A wild romp through the cycles of grief: shock, larceny, partial nudity, and laughing until you cry, Exit Laughing by Paul Elliott is a last testament to best friendship.
When the biggest highlight in your life for the past thirty years has been your weekly bridge night out with the "girls," what do you do when one of your foursome inconveniently dies? If you're Connie, Leona, and Millie, three southern ladies from Birmingham, you do the most daring thing you've ever done. You "borrow" the ashes from the funeral home for one last card game, and the wildest, most exciting night of your lives involves a police raid, a stripper, and a whole new way of looking at all the fun you can have when you're truly living.
About the Director:
Linda Nicholls earned a degree in Music Education from Wagner College, one of the nation’s top schools for studies in Musical Theater. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Greene Room Players. Since 1992 under Linda’s direction the Greene Room Players, a mountaintop community theater company, has produced entertainment for 30 years.
Linda has directed/produced over 75 shows that have included main-stage musicals, comedies, choir concerts, children’s musicals, and theater workshops. Linda, a retired educator, directed and musically directed the Hunter-Tannersville Central High School/Middle School musicals for over thirty years and had the delightful opportunity to direct the Onteora Children’s Theater for several years, and continues as the musical director for their adult musicals.
Some of her directing credits include Mame, Fiddler on the Roof, Damn Yankees, Annie, Anything Goes, Nunsense (twice!), Odd Couple and A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum. For the past twelve years you may have seen Linda proudly directing GRP’s special women’s ensemble the “Songbirds”. They continue to perform to sold out audiences on the mountaintop and surrounding areas where they have received rave reviews.
When not involved with music and theater, Linda paints regional scenes of the Hudson Valley and the Eastern Seashores in oils and has won several awards for her work. Linda is happy to collaborate with the Maude Adams Theater Hub as she directs Exit Laughing, a comedy that’s been tugging at her for some time!
Meet the Cast:
Originally from Connecticut, Kathy Alexander (Connie) has enjoyed working with The New York Theater Workshop, CT Playmakers, and Arch Villains Theater Company. From performances in Richard III to A Day, A Night, And Cole Porter, Kathy likes to experiment in all forms of theatre. A few of her favorite roles include, Iris in Answer the Question, Iris, Gilmer in Godspell, and Mrs. Hale in Trifles. She's also worked as a set designer and prop master for commercials, web series, and community theater. Kathy has sung lead tenor and soloist with "Chris Coogan and the Good News Gospel Choir" for more than twenty years, and has had the privilege of singing with Mavis Staples, and for Jose Feliciano. She's recently followed in her grandfather's footsteps by joining the Barbershop Society of America as a baritone, and is very proud to have been part of The New York Theater Workshop's choir. When not onstage, Kathy enjoys attempting to play the fiddle, and singing with her husband of thirty years, Lou. She also creates art from natural materials in her studio "Three Bears' Studio"in Ashland, NY. Kathy's excited to be making her debut at the Doctorow Center for the Arts, and thanks the directors for the opportunity.
Allegra Coons (Rachel) is thrilled to be making her debut on the Doctorow Center for the Performing Arts stage in this wonderful company. Most recently seen in Maude Adams Theater Hub's productions of The Rocky Horror Show (Riff Raff) and Into the Woods (Narrator) at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center, she has also played Maria in West Side Story, Wednesday in The Addams Family, and Tinkerbell in Peter Pan. She is also an accomplished vocal stylist, performing in MATH's Holiday Spectacular, and acting in student short films.
Kelly Transue (Connie) is enjoying her return to the stage in this production of Exit Laughing. She has been a supporting member of the Greene Room Players and its Songbirds since 1982. Some of her favorite roles have been Agnes Gooch in Mame, Sister Mary Amnesia in Nunsense, Suzy in The Winter Wonderettes, Hope Harcourt in Anything Goes, and many fun supporting roles. Her daily role as "Nancy Nurse" can be seen daily at Columbia Memorial Hospital.
Jessica Gibbons (Millie) is excited to connect with MATH and the opportunity to work on a smorgasbord of savory roles. Some past favorites include: Domina in Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Titania in Midsummer Night’s Dream, Arsione in School for Lies, Myra in Hay Fever, Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie, Maria in Lend me a Tenor and most recently, the Chaperone, in The Drowsy Chaperone. Off stage Jessica is an award-winning batik artist, floral designer, and writer of historical romances (w/a Jess Russell). Her book, Mad for the Marquess, was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA Awards. She is currently working on the next book in the series. Huge thanks to Linda, Tim, Patricia, and Amy!
Maclain Maier (Bobby) Maclain Maier is an actor and writer from South Orange, New Jersey. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BA in Creative Writing. His short stories have appeared in Ubiquitous Magazine and Z Publishing’s Best Emerging Writers Series. He busks on the streets of New York City as half of the clown duo Cridgerdodger. He is also a member of the Happenstancery Improv troupe, Siren Theatre, and Arm-of-the-Sea Theater.
