Trigger Warnings
This show contains: haze, herbal cigarette smoke, gunshots, a prop weapon, character intimacy and an attempted suicide.
Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 50,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org
Director's Note
I love director’s notes. They feel like little love poems to the audience— and I do love you! I would not have orchestrated anything you are about to see if I didn’t. This is a love letter to you, to anyone who has ever loved me, hated me, ghosted me, and my good friends Adderall, Buspirone, and Wellbutrin.
For me, all theatre relates back to an idea of identity. In Stupid Fucking Bird, this crops up in its frenzied display of our ever-present neuroses— agency, legacy, love, and how we pursue (or don’t!) each. It’s important to flag that, although Posner drew that blood to the surface of this script, those thoughts were simmering just under the surface of Chekhov’s original text. Human struggles like these little day-to-day cataclysms have been around since we crawled out of the mud and developed sapience; turns out, people have always been people, and our personal problems largely remain the same.
The historical context of 1890s Russia, less than 15 years before the Russian Revolution, has been wiped clean from this script—a widening wealth gap between classes, wartime inflation, political corruption, and a lack of access to healthcare, just to name a few. Yet… it can’t help but all sound familiar, can it?
Is time a flat circle? Are we bound to repeat the same mistakes as individuals and as a society, as if performing the same script on repeat? Is it stupid to have the audacity to worry about a crush or your job when the world might be falling apart? Do we know too much about each other? Do you know the names of the people on either side of you? Do you care? If you could take control of the narrative of your life, would it change anything?
Do you feel insane? Because I often do, and I suspect you do too (at least sometimes). Those characters on stage are you, after all (metaphorically, kinda).
So, for the next, like, a few hours, let’s just lose our minds together. You ARE a part of the show (literally, actually).
- Jorden Charley-Whatley
cast and crew bios
Bart is excited to be working with City Gate Bart is excited to be working with City Gate Productions once again for STUPID F**G BIRD. His other credits with the company include 12 ANGRY MEN and GUILT, a premiere from their 2025 New Play Initiative. Bart recently(-ish) wrapped the upcoming independent feature, DELI LOVE. Other films: MISHI, NEW LIVES, THE WEDDING TRIP. Television: LAW & ORDER (NBC). Bart is a graduate of Atlantic Acting School and studied sociology and criminal justice (and some theater) at Rutgers University. He also moonlights (daylights?) as a corporate professional 40 hrs/week, but this is more fun. Art is a dialogue through which we understand what it means to be human. In our artificially intelligent world, live theater is the purest form of that conversation.
Regina Famatigan (she/her) is an actress from El Paso, TX who is “flying high” cause she’s in such an exciting theatrical production with a phenomenal cast and crew (That’s a bird joke). Thank you to the Production Team at City Gate for trusting me with a bucket list character, thank you to my boyfriend for listening to me talk about the show almost nonstop, and thank you to everyone in the audience for supporting this stupid fucking play. Select theater credits: The Importance of Being Earnest (Court Square Theatre), Twelfth Night (Barefoot Shakespeare Company), Crabby (Ars Nova), The Taylor Swift/Unabomber Play (The Tank). Film: Ghost Punchers, Skye Hoshi: Anime Girl, Face the Music Greyson Grey, The Ghost Light, Widowed. More info: Regina-Famatigan.com or IG: @regina_famatigan
Laura Frenzer is an award-winning actor, writer, producer, and filmmaker. She co-starred in Angry Boy (with Eric Roberts), horror fan fav Hell House LLC II, and 47 Secrets To a Younger You, a web series she also co-wrote and co-produced. A short film she wrote and directed, The Hope Chest Has a Secret Drawer, recently finished a robust festival run with several nominations and wins including Best Director and Best Dark Drama (Atlanta Women’s Film Festival), Audience Choice Award (No Coast Film Festival), and Best Dark Drama Screenplay (Nevada and Oregon Short Film Festivals). New York Theatre includes the original Off Bway cast of Ronnie Larson’s Peep Show, The Real Friends, Macbeth (Chekov Theatre Ensemble), Oedipus (Modern Theatre of Myth), and Romeo and Juliet (Gorilla Rep). Laura earned a BFA in Theatre Performance from Tarkio College, the best drama program you’ve never heard of, studied Shakespeare at The American Globe Theatre, improv at UCB, and screenwriting and filmmaking at The New School. Laura also worked for over 14 years as a Master Teaching Artist specializing in teaching Shakespeare to elementary students in NYC public schools. Thanks for all the love, Daphne and Vivi! @laurafrenzer
Aaron is super excited to be making his City Gate Productions debut, and to be working with this incredible team of artists. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Aaron is celebrating almost eight months now of living in New York City! He is a graduate of the Boston University School of Theatre, where he received his BFA in Acting. Most recently, Aaron made his Off-Broadway debut in "Fear and Misery in the Third Reich" at the Riverside Theatre and appeared in the world premiere of "Girl Crime" at the Boston Center for the Arts Plaza. Television credits include “Shameless,” “Fargo,” “Joe Pera Talks With You,” and “Chicago Fire.” All the love in the world to mom and dad, and all of his friends and family! @aaronjaylamm
Kyle is thrilled to be taking part in this production of "Stupid Fucking Bird." New to NYC, this is Kyle's first show at the Secret Theatre and his first show with City Gate Productions, and we couldn't be more pleased to showcase his talent.
Tom Staggs is thrilled to be making his City Gate debut as Sorn in Stupid Fucking Bird. Most recently he participated in a week-long developmental workshop of The ENC, a new musical based on The Emperors New Clothes by Matthew Freeman and Sean Bonnette featuring Taylor Mac. He is currently performing in two companies of Fever's The Jury Experience, playing venues across Brooklyn, Westchester, Long Island, and Jersey City. This past year he appeared as Marvin in Guys on Ice at Lake George Dinner Theatre and as Charlie in The Ugly Christmas Sweater Musical at The Rev. Other regional credits include Shenandoah at Paper Mill Playhouse, Fiddler on the Roof, and ten seasons as the Ghost of Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol at North Shore Music Theater. Recent NYC credits include The Last Grain of Rice at The Tank and The Script in the Closet at La MaMa Etc. Tom has also appeared with Blue Hill Troupe as Cladwell in Urinetown, Cricker in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and Gomez in Addams Family. A veteran of the downtown theatre scene of the 90’s and early 00’s, he has performed with Gorilla Rep, Faux Real, Blue Coyote, and LiveIn Theater. None of this would be possible without the support of my friend, guide, love and wife, Lynda, and our awesome daughter, Katelynn!
Juliet Wolfe is New York City-based actor and writer. She is so grateful to work on Stupid Fucking Bird with this incredible team, and excited to rejoin City Gate Productions after appearing previously in Frankenstein. Selected New York: The Importance of Doing Art (59E59), Will You Be My Archnemesis?… (IRT), Macbeth (Inkblot Theatre Co). Selected Regional: The Play that Goes Wrong (Sierra Repertory Theater), We (River Rep Theatre), Monkey (Lanes Coven Theater Co), Romeo and Juliet (CenterStage Theater). Selected TV/Film: Hiding Bodies, My Best Friend’s a Zombie, Blues Run the Game: A Portrait of Jackson C. Frank. Juliet studied at Northwestern University and trains at the Kimball Studio. Love to her parents, friends, and Codybear. julietwolfe.com @juliejuliejet
Jorden Charley-Whatley (Director, Producer, Scenic Design) is a member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, a NYC-based director, and an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Select directing credits include FRANKENSTEIN (City Gate Productions) MY STORY IS GLUSKABE (Penobscot Theatre Company), BOTTLENOSE: A MODERN MYSTERY (The Gaze Presents), with work spanning from New York to San Francisco, the midwest, and even Ireland. This fall he will be pursuing his M.F.A in Directing at the University of Alberta in the city of Edmonton in Canada.
Patricia Roques (They/Them) is excited to be back for their second production with City Gate! Recent Stage Management credits include Guilt (City Gate Productions); Hungry Women (Soho Playhouse Lighthouse Series Finalist); Len Jenkin's How Is It That We Live, or Shakey Jake + Alice at A.R.T. New York (Production Stage Manager--The Tent Theater Co); and The Vitagraph Story at The Flea (PSM). Other theatre credits include Hot Mic with India Beer (Accompanist/Performer); Oops Ouch! performs Hannah Montana (Musician/Performer); To Tread Among Serpents with Third Stone Theatre Co (Actor); and Macbeth with Inkblot Theatre Co (Actor). Graduate of the Experimental Theatre Wing at Tisch School of the Arts.
Grace is a Costume Designer originating from Northern Indiana and has a passion for working on new shows and creating inspiring work. With her BS from Ball State University, Grace received a Costume Design contract at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, Tennessee where she designed 4 shows including, Junie B. Jones the Musical, Flat Stanley, Schoolhouse Rock and a new work titled When We Get Good Again. After Memphis she worked in Maine at Penobscot Theatre Company and was a collaborator on their 2021-2022 season. Once the contract in Maine was complete NYC was calling. Since moving to New York she has worked as a Cutter/Draper on multiple shows and been back and forth to Penobscot to Costume Design Gluskabe and Wig Design for Little Shop of Horrors. She was recently the Assistant Costume Designer on an Off Broadway Show, Kowalski, and Broken Snow with Designer Lisa Zinni. Grace has also assisted on costume teams of Elf Back on Broadway, The Roommate, and SMASH on Broadway. She's thrilled to Costume Design with City Gate Productions on Stupid Fucking Bird, after working on Guilt, POTUS and Frankenstein. When she's not designing, Grace works on her podcast, Dressing Room Talk, and is currently working with Costume Catz NYC on Whatnot as a costume focused auctioneer.
Brian is a Queens-based actor, musician, and singer. He is thrilled to be a part of this production and hopes you (yes, you!) enjoy the show. Brian's music credits include work with Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Gallery Players, Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre, Merry-Go-Round Youth Theatre, and Notch Theatre Co. He also performs regularly with A Band Called Honalee (a tribute to the 1960s folk music revival). Instagram: @brianfrancisott
crew bios
Jonathan Mora - Assistant Director
Jonathan is feeling incredibly grateful to have aided such a beautiful group of creatives working on material that rings so true to each and every one of us. Life life life, right? Since graduating from NYU Drama, they have been devising their own dance theater, writing, reading, and serving a pas de bourée every now and again. They are sending all the smooches and thanks to their family and close friends, for who are we without the people that we love? Next up: Marco in "He Hates Me" @ The Tank.
Virginia Harmon - Intimacy Coordinator
Virginia is a Queens-based performer, choreographer and intimacy coordinator. She has worked as an intimacy coordinator for a number of theater groups including the City Gate Productions’ shows “Frankenstein” and “POTUS.” Her other works include “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” where she played the role of Trisha, and as director of “Rabbit Hole.” She is extremely proud to be back once again working with such a talented cast and crew.
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