èßäAV

Cast

(In order of appearance)

• Barbara DeMarco
  Soneka Anderson
• Mike Thomas
  Elliott Kashner
• Tony Whitcomb
  Jordan Ahnquist
• Eddie Lawrence
  Cory Cunningham
• Nick O'Brien
  Patrick Noonan
• Mrs. Shubert
  Lisa McMillan

Understudies

Female Understudy – Francie Glick

Male Understudies – Bob Lohrmann

Who’s Who in the Cast

Soneka Anderson (Barbara DeMarco) couldn't be happier to rejoin the DC company of "Shear Madness"! She recently appeared in the production at the Sharon Playhouse in Sharon, CT, and has been performing professionally since the age of 8. Her most recent credits include "Passing Strange" (Sherry/Renata/Desi - Moonbox Productions) and "The Wiz" (Scarecrow - Lyric Stage Company of Boston). Although she hails from Detroit, DC has been her home ever since she earned her BFA in musical theatre from Howard University. She would like to thank her family for their support, especially her biggest fan (and husband) Nicholas.

Elliott Kashner (Mike Thomas) REGIONAL: Everyman Theatre: Book of Joseph; Signature Theatre: Pride in the Falls of Autrey Mill (U/S); Studio Theatre: Doubt: A Parable (U/S). LOCAL: 1st Stage: Almost, Maine; Adventure Theatre: Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse; Chesapeake Shakespeare Company: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, She Stoops to Conquer, Christmas Carol, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, and Wild Oats; The Hub Theatre: The Burn (Helen Hayes Nomination: Outstanding Supporting Actor); Keegan Theatre: Golden Boy. Molotov Theatre Group: Nightfall with Edgar Allen Poe, Lovecraft Nightmare Suite, The Margins; Quotidian Theatre Company: Doubt: A Parable; WSC Avant Bard: The Misanthrope, The Bacchae. Elliott is Associate Director of Institutional Giving at Everyman Theatre in Baltimore. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from George Mason University. He’s also a playwright; check out his profile on the New Play Exchange. In his free time, he enjoys hiking with his terrible dog and playing the piano. www.elliottkashner.com

Jordan Ahnquist (Tony Whitcomb) is excited to be joining Shear Madness here at the Kennedy Center for the first time after performing the show in Boston, CT and Off -Broadway in NYC. A few favorite credits include performed When Pigs Fly, Tartuffe, Big River, Silent Sky. Regionally Jordan has worked with Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Rep, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Florida Studio Theatre, Barnstormers, Lyric Stage, Speakeasy Stage, Central Square Theatre and The Gamm among others. Jordan holds a BA in theatre from Muhlenberg College. www.jordanahnquist.com

Cory Cunningham (Eddie Lawrence) is elated to be back at èßäAVas part of the hilarious “Shear Madness” company. He is an accomplished actor, singer, and director with over 20 years of experience in the performing arts. Cory has graced the stages of renowned regional theaters across the country including The Kennedy Center, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, and Meadow Brook Theatre. He's been part of the "Madness" here at èßäAVsince 2017.

In addition to Cory’s extensive work on stage, he has built up an impressive list of on-camera acting credits in national commercials, industrials, short films, and interactive theater. He thoroughly enjoys utilizing technology as a tool for engaging new audiences.

Cory is a passionate creative collaborator who thrives on bringing stories to life. Whether immersed in an ensemble role or working one-on-one with a director, he approaches every project with professionalism, commitment, and good humor. Audiences appreciate his charismatic energy and emotional truth. Cory continues to challenge himself daily as he hones his craft and pushes artistic boundaries in new ways. He feels privileged to collaborate with such a wildly talented Shear Madness cast and hopes you’ll come back again and again to see the comic mayhem unfold in spontaneous new ways every night! For more: www.corycunningham.com

Patrick Noonan (Nick O’Brien) just finished a run of Party People with the Actor's Theatre of Louisville and is excited to be rejoining the DC "Madness." A proud veteran of the longest running non-musical in America, he has starred as Nick in Shear Madness in numerous cities across the country, including the entirety of the OFF-Broadway run. Other Off-Broadway credits include Almost, Maine and Perfect Crime . Favorite roles include Edgar in Irman Vep, Evan in Hard Cell (World Premiere), and King Arthur in Spamalot . Recent TV: Succession, FBI, Bull, Blue Bloods, And Just Like That, The Last O.G., Raisin Kanan, Awkwafina is Nora From Queens, The Good Fight, The Blacklist, several Law and order s , The Sinner, Mindhunter, Friends From College . Films include: Jules , West Side Story (2021), The Post , The Princess Diaries, The Half of it, Choose . Look for him in the upcoming movie Eileen (Starring Anne Hathaway) in December.

Lisa McMillan (Mrs. Shubert) happily returns to èßäAVafter having performed there with The Acting Company, years ago. Selected Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include Moose Murders (w/ Eve Arden, Holland Taylor), La Cage Aux Folles (Arthur Laurents , director), Fix Me, Jesus (Abingdon Theatre Company), Ruthless , and Shear Madness . Among her numerous regional theatre credits are Mame (Walnut Street, Barrymore Award nominee), A Delicate Balance (Two River Theatre), August: Osage County (American Stage Company, Norton Award), A Moon For the Misbegotten (Coconut Grove, Carbonell Award), Gypsy (w/ Rita Moreno), Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and many productions at Florida Studio Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Utah Shakespeare Festival. She has appeared in feature films, commercials, and soaps. Directing credits include the Ordway and Galveston Musical Theatre. Lisa is a graduate of Juilliard.

Francie Glick (Assistant Stage Manager, Understudy) returns to Shear Madness having performed the roles of Barbara DeMarco, Mrs. Shubert and Mikey Thomas. D.C. stage appearances include productions with MetroStage, The Washington Stage Guild, The National Archives, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington Jewish Theatre, Harlequin Dinner Theatre, Gross National Product comedy troupe, Off The Circle Theatre Company, CT Rex Family Theatre and NCTE. Regionally, Ms. Glick has performed with Cortland Repertory Theatre, Light Opera Company of Cape Cod and Fredericksburg Theatre Company. She can be seen and heard on numerous television and radio commercials, video games, feature films, and television series, both local and national.

Sam Powers (Production Stage Manager) (He/Him) is excited to make his Kennedy Center debut with this production of Shear Madness. Regional credits include Florida Studio Theatre - The 4 CNotes, Mother of Exiles, Biting The Hand, Rhinestone Cowgirls, Pin, The World Goes ‘Round, Troubadour, Take It To The Limit, Up On A Roof, Creedence Clearwater Remixed!, Black Pearl Sings!, Visit Joe Whitefeather…and bring the family! (World Premiere), and The '70s More Than A Decade; and Theatre at Monmouth - Lysistrata. Sam is a native of Bethesda, MD, and a proud graduate of Muhlenberg College. Huge thanks and love to his family, friends, and the many people who have mentored him along the way. www.sampowersstage.com @sampowersstage.

Bob Lohrmann (Artistic Director, Male Understudy) has played all the male roles in Shear Madness in DC, Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland. He, with director Bruce Jordan, literally wrote the book on directing Shear Madness. He is a charter company member of The People’s Light Theatre Company, where he has appeared in principal roles in more than 35 productions, including Holy Ghosts , Hamlet , Waiting for Godot , Charley’s Aunt , Romeo and Juliet , The Taming of the Shrew , 1000 Clowns , Lenny , Death of a Salesman , The Glass Menagerie , As You Like It , Marat/Sade , Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , Roshomon , La Ronde , Our Town , Inherit the Wind , Precious Blood , Wait Until Dark , and The Good Woman of Setzuan . He directed the acclaimed one-man show The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me in Washington and Don’t Dress for Dinner in Lake George. In the Philadelphia area, Mr. Lohrmann has performed at the Wilma Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, The Arden Theatre Company, the Wilmington Grand Opera House, Bank Street Theatre, and Locust Street Theatre, as well as Ford’s Theatre in Washington. Additionally, he has appeared in dozens of commercials and industrials and several feature films. He was the announcer for the Nickelodeon kids show “Finders Keepers” (…tell em’ what they’ve won, Bob!). His Philadelphia-based production company, Bob… writes, casts, and produces commercials and industrial training films and created and published the highly successful The Actor’s Casting Guide . His comedy sketches have been performed at the Manhattan Punchline in New York.

Marilyn Abrams (Cranberry Productions) (original Co-Producer) and Bruce Jordan (Cranberry Productions) (original Co-Producer/ Director) are the owners and creators of Shear Madness , the longest running play in American theatre history. These two New York actors anticipated the trend toward interactive theatre and acquired the world rights to Scherenschnitt a serious murder mystery by Paul Portner, and turned it into a rollicking comedy. In 1978/1979 they workshopped it in Lake George, New York, where Jordan directed and created the role of Tony Whitcomb, the salon proprietor, and Abrams created the role of Barbara DeMarco, the gum chewing manicurist. From this small beginning, this exuberant duo has leap frogged around the world keeping audiences laughing with the ever changing topical humor and up to the minute improvisation. Jordan directs and maintains the quality of the productions and Abrams handles the sales, licensing, and marketing. While Boston retains the long run lead, Washington, D.C. and Chicago are close behind, making Shear Madness the triple crown of comedy champs in the USA. Shear Madness has had over 200 productions worldwide and has been translated into 35 foreign languages. Countries such as Greece, Poland, France, Argentina, and scores of others have chalked up record breaking runs on their own turf. Abrams and Jordan have many accolades to their credit, such as the Paris Moliere Award for Comedy (equivalent to our Tony), the Mystery Writer of America Raven Award, and the Los Angeles Dramalogue Award, and many many others. Shear Madness is the only play to win the Charlie Chaplin Award for Comedy, given by the National Comedy Hall of Fame. This producing pair is excited about its latest venture, eight simultaneous productions now running in China. Sydney Australia follows in 2024 in time for that city’s 2025 Theatre Festival. A long way from its Lake George beginning.

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All events and artists subject to change without prior notice.

Shear Madness is the longest-running play in the history of American Theater!

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