PROGRAM 20

PROGRAM #20 (4TH FLOOR)

Backslider's Ball by John Corins

Paradise Breakup by Risa Lewak

Synonyms for Goodbye by Chloe Selavka

KATHRYN FISHER (Sharon) has appeared on stages in Pittsburgh and NYC. She has studied with Robert Lewis, Michael Shurtleff and Bill Roudebush.  Kathryn has done some film work as well. She is a member of Polaris North.   SAG-AFTRA. 

FRANK MINIO (Michael) is a veteran of regional theater in Philadelphia and a member of Polaris North for over ten years. He was recently seen in Kalamazoo on the Polaris stage. He is grateful to be a participant in this festival and grateful for The Backslider’s Ball. “For my daughter Leah Rose.”

JOHN CORINS (Playwright) studied acting at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts and appeared in over fifty productions in regional and repertory theatres until a degenerative eye disease put an end to John’s acting career. At which point John turned all attention to playwriting, studying with the late, great Gene Frankel. John has had five full length plays produced at the following: the Performing Arts Center Theatre, The Gene Frankel Theatre Workshop, The Actors Institute, Creative Artists Lab, and Santa Clara Arena Theatre. He has had one-act plays produced at PACT, Love Creek and Equity Library Theatre.

JOHN SANNUTO (Director) has worked as an actor, singer and dancer, director, and choreographer in a variety of performance genres for the past fifty years and spent many of those early years with Ryan Repertory Company. He is a proud member and Board Member of Polaris North. John is a former Professor of Theatre and Speech and former Chair of the Performing Arts Department/Director of the BFA Program in Acting for Theatre, Film and Television at LIU Brooklyn and continues to teach as an Associate Adjunct Professor. jsannuto@gmail.com

Brinley Degwert (Adam) He/Him. Training: Neighborhood Playhouse, Wynn Handman Studios, HB Studios, Actors Gym. Theatre credits include: World Premiere of Ready, Steady, Yeti, Go!, Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (StageWorks); Fun Home (American Stage); Red Velvet, Pure Imagination (Rita Morgenthau Theater). Particular thanks to Robin Clarke. Instagram: @bdegwert.

Sydney Law (Eve) She/Her. Represented by WILHELMINA Models and part of Face to Face Productions Ensemble. Credits include: Prose Hair Care International Commercial, Duality Off-Broadway Premiere, I Need Love and Slip (Nicotine Dolls music videos), The Happening’s Nolita Nexus. Instagram: @syd.law.

Risa Lewak (Playwright) is a former television writer and the author of the book DON’T STALK THE ADMISSIONS OFFICER (Random House). Her plays have been produced in New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Arizona, and the United Kingdom. Awards and recognitions include: Winner of "Best Play" for Something Funny Happened on the Way to Inner Growth (Phoenix, AZ, 2024); finalist in Theatre Odyssey’s Ten-Minute Play Festival (Sarasota, FL, May 2023), the Players Theatre Short Play Festival (NYC, June and October 2023), and Theatre Oxford’s Ten-Minute Play Festival (Oxford, MS, 2024). Her work has also been featured in the Northport One-Act Play Festival (Oct 2023), Parish Players Ten-Minute Play Festival (Vermont, Feb 2024), Shawnee Theatre’s Ten-Minute Play Festival (Shawnee, PA, Aug 2023), and the Gi60 International One-Minute Play Festival (NYC). Risa’s plays have been selected for the Anaconda Ensemble Theatre reading series (Anaconda, MT) and included in international anthologies such as Fresh Words and Literature Today.

Jacklyn Collier (Director) loves being in the rehearsal room and is grateful to The Chain and Risa for giving her the opportunity to work with two of her favorite actors. She has an MFA in Acting, is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA, and enjoys doing escape rooms. Instagram: @jacklyncollier.

Chloe Selavka (Playwright/Director)  (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 dedicates this show to her late grandmother B. Carol Lunn, without whom none of this would exist.

Natalie Weinberg (Assistant Director) (she/her) is a director, designer, and playwright originally from Massachusetts. She is currently pursuing a B.A. in Theatre Arts/Directing from Marymount Manhattan College. Recent projects include Take Ten (The Summer School for the Performing Arts) and when Claudia sees god (Marymount Manhattan College)

E.P. Slattery (Stage Manager) (they/them) is a Thai/American student and artist based in NYC. Their favourite aspect of doing theatre in New York is being able to work on projects which tell stories at the intersection of their queer and Asian identity. E.P. is ecstatic to be working with Playwright Chloe Selavka for a second time! Past projects include: Peonies (Don’t Leave) by Chloe Selavka (SM), Elements; a genre bending war play featuring famous faces and Gwyneth Paltrow by Spencer Senzon (As Sam), The Variety Show By Boubakar Djombana (Producer) with additional writing credits in connection with Pan Asian Repertory Theatre.

Mike Vigilante (Musical Director) (he/him) is a Music Director, Actor, and Composer who is currently seeking his BFA in Musical Theatre at Marymount Manhattan College. His past music directing credits include the original productions of Synonyms for Goodbyes, Scenic Route, and An Average British Evening at MMC. He will also be music directing a new musical, Cooking with Butter, at The Players Theatre this spring. Mike thanks you for being here and hopes you enjoy the show!

Emma Rey Dias (Producer/Sound Designer) (she/they) is a playwright, producer, and sound designer who recently graduated from Marymount Manhattan College (MMC). Her past sound design credits include Tick, Tick… Boom! at Hartwick College and Dry Land at MMC. She self-produced her own plays The Swan and when Claudia sees god in 2024 at MMC and the Rough Draft Play Festival. As always, Emma is excited to be collaborating with Chloe, her friend and partner-in-crime. IG: @emmareydias

Natalie Myrick (Allie) (she/they) is an actor/musician/writer who is passionate about new works in development, especially those with folk-inspired scores. In addition to performing regionally and Off-Off Broadway, she has studied musical improv, toured theatre for young audiences in South Korea, composed pieces sung at 54 Below and Joe’s Pub, written a monthly indie pop music newsletter on Substack, and played in a classic rock cover band on an Alaskan cruise ship. Select credits: Open Stay (Off The Lane), Bridges of Madison County (Bucks County), Rent (Milton), SWAY (Fled Collective). www.nataliemyrick.com // @noots.mcgoots

Sophia Estes (Grace) (she/they) is grateful and excited to be a part of this festival, especially with such a special piece. An actor, director, dance captain, and teacher based in NYC, Sophia was recently seen as Sheila in A Chorus Line at MMC, Barbara Bush in First Daughter Suite at the Theater at St. Jean's, and Mara in Come As You Are at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center. In 2024, she graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with dual degrees in Musical Theatre and Directing. She finds great joy in teaching passionate young artists and has spent the last four summers as a Teaching Artist and Associate Director/Choreographer for the Ogunquit Playhouse Arts Academy, and currently teaches at Applause NY. Big hugs and thanks to my Mom, friends, and to Chloe, Mike, and the Synonyms team for this experience. @sophia_estes_

Natalie Lacy (Lou) (she/her) is so excited to be making her NYC debut with The Chain! Some recent credits include Metamorphoses (Marymount Manhattan College), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Marymount Manhattan College), Footloose (Hingham Civic Music Theater), and Sweeney Todd (Mass Arts Center). She’d like to thank her parents, Chris and Laurie, and her sister Sarah for their love and support.