THE REGULARS
Created in November 2009 by the members of Project: Theater, OUR BAR has drawn some of New York's finest theater artists through its doors.
Here's a collection of the folks at the heart of OUR BAR (click photo for full bio):
THE OUR BAR-BARIANS:
NJ Agwuna is a freelance theater and film director, hailing from the ‘burb’s of central Maryland. She spends her days coaching audition techniques, devises new pieces, performing musical Improv, and assists with casting shows. She is thrilled to be acting with the amazingly talented folks at Our Bar.
Lindsey is an NYC-based actor from the Sunshine state. She's been working with Project: Theater for five years and has loved every minute of bringing original works to life with this ridiculously talented group. Some NYC credits include "Portrayed" and "Mother Eve's Secret Garden of Sensual Sisterhood." Selected favorites are "Into the Woods" (Baker's Wife) and "Twelfth Night" (Viola).
An Actor / Personal Trainer Battles’ favorite roles include Helina (Windfall a Rogue Dialogue audiodrama), Mattie Earp (I Married Wyatt Earp), and Jenny (Significant Loss, best in show Offline Film Festival). During lockdown, she founded the WineBox Players, a collective that meets monthly to read fresh, new works from up-and-coming playwrights. She is currently working on a webseries with fellow Barbarian KL Thomas as well as an album. @embattz
Kaelin is an actor/writer/musician based out of Brooklyn. She grew up around an abandoned psychiatric center in Long Island. Boo. Kaelin can be seen in the short film "You're Not That Crazy", which won the Friar Club Comedy Film Festival. She loves OUR BAR and Billy Joel. Duh.
Tara started with our bar in 2023, and has studied Shakespeare at RADA and Theatre/Film at AMDA. Her most recent films have garnered some wins in the festival circuits including SXSW with “Never Fuggedaboutit” hitting “best of” in 2023. She recently can be seen in the newest season of Law and Order.
OUR BAR’s Starting Left Tackle. 3 time Pro Bar selection. Career Scene Stats: 7 writer and 30 performer... roughly. Ben performed college ball for the University of Albany, but calls Queens his locker room. Founding coordinator, Ben creates the play book for various film projects with the coaches at “I Can Siu Productions.” Cheer Ben on in the upcoming Poorductions Productions pilot "Mix and Master" and New Needle/Bradco feature "Case at Midnight."
Lisa Cheong was once called a “writer-director-producer” by a psychic. Her sketches and films have played at Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, NYC SketchFest, SOLOCOM, and That Asian-American Film Thing. Lisa believes puns are jokes and will fight anyone who says otherwise. Hit her up at @lisiepeasie.
Ryan Cupello (He/Him) is honored to be an Our Bar regular. As a regular at several bars across NYC, he’s thrilled to use his degree in one (Now, who has the useless degree, finance majors?!). Other times he’s been allowed on stage, Off-Broadway: The Sickness; National tour: Dirty Dancing, Fiddler on the Roof; Regional: Les Miserables, Violet, Night of the Iguana. He has an MFA from ART/Harvard. Follow him @rfcups on Instagram and TikTok.
Heard of Delhi and Mumbai? Well, Mahnaz is from Ahmedabad. She left her film and theatre career in India for "The American Dream" (which soon turned into our Collective Pandemic Nightmare) As much as she misses her crazy community back home she is ecstatic to have found a similar bunch of loonies at OurBar and feels right at home again. Thank you for coming tonight and being a part of her all American Masala.
Hailing from sunny Cleveland, Jennifer has been performing since she was younger than she is now. She has been collaborating with Project: Theater’s Our Bar since 2014. Additionally, Jennifer is a member of the NYC pop ensemble Unsettled Scores and moonlights as Beezus, an elderly siren. Selected credits: “You Can’t Take It With You” (Alice), “Proof” (Catherine), “Peter Pan” (Peter), “Hairspray” (Wilbur).
Lou has been part of Our Bar since 2011 as a writer, performer, and occasional show-runner. He is a featured comedy writer for Good Night Tonight and Good Magical Morning. Lou is an official Karaoke DJ, so he would love to hear you sing sometime. He would also love for you to hear his sci-fi podcast: Robot vs Dinosaurs.
Hailing from the Pacific Northwest and now based in Brooklyn, Alexandra is an actor, teaching artist, and Murderino. Theatre: Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (Hudson Valley Shakespeare), Warhol for Senate (The Tank), Casca in Julius Caesar (The Brick), Rosalind in As You Like It (Cradle Theatre & Brimstone Creek Productions). Regional: Wait Until Dark (Ferndale Rep). Film: "Adherence" (Best Actress in a Short, First Glance Film Festival). Education: MFA, New School for Drama.
Jessica is an actress, teaching artist, and NY Times recommended baker (Pie Birds). She recently played Jen in Bekah Brunstetter’s The Cake at Cape Fear Regional Theatre. Credits include Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre (Falstaff Award Nom.), Petal in 1st NYC Revival of Marie Christine, Torchbearing Ladies (Williamstown Theatre Festival), The Libertine (Glasgow Citizens Theatre), Upton Abbey (UCB), Musical Improv Circuit (Magnet Theater). Artistic Director
Rachel is a Brooklyn based actor and dialect coach. Last seen on Instagram in self-produced toilet videos. Believe it or not, she received an MFA from The New School for Drama. TV: Fashion Victim, Lincoln Rhyme, Blacklist (dialect coach). Theatre: Ensemble Studio Theatre, United Solo Fest, Golden Shards, and other random things. She’s happy to be alive.
Whitney is an actor/writer/singer/Shakespeare lecturer. She attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute. Credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Kraine Theater), Alien’s Exist(Manhattan Repertory Theater), Comedy of Errors, Merry Wives of Windsor, Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare Festival at Tulane), The Fantasticks (Rivertown Theaters for Performing Arts). Thank you, Our Bar for such a fun opportunity!
Sally Ann is an award-winning Brooklyn-based standup comedian, writer, actress, and singer from Alaska. When she isn't touring on cruise ships around the world, she's performing at New York City clubs, concert halls, and dive bars. Comedy credits include: HBO Women in Comedy Fest, Comic to Watch, Caroline's 'Breakout Artist', and first place winner of both the Laughing Devil and She-Devil Comedy Festivals. Her live shows have been recommended by the New York Times, TimeOut, and VICE.
Originally from Winston-Salem, NC, Fennell studied acting at Greensboro college and is now making New York his home. NYC credits: The Legend of Eustis Ray Jackson (Project: Theater), The Imaginary Life of Millo St. John (Snapdragon Theatre Works), American Tall Tales (The Compass Players), and various plays with the Negro Ensemble Company Children’t touring company.
Matt is a big fan of theater in a bar and is happy to have a home at OUR BAR. He spends his days building websites and teaching people to build websites. He spends his evenings playing video games and pinball. He likes whiskey, corgis, and Eurovision, and he thinks you are really cute.
Janette is a graduate from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, received training at Upright Citizen's Brigade New York and The Second City Chicago, and has taken one Soul-Cycle class. She feels all of these are great personal achievements.
Ellen Ko is an award winning New York City based actor and writer. She gravitates towards comedy and is deeply influenced by physical theater such as clown, mask, and mime.
Rebecca is an actor and writer with a big belty voice, a heart of gold, and a scar on her face from the time she dropped a puppy on it. She has been part of this crazy team since 2011 and has loved every second of it. Other than walking the boards of various pubs throughout the city (both for OUR BAR and to enjoy a fine bourbon), Rebecca has performed in everything from downtown experimental theatre (Perfect Disgrace Theatre's A Crucible), to musical theatre, to various feature films.
Violet Luna, the Sassy Siren of the Upper East Side, is an actor and drag/burlesque performer within NYC nightlife. She is a graduate of Brown University’s Theatre Program and lives to create art that is both thought provoking and titillating. Previous roles include Stella (A Streetcar Named Desire), Lady Macbeth (Macbeth), Ophelia (Hamlet), Mrs. Lovett (Sweeney Todd), Kathy (The Last Five Years) and more. She is passionate about shining light on performers of all shapes and sizes!
Selected credits: Mein Uncle (3 Voices Theatre), Cadence: Home (co-writer. NYC and Straz Center in Tampa. FL), At War: American Playwrights Respond to Iraq (Bleeker St. Theater), Everything's Whispered (For Now) (co-writer, Culture Project), Quake (UK Premiere. Finborough Theatre).Training: Maggie Flanigan Studio, Moscow Art Theatre, Chautauqua, BADA, graduate of Barnard College. Co-founding Member: FRESH PRODUCE'd Theater Co.
Michael is proud to have been acting, writing, problem solving, singing, and drinking with OUR BAR since 2011! He has a BFA in Actinq from UConn and was an Artist in Residence at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. When not at Failte he roams the city playing Irish Tunes on his guitar or sits in a big glass tower. Sláinte!
Erin is very excited to be performing in an Irish bar! She’s technically only half Irish but fits many Irish stereotypes. Her first name means Ireland and her last name starts with a “Mc,” she has 9 siblings, randomly finds 4 leaf clovers on a regular basis, and she really really loves potatoes.
Amanda is a Brooklyn-based writer and actor. She’s toured her solo shows nationally and internationally, her writing has appeared in various journals, and she produces the literary/performance series Lyrics, Lit & Liquor. Amanda also wrote a memoir, serves on PEN America’s Prison Writing Awards Committee, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School and a BFA in Acting from NYU. She's hyped to be a part of the positive, talented crew that is Our Bar!
Amanda is an award-winning writer, actor and comedian from New York City who has entertained sold out crowds at the International Edinburgh Festival Fringe and at theaters and comedy clubs across the United States. After a brief detour making sourdough during a global pandemic, she’s proud to return to Our Bar as part of the leadership team. She lives in the Bronx with her husband and her television. She loves them both very much. @TheLastAmanda
Jeremy is an entertainer who hails from the Bronx, New York. A true song and dance man, you can find him at venues playing drums with his band Rattleshake or performing at Our Bar! His credits include "Henry IV Part I", "Stop Kiss" and "A Robot Wrote This."
Theatre includes The Cheater's Club (Abrons Art Center) and The Bad and the Better (Playwright's Horizons) with the Amoralists, Mic (NYC Fringe), and others. Film/TV/Commercial appearences include "The Wolf of Wall Street", "The Knick", Bravo and Vitamin Water and others. James is currently the voice of Hendrick's Gin, and has also done voice over for ad campaigns for Disney, SRC and HelluvaGood Dip. He is repped by Baker Management.
Vin has traveled the world performing shows and creating tv/film soundtracks. NYC performances include musician/actor in off-broadway musicals, TV/Film roles on HBO, Netflix, CBS, Amazon, NBC. Vin is the creator of music mockumentary, We are the Prototypes. Vin studied at HB Studios, Upright Citizens Brigade, The Hartt School, Brooklyn College, and Boston University. He is thrilled to be part of the BARbarians!
Nadia is a resident actor at The Mercury Store, an incubator of new work under the artistic directorship of Broadway director Will Frears. Her performance in Emmy-award winning filmmaker Eddie Lebron’s indie sci fi film Sandbox garnered her a Best Actress award at the Long Island International Film Expo, and she has worked with theatre companies such as The Public Theater, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and Classic Stage Company. MFA Acting, Columba.
Lexie is originally from Seattle and loves being able to call New York home. She's had the privilege of working off Broadway and regionally at theaters such as The Players Theater, Gallery Players, Shakespeare in the Woods (VT), Circle Theater (TX) ... See more at lexieshowalter.com
Tajh is a Brooklyn born, baked and bred writer, thinker, observer and world builder. This is his first time writing for OUR BAR and is so excited and grateful to be apart of the team! He wishes to inspire the world to embrace the chaotic neural web called imagination. He hopes that one day his stories may be incite people to break out of their shells of normalcy and get weird with it.
Andrew is an NYC Based writer and actor that accidentally stumbled into Our Bar Meeting. Instead of awkwardly leaving, he fully committed to writing a scene and acting too. Andrew dedicates this performance to his bodega guy for making delicious sandwiches and for never judging his choices.
KL is best known from Hosting Sketch Block's monthly live show and bio-weekly Podcast. She has also Hosted WeMakeTheFunny's Podcast: Let's Chat Comedy, and has been a special guest Host on PITcast, covering The PIT Sketchfest. KL's other credits: The Improviser short film, Robots Vs Dinosaurs Podcast, Clip Show sketch troupe, the play (I Am Not An Allegory), GigaHoes web series, Drafts Short Play Festival, MITF Short Play Festival, Santa Isn’t Real music video, The Fridge’s Canucks Cabaret, Pap
Peter Turo has written over a dozen scenes for the lovely weirdos at OUR BAR and even acted expertly in a few of them. His other works include All Fall Down (The Tank), Up and Down (TCTC Rep), Always Be Ready (MITF), Aerosmith for Slow-Dancing (TinyRhino), Sam Dawson and What Could Be, The Novelist, and The Bradfords. His play Salt was a Top 30 contender in the 2015 Samuel French Festival. He is an Aquarius, and enjoys long, romantic walks to the fridge.
Florida Man by way of LA, Jordan recently transferred to The Big Apple, which is evident in him calling it The Big Apple. His exceptional talent is only untapped with copious amounts of beer. Regional: Bad Jews (Theatre of Note), Dangerous Corner (Crown City), Elijah (Victory Theatre) and several other inconspicuous black boxes. TV includes: A&E's The Glades (series regular), The Purge, Harry's Law, Netflix's upcoming Monster.
Kellie Williams is a New York-based actor and singer. Her favorite credits include singing in many cabarets at Don’t Tell Mama, acting and writing on an all-women sketch comedy team called the Industry Plants, and playing "Zuzu" in Dance Nation at Sarah Lawrence College. She is so excited to make her Our Bar debut tonight! You can find her on Instagram @k3llie_wil.
Bimini (rhymes with the famous anthropomorphic cricket) grew up in the humid tropical rainforests of Cairns, Australia -if you can’t hear the accent, get a few drinks in her and see what happens. Bim attained a double degree in Theatre and Russian Studies from Stetson University, before moving to NYC to study at the William Esper Studio. She stole her pet rabbit from an evil clown, and has no regrets. Yay OUR BAR!
If you'd like to get involved, contact us through the link below!
OUR BAR ALUMNI
New York: Twelfth Night, Love's Labour’s Lost, As You Like It, Pericles, Hamlet, The Tempest, Trojan Women, Taming of the Shrew, The Rover (The Hudson Warehouse), Pick Your Poison, Understudy for Henry IV Pt. 1 & Twelfth Night (Pearl Theatre Company), Aida (Met Opera), The Proposal & The Bear (Byronic Women), Dumbya 's Rapture & Happy Hour. Regional: The Sunshine Boys, Doubt, & Roger is Dead (George St Playhouse, NJ). Chris is a full time OUR BARbarian and enjoys a nice glass of scotch!
Joe is extremely honored to share the "Bar-Stage" with brilliant actors in OUR BAR. Joe graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree concentrating in classical voice. Some of his previous roles include: Javert in "Les Miserables", Bob Cratchit in "3 Ghosts", J. Pierre Pont Finch in "How to Succeed...", Judge Turpin in "Sweeney Todd", and Rapunzel's Prince in "Into the Woods."
Some might say sharing a name with a beautiful Colombian model is rather intimidating. Karen says it helps her get more blind dates. You can see her around town singing hilarious songs with “The Dreamstalks.” Karen has been performing and writing with OUR BAR since July 2012.
Alicia has been a proud member of OUR BAR since 2012, along with her marvelous husband Adam. She holds her MFA in Acting from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory and has been seen regionally in Texas, Florida, and New York. Recent projects include Project: Theater’s "Unity:1918" and Ken Ferrigni’s "Bang-Galore!" . Alicia also works off-Broadway as a prop designer and is grateful that OUR BAR provides the opportunity to create things like wormholes, Squid boy, and the wig of "Khal Brogo."
Adam has been a member of OUR BAR since 2012. He is an actor, writer, and producer of original theatre. He has collaborated with Project: Theater on the staged reading of "Unity: 1918" and stage managed and designed lighting for "Occupation". He also produced and acted in Ken Ferrigni’s "Bang-Galore!" and is curently co-producing the web series "Just Super!" Adam holds a BA from Hope College and an MFA in Acting from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. AEA, SAG-AFTRA.
Bess Eckstein is the queen of the hyphens, as an actor-singer-guitarist-pianist-songwriter-dancer-improviser. It thrills her to share the bar stage with the fabulously talented performers of OUR BAR. Bess has performed at regional theaters including Florida Studio Theater, Berkshire Theater Festival and Findlay Summerstock. She played Miss California in seasons 4 & 5 of Math Warriors, the Winnipeg FF winning webseries, & Corvette in the new musical web series, Merce.
Dave tells stories as an actor, director, writer, improviser, nature lover, kid whisperer, teacher, composer, and blues guitarist. Since graduating from Ithaca College, Dave has made theatre in Chicago, regionally, throughout NYC, and internationally. He has worked with the award winning company, Blessed Unrest, is a regular writer and performer for the monthly site-specific show OUR BAR, and has trained extensively with SITI Company and Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
Paul is a professional voice and on screen actor. He does lots of stuff and, if you're really interested, you can go to his website. PaulGuyet.com. Paul would like to thank.
Jordan is a recent transfer from Milwaukee, WI. He has been described as “disturbingly versatile” onstage in roles from Hedwig to Hamlet and enjoys participating in musical improvisation and new play development. For more information or upcoming projects visit: www.thebrutalkind.com - enjoy the show!
When he teleported to New York from his home state of California over six years ago, Michael never imagined he would one day be acting in a bar. Much less OUR BAR. He's been around the theater block more times than he can count, on both coasts, and he couldn't be more thrilled to be sharing these unvarnished, beer-stained, bacteria-ridden floorboards with the performers you are about to see. Enjoy the ride, true believers.
Mark is an actor, a writer, a teaching artist and an all-around nice guy. He is thrilled to be a part of OUR BAR. Mark’s been in some shows that were good and he’s been in some that were bad. In all of them, his acting could be described as “not horrible.” In a few productions, if the theatre gods were particularly charitable, his acting was decent. Pray they are with us all tonight.
Lucy is thrilled to be performing with the OUR BAR crew!
Jesi made her stage debut at the wee age of three months in her father’s arms. Graduating from the University of North Dakota - yes, people live there - she also studied commedia dell'arte and vocal performance in Italy. When not dressing up at Comic Con, she can be found embarrassing her friends at karaoke.
Kate is an actor/singer/aerialist/dancer originally from lndianapolis. She has performed regionally in a variety of shows from A Christmas Carol to Cats. Aerial work (silks and lyra) is her newest passion, and she hopes to have many opportunities to combine it with her theatre background. BA: Hope College.
Glenn Rauch is an actor, writer, humorist, and human beatbox based out of Harlem, NY. He loves Irish whiskey, games of skill, and stories about old-timey con men. Glenn started writing and performing with this group in May 2012, and is responsible for bringing "Blacula" to OUR BAR. For infrequent humorous thoughts from Glenn, follow him on Twitter @GlennRauch, or cast him in your play or film by talking to him after a show.
Lauren was a California Raisin once for Halloween, is a huge Woody Allen fan, and was devastated when she found out that the Muppets were not real. Favorite NYC credits: Play Nice! (59E59th), Reckless (The Gallery Players), Sex and Violence (Mint Theater), Land Escaping (The Flea), Billy Carver & the Children in Mind (2011 NYIT Best Performance by a Supporting Actress nod), Rhinoceros (UglyRhino). TV: 30 Rock. Lauren holds an MFA from the University of Florida.
Lauren just wanted a beer and ended up being a part of OUR BAR. In her time outside of the Bar. Lauren is an event planner (and is available for hire). She is a graduate of Indiana University where she almost minored in Theater and spent most of her time improvising with Full Frontal Comedy. Lauren's favorite acting roles include The Baker's Wife in Into the Woods and Mary in her middle school’s nativity play.
Josh is an actor and writer. Theatre credits include Anodyne (Pig Iron Theatre Company), Mina (La MaMa E.T.C.), Midsummer & Peer Gynt (Gorilla Repertory Theatre), and The Memorandum & Cat’s Cradle (Untitled Theatre Company #61). Film: Actor Seeks Role, I’m Not Colorblind, Working It Out. Josh also writes and stars in the sketch comedy webseries Bad Auditions. Training: Temple University. Representation: CBU Management.
Gus is an actor, born and raised in Brooklyn, and graduated from City College of New York. NYC credits: Theater for the New City, Clocktower Gallery, Island Shakespeare. Most recently, he originated the role of suicidal novelist Oscar in The Seven Collective's production of Benched and the role of sociopath/bomb-threat John in Denials. Though he specializes in portraying violent young men with mental problems, he is also available to perform at children's birthday parties and Bar Mitzvahs.
Matthew is a native of the great state of Colorado but moved to the great city of New York two years ago. Back in Colorado Matthew was selected as the SOCOCW Star and allowed the television world to consume his life for three years. Now that he is living in the City he can get on track and get back on the stage. He was also a 2x National Mascot Champion where he embodied “Chip” (a buffalo), at many sporting and public appearances. Matthew holds a BA from the University of Colorado.