FESTIVAL PROGRAM 2022
For reference, you can download and view the full schedule here.
To purchase tickets visit the LSPU Hall Box Office.
For our festival pass, click here.
For reference, you can download and view the full schedule here.
To purchase tickets visit the LSPU Hall Box Office.
For our festival pass, click here.
Week One: September 8 - 11
ON-AIr - Noah Sheppard
|
ON-AIR by Noah Sheppard
Nolan Brushett, a young radio news anchor, is tasked with delivering the news evening after evening, either ruining or making the day of someone in the province, and feeling as though his identity is split between the two sides of him—his public persona, and his private self. Nolan goes back and forth, bickering with his public persona, as they clash over their views on the public, what they stand for, and who they truly are. “ON-AIR” explores the internal conversation going on in the head of the person behind the microphone, showing the struggle of figuring out a sense of self, being at the mercy of public opinion, and feeling a constant need to perform. September 8 & 9 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Liam O’Rielly as Nolan Jacob Ferrar as Brushett Directed by Noah Sheppard Stage Managed by Holly Stack Content: Suggestive Content, Coarse Language, Mental/Physical/Emotional Abuse (14+) |
Voice Box - Unsilenced Productions
|
Voice Box by Unsilenced Productions
Jane is a working profession, new in a big city with little-to-no connections in it. When she joins a new group of friends- a life line of sorts- one of the members begins to gaslight her behind closed doors. Through Jane’s perspective we delve into the damage that gaslighting can cause; ultimately begging the question: can you call it abuse when there isn’t a physical component? *This show contains several trigger warnings, please inquire for more information on these. September 8 & 9 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Jen Fleming (She/Her) -- Writer/Performer Nathan Gerow (They/Them) – Director Hannah Tuck (She/her) -- Stage Manager Content: Suggestive Content, Sexual Content, Coarse Language, Sexism, Mental Illness/Suicide, Mental/Physical/Emotional Abuse, self-harm (14+) |
Buried treasure - James B. Elloso
|
Buried Treasure by James B. Elloso
Buried Treasure is a post-apocalyptic play following a group of children as they search for treasure and try to survive a night in an abandoned world. September 8 & 9 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Written and Directed by James B.E. Starring Kelin Boyd, Jarod Farrell, Nathan Gerow and Sarah Power Narrated by Robert Finley Stage Management by Holly Stack Content: This play deals with climate catastrophe and involves a dark theatre environment, a bright light source, and some loud noises. (14+) |
It's Up To You - Studio Squidcicle
|
It's Up To You by Studio Squidcicle
The hit online show makes its on-stage debut! Lately, Paige has been having trouble deciding for herself. That's where you come in: At key points in the show you'll be asked to vote on what Paige should do. Eat breakfast, hang out with friends, and maybe end the world. Paige's day is in your hands, but be careful: Choices have consequences. September 8 & 9 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Starring Nicole Redmond, Noah Sheppard, Nina Wolf, Laci Organ, Bernard Pollett, and Nathan Gerow Stage Managed by Holly Stack and Lina Makaga Written and directed by Jarod Farrell Content: Grief, Anxiety (14+) |
Fogtown Fantasy: An Improvised D&D Adventure - St. John's Improv
|
Fogtown Fantasy: An Improvised D&D Adventure by St. John's Improv
"Magic! Swords! Magic! And of course, Mayhem.... Join a party of award-winning comedians on a short but fantastical story. There's no script or rehearsed plot in this fully improvised Dungeons & Dragons adventure. The only guidance for our players comes from audience suggestions and (giant) dice rolls. Will the characters live or die? Will they accomplish their quest? No one knows, it’s all made up on the spot!" September 8 & 9 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Mike Fardy Collin Glavac Miri Rain Katy Warren Evan Walsh Content: Coarse Language, Violence (14+) |
Heat of the Moment III - Joseph Dennis
|
Heat of the Moment III by Joseph Dennis
At his annual Christmas Eve party, Perry attempts to reunite Janus and Van while preparing for his retirement and securing a future for the nightclub. A Staged Reading. September 10 & 11 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Written and Directed by Joseph Dennis Designed and Stage Management by Nick Corcoran Movement by Andrya Duff Social Media by Kelly Lewis Austin Card as Van Maggie Follett as Janus Jarod Farrell as Willy Rylee Barry as Cornelia Parker Glavine as Perry Joseph Dennis as Ezra Content: Suggestive Content (14+) |
Saudade - Vanessa Cardoso-Whelan
|
SAUDADE by Vanessa Cardoso-Whelan
The play Saudade… was created with the support from WANL writing mentorship 2020 and had the first draft at PARC retreat 2021 online workshop. The play talks about longing. “Saudade…” is a collection of people’s stories, blending with the playwright’s memories. That will take the actor to different emotions, from melancholy to happiness, showing to the audience what is Saudade. September 10 & 11 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Performed by Vanessa Cardoso-Whelan Dramaturge: Sharon King - Campbell Content: Sexual Content, Coarse Language (14+) |
Bad Date - Veronica Dymond
|
Bad Date by Veronica Dymond
Discouraged after yet another bad date, Angie wanders into a hotel bar and meets Helen, a sardonic loner who challenges Angie's conceptions of who she is and what she really wants. September 10 & 11 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Director/Tech: Veronica Dymond Susan Kelsey as Angie Sarah Walsh as Helen Mike Hammond as Radio Voice Content: Mild themes of homophobia (nothing overt or violent); alcohol use (set in a bar, the characters are drinking lightly); fake smoking (not real lit cigarettes, but one character may “smoke”) |
With Apologies to Nancy Benoit - Venus Barrington
|
With Apologies To Nancy Benoit by Venus Barrington
With Apologies to Nancy Benoit: A transgender woman looks back on the death of disgraced WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and the way it inadvertently shaped her. September 10 & 11 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Directed by Cheney Emberg Written and Performed by Venus Barrington Stage Managed by Kelly Lewis. Content: Trigger warnings for suicide, murder, homophobia, transphobia, domestic violence, misogyny and mental illness. (18+) |
Branded - Melanie Ozon
|
Branded by Melanie Ozon
For a year now, Tammy and her best friend Shayna have been running a flailing social media platform they started called VERB. They designed it for women to safely connect with each other, make friends and be active. Suddenly VERB is getting lots of traffic and the women are finally making some money. Tammy discovers that VERB is central in facilitating a recent crime wave of “brandings”: Publicly outing men who use online dating platforms to commit sexual violence. It is revealed that Shayna is the one responsible for connecting these victims through her and Tammy's platform. September 10 & 11 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Reine Faiad Maggie Follett Cameron Johnston Noah Sheppard Content: Suggestive content, Sexual Content, Coarse Language, Violence, Sexual Violence, dating violence. (18+) |
Not Quite Dahmer - Brandon Piercey
|
Not Quite Dahmer by Brandon Piercey
Coming out is a beautiful process. A process of understanding, valuing and accepting who you really are. Unfortunately, that's not everyone's experience. Sometimes things just go wrong. And sometimes...it goes really..really wrong. Like REALLY wrong. September 10 & 11 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Brandon Piercey Shoeless Jo Chris Langdon Sal Faulkner Julian Smith Content: Suggestive Content, Coarse Language, Homophobia, Gore (18+) |
An Oz-Some Mid-Summer Night's Dream - play dead productions
|
An Oz-Some Midsummer Night’s Dream by Play Dead Productions
September 11 at 12 and 2 pm. Cast and Crew: Leila Procter - Dorothy, The Cowardly Lion Jamie Skidmore - The Tin Man, The Scarecrow Stage Manager - Andrea Procter Skeleton Dance Leila Procter - Baron Von Guigenhauser Jamie Skidmore - Mr. Fanzypzntz The Scarecrow Directed by Tomas Behal Thanks: Puppets in Prague Content: TYA |
Week Two: September 15 - 18
Bodies Built Like Ocean Mountains - Mallory Clarke
|
Bodies Built Like Ocean Mountains by Mallory Clarke
In the wake of the sudden suicide of her partner, Ish, Esther’s grief is all-consuming. Through their shared tragedy, Esther becomes friends with Ish’s best friend, V. Although what draws them together is the pursuit of comfort, their methods of dealing with the loss drive an awkward wedge between them. V fritters facetiously around Ish’s death, refusing to look it directly in the face while Esther slides into a deep depression. In this policing of one another’s processing of grief lies much of the play's central conflict. Who gets to decide what is and isn’t appropriate when it comes to navigating personal trauma? It is only when Esther is finally able to make peace with the loss, and let her imagined version of Ish go, that she makes a hopeful latent discovery about her own gender identity. The play examines the effects of incompatible grief on intimate relationships, and the ways in which grief can fundamentally change an individual’s sense of self. September 15 & 16 at 6 pm Cast and Crew: Written and Directed by Mallory Clarke Featuring Chelsea Dab, Cheney Emberg, and Emily Locke Stage Management by Jarod Farrell Sound Design by Julian Smith Content: Transphobia, Homophobia, Mental Illness/Suicide, Mental/Physical/Emotional Abuse (14+) |
SECRET, SECRET - DAwn miller
|
Secret, Secret by Dawn Miller
Jamie has become discontent. Living a life of pretense is taking its toll. Chloe can feel something is off but she’s not shook. They love each other, it’ll be fine. Wait a minute…is Jamie sneaking out? Who’s that picking Jamie up? Where are they going? Chloe needs answers. She has to follow them. What is this place? ‘Lectric Lettuce Club? Is Jamie dancing? That is Jamie, right? And who’s that girl? How is she so beautiful? Why is Chloe so drawn to her? Secrets secrets everywhere. Will the truth reveal true love or deep despair? September 15 & 16 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Ms. Kelsey Downer TJ Hogan Stephanie Mackey-Burridge Written and Directed and Sound Design by: Dawn Miller Choreography: Stephanie Mackey-Burridge Content: (14+) |
three in the bed - nick corcoran
|
Three in the Bed by Nick Corcoran
After an increase of minimum wage sparks a minor working-class economic crisis, John, a crass chicken catcher, loses his job and has to seek an affordable living situation. The search for the cheapest, and only option leads him to Conor— an evasive control freak subletting his couch for $150/month (plus utilities). As John and his wife Claire gradually take over his space, Conor experiences an identity crisis and begins adopting John’s mannerisms. How does Conor cope with his waning control of his persona? He becomes John. With two Johns, one Claire, and one couch, the three are tangled in a manipulative race to establish a new order in the home— but what is the personal cost of attaining this order? Three in the Bed is a 30 minute comedic stage play exploring themes of social masking, control , persona fragility, and what it takes to be the best goddamn chicken catcher on the island. September 15 & 16 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: PLAYWRIGHT/DIRECTOR — Nick Corcoran STAGE MANAGER — Joseph Dennis DRAMATURG— Darren Ivany CAST— Cheney Emberg (Claire), Michael Peers (John), Michael R. Smith (Conor) Content: Suggestive Content, Coarse Language (14+) |
bless us saint drogo! - andrew legg
|
Bless us Saint Drogo! by Andrew Legg
The audience will be treated to a deep dive of 9 short stories of Coffee geekery as a confessional to St. Drogo the patron saint of Coffee and the physically unattractive. September 15 & 16 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Andrew Legg - Writer, Performer- In the roles of Self and St. Drogo. Mav Adecer- Dramaturg and Stage manager. Content: Coarse Language (14+) |
choices - eldin husic
|
CHOICES by Eldin Husic
This is a play that speaks of recognizing and breaking away from the chains of religion, culture, and the society as a whole. Being a product of our upbringing is no longer an option we need to follow blindly and it is also no longer our defining point. A new beginning starts when we are ready to evolve and when we start to demand to be respected based on our input on the World rather than our own racial, religious, political, or sexual background. In my case, combining Communism, Islam, and sex, drugs, and Rock and Roll created a person that defies everything we believed to be true. This play speaks of the process of unlearning… September 15 & 16 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Written and Performed by Eldin Husic Content: Coarse Language, Violence (18+) |
are you in there, jeremy? - Jeremy Nolan
|
Are you in there, Jeremy? by Jeremy Nolan
A motivational speaker slowly unravels as he attempts to finish his presentation. September 15 & 16 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Cast: Jeremy Nolan and TBD Director: Andrew Tremblett Light/Sound Design: Julian Smith Content: Coarse Language (14+) |
i can't stop smoking- letsgo productions
|
I Can't Stop Smoking by LETSGO Productions
Nick is at a crossroads in his life when trying to choose between his partner and his mistress, while also trying to quit smoking, when he gets advice from the most unlikely of sources. September 17 & 18 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Nick: Jacob Ferrar Lou: Christian House Man: Brandon Cave Director: Brandon Cave Written by: Christopher Stone Stage Manager: Kelly Lewis Content: Coarse language (swearing), sexual content (sexting) and mentions of ghosting and manipulation. (14+) |
a game of chess against god - daniel lanigan o'hara
|
A Game of Chess Against God by Daniel Lanigan O'Hara
Elijah, the greatest grandmaster chess player in the world, decides to try and prove himself further, by attempting to beat the only person he believes to be above him: God himself. He tells the Lord to face him in a specific location, away from civilization. However, on that very day, while Elijah sets up his game, a random Hiker strays off the beaten path, stumbling upon him. September 17 & 18 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Written and Directed by Daniel Lanigan O'Hara Elijah played by Noah Sheppard Hank played by Daniel Lanigan O'Hara Poster Art by Angela Murphy Content: Religious references, Course Language, Violence, and References to Suicide. (14+) |
icarus is falling - breathing cloud PRODUCTIONS
|
Icarus is Falling by Breathing Cloud Productions
Inspired by the classic Greek myth, Icarus, the son of Daedalus, is trapped in the Labyrinth with his father, his only moments of joy being those he steals with the sun god, Helios. As flight draws near, Icarus begins to play a dangerous game of fate and escapism, examining what happens when you toy with the gods. September 17 & 18 at 6 pm. Cast and Crew: Director - Owen Carter Writer - Brianna Russell Stage Manager - Kelly Lewis Composer - Addison Brooklyn Icarus - Owen Carter Helios - Devang Donda Daedalus - Michael Nolan Content: Coarse Language (Harsh tones exchanged between father and son), Death (Icarus is described as falling to his death, although no visual harm appears) (14+) |
playlude to terra nova - terry nova productions
|
Playlude to Terra Nova by Terry Nova Productions
In the year 2222, after almost a century of World War, Newfoundland (due to geopolitical advantage) rises as the world’s newest and only deep-spacefaring independent nation. With nearly the entire globe ravaged by nuclear fallout, overexploitation of resources and disease – humanity launches 3 faster-than-light (FTL) colony ships (NSS Thorburn, NSS Erikson, and NSS Waldegrave) to distant rocky Earth-like planets where astronomy probes had previously discovered life, along with conditions for human habitability. The missions are a highly publicized and televised undertaking – seen as humanity’s last hope for continuation of the species as extinction looms – but counterintuitively, not everyone is happy about this venture. With the world's most important space mission in dire jeopardy; it's up to one man's ASD gifts to (hopefully) save the mission - and humanity itself. September 17 & 18 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Writer/Director - Terry Bursey Chief Engineer Maxwell Cordeiro - Bernard (Bear) Pollett Lyra the AI Steward - Thiviya Kana Captain Damon Morris - Jody Rideout 1st Officer Jayne Hunt - Sarah Carter Engineer Keats - Leah McDonald Engineer Hawco - Jack Mosney Dr. Shano - Cameron Wilcox 1st Officer Leon Chan (Voice) - Terry Bursey Stage Manager - Rosie Avoine-Dalton Content: Sexual Content, Coarse Language, Mental Illness/Suicide (18+) |
dog - the pines collective
|
DOG by The Pines Collective
It all began on a day like any other day. On his usual route to work, Patrick spots a harrowing image of a dog stained into the bus floor and is subsequently thrust into a tortured awakening. Faced with the harsh reality of being deemed no longer useful to society, Patrick must decide how to reclaim his humanity. September 17 & 18 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: by Daniel Keene with Melissa Williams as Patrick Directed by Chelsea Dab Stage management + lights + sound by Emily Austin Scenography by Julianna McCarthy Content: Violent Language(18+) |
the ANTIDOTE for life - BERNADINE stapleton
|
The Antidote For Life by Bernadine Stapleton
The Antidote for Life (Memory, Madness, and the Performing Artist) is an experimental piece from a senior performing artist. It’s in process to becoming a longer play. Some of it was performed as part of Artistic Fraud’s Car Plays last year, although this iteration incorporates different material. The material comes from private journals that cover some years of lived experience. September 17 & 18 at 9 pm. Cast and Crew: Written and Performed by Bernardine Stapleton Directed by Nicole Smith With Tiff Roberts as Stage Manager. Content: Suggestive Content, Coarse Language, Sexism, Substance Abuse, Mental Illness/Suicide (18+) |
Festival 2022 Staff
Festival Coordinator - Azal Dosanjh
Technical Director/Designer - Reg Hoskins
Marketing and Outreach - Jeremy Nolan
Festival Stage Manager - Kelly Lewis
Festival Assistant Stage Manager - Owen Carter
Technical Director/Designer - Reg Hoskins
Marketing and Outreach - Jeremy Nolan
Festival Stage Manager - Kelly Lewis
Festival Assistant Stage Manager - Owen Carter
The St. John's Short Play Festival is made possible through the RCA 60/40 Box Office Split Agreement.
