BWW Stage Mag Cyrano de Bergerac - Free Reign Theatre Company Stage Mag

Cyrano de Bergerac

at
Free Reign Theatre Company
 
Written by
Edmond Rostand
Directed by
Emmanuel Barbe

This show will run about 2 hours in total with a 15 minute intermission.

**Content warning: This production contains gunshot sound effects and other sounds of war.**


Act 1

Scene 1 - 1640 - the Hôtel de Bourgogne in Paris

Scene 2 - Ragueneau's pastry shop 

Scene 3 - Roxane's house

~ Intermission ~

Act 2

Scene 4 - The Siege of Arras

Scene 5 - 14 years later - a convent


 

Creative Team

Emmanuel "Manu" Barbe

Director

Hannah Atkinson

Stage Manager

Gina Brafford

Costumer

Lisa Essex

Costumer

Charles Holmes

Fight Choreographer & Lighting Designer

David Hensley

Sound Designer

Meet the Company

David Hensley

Cyrano
David Hensley - Cyrano David is a graduate of Winthrop University, where he received a degree in theatre performance. He is a founding member of Free Reign Theatre Company and the owner/creative director of Long Walk Productions. He’d like to thank Manu for this opportunity and every single person who’s run lines with him for the last two months.

Laura Munson

Roxane
Laura Munson - Roxane Laura is a lifelong actress and lover of theatre who grew up immersed in the Greenville, SC theatre community, minored in theatre at Winthrop University, and later became involved in community theatre in Rock Hill and Charlotte. She was last seen as Kathy in “Vanities” with WIP Productions. Other recent productions include “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “The Complete History of America (abridged)” and "Macbeth". Laura also regularly performs with Charlotte Murder Mystery Company. She would like to thank her friends and family for all their love and support.

Joshua Peterson

Christian
Joshua Peterson - Christian Joshua Peterson is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's School of Performing Arts with a Bachelor's Degree in Drama. He collaborates with productions all around the greater Charlotte area, and is very pleased to work with Free Reign for the first time. He would like to thank the director and company for this opportunity to portray a character in this beloved play, and to his regular group of supporters who make this dream possible.

Robert Brafford

Count de Guiche
Robert Brafford - Count de Guiche Robert is thrilled to be performing for Free Reign Theatre again, after . Some of his favorite roles in theaters around the Metrolina area have included Caliban ("The Tempest", Free Reign Theatre), Mike ("What the Constitution Means to Me", Lee Street Theatre), Macbeth ("Macbeth", Shakespeare Carolina), and Clifford ("Deathtrap", Old Courthouse Theatre). He lives in Rock Hill with his wife Gina, in a house where their presence is tolerated by their cat Noir. When not acting, Robert co-hosts several podcasts, works as a branch manager for Dogwood State Bank, and serves on the board of the Metrolina Theatre Association. Thanks go out to God for His blessings, to Gina for her love and her music, and to Manu for the opportunity.

Lisa Essex

Ragueneau
Lisa Essex - Ragueneau Lisa Essex is English, born not far from Shakespeare’s birthplace and has lived in South Carolina for more than a decade. She abandoned theatre for journalism and then abandoned journalism for PR. She was tempted back by Free Reign, who somehow gave her the role of King Lear and watched her descent into madness - from which she has never quite recovered. Ragueneau is her first role in a French play, and she is excited to work with such a talented cast

Alyssa Whiting

Le Bret
Alyssa Whiting - Le Bret The last time Alyssa tried to perform for Free Reign Theatre, the show was halted from Covid and she couldn’t return for the actual performance. So here’s take two! Alyssa is from Charlotte where she was last seen in Davidson Community Players’ production of The Humans. She gives thanks to Manu and Hannah for their leadership and to the whole cast and team. She is overjoyed to swing swords again! Big thanks to her husband, Kelvin, who gives her endless support and makes the best partner for memorizing her lines. Alyssa’s working on becoming a professional voice actor so if you know anything about that, let her know!

Charles Holmes

Valvert/ Carbon
Charles Holmes - Valvert/ Carbon Charles is a founding member of Free Reign Theatre. Over the last 35 years, he has been involved in countless productions as an actor, director, technician, and fight choreographer. Thank you to Manu for the opportunity, and much love to Elizabeth for always supporting this journey.

Timothy Snyder

Cuigy/Friar/Sentinel
Timothy Snyder - Cuigy/Friar/Sentinel Timothy B. Snyder is a writer, poet, and actor living in Charlotte NC. He began stage acting in 2024, playing the role of Sebastian in the Central Piedmont Performing Arts production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. He performed again in Gothic Ghost Stories at the Georgia Tucker Fine Arts Hall. Cyrano De Bergerac is his third on stage appearance and his Free ReignTheatre Company debut. Off the stage he has begun a career in creative writing. He attended the Jackson Hole Writer’s Conference in 2024 and is currently drafting a novel.

Ted Patterson

Brissaille
Ted Patterson - Brissaille Ted has performed many characters in as many shows including Mr. Hyde in Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde, Henry in Henry V, and Mark Antony in Julius Caesar. He is very thankful for those how continue to support local performance art.

Hunter Curtis

Ligniere/ Spanish Soldier
Hunter Curtis - Ligniere/ Spanish Soldier Hunter is excited to be a part of this wonderful cast and crew! He is re-visiting Cyrano after directing the play with Old Colony Players in Valdese, North Carolina. He is no stranger to the stage having credits as Mark Antony "Julius Caesar", John Wilkes Booth "Assassins", Banquo "Macbeth", Jesus "Godspell", John Proctor "The Crucible" and many more. He hopes you can sit back and enjoy this beautiful piece of theatre!

Cara Hayes

Sister Martha/ Doorkeeper/ Cook/ Poet/ Soldier
Cara Hayes - Sister Martha/ Doorkeeper/ Cook/ Poet/ Soldier Cara is a founding board member of Free Rein Theatre. This is her first appearance on stage in a number of years, as she is most comfortable stage managing or directing. She thanks her husband and her friends for their support.

Lisa Ulanow

Duenna/ Mother Marguerite
Lisa Ulanow - Duenna/ Mother Marguerite Lisa Ulanow (Duenna/Mother Marguerite) is thrilled to be making her debut appearance in a Free Reign Theatre production. Most recently, Lisa played Auntie Em in the JCC production of The Wizard of Oz. A native of Washington, DC, Lisa moved to Charlotte six years ago. Since then, she has been active in the Charlotte metropolitan area theater community, both onstage and off. When she is not involved in theatrical activities, she enjoys reading, socializing with friends and family, macrame and mahjongg. Lisa would like to thank Emmanuel Barbe and Free Reign Theater for the opportunity to act in one of her favorite plays, and many thanks to her husband, Dave, for his patience and support.

Jonathan Essex

Pickpocket/ Soldier/ Poet
Jonathan Essex - Pickpocket/ Soldier/ Poet Jonathan Essex has been hanging round the edges of the theatre for more years than he cares to remember. A native of the UK, Jonathan attended a 500-year old cathedral school not totally dissimilar to Hogwarts. He has lived in South Carolina for the last 12 years - making occasional appearances in historical reenactments. Perpetually type-cast as a British soldier in the Revolutionary War, he would like to thank Free Reign for finally teaching him to hold a rapier properly and providing the opportunity to add French and Spanish soldiering to his theatrical repertoire.

Greg Paroff

Montfluery
Greg Paroff - Montfluery Greg Paroff (Montfleury) is a stage & film actor — and a filmmaker & author. He studied acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse, NC School for the Arts and The Atlantic Theatre. Greg played Prince Escalus in Free Rein’s 2022 production of ROMEO & JULIET. He has made a specialty of Shakespeare, appearing in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Charlotte Shakespeare) and COMEDY OF ERRORS — amongst others. Greg has created one-person shows about the Bard — and is developing a show about Shakespeare’s sonnets. Greg dedicates this performance to the memory of Harvey Paroff and Faye Wray — for their advice. Thanks for this opportunity to Emmanuel Barbe and to Free Rein Theatre. Special Thanks to the original Montfleur, Zacharie Jacob (c.1619–1667) & his son, Antoine Jacob (1639–1685).

Emmanuel "Manu" Barbe

Director

Hannah Atkinson

Stage Manager
Hannah Atkinson is excited for her third production with Free Reign Theatre! She graduated from Winthrop University in 2023 with a B.A. in Theatre Performance. Some of her stage managing credits include “Rock of Ages” (Likely Story Productions), “The Mystery of the Castle of the Monk of Falconara” (Winthrop), “The Dining Room” (Rock Hill Theatre), “Into the Woods Jr.”(Rock Hill Theatre) and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Free Reign). She would like to thank the team at Free Reign for this opportunity and her family, friends, and the cast and crew for their support!

Gina Brafford

Costumer

Lisa Essex

Costumer

Charles Holmes

Fight Choreographer & Lighting Designer

David Hensley

Sound Designer

 

 

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