About the Artist

The heart and soul of cabaret in New York City is the Café Carlyle, featuring performers like Woody Allen, Judy Collins, and Alan Cummings. At Hey Nonny, we have Café Carly, wrangled by Carly Stocking, a hometown girl recently returned from New York… ” Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy.” -Frank Sinatra. Join six of Chicago’s emerging cabaret performers through a web of musical theatre, pop, and jazz music all about our favorite vice: alcohol.

Sophie Grimm
Sophie Grimm is a Chicago-based vocalist and actor – Paulette in Paramount Theater’s LEGALLY BLONDE, Trevor’s Mom in Writers Theater’s heartwarming, TREVOR, the musical (suicide prevention hotline +1-866-488-7386 ), Desdemona in the critically acclaimed OTHELLO: THE REMIX (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), as well as across the country in jazz, cabaret and concert settings. Her favorite cocktail to have in hand is the tall drink of water called Vasily Deris who also happens to be her partner and loves socializing with anyone and everyone at a party! Practice self love every day. www.SophieGrimm.com

Vasily Deris
Vasily Deris is a Jeff award winning ensemble member and a Homer Glen native. He graduated from Lockport High with a degree in being a shithead. He’s grown since those days and really figured out the person he truly is and couldn’t be happier. You may recognize him from the American Blues smash summer hit, The Buddy Holly Story, portraying The Big Bopper. He also met his beautiful fiancé, Sophie Grimm, as she sat front row in a show called Smokey Joes Cafe with a successful run at The Royal George Theater. Vasily loves cabarets and drinks. He loves a good bourbon so let’s cheers to the night and to the fun and great year that is ahead!

Neil Stratman
Neil Stratman is ready to reminisce about his horrible drinking stories in public! He was mostly sober for his favorite credits which include: Jacque Brel’s Lonesome Losers of the Night and The Full Monty at Theo Ubique, Rooster in Annie (RMRT), Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors (Williams Street Rep), and sobbing ensemble member in Rent (Paramount).Thanks to old drinking buddy Carly Stocking for having him here, you can follow his shenanigans at neilstratman.com.

Maxwell J DeTogne is thrilled to be back performing in his hometown. A bit of a cabaret enthusiast of late, Max is a graduate from local John Hersey High School in 2009 and then North Central College in 2013. Max is a three time Jeff Award Nominee for title roles as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar [Theo Ubique], Rob in High Fidelity [Refuge Theatre Project] and Clyde in Bonnie and Clyde [Kokandy Productions] and most recently performed as Lord Evelyn Oakley with Music Theater Works. www.MaxDeTogne.com

Maya Rowe just finished a blissful summer and fall season at Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre in Colorado playing Sibella in Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Grace in Annie, Rhetta Cupp in the Chicago favorite Pumpboys and Dinettes, and ensemble in the ever-exciting Full Monty. She is excited to be back in Chicago (as a graduate this time around) and to be swan-diving into the Chicago theatre scene with some of her favorite people.

Carly Stocking is an Arlington Heights native and received her BFA in Acting from Illinois Wesleyan University. She recently returned to Chicago after spending five years in New York City producing, directing, and performing in over a dozen cabaret shows. Theatre credits include: Cinderella in Cinderella, Miep Gies in The Diary of Anne Frank, and Helen in the West Coast Premier of Bob (B Street Theatre), Open For Me (Voices Theatre), and As You Like It (Milburn Stone). Carly is currently a director for Setting the Stage in Arlington Heights.

Joe Giovannetti, an Arlington Heights native, is a singer, actor, teacher and arts administrator living in Chicago. Recent theatre credits include The Full Monty (Malcolm, Theo Ubique), The Most Happy Fella (Herman, Theo Ubique, Jeff Award Nomination for Supporting Actor), and Wild Goose Dreams (Music Consultant, La Jolla Playhouse). Joe has worked as a teaching artist at various performing arts programs in the Chicago suburbs, including Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Saint Viator High School (interm Director of Choral Activities) and John Hersey High School. When not performing, Joe works full time in the Development office at Goodman Theatre.