Never Not Murder

Anna Ross is a comedy writer and performer seen around town with improv duo Big Freak, Wheel of Improv at Second City, and Sorry at iO. Anna writes, performs and directs sketches with Lake Effect, a Gold Comedy Digital Production Team, whose sketches have screened at Catalyst Film Festival and with So F*cked It's Funny in New York, Chicago, and LA. Anna's 30-minute comedy pilot, Badger, is a 5-time finalist and 3-time award-winner in screenplay contests and festivals across the country.

“No no I think it would be good to leave the AirPods in, I want them to know how busy I am (I’m not!)”-Ben, pitching his bio to the producers

Betsy Myers is a comedian and video editor from Indiana. She has a background in sketch writing and performing, and can often be found with iced tea in hand. A recent lover of diet Coke, she's not afraid to try new things. Catch Betsy performing regularly with Cat Bath Improv and Boots n' Poots duo sketch.

Bill is an actor, singer, writer, improviser, and most importantly, cat dad. Hails from Michigan. Proud member of Cat Bath. ABBA's #1 fan.

Brannt Faris is making his debut in a production play, as well as his debut at The Annoyance. Born and raised in Texas, he has warmed up to his passion for acting the more he moves north: performing and training through studios in Atlanta, Indiana University, nearby Second City, and sketch shows around Chicago. He knows it's not much but honest work - and, you know, honesty is always best. Except in acting. And he's excited to act.

Charlsie Bastian (she/her) has hoes* in different area codes** and loves them all equally. She's a writer by choice and a 9-5er by her incessant need to buy useless shit. Mother to three sons (of the orange cat variety), Charlsie believes her biggest life accomplishments so far are overcoming her fear of matches, organizing the books in her apartment by color, and writing this bio without crying. *certificates of completion**from every comedy training center in Chicago

Courtney Zelazny (she/her) is excited to return to Annoyance for her second mainstage production. Courtney is a standup comic, podcast host of The Witty Committee, and producer of Sunday Best at the Lincoln Lodge. You can see her around the country performing at Latina Comedy Festival, Lookout Comedy Festival, Detroit Women of Comedy Festival, Madison Comedy Week, and more. Courtney has trained with Second City Conservatory and Grad Revue, Acting Studio Chicago, and The George Washington University, and is now in crippling debt as a result.

David is a writer and comedian who, despite owning 17 castles all over the world, chooses to make his home in Chicago. His past Annoyance Theater productions include Goodnight Gladys, Christmas Karen 2, That's Gravy!, and Never Not Murder. You can find him performing with improv team Weekend Lawyer, in sketch show Season One (at The Den), and at parties where no one asked him to.

Elizabeth Fulton (she/her) is an award-winning writer, director, producer - and a breakfast sandwich connoisseur. She is a faculty member at the Second City Training Center and a graduate of Second City Training Center's writing and conservatory programs. You can find her around town producing, writing, performing, and directing shows like America Runs on Women, Christmas Karen 3, Deep Dishin', Intentional Dimension, Eight Drinks Minimum, Tindred Spirits... and social media managing for Y2K: A 90's Musical... and she's bad at remembering what else to include in her bio, so you can find out what she missed by following her on Instagram @elizahhhhhhope - 6 h's because 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 were taken.

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A writer/producer on the show and one half of the "Double Trouble" duo, Gabby Seed is a sketch/musical comedian and comedy writer from northeast Ohio. She is a graduate of the Second City Writing program and holds an MFA in Comedy Screenwriting from DePaul.

Jordan is an actor/comedian originally from Akron Ohio. Since moving to Chicago he has performed in sketch shows It’s Giving Thanks and Final Girlies at iO. Jordan also does stand up and co-hosts the comedy dating show Meet Cute. He’s excited to be in Never Not Murder and show off his dramatic side.

Kayla McCaffrey is thrilled to be a part of the Never Not Murder cast! In 2018, she graduated from the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater’s BFA Actor Training Program, and since then, she’s performed on tour with Georgia Ensemble Theatre, and with The REV Theatre Co. in New York. Since moving here in 2022, she has performed all around Chicago with her improv group Wolf Town, and enjoyed performing stand up comedy at Laugh Factory, Red Room Comedy Club, Second City, and every bar imaginable.

Kelton Neals (friend, son, boyfriend, alpha) is from the farmlands of Oklahoma. Since moving to Chicago Kelton has participated in The Second City’s Archive Show and The Second City’s Directors Review as a writer and actor. Along with his friend and comedy partner, Kelton wrote and performed in the two person comedy show Better You Than Me ™ . You can see Kelton at the IO theater performing with House Team Whimsy Lohan and with the cast of Real Housewives of IO. Recently Kelton was part of the 2023-2024 Bob Curry Fellowship with The Second City. "A lion doesn't need to announce his presence, his roar speaks for itself." -Unknown

Maddy Casale (she/her) is a writer-performer with a passion for crossword puzzles, cake, and the pursuit of recreational athletics. Outside of this show, you can catch her around Chicago writing and performing sketches with Cold Pizza Comedy. She's thrilled to be a part of America Runs on Women and to have gotten the chance to work with this amazing group of ladies!

Mary Ferguson, originally from Scranton PA, is a comedic actor, writer, and improviser celebrating her third year living in Chicago. This is her third mainstage production at The Annoyance and she's delighted to be back. You can find Mary performing here and there, or haunting your local cemetery.

Matt Spanier is an actor, improviser, and writer from the Chicagoland area and graduated with a degree that is quite possibly the complete opposite of comedy - accounting. He began his comedy career in 2022 and has since completed the Annoyance improv program and Second City’s conservatory program. He performs with a few indie improv teams ( @goodcultimprov and @GrandparentTrap_improv ) and writes and performs sketch comedy with his team @nokissingcomedy . When he isn’t performing, you can catch him running on the lakefront trail or sipping a coffee in a local coffeeshop!

Michael is so thrilled to be back for more Christmas Karen. An actor, writer and producer from suburban Northbrook, IL, Michael currently performs improv all over the city with a couple different groups. Who are these groups you ask? Well, Megalodonna at iO, Brandon’s Stand-ins at Comedy Clubhouse (each Saturday at 7:30 through January if you wanna see him in normal clothes) and with his indie team, Cat Bath, who currently hosts Funderdome at Clash on Clark each Friday at 9. He wants to thank his family for always being in his silly little corner.

Mike Mazzella is an improvisor, stand-up comedian, and sketch writer from Buffalo, NY. Mike has performed in a variety of comedic productions over the last ten years, and recently appeared in such shows as Swiped! Improvised Thievery, Starship Edsel, and Tomorrow Tonight. Mike is also a writer and contributor for the popular entertainment news channel Screen Crush. Mike is thrilled to work with this wonderfully talented cast, and hopes you enjoy the show! He would also like to thank his amazing partner, Daryn, for all of the love and encouragement.

Nichole Reed (she/they) is an actor, writer, and perpetual overthinker. Originally from Memphis, she started her journey with improv classes on Zoom (yes, really) and came to Chicago to experience the thrill of performing in a room with actual people. Her recent claim to fame? Being credited as "Costumer Runner 3" in a social media ad. Follow her on Instagram: @nicholeisonline.

Peter Barth is an actor, stand-up, and sketch comedian based in Chicago, Illinois. He’s done some things and seen some things. He writes and performs with Open Door Sketch and is training at Second City Chicago and the Acting Studio Chicago. He also really hopes his mother reads this and sees the show.

Sarah is a Midwest transplant from Australia, where she worked as a writer, actor and director on several sketch comedy tv shows for Amazon, Seeso, ABC, Ten and The Comedy Channel. She is known for her work in the comedy group Skit Box and their viral videos including Activewear. She is a recent graduate of the Second City Film School, and currently the lead voice talent on YOLO for Adult Swim/HBOMax. When she’s not working or performing, you can find her munching on Eucalyptus leaves.

Tori Kilkenny is a Chicago based actor-comedian. An inaugural Fountain City Comedy Festival performer, Tori can be found performing stand up in Chicago, Kansas City and all across the Midwest. Locally, she writes sketch comedy for WormHole.

Travis was born and raised in Romulus, MI, and began training in comedy and performance in Chicago in 2017. He has completed the training programs at iO, the Annoyance, and the Second City Conservatory. He is a writer as well as performer, most recently featuring in sketch shows Just Checking In and Intrusive Thoughts and Prayers. You can see him regularly performing improv with multiple teams on stages at those and many other fine Chicago theaters.

Tyler VanDuvall is new to transplant to Chicago from Atlanta Georgia with a background in Musical Theatre, Improv, and comedy. He is so excited for the opportunity to work on this show!

Zach Decker (he/him) is originally from Indianapolis but has lived and performed in Chicago for the past seven years. He was recently seen playing Nick in It's Christmas Goddamnit here at the Annoyance and can currently be seen in the West Coast Improv Explosion at the Rhapsody Theater on Morse. Zach is a proud graduate of the Second City Conservatory and Indiana University Bloomington. All my love to Jen and June. (@realzachdecker)