Theater 134: Queen of Carbon
Synopsis:
Lizzy is nine months pregnant and is due to give birth on Mother’s Day. Lizzy wants to name the new baby Mildred, after trailblazing scientist Mildred Dresselhaus, who was known as The Queen of Carbon. Lizzy’s husband Danny has other ideas.
Written by:
Bara Swain
The exceptionally prolific East Village-based writer has created numerous plays for both adult and juvenile audiences. There have been over 275 live productions and over 50 virtual productions of her works, garnering over 70 honors/awards.Bara Swain’s plays have been staged in 165+ venues abroad, and 25 of the states in the US. These venues include those in New York City (Urban Stages, Abingdon, Barrow Group, Symphony Space, Sam French, NY Madness, Westside Theatre, Artistic New Directions and T.A.R.T.E.). Recent releases include the following: Choose! (Artistic New Directions, NYC); The Wonder of You (The Barrow Group, NYC). Turn! Turn! Turn! (Tom Mann Theatre, Sydney); Responsible (The Junction, Dubai); Pandemonium (Open Fist Theatre, L.A.), and Yearning for Peace (Articulate Theatre). She recently received a Standing Ovation Award for I Love Lucy and Can You Hear Me Now?, and City Theatre 2019 National Award Finalist for Short Playwriting for Extraordinary (FL). Bara serves as the Creative Consultant at Urban Stages.
Bara Swain
Director
Rachel Berney Needleman
Rachel Berney Needleman is a director and dramaturg for new plays and classical work. As a director: 4 Minutes by DJ Hills (MeetCute LA 2022), Playground-LA (2021-22 Season), Theresa Rebeck’s What We’re Up Against (Pacific Resident Theatre Co-op), Cabaret Noel with Gigi Bermingham (Antaeus Theatre Co. and Skylight Theatre), Five Second Chances by Mattie Brickman (PRT Co-op), Cowgirls by Mildred Lewis (EST-LA), The Space Between (The Braid). Rachel has directed new play readings and workshops at The Blank, EST-LA, Skylight, and Theatricum Botanicum. Her dramaturg credits include Antaeus (Diana of Dobson’s, Cloud 9, Henry IV) and Arizona Theatre Company (At Wit’s End). Rachel is also a co-author of the LA Anti-Racist Theatre Standards.
Rachel Berney Needleman
Cast
Gloria Tsai
Gloria Tsai is a Taiwanese-Texan actor/voice actor originally from Austin. After leaving a corporate career in 2015, she decided to pursue her childhood passion for performing and in late 2018 relocated to LA. In the Fall of 2019, Gloria was cast in “The Joy Luck Club” at Sierra Madre Playhouse (SMP), directed with LA Arts Commissioner & former East-West Players Artistic Director, Tim Dang. She returned to SMP in July of 2020 for a virtual production of “Yellow Face” by D.H. Hwang. And this past December, she played Clara Stanton in "Sex" by Mae West. Gloria’s VO career is just beginning! She completed her demos and narrated 2 romance novels in 2020. She has trained with famous vocal coaches: David Sobolov, Steve Blum, Bob Bergen, and Eliza Jane Schneider. Learn more at GloriaTsai.com or check out @glowtsai on all socials.
Gloria Tsai
Felipe Figueroa
With a deep passion for storytelling, Felipe has appeared in projects ranging from stage to screen over the past 10 years. Initially a musical theater kid, his favorite stage roles have been Bernardo in West Side Story and Paul in A Chorus Line. LA stage appearances have included, Happy No Year (Hollywood Fringe) and multiple staged readings with Ensemble Studio Theater of which he is a full company member. Television appearances include Transparent, Criminal Minds, Major Crimes and 911: Lone Star. Behind the camera he has directed the stand-up special, Asian American-Eyez'd and a staged reading of Angels in America. He is also part of a writers' group called The Writer's Collective which encourages stories from voices of writers of color and the LGBTQ communities. Graduate of NYU/Tisch School of the Arts.
