bringing the works of Richard Ploetz to the stage
THE COUNTRY PLAY
Michael Turner is spending the summer that begins his retirement at his family’s country house. Settling in to write the great American novel, he looks forward to spending time with his only child who is leaving for Yale in the Fall. The presence of Michael’s overbearing college roommate and his successful novelist stepmother complicate everyone’s plans resulting in unexpected consequences.
“THE COUNTRY PLAY is truly Chekhovian . . . and truly American . . . The imagery and the atmosphere and the beautiful language and poetry of the characters is sweeping and yet very grounded.” Christopher Borg, Actor
run time--likely 110 minutes including a 15 minute intermission.
there will be a prop-gun "fired" during the show ( sound effects only)
Tickets and Theater Information
Theater for the New City
155. 1st Avenue
(between 9th & 10th streets)
NYC, NY. 10003
show dates & times
27 April thru 14 May
Th/Fri/Sat. 8pm
Sun 3pm
Support This Production
be a part of bringing The Country Play to the stage
Write a Check
Make checks payable to Theater for the New City with “The Country Play” in the memo line and mail to:
Theater for the New City
Attn: Jon Weber
155 First Avenue
New York, NY 10003.
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Follow this LINK to donate with a credit or debit card. Please make sure to reference "The Country Play" in the leave a comment section so that the donation is directed to this production.
Support Levels: For your generous donation, you will be listed in the program as:
friend of the play --- $25
week-end guest --- $50
gardener --- $100
country neighbor --- $250
co-producer --- $500 +
Please drop drop a line at info@nedworkdsproductions.org. to let us know you've made a donation so that we can include you in the program! Likewise, let us know if you would prefer to remain anonymous.
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Meet The Talent
*Stan Buturla. (MICHAEL TURNER) has acted in varied roles such as Coriolanus at The Soho Rep and Teddy in The Homecoming at The Classic Stage Company. He has performed at The Access Theater where he played the role of Deputy Governor Danforth in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, at The Abingdon Theater as Dr. Dorn in Checkov’s The Seagull, and as Colonel Redfern in John Osborne’s play Look Back in Anger at The Gene Frankel Theater. He also had the pleasure of performing several original plays written by Douglas Lackey and directed by Alexander Harrington at Theater for the New City His most recent theatrical performance was at The Chain Theatre in What Passes for Comedy for which he received honorable mention as best supporting actor for 2022. He has performed in movies, TV and commercials, and performed one man cabaret shows at Don’t Tell Mama and The Laurie Beechman Theatre. stanbuturla@gmail.com. (917) 593-3385.
*Marc Castle (SAM MUNSON) A playwright and director as well as an actor, Marc toured in Camelot, and appeared off-B'way in Plays for Bleecker St. (Circle in the Square), My Great Dead Sister (The Production Co.), and Romance Language(Playwrights Horizons.) Regionally: The Foreigner, Crazy for You and A Lion in Winter. Film and TV: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Urbania, and As the World Turns. He is a proud member of Emerging Artists, The American Renaissance Theatre Co., Equity, SAG/AFTRA, ASCAP, the Dramatist Guild, and an alumnus of the BMI Workshop. www.marccastle.com
Matt Corry (KEVIN TURNER) is a native New York actor, singer, and musician. He holds a BA in Drama from Vassar College and a MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. Recent credits include: Lifestruck (Producers Club), To the Mothers Now (Emergence Artist Theatre), What Happened Was (NYTF), and The Author’s Voice (3 Legged Dog). He is forever thankful to his parents, family, friends, and Sarah for their patience, love, and support!
Steve Macarus (BERNARD MEL) originally from Illinois, has appeared in numerous productions throughout the Chicagoland area. Favorite performances include Harding in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Harry in Luv, Jimmy Keller in The Miracle Worker, The Writer in The Good Doctor, Buddy in Come Blow Your Horn and Uncle Julian in The Threesome. Steve co-founded a touring children's theater company called Light-Hearted Productions where, for 8years, he served as actor, director and managing director. As part of the Entertainment Department at Chicago's Navy Pier, Steve spent 12 years entertaining folks from around the world in productions and events that he acted in, directed, and created/wrote. Love and appreciation to Job, Mom and Dad and Andrew. Your support means the world.
Calli Medley (ANTONIA TURNER) is an actress, singer, dancer, musician and songwriter. She is currently studying at The William Esper Studio for Acting (Mac McCarty). She was also a part of Open Jar Studio’s Musical Theatre class of 2019 (Jeff Whiting). Calli is beyond grateful to be portraying ANTONIA in this original production of The Country Play. Recent credits include: LUCI, Wish Mirage (VMF Theatricals), MADDIE, Forget Me Not (Joey Contreras), and ROSE, Midnight Rose (Oxford Comma Film Co.). @callimedley callimedley.com
*Elizabeth Murray (ALICE HAPGOOD) is a writer and performer in New York City and a graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts. She has performed with various companies throughout New York and New England, favorite roles include: Amelia in Othello and Fran/April in The Heidi Chronicles.
Elizabeth's one woman show Woman in the Dark (which recounts her misadventures while trapped in an elevator during the 2003 Blackout) has been performed at the United Solo, Planet Connections and One Woman Standing Festivals. She has also made several short films including Timing which won the Strasbourg International Film Festival and received a Best Acting Award from the NY International Film & Video Festival, and her webseries Cafe Conversations won the Grand Prize at (the now defunct) fliggeebox.com. Elizabeth is currently developing on her next one woman show Con-Cussed which chronicles her recovery from brain injury.
* Lué McWilliams (MARIE-CLAUDE LONGCHAMPS) is a member of Emerging Artist Theatre Company and has originated many roles in their productions. Other NYC credits Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway: Lie of the Mind, Patch of Blue, Glory Hallelujah, Samuel French One-Act Play Festivals, the sold-out extended Fringe Show And Sophie Comes Too as well as Lué was part of the Guild Hall’s 90th Season in a staged reading of A Perfect Ganesh. Regionally, Lué toured her one woman show and has done numerous plays with Hudson River Classics, CAT Company, VT Repertory Theatre, Lyric Theatre and UP Theatre Company. She has been seen in various TV roles and Feature Films: See IMDB. One feature film Lué stars in, Naked As They Came was named a gay “essential” film to watch. Lué has started to create/produce/ direct her own shorts. One short called #JustMove, was shown in festivals around the world and was a semi-finalist in the NYC Katra Film Festival, now on her YouTube channel. Lué has also created a separate channel on YouTube called @AskSirisDaughter which she started to help those who were not born with an iPhone attached to their hands. AEA/SAG-AFTRA www.luemcwilliams.com
*Nick Ruggeri (PETER BORODIN) is taking a break from a leisurely retirement to revisit THE COUNTRY PLAY. Nick has appeared Off-Broadway and at numerous small theaters in NYC. For 17 seasons, he was a member of Mountain Playhouse appearing in THE FOREIGNER; OF MICE AND MEN, GUYS AND DOLLS and ROMEO AND JULIET (among others). He worked at Pittsburgh Public Theater in YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and at Mill Mountain Theater in PROMISES, PROMISES and THE GOOD DOCTOR. He was the Narrator/MC of the Ice Capades’ 1995-1996 national tour of CINDERELLA - FROZEN IN TIME. He is a member of Actors’ Equity and husband to the lovely and talented Susan J. Jacks.
*Alyssa Simon (CATHERINE TURNER) is thrilled to be a part of The Country Play and return to Theatre For The New City. Her most recent work at TNC was at The Dream Up Festival 2022 where she played Elaine de Kooning in Paul Prasad Duffy’s Strokes of Genius and Semele in Duncan Pflaster’s Nothing But Thunder. She has also had the pleasure to work with Mr. Buturla in Arendt/Heidegger:A Love Story (Hannah Arendt) and Ludwig and Bertie (Lady Ottoline Morrell/Margaret Wittgenstein), both at TNC. Alyssa is part of the NYIT award-winning company Gemini CollisionWorks and has performed with Untitled Theatre Co. #61, Metropolitan Playhouse and at the Brick Theater, along with other NYC companies. www.alyssasimon.com
Andrea Alton (Press Representative) formed Alton PR in 2011 and provides press services for off and off-off Broadway Theatre, dance, comedy, and theatre/arts festivals. Past and current clients include the off-Broadway musical Love Quirks, and productions with La MaMa, New Ohio Theatre, Retro Productions, Peculiar Works Project, Emerging Artists Theatre, Spark Theatre Festival NYC, Rising Sun Performance Company, as well as numerous shows with the United Solo Festival, New York Musical Theater Festival, and Frigid NY. www.altonprandproduction.com - www.instagram.com/alton_pr
Alexander Bartenieff (Lighting Designer) Recent credits include: Pulitzer winner Nilo Cruz’s production of "Sotto Voice" (TNC/MDCA), "Tally’s Folly" starring Jude Hirsch (HB Studios Theater), the premieres of Mario Fratti’s "Three Sisters and a Priest", Eduardo Machado's "NOT ABOUT ME" and TNC’s LES and DREAM UP FESTIVALS, "A Streetcar Named Desire" (Cherry Lane) "Lillian Yeurelia" (La Mama) directed by Austin Pendelton, "Orson’s Shadow" by Austin Pendelton (Theater Row) "Obama in Naples" (Abingdon Theater). He is currently the Theater Technical Coordinator at NYC Parks (Von King Cultural Arts Center) Upcoming shows: African Peach and Hip-Hop Film Festival.
Jason Campbell (ASSISTANT DIRECTOR)) received his B.F.A from VIrginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Theatre Education in 2007. Upon completion of his degree, he began teaching at School Performing Arts in the Richmond Community (SPARC) in Richmond, Virginia. He also performed in various places including Barksdale Theatre, Swift Creek Mill Playhouse, Busch Gardens, and Kings Dominion. In 2009 he furthered his education and received his M.F.A in Theatre Pedagogy from VCU as well. After graduating, he then became the head of the Musical Theatre program and teacher at the Appomattox Regional Governor's School (ARGS) in 2010, where he oversaw several full productions. He worked at ARGS until he experienced a stroke in March, 2014. www.jasonvancecampbell.com
Job Ethan Christenson (DIRECTOR) is a playwright, director and performer in New York City. Job performed as an actor in CATS, RAGTIME, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, JOSEPH, VICTOR/VICTORIA and BILLY ELLIOT just to name a few. He then worked in Chicago doing productions at Marriott Lincolnshire, Chicago Shakespeare, and his very own cabaret show at the Gentry, as well as Davenports. He has also performed with various symphonies including Ann Arbor, Grant Park, Bismarck and Grand Forks Symphonies as a soloist. He was the artistic director for 6 years of the ND Ballet Company and Apprentice School and Crimson Creek Players. He was the Artistic Director/Development Director for Sleepy Hollow Theatre and Arts Park for the past six years. As a playwright, Job Ethan Christenson has written; The Theist, Mfundo, Where the Wild Ones Play, Out of the Human Town, The Living Trees, The Rigger, In Bed I, II, III: An Anthology. Job is performing in his one man show, BOJ. With Isaac Bush and Nathaniel Irvin, BOJ is a selection of the New York Independent Festival, AltFEST, Vancouver Chicago Indie Film Awards, Film Festival, Montreal Independent Film Festival, Toronto Newmarket Festival, and a Finalist for Vancouver Independent Film Festival and Best Director Award. He is published by Indie Theatre Now. Job will be getting his master's from Fordham in Social Work Class of ‘22. This is for Jason!
Rebecca Kaplan (STAGE MANAGER): NEW YORK CITY OPERA: Stonewall, Dear Erich, La Bohème, L'amore de tre rei, Il Pigmalione/Pigmalion, Cruzar a la Cara de la Luna; NEW YORK/OFF-OFF-BROADWAY: Chasing Andy Warhol (Bated Breath Theatre); When the Lights Go Out (Hedgepig Ensemble); Midsummer Night's Dream—The Podcast (Rude Grooms); Chicken and Biscuits (Queens Theatre); Barefoot in the Park (Queens Theatre); The Thin Man in the Cherry Orchard (Metropolitan Playhouse); Romeo and Juliet (Rudegrooms); Lazarus (Hudson Guild), D.O.A (Producer's Club); FILM/TV: Three Sides of a Circle, Momentous, Ministry of Evil. IG: @beccanicolekaplan
Mark Marcante is a Director, Actor, Set Designer, and award-winning Production Designer. He did the Set Design for DEATH OF A SALESMAN at the American Yiddish Theater. He did Set Design for Obie winner HEATHEN VALLEY by Romulus Linney; and set design for Kennedy Center Award/Obie winner HIROSHIMA by Yoko Ono and Ron Destro. Mark has done sets for many shows including TIME SQUARE ANGEL by Charles Busch, 1918: A HOUSE DIVIDED by Barbara Kahn and THE FACULTY ROOM by Mario Fratti. He has also directed many plays Off /Off Off Broadway including SHAREHOLDERS VALUE, AMERICAS FAVORITE NEWSCASTER, HEATHER SMILEY FOR PRESIDENT, THE FOLK SINGER, AN AMERICAN WORKER, SAMANTHA AND THE GLASS CEILING, BENEDICTUS, THE CAPITAL VENTRILOQUIST LIFE KNOCKS, STRANGELY WONDERFUL, ONE DIRECTOR AGAINST HIS CAST and RUZZANTE RETURNS. Mark Co-Directed Phoebe Legere’s SHAKESPEARE AND ELIZABETH and Co-Directed Phoebe Legere’s LET EVERY CHILD SING. Mark studied Commedia Dell Ar'te with Allessando Bressennelo and Michelle Connena from the T.A.G Teatro in Venice Italy. He studied Mime with Bill George from Touchstone Mime Company. He has been production director at Theater for the New city since 1984 to present.
* Appearing courtesy of AEA.