Esmond Road Presents

The Bacchae

at The Hen and Chickens Theatre
part of Camden Fringe

Author: Euripides

Translator: T.A. Buckley (adapted by Maria Makenna)

Director: Maria Makenna

Producer: Erica Martin

Composer: Doll Normal

Technicians: Juliann Pichelski and Alex Douglas-Mann

Production and Costume Designer: Maria Makenna

Cast: Erica Martin, Catalina Croitoru, Chantelle Micallef Grimaud, Noga Flaishon, Maria Makenna

...

Characters (in order of appearance):

Dionysus (aka Bacchus): A god, Daughter of Zeus and Semele

The Bacchae (aka Maenads): Followers of Dionysus

Teiresias: A soothsayer

Kadmos: Former ruler of Thebes, mother of Semele and Agave

Pentheus: Ruler of Thebes, daughter of Agave

Messenger: Assistant to Pentheus

Agave: Sister of Semele, mother of Pentheus

Erica Martin (Dionysus)
Erica is a Canadian actor, singer, composer and producer who holds an MA from LAMDA in Acting and a MMus from University of Montreal in Voice. She has performed in operas, plays, short films and commercials both in Canada and the UK. Most recent credits include Ajax (Esmond Road Productions), Foxhole (Rianne Pictures), Sister (Weird Kid Productions). She also completed two albums last year under the pseudonym Doll Normal. She is a co-founder, producer and composer with Esmond Road Productions.

@dollnormal

Catalina Croitoru (Pentheus)
Catalina is very excited to join the cast as “Pentheus”. She was born and raised in Romania but moved to the UK in 2016 to pursue an acting career. Catalina then graduated from London College of Music in 2019 with a BA in Acting. She also enjoys writing plays and her latest work is the one woman show called “It’s Always Snowing Down Here” which tackles the effects of PTSD.

@CroitoruCat

Chantelle Micallef Grimaud (Agave)

Chantelle studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland following an MA in Musical Theatre after having read for a Masters in Creativity & Innovation and graduated from a BA in English & Theatre Studies at the University of Malta. Credits include the Duke in Two Gentlemen of Verona (Matchstick Theatre London), Agave in The Bacchae (Esmond Road Productions), Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Teatru Astra Gozo), Lucid by Twice Shy Theatre (Latitude Festival), A Tribute to Motherhood (President’s Palace Malta), Etelvina in Angeleta and Etelvina (Little Angel Theatre London), Love Me Tinder Cabaret and Darling Ghost (Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and the Wife in Blood Wedding (Teatru Manoel Malta).

She is co-founder of Prickly Pear Productions which has brought original productions to VAULT Festival, Camden Festival, Theatre Deli Sheffield and Teatru Manoel, Malta. In 2021 they took Immigration Crisis: The Musical to Camden People’s Theatre, and created Baħarfor Migration Matters Festival.

She also wrote and directed SH-ELF for Studio 18 as part of DriveThru Christmas 2020 and directed Simone Spiteri’s original play WIRES in May. She is thrilled to be reprising the role of Agave at this year’s Camden Fringe Festival.

@chamicgrimaud

Noga Flaishon (Kadmos)

Noga is an israeli actor, a graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and a playwright.

Her credits include Ajax (the Space Theatre), Ruby Redfort (National Tour), Man Like Mobeen (Channel 4) and others.

Noga is thrilled to be back for her second show in this year's Camden Fringe Festival (following Bunker at the Lion and Unicorn) and to be back on stage with Esmond Road Productions!

@nogaflaishon1

Maria Makenna (Teiresias, Messenger)

Maria is an American director and actor from New Mexico. She trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and spent a decade acting, directing and producing theatre in New York before moving to London to earn her MA in Classical Acting at LAMDA. She is a founding member and producer with Esmond Road Productions, and is thrilled to be directing her third production with the company. She also has that gene that makes coriander taste like soap.

@mariamakenna

Juliann (Lighting and Sound Technician)

Juliann Pichelski is an operator, theatre technician and stage manager. She has worked as a stage manager on many different shows including Space Age Love Songs at The Two Brewers, Alison Jackson: Double Fake at Leicester Square Theatre, Sholom Aleichem at The Lion and Unicorn, and Remember the Clause, a festival of LGBTQ+ plays at The Courtyard Theatre. Julian got her start in theatre by pushing scenery as a supernumerary in Mr. Foote's Other Leg at The Lyric Hammersmith and Theatre Royal Haymarket.

@JBPichelski

Founded in 2017 by Maria Makenna and Erica Martin, Esmond Road Productions aims to showcase the talents of women in the theatre industry, both on and offstage.

@esmondroad

Thank you...

...to you, the audience, for being here with us.

...to Camden Fringe for including us in your fringe festival and for supporting us along the way.

...to Mark, James and everyone Hen and Chickens for your help and hospitality.

...to Alex for your marketing savvy and tech assistance.

...to Ted for those dolla dolla billz.

...to Sarah for your marketing and logistics advice.

...to Neil for your emotional support.

...to all our patrons on Patreon for your continued support and encouragement.

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