WESTMINSTER by Brenda Withers
Directed by Summer Wallace
WORLD PREMIERE
March 22 to April 28, 2024
SYNOPSIS
When Pia is gifted a surprise rescue dog by an old friend, Krys, the women and their partners face-off over issues of class, accountability, and good breeding. The winner of Urbanite Theatre’s 2023 Modern Works Festival, WESTMINSTER is part morality play/part screwball romp, digging into “acceptable” social prejudices—and the consequences of leaving those biases unchecked.
Meet the Playwright
BRENDA WITHERS
Brenda Withers is a writer, actor, and founding member of the Harbor Stage Company on Cape Cod. Her plays Off Peak, Matt & Ben, JORDAN, and The Kritik have been produced at places like 59E59, Portland Stage (Clauder Prize, Edgerton New Play Award), Northern Stage, the Kitchen, Gloucester Stage, Two River, and Amphibian Stage. She's enjoyed playwriting residencies with New Georges, the Camargo Foundation, and the Huntington. Recent onstage credits include the Guthrie, Actors Theatre of Louisville, A.R.T., McCarter Theatre, the Folger, and Hartford Stage. She studied drama and religion at Dartmouth College, is a member of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, and was a playwright-producer with The Pool presenting The Ding Dongs. Brenda is thrilled to be working with Urbanite Theatre, who presented her play NORTHSIDE HOLLOW (co-written with Jonathan Fielding) in 2018.
Meet the Director
SUMMER WALLACE
As founding Producing Artistic Director of Urbanite Theatre, Summer has directed the regional premieres of SCORCH,ATHENA, NORTHSIDE HOLLOW (Winner 2018 Handy Award for Best Direction of a Play), DRY LAND, Sam & Lizzie (reading) and is the producing director for Urbanite’s Modern Works Festivals. Regional credits include: Asolo Repertory Theatre, Mad Cow Theatre, Dog Day’s Theatre, 1st Stage, Vashon Repertory Theatre, Cumberland County Playhouse, Stage Door Theatre, Lagniappe Theatre, Theatre Lab, Players Theatre, FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, New College of Florida and the list goes on. Summer is also Producing Director of Two Chicks Production. Summer is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA
Gregg Weiner
Playing Beau
Gregg is thrilled to finally be working with Urbanite. He was previously seen here in town in THE GREAT LEAP, OUR TOWN and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS all at Asolo Rep. He’s also performed extensively in Miami for Zoetic Stage, Actors Playhouse, Miami New Drama, City Theatre and Gablestage. Gregg works in tv and film with notable appearances in ITS ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, MAGIC CITY, TRANSPORTER 2, etc. as well as an upcoming role in a few episodes of Apple TV’s show BAD MONKEY. He is a proud member of AEA and an alumni of New World School of the Arts in Miami.
Alex Pelletier
Playing Krys
Alex Pelletier is thrilled to be a part of world premiere of WESTMINSTER! Pelletier is an actor, educator, and public speaking coach hailing from Sterling Heights, Michigan. She holds her MFA in Acting from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training and a BFA in Theatre Performance from Western Michigan. She is a National Forensics Association finalist and semifinalist in Duo and quarterfinalist in Prose. Some of her regional credits include: THE MODERN WORKS FESTIVAL, NEED TO KNOW (Urbanite Theatre Staged Readings), AMERICA IN ONE ROOM (world premiere, FST), MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, KNOXVILLE (world premiere), ROMEO & JULIET (Asolo Repertory Theatre), THEOPHILUS NORTH (Dog Days Theatre), AS YOU LIKE IT, GHOSTS, RECKLESS, ARCADIA (FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training). Follow her journey on Instagram @alex.m.pelletier
Jonathan Fielding
Playing Tim
Jonathan is delighted to be performing at Urbanite Theater. He has performed on Broadway (THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, NOISES OFF, THE SEAGULL, PYGMALION) as well as regionally (The Old Globe, Penguin Rep, American Stage). Recently, he was in Brenda Withers’s THE DING DONGS as part of The Pool Plays in New York. Film and Television credits include THE BOSTON STRANGLER (HULU), LAW AND ORDER: SVU (NBC), and GOTHAM (FOX). Fielding is a cofounder of the Harbor Stage Company in Massachusetts, now entering their twelfth year.
Dekyi Rongé
Playing Pia
Dekyi Rongé is delighted to be back with Urbanite Theatre this season. Selected Production Credits- Theatre: THE CONVENT (Summit Performance Indianapolis), BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA (Urbanite Theatre), WIFE OF A SALESMAN (Writers Theatre), BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA (Third Avenue Playworks), THE TEMPEST, A CHRISTMAS CAROL (A Noise Within), MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, ROMEO AND JULIET (Pacific Repertory Theater), ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA (Kingsmen Shakespeare Company), MACBETH (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival), SWIMMERS, RICHARD III, ROMEO AND JULIET, MRS PHU’S CLEANSING JUICES, THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA, SATYAGRAHA: GANDHI/ KING (The Theatre School at DePaul), THE STINKY CHEESE MAN, INTO AMERICA (Griffin Theatre Company), PETER AND THE STARCATCHER (Citadel Theatre), Television- “CHICAGO MED,” “SHINING GIRLS”, Education- MFA, The Theatre School at DePaul/ BA, UC Berkeley. Dekyi is represented by Gray Talent Group.
Meet the Cast
TICKET INFORMATION
MARCH 22 TO APRIL 28, 2024
SHOWTIMES:
WEDNESDAYS & THURSDAYS* AT 7:30PM
FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS AT 8PM
SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS AT 2PM
TICKETS:
STANDARD TICKETS: $42
UNDER 40** TICKETS: $28
STUDENT** TICKETS: $5
Content Note: Play contains adult language and suggestions of domestic violence.
*Thursday performances are part of our Talkback Thursday series.Talkbacks are moderated discussions with the cast that take place after the performance, offering audiences an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the show.
**Must present valid ID.
Special Thanks to Our Producers
Producing Partner
George Steitz
Presenting Producer
Doug Bradbury
Executive Producers
Barbara Jacob
Chase & Robin Curtis
Co-Producers
Ben Boyum
Len Goldberg & Maureen Gebhardt
Linda & Reid MacCluggage
Mark Lancaster & Nancy Woodruff
Shari & Steven Ashman
Skip & Janis Swan
Associate Producers
Bob & Pat Baer
Community Foundation of Sarasota County
Cynthia & David Abrams
Deborah & Walton Beachman
Donald & Rhonda Gallahue
Jeffrey Hamblin MD & Mark-Alan
Marta Riordan & Jim Boyle