Rene Zabel (she/her) holds a BFA in Psychology from University of Arizona. She uses her degree in Psychology and her love of folklore and mythology frequently in writing her plays, such as Evil Therapy, A Rare Case, Beware the Muse, Krampus Day. Several musicals are inspired by Mythology and folklore, Deirdre: A New Musical is inspired by the Irish Deirdre of the Sorrows folklore with more of a strong female lens. Mother Solstice: A New Holiday Musical is inspired by the melding of Germanic, Slavic, and modern Yule folklore. Her solo musical, When the Silence Sings, was a finalist in the Rave Theater Festival in 2020 and the 2019 Producer’s Perspective (Ken Davenport): Producer’s Pick. She was selected for the Kennedy Playwriting Intensive for 2022. Rene is a member of the Dramatist Guild and Experts Theater Company. https://newplayexchange.org/users/17230/rene-zabel https://renezabel.com/

Joni Fritz has a wide and varied background as both a writer and actress. Her acting career includes appearances on the New York stage, regional theatre, television, and countless television and radio commercials. Joni's segue into a writing career began as a comedy sketch writer for USA Network. As a playwright, her play “Girl’s Room” starring Broadway legends Carol Lawrence and Donna McKechnie, directed by Tony-nominated director, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, enjoyed successful runs in NY and LA. Her play "In the Car with Blossom and Len" was developed with readings featuring Len Cariou, Frances Sternhagen, Kyra Sedgwick and Dick Cavett— and won the Susan Glaspell Award at Centenary Stage Company for Best New Play. Joni has also written countless podcasts for major companies — and was co-writer of a 10-episode children’s podcast for General Mills, which won the Digiday Award for Best Audio Campaign in 2020.

Jordyne Flanagan has been Stage Managing for over a decade at various theatre groups in the Chicagoland area, with her 'home' theatre being with the North Riverside Players in North Riverside, IL. She is very excited to be doing her first show with Eclectic Theatre, and her first radio show! Jordyne is grateful to have been so welcomed into a theatre group and process that is new to her. She hopes you enjoy the show and all the hard work behind it.

oseph Zettelmaier is a Florida-based playwright/screenwriter and four-time nominee for the Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association Award for best new play. He's also a two-time winner of the Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award. . His play Pulp received a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Recent films based on his plays include The Gravedigger (distributed by Indican Pictures) and American Cryptids (currently filming.) He is an At Large Ambassador to the National New Play Network and has served as an adjunct lecturer at Eastern Michigan University, Siena Heights University, Adrian College, and Schoolcraft College where he taught Playwriting and Screenwriting

Rich Orloff is the author of 18 full-length comedies and over 80 short plays. His comedy RADIO RIDICULOUS, winner of the Goody Playwriting Fellowship, has had four productions so far - and awaits its Chicago premiere! Rich’s short plays have received over 2000 productions on six continents - and a staged reading in Antarctica. His short comedies have been published six times in the annual Best Ten-Minute Plays anthology and seven times in the annual Best American Short Plays anthology. He was born and raised in Chicago and glad he's lived long enough to see the Cubs win. richorloff.com

James Kelsey Nelson (he/him/his) is a director and playwright based in Chicago. His full-length plays include Henchmen and Cambriolage (Live Arts: Waterworks 2024, Gallery Players: Black Box New Play Festival 2025), and his short plays include Beer Culture (SF Theatre Pub: Pint-Sized Plays), Shipwrecked Supper (Meat Machine: Plague of Filth), Trapped in Zoom (Winner, Exposition Review: “Your Digital Stories” Contest), Hornswoggle (Ridgefield Theatre Barn: Evening of One Acts), Elf on a Shelf (Cone Man Running Productions: 5MM Theatre on the Run), and The Dhalkorium (Eclectic Full Contact Theater Company: Crashbox! Festival). James received his BA from UMKC in Kansas City, and his MFA from Indiana University. Website: jameskelseynelson.com

Cary Pepper has had work presented throughout the United States and internationally. Among his full-length plays, How It Works won the 2012 Ashland New Plays Festival and Cufflinked was a semifinalist for the 2014 festival. Among his one-act plays, The Walrus Said won the Religious Arts Guild Playwriting Competition; Small Things won the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival One Act Play Contest; Party Favors won the Goshen Peace Play Contest. Most recently, From the Hoot won the Playwrights First Award, Dolly Gets Her Shot became his third production by Drip Action Theatre Trail in their Arundel Festival (UK) presentation, House of the Holy Moment marked Cary’s fourth appearance in the Newmarket International Festival of One Act Plays (Canada), and What Do They Want? made him the first (and to date only) playwright to be included in The St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s LaBute New Theater Festival three times. Cary is a member of the Dramatists Guild, and a four-time contributor to Applause Books’ Best American Short Plays series (Small Things; House of the Holy Moment; Come Again, Another Day; Irish Stew).

Tricia is thrilled to be working with EFCT for the first time! Originally from Missouri, Tricia moved to Chicago in 2023, and has been lurking backstage in theatres around the city ever since. In addition to stage management, she’s an experienced props designer, an occasional playwright, and an even more occasional comedian. Recent Chicago stage management credits include A Shadow Bright and Burning with Black Button Eyes Productions, In Quietness with A Red Orchid Theatre, and Promises, Promises with Blank Theatre Company.

Ele (She/Her) is a Jeff-Award winning Foley Artist who has designed, choreographed, and performed Foley for over 100 live theatrical productions ranging from London, UK to Livonia, Michigan, and for companies such as Kokandy Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Oak Park Festival Theatre, and Locked Into Vacancy Entertainment. She served as resident Foley designer for WildClaw Theatre’s Deathscribe from 2014 to 2021. She is an Artistic Associate with Prop Thtr and was a company member of The House Theatre of Chicago. Ele has guest lectured and led workshops on stage Foley at schools including Northwestern University, Harvard University, Purdue University, and the Savannah College of Art & Design. She is a featured Foley artist in the 3rd edition of the definitive textbook on Foley, The Foley Grail, by Vanessa Theme Ament. Ele’s voice acting can be heard on Hartlife NFP’s audio dramas ‘Our Fair City’ and all 5 seasons of the BBC Best Online Audio Drama winning ‘Unwell.’

Shellie DiSalvo (she/they) is a versatile artist hailing from Chicago, with a rich background in all aspects of Theatre and a passion for creative collaboration. Their extensive experience as both a stage and production manager brings a unique blend of creativity and organizational skill to every project, bridging the gap between the artistic and the administrative. Recently, Shellie has been digging back into their roots as an Interdisciplinary Artist™️– rediscovering writing, returning to slam poetry, and embracing the role of the Artist as Activist. Their diverse artistic pursuits reflect a commitment to creativity, collective equity (with a sprinkling of civil disobedience), and community. As they continue to evolve as an artist and human, Shellie remains deeply rooted in their overall role as Conduit for Chaos, grounded in praxis and the vibrant artistic community of the city. They are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate and share their artistry in all of its various forms, extending heartfelt thanks to all supporters and collaborators. Love Hard, Dear Ones.

Gail Gallagher (she/her) is super excited to be a part of her second Crashbox festival! Gail is a music director, composer, producer, and music educator. She has music directed for improv and sketch groups throughout the city she just finished a run at the annoyance playing for the improvised Teen Horror Musical, summer scaries. Under the name Sparklebard Studios, Gail offers custom composition and audio services for podcasts, youtube creators, and other media. You can find out more about her work at www.gailgallaghermusic.com

Joe Griffin (he/him/his) has been a recording engineer/sound designer for 30 years. Joe’s recent sound design and music credits include Lifeline Theatre’s The Time Warp Trio and You Think it’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy?; Commedia Beauregard’s Bard Fiction and A Klingon Christmas Carol, The Hypocrites’ Dracula, War of The Worlds with Festival 56 in Princeton, IL; and ten years of summer Shakespeare at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills. Joe is a founding member of the avant-garde musical ensemble Donny Who Loved Bowling.

Amy has been obsessed with theater ever since she was little. They are super excited to be working with Eclectic Full Contact Theater for the first time! Credits include: Beauty and the Beast, Noises Off, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (DFT/Theatre D) and Les Miserables (Uptown). Amy would like to thank her dad, her sister, and her dumb dog for their unwavering support!

Carson Grace Becker is an an award winning, nationally produced playwright, screenwriter, dramaturg and arts educator. She earned her MFA in Playwriting from The University of Iowa, and her BA in English Literature and Women’s Studies from UCLA. She has taught Playwriting/Screenwriting at Columbia College Chicago, Roosevelt University, The Graham School, The Imagine Butte Resource Center, and Chicago Dramatists. She has been a guest artist at NYU, Ohio University, The Univ. of Nebraska, The Univ. of Illinois, and Oklahoma State University. She served as Literary Manager & Dramaturg at Honolulu Theatre for Youth, and is the founder of the The Root & The Bloom Collective, a Humanities non-profit, housed at The Historic Clark Chateau in Butte, MT.

Kat Evans is a writer, singer, and actor based in Chicago. As part of the writing team for Starlight Radio Dreams, she authored serials TRUTH KITTENS and SLAYBELLES, and pandemic song trilogy BAKING WITH MISSY ODANAGHER. She collaborated with Sam Locke on pandemic musical series BOOZLERS IN BASEMENT. She has written and directed for Chicago’s Whiskey Radio Hour. After serving as voice for five characters on podcast OUR FAIR CITY, Kat co-wrote full length audio play OUR FAIR CITY: HUMAN RESOURCES with fellow voice actor and foley artist Ele Matelan. She is currently working on a history play about a heresy trial in Chicago in 1874. As an actor her favorite thing is new works, and she is delighted to have been a part of several world premieres in Chicago including DANGERFACE 3 by Idris Goodwin, THE SAFE HOUSE by Kristine Thatcher, 13 DAYS by Brian Pastor, and THE NUTCRACKER SINGS by Eddie Sugarman and Jiwan Kim. Next up: Two Nights In A Bar at City Lit by Kristine Thatcher, Larry Shue, & Kingsley Day, opening March 2024.

Kerry Reid is the theater and dance editor for the Chicago Reader and a former freelancer for the Chicago Tribune. She's a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and in another lifetime, wrote a few plays and performance pieces that were produced in Chicago, San Francisco, and a few different fringe festivals in Canada and Europe. She lives in Rogers Park.