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AAPC PlayFest 6

For two nights on September 8 & 9, 2023, AAPC presented a night of original short plays for the sixth time for PlayFest 6! 

Troublemaker by Christina Chan

Funny Drone by Hortense Gerardo

Buried Alive by Rosanna Yamagiwa Alfaro

Secret Menu by Vivian Liu-Somers

Golden Record by Greg Lam

Solving the Mystery of the Queen’s Necklace by Michael Lin

The Takeover by George S. Yip

Deadline by Jamie Lin

It's Complicated: Peeling the Onion by Dev Luthra

Directors: Alison Yeuming Qu, Kai Chao, Michelle M. Aguillon

Cast: Parbati Brahma, Shreyan Chattopadhyay, Mordecai S.J. Choi, Karen Dervin, Mandy Eckhoff, Trevor Gerard Frederick, Gabrielle Hatcher, Bowen Huang, Jenine Florence Jacinto, Jeff Lee, Jenny S. Lee, Vivian Liu-Somers, Dev Luthra, Mavis Manaloto, Buyile Narwele, Ankur Singh, Dustin Teuber

 

Stage Manager: Sarah O’Neill
Sound Designer: Vyren Gray

Musician (Pianist): Jeongweon (John) Lee

 

Thank you to Starlight Square Theatre for hosting us again!

AAPC PLAYFEST 6

CAST & CREW BIOS

September 8 & 9, 2023 — Starlight Square, Cambridge, MA

Playfest 6 was made possible by these generous donors: 

Cambridge Community Foundation, Chuang Stage, Starlight Square, the Mass Cultural Council, and anonymous benefactors.

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Michelle M. Aguillon

Director (DEADLINE, SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE, THE TAKEOVER)

Directed at: Umbrella Stage, Company One, Central Square, Emerson, Lyric, Speakeasy, Theater Uncorked, Hovey Players, including Natural Shocks, By The Way Meet Vera Stark, Middleton Heights, Dracula - A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Fences, Joy Luck Club, Disgraced, Piano Lesson, Passion, AAPC Playfests ‘20-22, Vietgone, Proof, Sense and Sensibility, Rabbit Hole, and Pillowman. Attended the National Theater of UK.

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Rosanna Yamagiwa Alfaro

Playwright (BURIED ALIVE)

Rosanna Yamagiwa Alfaro is a former Huntington Playwriting Fellow and MCC Artist Fellow in Playwriting. Her full-length plays were produced at the Huntington, Pan Asian Repertory, East West Players, and the Magic Theater. She is currently working on a collection of short plays: DIM SUM IN HARVARD SQUARE: NINE SMALL SERVINGS.

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Parbati Brahma

Dadiji (IT'S COMPLICATED)

Parbati Brahma, a physician from India and a resident of Boston, makes her debut with AAPC in “Its Complicated”. She has several years of acting experience in India and USA in English and Bengali. Her Boston credits include “Sneeze”, “Mahabharata” and “Kamala”, productions of SETU, and “The Return” production of NEAT. Currently retired, she also loves to write (poetry and stories), sing and dance.

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Christina R Chan

Playwright (TROUBLEMAKER)

Christina R Chan is a playwright, actor, and producer. She was a Company One Playwright Fellow and a three time recipient of The Boston Foundation's LAB Grant. Her play "Stir Frying Mahjong" was a semi-finalist for the O'Neill Theater Conference. It takes a village for magic to happen on stage. Thank you!

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Kai Chao

Director (SECRET MENU, GOLDEN RECORD, IT'S COMPLICATED)

Kai is thankful for the stories that AAPC continues to share, and the chance to direct again.  Kai directs from an actor’s perspective, sharing his experiences as a 1st generation Asian American.  He has also performed regionally, and with Disney Entertainment.  Thanks for the love and support Al!

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Shreyan Chattapadyay

Boy (IT'S COMPLICATED)

Shreyan Chattopadhyay is a 10 year old fourth grader who loves to play chess, build with legos and is an avid reader. He has been part of three prior productions in the Boston area, two on stage and one as a voice actor. He is thrilled to be part of AAPC play fest 2023  watching other actors, learning from directors and co-artists and performing at the festival. 

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Mordecai S.J. Choi

Jin Yu (TROUBLEMAKER); Floriani (SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE)

Mordecai S.J. Choi is honored to be joining the 6th Annual Asian-American Playwright Collective Playfest. He would like to thank his friends and peers for allowing for such an amazing space to be built within the Boston community. Mordecai invites you to relax, sit back and enjoy the show.

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Karen Dervin

Jean (Boy’s Grandma), ITS COMPLICATED

Karen is thrilled to join AAPC again for this festival as she enjoyed her experience so much in 2021. She was recently seen in “Eleemosynary” at Curtain Call in Braintree and is set to direct the New England Premiere of the play “Midnight and Moll Flanders” in November.

Image by Markus Spiske

Mandy Eckhoff

Wyndham (SECRET MENU); Anne (SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE)

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Trevor Gerard Frederick

Bzankqa (GOLDEN RECORD); Bill (THE TAKEOVER)

Trevor Gerard Frederick (he/him/his). Recent credits: Leroy Barksdale & Herb Forrester in By The Way, Meet Vera Stark (Quannapowitt Players), Boy Willie in The Piano Lesson (Vokes Theatre), Helicanus & Cleon in Pericles (Seven Stages Shakespeare Company). Love and light to family, friends, and our audience.

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Hortense Gerardo

Playwright (FUNNY DRONE)

Hortense Gerardo is a Filipino playwright and anthropologist interested in the dynamics of power and identity on individual, cultural, and national levels. Currently exploring the poetics of human and machine learning interaction as Director of the Anthropology, Performance, and Technology (APT) Program at the University of California, San Diego. For info: www.hortensegerardo.com

Image by Markus Spiske

Vyren Gray

Sound Designer

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Gabrielle Hatcher

Neighbor (TROUBLEMAKER); Karen (SECRET MENU)

Gabrielle Hatcher (she/her) is a Cambridge based actor, interdisciplinary artist, and educator. Favorite roles include Lucy Westenra in Dracula, a Feminist Revenge Fantasy (Umbrella Stagecompany), Sara in Stop Kiss, and Reggie in Some Girl(s) (Hovey Players). Thank you for supporting AAPC!

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Bowen Huang

Jane (THE TAKEOVER); Mom (DEADLINE)

Emerson BFA '24 Musical Theater. Curtain Call Theater: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; The Umbrella Art: Dracula (Marilla); The Prizery: Xanadu (Muse). Emerson Stage: Cabaret (Rosie); Much appreciation to the loved ones for all the support<3 IG: @on_bw

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Jenine Florence Jacinto

Red (FUNNY DRONE); Cassie (DEADLINE)

Jenine Florence Jacinto (they/them) is a nonbinary California raised AAPI actor/creative now turned New England native. The Smith College graduate has been seen throughout Boston theatre and TTRPG podcasts. Recent projects include Middleton Heights by Hortense Gerardo, Lyric Stage’s Back Stage program, queeRPG’s Of Kith and Pen podcast. @jenine.florence

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Greg Lam

Playwright (GOLDEN RECORD)

Greg Lam’s plays include Last Ship to Proxima Centauri, Repossessed, and Chaplin and Keaton on the Set of Limelight. In addition to AAPC, he is affiliated with the Pear Playwrights Guild, Playground SF, and The Pulp Stage Writer’s Group. For more about Greg, see https://greglam.wixsite.com/home.

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Jeongweon (John) Lee

Composer/Accompanist

John is an organist, pianist, and a composer. He graduated from Berklee College of Music and Boston University. John teaches piano, choir, and is the musical director a Creative Arts School in Reading, MA.

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Jeff Lee

Pascal (SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE)

Jeff Lee from Boston is an IT Project Manager, whose side hustle is acting. His Backstage.com profile lists 20 film credits and 7 plays, in the last seven years. Jeff - a first generation Chinese American - loves working with fellow Asians, who are passionate about their craft, and helping to represent Asian Americans on the big screen and on stage.

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Jenny S. Lee

May Yu (TROUBLEMAKER); Pansy (THE TAKEOVER)

Jenny S. Lee (she/her/hers) is an Boston-based AAPI actress/director, graduate of Boston College, and Northern Virginia native. Recent directing credits: MAD DASH (Fresh Ink) and John Deserves to Die (AD at Fresh Ink). Recent acting credits: The Final Girl and The Tragic Tragedy of Lydia King as a part of First Kiss Theatre’s PIAD.

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Jamie Lin

Playwright (DEADLINE)

Jamie Lin is a Taiwanese-American theater artist originally from the Bay Area. Produced works: The Ghost of Keelung (AATAB / Chuang Stage / Pao Arts Center); Bee, Plus One (BTM XXV/Chuang Stage).

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Michael Lin

Playwright (SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE)

Michael Lin is a Brighton-based actor, playwright, and Foley artist, writing for both the stage and audio mediums. His current project is a series of audio drama scripts adapted from the Arsène Lupin stories by Maurice Leblanc, from which work "Solving the Mystery of the Queen's Necklace" was devised.

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Vivian Liu-Somers

Playwright & Waiter (SECRET MENU); Lao Shu (DEADLINE)

Vivian is thrilled to act and write for the 6th Asian American Playwrights Collective Playfest! She has acted with theater groups all over Boston and had her short play Waiting for Kim Lee performed on both coasts. You can see examples of her work at rebrand.ly/vliusomers

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Dev Luthra

Playwright (IT'S COMPLICATED); Man (BURIED ALIVE)

Dev Luthra trained at East 15 Acting School, London, England and at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, MA. Recent credits include Dance Nation/Apollinaire Theatre and The Gaaga/Arlekin Players. He is of South Asian and European descent. It’s Complicated is his contribution as a playwright to the festival.

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Mavis Joy Manoloto

Morty (FUNNY DRONE); Neighbor (TROUBLEMAKER)

Mavis Joy Manaloto (she/her) is honored and thrilled to be part of AAPC Playfest 6! Recent credits include The Burials (Brianna) and Hair (Jeanie). Many thanks and love to all who brought this festival to life!

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Buyile Narwele

Abida/Percussionist (IT'S COMPLICATED)

Performer and art activator in professional dance, music and performance spaces. Performs and leads a South African street dance genre Kwaito and African Dance. From Nyanga, South Africa. Buyile works as a consulting choreographer, dancer, and explores movement in Afrofusion, neoclassical, performing festivals.

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Sarah O'Neill

Stage Manager

Sarah O’Neill (Stage Manager) is excited to return to for her fourth AAPC PlayFest! She has also stage managed at Arlington Friends of the Drama, DreamRole Players, Umbrella Stage Company, TCan Players, A Common Thread Theater and the Sound & Spirit choir. Many thanks to AAPC, cast, crew, playwrights, Starlight Square, and everyone else involved in the festival.

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Alison Yueming Qu

Director (TROUBLEMAKER, FUNNY DRONE, BURIED ALIVE)

Alison is a Director, Producer, and Dramaturg originally from Jilin, China. Alison is the Executive Director of CHUANG Stage—Boston's bilingual Asian American theatre company. Find out more about CHUANG Stage at chuangstage.org. Alison works at HowlRound Theatre Commons as the Associate Producer. They have worked closely with Company One Theatre, Pao Arts Center, Central Square Theater, MIT Music & Theater Arts, Fresh Ink Theatre, and more. BFA: Emerson College.

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Ankur Singh

Metzeqo (GOLDEN RECORD); Finian (IT'S COMPLICATED)

Ankur Singh has been acting in the Greater Boston community for the past 6 years, and is thrilled to act with the 6th Asian American Playwrights Collective Playfest! In the past, he has worked with both Theater Groups and Indie Filmmakers, in and around the Boston neighborhood. Some of the performances include, but not limited to, Disgraced (Amir Kapoor), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Demitrius), Henry V (The Dauphin).

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Dustin Teuber

Steve (THE TAKEOVER), Pascal u/s (SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE)

Recent credits include Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy (Umbrella Stage Co) and Black Super Hero Magic Mama (Company One). Dustin thanks everyone at AAPC and is glad  to be asked back!  

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George S. Yip

Playwright (THE TAKEOVER)

George Yip is an aspiring playwright who serves on the boards of theater, opera and art organizations in Boston. A retired professor of management at leading business schools around the world. Author of over 100 books and articles about business, published in over ten languages. (www.georgeyip.com)

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