Drunk Shakespeare |
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Scott Griffin |
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| Brennan Ashley Austin Brady Dillon Dewitt Joey Herrera |
Pantelis Karastamatis |
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Cast
Creative Team
Lisa Klages
David Hudson
Brass Jar Productions
Meet the Company
Brennan Ashley
Brennan Ashley is a Houston native and has been an active member of the Houston Theatre Scene her entire life. Some of her favorite roles have been Magenta (Rock Horror Show), Audrey (Little Shop of Horrors), Narrator (Murder Ballad) and Meredith (Bat Boy: The Musical). When she's not drinking on stage, she can be found directing Houston's Up and Coming performers at HITS Theatre. Everything she does is for the love of her three cats Ringo, Mama Cass and Purrsephone.Austin Brady
Austin Brady is a Houston based actor who is incredibly honored to be a part of the Drunk Shakespeare Society. After Covid cut his last semester of college short, he went off to explore all the theatres in Houston; his work includes The Alley Theatre, Creative Movement Practices, Main-Street Theatre, Dinner Detective and hopefully many more as soon as he finds time to film a video Audition. He is currently paying for his college loans and would like to warmly thank Wells Fargo for all the stress it causes. Finally Austin would like to shameless plug in his Instagram pages. @austin_brady_7 @bradys_art_Dillon Dewitt
Joey Herrera
His name is Joey, and he likes movies. One hard seltzer later and he'll start reciting 'Scarface' or try to convince you why 'Die Hard' is a Christmas flick. If we were to compare Joey's resume to Adam Sandler's, Drunk Shakespeare would be his 'Uncut Gems', with a hint of that good ol' Billy Madison flair. With that said, Joey is wickedly stoked to bring this society to downtown Houston. You can follow him on insta here: @jh.eazyPantelis Karastamatis
Will Larsen
Name: Will // Relation to Shakespeare: None (strictly platonic) // Favorite Role To Date: Hymen, the Greco-Roman God of Marriage (As You Like It) // Dream Role: I want to be in a production of Hamlet with a buddy where the two of us play all the Those Two Guys parts together -- Marcellus & Bernardo, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, the Two Sailors, the Two Gravediggers, maybe Lord & English Ambassador for the finale // follow me on insta @sirwilberforce // give a listen to some of my original tunes at https://tallwilliamlarsen.bandcamp.com/album/whyGabriel Velazquez
Gabe once peed himself in first grade during gym class. Ever since that day, he knew he wanted to be a Shakespearean performer. His tight doughy brown butt has been clenched with excitement over being part of Drunk Shakespeare after performing across the country for the past decade. He is not working on a new novel.Anastasia Zavitsanos
Credits: Henry IV, Part 1, Macbeth, Three Sisters, Iphigenia at Aulis, Constellations, 4.48 Psychosis, Trevor, All in the Timing, Sotto Voce; Training: BFA in Acting University of Michigan, Epidavros Lyceum Greece summer program; Certified in stage combat (unarmed and single sword), black belt in taekwondo; Intimacy Captain certified ICOC; Fluent in Greek and Spanish; proficient in multiple global dialects including British RP, cockney, Southern USA, Texan, Greek, Brooklyn, Boston, Irish; Mezzo-Soprano singer; OK at the piano; unphased habenero eater; all to just say a badass super Greek woman. POW pow! www.anastasiazavitsanos.com Instagram: @anastasiazavitsanosLisa Klages
David Hudson
Brass Jar Productions
Articles
Equity and Brass Jar Productions Ratify Contract to Allow Performers to Drink on the Job
Actors’ Equity Association and Brass Jar Productions have announced the unanimous ratification of a contract that allows performers to drink (safely and responsibly!) on the job.
The new agreement for the popular show Drunk Shakespeare and its seasonal companion production Drunk Dracula codifies practices around workplace safety, job definitions, terms of employment and job security. Under this contract, all employees will accrue health benefits, vacation and sick leave, with many employees seeing wage increases and increased stability in their income from week to week.
The three-year agreement, formally ratified on October 18 and effective November 4, covers Drunk Shakespeare and Drunk Dracula productions in Chicago, New York, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.
Conceived by Scott Griffin and Three Day Hangover (David Hudson, Lori Wolter Hudson and Beth Gardiner), Drunk Shakespeare takes place at hidden venues across the country, where five professional actors meet as members of The Drunk Shakespeare Society. One of them has five shots of whiskey and then attempts to perform a major role in a Shakespearean play. Hilarity and mayhem ensue while the four sober actors try and keep the script on track. Every show is different depending on who is drinking… and what they’re drinking!
“Huzzah! Seeing Drunk Shakespeare United ratify their first union contract is thrilling!” said Actors’ Equity Association President Brooke Shields. “The spirit of collaboration our members brought to the table was met in kind by their employer, and while the process wasn’t always easy, it was definitely worthwhile.”
The actors, stage managers, servers, bartenders and bar managers began organizing in the spring of 2023 in Chicago, where workers received training from the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee prior to connecting with Equity. The Chicago workers quickly recruited members from other locations to join them in the movement they dubbed Drunk Shakespeare United. Brass Jar immediately recognized the union, enabling contract negotiations to begin in September of that year. The new agreement was formally ratified on October 18, 2024, becoming effective November 4, 2024, through November 7, 2027.
“The dawn of Drunk Shakespeare's second decade begins like this: ratification,” said the leaders of Drunk Shakespeare United’s bargaining team. “Our union has earned security and dignifiable rights for our workers. We could not be more elated with the outcome. It makes the first decade feel more worthwhile, knowing this new chapter can be defined as safe, sustainable and equitable.”
“It is an exciting new era for Brass Jar Productions and the Drunk Theatre Universe! This contract reflects an immense amount of hard work from so many people on our team, and we are extraordinarily excited to wrap up this process,” said Brass Jar co-founders Scott Griffin and David Hudson. “Drinking and performing is the perfect comedic recipe. We’re thrilled to receive the Actors’ Equity Association stamp of approval, and the continued opportunity to bring our brand of drunk, outrageous and professional entertainment to patrons across the United States.”
This new contract is the latest in a string of organizing victories for Equity. Over the past two years, Equity has gained union recognition for the Characters and Parades departments at Disneyland, planetarium lecturers in Los Angeles, strippers in LA and Portland and the cast of Chippendales. Last week, Equity, in conjunction with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), filed a union petition for the performers and crew at Casa Bonita. Drunk Shakespeare is the first of these newly organized bargaining units to reach the finish line of contract ratification.
Equity encourages all workers in live performance who believe they would benefit from a union contract to join the union. This includes performers in both traditional theatre settings and those working on other kinds of stages. Anyone whose job would benefit from unionization can visit actorsequity.org/organize.
DRUNK SHAKESPEARE Cast and Crew Ratifies First Union Contract
Actors' Equity Association and Brass Jar Productions, have announced what may be a first for organized labor across the United States: the unanimous ratification of a contract that allows performers to drink (safely and responsibly!) on the job.
The new agreement for the popular show Drunk Shakespeare and its seasonal companion production Drunk Dracula codifies practices around workplace safety, job definitions, terms of employment and job security. Under this contract, all employees will accrue health benefits, vacation and sick leave, with many employees seeing wage increases and increased stability in their income from week to week.
The three-year agreement, formally ratified on October 18 and effective November 4, covers Drunk Shakespeare and Drunk Dracula productions in Chicago, New York, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.
Conceived by Scott Griffin and Three Day Hangover (David Hudson, Lori Wolter Hudson and Beth Gardiner), Drunk Shakespeare takes place at hidden venues across the country, where five professional actors meet as members of The Drunk Shakespeare Society. One of them has five shots of whiskey and then attempts to perform a major role in a Shakespearean play. Hilarity and mayhem ensue while the four sober actors try and keep the script on track. Every show is different depending on who is drinking… and what they're drinking!
“Huzzah! Seeing Drunk Shakespeare United ratify their first union contract is thrilling!” said Actors' Equity Association President Brooke Shields. “The spirit of collaboration our members brought to the table was met in kind by their employer, and while the process wasn't always easy, it was definitely worthwhile.”
The actors, stage managers, servers, bartenders and bar managers began organizing in the spring of 2023 in Chicago, where workers received training from the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee prior to connecting with Equity. The Chicago workers quickly recruited members from other locations to join them in the movement they dubbed Drunk Shakespeare United. Brass Jar immediately recognized the union, enabling contract negotiations to begin in September of that year. The new agreement was formally ratified on October 18, 2024, becoming effective November 4, 2024, through November 7, 2027.
“The dawn of Drunk Shakespeare's second decade begins like this: ratification,” said the leaders of Drunk Shakespeare United's bargaining team. “Our union has earned security and dignifiable rights for our workers. We could not be more elated with the outcome. It makes the first decade feel more worthwhile, knowing this new chapter can be defined as safe, sustainable and equitable.”
“It is an exciting new era for Brass Jar Productions and the Drunk Theatre Universe! This contract reflects an immense amount of hard work from so many people on our team, and we are extraordinarily excited to wrap up this process,” said Brass Jar co-founders Scott Griffin and David Hudson. ““Drinking and performing is the perfect comedic recipe. We're thrilled to receive the Actors' Equity Association stamp of approval, and the continued opportunity to bring our brand of drunk, outrageous and professional entertainment to patrons across the United States."
This new contract is the latest in a string of organizing victories for Equity. Over the past two years, Equity has gained union recognition for the Characters and Parades departments at Disneyland, planetarium lecturers in Los Angeles, strippers in LA and Portland, and the cast of Chippendales. Last week, Equity, in conjunction with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), filed a union petition for the performers and crew at Casa Bonita. Drunk Shakespeare is the first of these newly organized bargaining units to reach the finish line of contract ratification.
Equity encourages all workers in live performance who believe they would benefit from a union contract to join the union. This includes performers in both traditional theatre settings and those working on other kinds of stages. Anyone whose job would benefit from unionization can visit actorsequity.org/organize.
BRASS JAR PRODUCTIONS is the production company behind the off-Broadway hit comedy Drunk Shakespeare, now in New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Phoenix and Houston. www.drunkshakespeare.com/
ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers. Equity endeavors to advance the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits (health and pension included). Member: AFL-CIO, FIA. www.actorsequity.org.
DRUNK SHAKESPEARE to Open in Houston in January
The Houston production of the "smashed" hit comedy, Drunk Shakespeare, will open at The Emerald Theatre (located at 412 Travis St.) on Thursday, January 12th, 2023 for a limited run through April 29th.
Directed by Hudson and Lisa Klages, Drunk Shakespeare begins with one actor drinking five shots of liquor before attempting to lead the cast through a Shakespeare play in under 90 minutes. Drunk Shakespeare currently plays to sold-out houses in New York City, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Phoenix and is excited to develop the newest evolution of the production with a distinctive Houston flavor featuring only local performers and cultivating some show material specific to the area.
The show will be performed at The Emerald Theatre, a brand new performance venue at One Market Square steps away from Market Square Park, Jones Hall, Wortham Theater Center and The Alley Theatre in the heart of the vibrant Downtown District. Constructed in collaboration with Rivers Barden Architecture, The Emerald is custom-designed for the immersive Drunk Shakesperience featuring a library speakeasy with 15,000 books and craft cocktails served throughout the performance.
The Drunk Shakespeare Society has been meeting, drinking and performing Shakespeare for over a thousand nights ... and over a thousand liters of liquor. This talented troupe of rotating members loves sharing the epic poetry of William Shakespeare, but you don't need to know a lick of it to enjoy yourself. Pop culture references, improvisation, audience games, a wealth of surprises and liberal departures from the text (with outrageous consequences) make this accessible for anyone who likes a good time. Every night is different and truly anything can happen.
The show will open with performances on Thursdays at 7:30pm and Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm. Only ages 21+ are admitted. Tickets are $39 for balcony seating, $59 for mezzanine seating, and $79 for stage-side seats which get you closer to the action. Gift certificates are now available!
A single luxury experience is available for $500 which allows you to be Queen or King of the evening, including a throne and crown for two, a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne, caviar, hand-crafted chocolates, and most importantly, decision-making powers during the show... If nobody reserves the Royal treatment beforehand, it is auctioned off to the highest bidder at the start of the evening.
For more information and tickets visit DrunkShakespeare.com.
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