random acts
adjective
1. lacking uniformity
2. odd or unpredictable, amusing
random acts is dedicated to presenting unpredictable and diverse genres of theatre. we strive to create approachable art with no expectations.
Since March 2015, random acts has presented 12 productions (including four world premieres, one US premiere and one Chicago premiere) through which the company featured the work of 123 actors, 20 writers, 9 directors and 19 designers while performing at 10 venues including 5 theatres, 2 bars, an empty storefront, a cafe, and a gymnasium.
After the successful run of All Our Twilight, Random Acts staged the Chicago Premiere of James Comtois' Monkeys inside a coffee shop during business hours. The company then took the World Premiere of Ladies Night of the Living Dead to the Chicago Fringe Festival, where the play opened to critical acclaim and record-setting box office, prompting an extended run at The Pendulum Space. Random Acts returned in 2016 with the one-woman feminist play Daughters of Ire, presented in an Irish pub, and the immersive experience Unbound, which featured the company's largest team yet at 17 actors, 6 writers and 5 production staff. March 2017 saw the launch of Strangest Things! The Musical, which extended twice and closed July 8th after fifty performances, and Random Acts closed out the year with the sold-out run of Marty Chan's The Bone House. In 2018, the company premiered #SafeSpace, a variety event series featuring underrepresented voices while raising funds for various organizations, and presented the 20th Anniversary Reading of The Laramie Project in association with About Face Youth Theatre and Pride Films & Plays.
adjective
1. lacking uniformity
2. odd or unpredictable, amusing
random acts is dedicated to presenting unpredictable and diverse genres of theatre. we strive to create approachable art with no expectations.
Since March 2015, random acts has presented 12 productions (including four world premieres, one US premiere and one Chicago premiere) through which the company featured the work of 123 actors, 20 writers, 9 directors and 19 designers while performing at 10 venues including 5 theatres, 2 bars, an empty storefront, a cafe, and a gymnasium.
After the successful run of All Our Twilight, Random Acts staged the Chicago Premiere of James Comtois' Monkeys inside a coffee shop during business hours. The company then took the World Premiere of Ladies Night of the Living Dead to the Chicago Fringe Festival, where the play opened to critical acclaim and record-setting box office, prompting an extended run at The Pendulum Space. Random Acts returned in 2016 with the one-woman feminist play Daughters of Ire, presented in an Irish pub, and the immersive experience Unbound, which featured the company's largest team yet at 17 actors, 6 writers and 5 production staff. March 2017 saw the launch of Strangest Things! The Musical, which extended twice and closed July 8th after fifty performances, and Random Acts closed out the year with the sold-out run of Marty Chan's The Bone House. In 2018, the company premiered #SafeSpace, a variety event series featuring underrepresented voices while raising funds for various organizations, and presented the 20th Anniversary Reading of The Laramie Project in association with About Face Youth Theatre and Pride Films & Plays.
the company
Bryan Renaud (Artistic Director) is an actor, director, and playwright who has worked with American Theater Company, Redtwist, Theo Ubique, Pride Films & Plays, The Comrades, AstonRep, Provision Theater, Music Theatre Co., Greatworks, Prologue Theatre, Oak Park Festival, Two Pigs Productions, and NWaC. Plays include Twelfth Night of the Living Dead and Ladies Night of the Living Dead. With Emily Schmidt: Barney the Elf, Strangest Things! The Musical and All Our Twilight; with Carin Silkaitis: Other Letters. www.BryanRenaud.com // @therealrenaud
Colleen DeRosa's Chicago credits include Suddenly Last Summer (U/S Catherine) at Raven Theatre, Strangest Things! The Musical (Dustin) and The Laramie Project with Random Acts, Tutus (Sophie) at Haven Theatre and The Humans (U/S Aimee) at American Theater Company.
Nora Lise Ulrey is an Artistic Associate of Random Acts, where she developed her creation Unbound. Chicago acting credits include The Resistible Rise of Artuo Ui (Trap Door), Charlie Brown Christmas (Emerald City Theatre) Down the Hall: An Improvised Play (Independent Production), The Sundial, Guilded Age (CityLit), Design for Living, The Children's Hour (Pride Films and Plays, Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actress), Down the Moonlit Path (NWaC), The Lieutenant of Inishmore (AstonRep), Alice Invents a Little Game… (Forget Me Not Theatre Co), The Jewels (TUTA), Jerusalem (Profiles) and Tea with Edie and Fitz (Dead Writer’s Collective). She has also worked on projects with First Floor Theatre, Spartan Theatre, 20% Theatre, Strangeloop, Woman’s Theater Alliance, Redmoon, GreatWorks Theater and Compass Creative Dramatics. Film credits include: Spoiled Child (Jarvis Productions, Best Lead Actor Award - New York's First Run Film Festival). She is also proud Associate Company Member of Trap Door Theater. - noraliseulrey.com
Shannon Webber joined the company as an Artistic Associate after beating zombies to death with a giant dildo in Ladies Night of the Living Dead. A few other Chicago credits include: Unbound, Twelfth Night of the Living Dead, Slack (Random Acts), Hell's Kitchen (Arc Theatre), Crimes of the Heart (Step Up Productions) and multiple productions with Pride Films & Plays, where she is a company member. Enjoy the show!
"Theatre is a mirror, a sharp reflection of society." -Yasmina Reza 
Mariah Furlow is a Chicago-based actor, singer, model and poet. She made her professional debut in Self Talent Exchange's THE PINK PRINCESS MUSICAL (for which she also wrote an original song). Additional credits include BARNEY THE ELF (2016, Other Theatre) and originating the role of Lucas in STRANGEST THINGS! THE MUSICAL with Random Acts. She grew up on the Southside of Chicago with her mother, twin sister and brother who help her pursue her dreams. She also plays Latona in the CONFUSION film series produced and directed by PNerdy Film Productions.
Becca Russo is thrilled to be part of this collaborative, inspiring community! With Random Acts, she has performed in Unbound and Awkward Family Gatherings. Recent Chicago credits include Imogen in The Last Days of Wonder (2nd Act Players), Erin in Burn (Public House Theatre), Jeb Bush in Election! The Musical (Second City), Haely in George Michaels (MadKap Theatre Short Play Festival), Carol in Central Park West (Saint Sebastian Players), and as a member of the ensemble in #Humanity (The Annoyance Main Stage). Recent on-camera roles include Christina in Nightswim (DePaul CDM) and Felix in the adaptation of The Odd Couple (Harold Ramis Film School, Second City). Becca loves dogs, teaching fitness, and riding her bicycle through this wonderful city. www.missbeccarusso.com
Ali Bailey is an actress and voice-over artist represented by Big Mouth Talent, and has had the pleasure of working with several Chicago theatre companies including Chicago Kids Company, Shakespeare on Clark and The Other Theatre Co., where she also serves as Literary Manager. Random Acts credits include Unbound and Girl Found (director), Monkeys (performer) and All Our Twilight (assistant director). She served as the Managing Director of Random Acts from 2015-2016.
Lucy Chmielewski graduated with a BFA in Acting from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Credits with Random Acts include All Our Twilight, Monkeys, Awkard Family Gatherings and Ladies Night of the Living Dead. Film Credits: Unbound Underground, Sisters, Had He Fidelity, and Trying Times. Stage credits include Twelfth Night of the Living Dead, 1989, Spring Awakening, A Dream Play, Our Town, and Battle of Angels.
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Alexandra Alontaga (Company Manager) made her debut with Random Acts in Strangest Things! The Musical and has since been serving as Company Manager. Recent credits include the female version of Odd Couple (Oil Lamp Theater) Love/Sick, Sweeney Todd and Jesus Christ Superstar (MunroePark TheaterGuild).
Ben F. Locke received his double degree in Theatre & Human Services from Millikin University. Credits include Peter and the Starcatcher (Metropolis), Barney the Elf (Other Theatre) Legally Blonde and Peter Pan (Millikin University), Dog Sees God (Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre), Avenue Q (Theatre 7). For Random Acts, he has appeared in Awkward Family Gatherings, Strangest Things! The Musical and Slack.
Jimbo Pestano is a Chicago based actor and drag artist known as Angelíca Grace. Jimbo identifies as genderqueer and pronouns include they/them/their. They have worked with About Face Youth Theatre (AFYT), Route 66, National New Play Network, Eclectic Theatre Co., The Gift Theatre, Asian Improv Arts Midwest, and Jedlicka Performing Arts. Jimbo has been an ensemble member at AFYT for 5 years and serves on the Youth Task Force. Through their work on the Youth Task Force, they co-created KINSHIP, an all ages queer variety show. Jimbo is ecstatic to now be an Artistic Associate at Random Acts, having performed numerous times at #SafeSpace and in the 20th anniversary staged reading of The Laramie Project. In drag, they’ve performed with Salonathon, Trains Magazine, Wild Atlas Theatre Co., and Auntie’s Treasures. Favorite past credits include RENT (Angel), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), and Shrek: The Musical (Donkey). Follow them on Instagram @jimbopestano!
Tommy Rivera-Vega was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Directing credits include Barney the Elf (2016, 2017 - Other Theatre) and Strangest Things! The Musical for Random Acts. Performance credits include: Latino Theatre Festival (Los Angeles); A View From The Bridge, Parachute Men and the World Premiere of Between You, Me and the Lampshade (Teatro Vista); In the Heights (Skylight Music Theatre); My Fair Lady (Paramount); Three Sisters (Steppenwolf); Kiss of the Spiderwoman BoHo); Pippin (Music Theatre Company), Cats (TheoUbique), Aida (Bailiwick); and West Side Story (Drury Lane). Random Acts credits include Monkeys, Girl Found, Twelfth Night of the Living Dead, Awkward Family Gatherings, Slack (performer), All Our Twilight, Strangest Things!, Ladies Night of the Living Dead (choreographer). Tommy is a proud ensemble member of both Teatro Vista and Other Theatre. He is represented by Paonessa Talent.
Bridget Adams-King is a Musical Theatre and Theatre Major at North Central College. She made her Chicago professional debut last summer with Random Acts in Strangest Things! The Musical as Lucas before returning for The Laramie Project. Bridget was named one of the "Hot New Faces of Chicago Theatre" in 2018 by Chris Jones at the Chicago Tribune after earning raves for her leading performance in Underscore Theatre's Haymarket. She also recently worked on Greenhouse Theatre Center's production of Machinal. With the help of her loved ones, Bridget is excited and hopeful to continue to grow as a strong woman living out her dream, working and performing in theatre.
Ayssette Muñoz is an ensemble member with Teatro Vista, where her credits include The Wolf at the End of the Block; In the Time of the Butterflies; You, Me and the Lampshade; Romeo & Juliet; A View From the Bridge. Additional Chicago credits include Ah, Wilderness; Marisol (Goodman Theatre) Alias Grace (Rivendell Theatre) and understudying in Short Shakes! Romeo & Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). Regional credits include The Comedy of Errors; Richard III (Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival). Television credits include Chicago P.D. She was featured as one of the Chicago Tribune’s “Top 10 Hot New Faces of Chicago Theatre” in 2015 and is represented by Paonessa Talent Agency.
Rasell Holt is a Milwaukee native who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in May 2015 with his B.F.A. in Theatre (Performance). Since making his way to Chicago, credits include: The Hairy Ape (Oracle Productions), HELLCAB (Profiles Theatre), and Ladies Night of the Living Dead (Random Acts). As an actor and poet, Mr. Holt is looking to take part in the world of arts.
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