Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
The Summer One Act Bonanza is a showcase of 7 quick comedies for your delight! This year’s playwrights, including Old Academy’s own Jerry Jennings, will keep you laughing with short plays both hilarious and poignant. Join us for this fast-paced performance of Shut Up and Listen, Crowbar, Leo/Lisa, Cue, Hello, Unboxed and Game Night. From a therapist’s couch to the studio of Leonardo DaVinci to the unraveling mind of a playwright, our zany shorts will take you to the funniest places! Get tickets now!
(Note: The One-Act Bonanza is a special additional production each year, and not part of the season subscription package.)
Meet the Cast
Anna Kaminetz as Sammie
Anna (she/her) is delighted to make her debut with Old Academy Players. While in college at the University of Texas at Austin, she has played Ani/Sasha/Callie in Gloria, Verges in Much Ado About Nothing, Willow in The Owl House, and Two-Face in Batman. Anna has loved theatre since childhood as both a performer and a spectator and is very grateful for the cast and crew of Game Night for making her first Philadelphia performance a wonderful experience.
Ava Callista as Francesca
Ava is honored to be making her debut at Old Academy Players. Though relatively new to the theatre world, Ava is eager to continue growing as a performer and becoming more involved in the local arts community. Ava’s previous performance experience includes participating in a school play, doing a PSA for the Philadelphia Water Department as well as working as a model in South Korea. Born and raised in Center City Philadelphia, Ava recently graduated from Temple University. Outside of performing, Ava enjoys travel, spending time with friends, practicing Pilates, and horseback riding. Ava is grateful for the opportunity to join the Old Academy Players community.
Chase Dannelly as Rex
Chase is proud to be in his first production at Old Academy!! He has previously been cast as the younger man in “Gint,” Renfield in “Dracula,” both at the Ritz Theater and a proud cast member of “Objection!” at Sidequest theater! He’d like to thank all his students!
Chris Cutrufello as Grandma Kerry
Chris is so happy to once again be part of the One Acts at The Old Academy Players. Chris would like to thank Kim Hess, the Director, Nancy Frick and Sarah Labov for giving her this opportunity. Thank you to her sons, daughters in law, and grandchildren for encouraging her to continue to be involved in the theater.
Clint Cleaver as Herman
Clint is delighted to be back with his Old Academy friends. Previous favorite roles at Playcrafters of Skippack include Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet and Elyot in Private Lives, and directing his wife Anastasia in both Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and A Streetcar Named Desire. Gas prices brought him closer to the Victorian villa in Abington he’s been restoring for 47 years. At Village Players of Hatboro, he rescued a 90-year-old Red Hat Lady in the audience, who fell with a broken hip at the curtain call, while he was playing Dr. Zubritski in Fools. At Old Academy, he’s been involved several times with the One-Act Festival, and recently played State Rep Bobby Crone in Alabama Story. Oh, long ago, but not so far away, in his brief career as an opera singer, he sang Nemorino in Donizetti’s Elixer of Love at the Philadelphia Lyric Opera.
Elliott Rotman as Mark
Elliott is excited to be back on stage at OA after several seasons of directing One Acts. He has performed at OA in full plays and one-acts, as well as various community venues, doing plays and musicals, most recently, with Jenkintown Music Theater in “Ragtime.” Love to Elissa.
Emmie Ledesma as Chloe
Emmie is delighted to return to the Old Academy Players for the Summer One-Act Bonanza. Celebrating four fantastic years with OAP, Emmie is incredibly grateful to share the stage and the process with this stellar cast, director, and producer. Cheers to another great summer of theater!
Greg Lepore as John
Greg is thrilled to make his debut at Old Academy Players! A Philadelphia comedian and member of the sketch comedy group Motel Party, Greg has performed at theaters across the city including Plays and Players, Yellow Bicycle Theater, and Sawubona Creativity Project. A graduate of programs at Walnut Street Theater, Pig Iron Theatre, and Crossroads Comedy, his work finds the high-stakes absurdity in life’s smallest moments — camaraderie at the deli counter, flutes in the defense budget, and why adults aren’t allowed to run.
Harry Callahan as Connor
Harry is honored to participate in his first Old Academy Players production. He is a longtime student of The Actors Lab in Wayne, PA, studying under Bryan Fox. While attending The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, PA, he studied under Phillip Brown, Emma Gibson, and Ozzy Jones and took part in multiple musical, theatrical, and Shakespeare productions. Some of his favorite roles include The Duke of Exeter (Henry V), Johnny Casino (Grease), Harry the Horse (Guys and Dolls), and Rapunzel’s Prince (Into the Woods).
Jade Cox as Riley
Jade is delighted to be making her debut at Old Academy Players. She is an artist in New Jersey currently pursuing her BFA in Acting for Film, Television, and Theatre at Rider University. At Rider, she has performed in Lost Girl as an understudy for A/Cora (2025) and in the Devised Capstone Project, Circle, as Lisa (2024). Previously, she trained with Moment to Moment Creative Collaborative LLC, where she performed in Screen to Stage as Lupe and a Featured Vocalist (2023). Jade has enjoyed the opportunity to work with Old Academy Players and is grateful to be a part of this production.
Jaideep Mujumdar as Leo
Jaideep is a long-time theatre practitioner, mostly as an actor, as well as a writer and director. He has performed in Sanskrit, Hindi and Marathi language plays. He enjoys storytelling, reading poetry and literature. He is honored to be making his debut at Old Academy Players.
James Hearn as Richie
James is doing his third production here at Old Academy, after appearing in Arsenic and Old Lace and Our Town. He has also performed at other local theaters, as well as quite a few years in Hawaii theater. James thanks his wife, Sonya, and his sister, Holly, for their constant support.
Jane Jennings as Hannah/Producer
Jane has been active at Old Academy since 2014. She has directed several shows, most recently Tiny Beautiful Things. When not at the theater, she teaches piano and voice in her home studio.
Jennifer Russ as Kate
Jen is excited to make her Old Academy Players debut! Jen is a recent transplant from Asheville, NC where she was involved with many local theaters in the area. Most recently, Jen was in A Delicate Balance (u/s Claire) at the Walnut Street Theater. Favorite roles performed in Western NC include A Streetcar Named Desire (Blanche DuBois), Steel Magnolias (M’Lynn Eatenton), and one of three actors in The Vagina Monologues. Jen lives in Queen Village, enjoys exploring her new city, and has become a little obsessed with pickleball. She is grateful to be a part of this Bonanza and thanks her family for their support.
Kelci Schlierf as Mary
Kelci Schlierf is an actor originally from Buffalo, New York, and is thrilled to be returning to the Old Academy stage. She studied theatre at SUNY Oswego. Previous credits include All Shook Up at Ghostlight Players, Stop Kiss (Sarah) at Allen’s Lane Theatre, Lysistrata (Women’s Chorus Leader), and Antigone (Messenger) at The Drama Group of Germantown.
Laura Somogie as Jo
Laura is a Philadelphia-based performer, comedian, and singer who has happily called the city home for the past 13 years. She trained in improv, stand-up, and sketch writing at Crossroads Comedy Theater, and studied Broadway and vocal performance at Walnut Street Theatre. Laura is also a member of the sketch comedy group Motel Party, where she gets to indulge her lifelong love of chaos and making people laugh. She’s incredibly grateful to be part of this production for her debut at Old Academy Players.
Matthew Thompson as Tom
Matthew would love to thank the cast and crew for their consummate professionalism and various other positives that one couldn’t name. Jenn, his long suffering girlfriend, for dealing with his shenanigans and his family for all their love and support.
Nick Lutwyche as Bill
Nick is very happy to be back in an OAP Show; meeting old friends and making new ones. First play here was in 1988 as Sir Robert Morton in “The Winslow Boy;” most recent play here was in 2018 as Carr Gomm in “The Elephant Man.” Covid epidemic and other life events have precluded any theatre activity since then.
Norma Kider as Loretta
Norma Kider is delighted to return to the stage for OAP’s Summer One Act Bonanza. For the past three summers she was a director. Some favorite plays she performed in include: Arsenic and Old Lace, Incorruptible, Rumors, Jake’s Women, Fiddler on the Roof and Miracle on 34th St.
Precious Emmanuel as Sandy
Precious is elated to return to Old Academy Theatre for her second production. She is passionate about theatre and its ability to inspire empathy, foster connection, and support social-emotional growth. Her previous credits include Tiny Beautiful Things (Letter Writer #3), Man of La Mancha (Maria), Freaky Friday (Dr. Ehrin, ASH Theatre), Hairspray (Dynamite #2), Crumbs from the Table of Joy (Ernestine), Roadmaps by Monica Prince (Rachel), The Outside (Mrs. Patrick), and Doubt (Mrs. Muller). Precious holds a double major in Psychology and French, with a minor in Theatre, from Susquehanna University, and by day, she is an elementary school teacher at The City School in Philadelphia, where she blends her passion for storytelling and education. She expresses deep gratitude to Jesus, her family, and her friends for their continued love and support. James 1:19
Regina Zeng as Lisa
Regina is excited to be making her debut at Old Academy Players. Most recently, she played Jennifer Marcus in The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow at the nearby Stagecrafters Theater. Recent credits elsewhere include Ann Putnam in The Crucible and Tony Kirby in You Can’t Take It With You, both with AfterWork Theater in New York City. In addition to acting, Regina enjoys reading, traveling, meandering through museums, and watching lots of live theater. She is thrilled to be a part of the Summer One Act Bonanza and hopes everyone enjoys the show!
Sarah Velcofsky as Tina
Sarah is thrilled to be returning to the stage for the first time since middle school and is excited to make her debut at Old Academy Players. Love to family and friends.
Victoria Anne as Willa
Victoria has most recently performed in 10 out of 12 (Siget, Players Club of Swarthmore), Spring Awakening (Thea/ Fanny Gabor, The Drama Group of Germantown), Summer One-Act Bonanza ‘24/‘25 (Old Academy), The Philadelphia Story (Liz Imbrie, Playcrafters of Skippack), Rumors (Claire Ganz, Stagecrafters), and The Glass Menagerie (Laura Wingfield, Spotlight Theatre). Victoria is also a founding member of The Coil Project, a DC- based arts organization focused on developing new works and radio theater.
Douglas Tague (Director)
After appearing in several one-acts in recent years, Crowbar marks Doug’s debut as a director. He is privileged to play a part in bringing Sara Freedman’s heartfelt play to life. Thanks to Sarah Labov, Nancy Frick, our talented cast and volunteers. Love to my family and friends who have been so supportive.
Haley Dunning (Director)
Haley Dunning is so excited to be making her directing debut! As a long time actor since childhood, she has always wanted to try directing and is so grateful for the opportunity. Past roles at Old Academy include Emily in Our Town, Susan in Company, the Mute in the Fantasticks and many others in her youth. Thanks for coming!
Jerry Jennings (Director/Playwright)
Jerry is excited to add both Director and Playwright to his “jack of all trades” experience at OA that includes Producer, Stage Manager, Actor, Set/Prop Construction, and Set Painter for shows that include Our Town, The Dining Room, Tiny Beautiful Things, The Women, and more. Jerry has won or placed in numerous screenwriting competitions, while his recent shift to playwriting includes Shut Up and Listen, an adaptation of Jane Eyre, a family comedy, and a Holocaust drama.
Joan Shupp (Director)
Joan Shupp has been a member of Old Academy Players since 2009. She enjoys the opportunity to wear many hats, among them Producer, Director for the second time in the One Acts, Tech Person in Soung and Light Booth, Set Worker, Hospitality Co-chair, Recording Secretary of OA, Sets and Props Co-chair for the Children’s Arts Program. Her other favorite role is wife of the co-producer, the multi-faceted Randy. Thanks to Nancy and Sarah for the opportunity to work with this delightful cast and company.
Kimberly Hess (Director)
Kimberly is delighted to be working at Old Academy again. Recently she produced and performed in It’s Only A Play and last summer she appeared in Love, Loss and What I Wore, both at OAP. Other roles include Sissy in Sordid Lives at Kelsey Theatre for MTM Players, Diane in Old Ringers at Old Academy, and Ida Bolton in Mornings at Seven at Old Academy. Previous performances include major roles in Book of Days; Out of Sight, Out of Murder; A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody, Fools; 12 Angry Jurors; Don’t Dress for Dinner; No Sex Please We’re British and Something Intangible. Kimberly sings with Bucks County Choral Society and Cantus Novus choral groups.
Marc Johnson (Director)
Marc has been directing in regional theater for a few years. This will be his first time directing at Old Academy Players. Marc’s last few plays: Race by David Mamet, Seminar by Theresa Rebeck and Clyborne Park by Bruce Norris all at The Drama Group in Germantown.
Rachel Dalton (Director)
Rachel is delighted to be making her directing debut with Unboxed. She has appeared onstage at OAP in Tiny Beautiful Things (Letter Writer #2), And Then There Were None (Vera Claythorne), and Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Jane Bingley). She is a mental health writer/editor by day and also works as an intimacy director, passionate about respect and autonomy both on and off the stage. Many thanks to Sarah, Nancy, and Laura (producer extraordinaire), as well as her family, friends, and amazing husband, Javi.
Randy Shupp (Director)
Randy Shupp is thrilled to be co-directing Leo/Lisa with his marvelous wife Joan. Credits at OA: Julius Caesar in Shakespearapalooza, The Joke written by Nancy Frick, Marcus Leicus in Forum, Peter Ravenswaal in Wrong Turn at Lungfish, Sydney Greenstreet in Ten Chimneys, a couple roles in Twelfth Night. He and Joan co-produced Old Ringers, Unexpected Guest, Calendar Girls, and Streetcar Named Desire. In 2008, he met his first professional musical partner at OA, Don Kawash, and he went on to appear in many OA Christmas musical revues.
Alexa Archer (Producer)
While this is not their first time, Alexa Archer is excited to be a producer for the one act, Hello at Old Academy Players. Usually, Alexa performs on the stage. Last year they had the opportunity to star in DISENCHANTED! (Frog Princess). Alexa also occasionally performs in TNP’s Rocky Horror Picture Show: Shadow cast. Being in theater for 10 years now, Alexa has had experience in all sections of the performing arts, including being the Assistant Director for the Delcastle players showing of Alibis. They hope to return to the stage soon, but right now they are super delighted to work with Haley Dunning on her directing debut!
Hannah Leifheit (Producer)
At Old Academy, Hannah enjoys being both on and backstage. Thanks to everyone for their hard work and to the audience for their support of community theater!
Laura Mitchell (Producer)
Laura is thrilled to be producing her first show, Unboxed, with OAP. She has previously assisted behind the scenes with OAP’s production of Tiny Beautiful Things, and recently worked on sound and lighting for OAP’s Driving Miss Daisy. Outside of the theater Laura works in academic publishing and in her spare time is an avid theater goer. Thank you so much to Sarah and Nancy for their wonderful guidance, and special thank yous to Rachel for being the best director and bringing me on board!
Nancy Frick (Executive Producer)
Nancy has produced and/or co-produced the One Acts since their inception and has loved her collaboration with Sarah. She especially loves all the new people she meets, the chaos that ensues, and the opportunity to create a memorable show together. She is grateful to Old Academy for all the opportunities it has given her over the years, including inspiring her playwriting ventures. A past Old Academy president, she salutes outgoing president Norm Burnosky for his decade of service – Thank you, Norm! – and wishes the very best to our new president, Josh Tull.
Sarah Labov (Executive Producer)
Sarah Labov has been an OAP member for thirteen years – yay! She enjoys directing, acting, producing, designing and building sets, lights, sound, and running tech in the booth. The Summer One Act Bonanza is a celebration of collaboration and this year we brought in a terrific slate of plays, directors and actors to bring you the best possible production. Sarah directed the November mainstage production of “It’s Only a Play” by Terrence McNally, “Fast Girls” and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead”. She has appeared on stage as Myrtle Webb (Our Town), Queen Margaret & Beatrice (Shakespeara Palooza), Marty (Circle Mirror Transformation), Sonya (Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike). Sarah studied with the Philadelphia Rep Co., Mike Nichols, Paul Sills, David Mamet and NYU/Stella Adler. A special thank you to N.K. Frick, and as always, heartfelt thanks to family and friends.
Sonya Aiko Hearn (Producer)
Last seen in OAP’s Summer One-Act Bonanza 2025 as Mel (Gamma Girls to the Rescue), Sonya is excited to be on the production team for this year’s one-acts. She has also acted, some of her favorite roles being Kimberly in Kimberly Akimbo, Emily from Ladies in Retirement, and Louise in Private Lives. She wants to thank her husband, James (for all his love and support!), as well as Sarah, Nancy, casts, and crew, for making this a wonderful experience.
Dana Leslie Goldstein (Playwright)
Dana is a playwright, lyricist and librettist whose quirky writing always addresses some aspect of healing. She has won the New England New Play Competition, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Playwriting Prize, Different Voices New Play Award, ACTF New Play Award, Henry Hoyns Poetry Fellowship, AWP Intro Award, an Academy of American Poets Prize and numerous development grants and commissions. Dana’s work has been seen at Symphony Space, Manhattan Theatre Club, Cherry Lane, Culture Project, Women’s Project, The York, and elsewhere across the U.S., as well as in Canada, Australia, the UK and Singapore. Her plays are published by Next Stage Press, Smith & Kraus, Applause Books, Sordelet Ink and Palmetto Press. She is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild.
Jean Ciampi (Playwright)
Jean Ciampi is a playwright, humorist and contract writer based in Houston, Texas. She won her second Robert J. Pickering/JR Colbeck Award for Playwriting Excellence in 2024 with her latest farce “Yazoo, Miss’ssippi,” which was a featured script for the 2025 Frank Silvera Writers Workshop. Jean is also a two-time recipient of a Veterans Repertory Theatre Writers Grants, and, for the past two years, she has been a featured playwright for the Greater Conroe Arts Alliance’s Arts Festival which has produced over a dozen of her short plays. A member of the Dramatists Guild of America and the Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive, she is a founding member of the T43 Playwrights Collective based in New York City. She is President of the Board of Directors for The Players Theatre Company in Conroe, Texas.
Kate Danley (Playwright)
Kate Danley is Maryland Distinguished Scholar in the Arts and a USA TODAY bestselling author. Working for Crumbs – Winner, B Street Theatre New Comedies Festival, nominated for two OFFIES (Off-West End Awards). Building Madness – Winner, Panowski Playwriting Award. Madam(e) Lou – Edinburgh Fringe 2026. www.katedanley.com
Kathy Passero (Playwright)
Kathy is a Manhattan-based playwright and author. She has taken part in The Playground Experiment and other NYC-based playwriting groups and is a member of The Playwrights’ Center. Her short fiction has appeared in Fiction, DoubleTake/Points of Entry, The Georgia Review, and Karamu, among other literary journals. She is delighted to be included in the 2026 Summer One-Act Bonanza.
Maria Riillo (Playwright)
Maria is a Philly based theater artist. She most recently played Medea in &Medea with Amalgamation. Other recent shows: Juliet & Romeo (Lady Capulet, DGG) Importance of Being Earnest (Gwendolyn, DGG), That Woman (Philly Fringe) Waiting for Ganol (Philly Fringe), All in the Timing (Fever Dream) and Book of Will (Fever Dream). Maria graduated from the University of Pennsylvania where she studied Comparative Literature and Creative Writing. She also performed in various shows while she was there, her favorite among them Everyman, Well, Love Song, and Peter and the Starcatcher. She studied classic theater at BADA Midsummer in Oxford. She dedicates this to the friends she has made through the Philly theater community! You keep me going!
Sara Freedman (Playwright)
Sara Freedman’s short plays have been produced all across the country. Her play “Long Haul” was a finalist in the 2022 Tennessee Williams Literary Festival one-act competition in New Orleans. Her play “Horseshoe” took 3rd place in the 10:4 Tenn National Playwright Contest by Ponder Review. Sara has a master’s degree in writing from Portland State University and lives in Bend, Oregon. Invite the Bills to dinner.