Meet the company ofMr. Burns:

Deirdre Hickok Bridge (Company) is a lapsed but born-again Simpsons fan. She is a New Hampshire-based actress originally from from New Bedford, MA, a city which is itself an animated character study. This is her third onstage adventure with tKAPOW, having appeared as Emma Arkadina in “Stupid F%cking Bird and as Eurydice/Greek Chorus in The Burial at Thebes. She also trains and plays with them as scheduling allows and has trained with Shakespeare & Company at their Weekend Intensive with Linklater Voice Instructor Dave Demke. Recent favorite credits include the aforementioned Emma, Lady Croom in Arcadia (Glass Dove Productions), Veronica Novak in God of Carnage (SquarePeg), Lady Bird in All the Way (VIPA), Aunt Coco in Ye Merry Gentlemen (Brownwater Productions), Marie Tremblay in Sputnik: A Love Story (NTG), and Lee Green in The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (CPC). She has been an NHTA finalist for Supporting Actress for five roles over the past three years. Deirdre also sits on the Board of the Community Players of Concord, is a member of the Pitch Review Team for the Hatbox Theatre, is head chef and laundress to John and the kids, and has not once been injured by stepping on a rake.

Carey Cahoon (Quincy/Company) was last seen with tKAPOW in Living in Exile as Briseis, for which she won the 2017 NH Theatre Award for Best Actress. She won the 2017 NH Theatre Award for Best Actress as Quen Marguerite in Exit the King, and in 2014 for her roles in tKAPOW’s 3-person Macbeth. Other favorite roles include Sarah Goodwin in Time Stands Still, Cassandra in Agamemnon, Julie in Miss Julie, Hedda Tesman in Hedda Gabler, Jessie in ‘night, Mother, and the Pilot in Grounded. Carey has also performed and directed with Glass Dove Productions, Boston Playwright’s Platform, Stage One Productions, the Palace Theatre, and the Anselmian Abbey Players. She holds a BA in Classics from St. Anselm College, and trained at the Atlantic Acting School, Shakespeare & Company, and with SITI Company. careycahoon.com

Katie Collins (Nedra) is delighted to be performing again with tKAPOW, having appeared in two  playreadings in the  “Articulate” series and 2013’s Circle Mirror Transformation. With over 30 years of theater experience, Katie’s recent credits include Hannah Warren in California Suite. Hannah Ferguson in Spitfire Grill, Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Roz in 9 to 5: the Musical, and Vivian Bearing in W;t (for which she was awarded the NH Theater Award for Lead Actress). Katie is in her 13th season as  the Director of Development at the Capitol Center for the Arts and lives in Manchester with her adorable wife Kelly. A new empty nester, Katie is best known for her favorite role- that of mom to her talented college freshman daughter Liza.

Candace Gatzoulis (Music Director/Marge) is so excited to perform in her fourth tKAPOW production, having recently being seen in Melancholy Play: a Chamber Musical (Tilly), Raining Aluminum and Living in Exile. A graduate from Emerson College with a masters degree in Theatre Education, she has Directed and Choreographed over 30 community theatre and school musical productions and has had the opportunity to perform with the Boston Pops, and for the Red Sox and Celtics. A NH Theatre Awards Top 10 nominee in recent years as a director, choreographer and actress, she won the award for “Best Supporting Actress” as Anita in Majestic Theatre’s West Side Story in 2016.  She wants to thank her husband, Teri, and daughter, Kyla, for their endless support in all of her performance endeavors, and theatre Kapow for involving her in such incredible theatrical works!

Rich Hurley (Matt/Mr. Burns) is honored to be back on stage in another thrilling tKAPOW production. He is so happy he has been given the opportunity to share the stage with a great cast and a wonderful director with a mediocre sense of fashion. Rich studied improvisation at the Improv Olympic in Chicago and was a regular performer at the Improv Olympic theater. His recent and favorite roles include performances in Exit the King as The Doctor (tKAPOW), Stones in his Pockets as Charlie (tKAPOW), The Boys Next Door as Arnold (Bedford Off Broadway), The Glass Menagerie as Jim (Bedford Off Broadway), Laughter on the 23rd Floor as Max (NTG), Agamemnon as Chorus and Aigisthos (tKAPOW), Black Comedy as Brindsley Miller (tKAPOW), Titus Andronicus as Lucius (Ghostlight ), ART as Yvan (MAP),The Crucible as John Proctor (AWNTW), The Tempest as Stephano (NTG), Moonlight and Magnolias as Victor Fleming (Bedford Off Broadway), and Doubt as Father Flynn (AWNTW). Rich would like to thank his family Lotus and Audrey for allowing him the time to go and play with his theater family. Peace, Love and comic books. “Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos!”

Peter Josephson (Gibson/Homer) is really delighted to be back home with theatre KAPOW after an extended tour of the fine theater establishments of the New Hampshire Seacoast. An accomplished actor and director, he has been a finalist for a dozen Seacoast Spotlight and New Hampshire Theatre Awards, and was named Best Actor by the NHTA in 2014 for his role in tKAPOW’s production of Penelope and again in 2017 for his role in tKAPOW’s Exit the King. He has performed with the New Hampshire Theatre Project, the Winnipesaukee Playhouse, and the Seven Stages Shakespeare Company, and has appeared in numerous productions with theatreKapow, including Agamemnon, A Dream Play, Macbeth, Buried Child, and Stupid F#cking Bird. He trains regularly with the International Michael Chekhov Association and theatreKapow, and teaches acting workshops on the Seacoast and in the Manchester area.

Rachael Chapin Longo (Colleen/Itchy) received her BS in Theater from Skidmore College and her MA in Educational Theatre from NYU.  She is an actor, director and theatre arts educator.  Since graduating from NYU, Rachael has dedicated herself to educational theatre and arts administration and has worked as a professional teaching artist and education director; creating curriculum and teaching classes in acting, directing, playwriting and movement. She has collaborated on and written several original scripts for children. Her directing credits include The Wizard of Oz, The Laramie Project, The Death of a Caterpillar, West Side Story, The Tempest, South Pacific and Sister Act.  Rachael has taught with The New Victory Theatre, Pelham Arts Center and Lighthouse Youth Arts Center.  She served as the Director of Education and Operations Manager for The Play Group Theatre in White Plains, NY for several years.  Rachael is currently an adjunct professor in the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Merrimack College as well as the Studio Manager at Esh Circus Arts.  She also enjoys directing shows for Kids Coop Theatre.  Theatre KAPOW acting credits include Perchance: An Exploration of Dreams, Desdemona, Russian Roulette/Parisian Poker, Raining Aluminum and Burial at Thebes.  She wants to thank Carey and Matt and everyone at theatre KAPOW for their continued support and artistic collaboration.

Emily Karel (Maria/Lisa) is a Seacoast based actress and tKAPOW company member. She has studied acting for stage and film in New York and Los Angeles, and is a graduate of
Shakespeare & Company’s Conservatory Program. Emily has taught theatre for teen actors at The New Hampshire Theatre Project, and with the Arts In Reach program. She has appeared with tKAPOW as Nina in Stupid F%cking Bird, Queen Marie in Exit the King, and most recently as Frances in Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical. Many thanks to family, friends, and this exceptional cast and crew!

Sheree Owens (Company) holds a degree in Musical Theatre from Dean College in Franklin, MA, and has been active in professional and community theatre for 22 years. She was last seen with theatre KAPOW as Joan in Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical, and is thrilled to be back in the fold. Other recent roles include Eponine in Les Mis (Actorsingers), Ti Moune in Once on This Island (Community Players of Concord), and Charity in Barnum (Hatbox). Outside of theatre she enjoys painting, and works at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, NH.

Jimmy Stewart (Sam/Scratchy) is feeling positively post-electric about working again with theatre KAPOW. After performing in such roles as Frank in Melancholy Play: a chamber musical and Septimus Hodge in Arcadia, Jimmy thinks that 2017 was a supremely wonderful year to memorize and say someone else’s brilliant words (and also that it was a much better year than it had any right to be). Special thanks to Emily, you are a constant inspiration.

Nicole Vaiu (Jenny/Bart) is thrilled to be making her theatre KAPOW (full length show) debut with such a talented cast in a truly amazing show. She graduated with a degree in Musical Theater from UNH and spent the following years touring the northeast with children’s theater groups, performing musicals such as Strega Nona, The Princess and the Pea, and The Fisherman and His Wife. Some of her favorite past roles are: Gertrude Mcfuzz in Seussical, Marcy in I Love You Because, Elvira in Blithe Spirit, and Corie in Barefoot in the Park. She is grateful for her husband Ben, who not only puts up with her continuous singing/line running, but also, occasionally, shares the stage with her. A big thank you to the entire cast and crew for welcoming her and for all the wonderful work they have done to put this show together!

Matt Cahoon (Director) is a tKAPOW co-founder and has directed many productions for the company including: Agamemnon, A Dream Play, Buried Child, Time Stands Still and the February 2014 production of Penelope which won three NH Theatre Awards including Best Director. Matt directed Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Israel Potter and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse. He currently serves on the boards of the Arts Presenters of Northern New England and the Greater Derry Arts Council. Matt’s theatre training includes work with Double Edge Theatre Company, SITI Company, the New England Center for Circus Arts, and Range of Motion Arts. In 2013, Matt attended the International Symposium for Directors at LaMaMa Umbria in Spoleto, Italy. As his “day job” Matt serves as the Director of Cultural Programming at Pinkerton Academy. In 2011, Matt was named to the New Hampshire Union Leader’s “40 Under Forty” program.

Tayva Young (Lighting Designer) has been helping to bring stories to life thru light for the last 25 years, both in live Theatre and Architectural lighting for museums. She is thrilled to again be able to participate in the KAPOW’s season, Faith & Story. Every season with KAPOW brings more challenges and adventures and this season is no exception. She could not have asked for a more talented, supportive and imaginative family to work with. She thanks her husband, Steve, her mom, Jo and her two children, Nolan and Norah for all their help and support as they make it possible for her to pursue her love for the theatre.

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