Ann Marley
A GHOST OF A CHANCE
by Kim Shimer
A Ghost of a Chance is the afterlife story of Eleanor, a nitpicky, obsessive, know-it-all whom, after dying, finds she can't make it to her final resting place until she reconciles with her husband Harry. Unfortunately, because she made Harry miserable for most of their 30+ years of marriage, he's not particularly inclined to make nice with her ghost when she pays him a visit. In fact, he's already checking out an online dating site, ready to "find love again."
PLAYWRIGHT
KIM SHIMER
Playwright
Kim Shimer recently became an empty-nester and has turned her attention from soccer games and test scores to playwriting and an occasional performance with community theatre. When she's not pursuing opportunities on the stage, Kim is the Director of Communications for Villanova University's College of Engineering. She can be reached at kimberlyshimer@gmail.com.
ACTORS
Leo Bond
Dave
Acting credits include Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play, Godspell, The Gambler, Marisol, Macbeth, King John, King Henry VIII, Shakespeare for Kids, Red, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, and I Hate Hamlet.
Directing credits include Gruesome Playground Injuries, Much Ado About Nothing, Pygmalion, Loyalties, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Assistant Director), Macbeth (Assistant to the Director), The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (Assistant to the Director) and I Am Ridiculous, his stage-adaptation of the Dostoyevsky short story.
Leo earned his BA in Theatre from DeSales University, his MA in Higher Education Administration from Boston College, and his MA in Theatre from Villanova University.
BRISHEN MILLER
Sidney
Brishen earned an MA in Theatre from Villanova University and a BA in Theatre in Detroit at Wayne State University. He was a director, designer, producer, company member and President of the Board for Fancy Pants Theater in Kalamazoo from 2010-2016.
Acting credits include Much Ado About Nothing, Mr. Burns, A Post Electric Play, Intimate Apparel, and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and The Crucible. Directing credits include A Thousand Clowns and Kiss of the Spiderwoman. He composed original scores for plays such as Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God and Othello.
KRISTIN CURLEY
Jenny
Kristin Curley is a Philadelphia-based Arts Administrator, PR & Marketing Manager, Dramaturg and Director who earned her B.A of Theatre & English at Lafayette College in 2016, and her M.A in Theatre with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management at Villanova University in 2019. At Villanova, Kristin was the graduate assistant in PR & Marketing for the Department of Theatre.
Kristin spent her undergraduate years performing with and serving as Vice President of the Marquis Players, and working in the box office. She is the founder of the Williams Center Fellowship, a program that provides the opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the daily operations of a performing arts venue. She then went on to manage the Box Office at Caramoor Center for Music & the Arts before deciding to pursue her masters degree. Kristin was an eight year member of the Intern Co. at Burlington County Footlighters, where she now serves on the development committee as the fundraising chair. www.kristincurley.com
SHAWNEEN ROWE
ELeanor
KELLY MCANALLY
Ann
Kelly McAnally is an actress and solo performer living just outside Philadelphia, PA. She holds an MA in Theatre from Villanova University. In 2018, Kelly wrote and performed her solo thesis Refrain - a piece about rewriting and reclaiming the female narrative inspired by the murder ballad The Twa Sisters - for the completion of her Master’s degree. Recent credits include The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (Naiad Mother/Selene/Suitor 2), the American Premiere of Irish playwright Stacey Gregg's Lagan (Fiona), Frank McGuinness' adaptation of Electra by Sophocles (Greek Chorus) and Svaha Theatre Collective's devised adaptation of Miss Julie in the 2017 Philly Fringe Festival (Mother/XX/Reveler).
Kelly earned her BA in Public Relations and Communications from Temple University. She is an alumni of Upper Darby Summer Stage, which she participated in for 6 seasons. Kelly is honored to lend her voice to The Upstage Podcast so new plays by new playwrights can be heard! www.kellymcanally.com
LEE STOVER
Harry
Shawneen Rowe (AEA)– Selected credits: Leonato/Much Ado About Nothing; Barbara/August: Osage County; Bella/Lost in Yonkers; Lady Macbeth/Macbeth; Mrs. Allonby/A Woman of No Importance; Bunny/House of Blue Leaves; Nurse/Romeo and Juliet.
Shawneen has been performing and teaching theatre her whole life. She has recently added a Masters in Theatre from Villanova University to her BFA from New York University and many new tools to her toolbox including Dramaturgy, Playwriting and her new solo piece Crooked Shadows.
Lee is a local Theater and Camera actor who has previously been seen as Oliver in Da at Irish Heritage Theater, Junior in Lay Me Down Softly at Irish Heritage Theatre, Matt in Mr. Burns at Villanova University, Jonathan Kendrick in A Few Good Men at Town and Country Players, and George Holly in Suddenly, Last Summer at Old Academy Players. He has also received his Master of Arts in Theatre degree from Villanova University.