Written and Directed by Jamieson Ridenhour
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Director’s Note and Bio
Show Trailer
About the Cast
About the Production Team
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DIRECTOR’S NOTE
I’ve always had a great affection for slasher films. There are those that achieve the level of art (Black Christmas, Halloween, Scream) and then there are those that barely even achieve coherence (Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-a-Rama. I’m not kidding, look it up), but they all have a manic, over-the-top feel that, even when pushed towards the cartoonish, provides an adrenaline rush like few other film experiences. And like all good horror, a good slasher is at least partially about what we learn when people are put in extreme circumstances.
I took it as a challenge to pull off a true slasher live on stage. I included a variety of kills, self-aware theories and conspiracies, and a hip theme song by a hot band (shout out to Secret Shame). But in the midst of the standard tropes, I’ve also tried to write a play about fame and its foibles, about self-image and self-awareness, and about the lengths we’ll go to hold onto an identity. And, of course, pizza.
Covid-19 tried its best to prevent this production, but as we all know, in a slasher the killer always comes back. I want to thank my truly stellar cast and crew for enthusiastically throwing themselves into this production, and special thanks to Katie and Jess and the Magnetic for supporting this work from conception to stage. We’re lucky to have them as a part of WNC theater.
DIRECTOR
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Jamieson Ridenhour
Jamieson is the writer and producer of the popular audio drama Palimpsest, the author of the werewolf murder-mystery Barking Mad (Typecast, 2011) and writer and director of the award-winning short horror films Cornerboys and The House of the Yaga. His ghost play Grave Lullaby was a finalist for the Kennedy Center’s David Cohen Playwriting award in 2012. Jamie’s short fiction and poetry has appeared in Strange Horizons, Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, TheNewerYork, Across the Margins, Mirror Dance, and Architrave, among others, and has been podcast on Pseudopod, Cast of Wonders, and Radio Unbound. He has taught writing and literature for over twenty years, currently at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC.
This is Jamie's fifth original work with the Magnetic. His others were Terry Tempest: The Final Interview, Grave Lullaby, Thoughts on the Coming Apocalypse, and Bar Story.
Watch the trailer
CAST
(in order of appearance)
Tori Piper………………………...Lauren Otis
Todd Sumner………………...Casey Steen
Brandon Mulholland…..George Heard
Hannah Scott…………………Stephanie Nusbaum
Megan Chambers…………Matilyn Hull
Alicia Fitzpatrick…………..Sonia D'Andrea
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director……………………………………Jamieson Ridenhour
Stage Manager……………………..Chris Kingsley
Assistant Stage Manager….Clairissa Hitcho
Scenic Designer…….……………..Tyler Johnson, Jessica Johnson
Sound Designer…………………….Jamieson Ridenhour
Lighting Designer………………..Abby Auman
Props………………………………………….Tippin
Special Effects……………………….Nicki LaRue
Violence Choreographer…..Jered Shults
Set Construction…………………..Tyler Johnson, Jessica Johnson
Board Operator……………………..Clairissa Hitcho
Poster Design…………………………Gage Stoneman-Parker
Theme Song (“Victoria”)…….Secret Shame
Dramaturgy……………………………..Tippin
ABOUT THE CAST
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Lauren Otis (Tori Piper)
Lauren is honored to be back onstage at Magnetic! Lauren holds a BFA in Acting from Arcadia University, and has lived in Asheville for the past 9 years. Favorite past credits include Paula Justice in The Sparrow and The Whippoorwill, Alyx in something i cared about, Virgilia/Ensemble in Coriolanus 2020, Perdita in 16 Years Tried, and Lady Percy/Poins in Henry IV Part 1. Thanks to the cast, crew, Jamie, the Magnetic team, and her loving circle of family, friends, coworkers, and fur babes for their unending support.
Stephanie Nusbaum (Hannah Scott)
Stephanie is thrilled to return to the Magnetic Stage. Her favorite productions include A Serial's Killer's Daughter (Shared Radiance), ShakesCollage Tour (Shared Radiance, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Montford Park Players), and The Legacy of Amelia Aldean (Magnetic Theatre). She thanks her fiancé David, as well as her cats, Hamlet and Sebastian, for their love and support!
Casey Steen (Todd Sumner)
This is Casey’s first performance with The Magnetic Theatre, but he’s a longtime fan. Casey has performed on stage in the past, mostly comedy sketches and improv with his college group from UNC-Chapel Hill. When he’s not in slasher plays, Casey is an attorney based in Hendersonville. He would like to thank Omar for encouraging him to do this, and assuring him that he’s occasionally funny.
Matilyn Hull (Megan Chambers)
Matilyn is excited to make her Magnetic debut! She is an Asheville local and could recently be seen tap dancing in Grimm’s Fairy Tales with Montford Park Players. Her favorite roles include Annelle in Steel Magnolias, Susan in Wait Until Dark, and Lindsay in Clybourne Park. Come see Matilyn in her next show, August: Osage County with Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective. Thanks to Jamie and the team at Magnetic for welcoming her into this crazy, fun production!
George Heard (Brandon Mulholland)
George is excited to be returning to the Magnetic Theatre after performing as a tour guide for something i cared about. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, George has been performing locally for over 20 years, was the lead writer for The Feral Chihuahuas sketch comedy troupe and is a board member of the Montford Park Players. Favorite roles: Falstaff in Henry IV Part 1 (Montford Park Players), Clown 2 in The 39 Steps (HART), Narrator in War of the Worlds (Theatre UNCA), Wardell in Sordid Lives (Performing arts lab).
Sonia D’Andrea (Alicia Fitzpatrick)
Sonia has been performing on Asheville stages for the last twenty years, frequently seen with Different Strokes, the Montford Park Players, and here at the Magnetic. She is honored to be able to make art with others again in these crazy times. Enjoy the show, and thank you for supporting local theatre!
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION TEAM
ABBY AUMAN (TECH DIRECTOR / LIGHTING DESIGNER) - Abby is the Technical Director of The Magnetic Theatre. She also works as a lighting designer in theaters all over WNC.
CLAIRISSA HITCHO (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER / BOARD OPERATOR) - Clairissa is working with Bloodbath through an internship at Warren Wilson College. They are a senior majoring in English and Creative Writing. This is the first theatre production they have worked on and they are super excited to be part of the team!
JESSICA JOHNSON (SCENIC DESIGNER) - Jessica has worked in theatre since the early 2000s, primarily as a stage manager, but also as a director, props and scenic designer, and dramaturg. In addition to her behind the scenes theatre work, she has a background in nonprofit development, works for the nonprofit software company Neon One, and currently serves as the Executive Director for The Magnetic Theatre.
TYLER JOHNSON (MASTER CARPENTER / SET DESIGNER) - Tyler is a woodworker and furniture designer who moonlights as a set designer. When not figuring out ways to transform spaces, he’s busy taking big pieces of wood, turning them into smaller pieces of wood, then sometimes turning them back into big pieces of wood. You can see some of his work on Instagram at @tothebonewoodworking.
CHRIS KINGSLEY (STAGE MANAGER) - Chris has been an active board operator, stage manager, actor, and writer in the Asheville Theatre Community for several years. He previously stage managed Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol, and Troilus and Cressida for Montford Park Players and Grave Lullaby and Better Strangers for The Magnetic. He has written several sketches for Super Happy Productions and he appeared on stage as Peter in The Magnetic's production of Full Tilt Boogie at The Big Bang Diner.
NICKI LARUE (SPECIAL EFFECTS) - Nicki is an East Coast artist specializing in horror and Sci-Fi SFX, hair, makeup, and props.
JERED SHULTS (VIOLENCE CHOREOGRAPHER) - Jered is excited to help out with his home theater The Magnetic. He was delighted to help this fantastic group of actors push the gore and intention to the next level. Jered is an actor and fight choreographer in the Asheville area and has been working for about 10 years with different theaters in the area. Jered always feels the best on The Magnetic stage and helping out this wonderful company any way he can. Enjoy the show.
GAGE STONEMAN-PARKER (POSTER DESIGN) - Gage is an amateur graphic designer that watched too many horror movies growing up. You can see his work on Instagram at @wedgewulf.
TIPPIN (PROPS / DRAMATURGY) - Since diving into theatre in 2013, Tippin has worked as an actor, stage manager, technical director, assistant director, producer, props master, office manager, collaborative writer, dramaturg, and sound designer for over fifty productions for stage, film, restaurant, hallway, and oversized camera obscura. She has a particular interest in socially progressive, original, experimental, fringe, and immersive theatre, as well as in poetry performance.
PHOTOS by ELIZA HEATH
GALLERY
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THE MAGNETIC THEATRE STAFF
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR…………….……KATIE JONES
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR……………..JESSICA JOHNSON
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR………….…ABBY AUMAN
BOX OFFICE MANAGER……………TIPPIN
MARKETING MANAGER……………CHEYENNE DANCY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
GEORGE AWAD
ELIZABETH MCCORVEY
CARIN METZGER
JASON PHILLIPS
JOSH SULLIVAN
ELIZABETH ZIEGLER
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
