A Sad Carousel 2: The Timely Death of Herschel Douscheburg

Mae Ryan

Clyde
Mae, a poli-sci student, is also known as Rabbit (if you’re family), Big Man, or “Mr. Forbidden Fruit.” Not only do they ROCK the name Big Man because of their completely paradoxical height, but the truth is, that list of fruit allergies is longer than the Constitution. Even with law school being the #1 goal, Mae plans to continue performing throughout college. Law is the goal, but theater is the passion! Before taking on the overly lost-looking Komedy Kid “Clyde,” Mae recently stuffed all their hair in a bald cap and played Uncle Fester in their senior year musical “The Addams Family.” Now, Mae is on their way to study tons of scholarly stuff at UW-Eau Claire. Warning: If you see Mae in this freakishly hilarious show, please don’t bring any apples. They will react allergically. Cya in court!

Nissa Nordland

Sound Designer
Nissa Nordland (Sound Designer) is an actor, writer, producer, musician and sound designer in the Twin Cities. She is overjoyed to be working with LandmanLand for the first time! Nissa is the Artistic Director of Twin Cities Horror Festival; produces new original work as Special When Lit; company member of Theatre Pro Rata; member of the Playwright's Cabal; member of the Minnesota Fringe Artist Committee and an alum mainstage cast member/writer of the Brave New Workshop. Nissa's also had the pleasure of working with The Mystery Cafe, Four Humors, The Winding Sheet Outfit, Wayward Theatre Company, nimbus theatre, and more. Nissa won an Atlanta Audio Fringe award for her horror play, Possible Burger (which featured a cameo from Mr. Landman). For more MINNESOTA FRINGE goodness, go see Special When Lit's FANGS AND BANGS (AND SANGS) at the Southern Theater! Nissa wrote, produced and performs in it, along with a talented cast of actors and musicians you already love or will soon fall in love with. UPCOMING: Theatre Pro Rata's The Book of Will, September 2025 (Actor) Special When Lit's Familiar at Twin Cities Horror Festival, October 2025 (Writing/performing/producing) 2025-2026 The Mystery Cafe season December-February (Actor) nimbus' Untitled Ada Lovelace Play, March 2026 (Writer) BURY THE LEADS webseries (co-created with Sam Landman)

Peter Ooley

Ronny (RN) / Morty
Lyric Arts: Explorers Club • Walking Shadow Theatre Company: Eurydice, American Pilot, Caligula, Cryptogram, Mary Stuart • Gremlin Theatre: Absolute Turkey • Sandbox Theatre: The Mad Trapper of Rat River, Fargo • Minnesota Fringe: A Sad Carousel, Squawk, SCOTUS!

Eric Webster

(Too Damn Many Roles to List)
Stage Actor, Voice Actor, Producer, Director, Writer, Playwright, M.C./Host, Improviser, Teacher, and Radio Personality for stage, radio, television and commercials for 28 years. Co-founder/Co-owner, performer and Playwright for the "Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society" Theater Company and Podcast since 2016. His company, Pickaline Productions, creates original theater productions, theater education programs for schools, and business communication solutions utilizing the discipline and tenets of improvisation. He is also a "Director of Theater Programming" for Centennial High School and Middle School in Circle Pines, Minnesota, and the Creator/Writer and Performer for the original live radio theater adventure series "Shades Brigade", which is in its 12th year and over 150 episodes. He has lost track of how many Fringe shows he has done but thinks it's around 15.

Shanan Custer

Director
Shanan needs a bio, new headshots, a sense of purpose, a bit more hope, blah blah blah, go and see some shows!

Riley Eckman

Elowan
Riley is an incoming freshman at the University of Minnesota Duluth, getting her BFA in musical theatre. You have probably never seen Riley in a play or musical, but you’ve most definitely seen her waiting in line at Starbucks. She has enjoyed working on this show immensely, and wishes she hadn’t been only three years old when the first “Sad Carousel” was running at the Fringe. She hopes that sentence makes everyone reading this bio feel very old. She also hopes that you enjoy this wonderful show!

Jane Froiland

Woman 1 / Minnie / The Matriarch
Jane Froiland saw the first “Sad Carousel” 15 years ago and thought, “the only thing that could make this show any better is if I were in it,” and here we are! Jane has worked on many of the Twin Cities’ stages, including the Guthrie, Children’s Theatre, Park Square Theatre, History Theatre, and many others. She dreams of being as big of a deal as her director Shanan Custer is.

Elle Hinds

Rowan
Elle is an upcoming sophomore at Drake University, getting her BFA in Musical Theatre. She has been in various shows in the past, none of which you have probably seen. Her biggest achievement was being in the Billboard Top Ten funniest people under Twenty (not really, because it doesn’t exist. BUT if it did exist, she would totally have it). She hopes you laugh at this hilarious show as much as you definitely did reading her bio.

Sam Landman

Herschel Douscheburg
Sam wrote, produced & starred in 2010's "A Sad Carousel" for the MN Fringe. And it was such a hit, he figured waiting 15 years to punish audiences with Herschel was the right amount of time. All told, he's acted in a lot of stuff you might've seen. And a lot of stuff you probably haven't. Some theater junk, some film trash + assorted mascot costumes (where you wouldn't have even known it was him). Here's his only request: if you're seeing him in THIS, please don't let it be the last thing you see him in. UPCOMING: This October, a show he's writing about the terrifying behind-the-scenes of a Christian kids' show ("Gospel Gus") will be premiering at the Twin Cities Horror Festival.