Buy Tickets:

(This Sea Great and Wide) Therein Are Creeping Things Innumerable

Written by Claire Abramovitz

Directed by Anya Josephs

Synopsis

Dalia is turning into a sea creature. What's a miracle to Dalia is major cause for concern for her sister Miriam. If she really is turning into a fish person, where will she go? If she's really not, should she stay?

Bios

Claire Abramovitz (Playwright)
Claire is an emerging playwright living, working, and eating a lot of cheese in New York City. They hold a bachelor's degree in English, Theatre, and Jewish Studies from Oberlin College. Their work has been performed in Chicago, Jerusalem, Pennsylvania, and right here in NYC. Claire is a two-time semifinalist for the Jewish Plays Project Annual Jewish Playwriting Contest for her plays To Rot in His Bones (2021) and O Metuta (2025). To Rot in His Bones was also selected as a semifinalist for Bay Street Theater’s Title Wave New Works Festival 2024. They are a current and proud member (and unofficial chef)  of the PlayGround NYC writing cohort. They are so excited to be returning to the Chain Theatre One-Act Festival after their play Freak Son premiered in the Summer 2025 festival; the opportunity to share more of their monsters/fish people with captive audiences is greatly appreciated. In their spare time Claire writes poetry, watches Great Lakes freighter compilation videos, keeps a list of fake band names, and makes soup for at least thirty.

Anya Josephs (Director) 
Anya Josephs (they/she) is an NYC-based director, writer, and psychotherapist. Some of Anya’s favorite past directorial credits include the world premieres of “…Therein Lie Creeping Things Innumerable,” also by Claire Abramovitz, several short plays with the Playground NYC company including a 2025 Best of the Fest winner, and reimagining of the classics, like an all-female, queer production of Much Ado About Nothing and two interactive virtual Shakespeare productions staged over the COVID-19 lockdown. Anya’s writing can be found in venues like The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, The Deadlands, and Tor.com; her novel Queen of All is available wherever books are sold. 

Julia Crowley (Miriam) 
Julia Crowley is an actress and creator based in NYC and New England whose work can be seen across stage and screen. Julia starred as Charlotte in Thrown Stone Theater’s production of Hysterical! and as Jamie in Athena. She can be seen in the indie film Artificial (2024) which premiered at the Workers Unite Film Festival at Cinema Village and won the award of Best Narrative. She first appeared at the Chain Theater as part of Breaking and Entering Theater Collective’s PEA Fest, starring in their production of Fishbowl. Julia is a graduate of Bennington College, a company member of Playground-NY, and a performer with the Murder Mystery Company with American Immersion Theater. 

Arti Asebedo (Dalia)
Arti Asebedo (she/they) is a Multidisciplinary Performing Artist & Creative based in NYC and LA. Arti will be graduating this May from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Drama. When she is not performing, you can typically find Arti trying a new coffee shop or rewatching one of their favorite horror movies. Recent Credits include Prince of Arragon (The Merchant of Venice), Nana (Rossum's Universal Robots), and Evan (U.S. Drag).

It's Not My Christmas

Written and directed by Stephen Joseph Olson

Synopsis

A man whose life has been one tragedy after another is reminded of the joy of the Christmas season and is given the opportunity to find happiness in a memory from his past.

Bios

Stephen Joseph Olson (Playwright and Director)
I caught the writing bug back in 2014 when I started writing and performing monologues for No Shame Theatre at the Little Theatre in San Luis Obispo.  I was given such surprising acknowledgment from my first piece, “The Inheritance” that I kept submitting and performing once a month. I have not stopped writing since that first script. 

Karin Koplimae (Stella Magi) 
Karin is excited to return to her love for the stage after a long hiatus working in the healthcare field and raising a family. Previously she took part in Off Off Broadway productions of "Ernest in Love", "Working", “Witness for the Prosecution" and "The Plough and the Stars". Karin has studied at HB studios, The Acting Studio, New York and The New School. She thanks Steve for "bringing her back".

Sandford Stokes (Herbert Khaury)
Most recent NYC- Chunks In Syrup (Gene Frankel), On Delivery (TNC), Bedroom Farce (PIT), Emil and Xaver (Columbia University).. Off Broadway- Skin of Our Teeth, Merchant of Venice, Virture Dissected By Brecht (CSC), Partners/Dead End (West Bank). Favorite Regional- Gypsy, Richard ll, Kiss Me Kate, Jesus Christ Superstar, Shenandoah. Film- Last Chance Kid, Midsummer’s Night Dream, Frosty and the Coyotes, Every Other Day, Cycle. Television- UpTown Girlz (Pilot).

The Dol-Men

Written and directed by Sebastian Bader

Synopsis

The Dol-Men is a comedic fable about three sprites in Ireland and their quest to escape the tomb of their fairy king. It's a fairy tradition for the servants to attend to their fallen masters even in death, so Ordach, Cael and Laslo are stuck. Not to worry, as they have a plan to get out: a miracle.

Bios

Sebastian Bader- Playwright/Director/Commodore 
Sebastian Bader is a New York based writer for the stage, screen and radio. His theatrical work has been featured on stage at the Glicker-Milstein Theater in New York and at the Hudson Theater in Los Angeles. In addition to his theatrical work, a radio play of his was featured on Sirius XM Radio Classics, and he recently had the title story in DC Comics' Holiday Anthology "I Saw My Hunkel Kissing Santa Claus" (in comic shops now!). He would also like to say that he does not under any circumstances support the new Swiss Guard Uniforms.

Frankie DeGiorgio- Producer
Frankie DeGiorgio is a Brooklyn-based producer, director, and playwright, and co-founder of the classical production company Accidental Evils. Recent producing credits include Henry IV at The Globe Bar (Accidental Evils), Romeo & Juliet in Riverside Park (Accidental Evils), and their original script The Frat Boy Play (The Tank Moonlight Series). frankiedegiorgio.com.

Shea Rathburn- Producer 
Shea Rathburn is a New York-based producer, writer, and historian attending Columbia University. Her most recent producing credits include Disney’s Newsies (Columbia Musical Theatre Society), Jack Rado’s One-Armed Bandit (NOMADS), and Brooks Gillespie’s Baby’s first Crazy kiss Story (NOMADS). She is proud and excited to continue working with Sebastian Bader’s productions.

Jada Mirabile- Stage Manager 
Jada is a sophomore at Barnard College and has stage managed multiple productions at Barnard/Columbia. She is so excited to be working with this amazing company and hopes you enjoy!

CAST

Louis Butelli- Ordach 
Immersive stalwart (Sleep No More, Death of Rasputin, etc). Helen Hayes, NYMF Award winner; Pulitzer Jury Nominee. Proud member Sebastian Bader Repertory Players.

David Winning- Cael
David is a seasoned actor originally from Virginia. His credits include stage, television, film, and commercials. Recent TV credits include Law & Order and The Mega-Brands That Built America. Recent commercials include Urolift, Ocuvite, Petro Oil, and Fallout 76.

Frankie Fidler- Laslo
Frankie Fidler is a sophomore studying Classics and Linguistics at Columbia University. At Columbia he has most recently performed as Octavius in Julius Caesar and Plutus in One-Armed Bandit. He is thrilled to be performing at The Chain with such incredible people and hopes you enjoy the show.

Ryan Puterbaugh- Jimmy Gorman 
Ryan Puterbaugh is an NYC-based actor and dramaturg, and he is very excited to be making his Chain Theatre debut. Previous acting credits include the Earl of Northumberland in Henry IV, Part 1 (Accidental Evils), Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (King's Crown Shakespeare Troupe), and Don Quixote (Columbia University Ballet Ensemble). Recent dramaturgy credits include Romeo and Juliet (Accidental Evils), The Frat Boy Play (The Tank Moonlight Series), A Midsummer Night's Dream (KCST), and his senior thesis, Enda Walsh's The Same (Barnard College Theatre Department). He hopes you enjoy the festival!

Morgan Johns- Christina the Astonishing 
Morgan Johns was a classical ballerina before moving to New York to attend Columbia University, where she studies Creative Writing and Sustainable Development. At Columbia, she has worked on over 25 productions as a performer, writer, choreographer, director, and designer. Previous acting credits include the Nurse in "Romeo and Juliet" (Accidental Evils), Falstaff in "Henry IV" (King's Crown Shakespeare Troupe), Mrs. Wormwood in "Matilda" (Columbia Musical Theater Society), and Columbia's 128th and 130th Annual Varsity Shows. Morgan also wrote the 131st Varsity Show, in addition to numerous comedy productions.

Linda Blackstock- The Bog Witch
This marks Linda's 5th performance at the Chain (most recently as Cecile in Cecile at this very same fest). She is a proud native New Yorker, born and bred in The Bronx, and has performed over the years in a variety of venues throughout the boroughs. She is delighted to be a part of this original production. This one is for you, Annie.

PRODUCTION TEAM

Matthias Pridgeon- Set Designer 
Matthias Pridgeon is a freshman at Columbia University studying English and Theater. Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, he has been lucky enough to work as a painter and designer for several local companies, but still treasures his time working on Calvert Hall High School's productions. He is sending love and gratitude to the director, producers, his fellow designers, and all the rest of the cast and crew. Enjoy the show!

Jonathan Pankauski- Properties Designer
Jonathan Pankauski is a PhD candidate in engineering who moonlights as an actor and properties designer. Jonathan has previously done props design at The Chain for Isabel Tongson’s A White Girl’s Understudy and has done props design for Sebastian Bader in One-Armed Bandit, XMAS!19: The Night Watch Before Christmas, and The Thaumatrope Game.

Vera Pankevich- Costume Designer 
Vera is a Junior at Columbia University. She has worked as a costume designer, set and props designer, and stage manager on multiple Columbia productions, primarily Shakespeare. This is her first non-Columbia production, and she is very grateful for the opportunity!

Zoe Banta- Assistant Costume Designer

Isabelle Cowan- Lighting Designer
Isabelle Cowan is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and delighted to be working on this production. Previous work includes a lights/sound apprenticeship at the Great River Shakespeare Festival, tech direction of Columbia Musical Theatre Society's Fun Home, and numerous college productions including Humble Boy (CUP), Antigone (KCST), Antony and Cleopatra (KCST), XMAS!20 (XMAS), and more. She would like to thank the cast and crew for their hard work. Enjoy the show!

Jake David- Sound Designer
Jake has been involved in music all his life, picking up digital production 3 years ago, and theater scoring very recently. Catch him (most) Mondays at 1-3 am on WKCR.org, or 89.9 FM, hosting the Greek broadcast. He hopes you enjoy tonight's show!

Melañia Horowitz- Fight Choreographer 
Melañia Horowitz is a fight choreographer, director, and performer currently attending Columbia University, and they learned how to actually do a dropkick for this show. Melañia's fight choreography credits in the past year include stagings of Newsies, Julius Caesar, and Indecent, as well as original productions Vincent Almost in King John and The Frat Boy Play. This upcoming April, they are directing Tennessee Williams's A Cavalier for Milady for the Barnard Theatre Department for their senior thesis! Melañia is also a 4th-degree black belt in Taekwondo and wants to try and learn every possible martial art they can before they dropkick the bucket.