Contemporary American Theater Festival Reveals Casts And Creative Teams For 2025 Mainstage Productions

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) has announced the full casts and creative teams for its 2025 season. This year's mainstage theater productions include five world premiere plays: Did My Grandfather Kill My Grandfather?, Happy Fall: A Queer Stunt Spectacular, Kevin Kling: Unraveled, Magdalene, and Side Effects May Include... Each production features a diverse group of actors and creatives, who actively perform in major U.S. theater and entertainment hubs such as New York City, Los Angeles, and the Washington, D.C. region. These artists will be based in Shepherdstown for most of the summer, rehearsing and preparing to share their talents with CATF audiences as well as immersing themselves in the community.

Did My Grandfather Kill My Grandfather? by playwright Cody LeRoy Wilson tells the unlikely journey of Wilson's blended family from Vietnam to Plum Run, West Virginia. The cast features Cody LeRoy Wilson (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and Handbagged at Round House Theatre) as himself. The production includes direction by Victor Malana Maog, costume design by Phuong Nguyen, scenic design by Chelsea M. Warren, associate scenic design by Ruidi Yang, lighting design by Mary Louise Geiger, sound design by Christian Frederickson, and projection design by Mona Kasra. Jasmin Holton is Stage Manager and Jessie Flam is Stage Management Intern. The technical director is Andrew Neal.

Happy Fall: A Queer Stunt Spectacular by playwright Lisa Sanaye Dring follows two queer, stuntmen in a closeted relationship in Hollywood, bringing the intoxication of film trickery and its toll on the body and psyche to life through puppetry, video, cinematic illusions, and live stunts. The cast features Glenn Morizio (On that Day in Amsterdam at Primary Stages, Succession on HBO) as Felix, Aubrey Deeker (The Liar at Classic Stage Company, Love's Labour's Lost at Royal Shakespeare Company) as Clay, and Triever Sherwood, Nic Coccaro, Kelly Autry, Joanna Carpenter, Maggie Wratchford, and Ambria Campbell in the Ensemble. The creative team includes direction by Ralph B. Peña, fight direction by Aaron D. Anderson, stunt specialist Frank Alfano Jr., dramaturgy by Harris Kiernan and Amrita Ramanan, intimacy direction by David Anzuelo, costume design by Andrew Jordan, scenic design by Se Hyun Oh, lighting design by Jiyoun (Jiji) Chang, sound design by Fabian Obispo, projection design by Stefania Bulbarella, and assistant projection design by Eli Garmon. Taeuk Kang is Stage Manager, Esther Chilson is Assistant Stage Manager, and Nathan Hernandez is Production Assistant. The technical director is Daniel Traner.

Kevin Kling: Unraveled by playwright Kevin Kling is Kling's own telling of finding his way as an artist who is disabled. The cast features Kevin Kling (NPR's All Things Considered) as himself and Robertson “Rob” Witmer as musician (Dracula at ACT Contemporary Theatre). The creative team includes direction by Steven Dietz, dramaturgy by Allison Backus, costume design by Peggy McKowen, scenic design by David M. Barber, assistant scenic design by Ellie Sweeney, sound design by Robertson “Rob” Witmer, and lighting design by Harold F. Burgess II. Deb Acquavella is Stage Manager and Sydney Williams is Stage Management Intern. The technical director is Rory Brownell.

Magdalene by playwright Mark St. Germain breathes life into two major figures from western Christian faith, Mary Magdalene and Peter, helping audiences understand them as human beings. The cast features Sam Morales (The Tempest at The Public Theater, Blue Bloods on CBS) as Mary and Julian Elijah Martinez (Network on Broadway, King Lear at Shakespeare Theatre Company) as Peter. The production includes direction by Elena Araoz, dramaturgy by Allison Backus, scenic design by David Barber, associate scenic design by Ellie Sweeney, lighting design by Harold F. Burgess II, sound design by Nathan Leigh, and costume design by Christopher Vergara. Lori M. Doyle is Stage Manager and Jake Vollmar is Production Assistant. The technical director is Rory Brownell.

Side Effects May Include... by playwright Lisa Loomer is a witty, harrowing, Kafkaesque journey into the world of psychiatry as a mother tries to help her son on his journey to wellness. The cast features Liza Fernandez (La Paloma Prisoner at Signature Theatre NYC, Perfect Mendacity at Steppenwolf Theatre Company) as Mother, Sophie Zmorrod (The Kite Runner Broadway National Tour, Odyssey at The Acting Company) as Actress 1, Susan Lynskey (Handbagged at Round House Theatre, Roe at Oregon Shakespeare Festival) as Actress 2, Jimmy Kieffer (Peter and the Starcatcher at New World Stages, A Midsummer Night's Dream at Oregon Shakespeare Festival) as Male Actor 1, and Micah Meyers (The Last Boy at Theatre at St. Clement's) as Male Actor 2. The production includes direction by Meredith McDonough, dramaturgy by Tom Bryant, costume design by Kathleen Geldard, scenic design by Chelsea M. Warren, lighting design by Mary Louise Geiger, sound design by Christian Frederickson, and projection design by Mona Kasra. Lindsay Eberly is Stage Manager and Allie Blaylock is Assistant Stage Manager. The technical director is Andrew Neal.

Casting for all 2025 productions is by Pat McCorkle Casting, Ltd, CSA.

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