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Best Line Wins: A Play Inspired by the Improvised Lives of Elaine May & Mike Nichols at Contemporary American Theater Festival / Shepherd University Campus
Dates: 7/10/2026 - 8/2/2026
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Best Line Wins by Beth Kander is a world premiere following the real-life comedy duo of Nichols & May, who existed within a system that rewarded charming men and punished difficult women. The cast features Lori Vega as Elaine and Riley Shanahan as Mike. The production is directed by Jessica Kubzansky with dramaturgy by Jackie Goldfinger, projections design by Mona Kasra, and costume design by Ann Closs Farley.
Cast and Creative Team for Best Line Wins: A Play Inspired by the Improvised Lives of Elaine May & Mike Nichols at Contemporary American Theater Festival / Shepherd University Campus
Cast
# Cast Members by Production
**The Smoker:**
Brad Fleischer
The Smoker
Orlando Arriaga
Roberto
Danielle Davenport
Tonya
Regina Gibson
Kim
Jada Alston Owens
Jenny
Revon Yousif
Fouad
Joshua David Scarlett
Richard/Waleed
Brooke Turner
Gina
Kennedy Kanagawa
Evan
Creative Team
Shelley Butler
Director
Bradley Michalakis
Dramaturgy
Christian Frederickson
Sound Design
Michael Raiford
Scenic Design
Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew
Lighting Design
Lex Liang
Costume Design
Sydney Dufka
Costume Design
Deb Acquavella
Stage Manager
Esther Chilson
Assistant Stage Manager
Vee Romano
Stage Management Intern
Michael Strickland
Technical Director
Zi Alikhan
Director
Naysan Mojgani
Dramaturgy
Venus Gulbranson
Lighting Design
Lux Haac
Costume Design
Afsoon Pajoufar
Scenic Design
Sinan Refik Zafar
Sound Design
Genevieve Dornemann
Stage Manager
Jake Vollmar
Assistant Stage Manager
Brodie Steele
Technical Director
Jessica Kubzansky
Director
Jackie Goldfinger
Dramaturgy
Mona Kasra
Projections Design
Ann Closs Farley
Costume Design
Lindsay Eberly
Stage Manager
Jessie Flam
Production Assistant
Kimberly Senior
Director
Sarah Rose Leonard
Dramaturgy
Afsaneh Aayani
Scenic Design
Anshuman Bhatia
Lighting Design
Caroline Eng
Sound Design
Kelly Colburn
Projections Design
Shahrzad Mazaheri
Costume Design
Brandon Clark
Stage Manager
Nathan A. Hernandez
Production Assistant
Andrew Neal
Technical Director
Céline Rosenthal
Director
Paul Adolphsen
Dramaturgy
Ingrid Pierson
Stage Manager
Austin Meadows
Stage Management Intern
Pat McCorkle Casting, Ltd.
Casting Director
News About Best Line Wins: A Play Inspired by the Improvised Lives of Elaine May & Mike Nichols at Contemporary American Theater Festival / Shepherd University Campus
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