The Second City Cast & Crew – BlueCo
The Second City Cast & Crew
Please silence all devices and refrain from taking photos during the performance.
All Actors and Stage Managers are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional Actors and Stage Managers.
TINA ARFAEE
TINA ARFAEE (Ensemble, they/any) has been writing and performing on multiple stages in Chicago since 2012, most notably at The Annoyance Theater with Matt Damon Improv. With MDI she wrote and starred in In-Diana: a web series. She also appeared on an episode of Chicago Fire, Centered: the web series, and short film, The Sweatshirt. Tina is a graduate of the Second City/NBC Universal Bob Curry Fellowship. Please reach out directly if you are interested in starting a Dolly Parton cover band. She is repped by Big Mouth Talent. @tinatwocats
BILL LETZ
A southside Chicago native, BILL LETZ (Ensemble, he/him) loves being a part of this city’s wonderful comedy community. He is a proud graduate of Second City’s Conservatory and Musical program as well as iO’s Training program. He has been a part of many great shows and teams but some of his favorites include Daffodil, Ghost Car, Tubbs Ave, pH, Improvised Gilmore Girls, and The Treehouse Pipers. He is so happy to be a part of Second City’s BlueCo along with his amazing and mega talented castmates. Thanks to Bill and Meth, Cath and Scoops, and his family and friends for all their support. Pics of his dog Two Scoops of Cookies and Cream @letzey on the gram.
CAT MCDONNELL
CAT MCDONNELL (Ensemble, she/her) has performed with The Second City at sea aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines, and on land in ‘She The People,’ ‘The Best Friggin’ Songs of The Second City,’ ‘Improv Brunch,’ and ‘Late Night Date Night’ (a show she created). Cat has had the pleasure of understudying The Second City Mainstage revues ‘Don’t Quit Your Daydream’ and ‘Do The Right Thing, No Worries If Not,’ as well as The Second City’s BlueCo and HollyCo. She has also enjoyed directing The Second City’s National Touring Company, ‘Late Night Date Night,’ ‘Improv After Hours,’ e.t.c. improv show ‘Out of The House Party,’ and teaching in The Second City and iO Theater training centers. Cat is currently an ensemble member of iO’s ‘Phony Award Winning Musical’ (co-created and music directed by Laura Hall of ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’) and the proud curator of ‘Lovesome,’ an LGBTQ+ long-form improv show.
ZOE MCKEE
ZOE MCKEE (Ensemble, she/her) is a comedian and actor originally from Oklahoma City. As a black, queer, big, hot, funny lady, her greatest passion is making others laugh! With big dreams in her funny bone, Zoe studied at Columbia College Chicago and graduated in Comedy Writing and Performance. Before being a part of the Second City Touring company (BlueCo), she understudied for the Second City Mainstage Do the Right Thing, No Worries If Not, and Don’t Quit Your Daydream. Zoe is proudly represented by Paonessa Talent. You can find her on Instagram at @zoeisaslug.
PRESTON PARKER
PRESTON PARKER is thrilled to perform with The Second City National Touring Company. Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, previous credits with Second City include The Best Friggin’ Songs of the Second City, and understudying for the Mainstage and Touring Company. Other sketch work has been featured at Austin Out of Bounds Festival, Chicago SketchFest and Austin SketchFest. He also writes and composes original musicals, including The Election of William Henry Harrison (Best Ensemble, Premier Premieres Festival), When Jared Met Ivanka, and Titanic 2042 (Best Musical nominee, Chicago Reader). He is the proud Champion of the 2019 ESPN1000 Holiday Parody Song Contest. You can follow him on Instagram @prestonleeparker to see too few photos of himself and way too many photos of his cat, Kuzco. Overwhelming love and gratitude to Bianca, Ashley, Shelby, Dad, and Mom, always
CASSIDY RUSSELL
CASSIDY RUSSELL is a Chicago-based, award-winning improviser and actor, represented by Big Mouth Talent. She has extensive improv experience, absolutely cannot touch her toes, is very into musicals, can sort of spin a basketball on her finger, and likes to read plays out loud in her apartment. She has pretended to eat chicken on camera so many times and was once in a commercial where all four of the other actors were cats. She’s appeared in multiple (multiple!) local car commercials.
PAUL SOTTNIK (Music Director) is a multi-instrumentalist songwriter and performer currently living, teaching and working in Chicago, IL. Since earning a BA in music from Fredonia University they have worked extensively as a dance accompanist with many great companies including Hubbard Street Dance, The Joffrey Ballet and Ballet Austin. They have composed music for “Echo Modern Dance Collective” and “A Theater in the Dark”. Follow them @SottnikMusic or at www.melacollective.com/sottnik-music
INDIGO COAR (Stage Manager) (they/them) hails from New York where they received a technical theater degree from LIU Post. They’ve been working with The Second City for little more than a year, having recently come off of the run of Second City’s Queer Eye: The Musical Parody. When not in the booth, Indigo can be found drawing, dancing, and waiting for the 22 bus.
CARISA BARRECA (Director/Choreographer) (she/her/hers) is honored to be Directing the 111th Mainstage revue, Don’t Quit Your Daydream! Carisa is a Chicago native who has been performing with Second City for 15 years. She is an alum of The Second City’s resident stage, where she wrote and performed in three critically acclaimed revues. She has had the honor of performing at Lyric Opera of Chicago with Sir Patrick Stewart and Reneé Fleming in The Second City’s Guide to the Opera, at Goodman Theatre and at The Kennedy Center with Twist Your Dickens; and she wrote and performed in Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Second City’s collaboration The Art of Falling. She was also a writer, cast member, and associate director of the long-running and award-winning show, She The People. Other directing credits include Second city’s National touring company, Second City’s SING OUT, and Deck The Hallmark. Carisa is also a proud founder and Director of Matter Dance Company. Many thanks to the cast and crew of #111, Carly Heffernan, Jen Ellison, Marla Caceres, Lili-Anne Brown, Katie Rich and Kevin Sciretta (& Bandit the dog). She hopes you enjoy the show ♥! Follow her adventures in directing/acting/dogs/baking @Cinderisa .
Understudies
ZOE AGAPINAN
ZOE AGAPINAN (Understudy) is so excited to be performing with The Second City! Zoe is a California-born and Chicago-based actor, writer and comedian. She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Theater Arts and a minor in Economics (just in case). She is an alumni of The Second City’s Severn Darden Graduate Program, and a 2022 Bob Curry Fellow. Performance highlights include: She The People(The Second City), fair dinkum (CiC Theater), FELT (iO Theater, CiC Theater), and Holy F*ck Comedy Hour (Annoyance Theater). Follow her on Instagram (@z0three) and TikTok (@thereal_lilzo)!
HOLY BARRAS
HOLLY BARRAS (Understudy) was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, but spent a lot of her childhood skipping rocks around Oklahoma before moving to Chicago in 2017. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2021 and is a Comedy Studies alumni. She can be seen performing with the Annoyance Ensemble Team Modern Crimes, and independent team Smoochers. She is currently an understudy for Second City’s Touring Company. Other performing credits include Splatter Theater (The Annoyance), Trigger Happy (The Annoyance), and New Team Smell (iO Theater). She would like to thank her Dad for his constant love and support! When she isn’t performing and writing comedy, you can catch her playing Dance Dance Revolution and eating hummus (sometimes at the same time.) Follow her on Instagram @hollaycomeday
DEB DUNCAN
DEBRA DUNCAN (Understudy, she/her) is so excited to be performing with The Second City! She’s a comedian, actress and musician proudly hailing from Akron, OH. She’s understudied for Mainstage revues Together at Last, Do The Right Thing, No Worries If Not and Don’t Quit Your Daydream and is currently understudying for The Second City National Touring Company. She also co-produces and hosts the podcast, Queer Movie Night and can be seen performing at Logan Square Improv. She also has a band with her wife, The Q’s and you can check out their album, Us Who Know, which is available on all streaming platforms! Follow her on Instagram @debradbag and @debraduncan on Twitter. Thank you to her best friend and love of her life, Kayla and their pup, Bea.
ERIC GREENBAUM
ERIC GREENBAUM (Understudy) is from the wonderful town of New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from New York University with a BFA in Drama, and finished his time at school in The Second City’s Comedy Studies Program during the spring of 2021. You can find him around Chicago performing comedy and theatre, and he might even sing for you! He would like to thank his family and friends very very much for helping him pursue this little dream of his. Eric is a freak who doesn’t have social media, but you can follow him and his shows on his website, ericgreenbaum.com
DANI CIOLE JAMES
DANI NICOLE JAMES (Understudy) is an actor and curve model from Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. She can be seen improvising all around Chicago. She is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory and the School at Steppenwolf.Her most recent credit is her one woman show “You Can Cry When You Get Home” which she performed at Steppenwolf Theatre Company as part of The Lookout series.She has also modeled nationally and locally. Some favorites include Macys, Famous Footwear, and HUM Nutrition.She is represented by 10MGMT and 10 Talent Agency in Chicago. For upcoming shows and cute outfits Instagram: @Dani_James
MAX LAZERINE
MAX LAZERINE (Understudy) is a writer, performer from Minneapolis Minnesota and is an alum of Columbia College Chicago. Max is a performer with The Annoyance’s HOLY F*CK COMEDY HOUR and can be seen around town with his sketch duo Max and Annie. You can follow this bad boy on twitter @Maxlazerine
KAI ELISE (Understudy Music Director) (she/they) can be spotted in the wild playing dueling pianos around Chicago and dancing at late night Tango milongas. She debuted at Second City with the inaugural Victor Wong Fellowship in their sold-out show It’s A Bao Damn Time as a music director. She has directed musical theatre camps and shows around the midwest with Central Wi Children’s Theatre, The Stage School, and the East End Players. Her most recent project was writing and orchestrating Say Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Parody. She uses innovative patches and loops with Ableton to play keys with Chicago Loud 9, Aya Ito, and to build her own solo shows. Her debut album under the name Kai Zhi Hundred called To My Selfish was recently released on all platforms. She can be found on IG and tiktok as @kaionthekeys
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