Welcome to the show!
Welcome to: “Still on Zoom: A Night of Plays Set in the Virtual World!”
November 17th & 18th, 7:30pm ET
A round of applause for our show sponsors!
Black Label Sponsor: Headshots by Scott Dentinger
Top-Shelf Sponsors: Curley & Pynn Public Relations Management Inc. & The Stories Found Podcast
Program Sponsor: Pheonix Tears Productions
Also, a big thank you to WTF’s friends and supporters. Go check them out!
Meet the Artistic Team!
Jodi Antenor (She/Her) (Playwright, “Stories of Color”) is an actress and playwright with more than 16 years of experience in the entertainment industry. At the age of 18, she moved to Florida and was immediately welcomed with three back to back hurricanes. Ever the optimist, she stayed in Florida where she went on to perform in a multitude of different shows and parades at several different theme parks including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and the Nickelodeon Hotel. As a part of the development team for the Whiskey Theater Factory, Jodi hopes to create a community where playwrights and actors feel welcomed, confident, and free to explore their creativity. In her free time, Jodi loves to play softball and travel to new destinations.
Amy Jean Barnickel (Actor, “The Jello Shot”) returned to the stage as a mature actor after raising her family of performers. She is thrilled to join the creative team of Still on Zoom and the cast of The Jello Shot as Beth. This is Amy’s second production with Whiskey Theatre Factory, having read in their inaugural production during “the dark times” of Covid. Recent past play performances have included Betty (Ahead of Schedule) and Jaime (Room 302) in The Halloween Plays, and Steel Magnolias (Ouiser), all at the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse; Steel Magnolias (Clairee, AHA Players); The Three Belles of Eden (Doris Arrow, Still Got It Players South); and Sister of Experience (Sister Carmen, Playwrights Roundtable). Amy thanks her daughters Amaya Zhané and Siggy Bijou, her amazing supportive mother Nancy, and her uplifting friends and family for their encouragement.
May Baum Evans (Actor, “Protocols”) is an Israeli actress, producer and a musical theater nerd. She graduated from AMDA NY, and performed in various original plays and musicals in the New York City. Last year, she moved back to Israel, to start her own theater company. Even from afar, May is thrilled to join WTF and the cast of PROTOCOLS.
L’niarae Blevins (Actor, “Stories of Color”) thanks her parents for always letting her pursue her dreams. L’niarae has been doing theatre performances since the age of eleven years old when she joined her first improv team in an after school program in Dayton, Ohio. She has her B.A in theatre from The Ohio State University. When she’s not on performing you can find her in a Montessori classroom in Celebration, Fl working with lower elementary students.
Amanda Davis (Actor, “The Jello Shot”)
Bethany Dickens Assaf (Show Producer) is a freelance playwright, producer, and the co-founder of Whiskey Theatre Factory. Almost 100 of her plays have been performed or read across the country including her twisty sci-fi play, The Consciousness, which was performed at 10 fringe festivals across the country and won Best Play at the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival. Her most recent play, The Vast of Darkness, won Critic’s Choice for Best Play (Drama) at the 2023 Orlando Fringe Festival. When she’s not producing or writing theatre she fills her time cooking, playing board games, and being a mom to Apollo (a border collie) and Mateo (a human).
Ruby Dickerson (Actor, “Asopao”)’s passion for the arts started at a young age, and even though she stepped away to tend to her growing family, she is elated to be in her second production with Whiskey Theatre Factory! Seen recently in “What’s in the Basment Honey? A Night of Marriage, Feminism, and Zombies” (2023), she dreams to inspire other parents to take time for themselves and peruse what lights their fire.
Gabriel Eric (Director, “The Jello Shot”) is grateful for his first opportunity to work with Whiskey Theatre Factory! Previously, he has written and directed two local plays: Gina Logan and the Disastrous Documentary (2022) and Parallax (2021). Prior to his directing credits, Gabriel found his love of theater through acting in productions at St. Luke’s (Beauty and the Beast, Children of Eden) and Olympia High School (Almost, Maine). He would like to thank his father, for always pushing him to be the best, and his mother, for always supporting his dreams.
Vince Gatton (Playwright, “Protocols”) is a New York-based playwright and Drama Desk-nominated actor. His plays have won Sanguine Theatre Company’s Project Playwright Festival, the Samuel French OOB Festival, and the LIC Short Play Festival; earlier this year his play THE OKTAVIST was chosen as the inaugural winner of the Gary Garrison Award for Short Playwriting and will be published this fall in The Tusculum Review. He’s a regular contributor to Motolla Theatre Project’s annual Cherry Picking new-play-generating event at the Wild Project in NYC, and he’s a three-time finalist for the National Playwriting Award at City Theatre in Miami. His full-length ghost story play WAKE is now available from Next Stage Press. He received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Play for David Johnston's Candy and Dorothy. Other notable acting credits include Leigh Fondakowski’s SPILL at Ensemble Studio Theatre; I Am My Own Wife and Fully Committed at Barrington Stage Company; I Am My Own Wife again at Coachella Valley Rep (Desert Star Award Nomination) and Two Turns Theatre Company; and The Temperamentals at New World Stages, standing by for Michael Urie. He’s appeared on TV in BLUE BLOODS and LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME, and once lost on Jeopardy.
Valeria Hernández - Wepa! Honored to be the Director of Asopao! Proud mom, creator, and sofrito aficionado born in Puerto Rico. Thrilled to lead such a vibrantly talented cast! Wish you could smell through the screen.
Samuel Joseph (Actor, “See You Next Wenesday”) grew up in Oklahoma and studied theatre arts and English in college. Eventually he moved to Orlando where he taught theatre for middle and high school. After a long hiatus, it is with joy and gratitude that he steps back into the theatre community. Thanks to Meg and the girls and Charis. SDG.
Janice Jeffries (Actor, Stories of Color) has performed from Ohio to California on stage, television, and in radio. She says she has been on stage since birth and loves the pursuit of acting because “entertainment helps people find the joy of release for a while.” Janice has directed and has recently started writing original works for Scrapmettle, Inc. Her passion of being on stage remains at the top of her creative list. Other interests such as The Drifters, Inc., and Toastmasters keep her active while honing her skills. Janice thanks you for your patronage, hopes that you enjoy your show, and thanks you for your continued support of the arts!
Alexandra Karlinchak (Actor, “Zoom Zoom, I’m in Love!!”) is a recent LA transplant with an ever-growing obsession with comedy. With four years of experience in sketch comedy writing, producing and performing, she is extremely excited to be a part of her first Whiskey Theatre Factory performance.
Emmy Kuperschmid (Playwright, “Zoom Zoom, I’m in Love!!”) is an NYC-based playwright and actor on a mission to tell stories that make people feel less alone. Her plays have been developed and presented with Fresh Ground Pepper (2020 Process Accountability Lab, 2021 BRB Retreat), The Tank, LakehouseRanchDotPNG, Outta Bounds Productions, Playdate Theatre, Whiskey Theatre Factory, First Kiss Theatre, and the Skeleton Rep(resents). An excerpt from her play comment below was selected and featured as a “Top Monologue for Teen Girls” by Backstage. Emmy’s monologue “Wings” is published in the anthology Evil Genius: Monsters on Stage (with an introduction by Julie Taymor), and her play Unmarried Man, co-written with Alice Nora, is available for international licensing through BroadwayDNA. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, a recipient of the NY State Council on the Arts Chain Theatre Rehearsal Space Grant, and was a semi-finalist for the 2023 Walhalla Farms New Roots Residency. Emmy reads a book a week on average, credits Sailor Moon as her first feminist icon, and gives excellent pep talks. Training: The National Theater Institute. EmmyKuperschmid.com. IG: @emmykupe
Tay Lane (She/her) (Director, “Protocols”), has been active in the Central Ohio theater community for more than 15 years. As an actor, writer, and director, she has been involved in the production of more than 75 short plays and six full-lengths in her career. She was a founding member of the new production company, Theatre Reset, Inc., and also started her own production company, Walter Lane Productions, LLC, in 2023. Tay was one of the two inaugural recipients of the Greater Columbus Arts Council’s Artist Elevated Award in 2021.
Serena Lehman (she/her) (Actor, “See You Next Wednesday”) is an actor, singer, and voice over artist from Boston. She moved to London in 2021 to pursue a Masters in Acting at Rose Bruford College, and absolutely loves exploring new cities and broadening her horizons. Serena has been passionate about acting since childhood, and believes the arts can be a powerful source for positive change. Recent theater credits include Ida in the critically acclaimed show, Paved with Gold and Ashes at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the title role of Molly Pitcher in Molly Pitcher at SPQR Stage Company in New Jersey. She has played the lead in several short films, and acted in many national commercials and industrials. Even as a child, Serena loved being on stage; touring across the northeast and performing on national radio programs for the children's band SteveSongs. Serena is very excited to be part of her first digital theater experience as Candace in See You Next Wednesday!"
Desteney Lewis (Actor, “Asopao”) is a 24-time Oscar winner, interior design master, Sophia Vergara's Stand-in, Expert bladesmith , Beyonce's vocal coach, Empty Drive-Thru Coffee Cup Collector, Iguana sympathizer, massive Valeria stan, explorer of the dead sea, and all around pop diva sensation. She's performed on stages, in studios, on video, but this is her Zoom debut- and her 22nd Oscar nomination. Working on this project has been a source of pure and wholesome joy- this script and this cast have been the definition of restorative warmth. I graciously dedicate this performance as a love letter to the strong and vibrant Dominican women in my family and in my heart: "My strength comes from your hearts, and my heart comes from your strength. And my crazy comes from your crazy. Yours forever, Desteney."
Lori A Lindsey (Actor, “Stories of Color”), a native of Columbus OH, developed a love for performing at an early age. She is a notable dancer and an emerging actress with the natural ability to engage audiences by defining characters, emotions and artistic visions. Lori has appeared as “Lena Younger (Mama)” with Actors’ Theatre of Columbus Production of A Raisin in the Sun, “Kim” in CATCO’s Plays Toward An Antiracist Tomorrow: #Matter, One Woman Show Maroon Arts Group ‘ROOTS’ Showcase, just to name a few. Lori is very excited to participate in Stories of Color.
Melissa Manrique (Actor, “Protocols” and “Asopao”) is an actor, director, teaching artist, and overall hooligan that enjoys adventures and laughs with friends. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BFA in Acting in May 2022. Since then, she has gone on 2 theatre tours, traveling all over the US and Canada. Melissa is currently residing in New York where she is a teaching artist at The Rev. She is so excited to be presenting this work and thankful for the opportunity to act even if it's virtual. She dedicates this performance to her father.
Ruby Marker (Actor, “Zoom Zoom, I’m in Love!!”) is a comedian and writer based in Los Angeles, California. By day, she’s a Writers PA and by night, she is thrilled to be joining to Whiskey Theatre family in this production! You can find her on Instagram @ruby_red_marker
Kate O’Claire (she/her/hers) (Director, “See You Next Wednesday”) is a performer, producer, public speaker, and social justice mage who has been seen on stages throughout Central Florida, Paris, and her home state of Wisconsin. She is passionate about telling unique stories, amplifying historically excluded voices, fighting the patriarchy, riding Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios, eating Taco Bell, and reducing shame around difficult topics.
Max Pinsky (Playwright, “Asopao”) is thrilled to be a part of this show and the Whiskey Theatre Factory Collective. In his artistic life, he has worn the hats of performer, playwright, and producer with a specialty of working with classical drama. Max's work investigates methods in which to connect the theatre of yesterday to our audience of today with particular attention paid to multilingualism and multiculturism. He holds an MA in English: Rhetoric & Composition from the University of Central Florida and has been directing in and around Central Florida since 2017 under Project no. 19 Performance Company. Favorite past projects include Hecuba (2019, Marshall Ellis Performing Arts Center), AJAX (2022, Orlando International Fringe Festival), and I Love Liz (2023, Tampa International Fringe Festival). Moreover, his play La Medéa was produced by the Renaissance Theatre Company in January 2022. With WTF, Max is eager to shine a light onto the amazing and challenging work that goes on in the rehearsal rooms and development sessions that set productions up for success. Exploration is key to innovation!
Amelia Reed Bryant (Director, “Zoom Zoom, I’m in Love!!”) is an actor, comedian, singer, writer, educator, and all-around creative. She is a recent graduate of the Theatre Arts program at Rose Bruford College in London. Originally from Eastern Kentucky, Amelia currently resides in Los Angeles. Experiencing both the scarcity in Kentucky and the extreme wealth in London gave Amelia a passion for creating political satirical comedies. Upon graduating from Rose Bruford, she self-produced and performed in an original piece, Crystal Vision, a live cabaret commenting on the exploitation of spirituality. Amelia looks to bring her passion, uniqueness, and creativity to a variety of roles in both film and theater. While she continues to establish herself as a multi-hyphenate artist, she is proud to have recently joined FlipNarrative as an Associate Producer.
Julie Whitney-Scott (Director, “Stories of Color”) is the Founder/Artistic Director of Mine 4 God Productions and the annual Columbus Black Theatre Festival. Julie is a published author, poet, & playwright who shares her playwriting, directing and acting skills with other Central Ohio Theatre companies. She is a Residence Teaching Artist for The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, teaching acting, playwriting and other theatre skills to youth and young adult. Julie is also a MadLab Young Writers Mentor for high school seniors. Julie received the Central Ohio Theatre Roundtable Harold Award in 2019, nominated for “Excellence in a Leading Role” in 2019 for her role of “Odessa” in Waiting to be Invited, nominated for “Best Leading Actor” in 2021 for her one-woman play, Diary of Recovering Daughters, received the Producer of the Year award from WGRN Radio 2023 and was the 1st Vice President of Central Ohio Theatre Roundtable 2021-2023.
Samara Siskind (Playwright, “The Jello Shot”) is a playwright, dramaturg and proud member of the Dramatists Guild. Her plays and monologues have been produced across the globe and published in Shorter, Faster, Funnier: Comic Plays and Monologues, Great Short Comedies Volumes 1 and 2, Young Women’s Monologues from Contemporary Plays Vol. 2, StageIt!7: Thirty Ten-Minute Plays, and The Best 10-Minute Plays of 2023 - released by Smith & Kraus this December. Most recently, her work has been selected for the 2023 Morgan-Wixson New Works Festival, the 2023 Ivoryton Women Playwrights Festival, and Forward Theatre’s 2023 ‘Out in This World’ Monologue Festival. Samara is tickled pink to be part of this WTF production and would like to thank Bethany for all her infinite superpowers.
Charis Watler (Audition Support, WTF Artistic Producer) is an Orlando based director, actor, and producer. She has directed for many theatre companies in Orlando, including the Lowndes Shakespeare Center, Orlando Fringe, and WTF. She also fills many roles with Central Florida Community Arts Youth, including teaching artist, stage manager, and director. She is passionate about producing new plays, uplifting minority voices and seeks to produce art that holds meaning for her (whatever that may be!).
Stephen Woosley (Playwright, “See You Next Wednesday”) has had his work performed by OGP, MadLab, Mind the Gap Theatre and Strangedog Theatre. He has also written a number of sketches for MadLab's TMX series (2005-2007), The Sketch Show (R.I.P.) and Sketchy Sex. He has a cat named Chloe. He is also the President of OGP, a new works theatre.
Special Thanks To:
Isaiah Johnson - Voice of JULIUS, “Asopao”
Robert Boyington - Voice of LUIS, “Asopao”
Headshots by Scott Dentinger
The Stories Found Podcast & Ava Love Hanna
Curley & Pynn
Original music for “Protocols” composed by Tay Lane
