Oh Constantine! |
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by Jan-David Soutar |
by Jan-David Soutar & Kyle Donald |
by Dr. Rev. Mike Bird |
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Jennifer Lamar Marlena Hummel |
Guy Picot |
Nandi Sharma Hannah Arungwa |
| Produced By: Jan-David Soutar, Athena Rethis, Clent Bowers | ||
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DIRECTOR’S NOTE
By Jan-David Soutar
The First Council of Nicaea was a theological cage match disguised as a holy gathering. What fascinates me isn’t just what they decided, but how they decided it. Politics, fear, ambition, exile, and ego were baked into every prayer. I grew up being told this was sacred history. Then I looked closer and saw a room full of very human men pretending to represent divine consensus. That gap between the myth and the mess is where this play lives.
Oh Constantine! is a love letter to those who’ve wrestled with belief, identity, and institutions that don’t always live up to their ideals. We set the show in a pseudo-sitcom version of 325 CE because, frankly, church politics have always been absurd. There were bishops who punched people, emperors who murdered family, and heretics who just wanted to sing. This isn’t blasphemy. It’s an honest rendering of how chaotic, theatrical, and funny power really is, especially when it’s dressed in gold and calling itself sacred.
As a director, I’ve tried to make this production feel alive: fast, loud, tender, and slightly dangerous. Our cast has thrown themselves into this madness with open hearts, bare feet, and at least one bishop’s punch. Our designers have stitched together Byzantine Rome with contemporary absurdity. Every scene lives in that ecstatic tension between reverence and rebellion. I couldn’t be prouder of the weird, beautiful, ambitious ensemble that’s brought this to life.
Whether you’re here for the heresy, the comedy, the theology, or the drama, Welcome! And if you leave with more questions than answers… well, so did they.
A Note on Gaza
Though Oh Constantine! takes place in the 4th century, in a region that includes what is now Gaza, we cannot ignore the present. As artists, we believe it is our responsibility to acknowledge the suffering of the Palestinian people and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We stand in solidarity with those impacted by violence, occupation, and displacement, and affirm the role of art in resisting empire and affirming human dignity.
Song List
“Unity!” - music and Lyrics by Jan-David Soutar
Performed by: Cameron Ley, Marlena Hummell, Jennifer Lamarr
”Don’t You Let Them Ruin The Lord” - Music by Kyle Donald, Lyrics by Jan-Davd Soutar
Performed by: Clent Bowers
”Banish Him!” - Music and Lyrics by Jan-David Soutar
Performed by Nestor Vinelli / Hannah Arungwa
“Athanaisius’s Rap Battle” - Music by Jan-David Soutar, Lyrics by Dr. Rev. Mike Bird & Jan-David Soutar
Performed by Nandi Sharma
Cast
Creative Team
Hailey Springer
Miles Berman
Courtney Stepleton
Tanya Dickson
Athena Rethis
Jan-David Soutar
Meet the Company
Cameron Ley
Love to be called “The Great”. Political animal. Killed my son. Boiled my wife. Executed my in-laws and still got sainthood. “DEFENDER OF THE FAITH”.
Jennifer Lamar
Jennifer Lamar
SAG-AFTRA
At age of 3 when Jennifer visited her first art gallery, and then Broadway show at 6, her artistic
light was on! By 11 she became the youngest resident actress at the Equity stage Players State
Theatre in Miami, Florida. She majored in theatre arts at Catholic University of America and the
University of Southern California. Soon after she signed with Wilhelmina Models living and
working between Europe and New York. She then returned to California, and acting, where she
founded and produced the acclaimed GuerriLA Theatre (2002-2010) – the only theatre
production ever to perform live on the Paramount Pictures studio lot. Jennifer is an active
member of the collective Writer’s Bloc, a member of Third Wave Volunteers and served on the
SAG-AFTRA Host Committee.
H. Clent Bowers
H. Clent Bowers: A long standing member of Actors Equity Association, SAG -AFTRA, and CAEA Broadway Credits (IBDB.COM): CATS (Old Deut), The Wiz ( Cowardly Lion), The First (Cool Minnie), FILM/TV (IMDB.COM/ClentBowers) Sallywood, The Little Fockers, Hannah Montana, JimmyDean Thunder Commercial. Writer, Director, producer, and film reviewer, Clent is grateful for the privilege and gift of storytelling. College/Scholarships Awards: LACC Theater Academy, CSUN Opera, LACC Cinema, Beverly Hills Playhouse Master Class, Won NAACP Best Supporting Actor in a Musical National Tour, Guys and Dolls 50th Anniversary Production, NY.
Marlena Hummel
Marlena trained at AADA ('21) in NYC where she was classically trained in Meisner, Hagen, and finding the best $1 pizza in a 2 mile radius, techniques. She thrives in the theatre and hopes you paid attention in history and government 101! Shoutout to Noah, Mom, Dad, Mary, Jeremiah, and DDB- 3 years starts now!
Clayton Stocker Myers
CLAYTON STOCKER MYERS (Mark) is an award winning Los Angeles based SAG-AFTRA actor with a wide range of credits to his name that span multiple genres and mediums. A Frederick, Maryland native, after having worked on over 50 productions in various mediums (stage and screen), Clayton made his move from the east coast to LA in late 2019. Since his arrival to the city of angels, Clayton has been keeping busy with a variety of collaborations (as an actor, script doctor, and assistant director), as well as preparing to produce his own works in the coming months. Clayton Stocker Myers is elated to be making his Hollywood Fringe debut in a fun show written and directed by a long-time friend and collaborator Jan-David Soutar. Feel free to keep up with Clayton via his website (www.ClaytonStockerMyers.com) and Instagram (@ActorCSM).
Cole Parker
Cole Parker exploded onto the comedy circuit in the early noughties and quickly established himself as a highly acclaimed comedian making the final in all three major comedy competitions within his first year. Cole now plays premier comedy clubs throughout the world and has an enviable reputation as a sharp, accessible, comedian and host. His intelligently cheeky charm is infectiously good-natured. Cole is renowned for being able to relate to any audience.
Cole’s credits include Hollywood movie leads, West End theatre roles, prime time TV shows and live audiences of up to 20,000. His first solo TV show, The Ultimate Gambler, sold to 24 countries. Cole has hosted dozens of major events and festivals. His talents as a writer won him commissions for scripted comedy and a serious documentary (RED OIL) for TV networks in the UK & the US. On radio Cole hosted a show for BBC 6Music. He has appeared on and written for more shows than he can remember.
Nestor Vinelli
Actor, director, writer recently returning from the tour stage production THE THORN. 11 years in the US Army, being an actor on stage wasn’t not the future he thought he was going for a children’s play changed everything. Now with a degree in cinema, a veteran drive, and a child like brain finally released Nestor is creating short films, directing his second feature film and multiple other creative projects are on the horizon.
Gabriel Bellotti
Gabriel Bellotti fell in love with theater in high-school, and continued in college, but while getting his degree he got a taste of the film/TV industry and decided thats the career he wanted to chase. He's been blessed to work as an actor/stunt performer on The Rookie, American Horror Story, and For All Mankind. But he's always happy to return to his first love, when the opportunity presents itself.
Guy Picot
Guy played Charlie Chaplin in the award-winning Stoneface at The Pasadena Playhouse and Sacred Fools Theatre. In London he played Lillas Pastia in Jonathan Miller’s production of Carmen at English National Opera. He did a European tour of The Rocky Horror Show as Eddie/Dr. Scott. For British TV he’s written episodes of the Primetime Network shows “Bad Girls” and “Footballers’ Wives”. Pleased to be participating in his seventh HFF.
Carmen Ellrodt
Carmen Ellrodt is an actor, model, and multi-hyphenate performer based in Los Angeles. A finalist in Miss Washington USA 2024, Carmen blends classic stage training with an electric screen presence. She’s currently appearing as Fausta in Oh Constantine! at the Hollywood Fringe Festival and was recently accepted into the Yale Summer Conservatory for Actors. Carmen has starred in independent films, commercials, and uses her background in comedy to bring emotional depth—and a sharp edge—to every role. She is passionate about bold stories, unapologetic women, and turning chaos into craft.
Nandi Sharma
Nandi Sharma is a 26-year-old South Asian filmmaker from Ohio, making his mark in Los Angeles as an actor, writer, director, and producer. Rooted in high school theater and YouTube skits, his passion deepened at age 15 through Bollywood dance, which helped him find purpose in entertainment. With representation from a manager and commercial agent, Nandi also actively self-submits for roles while building a diverse body of work shaped by theatrical training, self-taught digital skills, and advanced scene study. His award-winning short film Hero, which he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in, explores mental health and the power of vulnerability, earning him recognition as Best First-Time Filmmaker and Best Actor.
Hannah Arungwa
Hannah Arungwa is thrilled to join the wacky world of Oh Constantine!
Hannah is a proud alum of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. A recent LA transplant, she’s been grateful to work on multiple projects premiering in 2025 and was a participant in the 2024 LA 48 Film Festival. She starred as “Victoria” in Electric Eye which premiered at the Theatre of Note last fall.
Hailey Springer
Hailey Springer is delighted to join this talented cast and crew of Oh Constantine!, a production that perfectly blends her passions for comedy and history. Originally from Chicago, she studied costume design at Columbia College Chicago. Since recently relocating to Los Angeles, Hailey has worked as an Assistant Costume Designer on multiple operas, and served as Costume Designer for The Last Five Years at Sierra Madre Playhouse, as well as Pacific Opera Project’s 2024/25 and upcoming 2025/26 seasons, including their current production of H.M.S. Pinafore.
Miles Berman
Miles Berman has worked on hundreds of productions doing Lighting/Sound Design & Engineering. With numerous other productions as Actor, Director, & Writer. He’s won multiple awards, including best of venue and best of the year in multiple festivals. “Oh Constantine!” was an extremely fun production to work on as lighting designer. Creating this zany world in such an immersive way was a wonderful experience.
Courtney Stepleton
Though her passion is production design, Courtney has held a wide variety of artistic positions during her dozen or so years in the film and entertainment industry. From jobs in art department to special effects makeup, graphic designer to set dec to costume designer, and from art director, to lowly assistant, she has contributed her creativity to dozens of short films, features, music videos, commercials and theater productions. Some highlights include Five Years, AM/PM, Jessica AI, Tender Day, #himtho, and Wonderful Day. She worked with writer/director Jan-David Soutar on his short film Scholastic Affair and has previous Fringe experience designing for Junk Girls (Fringe 2019). Recently, she has worked in the Art Department on a series of national commercials. She is very excited to be back at the Fringe Festival and a part of the amazing team from O' Constantine.
Tanya Dickson
Tanya Dickson is a multi-hyphenate creative as a long-time SAG AFTRA actor, writer and producer in multiple projects. She was a cast member is the SAG AFTRA Radio Show last December and she recently co-wrote, produced and acted in “The Lido”, a 72 hour film short challenge, which received honorable mention in the London Women’s Short Film Festival. She loves storytelling in all forms and this is her second year working on a Fringe show on a production team. She is also an avid animal lover & animal handler and works with 2 non-profit organizations.
Athena Rethis
Athena Rethis is a Los Angeles-based theater producer dedicated to bringing compelling and innovative stories to the stage. She graduated from Cal State Northridge in 2023 and has a passion for both film and theater. She currently goes to LMU pursuing her masters in writing and producing. This production marks Athena's producing debut at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, reflecting her enthusiasm for engaging with the vibrant Los Angeles theater community. She is excited to be a part of the 'Oh Constantine!' team!
Jan-David Soutar
Jan-David Soutar is a Los Angeles-based writer and director dedicated to seriously subversive storytelling. A continuing mentor with the Youth Cinema Project and an alum of CSUN’s screenwriting program, he’s the founder of MDLA Films and Society of the Cellar. His work explores belief, absurdity, and power through both screen and stage. Oh Constantine! marks his debut at the Hollywood Fringe.
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Fringe Opening 2025
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Donors
| EXECUTIVE PRODUCER (POPE LEVEL) |
NOELLE KIM |
HOMOUSIOUS - RAP SONG LYRICS (By Rev Dr. Mike Bird & Jan-David Soutar):
Brothers and bishops
I beseech ya If the Son was created- then he’s merely a creature
And one creature cannot redeem another
Not an angel/ a saint/ or-even-the-holy-mother.
O n l y God can-be-our-Saviour
And he saves us by grace-not by our behavior
The case is simple, not strange-or odd
The Son fully saves cause the Son is fully GOD.
I spoke to some homeboys from the west
And they hyped this lawyer of great interest
Named Tertullian, a lawyer with a flame in his pen,
Wrote in Latin when the others didn’t dare with the men
Dropped Trinitas-Father, Son, Ghost in a spin,
Said “The blood of the martyrs is where we begin.”
snapped on heretics, sharp like a blade, the total package
Man Tertuliian’s terms are full of advantage.
The North Africa Latin law-yer -a bad ass heresy destroy-yer
The brother was lit, he really knew it, and this dope rhyme goes to show it.
He-said-God-is-three-persons-equal-in-one substance-
Jesus-is-divine-in-the fathers-abundance
dude was legit, he called a-spade-a-spade
He said the son’s begotten so- he-never-got-made.
To put that speak into Greek for us
It means Father and Son are homoousios
So take it to the bank-Father-and-Son are e-qual
And this dope rhyme has * got its own se-quel.
The arians preach that they’re really hip
But if you vote he’s right * you pervert our worship
If the Son was created, then we’re worshipping a creature
In the history of idolatry that’s like the main feature.
If doxology was money, then Arius is broke
By following Arius, you makeour worship a joke
To sum it all up, my argument is thus,
Father and Son are homoousios!
