Program E

September 19-22

Check, Mate

by Cody Goulder of Phoenix, AZ

Produced by Split Stage Productions

Paul Buckley has had death, literally, as a neighbor in assisted care for a long time. Instead of waiting for it to strike first, Paul decides he'll, at last, make the first move.

From his home base in Phoenix, AZ, Cody Goulder works as a playwright, director, actor, dramaturg, and designer. Having earned an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Arizona State University, Goulder has seen his work produced all over the country. Previous productions of Goulder's work include: Sorry, We're Closed (Fresh Baked Theatre - Hollywood, CA), The Half-Way House (Tempe, AZ), Space Junk (Brelby Theatre - Glendale, AZ) and Cold Breakfast (MadLab Theatre - Columbus, OH). Goulder has also seen several of his plays selected as part of the Play Lab series at the Valdez Theater Conference. Goulder is the Associate Artistic Director of Ronin Theater Company and is a member of the Dramatist Guild.

CAST/CREW

Claire Ivy Stoller (Director) is a professional actor, singer, and director currently based in Pittsburgh. Claire is a graduate of Point Park University's Conservatory of Performing Arts, where she received a B.A. in musical theatre with a concentration in directing. Recently, Claire had the pleasure of directing Split Stage's first mainstage play, Death of a Salesman. Previous credits with Split Stage also include: Urinetown (Little Sally), Kinky Boots (Lauren), Rock of Ages (Regina), Next to Normal (Natalie), as well as the direction of their last two entries into the Pittsburgh New Works Festival ('22 PNWF Best Play winner). Claire would like to thank her family, her partner Dan, and their three cats for the unconditional love and support.

Nate Newell (Co-Producer)

Rob Jessup (Co-Producer)

Barry F Fraser (Paul) is always excited to be part of Pittsburgh New Works. He has been doing plays since 2009. “PNWF has given me a path to fulfill my dream of being an actor. i dedicate this to my family & life partner my wife Charlotte.”

Gregory Garbinsky (Eddie) is very happy to be performing in his second PNWF production. Greg most recently played Major Metcalf in the Rome Savoyards production of The Mousetrap in 2023. He worked for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome for 7 years and as a side passion performed with the Rome Savoyards in thirteen different English language productions including: Neil Simon’s Rumors and California Suite, Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit and others. His favorite role was as Mark Twain in a one-man show called Mark Twain in Rome which he wrote and adapted from Twain’s public speeches and writings.

Daniel Krack

Yahweh the Floorwalker: A god’s Plea for Peace

by David Haddad of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico

Produced by The Jesters’ Guild

Moses climbs Mt. Sinai seeking guidance from Yahweh, as the Israelites are below worshipping a Golden Calf. Yahweh sees Moses and the Israelites as quite uncivilized and is not inclined to offer any guidance whatsoever.
Dave Haddad's plays have been produced in New York, Pittsburgh, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and his hometown of Lansing, MI. Dave enjoys writing irreverant, thought provoking plays that deal with religion, history and politics. Dave has a degree in history from Michigan State University.

CAST/CREW

Ali Srour (Director) is wrapping up the summer with his Pittsburgh directorial debut! Earlier this season, he played Watson in The Jesters' Guild's Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure. He is the last theatre major of Westminster College, where he played Segis in Fever/Dream, Horatio in Hamlet, Boyet in Love’s Labour’s Lost the Musical, and Superintendent in Accidental Death of an Anarchist. He currently works at Pittsburgh Public Theater managing constituent data and patron services, and is steadily increasing his shiny Pokèmon collection.

Derek Lynch (Producer) once lived in the old mansion on the hill until one dark and stormy night, and he has never been seen since. Rumor has it that on a cold September night, he can still be heard roaming about the estate grounds.

David Lynch (Stage Manager)

Scott Calhoon (Moses) is happy to be participating again in the Pittsburgh New Works Festival for his second time as an actor. He has always wanted to play Moses but never expected it to be like in a show this controversial and important to the world as we know it. Thanx to Ali and Evelyn for making this such a good time.

Evelyn Hernandez (Yaweh the Floorwalker) As a bilingual Latinx actor from Queens, NY, Evelyn has always been passionate about being an Entertainer for over two decades. After earning her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre, magna cum laude from Point Park University, she has performed as over 50 characters for projects in voice acting, theatre, television and movies. Credits include: Native Gardens with City Theatre, The Thanksgiving Play with Arcade Comedy Theater, In The Time of the Butterflies with Prime Stage Theater, Gone with NBC Universal, modeling in Pittsburgh Fashion Week, voicing multiple roles for various productions, and now Yaweh the Floorwalker for her Pittsburgh New Works and The Jesters' Guild debut. She dedicates her performance to God, her mother, family and friends for their unwavering love and support.

Lemons, Water, Sugar

by Barry Eitel of New York, NY

Produced by Pittsburgh new works

Conner, a young person struggling in the job market, takes a position at a roadside lemonade stand. The abuse begins. Instead of bending to the twisted wills of an absurd boss and irrational customers, Conner attempts to figure out how to fail upward.

Barry Eitel is a screenwriter, playwright and journalist. He graduated with his MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU Tisch in 2020 with a Screenwriting Thesis. Raised in the Midwest, he began his professional writing career in Chicago in 2010. He continued it in San Francisco and now resides in New York City. His play THE ICE CREAM SANDWICH INCIDENT was produced by FaultLine Theatre in San Francisco in 2016 and he received the TITAN Award from Theater Bay Area. His dark comedy screenplay THE CLARINET was a 2022 Nicholl quarterfinalist and his action/adventure screenplay INFERNO RUN was a top 10 finalist in the 2023 Big Break Screenwriting Contest.

CAST/CREW

James Critchfield (Director/Producer) has lived, studied and worked as a professional actor, singer, director, producer, and performing arts educator in western PA for over 40 years. He's a proud alumni of Point Park University (Acting & Theater Education). He has produced and/or directed for the PNWF since 2009 and happily serves as a member of the PNWF Board of Directors. He's performed in over 200 professional productions including these favorite roles: (Tevye) Fiddler On the Roof; (Psuedolus) A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum; (Stage Manager) Our Town; (Rev. Moore) Footloose; and (Scrooge) A Christmas Carol. Jim is a tenor soloist for Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church and Directors the Keystone Oaks HS Spring Musical. Jim thanks Barry, Elysse, Steven, Misty, Ron, Peter, Cynthia, and his fellow board members for their briliant artistry.

Elysse Dalzell (Stage Manager) is a Pittsburgh born and raised stage manager and director. On the physical plane, she has been "seen" as a Stage Manager with companies such as The Heritage Players, Stage 62, and Front Porch Theatricals. On the digital plane, she has directed Overtones, Casting Light, and the forthcoming The Yellow Wallpaper for the Play on Words Podcast with Glass Fox Productions. Duquesne University B.A. Theater Arts 2019 @lysseliddell.

Cynthia Dallas (Fight Choreographer) is a proud native of Pittsburgh and graduate of the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland. She is thrilled to be participating in her third PNWF. Stunt/Fight choreography credits include indie film, Bounty Killer, HBO's Westworld, and YouTube hit show, Tab Time. Local theater credits include performances with City Theater, The Pittsburgh CLO, Primestage, and PICT. Cynthia is currently a member of improv groups Latchkey Kids and Bipocalypse. She also works in TV, film, and commercials. Recent credits include American Rust, The Bold & the Beautiful, and Lee Daniels' horror film The Deliverance. Currently, Cynthia is an adjunct professor of freshman drama at Point Park Univ. and is in the process of mounting her one-woman comedy, Almost 40 & Single. Repped by Docherty Talent Agency.

Peter J.S. Regan (Videographer) is a Pittsburgh filmmaker. He manages StudioME in East Liberty, and has garnered numerous accolades for directing from film festivals around the world.

Misty Challingsworth (Briefcase) is delighted to be participating in the Pittsburgh New Works Festival for the first time!! Past favorite roles include Joanne in Craving for Travel at Little Lake Theater, Annabella/Pamela/Margaret in The 39 Steps at South Park Theater and Maggie in Red Herring at The Theater Factory. Next up, Misty will be returning to Little Lake in A Fox on the Fairway in October. Misty would like to thank her family for their never ending love and support and her hilarious cast mates and director for their time, talent and friendship.

Steven Gallagher (Joe) never knows what to put in these things. Seriously it is one of the weirdest things we have to do as actors. Say something about yourself but not too much we have to fit a certain space. I was fortunate enough to work as an actor all over this country as an Independent Contractor. It was a really fun but exhausting life. I decided to come home for 6 months…maybe a year. That was 13 years ago. This is my way of saying I have a 13 year old son. His name is Carson. Buddy being your Dad is the coolest role I have ever played. Thanks to my mother for always being willing to babysit. You are never alone.

Ronald J. Gmys (Conner) is a 1992 graduate of Seton Hill University where he received a BA in Theater Performance. Since that time, he has worked with many of the local theater companies including South Park Theater, Apple Hill Playhouse, Comtra, McKeesport Little Theater and many more. Ron also spent 24 years as the Technical Director at Thomas Jefferson High School. In 2004, he produced 6 shows with his wife Stacy Bartlebaugh-Gmys with their theater company, Grand Dream Productions.