PROGRAM 12

PROGRAM #12 (3RD FLOOR)

Continental Divide by Kyle C. Mumford

David/Bowie by Victor Pascucci

Hope/less by Spencer Giles

Let Me Call You Sweetheart by Diana Benigno

Peonies (Don’t Leave) by Chloe Selavka

Kyle C. Mumford (Playwright) A filmmaker/playwright, Kyle attended the School of Visual Arts, where his thesis film, HIS NAKED MIND, won Kyle the award for Best Director at SVA. Kyle has worked in editorial and locations departments for film & TV, and later became an assistant for writer/director Tom Gormican. His short films have screened at Palm Springs ShortFest, Florida FilmFest, and many others. His screenplays have placed seven times at Austin Film Festival and twice as a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Labs. In 2021, Kyle was accepted into the Actors Studio Playwright and Directors Unit. His plays, SHRIMP PUDDING & HANGMEN, premiered at the Chain Theatre One-Act Fest in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Recently, his play, THE VICTIMS, was Screencraft’s 2025 StagePlay winner. IG: @kylecmumford / www.kylemumford.com

Matt Giroveanu (Director) Matt is an actor, director, musical improviser & award-winning voiceover artist originally from Astoria, NY. Matt majored in TV Production and double minored in Theatre Studies & Performance at Seton Hall University. This is his third collaboration with Kyle C. Mumford, after premiering “Shrimp Pudding” at the Chain Theater in 2023, and "Hangmen" in 2024. For over 10 years, Matt has toured the world improvising musicals with Baby Wants Candy, Your Love, Our Musical, Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, Blank! The Musical and VERN. Television credits include Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, CBS’ God Friended Me, NBC’s Law & Order: SVU, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, The Deuce, Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt & SyFy’s Happy! IG: @matt_giro  www.MattGiro.com

Claire McPartland (“Stacy”) Claire is a Brooklyn based actor from Minnesota. Recent regional credits include: Crane River Theater, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Warehouse Theater, Jackson Hole Playhouse, and La Comedia Dinner Theater. Off-Broadway: The Connelly Theater.  Film/TV: "Don't Hang Up," Hilton Hotels Travel Series. BA Kenyon College. IG: @claireee_mcc www.clairemcpartland.com

Diego Aguirre (“Kirk”) Diego is a NYC based actor and Marine Corps veteran. He grew up in Ecuador, where his family is from. Selected Theatre credits include: (O)n The 5:31 (Dir. David Zayas Jr.), Online Dates Are Hard To Handle (Chain Theatre, Dir. Leeanna Zayas), Occupied Territories (59e59, Dir. Mollye Maxner). Selected Film credits include: The Ballad of a Hustler (Heitor Dahlia), The Upside (Neil Burger), Sometime Other Than Now (Dylan McCormick), New Year’s Eve @ Sunny’s (Bob Giraldi), Wooly Bully (Kristen Buckels) Selected TV: Dexter: Resurrection, FBI, Monsterland, The Punisher, It’s Bruno. Diego is also a frequent storyteller for The Moth and Actors Theater of NYC (ATNYC). IG: diego.aguirre.actor

Victor Pascucci he/they (Bowie/Playwright). Victor is a New York based artist currently  attending Marymount Manhattan College pursuing a BFA in Acting. Previous credits include  The Last Days of Judas Iscariot as Bailiff (Off-Off Broadway), Love’s Labour’s Lost as  Forester (Marymount Manhattan College), and Star Lake as Finn (Marymount Manhattan  College). Cabaret and singing credits include the Comeback Cabaret and Seth’s Cabaret  Showcase at Don’t Tell Mama. This is Victor’s playwriting debut!! Proudly queer and writes  the stories he didn’t have growing up. 

Jack Dillon they/he (David). Jack is a Brooklyn based theatre artist holding a BFA in  Acting from Boston University. Previous credits include Company of Man as Joe (Off Broadway), Uncle Vanya as Astrov (Boston University), Macbeth as Macbeth  (LAMDA), Measure for Measure as Duke Vincentio (Columbia University).  imjackdillon.com 

Angel Katthi she/her (Director) Angel is a director of stage and screen based in  Manhattan. She holds a B.A. in Performing and Media Arts from Cornell University,  with a concentration in Direction. She believes in laughing at all things sad and loves  deciphering complex texts. Previous work includes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream,  Drawing Bridges (New Play), Heathers: The Musical, Desdemona by Toni Morrison,  and Peerless by Jiehae Park. She’s been recognized at TIFF Next Wave for her  cinematographic work. Catch her binging stand up sets or editing her list of best  mint chocolate chip ice creams.

Spencer Giles (Director/Playwright) is a writer, director, producer, and comedian based in New York. He is a writer for the Peoples Improv Theatre’s house sketch team “Absurd Medicine”, their next show is a one hour one act written by Spencer on July 25th at 8:30PM. He is also a writer, performer, and producer for the sketch show “That’s Our Show!” at the People’s Improv Theater on August 15th at 7PM. @spencer_giles_

Mark Melton (Quentin) is a performer who trains and performs at the Upright Citizens Brigade, The Second City, and the Peoples Improv Theater. Upcoming, he’ll be writing, performing in, and producing That’s Our Show, a sketch comedy spectacular at the Peoples Improv Theater on August 15th at 7pm. @swugmark

Victoria Nakian (Sabrina) is a current student of the Maggie Flanigan Conservatory 2 year Meisner Program. Previous acting training includes the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and Roosevelt University. She is currently a house player at the People’s Improv Theatre in both their musical sketch and improv shows. When she’s not performing Victoria teaches preschool! She would like to thank her family, friends, and teachers for their continued support!

Hannah Zeldin (Usher) is from Atlanta, Georgia and has loved being onstage since she was 6 years old. She graduated in 2023 with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Indiana University. Some of her favorite roles include Ariel in Footloose, Hélène in The Great Comet of 1812 and Shylock in Something Rotten! She is currently in the Conservatory program at The Second City NYC. She is so excited to be performing at The Chain Theatre for the first time! @hannahzeldin

Jeanine Berotti (Esther): This is Jeanine’s first foray into theatre! She earned her SAG card after years on set in film and TV. She also performs as a standardized patient at NYIT’s Clincial Simulation Center. When she’s not acting, she can be found on a beach or playing tennis on Long Island.

Vanessa Velasquez (Mary) is a film and theatre actor and writer based in New York City. A proud graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Hunter College, Vanessa is passionate about stories that explore identity, justice, and connection. Previous stage work includes Twelve Angry Women, The Vagina Monologues, Broken Eggs, and The Philistines. Vanessa thanks her family, friends and mentors for their endless support and inspiration, and is grateful to be performing in this year’s festival alongside such dynamic and talented artists.

Katherine Ortiz (Michelle) is a Dominican American actor and recent graduate of Hunter College, where she earned her degree in Theatre. Her recent stage credits include Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, Thread Hell by Kishida Rio, and Electra by Sophocles. Katherine brings a passion for classical and contemporary works alike, and is excited to continue growing as a performer and storyteller.

Diana Benigno (Director, Playwright) has an MA in Theatre from Hunter College and a BA in Dramatic Literature from NYU. This is her directorial debut, and is thrilled it is at The Chain, where she’s seen such wonderful theatre. Diana is also an actor, calligraphy artist, dramaturg, and is the co-writer of "The Good Lawyer: Pilot" script, which has received several festival accolades. Thank you to my wonderful cast for bringing Sweetheart to life.

Playwright/Producer: Chloe Selavka (she/they) is a writer, director, and artist originally from Worcester, MA, now based in NYC. She enjoys creating work about and for women and hopeless romantics who like holding grudges. You can see more about her on her Instagram @chloverrs! She would like to thank the cast and creative team for such spectacular work. 

Director: Bailey Bass (she/her) is a New York based director who is excited to be working on Peonies (Don't Leave)! Select credits include – Directing: Cortisol (development and staged readings, Origin Theatre & Cork Arts Theatre); Suds and Cycles (The Tank, Serials); Hobby Horse Farms (The Flea, Serials), Constellations (SUNY Fredonia). Film Directing: The Joy of 2020 – short film documentary (NYC Indie Theatre Film Festival & Deep Fried Film Festival, Scotland – “Best Documentary”). Assistant Directing: Irishtown, dir. Nicola Murphy Dubey (Irish Repertory Theatre); The Smuggler, dir. Conor Bagley (Irish Repertory Theatre, Summer Tour); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, dir. Judith Ivey (Baltimore Center Stage). baileysrbass.com

Stage Manager: Penny White (they/them) is currently a student at Marymount Manhattan College. They are so excited to be a part of this show!

Sound Designer/Producer: Emma Rey Dias (she/they) is an NYC-based playwright, producer, sound designer, and more. Recent credits include Who’s on Third? (Sapphest NYC), when Claudia sees god (Marymount Manhattan College), and The Swan (Rough Draft Play Festival). Emma thanks everyone involved in Peonies (Don’t Leave); they have so loved making something beautiful with you all. IG: @emmareydias 

Willa: Madeline Rhode (she/her) is an actor/director/producer living in NYC. She studied at Sarah Lawrence College, and studied abroad in London where she attended the British American Drama Academy (BADA). She has appeared in various productions such as Gallathea (SLC), Jekyll and Hyde (BADA), I am a Camera (SLC), as well as student directed films. She is proud to be playing Willa in Peonies (Don’t Leave) and to be a part of the Chain Theatre's One Act Festival! She would like to thank her loved ones for all the support they have given her.

Emory: Kimmi Curcio (she/her) is a recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Acting. She is so excited to be a part of Chloe Selavka's Peonies (Don't Leave). She would like to thank her friends, family, and the whole cast and crew of this beautiful play!