Charlotte Ford (Kayleen)- is a Philadelphia-based theatre artist who creates avant-garde slapstick performance art that celebrates sublime stupidity with joyful abandon. She has devised original theatre with Geoff Sobelle (CHICKEN, Flesh and Blood & Fish and Fowl {Fringe First, Edinburgh, 2010}), Pig Iron Theatre Company (Welcome to Yuba City {Barrymore nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress, Outstanding Ensemble), Emmanuelle Delpech (Raymond), Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental (Red Eye to Havre de Grace, Flamingo Winnebago), Rainpan (Machines Machines Machines Machines Machines Machines Machines) and New Paradise Laboratories (Don Juan in Nirvana). She has toured her work to Edinburgh, Scotland through the Traverse Theatre, to the Barbican Theatre in London through the London International Mime Festival, and to Paris, France through Festival Quartier d'été. She has performed with 1812 Productions (Cherry Bomb {Philadelphia Weekly’s “Best Supporting Actress in a Musical}, An Evening without Woody Allen), Theatre Exile (Red Light Winter {Barrymore nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress), Mr. Marmalade {Barrymore nomination, Outstanding Ensemble}, That Pretty Pretty or the Rape Play), the Lantern, the Arden, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, the McCarter, and Brat Productions. She is two-time recipient of the Philadelphia Theatre Initiative grant, the Independence Foundation fellowship, and the 2008 & 2009 Leeway Art and Change grant. This fall, she will begin working on a new project with Emmanuelle Delpech, Sarah Sanford and Lee Etzold that explores female sexuality and the funny/sexy divide using clown. She holds a BA from Bryn Mawr College and an MFA from the London International School of Performing Arts.
Keith J. Conallen (Doug) - is a writer/director/performer in his native home, Philadelphia. While growing up, Keith had a couple of experiences trying to express his creativity that came off less than brilliant. At 7 years old, his first self-produced production of the "first Thanksgiving" between the Indians and the Pilgrims with cut-out puppets and a construction paper set was a family disaster. Luckily for him, he was encouraged to continue his theatrical compulsions and has built it into a career in which he could not be happier working with some of the greatest talent this city has to offer.
Keith is also the Board President and Creative Director for Traverse Arts Project/TAP. Together with TAP, Keith has written/directed/produced two successful seasons of POP! - Sketch Comedy for the Gifted!, and the LGBT Artists Showcase, Festivus! in 2009 and 2010.
"I'm looking forward to this coming theater season which will see the third year of Festivus (now titled Festival!) and the third season of POP!", Keith says about his plans outside of Gruesome Playground Injuries. "I'm hoping to produce a holiday show I've been working on for a number of years now. After a few (read several) revisions, I think I'm ready to show it." You can check out traversetheater.orglater this year for more info.
Keith has worked with Theatre Exile twice before, in Shining City last spring and in The Lieutenant of Inishmore just this past March. He was the one hanging upside down. When asked what was the worst part about his high wire acting he told us, " No caffeine. Hanging like that could have given me a heart attack if I had coffee or any caffiene really in my system. That was the worst. But I did find other ways to wake myself up in the morning. " Keith is new to yoga but early morning sun salutes are particularly energizing.
