Christmas Shorts

December 11 – 20, 2014

by Matt Hoverman

Springs Ensemble Theatre announces a two-week special event: CHRISTMAS SHORTS by Matt Hoverman, opening December 11th and running through December 20th, 2014. This hilarious collection of short plays takes a look at all the trials and tribulations surrounding the season: holiday travel, Christmas cards, family, the nativity, and of course, elves.

MATT HOVERMAN’s plays include Who You See Here and The Glint (both optioned for Broadway by Nelle Nugent); In Transit (FringeNYC Best Playwriting Award), The Student (winner, 34^th Annual Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival, The Audience (co-book writer, Drama Desk Best New Musical Award Nominee), Searching for God in Suburbia and The Coach. Residencies include Ojai Playwrights Conference, Edward Albee Foundation, Berkshire Playwrights Lab. Mr. Hoverman writes for the multi-Emmy Award winning PBS animated children’s show Arthur and is currently under commission to write a screenplay for Garage Films. As an actor, Mr. Hoverman’s credits include Yale Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, The Acting Company, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, commercials – and the voices of villains on many cartoons, including Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sonic X, The WinX Club, Chaotic and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Also a solo show teacher/director, Mr. Hoverman has midwived the creation of over 100 solo shows, including winners of the 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 FringeNYC Best Solo Show Awards. Brown University: BA in Playwriting; University of California, San Diego: MFA in Acting.

SET’s production features company members Emory John Collinson (Art), Sarah S. Shaver (Desdemona), Max Ferguson (The Lion in Winter), David Plambeck (Coronado), Steve Emily (A Steady Rain), and SET-newcomer Jenny Maloney. In addition, CHRISTMAS SHORTS will feature guest artists Mark Cannon, Greg Farinelli, Kala Roquemore, Barbara Summerville and Alayna Alonge. CHRISTMAS SHORTS is produced by Emory John Collinson and Jenny Maloney, and directed by Christine Vitale, David Plambeck, Jessica Weaver, Max Ferguson and Sallie Walker. Set Design is by June Scott Barfield, Lighting Design is by Jenny Maloney, Costume Design is by Jillmarie Peterson, and Sound Design is by Travis Duncan & Jeremiah Walters, also known as The Rogue Spirits. Stage Management is by guest artist Gabriel Espinoza-Lira.

CAST LIST

Going Home

Director – Jessica Weaver

Greg – Emory John Collinson

Cheryl – Sarah S. Shaver

The Christmas Witch

Director – Christine Vitale

Sam – Mark Cannon

Joe – Greg Farinelli

Karen – Kala Roquemore

The Student

Director – Sallie Walker