Back Room Shakespeare Project L.A.

Serious Actors. No Director. One Rehearsal. In a Bar. In L.A.

The course of true love never did run smooth…

Monday June 27, 2022 | 7p Doors / 7:30 Show | FREE!
Cargo Snack Shack | 1279 N. Spring St (L.A. State Historical Park)

Featuring BRSPLA Stakeholders: Danny Bernardo (Captain), Delia Baseman (First Mate), Brian Gene White (Chief Engineer), Patrick Arter, Kelly Lozo; With: Taylor Bibat, Jamie B. Cline, Mariah Goolsby, Margaret Katch, Arvin Lee, Kevin Matsumoto, Hadiyyah Noelle, Robert Paterno, Emme Perkins, Josh Pinkowski, Anne Sonneville, Noelle Fabian Dragon (Music Director); Prompter: Joaquin Rodarte; Waiting in the Wings: Elyse Ahmad, Trevor Walls

Espoused BRSP Values:
Authenticity:  Say it in your own voice.
Courage:  Do not be afraid. 
Generosity:  Serve the whole play, not just your bit.

Covid protocols in place. All players have submitted proof of vaccination. Audience will be asked to provide proof of vaccination or negative test within 72 hours. Masks recommended but not required. Since this is a free event, seats are first come first serve. Guests may be turned away once capacity is reached based on health and safety protocols.

Dramatis Personae

DANNY BERNARDO (he/him) “Helena”

BRSP Projects: (LA) Twelfth Night, Macbeth, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespearean character I’m most like: Equal parts Olivia (Twelfth Night), Hal (Henry IV, parts 1 & 2), and Bottom (A Midsummer Night’s Dream); best served shaken, not stirred.

The three roles/projects that epitomize me: “Harry Bright” in Mamma Mia (2019 East West Players, 2021 La Mirada/McCoy Rigby); Jerky (screenings: Cannes Court Metrage, OutFest Fusion, Reeling); My play Mahal

Favorite Shakespeare quote: “The course of true love never did run smooth” (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Connect: Website | Twitter | Instagram

DELIA BASEMAN (she/her) “Lysander”

BRSP Projects: (LA) Much Ado About Nothing, Two Gentleman of Verona, MacBeth, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; (Chicago) Taming of the Shrew, Two Gentleman of Verona, MacBeth, Twelfth Night, Romeo & Juliet, Julius Ceaser, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Coriolanus, King John, Othello, Merchant of Venice; (Virtual) A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The three roles/projects that epitomize me: The Three Faces of Dr. Crippen (Steppenwolf Garage/Best in Fringe NYC); The Diary of Anne Frank (Writers Theater); ctrl alt delete (Emmy nominated series)

Favorite Shakespeare quote: Today it is: “Hold thy piece, I pray thee hold thy piece.”

Connect: Website | Instagram


BRIAN GENE WHITE (he/him) “Nick Bottom”

BRSP Projects: (LA) Two Gentlemen of Verona, Macbeth, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespearean character I’m most like: Some days Horatio, some days Benedick

The three roles/projects that epitomize me: Hamlet (Ensemble Shakespeare Theatre; My play Future TrippingComplete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Great River Shakespeare Festival)

Favorite BRSPLA Moment: Doing Malvolio’s letter scene in Twlefth Night, connecting with the audience during that show which was BRSPLA’s first show since Covid

Connect: Website | Twitter | Instagram

PATRICK ARTER (he/him) “Titania”

BRSP Projects: (LA) Two Gentlemen of Verona (twice!), Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespearean character I’m most like: Malvolio: a guy who tries way too hard to look smart, who tries way too hard to impress women, and who tries way too hard to find just the right outfit.

Favorite BRSPLA Moment: Seeing everybody’s hilarious Halloween costumes for the banquet scene in Macbeth: detectives sitting next to newsies sitting next to a wizard from Hogwarts. Just as the bard intended!

Connect: Website | Twitter | Instagram

KELLY LOZO (she/her) “Snout”

BRSP Projects: (LA) Macbeth, As You Like It, Twelfth Night

Favorite Shakespeare quote: “And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.”

Favorite BRSP Moment: It was the end of the “All the world’s a stage” speech and I was playing Jacque. The audience was raucously enjoying the humor of the speech. However, as I neared the end, I was afraid the sad mortality of the speech was getting lost. I paused and they sensed it, grew silent and reflective for: “Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history, is second childishness and mere oblivious; sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.” It fills me with wonder every time I think about it.

Connect: Instagram

Hadiyyah Noelle (she/her) “Peter Quince”

BRSP Projects: Debut!

The three roles/projects that epitomize me: “Mwongozo” in Disneyland’s Tale of the Lion King, “Fluellen” in Henry V, and I’m a stand up comedian so pretty much any of my stand up!

Favorite Shakespeare quote: “My words fly up my thoughts remain below words without thoughts to heaven never go.”

Shakespearean character I’m most like: “Fluellen I’m always ready to fight lol”

Connect: Instagram | Tik Tok | Twitter

TAYLOR BIBAT (she/her) “Starveling”

BRSP Projects: (LA) Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth

JAMIE B. CLINE (he/him) “Demetrius”

BRSP Projects: Debut!

Connect: Facebook Instagram

MARIAH GOOLSBY (she/her) “Hermia”

BRSP Projects: (LA) Twelfth Night, Macbeth, As You Like It

The three projects that epitomize me: “Juliet” in Romeo & Juliet, Mo in MESSY, and Rebecca in Our Town

Favorite Shakespearean quote: “‘Tis not the time of moon with me to make one in so skipping a dialogue” – Olivia in Twelfth Night

Connect: Website | Instagram



MARGARET KATCH (she/her) “Snug”

BRSP Projects: (LA) Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The three roles/projects that epitomize me: Failure: A Love Story (Kirk Douglas/Coeurage Theater), The American Plan (The Artistic Home), The School for Lies (Chicago Shakespeare Theater)

Shakespearean character I’m most like: Beatrice

Favorite Shakespeare quote: “Now entertain conjecture of a time when creeping murmur and the poring dark fills the wide vessel of the universe.”

Connect: Website | Instagram


ARVIN LEE (he/him) “Theseus/Moth”

BRSP Projects: Debut!

KEVIN MATSUMOTO (he/him) “Puck”

BRSP Projects: (LA) Debut.

The three roles/projects that epitomize me: Skimbleshanks in Cats, Peter in Anne Frank, Matt in The Fantasticks

Shakespearean character I’m most like: Feste in Twelfth Night

Favorite Shakespeare quote: “All days are nights till I see thee, and nights bright days when dreams do show thee me”

Connect: Instagram

ROBERT PATERNO (he/him) “Egeus/Peaseblossom”

BRSPLA projects: As You Like It (Silvius)

Three roles/projects that epitomize me: Teaching artist, science communicator, son

Favorite Shakespearean quote: “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on; ” – Iago, Othello, III.iii

Connect: Instagram

EMME PERKINS (she/her) “Flute”

BRSPLA projects: Debut!

The Shakespeare character I’m most like: Brutus, in an honorable way not in a plotting-to-assassinate way

Favorite Shakespearean quote: “Come on, tune: if you can penetrate her with your fingering, so; we’ll try with tongue too.” -Cymbeline

Connect: Website

JOSH PINKOWSKI (he/him) “Hippolyta/Mustardseed”

BSRPLA projects: Debut!

The Shakespeare character I’m most like: Hamlet

Three roles/projects that epitomize me: “Moritz” in Spring Awakening, “Oswin” in Toil and Trouble Burlesque, “Ferdinand” in The Tempest

Favorite Shakespearean quote: “Not so my lord, I am too much in the sun”

Connect: Instagram


ANN SONNEVILLE (she/they) “Oberon”

BRSPLA projects: Debut!

Three roles/projects that epitomize me: Monsieur D’Eon is A Woman (Elizabeth I, Lord Halifax, Marie Antoinette, etc), Frankenstein (V. Frankenstein), Miriam is Going To Mars (Miriam Johnson)

Favorite Shakespearean quote: Lately – “…but thou dost breathe; hast heavy substance; bleed’st not; speak’st; art sound…Thy life’s a miracle. Speak yet again.” – King Lear

The Shakespearean character I’m most like is: Gravedigger

Connect: Website

NOELLE FABIAN DRAGON (she/her) “Philostrate” Music Director

BRSP Projects: (LA) As You Like it, Twelfth Night

(The Band from “Twelfth Night” 2021; Photo: David Sprague)

THE BAND
Noelle Fabian Dragon (Music Director) Brian Cannady (drums/percussion), Scott Johnson (guitar), Katie Cavera (bass), Walt Simonsen (trumpet), Ryan Dragon (trombone)

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