The JOCUNDA FESTIVAL presents AN INSTITUTION by Daniel A. Takacs

The JOCUNDA FESTIVAL presents AN INSTITUTION by Daniel A. Takacs and directed by Van Dirk Fisher, on Monday, April 12, 2021 at 8PM EST and 5PM PST on Zoom.

To obtain tickets in advance go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eQpJWVoBTR2RRHVuWKZHiA

Tickets are $25.00 to benefit the Riant Theatre. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The reading will be followed by a TALK BACK with the artists moderated by Van Dirk Fisher, Founder and Artistic Director of the Riant Theatre and producer of the Jocunda Festival.

AN INSTITUTION exposes the dark side of higher education. At a large private university, a graduate student reports possible sexual misconduct to her professor, and the faculty scrambles to control the damage. Will truth win out? Or can the institution squash the rumor before it spreads? This play examines the dark corners of conservatory education, and the way office politics gets in the way of justice.

The Cast includes:

CHAUNICE CHAPMAN (Tamara) had appeared in several live theatrical productions prior to the great slowdown, most recently Troilus and Cressida with the Hip to Hip theater company and Ridin' Shotgun, winner of best play in the Downtown Urban Arts festival. She has also had the pleasure of taking part in many readings in this digital era, showcasing both classic and new original works.

Alice Rose DOWNES (Laurel) Theatre credits include: Morticia in Adams Family Musical, Princess in A Soldier's Tale, Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing and Euridice in House of Hades. Alice was recently in Veils of Justice in the JOCUNDA FESTIVAL'S Virtual Play Reading Series produced by the Riant Theatre and performed voiceover work for ChrissyCantHearYou. Alice graduated from Bard College and the Stella Adler Summer Conservatory. You can find her on YouTube under AliceRoseActor.

MAGGIE MCCOLLESTER (Cassie) has appeared in three Jocunda Festival play readings and has thoroughly enjoyed her experiences with Van and the Riant Theatre; she played Fiama in Fiama’s Finale written and directed by Carrie Gibson, Lynn in Veils of Justice written by Tita Anntares, and Alice Paul in With Banners Flying written by Kay Weaver and Martha Wheelock – both directed by Van Dirk Fisher. A few of Maggie’s television credits include Dexter, The Unit, The Young and the Restless, and the Lifetime movie Playdate. In the Emmy Award winning short film “Cold Winter’s Night” Maggie played Mom. And among Maggie’s many stage roles, the role of Kate in The Taming of the Shrew has been a favorite. Maggie and her husband Hamish produce independent films through their LA-based production company Harbinger Moon Media. Look for a short film they worked on during the pandemic called Killing Time in film festivals soon.

SHIRLEY JORDAN (Cleta) Among Shirley's TV appearances are S.W.A.T., N.C.I.S., This Is Us, Bunk'd and, the oldie but goodie, Friends (as Phoebe's OBGYN). Shirley has been seen in the first two seasons of Tyler Perry's SISTAS as Irene Johnson and currently appears in the recurring role of Willa on the new ABC series Rebel, starring Katey Sagal and Andy Garcia.

Among her favorite roles (aside from mom and wife) are Valera, an ex-Republic Captain in Aaron Kunkel's fan film Days Past, A Star Wars Story (YouTube) and in the well received festival shorts as Meredith in A Craftsman and the Priest in Wake The Riderless Horse.

Carole Ita White (Alma) started appearing in episodic TV and small film roles in the early 1970s. Her first TV job was Evil Roy Slade, starring John Astin, Mickey Rooney, and Milton Berle. The movie was written by producer and director Garry Marshall. Carole went on to play Big Rosie Greenbaum on long running series Laverne & Shirley. White made guest starring appearances in over 30 shows on such programs as Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, The Love Boat, Beverly Hills, 90210, The Wayans Bros. and Profiler.

STEFANIE SCHMAHL (Pandora) Born and raised in Germany, Stefanie gained her first stage experiences in local theatre productions before moving to New York City to study acting at the William Esper Studio. She will appear in "A Self-Tape Story" by Dorobantu Film&Television and "The Raw Edge of Moonlight" by the Já International Theatre in Portugal. She is excited to join the cast of "An Institution" now.

Tait Ruppert (Oz) Broadway credits include: Candida with Joanne Woodward at the Roundabout. Off-Broadway: Jay in Lonestar, Billy & Boo in Album. Film credits include supporting roles in Diner, Swordfish, Battlefield Earth, The General's Daughter and Domestic Disturbance. TV: recurring roles on Arli$$ (HBO) and Fat Actress (Showtime).

PHILIP BARTOLF (Doc) This is my second production for Riant Theatre. I'm elated to be working with such an excellent cast and crew. I started acting in 2002, working in LA and New York. Training: SMC, LAMDA, Michael Howard, Terry Schreiber, HB Studio, and Barron Brown. Teachers: Patsy Rodenburg, Austin Pendleton, Olympia Dukakis, Lisa Volpe, Michael Frederick. Favorite plays Anne Frank (Otto Frank), The Tempest (Prospero), Orson's Shadow (Orson Welles), Chapter Two (George), Rumors (Lenny), 12 Angry Men (Juror 8), Moonlight and Magnolias (David O. Selznick), The Price (Walter Franz), Farragut North (Paul Zara), Twelfth Night (Malvolio). Recent Zoom work includes Forger (Riant); Remember Me/Watch Yourself (Karen Byrnes Plays). Acting awards include Theatre Palisades (LA) for Featured Actor (Rumors; Clybourne Park). And Lead Actor (12 Angry Men; Anne Frank; Twelfth Night). And Kentwood Players (LA) supporting actor award for Inspector Hubbard, Dial for Murder. Love to my wife of 27 years, Patsy! We are proud grandparents of four: Harper, 9 and her brother, Graham, 5; and Dusty Rose, 4, and her sister, Gio, 3.

Laura Bowman (Narrator) is a veteran actress/singer/writer who trained with Dr. Barbara Ann Teer of the National Black Theatre, and has a BA in Theatre from The City College of New York. Some of her acting coaches include: George C. Wolfe and Earl Hyman. Vocal coaches include: Chapman Roberts and Gilbert Price. A few of her roles include: Velma in Birdbath, Ariel in The Tempest, Rose in Fences, Addaerle in The Wiz, Odessa in Amen Corner, Woman 2 in Home, Armelia in Ain't Misbehavin, and Gloria Dawn in Tambourines to Glory. Laura's One-Woman Shows include: My Time to Shine, based on her book of poetry Mirrors (Reflections of a Woman's Soul), and Spirit of the Blues (which included original songs composed by her).

DANIEL A. TAKACS (Playwright) is a Boston-based playwright and director from Oberlin, Ohio. His original plays have been seen at Cleveland Public Theatre, The MAD Factory, and Boston Playwright's Theatre, and he has taught and directed theatre in Cleveland, Chicago, Denver, and in Boston, where he received his MFA in Theatre Studies from Boston University, with a focus on playwriting and directing. Favorite productions include The Millennials (CPT), The 39 Steps (Chagrin Valley Little Theatre), and The Adventurous Adventuress (Dobama).

Van Dirk Fisher (Director) is the Founder & Artistic Director of the Riant Theatre a.k.a. Black Experimental Theatre, a non-profit 501(3)(c) organization, of which he is the CEO. He is the producer of the JOCUNDA MUSIC, FILM & THEATRE FESTIVAL and the acclaimed Strawberry One-Act Festival, which the NY Daily News said, "It's like the American Idol for Playwrights." Since 1995, Mr. Fisher has produced over 1,500 one-act plays in The Strawberry One-Act Festival. This biannual theatre competition celebrated its 33rd season in February 2020. Under Fisher's direction, he has published eight anthologies of The Best Plays from the Strawberry One-Act Festival. As an actor, Fisher has appeared in several plays, commercials and voiceovers. He has directed and written several musicals including: Rock-A My Soul, No Name In The Street - The Biblical Story of Job, Somebody's Calling My Name; Sweet Blessings; Tracks; Loving That Man Of Mine, Revelations and Dream Babies, The Musical about Teens Living in Foster Care. His dramas, which are inspired by real life news stories, include: A Sin Between Friends; The Banjo Lesson; Mixed Blessings; Hotel Paradise and The Atlanta Affair. His play Code of Silence been compared to works by John Grisham and was pitched as a television series. His novel, Loving You, is sold on Amazon.com. For his accomplishments with the Riant Theatre, he earned the prestigious 2009 AUDELCO Special Achievement Award.

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