Walk unafraid into the chaos, my children. The end must come to begin again.”
— Ma/Eris, A Series of Small Cataclysms

A post-apocalyptic play reading, for a mid-pandemic world.

Powerful forces are at work in this virtual adaptation of Jen Smith Anderson & Carolynne Wilcox's play about the past, the present, and the not-too-distant future.

It is the year 2121, and the Earth has weathered through the slow, gradual domino effects of climate change disaster - population has been drastically reduced. Four middle-aged sisters gather at the deathbed of their controlling mother. Things take a darker turn when mother collapses and an unearthly visitor is a harbinger of things to come as they discover there are greater, more chaotic forces at work in the universe in which they surprisingly play a role, in this post-apocalyptic, family-oriented drama where gods walk the earth with disconcerting agendas. But time is happening concurrently, and while the past informs the future, the present can also inform the past. Can the world be saved from total annihilation? Or will humanity reap the final gifts of what we have sown?

Featuring the original cast from the run cut short by COVID-19 closures, and directed by Sophe Friedman. Adapted for Zoom, so who knows where we will be taken!

Cast

Chorus 1 - Kim Douthit
Chorus 2 - Kirsten McCory
Chorus 3 - Melanee Nelson
Chorus 4 - Stacey Bush

Creative Team

Ma/Eris - Christine Shaw
Tara - Rebecca Goldberg
Vesi - Carolynne Wilcox
Ignis - Machelle Allman
Aria - Jessica Stepka

  • Sophe Friedman (she/her)

    Director (A Series of Small Cataclysms; TBD)

    Sophe lives in Seattle where she is the Lead Teaching Artist and Curriculum Developer at We.APP (We. Act Present Perform), a teaching artist and director at Stone Soup Theatre, and an instructor at North Seattle College. Sophe’s greatest passion is directing and bringing stories to life.

  • Machelle Allman (she/her)

    Machelle last worked with Jen, Carolynne, and Rebecca on Mythfest, and has been eager to see what the Muses bring next. She is a part of the on-going Brass multi-platform production and is a musician and fiber artist. She volunteers for Rain City Rock Camp for Girls and mom to a high-schooler.

  • Jen Smith Anderson (she/her)

    As a Seattle-based playwright, actor, producer, and voiceover artist, Jen approaches her work with passion, integrity and always with a positive, collaborative disposition. Some of Jen's favorite roles include Zuzu from It's a Wonderful Life, Anna from The Baltimore Waltz and Fat Lyza from Riding the Bull.

  • Stacey Bush (she/her)

    ​Stacey is an actor, costumer and fight coordinator who has been working for and on various Seattle stages since graduation from Whitman College. Recent credits include Seattle Repertory Theater, MAP Theatre, Macha Theater Works & Macha Monkey Productions, Annex Theatre, 14/48 Productions and Theater Schmeater. She is excited to be working on this show with this fabulous group of people. Much love to her family and friends.

  • Kim Douthit (she/her)

    ​Kim received her BFA in theatre arts from Hofstra University and her post grad degree in Classical acting from LAMDA. She's worked as an actor, director, playwright and educator in New York and Seattle. She also works as a paranormal investigator. She is thrilled to be working with such a great and creative group!

  • Rebecca Goldberg (she/her)

    Rebecca Goldberg is a theater artist who loves ensemble pieces and new works and is therefore thrilled to be part of A Series of Small Cataclysms. Locally, she’s worked as an actor with Pony World Theatre, Macha Monkey, Live Girls!, ReAct, and the dearly departed CHAC and Theatre Babylon. She also works as a playwright (The Twelfth Story at Annex Theatre), director (MythFest with Mytholodical Ensemble and Proof with Blank Stage Theater), and sometimes both (The Yellow Wallpaper at Blank Stage Theater). She takes a DIY approach to theater and is particularly proud of her solo show Me vs. My Subconscious.

  • Kirsten McCory (she/her)

    Kirsten McCory is a writer, performer and voice over artist. She has spent the last three years working in the mental health field and is eager to get back to making some amazing art.

  • Melanee Nelson (she/her)

    Melanee has been performing since childhood (acting, singing, dancing). She earned a BA in Drama from San Francisco State University and acted locally in several plays, commercials and films, then continued that trajectory in Los Angeles. After many years, she escaped to Seattle before The Biz ate her soul alive; this is her first stage performance here and she couldn’t be more excited.

  • Jessica Stepka (she/her)

    Jess Stepka has been tromping around Seattle stages since a local institution gave her a BFA in acting in 2004. She has also spent summers spouting the likes of William Shakespeare to local residents before helping herself to their picnics. She is honored to continue sharing stories with audiences and making art with such wonderful people.

  • Christine Shaw (she/her)

    Christine is excited to be involved with Cataclysms after participating in stages of its development over the past few years. Christine has a background in bodywork, psychology, theater and music. In the past 21 years of doing theater in Seattle, Christine has performed with: 14/48 Productions, UMO Ensemble, Theater Schmeater, Green Stage, Seattle Theater Works, Atlas Productions, Integral Dramatics, and Open Circle Theater. Favorite roles include: Eleanor in The Lion in Winter, Teresa in Memory of Water, Ms. White in Reservoir Dolls, Ruth in Pirates of Penzance, Elvira in Blithe Spirit, and WSIWYG in UMO Ensemble’s Maldoror. Thank you for supporting live performance!

  • Carolynne Wilcox (she/they)

    Carolynne Wilcox is a Seattle-based actor and playwright whose plays have been produced both locally and regionally, most recently a virtual production of Clytemnestra, as well as virtual (with TSGP!) AND actual productions of A Series of Small Cataclysms (co-written with Jen Smith Anderson). Aside from a slew of virtual performances over the past year, favorite recent roles include Ana in The Clean House, Carmen in Juan Palmieri, and La Muerte in Blood Wedding. She is beyond excited to finally unveil Loom after creating it as her graduate thesis project at Towson University in 2008! Carolynne is an Associate Artist with The Shattered Glass Project.