Crew
Carolyn Woosley (Playwright. Co-Producer. Director of “Maggie” and “Rosa”), is Co-Founder and President of the newly formed Itinerant Theatre, Inc. A Lake Charles native, resident and retired Certified Financial Planner®, she is a coastal and cultural activist. The Lake Charles Little Theatre (The LCLT) premiered seven of her 13-monologue cycle Louisiana Women in co-production with Carol Anne Gayle Productions and Adley Cormier as Director. An eighth, “Nellie”, directed by Brenda Bachrack, was co-produced by Leslie Berman and the Imperial Calcasieu Museum which requested this new piece. Other full-length plays —Maiden Lane and Miller’s Café — were workshopped by Leslie Berman’s, The Readers’ Theatre. “Fanny,” her screenplay on Felix Mendelssohn’s sister, is optioned. She is currently mulling the writing of two more monologues, revising her screenplay “Walking On Air” — which premiered at The LCLT as a one-act play– into a full-length play. Since 2009 Woosley has assistant-directed three plays at McNeese State University under Joy Pace and Charles McNeely.
Woosley, a LCHS graduate, studied history at Newcomb College of Tulane University (B.A., cum laude) and urban planning (M.A.) at U.C.L.A. For early encouragement as a writer, she credits the U.C.L.A. Writers’ Extension Program, the late Norman Corwin and countless friends and family. She credits Joy Pace and the Theatre Program at McNeese for demanding training as a Director and Leslie Berman with mentoring in the work of production. She thanks Sara Willen for excellent editing of numerous of the Louisiana Women monologues, Carol Anne Gayle for her hard work in premiering 7 of the early works and Brooke Woosley Designs for graphic design work. She thanks Adley Cormier for influences too numerous to list.
Woosley anticipates a strong start for this BiCentennial Commission-endorsed production, the first of two “Firsts” productions in 2012. She looks forward to a dynamic future for Itinerant Theatre, Inc. which she co-founded with Leslie Berman and Joy Pace. For fun Woosley enjoys playing music, following her daughter Brooke’s design career and boating with friends on The Queen.
Leslie Berman, producer and principal of AlterEgo Productions, is an attorney focusing her practice on arts and entertainment transactions and criminal defense. Berman has produced, directed, programmed, emceed and publicized concerts, coffeehouses, music festivals, touring multi-arts works, and theatre projects for more than 40 years. A former music critic for such publications as Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, and New York Newsday, Berman writes the biweekly music column, “Eclectic Company,” for Lake Charles’ The Jambalaya News.
Adley Cormier (costumes, sets & props designer) has designed and built for theatre productions for four decades. His sets, costumes and properties have been seen in productions for McNeese State University, LSU, Lake Charles Little Theatre, Ballet Society, American Cancer Society fundraisers, LC Symphony and for professional shows off-Broadway and, most recently for the “Louisiana Women” cycle of plays by Carolyn Woosley.
He has produced, directed, designed or acted in over 350 shows. He has written and produced original works for the stage, and three translations of Moliere comedies. He and wife, visual artist Melinda Antoon, credit the Little Theatre show “Flea in Her Ear” as the spark in their getting together.
Born and reared in Breaux Bridge, Adley was educated in Canada and at LSU.
Elise Hamilton (Makeup Artist, Dresser), Lake Charles resident and McNeese Theatre major, has acted in such roles as Marcy (Dog Sees God), Nora Helmer (A Doll’s House) and Catherine Holly (Suddenly Last Summer). She has worked as Stage Manager for Irving Berlin’s The Louisiana Purchase, and as Light Board Operator for Keith Gates: A Retrospective Tribute. At the conclusion of the 2011-12 Bayou Players season, Hamilton was given the prestigious award of, “Outstanding Achievement in Acting by a Female Actor in a Leading Role” for her portrayal of Kate Keller in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. She credits her strong start in theatre to her years with the Governors’ Program where she was in Mame, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and Moliere’s The Miser. Her most influential professor has been Joy Pace, who began working with her when Elise was a high school student. Elise’s other interests include mask-making and masked theatre, puppet-making, hairstyling and cosmetology, music, photography and ceramics.
Jonathon Richards (Stage Manager) is a DeRidder resident and Theatre Major at McNeese State University. The Lake Charles Little Theatre gave Jonathon his start in theatre when he starred as Mike in “Moon for the Misbegotten” by Eugene O’Neill. He has been recognized by the McNeese chapter of Alpha Psi Omega for his performance in the role of Chris Keller in Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons”.
Ronald Doyle (Assistant Stage Manager), a DeQuincy resident and McNeese Theatre major, has acted in such roles as a Constable in “Pygmalion” and Dr. Jim Bayliss in “All My Sons.” He was Props Master for “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” as well as understudy for the characters CB and Beethoven, and Assistant Stage Manager for “Louisiana Purchase.” At the conclusion of the 2011-12 Bayou Players season, Doyle was awarded the Friends of Theatre scholarship. He credits his start in theatre to his desire to write, direct and act in films and plays. His most influential teacher has been his high school Math teacher Larry Burge who said, “you have to do what you’ve got to do in order to do what you want to do.” Other interests include making short films, mask making, writing, studying Ancient Egypt, observing frogs and playing video games.