Director’s Note“You can kiss me if you want to.”

The house lights are down and the audience sits quietly in their chairs waiting for the show to begin. This may not be the way we think about the start of a love affair, but it happens night after night in theaters all over the world, with audiences drawn in as comedy, drama, or both unfold on the stage, pulling at emotions and eliciting any number of unexpected reactions.

If a full-length production can be seen as an affair, I like to think of a ten-minute one-act as more akin to a kiss. It is enough to enjoy, to taste of the possibilities, to yearn for more.

“You can kiss me if you want to.”

So begins Surprise Kisses, Theatre@First’s Third Annual One-Acts Festival. We do hope you’ll say yes. A team of eight directors, eighteen actors, and an amazing crew, including my producer, Chris DeKalb, have come together to make this show possible. From the 266 scripts submitted by playwrights across the country and around the world, we chose these eight, representing a range of stories and emotions.

I invite you to sit back and enjoy the show. And don’t be surprised if we kiss you while the lights are out.

Jude ShabryFestival Director

NOTICE: No smoking inside the building. Flash photography is not allowed during the performance. Please silence your cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices.

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The PlaysYour Kiss Is On My List by Chris Lockheardt (Andover, MA)

Directed by Shayna M. RossRehearsal Assistant, Amy Lee BennettMan ......................................................... Shay FitzpatrickWoman .....................................................Kerri Centrella

Ignorance Is Bris by Judy Klass (New York, NY)Directed by Peggy MaysRachel ...........................................Sharon Chaitin-PollakDanny ......................................................Daniel Dolinov

Brushstroke by John Shanahan (Quincy, MA)Directed by Jason MerrillTamara ......................................................Renée JohnsonGaby ............................................Laura Kathleen Crouch

They’re Playing Your Song by Meron Langsner (Somerville, MA)Directed by Erika ReinfeldRehearsal Assistant, Jo GuthrieMike ...............................................................Brian ToneyToni ...........................................................Brashani ReeceAndré ...............................................................Matt Major

- intermission -

The Little Things by Rebekah Lopata (Philadelphia, PA)Directed by David PolicarPatty ................................................ Courtney E. SchinkeHeather .......................................................... Ren LaRosa

Waiting by John Bolen (Irvine, CA)Directed by Andrea HumezDesk Clerk .............................................. Derek D. LichterOld Man ..........................................................John Olson

Elephants and Coffee by Aoise Stratford (Ithaca, NY)Directed by Carl DanielsonAssistant Director, Neil MarshThe Woman ...................................................Joye ThallerThe Elephant ............................................. Nick Zendzian

Surprise by Mark Harvey Levine (Pasadena, CA)Directed by Mare FreedPeter .....................................................Braddoc DeCairesWhitney ........................................................ Dana FrantzEsther ...................................................... Kamela Hutzley

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Joye Thaller (The Woman, Elephants and Coffee) lived on the same street as Theatre@First for many years, but decided to get involved with the theatre only after moving several miles away to West Roxbury. She was an active member of the children’s theatre troupe, Pocket Full of Tales, and a director, improviser, and house manager at ImprovBoston for several years. Some of her favorite roles include being a puppeteer for Tereus in Fragments, Barbara Pitts in The Laramie Project, and Buffy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s 10-Year High School Reunion. Joye works in the Boston Public School system, where she puts her performing skills to the ultimate test every day: teaching 9th graders.

Brian Toney (Mike, They’re Playing Your Song) does not enjoy calligraphy or post-modern Neo-Classicism, but he does like musical theater and Chinese food. Theatre@First has made him even crazier than he was before. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Stacie, and Marc C.

Nick Zendzian (The Elephant, Elephants and Coffee) obtained a B.A. in Theatre Studies from Emerson College in 2002. He is thrilled to be making his return to the stage with the fine people of Theatre@First. He was last seen on stage six years ago playing the role of Mike in A Pulsed Cadaver at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. He thanks Carl and Neil for being neat directors, Joye for being a neat co-actor, and you.

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StaffFestival Director ................................................... Jude ShabryProducer ............................................................ Chris DeKalbStage Manager ........................................................... Lee RossAssistant Stage Manager ..................................... Julia LunettaTechnical Director .................................................. Jo GuthrieHouse Manager ................................................ Chris DeKalbLighting Designer ............................................ Matt KimmelFight Choreographer .............................................Hugh LongFight Scene Composer, Sound Designer, Webmaster ............................................................Neil MarshProps Manager ............................................Amy Lee BennettLight Board Operator ............................................. Ted BeatieMakeup Artist ....................................................Jennifer CsehPhotographer ....................................................Jennifer CsehGraphic Designer ..........................................Gilly RosentholPlayreading Committee .............................Jude Shabry, chair Mare Freed Andrea Humez Elizabeth Hunter Alissa Lerman Erika ReinfeldStagehands ........................................................ Mike Corbett Becky Dowgiert Brian Rogalski

Theatre@First ShopVisit the Theatre@First souvenir shop at

www.cafepress.com/TheatreAtFirst to buy T@F shirts, hats, and other fine goods, as well as t-shirts from some of our previous shows.

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Theatre@First Steering CommitteeOfficers

President ........................................................... Beckie HunterVice President ........................................................Mare FreedArtistic Director ........................................... Elizabeth HunterTreasurer ..................................................................Jack DietzTechnical Advisor ................................................... Jo GuthriePublicity .................................................................Ari HerzogClerk .......................................................Masha Sten-ClantonNominating Committee ............David Policar & John OlsonAd Sales Coordinator ............................................ Jude Shabry

Members at LargeChris DeKalb Andrea HumezMatt Kimmel Neil MarshJason Merrill Erika ReinfeldGilly Rosenthol

Special Thanks Rev. Molly Baskette and all the members of First Church

Our advertisers. Please help us by letting them know you saw their ad here!

Paulo Ruffino for assistance during The Little Things rehearsals.

Ron Newman and Jennifer Koerber for graciously donating props.

Beckie Hunter for being the T@F genie

Everyone who helped us after the program went to press!

We also thank our friends, family, and all the members of our audience. Without your support of the arts, we wouldn’t be here.

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BiographiesAmy Lee Bennett (Rehearsal Assistant, Your Kiss Is On My List/Props Manager) has about 70% more plays on her resume than kisses on her list, surprisingly enough. Wishing to balance out, she is accepting new applicants for kissers after the show. Props to those who can figure out the exact numbers. (Seriously, actual props.)

John Bolen (Playwright, Waiting) John’s plays have been staged at the Genesius Theatre Guild, New York; Thalian Hall Studio Center, Wilmington, NC; and the NewGate Theatre, Providence, RI. Also, at the Chance Theater in Anaheim Hills, Malibu Stage Company, Newport Theatre Arts Center, Costa Mesa Playhouse, Don Cribb Theatre in Santa Ana, Palm Springs Playwrights’ Circle, and the Vanguard Theatre in California. His two hour-long one-acts, Dancing on a Grave and Sunday just closed a four-week run July 8 at the Garden Grove Playhouse, California. John is a member of the New Voices Playwrights’ Workshop and is Producing Artistic Director for the New Voices Playwrights’ Theatre.

Kerri Centrella (Woman, Your Kiss Is On My List) is astounded to be participating in her eighth T@F production (That can’t be right, can it?). She is pleased to be treading the boards again after a stint stage managing the spring production of You Can’t Take It With You, and is ecstatic to be playing a primate… um, woman in this show.

Sharon Chaitin-Pollak (Rachel, Ignorance Is Bris) is in her first Theatre@First production and her first “real play” in several years. In another first, she will be starting work as a public defender in Salem in September. In her free time she likes to sing and dance and speak foreign languages. Thank you to Mike for introducing me to the group and to Josh for running lines with me!

Michael Corbett (Stagehand) is enjoying being backstage for his second T@F show, having worked magic with the scene changes for The Merry Wives of Windsor last year. He enjoys the Davis Square area, especially the farmer’s market and the local restaurants. When not moving scenery, he works as a chemical engineer.

Jennifer Cseh (Photography, Makeup) This is Jenn’s third show working behind the scenes with Theatre@First. In her free time, Jenn enjoys reading decorating magazines, fighting entropy (and weasels), and admiring the awesomeness of dogs.

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a u d i t i o n s

Laura Crouch (Gabby, Brushstrokes) After a ten year absence from the stage, Laura Crouch decided it was time to start pretending to be someone else again. Lucky for her, Theatre@First wanted her to be someone else. When Laura is playing herself, she works in publishing. In her spare time, she enjoys criticizing Massachusetts drivers.

Carl Danielson (Director, Elephants and Coffee) wrote and directed Ole Olsen Buys a Bottled Water for last year’s festival, and his play Welcome Home Molly De Candia will be performed in Image Theater’s Mill City Minutes in September. He has worked with Rhombus, Theater on Fire, Southcity Theatre, Arlington Players, Hovey Players, Shadow Boxing, and New York City’s American Globe Theater. He is a 2002 graduate of Emerson College.

Braddoc DeCaires (Peter, Surprise) Raised by a family of wild albatross birds on one of the secret deserted islands of Hawai‘i, Brad came to us in Boston by canoe. And, boy, are his assistant’s arms tired! He was last seen in T@F’s You Can’t Take it With You as Mr. DePinna. We would say that this is his second play, but he really didn’t leave after the last one. So, Jude said ‘We can’t just have him hanging around. Put him in a show.’ And so they did. Brad would like to thank Dr. Spencer Nyholm and the garment companies that make brassieres for all their support.

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Chris DeKalb (Producer/House Manager) is delighted to be back for this 9th production with the T@F crew (not counting one night as a chicken heart). When he’s not herding people on a production or selling tickets he’s an Outsource Manager for Books24x7.com. In his free time he is the editor of the Cambridge Movie News (www.cambridgemovies.com)

Daniel Dolinov (Danny, Ignorance Is Bris) is thrilled to participate in his first Theatre@First production. When not being a corporate courtesan, Daniel writes and translates poetry and drama. Being that Daniel knows a good number of the cast and crew of T@F, he maneuvered himself into the production through pretense at talent, intrigue and brute force (q.v., the original missing cast member), so as not to feel left out.

Rebecca Dowgiert (Stagehand) has done many theater tasks, from concessions to stagehand. She’s having a grand time helping with the doodads and knicknacks that add so much to each scene. When not chasing scenery and props, she works in a medical lab at Brigham & Women’s Hospital keeping track of skin cells.

Shay Fitzpatrick (Man, Your Kiss Is On My List) Your Kiss Is On My List marks Shay’s debut with Theatre@First. Shay wishes to thank Shayna, Kerri and Amy for such a bitchin’ time, Laura for her love and support, and the commonwealth of Massachusetts for putting a Dunkin Donuts on every quarter-block.

Dana Frantz (Whitney, Surprise) is an art teacher in Boston who refuses to give up her spot in the limelight after playing Cinderella in her second grade class musical. She was most recently seen in T@F’s The Merry Wives of Windsor (Anne Page). She would like to thank the talented cast & crew of Surprise for making this such a great experience. In particular she would like to express her gratitude to Mare for giving her the opportunity to play a character closer to her typical persona.

Mare Freed (Director, Surprise) is taking a break from acting to try out directing for the first time. Previously she has appeared with T@F as Duchess Olga in You Can’t Take It With You, Mistress Quickly in The Merry Wives of Windsor, and other roles. She thanks her cast for making her directorial maiden voyage surprisingly delightful.

Jo Guthrie (Rehearsal Assistant, They’re Playing Your Song/Technical Director) One could say that Jo is a jack-of-all trades, except that she’s really a Jo-of-all-trades. She rarely takes the credit she deserves, though, preferring to stay behind the scenes. For example, you think Gore invented the internet? Nope, all Jo. And Google? Was originally Jo-ogle, but she didn’t want the attention and had it changed. The point is, whatever you need, be it sharecropper or shoe shiner, look no further than Jo.

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Andrea Humez (Director, Waiting) has previously directed Arcadia, Hapgood, and The Lion in Winter for the Occasional Players, as well as some small vocal ensemble performances. She has often been seen on stage with the MIT Gilbert and Sullivan Players. This is her first show with Theatre@First (at last!).

Kamela Hutzley (Esther, Surprise) is ending her seven-year theatrical hiatus with this production, her first since leaving her home state of New Jersey in 1999. For years before that she acted, directed, stage managed, designed, and occasionally slept, usually on a half-painted stage. Here in Boston, she temporarily regained the sanity a theatre-free life involves and turned instead to writing, unconventional contract work and directing an a cappella group for her regular dose of crazy. She is happy to finally be back as a slave to the cruel mistress Theatre.

Renée Johnson (Tamara Parsons, Brushstroke) Brushstroke marks Renée’s third performance with T@F and the first in which she’s playing her own gender! When not acting as “mild-mannered receptionist”, she’s a nature photographer and collage artist. Check out her photos at Plan, 260 Elm Street, Davis Square from Sept. 21st–October 12th. Renée would like to thank the dynamic duo, E&J for believing in her acting ability and Jeff for putting up with the neuroses that go along with it.

Judy Klass (Playwright, Ignorance is Bris) has had two full-length plays produced in NYC. Her unproduced full-length Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One recently won the Dorothy Silver award. Eighteen of her one-acts have been produced; this is the first play of hers to be staged in Massachusetts. Judy co-wrote the Showtime cable film In The Time Of The Butterflies.

Meron Langsner (Playwright, They’re Playing Your Song) is a playwright, director, and fight choreographer living in Somerville. Currently a doctoral student in the Department of Drama at Tufts University, Meron has an MFA in Playwriting from Brandeis and is an alumnus of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His plays have been performed around the country and overseas. This past June, Meron was a featured artist at The Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez, Alaska.

Ren LaRosa (Heather, The Little Things) has been taking classes in drama, directing, and voice at the Harvard Extension School for the past 2 ½ years. This is her first journey into community theater since pursuing her studies. She thanks all of her fellow students and instructors for their insight, dedication, and unflagging spirit of collaboration. She especially sends her love to Eugene, her biggest fan, and constant source of light and love, and to all her curious, supportive friends who never get tired of hearing her babble on about

“the process.”

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Mark Harvey Levine (Playwright, Surprise) has had over 200 productions of his plays in the US and abroad, in theaters such as The Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, City Theatre of Miami, the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey, and the London, Ontario Fringe Festival. In 2002 his stage play Surprise was made into a short film. Theatre@First is honored to be recreating the work with our own distinctive spin.

Derek D. Lichter (Desk Clerk, Waiting) This is not quite Derek’s acting debut, but it’s been a loooong time since fourth grade. Remarkably, he still spends his days surrounded by 10-year-olds, in his other summer role as a day-camp nurse. Derek would like to thank the T@F community for a warm welcome, Jude for encouraging him to audition, and his whole family for its loving and devoted support.

Chris Lockheardt (Playwright, Your Kiss Is On My List) The most recent Lockheardt Family poll shows Christopher once again at the bottom of the Bedtime Kiss Rankings. Respondents’ comments ranged from “Ouch! Scratchy!” to “That tickles!” to “Daddy, why do you always smell like pickles?” For the 24th quarter in a row, “Mommy” earned the top ranking.

Hugh K. Long III (Fight Choreographer) has been helping actors kick the living tar out of each other since attending NYU, where he graduated in 1996 with his BFA in Acting. From there he took his love of violence to LA, where in 2004 he earned his MA in Theatre at Cal State University, Northridge, after completing his thesis, “Choose Your Weapon.” Currently he is working on his PhD in Drama at Tufts University, with the hopes of one day being paid to teach students how to beat each other up with style.

Rebekah Lopata (Playwright, The Little Things) is a playwright, director, and educator. Several of her one-act plays have been produced in venues around the country including the Downstage Theatre at Sarah Lawrence College, the Bloody Unicorn Theatre in Tucson, Arizona, and the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Her work has been read at the Belt Theatre, the Actor’s Chapel, and the Lexington Center for the Arts. She currently lives in Philadelphia but will be relocating to Monteverde, Costa Rica as of July 2006.

Julia Lunetta (Assistant Stage Manager) is a professional geek and an amateur actress, musician, comedian and human. She arrived in Massachusetts many years ago for college, and repeatedly failing to escape Boston’s non-Euclidean roads, made her home there. She enjoys long walks on the beach, romantic candlelit dinners, and blatantly ripping off bio information from the personals section.

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Matt Major (André, They’re Playing Your Song) is new in Somerville after raising geese in Antarctica. After this bad idea, he now works as a massage therapist to the stars. He supplements his income by selling gossip to tabloids and acting in community theaters. He is still waiting for his first check from Theatre@First in order to pay his rent. Please inform management of this oversight as soon as possible. Hugs will ensue.

Neil Marsh (Assistant Director, Elephants and Coffee, Fight Scene Composer, Sound Designer, Webmaster) Armed with sonic screwdriver and miles of cable, Neil makes things sound good. Radio productions, live theatre, his own musical compositions; he’s an audiophile and a talented one at that. This production, Neil’s sharecropped his abilities, acting as Sound Designer, Announcer, Webmaster, Assistant Director and Fight Scene Composer. He gets T@F’s love and respect… we can’t afford his rent. (Bio by Renée Johnson, winner of this year’s “Write Neil’s One-Acts Bio” competition)

Peggy Mays (Director, Ignorance Is Bris) has been an actress, director and playwright for three decades and grandmother for one, learning skills in the latter role to continue to grow in the former ones.

Jason Merrill (Director, Brushstroke) has been onstage in most of T@F’s productions and is excited about his new role as the invisible puppet master. He was somewhat surprised when the puppets came to life, but soon established a good working relationship with them and expects you to enjoy their work.

John Olson (Old Man, Waiting) joined the theatre to date cute guys, but these days all the gay men are married. This is John’s fifth show with Theatre@First; when he’s not tottering around stage as an Old Man, he’s gardening or singing at First Church, or managing software engineering at ITA Software.

David Policar (Director, The Little Things) has successfully been badgered into writing his fifth bio for Theatre@First, despite having run out of clever things to say about three shows ago. This is his first time directing actors he hasn’t previously known and he’s ecstatic about how much fun they’ve made the process. He hopes you enjoy his cast as much as he has.

Brashani Reece (Toni, They’re Playing Your Song) was most recently seen at Quannapowitt Players as Myrtle Mae in Harvey, Acme Theater as Lisabette in Jane Martin’s Anton in Show Business and as Elma in William Inge’s Bus Stop at the Amazing Things Art Center in Framingham. Other previous roles include Snow White in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, and the Usherette in the stage version of The Rocky Horror Show. Brashani would especially like to thank her fellow cast for making this experience all so much fun!

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Erika Reinfeld (Director, They’re Playing Your Song) used up all her remaining creativity on Your Song and has none left for the bio. Many thanks to the wonderfully spirited cast and crew who not only gave their extraordinary talents, opinions, and energy to bring this piece to life, but also made rehearsals a heck of a lot of fun. More fun, even, than being detained in Spain. Thanks also to my Train.

Gilly Rosenthol (Graphic Designer) is pleased to be playing the role of audience for this production, after appearing onstage in six T@F shows in such roles as Mrs Kirby in You Can’t Take it With You, Mistress Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Dodie in My Boyfriend’s Wife. She has recently taken up hula dancing to fill her rehearsal-free time, but hopes go back to acting before her hobbies get too weird.

Aliza “Lee” Ross (Stage Manager) is a BFA Stage Management Major at Emerson College. She has worked on various productions in Boston, including Shakespeare in Hollywood and The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? at The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, and Promises, Promises and Once Upon a Mattress with the Animus Ensemble. This is her third year working with Theatre@First and she is thrilled to be returning.

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Shayna M. Ross (Director, Your Kiss is on My List) could not think of a better way to spend her time than directing at T@F for a third summer. Her previous T@F endeavors were Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread and The Rental. This summer her work can also be seen at the SAS PLAYFEST at Atlantis Playmakers and Summer Rock, a fundraiser for the Woburn Boys and Girls Club. Thanks so much to the T@F gang, and to Amy and my amazing cast!

Courtney E. Schinke (Patty, The Little Things) moved from South Carolina to earn her master’s degree in publishing from Emerson College. She has always had an interest in performing, participating in many productions, including Guys and Dolls, Fiddler, Watermelon Boats, and What She Found There. She is thrilled to make her first appearance on the Theatre@First stage.

Jude Shabry (Festival Director) takes a break from the stage to share her skills behind the scenes for this year’s Festival@First. She is a T@F veteran actor, having appeared in several shows including You Can’t Take It With You and the 2005 One-Acts, as well as in Burlington’s Out of Sight… Out of Murder! Famous for her legendary cast parties, by day Jude serves Davis Square as its most theatrical real estate agent.

John Shanahan (Playwright, Brushstroke) began writing plays in 2002 and hasn’t been asked to stop, so he persists in doing so. His first full-length play, the romantic comedy Dinner for Several, won the 2004 James Sunwall New Play Award. Several of his short works have been performed in venues around the country.

Aoise Stratford’s (Playwright, Elephants and Coffee) work has been produced in Canada, Italy, Australia, and America. She has won several awards including the Alan Minieri Award, and a Pinter Review Prize Silver Medal. She has also been nominated for an American Theatre Critics’s Association New Play Award. She’s a member of the Dramatists Guild.

“Put 400 Highland on your list of new places to try.”- Mat Scha�er, Boston Herald

400 Highland is Davis Square’s newest destinationfor sophisticated dining and innovative cocktails.

Make ‘400’ your next stop for any after work gathering,a quiet dinner, or late-night drinks with friends.

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2006 Season Contributors

PatronsAnonymous

Charles M. Hannum

FriendsDavid Anderson & Barbara C. McLean

Keisa BennettVirginia Berman & Michael Reinhardt

Colleen Campbell & Carl Gruesz Rebee & John Girash

Richard & Sara HunterEllie & Bill Manning

Scott & Caroline MeeksDelia & Paul Kay Simmons

Erica Schultz

Members Aaron BlockBen DavennyMarla RhodesLiz ScheinfeldtJenny Utech

Thank you very much for your support!

For more information on memberships, email Join@TheatreAtFirst.org

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About Theatre@FirstThe mission of Theatre@First is to work together to provide a fun, friendly, and creative theatre experience for cast, crew, and audience alike. We welcome volunteers at all levels of experience and offer a supportive environment in which to work, play, grow, and explore new areas of the theatre arts. We offer affordable and eclectic entertainment to the community, aiming to surprise, delight, entertain, and educate our audiences.

T@F welcomes your support. We depend on the patronage of our audience members. Become a T@F member today!

T@F is a non-profit organization hosted by the First Congregational Church of Somerville. All donations are tax-deductible and held in a fund dedicated to Theatre@First. You’ll receive a membership card, and have your name listed in our programs unless you prefer to remain anonymous. These are the four levels of membership:

MEMBER ($25): 1 free ticket to each production for one year, 1 free item at the snack bar per show (must present membership card)

FRIEND ($50): 2 free tickets to each production for one year, 2 free items at the snack bar per show (must present membership card)

PATRON ($100): 4 free tickets to each production for one year, premium seating center stage in the first 2 rows, 4 free items at the snack bar per show (must present membership card)

SPONSOR ($500+): 10 free tickets to each production in 2006, premium seating center stage in the first 2 rows, 10 free items at the snack bar per show (must present membership card), program autographed by the leads, and free ad space in our programs

If you wish to pay by check, please make it out to First Congregational Church of Somerville, and mail to:

Beckie Hunter, PresidentTheatre@First 170 Gore St. #504 Cambridge, MA 02141

Please include your name, email address and phone number.

Antonia’s (Fridays only)37 Davis Square Somerville, MA 02144 US

El Guapo704 Broadway Somerville, MA 02144 US

Namaskar Fine Indian Cuisine236 Elm St Somerville, MA 02144 US