Top Row: Cristela Carrizales, Brian Hamilton, Courtney Crouse
Bottom Row: Austin Thompson, Emily Etherton, Kendon Lacy
Bottom Row: Austin Thompson, Emily Etherton, Kendon Lacy
Cristela Carrizales is a respected Oklahoma City actor, singer, improviser and director. She has appeared in a number of stage productions around OKC. Highlights include Veronica in The Motherf**ker With The Hat at KnockDown DragOut; Sponge in James & The Giant Peach and Phantom in The Rocky Horror Show at Lyric Theatre; Christmas Eve in Avenue Q at The Pollard Theatre; Helen in Fat Pig and Susan in [title of show] for Ghostlight Theatre Club; Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Dionne in Hair, Charlotte Lucas in Pride & Prejudice for Reduxion Theatre. Directing credits include The Man From Earth for Ghostlight Theatre Club and Same Time, Next Year for Oklahoma City Theatre Company. In addition to her scripted work, Cristela regularly performs at OKC Improv with troupes Chairold, BitSing, After Hours, Down to Funny and NEXT! Other credits include producing and starring in her one-woman show Short, Round & Brown. One-Woman. Plus. and appearing in the films in Cowgirls 'n Angels starring James Cromwell and Just Crazy Enough starring Chris Kattan. Cristela has taught acting to children, teenagers and adults intermittently since 1992 and is currently the Artistic Director of OKC Improv. Cristela is seasoned workshop facilitator, doing educational and corporate trainings on leadership and team building through improv. www.CristelaImprovs.com.
Brian Hamilton is a really nice guy and a good singer. Hopefully, one day, he'll submit a bio.
Courtney Crouse is a mezzo soprano and professor of voice at Oklahoma City University. Prior to moving to OKC to join the faculty of the Wanda L. Bass School of Music in 2012, Dr. Crouse was a featured soloist with The New York Virtuoso Singers under the direction of Harold Rosenbaum, The Coterie and L’Harmonie des Saisons, a group based in Montréal and New York City under the direction of baroque specialist Eric Milnes. Since moving Oklahoma, Dr. Crouse has performed with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma as Mrs. Anderssen in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, with the Oklahoma City Jazz Orchestra as a featured soloist, as the alto soloist in the Messiah for the Kemp Concert Series, a Jazz Recital on the Distinguished Artist Series at Oklahoma City University and has joined the professional vocal ensemble Tactus. She is also a member of the the guitar and voice duo: Crouse and Denman. Dr. Crouse is a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, TX and the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. Check out CourtneyCrouse.com for upcoming performances.
Austin Thompson is a native of OKC and, despite being a consistent flight risk, is planning to stick around for a little while. He is a proud graduate of Oklahoma City University, where he studied Music Theatre. His proudest roles to date include Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie, Monty in Violet, Gretta in Bent, Man on Couch in the newest Bob Mill’s furniture commercial, and Hostess in Packard’s New American Kitchen. Austin is a current student of Catherine McDaniel. He would like to thank Corie and everyone at City Cabaret for allowing him to join a team as talented and creative as this one.
Emily Etherton has been involved in the OKC artistic community for almost two decades as an actor, singer, writer, and director. She is a founding member of KnockDownDragOut Productions and Ghostlight Theatre Club and Managing Director of The City Cabaret OKC. In the last year, Emily co-wrote City Cab's late night variety show Blue Christmas, performed in Mark Houston's Six Women with Brain Death at The Boom, and received critical praise for her role in Constellations, which she co-produced with Next Stage.
Kendon Lacy has performed in many different avenues, most notably with the musical improv troupes Night Rhymers & BitSing, where he has performed at the Chicago Improv Festival, Dallas Comedy Festival, Austin, TX & Kansas City. His non-musical improv troupes inlude Kyle & Kendon, Reunited, as well as The HubBub Improv Group, performing every Thursday Night at 7:30pm at District House. Kendon serves on staff for OKC Improv as Program Director. In theatre, Kendon's most recent projects have been Impression Live's regular Holiday show "This Christmas" as well as playing the role of Ralph D in KnockDownDragOut's "The Motherf*cker With The Hat." He performs regularly as a local stand-up comedian and was a finalist in the 2012 Loony Bin Comedy Contest. For more on Kendon's shows and work, follow him on Twitter and Instagram @kendonlacy.
Brian Hamilton is a really nice guy and a good singer. Hopefully, one day, he'll submit a bio.
Courtney Crouse is a mezzo soprano and professor of voice at Oklahoma City University. Prior to moving to OKC to join the faculty of the Wanda L. Bass School of Music in 2012, Dr. Crouse was a featured soloist with The New York Virtuoso Singers under the direction of Harold Rosenbaum, The Coterie and L’Harmonie des Saisons, a group based in Montréal and New York City under the direction of baroque specialist Eric Milnes. Since moving Oklahoma, Dr. Crouse has performed with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma as Mrs. Anderssen in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, with the Oklahoma City Jazz Orchestra as a featured soloist, as the alto soloist in the Messiah for the Kemp Concert Series, a Jazz Recital on the Distinguished Artist Series at Oklahoma City University and has joined the professional vocal ensemble Tactus. She is also a member of the the guitar and voice duo: Crouse and Denman. Dr. Crouse is a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, TX and the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. Check out CourtneyCrouse.com for upcoming performances.
Austin Thompson is a native of OKC and, despite being a consistent flight risk, is planning to stick around for a little while. He is a proud graduate of Oklahoma City University, where he studied Music Theatre. His proudest roles to date include Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie, Monty in Violet, Gretta in Bent, Man on Couch in the newest Bob Mill’s furniture commercial, and Hostess in Packard’s New American Kitchen. Austin is a current student of Catherine McDaniel. He would like to thank Corie and everyone at City Cabaret for allowing him to join a team as talented and creative as this one.
Emily Etherton has been involved in the OKC artistic community for almost two decades as an actor, singer, writer, and director. She is a founding member of KnockDownDragOut Productions and Ghostlight Theatre Club and Managing Director of The City Cabaret OKC. In the last year, Emily co-wrote City Cab's late night variety show Blue Christmas, performed in Mark Houston's Six Women with Brain Death at The Boom, and received critical praise for her role in Constellations, which she co-produced with Next Stage.
Kendon Lacy has performed in many different avenues, most notably with the musical improv troupes Night Rhymers & BitSing, where he has performed at the Chicago Improv Festival, Dallas Comedy Festival, Austin, TX & Kansas City. His non-musical improv troupes inlude Kyle & Kendon, Reunited, as well as The HubBub Improv Group, performing every Thursday Night at 7:30pm at District House. Kendon serves on staff for OKC Improv as Program Director. In theatre, Kendon's most recent projects have been Impression Live's regular Holiday show "This Christmas" as well as playing the role of Ralph D in KnockDownDragOut's "The Motherf*cker With The Hat." He performs regularly as a local stand-up comedian and was a finalist in the 2012 Loony Bin Comedy Contest. For more on Kendon's shows and work, follow him on Twitter and Instagram @kendonlacy.
THE CITY CABARET BAND
Corie Melaugh (piano) Corie Melaugh is a music director, vocal coach, pianist, and orchestrator/arranger in the Oklahoma City metro area. She earned degrees in piano and violin performance from Oklahoma City University (OCU) and a master of Music in Vocal Coaching from the same. She has worked at renowned summer festivals around the US, including Brevard Music Festival. She is co-founder and music director of The City Cabaret, co-founder and past music director of OCU OPERAtions, and serves as music director for OCU's performances and summer intensives with the Tianjin Conservatory of Music in Tianjin, China.
Michelle Hedges (drummer) is a pianist, drummer, teacher, and improviser in the OKC area. She gives private lessons in brass, percussion, ukelele, and piano. Michelle has a Bachelor Degree in Trombone Performance from Southeast Missouri State University. She’s played piano, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, french horn, and drums in a wide range of musical styles in St Louis, Mo and Atlanta, Ga. Since moving to OKC, she has played drums in Oklahoma City Theatre Company’s Gypsy in 2012 and Jesus Christ Superstar in 2014. She also played percussion in the Oklahoma City Symphonic Band and drums in the Nichols Hills Band. Currently, Michelle plays drums in the Louis Hemphill Jazz Orchestra. Michelle’s new found love is improvising. She is a founding member of the improv troupe, Horse Feathers. You will find them performing at OKC Improv.
Danny Gering is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at Oklahoma City University. He graduated from OKCU in 2011 with degrees in Music and Psychology, and attended the University of Florida for graduate school. He loves coffee, pens, disc golf, the Chicago Cubs, and most of all, his wife Jeana.
Chris Black, Bassist, is a native of Oklahoma City and a graduate of Oklahoma City University in music education and business. He has performed in a wide range of genres including orchestra, music theatre, big band, jazz, rock, pop, bluegrass, and mariachi. His current projects include Grassland Caravan, a progressive bluegrass band, and The Savoy Trio, a combo focusing on the golden era of jazz.
Michelle Hedges (drummer) is a pianist, drummer, teacher, and improviser in the OKC area. She gives private lessons in brass, percussion, ukelele, and piano. Michelle has a Bachelor Degree in Trombone Performance from Southeast Missouri State University. She’s played piano, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, french horn, and drums in a wide range of musical styles in St Louis, Mo and Atlanta, Ga. Since moving to OKC, she has played drums in Oklahoma City Theatre Company’s Gypsy in 2012 and Jesus Christ Superstar in 2014. She also played percussion in the Oklahoma City Symphonic Band and drums in the Nichols Hills Band. Currently, Michelle plays drums in the Louis Hemphill Jazz Orchestra. Michelle’s new found love is improvising. She is a founding member of the improv troupe, Horse Feathers. You will find them performing at OKC Improv.
Danny Gering is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at Oklahoma City University. He graduated from OKCU in 2011 with degrees in Music and Psychology, and attended the University of Florida for graduate school. He loves coffee, pens, disc golf, the Chicago Cubs, and most of all, his wife Jeana.
Chris Black, Bassist, is a native of Oklahoma City and a graduate of Oklahoma City University in music education and business. He has performed in a wide range of genres including orchestra, music theatre, big band, jazz, rock, pop, bluegrass, and mariachi. His current projects include Grassland Caravan, a progressive bluegrass band, and The Savoy Trio, a combo focusing on the golden era of jazz.