raised in Glendale. She’s been doing theater since she was a child. Her favorite roles were in Of Mice and Men, The Cherry Orchard, and Little Shop of Horrors. At eighteen she became a professional ballroom/latin/swing dancer and teacher and by twenty one owned her own studio. Her film and TV credits include Freaks and Geeks, Huff!, The 40 Year Old Virgin, DIVIDE, and a series regular on the series What Goes On.

Jamil Chokachi (playing Tony Aronica). Jamil has a Bachelor’s degree in Theater and Music from Lambuth University. He has been acting and directing for over 20 years. He got his start at a very young age in the play Big River at the famous Orpheum Theater in Memphis, TN. Since then, he has wanted to change the world through his art. Whether it be in acting or directing, classical theater, film or TV, vocal music or straight dramas, Jamil will continue honing his craft and bringing passion, joy, and understanding to people throughout the world. Television credits: ‘Til Death,’ General Hospital, and Hang Time. Theater: Comedy of Errors, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Sweeny Todd, and Romeo and Juliet to name a few.

Steve Kehela (playing Murk). Steve is a former member of the Groundlings Main Company. His television credits include Fraiser, Seinfeld, Cheers, Ellen, and a couple of pilots you have never hear of. Film credits include Frost/Nixon, directed by Ron Howard (due out in December), Oceans Thirteen, Fun with Dick and Jane, Nutty Professor II, and How the Grinch stole Christmas, among others. He also created “Improv for Excellence,” teaching corporations how to communicate more effectively through the use of basic improv games.

Pamela Donnelly (playing April). Pamela is a graduate of Columbia University (NY) and trained in Manhattan at the Actor’s Studio. Credits include 5 years under contract to ABC-TV with lead roles on The Edge of Night, One Life to Live, and All My Children. Theatrical roles run the gamut from Irina Arkadina in The Seagull to Baroness Schrader in The Sound of Music. Pamela is an accomplished playwright, with five original scripts, including a regional playwrights award in 2006 for Open Me Carefully. She recently appeared in the critically acclaimed production The Shadow Box and in Biking with Andrew Scott at Write Act Theater Company theater in Hollywood.

Show Details

Dates: Opening Night: May 30, 2008 Final Performance: June 21, 2008

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