November 10th and 11th!Gotham Radio Theatre invites you to join us for Fallen Angels on November 10th & 11th at the Arclight Theater in Manhattan. Happily married best friends await the arrival of a past lover while their husbands are away in this delightful comedy where the insults flow as freely as the champagne.
Tickets are Available Here! |
Irene Dahlia (aka Laura Leopard*) as Jane Sterroll
Born Arina Torporkov in Saint Petersburg, Irene’s mother was a member of the Moscow Art Theatre founded by Constantin Stanislovski. Her family immigrated on the heels of the Russian Revolution in 1917. Once safely in New York, her mother Sonia Torporkov (stage name Mollie Anderson) began her Broadway career, appearing in The Fountain of Youth” among others. Irene made her Broadway debut in 1924 with a small role in Anthony and Cleopatra. She returned to Broadway in 1926, starring in “She Couldn’t Say No” and has been a star in her own right ever since. FDR once remarked on her performance in “The Bohemian Girl” as “moving Russian and U.S. relations to a new delicious level.” Irene will next appear in Gotham Radio Theatre’s production of Present Laughter this summer she toured the country in the Broadway hit, “Suspect”. Married briefly to screen star, John Garfield, Irene lives quietly in New York with her little dog Sasha.
Margaret "Mags" Fulton (aka Susan Barrett*) as Julia Banbury
Margaret “Mags” Fulton (*aka Susan Barrett) was born on a moving train in India to an Irish gypsy who had dallied with a Maharaja. Sent back to Ireland at 16, Mags was lured by the glitz of a passing carnival and became “Bloomin’ Maggie May, the Petal Fan Dancer” in their burlesque revue. After years of swishing her plumes, she joined the Dublin Gate Theatre at the request of Colin Kirkpatrick, one of her biggest dancing ‘fans.’ When Louie B. Mayer and Moss Hart saw Mags’ portrayal of Mary Boyle in “Juno and the Paycock,” they whisked her off to Hollywood and starred her in such memorable MGM favorites as, “Molly Has a Home.” During the filming of a saloon brawl in “In Old Cheyenne,” she fell on top of Stewart Spencer, where she remained for four years. The marriage lasted until Stew left for a pack of cigarettes and never returned. She is thrilled to be making her Gotham Radio debut in Fallen Angels and give Stew a pack of smokes…and his lighter.
Stewart Spencer (aka Victor Barbella*) as Saunders and Willy Banbury
Born in Brighton Beach, NY, Stewart was the 4th child of Jewish immigrant parents who worked as a bartender and nightclub entertainer. He spent most of his school nights earning money as a pool hustler and peerless dipsomaniac until he was expelled at 16 for gambling with the janitors. He fled NY and traveled the globe as a cook, Gondolier pilot and bartender, which landed him at Minsky’s, and a short career as a comic on stage. To pay off a gambling debt, he made his first Hollywood film, and though drunk in most of his movies, his career as the brawling sidekick skyrocketed with In Old Montana, In Old Colorado, In Old Cheyenne and, In Old Boise. On the lam from his 3 ex-wives, Stew moves between Hollywood and NY and when here, has been part of Gotham Radio’s productions of Blithe Spirit, Sherlock Holmes and The Speckled Band and Rudolph’s Tale, where-sadly - he was nearly fired for excessive drinking while portraying an elf.
John Dough (aka Michael Iannucci*) as Maurice Duclos and Fred Sterroll
John is so thankful to the Gotham Radio Theatre Company. To help cure him of his amnesia (which he battled during 'Blithe Spirit') they chipped in a month of royalty checks (Irene Dahlia decided the new sable could wait until next season...and I don’t think she’s bitter about it) and sent him to Basel, Switzerland to work with renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung. After meeting John, Dr. Jung suggested 5 hours of therapy a day 6 days a week. Actually that’s what Dr. Jung needed after working with John. But low and behold John’s memory has returned. While eating lots of chocolate and looking at clocks, while in Switzerland, he started to remember that he comes from a singing family. His mother, Ramona, sang the role of Queen of the Night in “The Magic Flute” all over the Northwest Territory and his father, John Sr. was Nelson Eddy’s stand in and back-up singer. So, now, John may burst into song at any given moment because he is just so darn happy to know his history. John also remembered performing, as a child, in the chorus of “Irene” starring Edith Day. The pieces of the puzzle are still coming together for John...but he has a new lease on life now. Please forgive John’s enthusiasm but everything is suddenly new and exciting. He realizes that even going to the bank can be a thrill...especially when you wear a face mask. John will keep you all updated as more of his memory returns.
Directed and Adapted for Radio by Sydnie Gale (Sydnie Grosberg Ronga)
Sydnie Gale began her career as a stage manager, most notably for Sarah Bernhardt's American tour. Miss Bernhardt brought her back to France, but not knowing the language Miss Gale moved to London. She spent the next few years touring with plays by Shaw and Wilde. While working with the Gaiety Players she was asked to direct Shaw's The Philanderer. The tour was a great success and she became the company's regular director bringing some American plays into their repertoire. In 1928 the Gaiety Players toured the United States and Miss Gale decided to stay. She directed for The Theatre Guild bringing the works of Shaw, Molnar and Pirandello to the American Stage. As radio became more popular she often adapted her productions for broadcast. Miss Gale has been the primary director for Gotham Radio Theatre and is delighted to be continuing her work with with this adaptation of Sherlock Holmes.