click for larger pic		 Jen Albert When Jen’s dreams of being a dancer were shattered as a result of acute Spatial Dyslexia she soon found solace in violence. “For some reason it just makes sense.” A member of the very first Babes run and beyond, she has trained with David Woolley and certified in all sorts of weaponry from Small Sword to Quarterstaff. Jen is a Purple Belt in Kenpo any bruises you see are more than likely from getting pummeled 3x a week by her instructor Mrs. C. Jen’s fight skills can also be seen for the character Samantha Alexander in the video game Hunter: The Reckoning for Microsoft X-box, as well as, a new video game that she can’t speak of just yet. Recent theatre credits include Personal Effects, Murder Americana The People vs. Lizzie Borden and Lion in the Streets. Choreography credits include Circle Theatre, The film Journal of a Wife Beater, Sword and Cloak Productions and her hopefully soon to be produced production entitled FightShow - Seek

click for larger pic 		Dawn "Sam" Alden Dawn “Sam” Alden began her love affair with violence in Pittsburgh, where she was one of the founding members of GREX, a combat/commedia/physical theatre company, with whom she fought and choreographed for four years. In Chicagoland, she has choreographed all manner of violence for Piven Theatre, Terrapin Theatre, Yugen Theatre, Shattered Globe, National Pasttime, Chicago Dramatists’ Workshop, The Aardvark, Circle Theatre, and Shakespeare's Herd. She both fought and choreographed for Footsteps Theatre Company, where she was Resident Fight Choreographer for 5 years, the first female Resident Fight Choreographer in the Midwest. Most recently she was seen swinging swords and sticks in XenaLive! episodes 1 and 2, and parodying Eowyn in Frodo-A-Go-Go: The Rings Recycled. Sam is a member of the International Order of the Sword and Pen, the Independent Fight Director's Guild and a contributor to various magazines of articles on the neglected martial history of women.

click for larger pic 		Libby Beyreis has been fighting for the last 8 years, give or take. She is thrilled to finally be fighting with the Babes. She appeared most recently in THE LYSISTRATA PROJECT and R&D Choreography’s ACTION THEATRE. Many thanks to Richard and David for, well, everything - but why does it always have to be so violent?
Erin Kathleen Carlson is in her fourth year as a theatre major at Columbia College of Chicago. She is a three-time recipient of certification from the SAFD and Teacher Assists Fight Master David Woolley in stage combat classes at Columbia.
Michele DiMaso is one of the founding members of Babes With Blades. She has kicked ass with the troupe since the beginning and will do so again at the drop of a hat. She has also fought with Defiant Theatre in all three of the Action Movie Plays. She has choreographed violence for Circle Theatre, Yugen Theatre, Steppenwolf, and Shattered Globe ... to name a few. She can also be seen around the Chicago stage scene in plays without combat. Is she a lover or a fighter? It depends on the day. Thanks Sam.
Alison Dornheggen is proud to be one of the Babes. She is an Advanced Actor/Combatant certified by the SAFD. She studied under fight master David Woolley at Columbia College Chicago, where she majored in acting and directing. Most recently she was seen with Babes With Blades in Combat Chess, and her choreography can be seen in College of DuPage’s production of David and Lisa. Other Chicagoland credits include Women’s Theatre Alliance, Broutil and Frothingham Productions, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble and greasy joan & company, where she is a company member.
Brooke Elliott is new to the cast of Babes and doesn't mind saying what a fight it was to get here. She was recently seen in three of Healthworks Theatre's AIDS intervention shows. A graduate of Western Michigan University with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre, Brooke still pursues her vocal career. Some favorite roles include Fluellen in Henry V, Shake It Baby Shake It in George McConnell's The Hunt, and Amanda in For Whom the Southern Bell Tolls.

Click for larger pic 		Amy E. Harmon credits Coach Laurie Schiller, Armorer Cathy Weigley, Assistant Coach Ed Kaihatsu, and the kick-ass women and men of the Northwestern University fencing team with introducing her to the joys of violence. Subsequently, she trained with SAFD President Fight Master Chuck Coyl in unarmed and rapier, and SAFD Secretary Angela Bonacasa in knife (SAFD-certified) and broadsword. She also picked up many useful skills (run bitch run!) while battling doppelgangers, brigands, and other assorted baddies with David Schmidt, Brenda Kelly, and Sword & Cloak Productions. Amy is tickled mauve to call herself a fledgling Babe!
Vicky James received her fight training at Columbia College and is SAFD-certified in unarmed, broadsword, small sword, and rapier and dagger.
Kjerstine McHugh is a fifth year Babe by association but was made official this summer. A stage manager by trade she is generally behind the scenes though she made her Babes With Blades performance debut as a non-fighting pawn in Combat Chess last spring. She has worked on many a production in the last four and a half years, some with fights and some without, for the likes of Famous Door Theatre, Footsteps Theatre, Open Eye, Emanon, Defiant Theatre and of course The Babes. Thanks to Sam for the opportunity and the Babes for taking me in. Let's kick some ass!
Karin McKie recently returned to Chicago from nine months in Amsterdam where she performed with the internationally-acclaimed Boom Chicago Comedy Theatre. In the U.S. and abroad, she has performed with WNEP Theatre Foundation, Diamondback Theatre, ComedySportz, Gross National Product, Impulse Theatre, and HealthWorks Theatre. She has numerous film, television, and voice-over credits, both regional and national, including hosting her own weekly talk show for Time-Warner, as well as work for PBS and CBS. Karin has over eight years of Karate, Weapons, and stage combat training, and was voted as one of Today's Chicago Woman magazine's "100 Women Making A Difference" in 1995.
Laurie McNeilly is proud to be a part of Babes With Blades. She is also a stuntwoman for the Chicago Stunt Team who sees falling from scaffolding and being shoved out of cars as her true calling in life. She currently trains in Tai Chi and Jiu-jitsu, but has also studied Taekwondo and Kenpo over the years. Thanks to family and friends for all of your support!
Tere Parkes is proud to be a part of this band of women warriors.

Click for larger pic 		Pat Parks has always been a babe, but now she is a BABE! She is thrilled to have this opportunity to work with some fine women doin' some fine work. Her combat skills? - she is from NYC. She loves Chicago, and mentions that super performer Eddie Schumacher every chance she gets.
Kara Pasierb was most recently seen grappling with forks in Impact Theatre's production of Balm in Gilead. She is a graduate of Loyola University.
Rachel Rasinski is certified with the SAFD and a certified Stuntwoman. Rachel most recently choreographed the violence for Footsteps' all-female production of Othello.

Click for larger pic 		Stephanie Repin thinks being a Babe is simply snatch-tastic! Her love-affair with violence started over (gulp) 15 years ago. She has had the pleasure to train with David Woolley, as well as many other SAFD fight masters and certified teachers, but feels especially fortunate to have learned so much from this band of amazing women! Stephanie choreographs as well as performs -- some of her recent work was seen in "A Florentine Tragedy" at Tinfish, and "Four Women of Thebes" with Harridan Productions. Possibly her favorite choreography was for Emanon Theater’s production of "Alice In Wonderland". Nothing beats a squeaky-mallet melee! B wins by stealth!!

click for larger pic		 Kathrynne Ann Rosen (Kat) is proud to be a Babe, having first become one back in 1997, right after the initial showcase ended. Prior to joining Babes with Blades she studied with SAFD Fightmaster David Woolley and Instructor Stephen Grey. She has appeared in and around Chicago as Zillah in A BRIGHT ROOM CALLED DAY at Mary Arrchie Theatre (Jeff Nomination - Best Actress in a Supporting Role), as Suzy in WAIT UNTIL DARK at Pheasant Run Dinner Theatre, multiple roles in XENA, LIVE! EPISODES 1 and 2, as Ariel in THE TEMPEST at First Folio, and in multiple runs (and touring!) with BABES WITH BLADES, among others. She has also recorded voiceovers for radio commercials and video games, and is awaiting the release of both "Tao Feng: Fist of Lotus" for the Xbox, and of her first full-length independent feature film, "Sword of Hearts." In the fall/winter of 2002 she will be swashing and buckling as pirate Annie Bailey in Bloody Bess at Red Hen Theatre Company. Keep it precious.
Lisa Rothschiller is pleased to have appeared in all 3 of "Babes With Blades" incarnations. She is a recommended and certified combatant in hand to hand, rapier and dagger, and quarterstaff. She received her fight training, along with her MFA, at the University of Illinois Champagne-Urbana. Lisa is a proud member of Defiant Theatre Company.
Kerry B. Smith is a founding member of Babes With Blades, performing in almost every darn show, including Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, workshops and benefits. Her training began at seven with homemade wooden light sabers, continuing at Columbia College with David Woolley and briefly with Chicago Stunt Team. Kerry has trained in many weapons, but her expertise lies in hand-to-hand fighting, gymnastic moves, and preparing costumes and props, such as tear-away clothing and braces headgear, to safely fight in. As an actress, Kerry has a wide range of stage and film experience, as Mary Haines in "The Women", performances at Vaudeville Nights, sketch comedy on Channel 19, two separate runs of "Playboy of the Western World" by J.M. Synge, one which played at Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and several independent films. Kerry now lives in Atlanta, where she is studying to become a certified Pilates instructor. There might be some Babes With Blades down here who just don't know it yet...
Kim Wade is certified twice with the SAFD under Susan Eviston and Drew Frachier, Stephen Grey and David Wooley.
Leigh Anne Wilson has taken over the title (recently given up by Rachel Rasinski) of Resident Pregnant Babe. In addition to this new development, she has recently completed directing Aristophanes' The Birds for TinFish Theatre. Thanks to Sam and all the Babes for this great opportunity, Steve for being the best husband ever, and all her fight instructors for teaching her the great fun of stage combat.
Niema Wilson is delighted to be joining such awesome Babes. She is a recent graduate of Roosevelt University’s Theatre Conservatory, so she is still testing the acting ropes. She received her fight training from Chuck Coyl and Angela Bonacasa, (SAFD certified in knife) for which she is most grateful. She is training to be a certified Yoga instructor, so that she may combine the grace and power of the two disciplines on stage and in her life. Thanks also to Meg, Jon, and Diva Enterprises for helping me be fabulous and fierce.