My Mother and I
By Frank Dunham Jr
Bios
JILLIAN LINDSEY as CELESTE…Jillian Lindsey began acting at age 10 in an off-Broadway showcase of Annie at The Barn Theatre in Michigan. In New York City she has appeared in numerous plays and musicals, including Somewhere in Texas by Charles E. Drew, Jr. III. She made her feature film debut in G by Lauren Productions and is passionate about creating authentic artistic expression that connects people through shared humanity.
LINDSAY FINNIE as PAMELA…Lindsay Finnie originated the role of Kendal in Kia Corthron’s Seeking the Genesis and appeared in daytime dramas including All My Children, As the World Turns, and Loving. Most recently she portrayed Tiny in Ed Bullins’ In the Wine Time at the Castillo Theatre. Lindsay is grateful to collaborate with Frank Dunham Jr. and bring his work to life.
ROBERT PARKER as ANDRE…A classically trained singer, Robert Parker has built a diverse career on stage and screen. His credits include performing on Showtime at the Apollo and appearing in the independent film If I Die Before I Wake on Tubi, where he also served as Associate Producer. Robert has additionally stage managed several Off-Broadway productions.
RONNIE C. JOHNS as HYPE MAN…A native New Yorker, Ronnie C. Johns is a father, digital creator, set designer, comedian, and entrepreneur. His design work has supported productions at Theatre Row, the National Black Theatre of Harlem, and WOW Café Theatre. He is dedicated to expanding his artistry and sharing creative work with audiences around the world.
FRANK DUNHAM JR. – Writer/Director…Frank Dunham Jr. is a New York based writer, director, composer, producer, and founder of Creative Stages Entertainment (CSE). Since 2010, CSE has produced original plays, musicals, burlesque productions, and digital content for venues and festivals across New York City, including Theatre Row and the National Black Theatre. He continues to develop new works for both stage and small screen.
Sex on the Beach
Written by Walter John Thompson
Directed by Cady McClain
SYNOPSIS
Sex on the Beach — a love story from the time of AIDS — asks one of the most human questions there is: Does a damaged person have the right to be loved? On a summer night on the Jersey Shore, Jack and Audrey are falling in love with the kind of intensity that only comes once. But Jack carries a secret that he believes makes him unworthy — of Audrey, of love, of a future. When he finally tells her, she runs. What happens when she comes back is not a story about a diagnosis but more about the courage to choose love. It is a story about two people deciding, in the face of fear and uncertainty, that love is not something you earn or deserve — it is something you choose.
Bios
Walter John Thompson (PLAYWRIGHT) Walter John Thompson is a New York City-based playwright and screenwriter whose work blends dark humor, existential inquiry, and raw emotional honesty. A Columbia University graduate, where he studied with Eduardo Machado and Terry Southern, and a Fordham Law School-trained civil rights attorney. Thompson draws from a life rich with experience and reinvention. His play What Happened Was made its World Premier at The Chain 2025 Summer One Act Festival in 2025 Directed by Austin Pendleton and starred Cady McClain and Ryan Tramont.
Cady McClain (DIRECTOR) is a three‑time Emmy® Award–winning actor and Co‑Artistic Director of Axial Theatre. Recent theatre directing work includes PAINT MADE FLESH by Howard Meyer at The Cell, NEVER THE SINNER by John Logan at Bethany Arts Community, CENSUS by Susan Miller at the Glass Ceiling Breakers Festival, THE PARK by Eric Conger at MTC Creative Center and the Marilyn Monroe Theater, A STORY ABOUT A GIRL by Jacquelyn Reingold at Paradise Factory, A CONNECTED PLACE by Youlim Nam at The Dramatists Guild, JUST A YELLOW CAB IN NEW YORK CITY by Youlim Nam at The Chain 2025 Summer One Act Festival. Her film credits include Seeing is Believing: Women Direct (Jury Award, Newport Beach Film Festival; Audience Award, SOHO Film Festival). Cady teaches scene study at Michael Howard Studios and currently appears as Pamela Curtis on Beyond the Gates on Paramount+ / CBS. Member - NYC Actors Studio Playwrights/Directors Unit.
Bryce Holloway (JACK) Bryce is a New York native raised in Brooklyn who discovered his passion for the performing arts in high school. He has trained at Hofstra University, Nassau Community College, the New York Performing Arts Academy, and the Michael Howard Studios One Year Conservatory, performing in numerous plays, short films, and commercials along the way. Now expanding into multimedia content creation, Bryce aims to connect with like‑minded individuals and celebrate art across entertainment, fashion, and lived experiences. He’s grateful for the unwavering love and support of his parents, family, and friends.
India Burns (AUDREY) Native New Yorker India Burns has never been afraid to take risks. After earning degrees in philosophy and political science, she left her corporate career to travel across Asia and Australia, where she rediscovered her pull toward storytelling. Returning home, she enrolled in the one‑year conservatory at Michael Howard Studios and quickly booked a starring role in the vertical drama Watch Hill, which earned over 500,000 Instagram views and a Times Square billboard feature. Her work has since expanded to an independent feature and multiple short films. Known for her natural instincts and versatility, India is drawn to complex, modern characters who challenge expectations, take risks, and leave a lasting impression.