RED HERRING CAST

Maggie Pelletier........................................................................ Mary MacDonald Kerr*
Frank Keller, Priest, Major Hartwell............................................................ Chris Tarjan*
Lynn McCarthy, Clerk............................................................................... Emily Trask
James Appel, Woody, Harry, Bartender..................................................... Ryan Schabach
Mrs. Kravitz, Mrs. McCarthy, Mrs. Von Nostrand....................................... Deborah Clifton*
Andrei Borchevsky, Petey, Dr. Kasden, Herbert, Corpse................................... Bo Johnson*

*member of Actors' Equity Association

Deborah Clifton Mrs. Kravitz, et al. Deborah Clifton is pleased to be making her debut with NEXT ACT and is very happy to be back on a Milwaukee stage.  Most recently, Ms. Clifton was seen in Chicago Shakespeare Project’s A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE playing the unimportant woman, Mrs. Arbuthnot; Lady Faulconbridge in Chicago Shakespeare’s production of KING JOHN and Stevie in the Goodman’s THE GOAT by Edward Albee.  Ms. Clifton was a long time member of the now defunct Theatre X where she, along with her husband, John Kishline, performed and created over a gazillion plays (not really — but it feels like it).  During the summer months, she is the owner/chef of the Monches Mill House Tea Room in scenic Kettle Moraine.  Ms. Clifton would like to thank David Cecsarini for inviting her to come and play at his house.

Bo Johnson Andrei, et al. Talk about ubiquitous; Bo’s been acting around Milwaukee for almost-ever.  You’ve probably seen something he’s done, in the long or very recent past.  For Next Act, remember DEAR ESTHER, SIDE MAN, FALLEN ANGELS or KINDERTRANSPORT (a Renaissance Theaterworks/NAT collaboration)?  Milwaukee Chamber Theatre patrons have seen lots: THE COMPLEAT WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (abridged), THE BIBLE (The Complete Works of God), THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE, THE ILLUSION, BEYOND THE FRINGE, SMASH, MEDEA and many more.  And he’s done unabridged Shakespeare with Milwaukee Shakes: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE TEMPEST, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, MEASURE FOR MEASURE and ROMEO AND JULIET.  And thanks to intensive comedic training at COMEDYSPORTZ and as a founding fish of THE DEAD ALEWIVES, there’s almost nothing he won’t do for a laugh.  Yikes!

Mary MacDonald Kerr Maggie Red Herring is Mary's sixth show at Next Act. Previous appearances were as Mae in FOOL FOR LOVE, Sylvia the Dog in SYLVIA, Li’l Bit in HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, Terry in SIDE MAN and Frankie in VOICE OF THE PRAIRIE. Mary has also worked for Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, the Milwaukee Rep, The Marcus Center and Milwaukee Shakespeare. She will have her Renaissance Theaterworks debut this spring, playing Anna in BURN THIS. The 2005-2006 theatre season marks her tenth year of work in Milwaukee.
Ryan Schabach James, et al. After moving to LA, Ryan is happy to be home for the holidays.  With a Psych/Philosophy major at UW-Oshkosh and an MFA from UW-Madison, he researched and developed new plays with playwright Richard Kalinoski.  Recent roles include the King in UNDERPANTS and Dick Wilkins in A CHRISTMAS CAROL as an intern at the Milwaukee Rep; Costard in LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST at the Utah Shakespearean Festival; and Puck in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Ryan has always enjoyed the quality work done at NEXT ACT and is thankful to all those who made this performance possible
Chris Tarjan Frank, et al. Chris is making his first appearance with Next Act. After performing, traveling and living in too many cities, he has now settled in Milwaukee where audiences have most recently seen him (for the third time) as Nick Pulaski in SHEAR MADNESS. He has also been seen as Hans, the forty year old disenchanted Little Drummer Boy in MERRY X-MAS MY ASS, Oscar Madison in THE ODD COUPLE, both at the Marcus Center; the one man show RUSH LIMBAUGH IN NIGHT SCHOOL with Bialystock and Bloom; and THE FRONT PAGE and ARSENIC AND OLD LACE at the Milwaukee Rep. Recently this year he was also pleased to be a part of Renaissance Theaterworks’ world premier, BOSWELL’S DREAMS.
Emily Trask Lynn, et al. RED HERRING is Emily’s first production with Next Act, and she’s thrilled to be here!  Most recently seen as Nora in BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS at the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre and in THE JAMMER with Bialystock and Bloom, Emily spent the majority of her previous two seasons at the Milwaukee Rep (some favorite roles include Mabel in CHAPS!, Dina in YES. NO. MAYBE SO…, Helene in A DOLL’S HOUSE, Theresa in NAPOLI MILLIONARIA and Martha Crachit in A CHRISTMAS CAROL). Emily graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa ‘03 and has worked with theaters in Montana, Utah, Iowa, Michigan, Baltimore and, of course, Wisconsin.  Hi Mom and Dad!
David Cecsarini Director David’s twenty-seventh as a theatre professional, having debuted with the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis as a journeyman actor in 1978.  During his eighteen-year Milwaukee residency, he has acted with most of its professional companies and also has extensive credits as a nine-year veteran of American Players Theatre in Spring Green, WI.   He has proudly served as Artistic Director and Producer for Milwaukee’s Next Act Theatre for thirteen seasons.  His most memorable directing projects include THE REAL THING, SOMEONE WHO’LL WATCH OVER ME, THE DRESSER, ROOM SERVICE, SIDE MAN and BETWEEN EAST AND WEST.  Behind the scenes, David is a sound designer, having created effects for over fifty professional productions.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Michael Hollinger

Michael Hollinger’s other plays include INCORRUPTIBLE, AN EMPTY PLATE IN THE CAFE DU GRAND BOEUF and TINY ISLAND, all of which have enjoyed productions around the country, off-Broadway and abroad.  Michael has written seven touring plays for young audiences, as well as the 3D Laser Show EXTREME CHOICES for New Jersey's Liberty Science Center. For PBS, he has written three short films and co-authored the feature-length PHILADELPHIA DIARY. Awards include the Roger L. Stevens Award from the Kennedy Center's Fund for New American Plays, a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play, the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Theatre Artist, a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award, the Frederick Loewe Award for Musical Theatre, and fellowships from the Independence Foundation, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Michael is a resident playwright of New Dramatists and Assistant Professor of Theatre at Villanova, where, 17 years ago, he was cast opposite Megan Bellwoar in PIPPIN. They now share a life, a profession, and two children, Benjamin and Willa.