Queens Theatre's New American Voices
We Will Never Reach The Shore
Written by Tim J. Lord
Directed by Jackson Gay
A performance benefitting the Theatre For All Actor Training Program
October 22, 2022 at 8:00 PM
Click here to contribute to tonight's benefit
We wish to express our gratitude to the Performers Unions:
Actors Equity Association
American Guild of Musical Artists
American Guild of Variety Artists
SAG-AFTRA
through Theatre Authority, Inc. for their cooperation in permitting the artists to appear in this program.
CAST
( * denotes member of Actors Equity Association)
OEDIPUS/MESSENGER/CHORUS .......... Christine Bruno *
MENOCEUS/CHORUS .......... Lipica Shah *
ANTIGONE/CHORUS.......... Madison Ferris *
JOCASTA/CHORUS .......... Annie Henk*
CREON/CHORUS .......... Amy Hutchins *
POLYNICES .......... Amar Bains
ETOCLES .......... Josiah Bania *
Who's Who
( * denotes member of Actors Equity Association)
PLAYWRIGHT Tim J. Lord is the recipient of the inaugural Apothetae-Lark Fellowship for a writer with a disability, the 2019 Reg E. Cathey Writing Residency at the Orchard Project, a 2017-18 Jerome Fellowship at the Playwrights Center in Minneapolis, and he will be an artist-in-residence at New York Stage & Film this summer. As a native of the Midwest and a member of the disability community he tells stories of people and communities who are often overlooked on our stages in order to illuminate ignored and underrepresented perspectives. His play We Declare You a Terrorist premiered at Round House Theatre in April 2022. Other work has been developed and produced at The Public Theater, The Lark, The Kennedy Center, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Queens Theatre in the Park, New Harmony Project, The Playwrights’ Center, Geva Theatre, Pillsbury House + Theater, Circle Rep, the Summer Play Festival, The Cutout Theatre, The Working Theater and The 52nd Street Project. Tim studied playwriting with Paula Vogel and Chay Yew, and is a graduate of the MFA Playwriting Program at the University of California, San Diego.
DIRECTOR Jackson Gay's directing work includes Karen Hartman's Goldie, Max, & Milk; Lucy Thurber’s Transfers for Audible, MCC, and New York Stage & Film; Lover Beloved with Suzanne Vega and Duncan Sheik (Alley Theater); God’s Ear and The Seagull (Juilliard); Kleptocracy by Kenneth Lin (Arena Stage); These Paper Bullets! by Rolin Jones with music by Billie Joe Armstrong (New Neighborhood, Atlantic, Geffen, Yale Rep – Critics Pick Time Out NY, Best Production and Adaptation LA Sage Awards, Time Out Los Angeles, Connecticut Critics Circle Award Best Production and Best Director). Jackson is a 2021 Guild Hall Artist-in-Residence and co-Producing Artistic Director of New Neighborhood https://www.newneighborhood.net.
Christine Bruno * (Oedipus/Chorus) (AEA / SAG-AFTRA) is an award-winning actor, teaching artist and disability equity consultant for the entertainment industry. She has worked as an actor across the U.S. and internationally. Her credits include the 2019 Off-Broadway world premiere of Bekah Brunstetter’s Public Servant, Jose Rivera’s world premiere adaptation of Genet’s The Maids, the title role in the UK musical tour, Raspberry, Law & Order, God Friended Me, and the 2021 festival favorite Best Summer Ever on Hulu®. Christine received her MFA in Acting and Directing from the New School, is a member of The Actors Studio, serves on the NY Local Board of SAG-AFTRA, is Chair of the New York Local SAG-AFTRA Performers with Disabilities (PWD) Committee and is a teaching artist for Queens Theatre’s Theatre for All program and Playwrights Horizons School at NYU. She has received Artist Grants from NYFA, NY Arts Education Roundtable and the Center for Cultural Power. @christinebrunonyc
Lipica Shah * (Menoceus/Chorus) (she/her) is a New York City-based actor, voice actor, and alto who thrives on collaboration and has a passion for script development. She has originated roles at Manhattan Theatre Club, The New Group, Mixed Blood Theatre Company, Cal Shakes, and American Conservatory Theater, among others. On screen she’s appeared on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, HBO, USA, Showtime, Comedy Central, and Netflix. Hear her in the English dubs of Pokémon, A Silent Voice, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vampire in the Garden, and more. As an inclusion advocate, she’s Co-Founder of 1497, a non-profit initiative to support and uplift talent of South Asian descent and challenge their underrepresentation in the American film and television industry, and on the Steering Committee of AAPAC (the Asian American Performers Action Coalition), with whom she received 2022 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre. www.LipicaShah.com
Madison Ferris * (Antigone/Chorus) was the first actress using a wheelchair to play a lead role on Broadway, starring as “Laura Wingfield” in The Glass Menagerie with Sally Field. She was recently nominated for a Berkie award for her performance as “Lucy” in the world premiere of All of Me at Barrington Stage Company. Madison’s television credits include “Dayna Mason” in the Amazon thriller series, PANIC, as well as Law & Order: SVU, and the upcoming Showtime series Three Women.
Annie Henk * (Jocasta/Chorus) Off Broadway: World Premieres of “CALIFORNIA” (Clubbed Thumb), MANCAVE (Page73), “Blind Alley” (Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre-NY debut), “Pinkolandia”,“Lucy Loves Me” (Intar), “To The Bone” (Cherry Lane), “City of No Illusions” (Talking Band), “Cute Activist” (New Saloon), “The Rafa Play” (The Flea), “La Ruta” (Working Theater), “Enfrascada” (Clubbed Thumb), “Frank Dwyer,Sadly Missed” (EST). Regional: “Bad Dates” (Portland Stage), “Shape” (Kitchen Theatre), “Pinkolandia” (Two River Theatre), “Enfrascada” (Renaissance Theaterworks). Voice: PBSKids “Alma’s Way” (Mami), “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents”, “Macbeth” (Play On), “Junior Spacelords” (Kennedy Center). TV: Bull, The Blacklist, Longmire, Red Oaks. Film: PonyBoi, Entre Nos, That’s What She Said.
Amar Bains (Polynices) (any pronoun) is a recent 2021 graduate of the School of Drama at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. A third culture kid, avid reader, and TIm Drake stan who‘s newly settled in Brooklyn and loves telling stories. They are excited to reunite with Tim J. Lord after portraying Ham in a production of his play Down In the Face of God at UNCSA. Rep: McGowan Rodriguez Management. @Amar.like.Summer
Josiah Bania * (Etocles) is an actor, educator, and playwright. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, his work has been seen at theaters across the country, including Mark Taper Forum, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Geffen Playhouse, American Repertory Theater, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Yale Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Dorset Theatre Festival, Artists Repertory Theater, among others. His plays have been workshopped at The Lark and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. As an educator, he has taught at the Yale Summer Conservatory, Williams College, New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts, Western Oregon University, as well as many years of private coaching. He lives in New York City.
Queens Theatre
Staff
Taryn Sacramone, Executive Director
Connie Baker, Rentals and Events Manager
Charles Bennett, Building Attendant
Victor Catano, Production Manager
Jeanmarie Conley, Technical Director
Dominic D'Andrea, Director of Community Engagement
Richard Hinojosa, Director of Education
Tony Lackram, Operations Assistant
Vasilios Leon, Box Office Assistant
Willy Mosquera, Front of House Manager
Bernadette Ott, Development Manager
Angelica Rodriguez, Finance Manager
Gabriel Rodriguez, Box Office Supervisor
Jerry Rodriguez, Sound Associate
Jay Rogers, Director of Operations/GM
Jordi Toro, Box Office Assistant
Jorge Toro, Building Attendant
William A. Smith, Building Attendant
Rob Urbinati, Director of New Play Development
Steve Wolf, Assistant Production Manager/Lighting Supervisor
Marketing and PR: Anat Gerstein, Inc.
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Gary Kesner, President
Tracy Capune, Vice President
Bruce Levine, Treasurer
Mark Misk, Secretary
Alfonso Quiroz
Members
Jennifer Bai
Georgiana Benatti
Salvatore DiMartino
Cameron R. Hernandez
Susan B. Lipsky
Irene Zoupaniotis
Ex-Officio
Eric Adams, New York City Mayor
Donovan Richards, Queens Borough President
Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
Jacqueline Langsam, Queens Borough Commissioner, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
Board President Emeritus: Frances A. Resheske