2nd Story Theater

Playbill Fiction

Once upon a time (2002), I was the resident artist at 2nd STORY THEATRE, a wonderful little repertory theater in Warren, Rhode Island. Ed Shea had set up shop at the former union hall on Market Street in Warren in 2001. I don’t really remember how I got involved. Bill and I probably went to see a play. They were all great! I probably spoke to Ed, suggested I do a few drawings. And off we went!

For the next several years, I would attend dress rehearsals, which I enjoy even more than performances. You get to see all the puppet strings, all the tweaking, the last-minute blocking, the instructing, “don’t linger on your lines! don’t listen to yourself! Move it!” I would spend the evening roaming around, taking pictures, then head home to draw like mad - charcoal portrats, usually - although for a few shows I painted large acrylic paintings!

I would then rush back to the theater before opening night to hang the paintings or drawings on a clotheline at the back of the theater. Actors purchased many of them, but I still have many originals.

But what to do with charcoal portraits? One day, frustrated that there was no market for such drawings, I decided to create my own PLAYBILLS, with an undercurrent of a bit of SpoonRiver intrigue. My apologies to any Rhode Island thespian who might be surprised at the descriptions.

Francesca DiSimone (MRS. BLAFARGE) is delighted to be here in DeKalb. Francesca grew up in Minneapolis where she worked in stand-up before moving to DeMoines. It was there that her career as a brilliant actress began to soar. She wowed audiences in her debut performance as the guide in Exploring Lewis and Clark, and went on to play the under parlormaid in Jeeves Takes A Vacation. She appeared most re- cently in the hilarious role of the dishwasher Stella Mae Sudsy in the brilliant remake of the play by the same title. Miss DiSimone would also like to finally put to rest the rumors that she had anything to do with the unfortunate death of Bertrand McWorter in that mysterious fiery car crash many years ago. She was visiting her uncle in Tulsa at the time.

Melanie Means (LADY WINIFRED) had no intention of getting involved in the theatre until her high school drama coach, Edward Frankly, pinned her down one night backstage. Since then, Melanie has gone on to steal the hearts of countless, breathless men in her various roles as clueless bimbos.  In her break-out role, she appeared as Betty Boop opposite Franco Venuti in the timeless Popeye Goes To Washington.  Melanie is thankful for all her children and their fathers.  In between rehearsals, she is hard at work, studying for her GED.    

Ralph Bigger (SAM SLEAZE) is happy to be back at The Sanford Theatre, where he first created his now famous role of MR. BUNGLE in High School Doesn’t Mean You’re Crazy.  Before taking on that role, cross-dressing had never occurred to him.  Ralph made waves at the Theatre-on-the-Bay in his ground-breaking performance in After They’ve Seen Paree as an ass who completely transforms himself.  He would like to thank Melanie (you know who you are) for ditching him at last year’s cast party.

Wendy Winkerly (THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR) began her career as a sound effects man for Rex Trailer.  She has always said that hearing is her best sense.  As a child, she spent many hours with her mother’s 45 collection.  She first floored the theatre community with her brilliant and nuanced  portrayal of Marcel Marceau’s mother in  If I Could Speak I’d Say A Thing or Two. Wendy is so thrilled to be here at the Orpheum after so many years on the lam. 

Bart McWorter (THE COLONEL) is standing in as the two-timing father figure, caught in a tangled web of family deceit.  Bart’s many triumphs include playing the title role of LEWIS in the beloved Exploring Lewis and Clark at the Lake Huron Summer Theater in DeMoines.   Shortly after that, after the untimely death of his twin brother Bertrand, Bart moved north of the border where Canadian audiences have long been aware of Bart’s talents.  After a 25-year hiatus, he is delighted to finally be allowed to return to the States. 

Sybill Lenley (MISS WILBRAHAM) has had a long and illustrious career as a brilliant character actress.  She earned her reputation in the mid-40’s with a series of portrayals of mad-cap drunken housewives.  Her career took off from there and she went on to a string of stinging depictions of depraved and restless mid-career professional women.  Among her most famous marriages was her tumultuous liason with Yu Lee Chen, the Chinese Restaurant magnate. She now lives in New York City with her many cats and the one son, born out of wedlock.

Genevieve Campion (MISS LOU ELLEN) can’t believe her good fortune to be appearing again on the stage at Valley Falls Theatre By-The-Sea-By-The-Sea.  Genevieve made a name for herself last summer with her thrilling portrayal of Lizzy in Miss Borden Regrets.  She was the understudy for the title role and at the very last minute was asked to fill in for Anna Maria Cappa-Plotsky, who lost her footing.  Genevieve was forced to learn the show’s notoriously difficult clogging number on the fly. Her performance was hailed by critics and non-critcs alike. 

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Second Story Theater went dark in 2018, but we can carry on. We are all characters in the play.

  All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players…. Wm. Shakespeare