Le Malade Imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid) Playbill

par Molière

directed by Carolyn Cook

Setting: Paris, France (1673)

CAST

*Appearing Courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, appearing under a Guest Artist Contract.

PRODUCTION

SPECIAL THANKS

Horizon Theatre, Synchronicity Theatre, Gateway Performance Productions, Atlanta Jugglers Association, Lio Cook, Matt Cook, Bill Marianes, Rochelle Shinn, Sophie Loheac

COMPANY BIOGRAPHIES

Cast

Chris Kayser (Argan) is thrilled to be back with Théâtre du Rêve! Chris has been with the company intermittently since the beginning, starting with La Leçon, then L’Autorisation, Huis Clos, La Cantatrice Chauve, Le Mariage Forcé, L’Acteur Sacrifiant, Voir Un Ami Pleurer, Le Petit Prince, and most recently, Vive la Fontaine. He is an Atlanta native who has been doing theater here throughout his entire career. He has also worked extensively in France. He hopes you’ll enjoy our take on Le Malade Imaginaire!

Eliana Marianes (Toinette) (they/she/ iel/ elle) has been a part of TdR since attending shows as a student back in 8th grade, and is thrilled to be onstage with the company again. They have over 30 productions in Atlanta, including at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival, the New American Shakespeare Tavern, Dad’s Garage, the Center for Puppetry Arts, and Actor’s Express in addition to multiple regional credits. They’re represented by Stewart Talent and teach Viewpoints at Drama Inc and the Alliance Theater.  Big love to my fam, my chosen fam, and Carolyn Cook, and thanks to all who support live theater! 

Gaela Giraud Bellamy (Beline/Notaire) is a 41 years old French native, Medical Doctor in Psychiatry with a passion for theater. She has lived in France, Switzerland, and Japan and relocated to Atlanta 2 years ago. Gaela studied theater in Paris, in parallel to her medical studies. She played roles in several French-speaking non-professional musicals and theater plays, including plays of Feydeau, Aime Cesaire and Moliere. She is thrilled to be playing Beline in Theatre du Reve’s production of The Imaginary Invalid!

Paris Benjamin (Cleante/Beralde) is a French-American actress of Moroccan descent. After working on multi-award winning films, plays and radio dramas in London and Paris, she established residency in Los Angeles where she joined Tim Robbins’ theater troupe The Actors’ Gang. She continues to work in film and television, recurring in shows such as Succession (HBO) and Stranger Things (Netflix). Paris speaks fluent English, French and Arabic.

Sarah Beth “EssBee” Hester (Diafoirus/Thomas) is thrilled to make their Théâtre du Rêve debut! As a puppeteer, actor, musician, and teaching artist, Essbee has been an active member of the Atlanta theatrical community, after graduating the apprentice program with the Shakespeare Tavern in 2015. Sarah Beth was a head puppeteer for BBC’s Moon and Me and is a cast member of The Center for Puppetry Art’s annual production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Some recent credits include: Shmoopy Lou, Just Another Play About Rainbows (Havoc Movement) Benvolio, Romeo & Juliet (ASC); Puppet Captain/ Performer, Tesla vs Edison (CPA, World Premiere); Puppet Fabrication for Havoc Movement; Musical Composition and puppet fabrication, The Mad Hatterpillar (a new puppet musical); National Puppetry Conference, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. You can find EssBee’s newly released album I’M FINE. anywhere that music streams.  

Karine Dieuvil (Angelique) “Karine Dieuvil is a Haitian-American actress based out of Atlanta,Georgia. Karine has worked in professional theatrical productions throughout the Southeast including Marisol (University of Florida), The Last Desdemona (Florida New Works Festival), and Red Velvet (Directed by Dr.Mikell Pinkney). They are best known for their roles in popular web-series Blackview as Sydnee Morris and Public Policy playing Clarice and extend gratitude to their tribe for their unwavering support. When not acting, Karine can be baking a good vegan treat, or running a creative consulting agency. You can find Karine on all platforms @Kughreen. And as always, the struggle persists.”
Wade Tilton (Fleurant/Purgon) Actor, puppeteer, husband, picture taker (not a photographer), bicycle terrorist, eXperimental Puppetry Theater (XPT) curator [performances May 1st thru May 5th], and DOES NOT SPEAK FRENCH (only eats freedom fries).

Production

Carolyn Cook (Director, Founding Artistic Director)

Marshall Lee Smith Jr (Production Manager) is excited to work with such an incredible cast and crew! Atlanta Stage Manager Credits: A Christmas Carol, The Wondrous Realities of Jasmine Starr-Kidd (Alliance Theatre); Mother of God: A New Musical (Mother of God Productions); Cats, West Side Story (City Springs Theatre Company); Cinderella (Aurora Theatre Company); Select Acting Credits: Heathers & 9 to 5 (Onstage Atlanta); A Mother’s Prayer (Theatrical Outfit); Big River (Alluvion Stage Company). Marshall would like to thank God, his girlfriend, family & friends for supporting the arts as well as TDR for the opportunity! @PSM_Marshall

Adam Pagdon (Technical Director) is an actor, puppeteer, and theatre artist recently retuned to Atlanta from Brooklyn. In the late 90’s, he was the technical director and scenic designer at the Center for Puppetry Arts. CREDITS INCLUDE: Orange Is The New Black (Showtime); Person of Interest (NBC); The Pee Wee Herman Show on Broadway (Henry Miller Theatre); West Side Story (Ogunquit Theatre); Crank Yankers (Comedy Central) LazyTown (Nick Jr.), and special live appearances with The Muppets (Disney). He holds an M.F.A. in Theatre Design from UNC-Greensboro.

Ashley M. Freeman (Stage Manager) (she/her) is thrilled to be back with Théâtre du Rêve for another season! Stage management credits include productions with Essential Theatre Festival, Synchronicity Theatre, and Dad’s Garage. 

Thom Stanley (Set Designer, Graphic Designer) is a freelance art director for the events industry and a professional puppeteer. He is honored to work on such an amazing production with such amazing people. Although he has designed and built numerous sets for his own productions, this is his first for another company. 

Elisabeth Cooper (Lighting Designer) is a veteran in the Atlanta Theatre community. She has worked as a director, designer, and technician with many companies, such as Actors Express, Synchronicity, Process Theatre, Onstage Atlanta, 7Stages, Aris, Essential Theatre, and Horizon Theatre to name a few. When she is not behind the scenes she can be found standing in front of students all over the place.

Kacie Willis (Sound Designer) is a creator and arts advocate based out of Atlanta, Georgia. She earned her BS in Music Recording Technology from Hampton University and MFA in Sound Design from Savannah College of Art and Design. After participating in the 2019 Spotify Sound Up podcasting accelerator program she formed the production company Could Be Pretty Cool whose mission is to produce unique creative experiences to inspire community building through the arts. She is the creator and host of the Spotify Original podcast You Heard Me Write and has been named one of the ’40 Under 40 in Podcasting’ by Podcast Magazine. Kacie has also served as a theatrical sound designer, arts administrator and speaker for local and national arts and cultural organizations.

Jennifer Schottstaedt (Costume Designer) most recently designed the costumes for Tesla vs. Edison at the Center for Puppetry Arts (Suzi Bass Award: Best Costume Design – Play), as well as Vive La Fontaine, Code Noir, Il était une fois and Le petit prince (Théâtre du Rêve), Pinocchio (7 Stages), and Frankenstein’s Funeral and Frankenstein’s Ball (Found Stages). She has worked at the Santa Fe Opera, the Chautauqua Opera and the Texas Shakespeare Festival, and has been seen onstage at Synchronicity Theatre, Actor’s Express, Théâtre du Rêve, Georgia Shakespeare, Found Stages and Pinch ‘n’ Ouch. Jennifer received her BFA in Costume Design & Construction from the University of Evansville and her MFA in Acting from the University of Georgia. 

Josh Marsh (Props Designer) is Assistant Professor of Communication at Reinhardt University where he teaches film and a variety of other creative media/production classes. Previous props construction for Atlanta theatre includes: TdR’s Il Etait Un Fois and Found Stages’s Frankenstein’s Funeral. He truly loves working with TdR in this backstage space at 7 Stages—it feels like home. He also loves Jenny, Simon, and Percy for their patience and creative assistance. And, you know what? He likes you, too, dear patron, for supporting local theatre.

Sarah Beth “EssBee” Hester (Puppet Designer) – see Cast Bios

Annie Peterle (Puppetry Consultant and Coach) has been seen locally, nationally, and in film/TV as, among other things, a spider, a boy, a stump, a rabbit, a possum, and a singing large intestine. Ain’t puppetry just the best?! She is very grateful to be included in this production with dear old and new friends, all of whom have plunged fearlessly into puppet world. Tout est possible!

Luke Lew (Supertitles) is a third-generation Artist, and a bilingual self-proclaimed nerd! Luke says he is “French by association” since he grew up partly in Chatou, France, and has spent the rest of his time in Decatur, Georgia. He currently lives in a house with five dogs (only the Corgi-Husky mix is his) and loves it. He works at the University of West Georgia as an Admissions Representative and dreams of traveling the world with his boyfriend.