Category: NYC Theatre

Name: Chris Martens

Character: E.J. Lofgren–The Taxi Driver

Why did you want to be a part of this production?
To work with Mary

What’s next for you?
Onwards and Upwards

What’s your favorite animal and what is its name?
A gorilla named Donkey 

Chris Martens is a Drama graduate of LaGuardia High School of Music, Art and the Performing Arts. He has been a proud member of the First String Players since 2012, having performed in five shows over the last four years. He was last seen as Max in “Lend Me a Tenor” and the role he was born to play in “All In The Timing”. He would like to thank Mary for being luminescent; a pure joy to work with.

Chris: Chameleon, Comedian, Corinthian, Caricature

HARVEY by Mary Chase

Director: Mary Lynch

Producers: Paul Morisi and Stef Morisi

Tickets: $10 General Seating (all tickets sold at the door)

July 14 at 7pm
July 15 at 7pm
July 16 at 7pm
July 17 at 2pm

Location:
Our Lady of Mercy Parish Hall
70-01 Kessel Street Forest Hills, NY 11375
PLEASE USE THE ENTRANCE OF JUNO STREET. Elevator is available on the side of the church.

Cast:
Nicole O’Connor
Cecilia Vaicels
Victoria Lardieri
Jim Haines
Malini Singh McDonald
Nick Radu
Jeremy Lardieri
Michelle Ruggieri
Rich Feldman
Kevin Abernethy
Chris Martens

For more info email FirstStringPlayers@gmail.com

Flyer designed by Steve Morisi

Director: Mary Lynch

Producers: Paul Morisi and Stef Morisi

Tickets: $10 General Seating (all tickets sold at the door)

July 14 at 7pm
July 15 at 7pm
July 16 at 7pm
July 17 at 2pm

Location:
Our Lady of Mercy Parish Hall
70-01 Kessel Street Forest Hills, NY 11375
PLEASE USE THE ENTRANCE OF JUNO STREET. Elevator is available on the side of the church.

Cast:
Nicole O’Connor
Cecilia Vaicels
Victoria Lardieri
Jim Haines
Malini Singh McDonald
Nick Radu
Jeremy Lardieri
Michelle Ruggieri
Rich Feldman
Kevin Abernethy
Chris Martens

For more info email FirstStringPlayers@gmail.com

Flyer designed by Steve Morisi

Name: Kevin Abernethy

Character: Judge Gaffney

Why did you want to be a part of this production?
Acting is fun.

What’s next for you?
Summer vacation in Toronto

What’s your favorite animal and what is its name?
Cat – Tiger

HARVEY by Mary Chase

Director: Mary Lynch

Producers: Paul Morisi and Stef Morisi

Tickets: $10 General Seating (all tickets sold at the door)

July 14 at 7pm
July 15 at 7pm
July 16 at 7pm
July 17 at 2pm

Location:
Our Lady of Mercy Parish Hall
70-01 Kessel Street Forest Hills, NY 11375
PLEASE USE THE ENTRANCE OF JUNO STREET. Elevator is available on the side of the church.

Cast:
Nicole O’Connor
Cecilia Vaicels
Victoria Lardieri
Jim Haines
Malini Singh McDonald
Nick Radu
Jeremy Lardieri
Michelle Ruggieri
Rich Feldman
Kevin Abernethy
Chris Martens

For more info email FirstStringPlayers@gmail.com

Flyer designed by Steve Morisi

Name: Rich Feldman

Character: Dr. William Chumley

Why did you want to be a part of this production?
It’s a nice blend of silliness and sentiment, like me! Plus, Dr. Chumley is such a fun character to play! It’s a role typically portrayed by someone a bit older and more “mature” than me. So, I’m so incredibly thankful to our director, Mary Lynch, for thinking outside-the-box and envisioning it as younger, more dynamic and physical – and for entrusting me with that characterization.

What’s next for you?
I try not to think too far ahead and just live in the moment.

What’s your favorite animal and what is its name?
Dacy, my childhood dog.

Rich has been a New York area stand up comic for over ten years, and is just getting back into community theater. He recently portrayed the tutor, Augustus Moore, in ACT/REACT – Reimagining the Past, a series of one-act plays at the historic Bartow-Pell mansion in The Bronx. While a college student in Rochester, New York, he appeared in productions of Chess, Gypsy, Carousel, Singin’ in the Rain, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and The Glass Menagerie. Rich is honored and excited to be playing the role of Dr. Chumley in his debut with the The First String Players. A Forest Hills resident for 15 years, Rich now lives in Pelham, New York with his wife, Georgene, and his two daughters, Allison and Kate.

HARVEY by Mary Chase

Director: Mary Lynch

Producers: Paul Morisi and Stef Morisi

Tickets: $10 General Seating (all tickets sold at the door)

July 14 at 7pm
July 15 at 7pm
July 16 at 7pm
July 17 at 2pm

Location:
Our Lady of Mercy Parish Hall
70-01 Kessel Street Forest Hills, NY 11375
PLEASE USE THE ENTRANCE OF JUNO STREET. Elevator is available on the side of the church.

Cast:
Nicole O’Connor
Cecilia Vaicels
Victoria Lardieri
Jim Haines
Malini Singh McDonald
Nick Radu
Jeremy Lardieri
Michelle Ruggieri
Rich Feldman
Kevin Abernethy
Chris Martens

For more info email FirstStringPlayers@gmail.com

Flyer designed by Steve Morisi

Name: Victoria Lardieri

Character: Mrs. Chauvenet

Why did you want to be a part of this production?
Wanted to have the pleasure of working with First String Players again.

What’s next for you?
Performing, finishing my vocal album and teaching

What’s your favorite animal and what is its name?
Wolf, his name is Spirit

Victoria is a graduate of The American Musical & Dramatic Academy. She performed throughout the East Coast. She would like to thank her husband, Jeremy, and her family and friends for everything they do.

HARVEY by Mary Chase

Director: Mary Lynch

Producers: Paul Morisi and Stef Morisi

Tickets: $10 General Seating (all tickets sold at the door)

July 14 at 7pm
July 15 at 7pm
July 16 at 7pm
July 17 at 2pm

Location:
Our Lady of Mercy Parish Hall
70-01 Kessel Street Forest Hills, NY 11375
PLEASE USE THE ENTRANCE OF JUNO STREET. Elevator is available on the side of the church.

Cast:
Nicole O’Connor
Cecilia Vaicels
Victoria Lardieri
Jim Haines
Malini Singh McDonald
Nick Radu
Jeremy Lardieri
Michelle Ruggieri
Rich Feldman
Kevin Abernethy
Chris Martens

For more info email FirstStringPlayers@gmail.com

Flyer designed by Steve Morisi

Name: Jim Haines

Character: Elwood P. Dowd

Why did you want to be a part of this production?
I worked with Mary Lynch, our director, in a production of Lucille Fletcher’s Night Watch. We got along incredibly well, and created a mutual admiration society over our acting abilities, spending a great deal of our time saying ‘You’re GREAT…No, YOU’RE greater!…No YOU are!’ and so on. Mary swore to work with me again (shook her little fist and everything), and after several false starts, she found a theater group willing to produce ‘Harvey’. She asked me if I’d be interested. What am I…nuts?

What’s next for you?
Something big and beautiful. Hello…Universe?

What’s your favorite animal and what is its name?
A Great White Shark named Bruce.

Jim Haines has been acting for 3 decades, punctuated by years of ferocious activity in theater and voice overs, followed by long stretches of ennui. This is not a method of career advancement he recommends. He graduated the School of Visual Arts with a BFA in Cartooning, which is arguably the silliest degree in Higher Education. He draws, paints, designs, animates, sings (kind of) and spends more time on his Mac that with deserving friends. In closing, he’d like to paraphrase John Lydon:’The only place I have ever felt truly comfortable is on stage, or in front of a microphone…or asleep.’ Namaste, Peeps.

HARVEY by Mary Chase

Director: Mary Lynch

Producers: Paul Morisi and Stef Morisi

Tickets: $10 General Seating (all tickets sold at the door)

July 14 at 7pm
July 15 at 7pm
July 16 at 7pm
July 17 at 2pm

Location:
Our Lady of Mercy Parish Hall
70-01 Kessel Street Forest Hills, NY 11375
PLEASE USE THE ENTRANCE OF JUNO STREET. Elevator is available on the side of the church.

Cast:
Nicole O’Connor
Cecilia Vaicels
Victoria Lardieri
Jim Haines
Malini Singh McDonald
Nick Radu
Jeremy Lardieri
Michelle Ruggieri
Rich Feldman
Kevin Abernethy
Chris Martens

For more info email FirstStringPlayers@gmail.com

Flyer designed by Steve Morisi

Name: Nicole O’Connor

Character: Myrtle Mae Simmons

Why did you want to be a part of this production?
I love this play and I was really excited to be part of a straight play for the first tmr.

What’s next for you?
Hopefully, more fantastic shows like this one.

What’s your favorite animal and what is its name?My dog, Stella.

Nicole O’Connor has been acting for many years. She has played Miss Hannigan in Annie Jr., the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz Jr., the Witch in Into the Woods Jr., and a nun in The Sound of Music. She also recently performed in “Alvernians on Tour” in Disneyland, California, as well as A Salute to Sondheim at the Iridium Jazz Club, NYC. Nicole would like to thank her family for their support. She would also like to thank her acting coaches.

HARVEY by Mary Chase

Director: Mary Lynch

Producers: Paul Morisi and Stef Morisi

Tickets: $10 General Seating (all tickets sold at the door)

July 14 at 7pm
July 15 at 7pm
July 16 at 7pm
July 17 at 2pm

Location:
Our Lady of Mercy Parish Hall
70-01 Kessel Street Forest Hills, NY 11375
PLEASE USE THE ENTRANCE OF JUNO STREET. Elevator is available on the side of the church.

Cast:
Nicole O’Connor
Cecilia Vaicels
Victoria Lardieri
Jim Haines
Malini Singh McDonald
Nick Radu
Jeremy Lardieri
Michelle Ruggieri
Rich Feldman
Kevin Abernethy
Chris Martens

For more info email FirstStringPlayers@gmail.com