PROGRAM 10

Strictly Personnel by Matt Sanders and Ariel Aliza Sanders

Push-Ups by Robert Cantillon

Standby by Annie Raczko

Pretty Privilege by Emma Miller

CJ and Cat by Natalia Urzua

Cast

Sam Cini (MR. CRULLER) is a Pennsylvania born actor and director now residing in New York City. Credits: Ricci in Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman‘s ‘Dinner at Eight’, Vanelli in Lucille Fletcher’s ‘Night Watch’, Fool for Love by Sam Shepard (director, Heights Players director’s workshop 2022). You can find him on Instagram @stcini

Alexander Gisondi (ERIC) is an NYC-based actor and musician. Born and raised in the New York City area, his passion for film and theatre brought him to the William Esper Studio Conservatory program, which he graduated in 2021. Some select Short Film and Theatre credits include The Family Key (Jake), Whenever, if Ever (Kevin), and Statue of Limitations (Discus Thrower) at The Players Theatre. Besides acting, Alexander also fronts the Indie-music project AL SOLO and is a devout NY Mets fan. He makes his New York Theatre Festival debut in Strictly Business as Eric. alexandergisondi.com @AlexGis15 

Amanda Schussel (JANE). Off Broadway: Sara in The Mar Vista: In Search of my Mother’s Love Life with Yehuda Hyman. Other theatre credits: Full Circle, Coffee House Chronicles #148 Tom O’Horgan at LaMaMa, Dragon Slayer The Musical, and Blank by Elizabeth Primamore. Film credits include Emily by Haruko Fujimoto, Tough Pill, In Passing, Kanpai, Crepusculo by Clemy Clarke, and Waiting In the Wings by Jeffrey Johns.  Amanda is also a proud member of Sag-Aftra. www.amandaschussel.com

John DeBenedetto (the director) is very pleased to be directing another play by Matt and Ariel Sanders.  He has directed several of their plays including "A Real Class Act" at last year's Chain Theater Festival. He holds an MA in Theater from Hunter College. 

Matt Sanders and Ariel Aliza Sanders (the authors) live and write in Brooklyn, NY. Their short plays have been produced in various New York City venues and in New Orleans, Chicago, and London. They are delighted to have their work at the Chain Theatre again, and once again under the expert direction of John DeBenedetto.

Written & Directed by Robert Cantillon

Robert Cantillon is a playwright, a poet, and a singer-songwriter born and raised in Southington, CT, now living and working in New York City. His plays have been presented, or are slated to be presented, at the Secret Theater in Queens, as well as at the Chain Theater and Teatro LATEA, both in Manhattan. His fiction has been published by Two Sisters Writing and Free Spirit, while his poetry has been featured by Wingless Dreamer. As a musician, Cantillon has recorded original songs which are available on Spotify, and has performed these songs with his band - The Robert Cantillon Band - at Manhattan venues including the Delancey and the Bowery Electric. Cantillon is a rising senior at New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he majors in Dramatic Writing, and minors in both Creative Writing and Philosophy. To view his work or to contact, Cantillon can be reached at his website: www.robertcantillon.com 

Kayla Fontana as Sofia

After two years at the Experimental Theatre Wing, Kayla Fontana (she/her/hers) will be continuing her dramatic training at the Lee Strasberg Theatre And Film Institute as part of their Practicum Program. Kayla Fontana appeared in the NYU Tisch Mainstage’s production of The Bacchae. Her past productions include, Chicago, It’s a Wonderful Life and Silent Sky. Her piece, Mother’s Tune, was recently featured at the Experimental Theatre Wing. Her piece included original songs, choreography and spoken word. Fontana’s artistic mission is guided by the love ethic illustrated in bell hook’s book, All About Love: New Visions. 

Cooper Collins as Ethan

Cooper Collins is an actor and playwright, finishing off his time at NYU next year, double majoring in Drama (New Studio on Broadway) and Dramatic Writing. Previous credits include the ensemble of Traffic & Weather (Adirondack Theatre Festival), Cadmus in The Bacchae (Tisch Drama Stage), and the Priest in the musical-comedy film, Meatball Town(NYU Tisch). A big thank you to Mom, Dad and sister Mazie for all of the love and support!

AV Zhuravleva as Maya

Vasilissa is an actress, writer and storyteller that lives, dreams and works in New York City. Classically trained at Atlantic Theater School under New York University Tisch School of Drama, she excelled in performances of Chekov’s Three Sisters and Shakespearean scene studies. Most recent works feature Vasilissa playing in Atlantic Theater School’s latest production of The Wolves, as well as designing the lighting for Wyrd, a show which first ever staging happened earlier this year. Fluent in six languages, she is looking forward to captivating the audiences’ hearts with the power her words hold.

Robert Cantillon as Raife

Jade E. Anderson (LISA)

Jade is a theatre, film and voiceover actor. Her latest film, “The Robbear” that she co-wrote, produced and starred in is soon to be released! “I’m so excited and delighted to be a part of these wondrous shenanigans! Congrats to Annie and the entire cast for being so fun and fabulous! Xoxo”. Go to jade-anderson.com for all her updates!  

Lori Caplan Clark (CATHLEEN)

Lori Caplan Clark is a seasoned actor who has worked in local South Jersey theatre for many years. Recent theatre credits include Fiddler on the Roof (Grandmother Tzeitel), The Music Man (Maud Dunlop), Mary Poppins (Mrs. Corey), All Shook Up (Mayor Matilda Hyde), Sister Act (Sister Mary Theresa), Love, Loss and What I Wore, The Vagina Monologues; she originated the role of Marissa in PJ's Playbook, a new play recently produced by Masquerade Theatre. In addition, she has extensive experience in special event planning, sound design, graphic design, and storytelling. She is currently a Marketing Director for Square Biz, an agency specializing in B2B and Healthcare marketing. She has raised three beautiful (like, really beautiful) daughters, and lives in her almost empty nest with husband Gregg, three dogs and two cats.

Stuart Ginsberg (GEORGE)

Stuart Ginsberg is a New Jersey-based actor, poet, producer, storyteller and professor and has performed in stand up and storytelling shows at the Greenwich Village Comedy Club, Broadway Comedy Club, Q.E.D. and The Magnet Theater in New York City. Additionally, he has had roles in various short films and produced two independent films, and when he is not performing, Stuart  is an adjunct professor in the College of the Arts at Montclair State University and an independent career coach. sg@stuartginsberg.com www.stuartginsberg.com

Keith Keyes (ANDREW)

Keith Keyes started out as a stand up comedian in 1989 and then turned his attention to acting in 2000. He has done numerous productions for film, television, and theatre, and is making his second appearance for the Chain Theatre Festival, the first being in 2021 for the play ‘Ruby of Elsinore’.

Annie Raczko (VALERIE/Playwright/Director)

Annie Raczko is an actor, playwright, and director in NYC who loves to tell stories.When not on the stage, she is a theatre teacher in New Jersey, sharing her love of the stage with the next generation of theatremakers.  @annieraczko 

Jeffrey F. Roth (DERRICK)

Jeffrey Roth is an actor/musician with a BA in Theater from Drew University and studied Shakespeare at the London Dramatic Academy. Recent credits: The Pillowman (Katurian/BBPAC), The 39 Steps (Clown #1/dir. Dexter Brigham), The Life/Times of Lee Harvey Oswald (LHO/La MaMa ETC), Almost, Maine (Jimmy/TDC NYC), Much Ado About Nothing/Antigone (Don Pedro/Haemon/SIST, in rep.), Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Links (Hastings/Players Theater), An Ideal Husband (Goring/dir. Thomas Donnarumma), The Merry Wives of Windsor (Dr. Caius/Stag&Lion), Street Scene (Harry Murphy/Brave New World Rep.), and the world premier reading of Lisa Kron's The Verizon Play (dir. Anne Kaufmann). Can be seen in “Timelapse”, streaming on Amazon and Tubi, and the upcoming series “Lipstick Traces” (Mick Lexington), and will be appearing this August in Theater on Main Street’s production of Tennessee William’s Orpheus Descending in Cornwall, NY. www.jeffrey-roth.com

Olivia Whicheloe (JOAN)

Olivia Whicheloe is a NY based actor and singer. Her credits include Fun Home, A Sketch of New York, and Merrily We Roll Along.  She loves creating work and taking on new challenges. Olivia's excited to make her Chain Theatre Festival debut! @oliviawhicheloe

CAILIN CHANG (Rose) is excited to be making her Chain Theatre Play Festival debut with Pretty Privilege! Other favorite roles: Rumors (Chris Gorman), Guys and Dolls (Adelaide), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Marcy Park). Lots of love to her family and friends! www.cailinchang.com

JULIA RAE KREISA (Addison) is an actress, theatre maker, dramaturg, and costume designer. They are a recent graduate of Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Drama and a minor in Applied Theatre. She has recently appeared in Beaches in Winter directed by Jess Barbagallo through the Experimental Theatre Wing at NYU, and Titus Andronicus with Belladonna Shakespeare Company, directed by Anya Josephs, as well as several other horror short films and shows. Their most recent production (Alleged Witches) was an independent production with the Experimental Theatre Wing — a piece they also directed and devised along with 4 other collaborators. Between working as a barista, art-making, and acting, she enjoys watching cult art films, writing sapphic poetry, and practicing magick.

EMILY MELNICK (Director) is a multidisciplinary artist and maker working in theatre, fiction, fabric, and clay. Her artistic practice focuses on themes of intimacy, identity, and home. Emily holds a master’s degree in public health and spends her days working to bring better supportive housing to folks in New York and around. 

EMMA MILLER (Playwright) is a writer and editor in New York City, where she writes facts by day and fiction by night. Her creative work has appeared in Promethean, Daily Science Fiction, and Flash Fiction Magazine, among other publications. In 2021, she produced a Halloween run of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus with a City Artists Corps grant from New York Foundation for the Arts. She is a student in the creative writing MFA program at The City College of New York—much love to Rob and the entire playwriting gang.  

LIN YANG (Kathy) hails from England and is studying at the William Esper Studio in New York. Lin first trained as a pianist then economist at the Royal Northern College of Music and the London School of Economics. Now, alongside acting she is also a part-time researcher, full-time coffee addict, and life-time lover of storytelling that connects humans to humans.

Natalia Urzua is a writer, actor, and multi-hyphenate theatre maker based in Brooklyn. Originally from Florida, N is a proud alum of the University of Florida and Atlantic Acting School. CJ and Cat is N’s New York playwriting debut. Directing credits include: 404: A Comedy of Errors, The Proposal (Sister Shakes Productions). Acting credits include: The Boogie Down Gospel (Si Se Puede Productions); The Bear, Titus Andronicus (Sister Shakes Productions). Let’s tell a story. IG: @urzua_natalia

Melissa Ingle (she/her/hers) is a Queer Freelance Director, Podcaster, and Producer. She last directed "Ranked Choice Dating," a staged video game all about NYC's 2020 Mayoral Election. Other works include "Offloading" (NOW Festival), "According to This…” (SQUARE1), and "Shakespeare Translate: Romeo & Juliet" (Doghouse Ensemble Theatre). A proud alumnus of Pace University’s International Performance Ensemble. You can hear her on the podcast "Information Dump" and "LGBTDnD". Her short film "A Place for Ashes" will be premiering later this summer. IG: @melissa.ingle

Bailey Macejak (CJ) (she/her) is an emerging multidisciplinary theater artist living in Brooklyn, NY. Her work as a playwright and as an actor has been seen at The Bronx Museum of Art, Tribeca Film Festival, NY Winterfest, The Tank NYC, and The New School COPA School of Drama. Her play DUMMY ME was a NYFA City Artist Corps grant recipient, and she is a member of the upcoming 2022 cohort of 24 Hour Plays Nationals. www.baileyomacejak.com BFA: The New School. IG: @baileytheconformist

Sky Young (CAT) (they/she) is a recent graduate of Pace University with a BFA in Acting for Film. They are certified in four weapon disciplines with the SAFD, and when not fighting or acting, they can be found with their nose buried in a book. IG: @blueskyyoung