PlayGround-NY presents Season 1

BEST OF PLAYGROUND-NY GALA

April 25th, 2022 7pm ET
Vimeo Live Simulcast & On Demand

A Great Fall
By Christian Missonak
Directed by Sylvia Cervantes Blush
Nathan………Michael Barrett Austin
Alana………………..….Krystal Mosley
H.D. ……….…………….Andrew Sellon

That Ever I Was Born to Set It Right
By Leela Velautham
Directed by Jeunee Simon
Hamlet………………..….Aaron Wilton
Horatio……………..….Julia Brothers

Kimchi Slap
By Nina Ki
Directed by Neal Gupta
Brian Park…………………..Austin Ku
Kim Seonwoo………………Jihoon Im
Kim Sun-Woo…….…………..Jae Woo
Kim Sunoo……..MeeWha Alana Lee

Six Weeks
By Jacob Marx Rice
Directed by Jully Lee
Maddie……….…………….Betsy Rosen
Dr. Turner…………..….Sheila Collins

A Mice Infestation
By Maggie Wilson
Directed by Jim Kleinmann
Ren……….…..……..….Christina Wren
Jay……….…………….……..….Ben Cain
Larry…..………….Anthony Rutowicz
Michelle……..……..….Rebecca White

This is Beauty
By Bailey Jordan Garcia
Directed by Abigail Rosen
She…….………..………..Christine Liao
He…….…………………..Michael Curry

Stage Manager – Sarah Gasser
Visual Design Consultant – Colin Johnson

This live stream is produced under a SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement.

PlayGround is a member of Theatre Bay Area and Theatre Communications Group,
and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network (NNPN).

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

Following tonight’s performance, we invite your participation in this month’s People’s Choice Award. Through the People’s Choice Award, our audience can play a direct impact in furthering the career of a promising new playwright. To vote, make a People’s Choice Award tax-deductible donation on behalf of your favorite play(s)/playwright(s) from the evening. Every donated dollar counts as a vote while directly supporting PlayGround-NY’s award-winning incubator programs, including the New Play Commissioning program.

Cast your vote for your favorite play(s) by making a People’s Choice donation via Zelle (info@playground-ny.org), Venmo (our account ID is @playgroundsf and if they ask for the last four digits of my phone, it’s 8541) or on our website at https://tickets.playground-sf.org/TheatreManager/1/online?donationquick=168 (you can also visit the Monday Night PlayGround page for the People’s Choice donation button). Add a note/memo with your gift to indicate your favorite play(s) or email your selection to boxoffice@playground-sf.org.

At the end of the next two weeks, we’ll tally up the top vote-getter and recipient of this year’s PlayGround-NY New Play Commission, a full-length expansion and adaptation of their award-winning Best of PlayGround-NY Gala short play. It’s a powerful way of showing your support for new writers and their work, while helping PlayGround-NY continue doing what we do!

ACKNOWLEDGING THE LEGACY OF THE LAND WE INHABIT

PlayGround-NY acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Munsee Lanape, the original inhabitants of the territory colonially known as the five burroughs of New York City. As the past and present Indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Munsee Lanape have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. We recognize the historic injustice of the forcible removal of the Munsee Lanape people from their ancestral lands, and that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. We wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the Ancestors, Elders and Relatives of the Munsee Lanape Communities and by affirming their sovereign rights as First Peoples. We honor the storytellers of the Lanape and are grateful for our ability to share and uplift Indigenous stories and those of other historically marginalized communities.

To learn about the legacy of the land you inhabit, visit Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land. To read the complete Land Acknowledgment Policy, click here.

PLAYGROUND’S ANTI-RACIST POLICY

PlayGround recognizes the impact of racial oppression within society and the American Theater and that we have been complicit in White Supremacy culture. Our goal is to co-create safety for our community by identifying and interrupting instances of racism and all forms of oppression when we witness them, through specific actions rooted in the principles of anti-racism and accessibility. In its endeavor to address the implications of our history, PlayGround is committed to its compliance with the following fundamental rights:
● The recognition of inherent dignity and worth of each human being.
● The recognition of equality of all human beings.
● Recognition of rights of ethnic, racial, cultural, linguistic and religious groups.
● Equality and non-discrimination.

PlayGround’s Anti-Racist Policy applies to: all members of the PlayGround community, including employees, independent contractors, volunteers, audience members, donors, and general members of the community.

To read the complete Anti-Racist Policy, click here.

BIOGRAPHIES

PLAYWRIGHTS

BAILEY JORDAN GARCIA (This Is Beauty), they/them, is a NYC-based playwright and actor earning a BFA in Playwriting from The New School next month. In May 2021, their full length The Pedo Punchers Play was a part of The Blank Theatre’s Living Room series. They’re also a winner of The Young Playwrights Festival in 2020. With Playground-NY: “The Rebirth of Zora Audley Jones”, “Until the Sun Rises”, “This is Beauty”, “K-I-S-S-I-N-G”. When they aren’t writing, Bailey can usually be found at Bethesda Fountain or cuddling with their 3-legged pup, Mushu. Love to the family, Teddy, and Taylor. baileyjordangarcia.com

NINA KI (Kimchi Slap), xe/she/they, is a Queerean (Queer + Korean) American playwright who was born and raised in Los Angeles, but currently lives in Brooklyn. She graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2008 with a BFA in Dramatic Writing, and her plays have been read, recorded, and presented nationwide, including with MCC Theater, Queens Theatre, Brave New World Repertory, The Classical Theater of Harlem, The Living Room Theater, the HBMG Foundation, Artists’ Theater of Boston, and The Parsnip Ship. Her play “Moon Bear” was given special consideration for the Relentless Award, and her play “Taemong (Birth Dream)” was a finalist for the Van Lier Fellowship. She is also an inaugural member of The Parsnip Ship’s Radio Roots Writer’s Group. To contact her or learn more about her work, please visit her website at www.nina-ki.com.

CHRISTIAN MISSONAK (A Great Fall), he/him, is a NYC-based playwright originally from Chicago, where he was a graduate of Columbia College and The Second City Conservatory. He was an ensemble member at Under the Gun Theater where his Chicago Reader-recommended play, SAVE FERRIS, was performed. In 2021, his new play SHERIDAN premiered at MadLab Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. Next up: His short play “Cooperative” will be performed at the Metropolitan Playhouse as part of their East Side Chronicles, May 19th-29th. For more visit www.christianmissonak.com

JACOB MARX RICE (Six Weeks), he/him, plays have been produced and developed at The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, The Finborough Theatre in London, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Flea Theater, The New Ohio, Atlantic Theatre Stage 2, and others. His play Chemistry has premiered in seven cities across three continents, and Jacob’s screenplay adaptation is currently in development with Anonymous Content. Recent prizes include the Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, an Ensemble Studio Theater Sloan Commission, the Faculty Award from the NYU/Tisch Department of Dramatic Writing and the Excellence in Playwriting Award at the New York International Fringe Festival. MFA: NYU.

LEELA VELAUTHAM (That Ever I Was Born to Set It Right), she/her, originally from the UK, is finishing a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at UC Berkeley. She was a member of Playground SF’s Playwright Residency Program (2020-21), has been featured in the Best of Playground SF 24 and 25, is a two-time semi-finalist of the Bay Area Playwrights Festival and won the 2011 University of Oxford’s New Writing Festival for her play ‘Schroedinger’s Hat’. She is currently a member of the New Perspectives Theatre Company’s 2022 Short Play Lab.

MAGGIE WILSON (A Mice Infestation), she/her, is a playwright from Cayucos living in Brooklyn. Her musical JOCKAMO, that she co-created with blues singer Wayne Harris, just played to sold-out houses in Berkeley, California at The Marsh’s Festival of New Musical Voices. Her mother-daughter two hander, FROM THE BATH, was recently named a Jane Chambers finalist and received a developmental reading at HERE Arts in NYC. For more on Maggie, visit www.MaggieWil5on.co.

ACTORS

MICHAEL BARRETT AUSTIN (A Great Fall, “Nathan”), he/him, most recently appeared in A Christmas Carol at Center Rep. Other (pre-pandemic) theatre appearances include As You Like It (SF Shakespeare Festival), Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (42nd Street Moon) and The Elephant Man (Dr. Frederick Treves) at Hillbarn Theatre. He toured the country with The National Theatre for Children and Italy with Shakespeare at Stinson, and has appeared on television, film and in countless commercials. He is a member of PlayGround, and proud husband of Emily and father to Lucille. www.michaelbarrettaustin.com

JULIA BROTHERS (That Ever I Was Born to Set It Right, “Horatio”), she/they, loves Playground – in San Francisco, in Los Angles and here in NYC. Thanks to Jim Kleinman and Annie Stuart for all the years of fun and creativity!

BEN CAIN (A Mice Infestation, “Jay”), he/him/Mr, is a huge fan of Playground and always honored to be selected to work on these shows. He is currently on “Bel-Air”, “Long Slow Exhale” and coming in June to Lifetime in the movie “Buried in Barstow”.

SHEILA COLLINS (Six Weeks, “Dr. Turner”), she/her, has appeared in numerous stage plays, including these iconic roles: Ruth, in A Raisin in the Sun; Emilia, in Othello; (Duke)Duchess of Birmingham, in Henry VIII; Leonato(a) in Much Ado about Nothing; and Charlotte, in Charlotte’s Web. She’s also appeared in several TV shows: Grey’s Anatomy, Pretty Little Liars and General Hospital, and S.W.A.T., among others, as well as short films, a webseries and a feature film. She is pleased to be a part of Best of Playground-NY’s Gala production.

MICHAEL CURRY (This is Beauty, “He”), he/him, is a second year MFA Acting student at UCONN. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, he received his B.A in Drama from Morehouse College. For updates on his happenings follow him on Instagram: @Kingcurry0730.

JIHOON IM (Kimchi Slap, “Kim Seonwoo”), he/him, is an actor based in New York, NY. He is a graduate of the Terry Knickerbocker Studio Acting Conservatory and has performed on stages in San Diego, CA and New York City. His most recent roles include Peter Stockmann in An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen and adapted by Arthur Miller, and Tom in Origen Story by Nina Ki.

AUSTIN KU (Kimchi Slap, “Brian Park”), he/him/they, is a Grammy-nominated NYC actor. Recent credits include Shonda Rhimes’ series INVENTING ANNA and Judd Apatow’s film THE BUBBLE (both for Netflix), and the popular virtual concert TAKE ME TO THE WORLD: A SONDHEIM 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION. Off-Broadway: SOFT POWER at The Public Theater, PACIFIC OVERTURES and IPHIGENIA IN AULIS at Classic Stage Company and more. International/Broadway Tour of CHINGLISH, and many regional credits. Austin has also been nominated for Barrymore, BroadwayWorld Boston and IRNE Awards, and has received Dean Goodman and StageSceneLA Awards. Training: The Boston Conservatory. Find him at www.Austin-Ku.com and @secretaustinman.

MEEWHA ALANA LEE (Kimchi Slap, “Kim Sunoo”), she/her, became an actor after her son, Alan, a film student and classically trained pianist, lost his battle with depression. She previously was a college professor and then a brand design strategy executive. Since she began this journey, it is her mission to tell the stories of immigrants, women, racism, and mental illness. Lee is a member of AEA and SAG AFTRA, appearing in Off-Broadway plays and short films including NETTLES and FIVE STARS, and plays the title role in Sony Studios’ current feature film, UMMA. TV credits include AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS and THE CHAIR.

CHRISTINE LIAO‘s (This is Beauty, “She”), she/her, best known role thus far is as the restaurant cashier in the comedy sketch, The ABC Who Can’t Read Chinese. You can also find her in Fine China on HBO platforms and the video game Life is Strange: True Colors. She is also happy to announce a short film she plays the lead in, MAPS, will be premiering at Tribeca Film Festival this June. Christine is a company member of PlayGround-LA.

KRYSTAL MOSLEY (A Great Fall, “Alana”), she/her. Midwestern at heart, Krystal comes all the way from Los Angeles and is happy to be performing with PlayGround-NY. Classically trained, Krystal’s favorite stage performances to date include 10 Virgins (Chicago Dramatist), Orpheus and Eurydice (Chicago Opera Theater), Ruined (Eclipse Theatre), A Doll’s House (Definition Theatre), and Macbeth (Polarity Ensemble Theatre). She has a BFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is a recent graduate of the conservatory program at Second City Comedy, as well as Upright Citizens Brigade. Krystal can be seen on The Young and the Restless (CBS) and in the upcoming indie feature The Neon Highway starring Beau Bridges. She is currently in rehearsal for the much anticipated production of “Intimate Apparel” by Lynn Nottage with Palm Beach Dramaworks. She is looking forward to working in the next Emmy Award comedy series or anything opposite Quinta Brunson.

BETSY ROSEN (Six Weeks, “Maddie”), she/her, is an actress, puppeteer, and teacher based in NYC. Recent credits include 9000 Paper Balloons (HERE Arts), the pilot series Smack Dab in the Middle of the Day Show, and the puppetry series Beautiful, Evil, Lost. Betsy toured Australia with Dead Puppet Society’s Laser Beak Man, which culminated in a run at the Sydney Opera House. New York credits: Lincoln Center, La Mama, The Drama League, St. Ann’s Warehouse. Regional credits: Cincinnati Playhouse, The Studio Theatre, Round House Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Folger Theatre, Delaware Theatre Company, Taffety Punk, Imagination Stage (Helen Hayes Award). Betsy loves designing and directing puppetry for the stage, as well as collaborating on the development of new works.

ANTHONY RUTOWICZ (A Mice Infestation, “Larry”), he/him, is ecstatic to be a part of the first season of New York’s playground gala presentation. Anthony was in the 2016 West Coast production of Eugene O’Neill Classic The Hairy Ape directed by Steven Berkoff. Anthony finds himself wondrously picking up random gigs here and there while other completed projects wait to be released upon the masses.

ANDREW SELLON (A Great Fall, “H.D.”), he/him, he/him, favorite roles include Polonius in Hamlet, The Fool in King Lear, Vanya in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Bazzard in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Charlie in The Foreigner, and all 35 roles in I Am My Own Wife. He’s best known to TV audiences as Mr. Penn/The Ventriloquist/Scarface in Seasons 4/5 of Fox’s Gotham. Other Film/TV: Begin Again, The Smurfs, The Blacklist, Divorce, The Good Fight, Halston. Audiobooks include: Turncoat, The Kevin Show. Andrew is on the graduate creative writing faculty at Western Colorado University and University College/DU, where he teaches writing and performance. Website: www.andrewsellon.com

REBECCA WHITE (A Mice Infestation, “Michelle”), she/her, is thrilled to be PlayGround-ing! Theater includes: Hadrian’s Wall (Best Actress NY Fringe), Lauren Gunderson’s The Taming (Shaker Bridge), 8 roles + guitar in A Christmas Carol (Merrimack Rep), Awake & Sing! (Aurora), Off-Bway’s The Exonerated (dir. Bob Balaban), & Trenchcoat in Common (World Premiere, Magic Theater). Film/TV: Homeland (SHO), Falling Water (USA), Eye Candy (MTV), Person of Interest (CBS), The Waiting Room (dir. Oscar-winner Graham Moore & Ben Epstein), Limit (Golden Honu Winner – Hawaii’s BIFF). Graduate: Brown University & The Shakespeare Lab (Public Theater/NYSF). She singer-songwrites as Bexarkana. fb/insta: @bexarkana

AARON WILTON (That Ever I Was Born to Set It Right, “Hamlet”), he/him, is elated to be working with PlayGround again where he is part of the acting company. Notable stage productions include George Street Playhouse’s “Inspecting Carol” (with Peter Scolari & Dan Lauria), Aurora Theatre Company’s “John Gabriel Borkman” (with Karen Grassle) and the lead in Hudson Stage Company’s “After All” (with Broadway’s Walter Charles & Susan Pellegrino). Film: Jexi, The Boat Builder. TV: Criminal Minds, Sunset Glory. Video Games: Watch Dogs 2, Godfather 2, Mafia: Definitive Edition, Battlefield: Hardline. Commercials: Taco Bell, Xfinity, Wells Fargo, Blue Shield, Tejava, Charles Schwab, Chase, EA Games, Cisco, Adobe, Pixar.

JAE WOO (Kimchi Slap, “Kim Sun-Woo”), he/him, is a NYC-based actor/dancer/mime. Some of his theater credits include: “Twelfth Night” (Sebastian) with The Classical Theatre of Harlem, “Twelfth Night” (Antonio) and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Puck) with Shakespeare On the Sound, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Lysander) with Apocalyptic Artists Ensemble, “Where Do We Live” (Leo) at the Lenfest Center for the Arts. Jae is currently performing in Broken Box Mime Theater Company’s performance of “Take Shape” at the A.R.T./NY Theatres. Training: Boston University (BFA in Acting) and Columbia University (MFA in Acting).

CHRISTINA WREN (A Mice Infestation, “Ren”), she/her, played Carrie Farris in Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, has enjoyed working on many indie films and series and considers Playground a beloved second home. She will soon be an Atlanta local and would love to meet anyone you know there! 🙂

DIRECTORS