PROGRAM 4

#DOGMOM or Words Matter by Robyne Parrish

Mommy by Lee Melillo

Finger Yourself by Labiba Choudhury

Like Horses by Cate Wiley

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 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.

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

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