PROGRAM 6

Playing Twins by Jonathon Ward

The Funeral by Brandi Robinson

The Waffle Home by Caitland Winsett

Thy Neighbor by Grace O'Rourke

BIOS

Darnell Hutchins (Will) is an actor from New Jersey. After earning his BA in theater at Rutgers University, he advanced his training by completing The Acting Program at the Actors Studio. While he has a passion for theater, his credits also extend to film. He played the role of Darel in the film Bully and portrayed Isaac in the short film Beneath Cracked Pavement. Outside of acting he enjoys writing and has plans to produce his own work.

Taze Wilson (Brad) is an actor and writer currently based in New York City. He is currently finishing his studies at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study where he will receive a degree in Interdisciplinary Arts.  He’s taken advantage of New York, studying at a number of schools including: The Acting Studio with James Price, The Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research with George Olesky, and the Fiasco Theatre Company with Ben Steinfeld.  He moved to New York from Bettendorf, Iowa where he developed a love for music, movies, and improv comedy. 

Sharai Dottin (Stage Manager) (she/her) is an actor, playwright and musical theater writer who is passionate about Black femme storytelling. Recent credits include the role of Amara in the original musical Bloom at SheNYC Arts, Third Woman in Fusion Theatre Company’s production of Medea and the role of Faith in the staged reading of her original musical Blackgirltopia at Emerging Artists’ Theatre's New Works Festival. Sharai is an alumna of The Acting Studio Fall 2023 Conservatory, New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts Summer Musical Theater Intensive, Blueprint Collective Performance Intensive and NYU’s Master’s Program for Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement. She is currently a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop as a book writer/librettist.

Joshwald Martinez (Actor) (he/him) is a New York raised-and-based actor and poet.  Joshwald loves working on new plays -- cold reads, longer developmental periods, and dramaturgical nerd-outs. Find him on IG: @joshwaldmp

Tish Brandt  (Director) is a NYC based actor and director. Member of Chelsea Rep; ReGroup Theatre; Adjunct Faculty at The Acting Studio - New York; Dialect coach for international actors, singers, directors; Regional: Zach Theatre, Austin: B. Iden Payne Award nominee-Best Featured Actress/Drama in The Exonerated; AEA and SAG-AFTRA.

Jonathon Ward (Playwright) has had his plays produced, presented, and read at theatres such as FringeNYC, Metropolitan Playhouse, Birdhouse Theatre, Theatre Conspiracy, ATHE Conference, Little Funky Theatre, William Inge Festival, Barter Theater, InspiraTO, New Circle Theatre Company, Chelsea Rep, Abrons Arts Center, Little Victory Players, Community Free Theatre, Urban Youth Theatre, University of Chicago and others.  He has received four NYSCA commissions, as well as grants from New York University, and private foundations.  

Brandi Robinson - Playwright/Director

Brandi Robinson is a multidisciplinary artist who earned acclaim for her performance as "Leah" in the award-winning film, The Anxiety of Laughing. As a playwright, her work has been produced by UCR Theatre and Ophelia’s Jump Theatre. Brandi can be heard as “Emi” on the fantasy-western audio drama Radio: Outcast. 

Brett Nicol - Actor

Brett is a passionate TV, film and theater actor with bicoastal experience and training. He can be seen in tv shows such as Betrayed and the multi award winning web series Figuring It Out. He has studied with the likes of Howard Fine, Sean Rose and got his BFA in Theatre Arts at East Carolina University under the instruction of Greg Funaro and John Shearin.

Qianna Brooks - Actor

Qianna Brooks enjoys life as a stage, screen and voice actor. Credits include The Golden Cockerel with American Ballet Theatre along with Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and the premiere of Doug Devita’s Nell Dash, both at The Heights Players Theatre. Her approach to life is inspired by the Zulu Proverb “Ubuntu - I am a person through other people. My humanity is tied to yours.

Caitland “Caky”  Winsett (Playwright, she/her) Caky is so excited to be working with the Chain Theatre again! Previous works here include “The Adventures of the Dragons Den” and “It’s (Not) a Musical” All the love to everyone who makes theater happen. Follow @pigeontheaterco on Instagram to see what’s next!

GRAYDON GUND (Director, he/him) Directing credits include: A Nantucket Christmas Carol and It's a Wonderful Life (White Heron Theatre), Nantucket the MusACKal!  (Deep End/ SHiP), Oh God! I'm Liquid..., and The Sound Beneath the Sound among many others (Theater Breaking Through Barriers), Misterman (Room 15), Good Grief (Athena Theatre), Plan G (Randomly Specific), Transfiguration (United Solo Award Winner), Golden Boy (Room15), Must Win (Broadway Bound Fest), Ginny (Sam French Fest). Readings and workshops include Caitland's Sisterhood, as well as Whitewashed and Where They're Going (When They Go) (both by Kirt Shineman). Assisting includes: About Alice (dir. Leonard Foglia, TFANA), Fireflies, Most Beautiful Room..,Endgame (Long Wharf Theatre), A Wonderful Life, La Cage aux Folles (Goodspeed Musicals). Clybourne Park (Chautauqua). Also co-creator of Standby for Places: A Radio Play Podcast, for which he has directed Woyzeck, Leonce and Lena, and Miss Julie along with many originals. GraydonGund.com

Maeghan Mary Suzik (Gemma, she/her) is a NYC based actor, published poet and recent grad from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Some of her favorite credits include: Men on Boats (Goodman), Waiting for Lefty (Florence), Evoking Him (directed by Jonathan McCrory). Maeghansuzik.com

Maggie Winslow (Martha, she/her) is an actor from Pittsfeild, MA and has studied performance at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and The Barrow Group. She is thrilled to be involved in the Chain Theatre Festival again, having previously performed in Caitland’s It’s (Not) a Musical. You can catch her sitting, standing, or walking in the background of various tv shows, including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Emmarose Campbell (Jane, she/her) is a NYC-based performer, teacher, and prop designer. Recent credits include The Wizard of Oz at Palace Theatre (Toto Puppeteer), On Your Feet! 2022-23 Nat’l Tour (Prop Designer), and A Charlie Brown Christmas Live!  2021/22 Nat’l Tours (Prop Designer). This is her second time participating in the Chain One Act Festival. @emmarosegcampbell,  www.emmarosegcampbell.com

Bios:

Grace O’Rourke (Playwright/Director)

Grace O’Rourke (they/them) is a playwright often, and a director/screenwriter/actor occasionally, based in Brooklyn, New York. They recently graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a double major in English and Film, Media, & Theater, and studied at the National Theater Institute as part of the Advanced Playwrights Spring '22 cohort. Their work has been performed with the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Melancholics Anonymous, and Cypress Productions. They are grateful to be working with long-time friends and collaborators Maverik and Stella on the project, and hope that they can all enjoy some cabbage soup together after the show.

Maverik Leslie (Jude)

Maverik Leslie (they/he) is a performance artist, songcrafter, and crossword enthusiast based in Brooklyn, NY. He recently graduated from Mount Holyoke College where he studied dance accompaniment and received a Bachelor of Arts in music and French language. Their recent credits include composing and dancing in Sammie Murray’s “Fashioned Creature” as part of the spring 2023 Spark Theatre Festival, and audio engineering for “Antonio!” by Butch Mermaid Productions at The Tank Theatre. Maverik is thrilled to be working alongside Stella Wunder and Grace O’Rourke.

Stella Wunder (Cole)

Stella Wunder (they/she/he) is a 22 year old multidisciplinary artist based out of Brooklyn, New York, focusing on theatre, film, television, and music. Recent credits include The Diana Society (Phoebe Miho), executive produced by Julie Pacino, and The Threepenny Opera (Lucy Brown) directed by Ash Tata - NYU Tisch Mainstage. Since their recent graduation from NYU Tisch with a BFA in Drama, they have been working to tell original stories that focus on queerness, diversity, and coming of age. They have been working with the playwright Grace for over 10 years and is incredibly grateful to perform in Thy Neighbor with Maverik, and hopes to continue to explore Cole and Jude in the future.