Theater 170: Buttercup and The Case of The Ruptured Duck
Synopsis:
Buttercup is a detective in the big city. A woman has been abandoned by her husband, who has absconded with their funds. All the woman has left is a statue of a duck. She’s hiring Buttercup to locate her husband (and her money). But Buttercup is finding that the duck comes with strings attached.
Writer
Ned Eckhardt
A professor of television and documentary production at Rowan University, he has produced and directed 16 documentaries. His previous plays include IMP, Redbone, and Porky C.
Ned Eckhardt
DIRECTOR
Rachel Berney Needleman
Rachel Berney Needleman is a director and dramaturg for new plays and classical work. As a director: 4 Minutes by DJ Hills (MeetCute LA 2022), Playground-LA (2021-22 Season), Theresa Rebeck’s What We’re Up Against (Pacific Resident Theatre Co-op), Cabaret Noel with Gigi Bermingham (Antaeus Theatre Co. and Skylight Theatre), Five Second Chances by Mattie Brickman (PRT Co-op), Cowgirls by Mildred Lewis (EST-LA), The Space Between (The Braid). Rachel has directed new play readings and workshops at The Blank, EST-LA, Skylight and Theatricum Botanicum. Her dramaturg credits include Antaeus (Diana of Dobson’s, Cloud 9, Henry IV) and Arizona Theatre Company (At Wit’s End). Rachel is also a co-author of the LA Anti-Racist Theatre Standards.
Rachel Berney Needleman
CAST
Maureen Davis as Buttercup
Writer/Producer A FALLING STAR AT BUZZARD'S ROOST - A Rock Musical in ( 4) Podcast Episodes; Original Cast Broadway's Tony-Winning INTO THE WOODS; Star of Amazon Prime's Webby Award-Winning CHATTERING ORDER OF ST. BERYL ( for Good Omens).
Maureen Davis
Annette Homewood as The Wife
Annette Homewood has degrees in English & theatre, & has won awards for her work on stage & in film. She also performs with a vintage dance troupe, & especially likes tap. Other entertainment credits include working as a motion capture actor & dancer for video games, & bringing her specialized skills in yoga & Pilates to commercials & other creative projects. Annette is excited for her recent emergence into the world of radio plays.
Annette Homewood
Nathan Smythe as The Husband
Nathan is a classically trained actor and voice-over artist who got his first stage role at 7, acting in an off, off Broadway production (uh, local church) of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. His mother also gave him a tape recorder at the same time, and he began making his own home "radio" shows with it, complete with fake commercials. His favorite stage musical to be in was a college production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which was the most fun combination of dancing, singing, flirting, and fighting he’s ever got to do on stage.
Since arriving in Los Angeles, he’s been part of performing groups like The New Mercury Theatre and sketch comedy/improv troupes like One Size Fits All and Nothing Rhymes with Orange, as well as becoming a regular featured dancer on American Dreams, dancing close with the stars in numerous episodes.
His first big voice-over break was as the voice of White Castle's "Craver" campaign. And the VO role he was most excited to tell his parents about was being cast as “Mr. Winkie” the talking toilet light puppet, for which he told them his career had finally gone down the crapper!
Nathan continues to act, dance, and DJ in Los Angeles. You can catch his radio show “Swingin’ & Rockin’ with DJ Dr. Nate” every Saturday on Rockin247Radio.com
Nathan Smythe
Kenajuan Bentley as the noirish Narrator.
Kenajuan was a company member at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for 5 seasons.
Favorite credits include: Ruined, As You Like It, Julius Caesar, All The Way, The Great Society Film/TV: Law/Order, Scandal, Doll & EM, All American, Station 19, 911. Kenajuan is currently a recurring character on "Shrinking" (Apple+).
Training: MFA, University of Connecticut. BA, Western Michigan University
Kenajuan Bentley
Sound Production:
Recorded at Oak House Recording Studio in Pasadena, CA with Sound Engineer David Peters.
Sound Editor: David Peters
