*denotes TATL ensemble member
Matt & Ben by Mindy Kaling & Brenda Withers
Cast
Connar Brown Sprenger* & Kendal Romero
15 minutes before showtime of each performance the audience will decide on which performer they would like to see play Matt and Ben. The ultimate theatre for YOU! experience. Arrive early to cast the show for us!
Production Staff
Director………………..……..….Tony Lawry*
Stage Manager.……….…….Reagan Stevenson
Sound Design……….………....Lou Stockmeyer
Set Design………………..…….….Stina Taylor*
Lighting Design……………...Mikee Parangalan
Fight Choreography……………..…..Lexi Dewitt
Connar Brown Sprenger (Matt & Ben) has portrayed about 17 male identifying characters in her acting career, and she is pumped to add Matt and Ben to that list. Connar is a multi-hat wearing performer, director, producer, video editor, and proud ensemble member of Theatre Above the Law. Have you seen her in anything? Maybe on stage doing some storefront theatre in Chicago, or maybe you were lucky to randomly see her in a short film at a film festival, or maybe you just heard her voice in an Allstate radio commercial saying "my what?". When she's performing she can be found recording videos of herself impersonating animal sounds, eating sour gummies, playing D&D, or looking at photos of her family dog named Nori. Here’s hoping one day she will be in one of dem Chicago shows! Connar is represented by NV Talent. Give her a follow at @jgcbrown97.
Kendal Romero (she/her) )Matt & Ben) is a Chicago actress who finally gets to play a dude on stage despite having been mistaken for one multiple times in her tween years. If you know her, you have probably heard her talking about working with a variety of Chicago theatres including The Artistic Home, Windy City Playhouse, Chicago Dramatists, The Shakespeare Project of Chicago, City Lit, Ghostlight Ensemble, and Oil Lamp Theater and you probably also know that she ugly cried when she booked that national Lowe's commercial. She has shown up to an unholy amount of Equity auditions and really holds on to the times it's paid off. She has yet to be on television but has auditioned 15 times for one of the Chicago shows and looks forward to playing Office Woman #2 someday. The only reason you’re seeing her on stage right now is because she has an entire village that shows up and watches her child so you can shake their hand after the show. There’s bound to be one of ‘em in the audience. She is represented by Lily’s Talent or you can say hey yourself @romero.kendal.
Reagan Stevenson (she/her) )Stage Manager) is excited to be back stage managing for Theatre Above the Law once again. Reagan is a Chicago based stage manager with a BA in Theatre Design, Production, and Technology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Credits include Grimm, The Pyg Hypothesis (Theatre Above the Law); Innogen, Measure For Measure, Pericles (Forest Park Theatre); Gay Card (Pride Arts); This Music Should Not Be (RhinoFest/The Terror Cottas). When she’s not stage managing, Reagan works as the house manager for UIC’s School of Theatre and Music. She would like to thank her friends and family for their support.
Lou Stockmeyer (Sound Designer) is excited to be back at Theatre Above the Law doing sound design for MATT & BEN! They recently graduated with a B.A. in Theatre from Northwestern, and are incredibly passionate about new work. Recent sound credits include THE GUY WHO DIDN’T LIKE MUSICALS at The Athenaeum, THE PYG HYPOTHESIS at Theatre Above the Law, as well as JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN and THE THING ABOUT THE DREAM, both at Northwestern. They'd like to thank their family, friends, and the wonderful cast and crew of this show for making this process so enjoyable!
Mikee Parangalan (she/her) (Lighting Designer) is stoked to be back at Theatre Above the Law. Lighting design shows at Theatre Above the Law include The Importance of Being Earnest, Cry it Out, and A Night of Classic and Unique One Acts. She hopes you have a wicked time in Somerville, MA!
Lexi Dewitt (Fight Choreographer) is a Columbia College Chicago Acting graduate and a certified combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. Most recently, you may have seen her fight and intimacy direction in “Macbeth” at Chicago’s Raven Theatre, or her violence design in “Chalk” at Woodstock High School’s black box theater. Currently, she is also portraying Conrade/Friar Francis in Silverstage Theatre Company’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” She is thrilled to be a part of the Matt and Ben team!
Tony Lawry (Director) Tony is honored to be working with this talented group of performers and designers. He could not ask for a better return to this story of 2 friends. The friendships he has amassed during the past 9 years of Theatre Above the Law’s existence is something he will always cherish and lean on as a theatre artist. He has been heard laughing in the audiences of Lifeline, Factory, Kokandy, Raven, Idle Muse, Story, Court, Oil Lamp & Hell in a Handbag theatres… among others…on Broadway…Wooooohoooooo. He has not yet been cast as a female character but would love to be. Especially as Sally Albright, if ever possible. He is already off book! He would love to thank his ever supportive wife and soon to grace the TATL stage someday daughter for putting up with the bedtime absences and dinner leftovers. Tony is represented by Stewart Talent and would love to direct for your theatre company whenever possible.
Special Thanks!
Corey Haines, River Run Press, All our 1 time donors that made this production possible, Tyler Core, Bob & Judy, Nora Hernandez, Missy Wise-Vanderzee, Jennifer King, Estella, Nick Barnes, Jamie Redwood, Ross Compton, Allyson Womack, Stephanie Stockstill, Koy Kosek and the rest of the TATL Ensemble and Board, Meg Ryan, Taiwani Property Management, The Saints, Idle Muse Theatre Company, Barbara, Olivia and YOU, the audience!
MASKS ARE ENCOURAGED WHILE IN OUR INTIMATE SPACE.