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 10 productions (including four world premieres and one Chicago premiere) through which the company featured the work of 101 actors, 13 writers, 7 directors and 17 designers while performing at 9 venues including 4 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.
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 10 productions (including four world premieres and one Chicago premiere) through which the company featured the work of 101 actors, 13 writers, 7 directors and 17 designers while performing at 9 venues including 4 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.
the company
Bryan Renaud (Artistic Director) is an actor, director, and playwright who has worked with American Theater Company, Pride Films & Plays, Provision Theater, Music Theatre Company, Greatworks, Prologue Theatre, Oak Park Festival, Gorilla Tango, Two Pigs Productions, and Nothing Without a Company. He is the Associate Artistic Director of Other Theatre, where he premiered his plays Barney the Elf and Other Letters. Other plays include Twelfth Night of the Living Dead (produced internationally, available from Chicago Dramaworks), Ladies Night of the Living Dead, All Our Twilight (co-authored with Emily Schmidt), and more. www.BryanRenaud.com
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
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.
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 
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
Chelsea Milligan is a recent graduate of the University of Tennessee. She is an Artistic Associate of Random Acts, where she has performed in Ladies Night of the Living Dead, All Our Twilight and Girl Found. Other Credits: WRENS, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress and productions of Kiss Me, Kate and The Music Man at the Clarence Brown Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee. Television: Snapped: Killer Couples. Chelsea would like to thank her friends and parents for their unending love and support and Random Acts for this wonderful experience.
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Alexandra Alontaga (Company Manager) is a Chicagoland actress and has most recently appeared in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Summer Place Theatre) and Strangest Things! The Musical (Random Acts). Previous credits include Columbinus (MunroePark Theatre Guild), The Rocky Horror Show (Latitude 41), and Ordinary People (Joliet Drama Guild).
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 The Other Theatre Co. He is represented by Paonessa Talent.
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.
Colleen DeRosa's credits with Random Acts include Strangest Things! The Musical (Dustin) and Awkward Family Gatherings. Other Chicago credits include: Other Letters and Barney the Elf (U/S) with Other Theatre, Daphne’s Sunset at The Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, Tutus at Haven Theatre, and understudying in The Humans and It’s a Wonderful Life at American Theatre Company. Colleen is a proud graduate of North Central College. She thinks Chicago is the best city for theatre and in her free time, enjoys riding her bike and eating copious amounts of ice cream (not at the same time, because that's dangerous). Love and thanks to her parents, friends, and the Random Acts team.
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.
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.
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