wayplays.com - Who's Who


Eliza Lay, Artistic Associate – Eliza wears several hats for Way, including acting, literary management and production roles. She was last seen as Lia in Way's Boston premiere of Don DeLillo's "Love-Lies-Bleeding" and performed as Chris in Way's inaugural production “Dancing at Lughnasa” in 2007 and appeared as Vixen in an independent production of “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues” at The Factory Theatre. Other credits include: Whistler in the Dark ("A Hard Heart"), Zeitgeist (“Sacred Hearts,” “Flesh and Blood”), Boston Theatre Works (“Gorilla Man”), 11:11 Productions (“The Tempest,” “The Autumn Hours,” “Yellow Ribbons,” “Our Hearts as Fiction,” “The Ocean Room,” “Under Her Umbrella”), The Movement Theater Workshop (“Dust to Dust”) and various festivals (Boston Theater Marathon, FeverFest, and the winning play of SLAMBoston 2007). She studied theatre at Skidmore College and performed with the Stanislavsky Theater Studio as company member in Washington DC (“Fathers and Sons,” “The Shoemaker's Remarkable Wife”). Eliza teaches acting to children and adults, most recently with the New York Film Academy. She also served as Costume Designer for “Love-Lies-Bleeding.” For more info on Eliza, visit www.elizalay.com.	Greg Maraio, Artistic Associate – Greg is directing and set-designing Way's next production "The Memory of Water" and last directed and set-designed Way's Boston premiere of Don DeLillo's "Love-Lies-Bleeding." He also directed and set-designed Way's 2007 debut "Dancing at Lughnasa" and played key roles in Way's 2007 co-production with Zeitgeist of "The Kentucky Cycle," portraying Jeremiah Talbert, Abe Steinman and ensemble, and serving as graphic designer. He contributes to planning for Way, advising on everything from play selection to casting. A Boston native, Greg has worked with Zeitgeist ("Flesh & Blood," "Stuff Happens," "Sacred Hearts"), Company One ("The Gibson Girl," "Mr. Marmalade," "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot"), Pastimes ("Romeo & Juliet"), AYTB ("Death & You") and 11:11 (Director: "Our Hearts As Fiction," Actor: in "Under Her Umbrella," "Yellow Ribbons," "The Autumn Hours," "The Ocean Room," and "Softly Unsaid," also Costume and Set Designer). Other performances include "The Glass Menagerie," "The Rover," "The Laramie Project," "Henry VI," "Richard III," and "My Son Is Crazy But Promising." He received a BFA in Illustration from The Art Institute of Boston at LesleyUniversity where he studied acting with Anne Pluto. Greg was last seen as Cupid in the X-mas Project's "The Eight: Reindeer Monologues" at The Factory Theatre at the Piano Factory to benefit the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center.	Julie Ohl, Artistic Director – Producer, Actor, Dramaturg - Julie is currently production managing Way's next show "The Memory of Water" and recently production-managed Way's 2008 Boston premiere of Don DeLillo's Love-Lies-Bleeding. Julie has served as dramaturgy intern for the Huntington, active member of Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA), and production dramaturg for 11:11, Zeitgeist, and Company One (through a LMDA residency grant to dramaturg Mr. Marmalade by Noah Haidle). She assistant directed and dramaturged The Kentucky Cycle coproduced with Zeitgeist Stage. As an actor, past roles include Agnes in Way's "Dancing at Lughnasa" at the BCA, Peg in "Fighting Words" at the BCA, the Nurse in "Romeo & Juliet," and roles in six premieres with 11:11. She earned a finance degree at University of New Haven then realized a love for theatre and many roles on CT stages while training at HB Studio in NYC.


Pictured above: cast of "The Memory of Water" by Shelagh Stephenson at the BCA Calderwood Pavilion May 2008 (L to R): Elizabeth Brunette, Michael Steven Costello, Marc Harpin, Amanda Good Hennessey, Lyralen Kaye, Shawna O'Brien. Production Crew: Greg Maraio, Direction, Costume Design P.J. Strachman, Lighting Design Julie Ohl & Greg Maraio, Set Design Amy Weissenstein, Stage Management Nicole Catalano, Asst. Direction, Production Dramaturgy Katie Higgins, Dialect Coaching Julie Ohl, Production Management	Elizabeth Brunette (Vi) – Liz has been acting in the Boston area for ten years, recently appearing as Avis in Molasses Tank Productions' “A Body of Water” and Zeitgeist Stage Company's production of “Stuff Happens” (winner, 2007 Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Fringe Theater Production). Other credits include “Big Love” (UMASS – Amherst), “Top Girls,” “The House of Bernarda Alba,” and “Anger Box” which ran at the 2004 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland (Apollinaire Theatre Company formerly TheatreZone); as well as plays festivals with Whistler in the Dark and Devanaughnan Theatre. Liz is also an audio-describer for the blind and visually impaired and recently described The 39 Steps for the Huntington Theatre Company as well as shows for New Repertory Theatre, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, and Yale Repertory Theatre.	Michael Steven Costello (Frank) – Michael's recent credits include "The Kentucky Cycle" (Zeitgeist Stage / Way Theatre Artists) which just received an Elliott Norton nomination for Best Fringe Production 2007, "[sic]" (Devanaughn Theatre), "A Very Mamet Xmas" (ImprovBoston), as well as lending his voice to Wendy Wasserstein's "Third" (Huntington Theatre), "Taming of the Shrew" (Commonwealth Shakespeare Co.), and "Angels in America" (Boston Opera Unlimited) both under the direction of Steve Maler. Other credits: "Cabaret." "Importance of being Earnest." "Romeo&Juliet." "Streetcar Named Desire" (Fiddlehead Theatre). He appeared off-off Broadway in "Along for the Ride" (American Theatre for Actors). L.A. credits: "The Frogs" (Attic Theatre), "Our Country's Good" (Actor's Circle), "The Anniversary Man" (Theatre/Theater), and "In the Boom Boom Room" (Attic Theatre) to name a few. Film &T.V. stints: "Common Bonds" (Sundance Selection), "Mistaken," "Gunplay," "Sharkskin" (A&E Ch.), "Mill City Players" as well as numerous national commercials. He is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild.


Marc Harpin (Mike) – Marc was seen most recently in “To Kill a Mockingbird” with the Wheelock Family Theatre. Past productions include The Lyric Stage Company’s “Red Herring,” “Much Ado About Nothing” with Wellesley Summer Theatre Company, and “The Glass Menagerie” with the New Repertory Theatre Company on Tour Program.	Amanda Good Hennessey (Mary) –dynamic actress, playwright, teacher and coach, Amanda recently performed in the Zeitgeist / Way co-production of “The Kentucky Cycle“ and Company One’s “Mr. Marmalade.” Other recent credits include “[sic]” at the Devanaughn and “The Women” with SpeakEasy (winner of 5 IRNE awards). Amanda teaches acting at the Huntington Theatre Company and Boston University. She received her MFA from the Actors Studio Drama School.	Lyralen Kaye (Teresa) – Meisner-trained actress, teacher, producer, SAG/AFTRA member, and prize-winning playwright, Lyralen received her MFA in Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College in 2002. Boston theatre credits include “The Seagull” with Theatre Zone, “Unveiling” with Molasses Tank, “Tomboy” with J. Rene Productions/NYC Fringe Festival, “They Named Us Mary” with PS Films / Another Country Productions, and numerous shows at the Devanaughn Theatre. Lyralen serves as Artistic Director of Another Country Productions who presents SLAMBoston, most recently in collaboration with Company One.


Shawna O'Brien (Catherine) – hailing from Lowell, and a recent addition to the Boston theatre scene, Shawna was most recently seen in the Boston Area premiere of "I Love You Because" with the F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company. Other recent credits include "The Spitfire Grill" (Walpole Footlighters), "The Importance of Being Earnest" (Concord Players) and the title role in "Evita" (ActorSingers in Nashua, NH). She has received several nominations for her musical theatre roles, most recently at the 2007 New Hampshire Theatre Awards.


Pictured above: cast of "Love-Lies-Bleeding" by Don DeLillo presented at Boston Playwrights' Theatre Feb. 15-23, 2008. Left to right: Maureen Adduci, W. Kirk Avery, Jeff Gill, Eliza Lay and Brett Marks. Production Crew: Greg Maraio, Director & Set Designer P.J. Strachman, Lighting Designer Eliza Lay, Costume Designer & Props Nicole Catalano, Stage Manager Brett Marks, Production Dramaturg Melissa Baroni, Production Associate Julie Ohl, Production Manager	Maureen Adduci (Toinette) – this is Maureen's second production with Way Theatre Artists, having appeared in “The Kentucky Cycle” (Mother Jones, Margaret Rowen) directed by David J. Miller of Zeitgeist Stage Company, assistant-directed by Julie Ohl of Way, and co-produced by Zeitgeist and Way. A Boston native and retired nurse-anesthetist, Maureen appeared in “Vietnam Nurses” (WE TV), an Emmy Award winning documentary. She is a beloved veteran of fringe and community theatre and a proud recipient of the EMACT Best Actress Award (“Love Letters”). Other credits include Zeitgeist Stage Company (“Flesh and Blood," “Valhalla” and the Elliot Norton Award winning “Stuff Happens”), Theatre Coop (“Morning Star,” “Tongue Of A Bird” and “Dead White Males”) and several festivals (Boston Theater Marathon, BTW Unbound, The Ritalin Readings).	W. Kirk Avery (Alex “in extremis”) - a storyteller, writer, and actor (SAG), W. Kirk Avery brings more than seven decades of life experience and understanding to this unique role. A Korean War trauma survivor, Kirk has known harder times on city streets, earned 5 academic degrees, served as hospice volunteer, college professor, and marched for human rights during the sixties. Industry credits include “Wings of Desire” (American Repertory Theatre), American Experience: “Murder at Harvard” (PBS), a homeless man in "Stiffs," photo-double for Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun in "Amistad," plus appearances in more than two dozen films, including his latest role as Dr. Z in the yet to be released "The Box."


Jeff Gill (younger Alex) – twice awarded the Addison Award for Best Actor and nominated Best Actor by the IRNE Committee last year, Jeff has appeared in productions in Boston and throughout New England. Credits include three Commonwealth Shakespeare productions and two African-American Theatre Festivals. Last year he appeared in “More Than What,” “Patience of Nantucket,” “The Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman” and “A View from the Bridge”. He recently completed work in the feature film “The Aristocrat” due out next fall. Jeff owns and operates with his sisters a combination wine bar / pub theatre in Plymouth.	Eliza Lay (Lia) - Eliza wears several hats for Way, including acting, literary management and production roles. She performed as Chris in Way's inaugural production “Dancing at Lughnasa” in 2007 and was last seen as Vixen in an independent production of “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues” at The Factory Theatre. Other credits include: Zeitgeist (“Sacred Hearts,” “Flesh and Blood”), Boston Theatre Works (“Gorilla Man”), 11:11 Productions (“The Tempest,” “The Autumn Hours,” “Yellow Ribbons,” “Our Hearts as Fiction,” “The Ocean Room,” “Under Her Umbrella”), The Movement Theater Workshop (“Dust to Dust”) and various festivals (Boston Theater Marathon, FeverFest, and the winning play of SLAMBoston 2007). She studied theatre at Skidmore College and performed with the Stanislavsky Theater Studio as company member in Washington DC (“Fathers and Sons,” “The Shoemaker's Remarkable Wife”). Eliza teaches acting to children and adults, most recently with the New York Film Academy. She is also serving as Costume Designer for “Love-Lies-Bleeding.”	Brett Marks (Sean) – this production marks Brett's second endeavor with Way, having played Jed Rowen (et al.) in “The Kentucky Cycle” co-produced with Zeitgeist Stage. Previous credits include “The Twilight of the Golds” and “Richard III” with Vokes Players, and “The Shape of Things” with SAMM Entertainment. Brett received his BA in Theatre Arts from Boston College where he acted in productions such as “Hamlet,” “The King Stag,” “The Shadow Box” and “The Crucible”. Brett was last seen as Prancer in an independent production of “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues” at The Factory Theatre. He is also serving behind the scenes as Production Dramaturg for “Love-Lies-Bleeding.”


Coming soon: Who's Who summaries for past productions.