performance dates
AuSable Valley Middle-High School Auditorium
March 31, 2022 at 7pm
April 1, 2022 at 7pm
April 2, 2022 at 2pm
$15 General Admission
1490 Route 9N, Clintonville, NY 12924
about the show
Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., a renowned professor of English who has spent years studying and teaching the brilliant and difficult metaphysical sonnets of John Donne, has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. Her approach to the study of Donne: aggressively probing, intensely rational. But during the course of her illness—and her stint as a prize patient in an experimental chemotherapy program at a major teaching hospital—Vivian comes to reassess her life and her work with a profundity and humor that are transformative both for her and the audience.
Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Winner of the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Play.
In her extraordinary first play, Margaret Edson has created a work that is as intellectually challenging as it is emotionally immediate.
“[A] brutally human and beautifully layered new play…you feel both enlightened and, in a strange way, enormously comforted.” —NY Times.
“A dazzling and humane new play that you will remember till your dying day.” —NY Magazine.
Brenda Chase McColgan
Dr. Vivian Bearing
Special needs aide by day, theatrical performer by night, Brenda has been blessed to enjoy both these passions. Commonly seen as a comedian, singing, and dancing (just ask her students), she
recently enjoyed appearing in The Depot Theatre’s production of The Addams Family as well as playing The Witch in ACT’s, Into the Woods. Other North Country highlights include, Linda
Porter in the one woman show Love, Linda, Mary Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, and performing Broadway standards with her husband at the Curbside by the Harborside Concert Series. Treasured roles from her life in Massachusetts include, Hannigan in Annie, Agnes in I
Do, I Do, The Mistress in Evita and The Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd, as well as her run in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change with Showstoppers Inc. Brenda is delighted and thankful for this opportunity to stretch her dramatic wings and would like to dedicate her performance to the lifelong friends that theater has given her, “There’s no people like show people”.
Bill McColgan
Bill McColgan
Bill McColgan
Dr. Harvey Kelekien / Mr. Bearing
Bill is thrilled to be participating in his fourth ACT production, having also portrayed the Baker in Into the Woods, Horace in Hello, Dolly!, and Jonathan in Arsenic and Old Lace. Locally, he has appeared in ART’s The Producers (Max) and It’s a Wonderful Life (George), and with the Depot Theatre in The Ad
Dr. Harvey Kelekien / Mr. Bearing
Bill is thrilled to be participating in his fourth ACT production, having also portrayed the Baker in Into the Woods, Horace in Hello, Dolly!, and Jonathan in Arsenic and Old Lace. Locally, he has appeared in ART’s The Producers (Max) and It’s a Wonderful Life (George), and with the Depot Theatre in The Addams Family (Mal Beineke) and A Christmas Carol (Scrooge). Favorite shows/roles include: Urinetown (Lockstock), Children of Eden (Father), Forum (Miles Gloriosus), and Les Miserables (Bishop), along with
the murderous trio of Jasper in Edwin Drood, Jud in Oklahoma!, and the Demon Barber in Sweeney Todd. Professionally, he has also performed in I Do! I Do! (opposite the exquisite Brenda Chase
McColgan), the New England premiere of Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know, and more than 300 performances around the country as Smudge in Forever Plaid. Bill and Brenda were also featured
performers at Plattsburgh’s Curbside at the Harborside drive-in summer concert series. Bill is very proud to be Monica and Finn’s dad and to serve our beautiful region as a member of the team at Mountain Lake PBS.
Emily Abruzzi
Bill McColgan
Bill McColgan
Susie Monahan, RN
Emily is excited to make her debut with Artistry Community Theatre after several years hiatus from the stage. Locally she has performed with Book and Blanket Players in Mrs. Farnsworth and with Pendragon Theatre in Antigone. Originally from Pennsylvania, memorable roles have included Medea, Nina in The Seagull, Abigail in
Susie Monahan, RN
Emily is excited to make her debut with Artistry Community Theatre after several years hiatus from the stage. Locally she has performed with Book and Blanket Players in Mrs. Farnsworth and with Pendragon Theatre in Antigone. Originally from Pennsylvania, memorable roles have included Medea, Nina in The Seagull, Abigail in The Crucible, and the Mute in The Fantasticks. Emily worked in children’s theatre for 10 years. She was a company member of Mock Turtle Marionette Theater, touring as a puppeteer through the mid-Atlantic region for several years, and also completed a Taiwan tour with Enchantment Theatre Company’s production of Beauty and the Beast. As a dancer she has performed at the Philadelphia Fringe festival and DUMBO dance festival in NYC. She has a BA in Theatre and Dance and an MS in Occupational Therapy. She works in early childhood services throughout Essex County.
Kathy Recchia
Bill McColgan
Kathy Recchia
Dr. E. M. Ashford
Kathleen Recchia is thrilled to be making her debut with ACT. She has worked with director Derrick Hopkins in I Hate Hamlet and Beyond Therapy and has performed with Saranac Lake-based Adk. Stage Rats in Lifespan of a Fact, Kimberly Akimbo, The Last Romance, and The Fourth Wall. She played Linda Loman in Pendragon Theatre
Dr. E. M. Ashford
Kathleen Recchia is thrilled to be making her debut with ACT. She has worked with director Derrick Hopkins in I Hate Hamlet and Beyond Therapy and has performed with Saranac Lake-based Adk. Stage Rats in Lifespan of a Fact, Kimberly Akimbo, The Last Romance, and The Fourth Wall. She played Linda Loman in Pendragon Theatre’s Death of a Salesman, has performed The Belle of Amherst (Emily Dickinson) throughout the North Country and has been seen in regional TV commercials. She has co-written original musicals and directs youth summer theatre in Keene Valley.
Corey Wheet
Bill McColgan
Kathy Recchia
Dr. Jason Posner
Corey is making his debut with Artistry Community Theatre! He was last seen in 2015 Beyond Therapy as part of Plattsburgh Center for the Arts. Other notable performances include Next Fall, The Wizard of Oz, Cabaret, West Side Story, and Chicago. Since he left the stage, Corey earned his Master’s degree in Acupuncture and
Dr. Jason Posner
Corey is making his debut with Artistry Community Theatre! He was last seen in 2015 Beyond Therapy as part of Plattsburgh Center for the Arts. Other notable performances include Next Fall, The Wizard of Oz, Cabaret, West Side Story, and Chicago. Since he left the stage, Corey earned his Master’s degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs and opened his own practice in Plattsburgh. When he is not at work, you can find him hiking the beautiful trails of the Adirondacks. He is thrilled to be back on stage with such a talented group of people! www.soulcareacu.com
Elizabeth Abair
Elizabeth Abair
Elizabeth Abair
Technician / Fellow / Student / Code Team
Elizabeth Abair is a graduate of SUNY Plattsburgh with a Bachelors of Arts. She is a member of Alpha Psi Omega the national theatre honor society. Elizabeth has been a part of many productions over the years, some of her favorite roles to date include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Cathy in The
Technician / Fellow / Student / Code Team
Elizabeth Abair is a graduate of SUNY Plattsburgh with a Bachelors of Arts. She is a member of Alpha Psi Omega the national theatre honor society. Elizabeth has been a part of many productions over the years, some of her favorite roles to date include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Cathy in The Last Five Years, Diana in Next to Normal, Stepmother in R+H Cinderella, Princess Fiona in Shrek, Christine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Janet in The Rocky Horror Show, Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show, Catherine in Suddenly Last Summer, and Stevie in The Goat or Who is Sylvia.
Levi Julian
Elizabeth Abair
Elizabeth Abair
Technician / Fellow / Student / Code Team
Levi is excited to be in his third production with Artistry! This past summer he was in R+H Cinderella and this past fall he was in Little Shop of Horrors. This past December he worked with the Upper Jay Art Center to produce Tragedy: A Tragedy. He hopes everyone enjoys the show!
Max Longware
Elizabeth Abair
Max Longware
Technician / Fellow / Student / Code Team
Max Longware (Ambrose) is thrilled to be returning to the Artistry Community Theatre stage. He graduated from Clarkson University with a Bachelor's in psychology. Past shows include Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), R+H Cinderella (Grace), Into The Woods (Rapunzel's Prince), Hello, Dolly! (Ambros
Technician / Fellow / Student / Code Team
Max Longware (Ambrose) is thrilled to be returning to the Artistry Community Theatre stage. He graduated from Clarkson University with a Bachelor's in psychology. Past shows include Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), R+H Cinderella (Grace), Into The Woods (Rapunzel's Prince), Hello, Dolly! (Ambrose), Proof (Father), Elf Jr. (Buddy the Elf), Mame (Young Patrick), [title of show] (Jeff). Max recently was elected to the Board of Director of Artistry Community Theatre. He hopes you enjoy this show and hopes to be part of this community for many years to come.
The Production Team
Derrick A. Hopkins
Annie-Laurie Lemieux
Annie-Laurie Lemieux
Director
Annie-Laurie Lemieux
Annie-Laurie Lemieux
Annie-Laurie Lemieux
Ast. Director / Stage Manager
Jonathan Cron
Jonathan Cron
Jonathan Cron
Makeup
Megan Land
Jonathan Cron
Jonathan Cron
Medical Consultant / Props
Nora Mockus
Jonathan Cron
Nora Mockus
Props