'Noises Off' cast profile: Susan Christophy

Susan Christophy returns to the GCP Stage as Dotty and Mrs. Clackett in 'Noises Off!'

Character(s): Dotty/Mrs. Clackett

GCP Girl: Tell me a little about yourself.

Susan: I'm currently working in Data entry at Davis Gas and will begin my own business soon hosting private acting lessons. I've been a part of the GCP for almost 20 years and have performed/choreographed/ or directed in well 40 GCP productions. I just finished a run as Amnerias is GCP's production of Aida, directed by the Golden Apple award winning director Dan Christophy.

GCP Girl: Tell me about your character(s). What makes her/him fun or rewarding to play?

Susan: Dotty/Clackett is a laugh riot to play. Dotty the actress has a very dry wit and is the "seasoned" actress..... By seasoned I mean old. She has money in the play that's being produced so she possibly a little difficult to direct. The character she plays, Mrs. Clackett, says what she thinks and can't keep up with her damn sardines. The physical comedy for both character is something you'll have to see.

GCP Girl:What is your favorite scene in 'Noises Off' 

Susan: Act 3 when everything "goes to hell." I love performing the meltdown that happens on stage. As an "seasoned" actress, (yep, I still mean old) I've been in such mayhem on stage when it's has happened for real; so being able to share in it knowing it's supposed to happen is almost like getting to laugh along with the audience.

GCP Girl: Madness ensues and jeopardizes the play within a play in 'Noises Off'. Think about a time when things started to go really wrong during a performance of a pervious show. What happened and how did you overcome the mayhem to finish the show? 

Susan: I've been in plenty of unexpected mayhem on stage. In White Christmas it was actually pouring rain on the stage, while I was singing about rain, in Thoroughly Modern Millie, a very important character forgot to come on stage for almost 2 minutes (a life time in stage time), and in Skin of our Teeth, my skirt was unexpectedly pulled down to my ankles, ( defiantly not something my character would have happen); but you just keep going. You gesture to the rain as you sing about it, you make up dialogue which includes hoping the missing person will show up and you pull your skirt up and just keep going, mildly reprimanding the maid whom pulled it down about its lack of appropriateness.... That's why we all love live theater, you never know what will happen.

GCP Girl: Why did you decide to audition for Noises Off? 

Susan: It is one of my all time favorite shows and movies. I am the biggest Carol Burnett and Christopher Reeve fan so I wore my VHS out as a teenager. The show is an actors gift, it allows you to be Zany, play 2 characters as well as share the insight of "what goes on backstage" with the general audience.

GCP Girl: Why should everyone see this production? 

Susan: You'll laugh out loud almost non-stop, it will be a relief to catch your breath. The cast stellar!!!! You may want to see it twice just to catch all the zaniness on stage!

GCP Girl: Talk about one of your most memorable theatrical experiences ever, either as a performer or audience member. 

Susan: In honor of this show, I'll look back on a zany experience of my own... The year was 1990 and I was but a sophomore in high school at Chiefland High in Levy County. I had participated in an all county productions the summer before so when the drama teacher from Williston High called to ask if I could fill in for a student who had been pulled from the show, I said yes. This was a Tuesday and they opened on Friday. The role was the lead of Florence in the female version of the Odd Couple. After only 9 hours of rehearsal, opening night went of with out a hitch!! We were so proud and celebrated it up that night. I wake up for the Saturday performance only to find the stress and overtaxation on my voice had left me with complete laryngitis. I had no voice.... It was a "on your toes kinda performance." Sometimes I could croak out lines, sometimes not...line were made up, abbreviated and sometime simply acted out in pantomime, needless to say, it was a crazy night.

What a story! Thanks, Susan!

This is the last weekend to witness the madness in 'Noises Off!'. Please visit the GCP Website or the Event on Facebook for ticket and showtime information.

xoxo GCP Girl

'Noises Off' cast profile: Adam Lishawa

Adam Lishawa returns to the GCP stage to comically run up and down a lot of stairs. A LOT of stairs. 

Character(s): Garry LeJeune / Roger Tramplemain

GCP Girl: Tell me a little about yourself, such as your past shows here or elsewhere, a particular area of study, occupation, hobby, etc. 

Adam: Some of my favorite shows that I've done have been "Bug," "A Christmas Story," "Hunter Gatherers," "True West," and so many others. I've done voice work for the radio and audiobooks, some independent films, and performed as a singer and guitarist for local bands.

GCP Girl: Tell me about your character(s). What makes her/him fun or rewarding to play? 

Adam: Garry / Roger is possibly the most physical character in the Noises Off ensemble. Racing up and down stairs, working with his particular disfluencies, and moving from loving to vindictive to absolutely bewildered make him an absolute blast to play.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite scene in 'Noises Off'? 

Adam: Since this is such a talented ensemble, it's hard to pick just one. One which never fails to make me laugh, though, is when Belinda chases herself up the stairs performing two roles at once!

GCP Girl: Madness ensues and jeopardizes the play within a play in 'Noises Off'. Think about a time when things started to go really wrong during a performance of a pervious show. What happened and how did you overcome the mayhem to finish the show? 

Adam: The joy of live theater is that anything can happen, and performers and techs need to just take it in stride. One of the more entertaining ones which happened to me was when I was the onstage narrator for "A Christmas Story" at the GCP, speaking to the audience from the upstairs bedroom. Out of nowhere, a large and heavy batten dropped within a foot of my face. All I could do was duck, keep on talking, and wait for the lights to change. That's live theater.

GCP Girl: Why did you decide to audition for Noises Off? 

Adam: I've wanted to do this play since high school when I saw the 1992 film version of it. It was the first movie to quite literally make me weak from laughing. This has been one of my most-wanted comedic roles and I was jubilant when I saw GCP was putting it on, and even more so when I saw Erin was directing it.

GCP Girl: Why should everyone see this production? 

Adam: Anyone who has even a passing interest in theater needs to see this show! Performers and techs will see themselves in every scene, and theater-goers will see a (slightly) exaggerated series of events which can and do happen offstage and on. Smooth sailing is hard work!

GCP Girl: Talk about one of your most memorable theatrical experiences ever, either as a performer or audience member. 

Adam: One of the most memorable was when I played bass onstage for a production of "Hair." Claude has been sent off to war, and we see the Tribe dancing around a ladder, chanting and protesting. Claude climbs the ladder, begging for the Tribe to see him, culminating in a soul-ripping "I'm here!" Blackout. Silence. A great inrush of breaths. Beat. Beat. I began playing the first few notes of "The Flesh Failures / Let The Sunshine In." Goosebumps everywhere.

Thanks, Adam! I'm so glad you are able to make a long time theatre dream a reality!

There are 5 more chances to see 'Noises Off'! Please visit the GCP Website or the Event on Facebook for ticket and showtime information.

xoxo GCP Girl

'Noises Off!' cast profile: Rachel Warnes

Rachel Warnes prances plays the dippy, lingerie glad Brooke in 'Noises Off!.

Character(s): Brooke/Vicki

GCP Girl: Tell me a little about yourself, such as your past shows here or elsewhere, a particular area of study, occupation, hobby, etc. 

Rachel: I'm usually found slaving away at the vet school but have taken the time to reconnect to my theatre background with Noises Off. I attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts and have not been able to shake the itch the perform ever since. I'm so happy to be back onstage and surrounded by my wonderful cast mates who are just as funky as I am.

GCP Girl: Tell me about your character(s). What makes her/him fun or rewarding to play? 

Rachel: Brooke is a complete idiot who prances around in lingerie for the whole show. It's taken a lot of self pep-talking and time at the gym but it's been a fun experience. Definitely stepping outside my comfort zone. I feel like most people have nightmares about being onstage in front of their peers in the underwear. I'm living it and working it, girl!

GCP Girl: What is your favorite scene in 'Noises Off' 

Rachel: I actually really like the set changes during intermission. It's amazing what the crew does with it and so fast! The ENTIRE set (which is ginormous) flips around!

GCP Girl: Madness ensues and jeopardizes the play within a play in 'Noises Off'. Think about a time when things started to go really wrong during a performance of a pervious show. What happened and how did you overcome the mayhem to finish the show? 

Rachel: It's really great because no matter what happens or goes wrong, we can always fit it into the show and the audience will never know. During rehearsals we skipped about half of Act II and no one knows what went wrong but we just kept going and made it work.

GCP Girl: Why did you decide to audition for Noises Off? 

Rachel: I saw Noises Off at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival when I was in middle school and fell in love with it. It's actually my favorite show! Years ago I passed up a chance to audition for it because I let someone hold me back. When I saw it was coming to GCP I knew it was a second chance. I really was just looking forward to auditioning and being on stage for a few minutes. When the director gave me the call about being cast I was so shocked. I'm a lucky girl!

GCP Girl: Why should everyone see this production? 

Rachel: This show is non-stop movement and entertainment. You won't be bored for a second. And hey, I'll be in lingerie. What more could you ask for?

GCP Girl: Talk about one of your most memorable theatrical experiences ever, either as a performer or audience member. 

Rachel: Surprisingly my favorite shows to do are really off-the-wall or dramas that really dig deep into your emotions. I played a role in a show about the Vietnam War called "Piece of my Heart". We had a really heart wrenching scene and to prepare we had a closed rehearsal where the whole group of girls sat around and really opened up to each other. The outcome on stage was so powerful. I will never forget that moment.

Thanks Rachel, and welcome to the GCP Family!

As a side note, GCP Girl also once played in 'A Piece of my Heart'. She was Sissy, who were you?

You have two more weekends to catch 'Noises Off!' at the GCP! Please visit the GCP Website or the Event on Facebook for ticket and showtime information. 

xoxo GCP Girl