1. The play must be titled THE PICKLE JAR.

  2. The play must utilize the actors below.

  3. The play must contain the death of at least one character.

  4. A natural disaster or weather event must occur.

  5. At least one character must sing.

  6. At least one character must have an important dream.

  7. Each play must include the line- “Get that freaking thing away from me before I light it on fire.”

the PROMPTS

Tickets

The Pickle Jar: Actors

  • Carrie Collier

    Carrie performed in the 2025 Laugh United fundraiser, and in An Evening of Macabre Theater, both with Room 131 Productions. She also performs semi-regularly with her CA Improv troupe, "Controlled Chaos". She appeared in MT Rep’s "Hipstrip Hijinx", as well as Dance Nation and Eelpout, part of The Rep’s First Reads Series. She has performed in plays and short films in San Francisco and Los Angeles. She trained at P.C.P.A., CSU Chico, The Groundlings, and Second City in L.A. 

  • Carmen Corona

    Carmen Corona is honored to say she’s been a part of the Missoula theater scene for the last 30 years (even though that makes her sound kind of old). She has had the pleasure of working alongside incredible folks in The Montana Repertory Theater, The Young Rep, The Missoula Colony, Red Headed Angel Productions, The Montana Players, and more. She would like to thank the Missoula community for continuing to show up and support the arts.

  • Rick Martino

    Rick Martino has worked as an actor for over 40 years in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and here in Missoula touring with The Montana Rep, Montana Rep Missoula, The Missoula Colony, Red Headed Angel Productions, and Broadway in the Rockies.

  • Jeff Medley

    Jeff was traumatized by nearly having to perform in a gifted program production of MacBeth as a child. He overcame lifelong stage fright in his mid 30s when he saw an audition poster for MCT's 2008 production of Jesus Christ Superstar. He became the aggressive leper. He later made his screen debut yelling at children in Winter in the Blood. Since then, he's been in some talking dog movies, died violent deaths in other films without talking dogs, and just loves pretending. IMDB

    photo: Leland Buck

  • Bridget Smith

    Bridget Smith grew up in Missoula, MT, which will be her forever home. She is a Hellgate High School alumni and holds two degrees from the University of Montana, including a BFA in Acting. Bridget is passionate about using theatre for positive change, bringing joy and raising awareness through the arts. Bridget is dedicated to creating meaningful experiences and building community through performance. 

  • Anne-Marie Williams

    Anne-Marie is thrilled to be on the stage with Room 131 Productions, supporting local talent and live theatre. The gift of the collaborating process and performance are what continuously bring Anne-Marie back to the stage. And if there is laughter in the process, even better. Anne-Marie has appeared on stage over the years with MCT, Teresa Waldorf Productions, and Room 131 Productions. Her greatest joy is the love and support from her family.

THE PICKLE JAR: PLAYWRIGHTS

  • Rosie Seitz Ayers

    Rosie Seitz Ayers found her passion for theatre early and grew up on stage at Grandstreet Theater in Helena. She earned her BFA in Theatre and  MA in Integrated Arts in Education here in Missoula where she has been raising her children with her partner, Michael, for over 25 years. Rosie also has an abundance of experience in acting, directing, producing, and teaching theatre. She is truly grateful to have so many friends and collaborators in the Missoula Theatre community. 

  • Color photo of playwright Rita Barkey in black sweater, smiling

    Rita Barkey

    A nationally-produced playwright, Rita Barkey’s latest work includes BUTCHER SHOP, staged here at last year’s An Evening of Macabre Theatre. An excerpt from her latest work-in-progress, UNDERPAINTING, was recently read at the iPlay Festival in the Roxy Garden. Find out more about Rita and her plays at ritabarkey.com.

  • Cathy Capps

    Cathy Capps has been a member of the Zoola Playwrights for 18 years. She has been an eager featured writer in the Colony (Dirty Old Ladies Show, Chicken Kiss, numerous Play Slams), Room 131 Productions, and the Zoola Shorts Fests. She has enjoyed being in numerous MCT shows, and has served on the boards of MCT, the Montana Rep, the UM CAM Advisory Committee, MSO, and other arts organizations locally for 3 decades.

  • Shaun Gant

    Shaun Gant is a poet and playwright who lives and teaches in Missoula. She writes plays and books, collaborates with visual artists, sings in bands, produces plays, wrangles 3rd Ear Productions, and composes poems on demand. By day she's a librarian.

  • Larry Garde

    Larry Garde: One time hippie, one time U.S. Navy lieutenant, life-long anti-authoritarian, Larry made his living for many years as a Certified Safety Professional. Although he once wrote many an audio skit for public radio, he is new to writing plays. Larry is perhaps best known to Missoulians for his long tenure as music host on KUFM (...and for being Annie Garde’s brother.) He is grateful and tickled to be included in another Room 131 production.

  • Leah Joki

    Leah Joki is an actor, writer, director and the Artistic Director of NO JOKETHEATER. She is a graduate of the UM and the Juilliard School of Drama. Her one-woman show, Prison Boxing, was nominated for Best Solo performance in Los Angeles, and was most recently performed at the Denver Fringe Festival and in Thailand. Her memoir is titled, Juilliard to Jail. Learn more at: leahjoki.com or nojoketheater.com.

  • Jay Kettering

    Jay’s stage and audio plays have been produced by Montana Repertory Theatre’s Educational Outreach Tour and Montana Public Radio. In the fall of 2024, the Orphan Girl Children’s Theatre in Butte, Montana produced The Girl with the Ivory Ankle: A Montana Musical (book: Jay Kettering; lyrics: Gwen McKenna; music: Fred Crase). Jay is thrilled to be included in another Room 131 project! More info at jaykettering.com.

  • Tod McCoy

    Tod McCoy is a playwright, poet, and fiction writer whose work has appeared in Asimov’s, Heartbeat of the Universe, Felix Futura, and Hummingbird Magazine, among others. His theatre work has been produced in Missoula, Portland, Seattle, Tempe, and Vancouver, BC. He graduated from Arizona State University, and is an alum and board member of the Clarion West Writers Workshop. He lives outside of Missoula, Montana, with his artist-witch wife, a goblin child, and some animal familiars.

  • Joan Carol Melcher

    Joan Carol Melcher has written more than a dozen screenplays and plays. Staged readings of her work have been held in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Helena and Missoula. Productions include I, Mary MacLane in Butte, Froze to Death Creek in Helena, and The Dog Confessor at the ZACC. She is delighted that her work is included here.

  • Tyler Potter

    Tyler Potter Lives and breathes in Missoula, Montana, using writing to explore themes of disassociation, alienation, meaning, and contradiction in the spoken word. He is a family man, concerned citizen, and a man of god.

  • Shannon Sivertsen

    Shannon Sivertsen’s plays Stranger Roads, Soul Location, Pieces of Stupidity, and There’s a Finnish Word for That, have been performed by the Missoula Colony and Room 131 Productions. Her monologue Bastet Bound and a short audio play Crusades were both produced by the Montana Repertory Theater. She performed a one night only solo-performance Familial Tremors. Shannon is grateful to be supported by her husband, two sons, and the generous performing arts community of Missoula, Montana.

  • Teresa Waldorf

    Teresa Waldorf is an actress, director and producer of local plays and comedy shows.  Whereas she typically writes her own stand-up comedy routines and sketch comedy, she’s delighted to have her ten minute play chosen for this adventure. She wants to thank her Midwest relatives for their inspiration and she has lived through many a tornado warning.