Only Connect
The Lesser-Known Players presents ONLY CONNECT
By Maria Viera Beatty | Directed by Karen Hauser
Image credit: Donna Cohen
In Maria Viera Beatty’s Only Connect, the lives of five lonely people randomly intersect for fleeting moments in a neighborhood bar. The play is about relationships that never develop and opportunities that are lost because of the changing values of contemporary society, which make it impossible for us to “only connect.” The play features Heather Burger, Evan Lenz, Wayne Purves, Alex Sanso, Tyler Weaver, and composer Jon Brenner.
THE LESSER-KNOWN PLAYERS
The Lesser-Known Players aims to provide our community with exposure to new, rare, unusual, and/or out-of-mainstream theatrical works. Through these lesser-known works we seek to foster community engagement, dialogue, and understanding of history, politics, and the different ways of living, thinking, believing, and behaving in society, and to provide more opportunities for inclusion in the performing arts to traditionally underrepresented groups.
TUNE IN ANYTIME, ANYWHERE FOR FREE NEW EPISODES OF THE BAINBRIDGE POD ACCOMPLICE THAT PREMIERE EVERY FRIDAY OR LISTEN TO PREVIOUS EPISODES HERE
The Bainbridge Pod Accomplice is a free podcast featuring a series of plays starring your favorite local performers and directors.
The Bainbridge Pod Accomplice team
Audio Engineer - Matt Hadlock, Creative Coordinator - Miranda Feldtman, Production Manager - Deirdre Hadlock, Producer - Liz Ellis, Director of Operations - Siobhan Maguire, Talk-Back Producer & Host - Matt Longmire, BPA Executive Director - Dominique Cantwell, BPA Public Relations Director - Sally Jo Martine
Podcast Theme Music
Our theme music “Swing for Mike” is written and performed by Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers.” Find out more about the band at www.RangerSwings.com.
BAINBRIDGE POD ACCOMPLICE MEDIA SPONSOR:
KCTS-9 PUBLIC TELEVISION
MARIA VIERA BEATTY, PLAYWRIGHT
Maria has co-authored two books on film production: Eye of the Storm: Directing Film, Television, and Emerging Media and Lighting for Film and Digital Cinematography. She has authored 20 published articles on film and theater and has written full length plays, one acts, and 10-minute plays, some of which have been performed and/or read at various festivals. She is a filmmaker who has made numerous short films, documentaries, and TV commercials. She is a member of The Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights (ALAP) and the Dramatist Guild. She received her Ph.D. in Cinema-Television from USC.
KAREN HAUSER, DIRECTOR
Karen has directed and acted on stages throughout Kitsap and Tacoma. Recent directing credits: Going to the Chapel, BCT's Directors Showcase; Lettice and Lovage, Adopt a Sailor, The Lesser-Known Players; A Raven in the Woods, Island Theatre's Ten-Minute Play Festival. She thanks everyone involved in producing this podcast for making it a delightful experience.
HEATHER BURGER - KARA
Following critical acclaim (from her parents) for her acting debut as the Dew Fairy on the elementary school stage, Heather took a multi-disciplinary approach to finding ways to attract attention to herself - singing, playing the piano, and acting. In the 1990s marriage, a move from Chicago, establishing a new career, and a new life took center stage, holding the spotlight for 24 years. Last year, a BPA podcast appearance led to an invitation to play Kara in Only Connect, rekindle her love of performing, and yes, the opportunity to attract attention to herself.
EVAN LENZ - BRAD
After an illustrious career-opener in the Kids' News Hour, filmed in his backyard, Evan abruptly took a decades-long hiatus from acting until the summer of 2019, when—just as abruptly and much to the world's surprise—he reappeared on stage on an island outside Seattle. He has now been seen in Island Theatre's Ten-Minute Play Festival, a staged reading of The Realistic Joneses, Ovation's Bye-Bye Birdie, and Jeffrey Brown's Rob and Bob, coming soon to a YouTube channel near you. This is his first performance with The Lesser-Known Players.
WAYNE PURVES - MATT
Wayne has performed on stages across Puget Sound including Bainbridge Performing Arts (Mamma Mia!, August: Osage County, Mary Poppins), Irish Play Series (The New Electric Ballroom), inD Theater (The North Plan), Edmonds Driftwood Players (Everything in the Garden), Jewel Box Theater (My Three Angels), Kitsap Forest Theater (The Music Man), and Island Theater’s Ten-Minute Play Festivals. He thanks The Lesser-Known Players, Karen and cast for the fun time throughout and his wife Catherine for her love and ongoing encouragement.
ALEX SANSO - LISA
Alex has appeared in several BPA productions over the years, including The Philadelphia Story, Mary Poppins, Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, and The Rocky Horror Show. She’s also enjoyed performing in productions for The Lesser-Known Players, as well as Island Theatre’s Ten Minute-Play Festival. Alex is grateful to have this opportunity to play with this great cast in her first audio-only production. “Cheers to always learning something new!”
TYLER WEAVER - SLADE
Tyler has been in several productions on the island for The Lesser-Known Players, Island Theatre, and Bainbridge Performing Arts, and he also performs with Imagined Reality Improv. He daylights as a lawyer. This his first voice-only performance, and while he has had a lot of fun with it, he is looking forward to seeing everyone in person at the theater again, and hopefully sooner rather than later.
JON BRENNER - COMPOSER
Jon Brenner is a composer and musician who specializes in both new and old music. His works include music for soloists, chamber ensembles, large ensembles, orchestra, film, television, theatre, and art installations. Instrumentally, Jon plays primarily electric bass, and also plays all keyboard instruments, guitar, percussion, and viola da gamba, among other instruments. Jon holds degrees in Music Composition and Theory from Mills College, and California State University, Fullerton. In addition to music, he enjoys art, cooking (and eating), and making wine with his beloved. Jon is also the resident Music Director for The Lesser-Known Players. He self-publishes his work through klomp music (ASCAP). For more info, visit www.jonbrenner.com. For recordings, please visit jonbrenner.bandcamp.com.
Episode Premieres
April 23, 2021
NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT
MISSION: WEAVE Presents is a nonprofit performing arts and education organization that values curiosity, connection, and collaboration.
ABOUT: We have missed you so much and we can’t wait to see you again hopefully sooner than later. Based out of Rolling Bay Hall on Bainbridge Island, WEAVE Presents is a nonprofit performing arts and education organization that hosts international musicians, showcases our local independent arts community, and invites audiences to celebrate the multi-racial, multi-ethnic roots of American culture.
ONLINE: weavepresents.org