CREATIVE TEAM

Catherine is honored to have CHILMARK back at MV Playhouse; a company that has supported and developed her work for over twenty years. She began her journey here in 2003 with a reading of A NICE PLACE TO LIVE, a play commissioned by Wheelock Family Theater, written with Adrian Blue and performed by eleven elementary school children. Over the years the story of the community who signed in Chilmark brought forth two other plays both produced at the Playhouse. Since she was last here in 2018, her play, MAGPIE, was produced as part of the inaugural Studio Series at the Bainbridge Performing Arts (BPA) in Washington State. She also wrote two novels during COVID, one of which will never see the light of day. (The jury’s out on the second.) Her new play, FISHBOWL, will be produced in 2026 as part of the BPA Studio Series, and her play, THE LOUDEST MAN ON EARTH, will be read for the New Plays Northwest Festival at The Union Theater in Seattle. You can find more information on her and her work at www.CatherineRush.com

After 21 years as a SAG-AFTRA/AEA performer, teacher & caffeinated writer in NYC, Erik moved to California where he won Dancing with the Tahoe Stars as choreographer-dancer, received a best comedy award in a L.A. festival for his script ¿Say, Que? and appeared as the sheriff in THE MEAN ONE. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering & an M.F.A. in Acting. A tenured hockey referee & coach, Erik has broken up over fifty fights—while starting only one. He currently runs the theatre department at LTCC. Left to his own devices, Erik provokes his children’s wild imaginations, who unanimously agree he is the BEST DAD JOKE GENERATOR ever!!! Erik dedicates this performance and love to his wife, Briann, who enables magic in his life.

Liz is delighted to return to the Playhouse and to CHILMARK this summer! She appeared in the play's World Premiere here in 2018. Liz also serves as Camp Director for the Playhouse’s Summer Stars Children's Theatre Camp. Other MVP credits include HAMLET (Ophelia), JULIUS CAESAR (Cinna) ROMEO & JULIET (Mercutio), and COMEDY OF ERRORS (Adriana) to name a few. Regional Credits include HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE (Male Chorus), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Hermia u/s) and TAMING OF THE SHREW (Swing) at Actor’s Shakespeare Project and THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE (Maiden) at Saint Michael’s Playhouse. She has also worked with Theatre Espresso, Bay Colony Shakespeare Company National Theatre for Arts and Education and Missoula Children’s Theatre. Liz earned a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Saint Michael’s College and received classical training from the British American Drama Academy and Shakespeare and Company. Liz resides in Boston where she performs in other roles such as Hospital Clown (Boston Children’s Hospital), Theatre Director and student aerialist! Liz would like to thank her family, friends and the Playhouse for their support and generosity!

Ms. Macdonald enjoyed Trinity Square Repertory productions as a high school student in Providence, R.I., a beneficiary of Adrian Hall's "Project Discovery." Her Off-Broadway credits include GETTING OUT and KEY EXCHANGE. Hired to manage the Deaf West Theatre Company (DWTC), she moved to Los Angeles. DWTC, then in residence at the Fountain Theater, presented productions exclusively in American Sign Language (ASL). Non-signing audience members utilized infrared headphones to access dialogue being simultaneously voiced by unseen actors. Ms. Macdonald voiced for Phyllis Frelich in THE GIN GAME and played Nurse Ratched in DWTC's adaptation of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. She subsequently voiced for Ms Frelich's LOLLY FOSTER'S DAREDEVIL AIRSHOW which premiered at The Kennedy Center. Currently residing in Provincetown, she has appeared at various venues, including The Provincetown Theater, The Cotuit Art Center, W.H.A.T., and the Tennessee Williams Festival. She passed an intriguing seven years with Edward Gorey, as a puppeteer and member of his Aubergine Company.

Erin is thrilled to be part of CHILMARK! She made her Broadway debut in GREY HOUSE as standby for Bernie, A1656, and Marlow. Other favorites include Wendla (SPRING AWAKENING, Skylight Music Theatre), Sylvia (TRIBES), Ava (T: THE PLAY, Off-Broadway as part of SoHo Playhouse’s Lighthouse Series), and several projects with Deaf West, including a staged reading of SENSE AND SENSIBILITIES as Margaret Dashwood/Lucy Steele, and a workshop of WONDERSTRUCK as Rose/Ensemble. Netflix: recurring cast member (“Ms. Erin”) on Ms. Rachel’s Songs for Littles. Erin is passionate about breaking barriers and increasing Deaf representation. Her advocacy work has led to features in Teen Vogue, Forbes, CBS Inside Edition, Buzzfeed, and more. Erin wants to thank her family and friends, as well everyone involved in CHILMARK. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Broadway credit: National Broadway Tours include DeafWest Theatre’s production of BIG RIVER. Theatre credits include A CHRISTMAS CAROL and INHERIT THE WIND (Goodman Theatre); Shakespeare’s MEASURE FOR MEASURE (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); The HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER and ART (Steppenwolf Theatre); ROMEO AND JULIET (American Players Theatre); The LON CHANEY MUSICAL A THOUSAND FACES (The Encore Musical); Bernstein’s MASS (Lawerence University Opera); THE EDGE OF PEACE (Seattle Children’s Theatre and University of Texas at Austin); THE TEMPEST (Milwaukee Shakespeare Company); MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Amaryllis Theatre); HAMLET DREAMS, OUR TOWN, EQUUS, and POPE JOAN (Bailwick Rep); POLICE DEAF NEAR (StageLeft Theatre) Film/TV: Apple TV-Dark Matter and Miracle on the 34th Street. Mr. Schleifer received his education at Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester, and Northwestern University. He received the prestigious 3Arts Award and a 3Arts fellowship from University of Illinois-Chicago. Mr. Schleifer also received the 2018 Kathryn Lamkey Award. Member: AEA and SAG Instagram: @robertimages

Past designs at Martha's Vineyard Playhouse include TO FALL IN LOVE, LOW DOWN DIRTY BLUES, PASSIONATA, ANGELA'S MIXTAPE, CHILMARK (2018), THE ROOM WHERE I WAS HELD, THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE and many others. Lisa is a member of the Local Union 829 as a scenic artist for movie productions. Previous work includes various theaters in Massachusetts and a designer for the USS Constitution Museum in Charlestown. lisapegnato.com

B.A. Fashion Merchandising; B.A. Fashion Design Oregon State University. She spent several summers working at Shakespeare festivals. For years she was proprietress of a design and alteration studio. Love of theater and design brought her to Martha's Vineyard Playhouse, where she has designed many shows over the years

Katy Atwell is a NYC based Lighting Designer. Credits include: A WONDERFUL WORLD (Assoc LD), ALL IN (Assoc LD), BROOKLYN LAUNDRY (Assoc LD), THE OUTSIDERS (ALD), MOULIN ROUGE (ALD), New York City Ballet - Asst Lighting Director (2016-2022). At MVP, she previously designed DEAR EDVARD earlier this season, BILLY BALOO (2024) and KANSAS CITY SWING (2014). She is the Design Consultant for Brooklyn Art Haus. More Information: KAtwellDesign.com or Instagram: Lightkat35

Liam Bellman-Sharpe is an Australian composer, sound designer, writer, and multi- instrumentalist working in theatre, music, film, dance, installation, and hybrid forms. As a composer and sound designer for theatre, recent credits include The Smuggler, The Beacon (Irish Repertory Theatre), The Matchmaker (Hudson Valley Shakespeare), The Age of Innocence (Arena Stage Company), Babbit (Shakespeare Theatre Company), and SUMO! (the Public Theatre) among others. Liam is thrilled to be returning to Martha's Vineyard Playhouse, after Miss Maybelline’s Nocturnal Flights of Fancy, We Swim We Talk We Go to War, The Smuggler, and Billy Baloo.

Millie is an NYC-based stage manager. She was the stage manager for the 2018 production of CHILMARK, and the earlier 2007 reading of THIS ISLAND ALONE, and she is very happy to be back at the Playhouse this summer. She has known American Sign Language for over 25 years and has worked on many productions with Deaf theatre artists. She has worked with New York Deaf Theatre, OMNIUM Circus, One-Eighth Theater, IRT Theater, Rising Sun Performance Company, Playwrights Horizons, Huntington Theatre Company, and Wheelock Family Theatre. Last month, she travelled to Romania and worked with Deaf theater artists at The Sibiu International Theater Festival. She is a full time freelance ASL-English interpreter, except when she's not. She thanks MJ and the Playhouse for supporting this special piece.