Meet the Cast

Dale Roe co-founded and, for six years, directed Gag Reflex’s Chicago ensemble before moving to Austin. A sketch comedy veteran, Roe started his first group “Slapstick!” in high school. That group performed in various forms for 13 years until Roe left to form Gag Reflex. He has also guest-starred with current Chicago ensemble director Eric Schwartz’ now-defunct sketch group “Stranges” and has authored nearly a dozen children’s theater comedies. A musician, songwriter and avid sound production geek, Roe engineered and produced the northern group’s debut CD, “It’s A Sick World Betty,” and has written, performed and produced original scores for several stage productions, including “Dracula,” “Night of the Iguana” and “The Haunting of Hill House.” Dale is a visual journalist and freelance illustrator who lives in Round Rock, TX with his wife and two children.

All the way from Oregon with a 10-year stint in Seattle, Dena Taylor moved to Austin in August ‘03. Strangely, she found unloading the U-Haul in the 100-degree heat rather stimulating and decided to stay, quickly landing a role in Different Stages’ production of “An Ideal Husband.” Her experience includes stand-up, improv and select animal sounds—requested or not. A voice over artist, essayist, award-winning copywriter and runner-up for her “Hello Bad Kitty” Halloween costume, she continues to perform in and enjoy Austin’s film and theatre scene. While she could live on Austin’s bounty of queso and chips she cannot figure out how it can be 81-degrees one November afternoon and 42-degrees the next. It’s weird and you all know it. She thanks Dale and the Gag team for the cold ass audition and opportunity to play with them, however inappropriately.

Carrie Sapp was born on May 17th in Columbus, Ohio and has always been an entertainer. It’s no wonder she shares a birthday with Jordan Knight from “New Kids on the Block.” Sapp majored in Radio, Television and Film in college with a secondary degree in marketing. Following in the footsteps of her idol, Debbie Gibson, she longed of pursuing a music career, but ended up in Radio instead. For the last 12 years, she has called “Broadcasting” her career, including stints as an on-air personality, Marketing Director and Account Executive for several radio stations in Columbus and Austin. When she’s not working or training for the next big race, she’s doing stand up comedy in Austin or talking about the glory days of high school when she was cast as “Annie” in her Senior play. Sapp is single with a cat (go figure), but has an amazingly cute and supportive boyfriend.

Kelly Winn Frink is a 3rd-generation Austinite whose grandparents used to perform sketch comedy for Austin Civic Theatre. Kelly made her stage debut as Flopsy Rabbit in a 1st grade production of Peter Rabbit, where she sure enjoyed the make-up, pink costume, and applause. Since then, Kelly has loved being on stage in any form. She acted in several University of Texas plays and films. Upon graduating, Kelly realized you cannot make a career of Sorority Girl or Cheerleader. She made good use of her teaching degree, and moved to Hollywood to wait tables (and act.) Two years later she is back after several unique TV and film appearances: “American Dreams,” “Joan of Arcadia,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “Speaking of Women’s Health with Florence Henderson” … Kelly is the most popular teacher in Round Rock!

 

 

About Gag

Formed in summer, 2002 by suburban Chicago theater veteran and Gag Reflex Chicago founder (and nine-year director) Dale Roe with journalist Joe Stafford, Gag Reflex Austin has staged nearly a dozen completely original revues and sold out venues as diverse as The Hideout, Alamo Drafthouse and Hyde Park Theatre.

Gag Reflex Austin brings central Texans the same style of rapid-fire, satiric wit that found our Chicago group being favorably compared in the Chicago Sun-Times as rivaling the midwest’s legendary Second City, while others have drawn comparisons to Saturday Night Live, Firesign Theater and Bob & Ray. The Chicago Tribune quite simply stated “what they do is unmistakable. They make people laugh.”

Here in Texas we’re just starting to rack up the reviews, but things are looking good. Upon seeing our best-of-the-week FronteraFest appearance, the Austin American-Statesman wrote that “only beautifully sick minds can create twisted comedy like this.” The Chronicle said we are “primed to rock your funniest bone.” And, at a recent festival appearance in the Windy City, the Chicago Tribune gave us the same accolades they've heaped on our northern group, writing that Gag Reflex Austin is “gleefully demented.”

Each new Gag Reflex Austin revue comprises twenty-odd sketches and songs poking fun at celebrity icons, relationships, television, movies -- basically, life in the new millennium. Popular past sketches have concerned office politics; the “extreme” phenomenon; virtual reality; group therapy; toenail biters and rabid mimes.

Original songs and parodies penned by troupe members have included hilarious jabs at such diverse topics as the Avian Flu, “diner-speak,” the mispronunciation of "nuclear" and violated animals.

With little more than a few grocery bags full of props, a rack of costumes and six folding chairs, Gag Reflex Austin brings to life a series of unforgettable characters in outrageously funny situations.

 

Contact us

Got a question? A gig? You can reach Gag Reflex by calling (512) 731-3945 or e-mail us by clicking here.