Jamie Asch as Marlon Brando ages 47 and 67

Jamie Asch received his BFA in acting from the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign and has worked many years in Chicago Theater. He was a founding member of HealthWorks Theater where he performed, wrote and directed for 9 years and was an original cast member and creator of The Wizard of AIDS. Favorite productions include: Under Milkwood (Barto Productions), The Miser (Immediate Theatre), and Fair Maid of the West (CT20 Ensemble). He has also appeared at Northlight, Center, Greasy Joan, and Writers’ Theatre Chicago. He has not performed for quite a few years, but the opportunity to work with his friend Susan M Felder while playing Marlon Brando was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Robert Ashkenas as Marlon Brando age 80

Rob started his entertainment career when he was just a young boy, serving as a regular on the local kids show from South Florida, "Skipper Chuck". After fumbling around through his teen years he found performing with his original blues/rock band "Vintage Lemmon" was exhilarating and satisfying, but Rob did not stop at singing, writing, and playing lead guitar for the band. He started acting in student films just a few years ago, after he was bitten by the acting bug, his enthusiasm and love for the craft has taken him from those small roles in five minute student films to lead roles in theatre productions of "The Groom's Ghost" a play by Washington Irving in which Rob received the 2005 Dulceart Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as German
"Baron Von Landshort".

Rob also plays a funny but tough Soprano type mobster "Zohara" in the upcoming short film "e." and recently completed a run of "Aladdin" with Davy Jones from the Monkees. Rob is completely ecstatic about working with the cast and crew from "A Love Lost Life".

Ashkenas has said,"This is the ultimate dream job for an actor to portray BRANDO, he's the greatest actor of all time, just to climb into his head and get into his skin for even a minute is an amazing experience, just amazing".

.

David Nathie Barnes as Christian Brando

David got his start in Chicago where he was born and raised. His decision to pursue acting came from a career counselor CD-ROM his mother had pestered him to take for quite some time. The number one occupation recommended by the quiz was theater, so he decided to give it a shot. Within three months David was cast in a commercial for Empire Carpet.

Since then David has done assorted projects including stage work in “Colored Museum” and “Mr. Charles Currently of Palm Beach” in the Orlando Fringe. 2007 proved to be a big year for David with lead roles in two official selections of the Palm Beach International Film Festival. The short film “Anatomia” (also best local short winner in the Miami Underground Film Fest) and”9:04am”. Recently David can be seen on television in commercials for ITT and Panda Kitchens. “A Love Lost Life” is David’s writing debut.

Christian Kain Blackburn as Dag Drollet (Assistant Director)

Christian Kain Blackburn is incredibly happy to be part of this unique look at one of Hollywood's biggest icons. Christian was born and raised in a south suburb of Chicago, and graduated from Loyola University with a degree in theater. Most recently he could have been seen playing Teddy in the joint production of CUBA AND HIS TEDDY BEAR with Urban Theater Company and People's Theater of Chicago. Along with Teddy, a couple of Christian's other favorite roles were playing Constantine in BIG LOVE and Cuneen in THE BLUE HOUR. This is Christian's first time assistant directing, with hopes of many more directing jobs to come. Christian would like to thank Susan and David for the opportunity to help tell this story both on stage and from behind the scenes.

Claudia Di Biccari as Cheyenne Brando

Claudia is honored to be a part of such a talented group of actors. This is her acting debut at the Theatre Building – Chicago. The daughter of an Italian father and Colombian mother, Claudia Di Biccari was born and raised in Greenville, S.C. Having started her acting career by taking classes at Act One Studio in Chicago, Claudia tapped into both theatre and film. Along with acting classes, she has also broadened her capabilities by taking voice lessons and dance classes as well. She has been a theatre performer since landing her first stage role as an ensemble member in the show Grease. Other stage credits include: A Little Night Music (Petra), Curtains (Bambi), Meet Me in St. Louis (Eve), Chess, Evita, The Producers, My Fair Lady, and Annie Get Your Gun. She has worked on film productions such as student films and independent short and feature-length films, as well as industrial films. Feature films include, but are not limited to, Wanted (uncredited), The Color of Blood (Joanna), The One True Thing (Sophia), and Beneath the Horizon (Vicky). Television credits include a Budweiser commercial and a dancer on “Oprah’s 24th Season Kickoff Party” episode. For more information on Claudia’s work, visit www.ClaudiaDiBiccari.com. Many thanks go out to David Nathie Barnes and Susan Felder for this wonderful opportunity, and to her friends and family for their love and support, especially Michael Romer, without whom none of this would be possible.

Beau Forbes as James Dean

Beau Forbes has been living and working in Chicago for roughly a year and a half now. In that time he has worked with Hobo Junction (Bad Guys in Suits), Hangar 9 Theater company (Boys Life and Hesperia) and Promethean Theatre Ensemble (The Last Unicorn). Previous to Chicago Beau spent two wonderful years touring with Theatre IV of Richmond, VA (I Have A Dream, A Christmas Carol, and Sleepy Hollow). In-between Beau also spent two wonderful summers in Manteo, NC (The Lost Colony). Beau is a graduate of Southern Illinois University with many happy memories there and several pretty good shows (The Highwayman, Copernicus Rising, Our Town). Beau is extremely happy to be given the chance to play James Dean, one of his longtime idols, and is grateful to be part of bringing Marlon Brando's story to life.

Michael Perez as Marlon Brando ages 25 & 30

Michael is elated to be working with Susan Felder again and on such a great new project. Locally he has appeared in A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre, Arms And The Man at Oak Park Festival Theatre (Jeff Recommended) and just recently understudied the remount of These Shining Lives at Rivendell Theatre. Other credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream and Richard III at Riverside Theatre's Shakespeare Festival, Alls Well That Ends Well and Macbeth at Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, and a bucketful of small roles and understudy assignments in eight productions at American Players Theatre. Michael was an apprentice at APT and interned at APT and Milwaukee Rep before making the move to Chicago in 2007. Many thanks for your support - Enjoy the show!

Mike Tepeli as Jay Kanter (Marlon's agent)

Mike is a recent theatre school graduate of Illinois State University. Chicago credits include HORRIBLE at The Apollo Theatre Studio and Garden of The Three at Gorilla Tango Theatre. This summer, he had the privlege of performing a bootleg version of Trolius and Cressida, in which the entire show was staged and performed in 24 hours, at the Folgers Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. He was also a member of the college improv troupe Improv Mafia, which was ranked best in the nation by the Chicago Improv Festival. Thanks to his family, Patrick O'Gara, and Franklin.

Audra Yokley as Marilyn Monroe

Audra is thrilled to portray Marilyn Monroe, a woman that has fascinated her for many years. Originally from Huntsville, AL, Audra has appeared all over the eastern United States in various tours and regional theatres. She most recently appeared in Nightmares on Lincoln Ave. for Chicago's Corn Productions. Favorite past roles include Mayella in To Kill a Mockingbird, Hopkins in Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror, Elizabeth Cady Stanton in Vote!, and Sheila in The Boys Next Door. Audra has a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Susan Felder (Director)

M.F.A., George Washington University - Academy for Classical Acting
B.S.,Eastern Michigan University

Susan Felder has been a professional actor, director and educator for over 20 years. She has taught theatre with a focus on Shakespeare and Movement at Montana State University; Northwestern University and Loyola University Chicago. With a masters in Shakespeare studies, she has conducted hundreds of workshops for high schools, colleges and theatres across the country. Classes taught at Loyola include Seminar in Acting I and II, Mask and Movement, Characterization I, and Introduction to Theatre. She has directed 3 plays for the Platform Staged Reading Series at Loyola and acted as Styles Coach for LEARNED LADIES. She directed WAITING FOR GODOT for the Loyola mainstage and THE BLUE HOUR in the studio.

Recent Chicago directing credits include THE QUIET MAN TALES at The Chicago Theatre and several one acts for the Steppenwolf one act festival in association with Northwestern University and Remy Bumppo. Ms. Felder has directed MACBETH, THE TEMPEST, A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM, JULIUS CEASAR, and ROMEO AND JULIET for Montana Shakespeare. She has acted as verse coach for numerous Shakespeare productions around the country. Selections from her musical WAKING EDEN were chosen to be performed at the Royal George for Chicago Musical Theatre Works. Her current works, JERICHO, TEMPLE SPIRIT and TANGO SOLITAIRE are making the rounds of play competitions across the country.

Chicago acting credits include A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Goodman Theatre, THIRD at Apple Tree Theatre, SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER and THE GAMESTER for Northlight, THE LARAMIE PROJECT (Jeff and After Dark Awards) at Next Theatre; ROMEO AND JULIET and MACBETH (Ladies Macbeth and MacDuff) for Chicago Shakespeare, work at Court Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Theatre at the Center and Writer's Theatre. She has also performed in numerous live industrials for Jack Morton Productions. Regional credits include Josie in MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN at Orlando Shakespeare; the American premiere of MOTHER'S DAY at The Boarshead Theatre (Thespie award - best supporting acress); Milwaukee Shakespeare, a season at Penninsula Players, a season at the Detroit's Attic Theatre where she played the title role in ANTIGONE and various regional theatres around the country. Montana was a second home for 10 years when she acted and directed at Montana Shakespeare, playing Paulina (WINTER'S TALE), Puck (MIDSUMMER), Adriana (COMEDY OF ERRORS) and Lady Macbeth among others. Ms. Felder is a member of Actor's Equity.

Brandon Pape (Stage Manager & Production Manager)

Brandon is delighted to once again be working with Susan Felder, and to be exploring a new discipline within the theatre world. Most of the time, Brandon works as a director, designer, and actor in the city. He is the founding Artistic Director of the Verge Theatre Company, whose upcoming projects include John Osborne's LOOK BACK IN ANGER and an original piece called MAKE ME LOVE YOU: AN EVOLUTION OF LOVE. Next up, Brandon will be directing LAST FIVE YEARS for Dubuque Art Theatre in Dubuque, Iowa. Brandon is a Drama League Directing Fellow and a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.

Steven Jacobs (Script Consultant)

Born in a small town in Pennsylvania, Steven moved to South Florida at the age of 19 with few attachments and very little money. His first feature length screenplay was written on an old word processor with a 2" screen in 1996 with a friend. His resources were very limited but that experience, however, was the catalyst for everything he has done since.

Ten years and many screenplays later, Steven was working on his feature directorial debut "e." in early 2006. He went on to write and direct "Anatomia", which won Best Local Short at the 2007 Miami Underground Film Festival and was later an official selection of the Palm Beach Film Festival. In his spare time, he has worked as Director of Photography and as a consultant on several local movie projects. Steven is considered to be a rising star in the independent film community.

"Anatomia is probably the sexiest silent film ever made."

--BadLit.com: The Journal of Underground Film