By the People
A contemporary American play festival bringing nine plays into conversation across three weekends.
Presented as part of WRP’s Built By Us season recognizing 250 years of American history, By the People moves among questions of community, race, artistic ownership, violence, forgiveness, family, identity, and the stories Americans tell about themselves. Each performance of The Amish Project and American Moor opens with a different locally produced ShortCut. All six ShortCuts return for one standalone festival performance on Sunday, September 27 at 7:00 PM.
Choose Your Festival Experience
Tickets are $25, with a $15 youth ticket available. Select a MainStage weekend, or see all six original ten-minute plays together at the ShortCuts Festival.
The Amish Project
September 11–13
Includes one different ShortCut at each performance.
American Moor
September 18–20
Includes one different ShortCut at each performance.
Italian American Reconciliation
September 25–27
Presented without an opening ShortCut.
ShortCuts Festival
Sunday, September 27 at 7 PM
All six original ten-minute plays in one program.
Season subscribers: Your subscription includes one By the People MainStage production. Complimentary exchanges between the three MainStage weekends are available through the WRP box office.
The Six ShortCuts
Each performance of The Amish Project and American Moor begins with a different original ten-minute play. Every ShortCut returns for the standalone ShortCuts Festival on Sunday, September 27 at 7:00 PM.
Waiting on Mom Who Already Left
By John Busser · Directed by Tiffany Bird
After their mother’s wake, siblings Jackie and Scott remain in the funeral home waiting area. Their very different approaches to grief—one controlling every detail, the other relying on humor—force them to confront how they cared for their mother and how they will finally let her go.
Characters: Jackie, Scott, and Mr. Donovan
Setting: A funeral home just after the wake
The Clean Plate Club
By Arianna Rose · Directed by Miah Montesano
Jenna’s lifelong struggle with weight, emotional eating, and disordered eating brings three competing forces into her kitchen: the Angel of Well-Being, the Food Demon, and a glamorous personification of GLP-1. Their conflicting promises make her search for a healthier relationship with food even more complicated.
Characters: Jenna, Angel of Well-Being, Food Demon, and GLP-1
Setting: Jenna’s kitchen in the present day
Checkerboard Chicks
By Allison Fradkin · Directed by Samaria Murry
In 1965, best friends Dina and Patrina are half of America’s first interracial girl group—but the safe, male-centered songs chosen for them leave little room for their real identities or feelings. As they prepare to record, the women consider whether to hide their love or refuse the limits placed on them.
Characters: Patrina and Dina
Setting: Their shared bedroom in 1965, one year after the Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Execution of a Midlife Crisis
Written and performed by Timothy Ritley · Directed by Keenan Carosielli
Mikey Simmons moves between a stand-up comedy stage and the desk where he struggles to write. Drawing on his work as a substitute teacher, he wrestles with money, creative ambition, fear, visibility, and the need to be seen—by students, audiences, and the people closest to him.
Character: Mikey Simmons
Setting: A comedy-club stage and a writer’s desk
Veteran
By James W. Perry · Directed by Jim Fippin
At an urban bus stop, a well-meaning accountant thanks a former servicemember for his service. Their small talk becomes a confrontation over patriotism, military recruitment, economic inequality, homelessness, and the distance between expressing gratitude and taking meaningful action.
Characters: Veteran and Ryan Fantum
Setting: A contemporary urban bus stop
Sorting Through M&Ms
By Rishi Chowdhary · Directed by Kelly Pilkenroth
Estranged siblings Mason and Morgan reunite for a mountain hike five years after their parents’ deaths. Humor, old memories, and a childhood game involving peanut M&Ms help them confront family wounds and decide whether they are ready to rebuild their relationship.
Characters: Mason and Morgan; both roles may be played by performers of any gender or race
Setting: A wooded mountain hiking trail during the day
The Amish Project
By Jessica Dickey · Directed by Molly Cornwell
A fictional exploration of the 2006 Nickel Mines schoolhouse shooting and the path of forgiveness and compassion forged in its aftermath. Moving among members of the Amish community, the gunman, his widow, and others connected to the tragedy, the play asks what forgiveness means when an act cannot be undone—and what a community must carry after public attention has moved elsewhere.
Meet the Company
Molly Cornwell
Molly Cornwell (Director) is absolutely delighted to be making her WRP Directing debut with THE AMISH PROJECT. Her work is extensive as a professional actor and a director. As an Actor, her performances have included plays at The Cleveland Play House, The Milwaukee Rep, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Dobama Theatre, The Hanna Theatre, Beck Center For The Arts, Eldred Theatre, and Cleveland State. As a Director, Molly most recently directed BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Story at Chagrin Valley Little Theater. She has also directed at Willoughby Fine Arts, Lake Erie College, CPT’s Station Hope, Dobama Kids’ Playwriting Festival, and over 50 performances at Hathaway Brown School where she was Theatre Director from 1994-2018. Her work includes the musicals Chicago, The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, The Pajama Game, The Sound of Music, Working, Grease, Seussical, Once On This Island, and Hairspray. Some of her favorite plays to direct have been A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth (with an all-female cast), Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, The Heidi Chronicles, Metamorphoses, A Burial at Thebes, Radium Girls, Hay Fever, The Dining Room, After Juliet, and Stage Door. In fact, in 2016, Molly penned the book for a musical version of Pride and Prejudice which she staged at Hathaway Brown. Molly received her M.F.A. from Case Western Reserve University. She serves on the Board of Directors for Kulture Kids (an educational theatre company based in Cleveland) and is a proud member of WOMEN IN HISTORY OHIO, creating and performing shows about historical women. Molly is a member of SAG/AFTRA and is a Master Teacher of the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique. Molly and her husband Mike, known as MIKE & MOLLY, sing and perform at local restaurants, wineries, and retirement communities.
Mallory Balmert
Mallory is thrilled to be back at WRP for this production of The Amish Project. Mallory is an alumna of Ashland University and resides in Cleveland with her husband, Tom. Previous acting credits include Grace Lambert in Cry Havoc, also at WRP. Mallory would like to extend a huge thank you to her family, friends, and everyone involved with WRP for making this production possible.
Rosie Horvath
Rosie is so excited to be joining the cast of The Amish Project. She is a senior at Chagrin Falls High School, where she participates in The Academy For The Performing Arts, Chagrin Drama Club, Select Choir, and various other clubs. Outside of theatre, Rosie is a violinist with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra and takes music lessons at Cleveland Institute Of Music. Rosie is so excited to share this story with you, and hopes that you’ll walk away with new information about how different people live!
Karoline Kramer
Karoline Kramer (she/her) is a local actress and voice-over talent. She resides in Akron with her wonderful cat, Sula, and is a professed Episcopal nun in the Community of the Mother of Jesus. Favorite roles include Princess Dragomiroff in Murder on the Orient Express, Mistress Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense.
Matt Mortensen
American Moor
By Keith Hamilton Cobb · Directed by Tamara French
American Moor confronts race, power, Shakespeare, and artistic ownership through an encounter between a Black actor auditioning to play Othello and the white director evaluating his performance. As the audition unfolds, the actor’s internal responses reveal the distance between living an experience and being directed through someone else’s interpretation of it.
Meet the Company
Tamara French
Tamara is thrilled to make her WRP directorial debut with AMERICAN MOOR, a powerful story about identity. She brings years of experience as an actor and storyteller to her work as a director, shaping rehearsal rooms with empathy, curiosity, and a deep commitment to truth in performance. “My hope is that you find yourself in this piece and in The Actor as he navigates his way through his own humanity. We hope to make you laugh, make you cry, but most of all make you begin to have conversations that evoke change.” Audiences may remember her most recently on the WRP stage in TITUS ANDRONICUS as Aaron the Moor. Regionally, she has performed at Ensemble Theater, Cleveland Public Theater, Great Lakes Theater, and Beck Center for the Arts. Her screen work includes film (Lifetime), television (Amazon Prime), and a variety of commercial projects.
Clinton “CJ” Cobb
CJ Cobb (Actor) is very excited to be making his Western Reserve debut in this wonderful production of 'American Moor'. Credits include “Justified: City Primeval", “Prison Break Reboot” (not yet released), "Conspiracy of Thieves" (not yet released) “Judas and the Black Messiah” and “Concussion” . Also CJ is a regular Improv performer at Imposters Theatre in Ohio City and trains at 1st Team acting Studio in North Olmsted. CJ would like to thank the wonderful people here at WRP for being so welcoming and open and he can’t wait to bring the character of Actor to life on Stage!
Keenan Carosielli
Keenan Carosielli is eager to return to Western Reserve Playhouse. He thanks Celeste Cosentino, Ian Wolfgang Hinz, Rebecca Moseley, and Kyle Huff for their support and guidance, as well as August Scarpelli for his direction as a mentor and friend. Keenan also thanks his family—his brother and sister, Tyler and Ava; his Aunt Theresa; his Grandma Rose; his father, Douglas; and his mother, Christine—and dedicates his work to his grandfather, John Anthony Carosielli.
Italian American Reconciliation
By John Patrick Shanley · Directed by Mia Radabaugh
An offbeat romantic comedy about love lost, reclaimed, and pursued with questionable judgment. Still haunted by the collapse of his first marriage, Huey Bonfigliano decides he cannot move forward until he wins back his ex-wife. With the reluctant assistance of his best friend, Huey launches a romantic campaign that disrupts several lives and forces everyone involved to reconsider what—or whom—they actually want.
Meet the Company
Mia Radabaugh
Mia Radabaugh is excited to be back at WRP where she’s had many roles, most recently Flo in Cry Havoc. She is also a proud board member at WRP and occasionally directs other talented people on this stage. She holds a BFA in Acting from Ohio University. Some recent credits include Cathleen in Long Days Journey Into Night at Ensemble Theatre, and Lady Macduff/Witch/Murderer in Macbeth at Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. Some of her favorite roles include Misery (Annie Wilkes), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Martha), As You Like It (Jaques), and Tartuffe (Elmire). She’s performed all over northeast Ohio, including Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Blank Canvas Theatre, French Creek Theatre, Cassidy Theatre, and Rubber City Theatre. She is also a proud member of The Greenhouse, an ensemble of Ohio artists who work, play, and nurture creativity together.
Kim Simbeck
Kim (she/they) is so excited to be back on the WRP stage! Kim has been seen on the WRP stage in Cry Havoc as Sadie and various $5 Series. Kim is a proud graduate of Cleveland School of the Arts and Cleveland State University, and a proud lifelong Cleveland theatre artist. Thank you to the WRP team for giving me a stage and community and as always to my beautiful Mom who is guiding me always.
Lauren Stepanski
Lauren is thrilled to be back on WRP’s stage! She’s a performer and choreographer who holds a B.A in theatre from Cleveland State University, where she specialized in both acting and dance. You may have recently seen her in Godspell at WRP, but she’s no stranger to The Barn. She’s assisted behind the scenes for shows such as Doctor Faustus and The Outsiders. Favorite past acting credits include She Kills Monsters (Kaliope Darkwalker), Pride and Prejudice (Elizabeth Bennet), Newsies (Specs), Cabaret (Victor), and American Idiot (Leslie). Lauren is also a proud company member of Northeast Ohio Creatives. She would like to thank her village for their support, her partner Austin for his love, and to YOU for supporting live theatre. Enjoy the show!
Mackenzie Barry
Mackenzie graduated in 2016 with a minor in theater from Hiram College, and since then has performed in and directed various productions around the Northeast Ohio area, including at Rubber City Theater and Bay Village Community Theater. She recently appeared in The Second Shepard’s Pageant as part of the Five Buck Series at Western Reserve Playhouse, and is excited to make her main stage debut.
August Scarpelli
August Scarpelli is a graduate of Hiram College (B.A. Theatre Arts, magna cum laude) and has worked throughout Northeast Ohio theatre since 2012. His experience includes work with Cain Park, Ensemble Theatre, convergence-continuum, the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, Hiram College, and the Shahrazad Theatre Company. He is proud to serve as Artistic Director of Western Reserve Playhouse and is honored to share his experience and passion for this most human of arts with the next generation of storytellers and the WRP community.
Santino Montanez
Santino Montanez is a Cleveland-based actor with more than 11 years of professional experience. His Shakespearean credits include King Leontes in The Winter’s Tale, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, and Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Santino thanks his wife, Kaya; his parents; and his brother, Nico, for always supporting his acting endeavors. He also thanks the audience for its gracious patronage and hopes everyone enjoys the show.