2022 One-Act Summer Festival

PROGRAM 1

Days to Come

by Brandon Hughes

Synopsis:

After 2 weeks of isolation in his late families abandon farm house, presidential candidate Mark Maccabee, invites a young up and coming journalist to interview him so he can set the record straight about his campaign.

DREW ALLEN (Mark) was last seen as John Baron in Live Source Theatre’s production of Suddenly at HERE Arts Center. Selected past roles include Henry VIll in Copse (best actor in a leading role nomination, Manhattan Intl Festival/Roy Arias Theatre), David Blau in Red Angel by Eric Bogosian (Theatre Row), Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet (Connelly Theatre), Ben Casey in Sharkplay (Classic Stage Co, Samuel French OOB festival finalist), RFK in The File on J. Edgar Hoover (Wild Project), Giovanni in We Won’t Pay! (Drilling Company Theatre). Regional: Tony Wendice in Dial M for Murder (Ocean State Theatre), Bernard in Don’t Dress For Dinner (Rosewater Theatre). TV/Film: Billions, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tommy, Dick & Jack, Equal Standard. Drew is also a musician and avid breakdancer. AEA/SAG-AFTRA 

BRANDON SCOTT HUGHES (David/ Writer/Director) is a director/actor/producer of both stage and film. NYC Credits: Artistic Director/Director of MosesMogilee Shows include: Much Ado About Nothing (New World Stages) Ghosts of Provincetown (New World Stages) Dog Sees God (Shetler Theatre)   Artistic Director/Director of Second Sight  Shows include: See the Elephant by Trystin Bailey  Pieces (Chain Film Fest.) The Righteous (Chain Film Fest.) Writer/Director of Adult-ish Web Series (Miami Film Fest. & LA Web Fest) He is also known for his humanistic television portrayal of Charles Whitman on A Crime to Remember Season 2. He is very excited to bring this strange piece to life and is thankful to be directing such talented and giving actors.

Bonefruit

by Leah Annia Plante-Wiener

Synopsis: In a chapel in the middle of the desert, two girls meet for the first time in years. Together, they must grapple with the grim reality of their lives, worn-down beliefs, and the thought of an existence beyond the violence that has forged them.

LARK – Mary Cecilia Walker

Born and raised on the island of Barbados, Mary Cecilia has always loved telling stories. With experience in roles ranging from Shakespeare to Nottage, she is a versatile performer with a passion for uplifting unheard voices and underrepresented communities. A recent graduate from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Mary C is thrilled to be returning to the Chain for their summer festival as her first post grad performance after working with them in the Fall of 2021 directing the original work If and When You Said Goodbye.

ANHEDONIA – Elisa Tarquinio 

Elisa Tarquinio (she/her) is excited to be making her Chain Theater Festival debut! She is a working actress, producer and casting director based in NYC. Elisa has had the privilege of working with amazing companies such as: New York Theater Festival, The Samuel French Play Festival, Theater for the New City, Little and Fierce Theater Festival, The Gateway Playhouse, and Stonestreet Studios. Off/Off-Off Broadway: Hanoi Jane Piss Target, Sex Shoplifting and Rock n Roll, My Love Was Stolen by a Con Man. Regional: The Bodyguard The Musical, The Wizard of Oz. Select Theatre: The Drowsy Chaperone, Sweeney Todd, The Laramie Project. Select Film: Matters of the Heart, In my Head, Time Out. Proud graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts with degrees in Drama, Entertainment Business, and Producing. She wants to thank her friends and family for their unconditional love and support. Instagram: @elisatarquinio

Writer – Leah Annia Plante-Wiener

Originally from Montreal and based in New York, Leah Annia Plante-Wiener (she/her) has just graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in dramatic writing. Leah’s work has been produced through the Road Theatre, the Broke People Play Festival, and New York Summerfest, as well as shortlisted for the Epiphanies New Works Festival. She is obsessed with the art of mythmaking and story-weaving, the body and its shadowy realms, the dreamlike and the grotesque, and obsession itself. Lots and lots and lots of love to the Bonefruit family; the depth of her gratitude for them knows no end. A special thank you to Isa for understanding the dystopian desert of her writer brain a little too well. You can find Leah on Instagram at @leah.annia. 

Director – Isabella Nicdao

Isabella Nicdao is a director, actor, and producer based in NYC. She is currently a junior at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts studying Drama and Producing. Isabella is overjoyed to be returning to The Chain and making her directorial debut with Bonefruit. Past work includes assistant direction on If and When You Said Goodbye (Broke People Play Festival, Chain Theater). Having moved nearly 20 times, she hails from no particular hometown but is grateful to have found a home and chosen family in the city. With all her work, Isabella seeks to tell universal stories through a culturally representative and diverse lens, especially through embracing underrepresented stories and storytellers. She offers her love and thanks to Leah, Mary, Elisa, and Jonathan for helping turn this weathered chapel into a weathered home. May the Beast protect you always.

Scenic, Props, & Graphic Designer – Jonathan Schatzberg 

Jonathan Schatzberg (he/they) is a recent graduate from New York University, having studied literature, creative writing, and sociology. Previous scenic design credits include Ibrahim and June by Lizzie Boscolo, dir. Keith Morris; Pippin, dir. Callie Llewellyn; Friendsgiving by Carina Kanzler, dir. Samantha Taxman; Of Flesh and Feathers by Leah Annia Plante-Wiener, dir. Mary Walker. Their writings have been published by The Greene Street Review, the Color Club zine, and WNYU. You can find Jonathan on Instagram (to talk all things crafty and monstrous) at @jonschatzberg.

PROGRAM 2

What the Psychic Said

by Matthew McLachlan

Synopsis:

Months after seeing a psychic who foresaw many things in his life come to fruition, a young man stumbles upon the young woman he believes is the predicted love of his life. So, what does he do? He goes up and tells her, of course. This romantic comedy explores whether or not true love is actually written in the stars or perhaps is it merely what you choose to believe that will come to fruition.

Matthew McLachlan (Playwright)

Matthew McLachlan was born in Scotland, raised in Florida, and currently survives in New York City. He is a Dramatist Guild Member, current Artist in Residence with Abingdon Theatre Company and a two-time ScreenCraft Stage Play Finalist. His plays have been presented by Abingdon Theatre Company, Nylon Fusion, The Chain Theatre, The NOW Collective, The Farm Theater, The PIT, Thespis Theater Festival, The Midnight Factory, and performed regionally in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, New Jersey, & Florida. His published works A Collection of One-Acts & Other Things You May or May Not Enjoy and full-length play Orion are available now at The Drama Bookshop and on Amazon. @19MartyMcFly85

David Zayas Jr. (Director)

David Zayas Jr. is  a Director, Actor, Photographer. Originally  from the Bronx, NY. Growing up around theater and film, he started becoming more involved, starting with photography. He later joined a theater company and with them produced and directed 14 short films. He was nominated for best director for “ The Head Hunter” by Mark Borkowski and has directed several one-acts by Matthew McLachlan in The Chain’s One-Act Festival. His film work includes the award winning “Santa Force” by Peter Collier and  “ Uptown Dave” which he wrote and starred. He is a member of the director’s program at the Actors Studio. @dzcs4u

Marc Reign (Young Man)

Marc Reign is a Puerto Rican full time Artist from Spanish Harlem, NYC. Former Mechanical Engineer (AAS in Mechanical Engineering Technology) turned Actor in 2012 after gaining a BA in Theatre from CCNY. At the same time he found and fell in love with the Art of Photography & Filmmaking. After 10 years of doing it all, from Acting, Directing, Editing, Producing, Marc has become a force in the Art of Storytelling.  Follow for more on IG: @marc_reign and visit www.marcreign.com @marc_reign

Kaylee Costello (Young Woman)

Kaylee Costello is a native Masshole who aspired for a much grander life than the small liberal white town she was raised in, igniting her fire and passion to move to the big Apple in 2014 to attend William Esper Studio. She now works in mental health tech, maintaining her side hustle of acting with friends that she does solely as favors. Jay kay. Dog mom of ridiculous Golden Retriever who slightly resembles Kaylee before she took her first step to sobriety. @kayleeahnna

The Right Person

by Merridith Allen

Synopsis: A surprise proposal sets off a chain of events that lead Carrie and Sean to question their relationship. What does it really mean to find the right person? Is there a right time? How does a flood of social media weddings and babies become a compass for what you're 'supposed' to want?

Merridith Allen (Playwright) is a multi-hyphenate, multi-cultural artist, who moved from New York City to L.A. to pursue a full-time career in the entertainment industry. With her background as a martial artist, actress, playwright, theater director and theater producer, Merridith has a passion for telling stories about women wrestling with their demons (and quite frankly, kicking them in the teeth), with a special focus on female-driven martial arts, drama, action, and dramedy.

Merridith's plays have been produced nationally and abroad, and excerpts can be found in over a dozen anthologies through Smith&Kraus Publishers. Merridith has been the recipient of several prestigious writing fellowships from such organizations as The Sewanee Writer's Conference, VCCA, and the San Miguel Writer's Conference.  Merridith is also an award-winning screenwriter whose day jobs have included story consultant, audio description writer, creative writing teacher, and yoga and martial arts instructor. Merridith can be found on facebook, instagram and Twitter, at @merridithallen, or through her website, merridithallen.com.

Joshua Warr (Co-Director): Down the Fox Hole (Chain); Stupid F**king Bird (13th Street Theatre); Pizza Man (13th Street Theatre); Brilliant Traces (WorkShop Theatre), Orion (Theatre Row/Studio Theatre), Lady Gay: All of Me (Feinstein's/54 Below), The Blue Djinn (The Wild Project), An Infinite Ache (Access Theatre), Tape (Abingdon Theatre/Dorothy Strelsin). Film: Haywire. Joshua is the founder of Art of Warr Productions.

Valentine Aprile (Co-Director) is a multidisciplinary artist working in fine art, theater, performance, and filmmaking. Her eclectic arts education includes IDC Professionals, The University of the Arts, The Art Students League of NY, Nimble Arts, The Maggie Flanigan Acting Conservatory, and various dance studios. Her paintings have been published in American Art Collector, Create! Magazine, and LINEA, and have also been selected for the Lunar Codex project. Traditional theater directing credits include Down The Fox Hole (Co-Director) (Chain Theatre); Stupid F**king Bird (Movement Director) (13th Street Theatre); Brilliant Traces (Movement Director) (Chain Theatre). https://www.valentineaprile-artist.com Member - NAEA, NAWA, PoetsArtists, Portrait Society of America Rizzle.tv sponsored content - https://rizzle.tv/u/valentineaprile Instagrams - @valaprile @valtheseries IMDB - http://www.imdb.me/valentineaprile

Larissa Adamczyk (Carrie) completed the Two Year Acting Program at William Esper Studio, and continues her study at The Ken Studio. Larissa often gets to read new works with groups such as The Playground Experiment and NYC Playwrights. Her credits include:  Bianca in Desdemona; A Play About a Handkerchief, Sue in Wingman (Player’s Theatre 2019 Best of Fest) Not Jayne in Muscle Beach; Not Jayne Mansfield’s Story, and Rose – a feisty suffragette- in Speranza Theatre Company’s Unveiling Liberty. She is in the short film Unvoiced (a recipient of several nominations/ awards in local & international film festivals). Larissa can also be found in several web series: Tiny Boxes (Lead), A Period Drama (recurring), and as a recurring role in In The Time Of… A Short Story Anthology (youtube/Instagram). www.larissaadamczyk.com

Kirk Koczanowski (Sean) is so pleased to be back performing on the brand new Chain Theatre mainstage after appearing Winter 2022 & Summer 2021 in Matthew McLachlan's "3 Characters Figure It Out" and "Toxic Norse-Culinity," Both crowd favorites from each respective festival runs. Some of Kirk's recent career highlights have been filming the lead role in the exciting new tv sitcom pilot “The Big Time”/Leaving Normal Productions, opposite Maitland Ward (Boy Meets World) and Brett Azar (Young Rock, Terminator); "No Witnesses"  a fast paced dark comedy from Vanguard Studios and "Nice Guy" a harsh exploration of consent culture in our current social climate from writer/director Lily Yasuda. You can see Kirk on YouTube or your favorite podcast app every week on his self-help/comedy podcast "Men of Doozy" and providing movement performance with band Pair of Sloths at various music venues in the city. He would like to thank Art of Warr Productions for their continued support, collaboration, and trust in him to bring characters to life on-stage. imdb.me/kirkkoczanowski IG: @kirk_koz

Sin Blanca

by Zoe Ray Prawda

Synopsis: Sin Blanca is about a bride-to-be and her mother trying to find the perfect wedding dress. Their conflicting ideas of what that means boils over; will they find a compromise? Is a wedding dress really that important?

(PENELOPE) Cynthia Franchesca Lizardo is an Afro-Dominican American woman born and raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Cynthia is currently based in New York. She has an immense passion for the arts such as dance, theatre, and music. This is where she finds purpose, healing, and connection with others. She strives to make a difference by spreading love and peace through her artistry. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre Arts with a Concentration in Theatre Performance from Marymount Manhattan College. 

(MAMA) Singer and actress Francesca Martinez was born and raised in New York City. She is a life-long performer,writer and painter who, in addition to pursuing creative endeavors, is a NYC elementary school teacher. She is a mother of two children and she credits her determination to achieve every goal to them. She has also dedicated this performance to them in hopes that she can inspire them and future generations of  Arawak Taino, African, and Spanish European descendants to make a lasting mark in this country. 15% of the proceeds from this or any of her other performances will be donated to the World Food Program an organization that helps deliver relief hunger spots worldwide.

(DIRECTOR) Thalia Ranjbar is a Canadian book writer, lyricist, director, and choreographer. She is a graduate from the University of Western Ontario where she acquired a Bachelor of Arts Honors Specialization in Kinesiology and a Minor in General English. In 2019, Thalia wrote and directed her own original musical entitled, Where Do We Begin? in London where it performed a sold-out run. In the past year she has worked on developing two new musicals: Then She Ran at the New Studio on Broadway and Notes From Now with Prospect Theatre Company, both in New York City. She has recently acquired her MFA from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at “NYU/Tisch School of the Arts” and is thrilled to have collaborated with Zoe Ray Prawda on this beautiful piece of theatre! 

(STAGE MANAGER) Rebecca Batson is junior theatre design and production major, on the stage management track at Fordham University. Favourite credits include: Fordham Mainstage: Fucking A (SM), Fordham Studio: Space Show (SM), TBTB: Playmaker’s Redux (PSM) Other: Bobbing For… Apples? (PSM), Shrek the Musical (Makeup Design).

(WRITER/PRODUCER) Zoe Ray Prawda was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and is a writer, composer, and performer.  She has a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Composition from Nyack College and an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. In her free time she enjoys juggling and other various creative outlets as well as hiking and reading.

PROGRAM 3

Cheesecake

by Darpan Joshi

Synopsis:

A couple craving closure meet over a slice of cheesecake.

ALEX BEECHKO (actor):

Alex, sometimes called Alexandra, graduated with a BFA from the Hartt School and studied at UCB and Atlantic Acting. Some theatres they've had the opportunity to perform in: Hartford Stage Company, HERE Arts Center, Hudson Theatre Guild (*nominated best actress), Actor's Studio, and The Pit Loft. Alex recently wrapped playing a vampire named 'Jackie the bartender' in the campy queer horror feature "Crimson Shadows" and Shirley, the outspoken, comedic relief in the short film "Across 1949" entering into the festival circuit this fall. She's grateful to be able to tell stories and be a part of this festival amongst fellow artists during this wild, frustrating time. IG: @thealexbeechko 

JESSE R TENDLER (actor):

Jesse R. Tendler is an award-winning professional actor, director/filmmaker, and former child star whose career spans nearly four decades. TV & film acting credits include: The Ellen Burstyn Show (series regular); The Thorns (series regular); The Secret; Are You Afraid of the Dark?; Law & Order; Leaving Circadia; The Unborn; and many more. He has appeared in nearly 100 national network TV commercials (Clio Award Winner: Best Child Actor in a TV Commercial), numerous radio spots, and several video games (Bully, Grand Theft Auto, etc.). Theatre credits range from Hamlet and Cymbeline to Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood to Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party and also include various new works. Past films (Frankie, Deadbeat, Leaving Circadia, Family On Board, 16mins) have won Best Picture, Best Director, and Audience Choice awards at a multitude of film festivals, including being selected for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the 2016 Oscars. As an entrepreneur in both the entertainment and education industries, Jesse is the co-owner/co-founder of Intimation Productions, Loop Group NYC, and Maximum Potential Education. 

DARPAN JOSHI (writer, director)

Darpan Joshi (he/him) is a writer, filmmaker, and theatre artist living in NYC. He writes scripts for both film and stage (and an occasional poem); stories with immigrant roots, inter-racial relationships, existentialism, global flair, and characters that are easy to adore or abhor. When not writing or indulging in dramantics, he can be found in the kitchen experimenting with adding hearty Indian spices to full-blooded American desserts. 

Maybe Tomorrow

Written and Directed by Brian Leahy Doyle

CAST IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

MONICA MIST ….……………………………………. ELLEN

DAN JESSUP…………………………………………… MICHAEL

DAN JESSUP (Michael) is an actor and host with experience across theatre, TV, film, commercial campaigns and live events. Sentimental credits include Shark Tank: The Musical, NBC’s Chicago Fire, and sharing the good news about McDonald’s breakfast menu. This past May he proudly was part of playwright Martin Murray’s latest project, Good Things Happen, at Columbia University. He carries 15+ years of improvisation and devised theatre experience from his time in Chicago, and has worked as a live event host for 20 years. Thanks to Monica and Brian for the great collaboration, everyone involved with Chain Theatre’s festival, and you for your support! www.danjessup.com

MONICA MIST (Ellen) is thrilled to be part of her first production at the Chain Theatre. A classically trained actress originating from Australia, Monica has played leading roles ranging from original festival theatre productions (Pacing the Cage, The Driver’s Bus Knows No Stops) to touring with a Shakespeare repertory company, and everything in between. New York roles include Lady Markby in Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband and Kathleen in Ted Tally’s Terra Nova. She gives thanks to her family and friends for their endless love and encouragement, and for theatre being back. monicamist.com

BRIAN LEAHY DOYLE (Playwright/Director) earned his MFA in Theatre from the University of Utah, where he served as the first resident dramaturge of the Pioneer Theatre Company. Directing credits: Whole Theatre, Cincinnati Theatre Festival, Louisville’s Classics in Context, Irish Arts Center, Riverside Shakespeare, Open Eye, 92nd Street Y/Makor, and the New York premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Aaron Jay Kernitz’s The Four Seasons of Futurist Cuisine at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Playwriting: Greetings from Fitzwalkerstan (Broom Street Theatre, Madison, WI); The Chancers! (The Players, New York); The Weeping Woman (with composer Michael Dilthey, MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA); Light from the Pleiades (English Theatre Düsseldorf); Starry, Starry Night, Dining for One, and Telepathy (Secret Theatre); Dead End Kids (KNOW Theatre and Chain Theatre); and Maybe Tomorrow (KNOW Theatre’s 2021 Playwrights Festival). His one-act play, The Architecture of Desire, is featured in The Best New Ten-Minute Plays 2021. His book, Encore! The Renaissance of Wisconsin Opera Houses (Wisconsin Historical Society Press), focuses upon the restoration of historic theaters in Wisconsin and has received the Theatre Historical Society of America’s Outstanding Book of the Year Award. Thank you, Dan and Monica, for being my dream cast! https://brianleahydoyle.wixsite.com/brianleahydoyle

Maybe Tomorrow was first produced at the KNOW Theatre in Binghamton, NY in November 2021. The play was directed by Jeff Tagliaferro and featured Joe Hoffmann and Jean Graham.

Special thanks to Michael Bucklin, Michael Dilthey, Tim Armacost, Jonathan Mernit, Bernie and Aimee Doyle, and Dr. Belle Doyle Cowden, and Christina, Kirk, and Rick of the Chain Theatre!

Our Place in the Daylight

by Marissa Alaniz

Synopsis: Tracking two timelines, Our Place In The Daylight follows Lucian and Ashton, two people who should not be together. Ashton is unhappily engaged to marry Lucian's son, Lucian is still married to his estranged wife, and they find in each other the comfort they are missing. Our Place In The Daylight looks at what happens when we can't be with the one we love and the fallout of pursuing an ill-fated relationship.

Marissa Alaniz (playwright) 

Marissa (she/her) is an actor, playwright, and theatre maker. Though she has lived all over, she now calls New York City her home. Focusing on big questions, her work lives in the world of dark comedy and often explore queerness, trauma, and misfits. She holds an Associate's degree from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (Los Angeles) and a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she received an award for Excellence in Drama from the Lee Strasberg studio and minored in Linguistics. She is a founding member of the Imaginarium Theater Company, which advocates for equity and sustainability in the theater. She is thankful for the endless support from her partner Kyle, The Chain for believing in her voice, her talented cast and crew, and her agent Michelle. IG: @malanizofficial Website: www.marissaalaniz.com

Korey Caron (director)
Korey (she/her) is a director and live-event producer based in NYC. Recent projects include The Land of Turquoise (reading, in-person), Several Miles from Nowhere (Emerging Artists Theatre, in-person), Gen (virtual), and Asphodels (virtual). Thank you to the cast and crew and all who made this piece happen! IG: @itsnotcoreykaren

Sid Parker (Present Ashton)
Sid (she/her) is an NYC-based actor/singer/dancer and a newly-minted graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, attending both the Lee Strasberg Institute and Stonestreet Studios during her studies. In past productions, she has portrayed Janet Van De Graaff (THE DROWSY CHAPERONE), Allison (BACK WHEN WE FELT CLEAN), Eliza Doolittle (PYGMALION), Laertes (HAMLET), Rita Parrot (BLOOD AND PRAYER), and Real Louisa (IMAGINED DIALOGS). She enjoys reading, Japanese food, playing the ukulele, Bollywood movies, studying butterflies, and cultivating her ever-expanding herb garden. Sid thanks the creative team, her former professors, her parents, and her friends for their unabating support and guidance. IG: @sidcparker Email: sidcparker@gmail.com

Sean Coffey (Present Lucian)Sean (he/him) is an actor based in Westchester, NY. He studied at Fordham University and is absolutely delighted to be returning to the Chain Theater Festival once again, having previously performed in their production of The Gospel of Efunroye last year. Some other favorite theater credits include: Dear Brutus (Mr. Lob, Alpha NYC Theater Company), Cabaret (Ernst Ludwig, Sherman Playhouse), Hedda Gabler (George Tesman, Red Monkey Theater Group), The Gospel of Efunroye (Consul Benjamin Campbell, Soho Playhouse) and The Mysterious Affair At Styles (Capt. Arthur Hastings, Red Monkey Theater Group). He is currently serving as the resident dramaturg for the Arachne Theater Collective and has also appeared in their productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bottom) and The Menagerie Cycle (Harvey Keller). Very special thanks to Marissa, Korey & this entire wonderful cast! Hope you all enjoy the show! 

Colleen Gold (Past Ashton)

Colleen (she/her) is so happy to be making her Chain Theater debut! Theatre: Broadway Sacramento, Pasadena Playhouse, Laguna Playhouse, TPAC, Attic Theatre, Syzygy Theatre. Colleen is also a proud alum of Broadway Dreams, Music Academy International, and the Pasadena Musical Theater Program. Film/TV/Media: “Three Women”, “Come Together”, “Almost Midnight”, “Soul Provider”,  “Back to the 80s”. Colossal thanks to her friends and family for their support. Colleenegold.com

Cuinlan Pedretti (Past Lucian)

Cuinlan (he/him) is a singer, dancer, actor, and creator from the Philadelphia suburb of Haddonfield, New Jersey. He loves the little things, from a micro expression to a firm beat. He has been in several productions at NYU’s Tisch Drama, including We Are Proud to Present … Between the Years 1884–1915, Runaways, and Pregnancy Pact. He is relishing the return of physical theater and has recently performed in the new Michael the Musical. He can’t wait to dive head first into any medium or form of expression that presents itself.

Toni Machi (Intimacy Coordinator) 

Toni (she/her) is over the moon with being a part of this production. Previously, she could be found as a burlesque performer in the New York nightlife, collaborating with Rose Freeman and City Lyric Opera, working for reproductive justice, or teaching flying trapeze. Toni holds a BA in physical theater and movement from Columbia College Chicago. All the love to SVH and Benny.

PROGRAM 4

#DOGMOM or Words Matter

by Robyne Parrish

Synopsis:

Do dogs have souls? 

Or are they the equivalent of a house plant? Feed and water and repeat? And when they die, we just replace them? 

This dog mom begs to differ.

"I remember getting so angry at my Mother. So enraged at the world. At the planet. At God. I screamed at the top of my lungs. “I will never have children! I will never, ever have children and treat them the way you treat me!”

In that moment I released such a powerful statement of energy into the universe, that there was no stopping the manifestation of it. I couldn’t have been more than ten years old. But from that day forward, my future as a childless woman was set in the stars." Join Robyne Parrish and cast as they explore the life of the DOGMOM and the misconceptions about what it means to be a fur parent. 

ROBYNE PARRISH is an Actor/Director/Writer in NYC – She is grateful to return to the Chain Theatre Play Festival this year! Most recent regional directing credits include: A Man of No Importance, Violet and Grey Gardens at Front Porch Theatricals in Pittsburgh; Urinetown and The Carols at Gilbert Theatre, Hamlet and The Seagull at Seton Hill University, Mumburger at Off the Wall (also at Off the Wall 4.48 Psychosis, The Carols, The Musical of Musicals the Musical, Stop Kiss, The Zero Hour, The Mercy Seat, House of Yes, Looking for the Pony, and Shaken and Stirred) and Steel Magnolias with the Great American Melodrama. Parrish has directed off Broadway: Musicals Tonight!, The Chain, NYICF, NY Artists Unlimited, Sonnet Rep, and the 79th Street Workshop/Incite Productions. Other memorable directing credits include...Gamma Rays..., The Diary of Anne Frank, The Fantasticks, Much Ado About Nothing, A Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life, and Quilters. Parrish is a member of the Dramatist Guild and writer of the web series Peri-Street and the short film What If I Were You. She has directed her new play, Still, Birth. co-written with NYC Labyrinth Theatre Ensemble collaborator, Coley Campany, most recently through a NYFA grant in collaboration with the Chain Theatre Company in Manhattan, for the NYTF (nominated for Best Play), and at the Rogue Theatre Festival. She served five seasons as Artistic Director of the Gilbert Theatre in NC. In NYC she is Founding Artistic Director of Sonnet Repertory Theatre Inc. and was the assistant to the Company Manager of WICKED on Broadway.  As an actor: TV: HBO’s Gossip Girl; Film: A Man Called Otto (with Tom Hanks); Off-Broadway (The York, The Mint, Musicals Tonight!, Indieworks and the Chain), Pittsburgh: as actor at Pittsburgh Public, City Theatre, the CLO, Quantum, Off the Wall, Bricolage, PMT and The REP, as well as commercial/film. A theatre educator for more than 20 years teaching students from grade school through the collegiate level, she is an Adjunct Theatre Professor at FTCC in Acting/Voice and a private coach with NYC Parrish and Co. BFA in Drama from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and MFA Graduate candidate in Theatre and Pedagogy at Point Park University. Currently studies at Russian Arts Theatre in NYC. Proud member Actors Equity/SAG-AFTRA and published author RM Parrish. More at www.robyneparrish.com. IG @Robyne-Parrish

SUSANNE McDONALD is an actor, director, and devising theatre artist splitting her time between New York City and Charleston, South Carolina. She is thrilled to be using all of her skills to support the cast and crew of #DOGMOM by being the Stage Manager, Assistant Director, and Understudy. While not on or behind the stage, you can find her missing her dogs who live in South Carolina or chasing her roommate’s cat around the apartment. A proud 2020 graduate from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s Contemporary Theatre program and 2019 graduate of LAMDA’s Classical Acting Semester program, she loves to push the boundaries of what theatre can be. With support from Robyne, Susanne was able to direct her first new media project with #PUSHpregnancy in 2021. Her most recent assistant directing credits include: Satchmo at the Waldorf, No Child with Pure Theatre and Mad Woman a film with Maid & Prince Productions as well as production coordinating and crewing with The Crop Shoppe. On stage credits include: The Space Between (foolsFURY), A Midsummer Nights Dream (LAMDA), Nevermore (Charleston Stage). On screen credits: The House Guest, Holly Hill, and Evil Lives Here which premiers in the fall on ID Network. @susannemcd11 www.susannemcdonald.com       

SIOBHAN LEE, a classically-trained theater actor from London, England, moved to the United States in 2019. An experienced improvisor performing across the UK and at the PIT in NYC, Siobhan put her improv comedy background into action during Lockdown in the hilarious Quarantine Court series. Most recently, Siobhan starred in the upcoming horror film Who's Afraid, which is due for release this year. Insta @itspronouncedsiobhan @whosafraidmovie 

B Gianni Schultz (he/she/they) is happy to making their NYC debut with such a talented cast and team. They went to school at MNSU Mankato for musical theatre and dance. B is currently a real estate agent but will never reject an opportunity to jump back on the stage. 

Hali Free hails from Arkansas, where she earned a BA in theatre from the University of Central Arkansas. Since moving to NY she has had the privilege of working on projects such as the Little Foxes Theatre production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and stage managing two shows for last year’s Chain One Act Festival. She is so excited to be back this year!

Mommy

by Lee Melillo

Mommy tells the story of a young woman, Wendy, who has been labeled as the "mom friend" her entire life; it's a title that chases her everywhere—even, as she comes to discover, to the bedroom. A darkly comedic reflection on how masculine perceptions of feminine bodies follow us and change how we identify ourselves

MOMMY Team Biographies

Isabella Gallegos (Wendy) she/her is a sophomore performance major attending Fordham University at Lincoln Center. Some of her recent roles include Further (Maria), Twelfth Night (Olivia), The Trial of Romeo (Juliet). Thanks so much to a great scene partner, a talented writer, and a wonderful friend and director. 

Dylan Perez (Ed/Various Men) currently studies at Fordham University as a performance and playwriting major. Recent roles include Take Me Out (Darren Lemming), Les Misérables (Feuilly), Homesick (Marco). He wants to thank Lee Melillo and Yev Gelman for being phenomenal collaborators to work with throughout this experience, as well as Isabella Gallegos for being a great scene partner to act with.  Thank you to those involved in Mommy and all their hard work!

Lee Melillo (Playwright) is a writer and director who recently graduated from Fordham University, where she majored in English and theatre directing. Her theatrical work at Fordham included Next to Normal (Director), B.R.E.A.D (Director/Writer), Continuity (Asst. Director/Dramaturg), and The Wolves (Asst. Director). Other work includes the short film Callback (screenwriter). She would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the Mommy process and has dedicated their time and effort to the piece. leemelillo.com; @leemelillo. 

Yev Gelman (Director) is an NYC-based director, writer, and designer. He currently studies directing and creative writing at Fordham, where he has been heavily involved in studio both as a director and designer (projection design, props design, poster art). Outside of Fordham, Yev has worked with Waterwell Drama Program and Phoenix Theatre Ensemble. Thank you so much to Lee for trusting me to tell this poignantly hilarious story, and to Dylan and Isabella for their patience and care! 

Lee Lillis (Sound Design) is an NYC/DC-based lighting and sound designer. He is currently studying theatre design at Fordham University. Much love to Lee and Yev for making such an amazing story and just being all-around cool people! 

Ash Daniels (Production Assistant, he/they) is so excited to be working on this project. He is a junior at Fordham University, and has worked on the following productions there: Next to Normal (ALD), The Drag (Lighting Board Op), The Dracula Files (SM), and Space Show (ASM). They also intern with Phoenix Theatre Ensemble.

Finger Yourself

by Labiba Choudhury

Synopsis: Three girls in their mid-20s are having a Friendsgiving party. A girl who they don’t know very well joins them and pushes their boundaries. The girls must deal with sparing her feelings while also making sure they feel safe and comfortable.

Casey (she/they) is a theatre maker currently studying at Hunter College. They would like to thank their friends, family, all past and present creative collaborators, and teachers for supporting all versions of Casey, including this one. Follow her on instagram to keep up with her projects and soul searching: @thecaseykelly

Erin, playing the role of Chole, is so excited to be a part of such a special project with so many wonderful performers! In addition to pursuing art in all forms, Erin is a full time student majoring in developmental psychology as well as a server. She hopes to one day create art as a full time career. She is passionate about doing art for the sake of doing art and loves growing, learning, and healing through art and hopes the audience does the same. Special thank you to everyone who allowed this project to come into fruition. Lead with positivity, love, light, and kindness. 

Jennie Reich Litzky (Jane) is an actress and director. Recently graduating from Hunter College, this is her first post grad production! She is so honored to be working with (and is very proud of) her close friend Labiba, who she met through theater. Past credits include Eurydice (Eurydice), Antigone (Ismene), Rhinoceros (Jean), Lear (Edmund/Big Bird), The Sex Myth (Ensemble). Hamlet (Assistant Director), Ludlow Fair (Director), The Cocktail Hour (Director) @jennietheater

Labiba is an aspiring playwright and educator. This was the first piece she wrote. Her goal with writing this piece is to shed light on queer South Asian experiences as well as the experience of South Asian women, in particular, coming to terms with themselves as sexual beings. In addition to being the playwright she will also be playing the role of Sara in this performance of Finger Yourself. She wants to thank her extremely supportive friends who gave her the confidence to showcase her work. And a special thank you to her director Casey who stepped into a huge role with nothing but the best attitude and work ethic. 

Sophia (Viv) is a Bronx native and recent Hunter College Theatre graduate. She is currently in rehearsals for her second Off- Broadway show titled Unmarried Man at The Pit. Her most recent role was Olivia in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. In the beginning of this year she had her Off-Broadway debut at The Players Theatre in a production titled Ectoplasm (Annette). Prior to that, she was in a short film titled Jackie, Handbag where she played Jackie. Her theatre credits include The Cocktail Hour (Anne), Lysistrata (Lysistrata), and Cabaret (Texas).

Sahar Babi (stand-in Jane)(she/her)is happy to join fellow Hunter students to help out in a small part for this production. She is a recent graduate of Hunter with a theatre degree. In her free time she likes to take photos of nature. When she is not doing that, you can find her working at the Rooftop Film Festival or in background roles in TV and Film. Instagram: @sahar_babs

Like Horses

by Cate Wiley

Two balconies, a summer morning 2020

Cate Wiley moved from Denver to NYC just in time for Covid, and has been making theater here ever since. Last year, “Take It Back,” a meditation on white supremacy with live music, had three productions. A suicide-prevention piece, Note to Self, is published by Smith and Krauss and was seen at the Human Rights Arts Festival at the Wild Project. The single word play Hello was a 2020 pop-up on the Fourth Street Arts Block “More Ways than Broad Ways”. A Zoom play, Like Horses, appeared in the “Build Back Better” series as well as the Irondale On Women Festival. Earlier work includes Sheltered, based on stories by homeless women, Letters Home, a devised theater piece created for the Denver Public Library, and The Liberation, set in Paris during the 2015 terrorist attacks. Two Truths and a Lie, set in a memoir-writing class, will be produced at Theater for a New City later this summer. A monologue from that play appears in Best Men’s Monologues of 2020 by Applause Books. Keep up with Cate at www.catewileyplaywright.com

Keith Greer, was a SM/Director on the television daytime dramas One Life To Live and All My Children for ABC/TV. As a member of the Directing Teams of OLTL, he received 3 Emmy Awards and 4 Directors Guild Awards. His Off Broadway production of Boys Don’t Wear Lipstick by Brian Belovitch received a GLAAD Award nomination. Keith last worked with Cate in New Circle Theatre Company’s Build Back Better Festival.  He currently is a Co-Artistic Director of NCTC, which is a company of artist, dedicated on developing new and original plays.

Madelyn Chapman trained at Oberlin College and at the Drama Studio in London and acted off-off-Broadway and in regional theater before hanging her creative hat at the Castillo Theatre, where for many years she has worked as a performer, director, choreographer, producer and fundraiser. She has appeared on the Castillo stage in more than 50 roles ranging from Bertolt Brecht to Elizabeth Cady Stanton. 

Cece Waterman-Santiago is an active member of the Screen Actors Guild and aveteran actress of stage and screen. Cece performed in many off Broadwayproductions before dedicating herself to a full-time career in finance. She workedon Wall Street as a financial advisor and marketing executive for over 20 years.After leaving Wall St., Cece started a non-profit named House of Rising Sun, toassist girls that have been abused, and Aveli Wellness, a health & wellnesscompany. Cece is now the CEO of Culture Shifting Foundation, a nonprofitcompany dedicated to racial equality and wealth creation.  IG @aveliwell FB @ceceliawatermansantiago   Twitter @cecelia127

PROGRAM 5

13th Grade Prom

by Schuyler Iona Press

Synopsis: If Neil Simon was sitting next to your mother on the bus while she was heading to the hospital to give birth to you wouldn’t you want to write about that too? 13th Grade Prom is an original musical play that encapsulates the emotions, triumphs and tragedies of growing up and waking up. 

Schuyler Iona (Writer/Director/Performer) is a native New Yorker currently living in Los Angeles to Attend California Institute of the Arts where she is majoring in Music Composition and Performance. At CalArts she has had the opportunity to study with incredible composers and guitarist such as Thomas Leeb, Mark Lowenstein and Miroslav Tadic. She is a songwriter who performs all original sets on the guitar and piano. Schuyler is influenced by a wide variety of performers and music genres from folk to pop to musical theater to punk. Her guitar style features detailed chord progressions along with deft fingerpicking. She has opened for performers such as Ellis Paul and Loudon Wainwright III and has worked with many broadway performers and directors including Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, Dear Evan Hansen) as an actress. Her first music video “Playground Museum” had its premier at the International Film Festival Manhattan and is a winner of the My HERO International Film Festival. 

Lindsay Rosenberg (Bass) is an upright and electric bassist based in NYC. She is a versatile performer of classical, musical theater and pop who has played with Opera Italiana in Central Park to the Broadway Sinfonietta alongside Laura Bell Bundy and at The Duplex for “To Be A Diva”, an LGBTQ+ Cabaret. She is an adventurous, creative solo performer who has commissioned new composers works such as Kirsten Ewart’s “Childlike”, (double bass and doorstops) and of Dan Langa’s work, “After Nothing Comes”, (small ensemble). Lindsay is also a passionate music educator, pioneering a general music program in Brooklyn. She holds her Master’s in String Performance from NYU and Bachelor’s from the Hartt School.

Marcus Kreiger (Percussion) is a musician, producer and composer based in New York. He has a BM from the Hartt School of Music in Percussion Performance, where alongside classical music, he specialized in world music traditions, studying from percussion masters in Cuba/Latin America, Haiti, Brazil, West Africa and the Middle East. This deep knowledge of cultural traditions is weaved in with an intuitive passion for mainstream pop, R&B and hip hop, through 3 EPs written for his personal project, Marcus World Soul. His versatile musicianship translates into the studio, where he produces hip hop, pop and world music, among other genres, for licensing companies; Signature Tracks, FlikTrax, Lift Music and Fine Tune music. Recent projects include arranging traditional brazilian songs for Mambembe, an NYC based samba band, composing Latin Jazz influenced underscoring for unconventional Shakespeare productions at the University of Hartford, and writing songs for virtual education for grades K-12 through Marquis Studios. As a musician, he performs regularly as a Bata player for Regla de Ocho - Cuban religious ceremonies, and on congas accompanying Haitian dance classes. He is well versed in approaching and understanding the philosophies and spiritual mindset of people from different backgrounds, and loves to explore how those concepts then present themselves through music and sound - “the place where intangible ideas and tangible creation meet”.

PROGRAM 6

What Love Really Is

by Caleb Moreno

Synopsis: Ari, a 17-year-old high school senior, freaks out after his boyfriend, Kole, tells him he loves him. Ari is very reluctant to believe Kole. All Kole wants is for Ari to open up to him about the truth, but Ari has a difficult time doing so because of his past relationships and how they have affected his view on the world. Ari then takes us on a tour of his memories, revealing the truth behind his ideas of love, life, gay culture, and himself. 

Content Notice: This play involves ideas of mental health, use of strong language, and depictions of sexual actions and sexual assault on stage. Please be advised. 

CALEB A MORENO – (ARI & PLAYWRIGHT) – Caleb Moreno (He/They) is currently a rising senior at Marymount Manhattan College earning a double B.A. in Playwrighting and Directing. Caleb's focus is on plays that highlight queer, POC characters dealing with ideas that call out society, inequalities for minorities, and the idea of life. Caleb has had a couple plays produced including their play “The First Boy I Loved” at the Vermont Young Playwrights Festival in 2019, and their play “What Love Really Is” at Marymount Manhattan College where it made it’s debut in April 2022. You can get in contact and find out more here,  IG: caleb.a.moreno, Website: https://www.calebamoreno.com

NATHANIEL CLARIDAD – (DIRECTOR) – Nathaniel Claridad (He/Him) is a Director and Actor based in New York City. Nathan original directed “What Love Really Is” at Marymount Manhattan College and is now thrilled to bring this story to a new space and for more people to see. He has been a part of numerous works including shows such as Mr. Poppers Penguins, Hookman, Buyer & Cellar, The Brother(s), 3 Karens & The Nerd, including many more.  IG: @ npclaridad, Website: https://npclaridad.weebly.com

KATIE HAAN – (INTIMACY DIRECTOR) – Katie Haan (She/Her) is an actor, intimacy director, and advocate for Sex Education. In addition to providing intimacy choreography for productions at Marymount Manhattan College, intimacy credits include Spring Awakening (Forager Theatre Company) and Ecstasy Behind the Forgotten (Film). Her Podcast, Your Gay Big Sis is available on all major audio streaming platforms. IG: @itskatiehaan, katiehaan.com

BEV FORT – (GRAHAM) – Bev Fort (She/They) is a BFA Acting major at Marymount Manhattan College. They have been a part of shows such as Horse Girls and Musical of Musicals (The Musical) during their first year. After this show they hope to find similar projects to work on. To get in contact or see previous work, go to bevfort.com IG: Bev_Fort, Website: https://bevfort.com

MARK RODRIQUEZ – (KOLE) – Mark Rodriguez he/him, was most recently seen as Aiden in Soundscapes at The Provincetown Playhouse. Originating Kole, he is delighted to reprise the role in such a heartfelt and powerful piece. Getting to work alongside an incredible team made the experience exponentially thrilling. Select credits include: Bobby in A Chorus Line (San Diego, CA), Young Jorge in Machine Learning (dir. Gabriel Vega Weissman at San Diego Rep). Big love to my wonderful family supporting from thousands of miles away! IG: @mmarkrodriquez 

Mo and Bee

by Hannah Young

"Mo and Bee" focuses on Mo—a visual artist who thinks in monologue and is always rationalizing, yet is emotional, cautious, and terrified of rejection—and their best friend Phoebe—a visual artist who thinks in dialogue, lives in the moment, and wants to be loved by everybody. An exploration of the love and art in their queer friendship is broken up by fragments from the ancient poet Sappho.

Note from the writer: ​​My goals for the world premiere of this play are to give life to these ideas (old and new) and hold a space for queer fems to see themselves represented on stage. Above all, this play is my love letter to all of the queer friendships I’ve had in my own life; for me, this play is a chance to show all of the love, care, and pain queer friendships can hold in all their messy glory. “Mo and Bee” isn’t a sanitized sapphic love story or a flat queer trauma narrative; it’s a play that holds everything—even the most contradictory thoughts and feelings. It holds the pride with the shame, the spoken with the unsaid, the hurt with the love. It holds all of the tenderness I have for my community, and it’s a show that can only be put on with love.

Writer and Producer: Hannah Young (any pronouns)

Hannah (any pronouns) is a writer, researcher, and recent graduate from the NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study. In school, they studied the intersection of gender, health, feminist science, and language while writing creatively on the side. This is the first play they’ve written and they couldn’t be more excited to share it with all of you this summer! This piece is dedicated to all of the queer friends they’ve had over the course of their life, they love them all dearly. IG: @lemonclever01

Director: Isabelle Del Sesto

Isabelle (she/her) is a rising senior at NYU, studying screenwriting and game design, with a true love for directing. She’s exhilarated to be returning to the job once again with Mo and Bee, and the incredible cast and crew surrounding the production. Isabelle dedicates her work on the show to her ever-supportive parents and her lovely girlfriend, Devon. IG: @space_cowboy_26

Set Designer: Destiny Tullis

Lighting Designer: Izzie Cava

Poster Artist: Dominique Lai

Cast

“Mo”: Regina Valmadrid

BIO: Regina is a bicoastal, Meisner-legacy trained actress based in New York City. She has worked professionally since she has been 16 years old and looks forward to adding a good amount more years on top of that. Within all works she is in, Regina is determined to expand the representation for Asian-American creatives, especially Asian-American women. Outside of acting, Regina models full time and enjoys watching baby bear cub videos. 誠にありがとうございます. IG: @r.egs

“Bee”: Divya Sarma

Divya Sarma (she/he/they) is a third year drama student at NYU Tisch. In addition to acting, Divya is a budding exponent of Carnatic vocal music and South Asian classical and folk dance. Divya loves working on projects that revolve around queerness, race, disability, and interpersonal dynamics, and is so glad to have worked on Mo and Bee. Outside of work, he enjoys singing and dancing nonstop, making ridiculously detailed backstories for D&D characters, and wondering how they will decorate their room, and never actually getting it done.

“Joel”: Calvin Osorio

Calvin Osorio is an actor, writer, and puppeteer from VA, based in NYC. He is a recent graduate, BFA, from NYU Tisch School of Drama. Most recently, he created and puppeteered for an upcoming kid's show, Miss Sarah's Music Room. Calvin can be found crafting puppets for various upcoming productions and locked away writing scripts. Love to my folks, Jack, and everyone who's supported me! @calvinosorio | calvinosorio.com

PROGRAM 7

Strangers in a City

Written and Directed by Steph Prizhitomsky

Starring Ann Marie Taglavore as Sedona, Carlos D. Rodriguez as Ollie, and Yelyzaveta Pryzhytomska as Blue.

Ann Marie has performed in Off-Broadway showcases, student directed theatre, has secured lead roles in short films, as well as voice acting work. Ann Marie has received training from The Barrow Group, Soho Shakes, and Beginnings Academy. Ann Marie graduated from Towson University (2020) majoring in Psychology-Sociology with a minor in Theatre Arts. In the midst of a global pandemic, Ann Marie wrote, directed, produced, and starred in her own comedy web series, “The Almost Cast”, a part-improv part scripted satire about the journey to becoming an actor. 

Carlos is a Queens, NY native who loves learning about and experiencing stories of all walks of life, which is why he became an actor. He recently graduated from Queens College's Drama & Theater program. When he's not frantically searching Backstage or Central Casting for great opportunities like this one, he reads mystery books, picks through boxes of plantains for the largest and heaviest fruits to make his Dominican ancestors proud, and indulges in his guilty pleasure- oreos! 

Yelyzaveta or Lisa for short is an 11 year old first time actor from Dnipro Ukraine. She came to the US in early June after spending several months in Poland as a refuge and will be making her NYC stage debut in Strangers in a City. This play is dedicated to her. 

Steph Prizhitomsky is the head screenwriter of FIF Productions, director of the horror miniseries Distress Signals, co-producer of the White Rabbit Film Festival, recipient of the best young actor award at the NJ film awards, and playwright and director of Vincent’s at the Player’s Theatre, Under the Limelight at the Rogue Theater Festival, and Limbo’s Woodland at the Chain Theatre.

The Adventures of Dragon's Den

by Caitland Winsett

In a world of wizards and fairies, quests and adventures, monsters and magic, everyone still needs groceries. That's where the Superstore comes in. Layla has been working here for Merlin knows how long, and every day is the same to her. That is until a familiar-looking young man answers the help wanted ad. 

Caitland (Caky) Winsett: Playwright/Director 

Caky is a playwright from Memphis, TN with a BA from the University of Virginia. Works include Watch Me (Developed by Kervigo Ensemble Theatre), Butterfly (B8 Theatre), Door Knock (UVA Drama Dept.), and Mr. Pinky (Player’s Theatre)

Jac Ford: Layla

Jac (she/her) is a NY-based actor, playwright, poet. Selected Acting: Gone in a Flash (ABC), Romeo/Juliet (Off-Broadway @ Metro Baptist), Gaping Mouth of a Hungry Earth (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Selections from Songs for a New World (Carnegie Hall). Education: University of Virginia (Wahoowa!) Jac-Ford.com

Kai Thorne: Werewolf, Vampire, Fan, No-Face, and Brent 

Kai (They/Them) is a gender-fluid actor and comedian based in NYC. Kai graduated from The University of Memphis with a bachelor's degree in Theatre in the prime of 2020 (which was a comedy in its own right). While navigating the new normal, Kai has made it their goal to bring a smile to others' faces during this time of hardship. Previous credits include It's Just a Comedy (Comedian/ Writer), ...Tell Me About It (Comedian/ Writer) and Memphis Murder Project (Devising Actor/ Writer). 

Rachel Clark: William Baxter 

Rachel is so excited to be a part of this production! They have been living in the city for about 7 months and are currently working as a full time director of social media at a Gen Z agency while pursuing acting. Rachel also paints, has a song in production, and loves to write poetry! They’re absolutely ecstatic to be playing a male-presenting character, as their fluidity is such a huge part of their identity and passion behind the performing arts. They hope you enjoy the adventure!”

The Day We Make Contact

by Joseph Sexton

Synopsis: Four space aliens sent to Earth to make contact and guide humanity to the next level, arrive and adopt the form of the locally predominant species. Unfortunately, due to a miscalculation, they find themselves as cattle in a rancher’s herd sporting a distinctive blue coloring. The rancher, believing this to be some sort of hoax, fails to see the significance of their arrival and sends them off with the other cattle, cutting their mission short.

Joseph Sexton (Playwright) - My plays have been produced in NYC by Love Creek productions, The Chain Theatre (winner, audience choice), The Players Theater, The Secret Theatre (finalist, audience choice) and online at From the Couch theatre company. My full length work, Storytime and Other Tales of Love and Deception was workshopped by Rising Sun Performance company as part of their summer Laboratorium series. My short play, CRB Therapy, has been selected to be published in an anthology. I have been acting, directing and writing in NYC since 2011. I studied fine art and economics at the University of Washington and then obtained a masters degree in fine arts from Long Island University. I currently reside in Brooklyn, NY. More of my plays are available at the New Play Exchange. jsphsexton@gmail.com 

S.R. Halley (Director) - has directed and choreographed for television (PBS Great Performances) Broadway, off-Broadway, NY City Opera, numerous regional theaters as well as various musical productions in Germany, the National Theater of Canada and the dutch cruise line, Holland America. She is thrilled to be making her directing debut for the Chain Theater Festival with this charmingly funny play.

Emma DeCarlo (Captain (Cow 2) and Susan) - is a recent graduate of The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Emma is grateful for her family and friends for all their love and support. She’s stoked to be a part of this production and would like to thank everyone involved in The Day We Make Contact!! Enjoy the show:) @emmadecarlo 

Mari Blake (First Officer (Cow 1) and Jayce) - (she/her) is an actor, writer, and director, based in NJ and NYC. She began her acting career at age 5 and has continued to perform since then, earning her BFA in Acting and BA in Creative Writing from Elon University in May 2021. Her recent theatre credits include Caleb and Rita (S.P.O.T. NYC), Civil War II (Blue Pearl Theatrics NYC), The Circle (Columbia University), and A Very Great Mischief (Wolfsmouth Players NYC). Thanks so much to everyone involved with this great production!!! www.mariblake.com @bestie_blake

Steph Prizhitomsky (Science Officer (Cow 4) and Carolyn) -  is the head screenwriter of FIF Productions, screenwriter and director of the horror miniseries Distress Signals, co-producer of the White Rabbit Film Festival, recipient of the best young actor award at the NJ film awards, and playwright and director of Limbo’s Woodland and Strangers in a City at the Chain Theatre. 

Isaac Boorstin (Ensign (Cow 3) and George) -  is a working actor and native New Yorker. After starting acting in elementary school, he developed a love for theatre. He studied Performing Arts at Sarah Lawrence College as well as Shakespeare and Company, and the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. Isaac has performed in many productions by Love Creek and AlphaNYC Theater Company. These include Spring Awakening, She Stoops to Conquer, and Proof. He continues to act and also enjoys writing film reviews.

Craig Anderson (Mitch) - Craig is excited to be performing in this new play by Joe Sexton, a longtime friend and creative collaborator. His recent work includes multiple roles with Untitled Theater Company #61, where he most recently performed in Cabaret in Captivity at the Triad Theater and Doctors Jane and Alexander at HERE in Soho. He has also worked with Love Creek in Hedda Gabler and Moliere's The School for Husbands, and portrayed Stephano in Dysfunctional Theater's onsite production of The Tempest on Governors Island.

PROGRAM 8

Effigy

by Nicholas Bompart

Playwright: Nicholas Bompart is an actor, director, writer, and musician from Forest Hills, New York. He began acting at the age of five and he continued in the theater up until the present time.  He has written and acted in more than fifteen short films.  These films were screened at multiple national and international film festivals and won extensive laurels including awards for Best Horror Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay and Best Actor.  Nicholas has authored and directed theatrical plays and starred in many Off-Broadway productions. His plays received accolades and were selected for the Rogue Theater Festival, CHAIN Theater Festival, Strawberry Theater Festival and others.  He has received favorable media reviews and he was referred to as “a new up and coming artist” and “someone to watch” for upcoming work. Nicholas earned a B.A. in Theater Arts from Pace University. Nicholas also sings opera and has performed at Carnegie Hall. He can be reached at: NTBWorking@gmail.com

Director: Stefania Papadopoulos has a BA in Theater Arts from the City College of New York, studied Comedy Improv at UCB in NYC and Directing and Storytelling at Theater of Changes in Athens, Greece. She holds many directing and acting credits. She is currently working on co creating a full length show called Sherry's Bop that will go up in December 2022. ‘Sherry’s Bop’ played as a one act at the Player’s theater in June 2022. Her upcoming full length show 'Idols' will play as Teatro LaTea in October 2022 as part of the New York Theater Festival. 'Idols' the one act version was directed by Stefania at the 13th Street Repertory Theater (2020) and at the Producers Club (2021). Previous work directed at the Chain Theater is ‘Latebar’ in March 2022. Stefania's main focus in theater is to tell stories that make sense of the world she sees around her. Stefaniapapadope@gmail.com

Stage manager: Tay Mary Schmitt (Rehearsal Stage Manager/ Props Mistress) has been in and out of the theatre game since age 18. From creating burnt chicken props...wrangling late comers into busy musicals ….stage managing in a public park filled with flashers ...dealing with rude and inebriated patrons...this girl has seen it all plus some. Companies: Barrington Stage, Queens Shakespeare, Hudson Warehouse, Secret Theatre, La Muse Venale. BA: Theatre and Drama (Queens College). Thank you to my higher powers for their guidance and support!

Anna: Dalita Getzoyan is excited to be returning to Anna in Effigy. NYC Credits include Idols (Anna) at the Producers Club and LATEBAR (Bartender) at the Chain Theatre. Other favorite credits include Carrie: The Musical (Susan Snell), Seussical (Gertrude McFuzz), The Producers (Ulla), All Shook Up (Natalie/Ed), and Shrek: The Musical (Fiona). Ms. Getzoyan studies acting with Karina Arroyave of The Blacklist and voice with Doug Jabara. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance from University of Rhode Island and a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Music Therapy from Lesley University.

Sofia: Lily Filippatos is a recent graduate of the William Esper Studio, where she studied the Meisner technique after earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from UMass Amherst. Lily played Mara in the exciting new work Refugee at international theater festival Joakim Interfest in Kragujevac, Serbia. She is a company member of the Isadora Duncan International Dance Institute, and most recently had the honor of portraying Eleonora Duse in Le Figlie di Prometeo at the Teatro Duse in Asolo, Italy. Lily wholeheartedly believes in the healing power of art, viewing her work as a means to spread love and justice.

Alex: Benny Wilkinson is just beginning his acting career and you may have seen him in the Garden Players' most recent production of Your Turn. Benny is an aspiring playwright and he is currently writing a musical called The Fly. He wrote, starred in, and produced the short film The Seizing of the Tree Fortress and its subsequent sequel. You could watch him in the collaborative project Kitchen Magic in this year’s Astoria Film Festival. Benny is on his middle school’s debate team, loves cats, and enjoys playing tennis. He can be reached at SawdustBenny@gmail.com.

Andrew: Patrick is thrilled to be a member the cast and working with such a wonderful creative team. He is also appearing in Love’s Labour’s Lost at Open Air Theatre 315 July 28-August 13. He would like to thank Anna for all her support.

Sergei: Anthony Santoro  Tony is pleased to reprise the role of Sergei having done it previously in a 2021 production of the play (then titled Idols).  Tony has had a lifelong interest andrelationship with the arts as actor, musician, writer (author and critic.) Tony currently lives in Queens NY and works as an adjunct English teacher at several area colleges. As he nears retirement, his plan is to emigrate somewhere.

1983

by Taiwo Aloba

In January 1983, as Nigeria dealt with an economic crisis, the president and his advisers met to discuss the expulsion of immigrants.

CAST AND CREW BIOS

Fedly Daniel (President) is a Haitian American actor, writer, and artist based in New York City. His works in the theater include Diffractions Theatre's "The Bald Soprano", The WhiteListed Theatre Company's "Lost in Space", Concrete Timbre's "Un Lieu de Vie", "Keys", and "Voyage de Ouf", as well as Underlord’s “Bloodshot”. 

Keidy Barrientos (Special Adviser) studied English and Theatre at the University of Scranton. She is a polyglot, fluent in four languages including Spanish, French, and Arabic. She is an actress and content creator based in New York.

Nnaemeka Okeke (Campaign Adviser) is known for his work on “Your Worst Nightmare” (2019). Born in Lagos Nigeria he is better known by his stage name, Okeke. A Honolulu native and University of South Carolina alumni Okeke always seeks to tell a story in any role he is in. 

Taiwo Aloba (Playwright and Director) is a New York-based writer and director originally from Nigeria. She was educated at Lagos State University in Lagos, New York Film Academy in New York, and Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire. She has sung in an ensemble, written books, and ran a marathon on Coney Island. 

Jenna Kole (Set Designer) is a New York-based artist originally from Connecticut. Jenna’s thankful to Taiwo and Chain Theatre for this opportunity!

Dead Man Walking

by Ali Keller

Synopsis: Jack tries to stop his brother Peter from making the biggest mistake of his life. While Peter tries to make Jack realize he’s already thrown his life away.

Ali Keller (writer)

Ali Keller is an award-winning producer, writer, and dramaturg. She is the Executive Producer and Founder of Ali Keller LLC, an Affiliate Dramaturg with Beehive Dramaturgy, a Producer with New York Picture Company, and Artistic Producer at Theatre ARTaud. She is passionate about producing dark and funny stories that need to be told on stage or on film. Select Musical Theater Credits: BLOOD/SWEAT/TEARS (The Workshop Theater Intensive, The Tank LIMEFEST, HARP Theatricals), …THE F*CK AM I DOING? (NYMF, The COW Community, Brighton Fringe Festival). Select Theater Credits: Standards (The Dramatists Guild), (un)conditional (Judson),  CHRISTEN THE PLACE (IRT Theater, Alt Eller Ingenting). Her full-length plays have been a Semi-Finalist for SPACE on Ryder Farm, The Mitten Lab Residencies, and ESPA Drills at Primary Stages. Select Film: TO HAVE & TO HOLD (City Artists Corps Grant Winner, Best Performances Romance & Relationship Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival Best Script Semifinalist), SEVEN FISHES (Best Short Film Katra Series World Webfest Mania, Social Impact Film Festival), BANDIT (Winner of LA Screenplay Fest) Select Theater & Film Production: LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL (Broadway), BEST WORST THING THAT EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED (Netflix), SWEENEY TODD (Lincoln Center/Creative Arts Winner). @alikeller47 (instagram) www.alikellerplaywright.com  

Daniel Gaymon – Director

Daniel began training as a performer at the age of 9 in Columbia, SC. Since beginning his professional career, he has performed in musical theatre shows such as the Broadway revival of “Cats”, the national tour of “Hamilton” and back to Broadway in Disney’s “The Lion King.” His credits also include performing in Carrie Underwood’s “Something In the Water,” Sara Bareilles’s “Fire,” and the film “La La Land.” Since the summer of 2020, Daniel has gone on to direct and produce the LGBTQ+ web series “Neighbors” as well as produce, co-write, and lead act his own short film “Every Right” and direct a short play “Dead Man Walking” in NYC.

Ellis Charles Hoffmeister (Jack)

Ellis is an actor, dancer, comedian, director, and playwright. For the past four years, he has been studying at HB Studio in multiple disciplines, after receiving his BFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah, where he choreographed his own work alongside performing in pieces by Sidra Bell and Twyla Tharp among many others.  He is a stand-up comedian who currently performs in both New York and Los Angeles, and he spent many years working in the film industry in New York on commercials, short films, and feature films. He was most recently the Art Director for the short film Seven Fishes, which is currently winning awards on the film festival circuit, and his last directing venture was House on Fire by Ali Keller for the ‘Me and My Mask’ monologue competition. Ellis had a reading of his play, Family Games, in HB Studio's 2021 HB Playwrights Reading Series, and he recently performed at Theatre for the New City in their Lower East Side Festival of the Arts in May. Ellis performed in a reading of Ali Keller's Blood/Sweat/Tears through Harp Theatricals in June and is delighted to be performing in Dead Man Walking. He thanks the entire creative team for all of their brilliant work on this piece. @ellishoffmeister (Instagram)

Michael J Poyntz (Peter) 

Michael (he/they) is a classically trained actor, comedian, and producer based in New York City. Theater: The 56th Annual Rudolph…, Much Ado About Nothing (Producer’s Club), A Series of Inelastic Events (AHAP), Puppet Master (LaMaMa). Film/TV: Let The Right One In (Showtime), The Flight Attendant (HBO), HOMESICK (Alan Mendez), to have & to hold (Ali Keller LLC), UCB’s Innovation Inc. (Alpha), PTA (Workshop), among others. After graduating Muhlenberg College with a degree in Theater and Computer Science, Michael studied improv and sketch at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade theater with instructors like Shannon O’Neil, Billy Merritt, Toni Charlene, Joel Spence, and many more. He performs improv, sketch, and standup at venues like QED Astoria, West Broadway, and the Producer’s Club. When he’s not performing, he’s behind the camera at companies like Zipline Media, JARS Media, Image Media, and The Crop Shoppe. To mom, dad, meg, and mazy: ilyttmab. www.michaeljpoyntz.com @mikejpoyntz (Instagram)

PROGRAM 9

Self-Storage

by Eugene Grygo

Paula and Benny have found an Eden in a self-storage unit in New York City where Benny lives. But their paradise is threatened when Paula wants to leave and rejoin the world with Benny who is torn between his love for Paula and a past that confines him.

CAST OF CHARACTERS: Paula Dunn and Benny Leone

The role of Paula Dunn is played by Dana Panepinto, who is beyond thrilled to be back on the stage once again! Some favorite NYC theatre credits include: Macbeth (Lady Macbeth), Trojan Women (Cassandra), A Winter’s Tale (Paulina), Nude with Violin (Jane Sordin) and The Man Who Came to Dinner (Loraine Sheldon) as well as other original productions. Dana has also worked in regional companies such as: The Hippodrome State Theatre, Tulane Shakespeare, Southern Rep, Cherokee Theatre Association, and William Carey Dinner Theatre. FiIm and TV credits: The Deuce, Lefty and Loose, and Unnatural Reality.

The role of Benny Leone is played by Mateo Moreno, an actor/playwright who also works CoVid Safety, most recently with Chicago The Musical. Recent workshop: Akeldama. As a playwright, his play Pitch was published and is available on Amazon. Ensemble member of the Rising Sun Performance Company, and is currently working on his new play, Within Our Walls. www.Mateo-Moreno.com 

DIRECTOR: Rachael Langton

New York based director Rachael Langton is serving as director of Self-Storage. Select New York credits include: A Shot Rang Out by Michael Hagins at Theatre Row; East Side Stories, Actually, an evening of five original short plays at Metropolitan Playhouse; Winter’s Night by Neith Boyce and Woman's Honor by Susan Glaspell performed virtually at Metropolitan Playhouse; and Graduation by Eugene Grygo, performed in the International Human Rights Festival. Rachael is also the Digital Marketing Associate at Classic Stage Company. Education: BA Theatre Studies, Ithaca College. View her work at www.RachaelLangton.com .. 

STAGE MANAGER: Sydney Gager  

Sydney Gager is a rising junior at the University of San Diego. Sydney stage managed the Westchester Sandbox Theatre’s touring production of When I Became a Pirate and is currently stage manager for their tour of Tilly the Trickster. Sydney is excited to be working with the Chain Theatre for the debut of Self-Storage! 

PLAYWRIGHT: Eugene Grygo  

Eugene Grygo’s plays have been featured in 10 competitive theater festivals in NYC since 2006. In 2013, his play, A Session to Remember, won Best Play, Best Actress, Best Actor and tied for Audience Favorite via the first Chain play festival in Long Island City. For now, he and a collaborator are trying to find a home for a potential TV series, and he is working on three original musicals as a book writer and lyricist. For many years, Grygo was a member of a special playwriting lab of Curt Dempster, the late artistic director of the Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) in NYC. More about Grygo is at https://eugenegrygotv.com/

Clean Dishes

by Robert Moulthrop

Two women meet at a restaurant (with bad service) to revisit the terms of their non-relationship.

Playwright: Robert Moulthrop

Robert Moulthrop’s plays have won awards for writing and performance at the New York International Fringe Festival; received festival production by Short+Sweet Sydney, The Gallery Players, and NYU; and received developmental readings with Phoenix Theatre, The National New Play Network, Northern Stage, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, New Jersey Repertory Company, Urban Stages Theatre, Abingdon Theatre Company, and Active Theatre. Read more about his playwriting and fiction writing work at www.robertmoulthrop.com and follow him on Instagram: @RobertMoulthrop

Director: Anthony Caruso

In 2019, Anthony co-founded PocketBear Productions (PocketBearProductions.com), a production collaborative for theatre-video-audio, a company open to actors, writers, directors, and makers of all ages, disciplines, and experiences. Under Anthony’s artistic direction, PocketBear’s mission continues to be the creation and production of important and engaging live and virtual work that reaches hearts and minds. Anthony’s play Surprise! Now You’re Dead (writer/director) premiered at Manhattan Repertory Theatre in 2016. He has also directed Midsummer/Jersey and The Personality Play. His acting and directing training include The Barrow Group (K. Lorrel Manning, Arlene Hutton), T. Schreiber Studios (Betty Buckley), The Tisch School of the Arts (Kenneth Noel Mitchell and Tina Shepard), and a BFA in dramatic arts from The New School (including Tea Alagic, Jean E. Taylor, Laura Maria Censabella, Mason Beggs, Jerzy Gwiazdowski, et al.).

Actor: Lindsey M.E. Newton

Lindsey M.E. Newton graduated in 2017 from Syracuse University's Department of Drama. Regional work includes The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Rona Lisa Peretti) and Silent Sky (Margaret Leavitt). New York Theater includes Zabelle (Mother/Young Zabelle) and Esther in the Spotlight (Queen’s Messanger). www.lindseynewton.com.

Actor: Anne Elizabeth Miele
Anne Elizabeth Miele (Jean) is thrilled to be taking part in this production! NYC: Show Me Eternity (Hope, New York Theater Festival) Jesus 2.0 (Josie, The Tank PrideFest) Regional: Ten x Ten by Neil LaBute (Woman-40s-NYC, BBPAC; regional premier), Songs for a New World (Count Basie Theatre), Hamlet (Gertrude, BBPAC), PUFFS (Cedric/Mr. Voldy, Bridge Players Theatre Company) READINGS: 3 Days by Caridad Svich (Zy, BBPAC), The Wolves (#25, Quarantine Reading Club), Macbeth (Malcolm, BBPAC). WEB: anneelizabethmiele.com INSTA: @anne.e.miele

The Pimple Play

by Seth Barnes

Playwright - Seth Barnes

Seth Barnes is a 2021 graduate from UW-Stevens Point with a BFA in Acting and a minor in Creative Writing. He's a recent newcomer to New York City where he's currently pursuing a career in acting and playwriting. His plays have been workshopped and produced with Imaginarium Theatre Company and The NY Summer Theatre Festival. For more, check out Seth on Instagram and New Play Exchange. Instagram: @seth.dbarnes

Director - Elena Cramer

Elena Cramer is a director-actor originally from Wisconsin. She received her BFA in Acting from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point and moved to NYC this past fall. She most recently directed a reading of Mariposa by Britney Quiroz at Imaginarium Theatre Co. Elena is very excited to be making her Chain directing debut with such a hilarious and real play like The Pimple Play.  Instagram: @elena_lou0112  Website: elenacramer.com

Sarah - Sofía Figueroa

Sofía Figueroa is Venezuelan NYU graduate that has performed in Obie and Drama Desk Award winning theaters in NY. She was most recently part of the winning production of three-time Tony Award winning and Grammy Award winning actor, Lin-Manuel Miranda's, family's competition, “The 2020 Miranda Family National Playwriting Competition” at El Repertorio Español. Sofía is also a dancer and was part of the project, “Blood Memory” at The New Victory Theater on Broadway. She was also part of the first 100 artists to perform at the new outdoor performing center at Little Island; featured in The New York Times, Playbill, and Time Out. Moreover, she is the youngest theater director to be hired at NYU Meisner for the Second Year Rehearsal Projects. Her interests are far-reaching and explorative, allowing her to approach projects with an open mind. If you’d like to know more about Sofía Figueroa, feel free to say "hi!" after the show, or follow her work on social media: Instagram: @sofialittlefig Website: www.sofiafig.com

Joey - John Divney 

John Divney is honored to be a part of this production in his NYC theatre debut! John is a Wisconsinite with a BA in Theatre Performance. Favorite credits include Don Lockwood in Singin’ in the Rain, Edward Bloom in Big Fish, and Davey in Newsies. Many thanks to Seth for the chance to get onstage and to his parents and close friends for their support and encouragement over the years. Instagram: @johndivney17 

PROGRAM 10

Strictly Personnel

by Matt Sanders and Ariel Aliza Sanders

Synopsis:

Jane comes to a personnel agency looking for a change, and her unique ways rock employment counselor Eric’s world.     

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.

Push-Ups

by Robert Cantillon

Sofia is surprised to find her husband, Ethan, practicing push-ups on a hot day. When bizarre visitors Raife and Maya come dancing (quite literally) into their home, however, Sofia begins to understand why her husband is trying to get into peak push-up form, and the dire penalties they will face if he can’t get into shape.

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

Standby

by Annie Raczko

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

Pretty Privilege

By EMMA MILLER

Directed by EMILY MELNICK

CAST 

Addison………………………………………...Julia Rae Kreisa 

Rose…………………………………...………Cailin Chang

Kathy……………………………………..…Lin Yang

In a New York City courthouse bathroom, three women grapple with what it means to turn on each other—and with how far "prettiness" can take you.

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.

CJ and Cat

by Natalia Urzua

On the surface, CJ and Cat seem so different that it’s a wonder they share the same apartment. In reality, their common space isn’t the only thing they have in common.

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

PROGRAM 11

Hollywood

by Joshua Jade

Synopsis:

Reeling from a tragic loss, an avid movie lover reads through The Hollywood Reporters Top 100 Movie Quotes of All Time but finds themselves unable to stick to the script. 

Joshua Jade Mitchell is a writer, director and actor originally from Buffalo. At 26 years old he is debuting as a playwright in this festival. He has a BA in Theatre from Queens College. His past Directing credit includes Tarrare performed at NYC Summer Festival. He last appeared as an actor in Toxic Norse-culinity at Chain Theatre. As a Native American artist he is motivated to create works featuring Native stories and artists. Hollywood is not one of those stories. Email: mitchelljoshua1299@gmail.com

David Armstrong - David is a performer originally from San Diego and currently living in New York City. His past credits include (as an actor) Flower Drum Song at La Jolla Playhouse, (as a writer) Behind the Ides at Cuesta PAC, and (as a comedian) the Peoples’ Improv Theater and the Upright Citizens Brigade. He is also an occasional arts educator, tap dancer, and TTRPG game master. He never knows what the last sentence of bios should be and so will say his favorite movie theater is the AMC Village 7.

Kayla Rivera (Production Manager) - Kayla is a writer and performer with an eye for organization. She was born and raised in New York City and is currently stream manager for multiple Twitch accounts in addition to her own streaming on weekends. Her free time is often spent building characters for Pathfinder 2e, and working on her novel. If she could only watch 3 movies for the rest of her life, she would choose Mamma Mia!, Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again!, and the entirety of One Piece.

Matt Mendoza has been designing props and sets for film and theater for the last 7 years. Based mainly in New York City, 25 year old Jordan takes his keen liking for abstract architecture and interior design and experiments through theater. He has worked on many variants of classic plays such as Modern Hamlet and Dystopian Future Midsummer Night's Dream. He loves end of millennium animation, and as such his favorite all time is The Iron Giant.

Starsong

by Andrew Strano & Erika Ji

STARSONG is based on the true story of a star that scientists found hurtling through the galaxy - the fastest moving star observed by humans. They traced it back to the centre of the Milky Way and discovered that a black hole had separated it from its twin.

Using the magic of light in the dark, and the joy of puppetry, STARSONG tells us the story of those twin stars, exploring how deeply we care for the people we love, how painful it can feel to lose them, and how, through togetherness, we might just find a way to continue our story.

CREATIVE TEAM (in alphabetical order)

Erika Ji - Composer / Musical Director

Andrew Strano - Writer / Director / Designer

BIOS

Hannah Bailey

Hannah Bailey is an Australian/Filipino actor, musician, and poet. Credits include: ‘Skin’: Rattlestick Playwright’s Theatre, 'Remove the Serpent's Head': Ma-Yi Theatre Company, ‘Only Remains Remain’: MoMA PS1, ‘Sean, Women and Song’: The Irish Reparatory Theatre, ‘Welcome Home’: More and More Productions, ‘Central Standard’: BumbleeBee Entertainment. Hannah’s first collection of poetry ‘Drawing Blood (or On My Mother’s Toes)’ was published last year, and her original music can be found on all streaming platforms. @hannahbaileynery | hannahbaileynery.com

Alia Cuadros-Contreras

Alia Cuadros-Contreras (she/her) is a queer, Latine actor, singer, dancer, poet, and writer. Last spring, she graduated from NYU Tisch with a B.F.A. in Drama (New Studio on Broadway) and a minor in child/adolescent psychology. Some of her favorite roles at NYU Tisch include Hope in Urinetown (directed by Carlos Armesto) and Eva in Bad Hombres/Good Wives (directed by Francine Torres). She is passionate about new work and, since graduating, is excited to have been in various readings and workshops of new musicals including SCOUTS (Con Limon Productions) and Charlotte Lucas is 27 and Not Dead (Piper Theatre). Offstage, you can find her teaching theater classes in NYC public schools. She believes that arts education is vital and creates more compassionate, emotionally intelligent people.

Tuânminh A Đỗ

Tuânminh A Đỗ (he/him) is a Việt-Polish Immigrant Artist based in NYC. Shout out to the company! Sending love to my Misia. Buziaki dla rodzinki. Tôi đứng trên vai gia đình của tôi.

Jessie Field

Jessie Field (she/her) is an award-winning queer NYC playwright and director. She has written book and/or lyrics for numerous projects, including Charlotte Lucas is 27 and Not Dead (WINNER 2022 Musicals Now Competition, Semi-finalist for the O'Neill MT Conference, Semi-finalist for SDSU New Musicals Initiative), Madam President (workshopped at the Ferguson Center New Musicals Lab), Ren Faire (currently being developed with the Theatre Now Lab), La Maupin (WINNER 2018 International MUT Competition, WINNER Audience Favorite – 2017 Fresh Fruit Festival) and Rachel (2018 JDT Lab Selection, WINNER Outstanding Musical – 2015 Fresh Fruit Festival, 2013 Harold and Mimi Steinberg Prize for Best Original Play). Jessie has also written TYA straight play To The West, which was a finalist in the Growing Stage’s New Play Reading Festival and was presented as the school play at Randolph High School in 2018. Jessie served as the 2015-’16 Directing Apprentice at Capital Stage in Sacramento, California, and has directed numerous plays in the Boston and New York areas. Jessie is a co-creator (with James Salem) of the YouTube webseries Is This Art Now? A Musical in the Time of Corona and a co-founder (with Brandy Hoang Collier) of Root Beer Occasion Theatre Company. She earned her MFA at NYU Tisch’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program and her BA at Brandeis University.

Sara James

Sara (they/she) is over the moon joining these stars in this show (here's to hoping and also doubting that no one else made these space jokes in their bios). Sara has spent the last year running around Off and Off-Off Broadway stages in various workshops and readings helping new theatre find its footing, and her very own one act, Execution Play, will be going up this fall in EAT's New Works Series. You can find Sara on TikTok at @sarajamss where they have amassed far more of a following than they should rationally have because their videos are very silly. Massive thanks to Andrew in a big way. Grateful to be surrounded by stars, grateful for love, for perspective.

Erika Ji - Composer / Musical Director

Erika Ji is a cross-genre composer-storyteller who loves soaring melodies, dream worlds, and stories that challenge our preconceptions about what is true, good, right, or worth wanting. Her work has been featured Off-Broadway and around the world at Lincoln Center, the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, the Nadia Boulanger Institute, and the Public Theater via the Musical Theater Factory.

Current & recent projects include VISARE (concept album for an immersive circus experience, winner of the 2021 New Voices Project), Yoko's Husband's Killer's Japanese Wife, Gloria (new musical commissioned by The 5th Avenue Theatre), [untitled hat project] (tiny immersive experience at an eclectic hatmaker's studio, NYFA grant recipient), and music directing for new works like Scarlet Night (Virgin Voyages's inaugural ship-wide immersive experience). As a conductor, pianist, and vocalist, Erika has performed on national TV for CBS Sunday Morning and at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco.

Erika was a Tisch Fellow at the NYU TIsch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. The proud daughter of Chinese immigrants, Erika grew up in California, studied computer science and philosophy at Stanford University, organized the Viennese Ball in San Francisco, and built products at Dropbox before deciding to follow the music. https://www.erikaji.com/ 

Danielle Koenig

Danielle Koenig (they/she) is an award-winning writer, actor, and comedian based in NYC and Los Angeles. They are a graduate of NYU Tisch’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program and an alumnus of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television. When they are not writing and performing themselves, they work as a Producing Associate for Ma Yi Theatre Company. In Winter 2022 their 20-minute musical, Stuck, premiered Off-Off Broadway at the Chain Theatre, winning the Audience Choice Award. Recent performance credits include Charlotte Lucas is 27 and Not Dead at Piper Theater, Parx with Live Source Theatre Group, and Alice Formerly of Wonderland at the Whitefire Theatre in Los Angeles. Their original musical, Camp Song, debuted in Fall of 2019 on UCLA Theater’s Mainstage and was selected as a finalist for the New York Musical Festival. Their work has been featured at 54 Below in a series of shows dedicated to up & coming musical theater writers (and many other 54 Below one-offs) and, after winning Playdate Theatre Company’s Holiday Special, her song My Half Brother, The Saint was professionally recorded by TikTok star JJ Niemann for Spotify release and performed at the famous Duplex Theatre. They have extensive improv and sketch training, having written comedy videos that have been viewed over 1.5 million times on Youtube. For more information check out daniellekoenig.com.

Heather Sawyer

Heather Sawyer (she/her) is a proud Asian American Hoppa and dog mom to Winnifred Bagel. She graduated from Molloy College CAP21 with a BFA in Musical Theatre, and is so excited to be a part of this stellar show!  She was most recently seen as Charlotte Lucas in Charlotte Lucas is 27 and Not Dead! Off Broadway Credits include: James in James and the Giant Peach, Charles in Blood On My Mother’s Apron, Time in She Persisted the Musical, The Big One Oh, The Last Stop on Market Street, and Revelations the Musical. In her spare time, she loves watching Winnie do zoomies at the dog park, everything to do with thunderstorms, and collecting snow globes. Shout out to her family for the endless support, and to Jianzi and Rosie for being the best pals in the universe. All her love and admiration to the cast who shine more than any star, and the creative team whose radiant hearts are out of this world. And lastly, to you, our audience, because without you there would be no story. As always insist, resist, persist. @heathersawyer14 theadventuresofheathersawyer.com

Andrew Strano - Writer / Director / Designer

Andrew (they/them) is an Australian Fulbright scholar, lyricist, playwright, director and performer living and working in New York.

Their debut show, "Nailed It!" won the Greenroom Award for Best Original Songs, and toured globally to 5-star reviews including a sold out run at the Edinburgh fringe’s own Assembly Halls. Other full length works include: ‘SKIN’ (Off Broadway: Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Selection: Global Forms Theatre Festival), ’Voyagers’ (Winner: City Of Melbourne 2020 Arts Grant, Commissioned by Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre), ‘Jack Of Two Trades’ (Winner: Jeanne Pratt Artists in Residence Program), and the Songs of Mackenzie-Spencer & Strano (5 stars, the Australia Times).

Short works include: ‘STARSONG’ (Off-Broadway: Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Off-Off Broadway: Chain Theatre Festival 2022), Chicken/Egg (American Opera Project), ‘Anticipation’ (Off Broadway: Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre), and ‘Space’ (Lincoln Centre’s ‘Future Broadway Songbook’).

Andrew is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts M.A. (Writing for Performance) and the NYU Tisch graduate musical theatre writing MFA program.Awards include: the 2019 Victorian Fulbright Scholarship, the 2020 Schubert foundation scholarship, the 2021 Peerce Scholarship, a major Mike Walsh Fellowship, a PPCA performer’s trust foundation grant, an American Australian Association Arts Grant, and the George Fairfax Memorial Award. Andrew has taught for New York University, Melbourne University, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), Stage School Australia, The Improv Conspiracy (Australia), ABC theatre (Scotland) and Base Jump theatre (New Zealand), in high schools as a singing teacher and drama teacher, and works as a corporate trainer specialising in negotiation techniques and teamwork. | andrewstrano.com | @andrewstrano on all platforms.

Dorm Death

by Rosie Coursey

Synopsis: When Helen receives an unexpected guest during her office hours, she must decide if she can put her pride aside to help a student in their shared grief. 

Vaughn Broderick (Caroline)-Vaughn is an NYC based actor, comedian and dog mom. She's an American Academy of Dramatic Arts alum, 2019-2020 AADA company member, resident acting company member of the Hamlet Isn't Dead theater company, and an AMC stubs member. Notable credits include New Jersey's McCarter Theater's "#Every28Hours", Douglas Carter Beane's "The Big Time", the screen to stage adaptation of Martin Davidson's "Looking for an Echo" and most recently Malcolm is Hamlet Isn't Dead's off broadway production of Macbeth. She would like to thank Rosie and Christina for a lovely process and as always thank her family, friends, enemies and everyone in between who helped get her to this moment in time. If you'd like to keep up on what's happening in Vaughn's world- or just an excuse to see pictures of her dog- visit vaughnbroderick.com

Christina Behnke (Helen)-Having trained at the Barrow Group, as well as under film director Brett Haley, Christina Behnke makes her New York stage debut in Dorm Death. Previous theatre roles include Philomena in Christopher Durang’s Sister Mary Ignatius Explains… More recently, she has acted in a number of short films and will appear in an upcoming episode of Discovery ID’s Evil Lives Here. A filmmaker, she produced the acclaimed independent feature Blood Conscious and worked as the assistant to Jim Mickle, creator of the Netflix hit series Sweet Tooth. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, writer/director Timothy Covell, with whom she is developing a number of projects under their production company, Ben Cove Entertainment.

Dead Man Walking

by Ali Keller

Jack tries to stop his brother Peter from making the biggest mistake of his life. While Peter tries to make Jack realize he’s already thrown his life away.

Bios:

Ali Keller (writer)

Ali Keller is an award-winning producer, writer, and dramaturg. She is the Executive Producer and Founder of Ali Keller LLC, an Affiliate Dramaturg with Beehive Dramaturgy, a Producer with New York Picture Company, and Artistic Producer at Theatre ARTaud. She is passionate about producing dark and funny stories that need to be told on stage or on film. Select Musical Theater Credits: BLOOD/SWEAT/TEARS (The Workshop Theater Intensive, The Tank LIMEFEST, HARP Theatricals), …THE F*CK AM I DOING? (NYMF, The COW Community, Brighton Fringe Festival). Select Theater Credits: Standards (The Dramatists Guild), (un)conditional (Judson),  CHRISTEN THE PLACE (IRT Theater, Alt Eller Ingenting). Her full-length plays have been a Semi-Finalist for SPACE on Ryder Farm, The Mitten Lab Residencies, and ESPA Drills at Primary Stages. Select Film: TO HAVE & TO HOLD (City Artists Corps Grant Winner, Best Performances Romance & Relationship Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival Best Script Semifinalist), SEVEN FISHES (Best Short Film Katra Series World Webfest Mania, Social Impact Film Festival), BANDIT (Winner of LA Screenplay Fest) Select Theater & Film Production: LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL (Broadway), BEST WORST THING THAT EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED (Netflix), SWEENEY TODD (Lincoln Center/Creative Arts Winner). @alikeller47 (instagram) www.alikellerplaywright.com  

Daniel Gaymon – Director

Daniel began training as a performer at the age of 9 in Columbia, SC. Since beginning his professional career, he has performed in musical theatre shows such as the Broadway revival of “Cats”, the national tour of “Hamilton” and back to Broadway in Disney’s “The Lion King.” His credits also include performing in Carrie Underwood’s “Something In the Water,” Sara Bareilles’s “Fire,” and the film “La La Land.” Since the summer of 2020, Daniel has gone on to direct and produce the LGBTQ+ web series “Neighbors” as well as produce, co-write, and lead act his own short film “Every Right” and direct a short play “Dead Man Walking” in NYC.

Ellis Charles Hoffmeister (Jack)

Ellis is an actor, dancer, comedian, director, and playwright. For the past four years, he has been studying at HB Studio in multiple disciplines, after receiving his BFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah, where he choreographed his own work alongside performing in pieces by Sidra Bell and Twyla Tharp among many others.  He is a stand-up comedian who currently performs in both New York and Los Angeles, and he spent many years working in the film industry in New York on commercials, short films, and feature films. He was most recently the Art Director for the short film Seven Fishes, which is currently winning awards on the film festival circuit, and his last directing venture was House on Fire by Ali Keller for the ‘Me and My Mask’ monologue competition. Ellis had a reading of his play, Family Games, in HB Studio's 2021 HB Playwrights Reading Series, and he recently performed at Theatre for the New City in their Lower East Side Festival of the Arts in May. Ellis performed in a reading of Ali Keller's Blood/Sweat/Tears through Harp Theatricals in June and is delighted to be performing in Dead Man Walking. He thanks the entire creative team for all of their brilliant work on this piece. @ellishoffmeister (Instagram)

Michael J Poyntz (Peter) 

Michael (he/they) is a classically trained actor, comedian, and producer based in New York City. Theater: The 56th Annual Rudolph…, Much Ado About Nothing (Producer’s Club), A Series of Inelastic Events (AHAP), Puppet Master (LaMaMa). Film/TV: Let The Right One In (Showtime), The Flight Attendant (HBO), HOMESICK (Alan Mendez), to have & to hold (Ali Keller LLC), UCB’s Innovation Inc. (Alpha), PTA (Workshop), among others. After graduating Muhlenberg College with a degree in Theater and Computer Science, Michael studied improv and sketch at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade theater with instructors like Shannon O’Neil, Billy Merritt, Toni Charlene, Joel Spence, and many more. He performs improv, sketch, and standup at venues like QED Astoria, West Broadway, and the Producer’s Club. When he’s not performing, he’s behind the camera at companies like Zipline Media, JARS Media, Image Media, and The Crop Shoppe. To mom, dad, meg, and mazy: ilyttmab. www.michaeljpoyntz.com @mikejpoyntz (Instagram)

MASKED

by Glynn Cosker

Synopsis: Tom has never fully grieved a devastating loss he suffered a decade ago, and his wife Julie is only recently coming to terms with some unspeakable trauma from her past. Meanwhile, their teenage daughter Bristol is fighting the relentless pressure of social media, and their other daughter Chelsea has found her soulmate, but the pandemic threatens to keep them apart. Distressing news sends one family member into a downward trajectory that might take them all down. Help is always out there — but will it be found in time to prevent a tragedy?

Content Disclaimer: "Masked" contains themes related to mental health illnesses, depression, PTSD, alcoholism, suicide, and suicide ideation.

Dan Gore (Director) holds a degree in Theatre from the University of Notre Dame. Dan’s wife Meg founded Ovation Theatre Company in 2019, where they were proud to workshop “Masked” this past spring. Ovation will proudly present the first full production run of “Masked” this September. Dan normally serves in a supportive role as dramaturg and technician, but he has thoroughly enjoyed his return to directing. He’s also appearing in the southern NH premier of “Something Rotten!” later this month. IG: @dan.g.gore

Glynn Cosker (Playwright) is a native of the U.K but recently became a U.S. citizen. Acting credits include Beverly Carlton in “The Man Who Came To Dinner” at The Majestic Theatre, Michael in “The Freedom of The City” at Elden Street Players, Shrek in “Shrek the Musical” at Alliance Theatre, and Joe in “The Shadow Box” at Garrison Players - for which he won Best Actor in a Play at the 2019 NHTA Awards. Education: Halsey School, United Kingdom. IG: @glynncoskeractor

Allen McRae (Tom) is a native Long Islander. Credits include: Mechanic in "Middletown" and Bottom in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at NextStop Theatre; Wadsworth in "Clue: On Stage" at StageCoach Theatre; and Elyot in "Private Lives" and Milo in "Sleuth" at FCT Stage. He's also appeared in several local films and TV shows. IG: @allen.mcrae.755

Tracy Lyn McKinney (Julie) holds a BFA in Acting from Fredonia State University. Credits include Becky in “Becky’s New Car” at Garrison Players; Betty in “The Norwegians” at M&D Players, Marie in “Calendar Girls” at Garrison Players; Katherine in “Memory of Water” at Next Stop Theatre, “Catherine” in Proof at FCT Stage. Training DC: Edward Gero and Floyd King, The Shakespeare Theatre. Portsmouth: Genevieve Aichel, New Hampshire Theatre Project. IG: @momwifembavp

Naomi Jaskowiak (Bristol) is a 2022 graduate from the Academy for The Performing Arts in Huntington Beach, California. Credits include Rosencrantz in “Hamlet;” Smitty in “Play On’” Foreman in “12 Angry Jurors;” and the Narrator in “She Kills Monsters” - all at the Academy. Naomi will be attending California State University, Northridge this fall, where she will major in Cinema Television Visual Arts and Film. IG: @naomijaskowiak

Abby Bryan (Chelsea) holds a BFA in Acting from Oklahoma City University. Credits include: Audrey in “As You Like It” at Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park; Female Swing in “A Christmas Carol” at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma; and Balthazar/2nd Merchant in “The Comedy of Errors” at Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park. Training: Second City Physical Comedy Intensive, Institute of the Arts Barcelona, Susan Dillard Voice Studio. IG: @abby_bryan98

Chad Moores (Raith) earned his degree in theatre arts from Middlesex College. Credits include Eye-Gor in “Young Frankenstein the Musical” at Hose House; Jesus in “Godspell” at North Shore Music Theatre, Tom Collins in “RENT” at Some Theatre Company Maine; and Chip Tolentino in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at Hose House. Training: Stage Combat with Kathy Bruderer; improv with Karen Oster. Chad was Nominated for a DASH Award for best supporting actor in 2015. IG: @chadandrewnm

Rian Jaskowiak (Mike) is a resident of Huntington Beach, California. His credits include: Judas in "Godspell" at FCT Stage; Claudio in "Much Ado About Nothing" at FCT Stage; and Cornelius in "The Matchmaker '' at FCT Stage and performances in other Washington DC-metro theatres. Rian also has numerous voiceover and commercial credits. IG: @realdadselfies

Christine Thompson (Clare) is a native of Jackson, New Hampshire. Credits include Mavis in “Stepping Out” at Arts in Motion; Blanche in “A Streetcar Named Desire;” Veronica in “God of Carnage;” Ivy in “August Osage County;” and Maggie in “The Shadow Box” - all at M & D Playhouse in North Conway, New Hampshire. Training: Stage Combat with Maine Theater Collective in 2019; Intimacy Workshop with Maine Theater Collective in 2019; Private Moments with Rich Russo in 2015. IG: @christinethompson7069