November 2013
Harvest Festival

By Lynda Crawford

Directed by Stellios Manolakakis

An unconventional comic book character fights to survive
(and find love) as a censor tries to have him erased.

The Chain Theatre
21-28 45th Road,  LIC

Friday, Nov 15 @ 7    Saturday, Nov 16 @ 9
Tuesday, Nov 19 @ 9    Thursday, Nov 21 @ 9
Special Encore Performance Saturday, Nov 23 @ 7:30

FEATURING Ama Addison, Jason Black, Laura Bray
Cristian Ciocan, Mikki Olson, and Malachy Silva

Stage Manager — Prudence DiBenedetto
Set Design — Stellios Manolakakis
Set Art — Len Vretholm
Graphic Design — Persephone Thorn
Production Expediter — Jon Pierson

 

(This play is available for purchase here in a collection from the Harvest Festival published by Indie Theater Now.)

Click HERE for a video SNEAK PEEK.

 

BIOS

Ama Addison (Silent Chorus) is thrilled to be back at The Chain Theatre. Nominated Best Actress in a play at the Strawberry Act Theatre Festival for EPILOGUE. Graduated from the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Theatre: A Procession of Clouds by Lynda Crawford, Shank performed at CYTO theatre in London. Films: Hesitance, Walk on By, L-O-O-K, A Diva Duet, Water Dog, Astraea, The Journal.www.amaaddison.com.

Jason Black (The Censor) is a multimedia performance artist, writer, comedian, dog walker.  He studied the Meisner Technique at Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts, and improvisation at Upright Citizens Brigade. He currently co-hosts a monthly variety show called “Jason and Jill Craft for Your Life” at Dixon Place.

Laura Bray (Maggie) trained in Melbourne, Australia, at The National Theatre Drama School, graduating from their Professional Acting Conservatory in 2001.  She worked mainly in theatre until she moved here to NYC in 2008 to train at The William Esper Studio. Shortly after graduation she realized that her love of acting stemmed from her love of words and the scripts themselves, so she followed her heart, said goodbye to “treading-the-boards” and hello to her pen and paper, having her first full-length play produced earlier this year here in NYC. Stellios lured her out of retirement to work on the role of Maggie. Writing can get lonely so Laura is happy to be working in a collaborative environment once again with a cast, playwright, and director.

Cristian Ciocan (Man in Background) made his debut on the New York stage in May 2008 in the off-Broadway play My Fathers Child, where he played a dual role. A graduate of the William Esper Studio, Cristian has played feature roles in multiple projects. Short Film: Milk Made (Thomas), Train Wreck (Matt), Only In Dreams (Mike). Music Video: Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us,” “You Cry,” and “Masquerade.” He went on to make his feature film debut: Attila Attacks (Tepech), Female Assassins (Jay), and he was cast as a principal in several commercials. Cristian dedicates this performance to his fans and to his precious four-year-old son, and he would like to thank all those involved in Howard Ink! for making this a rewarding experience in his life. 

Mikki Olson (Silent Chorus) is a Brooklyn-based artist, performer, and professional wrestler.  She is a founding member of the JUDY collective, which was the first recipient of the Museum of Arts & Design’s FUN FELLOWSHIP in 2011. Recently, she created costumes for Katy Pyle’s “Ballez” The Firebird, which had a sold out run at Danspace. To see more of her work, visit: www.heymikkiblog.tumblr.com

Malachy Silva (Howard) was trained in the Meisner Technique at Studio Magnetic in San Francisco, as well as being a current student at SUNY Empire and T. Shreiber Studios, and a participant in Labrynth Theater’s Summer intensive. In San Francisco, he was a member of Generation Theater, a company committed to performing original works, and he appeared in Strange Rain at FringeNYC (2013). He would like to thank Gordon Kurtti and David Anzuelo for inspiration and guidance in this piece.

Lynda Crawford (Playwright). Lynda’s plays include Strange Rain, directed by Simone Federman in FringeNYC (2013, awarded Overall Excellence in Playwriting), and selected as a finalist in Reverie’s Next Generation Playwriting Contest (2004); A Procession of Clouds, which showcased in the Unchained Festival (2013, finalist, tied for Audience Favorite), directed by Dennis Carnegie; Secrets of the Birds, directed by Irondale Ensemble’s Terry Greiss in the Samuel French Short Play Festival (2006, finalist); and Consumer Behavior (co-written with Gary Kupper), directed by Victoria Pero at FringeNYC (2002), after having been the recipient of a Playwrights’ Project grant from Abrons Arts Center–Henry Street Settlement (2001–2002). Lynda’s writing has also appeared in newspapers, magazines, and in the book, TITTERS: The First Collection of Humor by Women (Macmillan). Lynda is a member of the Dramatists Guild, and she leads the playwriting lab at SUNY Empire State College (where she was once a student).

Prudence DiBenedetto (Stage Manager). Named after a Beatles song (can you guess which one?), Pru is a 26-year-old mother to a little girl named Abbey. She is a stage manager in her free time, and she is also an actress with a B.A. in theatre and English. She works frequently as a background actress with a SAG card. Pru would like to thank her mom, her brother Charlie, and her daughter Abbey for their support in letting her work on this production. She also thanks the cast and crew for this wonderful experience. Enjoy the show!

Stellios Manolakakis (Director/Set Designer) is a playwright, director, and reluctant actor. Born on Crete in Greece, he graduated from the Veaki Academy of Dramatic Arts in Athens. He studied video and film production at SVA and the New School in New York. Plays that he has written and directed in Athens include Brou Bra and Warha Taha Taha. In New York he has written and directed The Last Bohemians, the critically acclaimed Horowitz: The Acrobat at Rest, and several staged readings, including his play The Rose of Sharon at the Wet Ink Festival (2009) at 59E59. Stellios is also the artistic director of the Princes’ Kisses Theatre Group, and he has directed for companies and playwrights in Athens and in New York. Stellios would like to thank YaYa Productions and Lynda Crawford for this opportunity.

Jon Pierson (Production Expediter) Jon studied at Mannes College of Music. He was co-founder and lead singer of the rock group Ars Nova, singer and bass trombonist with White Elephant Band, and studio musician for numerous artists. He co-wrote the book and music for Brass Ring (Village Gate), composed the music for Sweet Enough (Playformers), and acted as musical director for One Good Day (Arturo’s; The Loft). He was a contributing composer for Weatherlove! (Danceteria), played in the band for Consumer Behavior (FringeNYC 2002) and for Sex on Trial (Arturo’s). He recently composed music for Strange Rain (FringeNYC 2013). Jon is also a  master carpenter and all-around lifesaver.

Persephone Thorn (Logo & Postcard Design) Born in the swamp, Persephone is a new media artist and web designer currently working in New York City.

Len Vretholm (Set Art/ Logo Art). Len is a multi-talented artist, actor, musician, director. He has received grants and awards from Meet The Composer and has performed on stage in theatres, clubs, churches, and bookstores throughout the NYC metropolitan area.

SPECIAL THANKS

To Variations Theatre Group for inviting Howard Ink! into the festival and for all the work you do to bring new plays to the stage; to the League of Independent Theatre for giving us a fabulous subsidized space to rehearse in; to playwright Tom Diggs for the initial conversation at the Naomi Wallace workshop that led to writing this piece; to Stellios for your many brilliant and funny ideas and the incredible heart you have brought to fostering Howard into so much more than a cartoon character; and to Malachy, Laura, Cristian, Mikki, Ama, Jason, Pru, Len, Jon, and Persephone for everything you have given to breathe life and beauty and comedy into Howard. —LC

Photos