PlayGround-LA presents Season 10

MONDAY NIGHT PLAYGROUND

Topic: “WHODUNNIT”
November 8th 2021 7pm PT
Broadwater Second Stage & Vimeo Live Simulcast

Edgar Allan Poe Finds His Killer
by Evan Baughfman
Directed by Jesus Reyes
Virginia Clemm Poe…………………….………………..………..Jahnavi Alyssa
Edgar Allan Poe……………………..……………………………..Christian Haines

Intrusions
by Julianne Jigour
Directed by Frieda de Lackner
Patricia.……….…………………….……………………………Tiana Randall-Quant
Ben………………………………..……………………………….…………Hugo Carbajal
Officer Hart…………………..…………………….………..…………Sherry Michaels

A New George
by Uma Incrocci
Directed by Gabi Mayorga
Palmer…………..………………………………………………………Christian Haines
Paul………….…………………….…………………………..………..Jordan Covington
Luciana…………………….………………………………………………….Melissa Ortiz

Brown Eyed Killer
by M.J. Kang
Directed by Jim Kleinnman
Mother………………………………………………….…………….Stephanie Keefer
Dog………………………………………………..……………………….Krystal Mosley
Wife………………………………………………………………………………Lea Madda
Random Bald Guy.……………………………………………………….Tansu Philip
Washed Up Voice Actor…………………….……….………….Shoshanna Green

Stone Cold Cruller
by Arthur Keng
Directed by Sylvia Cervantes Blush
Mrs. Hu……………………………….…..…………………….………….Emily Kuroda
Terry……………………………………………………………..………Tahmus Rounds
Detective Walker………………………………………………………….Krystal Mosley

In the Terrarium
by Briggs Hatton
Directed by Tom Dang
Ms. Kendall.…………………………………………………………………..Tansu Philip
Jimmy…………………………………………………………………………Julio Hanson
Godzilla……………………………………………………………………William Warren

Stage Manager – Tammy Mora

BIOGRAPHIES

PLAYWRIGHTS

EVAN BAUGHFMAN (Edgar Allan Poe Finds His Killer), he/him, credits much of his writing success to being a playwright, his original plays finding homes in theaters worldwide. A number of his scripts are published through Heuer Publishing, YouthPLAYS, Next Stage Press, and Drama Notebook. Evan has also found success writing horror fiction, his work found recently in anthologies by No Bad Books Press, 4 Horsemen Publications, and Black Hare Press. Evan’s short story collection, The Emaciated Man and Other Terrifying Tales from Poe Middle School, is published through Thurston Howl Publications. His novella, Vanishing of the 7th Grade, is coming from D&T Publishing in 2022. More info available at amazon.com/author/evanbaughfman

BRIGGS HATTON (In the Terrarium), he/him, is a Los Angeles-based WGA screenwriter, playwright, and solid dude, who is thrilled to return for his second season with PlayGround-LA. His short play “Happy Holidays” was commissioned this summer by NY’s Atlantic Theater School. In TV, he recently wrote and developed “Tantrum Jesus,” a half-hour animated comedy pilot, and worked for two seasons on the hit TBS comedic game show “The Misery Index.” Previously, he worked for four seasons on the NBC cult-favorite sitcom “Community.” He’s written and performed at U.C.B. LA, Second City Chicago, and Improv Olympic Chicago. He holds an M.A. in Humanities from the University of Chicago and a degree in Theater and Creative Writing from Northwestern University.

UMA INCROCCI‘s (A New George), she/her, play A Christmas Pickle was a finalist in the Samuel French OOB Festival in 2020. She also co-wrote the Hallmark Channel movies A Christmas Carousel and Nature of Love. This is her 4th year as a member of the PlayGround-LA Writers Pool and her short plays have been performed around the country. Her acting credits include appearances on “Modern Family,” “How To Get Away With Murder,” “Jane The Virgin,” “Bored to Death,” and “Lipstick Jungle.”

JULIANNE JIGOUR (Intrusions), she/her, is in her seventh season of PlayGround-LA. Her play BRIGHT SHINING SEA, commissioned by PlayGround-LA and Planet Earth Arts, premiered in the 2018 PlayGround Festival of New Works, where it was selected as a TBA Awards Recommended Production. Julianne earned her MFA in dramatic writing at Carnegie Mellon University.

M.J. KANG (Brown Eyed Killer) is a playwright, actor, director and storyteller. She’s had 10 plays produced. Her plays have been produced at Tarragon Theater, Theater Passe Muraille, Son of Semele, Pan Asian Rep, and Factory Theater. This season, she is in the playwrights groups at Company of Angels, The Barrow Group, Vagrancy Theater and Playground-LA. She’s been commissioned by Shotgun Players, Portland Playhouse, AFO Solo Shorts, and Blyth Festival Theater among others. She played Kwan Won-Ji on CBS’ Seal Team and has been on TV, film, new media videos and national commercials.

ARTHUR KENG (Stone Cold Cruller) is a Los Angeles-based writer and actor. He has been a member of PlayGround-LA from its first year and has had several pieces selected for Best of Monday Night PlayGround. Arthur received his MFA from USC.

ACTORS

JUHNAVI ALYSSA (Edgar Allan Poe Finds His Killer, “Virginia Clemm Poe”) she, has sung, danced, acted, fiddled and choreographed on stages across the country. Most recently she was seen in Portland as Reza in Once (Broadway Rose Theatre Company), in Los Angeles reading the lead roles in Seven Bridges Road and Hot Tragic Dead Thing (Living Room Series), and in Salt Lake City playing Qfwfq in The Distance of the Moon (Sackerson Theatre Co.) She also recently produced the first iteration of her dream project, The Secret Player, in which she stars as a badass musician/fighter with a disdain for guns. www.jahnavialyssa.com

HUGO CARBAJAL (Intrusions, “Ben”) has been a theatre artist for over 20 years. An actor, director, and teacher.  Served as a performer educator with Educational Theatre at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland for 8 years. He has also worked with companies such as Cal Shakes, Hartford Stage, Huntington Theatre, The Alley, SF Mime Troupe, Shotgun Players, Cuttingball Theatre, TeatroVision, and Bay Area Children’s Theatre, among others.  Currently a professor of drama at Los Medanos College and CSU Chanel Islands. Currently pursuing a career on TV and Film in Los Angeles.  Look for him on shows like SWAT, Bosch, Good Girls, Brooklyn Nine Nine, and more.

JORDAN COVINGTON (A New George, “Paul”) was enchanted by the magic of theater at an early age. Honing his craft with a laundry list of large ensemble stage musicals including: In The Heights (Benny), Chorus Line (Richie), and West Side Story. He was also fascinated by all aspects of film acting and studied directing, acting, editing, screenwriting throughout his collegiate journey. Having developed a solid foundation in the Bay Area, he has moved to Los Angeles to further pursue his career.

SHOSHANNA RUTH GREEN (Brown Eyed Killer, “Washed Up Voice Actor”) has performed in and produced entertainment across the United States and internationally, including at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Edmonton Fringe Festival and the Americana Burlesque and Sideshow Festival in Asheville, NC. Most recently, she can be seen as Stephanie in the movie The Breakdown (available to rent on Amazon Prime.) Shoshanna finds great comfort in being a performer because that’s when she knows what to say and where to go. For more info check out www.ShoshannaRuthGreen.com

CHRISTIAN HAINES (Edgar Allan Poe Finds His Killer, “Edgar Allan Poe”/ A New George, “Palmer”) loves Playground! Past PGSF shows include Sapience, Anna Considers Mars, Value Over Replacement and tons of Monday Nights. Other credits include Straight White Men (MTC) Reginald and Ruckus, The Moonrisers (Moonrisers), Operation Ajax (Little Fish ), Jihad Jones (Perpsective) Death of a Salesman, This is Our Youth (ATSF) and a bunch more. Currently he is doing a bunch of student films, studying with UCB and trying to figure out LA. He holds an MFA from the National Theatre Conservatory and loves his wife, Melissa Ortiz. https://amiosco.wixsite.com/christianhaines

STEPHANIE T. KEEFER (Brown Eyed Killer, “Mother”) is a Los Angeles based actor and filmmaker. She earned her degree in Theater at U.C., Irvine where she had the good fortune to study with legendary Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski. Her short film, ONE DANCE, was licensed and broadcast nationally on CBS and FOX, and Stephanie has gone on write, act in, and produce other short films that have been seen in various film festivals nationally.  Catch her on YouTube in the sci-fi rom-com A GIRL, A GUY, A SPACE HELMET.  Connect on Instagram @stephanietkeefer

EMILY KURODA (Stone Cold Cruller, “Mrs. Hu”), she, is so happy to be back on stage again after over a year and a half! Thank you PlayGround for making this possible.

LEA MADDA (Brown Eyed Killer, “Wife”)  is a multidisciplinary theater artist, educator, and broadcast media producer originally from Los Angeles. She holds an MFA in Acting from UCLA and a BM in Classical Voice from Boston University. She is an avid practitioner of the Suzuki/Viewpoints methods, which she instructs at the Theatre of Arts and elsewhere. From 2020 to 2021, Madda conceived, produced, and hosted Depressed and Sh*t – Gen Z and Millennial stories on those (temporary) chapters when life gets weird. All episodes are currently streaming across all podcast apps.

SHERRY MICHAELS (Intrusions, “Officer Hart”) Sherry is an actor and voiceover artist, with over 50 voiceover commercials and the sole VO role on a recent Disney animated short.  Stage leads include “Auntie Mame”, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Veronica’s Room”.  TV includes principal roles on “Betrayed” and “Generation Clash”, a new series for HBO.  Film includes featured roles in “You Gotta Leave your Mark” and “Old Pals” with Barry Bostwick.  Commercials include the PSA “Amazon Red” with Julia Roberts, as well as commercials for Discover Card, International Delight, and Progressive.  Commercial representation: TGMD.  smichaels62@verizon.net

KRYSTAL MOSLEY (Brown Eyed Killer, “Dog”/ Stone Cold Cruller, “Detective Waller”) is so excited to be joining fellow cast members back in the Broadwater Theatre! A Chicago native, some of her previous credits include “A Dolls House” with Definition Theatre Company, “Orpheus and Eurydice” with The Chicago Opera, and “10 Virgins” with Chicago Dramatist. Along with the upcoming feature “The Neon Highway” in 2022, Krystal can be seen on CBS Young and The Restless. She would like to thank castmates, family and friends for their continued support.

MELISSA ORTIZ (A New George, “Luciana”) is so excited to make her debut with Playground LA!  She is a recent transplant from the SF Bay Area, where she served as a Playground Ambassador and Company member.  Recent credits include F L I G H T (Playground Solo Fest), Shoot Me When (SF Playhouse) & Anna Considers Mars (Playground Festival).  She couldn’t do any of this without the support of her incredible husband, Christian Haines.  Website: https://amiosco.wixsite.com/melissaortiz

TANSU PHILIP (Brown Eyed Killer, “Random Bald Guy”; In the Terrarium, “Ms. Kendall”) is an actor-writer from Redlands, CA. When she’s not working in entertainment, she’s running the community coffee shop she founded, Viva La Boba. Tansu is a graduate of both the Improv and Sketch Writing programs at Upright Citizens Brigade. She has a B.F.A in Television and Broadcast Journalism from Chapman University.

TIANA RANDALL-QUANT (Intrusions, “Patricia”), she, is a Los Angeles raised actor working to challenge the idea that “LA is not a theatre town”. As always, she is so excited to get to play with and experience the new works of this PlayGround-LA season. Recent credits include “What We Might Do in the Shadows” with New Online Theatre and “Fairyland Foibles” with The Wallis Studio Ensemble, both of which are available for viewing on Youtube. She can also be found making fun comedy content with The 354 Squad on Youtube and Patreon.

TAHMUS ROUNDS (Stone Cold Cruller, “Terry”) has been a stage and television actor for over 30 years, and was a Blue Man in Blue Man Group Chicago. His tv credits include How I Met Your Mother, Bones, and 911Lonestar. Tahmus is very excited to be in this 10th season of Playground-LA!

DIRECTORS

SYLVIA CERVANTES BLUSH (Stone Cold Cruller), she/her, would like you to know that your voice, your story matters and it is yours until you are ready to share it with the world. Then, it becomes part of our collective narrative. For a little joy watch, she invites you to watch S.H.E.L. Silverstein News, a project she helmed during the height of the pandemic. Virtual directing credits: Pilar and Paloma, I Kissed Chavela Vargas, This Bitch, and Miss Most Pressing Issue. In the before times she’s directed: Refugee Hotel, Mala Hierba, Electricidad, and Bill’s Shorts 1 and 2. She is a company member of PlayGround-LA.

TOM DANG (In the Terrarium), he/him, is a director and actor based in Los Angeles. Tom is thrilled to play with PlayGround-LA for the first time! Past directing credits include Artswest Playhouse, PFP, Cafe Nordo, Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan, amongst others. Tom is currently the Artistic Director of REBATEnsemble Theatre Group. Learn more at www.tomdangofficial.com

FRIEDA DE LACKNER (Intrusions) is a director/producer/writer/actor who has been with PlayGround-LA since the beginning. She recently directed the staged reading for the script that won the Ojai Film Festival’s screenplay competition, which included many PlayGround members.

JIM KLEINMANN (Brown Eyed Killer), he/him, co-founded PlayGround in 1994, along with playwright Brighde Mullins and director Denise Shama, and has served as Artistic Director since 1996. For PlayGround, he has provided artistic and administrative leadership for the past twenty-four seasons, developing PlayGround’s unique array of new playwright and new play incubator programs, including Monday Night PlayGround, the PlayGround Festival of New Works, the full-length play Commissioning Initiative, the New Play Production Fund, Potrero Stage: PlayGround Center for New Plays, and most recently the Innovator Incubator.  For PlayGround, he has directed more than one hundred short and full-length plays, including works by Garret Jon Groenveld, Aaron Loeb, Geetha Reddy, Lauren Yee, Katie May, and many others. Recent directing and dramaturgy credits include David Steele’s Vignettes on Love and Ruben Grijalva’s Value Over Replacement. He is a veteran arts administrator with more than thirty years of experience, including stints leading Traveling Jewish Theatre, Smuin Ballet and Berkeley Symphony, and received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

GABI MAYORGA (A New George) is an actress, teacher and director. She was born in Jalisco, Mexico and grew up in the New Mexican desert. She received her BFA in acting from the Theatre School at DePaul University and performed on Chicago stages such as The Steppenwolf Garage and The Goodman Theatre. She’s acted in commercials and independent films, taught theatre to young students and started making short films. Gabi is a proud member of the PlayGround-LA company, having acted for several season and been in the directing apprentice program.

JESUS A. REYES (Edgar Allan Poe Finds His Killer) is an Associate Producer for PlayGround-LA and the Community Partnerships Director at Center Theatre Group. At CTG he designs and implements free in-person and online community programs and commissions short plays for the library play readings series. Jesus is a freelance director and writer from East L.A.

PRODUCTION

JULLY LEE (Associate Producer), she/her, is the artistic director of COLD TOFU, the nation’s first and longest running Asian American improv company, as well as Associate Producer for PlayGround-LA. She has also directed with Playground-SF, Company of Angels, Exposition Review, hereandnow, Center Theatre Group’s Library Readings Series, East West Players’ David Henry Hwang Writer’s Institute, Los Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative, The Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights, Artists At Play, EST-LA, Road Theatre and Playwright’s Arena. As an actor, recent TV/film credits include Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Jane the Virgin, Veep, This Is Us, Henry Danger and The Kominsky Method. jullylee.com

PARIS MCCARTHY (Associate Artistic Director), she/her, is thrilled to return as the Associate Artistic Director for PlayGround-LA. She first started as an actor in the company in 2013 and moved on to direct before filling in her current role. You may have seen her other directorial work at InkFest women’s playwright festival. She is a Graduate of UNLV’s MFA of acting program and is the proud mother of Clover who turned One yesterday.

TAMMY MORA (Stage Manager)

PLAYGROUND-LA is the first regional expansion of the celebrated Bay Area playwright incubator and theatre community hub, PlayGround. PlayGround was launched in San Francisco in 1994 by co-founders Jim Kleinmann, Brighde Mullins and Denise Shama. In 1996, Kleinmann became PlayGround’s first Artistic Director. Since its founding, PlayGround has developed and staged over 1,000 original ten-minute plays by 250 Bay Area and Los Angeles early-career writers and has commissioned/developed more than 100 full-length plays. In the process of staging those works, PlayGround has helped to identify some of the leading emerging writers and, at the same time, has engendered the creation of a true community of theatre artists, bringing together hundreds of local actors, directors and playwrights. Each month, Oct-Mar, PlayGround-LA announces a topic to the thirty-six writers of the PlayGround-LA Writers Pool. Writers have four-and-a-half days to generate their original short plays and the top six are cast with leading local professionals and rehearsed for just 1.5 hours before being presented as script-in-hand staged readings on the second Monday of the month via Zoom live stream. At the end of each season, six of the thirty-six works developed in the Monday night series are selected for a one-night celebration, the Best of PlayGround Gala. The 10th annual Best of PlayGround Gala will take place on Monday, April 11, 2022, live at the Broadwater Theaters and simulcast via Vimeo Live. PlayGround-LA is a fiscally sponsored project of PlayGround. For more information, visithttp://playground-la.org.

PLAYGROUND-LA CONTRIBUTORS

PlayGround-LA is deeply grateful for the generous contributions of the many individuals whose support makes our playwright incubator programs possible.  The list below reflects gifts made between November 1, 2020 and November 8, 2021.

Playwrights Circle ($500+)
Les Ostrov, Julianne Spencer, Nancy & Carty Spencer

Patron ($250-$499)
Dr. Elaine Baskin & Kenneth R. Krechmer, Miss Rhea M. MacCallum, Tiffany Mualem, J.B. Strasser, Dale Underwood & Kirsti Aho, Mr. Ben Watkins, Anonymous (2)

Associate Member ($125-$249)
Frieda de Lackner, Angela Edewi, Miss Rebecca Harris, Lara Gilman & Jim Kleinmann, Lizi Watt, Tahmus Rounds

Supporting Member ($75-$124)
Karen & Michael Berk, Kathy Bette, Angela Agard, Becky Harris, Julianne Jigour, Paris McCarthy, Rob Roy and Kazue McGregor, Penny Mikesell, Steven Rubio, Demetrius Wren, Anonymous (2)

Contributing Member ($25-$74)
Miss Erika Agard, MaryTheresa Capriles, Daysha’s Big Sister, Ms. Elaine Sandra Feincalvin, Casee B Francis, Sarah Gasser, Mr. Joshua Gershick, Ms. Frances Gillmor, Frances Gillmor, Pete Hazelett, Elayne Heilveil, Cynthia Hunter Lang, Eliza McGowan-Stinski, Daniel Melling, Kam O’Horo, Sharon Ridge, Debba Rofheart, Emily Brauer Rogers, Jessica June Rowe, Collette Rutherford, Ms. Doeri Welch, Robin L. Wimsatt, Ms. Kristina Velasquez Witosky

Friends (Up to $24)
Dr. Leslie Allee, Theresa Amy, Miss Eleanor Anova, Mr. Evan Baughfman, Sylvia & Bill Blush, Rena Brewer, Ms. Lisa Bruce, Steve Budd, Hillary Burrelle, Jab, Cross, Hook, Creativity Lover, Susan Culver, Ralph Damato, Lisa Dutton, Andrew Eiden, Alanna R Gabriele, Juls Hoover, Ms. Judy Louise Johnson, Robert Klump, Claire Louge, Miss Nakasha Norwood, Doug O’Neill, Lorrie O’Shatz, Ms. Adrienne Whitney Papp, Vanessa Parish, LB Pines, Joshua Pritchard, Jesus Reyes, Mr. Jess Roat, Mercedes Segesvary, Susan Sher, Sindy Swerdlove, Lisa Thompson, Jo Yuan, Anonymous

To contribute to PlayGround-LA, visit https://playground-la.org/contribute.

PLAYGROUND-LA WRITERS POOL

Michael P. Adams, Brianna Barrett, Evan Baughfman, Rachel Borders, Emily Brauer Rogers, Diana Burbano+, Malick Ceesay, Sarah  Congress, Bridgette Connelly, Allie Costa+, Lauren Gorski+, Briggs Hatton, Elayne Heilveil, Aaron  Higareda, Susan Hunter, Uma Incrocci, Julianne Jigour+, Starina Johnson+, M.J. Kang, Arthur Keng+, Ken Levine, Mildred Lewis+, Rhea MacCallum+, Liza McGowan, Tahirih  Moeller, Scott Mullen+, Nicholas C. Pappas+, Peter Pasco, Joni Ravenna, Eric Reid, Jessica June Rowe+, Richard Ruyle, Mark Sherstinsky+, Ayesha Siddiqui, Nicki Spencer+, Daysha Veronica+
+ Past Best of PlayGround playwright.

PLAYGROUND-LA COMPANY

Jahnavi Alyssa, Josef Bette, Sylvia Cervantes Blush, Jordan Carlson, Jordan Covington, Frieda de Lackner, Carolyn Deskin, Rogelio Douglas III, Julio Hanson, Mark Jacobson, Kurt Kanazawa, Stephanie T. Keefer, Christopher Gary Lawson, Jully Lee, Christine Liao, Jackie Marriott, Gabi Mayorga, Paris McCarthy, Rondrell McCormick, Krystal Mosley, Tiffany Mualem, Gary Poux, Tiana Randall-Quant, Maiya Reaves, Jesus Reyes, Ivan Rivas, Debba Rofheart, Tahmus Rounds, Mae Ruling, Collette Rutherford, Anthony Rutowicz, Lamar Usher, Carla Vega, William Warren, Charlotte Williams, Christina Wren, Demetrius Wren

PRODUCTION & STAFF

James A. Kleinmann, Co-Founder & Artistic Director
Paris McCarthy, Associate Artistic Director
Jully Lee, Associate Producer
Jesus Reyes, Associate Producer
Tammy Mora, Resident Stage Manager

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3286 Adeline St #8
Berkeley, CA 94703-2485