PLAYING DOG By Cheri Magid. Directed by Jessica Bauman. Set Design: Ben Posei; Sound Design and Composition: Alec Cafaro; Stage Management and Choreography: Sharon Penz; Sound Effects Performance: Elizabeth Day; Properties: Christa Huffman Mattia.
Performers in alphabetical order: Gary Brownlee, Elizabeth Day, Chantez Engeleit, Hannah Munson, Nabil Viñas
WHO’S WHO - CHERI MAGID: Playwright. A Poem and a Mistake will be produced at HERE in NYC in August. A Poem, which was also made into a film/play that was produced by ShoutOut, was originally presented by Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Melbourne and has screened or been performed at film festivals, art museums and theatres around the US. Her opera Penelope and the Geese, composed by Milica Paranosic and developed at ShoutOut at White Feather Farm, was produced at the Museum of Asian Art in Corfu, Greece. Cheri also wrote for the Emmy-award-winning children’s television show Arthur and is a 2024 OpEd Public Voices Fellow at NYU where she is an Associate Arts Professor in Dramatic Writing at Tisch.
JESSICA BAUMAN: Director, is a community-engaged director who splits her time between Stone Ridge and Brooklyn. Last summer, she directed "What's Bugging Greg" for Little Theater of Wonder. She wishes she could catch a frisbee as well as the kids in "Playing Dog."
BEN POSEI: is an architect, teacher and occasional theater designer. He plays a killer game of Ultimate Frisbee. CHRISTA HUFFMAN MATIA: is the Associate Producer of ShoutOut and has assisted in curating exhibits on Harvey Fite, Linda Mary Montano, a holiday market and currently, an exhibit on the influence of music on artists. She’s a photographer with work on the shoutout website.
ALEC CAFARO: hails from Stone Ridge and works in Digital Marketing at Markertek in Saugerties. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz with a Bachelor's in Digital Media Production, Alec also creates music under the alias "Lex Whimsy." Passionate about blending digital media and music, Alec brings a unique perspective to every project.
SHARON PENZ: an interdisciplinary dancer- maker, choreographer, actor, and conceptual performance artist. A self-produced artist, she is the recipient of numerous grants for her original solo and ensemble work. Sharon doesn't play ultimate Frisbee, but her dog is an expert.
ELIZABETH DAY: Is a 16 year old student at Saugerties High School who has been into the music industry for almost 5 years. For over 4 years, Elizabeth has been helping with the Drama Club.
GARY BROWNLEE: (Shawn) Gary has performed in theaters in NYC and throughout the country. He was seen in Little Theater of Wonder’s production of What’s Bugging Greg last summer and is super excited to be returning for Playing Dog. You can also catch him in the upcoming Spiked Eggs podcast of The Miller, His Daughter and their Ass.
CHANTEZ ENGLEIT (Mona): Chantez received her training at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, where she studied Musical Theatre. Some of her favorite credits include Mozart in Mozart and Salieri (Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck), Ahsoka in Macbeth: Galaxy of Blood (Epiphany Shakespeare), Macy in The Cake (Rosendale Theatre), Mary Pierre in Laughing Stock, Ida Green in Into The Breeches (both at the Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck), and Edwina in Let the Phoenix Rise.
HANNAH MUNSON: (Tic) is a local actor from Stone Ridge. Last year, she appeared as Mercutio the Pigeon and others in The Little Theater of Wonder’s production of “What’s Bugging Greg?”. She is also a member of Actors and Writers
NABIL VIÑAS: (Sherwood)is a Caribbean American actor born and raised in New York City. His feature film “Tomorrow Ever After” screened theatrically in select cities, earning critical acclaim in major press, and his independent films have screened at New York Film Festival (Film at Lincoln Center), HBO’s NY Latino Film Festival, among others worldwide. More: nabilvinas.com
ShoutOut, a program of the Town of Saugerties, ensures that the arts are recognized as an essential asset for the community of Saugerties and neighboring communities in the Hudson Valley. With partnerships that range from the Reformed Church of Saugerties, the Public library and YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County to local businesses, ShoutOut produces a broad offering of free or low cost multi-arts programs in donated spaces. ShoutOut produces quality work by dedicated artists that enhances the lives of its audiences. ShoutOut is especially interested in programming that investigates and advocates for healthy environmental choices. ShoutOut reaches audiences of all ages and strives for diversity in its programming and with its artists. shoutoutsaugerties.org
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE REFORMED CHURCH OF SAUGERTIES for Rehearsal Space and to Jonathan Rowan for Mona’s T-shirt design.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Arts Mid-Hudson.