Deadline
By Marcia Kash & Douglas E. Hughes
Directed by Jason Podplesky
Playwrights Don and Mara are hired to finish a famous mystery writer’s last play following his mysterious death, shortly before its Broadway opening. The play takes place on a yacht, where an estranged family has been called together for the reading of their mother’s will. As Don and Mara delve deeper into the writing process, they suddenly find themselves literally sucked into the play, trapped in the very world they are trying to complete, where solving the mystery becomes a matter of life and death. Deadline is a bit of CLUE, and a bit of KNIVES OUT, and a lot of fun!
| Please be advised: this production contains the following: sudden loud noises (including 3 prop gunshots) and strobe lighting effects. |
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Tickets$10-$53
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RuntimeAct 1: 50 minutes; 15 minute Intermission;Act 2: 50 minutes
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Ratingpg13
The Human Race Theatre Company
Executive DirectorKappy Kilburn
Artistic DirectorEmily N. Wells
Creative ProducerTara Lail
Present:
Marcia Kash & Douglas E. Hughes
Directed by Jason Podplesky
Scenic Design Ray Zupp
Lighting Design John Rensel ^
Costume Design Janet G. Powell
Fight Director
Sound Designer Brando Triantafillou
Time:
Place:
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
ANDREW IAN ADAMS °
Dean / Trevor
Andrew is thrilled to make his return onstage at The Human Race Theatre and to help bring this new whodunit to life. Past HRTC shows include Airness (Golden Thunder) and Avenue Q (Bad Idea Bear) as well as staged readings of Gingerbread Children (Hansel) and The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes (Ensemble). Regional productions include Puffs (Cedric/Mr Voldy), Neverwhere (Old Bailey), and Mercury (Brian). He is also a member of ComedySportz Cincinnati and has appeared in multiple print/commercial ads for Kroger, Tidy Cats, and Bed Bath and Beyond. Much love to his family and friends. Follow @GoodHairGeek
CHRISTINE BRUNNER *
Devorah / Violet
Christine is returning after a fun romp through Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Josephine) this past spring. She has also appeared on the Loft Stage in Permanent Collection (Gillian), 26 Pebbles (professional premiere), Steel Magnolias (Truvy), Play it by Heart (Debbie Dean), A Christmas Carol (Various), and in a variety of Marsha Hanna New Play Workshops like My von Trapp Life appearing with Elisabeth von Trapp as her mother, Maria. Christine has a BFA/MA in Theatre from Miami University, and is an acting coach, specializing in the preparation of collegiate audition preparation for high school juniors and seniors at her Dayton studio, Limelight.
ADELYN RAE HELMS
Tabitha
Adelyn is overjoyed to be onstage at The Human Race, where she also works in the office as Communications Coordinator. She graduated with her BFA in Musical Theatre from Ohio Northern University, where favorite roles include Juliet in Romeo & Juliet and Harper in Angels in America. Pre-pandemic, she was a Tour Actor/Director for Missoula Children’s Theatre and played Charlotte in their production of Charlotte’s Web. Recently, she appeared in the ensemble of TheatreLab’s Something Rotten! She’s proud to be performing in her hometown, and grateful to the HRTC family and all those who have encouraged her passion.
JOSH AARON McCABE *
Don / Silas
Josh is thrilled to return to HRT after playing Luke in Everything That’s Beautiful here last spring. A 15-year member of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA, Josh has performed in over 25 of their productions, including: The Tempest, Cymbeline, Comedy of Errors; Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged); Mother Courage and Her Children (starring Olympia Dukakis); Love’s Labour’s Lost; 39 Steps; Hound of the Baskervilles; As You Like It; Mystery of Irma Vep; Winter’s Tale; Richard III; Les Liaisons Dangereuses; Merry Wives of Windsor. Off- Broadway: Peep Show (Actor’s Playhouse). Regional: Berkshire Theatre Group, Oldcastle Theatre, Connecticut Rep, Madison Rep., Forward Theater, Milwaukee’s Chamber Theatre, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Milwaukee’s Renaissance Theaterworks. National commercials, Daytime Serials and “Saturday Night Live.” Josh is an Assoc. Professor and serves as the Head of Acting at Wright State University. AEA & SAG-AFTRA.
KELLY MENGELKOCH *
Mara / Meredith [Understudy]
Kelly is delighted to return to play with her Dayton friends! Last seen here in Everything That’s Beautiful, she also appeared in HRTC’s Brother Wolf and Shenandoah. Calling Cincinnati her home, she has been a member of the resident ensemble at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for 18 years. She also loves working with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, and The Know Theatre Cincinnati. Next up, she will be working on the world premiere of The Rewards of Being Frank, a co-production with Cincinnati Shakespeare and New York Classical Theatre, Off-Broadway. Film credits include Dark Waters, The Old Man and the Gun, Perception, Healing River, and C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America. kellymengelkoch.com
BARRY MULHOLLAND *
Bartholomew
Barry is delighted to be making his Human Race debut with Deadline. Barry has appeared onstage in New York, Los Angeles, and at regional theatres throughout the country, including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, St. Louis Rep, Long Wharf Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre, the Intiman Theatre, and Capitol Rep. Locally, he’s been seen at Cincinnati Playhouse-in-the-Park, Ensemble Theatre, Cincinnati Shakespeare, and with the Cincinnati Pops at Music Hall. Recent screen credits include Dark Waters, Surviving Compton, and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Barry makes his home in Cincinnati with beautiful wife Vivian and assorted furry housemates. Website: barrymulholland.com
ANNIE PESCH *
Mara / Meredith
Annie is excited to return to The Human Race for the world premiere of Deadline! HRTC credits include the world premiere of Family Shots, Mame, Children of Eden, King Island Christmas, Adventures in Time radio drama, and In-School Tours. NY/Regional premieres and developmental readings include Actors Theatre of Louisville/Cleveland Play House’s Midwest premiere of The Kite Runner, Wings Theatre, American Blues Theater, Broken Nose Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, Urban Stages, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and Dayton’s Magnolia Theatre Company. Love and thanks to her family. Proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. www.anniepesch.com
PRODUCTION BIOGRAPHIES
JASON PODPLESKY Director
Jason is thrilled to be directing at The Human Race Theatre having previously worked as an actor in Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sylvia, 26 Pebbles, and Becky’s New Car. Jason has directed at The Flea Theater, Manhattan Theatre Source, The Public Theatre, and MCC Theater in New York and was a member of the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab. Regionally, his directing credits include CATCO, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Red Herring Theatre, and The LAB Theatre of Cincinnati. He has also directed at Wright State University, Wittenberg University, Denison University, and at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music.
k. JENNY JONES Fight Director
k. Jenny is so very happy to be joining The Human Race for this fantastic production of Deadline. She lives in Cincinnati where she is on faculty at the College-Conservatory of Music and the resident Fight and Intimacy Director for the Theater Division. Regionally she has choreographed at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Cincinnati, Lexington & Dayton Operas. An internationally recognized master teacher of stage combat, k. Jenny travels the US and abroad teaching her innovative form of unarmed staged violence called Scrappy Fighting. Long Live The Human Race Theatre – what a great space.
JANET G. POWELL Costume Designer
Janet is costuming her twenty-third show for HRTC. Recent costuming credits include Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Airness, and The Revolutionists. She has costumed productions for Yellow Brick Theater, Town Hall Theatre, joint productions for CCM and The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center, Dayton Playhouse, Beavercreek Theatre, and Memorial Hall in Cincinnati. As a former Norwood City Schools artistic director/educator, she directed, and costumed numerous shows over a period of 37 years. She continues to support youth theatre by volunteering her services and time.
JOHN RENSEL Resident Lighting Designer
John is the long-term Resident Lighting Designer for The Human Race Theatre Company, Muse Machine, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Pops series, and the Dayton Opera Association. He also serves as the long-time Technical Director for the Fraze Pavilion and has provided advanced technical production coordination, lighting designs, automation programming, and performance operation services for many artists and productions that have visited that venue. John also has a diverse dance lighting background, having provided lighting designs and technical production services for many years to The Dayton Ballet and Dayton Contemporary Dance Co. John’s national credits include a lighting design package for a National Touring Production of the Elton John/Tim Rice collaboration Aida. Some of his most recent local credits include all the designs for The Human Race’s season at the Loft Theatre; Muse Machine’s productions at the Victoria Theatre and the Dayton Opera Association’s season at the Schuster Center. At 70, John just had his tonsils removed. Ouch!
BRANDO TRIANTAFILLOU Composer / Sound Designer
Brando is happy to be working for the first time at The Human Race Theatre on Deadline. Other productions include: Chicago’s A Red Orchid Theatre production of Annie Baker’s Aliens, Zinnie Harris’ Solstice, David Adjmi’s Apartment 3C, Tennessee Williams’ The Mutilated – Jeff Nominated for original music, and Eugene Ionesco’s Victims by Duty directed by Shira Piven. Brando composed the score to the 2017 Netflix feature film Pottersville, starring Michael Shannon, Judy Greer and Ron Perlman. Additionally, he works as a composer/sound designer and audio engineer for TV/Web/Radio commercials and artist recording projects.
MARK TYNAN * Stage Manager
Mark is thrilled to be back in his native Ohio and able to see his great nephews, Elliott, Gabriel, Rowan, and Luca (and the rest of his family) in person rather than on the Facebook. Mark got his BFA from Wright State University with his first two years at The Ohio State University. He is a proud 37-year member of Actors’ Equity Association. His career includes Radio City Music Hall, subbing on Broadway, national and international tours, regional theatre and corporate events. It is an honor to be working with The Human Race Theatre Company, very grateful.
RAY ZUPP Scenic Designer
Ray is always thrilled to “come back home” when working with The Human Race Theatre, previously designing The Revolutionists, Lizzie, The House, and One Slight Hitch. Zupp spent four seasons working with the Dayton Ballet, designing their productions of Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, and was the costume and scenic designer for Dracula: Bloodlines. Ray has designed for numerous theater companies across the United States over the last decade. Television credits include work on various shows for Fox, CMT, Discovery, ABC/Disney, HBO, Amazon, and Netflix. Currently he is working as a Concept Artist and Designer for major theme park projects while earning his MFA in Savannah, Georgia.
THE CREW
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
D. TRISTAN CUPP
CARPENTER / CHARGE ARTIST
JEFF HEATER
STAGE MANAGER
MARK TYNAN *
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT & FIGHT CAPTAIN
JOSEPH EVANS °
PROP MASTER
SARAH GOMES
COSTUME SHOP MANAGER
DEBRA HOWARD
WARDROBE
ASHTON BRUNN, KATIE STAFINIAK
SOUND ENGINEER
MEGAN JALOWIEC
RUN CREW
MJ SALATA, ERINMARIE SUSCHECK, EVAN ELLIS
CARPENTERS
Tim Judge, Emery Kimmins
Scenic Artist
Elspeth Bradley
PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN
STEVE WILLIAMS
HEALTH RESOURCE OFFICER
TARA LAIL
PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHER
SCOTT J. KIMMINS
PRODUCTION ARTWORK
DAVE ARNOLD/CONNEXION
SPECIAL THANKS
SCOTT J. KIMMINS
About the Playwrights
Marcia KashPlaywright
Marcia trained as an actor at the Drama Centre and began her career at the Royal Court Theatre in London, England. Her first play, the highly successful WHO’S UNDER WHERE? written with Douglas E. Hughes, has been translated into nine languages and received over 150 productions around the world. Together with Mr. Hughes, she has also penned the whodunnit A PARTY TO MURDER, an hilarious period comedy TOO MANY COOKS, a seniors’ caper JACK OF DIAMONDS, and an award winning political farce, SOMETHING FISHY.
Working solo, Marcia’s credits include the highly popular DISCOVERING ELVIS and her family drama FOR THIS MOMENT ALONE.
Together with collaborator Mary Colin Chisholm, Marcia wrote the screenplay, A BELLY FULL, which received two development awards from Telefilm Canada. Adapted into a stage play it received its world premiere at The Mill at Sonning in the UK in 2019.
In addition to writing and acting, Marcia is also an accomplished theatre director with over 100 credits ranging from new works to comedies to major musicals including the US/Canadian tour of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.
Douglas E. HughesPlaywright
Doug is a Toronto-based actor and playwright. He has worked in theatres across Canada and in the U.S., as well as in TV, film and voiceover. He spent 13 seasons at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario, and another 3 seasons at the Stratford Festival. He and his writing partner, Marcia Kash, have written 6 plays to date, the first five of which have been published by Concord Theatricals, and have had more than 300 productions in 16 countries around the world, and have been translated into 9 languages. Their play Something Fishy won the Playwrights’ Guild of Canada’s 2014 Tom Hendry award for Best New Comedy. Deadline is their sixth collaborative effort. Doug’s solo works include 2 short plays, Debussy: At Sea and The Talking Cure (written for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra), as well as two novels, The Poor Player and its sequel, The Shaming of the True.
CONTENT WARNING
Please be advised: this production contains sudden loud noises, including 3 prop gunshots
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