Aurora Arts Theatre’s 2023 'Noises Off' Playbill

5635 EVERHART RD, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX

In Memory of Charlie Chapa

May 17, 1954 - March 21, 2023

A Note From the Executive Director

Watching a play unfold before your eyes fills you with amazement, but unless you are privy to the machinations of producing a play, most audience members are blissfully unaware of the numerous and at times hectic goings on that harmoniously come together by opening night.

Noises Off is a satire that celebrates the life of a play from technical rehearsals to performance. This unique vantage point, from backstage to onstage, will give you a rare glimpse into the

world of theatre. To watch a play transform from words on a page to a visual symphony of talent, artistry and passion never ceases to amaze me. The inner workings of any production can be challenging, but I am happy to say that this very process runs much more smoothly at the Aurora! However, this extreme and chaotic characterization does provide for a ridiculously funny night at the theatre!

I must take a moment to acknowledge the absence of someone very dear to us all – Charlie Chapa. Charlie loved the process of the production as well and would often stop by the theatre to watch auditions and rehearsals. He loved being a part of the process and eager to see everyone’s hard work and dedication come to fruition. It is with great honor and respect that we dedicate our production of Noises Off to Charlie Chapa – you will be forever missed.

Mary Chapa

Owner & Executive Director

Office Staff

Mary Chapa, Owner & Executive Director

Dylan C. Rios, Marketing Director

Christin Espinoza, Box Office Manager

Bryan Meza, Box Office/Camp Director

Jacqueline N. Perez, Box Office

Aurora Arts Theatre 5635 Everhart Road Corpus Christi, TX 361-851-9700

info@auroraartstheatre.com

Box Office Hours

Wednesday-Saturday: 11am-3pm

Show Days: Fri & Sat: 5pm-9pm Sunday: 11am-4pm

Playbill Advertising 361-851-9700

drios@auroraartstheatre.com

Ed Chapa was a fiercely passionate man with big aspirations and a love for the arts. What started as a simple thought shared with his wife, Mary, grew into a vision that was realized with the inception of the Aurora. The dream to open a quaint community theater on the Southside of Corpus Christi became a driving force in Ed’s life, and his dedication to the cause served as an inspiration to all he met.

The success of the Aurora lives on as a testament to the strength of his vision and of his faith in the many volunteers and community supporters who gave of their time and hearts as much as he gave of his.

New Neighbors League

Corpus Christi

For Women of All Ages

Community Projects

Couples Dinners

Book Clubs

Programs

Games

Luncheons/Coffees

Ladies Night Out

Social Events

Wine Clubs

Movies

A Note From the Director

Charlie Chapa.

Without any other context, you immediately know who this is— a beloved son, brother, husband, father, friend, and mentor. When I heard of his passing, I was here at the theatre. Numbness took over, and if there was any place I wanted to be, it was here at Aurora- a place where he spent 12 years welcoming thousands

to a place he and his brother, Ed, brought to life. I thank Norma, Alex, Jay, and the entire Chapa family for allowing us to be a part of Charlie’s life, and I thank Charlie for everything he did to inspire me and thousands of people to hone in on their craft and enjoy theatre. Your chuckle and words “let’s do a show,” before every show will forever be in my heart.

For over 30 years, the play Noises Off has held a special place in my heart and steered me to enjoy the funny moments in theatre — even the mishaps and tears until that final curtain call. “The show must go on,” a familiar adage to many but a live-or-die mantra to every theatrical performer who has stumbled through injuries, forgotten lines, missing props, and scenes that happened too early, too late, or sometimes not at all (not to mention a million other show related perils and pitfalls to reach that final, well-deserved round of applause).

Thank you to Mary Chapa for allowing me the opportunity to bring this show to life, and thank you the Chapa and theatre family for the love and support. To my production team for dealing with my “Eh’s” and bringing my vision to the stage, my cast and crew for all that you do. I couldn’t have asked for a greater group to work with. And finally, thank you to every one of you for supporting your local community theatre.

ERNEST PRUNEDA Director

“Sit back, relax, and enjoy... live theatre baby.”

Presents

Noises Off

by Michael Frayn

Director

Ernest Pruneda

Stage Manager

Mariah Treadwell

Scenic Artist

Elizabeth Lucido

Technical Director, Scenic & Lighting Design

Corey Ranson

Sound Design

Bryan Meza

Sound & Light Op

Andrea Guzman

Photography

Jason Page

Prop Master

Ernest Pruneda Costumers Cast, Mary Chapa Tech Crew Cast

Special Thanks

Collateral Design

Dylan C. Rios

Jacqueline Perez, Frank Gracia, Sarah Beth Rodriquez, Diana Carter, Peter Howard, Jackie Navarre, Amelia Espinoza, Torey Shaw, Bailey Beck, Lorrie Gomez, Michael Gomez, Jason Page

The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings of this production and distribution recordings or streams in any medium, including the internet, is strictly prohibited, a violation of the author(s)’s rights and actionable under United States Copyright Law.

is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www. concordtheatricals.com

Meet the Cast Playing Dual Roles

Most actors in this farce have dual roles as this “play within a play” premise.

Cast Playing Singular Roles

LaQuita Hilzinger Dotty Otley / Mrs. Clackett

Jordan Bruster Garry Lejeune / Roger Tramplemain

Jessica Cooper Brooke Ashton / Vicki

Bryan J. Meza Frederick Fellowes / Philip Brent

Alexandra Shaw Belinda Blair / Flavia Brent

Bob Caro Selsdon Mowbray / The Burglar

Jordan Bohl Lloyd Dallas

Cameron Arvizo Tim Allgood

AJ Warrington Poppy Norton-Taylor

LaQuita Hilzinger (Dotty Otley) has loved community theater since she was in junior high - a LONG time ago. “It’s hard to believe I’m returning to the Aurora for my 9th role! I’m grateful to have the opportunity to perform with friends, new and old. Hopefully you’ll have as much fun watching as we’ve had performing. Watch out for those sneaky sardines.”

Jordan Bruster (Garry Lejeune) is elated to return to the Aurora stage. This is Jordan’s tenth show at AAT. Jordan played Selsdon in Noises Off in 2015 at Del Mar College and is happy to put on the show again with another talented cast. Most recently you may have seen Jordan in The Rocky Horror Show (Frank-N-Furter), A Chorus Line (Bobby Mills), and The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Duke) at AAT; Avenue Q (Nicky) at Harbor Playhouse; Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour Krelborn), and I Am My Own Wife (Charlotte von Mahlsdorf et al) at the Port Aransas Community Theatre. Other favorite credits include a summerstock season at Trumpet in the Land in Ohio, Ash in Carner & Gregor’s Techies the Musical workshop production in NYC, and writing-directing, and starring in their one-person musical A Ship Without a Sail at Rockford University. Thanks go out to Ernie, Mary, Charlie, Dylan, the entire Aurora staff, the incredible cast and crew, and his loving and supportive family and friends!

Jessica Cooper (Brooke Aston) is grateful to be a part of this hilarious show and amazing cast. She would like to thank her mom for all her love and support. “Enjoy the show!”

Bryan J. Meza (Frederick Fellowes) is elated to be back on stage after taking a brief four-year intermission — you may recognize him as AAT’s Box Office associate! Past credits include Fiddler on the Roof, The Rocky Horror Show, and A Chorus Line. He thanks the entire cast and crew for all their work in bringing this hilarious piece to life and would also like to thank his family and friends for their continued support. “This one’s for you guys!”

Alexandra Shaw (Belinda Blair) dedicates this show to her daughters, Torey and Bella because it has always been our “break a leg” tradition before auditions. No matter how wrong things go at an audition…they can’t possibly go this bad! She hopes all audience members enjoy this sneak peek into backstage craziness and those fellow theatre artists are united through the empathy this show invokes. Oh yeah, and she was previously seen as Cassie in A Chorus Line at Aurora. “Sardines!!!!”

Bob Caro (Selsdon Mowbray) is a Computer Science teacher at Gregory-Portland High School. He’s been seen here recently at the Aurora Arts Theatre as Doctor Scott in The Rocky Horror Show, and as Greg in Sylvia. In past Aurora productions, he has portrayed Mr. Roat in Wait Until Dark and Richard Hannay in The 39 Steps. He also directed Aurora’s productions of Neil Simon’s Rumors and Plaza Suite. He would especially like to thank each member of this cast for bringing all their talent and hard work to Noises Off! Of course, Bob will be forever grateful to his lovely and talented wife Autumn, for all her love and support!

Jordan Bohl (Lloyd Dallas) is excited to make his debut on the Aurora stage. As a transplant from Alabama, he is the Technical Director for the Dept. of Theatre and Dance at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. He is very thankful for this talented cast letting him share the stage with them.

Cameron Arvizo (Tim Allgood) is new to community theater and is excited to be in his first show out of high school. While a little overwhelmed by the fast-moving world, he’s thrilled to give it his best shot.

AJ Warrington (Poppy Norton-Taylor) is excited to be in her first show at Aurora and first straight play (and you never, well, you know!)— hopefully just the first of many! Some favorite roles include Cheryl (Evil Dead) and Girl Bear (Avenue Q).

The play happening within NOISES OFF

NOTHING ON

by Robin Housemonger

Cast in order of appearance

Mrs. Clackett

Roger Tramplemain

Vicki

Philip Brent

Flavia Brent

The Burglar

Sheikh

DOTTY OTLEY

GARRY LEJUNE

BROOKE ASHTON

FREDERICK FELLOWES

BELINDA BLAIR

SELSDON MOWBRAY

FREDERICK FELLOWES

The action takes place in the living-room of the Brents’ country home, on a Wednesday afternoon

for OTSTAR PRODUCTIONS LTD

Company and Stage Manager

Assistant Stage Manager

Production Credits

TIM ALLGOOD

POPPY NORTON-TAYLOR

Sardines by Sardine Services. Miss Ashton’s lenses by Double Vision Optical Ltd. Antique silverware and cardboard boxes by Mrs. J. G. H. Norton-Taylor. Stethoscope and hospital trolley by Severn Surgical Supplies. Straitjacket by Kumfy Restraints Ltd. Coffins by G. Ashforth and Sons.

We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of EUROPEAN BREWERIES in sponsoring this production.

Meet the Cast

Dotty Otley

Mrs. Clackett

Garry Lejeune Roger Tramplemain

Brooke Ashton Vicki

Frederick Fellowes Philip Brent

Belinda Blair

Flavia Brent

Selsdon Mowbray The Burglar

Behind the Dressing Room Doors

Dotty Otley (Mrs. Clackett) makes a welcome return to the stage to create the role of Mrs. Clackett after playing Mrs. Hackett, Britain’s most famous lollipop lady (“Ooh, I can’t ‘ardly ‘old me lolly up!”) in over 320 episodes of TV’s ON THE ZEBRAS. Her many stage appearances include her critically acclaimed portrayal of Fru Sackett, the comic char in Strindberg’s SCENES FROM THE CHARNELHOUSE. Her first appearance ever? In a school production of HENRY IV PART I as the old bag-lady, Mrs. Duckett.

Belinda Blair (Flavia Brent) has been on the stage since the age of four, when she made her debut in SINBAD THE SAILOR at the Croydon Hippodrome as one of Miss Toni Tanner’s Ten Tapping Tots. She subsequently danced her way around this country, Southern Africa, and the Far East in shows like ZIPPEDY-DOODA! And HERE COMES LES GIRLS! More recently she has been seen in such comedy hits as DON’T MR DUDDLE!, WHO’S BEEN SLEEPING IN MY BED?, and TWICE TWO IS SEX. She is married to scriptwriter Terry Wough, who has contributes lead-in material to most of TV’s char shoes. They have two sons and three retrievers

Garry Lejeune (Roger Tramplemain) while still at drama school won the coveted Laetitia Daintyman Medal for Violence. His television works include POLICE!, CRIME SQUAD, SWAT, FORENSIC, and THE NICK, but he is probably best known as ‘Cornetto’, the ice-cream salesman who stirs the hearts of all the lollipop ladies in ON THE ZEBRAS.

Selsdon Mowbray (Burglar) first ‘trod the boards’ at the age of 12 - playing Lucius in a touring production of JULIUS CAESAR, with his father, the great Chelmsford Mowbray, in the lead. Since then he has served in various local reps, and claims to have appeared with every company to have toured Shakespeare in the past half-century, working his way up through the Mustardseeds and the various Boys and Sons of, to the Balthazars, Benvolios, and Le Beaus; then the Selenders Lennoxws, Tinculos, Snouts, and Froths; and graduating to the Scroops, Poloniuses and Aguecheeks. His most recent film appearance was as Outraged Pensioner in GREEN WILLIES.

Brooke Ashton (Vicki) is probably best known as the girl wearing nothing but ‘good, honest, natural froth’ in the Hauptbahnohotbrau lager commercial. Her television appearances range from Girl at Infants’ School in ON THE ZEBRAS to Girl in Massage Parlor in ON PROBATION. Cinemagoers saw her in THE GIRL IN ROOM 14, where she played the Girl in Room 312.

Frederick Fellowes (Phillip Brent) has appeared in many popular television series, including CALLING CASUALTY, CARDIAC ARREST!, OUT-PATIENTS, and IN-PATIENTS. On stage he was most recently seen in the controversial all-male version of the TROJAN WOMAN. He is happily married, and lives near Crawley, where his wife breeds pedigree dog. ‘If she ever leaves me,’ he says, ‘it will be for an Irish wolfhound!’

The common sardine. 13.4 million are eaten daily in Great Britain alone. The word is derived from the French, sardine.

Lloyd Dallas (Director) read English at Cambridge, and stage-craft at the local benefits office.’ He has directed plays in most parts of Britain, winning the South of Scotland Critics’ Circle Special Award in 1969. In 1972, he directed a highly successful season for the National Theatre of Sri Lanka. In recent years he has probably become best known for his brilliant series of Shakespeare in Summer’ productions in the parks of the inner London boroughs.