“It is the night before the Celtic Festival of Beltane, an ancient May Day ritual, a time when the otherworldly cast is close at hand. Druids march as dark spirits rise in shadow only to be squelched by the brilliance of the light. Young maidens hang the festive boughs while the boys, blindfolded, meet on the drumlins, eating the ember cakes marked with charcoal. Here, one unlucky fellow, with the stained piece will have to leap the flames of the bonfire three times to please the ancient tradition. Behind the cheering gaiety, two voices are heard crying out to each other. The flame of a lantern shows Jenny and Johnny, as they huddle together in a churchyard attempting to make an escape from her father’s henchmen. Their love is forbidden.
The Eve of Beltane then jumps centuries into the present, where Jenny and Johnny meet again as college students at Notre Dame. While their reincarnated spirits seek to consummate their love, Jenny’s father, Derry O’Leary still stands in their way refusing to allow his daughter to marry beneath her. Enter Dr. Kelson O’Leary, a transmigrated Merlin, who recognizes the gravity of true love. Now when Jenny brings Johnny home, the crafty professor of myth and magic helps to align the stars that allow Derry to see the fire of love that burns beyond all worldly limitation.”
Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist Joe Izen knows his way around a song. Shortly after arriving in New York, he became a regular performer at many Greenwich Village clubs, including the “Bitter End”, “Metro Café,” “Folk City,” and the “Village Gate.” It was here that Joe met and was asked by Richie Havens to share the bill with him for the return of the “Café Wha.” Joe also appeared as the opening act for Joe Cock-er, on the Northeastern leg of the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour, and was a guest performer at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. While performing in New York, he also had the honor to have the great Blues songwriter and Bassist, Willie Dixon perform with him at “Kenny’s Castaways,” and appeared as a headlining act at Lincoln Centers Avery Fischer Hall for a concert to benefit the ACWU. His long and fruitful friendship with Arranger/Producer Larry Fallon (of Van Morrison Astral Weeks fame) yielded several recordings, including being co-writer and solo vocalist on “Finalmente” by Renzo Fraiese, (released on A.V.I. Records) and co-writing credits as well as solo vocalist on the album “Breeze” released on the Bar-clay International label. As a result of his work with various Producers, Joe was signed to a Warner Brothers Publishing agreement which brought his song “Follow Your Heart” to the attention of Carlos Santana in 1986. In the world of Television and Radio, Joe can be heard as the solo vocalist on many popular National and International Commercials, including “Coke,” “Coors Light,” “Chrysler,” “Dole Fruit,” “Folgers Coffee,” “Long John Silvers,” “Israel tourism” and “Budweiser.” His group, the Joe Izen Trio, featuring Bill Moring on Bass and Larry Marc-Aurele on percussion and Joe on Acoustic guitar and vocals, played throughout the Metropolitan area, and his current recording work can be found on Soundcloud, Spotify, and YouTube. His songs are available for download on iTunes, CD Baby, and Amazon.com
Cailin is Associate Artistic Director of Boomerang Theatre Company; Resident Director, National Schoolhouse; Creative Artist with DionysusFest, Athens Greece; and Artistic Advisor, New Light Theatre Company.
She most recently directed the highly regarded solo show, Places, written by and starring Romy Nordlinger at Dixon Place, The Player’s Club produced by White Horse Theatre Company, HERE Arts in 2019 produced by Pat Addiss with Laura Fay Lewis, and the Kennedy Center’s Page to Stage Festival in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center Family Theatre presented by Tonic Theatre in conjunction with Pat Addiss.
She directed multi-Obie and Drama Desk winner Kathleen Chalfant in Emmy and WGA Award winner Rose Leiman Goldemberg’s Letters Home for the Lincoln Center Archives. Other recent works were the hugely successful developmental production of Loveless Texas at the Sheen Center written/directed/ choreographed by Heffernan with music/lyrics by Broadway veteran, Henry Aronson – produced by Boomerang Theatre Company; Monte Cristo by Jared Reinmuth at Urban Stages presented by New Light Theatre Project where she assembled an international cast in an experimental production including the disciplines of Delsarte, Dalcroze, Mime, Live Foley, Music, and Dance.
Cailin is currently finishing up runs of the immersive musical in a tavern, Impossible But True, at Franklin 820 in Brooklyn and at Uncle Charlie’s in Manhattan. For Holocaust Remembrance Week in April, she will be directing a concert production of poet Barbara Schwartz’s What Survives Is The Fire.
Her theatrical work encompasses directing and/or choreographing Off-Broadway, LORT Regional Theatres and New York theatre including Sheen Center, Urban Stages, Bay Street, Capital Repertory, Folksbiene, Jewish Repertory, Lucille Lortel, Miller Outdoor Theatre, Naked Angels, New Amsterdam, HERE Arts, Dixon Place, The Player’s Club, New Jersey Repertory, Penguin Repertory, St. Luke’s, Walnut Street, Kennedy Center Family Theatre and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston as well as at Universities including NYU and Pace.
For Boomerang, she has directed twelve full productions including the aforementioned Loveless Texas, Shakespeare’s Cymbeline and Love’s Labour’s Lost, Jeffrey Hatcher’s To Fool the Eye, The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard (nominated for NYITAwards in 2012 including Most Outstanding Remount), Christopher Fry’s Venus Observed, Larry Kirwan’s The Heart Has a Mind of Its Own, Tennessee William’s Summer and Smoke, her own adaptation of John Dryden’s All for Love, two of O’Neill’s Pulitzer prize-winning plays Anna Christie and Beyond the Horizon, as well as Francis Kuzler’s The Substance of John. For Texas Family Musicals, she’s directed: CATS (choreographed as well), America,
the Beautiful (which she co-wrote), Annie Get Your Gun, Barnum and South Pacific with Rob Gallagher, two productions of Hello, Dolly! with Judy Norton (“The Waltons”) and Don Most (“Happy Day’s), and Brigadoon. Member of SDC, Dramatists Guild, AEA, and SAG-AFTRA.
Henry Aronson is among the most in-demand music directors in the Broadway theatre. He was the music director/conductor/keyboardist for the Broadway run of “Rock of Ages”. Also on Broadway, he was music director for “Grease”, “The Times They Are A-Changin’”, “In My Life”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, “Rent”, “Rocky Horror Show” and “Starmites”; associate conductor of “Cry Baby”, “Good Vibrations”, “Parade”, “Saturday Night Fever”, “Mail” and “Prince of Central Park”; and con-ducted “The Who’s Tommy” and “On Your Feet”; he conducted and played many seasons of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Off-Broadway, he conducts at “Cagney”, was music director of “Once Around the Sun” (Zipper), “King Lear” (Public Theater, starring Kevin Kline), “The Wind in the Willows” (New Victory), “3 Guys Naked From the Waist Down” (Minetta Lane), and numerous productions at Playwrights Horizons and Naked Angels. His regional theatre work includes La Jolla Playhouse, the Old Globe, Long Wharf, Hartford Stage, Goodspeed, Cleveland Playhouse, the Denver Center and Pasadena Playhouse.
He studied piano at Mannes College of Music and received his Music degree from Columbia University. He was a member of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop under Lehman Engel. His adaptation and new orchestration of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Pirates of Penzance” for Daryl Gray’s dance theatre piece “Pirates!” has been performed successfully around the world and has been optioned for Broadway. He is a music supervisor and arranger for “The Rock Tenor”, being developed by BASE entertainment for a Las Vegas run this fall.
He wrote songs (music and lyrics) for Boomerang’s “Love’s Labours Lost” in Bryant Park and “Cymbeline” in Central Park, and incidental music for New Light Theater Project’s “Monte Cristo” earlier this year. He is also the composer of “The Happy Hooker: The Musical” (prod. InJoy Entertainment), currently working towards a production in London’s West End. His musical “Loveless Texas”, which he wrote with his wife Cailín Heffer-nan, is being produced this year in New York by Boomerang Theatre Company.t, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Arts Management Consultant / Actor / Director / Producer / Historian – Most recently, Byron was the Stage Manager for the Eve of Beltane for the NYC Broadway Bound Theater Festival on Theater Row many credits currently include working as an independent Arts Management Consultant helping artists and arts organizations with grants administration, fund development, marketing, public relations, event planning, and capacity growth and development.
Other recent credits include…Director of the Best Play of the 2016 One Festival – Marlene Goes to Hollywood, Mohandas K. Gandhi in the production of Peace Speaks; Dr. A.C. Jackson in the production of Black Wall Street: The Story of the 1921 Tulsa, OK Race Riots.
In New York City, he was the Executive Director of the Frank Silvera Writer’s Workshop and won an Obie Award for Playwriting Development. For eight years, he was the Executive Director for the Queens Historical Society, preserving the history of 2.5 million people living in the Borough of Queens, New York City. Byron was the first General Manager for Black Spectrum Theater in Jamaica, Queens for three years.
Upon return to Atlanta (2001), he worked as the Production Manager for Theater of the Stars Broadway Summer Series at the Fox Theater; Development Director for 7 Stages Theater and was the Executive Director/Artistic Director for Jomandi Productions.
Byron is no stranger to the Atlanta arts scene. He was the Executive Director for the DeKalb Council for the Arts, Inc. He ran Just Us Theater Company for ten years and was a member of the Georgia Film Commission for seven.
Sara Anne Halligan was born and raised in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A chance meeting at the community pool one summer during toddlerhood introduced Sara to her future mentor, Coni Koepfinger. Coni and Sara’s mother (Rene) became great friends, and Coni found placement in Sara’s life as a second mother and major advocate in her creative visions. Coni, an already established author and playwright, encouraged Sara to explore her natural artistic abilities very early on; even inviting Sara to take part in local theater. Coni, together with her sister, accomplished artist and graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Fine Arts, Michele Dryburgh, very much pushed for Sara’s exploration into creative thinking and imaginative expression.
Throughout the years, Sara’s clear and natural talents were expressed mostly through paintings, noting her biggest influences as travel, fashion, and culture. Her artwork consistently garnered the attention of family, friends and strangers alike. Sara currently has many projects under her belt and looks forward to the freedom of being able to share her individuality and inspiration with others. Hearing the echoes of Coni’s never-failing encouragement, “without creativity, there is only destruction…” she was able to pursue what she loved. She also hopes to one day be a mentor and to help others embrace their own originality without distraction, only influence. For Sara, the future only holds open-mindedness, creative vigor and inventive warmth.
Syed Ashiqur Rahman was born and raised in Bangladesh. He achieved his LLB degree from University of London and his LLM from University of Derby.
He is an artist by hobby and a certified Graphics and Web Designer with 4 years of experience in both local and online marketplaces.
He got the opprtunity to be a part of Eve of Beltane team, when he was introduced with Coni Koepfinger through Fiverr looking for a Brochure Design for Eve of Beltane. Currently Syed Ashiqur Rahman, also known as Silver Ashiq Ash, is a proud member of the creative team of Eve of Beltane and is responsible for the graphics and web design of the show.
http://fiverr.com/silverashiqash
BUZZ RODDY as Derrick “Derry” O’Leary — A ruthless politician and long-time widow with his only child, Jen, his prized possession. Derry is a staunch Irish Catholic conservative serving the Fianna Fail (Republican party). Derry’s position is now under scrutiny for political corruption
BUZZ RODDY is celebrating 40 years in show business! Most recently the Off Broadway productions of (A)LOFT MODULATION and THE SHOW-OFF; the Barrymore Award nominated AWAKE AND SING! (Quintessence), A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Hartford Stage) and the national tour of CHEERS: LIVE ON STAGE. TV/Film: LOST GIRLS; THE DEUCE, GOTHAM, YOUNGER, BLUE BLOODS, JESSICA JONES, SEARCH PARTY; FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS; AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS,THE BLACKLIST and every flavor of LAW & ORDER. www.buzzroddy.com
Jill Shackner as Jenny O’Leary — Derry’s only child and a student of Irish Literature. Jenny believes that corrupt government is the downfall of humanity. Currently studying abroad at Notre Dame
Broadway: Les Misérables. Off-Broadway: IOWA (Playwrights Horizons), A Charity Case (Theatre Row), Landscape of the Body (Signature). Other NY Theater: Hootenanny Twelfth Night (Corkscrew Theater Festival) Ex Habitus (Corkscrew Theater Festival), Safe (14th St Y), Recovery (Theater for the New City) Film: “Faraway Eyes,” “On Monday of Last Week,” “Staring at the Sun,” “Paper Man,” “House of D.” TV: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The Americans,” “The Michael J. Fox Show.” www.jillshackner.com
Warren Kelley as Professor Kelson O’Leary — Raised Roman Catholic in Dublin, Kelson now an agnostic, global citizen, is an author, researcher and literature professor and currently the chair at Notre Dame. A modern day Merlin who mines language to re-cover ancient truths, Kelson offers prescient counsel that Derry cannot ignore.
Warren Kelley resides in New York and has been a professional actor for more than 30 years.
He works in television, film, and has one of the busiest and most varied careers on the regional theatre circuit. Traversing between the classics, contemporary plays, and musical theatre, he is a veteran of over 200 productions to date.
Warren has appeared at Walnut Street Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Goodspeed Opera House, Riverside Theatre, Cape Playhouse, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Florida Studio Theatre, Fulton Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Pioneer Theatre Co., and many more.
His extremely diverse credits include leading roles in works by Shakespeare, Moliere, Shaw, Feydeau, Wilde, and Coward, as well as A.R. Gurney, Mike Leigh, Neil Simon, Donald Margulies, Michael Frayne, Wendy Wasserstein, Steven Dietz, Jeffrey Hatcher, Terrance McNally and Moises Kaufman, to name just a few.
Warren has worked with such prestigious Off Broadway companies as The Mint, The York, and Abingdon Theatre Co. In new plays and musicals he has had the distinction of portraying a long list of artistic luminaries: George Bernard Shaw, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Elia Kazan, David O. Selznick, Jean Cocteau, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conen Doyle and Truman Capote.
His film and television work includes: Birdman with Michael Keaton, Ten Thousand Saints with Ethan Hawke, The Other Guys with Will Ferrell, Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, Boardwalk Empire, House of Cards, Chappelle’s Show, and Law & Order: SVU.
Warren’s awards and nominations: BroadwayWorld Florida Award, New York Innovative Theatre Award, Cincinnati Acclaim Award, Florida’s Carbonell Award, Connecticut Critics Circle, and the Screen Actors Guild Award [Best Cast – Birdman].
Warren has a BA in Drama from University of the Pacific and an MFA in Acting from Temple University.
James Scheider as Johnny Aiden Miller — A Protestant, rebel poet from the poorer streets of London. On Semester at Sea at Notre Dame with an academic scholarship for his mastery of verse and his talent as a musician.
James Scheider (Johnny Aiden Miller) Broadway: Million Dollar Quartet (Jerry Lee Lewis U/S). Off-Broadway: Evening-1910 (George Spencer), Axis Theatre. 1st National Tour/Chicago: Million Dollar Quartet (Jerry Lee Lewis). Regional: Chasin’ Dem Blues: The Untold Story of Paramount Records (Professor), Rock and Roll Man: The Alan Freed Story (Jerry Lee Lewis/Dick Clark), Rock of Ages (Drew), Mary Poppins (Bert) The Cotton Patch Gospel ( Matthew), Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon), 42nd St. (Billy Lawlor), 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (Joel). James toured world-wide with the USO Show and is a founding member and frontman of the folk rock band, The Ol’ So & So’s. Proud AEA member since 2008. JamesScheider.com
Brooke Davis as Brigid O’Leary — Derry’s deceased brother’s wife. A long-time widow who has helped to take care of Derry and Jen since her husband died.
Brooke Davis (Brigid O’Leary) Brooke Davis resides in NYC. TV credits include Murphy Brown, Orange Is the New Black, Little America, & Law & Order. Film credits include Movie 43, The Atlantic Story & Me& My Gal. Theatre credits: Menopause:The Musical (NYC, STL, MN & National Tour), Chicago, Beyond Therapy. Davis has written and performed two one woman shows, I’m So Sorry….for Everything & “Late to the Party” for sold out houses most recently at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, NYC. She is the founder of Arizona Stage Company as well as Music Theatre Arizona/Tucson, AZ and a proud member of SAG/AFTRA and AEA.
Paul Sheehan as Liam Colley — Derry’s aide and campaign manager. An anonymous back-bencher displaying enormous ambition. Has a jealous eye for Jenny but proclaims his bachelor status is more advantageous for his climbing political career.
Internationally experienced actor in film and theatre (Ireland, UK, USA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Spain), always looking for a new challenge in terms of story and character Paul also loves to experience new culture and ideologies through his work, while telling stories that engage and entertain. He has been blessed thus far to work with many talented and diverse creatives and is driven to collaborate with people who passionately feel the need to share their tales with others. Recent projects include Four Assassins, Supercapitalist, The Job and Ivan. Onstage, Paul recently made his Off-Broadway debut in My Big Gay italian Midlife Crisis.
Mary Ellen Ashley, Actress, Singer, Dancer, and Producer of Broadway, Television, and Film, has been recognized as a Distinguished Professional in her field through Women of Distinction Magazine. Mary Ellen Ashley will be featured in an upcoming edition of the Women of Distinction Magazine in 2016.
Born and presently living in the Big Apple of New York City, Mary Ellen Ashley has spent time living and working throughout the United States, including Los Angeles, California, as well as in Europe. Performing in her very first theatrical role at the age of four on Broadway, playing Laura Thornton in the original cast of ‘The Innocent Voyage’, she was then cast for ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ and in the original Broadway cast of ‘Yentl’. Ashley has since dedicated her entire career as an Actress, Singer, Dancer, and Producer of Broadway, Television, and Film. Her resume includes many Off-Broadway credits and, most recently, filmed two pilots: ‘The Bunny Hole’ and ‘Americanos’. She’s also spent many years in regional theaters, including playing Dolly Levi in ‘Hello Dolly’ 11 times, and was in ‘Music Man’, ‘Funny Girl’, ‘Cabaret’, ‘Best Little Whore House’, ’42nd Street’, ‘Fiddler’, and ‘Gypsy’, to name a few. Ashley has been seen on children’s television shows on ABC, has headlined in Las Vegas with Eddie Fisher and Andy Williams, opened in New York City for comics Jackie Mason, Rodney Dangerfield, and George Burns, made television appearances on ‘Saturday Night Live’, and has guest starred on the hit dramas ‘Law and Order’ and ‘Law and Order: SVU’. She’s also worked on radio for a variety of soap operas and weekly episodes. Ashley was also featured in the Mel Brooks feature film ‘The Producers’, as well as several shorts and indie films. As a Producer, she’s been involved with 11 Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, including: ‘High Rollers’; ‘Angels in America’; ‘Marlene’; ‘Grace and Glory’; ‘Christmas Story’; and the revival of ‘Godspell’.
Extremely well-known in the community, especially in the theatrical venue, Ashley said that she has relied heavily on being well prepared for each and every job opportunity and through lots and lots of study.
“The wonderful reception I’ve received and the adoration for what I do has motivated me to continue doing what I do,” Ashley said about her wonderful career in entertainment. “My rewards have been in the constant work I’ve been blessed to do in a field that is so ultra-competitive.”
The wife and mother of two, who are now very successful, credits her family for much of her good fortune in her career. Although she had to make adjustments in order to raise a family and still be able to work, she wouldn’t have changed a thing.
For more information, visit www.maryellenashley.com.
Tax and Nonprofit Consultant. I have 35 years of experience in the non-profit, financial planning arenas with experience in the nonprofit and individual income tax, retirement, estate, charitable and investment planning.
peblock@aol.com
Corey Brunish has garnered 10 consecutive Tony Nominations in 8 seasons as a Broadway producer, winning three Tonys.
He is a producer on Come From Away, Beautiful and the newest Company. He is also an actor, director, singer and writer. His musical My Marcello was selected out of 300 entries to be one of 8 performed at England’s famed BEAM Festival.
BUZZ RODDY as Derrick “Derry” O’Leary — A ruthless politician and long-time widow with his only child, Jen, his prized possession. Derry is a staunch Irish Catholic conservative serving the Fianna Fail (Republican party). Derry’s position is now under scrutiny for political corruption
BFA ’80 Carnegie Mellon, Vice President of SAG-AFTRA Off-Broadway. Jon toured last season with TOTS in Fiddler on the Roof. He appeared as Drake in Annie, starring Sally Struthers. Barefoot in the Park (Springer Opera House); Damn Yankees (Springer); Are We There Yet? (ArtStation); The Time of Your Life (Theater Emory); Metropolis Theater’s Suzi Bass Best Actor-nominated Diary of a Madman (14th Street Playhouse) The Manson Story (Lincoln Center); Don Wilson in The Jack Benny Program (La Mama, ETC), Milo Tindle in Sleuth (Chautauqua Institute.)Law and Order. Zelig, Hannah, and her Sisters, Ghostbusters, and Ishtar.
www.jonhayden.net
www.haydentechnologies.com
Our Entertainment division has worked in the motion picture industry for over 25 years, en-gaged by most of the major studios, as well as the independents as: the Weinstein Company, New Line Cinema, Cinema Shares International, Magna Distribution, Atlantic Releasing and Jim Henson¹s The Mup-pets. We started marketing Broadway theater productions in 1976, our first major involvement on Broad-way was the original “Dream Girls”. Recently we have expanded into helping Broadway, Off, and Off-Off Broadway productions to get started, thru readings, development, and marketing of their projects. We are also as-sisting producers on the funding of both theater and film projects. jmelo@zephyr-com.com
Groundbreaking Film and Television Producer, and the first female VFX Supervisor in Hol-lyood. “Everybody Loves Ali!” Including Hollywood Legends James Cameron, Francis Ford Coppola, Oliver Stone, Stephen Spielberg, George Lucas, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sir Anthony Hopkins, and all the mem-bers of the Producers Guild of America New Media Council under her Chairmanship. Ali recently added “Bestselling Author” to her long list of achievements, with her 1st book “How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?” — about her upcoming event with Martha Stewart, Ice T & Coco, Jerry from Ben & Jerry’s, Dan Ken-nedy, Michael Gerber, Steve Larsen #1 Funnel Hacker for Clickfunnels, Hal Elrod & more at Carnegie Hall! Ali@AlisonSavitch.com
Started acting at Ireland’s National Theater, Upon returning to New York, her role as Josie, in Walter Macken’s Home, Mary started directing there; a Sean O’Casey One-Act Play Festival. From there she branded out to create New York’s first Lunchtime Series at the Quaigh with The Sea Plays of Eugene O’Neil starring William Hickey, Brian Dennehy, and Jim DeMarse. Lunchtime continued until 1982 with the highlight being Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape with Billy Hickey. Also at the Quaigh, Mary earned her Actor’s Equity Association membership with British author David Pownall’s Livingston & Sechele.
tierney.mary@gmail.com
Theatre Director and Producer; Professor, Head, Theodore M. Finney Music Library at the University of Pittsburgh
The Eve of Beltane is haunting, it is archetypal; at the same time, it is here and now. Beautiful and poetic, but real and salt of the earth.”
“My favorite aspect of the play (The Eve of Beltane) was the seamless parallel and blending between the past and the present…”
“Magic, rebirth, renewal and Celtic charm are infused into this thoughtful play, Eve of Beltane. Told through characters with a complex history, we are reminded that each moment is an eternity and love is the most powerful force of all.”
We look forward to hearing from you on this exhilarating production and how you might become involved. Our producers are currently working on the budget and investor opportunities and can provide them upon request.
If you have questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us for additional information and details.
Thank you for your considerations.
Sincerely,
Byron…
Byron C. Saunders
Associate Producer
Eve of Beltane
New York, 2019
646-354-8216