TPNC ONE-ACTS FESTIVAL Cast

Deborah LOVES acting, directing, producing, costuming, props, and set decorating… and does it all. You may recognize Deborah from her roles at TPNC in: The Dixie Swim Club; The Norman Conquests; Fox on the Fairway; Dearly Departed. At Curtain Call, Stamford in Comedy of Tenors; Hot L Baltimore; Calendar Girls; The Dixie Swim Club; Chapter Two; The Best Man; The Graduate. At Westport Community Theater in The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife; Dial M for Murder; The Diary of Anne Frank; The Prisoner of Second Avenue; I’m Not Rappaport; The Women. At DAC: Come Back to the Five & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean; Laughter on the 23rd Floor; The Dinner Party; Cry Havoc; The Nerd; Getting Away with Murder; The Case of the Curious Condiment. At Carriage House/Norwalk: Sordid Lives, Stops Along the Way; Talking With... At Ridgefield Theatre Barn: Rumors. At Town Players of Newtown: Exit the Body. Most recently she is playing PRESIDENT for Town Players of New Canaan.

Mike is an award winning actor and writer. He has performed many of Jim Gordon’s plays and would say that he and the playwright are simpatico in style, if he knew what simpatico meant.   Mike’s credits include: BROADWAY - An Enemy of the People; OFF-BROADWAY -  Orphans’ Home Cycle; NATIONAL TOURS - Twelve Angry Men, West Side Story, All My Sons. REGIONAL – Hartford Stage, Yale Repertory, Long Wharf, Theaterworks-Hartford, Engeman, Judson, Fulton, Playhouse on Park, Coastal Carolina, Westchester Broadway, Summer Theatre of New Canaan, Bristol Riverside, Queens Theatre, Ivoryton, Music Theatre of CT, Thrown Stone, Greenwich TC, Virginia Stage, Totem Pole, Hampton TC, Chenango River, Saco River. TV – The Blacklist (recurring), FBI, Person of Interest, Zero Hour, Rubicon. FILM – Yo Andrea (writer), Frank and Ernie (writer/director/producer/co-star), Bobby Dogs. TRAINING: George DiCenzo, Tony Roberts, Penny Fuller, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Arkin, Cotter Smith.

Laurel has appeared in numerous community and off-off Broadway theatre productions, as well as touring the Northwest with Seattle Repertory Theatre. Previous productions at Town Players of New Canaan include The Heiress and Ladies in Retirement. Recent local productions include Retreat from Moscow, Lend Me a Tenor, Suddenly Last Summer (Town Players of Newtown); August: Osage County, Memory of Water, Round and Round the Garden, (Ridgefield Theater Barn); A Delicate Balance, Moon Over Buffalo, Later Life, Doubt (Pound Ridge Theater Company); Watch on the Rhine (Westport Community Theater), The Unexpected Guest, Barefoot in the Park, The Best Man (Curtain Call). She has also appeared at the Brewster Theater Company in productions of 12 Angry Jurors, Glass Menagerie. and You Can’t Take It with You. Laurel is a graduate of NYU School of the Arts with an MFA in Acting and has studied at HB Studios and the Linklater Institute in New York City.

Catherine is extremely excited to be hitting the physical stage again, and for her first time doing so with Town Players after her virtual appearance in The Independents. Other select credits include: NY: All About Image/We Are The Elite (The Assistant/NY Fringe Festival); Mrs. President (Ms. Clark/Manhattan Rep); Village, My Home (Native Dweller/DreamUp Festival!); Regional: The Panto Games (Little Red/imaginary beasts); Sisters (Anna Marie Resseguie/Keeler Tavern); The Independents (Mary Cassatt/Curtain Call Theatre); Julius Caesar (Calpurnia/Shakespeare on the Green). Education: Hamilton College, London Dramatic Academy. If you'd like to follow what she's up to next, follow on social media @catherineluciani.

Most recently Gunner in The Outgoing Tide at NCTP, and Weller Martin in Curtain Call’s The Gin Game, Ted is delighted to reprise the role of Dr. Hillard for NCTP.   Credits include: Is He Dead?, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Best Man, Man of LaMancha, 1776, A Man for All Seasons, La Cage Aux Folles, My Fair Lady, Oliver, Lend Me a Tenor, Moon Over Buffalo, The Shadow Box, The Hostage, Little Women, Deathrap, Gypsy. NY: Testimonial (Manhattan Rep., Emerging Artists), Ha! Ha! Club (NY Fringe), Dissent at the Rock (Times Square Arts Center). TV includes Mysteries at the Museum, Greatest Mysteries, The Men Who Built America, Muhammed Ali’s Greatest Fight, Boardwalk Empire; Film, both independent and studio productions.

Recent appearances: Leslie Jones in THE HOSTAGE (Curtain Call, Stamford CT) NYC productions include THE THIN MAN IN THE CHERRY ORCHARD (Metropolitan Playhouse), THE REWRITE, MARCEL AND EDDIE, THE SHADOWBOX (Oasis.ny productions, alongside Albert Insinnia, co-actor and director). Konstantin in THE SEAGULL with Austin Pendleton (Mississippi Mud), Mrozek's A SUMMER'S DAY, THE BUTTER AND EGG MAN, & several Lanford Wilson plays in Amy Wright's company at HB Studios. Byron is glad to be on board for this production at Town Players of New Canaan.

Larry Greeley, a founding member of the Powerhouse Theatre, has had principal roles in more then 100 productions through out Connecticut and New York. A member of SAG/AFTRA his professional activities include motion pictures, TV, Commercials, Radio, Industrial films and Opera.

Town Players of New Canaan:  The Outgoing Tide (Peg).  Curtain Call: Mamma Mia, Damn Yankees, Beauty & The Beast, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Hostage; Mary Poppins; Follies. Regional credits:  Amateur Comedy Club, NY: The Ramshackle Inn; White Plains Performing Arts Center, NY: The Secret Garden; STONC: Big River; Herb Strauss Theatre, Sanibel, FL: It Runs In The Family; Theatre By The Sea, RI: A Funny…Forum. Other favorite roles:  Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, Marmee in Little Women, The Musical; Joanne in Company, Aldonza in Man of LaMancha.   Diane Keaton Stand-In: And So It Goes; Dorothy Peters on Madame Secretary. Commercials:  Cine-Med, Monte Cedro, Starz Channel, Farmington Bank, Windstream, The National Women’s Law Center.  J Love to TY.

Dainelle Testori-Gartner is thrilled to reprise her role as Amy in In Her Golden Years.  Training: American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Lee Strasberg Theater Institute (NYC). Favorite roles: CiCi Bloom (B*tches), Ursula (Disney’s The Little Mermaid), Missy Miller (The Marvelous Wonderettes), Sr Mary Downey (Disaster!), Dolores Van Tiffany (Sista Act!), Edith Potter (The Women), Amy (In Her Golden Years), Lauren (London Suite).

has been performing in community theater for 30 years. Highlights have included: Six years in an improv comedy group, and lead roles in numerous plays including, Atticus in “To Kill A Mockingbird”, Felix in “The Odd Couple”, Otto Frank in “The Diary of Anne Frank”, and many more. He works for Heineken USA, and lives in Stamford with his wife, Deborah, and their two cats, Pinky and Junior.

Meaghan Elliot (Ring Tone) Meaghan is thrilled to be back on stage making her Town Players debut! Recent/favorite credits include: Sandy Grease, Gloria Boeing Boeing, Mimi Comedy of Tenors, Evelyn Nesbit Ragtime, Marian Paroo Music Man (Curtain Call), Hope Cladwell Urinetown (RTB), Sandy Grease (Yorktown Stage), Martha Cratchit A Christmas Carol (Westport Country Playhouse). When not onstage you can find Meaghan behind the scenes working as a master hair and makeup artist for film, television, bridal and beyond! Thank you for continuing to support live theatre during these trying times. The arts are what hold us all together.

Jennifer Prescott was last seen (in a live setting) in an Old Time Radio performance at TPNC and in Radium Girls at Westport Community Theatre (playing multiple roles). At TPNC, she has played Phoebe Craddock in Romantic Comedy, Mrs. Sullen in The Beaux Stratagem, and was in the ensemble for Mr. Popper’s Penguins. During the pandemic, she became immersed in the online comedy improvisation community, and has performed live with her local CT team (Perpetual Notion) as well as with teams around the country and the globe, including Disaster Time! and The Global Improv Project. She is thrilled to be seated on a cramped plane with her husband, Christopher Prescott, for Initial Descent.

Christopher trained with Caymichael Patten Studio and acted in New York City ages ago. However, due to 15 years of litigation, he was unable to return to the boards until 2019 when he found himself as a lead in Radium Girls at the Westport Community Theatre—a role for which he was nominated as “Best Actor in Fairfield County.” He was soon thereafter cast in Hay Fever, a production with the Town Players of New Canaan which did not see the light of day due to the pandemic. While having performed with his beloved Jennifer on a rare occasion, including in the recent TPNC radio shows, Christopher is grateful to be able to be onstage with her—and only her—for this short but powerfully poignant piece, Initial Descent.

Dana is thrilled to be a part of this festival. She last appeared with TPNC as Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday. Other favorite roles include: Paulette in Legally Blonde, Felicia in I Hate Hamlet, Tatiana Racon in A Comedy of Tenors, Lorraine Sheldon in The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Girl in Hot’L Baltimore, Betty Logan in Heaven Can Wait, Nina in Mulberry Street, and Teresa in Italian American Reconciliation. Thank you Deborah and TNPC for giving me the chance to get on stage again!

Elayne was last seen as Sophie in Curtain Call’s Social Security. For the East/West One-Act Play Festival at MAC, she appeared in Hocking Murray as well as In Her Golden Years, which took first place at the festival in 2016 and remains one of her favorite roles.  Other favorites include Carmella in the play version of Mulberry Street at Curtain Call and Rebecca Nurse in the acclaimed Westport Community Theatre production of The Crucible.  Other area productions include Waiting in the Wings, Miracle on 34th Street, The Miracle Worker, You Can’t Take It With You and The Prisoner of Second Avenue, along with benefit performances of Love, Loss and What I Wore and The Vagina Monologues.  New York shows include Frankenstein, Chamber Music, The Runner Stumbles, Story Theatre and Poor Murderer.

Joe has been seen on the stage of the Ridgefield Theater Barn in “Enchanted April”, “It’s About Forgiveness”, and “A Family Affair”. Joe was also seen at the Depot Theater in “A Garden of Beetles”, “The Grey Areas”, “Dad’s Day”, “Tell Me A Story”, “In Geoffrey We Trust” and “Howards Hybrids. His most recent performance was in the award-winning play “Foothold” by Patrick Lennon at the Theatreworks one acts festival in New Milford, CT. He is pleased to be on the stage once again performing in the play, “Shadows and Light” by award winning playwright, Carol Mark.

Jake Solari (Ring Tone). Jake is very excited to make his Town Players debut after returning from a summer studying abroad at the Giles Foreman Center for Acting in London, England. Having worked in different mediums from theatre (I Hate Shakespeare!) to television (Shattered), he is eager to embrace the new opportunities that lie ahead as our industry adjusts and evolves!

T.J. Chila of Milford is very excited to be reprising her role as Mrs. Pope in “Welfare”, and to be making her debut on the Town Players of New Canaan stage. This One Act was originally performed as part of Eastbound Theater’s East/West Playfest. Her last (pre Covid) performance was in Eastbound’s One Acts “Neighborhood Watch”, and Orange Player’s Acting Up “The Unfortunate Teller”. Other area credits include performances with Orange Players, Carriage House, Norwalk, Town Players, Newtown, Easton Readers Theater, Newtown’s Stray Kats Theater, and Squarewright’s Playwright Group, Stratford, and Curtain Call, Stamford. TJ is also Co-President of The Orange Players. Thanks to TPNC, Deborah Burke and all who made this possible despite these unprecedented times. The Show Must Go On!

Born and raised in The Bronx. Attended all public schools within 5 miles of 1501 Boston Road. A great time to grow up. Attended Morris High School, as did General Colin Powell. Albeit a few years apart. Received a baseball scholarship offer to attend the Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy. Was given a SEEK scholarship & attended Hunter College where I majored in Baseball & having fun. Two years and done. Retired from Verizon (originally NY Telephone ) in 2010 and CWA Local 1105 in 2011. Hoping to create a new career for myself in community theater & voice acting and have fun doing it.

Albert Insinnia first appeared on Broadway in the original company of Joseph Papp’s TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. He played Sonny in the original Broadway production of GREASE, co-starred as Mordred with Richard Harris in the revival CAMELOT and appeared in JACQUES BREL with the Village Gate cast.  On television he played the re-curring character Lt. Pizelli on LAW & ORDER SVU, made guest appearances on THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA, as Sgt. Tornberg on M*A*S*H, was a co-star on THE STOCKARD CHANNING SHOW, the NBC series LAST CHANCE and appeared as Deacon in The Movie of the Week CRAZY TIMES.  His films include co-starring roles in CORVETTE SUMMER, ROLLER BOOGIE, OVER THE G.W., RUSH IT, and the soon to be released PINK CITY.  Off-Broadway leading roles include LENNY, TROLLS, BLUES FOR MR. CHARLIE, TEMPLE OF THE SOULS at TNC, a recent adaptation of Chekov’s THE SEAGULL directed by Austin Pendleton, and many others plays.  Albert is founder and Artistic Director of his own theatre company Oasis.ny.

Sally Rose Zuckert is overjoyed to be returning to the TPNC stage in Testimonial. Sally Rose was last seen at the Powerhouse in 2020, when she played Mary Sherman Morgan in Rocket Girl. Some recent credits include the Chicago premiere of MY H8 LETTER TO THE G8 AMERICAN THEATRE (Brene), LawnChair Theatre Company’s Like The Summer Sun: The Bard Meets The Beatles (Various), and Wilton Playshop’s The Lion in Winter (Alys). Many thanks to Ted and Deborah!

Cathy is tickled pink to be working with TPNC, with actual people on a real stage (socially distanced of course), what a concept! Favorite past credits include A View From the Bridge (Beatrice), Calendar Girls (Ruth), The Hostage (Meg), The Cat's Meow (Elinor Glyn), I Remember Mama (Marta/Mama) and The Music Man (Mrs. Paroo). Thank you Deborah for this wonderful opportunity!

Jennifer is thrilled to perform the role of Betty in Town Players of New Canaan's production of "Hazelton". Favorite roles include Bev in "Four Weddings and an Elvis" and Kate in "Sylvia" at Eastbound Theatre, Tracy in "Now or Later" at Square One Theatre, Vera in "The Odd Couple, Female Version" at the Carriage House Arts Center, and Flute/Thisbe with The Lipstick Project. Jennifer has also enjoyed working with the Easton Arts Council, The Orange Players, and Town Players of Newtown. She is also a writer with the SquareWrights Playwriting Group in Stratford, and her play was recently performed by Shakespeare On The Sound as part of their Short New Play Festival in November 2020. Jennifer is grateful to Mike Boland and Deborah Burke for this opportunity.

Céline is making her Town Players debut. She holds her BFA in acting from the University of Rhode Island (Summa Cum Laude) and has studied at the British American Dramatic Academy and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Recent and upcoming credits include: Mona/Francesco, Live Drawing: A Portrait of the Mona Lisa; (Curtain Call) Agnes, Agnes of God; (Square One) Macbeth, Macbeth; Dromio Double, Comedy of Errors; Nurse/Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet; (Shakesperience Productions) Sarah Schorr, Trying; (Square One Theatre) Viola, Shakespeare in Love; Ophelia, Hamlet. (Curtain Call) She received the Vocal Excellence Award from the Voice and Speech Trainers Assoc. and Square One Theatre's Outstanding Featured Actress Subscriber Award for her role in Trying. celinemontaudy.com

Chris and his wife Julie have been Ridgefield residents since 2012. He has been active at a number of regional theaters as an actor, director and playwright. Previous acting roles include Dames at Sea, Butterflies are Free, The Shadowbox, Richard III, Pippin, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Boys Next Door. He’s directed Mixed Nuts, The Crucible, Zoo Story, Dames at Sea and Godspell, among others. Chris loves the creative & spontaneous environment so unique to theater and the long-lasting friendships it fosters. He’s a veteran financial and investment planning advisor, and when not in the theater prefers to be on the golf course or enjoying some other outside activity.

Emily is so excited to be making her debut performance with the Town Players of New Canaan and beyond honored to be included with this amazing group of actors.   Previously, at the Ridgefield Theater Barn, she played Holly in Pilot in An Evening of One Acts 2018 and Eliza in Mismatch/Miss Match in An Evening of One Acts. 2019. Previous credits include: Christina Mundy in Dancing At Lughnasa at The Town Players of Newtown in 2018. Kelly Torrance in Bacon Clickbait in the  "1st Annual 10 Minute Play Festival, Tales From the Brookside, 2019" at Theaterworks New Milford. And the “Cheerleader” in the musical  “Is There Life After High School?” at The Town Players of Newtown in 2019.

CJ Morsey is an actor, writer and producer based in Norwalk CT. CJ recently took the stage at the Ridgefield Theater Barn as "Will" in the one act "Kissing Will '' In addition to his work on stage CJ is a founding member of Rebel3Films, a production company based in New York. His latest venture Film Gawds, a collective located in Norwalk CT focuses on creating original content through collaboration with local artists. CJ attended the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute in New York, where he studied method acting, writing and directing. CJ would like to thank everyone involved with this production during these uncertain times.

Sarah Sherwood is thankful to have the opportunity to create during these challenging times. She has performed at theaters across Fairfield County, including Cinderella, The Panto (Buttons), The Heiress (Marian), Fox on the Fairway (Louise), 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Logainne), and Proof (Catherine), here at TPNC. Some of her favorite adventures include: Boeing Boeing(Gretchen), Barefoot in the Park (Corie), Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche (Dale), Noises Off (Brooke), Steel Magnolias (Annelle), Our Town (Emily), Crimes of the Heart (Babe), and Psycho Beach Party (Chicklet). Sarah lives in Stamford with her husband, Robbie, and daughters, Angelina, and Juliet. She thanks Deborah for giving her the opportunity to play again. Sarah sends love and thanks to her husband and bambini who keep her on her toes and gave her the greatest roles this gal could ask for. Il mio cuore appartiene a superuomo. Mon Dieu.

Chris is thrilled to be making his virtual stage debut with New Cannan Town Players. His past roles include Moritz from Spring Awakening and Andrew Jackson from BBAJ at RTB and St. Jimmy at the Downtown Cabaret Theater. Chris is honored to be bringing Paulette's one act, “Mismatch" back to life, which debuted in 2019 at the Ridgefield Theater Barn. He would like to thank Deborah, Emily and Paulette for their support and guidance through the creative process along with Nancy the original director who helped bring this piece to life! After attending Lee Strasberg Acting institute in NYC, Chris is working full time providing youth enrichment to adolescents and also focusing on freelance video and photo production with Under The Light Studios.