Playhouse on Park: New Play Readings 2010-2011

DREAM HOUSE
By David Lally
November 27 - 28, 2010
THE SILVER WHISTLE
By Richard Chiarappa
February 5 - 6, 2011

New Play Readings and Workshops
2010 - 2011

New Work Series Playhouse on Park is dedicated to giving a voice to new playwrights. We have two great new plays by Connecticut artists on our calendar. Both being presented in a workshop format. In a workshop, the audience is a part of the development process. After each performance there will be a talk back with the playwright and director and the audience will be offered the opportunity to complete a response card

DREAM HOUSE
by David Lally

Dream House tells the story of gay, middle-aged Mark O’Brien who lives with his elderly mother, Ginnie, in the grand, deteriorating home of his childhood. The play’s timeframe alternates between the present (1990s) and the past (1960s-70s), when the O’Brien family -- Father RJ, Ginnie, Mark, and brother Dickie -- appeared to be the “ideal family”. As we learn, however, RJ abruptly disappeared, leaving Mark to take on the role of surrogate partner to the needy and extravagantly charming Ginnie. Dickie, sublimates his father’s abandonment into a successful business career and family. Enter Ted, a handyman Ginnie hires "on the cheap", who forces Mark to choose between the safety of his dreamlike past or an unknown future.

Directed by Dawn Loveland

November 27th, 8pm November 28th, 2pm
$15.00, reserved seating

DAVID LALLY (Playwright) was born and raised in Connecticut and has remained a New Englander his entire life. He graduated from Middlebury College with a combined major of Theater and English. He worked for 20 years in Marketing and Communications for Hartford Financial Services, Inc. and later as a freelance writer. He has masters degrees in both business and social work, and currently works for a managed care company while maintaining a private clinical practice. He lives with his partner, Philip, in Simsbury, CT. Dream House is David’s first full-length play, begun following his mother’s death in 2002. It is a tribute to her flawed but ultimately victorious dream of family.

STEPHEN HOPE (Mark O'Brien) has performed on Broadway in JOSEPH...DREAMCOAT (Orig. B'way), THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (B'way and Nat'l Tour), and Off-Broadway in CIVIL WAR VOICES (Joseph Henry Harris) (MITF Award, "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical"), THE DEEP THROAT SEX SCANDAL (Vito/Keating/Camerman/Judge), ASCENSION (Fr. Cal), FAIRY TALES (Stephen), DAMES AT SEA (Lucky). On regional theater stages, he has been seen in over 50 productions including BARNUM (PT Barnum), THE EXONERATED (Kerry Max Cook) (Best of the Suncoast nomination,"Outstanding Actor/Play" nomination), RUTHLESS! THE MUSICAL (Sylvia St. Croix) (Best of the Suncoast nomination,"Outstanding Lead Actor/Musical") MY ONE AND ONLY (Billy Chandler) (Barrymore nomination,"Outstanding Lead Actor/Musical"),andThe 25th ANNUAL... SPELLING BEE (Panch). Film work includes NO PLACE LKE HOME, JUST ONE HOUR and CIRCUS FREAKS.

DANIEL SMITH (Ted Wolinski) is pleased and proud to be making his debut at Playhouse on Park. After being raised overseas he returned to the US to receive his BFA in acting. He has acted in several states and all over the city. He is a member of the Queens Players Theatre Company in Long Island City as well as Fundamental Theatre Project in Manhattan. Most recent Shakespearean roles include: Caliban (THE TEMPEST), Mercutio and Romeo (ROMEO AND JULIET), Touchstone (AS YOU LIKE IT), Macduff (MACBETH), Oberon (MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM), Hortensio (THE TAMING OF THE SHREW), Theseus (PHAEDRA'S LOVE), Rochfort (RED NOSES), Picasso (PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE), Father (W.A.S.P.), Helen of Troy and Pylades (ORESTES 2.0), Nick (FUN SIZED), The Aviator (LITTLE PRINCE), Gerhart (GERRY), and Himself in (COMPLEAT WRKS ABRIDGED). He has been in several award winning short films and featured on Collegehumor.com. His website is www.DanielSmith-TheActor.com

DAN WHELTON (Dickie O'Brien) is excited to be appearing for the first time at Playhouse on Park. Regional theatre credits include Hartford Stage, Longwharf Theatre, Hartford TheaterWorks, SpeakEasy Stage, Ivoryton Playhouse, and The Majestic Theater among others. Dan can be seen in several commercials as well as in the recent film The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. He has a BA in Theatre from Eastern CT State University. Love and thanks to his wife Isabelle and their beautiful baby Lydia. Merci mes amours, je vous aime!

CAROL LAMBERT (Ginny O'Brien) has appeared in a wide variety of roles both Off-Broadway and regional theatres. Most recently at the Mint Theatre as Emily in LADIES IN RETIREMENT, and Jean in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at the Viking Theatre, in NYC. Some of her favorite roles are: THE FABULOUS LUNTS (Lynn Fontanne), THE LION IN WINTER (Eleanor), SEPARATE TABLES (Miss Cooper), THE ASPERN PAPERS (Julianna), MORNING'S AT SEVEN (Cora), HAY FEVER (Judith), THE COCKTAIL HOUR (Ann), STEEL MAGNOLIAS (M'lynn). She has done major Shakespeare roles with various Shakespeare theatres and touring companies. TV/Film credits include Law & Order, The Sopranos, The Extra Man, and completed two independent films. She has done voiceover work on radio and recordings.

TERRENCE MONTGOMERY (RJ O'Brien) has acted in Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Republic of Georgia’s GIFT Festival, and Off-Broadway in NYC. He is the Visual and Performing Arts Chair and the Director of Theatre at The Dwight School in NYC. Terrence is owner of his own production company which develops new plays, and currently has several projects in development including a world premiere of THE STORY OF MY FATHER by Radu Alexandru, THIS LIFE, a musical by Deb Silver, and a dance and poetry piece entitled LUCEAFARUL by the Romanian national poet Mihai Eminescu as translated by Adrian Sahlean. Terrence also works as a private acting coach.

CAROLYN CUMMING (Young Woman) just completed a run of BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS as Nora on the Playhouse stage. She has also appeared here in MAMA TOMCAT, SOMETHING COOL...CABARET, THE....STOP/TIME VARIETY SHOW and MY SHOW: A CHOREOGRAPHER'S STORY with stop/ time dance theatre. Past credits: HAIR (Chrissy), THREEPENNY OPERA (Ensemble) and CABARET (Dancer) with the Connecticut Repertory Theater, GYPSY(Louise), 42ND STREET (Maggie Jones) and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Tzeitel) with West Hartford Summer Arts Festival and CATS (Exotica) at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts.

DAWN LOVELAND (Director) is happy to be a part of this exciting project. Previously at Playhouse on Park, Dawn directed IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE, and stage managed SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM. Other directing credits include THE LITTLE MERMAID (Surflight Theatre), and a reading of Winterset (Berkshire Theatre Festival). Dawn assisted directors on productions at Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City, Surflight Theatre, and Berkshire Theatre Festival. Recent stage management credits include Surflight-To-Go educational touring theatre productions for children. Dawn is a graduate of Middlebury College, where she directed and stage managed several productions.