Epheverie Theatre Short Play Festival to be Presented at The Tank

Epheverie Theatre Company will present their inaugural “Short Play Festival” on the theme of Reflection. Program A includes “Table for 2” by Dan Sandfelder (938 Collective), “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” by Cris Eli Blak (Anonymous Skin) and “My Best Friend’s Fish” by Kiley Gaddis (The Daily Grind). Program B includes “STEPS” by Max Koh (Pandora’s Shut-The-Box Game), “Ella In Stardust” by Juice O’Rourke (Actual Throat) and Sammie Murray, and “Is Anyone Watching This” by Rebecca Kane (A Sign You Were Alive). The directors are Mayah Lourdes Burke (DAKAR 2000), Fae Hartt (Odd Man Out), and Sarah Lovett (13) with stage management by Laura Casertano, Meg Wiley, AJ Liu, and Sarah Groustra. The festival features lighting design by Katie Gobreski, sound design by Jonathan Stutz (Walden), costume design by Venus Scantlebury, and scenic and props design by Lara Knopf (The Station). 

Welcome to Reflection, Epheverie Theatre Co.’s Inaugural 2025 Short Play Festival!
 This festival invites audiences to turn inward—challenge perspectives, confront biases, and re-examine self-concepts. Featuring six bold new works from a range of emerging voices, Reflection spans absurdist comedy to searing tales of loss—all grounded in a heightened reality. Each piece explores the transformative power of art to help us see what we’ve long avoided and encourages us to renew.

ABOUT THE TEAM:

Michelle Jong (she/her) co-artistic director of Epheverie, is a Chinese American actress, writer, singer and avid media consumer based in New York City. After a brief time working in law, Michelle found her way in 2023 to the Atlantic Acting School’s Evening Conservatory Program. One of 14 selected amongst the talented alumni of Atlantic Acting School, Michelle performed in the school’s 2025 Alumni showcase. Michelle  is the screenwriter for and is starring in an upcoming short film, Buddy, discussing intersectional female politics. Further credits include the award winning short film ‘Poetry’, the Chinese language short film ‘Star and Sweetie’ as well as play readings with the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre and Concord’s 50th OOB Play Festival. Michelle is also an avid improviser trained at the Brooklyn Comedy Collective. Michelle believes that effective storytelling helps us explore the hidden shadows of our humanity and develop a deeper connection with our inner worlds. She is passionate about platforming authentic Asian American art, giving voice to stories that have long been overlooked and a community that can’t be defined. michellejong.com @mecjong

Fae Hartt (they/them) co-artistic director of Epheverie,  is a queer director and performer based in NYC that is passionate about bringing stories about queer, disabled, and other marginalized groups to light. Off-Broadway: Pandora's Shut-the-Box Game - Kitchen Sink Theatre Co (Co-Producer), Odd Man Out - Pitchblack Immersive (Run Crew). Directing credits include “Kik” with First Kiss Theatre Co, Rocky Horror Picture Show with Kitchen Sink Theatre Co (AD), and the award winning short film, “all that’s left.” with Zima Blue Productions. Fae is a Co-Producer and Grant Writer at Kitchen Sink Theatre Company. Education: BM Vocal Performance from Mannes School of Music. Atlantic Acting School Evening Conservatory.  https://faehartt.com/ @faehartt

Mayah Lourdes Burke (she/her) is a Haitian-American director born and raised in NYC, who creates space for the unseen, centering bodies often left in the margins. Off-Broadway: Telegrammers: An American Musical - 24 Hour Plays: Nationals (Director); Dakar 2000 - Manhattan Theatre Club (Assistant Director); The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window - BAM (Directing Observer); Get Out Alive - New World Stages (Directing Observer). Selected directing credits include: The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe; The Pitfalls of Exaggerated Swagger by Cris Eli Blak; Good Grief: A Best Friend Play by Ngozi Anyanwu; We are Proud to Present…by Jackie Sibblies Drury. Fellowships: SDCF Directing Fellow 2025; TPOC Fellow 2024; NAMT Producing Residency 2024; SDCF Directing Observer 2023. Training: The Barrow Group. Member: The Makers’ Ensemble, SDC Associate. Thank you, God, for everything! www.mayahlourdesburke.com @mayahlourdes

Sarah Lovett (she/her) is an alumni of the Atlantic Acting School and of Vanderbilt University, where she made her theatrical directorial debut with a (if she may say so, delightful) production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and film directorial debut with the comedic internet sensation Et Cetera: Every High School Movie Ever. A certified theatre kid for all of her life, Sarah has participated in over 30 shows in various capacities. Sarah is currently employed as a freelance writer and film critic, but she enjoys  spending her free time further helming her performing and directorial chops in improv classes, at karaoke nights, and currently in an all-adults production of 13 the Musical (she is proudly playing “Malcolm”.)