PROGRAM 3

Emily by Cayson Miles

Julie, Paul and Jack by Thomas Moore

Candle Magic* by Colin Murphy

*Candle Magic will not perform 2/6

CREATIVE 

CAYSON MILES……………..PLAYWRIGHT/CO-PRODUCER 

EMMA DENSON…………….DIRECTOR/CO-PRODUCER 

LUKE LUTZ…………………..DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT/CO-PRODUCER 

CAST 

J.L. PERKEL…………………EMILY 

NATE CLEVELAND…………TROY 

MARISSA PARNESS………..LAURA 

YASMIN PASCALL…………..NADIA 

DAVID SHAKOPI…………….MR. JONES 

CAST AND CREW BIOS 

CAYSON MILES (PLAYWRIGHT/CO-PRODUCER) 

Cayson Miles (they/them) is a playwright based in Mississippi. They have a degree in Theatre from the University of Southern Mississippi, and have been a member of the Powerhouse Theatre Training Company and the Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive. Their work includes full-lengths, one acts, and ten minute plays. 

EMMA DENSON (DIRECTOR/CO-PRODUCER) 

Emma Denson moved to New York in 2020 after graduating with a theatre degree from Mississippi State University. She currently assists director Colm Summers on his work in Dublin and NYC, most recently a playwriting workshop at Columbia University. Recent: Wednesday: A Documentary (Production Assistant, Dir. by Raja Feather Kelly), Grudges ( Assistant Director, Knowledge Workings Theatre Co.). Upcoming: Top Hate (Director, Knowledge Workings Theatre Co.), When David Buckel Saved the World (Assistant Director, Dir. by Colm Summers), A Midsummer’s Night Dream (Assistant Director, Dir. by Colm Summers).

LUKE LUTZ (DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT/CO-PRODUCER) 

Luke Lutz graduated from Mississippi State in 2019 where he directed and produced over a dozen improv shows and open mics throughout the south east. He moved to Los Angeles after graduation where he currently produces open mic shows as well as collaborating with Emma Denson to develop original works. 

ALVIN CHRISTMAS (ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) 

Alvin Christmas is a student of the Stella Adler Professional Acting Conservatory and a graduate of the theatre program at Mississippi State University. His most recent work has been as a Guest Star on the TV show Evil Lives Here on Discovery ID and Justin's Side at the Black Motherhood and Parenting New Play Festival 

J.L. PERKEL (EMILY) 

J.L. Perkel (she/her) is thrilled to be a part of such a special show. As a trans actress, authentically portraying roles that reflect her experience are still far and few between, but she’s ready to change the narrative. A graduate from the University of Houston, she has been in shows such as The Whale, Tea and Sympathy, and Sixty Miles to Silver Lake (nominated by BWW for Best Supporting Actor in a Play). She was last seen producing her cabaret Butterfly: The Farewell Concert (nominated by BWW Cabaret for Best Special Event, Solo). 

NATE CLEVELAND (TROY) 

Nate Cleveland moved to Los Angeles, CA to pursue acting after graduating from Mississippi State University with a theatre degree in 2020. He recently signed on with a talent agency based out of Los Angeles and is working towards a career in film. Nate is thrilled to be part of such a meaningful and special story. 

MARISSA PARNESS (LAURA) 

Marissa is honored to be a part of this important show, and very grateful to Cayson, Emma and Luke for this opportunity. A graduate of Circle in the Square, Marissa is an actor, singer and voice over artist based in New York City. Most notably, Marissa has narrated over 85 titles on Audible and lent her voice to video game animation. Select favorite theatrical productions include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theatre for the New City), A Brief History of the Soviet Union (Dorothy Strelsin Theatre) and Hansel and Gretel (Actor’s Playhouse). You might catch her in shows on TV such as Mysteries of the Unknown, Evil Lives Here, Redrum and Celebrity Ghost Stories. For Joe, always. 

YASMIN PASCALL (NADIA) 

Yasmin Pascall (she/they) is an actor and creative based in NYC. She was born in California, but spent a large part of their life traveling whilst they grew up in Chennai, India. These experiences have deeply influenced her love for people and their stories. Yasmin loves devising and the art of physical storytelling through movement and dance. They are especially passionate about queer and immigrant stories, as well as exploring the political and provocative nature of art. They are honored to be a part of Cayson Miles’ Emily! UNCSA Drama ’21.

DAVID SHAKOPI (MR. JONES) 

Theater: Night Watch, Heights Players; Stranger Than a Rhino, FringeNYC; Much Ado About Nothing, Soho Playhouse; A Walk on the Beach, Theater for a New City; A Man For All Seasons, Heights Players. Film/TV: Shattered; Diabolical; Evil Lives Here; 6 Degrees of Murder. VO: Meet Cute; LO3 Energy; Restoration Row, Kognito. For M&K. 

Cast:

Julie: Caitlyn Marr

Jack: Garrett Hendricks

Paul: Joey Rotter

Creative Team:

Writer/Producer:  Thomas Moore

Director/Producer: Daniela Schrier Kafshi

Producer: Tiffany Bartok

Producer: Jayce Bartok

Social Media: Madison Rae Lutz

Bios:

Thomas Moore (Writer/Producer): Tom is a creator, writer, producer, and occasional actor.  His creative work has won many awards including Brooklyn’s WILLiFEST Outstanding Achievement in Short Screenwriting and LA’s CineStory Foundation’s Best Short Screenplay to name a few. His short films have been official selections in over a dozen indie festivals, including The Chain Short Film Festival, and his plays have been invited into The NYC Fringe Festival. Tom is also a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in Manhattan and in the spring of 2020, he created The Calm Collection, a series of 3-minute original videos to help frontline healthcare staff cope with stress they’re experiencing during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Daniela Schrier-Kafshi (Director): Daniela is a writer and director. Her work includes The Showdown, which premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and the satirical series Sisters and Misters. In 2017, she was a participant in the BlackList x Women in Film screenwriters lab where she honed her skills alongside leading female creators. Daniela is also the mother of two sons, a native New Yorker and the founder of Silverose Productions, a full-service creative content agency.  

Tiffany Bartok (Producer): Tiffany received her BFA in Musical Theater from University of the Arts in Philadelphia and currently resides in Brooklyn. She is a documentary film director (Larger Than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story), and narrative film producer (Fall to Rise, Sunburn, Jack and Paul). She is excited to bring Jack, Paul and Julie to the theatre for the CHAIN Festival.

Jayce Bartok (Producer): Jayce began his journey as a filmmaker acting in numerous films and television shows, most notably Richard Linklater's Suburbia, Sam Rami's Spiderman, and most recently, Ava Duvernay's When They See Us. Jayce's first screenplay, The Cake Eaters became a critically acclaimed film directed by Mary Stuart Masterson, which he starred in alongside Kristen Stewart and Bruce Dern. Most recently, Jayce stepped into the role of producer on the award-winning documentary, Larger Than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story The LA Times called the film "a rich deeply dimensional documentary.”

Caitlyn Marr (Julie): Caitlyn Meagher is a Miami native and has a BA from Middlebury College. Recent credits include Vinegar Tom (Potomac Theater Project), The Wolves (Zoetic Stage), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Toms River Shakespeare), and Macbeth (Endless River Productions). She would like to thank her family and friends for their unwavering support.

Garrett Hendricks (Jack): Garrett Lee Hendricks has been seen on TV in Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, The Americans, Nurse Jackie. Onscreen he's been in Cafe with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Uncaged, and The Stranger now playing on Amazon Prime. Represented by Donnalyn Carfi of Harvest Talent and Shirley Faison of Adunni Rose Talent.

Joey Rotter (Paul): Joey is an actor, writer and as of the recent apocalypse, a puppeteer.   He is an ensemble member at The Greenhouse Ensemble, where he has acted in film theater and film productions such as The Unspeakable Passion of Mitch Devoe, Cross From Rome and will be debuting his superhero parody play Captain Placeholder and the Adventures of We'll Figure it Out Later in the spring 2022.  He's thrilled to be joining the cast of Julie, Paul and Jack, contributing to the long awaited return of live theater.  Amid the pandemic, Joey began writing and filming his own puppet films from the safety of his home, all are available on his website JoeyRotter.com

Cast:

Ben Groh as MJ

Colin Murphy as RIVER

Director:

Hilary Krishnan

BIOS

Hilary Krishnan (She/ Her) (Director) After nearly an eight year hiatus, Hilary is returning to her theater roots. She earned her MFA in Performance and Interactive Media Arts from Brooklyn College in 2014, and then transitioned into the world of experiential marketing—producing events, brand launches, media stunts, and projection ad creative. Prior to her career switch, she worked with The Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival, Rattlestick Playrights Theater, Pig Iron Theatre Company, and Shakespeare & Company. She is elated that her return to directing is alongside dear friends, Colin Murphy and Ben Groh.

Ben Groh (He/ Him) (MJ) is an actor and comedian based out of New York City. He has studied at Susan Batson studio, as well as UCB. He is featured in the upcoming film Gods Time, and is so excited and grateful to be working with the talented Colin and Hilary!

Colin Murphy (He/ They) (Playwright / RIVER) is an actor and playwright thriving in Brooklyn. He earned a BFA in acting from Adelphi University where he also studied playwriting under Anton Dudley. He is a 2008 recipient of the Don Axinn Playwriting Award for his one-act, Edgar’s Smile, and a proud founding member of Rapidfire Bootleg Theater, a developing theater company which produced more than twenty shows in its four years of operations. Colin has been a resident playwright for Adelphi Alumni Playwright’s Group since they originated in the summer of 2020 (www.adelphialumniplaywrightsgroup.com), and is was one of twelve playwrights invited to participate in the 2021 Write It Out! workshop conceived and instructed by Donja R. Love for playwrights living with HIV. He is thankful to both Hilary and Ben who are quite literally magic, and to the Chain Theatre for this meaningful opportunity. Colin is a member of the Dramatists Guild. Learn more about Colin and why he writes here: www.colinwritesplays.com.