Welcome to Who’s Afraid of Whiskey Theatre Factory?

A spooky cabaret fundraiser just in time for Halloween!

Donate Here!

Meet Your Hosts

Katie Thayer

Katie Thayer is an actor, improviser, and playwright living in Central Florida. She received her BFA in Theatre from UCF with a minor in Creative Writing. As a Playwright, many of her works have been performed by Playwrights Round Table and at the Orlando Fringe. Her 10 Minute play, Graceland, can be found in The Best Ten- Minute Plays 2014.
Charis Watler

Charis Watler is an Orlando based director, actor, and producer and the Artistic Director of Whiskey Theatre Factory. She has directed for many theatre companies in Orlando, including the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, Orlando Fringe, and WTF. She also fills many roles with Central Florida Community Arts Youth, including teaching artist, stage manager, and director. She is passionate about producing new plays, uplifting minority voices and seeks to produce art that holds meaning for her (whatever that may be!). Charis feels so blessed to be creating live theatre in such a supportive environment and cannot wait to see what her future with WTF holds.
Arius West

ARIUS WEST graduated from the University of Central Florida with his bachelor’s in Theatre, Education, & Stage Combat. He is a performer, teaching artist, and director around the greater Central Florida area. He has worked on productions and projects at The Orlando REP, The Renaissance Theatre Company, CFCArts, ArtReach Orlando, Michelee Puppets, and even SeaWorld & Disney with students K-12 and adults up to 65+. In addition, Arius is a Co-Founder of MAC Boys Entertainment whose main prerogative is to increase black talent on stage and black people in the audience, and to entertain the community with stories FOR us BY us because we are more than our pain and trauma. In the near future, the company will help tell all BIPOC stories.
Some of his most notable works are An Octoroon as BJJ/George/M’Closky, Lenox Ave as a Principal Performer, Aida as Choreographer, Theatre Explorers as a Lead Teaching Artist, and The Colored Museum as a Director.

Meet tonight’s Performers!

(In order of appearance)

Hunter Rogers is thrilled to be bearing it all tonight on behalf of Whiskey Theatre Factory’s production of Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf! Hunter is a writer and actor performing in Central Florida since 2022. He has appeared in productions such as The Inheritance (Ensemble Company) , Sordid Lives (Encore Performing Arts), Noises Off (Athen’s Theatre) and Its Alive: A Monster Burlesque Comedy (Speakeasy Sirens). Early this year Hunter was honored by Watermark voters with a Wave Award for Favorite Local Breakout Performer of 2024.

Komal Patel started her acting journey in 2020 with Truthful Acting Studios in Orlando, FL. She is grateful to have been a part of 8 plays and 20+ films, and for having had the opportunity to work with so many talented artists throughout her career. This will, however, be her first time writing an original piece! In her free time, she is learning guitar, and most recently, Muay Thai. She wants to thank her mentors, Marco DiGeorge and Robb Maus, for inspiring her love for the art and her friends and family for all their support.

Bruce Ryan Costella (he/they) is an award-winning multi-hyphenate theatermaker who has been staging original work for almost a decade. They have toured across the U.S. and Canada with their work, garnering critical praise and accolades in their travels. He will be performing his queer horror storytelling show Spooky & Gay in Edinburgh, Scotland this Halloween as a part of the Edinburgh Horror Festival. A lifelong resident of Orlando, FL, Costella is interested in exploring the boundaries of the solo performance form as well as discovering ways to queer existing histories through art. For all performance and workshop updates, follow @brcostella / bruceryancostella.com!

Liz Bernstein (she/her/hers) is a training facilitator and career coach located in Central Florida. Her first loves, however, are acting, singing, performing, and creative writing. In pursuit of these loves, Liz studied theatre arts, creative writing, and psychology at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL. She has always loved thinking deeply about what makes us human and finding ways to help people reach their ultimate goals. While attending the University of Central Florida for a master's degree in Mental Health Counseling, Liz continued performing with the collegiate a cappella group, Gemini Blvd. Since then, she has had the pleasure to perform with Orlando Cringe, Phoenix Tears Productions, Whiskey Theatre Factory, the Fragmented Festival, and Central Florida Community Arts, for staged readings and play workshops. Liz is passionate about telling meaningful stories and connecting with other people through art. She is overjoyed to be a part of WTF to help coordinate future productions and help all voices be heard.

The Mr. Mistress Soul Erotic is a multi-award winning burlesque dancer since 2017. After earning the moniker 'Magical Pixie Whore of Burlesque' they started the SIRotic Collective of Masc and Masc presenting performers. So open your Mindy, body, and sexuality because with Soul the thought is Erotic.