Theater 116: Willy
Synopsis:
Suffering from PTSD, Willy continues to struggle in his day-to-day life, haunted by the psychological trauma he suffered while serving in Vietnam, and the subsequent divorce from the love of his life, and the separation from his daughter, whom he adores.
Writer
Jan Buttram
Jan Buttram is the playwright. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild and is the Founding Artistic Director of Abingdon Theatre Company. Her other plays include Texas Homos, The President and Her Mistress, Private Battles, The Parker Family Circus, Backwoods, Lost on the Natchez Trace, and more. She is also an actor and director.
Jan Buttram
Director
Bernadette Armstrong
Bernadette Armstrong has been writing, directing, and producing successful plays in North Hollywood since 2000. Her most recent success occurred under the direst circumstances, the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic forced the closure of live theater, including the premier of her play Custody, Bernadette’s disappointment led her to launch a new theater venue, Open-Door Playhouse. Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast – like the radio dramas of the 1940’s and 1950’s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception, Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and 1ACT plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally.
Bernadette Armstrong
Cast:
Matt Ritchey (Willy)
Matt Ritchey holds a BFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, a Certificate in Shakespeare from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and is a graduate and former Associate Producer at Director’s Lab West. His original play Blackboxing (writer/performer) won six awards at the 2019 Hollywood Fringe Festival including "Best Cabaret/Variety" Fringe Award and "Standout Song Award." His play Romeo and Juliet In Hell (writer/director) was nominated for four awards (including "Best Director") at the 2019 LA Valley Theater Awards; and Angel’s Flight (writer/director) won “Best Cabaret/Variety” at the 2016 Hollywood Fringe Festival and a “Best Director” nomination by Rogue Shakespeare Company. His mystery stage play Nevermore had its third production in Halloween of 2016, and his film Poker Night (director) won "Best Comedy Short" at the Culver City Film Festival and was nominated for Connect Film Festival's "Apollo Award" for "a compelling exploration of masculinity" in filmmaking.
He’s the creator of Storycrafting (storycrafting.biz), a coaching and coverage service for writers. His clients have won “Best Original Screenplay” at Hollywood Blood Horror Festival and played at the New York Theater Festival.
You can spot him on TV calling for a “Loan Falcon” during commercial breaks.
Matt Ritchey
Gena Kay (Josie)
Gena Kay grew up on a farm in Indiana, where she wrote and performed various porch shows for uninterested siblings and barnyard animals. Her sister’s farm was inspiration for Gena’s children’s book currently being illustrated, based on a Thanksgiving turkey that escapes the dinner table. While attending Ball State University, David Letterman kindly gave her $$ when she won his internship. Chosen from 1200+ ladies in a Talent Search for Aaron Spelling’s daytime soap Sunset Beach, Gena got Californicated and was hooked.
Currently, Gena is an actor, writer, producer, and fun alert: proofreader living in Los Angeles and leaving Los Angeles every chance she gets to see as many countries as she can. So far she’s visited all 50 states and nearly 75 countries, but who is counting? She spent half of Covid Zombie Apocalypse 2020 out of the country, volunteering in Africa and “stuck” on a paradise Greek island. Somehow, she survived and is honored to be a part of such an impactful production as Willy.
Gena Kay
Ayla Rose Barreau (Penny)
Ayla Rose Barreau, a New England native, has been performing on stage since before she could walk, most recently as Tanya in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Divorce. As a SAG-AFTRA actor, Ayla has co-starred on Fox’s Glee and NBC’s Heroes and graced the big screen as Ruby in the award-winning film, The Busker. Ayla has recently filmed several short films and is currently a member of the SkyPilot Theatre Company and Crown Collective. http://www.aylarose.com | @aylarosesays
Ayla Rose Barreau
Sound Production:
Oak House Recording Studio in Pasadena, CA with Sound Engineer David Peters.
