Thank you for clicking on Merrie.

Here are some facts about her. They are not necessarily “fun.”

• Born in NY
• Earned a Cum Laude BFA degree in Theater Acting/Directing from the University of Arizona
• Apparently doesn’t “look Portuguese”
• Favorite roles include Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Ruth in Invasion of the Minnesota Normals (2006 Top Five Female Performances, NewCity Chicago), Germaine in Picasso at the Lapin Agile (outstanding ensemble award, Windy City Times), Susan in Poseidon! and Camille Paglia in the original cast of The Birds.
• The real Camille Paglia called Merrie’s performance “impressively well-done,” her “uber-self in full flower.”
• Only auditioned for her first David Cerda show because the rehearsal/performance space was a block from her apartment. Right after being cast in the show, Merrie only got to visit this nearby space twice. It was torn down after two rehearsals.
• Shared a FringeNYC Best Ensemble Excellence Award for Handbag’s Poseidon!.
• Ensemble Member since Handbag’s inception
• 1st female host and director of the sketch show/institution Comedy Corner
• Very fond of Handbag’s members and extended community, considering them family. (As in every family, some of them are complete loons not to be trusted with butter knives)
• Has performed with/for/at Northlight Theater, Live Bait, WNEP Theater (company member), Arizona Repertory Theater, Schadenfruede (at the Goodman Theater), Collaboraction, New Leaf, Dick O’Day/Annoyance Productions, Scottsdale Conservatory Theater, et al.
• The New York Times called her Last Two Minutes of the Complete Works of Henrik Ibsen roles “especially satisfying,” adding, “Would Ibsen approve? I think he would.”
• Writes and performs solo pieces and short works for venues as varied as the NeoFuturists and Mortified
• Once fractured her vertebrae doing a Handbag show’s stunt, and brings it up whenever they ask her to sweep.
• Did the voice and motion-capture for Dr. Kimiko Jones in the video game Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy. (Merrie is not that Asian in real life.)
• Lives in sin with her boyfriend. He has yet to figure out Merrie is occasionally a complete loon.

Handbag Productions
Poseidon! An Upside Down Musical!
How ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane’ Happened
Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer
FaLaLa This
Scarrie, the Musical
Summer Camp
The Birds
Die! Mommy! Die!