Buy Tickets:

Country Bar Confession

Written by Tom Rankin

Directed by Sydney Dubitsky

Synopsis

A young man hires his fiancé’s favorite country singer, The Barefoot Bandit, to serenade them over dinner. Things do not go as he planned, though. In fact, they go horribly, terribly, astonishingly wrong.

Bios

Tom Rankin (PLAYWRIGHT & THE BAREFOOT BANDIT) is from New Jersey. He most recently wrote, directed, and produced a show at Brooklyn Comedy Collective called Studio of The Damned. As of this writing, he has seen Bruce Springsteen 101 times.

Sydney Dubitsky (DIRECTOR) hails from the southwest part of northeast Connecticut. When she’s not directing, stage managing or attempting to find lost socks in the dryer, she is busy being the reason why legos have warning labels.

Brianna Barnhart (WENDY) hails from the Sonoran desert, in addition to comedy she enjoys tight harmony singing, NYC history, and Botox.

Spencer Hazen (TYLER) is an actor originally from Illinois, and has been studying in New York for over two years now. He loves singing, using silly accents, and dying onstage. Someday, he hopes, he might also die in real life. He'd like to thank his friends and family for never doubting him, and the lady who first helped him figure out a turnstile for correctly doubting him. 

Lexi Eve (WAITRESS) is a visual artist, painter, content creator, art director, second narrator in Studio of The Damned, and now a waitress in Country Bar Confession. She’s from Brooklyn, so we don’t know why she has this accent.

Gary Comorau (RESTAURANT PATRON) started acting as a second career. Luckily he made money in his first. If you look closely, he can be seen in HBO’s The Curious Case of… He also married his acting teacher. Best decision of his life.

Rosie Rella (POLICE OFFICER) is from Staten Island and spends most of her free time making cringey skits online about her favorite old man celebrities, and thinks Billy Joel is dreamy. Follow her @RosieWeird on YouTube.

Stalin: The Musical

Written and directed by Austin Olson

Synopsis

What do gulags, jazz clubs, soap carving, and awkward first dates have in common? Just one thing: Joseph Stalin. In this bombastic, historically-questionable, and unapologetically camp musical, history gets hijacked by glitter, groove, and revolution.

Bios

Austin Olson (Writer/Director/Producer): Austin Olson is a writer, director, and performer who has been working in comedy for over a decade. He studied theater at Western Washington University before moving to NYC to pursue his showbiz dreams. Austin is a member of the sketch team “Oops, My Bad!” and has been involved in award winning and critically recognized productions. He decided to tell this story because he watched the 1997 animated film Anastasia and said “but who else was around”. In his spare time you can find him walking in Central Park or meticulously crafting the perfect text over a series of hours only to send one that is decidedly mid.

James Navan (Stalin’s Father/Composer): James is a pianist, singer, composer and actor who originally hails from Port Charlotte, FL. After touring with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and earning his Masters in jazz piano from Queens College, he decided acting might be fun, which is ultimately what set in motion the chain of events that would lead to him being the composer for "Stalin: The Musical"! This is his first attempt at writing a musical and he's thrilled to have the opportunity to perform it with this amazing cast. 

Megan Geiger (Joseph Stalin): Megan Geiger (any pronouns) is a Brooklyn-based performer and stage manager, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. Recent stage management projects include "Hunger Artist" (New York Theater Festival), "Hadestown: Teen Edition" (PYTC), and "Love Is a Funny Thing" (Peoples Improv Theater). Recent/current performance projects include Joseph Stalin in Stalin the Musical (Peoples Improv Theater), and Peoples' Sketch Revue: Topical (Peoples Improv Theater). They thank you so much for coming, and hope you enjoy this amazing show! 

Logan Reeder (Stalin’s Aide): Logan is an actor, singer, dancer, improviser, writer, and natural blonde based right here in NYC.  She is currently a performer on Lloyd Night at UCB, a co-producer and performer on Okie Dokie, a character show at BCC, and was formerly a cast member on The People's Sketch Revue.  Logan has performed at festivals and theaters across the country, including iO Fest Chicago, San Francisco Sketch Fest, Baltimore Improv Fest, and Arizona Broadway Theater. She received a BFA in Musical Theater and a Minor in Dance from Otterbein University.  She is thrilled to be returning to Aide in STALIN again and would like to thank Austin, James, and the whole cast and crew for giving her the chance to freak like this <3 Instagram: @slo.reeder

Analyse Capodifero (Kato): Analyse (she/her) is thrilled to be a part of this production. Her favorite snack food is cheese (pre-sliced). She did her solo show twice, and it was good, but she will probably write a new one next. She is obsessed with Austin Olson. She would like to thank her friends, family, and therapist for their support. Her insta is @analyse.c 

Kate Jarecki (Stalin’s Mother): Kate is so excited to be back with Stalin (The Musical NOT the person)! Previous credits include THE OFFICE A MUSICAL PARODY (Pam/Erin, Off-Broadway), LIKAH! A PUPPY MUSICAL (Likah, DEEP Arts), THE WIZRAD OF OZ (Dorothy, Syracuse Stage) LEGALLY BLONDE (Pilar, The Alhambra). Co-Creator of BITE Comedy and previous ensemble member of The People's Sketch Revue (2024). Proud Syracuse University Graduate. Host of the podcast "What's That From? Exploring Musicals We Don't Know, But Probably Should" on the Broadway Podcast Network. Project Coordinator at Next Stop Creatives. Thank you to my incredibly supportive friends and family and to everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this musical KILL (again not literally just the musical). @freshginger

Hannah Zeldin (The Nun): Hannah Zeldin (she/her) is from Atlanta, Georgia. B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Indiana University (2023). Recent graduate of the Conservatory program at The Second City NYC. She is so excited to return to the Chain Theatre and continue performing with Stalin the Musical! @hannahzeldin

Mark Melton (Vladimir Lenin): Mark Melton is a writer/performer from Illinois, who has written, directed, and performed in shows at the Chain, The Tank, Second City, The Nubox Theater, Peoples Improv Theater, Brooklyn Comedy Collective, and the Upright Citizens Brigade. @swugmark

Lara Strong (The Historian/Jazz Club Singer): Lara Strong is a New Zealand stage/screen actor and singer based in NYC. Most recently she starred as Sandy in the Off-Broadway smash hit Vape! The Grease Parody. Recent stage credits: Red Bucket Follies 2025 (Broadway), Audrey: The Musical (Off-Broadway), A View From The Bridge (New Zealand), Girls Night Out (short film), WIGS: The Play (The PIT NYC), Broadway’s Future Songbook Series (Lincoln Center), Stalin: The Musical (The PIT NYC). With a love for comedy, Lara regularly performs with her sketch group The Fourth Space and Improv team Surprise! at comedy mainstays around NYC. She is stoked to be back performing her originating role of “Historian/Club Singer” in the wildly hilarious musical that is Stalin! Instagram: @lararosestrong Rep: @resoluteartistsagency

Daniel Skinner (Ensemble/Winston Churchill): Daniel (he/him) is an actor and improviser based in NYC. Select credits: Dmitri (MOTHER RUSSIA), Billy (BIRTHDAY CANDLES), Hamlet (HAMLET), Valentine (ARCADIA). Huge thank you to Austin for bringing him on, and all the love to Catherine, Artie, and his family. Elon BFA Acting. ig: @danieljskinner

Will Cobb (Ensemble/Casino Jack): Will Cobb is over the moon to be joining this zany bunch of socialists! Will just got done sailing and singing around the world and has also been seen in cabarets around New York including the debut concert of Foxbrier Lane.

Michael Parry (Ensemble): Michael's a British software guy who moonlights as an improv comedian and violinist. He's performed and teched in various improv teams and festivals across Europe and doesn't condone the actions of authoritarian strongmen, even if their blackouts killed.

Grace Krick (Ensemble): Grace is an actor and comedian based in NYC. Previous roles include Chelsea in Goodnight, Tyler and Alarm Clock in The Objective Musical. She is very excited to be part of Stalin: The Musical!

Nick Pham (Ensemble): Nick Pham is very excited to return to Stalin the Musical. He mainly does musical improv, but also dabbles in musical theatre. His most recent credit, an original piece titled A Leaf In The Wind, debuted at the Chain Theater last September. He is currently an acting student at Bill Esper studios. 

Grace Gentile (Ensemble): Grace Gentile (she/her) is a proud Connecticut native and holds her BFA in musical theatre from Syracuse University. Regional credits include Hartford Stage, Summer Theatre of New Canaan, Syracuse Stage and Annapolis Shakespeare Company. When not on stage, you can find Grace giving tours at Radio City Music Hall. Endless thanks to her family, friends and the incredible cast and crew of Stalin!

Lila K. Smith (Ensemble): Lila K. Smith is an actor and stand-up based in NYC. Training: Fordham Lincoln Center (B.A. in theater), UCB (sketch, character, stand-up), The Governor’s School (acting conservatory). Credits include: F*cking A, The Robber Bridegroom, Next to Normal, Hand to God. Lila can be seen at various comedy clubs in the city and your mother has probably sent one of her Instagram reels to you (I’m sorry). @lilaksmith 

Claire Wagner (Ensemble): Claire Wagner is an actor and improvisor based in NYC. Training: BA in Theatre, CSU Fullerton; Professional Conservatory, Stella Adler; UCB improv. Select credits: Oleanna (Hollywood Fringe), Indecent (Stella Adler), Twelfth Night (New Stage). Proud member of Fourth Space sketch comedy, Surprise! Improv, and the Limbo Talk Show. She hopes you love this show as much as she does.