Shoe Box
Short Theatre Festival
May 17, 2025
7:00 PM
Thoughts
Written & Directed by Jody Austin
The role of grandparents and how Alzheimer’s can affect a family
Marsha Blovotnik and the Magical Marvelous Chicken Soup
Written by Dan Kitrosser
Marsha’s angry. At the world, her ex-wives and most especially her sister...
who is coming over for Shabbat dinner. Could a magical, mystical pot of chicken soup
be the cure for what annoys her?
​
Performers:
Marsha: Janis Dardaris
Chorus: David Ingram
Ancient Ancestor: Jesse Bernstein
Sister: Susan Stevens
Directed by Jesse Bernstein
Sponsored by:
Lantern Theater Company and Theatre Ariel
Rahnda Rize is a Multidisciplinary Performing Artist (singer/songwriter, poet, actor, and dancer) who hails from Philadelphia, PA. She holds a BA in Communications from Temple University, and is a 2025 graduate of the Conservatory of Performing Arts MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts program at Point Park University.
Out Of The Heart Wicked Things Doth Come
By: Jaz
​​
An African American female substitute teacher finally speaks truth to power to a racist Caucasian female teacher at the school they teach at. The past & the present collide & what unfolds next will shatter both worlds. This short poetic play will examine and express how two women from different worlds clash. Cecilia is hurt and angered by the racism she experiences in her profession. She at last has her moment to express all of what she feels. Lisa, her colleague, doesn’t realize how much her actions affect Cecilia and finally moves towards an understanding.
Performers:
Rahnda Rize as Cecilia Nube and Charmaine Warrington as Lisa Wetherington, Susan Chase and Mason Oliver.
Jaz is an Award-winning Published Poet, Author, Performance Poet, Playwright, Actress, Songwriter(ASCAP), Singer, Musician, and Educator from Philly, PA. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing/Poetry from Goddard College and a BA in Theater from Temple University. Jaz is honored to be Christ’s vessel on & off stages/pages.
Charmaine Warrington was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
My creative work inspired me to graduate from Temple University's Theater Arts Program. I've moved forward and thankful to be working with this great poetic short, "Out Of The Heart Wicked Things Doth Come."
Susan Chase just returned from the United Solo Festival in New York City, where her one-woman show, Mother's Day, received the award for Best Physical Theatre Performance. In addition to Mother's Day, Chase has toured her solo play Susan's Undoing throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and New England.
Mason Oliver from Philadelphia, PA, started his acting career this Spring.He performed vocally at the The Kimmel Center with the String Theory Choir.He also plays the guitar, piano and drums.
Smart Casinos
Written by Brooke Shilling
Smart Casinos is a new original play that peers into the life of a live casino game employee. Mel, an online blackjack dealer for a live dealer casino game, like an app a gambling fan may have on their phone, learns her brother is missing. But as she returns to work everyday, she begins to think she may know where to find her brother. ​
​
Performers:
Nina Sharp & Elena Nahrmann
Brooke Shilling is a playwright, performer, educator, and clown. Her work has been presented at the Philadelphia FringeArts Festival, The Cannonball Festival, The Drama League, Dixon Place, and the Shoe Box Theater Festival. As a playwright, Brooke is a member of the 2024-2025 PlayPenn Playwright's Cohort and was a 2024 Terrance McNally Award Semifinalist. brooke-shilling.com / @brooke.shilling
Nina Sharp (They/Them) is a Philadelphia performing artist and educator who is curious about nature, community, social justice/trauma healing as a means of widespread cultural change, and the intersectionality of creative/expressive art forms. Music, movement, collaboration, shapeshifting, and clowning around are some of the main elements of their creation style.
Elena Nahrmann is a Philadelphia-based multi-disciplinary theatre artist and full-time silly girl originally from the Boston area. With a background in physical theater, puppetry and dance her work invites audiences to explore the depths of their imaginations, blending playful artistry with vivid truths. When not onstage, you can find Elena coaching aerial arts and acrobatics around Philadelphia, helping others find freedom through movement.
La Diva Noire Speaks Love, Strength & Freedom
Written & Directed by Tiffani Dean
One woman story telling session about love, strength and freedom. La Diva Noire will take the stage to tell three tales. One about a personal encounter with Harriet Tubman. Another story is about finding her voice after being lost in a relationship. The thirds story is of the love of a black mother for her sons. The whole piece is a mix of stage, film, poetry, prose and music.
Iris Elena Coates is vocalist, songwriter, poet, actress, storyteller & member of The Collective Mic Productions. Her passion for her craft is rooted in her deep appreciation for the catharsis performing arts offers her and in creating expressive healing spaces for others through her work as a Therapeutic Art Life Coach.
We're All Sad So Let's Laugh
Written & Directed Teresa Nutter
We're All Sad So Let's Laugh explores the funny side of misery. Through characters, storytelling, and sketches, you and Teresa can laugh and cry at it all.
​
Performers:
Teresa Nutter & Esse Kaye
Shoe Box
Short Theatre Festival
May 17, 2025
7:00 PM
Thoughts
Written & Directed by Jody Austin
The role of grandparents and how Alzheimer’s can affect a family
Marsha Blovotnik and the Magical Marvelous Chicken Soup
Written by Dan Kitrosser
Marsha’s angry. At the world, her ex-wives and most especially her sister...
who is coming over for Shabbat dinner. Could a magical, mystical pot of chicken soup
be the cure for what annoys her?
​
Performers:
Marsha: Janis Dardaris
Chorus: David Ingram
Ancient Ancestor: Jesse Bernstein
Sister: Susan Stevens
Directed by Jesse Bernstein
Sponsored by:
Lantern Theater Company and Theatre Ariel
Rahnda Rize is a Multidisciplinary Performing Artist (singer/songwriter, poet, actor, and dancer) who hails from Philadelphia, PA. She holds a BA in Communications from Temple University, and is a 2025 graduate of the Conservatory of Performing Arts MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts program at Point Park University.
Out Of The Heart Wicked Things Doth Come
By: Jaz​​
​
An African American female substitute teacher finally speaks truth to power to a racist Caucasian female teacher at the school they teach at. The past & the present collide & what unfolds next will shatter both worlds. This short poetic play will examine and express how two women from different worlds clash. Cecilia is hurt and angered by the racism she experiences in her profession. She at last has her moment to express all of what she feels. Lisa, her colleague, doesn’t realize how much her actions affect Cecilia and finally moves towards an understanding.
Performers:
Rahnda Rize as Cecilia Nube and Charmaine Warrington as Lisa Wetherington, Susan Chase and Mason Oliver.
Jaz is an Award-winning Published Poet, Author, Performance Poet, Playwright, Actress, Songwriter(ASCAP), Singer, Musician, and Educator from Philly, PA. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing/Poetry from Goddard College and a BA in Theater from Temple University. Jaz is honored to be Christ’s vessel on & off stages/pages.
Charmaine Warrington was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
My creative work inspired me to graduate from Temple University's Theater Arts Program. I've moved forward and thankful to be working with this great poetic short, "Out Of The Heart Wicked Things Doth Come."
Susan Chase just returned from the United Solo Festival in New York City, where her one-woman show, Mother's Day, received the award for Best Physical Theatre Performance. In addition to Mother's Day, Chase has toured her solo play Susan's Undoing throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and New England.
Mason Oliver from Philadelphia, PA, started his acting career this Spring.He performed vocally at the The Kimmel Center with the String Theory Choir.He also plays the guitar, piano and drums.
Smart Casinos
Written by Brooke Shilling
Smart Casinos is a new original play that peers into the life of a live casino game employee. Mel, an online blackjack dealer for a live dealer casino game, like an app a gambling fan may have on their phone, learns her brother is missing. But as she returns to work everyday, she begins to think she may know where to find her brother. ​
​
Performers:
Nina Sharp & Elena Nahrmann
Brooke Shilling is a playwright, performer, educator, and clown. Her work has been presented at the Philadelphia FringeArts Festival, The Cannonball Festival, The Drama League, Dixon Place, and the Shoe Box Theater Festival. As a playwright, Brooke is a member of the 2024-2025 PlayPenn Playwright's Cohort and was a 2024 Terrance McNally Award Semifinalist. brooke-shilling.com / @brooke.shilling
Nina Sharp (They/Them) is a Philadelphia performing artist and educator who is curious about nature, community, social justice/trauma healing as a means of widespread cultural change, and the intersectionality of creative/expressive art forms. Music, movement, collaboration, shapeshifting, and clowning around are some of the main elements of their creation style.
Elena Nahrmann is a Philadelphia-based multi-disciplinary theatre artist and full-time silly girl originally from the Boston area. With a background in physical theater, puppetry and dance her work invites audiences to explore the depths of their imaginations, blending playful artistry with vivid truths. When not onstage, you can find Elena coaching aerial arts and acrobatics around Philadelphia, helping others find freedom through movement.
La Diva Noire Speaks Love, Strength & Freedom
Written & Directed by Tiffani Dean
One woman story telling session about love, strength and freedom. La Diva Noire will take the stage to tell three tales. One about a personal encounter with Harriet Tubman. Another story is about finding her voice after being lost in a relationship. The thirds story is of the love of a black mother for her sons. The whole piece is a mix of stage, film, poetry, prose and music.
Iris Elena Coates is vocalist, songwriter, poet, actress, storyteller & member of The Collective Mic Productions. Her passion for her craft is rooted in her deep appreciation for the catharsis performing arts offers her and in creating expressive healing spaces for others through her work as a Therapeutic Art Life Coach.
We're All Sad So Let's Laugh
Written & Directed Teresa Nutter
We're All Sad So Let's Laugh explores the funny side of misery. Through characters, storytelling, and sketches, you and Teresa can laugh and cry at it all.
​
Performers:
Teresa Nutter & Esse Kaye