Photo Exclusive! The Seven Blazing Stars of Punk Rock on Breaking Rules, Swear Words & Wild Animals

For those about to Rock, we salute you! Simon Stephens’ gritty high school drama Punk Rock is making some serious noise at off-Broadway’s Lucille Lortel Theatre. Directed by Trip Cullman, the new MCC Theater production about a group of troubled students in Stockport, England, features a hot, young ensemble cast: Douglas Smith, Colby Minifie, Will Pullen, Lilly Englert, Pico Alexander, Annie Funke and Noah Robbins. Get to know the new off-Broadway stars below, then see them in Punk Rock, opening November 17.


DOUGLAS SMITH (William Carlisle)

Most trouble I ever got into in school was... when I didn't go. Or was late. It seemed to me that the administration's main objective was to make sure we were in class on time—not that we learned anything.

My least favorite subject in school was... French. Bizarre because I am huge Francophile. I guess I just really didn't like my teachers. Bad luck I suppose.

If my character were an animal he would be... a cat. Cats are loving creatures that constantly see and hear things that aren't visible to other people. That's why Egyptians thought they were guardians of the underworld. Cats hear the banging.

My favorite song to rock out to is... "Bizarre Love Triangle" by New Order. I mean is there need to explain this more? I am a huge fan of this band. Enough said.

My favorite curse word is... trollop. My friend said this word once in conversation and I was like, “What IS that word?!” She told me what it meant and I just thought it was so wonderfully medieval.


COLBY MINIFIE (Lilly Cahill)

The most trouble I ever got into in school was... in junior high. I got a little too curious about the alley that lay behind my school in NYC. It was only accessible through the girl's bathroom window in the basement and I snuck out and found the remains of a bird carcass and brought it back into the school. When it was discovered in the bathroom and I was reprimanded for endangering the student body, I lied and told them I was interested in the dead bird for scientific research.

My least favorite subject in school was... one French class where our teacher had been teaching for a little too long I think and she started accusing us of peeing in her plant water. We didn't learn too much French that year.

If my character were an animal she would be... Simon Stephens wrote a line for Lilly where she describes what kind of animals she is. She lists, “a wolf, a leopard, a rhinoceros, a gazelle, a cheetah, an eagle, a snake.” I think she fits all of these animals. She’s sly, sexy, observant, fierce, alluring, still, caring and carnivorous.

My favorite music to rock out to is... between Joe Cocker and James Brown. Fearless musicians. Joe Cocker’s uncontrollable body gets me going like nothing else.

My favorite curse word is... C*nt. Definitely my favorite.


WILL PULLEN (Bennett Francis)

The most trouble I ever got into in school was... when I got suspended for being drunk at school. It was Alcohol Awareness Day and my friends and I pregamed for it and got busted. It was not the smartest thing I’ve ever done.

My least favorite subject in school was... math. It was always so hard for me to understand, and by the end of high school I just sort of gave up.

If my character were an animal he would be... a lion. Very proud and menacing and willing to do anything to be the head of the pride.

My favorite song to rock out to is... probably something by Led Zeppelin. “Kashmir” or “When the Levee Breaks.”

My favorite curse word is... F*ck. It’s the most versatile curse word and just really f*cking fun to say.


LILLY ENGLERT (Cissy Franks)

The most trouble I ever got into in school was... when I forgot all my science books at home. The teacher was so angry with me that she asked me for my diary to write a note to my parents and I had also forgotten my diary. It was a bad day, I had to write 100 lines and stay after school.

My least favorite subject in school was... Physics. It was utterly abstract to me and I couldn’t get my head around any of it. Just the thought of Physics gives me hate quivers.

If my character were an animal she would be... a fox. Cissy is sexy and sly but also elegant and scared. She likes being the leader of the pack.

My favorite song to rock out to is... “Black Skinhead” by Kanye West. When I hear that song I just want to dance like crazy! It has such an angry sexy beat, I love it.

My favorite curse word is... bollocks. It’s actually just one of my favorite words, the sound of the “b” and the “k” is the perfect combination.


PICO ALEXANDER (Nicholas Chatman)

The most trouble I ever got into in school was... in 5th grade. I had a chair reserved for me outside the classroom and was told to “take a walk outside” at least once a day.

My least favorite subject in school... depended entirely on the teacher. And I’d make sure to give them hell for it.

If my character were an animal he would be... a Husky, I think. Not quite a wolf. He’s too loving and playful.

My favorite song to rock out to is... “She Said Yeah” by The Rolling Stones.

My favorite curse word is... F*ck. But it’s a gateway curse word. An opener. A solid.


ANNIE FUNKE (Tanya Gleason)

The most trouble I ever got into in school was... I must admit, I was a bit of a good girl in high school, but I do remember my senior year I had a bad case of "senioritis" and my drama teacher sat me down and basically told me I had an attitude problem and needed to cut it the hell out.

My least favorite subject in school was... anything that didn't end with a performance final. But especially math.

If my character were an animal she would be... a monkey. Nurturing by nature but also feisty.

My favorite song to rock out to is... Not even ashamed: MILEY.

My favorite curse word is... F*ck. No questions. I use it far more than any human should.


NOAH ROBBINS (Chadwick Meade)

The most trouble I ever got into in school was... in 8th grade. We had to wear a uniform and one day I forgot to wear a belt. Believe it or not, this was a huge deal, so I got detention and had to write a paragraph about how my infraction affected the school community. I ended up writing an incredibly sarcastic answer about how belts represent the circle of life and how not wearing one is to deny one's humanity. I got in more trouble.

My least favorite subject in school was... probably math because that was a subject that was actually useful and I tended to gravitate towards more creative and absolutely pointless fields of study like acting, or my current college major, philosophy.

If my character were an animal he would be... a snake. Much like a snake, Chadwick knows when to lay low and when to bite, and even though he might get stepped on sometimes, he comes out on top in the end.

My favorite song to rock out to is... “Forgot About Dre” by Eminem and Dr. Dre. I feel like no song better captures the struggles of growing up in suburban Maryland during the ‘90s and early 2000s.

My favorite curse word is... a toss-up between "f*ckface" and "d*ckface." I generally like to get faces involved in my curses.