Buy Tickets:

Down There

Written by Al Groppi

Directed by Bela Pascale

synopsis

Kyle lost his necklace walking under the pier at low tide, and he needs it back before morning - don’t ask why. He can’t swim, but his best friend Bradley’s a natural, and underdog Ed can be their lookout. But when the three football teammates break onto the boardwalk after dark and find an eerily familiar girl claiming to be a mermaid, only one will make it back to campus alive. A crass, campy horror-comedy about fraternity culture, peacocking, and supernatural revenge.

Bios

Al Groppi (PLAYWRIGHT/STAGE MANAGER) is an interdisciplinary theatre artist based in Brooklyn, originally from Illinois. Their plays have been developed in both NYC (HARP Theatricals at The Rat) and Illinois (LibLab Productions at Beacon Arts Annex). Recently, their full-length Boys Will Be Dogs was a Finalist for the 2025 Parity Development Awards. They’d like to thank their partner and forever-beta-reader Drew, Bela for joining them on this adventure, and all the lovely folks at The Chain for the opportunity to stage their first full production in NYC! MMC BFA Acting 2020, IG: @algroppi

Bela Pascale (DIRECTOR) is a multidisciplinary artist based in NYC specializing in theatre and fine arts. They are one of the creative directors for LibLab Productions, leading the New York branch. When they’re not crafting or bothering their cat Donna, they’re a hand poke tattoo artist! They would like to thank their endlessly supportive mom and siblings, their stunning partner Felipe, and Al for trusting them to bring their production to life for their NYC directorial debut. <3 IG: @isawil // @chickinskratch

Kyra Calaway (ED) is a performer and producer based in NYC. She is one of the co-founders of Topcat LLC, which has invested in numerous Broadway shows including A Doll's House, Romeo and Juliet, Redwood, SMASH, and Good Night and Good Luck. Recent credits include the short films The Captives (Heavy Shovel Productions), But I'm Your Brother (Sogbots), and Needle Road (Dir. Mark Blane) and podcasts Zero Initiative: Curse of Strahd and the 3x nominated LA Webfest pick The Town With No Name. Much love and thanks to my friends and family!

Charlotte Craig (KYLE) is delighted to be making her New York City debut with The Chain Theater. Recent theater credits include: It Wasn’t Murder (Plymouth Playhouse Theater), The Ferryman (Park Square Theater/UMN), Henry V (Royal Shakespeare Co. Education/UMN), James 1: The Key Will Keep The Lock (UMN). Recent film/television credits include: Freelancers, (mis) placed. Education: University of Minnesota Guthrie BFA. She wants to give a big thanks to her family and friends for their joy and support. For more information on Charlotte, check out her website charlottecraig.org

AJ Liu (BRADLEY) is a singer, actor, and stage manager originally from Marietta, GA. She grew up playing classical viola and was introduced to theater through plays produced by her university’s drama club. Outside of full-scale productions, AJ sings regularly in cabarets all around NYC and performs in staged readings of new works. She also recently made her production debut with Small Boat Productions’ Slaughter City (ART/NY). Previous credits include My Best Friend’s Fish and Ella in Stardust (The Tank), Blue Blind (Sheen Center), and Guilty! The Musical (Court Square Theater). Upcoming: The Lightning Thief (Sunrise Theatre Company), Line of Inquiry (Chain Theatre). Say hi! @amyjliu

Sylvia Grosvold (JENNY)is an actor/producer/creative and recent graduate of Ithaca College’s BFA Acting Program. She is thrilled to work on this production and finally live out her dreams of being a REAL mermaid. Sylvia currently stars in LibLab Productions touring show I Am Going To Die (And All They Gave Me Were These Lousy Cupcakes), attending theater festivals across the East Coast and beyond. Other recent credits include playing Mash in the Hanger Theater’s production of Stupid F*cking Bird and Nurse in The Kitchen Theater’s production of Blunted Daggers.

Girls in the Bathroom

Written by Saturday Lawson

Directed by Mary Morgan Collier

Synopsis

Three girls who happen to all be in the bathroom of a bar together realize one of them has had more to drink than she can handle. What starts as an awkward assisting of a fellow woman in need turns into a deep and heartfelt bonding session about what it means to be a woman and the importance of female friendship. They all learn more about themselves by learning about each other and these three unlikely strangers develop a real friendship.

BIOS

Saturday Lawson [she/her] (playwright/director) is an NYC based writer, actor, and director! She has recently directed a production of “The Secretaries” by the Five Lesbian Brothers and wrote and directed her own original parody musical “Alice in Tinderland”. She also frequently writes and performs with her sketch comedy group Punchline Loading! Saturday is so excited to be working with this talented group of actors again on this new piece! She would love to thank her amazing cast, her supportive boyfriend Kevin, and her two cat sons- Umbreon and Snorlax. Enjoy the show everyone! 

Audra Zook (Andie) is an actor, writer, and director based in NYC. She recently wrote and appeared in Second Chance at the Spark Theatre Festival and LifeOptimization in the Chain Theatre One-Act Festival. Other theater credits include Stay Tuned, Just Little Women, I’m Your Hamlet, Out of My Head, A Fifth Dimension, Twelfth Night, Hellcab, and The Tempest. Audra has directed multiple plays including Looneys (Off Broadway), The Venona Decryption and The Glass Menagerie. She is a proud member of Theatre 68 and regularly writes and performs with the sketch comedy group Punchline Loading.

Veronica Murphy (Emersyn) [she/her] is an actor, stage manager, writer and producer. She studied at Providence College, where she earned a B.A. in Theatre and Film, and received the Leonard Award for Excellence in Theatre. She is thrilled to be returning to The Chain Theatre’s One Act Festival. Recently, she was the stage manager for Tier5’s production of Much Ado About Nothing and staged readings of Haunt Me and The Scouts. As an actor, she played Gina Charmin in Stay Tuned at Theatre 68, Susan in The Vino’s The Secretaries and Miss Bennell in Dylan’s Meeting in SPF BOO Week 2, which was selected as the audience favorite. Her original plays have been featured at UCB Maude Nights and in SPF NYC and SPF LUV Festivals in 2024, where they were selected as the winning play of the week. She is so thankful for everyone who came to see Girls in the Bathroom. Instagram: @ronnie_murph

Putt-Putt Party

Written by Riley Barriger

Directed by Katie Brown

synopsis

Two friends find themselves in a party room for an interesting ten year old. As they discover more about this CEO obsessed ten year old, they reveal stuff about their past birthdays and parents. Putt-Putt Party is truly about these two best friends who are dealing with some really unfortunate circumstances from parents who never really understood them.

Bios

Katie Brown (DIRECTOR) Katie Brown is a producer and director originally hailing from Northern California. She is passionate about cultivating communities through the arts and creating space, particularly for individuals who have historically been pushed to the margins. Katie recently directed and co-produced The Third Track, an original play performed at The Tank last July, devised with an ensemble of BIPOC women. She is the co-founder of Common Sister, an up and coming creative production company that exists to make room for untold stories. Katie currently serves as the Operations Coordinator at P3 Productions and an Assistant Company Manager at Lincoln Center. She received her BA in Directing from Pace University. 

Riley Barriger (PLAYWRIGHT & NYX) Riley Barriger (They/Them) is a playwright, director, and performer based in New York.  They love developing work that encompasses the ideas of family, friendships, sexuality/gender identity, and naturally, existential crises. Recently, they completed a playwriting fellowship with RoiseLou’s Acting Studio where their play Figurant was produced in RosieLou’s Winter Play Festival. Other plays include My Dad is Florida Man, Otso’s Friend, and Let’s be Garland Accurate, seen at The Secret Theatre during their Act One: One Act Festival fall of ‘24, spring of ‘25, and fall of ‘25. Findings of a Mycologist which was accepted and produced at Greenbrier Valley Theatre as part of the inaugural New Works Festival: Voices of Appalachia. By This Hand (I Swear) a Shakespearean adaptation of Romeo & Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing that they directed as part of WVU’s Lab Theatre. They graduated from West Virginia University in ‘22 with their BFA in Acting. Follow along with them on instagram @rileyscott.b

Julianna Hazlett (ELLIE) Julianna Hazlett is a New York/Philadelphia based actor (go birds!). Her most recent credits include Haley in How to Host a Sleepover in Ten Easy Steps (A.R.T./New York Theatres), Emma in My Dad is Florida Man, Otso in Otso’s Friend (The Secret Theatre), and S6 of Very Scary People (Investigation Discovery). Thank you to my friends and family who have been here since middle school and beyond for their constant support. <3 IG: urmyjewel 

Scenes of [dis]Connection

Written and Directed by Kevin T. Durfee

Synopsis

The show begins with 3 friends coming together for a night of poker – the night quickly polarizes as the conversation unintentionally seems to pull the friends further apart. The scene is then reenacted by each friend… this time alone at the table – where we get a chance to discover how much each longs to be understood.

Bios

Mary McCarthy’s (One’s) comedic work has been featured on The Skimm, Huffington Post, Good Morning America, Rachael Ray, and many more. Her web series, The Goodpie Girl was a Network Notes selection at the ITV Fest. Other favorite productions and films include Poems of... [Insert Title], Teeth, Violets, Romeo and Juliet, and Remain Calm. @notengaged

Griffin Garnett (Another) is a New York–based actor, singer, and voiceover artist trained at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy and HB Studio. His work spans stage, screen, and audio, including short films and live performance. A featured performer in “Literally Speaking: Hear Actors Read Your Favorite Writers”, Griffin brings bold energy, musicality, and emotional depth to every role.

Hannah Wu (Alternative) is an actor, dancer, and singer based in NYC. She was born in Beijing, China but spent majority of her childhood in Calgary, Canada where she discovered her love for performing. Hannah graduated from Circle in the Square Theatre School’s two-year conservatory in June 2025. Since graduating she has worked with Ghost Light Theatre Company, Poor Mouth Theatre Company, and just recently was in Sarasota FL premiering The Shark Lady, a new musical by Christina Meiping Chen. She is currently also in another Chain Winter One-Act this year: Don’t Worry Your Pretty Little Head by Jaimee Lee Gaston, program #24. Enjoy the show! hannahwu.org

Kevin T. Durfee (Playwright / Director) is a queer artist and playwright who uses the art of storytelling to understand the world around him. Kevin is excited to debut Scenes of [dis]Connections as part of the 2026 Chain Theatre One-Act Festival. Past productions include: one-act plays, Mister Toffey Tuck (2026, The Players Theatre / Be Bold! Theatre’s Short Play Festival) and Between the Wired Fence (2025, Chain Theatre One-Act Festival); full-length plays, Poems of… [Insert Title] (2024, Factory Series at the Chain Theatre) and Oh, Those Little White Lies (2017, Mosaic Theatre Company). A special thank you to his family, friends, cast, creative team and the Chain Theatre.

Rafaella Rossi (Stage Manager) is a Manhattan based stage manager and is thrilled to be a part of The Chain’s One-Act Festival and this production of Scenes of [dis]Connections. Proud Hofstra graduate; Chain Theatre credits include: Humpty Dumpty, Six Corners, Garbageman, In the Boom Boom Room, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play, Comedy Troupe The Usual Rejects, Wait Until Dark, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Additional Credits: Magdalen at United Solo Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, RENT Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Much Ado About Nothing (The Brick), Old Names for Wildflowers, and Boxcar.