Equity Library Theater presents:

“Plays By My Father”

A rare performance of short plays by the fathers of New York actors!

Saturday December 10^th, 2016 at 12pm

The NYPL 115^th Street Library Alvin Ailey Auditorium

203 West 115^th Street

Between Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. and Frederick Douglas Blvd.

Free admission

Triptych by Craig Schwab.
Ishkabibble by Craig Schwab.
The Bestseller by Craig Schwab.
With: Alison Kondel, Francesco LoJacono and Johnny Young.

Willy-Bill the Worthless Hound by Vincent C. Bonica.
With: Andrew Dinan, Maximilian Matassov, Nicholas Cuttonaro, Jillian Smith, Martha Morenstein, Johnny Culver, Bart De Fina, Eric Leeb, Terri Matassov, Ken Eckert, Debbie Smith, Janice Vavallo, Rosemary Favia.

Equity Library Theater past productions have included:

A concert by the Village Light Opera Guild, Short Plays by John Ladd, Short Plays by KK Gordon, ATANST (plays by New York writers), Ferry Tales (plays set on the Staten Island Ferry), a new play by Pamela Robbins, Katherine and Petruchio; (rare David Garrick version from 1750), assorted plays by members of the Provincetown Playhouse, and our annual summer play festival!

Equity Library Theater future productions will include:

Three Hots on a Cot, a full length play by John Cappelletti (January 7), our winter 2017 Play Festival (January 28), a reading of a screenplay by Tom Meade (February 11), The Bermuda Curse, by Johnny Culver (March 4). And our 2017 summer play festival; 30 short plays over three weekends! (We are always looking for ideas for new production, let us know what you have!)

To learn more about Equity Library Theater, please visit: www.equitylibrarytheater.info. Leave us a message (text or voice) at 631 898 4205, or email: equitylibrarytheater@pineyforkpress.com. We’re also on Facebook! Some actors appear courtesy of Equity. The recording/photographing of any of these pieces is permitted, only with prior approval. The order of the plays presented may vary from the above listing. Not responsible for any errors in the program Thanks Miss Davis!

The playwrights:

Vincent C. Bonica was a former resident of Manalapan, New Jersey and was actively involved in Community Theater in Staten Island and New Jersey. This play was the very first play written that Vincent produced in college in 1959, whereby he earned an academic scholarship to Ithaca College (NY). Mr. Bonica, retired as a Police Officer for the Youth Squad in S.I. He was very involved in community theater groups and produced and directed his own theater company called Bon-Arts. He went onto continue his plays well after college such as “Time Out For Ginger”, “One Sunday Afternoon”, appeared in “Kiss Me Kate” and many others. In later life, het joined a community group as a volunteer at Christian Brothers Academy and continued his love behind the scenes and onstage. Vincent passed away on November 10, 2015. This play is in memory of Vincent, who taught Terri everything about theater.

Craig Schwab is married to his childhood sweetheart and the proud father of three children, in order of appearance -- Alison, Kevin and Brian. He is the author of various collections of plays and short stories. His novel "Something in the Neighborhood of Real" is a coming of age story about his friendship with his lifelong buddy, Tom Huber. He received a letter from the Louis Armstrong House Museum advising the novel has been made a permanent part of the archives at Queens College. He is humbled by this production of his short plays directed by his son and performed by some of his favorite actors. He wants to take this opportunity to thank everyone for coming and wishes everyone a healthy and happy holiday season.

The performers:

Johnny Culver is the current Managing Director of Equity Library Theater. He has directed at many unique New York venues and projects, as well as students of HB Studios, Working Actors Studio and Circle in the Square Theater School. He performs often in NYC.

Nick Cuttonaro “When I turned 55, I decided to pursue a long held interest in acting. I have been in a variety of community theater productions, and I find performing to be exciting and rewarding. I am delighted to participate in this reading.”

Bart DeFinna has done numerous shows with the Gingerbread Players and The Long Island Cabaret. He also Sings, Juggles and can Tap Dance. Recent TV Appearances - Madame Secretary, Kevin Can Wait, Saturday Night Live, Deadbeat.

Andrew Dinan has a BA in theater from Hofstra and an MA/ABT from Hunter. He spent 20-odd years pursuing an acting career before deciding to get an MA in TESOL and begin teaching. His local church roped him into a production of “Heidi.” He has since done over 30 shows with the Gingerbread Players theater group. Favorite roles include Captain Hook, Daddy Warbucks, Trissotin and Jaques.

Kenneth Eckert is a New York actor, having performed with the Gingerbread Players and the St. Jeans Players.

Rosemary Favia is thrilled to participate in this production.  She is a part of the Gingerbread Players of Forest Hills, as Scenic Artistic Director and also participates in the choir Resurrection Ascension Church, Rego Park.  Thanks to Terri for including her today!

Lydia Kalmen is an actor for both theatre and film, as well as a dancer and model. She has recently joined SAG-AFTRA. Recent credits include working with Johnny Culver on a staged reading of The Diary of Anne Frank and portraying the scandalous wife of conductor/composer Gustav Mahler in a staged reading of an original play FreudMahler. 

Alison Kondel is thrilled to perform her father's work under the direction of her brother. Some of her favorite past roles include Catherine (Proof), Witch (Into the Woods), Mae (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), Ariel (Shakespeare's The Tempest), all with Parkside Players, and Shelby (Steel Magnolias/Beari Productions). Alison's primary role in life is wife to Eric and mother to Dylan.

Eric Leeb has been very active in local theater having appeared in over 20 community and Off Off Broadway plays, and having directed dozens more. He is a Repertory member of Lovecreek Productions and serves on the Board of Directors for Douglaston Community Theater in Queens.

Francesco LoJacono is happy to lend himself to this great authors words having done so many years ago with the same cast. He acquired his BA in Theatre from Queens College and is proud to work under the direction of Kevin Schwab. His past roles include: Prince/Wolf (Into the Woods), Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Geoffrey (The Lion in Winter) and many more.

Terri Bonica Matassov is a theater actress who has played classical, comedic and dramatic roles in New York City.  This is a very bittersweet moment for Terri as this marks the first anniversary of her Dad’s passing.  “I wish to thank Johnny Culver who is my friend, mentor and producer of this wonderful afternoon.  Without him I would not have had the opportunity to showcase my Father’s play.  I am excited to be working alongside Kevin Schwab and his talented cast. I thank my unbelievable cast who are so easy to work with. 

Martha Morenstein-is a retired New York City public school teacher.  She has appeared in numerous Piney Fork Press productions, including "Potpie Lake, "A Bite to Eat with Edwina Huffington.  With The Gingerbread Players she has had roles in "The Comedy of Errors," "Twelfth Night," Pygmalion, "The Learned Ladies," and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Kevin Schwab is happy to reunite the cast of Craig Schwab's Music Tones from 2003 in today's performance of his new works. Kevin is a proud member of SAG/AFTRA and EQUITY and an adjunct faculty member in the Queens College department of Drama, Theatre and Dance. Other directing credits include The Zoo Story, Godspell, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Rumors, Legally Blonde, Forum, Proof, The Lion in Winter and many others. He's also an actor from time to time. This is for you, dad.

Debbie Smith has enjoyed doing community theatre, but is most happy when performing with her daughter, Jillian Smith. Many thanks to Terri Matassov to help bring her dad's play to life.

Jillian Smith is a senior vocal major at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts and is so excited to be involved with this amazing group! Favorite roles in community theatre include Dulcie in The Boyfriend and Toni Marston in And Then There Were None.

Janice Vavallo was last seen Interweaves production of The Laramie Project Cycle.  She previously was in one of The Fourth Universalist Church’s productions of The Vagina Monologues. She studied acting at Rutgers University.  Janice works as a Graphic Artist at ABC Network News.

Johnny Young is a hardworking Educational Technologist by day and a Dad by night. He has been acting for 20 years, producing for 10, and is behind you, right now. Be very still. He can sense motion. Love to Cora, Susan, and Bee.