BrickHouse to Present DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY CHRISTMAS, 11/30-12/21

BrickHouse Theatre, the newest theatre in the NoHo Arts District presents a world premiere farce DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY CHRISTMAS, written and directed by Paul Storiale. ("One Night Stands", "The Columbine Project") In this hilarious holiday farce, Dean and Joanne want one perfect family Christmas before they retire to Florida but are surprised to find Grandpa Logan dead at the same time their children arrive. Their daughter, Christine arrives home with her Jewish fiancé but is afraid to tell her mother she is converting. Adam, the middle child brings a girl Katie home with him only to seek revenge, and their youngest son arrives with a big bag of grudge. Chaos ensues when the parents attempt to hide Grandpa's death.

Paul Storiale (Writer/Director) In NoHo, Paul has directed the West Coast Premieres of "Woman with pocketbook" the musical, "The Life and Times of Joe Jefferson Benjamin Blow" the musical, "The Ransom of Red Chief" the musical, "Twist" the rock opera, "the Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever", and the current off-broadway hit "My Big Gay Italian Wedding". His creative credits include: "One Night Stands", "The Columbine Project" (NoHo and Off-Broadway), "A Big Gay Hollywood Wedding", the all-female Improv group "Duchess Riot" and writes and directs his own popular web series, "GossipBoy" currently in its 2nd season.

Alex Polcyn (Adam) earned his BFA from The University of Michigan where he studied Theatre/Drama. He's performed internationally with several diverse companies like Steppenwolf, The Goodman, Apostrov, Eclipse, Michigan Shakespeare, Casa 0101 - to name a few. Some of his favorite roles include Green Dress from "Lorca in a Green Dress", Robbie from "Shopping and F**king", and Sergio from "The Fever Chart."

Kara Hume (Christine) hails from Boston, where she worked as an actor, theater educator, and classical voice coach. Boston credits include: Silver Spoon, Nora Theatre Company; Bad Jazz and Tiny Kushner, Zeitgeist Stage Co.; "Julius Caesar" (directed by the late David Wheeler), "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Romeo & Juliet", "Macbeth", all with Shakespeare Now; Proof (Independent Reviewers of New England nominee for Best Supporting Actress and Best Small Play), Independent Drama Society; Two-Headed, GAN-e-meed Theatre Project; The Nina Variations, Brown Box Theatre Project. BA Theater Arts, Brandeis University. Additional training at Berkshire Theatre Festival and American Theatre Wing.

Elyse Ashton (Joanne) has many diverse LA theater credits including roles such as weeping, witty literary ladies, Shakespearean heroines, a dancing werewolf, a cosmic string, many madwomen and...boys, working with troupes as diverse as the decadently bloody Grand Guignolers to the respectable Classical Theatre Lab and California Shakespeare

Company. Film/TV include roles in Dr Mabuse: Etiopomar, Involuntarily Single, The Watermelon, Born To Lose, Fortune's 500, Night of The Dead, Sabrina The Teenage Witch and Radio Free Albemuth as well as numerous music videos. She lets her geek flag fly as a Regency inspired hopeful on Youtube's The Anglophile Channel.

Rob Schaumann (Dean) first appeared on stage in "Oliver" at age nine. Favorite roles include The Major General in "Pirates of Penzance", Billy Bibbit in "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" and most recently was seen as Capt. Bracket in "South Pacific" at the Glendale Center Theatre. Rob has studied voice in many styles and is a graduate of the Pasadena Playhouse Theatrical School. He is a SAG/AFTRA member with credits including commercials, film and TV, but he really enjoys the stage. Rob currently sings with the Pasadena Crown City Chorus and performs throughout the LA area in a variety of productions and venues.

Matthew Clay (Thomas) hails from Philly and graduated from Villanova University. This marks his 3rd production with Paul Storiale. Last Christmas, you may have seen Matthew in "The Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever" and immediately following that, Matthew was seen in the West Coast Premiere of "My Big Gay Italian Wedding". Matthew spends his spare time working with the comedy group "Chaos". Some of his favorite performances were in: "The Lonesome West" and "The Complete history of America - abridged".

Sara Swain (Katie) Sara was last seen on stage in NoHo as Rachel Scott in "The Columbine Project" which she also performed Off-Broadway. She has seen in numerous productions throughout her years as an actress. You may have seen her hanging out with Jennifer Garner in the film "13 going on 30"

Barbera Howard (Mrs. Braskett) has a resume that expands many years. Originally from New Jersey, Barbera has has many roles in NoHo including: "My Big Gay Italian Wedding" and most recently you may have seen her as Grammy in Bree Pavey's world premiere drama "What doesn't kill you.."

Brian Spengel (Braden) is his third theatrical show in LA, having just moved from Chicago in March. Favorite past roles include Pippin (Pippin!), Cinderella's Prince (Into the Woods), and Brad Majors (Rocky Horror Show). Brian graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale with a Communications major and a Theater minor. He is also a magician.

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