PROGRAM 9
Clowntown by Isabella Fatigati
Roleplay by Leo Layla Diaz
clowntown
Playwright- Isabella Fatigati
Director - Maddie Heeney
Synopsis: B wants a fresh start.
They clean up the house and put out a little watermelon for a friend.
The friend doesn’t come.
The watermelon rots
and something evil crawls out of the mold.
Clowntown is a magical realism piece exploring the process of healing and recovery from unhealthy relationships. We follow the B’s as they fight through a past filled with giant cockroaches and male fragility, to create something new.
Assistant Stage Manager - Liv White
Lighting Designer - Avalon Cole
Sound Designer - Katie Norris
Playwright- Isabella Fatigati
Pronouns - They / She
Biography - Isabella is a brand new playwright finishing her undergraduate degree at Marymount Manhattan College. Isabella also works as a photographer and the Artistic Director of Medusa Collective NYC. You can find more information through Instagram at @bellafatigati and @medusacollectivenyc!
Director - Maddie Heeney
Pronouns: She / Her
Biography: Madeline Heeney is a trans femme director, playwright, and stage manager based in New York City. Madeline is a recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, where she studied directing and stage management. Recent credits include Clowntown (Director), an excerpt from Hir (Director), and Pippin (Deck Stage Manager). When not in the city, Madeline is the Performing Arts Activity Head at a sleepaway camp for trans and nonbinary youth. Madeline is ecstatic to be a Resident Artist with Medusa Collective NYC. You can find more information through Instagram @madddieheeney
Producer- Nayum Faruki
Biography - Nayum Faruki is the executive director for ‘Medusa Collective NYC”. She is currently a senior at Marymount Manhattan College. She recently directed and produced a very successful run for a play called ‘Khilona’ in Lahore, Pakistan. She has worked in film, theater, artist management, marketing, graphic design and also ran a make-up company. You can find more information through Instagram at @nayumfaruki and @medusacollectivenyc
Stage Manager - Kat Sloan Garcia
Biography - Kat Sloan Garca (she/her) is a stage manager, playwright, and producer based in NYC. Kat is a senior stage management and playwriting major at Marymount Manhattan College where she has done 8 shows including Pippin (Production Stage Manager) and Good News (Assistant Stage Manager). Other recent projects include the 2022 Take Ten Festival with Theatre Masters. She is currently interning at the Broadway Green Alliance. @katsloangarcia
Associate Producer - Sophia Distefano
Pronouns - She/Her/Hers
Biography - Sophia DiStefano (she/her) is an up and coming theater artist based in New York. She is working to receive her BA in Directing and Stage Management & Producing from Marymount Manhattan College and currently serves as the Associate Director of Medusa Collective NYC. You can find more information at sophiadistefanotheater.com and @sophia_4401
B1 - Addison Clover
Biography -“Addison Clover is a sophomore BFA Acting Major at MMC and can’t wait grace her first New York City stage! She’s always been a performer and has had such a rewarding experience working with the Clowntown team on mastering such a special show. Addison is also super fun and she likes that everyone she works with is super fun too. Bella is her fave. Go Pack Go! @addisonclover ”
B2 - Edelsa Perez
Biography - Edelsa Perez (she/her) is a sophomore year BFA Acting major at Marymount Manhattan College and is beyond thrilled to have been able to work on this show. Most recent credits include, The Ghost Writer (Brynn), Horse Girls (Brandi), and Oklahoma! (Laurey) @edelsaperez
B3 / M - Beverly Fort
Biography - Beverly Fort is a Junior BFA Acting Major at Marymount Manhattan. They love working with their peers on original productions like this one, and previously on What Love Really Is by Caleb Moreno at the summer festival here at The Chain. Before moving to New York they started training in Voice Acting with Barry Yandell, which has been continuous for three years now, with a handful of independent projects resulting from it. Beverly has greatly enjoyed working on Clowntown and hopes that you enjoy the show as much as we’ve enjoyed the process!
M / B3 Understudy - Beck Farris
Biography - “Beck Farris (any pronouns) is a senior double major in BFA Acting and Writing for the Stage at Marymount Manhattan College. They are originally from Austin, Texas, and now based in New York City. Recent acting credits include Matt in Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play and Robin in Horse Girls. You can find them on Instagram @beck.farris and you can find them in real life being silly and whimsical everywhere they go.”
role play
by Leo Layla Diaz
Directed by Hannah Marie Pederson
Synopsis: Audrey got dumped. By her boss. And she’d say she’s reasonably mad about it. So she enlists the help of her amateur dominatrix bestie Tara to take him down, and maybe mess with Tara’s cheating boyfriend while they’re at it. They’re a classic evil mastermind and doting sidekick with a perfect plan — and totally no jealousy — in this raunchy comedy of boys, toys, and the girls who use them.
Director - Hannah Marie Pederson is a NY-based actor and director. She’s thrilled to be bringing you the messy mayhem of Roleplay! Recent directing credits include Croaks (The Tank) and Christianity (The New School). Upcoming: The Taming of the Shrew (The New School). You can follow her on Instagram at @hmpederson, or listen to her rant about Star Wars on TikTok at @discountbokatan
Playwright - Leo Layla Díaz (they/them) is a Jersey native playwright and teaching artist. Their debut play Croaks premiered last year at The Tank (NYC). They are enrolled MA in Arts Management & Entrepreneurship and BFA in Dramatic Arts at The New School. Díaz’s writing in both plays and poetry has previously been performed at Rebel Verses (Vineyard Theater, NYC), The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues (NYC), The Tank (NYC), Brave New Voices (Houston & Las Vegas), Louder Than a Bomb (NJ), Poetic Theater Productions (NYC), Performance Anxiety Inc (WI), Loud! (NJ), Berg Originals (Muhlenberg College), and Mana Mic (NJ). Instagram @ljoy14
Assistant Director - Shannon is a working actor and dramaturg who's so psyched to be taking on her second assistant directing gig! Shannon is a current second semester senior at The New School for Drama and has acted in Guard Bitches (2022), directed Screen Door (2022), and has assistant directed and provided dramaturgical analysis for Playground Theater's production of The Moors (2022). Shannon is so excited to be a part of this production which includes both great performances and great people! Follow her on Instagram for some hot takes on old hollywood: @shannontrag
Stage Manager/Producer - Mariel Mercedes
Tara - Aria is absolutely delighted to be performing in Roleplay. She was last seen as ‘Melinda’ in the cast recording of Relapse The Musical. Her other roles include ‘Jane Porter’ from Tarzan at The Tenth Annual Jimmy Awards (Minskoff Theater), ‘Sexy Seaweed’ in The Little Mermaid, and ‘Wednesday Addams’ in The Addams Family. She would like to thank her supportive family (especially mum), Zoli, Peisha McPhee, and, of course, the incredible creative team behind this production. @aria_critchley
Audrey - Naz is part of the The School of Drama at The New School. Over the years, she trained and performed in institutions such as the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and RADA in the UK before making her way to New York. Most recently, she has entertained audiences as Helena in Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Blanche in A Street Car Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, and Moll in The Roaring Girl by Thomas Dekker and Thomas Middleton. Naz is so excited to be a part of Roleplay, and thanks her family and friends for their continued support!
Ryan - John began his theatrical training at Developing Artists (DA) at the age of 11. He performed at the Vineyard Theatre, LAByrinth Theater Company (Barn Series), Marriott Marquis, The 24hr Plays (pieces written by Kris Diaz and Reg G. Gaines). @Johnyvelvetblack
Austin – Nathaniel Valdivieso