Carol Townsend Fan Site

Are You Being Served?

2009-11-10T14:45:00.005-06:00

Greetings Fans!

As we head into the holiday season, Carol is starting rehearsal for a new show. Carol has been cast as Mrs. Slocombe in Are You Being Served? with the Elgin Theatre Company. You may recognize the title as a British sitcom from the 1970s. The play is a British farce, and takes place in the fictional Grace Brothers Department Store, and Mrs. Slocombe is the head of the Ladies Separates & Underwear department.

It will be worth the price of admission just to see Carol with purple hair! The show will be at the Kimball Street Theater in the Rider Center of Elgin Academy, in Elgin. Show dates are January 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23; Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm.

Tickets are $15 for adults or $12 for children and seniors. You can purchase tickets online here.

Table and Chairs 2009

2009-10-12T13:30:00.005-05:00

Greetings Fans!

After a six month absence from the stage, Carol has been cast in the upcoming third annual Table and Chairs Festival, hosted by n.u.f.a.n. ensemble.

Table and Chairs consists of ten one-act plays which use a table and chairs as the only set pieces. Carol will appear in one of the ten plays entitled Roles for Breakfast. The show is for two nights only: Tuesday, October 20th and Wednesday, October 21st, 8:00pm. at the City Lit Theatre, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr in Chicago.

Tickets are only $10-- that's only $1 per play!! Where else can you receive so much entertainment for so little? Tickets can be reserved here. See you there!

Crossing The Lake

2009-10-01T23:17:00.007-05:00

Carol adds another film to her dramatic oeuvre with an appearance in Crossing the Lake, an independent film by the Caledonia Night Sky Co. Carol plays Debbie, the sickly over-protective mother of the main character, Patrick. Carol's scenes were filmed in Rockford this past weekend.

Here are some production photos from the initial read through and Carol's bedroom scene (get your mind out of the gutter).

Crossing the Lake is scheduled to premiere in Spring 2010. You can follow them on Facebook here.

Tales Tombstones Tell

2009-09-29T16:57:00.002-05:00

Greetings Dear Fans,

Have you ever had the urge to just take a stroll through a local graveyard? Have you ever wordlessly wandered through a cemetery and winsomely wondered who might be buried there? Have you ever wished there might be an experienced costumed interpreter at your local cemetery, ready to regale you with tales of the entombed?

Wish and wonder no more, gentle reader... your wish has been granted!

This Friday evening, you can experience all of the above at the 20th annual Tales Tombstones Tell, at the Oakwood Cemetery in West Chicago. Our own Carol Townsend will be among the costumed interpreters ready to educate and entertain you to death!

The cemetery is located at the Northeast corner of Oakwood and York Avenues in West Chicago:

View Larger Map

As described in the West Chicago Community Newsletter (PDF link):

Mark your calendars for the 20th annual Tales Tombstones Tell program presented by the West Chicago City Museum on Friday, October 2, 2009 at Oakwood Cemetery. Enjoy an evening stroll, with lanterns and luminaria lighting the paths through West Chicago’s oldest cemetery. Costumed interpreters will reveal the life stories of selected former residents buried in Oakwood. Tours begin at 6:30 p.m. and start off thereafter every 10 minutes, with the last tour starting at 7:45 p.m. Tours last about 45 minutes, and no reservations are necessary. The program is appropriate for families, is based on historical fact and does not contain ghost stories. Although the program is free, donations are encouraged. In case of inclement weather, the program will be cancelled. The Museum is looking for folks who have attended all previous 19 years of Tales Tombstones Tell programs. Please contact the Museum at (630) 231-3376 or email museum@westchicago.org.

Story Time

2009-08-13T10:43:00.006-05:00

Gather 'round boys and girls... it's time for a story!

Are your kids tired of the pre-packaged and saccharin entertainment of Spongebob and Blues Clues? Wouldn't you love to have a live group of professional actors come and entertain them for hours? Carol entralls children of all ages (or at least grades 3-6) with exciting and educational stories from The Mystery Shop. You can view more photos of the children's show here.

If you're in need of some high-energy children's entertainment, why not give the Mystery Shop a call? Be sure to ask for Carol by name, and you can get $20 off by clicking here.

You can contact the Mystery Shop at (630) 690-1105 or e-mail them at tms@TheMysteryShop.com.

I've Got a Fever

2009-08-10T15:06:00.005-05:00

Carol shifts her focus from economic stimulus to healthcare as she dons her lab coat to appear as a model pharmacist in some internal corporate brochures for Walgreens. Now that's health care reform I can get behind! Keep watching the blog for samples of the photos once we get them.

Providing Economic Stimulus

2009-08-09T19:01:00.004-05:00

Welcome Fans!

We all know that businesses have been hurting due to the ongoing economic downturn. Amidst bankruptcies, buyouts and bailouts, one bank in particular may be buoyed by that special something that Carol brings to the table. This past week, Carol returned to her acting roots and worked as an extra in a commercial for Harris Bank, which filmed at the United Center. While not the focus of attention, look for Carol's subtle, yet palpable presence in the skybox while Benny the Bull does his thing. No word yet on when or where the commercial may be aired, but you can be sure we will mention when it does.

In other news, Carol has been cast in an upcoming independent film titled Crossing the Lake, by The Caledonia Night Sky Co. Stay tuned for more details as they develop.

Hot For Teacher

2009-07-15T18:38:00.003-05:00

Greetings Fans!

I hope your summer is passing slower than it seems to be for me!

Carol has been taking some time off from theater and film in favor of honing her craft (taking some classes) and "playing doctor" (or more accurately, playing patient), working at Kaplan Medical as a standardized patient. But, that doesn't mean we have nothing to mention here!

Several months ago, Carol worked on a Northwestern University student film called Andante. We had the pleasure of seeing the movie screened a few weeks ago, and really enjoyed it. The film was written and directed by Thor Rudebeck, and stars Joe Sinopoli, Drigan Lee, Nick Gertonson, Hannah Greene, Tracey Cook and of course, Carol. You can view the film trailer here.

You can view Carol's performance as the school teacher, Mrs. Zillmer, right here:

Miss Ohio Wins Big in Hollywood!

2009-06-16T22:40:00.004-05:00

Greetings Fans!
As blogged last month, Miss Ohio was screened at the Dances With Films festival in Hollywood earlier this month. I am pleased to report that Miss Ohio was awarded top honors in the Features category, the Grand Jury Award!! You can read about it on their web site here.

Samantha Simon and Gregory Fitzsimmons accept the Grand Jury Award

at Dances With Films 2009. Photo courtesy of Samantha Simon.

Miss Ohio was written and directed by Gregory Fitzsimmons, and produced by Gregory Fitzsimmons and James Francis Flynn. Accepting the award at the Dances With Films festival were Gregory Fitzsimmons, and lead actress Samantha Simon (Carol Townsend was regrettably unavailable).

Congratulations to all who were involved in Miss Ohio!!

Miss Ohio Goes to LA

2009-05-15T00:23:00.006-05:00

Hello Fans!

I know, it has been weeks since we had any news. After doing two plays back-to-back, Carol has been taking it easy and relaxing, and news has been slow. Aside from working for Kaplan Medical as a standardized patient, and the occasional Olay promotion, Carol has been living the life of leisure!

Carol Townsend (left) and Samantha Simon, in Miss Ohio

That said, here is some news about one of Carol's past works. The independent film, Miss Ohio, is being screened in LA at the Dances With Films Festival. The screening is at the Sunset 5 Theatre in West Hollywood on June 8th, at 7:15pm. Get your tickets now!

Who's the hot blonde?

2009-04-05T20:38:00.003-05:00

Marla Gusler (as Minnie Swisher) and Carol (as Sissy Brockman)

Tales From Darkest Suburbia at Riverfront Playhouse is half-way through its run. If you have not seen the show yet, you only have until April 25th (but don't forget-- Carol will not be appearing on Aopril 17/18). The show was mentioned in the online Beacon News. Carol appears above (fans will recognize the "Babs" wig, from Prison Break as shown here) as Sissy Brockman, in a tale entitled: "The Rubbing".

I will be at the show on April 24. If you would like to join, just let me know! You can reserve tickets by calling the theater at (630) 897-9496.

Tales From Darkest Suburbia

2009-03-18T17:34:00.002-05:00

Greetings Fans!
Having just finished Key For Two at the Riverfront Playhouse, Carol is once again back in Aurora, appearing in their next production, Tales From Darkest Suburbia, by Edward Crosby Wells.

This show is... "a black comedy constructed in seven interconnected tales that explore the typical quirks associated with American Suburbia—murder, adultery, blackmail, kidnapping, cutthroat art critics, dismemberment, devious financial advisers, cannibalism, back-stabbing divas, flesh eating perfume, Tallulah Bankhead and the nature of reality." (excerpted from the playwright's Myspace page)

Carol appears in the opening tale and plays Sissie Brockman, whom Carol describes as "a little bit Clairee, a little bit Blanche Devereaux, and a whole lot Theodore Bagwell." I will leave it to you, gentle reader, to determine what that means.

Beware, the understudy! For the weekend of April 17-18, Carol and I will be out of town (heading down south for our annual Thunder Over Louisville trip), so Carol will not be on stage for those performances. While I am certain her understudy will do a fabulous job, if your intent is to see Carol, you will want to avoid the April 17 and 18 shows.

Tales From Darkest Suburbia opens at the Riverfront Playhouse in Aurora this Friday, March 20 and runs through Saturday April 25. Shows are Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors/students. You can reserve tickets by calling the box office at (630) 897-9496. See you at the show!

The Vision World Premiere

2009-03-15T16:11:00.003-05:00

It has been a busy week for Carol, with the screening of Miss Ohio earlier this week, and the World Premiere of The Vision on Friday the 13th at the historic Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, IL! The Vision is an independent film by Robert Alaniz, shot entirely in the southwest Chicago suburbs.

"When an over ambitious reporter stirs up an old controversy surrounding a series of unsolved murders, a clairvoyant teenage girl and her friends enlist the help of a college professor with a plan to expose the identity of the killer, when it is believed that the young girl's reoccurring vision of the future may be the murder of the professor. "

The Vision Trailer

As reported here, Carol worked on The Vision back in March 2008. Carol plays Katherine Morrissey, editor of the local paper where the ambitious reports works. Two movie premiers in one week, and a new stage show opening next week! Stay tuned for those details...

Miss Ohio Screening

2009-03-12T21:53:00.005-05:00

Greetings Fans!
As reported here back in August last year, Carol had a part in an independent film called Miss Ohio. We went to the screening last night at Northwestern, hosted by Studio 22, and it was excellent!

"After her young marriage falls apart, Natalie (played by Samantha Simon), a passive twentysomething living in New York City, follows the pull of mass media in search of a new life in Chicago. She embarks on a spree of sexual and chemical exploration, but happiness continues to elude her. Natalie widens her search, turning to a local church, hoping that the comfort of God will provide her with stability. Under the safety of religion, Natalie is forced to think outside of herself and take an active part in her life. It is here that she finds her path to self discovery, free from societal influence, ready to see the world for the first time."

After her divorce in New York City, Natalie returns to her home in Ohio. Carol plays Natalie's mother, Janet, who tries to give her some advice about finding God. Here is a clip from Miss Ohio:

Miss Ohio was written, directed and produced by Gregory Fitzsimmons.

Gregory also works on Dancing with the Stars, on which Carol also aspires to be a contestant someday. Be sure to vote for her!

A New Record!

2009-02-23T13:26:00.017-06:00

Greetings Fans!
As reported last week, Carol (and I) made our last appearance in The Beast last Thursday night. After reviewing the scene even more closely, we found three more shots with Carol visible! This brings the total Carol sightings to nine in this single scene, and ten for the episode. This marks a new record! Six sightings was the record for a single episode, previously held by Prison Break, season 1 episode 22, where we can see Carol (as "Babs") six times during the scene. Prison Break, season 1 episode 16 still holds the record for number of appearances as different characters. We see Carol as a prosecuting attorney, a commuter on the L platform, and a restaurant patron.

In this episode of the Beast, Carol is a whirlwind of activity, as you'll see by the time line below:

At 8:26, we see Travis entering via the revolving door, and Carol standing outside talking with a co-worker.

At 8:29, Travis is inside, and Carol is still standing outside talking with a co-worker.

At 8:39 (several minutes later in episode time), Travis is standing in line while the hot receptionist enters and gives him the stink-eye, and Carol is still standing outside talking with a co-worker.

At 9:28, the hot receptionist sends Travis off to fill-out a form, and Carol is still standing outside talking with a co-worker.

After the commercial break, at 9:39 (and later in the day, episode time) Travis is handing in his completed form, and Carol is now standing in the lobby, chatting with a co-worker. Glad she finally made it inside!

At 9:51, while Travis is still talking with the receptionist, Carol now enters behind the reception desk crosses right to left. Maybe she had to go to the restroom?

At 10:38, Carol is seen starting to enter behind the receptionist, now crossing left to right. Back from the restroom?

At 10:39, we get a wider view of Carol walking left to right behind the reception desk.

At 10:45, as Travis turns to leave, we see Carol again, now standing in the lobby talking with Mark. She must have really hurried back to finish that conversation after just running to the restroom. She doesn't even look winded!

Finally, at 22:58 (the next day in episode time) we see Carol walking down a hall as Travis talks on the phone.

Final Appearances on The Beast

2009-02-20T22:21:00.014-06:00

Yesterdays episode of The Beast on A&E marked the final appearance of Carol (and me!) on this series. First, when Travis goes undercover to apply for a job at Emerson Security, Carol can be seen standing outside the revolving door chatting with a co-worker.

Later, as Travis is rebuffed by the hot receptionist, you can see me stroll across the lobby, and then both Carol and I can be seen standing and chatting behind Travis.

The next day, Carol can be spotted walking down the windowed corridor as Travis chats on his phone.

Thus ends another exciting string of Carol (and Mark) sightings. Unfortunately, we don't have any further television or movie appearances lined-up, so in order to get your fix of seeing Carol perform, you MUST come and see Key For Two at the Riverfront Playhouse in Aurora! Only THREE shows remain! You do not want to miss this opportunity!

Contemplating The Bean

2009-02-16T13:21:00.004-06:00

Greetings Fans!
Carol's TV appearances continue as she could be seen once again in The Beast. In the beginning of episode 4, Carol can be seen contemplating The Bean (or Cloud Gate, if you prefer), as the woman with a backpack runs through while talking on a cell phone.

Carol (left) contemplates her reflection in The Bean.

A few seconds later, she can be glimpsed again (although only barely) as Travis rides through on his stolen bicycle. Interestingly, you can also see her reflection overhead, fun house-style.

As both the backpacked woman and Travis leave the scene, you can glimpse Carol's disembodied head at the bottom of the screen, and distorted reflection above. Next week in episode 6 of The Beast, and both Carol and I (and my car) may make appearances. Stay tuned!

If you haven't seen Key For Two yet, you only have four more chances! Why not bring your sweetheart to see a hilarious show about infidelity to make up for the lame Valentine's Day gift you got them? Don't miss out!

Carol's Return to TV

2009-01-31T18:02:00.005-06:00

Greetings Fans,
As I reported back in August, Carol had worked background on several episodes of The Beast, the new A&E drama starring Patrick Swayze. The Beast airs on Thursday nights at 9pm on A&E, and last Thursday was episode three which marks Carol's return to television!

Not since season one of Prison Break have we seen Carol's face on TV (and truth be told, we can't really see her face this time either). In this episode, we spotted Carol in two different scenes. The first is at 11:31 into the episode, Carol and a friend are walking past the door just as Patrick enters a Romanian bar. Carol is backlit and her face is in shadow, but we are certain that is her on the left. She walks out of frame just as Patrick enters the bar.

Carol (left) and a friend in the Romanian bar

Later in the episode, at 36:34, we see Carol (and the same friend-- they really get around) walking down a sidewalk. We see her twice in this scene, through the windshield in the shots with Nadia looking out the window. Carol is wearing her fabulous purple raincoat, which was unusual for background wardrobe.

Carol in purple raincoat, stumbling home from the Romanian bar

We can look for Carol again in next week's episode. She is reportedly in a scene near "The Bean", and possibly walking outside the Cultural Center. Later this season, in episode seven, you can look for both Carol and I, and my car. Stay tuned for details...

Key For Two - Opening Night!

2009-01-23T08:51:00.004-06:00

Greetings Fans!
Tonight is opening night for Key For Two at the Riverfront Playhouse. I had the pleasure of seeing the show last night at their final rehearsal, and I thought it was excellent! As with all British farces, the show is an escalating stream of fast-paced and hilariously embarrassing situations. In a change from her previous two roles, Carol plays the straight part (get it?) in this show.

If you suffer from schadenfreude and are in need of a few laughs (and in this economy, who isn't!), then this is the show for you! If you are a philanderer and are in need of new material, this is the show for you! If you enjoy seeing women in various stages of undress, this is definitely the show for you! If you're a depressed social misfit who hates comedy, an uptight repressed vegan with an aversion to fur, or a prude... then perhaps you should just stay home.

Tickets for KEY FOR TWO are $15 for adults, and $12 for students and seniors. Some of the subject matter may be considered inappropriate for children, so The Riverfront would like to discourage anyone under the age of 12. Reservations are available by calling the playhouse at (630) 897-9496.

See you at the show!

Key ... Not Tea

2009-01-19T21:19:00.001-06:00

... Press Release, as posted on the Riverfront Playhouse web site ...

The Riverfront Playhouse at 11-13 South Water Street Mall in downtown Aurora will present KEY FOR TWO, a British Bedroom Farce by John Chapman and Dave Freeman beginning Friday, January 23, 2009 at 8pm and continuing Friday and Saturday nights through February 28, 2009.

Under the direction of Jack and Jackson Schultz, KEY FOR TWO tells the story of Harriet, a proper English lady who just happens to make her living by entertaining two married men, Gordon and Alec, who know nothing about each other. She is aided in her deceit by split-second timing and her imaginary overly-religious yet alcoholic mother who wouldn't approve of such arrangements. When Harriet’s best friend, Anne, shows up to escape her husband, Richard, things take a turn for the hilarious when Alec and Gordon threaten to occupy the same bedroom at the same time as Richard arrives to reclaim Anne, and the wives of Alec and Gordon trace their husband's whereabouts to Harriet's house. Suddenly the house turns into a hospital that treats everything from broken bones to dislocated backs to delusional philanderers to the highly dreaded disease known as “polygamous palsy.”

KEY FOR TWO features the talents of Kristen Duerdoth as Harriet, Connie Pfister as Anne, Steve Fiorito as Gordon, Chris Dillman as Alec, Bob Becker as Richard, Carol Townsend as Magda, and Vicki White as Mildred.

The Riverfront Playhouse has earned a reputation for their presentation of British Sex Farces. With mistaken identities, split second entrances and exits, broad slapstick humor, and the British penchant for retaining the utmost dignity in the most undignified circumstances, KEY FOR TWO promises to keep the playhouse’s reputation spotless.

This play also marks the return of Jack Schultz to the director’s chair. Along with his son, Jackson, he has assembled a cast that is razor sharp in portraying the timing and absurdity required of British Farces. Says Jackson, “This play has been such a pleasure to rehearse, I almost hate to see it open since it means the nightly fun is going to come to an end. We’ve put together what seems to be a perfect mixture of familiar faces with new talent, and the result has been sheer joy to see develop.”

Tickets for KEY FOR TWO are $15 for adults, and $12 for students and seniors. Some of the subject matter may be considered inappropriate for children, so The Riverfront would like to discourage anyone under the age of 12. Reservations are available by calling the playhouse at (630) 897-9496.

New Year, and a New Play

2009-01-04T22:09:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year, fans!
I hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing holiday, and here's to a prosperous 2009! To start out the new year, Carol will be starting with a new play, Key for Two, by John Chapman and Dave Freeman.

In this wickedly amusing play, by two master craftsmen of comedy, Harriet, a divorcee living in an elegant flat in Brighton, solves her financial problems by entertaining two married gentlemen callers on different days of the week. The scheme faces collapse when her friend Anne, whose marriage is tottering, arrives at the flat hotly pursued by her husband. One of Harriet’s lovers is confined to her bed with a sprained ankle and the second lover turns up unexpectedly, closely followed by two irate wives in search of their itinerant husbands. The indescribable confusion that ensues builds to a rich complexity of mistaken identity, splendidly farcical situations and a climax of comic wizardry.(1)

Key for Two will be opening on January 23rd at the Riverfront Playhouse in Aurora. We do not have all the particulars as of yet, except that Carol will be playing the part of Magda, one of the irate wives, and the show will be Fridays and Saturdays, January 23rd - February 28th. Stay tuned for further details...

Still Photos Stills

2008-12-08T23:31:00.003-06:00

Greetings Fans,
As you may recall, back in June, Carol portrayed a 78-year old grandmother in the Point of Contention production of Still Photos. I have posted some photos from the show in previous posts, but the official production photos are now available here. Go check 'em out!

Brett Lee, Elisé Lammers, Jason Ober, Carol Townsend and Danielle O'Farrell / Photo Credit: Brent Walker

All photos are courtesy of Point of Contention - Still Photos

A Dark Knight Moment

2008-12-01T18:42:00.005-06:00

... and one more, while we're at it. As you may have seen mentioned elsewhere on this site, both Carol and I also worked on The Dark Knight. In a cruel irony, I was clearly visible in one scene for almost 30 seconds (and a few seconds in two other scenes), but we weren't able to spot Carol when we saw the movie in the theater.

That said, having been able to take a... closer look... I can now confirm that Carol did, in fact, make the final cut! In the scene in Bruce Wayne's penthouse (as not described in this blog post) when the Joker crashes the party and is terrorizing the guests, as he is walking over to confront Rachel, you can catch a glimpse (albeit blurry) of Carol sitting on a couch in the background.

Holy partycrashers! Carol cowers on the couch as the Joker menaces.

See her? Just to the right of the Joker's left shoulder. I've highlighted her in the picture above (click for a larger version). That's Carol, I swear!

Fred Claus: Revisited

2008-12-01T17:58:00.007-06:00

A belated Happy Thanksgiving to all the fans out there! Please excuse the extreme gap between posts. Carol has been busy working various product promotions, preparing a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner, and various auditions.

In the meantime, let's revisit some news from almost two years ago. Back in January 2007, I wrote about our adventures working in the cold Chicago streets as extras on Fred Claus. We saw the movie in the theater last Christmas, but we couldn't identify whether we made the cut or not. Now that the movie is out on DVD and Pay-per-view, we were able to take a closer look. Amazingly, out of the 100s of extras that were working, Carol and I made it to the screen!

At 14:45 into the movie for a full 5 seconds, you can catch us walking behind Fred (Vince Vaughn) as he is ringing a bell and asking for donations. Just as he says "Hey there, gimme a hug ... you gorgeous leopard, meow! Who's the queen of the jungle? You are!", Carol and I are walking right behind him.

If you blink, you're liable to miss it. So here, I've captured the moment for you.

Humbug! Busy shoppers, Mark and Carol, ignore the guy in the Santa hat.

At the extreme screen right, you'll see Carol and me just about to walk off the screen. Another 5 seconds of fame. It's cumulative, right?

Bits of Dodgeville

2008-10-28T19:06:00.006-05:00

Greetings fans!
As you may have read on this very site, Carol appeared as Emma Sweet in the pilot episode of Dodgeville.
Last month, we had the pleasure of seeing the final cut at the premiere cast party! Now, for your viewing pleasure, here are a few clips of Carol's appearances...