PROGRAM 10

Program #10 (4th Floor)

A Test of Taste by Kendra Jones

Ashes and Curds by Darlene Elizabeth Joiner

Dime Novel by Andrew Donnelly-Yunga

Waiting for Wicked by Michael Busani

Kendra Jones (Playwright, Director) is a writer and educator based in New York City. She completed her MFA in nonfiction writing at Columbia University. Originally from the cornfields of Pennsylvania, Kendra graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a BS in biology, a BA in professional writing, and a minor in creative writing. Kendra reviews Off and On-Broadway shows and is an NCAA Women’s Basketball Official. She is a Member Resident at Woodward Residency. A Test of Taste, inspired by personal experiences, premiered in 2024 at A.R.T. New York. IG: @kendra_jones_

Emily M. White (Co-director) is a director, dramaturg, and arts administrator. Directing credits include Dear Diary, I Hate the Dedham Mall (Chain Theatre Festival); Passover Parodies, The Box (Script Club NYC); Living Radio NYC. Dramaturgy credits include Coal Country (The Public Theater); White Rose, The Roaring Girl (Theatre Row); and more. She is currently the Editorial Manager at New York City Center and has a BA in Theatre Studies from Emerson College. She is a member of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas, and her work has been published on HowlRound Theatre Commons.

Caleb Dunaway (Dennis) is thrilled to reprise the role of Dennis. He is a graduate of the American Musical & Dramatic Academy, and has since worked on numerous TV shows (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Dopesick, The Gilded Age, Gossip Girl.) He is also a guest comic at the Broadway Comedy Club & The Greenwich Village Comedy Club. 

Declan Hutcheon (Corey) is thrilled to be a part of this festival! A recent graduate of AMDA, his previous credits include Edgar and Fight Captain in “King Lear (Theatre 2020), Sampson and Fight Captain in ”Romeo and Juliet” (Gallery Players), Melchior Gabor in “Spring Awakening”, Michael in “Erlking”, Noel Gruber in “Ride the Cyclone”, and Orpheus, Poseidon, King Cinyras, Apollo and Baucis in “Metamorphoses”: all with Strathcona Theatre Co. Additional credits include Jacob in “Bonehouse”, Barfeé in "Spelling Bee", Claudio in "Much Ado About Nothing", and Ernest in "The Importance of Being Ernest". He can be found at @declan.hutcheon on instagram, and hopes you enjoy the show!

Kellie Williams (Jackie) is a New York-based actor and singer. Her favorite credits include singing in many cabarets at Don’t Tell Mama, acting and writing on an all-women sketch comedy team called the Industry Plants, and playing "Zuzu" in Dance Nation at Sarah Lawrence College. You can find her on Instagram @k3llie_wil.

Jennifer Analise Roberts (Amber) is thrilled to be performing at The Chain Theater Festival! Most recently she was seen in Sunset Diner at The East Village Basement. A few of her select favorite credits include A Chorus Line (Ivoryton Playhouse), Grease (Musicals At Richter) Memphis (Connecticut Theater Company), Ernst Toller’s Hoppla, We’re Alive! (La MaMa) and The Laramie Project (Mabou Mines). Education: The New School BA Theater and Dance.  IG: jennifer_analise

Kevin Cheng (Jesse) is a Taiwanese actor and writer based in New York City. Notable theater credits include: The Seagull (HB Playwrights), A Midsummer Night's Dream (A.R.T./New York), Dear Diary (Chain), and Sunset Diner (East Village Basement). Most recently, he starred in the feature film "A Journey of Jack and Tom" directed by Chin-En Gau. Kevin is interested in telling stories about how ordinary people with big unfulfilled dreams make sense of their individual lives amidst loss and confusion. 

Sara Beneke (NutmegXXX) is thrilled to be returning to the Chain Theater One Act festival in the hilarious “A Test of Tase” by Kendra Jones. She recently made her official Off-Broadway debut as Phibe Foster in “The Willie Lynch Letter”. Film: Friendly Strangers, Coming Masquerade. It’s NutmegXXX, baby!

Lauren Winnenberg is a queer, socially engaged director, writer, actor, and producer. She holds an MA in Arts Politics from NYU Tisch, where she received the Lew & Edie Wasserman Research Grant for Arts Activism. With her company, Space Cowgirl Productions, she’s collaborated on A Real Bitch (NYTF), and directed I Can Mansplain (The Triad), Halz: A Musical Traumedy, May and June, and Just Little Women. Lauren is a member of Theatre 68, where she directed Triangle: Scenes from a Prosecution and Love or Death Inside a House, and performed in String of Pearls. Other credits include Cherry Jam (IRT), It Came from Beyond (St. Luke’s), Coming Out (NYTF), Purgatory (Manhattan Rep), Love Magic Ritual Spell (Dixon Place), and Dystress (Kimmel Galleries).

Darlene Elizabeth Joiner (she/her) the writer of “Ashes and Curds” is an actress originally from Gary, Indiana. Her short plays, The 9 or 5 Theses of Karen Sloane and Dinner with Darius was performed at the New York Theater Winter Festival and SPF’s LUV Festival earlier this year. Darlene has performed in many stage productions including as “Michelle”, in Love or Death Inside of a House, The Venona Decryption as “Meredith Gardner”, Hell Cab as “Shalita” and “Pregnant Woman” with Theatre 68 NYC Chapter. Special thanks to Chain Theatre for reading “my little Indiana play”.  Follow her on IG @darlene.elizabeth.joiner

Veronica Murphy (she/her) is an actor, writer and producer based in NYC. She studied at Providence College, where she earned a B.A. in Theatre and Film, and received the Leonard Award for Excellence in Theatre. Recently, she played Victoria Vernon in Kitchen Sink Theatre Company’s Snog Islet, and Amanda Darling in SPQR Stage Company's Derby Day. Her original plays were selected as the winning play of the week in both the SPF NYC and SPF LUV Festivals in 2024. She performed in SPF NYC as Roz in Locked Out, Karen in Married Strangers, and in SPF LUV as Daphne in Relationship Status Report. You may have seen her in Theatre 68’s NY 14th Annual One-Act Festival, or as a co-host of “Watch Party” at The Rat. She is so thankful to be part of the Chain Theatre’s One Act Festival! Follow her on Instagram: @ronnie_murph

Andrew Donnelly-Yunga (Playwright): Andrew is a playwright and dramaturg working in NYC. This will be his third time working with Chain Theatre; having premiered two short plays, The Only People Here and The Heat at previous festivals. Recent dramaturgy credits include After the Revolution (Morningside Players) and The Liar (Ithaca College). @andrewsdonnelly3

Giovanna DiSanto (Director): Giovanna is thrilled to be returning to the Chain Theatre after directing The Only People Here and The Heat in their previous festivals. Her directing credits include: The Wolves (Winner of Best Direction of a Play, BroadwayWorld Award 2024),  For A Barbarian Woman (Hangar Theatre),  Twelfth Night (Ninety Nine Cent Players), and Der Fröhliche Wanderer (Chatham Players). Giovanna is an Ithaca College alum, where she received a dual degree in Theatre Studies and Integrated Marketing Communications. Associate Member, SDC. giovannadisanto.com

Elijah Davis (Author): Elijah is a recent graduate from Montclair State University with a BFA in Acting. He is honored to be in this production (shout out to Andrew and Giovanna for giving him this opportunity). Some of his previous work have been: Evil Lives Here (Teen Lance), The Birds (Epops), Macbeth (Banquo), Outside The Frame (William), Black Snow (Yegor), and As You Like It (Guard/William).

Elian Rivera (Dalton): Elian Rivera is a recent Fordham theatre performance graduate. He is excited to make his debut at the Chain Theatre. Thanks to Andrew, Giovanna and the team! Previous credits include: Kiyawat V. God (Roberts) Thoughts On Girlcock (Carlo/Man#1), The Sins of Sor Juana (Don Silvio), Macbeth (Malcolm), My Sweetest Baby Angel Princess (Joe), La Cocina (Krystian), Night and Daedalus (Son), Picasso Presents Gernika (Multiple Roles), Space Show (Dylan Cabrera), Dream of a Burning Boy(Dane). Anyone who came to watch ENJOY THE SHOW!!! @elian__rivera

Kyle Edens (Jed): Kyle is a recent graduate from Montclair State University with a BFA in Acting and previously attended the University of the Arts prior to its closure. He is ecstatic to be making his Chain Theatre debut and is incredibly grateful for this opportunity. Previous credits include: Stupid F*cking Bird (Dev), Constellations (Marianne), Marisol (Lenny), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), Eat the Rich, Audrey! (CEO), Hamlet (Guildenstern), and psychic investigation… (Young August). 

Joe Vayalumkal (Bruce) is a New York-based actor, writer, comedian, and singer. You can see him performing around the city in the sketch group Chimp Cocktail, the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, or monthly as Jay Gatsby in the only pop parody musical of the Great Gatsby in NYC. Congratulations to the rest of the cast!  

Medora Groff (Ella) is an actor and writer based in Brooklyn. She can typically be found performing with her sketch group Boobie Trap, or monthly as Jordan in the only pop parody musical of the Great Gatsby in NYC. medoragroff.com

Brendan Stackhouse (Director) recently finished a year and a half as the Resident Director for the national touring company of Les Miserables. He has worked on Broadway, off-Broadway, and regionally as a Director/ Choreographer and is attached to several new plays and musicals currently in development.

Michael Busani (Playwright) is an NYC-based theater artist and the former Artistic Director and current Co-Chairman of the Board for the Off-Beat Players. Previous Off-Broadway writing credits include venues including Soho Playhouse and the Players Theatre. His pride and joy, "Great Gatsby!", the only pop parody musical of the Great Gatsby in NYC, runs monthly at the PIT Loft.