Ovations Theater Presents
"My Dead Cat Rhonda"
An Original Sketch Comedy Show
Directed by Kelly Balzli
Stand Up Opening
Written and Performed by Emily Holden
ACT 1:
Murder Co-Worker
Performed by Kaley Strawn, Vito Leanza and Cole Kiker
Written by Kelly Balzli
Apolitical Presidential Campaign
Performed by Kaley Strawn
Written by Cole Kiker
Good Cop/Bad Cop
Performed by Maya Kelch, Sam Lee and Jim Dailey
Written by Kelly Balzli
Punkin
Performed by Kaley Strawn, Maya Kelch, Sam Lee, and Jim Dailey
Written by Maya Kelch
Candle Making
Performed by Vito Leanza, Cole Kiker and Maya Kelch
Written by Sam Lee
News Show
Performed by Kaley Strawn, Maya Kelch, Cole Kiker, Sam Lee, Vito Leanza, Tim Andrews and Jim Dailey
Written by Kelly Balzli
ACT 2:
Dating Game
Performed by Kaley Strawn, Maya Kelch, Cole Kiker, Sam Lee and Vito Leanza
Written by Sam Lee
Inappropriate Sue
Performed by Kaley Strawn and Maya Kelch
Written by Kelly Balzli
Elevator
Performed by Kaley Strawn, Maya Kelch, Cole Kiker, Sam Lee, Vito Leanza, and Jim Dailey
Written by Kelly Balzli
Grandma Bunnies
Performed by Kaley Strawn and Maya Kelch
Written by Maya Kelch
The Masculinity Test
Performed by Cole Kiker, Sam Lee, Vito Leanza, and Jim Dailey
Written by Cole Kiker
God
Performed by Kaley Strawn and Vito Leanza
Written by Kelly Balzli
I Love Football
Performed by Kaley Strawn, Maya Kelch, Cole Kiker, Vito Leanza, Sam Lee and Jim Dailey
Written by Maya Kelch
MEET THE CAST, CREW and Emily!
Cole Kiker
Cole is originally from Columbus, GA where he’s appeared in Grease, The Little Mermaid, The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe (Vardan), The Who’s Tommy, and Beauty and the Beast at the Springer Opera House. He was also in Tapas IX: The Bow at the Academy Theatre. He graduated from Kennesaw State University with a B.A. in Theatre and Performance Studies and is currently the company manager for the Alley Stage’s weekly Improv @ The Alley show, where he is a frequent performer. You can catch him next at Woodstock Arts’s production of ‘Spring Awakening’ as Georg/Moritz Understudy August 14th-30th!
Jim Dailey
Jim (he/him) has been acting and directing in the North Metro area since 1999. Favorite local credits include Evil Dead, the Musical (Out of Box), Something Rotten (Red Phoenix), and Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Woodstock Arts). In addition to performing, Jim is an avid comic book nerd and recovering triathlete. As always, love to the (Un)usual Suspects.
Kaley Strawn
Kaley is originally from a small town in Tennessee. When a quarter life crisis 5 years ago led her to pursue acting, she moved to Atlanta and hasn’t looked back. She has acted on stage and screen. Although she gravitates toward comedy, her dream role would be to star in an Alfred Hitchcock style film. Her claim to fame so far is working as Sabrina Carpenter’s stand in for a film called “Emergency”. As fate would have it, she’ll be portraying Sabrina in My Dead Cat Rhonda.
Maya Kelch
Maya (she/her) is an Atlanta-based actor, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, where she earned a BFA in Acting from Lindenwood University. Maya also got her first taste of sketch comedy in St. Louis from performing in parodies of ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Jaws’ with Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre. With a background in dance, Maya has always enjoyed performing physical comedy and can’t wait to bring the sketches from My Dead Cat Rhonda to life. Upon moving to Atlanta, Maya apprenticed at Horizon Theatre, where she became passionate about new works. Her recent theatre credits include: The Rocket Men (Swing) w/ Synchronicity Theatre, Maggie’s Convent w/ ATL Fringe & Omaha Fringe, Our Town w/ Renegade Theatre, 9-5 The Musical w/ Woodstock Arts, and Rathskeller: A Musical Elixir w/ SheATL. Maya’s work on screen can be seen in shorts, independent films, and commercials.
Sam Lee
Sam (he/him) is an Atlanta-based improviser originally from Savannah, GA. Sam has been involved with theatre since he was in middle school, studying theatre at Savannah Arts Academy, where he trained in both stage acting and technical theatre (primarily, costume design). After being costume designer for several productions, Sam moved to Atlanta, where he has trained in both improv and sketch comedy for two years with Dad’s Garage Theatre. Sam is elated to be using his skills of sketch writing and improv to collaborate on the production of My Dead Cat Rhonda with Ovations Theater.
Tim Andrews
Tim Andrews is an Atlanta-based broadcaster and voice actor with more than 25 years of experience behind the microphone. A longtime personality on 955 WSB, he’s also provided voices for Adult Swim favorites Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Squidbillies, along with commercial, character, and audiobook work. His background in live radio and improvisation has made him a versatile performer both in the studio and on stage.
Vito Leanza
Vito is thrilled to be back and doing what he loves best- making people laugh! He is an accomplished actor/singer/dancer/acrobat/puppeteer/stilt walker and costume designer. He is trained through Second City’s NYC Training Center. He has toured nationally and internationally with Up With People, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Walt Disney World, Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Radio City Music Hall, The NYC Metropolitan Opera and to various regional theaters, performing musical theatre and puppet shows. In 1999 Vito began his career as a costume designer specializing in Mascots and Puppets. He started his own company Vitoworld Productions in 2007 (www.vitoworldproductions.com). Vito’s work has been seen on Broadway (Adams Family, Big Fish, Pee Wee on Broadway, Lion King), The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, on the field of Philadelphia Phillies games, Walt Disney World, national touring companies and regional theaters across the USA. Vito learned his craft through the many folks who have worked for and with Bil Baird, Mr. Rogers and Jim Henson and their team of artisans. In 2014 he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to become the puppet conservator at the Center for Puppetry Arts. In 2015 The Center opened the $14 million Worlds of Puppetry Museum which houses the world’s largest collection of puppets in their Global Collection and The World of Jim Henson Collection. Vito conserved over 350 puppets/props/costumes gifted to the Center from the family of Jim Henson that are on display indefinitely.
Emily Holden
Emily Holden is an Atlanta based stand-up comedian. Emily has never met a stage she didn’t love or an audience member that didn’t become a friend. She tours nationally with Moms Unhinged, just performed at Rogue Island Comedy Festival. You can find her throughout Atlanta, performing at Laughing Skull, Helium Comedy Club, The Punchline and Alley Stage and producing her monthly show, Banjo Lounge. Emily has performed with Beth Stelling, Lisa Ann Walters and Derrick Stroup to name a few! Her comedy focuses on dark scary topics, such as marriage and motherhood, that will make young audiences want to stop for a vasectomy on the way home.
Kelly Balzli – Director
Kelly holds a master's degree in Performance from the University of Tennessee and previously performed at theaters across Tennessee, Chicago, Miami, and Atlanta, including Bailiwick Arts Center, Pegasus Players, Area Stage, Chicago Children's Theatre, and OnStage Atlanta. She has also directed Lost in Yonkers and Plaza Suite at Cobb Players, as well as A Good Hot Damned at Theatre Decatur and LUV at Ovations Theater. She stepped away from theatre for many years but vowed to return when she could ‘do it my way’ and that is what she did in 2024 when she founded Ovations Theater. My Dead Cat Rhonda has been percolating in her brain for as long as she can remember. She grew up writing and performing skits with her family and cousins every Christmas, Thanksgiving, and—oddly enough—even funerals. She was fortunate enough to assemble a cast of not only talented actors, but gifted writers as well who contributed numerous hilarious skits to the show.
Ken Worsham – Stage Manager
Ken is thrilled to be making his debut as Stage Manager for tonight's sketch comedy show. While this is his first time calling the shots from backstage, he's learned it's where organized chaos becomes theater, and he's grateful to be part of such a talented cast and crew. When he's not behind the curtain, you can usually find him spoiling his cats or settling in for a movie marathon. He hopes you enjoy the show!
Lance Strahan – Sound Designer
Lance Strahan - Louisiana native now calling Atlanta home. Loves travel, music, and scuba diving. Dog Dad to Tank.
Nailah Dabon – Lighting Designer
Choreography by Vito Leanza
Graphic Design by Sam Lee
Social Media by Maya Kelch