George (Character Journal)

Dear Diary,

Life has been very stressful for me recently. I feel so alone all the time. I know I have a lot of friends, but are they really my friends? I have no idea. I have been having feelings towards someone also. It’s very scary because I know I shouldn’t be feeling this way I just can’t help myself. When someone makes you feel this way how can it be wrong right? I don’t know whether I should say something or just leave it be. I know that they have no interest in me and If I told them it would ruin my life. Nothing hurts more than not being able to go and be with the one you love.

George Ramirez 

 

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Jakob Ellsworth (George) Jakob is extremely excited to be joining the IQ  cast of Carrie. Jakob lives in Brooklyn, NY with his friends and graduated in June from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). Jakob loves to perform, having featured in many plays and musicals. He has appeared on Boardwalk Empire and recently had a small part in the movie The Normal Heart. Jacob has danced many shows with the Atlantic City Ballet, including a role as the Prince in The Nutcracker. Jakob would like to thank his friends and family for the constant support and love.

 

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Margaret (Character Journal)

Dear Lord,           8/1/1998

Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it. Those words ring in my ear as I carry. God help me, I hope it’s a boy. I hope he carries the face of his father and I can give him away with a light heart. 

My heart is heavy though now. I know in the deepest recesses of my soul that it will be a girl. Jesus save me, grant me the strength to raise her as a good Christian girl, a woman worthy of the gates of heaven. Please God, please don’t let her be accursed as Charlotte. Please save us. Please. 

 

Margaret

 

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Aziza Seven (Margaret) Aziza is thrilled to be participating in IQ’s Production of Carrie: The Musical. Previous credits include Damn Yankees (Gloria), Gypsy (Tessie), and Company (Susan). Big thanks to the Cast and Crew of Carrie, who made this production such a joy to work on! Thank you to my friends, Mom, and Lexi for all of your abundant patience during this transformation.

 

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Character Relations: Dann Restrepo on Freddy

Freddy and I do not have too many similarities. Freddy is more of a “in your face type of character” whereas I personally consider myself to be someone who is much more reserved when compared to Freddy. Another distinction between us is that Freddy is that class clown who borderlines a bully/follower. I am EXTREMELY proud of myself and my ability to stand up when it counts; I have confronted bullies as well as people who use certain words nonchalantly in daily language. I don’t believe Freddy would have the guts to actually confront someone on such issues. He is very much a follower who aims to please everyone around him with the exception of who is hurting to please the rest. I do see a similarity or two; he does like to laugh and have fun. I might not agree at what he is laughing at or at the expense of but there is laughter happening. He also likes to drink. Woo hoo! The both of us can get out of control when it comes to alcohol, but there’s nothing too horrible that happens.

 

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Dann Restrepo (Freddy) Danniel is a junior Finance major at Montclair State University. Some of his past credits include (MSU): A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon), Arsenic and Old Lace (Jonathan Brewster), Hair (Woof), Our Town, andReefer Madness. He is really excited to be in IQ’s first production, especially a show such as Carrie. Thank you to everyone who made this show possible – cast, crew, and family. #NightWe’llNeverForget

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Character Relations: James Gerard Russo on Tommy

Tommy Ross and I physically have pretty much nothing in common. Tommy is the guy to look at, to follow, to aspire to be. He is athletic and can do almost anything athletic and be pretty much perfect at it. Me, James Russo; I’m quite the opposite. In high school, I was a follower and never spoke up; I just hid in the background and sports? That was pretty much a no go for me. However, Tommy Ross and I are quite the same when it comes to the emotional side of things. Whenever we do something, we put our full heart into it, never half ass-ing anything. We would do ANYTHING for not only our friends, but the one we love. When we are in love and with this person, everyone disappears and we are the only ones around. Me and Tommy may not be similar on the outside, but on the inside we couldn’t be more the same.    

 

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James Gerard Russo (Tommy) A graduate from Centenary College with a BA in Technical Theater, James is every excited to be a part of this production. Past Credits: Ragtime (Willie Conklin), …Charlie Brown (Schroeder), A Christmas Carol (Featured Ensemble), Their Playing Our Song (Voice of Vernon), The Threepenny Opera (Walt Dreary). When not trying to be an actor, he is an avid Stage Manager and Light Designer. He runs and writes for The Entertainment Hour (EntertainmentHour.Blogspot.com) a blog review for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. He would like to thank his friends and family for all of their support.

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Character Relations: Aziza Seven on Margaret White

Connecting with Margaret was surprisingly easy considering I am not a mother, nor particularly religious. She’s such a passionate character and while we may be passionate about different things, the emotion is the same. Her love for her daughter is so apparent throughout the show and I really wanted to showcase that more than the horror aspect of Stephen King’s novel. I felt empathy towards this woman when I read the script and my wish is that the audience feels it too, because in the end, it’s her love for her daughter’s well being that causes her to make the decision she does.

 

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Aziza Seven (Margaret) Aziza is thrilled to be participating in IQ’s Production of Carrie: The Musical. Previous credits include Damn Yankees (Gloria), Gypsy (Tessie), and Company (Susan). Big thanks to the Cast and Crew of Carrie, who made this production such a joy to work on! Thank you to my friends, Mom, and Lexi for all of your abundant patience during this transformation.

 

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Chris (Character Journal)

Oh my God, Billy really fucking pissed me off today! I saw him flirting with Frieda and when I called him out on it, he totally brushed it off like it was nothing! Sometimes, I really feel like giving him a taste of his own medicine again. The only thing that makes these fights okay is the sex. It’s rough, intense and ugh, hot. One time, he threw me on the bed so hard I thought the frame was going to break! One down side is all of the bruises. Ms. Gardner thought Billy was beating me the last time we broke up.  I was called to the guidance counselors and they asked me all these stupid questions. Whatever.

…We had really good make up sex after that. 

 

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Maria Alessi (Chris)  A graduate from Montclair State University with a BA in Theater Studies and a minor in Musical Theatre, Maria is so happy to be a part of IQ’s production of Carrie. Past Credits include: Hair (Jeanie), Peter/Wendy (Tinkerbell),Children of Eden (Snake/Aysha), Wedding Singer (Linda), Noises off! (Belinda/Flavia). Maria would like to thank the cast and crew for all of their hard work and dedication to make this production happen and her friends and family for supporting her in everything she does.

 

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Character Relations: Jen Catalano on Norma

In relation to my character, I would say that I’m very different than Norma. I like to think I am a kind, fun, goofy person, whereas Norma is a cruel bitch. Even from the very beginning of the show, Norma has sarcasam running through her veins. While I can be sarcastic at times, it is only in jest. Norma’s sarcasam is condescending and mean. However, we have similarities, such as loving to be on our phones (a habit I need to work on) and having a fashion-forward mind. I am very happy to say that as an actor, I am very different than Norma. 

 

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Jen Catalano (Norma) Jen is so excited to be making her IQ debut at Luna Stage Company! A senior at Montclair State University, she is currently working towards her B.A. in Psychology. Past credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Titania), All in the Timing (Dawn), Our Town, Reefer Madness, and most recently, MSU’s 2014 production of The Vagina Monologues. Special thanks to her family and friends for all of their constant love and support.

 

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Stokes (Character Journal)

Last night was CRAZY.

I was at a party and this kid named Jared from school was there; told me he had some stuff that’ll make you hallucinate. Sure as shit did! Not quite sure if it was because I was faded, but usually I can handle drinking and getting high at the same time. I remember sitting next to Helga from “Hey Arnold” and her hair grew long and she started tickling me. Kinda weird, but I’m pretty sure I have a six pack from laughing so much. I gotta tell the guys about this stuff. Can’t quite remember the name of it though. On top of that, Jared’s cousin was there too – there’s no way they can be related because she is fine!!! I’d be pissed if I were him. I’m pretty sure she was coming on to me too. She kept looking at me from across the room and smiling. Hopefully I see her at another party sometime. Maybe I could finally get laid…

 

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Caleb Rohrbocher (Stokes) Caleb grew up in Lander, Wyoming where he was an active member of the Wyoming Shakespeare Festival Company. Traveling coast to coast, he has also been apart of several national ensembles, performing in locations such as Pearl Harbor and Carnegie Hall. A recent graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, he is thrilled to be a part of this production of Carrie!

 

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Character Relations: Lauren Ashley Wood on Ms. Gardner

I have thought a lot on how I connect with Miss Gardner. We’re both pretty fierce women! I mean this in the sense that we both stand up for what we believe in, no matter what the consequences. She isn’t someone who allows people to walk all over her, and neither am I, though I can’t say I was always like that. Miss Gardner, though stern sometimes, does her best to be understanding towards every person, even if it is an outcast like Carrie White. I think I am very much the same, and I try to put more positivity in the world, changing it for the better, and making my time on this earth count. Every single person is fighting a hard battle on the inside, and I think that I (and Gardner) attempt to understand that. Compassion and tenacity are the two things that are in the forefront of my mind when I think of Gardner, and also of myself. 

 

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Lauren Ashley Wood (Ms. Gardner)  Lauren is thrilled to be a part of IQ’s Carrie the Musical! She also studied at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City. When she is not acting, you can find her cooking vegan feasts for her friends, writing, watching horror movies, playing her ukulele, or drawing. She would like to thank Danny, Courtney, and Bri for all of their guidance, enthusiasm, patience, and sense of humor. She would also like to thank her mother, Auntie Mame, Mary, Jill, Nikki, and everyone else who has supported her. This performance is dedicated to Matt, as always. 

 

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Billy (Character Journal)

Fuck school!

I’m over it. Everyone here is a bunch of fucking nerds. Mr. Stephens is a stupid douche bag. I wanna jut work on cars and ride my motorcycle. If I have to do one more God damn poem for Mr. Stephens I’m gonna Columbine this whole school.

I’m fucking over it all.

 

Billy doesn’t have a fucking Pinterest. He thinks it’s girly shit that George would use. 

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Tommy Craig (Billy) Tommy is excited to take the stage as Billy Nolan in IQ’s first production of Carrie the Musical. He is a 2013 graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. As a recent graduate, Tommy was proud to have made his Off Broadway debut as Mitch in Adam Gwon’s Some Place Like Home in Theater Now’s Sound Bites Theatre Festival. Prior to attending AMDA, Tommy lived in Los Angeles, California, where he performed as Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar. Tommy would like to thank his family and friends for their constant support, as well as Danny Viola and Mea Moon for this amazing opportunity.