Emmy-Winner Cady McClain Stars In WHAT HAPPENED WAS World Premiere At Chain Theatre Summer One Act Festival
The dark comedy by Walter John Thompson, directed by Austin Pendleton, will run July 22, August 1 & 2 as part of Program #2.
By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 16, 2025
Following their acclaimed collaboration on Orson’s Shadow, Emmy Award winner Cady McClain and Obie and Drama Desk Award-winning director Austin Pendleton reunite for the world premiere of What Happened Was, a new dark comedy by Walter John Thompson. The play will be presented as part of Program #2 in Chain Theatre’s 2025 Summer One Act Festival, running July 10 through August 2 at 312 W. 36th Street in Manhattan.
Produced by Axial Theater, What Happened Was also stars Ryan Tramont and explores memory, longing, and the blurry divide between performance and reality. Pendleton calls the play “a beautiful little piece that sneaks up on you,” adding, “I can’t think of anything more refreshing in these troubled times.”
Performances of What Happened Was will take place on July 22, August 1, and August 2 at 8:00 p.m. on the Chain Theatre’s third floor. Tickets are available at www.chaintheatre.org/summer-oneact-fest-2025.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Austin Pendleton is a Tony nominee and Obie winner whose directing credits include Three Sisters (Classic Stage Company) and The Little Foxes with Elizabeth Taylor. A longtime ensemble member of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, he most recently directed the Pulitzer Prize-winning Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Pendleton has appeared in more than 250 films and television shows.
ABOUT THE CAST
Cady McClain is a three-time Emmy Award winner known for her work on All My Children, As the World Turns, and The Young and the Restless. She recently starred Off-Broadway as Joan Plowright in Orson’s Shadow and appeared regionally as Shirley in Shirley Valentine. She currently stars in Beyond the Gates on CBS and Paramount+.
Ryan Tramont's theater credits include Orson's Shadow, Pimm's Mission (59E59), and Crazy for the Dog (NYT Critic’s Pick). His screen work includes The Hurt Locker, Narcos, and Hack. He has performed in 27 Shakespeare plays, including title roles in Hamlet and Othello.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Walter John Thompson is a New York City-based playwright and screenwriter whose work blends dark humor, existential inquiry, and emotional vulnerability. A graduate of Columbia University and Fordham Law School, he draws from a background in civil rights law and a life of reinvention.
ABOUT AXIAL THEATER
Axial Theater is a not-for-profit ensemble-based company in its 24th season. The company supports the development of playwrights and actors through readings, workshops, and full productions.
Videos