Weekend of Wasserstein: Six Short Plays

Jackson Gay is a freelance theater director, writer and co-Producing Artistic Director of New Neighborhood https://www.newneighborhood.net. New Neighborhood recently joined forces with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and The Commissary to produce Why Would I Dare:  The Trial of Crystal Mason. In collaboration with Dan Butler and DMNDR, New Neighborhood produced the first 24-hour reading of Filibustered and Unfiltered: America Reads the Mueller Report which inspired more than a dozen other events across the country. Featured everywhere from the Los Angeles Times (“a live-theater summer sensation!”) to Breitbart News (“the single most boring and pointless way to waste your time!”), the tidal wave of public readings reached its apex when it was name-checked in Congress during Robert Mueller’s nationally televised public testimony. Jackson’s directing work includes Lucy Thurber’s Transfers for Audible, MCC and New York Stage & Film; 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 working with Wendy Weckwerth on a book project and is a 2021 Guild Hall Artist-in-Residence in East Hampton, NY.

Artist-in-Residence (Winter 2021)

Erika Rundle is a writer, dramaturg, and translator.

Her translation of French playwright Marie Ndiaye’s Hilda, directed by Carey Perloff and starring Patricia Clarkson, was produced by the Public Theater, the American Conservatory Theatre, The Play Company, and the Studio Theatre, and her adaptation of Richard Brautigan’s novel In Watermelon Sugar was performed at The Culture Project.

She was the dramaturg for Guild Hall’s recent “Weekend of Wasserstein,” and has previously worked at HERE, Lincoln Center, 3-Legged Dog, The Play Company, Prospect Theatre Company, Theatre for a New Audience, Ontological-Hysteric Theatre, Waxfactory, Hourglass Group, Yale Repertory Theatre, Yale Cabaret, Rites and Reasons, and BACA Downtown.

Erika holds an MFA and DFA from the Yale School of Drama, and taught at Mount Holyoke College for 15 years. Her articles and reviews have been published in numerous journals and anthologies.

Frank Harts just wrapped two seasons as a series regular on the hit show Prodigal Son for Fox/Warner Brothers Television. Raised in the Midwest, Frank is of mixed heritage with Southern roots on the African-American side and Brooklyn roots on the Irish side.

Frank went directly from training at Juilliard onto Broadway as George Murchison in the Tony Award-winning production of A Raisin in The Sun. He has also performed leading roles for The Public Theater, Signature, and Lincoln Center.

On-camera, Frank has worked with notable film directors Spike Lee, Jason Bateman, Jim Jarmusch, Steve McQueen, and Kenneth Branagh.

Prior to his series regular role on Prodigal Son, Frank recurred or guest-starred on Billions, The Americans, The Leftovers, Blue Bloods, Bull, 30 Rock, and Master of None in the critically-acclaimed episode, “New York, I Love You.”

Quinn Jackson is a New York based actor. Since graduating from the William Esper Two Year Meisner Training Program, Quinn has continued to take master classes in acting and movement and has performed in off-off Broadway plays in NYC as well as at Guild Hall in East Hampton. Most recently, she can be seen on NBC’s The BlackList, and will be debuting as a lead in his first feature film releasing this October. Quinn is proud to sit on the board of the NeoPolitical Cowgirls and is passionate about creating space for stories and voices that need to be heard. Quinn is currently getting her MFA in acting at NYU's grad acting program (2023).

Nate Janis is a born-and-bred New Yorker and long-time resident of Huntting Lane, East Hampton. As an actor and singer, Nate has performed all over the world and at venues such as Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Recent credits include: Will in tenderly (Guild Hall), Vershinin in Three Sisters (Columbia Stages), Matt in The Fantasticks (Infinity Theatre Company), Casey in The Legend of Georgia McBride (Waterfront Playhouse), Abraham in Bible Stories (Atlantic), and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (White Plains PAC). Training: Yale B.A., William Esper Studio, Columbia M.F.A. Nate is thrilled to be returning to Guild Hall!

Maria-Christina Oliveras is an actor and singer. Dedicated to new works, her career is distinguished by a number of world premieres, including most recently, Kiss My Aztec, a new musical by John Leguizamo, Tony Taccone, Ben Velez and David Kamp.  On Broadway, Maria-Christina originated the role of Gina in Amelie, and also appeared in Machinal and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.   Off-Broadway credits include Romeo and Juliet (The Public), Zorba (City Center/Encores) and the world premieres of Here Lies Love by David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim (The Public; cast album) Pretty Filthy by Bess Wohl and Michael Friedman (The Civilians; cast album), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (The Public), Taylor Mac’s 24 Hour History of Music (St. Ann’s Warehouse), among others.  Selected regional world premieres include Soft Power by Jeanine Tesori and David Henry Hwang (Center Theater Group), and El Huracan by Charise Castro Smith (Yale Rep). Other: Berkeley Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Clubbed Thumb, Williamstown, Long Wharf, Huntington, Baltimore Centerstage, Denver Center, Sundance, O’Neill Center, ACT, Vassar/Powerhouse, the Lark, New Dramatists, The Civilians, Westport Country Playhouse.  Film/Television credits include St. Vincent, Manhattan Night, “The Blacklist,” “Madame Secretary,” and “NCIS: NOLA.”  She received her B.A. from Yale University, and her M.F.A. in Acting from the National Theatre Conservatory. Upcoming projects include her solo-cabaret debut this August at Feinstein’s/54 Below.  www.mariachristinaoliveras.com

Addison Takefman made her professional acting debut in the Broadway National Tour of Les Miserables. She went on to appear on television in the HBO Max series Search Party as well as a series of commercials for IHOP. Favorite stage roles include the title role in Annie with A Class Act Studios and Sarabi in The Lion King Kids.

Shelley Thomas-Harts has worked extensively around the globe as a performing artist, originating several roles along the way. She made her Broadway debut in Brooklyn, The Musical and toured with Rent nationally and internationally. Shelley appeared Off-Broadway in the original casts of Triassic Parq and Zanna, Don’t! (Cast Recordings available online). From Off-Broadway to prestigious Regional Theatres, Shelley has performed on the stages of Lincoln Center, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, Long Wharf and Market Theatre (South Africa), to name a few. As longtime background vocalist for the multitalented Ms. Vanessa Williams and as a Concert Vocalist, Shelley has performed at numerous concert and symphony venues around the world. She most recently guest starred on CBS’s FBI, NBC’s New Amsterdam and recurred on NBC’s Shades of Blue. She is a proud graduate of Syracuse University (BFA Musical Theatre) and even prouder Mom to her toddler son.

Georgia Warner is a creative entertainer, appearing most recently as Megan Mills on CBS’s Blue Bloods.  Other TV:  Law & Order: SVU, The Deuce, Younger, Madam Secretary.  Broadway:  All My Sons.  Off-Broadway:  Napoli, Brooklyn.  Georgia has also acted in a slew of indie films, commercials, video games, comedy sketches, and in more than a dozen distinguished regional theatre productions, including originating the role of Lane in the world premiere of Lyle Kessler’s House on Fire, and starring alongside Alec Baldwin as Jill in Equus, right here at Guild Hall.  In tandem with her own performing, Georgia works as a film & theatre director, arts & culture journalist, and actors' advocate, offering private audition coaching, self-tape services, and group acting workshops through her NYC teaching hub, Georgia Warner Studios.  www.GeorgiaWarner.com