Threepenny

Event Date: 

Friday, November 15, 2024 - 7:30pm
Saturday, November 16, 2024 - 2:00pm
Saturday, November 16, 2024 - 7:30pm
Sunday, November 17, 2024 - 2:00pm
Thursday, November 21, 2024 - 7:30pm
Friday, November 22, 2024 - 7:30pm
Saturday, November 23, 2024 - 2:00pm
Saturday, November 23, 2024 - 7:30pm

Event Date Details: 

NOV 15-16, 21-23 | 7:30 PM

NOV 16-17, 23 | 7:30 PM

Event Location: 

  • UCSB Performing Arts Theater

Event Price: 

PRE-SALE

$13 Student/Faculty/Staff/Senior
$17 General Admission

DAY-OF

$15 Student/Faculty/Staff/Senior
$19 General Admission

BUY TICKETS

THE THREEPENNY OPERA

A Play with Music Based on John Gay’s THE BEGGAR’S OPERA
By Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill in collaboration with Elisabeth Hauptmann
 
English translation by Simon Stephens
Directed by Annie Torsiglieri
 
Presented under license from European American Music Distributors Company, on behalf of The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., and the Brecht Heirs
 
Originally premiering in Berlin in 1928, this dark-humored play exemplifies the dark underbelly of Victorian London. Inspired by John Gay's 18th-century work The Beggar's Opera, the deception and villainy ingrained within this story draws attention towards the struggle for success that occurs within a capitalist system. The play centers around the anti-hero "Mack the Knife", an adulterous murderer with a knack for crime and a desire to enter middle-class society. Charming, cunning, and handsome, this ironic hero finds himself entangled within a love rivalry, leading to a life on the run!
 
 

 

 

THE THREEPENNY OPERA

PRODUCITON BIOS

Albert Amador, Jr.

He/Him/His

Charlie Filch

This will be Albert’s fourth production here at UCSB. This past winter quarter, Albert appeared in Launch Pad’s Everybody’s Favorite Mothers, playing the role of the “Young Man”, as well as appearing in spring quarters’ One Acts and Love/Sick, all in 2024. Originally from San Diego, CA, Albert is in his fourth-year here at UCSB, coming in as a transfer student from last fall 2023. He is a theater major and a junior in the BFA Acting program, and has performed in several plays back home, such as The Diary of Anne Frank, playing “Peter van Daan” and Shakespeares’ The Comedy of Errors, playing “Dromio of Ephesus”. He hopes you enjoy the show!

 

Netta Nakash

she/her

Lucy Brown

NETTA NAKASH (she/her) is a transfer student from LA in her senior year of the BFA acting program at UCSB, and is thrilled to be a part of Threepenny! Most recently, you may have seen her in Naked Shakes’ Much Ado About Nothing as Hero. She had the honor of spending last summer abroad with Naked Shakes in Verona in The Death of Kings, and with Prague Shakespeare Company in Shakespeare’s Henry V. Recent credits at UCSB include Chana in Indecent, Masha in Three Sisters, Maria Von Trapp in Everybody’s Favorite Mothers and Faye in She Wolf: Margaret of Anjou (both LAUNCH PAD preview productions). She sends you love and hopes you enjoy the show! :)

 

Vivian Oxley

She/Her/Hers

Macheath

VIVIAN OXLEY is a third-year Theatre major in the BFA Acting Program. Vivian's recent roles include Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Vera in Indecent, and The Judge in The Government Inspector. Additionally, Vivian co-founded Stained Glass Productions, a student run musical theatre company. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, singing, and playing Just Dance. Vivian is beyond grateful for the dedication of the cast and crew, and would like to dedicate this performance to her family and friends. She hopes you all enjoy the show!

 

James Connolly

Musician

Jim is a composer and musician who has worked with theatre artists for more than 30 years. He has received nine Independent Awards. He loves learning new instruments and working on this crazy play.

 

Rodolphe Le Feuvre

He/Him/His

Jimmy Retail and Officer Smith

Rodolphe Le Feuvre is a fourth year BFA student. He hopes you will enjoy this show. Strap in for a great cocking ride!

 

Linyi Chen

she/her

Assistant Scenic Designer

Linyi Chen is a dedicated senior at UCSB, where she is double majoring in Theater and Communication. Her recent projects other than directing include designing projections for the 2024 Kinetic Lab production of Egregore and assisting in the scenic design for Indecent and Everybody’s Favorite Mothers. Additionally, she has honed her skills in stage management, managing Naked Shakes Production of Much Ado About Nothing, the 2024 Spring One Acts, and serving as an assistant stage manager for Hay Fever. With a strong foundation in both technical and management aspects of theater. She is excited to bring her unique perspective and dedication to this play, and hope you enjoy the show!

 

Sara Sadjadi

she/her

Walter, The Scholar

SARA SADJADI is a 4th year BFA in acting major and an Iranian Studies minor. This summer she was Beatrice in NAKED SHAKES's "Much Ado about Nothing" at UCSB and Diomedes in "Troilus and Cressida" at the Prague Shakespeare Intensive. When she's not acting, she's drawing, cooking a new meal, or at band practice (go Figjam!). Sara hopes you enjoy this production as much as Walter enjoys crying.

 

Jake Marshall

(They/She/He)

JJ Peachum

Jake Marshall (they/she/he) is a 4th year in the BFA Acting program here at UCSB. They are incredibly excited for you to see the beauty in the grotesquery of this world. You may have recently seen them as Don John in Much Ado About Nothing, Edson in A Game, or Malvolio in Twelfth Night. Their favorite musical is A tie between Phantom of the Opera and Cabaret. Jake just wants to all to remember one thing, if you’re not standing up for yourself and what you believe in, no one else will. So stand up for the little guy in your life and be the change you want to see in the world!

 

Caitlin Georgina Savage

Assistant Lighting Designer

Caitlin Georgina is a third year undergrad student at Western Washington University, studying entertainment design and technologies in Bellingham WA. Working as a lighting designer and assistant designers at school and communities theaters in and around that area, they were excited to travel to California to work with this great team at UCSB. Their favorite musical is Bonnie and Clyde.

 

Indigo Runge

she/her

Mrs. Peachum

INDIGO RUNGE, SHE/HER (MRS. PEACHUM) is a fourth year in the BFA Acting program. Recently she has been seen as Halina in Indecent, Leena in Everybody’s Favorite Mothers, Becky in The Art of Remembering, Costard in Prague Shakespeare’s Loves Labours Lost, Irina in Chekov's Three Sisters, and Mercy/Patricia in Night Night, Roger Roger. Indi also has many interests behind the scenes when she is not onstage, such as directing and stage management. She hopes you enjoy the show!

 

August Armstrong

Lead Electrician and Assistant Lighting Designer

I’m a third year FAMST Major, I designed lights for Spring Dance last year and I’m looking forward to designing the lights for Sweeney Todd next quarter. One of my favorite musicals is Repo:The Genetic Opera, watch it.

 

Siddharth Chattoraj

he/him

Projection Designer

Siddharth Chattoraj is the projection designer for The Threepenny Opera. He is a third-year pursuing dual degrees in statistics and data science & theater design and a minor in language and speech technologies. Siddharth is thrilled to work on this production after working for UCSB Theater and Dance as a lighting and projection designer, stage manager, and lead technician. His selected credits include projection designing "Moonlight Symphony" in the Kinetic Lab Dance Concert, assistant projection designing Indecent, stage managing The Crucible and the Fall and Spring UCSB Dance Concerts, and working as the lead technician for Santa Barbara Dance Theater and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot. He has also previously exhibited interactive generative visuals at The Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology and the transLAB. Siddharth loves exploring the intersection of art, social science, and technology to tell stories through data and performance, and he would like to thank his mentors, friends, and family for their unwavering love and support.

 

Shane Maxine (Maxi) Largo

She/Her

Assistant Costume Designer

She is a fourth-year student at UCSB pursuing Communication and Theater Design. Throughout her college career, she has contributed to numerous productions at UCSB. She has worked as an assistant costume designer in a dance show and a couple of plays: Spring Dance Concert 2022, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and Hay Fever. She also had the privilege of debuting as a costume designer with Night Night, Roger Roger. She is simultaneously nervous and excited to be a part of The Threepenny Opera, as it is her first show after studying abroad for two quarters. Although blending historical accuracy with a bold and quirky aesthetic was quite a challenge, she took pleasure in putting her artistic skills to the test. She hopes the play’s rich social commentary will reach the audience as the characters dress in spirited realism and satirical bravado!

 

Joan Cheam

she/her

Mattias 

JOAN CHEAM is a senior BFA Acting and Economics double major at UCSB. This summer, she portrayed Ajax in Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida with the Prague Shakespeare Company in Czech Republic. Past appearances at UCSB include Much Ado About Nothing (Don Pedro), The Crucible (Rebecca Nurse), Three Sisters (Olga); SBCC Theater Group's The Wolves (#8) and more. Joan loves new play development and has also appeared in new works outside of UCSB including No One Plays Badminton in America (Others), a new play commissioned by Artists at Play LA and Faithless (Rosie) at PlayFest Santa Barbara. Instagram: @joan.cheam

 

Aivarey Sage

she/they

Robert “The Iceman”

Aivarey Sage (she/they) is a Senior in the BFA Acting program at UCSB. Recent credits: Lucio in Measure for Measure, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Carter in A Game, Ezekiel Cheever in The Crucible, and Chebutykin in Three Sisters. Aivarey is wondering if she can say the word fuck in her bio since it’s said in the show. If so, fuck fuck fuckity fuck. Aivarey dedicates this performance to nobody and also herself, just because she can. Cheers!

 

Elisabeth Mongarro

she/her

Vixen

As Elisabeth embarks on her final year in UCSB's Theatre and Dance program, she extends heartfelt gratitude to her closest friends, family, and the inspiring community of peers she's connected with here and at UC Riverside. This production marks Elisabeth's debut on the UCSB main stage, and she couldn't imagine a more thrilling start to her senior year. Her previous credits include roles in The Widow of Valencia, Yellowface, Rocky Horror, and other dynamic productions. She hopes tonight's performance captivates you from start to finish, leaving you at the edge of your seat. Enjoy the show!

 

Kadrik Blatt

he/him

Assistant Sound Design

KADRIK BLATT is a third-year Theatrical Design and Production major. He has worked on a variety of dance shows and theatrical performances at UCSB in a wide range of positions, including assistant stage managing a production of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, designing lights for The Crucible and TRANSCEND: Spring Dance, and designing sound for Night Night, Roger Roger (which was later nominated for Best Sound Design in Broadway World, Santa Barbara). Kadrik was also incredibly grateful for the opportunity to design lighting for two shows through the Prague Shakespeare Company this past summer. He was heavily involved in theatre before coming to UCSB, including stage managing productions of The Addam’s Family, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, and She Loves Me.

 

Scarleth Arias

Stage Manager

SCARLETH ARIAS is a 4th year Theatrical Design and production major. Threepenny Opera would be the 5th UCSB production she would be working on and 3rd production as a Stage Manager. They have also worked on projects such as: 365 Days, 365 Plays (The Mute), The Crucible (Assistant Stage Manager), Zoot Suit (Stage Manager), and Naked Shake’s Much Ado about Nothing (Guard/Ensembe). Scarleth has also been a part of LA Opera’s Academy Internship and is approaching their 6th year with the company. Their favorite opera is Madama Butterfly and they wish you enjoy our dirty little show!

 

Zackery Mondin

He/Him

Tiger Brown

ZACKERY MONDIN (ACTOR) is in his fourth year of the BFA program in acting at UCSB. Zackery was last seen in UCSB's student production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abriged) alongside Rodolphe Le Feuvre. Rodlphe and Zack also took a movement piece (The Precipice) to the LA Mime Festival this summer. Zack's favorite musical and film is La La Land.

 

Amanda Ollis

She/Her

Production Team: Crew

Amanda is a Freshman Dance Major and is thrilled to be joining stage crew for the first time. She has performed in multiple shows but is excited to contribute to the other side of the process! Her two favorite productions are Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera!

 

Yiting Qu

She/her

assistant scenic designer

Yiting Qu (she/her) is a senior majoring in Communication and Theater, focusing on design. Yiting has also contributed as a costume design assistant for Zoot Suit, a projection designer for Kinetic Lab, and the stage manager for Beef Junkies. Favorite play is The Greatest Showman.

 

Annie Torsiglieri

she/her

Director

ANNIE TORSIGLIERI- (she/her) Annie’s Broadway acting credits include Top Girls, Parade, Blood Brothers and Miss Saigon. She also performed in the National Tour of Les Misérables (as Fantine) and extensively Off-Broadway & Regionally including at Second Stage, Playwrights Horizons, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, McCarter Theater, The Huntington, Playmakers Rep, Northern Stage and more. Annie is the recipient of Back Stage West/Drama Logue and Garland Awards for her performance in The Heiress (Berkeley Rep), the NH Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her titular role in The Drowsy Chaperone (New London Barn Playhouse) and a Santa Barbara Independent Award for Stupid F*ing Bird (as Emma, Elements Theater Collective). Her play, "A" TRAIN, was awarded both Best Production and Best Encore at the United Solo Festival in NYC, and two Santa Barbara Independent Awards, including one for her most recent run at the Rubicon Theater in Ventura. Other recent favorite roles include Tracey in Lynn Nottage’s Sweat and Donna in Mamma Mia! (both Northern Stage), Shakespeare’s Falstaff (The Death of Kings) and Rose (Gypsy). Annie is a Professor and the Director of BFA Acting at UCSB and founder of AMPLIFY, a theater initiative to support underrepresented voices. Annie’s received both a Fox Fellowship and Hellman Family Fund Fellowship, and is a graduate of Princeton University and the Juilliard Drama Division.

 

Brad Carroll

he/him

Music Director

BRAD CARROLL is a recognized regional theatre director, music director and composer. His work has taken him all over the US, to Europe, the UK and Japan. His musical works include LEND ME A TENOR, THE MUSICAL, (Gielgud Theatre, London, 2011) (broadwaylicensing.com); CHRISTMAS IS HERE AGAIN (Renegade Animation and PCPA Theaterfest); AMELIA LOST (librettist) with composer, Larry Delinger; A CHRISTMAS CAROL: ON THE AIR (composer/co-author) for Utah Shakespeare Festival; and “A” TRAIN (with Annie Torsiglieri). Brad has enjoyed working in various capacities for companies including the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, PCPA Theaterfest, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, Idaho Shakespeare, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Anchorage Opera, UN Las Vegas, University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign, Roosevelt University, as well as Perry Street Theatricals in New York. He has served as a writer, director and musical arranger for Walt Disney Entertainment International (TokyoDisneySea), and his musical arrangements/orchestrations have been performed by such prestigious ensembles as the San Francisco Symphony and the Boston Pops.

 

Julia Wergeles

she/her

Jenny

Julia Wergeles is a third year in the BFA acting program. At UCSB, she has previously understudied for The Crucible and Indecent. Most recently, she portrayed Hector in Troilus and Cressida alongside some fellow UCSB students with the Prague Shakespeare Company. She would like to send so much love to the cast, crew, her family, and her friends for being so supportive during this show’s process. Please enjoy as she welcomes you to this glorious dirty ditch of a theater!

 

Monika Goebel

She/her/hers

Costume Shop - Cutter/Draper

MFA Costume Design, 2nd season with UCSB Theatre and Dance. Favorite musical: The Phantom of the Opera.

 

Yasmine Castaneda

Costume Design assistant

Yasmine is a third year Theater (design emphasis) and Communications double major. This is her second time working as a costume design assistant for UCSB’s theater and dance department. She is grateful to be a part of the Three Penny Opera team and happy to have made a contribution to this production. Her favorite musical is West Side Story.

 

Grace Johnston

she/her/hers

crew (wardrobe)

4th year, 3 years in improv, Rocky Horror

 

Eddie Park

he/him

The King, Assistant Stage Manager

Eddie Park is a 4th year Theatre Major, born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Outside of school, Eddie pursues a career in TV and Film Acting, having made appearances in CBS’s Criminal Minds, Dreamwork’s theWild Robot, Grammy Award Winner Anderson .Paak’s K-POPS!. This is Eddie’s first show EVER at UCSB T&D and is very eager to participate in more future shows!

 

Claire Ruberg

She/her

Betty

Claire Ruberg is a third year in the BFA Acting program! Previously, she performed in Particle Collider and directed Seasons of Broadway. This summer she performed in a new adaptation of Macbeth: See Not the Wound, at Prague Shakespeare Company. In the next quarter, her original short play will be read as a part of the Doubles Festival! She wants to thank her friends, family, cast and crew, and her roommates for supporting her through these late night rehearsals. Fun Fact: she usually has an energy drink in hand (Monster Energy: Ultra Strawberry Dreams).

 

Olivia (Ollie) Ryan Escobedo

she/her

ASM and Guard

Ollie is a 3rd year Sociology and Theatre double major. She has been doing theatre for what seems like forever now and has acted in two shows at UCSB including the 2023 Fall One Acts (Linda Her) and Zoot Suit. This is her first time ASMing and has found it therapeutic for her scattered mind. Her favorite musicals are RENT and Hadestown, or whatever show that her best friend is in at the time. Ollie is just happy to be here and hopes you enjoy the show and struggle as much as her to pick a favorite song from it cause they're all so good :)

 

Fatima Torrez

She/Her

Ruby

Fatima is a Junior in the BFA Acting program. She transferred to UCSB from the City College of San Francisco. She has been in a few Theater productions, one of them being the CCSF production of “Animal Farm” and others at UCSB include “Zoot Suit” and a Musical cabaret “Seasons of Broadway”. Her favorite musical’s are “Heathers” “Funny Girl” and “My fair Lady”. She is so excited to be part of this production and hopes everyone enjoys the show!

 

Theo Mulholland

Pastor Kimble / Joe

Theo is a fourth year Theatre and Film & Media Studies double major. After stage managing Spring quarter’s show Indecent and acting in the summer production of Much Ado About Nothing, Theo is excited to take to the stage once again. Favorite musicals include Falsettos, Sweeney Todd, and Cabaret.

 

Darren W. McCroom

Lighting Designer

Darren W. McCroom, MFA Lighting Designer/Associate Professor

Mr. McCroom has been a lighting designer for more than forty years. Some of his regional design credits include:University of the West indies, Barbados, Apollo Theater. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Alliance Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Ford’s Theatre and The Utah Shakespeare Festival. International credits include works in: Rome, France, Teatro Unam, Mexico City, Mexico, and South Korea.

He is the recipient of the following awards and nominations: Falstaff Award for Throne of Blood by Ping Chong, Theatre Design and Technology (TD&T) award, 14th Annual Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP Theatre Award Nominee

Mr. McCroom is an alumnus of The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is an Associate Professor teaching Lighting Design and Stage Management at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA

 

Fred Kinney

Scenic Designer

Fred Kinney – Scenic Designer

 

Mr. Kinney has designed scenery for over 200 theatre productions as well as for trade shows and television. His work includes A Noise Within, Pasadena; South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa; Vienna’s English Theatre; Jerzy Grotowski Institute, Wrocłow, Poland; San Diego Repertory; City Theatre of Pittsburgh; Prince Music Theater, Philadelphia. And television productions such as Dave Chappelle’s Equanimity & The Bird Revelations, Basketball Wives, and Jeopardy! Mr. Kinney has been a Visiting Artist at Stanford University and at Montclair State University. He has lectured at University of North Carolina - Greensboro and University of North Carolina - School of The Arts. He is a recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Designers and holds a M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama and a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.

 

Alexa Behm

Costume Designer

Alexa Behm (Costume Designer) Alexa is excited join the Threepenny for another project with UCSB. Previously, she designed the 2024 Spring Dance Concert: Transcend and is a guest lecturer for various design courses. Alexa creates costumes for characters spanning multiple genres of entertainment. In past years, she freelanced as a Local 705 costumer for episodic television. Her most recent credits include Fatal Attraction (Paramount+), The Offer (Paramount+) and American Horror Stories (Hulu). Her most recent live performance credits include Sapphires: A Balanchine Ballet, Cabaret, Touch (Opera- World Premiere), La Bohéme, Spring Awakening, Anything Goes, and Candide. Alexa is a proud alumnus of UCLA, holding her MFA in Design for Theatre, Film, and Digital Media. Lastly, a special thank you to Annie for welcoming her to a wonderful collaboration. www.abehmdesign.com

 

Iruiò Xie

He/Him

Assistant Director

I am a human whose favorite opera is The Threepenny Opera

 

Georgia D'Aloisio

She/her

Polly Peachum

GEORGIA D’ALOISIO, SHE/HER (Polly Peachum)

Georgia D'Aloisio is a fourth year theatre major obtaining her BFA in Acting as well as a feminist studies minor. She was most recently seen in Naked Shakes’ production of Much Ado About Nothing where she got the opportunity to play both Margaret and Constable Dogberry. Other credits at UCSB include, The Crucible by Arthur Miller where she played Judge Hathorne and Hay Fever by Noel Coward where she played Sorel Bliss. Though this has been the first musical Georgia has been involved in since her high school years, she has always felt the most at home in the world of musical theatre, and is beyond excited to return. She hopes you enjoy the show!

 

Mason Davis

he him

run crew

Mason is a sophomore who is double majoring in Theater and English. He's happy to be a part of his first production at UCSB and looking forward to being part of more in the future.

 

Sydney Duerst

She/her/hers

Sound Board, Production 

Sydney Duerst is a sophomore in the BFA program! You may have seen Sydney in the student run One-Acts as Marcy in Ouef or Jay in The Moon Please. In her free time Sydney works at the UCSB scene shop! She is so excited for you to see the show!

 

Kaitlyn Giarrusso

she/her

Light Board Operator

Kaitlyn is a second year in the BFA Acting program. This is her first time doing tech for a production and she is very excited and grateful to be a part of Threepenny Opera!

 

Veda Arndt-Schreiber

they/them

Wardrobe supervisor

Veda is a junior in the UCSB acting BFA and also works wardrobe crew and in the UCSB costume shop.

The department's productions are not targeted to children. | Please contact 805-893-3022 with special needs.
Season schedule subject to change.