Elaine Lynn and Jay Michaels to Star in MAGGIE & THE WITCH and EATING WITH ORSON

None of the Above Theatre Company, a landmark New York theatrical incubator dedicated to nurturing new American voices and developing vital stage works, proudly marks its milestone 45th season with the presentation of the Old Skool Playwrights Festival. Running October 6 through October 25, 2026, the festival takes over the historic stages of the American Theatre of Actors (ATA), located at 314 West 54th Street in Manhattan.

Spanning three weeks of bold, character-driven storytelling, the festival bridges New York theatre history with daring contemporary voices. Among the festival's most anticipated centerpieces is a compelling, back-to-back staged reading double-bill examining the burdens of legendary screen icons, the price of fame, and the raw pursuit of artistic survival, immediately followed by an interactive audience talkback.

Maggie & The Witch by James Anthony Merolla

• Starring: Broadway and classic television veteran Elaine Lynn as Margaret Hamilton
• Synopsis: A poignant and haunting one-act drama delving into the intimate final days of Margaret Hamilton-the gentle, former kindergarten teacher whose portrayal of cinema's most terrifying villain in The Wizard of Oz defined generations of childhood fears. Confined in her elder years, Hamilton confronts an attendant harboring unresolved childhood trauma, exposing the delicate, often painful line between celebrated screen monstrosity and the vulnerable human being behind the greasepaint.

Eating with Orson by Alan Kanevsky

• Starring: Acclaimed veteran producer Jay Michaels as Orson Welles
• Synopsis: An audacious, sharply observant, and bittersweet look behind the curtain at the tempestuous final act of cinema titan Orson Welles. The play chronicles Welles' relentless, exhausting battle to secure independent financing for his cinematic vision, laying bare the tragic compromises, artistic obstinance, and profound personal toll exacted on an uncompromising genius fighting to maintain his dignity.

An insightful post-show Talkback with the playwrights, directors, and cast will take place immediately following the readings.

Company includes: Elaine Magidson, Jay Michaels, Heather Preston, Jake Minter, Ted Doyle, Alex Silverman, Chris Connolly, Adam Lyons, Joy Foster

About The Artists

Elaine Lynn (Maggie & The Witch): Began her career as a youth performer on Broadway (Plain and Fancy, Annie Get Your Gun alongside Margaret Hamilton) and classic TV (The Ed Sullivan Show, The Jack Benny Show). A 20-year member of the Soho Loco improv troupe, she also founded Dial M Productions and leads Creative Counseling-Consulting. She recently appeared in the musical workshop Daisy and received a NYS Teacher of the Year Award for developing the special education drama program D.R.I.V.E.

Jay Michaels (Eating with Orson): Before his producing and promotional career, Michaels built an extensive stage and screen resume. Stage roles include the Broadway workshop of In the Rain; Rosencrantz in Raymond Gasper's landmark production of Hamlet (Lion Theatre), Nachum in Fiddler on the Roof (Lincoln Center), the Old Actor in The Fantasticks, and Orson Welles in War of the Worlds. A frequent collaborator with None of the Above, he originated roles in Coulda Woulda Shoulda, Wisdom that Men Seek, and The Check Is in the Mail, with screen credits including Norman Normal, Tango Shalom and Beneath the Rock.

James Anthony Merolla (Playwright, Maggie & The Witch): A Rhode Island native, veteran critic with 400+ reviews, and director of over 55 productions, Merolla has penned 19 plays and two musicals. His comedy When Adams Slept with Franklin won Nomad Theatre's national contest, while Poetry on the Menu and Maggie & The Witch were adapted into radio dramas starring Broadway's Anne Cooper for LA's Open Door Playhouse. He holds a B.A. in Literature from Harvard University.