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PHOTO BY ANDREW MAUNEY

ALICEGABBIE BALLESTEROSQUEEN OF HEARTSMAYA KITAYAMA CHESHIRE CATMORGANA MAUNEYMAD HATTERSARAH BUSCAINOSWINGAUBRIE’ KNAPPCREATED BYIN P AR TN ER SH IP WITHCOS T UME DES I GNE RMEGAN QUARLESCASTMAK E UP DES I GNE RJEANETTE JAVOREDIRECTOR & C HOREOGRAPHERKRISTEN BROOKS SANDLERIN COLLABORATION WITH THE CASTSTA G E MAN A GERMEGAN MCGEESTEPHEN MURPHY PETER MARINARO AUBRIE’ KNAPP ASS O CIA TECHO R EOG RAPH ERCO- P ROD UCER /ASS O CIA TE D IRE CTORCOM P OSE R

CASTMAYAKITAYAMA AUBRIE’KNAPPMORGANAMAUNEYGABBIEBALLESTEROS SARAHBUSCAINOQUEEN OFHEARTSALICEMADHATTERCHESIRE CATSWINGSWINGPHOTOS BY ANDREW MAUNEY

Gabbie Ballesteros (Alice)THE CASTMaya Kitayama (Queen of Hearts)Maya Kitayama (she/her) is originally from the Bay Area andcurrently based in NYC. Credits include Beauty and the Beast(Drury Lane), Cole Porter's Can-Can (Porchlight Music Theater),Love’s Labour’s Lost (Scranton Shakes), and Holiday Inn (MillMountain Theatre). Maya is currently in the cast of Hypnotique; anew, late-night immersive show hosted by The McKittrick Hotel.She earned a BFA in Dance & Political Science from FordhamUniversity and is represented by LDC Artist Representation. Gabbie Ballesteros is a Filipino performer, choreographer, andarts administrator. A ‘22-’23 recipient of the SDCF ProfessionalDevelopment Program, she received her SDC AssociateMembership after shadowing the choreography team for HereLies Love on Broadway. In addition to working as the EducationPrograms Manager at Manhattan Theatre Club, Gabbie’s recentperformance and choreography credits include gigs at 54 Below(For Once In My Life… , Dusk, BREATHE), Payanam AlMuhajir(Bai-Ka/University Settlement), and Bandstand (NYU). Afterappearing in UNBOUND and The Art of Sin, Gabbie is thrilledto return to Thistle alongside incredible and wonderfully wildcollaborators. Special thanks to Kristen for welcoming her intothis world, and much gratitude to her family and friends for theirlove and support – mahal ko kayo. www.gabbieballesteros.com,@gabbie.martinaDONATIONS ARE100% TAX DEDUCTIBLEsupport the artistsQR CODE IN YOUR NEWSPAPEROR GO TO THISTLEDANCEINC.COM/DONATEMeetClick here

THE CASTAubrie’ Knapp Swing / Associate ChoreographerAubrie’ Knapp (they|she|he) is thrilled to be the AssociateChoreographer & Swing of POISON & PEARLS. Born and raisedin the Steel City, Knapp is always grateful for new opportunities toexpand their horizons as a creative here in the Big Apple. Recentperformance credits include: Sunset Boulevard (The KennedyCenter), The Art of Sin (SLOTH, Thistle Dance), and EXIST: ANew Musical (JULIE, first staging workshop). Choreography:Urinetown (Pace University), The Beholden (an new play), and“Criminal”(Emergence, original work). Love and eternal gratitudeto Kristen and the whole Thistle team. IG: @aubriesimoneeMorgana Mauney Chesire CatMorgana Mauney is excited to dive into the world of Poison &Pearls at Bathtub Gin! Stage: Holiday Inn, Sweet Charity,Joseph, Awaited, Christmas on Broadway, and Le Grand Cirque.She has also freelanced with companies throughout NYC.Morgana is a principal dancer and spooky founding member ofThistle Dance. Outside of the arts, Morgana is a certifiedpersonal trainer, health and nutrition coach, avid reader andpeanut butter and chocolate lover. A huge hug and thank you toAndrew and family. Always spread kindness. More atmorganamauney.com.Sarah Buscaino (Mad Hatter)SARAH BUSCAINO is a Brooklyn based artist. She is thrilled tobe back grooving with Thistle Dance. Some of her favorite creditsinclude - New York City Opera (Pigmalion) Regional: On YourFeet! (Paper Mill Playhouse )Chicago (Riverside Theatre) 42ndStreet (Riverside Theatre) Saturday Night Fever (WBT) Memphis(Riverside Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre). Outside ofperforming, Sarah loves teaching at conventions all over thecountry. So much love to my family and friends, your support fillsmy heart! Follow her journey @sarahbuscainoDONATIONS ARE100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE support the artistsQR Code in your newspaperOR GO TO THISTLEDANCEINC.COM/DONATEMeet

Dear Audience,Creating this show has been a beautiful journey - a bewitchingdescent down the enigmatic rabbit hole. When we joined forces withBathtub Gin, we sought to intertwine our distinct vibes: their 1920saesthetic, our ooky spooky magic, and the alluring charm you'dexpect from a late-night show in a speakeasy. I never could havepredicted what we’d create as a result. As a mission, Thistle’s work challenges our codified perception ofhistory and lore. When we began exploring the story of Alice –representing societal expectations and the notion of properfemininity – it became apparent that she required a rewilding, andthat to bring her world to life, we needed to infuse the narrative withour personal experiences. Through a series of interviews, I asked eachartist about the poison and pearls of being a woman. Many of theconcepts of the show, and the lyrics from the end song, are devisedfrom these interviews. This show is a deliberate and ritualized metamorphosis: an alchemy ofthoughts, emotions, and explorations woven into movement andscattered throughout Wonderland. We invite you to immerseyourself in the tantalizing blend of the provocative, the eccentric, andthe assertive- for in our Wonderland, change is not witnessed, it is experienced. Kristen Brooks Sandler-Thistle Danceon the creation of

C R E A T I V E T E A MKristen (she/her) is an award winning director and choreographer whose work canbe seen on screen and stage. Purple haired & proudly queer, Kristen is committedto physical storytelling, believing in movement as the universal language thatbridges the gap between audience and artistry. By employing narrative in tandemwith an avant-garde aesthetic, Kristen’s hope is that our histories and lore can berefocused and re-centered for artists and audiences alike. K R I S T E N B R O O K S S A N D L E RDirector & ChoreographerThistle Dance Founder & Artistic DirectorOn stage, she has directed and choreographed musicals and original dance creations at regional andinternational theaters. Her screen credits include work on set with Nickelodeon, International Film Channel,and Hallmark, and her films have been featured in festivals in over 30 countries. Her first original creation,"Gilded", won the award for Best Dance and Physical Theater at the Capital Fringe Festival in WashingtonD.C., and she ehas since been nominated for and won many awards for her work. Before leading her ownrehearsal rooms, Kristen worked as a performer alongside such creators as Andy Blankenbuehler, SavionGlover, Karma Camp & Connor Gallagher. Select Credits: Magic To Do (Fredericia Theater, Denmark, with DDSKS), Shimmer & Shine (Nickelodeon),Your Alice (BAM, Edinburgh Fringe), Lysistrata Jones (NYITA Nom - Best Choreography), Gilded (BAM,Capital Fringe), Sunny Day (Nickelodeon Jr), Sweatsgiving (International Film Channel),. Associate:Hunchback of Notre Dame (Gothenburg Opera), Jesus Christ Superstar (Signature Theater. Helen HayesNomination). IG: @KristenBrooks19 / KristenBrooksSandler.comNow, more than ever before, our audiences and communities arecalling out for stories that reflect the nuance and complexities inthe world around us. The cannon is being re-evaluated for biases,and as we re-examine our facts, we should re-explore our fiction.Our work elevates characters over caricatures and explores themyriad of circumstances that lead to a moment of choice. We tell stories you know, but have never heard before.Thistle Dance creates movement based storytelling for the stage and screenthat celebrates the misunderstood, unexamined or overlooked. We usemovement as our primary language, conjuring wonderfully strange creationsthat challenge our codified perception of history and lore.A B O U T T H I S T L E D A N C Ethistledanceinc.com info@thistledanceinc.comInstagram @thistle_dance TikTok @thistle_dance

P E T E R M A R I N A R OCo-Producer / Associate DirectorPeter Marinaro is a New York City native! With a Master's in Arts and CultureManagement, he is deeply passionate about innovative theatre.With over nine years in theatre production leadership & acting instruction,Peter's background showcases his commitment to both the creative andeducational aspects of the arts. He serves as a Casting/Talent Producer forNBC's The Voice & Dancing With Myself & leads background casting forshows like American Horror Stories, Up Here & The Blacklist. He is thrilled tobe working with Thistle Dance again and looks forward to collaborating onmany more projects in the future! @petermarinaroS T E P H E N M U R P H Y ComposerStephen Murphy is a Composer/Performer/Music Director based in NYC,having composed works for the screen, stage, and concert hall. This is hissecond collaboration with Thistle after 2022’s Unbound. He is the frontmanfor the indie pop/rock band Modern Ties (@moderntiesmusic), and a proudalum of Carnegie Mellon University and NYU. You can hear more of his work at stephenmurphycomposer.com.M E G A N Q U A R L E SCostume DesignerMegan Quarles is a Costume Maker, Wardrobe Supervisor, and CostumeDesigner originally from Savannah, GA. Her work spans many forms ofentertainment, including circus, burlesque, classical and modern dance, opera,drama, film, and tv. Poison and Pearls is her 3rd collaboration with ThistleDance, and she is delighted to be working with these incredible artists.J E A N E T T E J A V O R EMake Up DesignerJeanette Javore is a makeup artist and stylist, with a penchant for darkelegance. Her journey began as a makeup artist for theater, film, and print, leaving animpactful presence in immersive productions such as the post-Apocalypticzombie nightmare Survive!Survive!, and in many glamorous worlds presentedby The McKittrick Hotel, home of Sleep No More. She has crafted FX makeupfor Billboard, and beauty makeup for real-life Barbies TM; she has worked on celebrity faces (Cassandra Clare, Andy Karl, Regis Philbin) for publications such as the Hollywood Reporter,and events such as the Glamour Woman of the Year Awards. In the post-2020 era, Jeanette embarked on a new chapter as a stylist. Renowned as a corsetry expert, shedresses people and ties knots at Gothic Renaissance in NYC. Jeanette's passion lies in supporting and enablingindividuals to express themselves through makeup and clothing, and in contributing to the impact ofperformance through the visual creation of characters.

Kaitlyn Schirard (she/her) is a New York based artist. The daughter of afarmer and a teacher, she hails from Florida and is dedicated to sharingher passion for storytelling in all its forms. For Thistle, Kaitlyn works as awordsmith, grant writer, and creative collaborator, often from adramaturgical capacity. When on stage, if she's not performingShakespeare, she's part of developing new works and "next classics". Herwork is passionate and playful with a penchant for language. She hasworked as an actor in New York (BAM, Sheen Center, OTG), regionally(Shakespeare Theater of NJ, Riverside Theater, SSF, OTGWest), andK A I T L Y N S C H I R A R DThistle‘s Director of Developmentinternationally (Edinburgh Fringe, Arcola Theatre). When not onstage, Kaitlyn works as a creativeconsultant and grant writer. She's had the pleasure of working and crafting text with such companies asPinkhouse Productions and Scranton Shakespeare Festival as well as with individual artists.Erin (She/Her/Hers) is a professional actor, creator, and teaching artistbased in NYC. Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, she attended SyracuseUniversity’s Musical Theater program. Erin has been incredibly fortunate toperform in New York at BAM, MMAC, and in the New York MusicalTheater Festival. Some of her favorite regional theater credits include:Asolo Rep, Syracuse Stage, Dallas Theater Center, Phoenix Theatre andCasa Mañana. Film/TV/Commercial credits include: E R I N K E IThistle‘s Associate Artistic DirectorThe Path (Hulu), Olay Whips (Commercial), and the new short film SC7NARIO (available onBroadwayHD). Working both onstage as well as on creative teams. She currently serves as the AssociateArtistic Director of Thistle Dance under the direction of Kristen Brooks Sandler. Erin enjoys bringing allaspects of a project together from inception to performance. She is a passionate storyteller who believesart has the power to invite new perspectives.Brooke Schalk (she/her) is a dancer and perfromer based in NYC. Shemoved here from Colorado to attend Marymount Manhattan Collegewhere she is a Senior double majoring in Dance and Fashion Marketing.Brooke is captivated by the ability to connect with audiences throughmovement and performance. She is thrilled to join Thistle to explore theintersection of her passions and the interworkings of a company.B R O O K E S C H A L KThistle InternDirector & ChoreographerThistle Dance Founder & Artistic DirectorK R I S T E N B R O O K S S A N D L E RT H I S T L E T E A M

S P O N S O R SI N T I M A T E SB A T H T U B G I NABOUT OUR HOSTSCreated by Brooklyn-born entrepreneur Dave Oz,Bathtub Gin is a Roaring Twenties-inspiredspeakeasy, named after the homemade alcohol thatwas watered down in bathtubs during the years ofProhibition. After opening its doors in 2011 behind Stone Streetcoffee shop in Chelsea, it quickly grew to become aNew York institution, inviting visitors to delve in theglamour of the 1920s with its emblematic decor, livejazz and burlesque, and craft cocktails with a stronggin focus. What happens in the Bathtub (or evenoutside of it), stays in the Bathtub, by the way.S P E C I A L T H A N K SAndrew MauneyAJM PhotographyKaitlyn SchirardErin KeiSophie Lee MorrisAlex PepperAury KrebsAllied Arts FoundationAubrie KnappBathtub Gin

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