What most excites you about BOA this year?

I've seen the BOA festival a couple of times in past years, and I was always blown away by the diversity and talent that comprises the SF indie theater scene.  From the very first production I saw, I thought to myself,  "I want to be a part of that."  So I'm extremely proud that Wily West finally gets to share the stage with such an amazing group of cutting edge theater-makers.  I didn't think I was going to be able to do this project, considering I was already working on two other theatrical productions. But, Quinn Whitaker convinced me that I could do it, and so I took on three theater projects simultaneously. I guess it worked out! This festival, like the SF Fringe, is one of the best representations of the SF indie theater scene, and it's exciting to simply be a part of it. 

How did 3 SISTERS WATCHING THREE SISTERS come to be?

Wily West kicked off our 2013 season with an experimental staged reading this year: we gave (carefully selected) playwrights 6 days to write a short script based on a theme or subject, then they competed for best play based on audience votes.  They were split into two teams and the festival was called the "Showdown."  Ignacio was part of  a group of writers who were given the topic "he found it in a dark hole in the woods."  What I loved about Iggy's script is that he didn't take the topic literally, he worked it into a well-structured storyline with subtlety,  and let his characters tell their story through strong relationships. (His team won, by the way.) 

What did you learn by participating in BOA this year?

On a personal level, I learned how tough I am. Not only did I juggle a full-time job along with rehearsals, production meetings and logistics for three different shows, I persevered in a crisis.  There is only one set piece for Three Sisters, but it's vital to the show.  The actors must be sitting in a row of theater seats.  We were assured that we had theater seats available to us, then a week before Opening the seats fell through. I had a mere four days to come up with a row of theater seats and I realized that there was no way I would take no for an answer. I made myself crazy, but with a little help, I found those seats.  

What is your favorite Chekov character and why?  

Oh god, I'm not going to kid myself here. I could go to my bookshelf right now and scour my Chekov collection for inspiration, or arbitrarily say "Nina" or "Irina," but the truth is, I don't have a favorite.  I find Chekov's characters tedious and melodramatic. Maybe I relate to the Philistine in Iggy's play a little bit. 

What will audiences get for their money by attending BOA this year? 

Simply put: an amazing night of entertainment.  They'll get their money's worth and then some.  They'll get to see the array of talent coming from SF actors, writers, directors and technicians, who produce work with little to no budget.  And they will be humbled and awed. 

BAY AREA ONE ACTS plays at the Tides Theatre. 533 Sutter Street in San Francisco. Tickets available for only $20 (cash only) at the door!  

KAT KNEISEL most recently played several roles in Wily West's critically acclaimed production of LAWFULLY WEDDED.  Kat served as director for Wily West's production of the PCSF annual short play festival SHEHEREZADE XI & XII.  Kat has been an artist for Wily West since the very beginning when she took a lead role as Mrs. Brannan in THE WIDOW WEST for the maiden production in 2008.  Since then she has served as the Assistant Director for MAIDRID'S BOW and took a lead role in Wily West's smash hit NYMPH O' MANIA.  Kat has studied at Sarah Lawrence College in New York and the British American Drama Academy in London.  She had a brief theatrical career in Manhattan before moving to the Bay Area in 2005.  She has worked with the Playwrights' Center of San Francisco, PianoFight and the Actor's Ensemble of Berkeley.

What most excites you about this production? 

Something that I’m really excited about is all the stage combat we’ll be doing. I have a little bit of stage combat training but I’ve never done it in a show before, and I think that will be a really interesting new experience for me.

What is the greatest challenge you face with this show? 

One challenge I face is balancing doing this show with all the homework I’m getting now that I’m in my first year of high school.

What kind of research are you doing to prepare? 

Since my character is from the 70’s, I’m looking up stuff that was going on in that time period. I already watch a lot of old TV shows, but I’m going to be looking more into what happened in history during that time so I can give my character a little bit more context.

What have been some of your favorite previous roles (or productions you have been involved with)? 

One of my favorite past roles was when I played a young Russian girl in a play at the theater camp I went to this summer. I got to learn how to do a Russian accent, which was incredibly challenging but one of the best challenges I’ve had as an actor. I had a really wonderful experience with the cast.

This play is about ghosts - have you ever encountered the supernatural yourself? 

I unfortunately have never had a supernatural experience (thus far) but I’ve always wanted to encounter some sort of spirit or supernatural being.

What is the scariest movie or play you have seen? Why? 

I think that the scariest movie I’ve ever seen would either be The Shining or The Exorcist. I was going through a scary movie phase a couple of years ago, and I watched them both around the same time. They were terrifying!

What are you going to take from this production? 

I hope to take with me the experience of working in a professional production and an experience I will always remember. This is my first professional production and it’s been a really great experience.

ELLA ZALON (HOPE)  is very excited to be in her first play with Wily West Productions.  She is a student at Oakland School for the Arts, where her scene work has included Rose from GYPSY, Babette from [Sic], and Nick Bottom from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. She also appeared in OSA’s production of Fractured Fairytales.  At Young Actors Theater Camp, she is a Company member, after participating for five years as a camper.  She would like to thank her family and friends for supporting her.  

What excites you most about this show?

What excites me most is the discovery and presentation of a new character, i.e. finding his "voice" and carrying the audience into his "truth" or, in this case, his "secrets and delusions."

What is your greatest challenge with this show?

The greatest challenge is to find some nobility in the character and not get wrapped up only in his dark side.

What kind of research have you been doing to prepare yourself for the role?

Research has been in watching some old "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" television episodes and the current Showtime series "Ray Donovan".

What have been some of your favorite previous roles or productions?

Favorite previous roles include the Marryin' Man in "Lawfully Wedded" and a long time ago as Bo Decker, the cowboy in "Bus Stop".

This play is about ghosts - have you ever encountered the supernatural yourself? 

I sometimes feel guided by the spirits of some loved ones who have passed and had a dramatic impact on my life.  I have even conjured them into my consciousness from time to time.  I wish I could do that at will.

What is the scariest movie or play you have seen? Why? 

Well, I was in the remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", but would have to say the original scared the bejesus out of me as a kid.

What do you hope audiences will take from this production? 

Of course I hope the audience suspends preconceived notions of the supernatural and just goes with the absurdities, the comedy and the horror mined by the playwright and this wonderful cast.

JEFFREY ORTH (MACKIE)  Jeffrey just finished working with Wily West this past summer as an ensemble cast member in the critically acclaimed world premiere of LAWFULLY WEDDED. Jeffrey has worked in Marin the past several years creating roles at Ross Valley Players, (RAW) and at the Fringe of Marin.  He was featured as Freddy the bartender in PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE and as William in HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES, both at Novato Theater Company.  Jeffrey is very excited to be in HOPE'S LAST CHANCE by Rod McFadden at the Exit Theatre this October.  His excitement at creating the role of Mackie, the Lighthouse Keeper with a deep secret, is palpable.     

What most excites you about BOA this year?

The increased scope of the festival, which has been a steady and inspiring progression. I was a festival participant in 2008 with my middle-east thriller 22 MINUTES REMAINING, and I served as dramaturg in 2010. I’ve gotten to see three artistic directors helm the festival, from Richard Bernier (RIP) to Jessica Holt (MFA) to Sara Staley (Woot), but this is both a return to playwriting for the festival for me, as well as a chance to work with a theatre company whose work I understood from the very beginning. More specifics on that in the next question:  

How did 3 SISTERS WATCHING THREE SISTERS come to be?

I owe a direct debt to Wily West’s Cowboys vs. Outlaws season 2013 kickoff in Febraury. We had two weeks (I imposed a three day deadline) - to create a seven page play from a prompt: “He found it in a dark hole in the woods.” I found this to be a tad on the specific side, so instead of treating it as a plot synopsis or key point, I used it as a bit of found dialogue instead. Sharp-eared audience members can hear the distinctive line in the play itself.

What did you learn by participating in BOA this year?

I learned how important partnerships are between theaters and playwrights. From presenting the piece at the season opener in February, to advocating for the script as an interested producer during the BOA selection process, director (and former actor) Kat Kniesel supported my script at the right junctions, challenged me when it was needed to improve the work, and trusted me to get the rewrites done on time or at rehearsal as needed. 

What is your favorite Chekov character and why?  

She’s not a favorite per se, but at the present I’m identifying with young Irina, and not just because I’m the baby of my family. In her yearning for distant, cosmopolitan Moscow there’s a parallel to the lure exerted on me by New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago.  

What will audiences get for their money by attending BOA this year? 

A chance to look at themselves in a mirror as life watches art imitate life watching art imitate life watching art...  Plus, uppity pigeon puppets, chilling sociopaths, snappy patter, morose hayseeds, cat ladies, wack ladies, baby ladies, funny ladies, and my three sisters - And that’s not even including program 1!            

IGNACIO ZULUETA (Playwright) Ignacio writes, lives, and laughs in Oakland. His plays have been published locally, performed throughout the country, and broadcast on KUSF 90.3FM and KPFA 94.1FM. He’s a member of Playground-SF, the Playwright’s Incubator at Asian American Theatre Company, and an Associate Artist at AlterTheater. His recent awards include an Emerging Playwright Award and 2012-13 Fellowship from SF PlayGround, and a Horizon Foundation Grant for the advancement of LGBT issues. Follow him on www.facebook.com/ignacio.onstage

What most excites you about this production?

I'm incredibly excited to see how the special effects and intense physical action of the play come together -- there's so much visual theatricality in the play, and that can never fully be realized in a staged reading.  Also, it's exciting to be working with such a creative and talented cast -- right from the initial read-thru, I could see how much depth they were bringing to the characters.   

How did Hope's Last Chance start?  What was the inspiration?  And what was the process you went through to get this play finished?

I set out to write a scary 10-minute play for a Halloween showcase.  It began with a married couple hearing screams at a bed-and-breakfast in the night.   But 7 or 8 pages into it, I knew there was a lot more story opportunity than would fit in a short play, so I began to explore the history and the mystery of what happened in this haunted B&B.   Since fright and laughter are both cathartic, I wanted to have a play that was funny and scary at the same time.   The play had two staged readings during its one-year development, and the audiences responded well to the simultaneous sensations of fear and fun, sort of like on a roller coaster.   

What guidelines or principles of playwriting help you the most to finish a play?

Hope's Last Chance has two clear questions that propel the play forward:  "will Stan and Angela survive?" and "what the heck happened to cause the haunting"?   Because the answers to these questions are related, they almost act as one.  I felt my main job as playwright was keeping the characters focused on pursuit of the answer, and this helped me keep the plot tight throughout.  But I also wanted the characters to have some strong inner (sometimes secret) needs, so that they could make additional discoveries about themselves as they unravelled the larger supernatural  mystery.
 
What influenced you most as a writer?  Was it another playwright?  A teacher?  A work of art?  

For Hope's Last Chance, there was definitely some influence from Japanese horror movies, because they often have creepy little ghost children in them.  But also plays like Blithe Spirit, or  Arsenic and Old Lace, where a character like Mortimer can still make funny quips in the middle of a murderous situation.  I like that 1940's romantic comedy feel, but then layering on a more sinister element of danger, so the audience is always a little off-balance as they take it all in.
 

If you look at your body of work as a whole (so far) what do you think are themes or genres or stories you most try to write toward?  What subjects excite you the most to write about?

I guess I'm drawn strongly to the theme of personal risk and trust -- that is, characters overcoming the innate tendency to self-protect at the cost of experiencing life.  I don't consciously set out to explore this theme, but it shows up in alot of my plays.  The other theme I often explore is Secrets and Honesty  -- how characters hide and/or reveal themselves from others.   Sometimes this leads back to the other theme of trust, so maybe its all one.  In Hope's Last Chance, both these themes are key elements of the characters and the story. 

What do you hope audiences will take from this production?

I want audiences to leave feeling entertained and a little exhilarated.  Do I care if they're discussing any deep themes or truths that the play inspired?   There are a few philosophical messages in the play, so it's a bonus if the audience thinks they're worth discussing.  But it's essential that they leave thinking they had a great time.  

ROD MCFADDEN (PLAYWRIGHT) Rod has received awards in national playwriting competitions for his plays, Love Birds, Counting on Love, and Getting the Message, and was chosen as the People’s Choice award at the 2012 inspiraTO Festival in Toronto.  After receiving his BA in English literature and Playwrighting from UCLA in 1982, Rod McFadden embarked on a tragically successful career as a retail executive which lasted 26 years.   But in 2009, Rod McFadden returned to writing plays full-time.  In addition to successful productions at theatres around the country,  Rod’s plays have been well-received by Bay Area audiences of Broadway West, The Playwrights Center of SF, Wily West Productions, The Eugene O’Neill Foundation, Fringe of Marin, the Masquers, and PlayGround SF. Hope’s Last Chance is Rod’s second full-length play, and he is thrilled to be working with the talented people of Wily West Productions. 

What most excites you about this production? 

It is exciting to be creating a new character. It’s the reason I love working on new plays. There’s nothing better for an actor than having the creative opportunity to be the original actor in a role. 

What is the greatest challenge you face with this show? 

Treading the balance between the light humorous aspects of the character and the serious, scary threat and high stakes that underlie the action of the play. 

What kind of research are you doing to prepare? 

Our director suggested that for style – we watch the movie “HIGH SPIRITS.”  It’s an English film with a wonderful combination of humor and a real ghost story. Our story is very different but it is a good reference for how to combine humor with the ghostly. If it’s done right, an audience will go with crazy stuff like touching a ghost or even marrying one!

What have been some of your favorite previous roles (or productions you have been involved with)? 

I’ve been doing theatre a long time and have so many favorites. The best are always where the entire production just clicks: amazing material, a great cast and production team. Good theatre is a complete team effort. 

Recently I was in A BRIGHT ROOM CALLED DAY.  It was a fantastic production, wonderful cast – and I loved my role “Die Alte”. Other highlights have been Mom in SISTER CITIES, Mom in ZOMBIE VIXENS FROM HELL (another new character I got to originate in a great production & fantastic cast) Mammy O’Dougall in CRIPPLE OF INISHMAN, Desiree in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, any of the roles I’ve done in Shakespeare (especially Paulina) and getting a kiss from Terrence McNalley after a performance of MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE.  

This play is about ghosts - have you ever encountered the supernatural yourself? 

Not personally, although I grew up in PA – and many places in and around Lancaster County are reported to be haunted by ghosts from as far back as the revolutionary war. I was in Gettysburg a couple of years ago, right before the July 4th weekend when the battle originally took place. The town and battlefield are said to be one of the most haunted places on earth and I could absolutely feel it. 

What is the scariest movie or play you have seen? Why? 

THE SHINING. (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is right up there) I think it’s because the threats are so real but can’t be dealt with by “normal means.” The psychological pressure is unbelievable, but there is comparatively little actual blood & violence onscreen. 

What do you hope audiences will take from this production? 

I hope audiences love our show. It’s great fun, and has really scary moments. Who could ask for anything more - especially in October!

SHELLEY JOHNSON (MRS. CUTTER) Last seen with Wily West as a crazy lady in “Love in the Time of Zombies” – she is excited to be originating a new role. A busy singing actor, she has performed numerous leading musical and non- musical roles with many Bay Area companies.  This past Spring she was narrator for “The Play of Daniel”  – a liturgical play sung in Latin with the San Francisco Renaissance Voices.   Last year she was “Mom” in Zombie Vixens from Hell with Virago Theatre and the mysterious  “Die Alte” in A Bright Room Called Day with Custom Made Theatre.  Favorite productions include leading roles in Sister Cities, A Delicate Balance, Cripple of Inishmaan, Winter’s Tale  - & musical favorites A Little Night Music, Man of No Importance, Fiddler on the Roof, and A New Brain.  Other acting work includes standardized patient simulation in medical schools and recording poetry on Voetica.com. Shelley is also a stage director and acting coach specializing in coaching singers on stage presence and role & audition preparation.  Visit her website: www.actingforsingers.com

What most excites you about this production? 

I had the opportunity, honor and absolute pleasure of doing the staged reading of HOPE'S LAST CHANCE for the Spooky Cabaret and could not believe how funny, touching and overall fun the whole process was. We began the reading with the audience not entirely sure what to do: laugh, snicker, scream, squeal, ponder, etc. Then somewhere in the second act the audience and the cast as a whole discovered that it was a comedy, it was magical. 

What is the greatest challenge you face with this show? 

Not laughing at myself or at the comedic moments that occur during this show for one, second is allowing this character to really speak and to resist the urge to edit him. 

What kind of research are you doing to prepare? 

I'd like to say that I've been watching a lot of horror movies and rereading my copy of THE SHINING, but in all honesty I've been picking apart my character to better understand him. He has his quirks and foibles that make him say and do funny things, but I was more interested in the reasons why he has said quirks. Stan, approaches things from a skeptic's perspective. He also has a very 2 dimensional way of dealing with life which lends to a lot of comedic moments! I've had to change my mental gearshift to accommodate that point of view and step outside of myself to honor this character and allow him speak. 

What have been some of your favorite previous roles (or productions you have been involved with)? 

LAWFULLY WEDDED has to be one of my utmost favorite productions. That show challenged and stretched me in ways that I hadn't felt since my college theatre days. It's always the shows where you put in the most work and commitment that really touch you and transform you. LAWFULLY WEDDED was a show that truly moved me with it's trials and tribulations. Speaking of college theatre I have to say that playing Belize and Mr. Lies in ANGELS IN AMERICA has to be one of my favorite roles, little shout out to the Lewis and Clark Theatre Departement! 

This play is about ghosts - have you ever encountered the supernatural yourself?   

I honestly don't know. I've had a number of people pass away on me while I was working in EMS and haven't encountered or experienced anything of the sort. 
My immediate family believes in certain supernatural things but only when they've lost someone that they've had a deep and personal connection to. I will have to admit that I felt and heard some of the same things when a number of my close relatives had passed, but I haven't really experienced anything since then. 

What is the scariest movie or play you have seen?   Why? 

THE RING has to be one of the scarier movies that I've seen. I love good story telling and enjoy being taken on a good journey, gore and violence don't scare me, it's the twist in the road when you least expect it or the unexpected turn in the story that you couldn't possibly forsee that gets my heart rate up. I like it when mythology, science and reality coalesce and you don't know what is real and what is fictitious, that's when my mind starts to take the story further and I continue to scare myself. 

What do you hope audiences will take from this production? 

I hope that the audiences leave with big grins on their faces with their cheeks sore from the smiles and laughter. I hope they get off this little roller coaster and run back into line because of how much fun they had.

WESLEY CAYABYAB (STAN)  is a Paramedic, Golf Professional and Dance Instructor, but is first and foremost an actor. He began studying theatre at the French American International School learning various theatre forms and in different languages. He attended Lewis and Clark College where he earned the Leon Pike Scholarship for Technical Theatre in his first year. He was cast in numerous roles in shows such as: Mother Courage and Angels in America while working as the assistant technical director for the on campus theatre. He was also the director of performance services working with dignitaries, musical groups and personalities such as: Ralph Nader, The Kremlin Chamber Orchestra, and Michael Moore. Wes continued his technical theatre career in the San Francisco bay area working with many of the major companies in the area such as A.C.T., Berkeley Reparatory Theatre, NCTC, World Arts West, Attic Light Productions, Axis Dance Company, and ODC. Wes was recently cast in the PCSF annual production of Sheherezade and directed the San Francisco premiere of Lawfully Wedded in which he played one of the principal roles. Wes is the technical director for Wily West Productions and a full company member.

What most excites you about this production?

Back in October of last year, I had directed a staged reading of Hope’s Last Chance for Wily West’s Spooky Cabaret.  I had directed it as a drama because of a previous reading I had seen of the piece at PCSF.  Then, at intermission, after the audience had been in hysterics for most of the first act, I came back and informed the cast that “Well, it’s a comedy”.  At the end of the reading, we were all a buzz and we knew there was something really special about this piece and could all see the opportunity to really let it soar as a comedy.

What is the greatest challenge you face with this show?

Before rehearsals, I was really nervous about how I was going to explain this show to the actors.  When you read the play, it doesn’t come off immediately as being a comedy.  There were even some actors that came in to audition, had read the play and didn’t understand why it was a comedy.  So, my initial description was that it was a “serio-comic, farcical thriller”.  It had moments that were genuinely scary, funny and ridiculous all at the same time.  But, as in any comedy, the characters have no idea that they are in one.  So, it’s been a journey to really unearth their objectives, increase the stakes for each character and give my actors permission and encouragement to go above and beyond.  But that we, above all else, remain true to what is written and make sure that the opportunities that we find are routed in sincerity.  Because that is what I think makes a successful comedy: characters in life or death stakes, pursuing their objectives in a genuine way. 

What kind of research are you doing to prepare?

I love ghost stories and stories in general of the paranormal.  So, I’m always doing research on those, listening to podcasts like Mysterious Universe and The Realm of the Weird.  But this play in particular, took me back to one of my favorite movies, High Spirits.  If you haven’t watched it, you should.  It has a lot of the elements that this play has.  Each character is so earnestly pursuing their objective but it doesn’t take itself too seriously and for some reason, we understand that it has it’s own internal logic.  We accept that ghosts can touch humans or turn back into humans and we’re ok with all of it.  We’re along for the journey because we’re invested in the characters and I hope that’s what we achieve with this play.

This play is about ghosts - have you ever encountered the supernatural yourself?  

I have not, but I am very easily scared and if I made it through without having a heart attack, I would most likely be traumatized forever.  That being said, I secretly want to see one.

What is the scariest movie or play you have seen?   Why?

I still remember seeing Woman in White when I was 14 at California Theater Center and never being so scared in my life.  The moment when she screams and appears in the audience is still something that haunts me today.  I hope to give the audience at least a few thrills like that in this show.

What do you hope audiences will take from this production?

I know it sounds simple, but I hope that they will have had a good time.  There are some really funny moments and truly jump in your seat moments too and that they feel satisfied and surprised by the story we told.  Ultimately, I “hope” that they walk away feeling like someone just told them a really great ghost story.  Because, to me, that is why I am involved with theater, to tell really great stories.

BRADY BROPHY HILTON  (DIRECTOR) Brady just successfully directed the world premiere of Gorgeous Hussy: The Last Interview of Joan Crawford by Morgan Ludlow for Wily West.  She began her directing career in Seattle, directing a number of shows with Book-It Repertory Theatre, Cornish College of the Arts, and Groundwork Theatre. In the Bay Area, she has directed It's All in the Mix for All Terrain Theater, Sheherezade 2011 for PCSF, Boys Clinging Together for the SF Fringe Festival, readings of The Cocktail Plays, Ashtad and Dardanos, and Love in the Time of Zombies for Wily West Productions and "TGIF" Monday Night Foreplays for PianoFight.   She has served as a producer for Sleepwalkers Theatre and is the Staged Readings Producer for the Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco (PCSF). She was the Education Director for Teatro ZinZanni for a year and a half where she developed and ran their circus educational program Camp ZinZanni and she worked as the Education Associate for Book-It Repertory Theatre for three years. Brady graduated from the Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Original Works, cum laude and trained with the Young Conservatory at ACT.