by Kelsey Celek
It’s 2020; we’re sharing weddings and funerals online, our kids are in distance learning, and we’re baking a lot of banana bread. There’s no denying life is changing swiftly in our time.
Our Time shares stories of contemporary life, love, and death through the structure of a beloved theatrical classic. With a script by Kelsey Celek and an ensemble of actors from across the United States, Our Time explores the ties that will bind us together in 2020 and beyond.
Performance Date: October 23rd
Who’s Who
Kelsey Celek (Playwright/Director)
Kelsey is a theatre artist originally from Ohio. Her work has been focused on Theatre for Young Audiences, giving her the opportunity to work with students all around the world. Kelsey is on the staff for Destination Imagination, a TEDx Quincy speaker, and dachshund enthusiast. Kelseycelek.com
Dani Cox (Mrs. Soames)
Dani started her career touring as a backup singer with funk legend Bootsy Collins. From there she focused on singing/songwriting. She gigs with a cover band as well as her band, Dani & Lucian. This is her first online play and it is shaping up to be quite a lovely experience.
Ziven Crist (Joe)
Ziven is an actor, pianist, and vocalist. He is situated in Chicago, pursuing his passion for theatre. Ziven has accrued a long list of stage productions, including some equity work.
Jennifer Ettinger (Wally)
Jennifer is a theatre teacher at Bellevue West High School. She received her Master’s in Educational Theatre from NYU. She has appeared at The Rose Theater, Omaha Community Playhouse, and in the webseries Adapting. Jenn lives in a house full of boys (husband, 2 sons, and wiener dog) she adores and tolerates.
Aziza Macklin (Emily)
Aziza is very excited to be a part of Playbill VTF Live. Chicago credits include: TUTA Theatre (Hedda Gabler), Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (Avenue Q), MPAACT (Crowns), and Emerald City Theatre (The Wiz), Piven Theatre Workshop (When They Came). She is an actor and director with GreatWorks Theatre Company.
Megan Masterman (Julia)
Megan is a native of Quincy, Illinois who loves sharing her passion for the arts with her music and drama students. She has a history of roles both on stage and in production, most recently she has been creating educational and community programs for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Nevada Montgomery (Myrtle)
Nevada has worked with Canamac, Glass Apple, SouthSide Community Art Center, St. Martin’s Repertory Theater, American Immersion Theatre and MPAACT’s Mother of the Dark Water Tour. She played herself in her one person show Intersectional Lovin’. She earned a B.F.A. in Acting from Wright State University.
Kelly Pekar (Rebecca)
Kelly is a member of AEA, credits include the Off-Broadway, Drama Desk nominated The Threepenny Opera, Indecent (Gable Stage), Into the Woods (freeFall Theatre), Amadeus (TheatreZone), and Sarah Ruhl’s Three Sisters (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, directed by John Doyle). Recently narrated the audiobook Rust with Macmillan Audio. www.kellypekar.com
Michael D. Perkins (Mr. Stimson)
Michael graduated from Western Illinois University with his Bachelor’s in Broadcasting and Music Business. The last seven years he has worked for Dot Foods in Quincy, Illinois. His musical background is in gospel music and theatre; he was a background singer for various mainstream gospel artists.
Kathryn Stahl (Frankie)
Kathryn is an actor and director in the south Puget Sound area. She earned her BFA in Acting and Theatre Education certification from Central Washington University and her MFA in Acting from Michigan State University. She is a lecturer at Central Washington University. Kathryn has focused on developing theatre for neurodiverse audiences.
Nik Whitcomb (Host)
Nik is a host, actor, and director. Nik has worked with the Rose Theatre, Great Plains Theatre Conference, Blue Barn Theatre, and Omaha Playhouse. Nik was named “Theatre Worker You Should Know” by American Theatre Magazine. Nik is a Directing Apprentice with the Actors Theatre of Louisville and creator/host of The Come Up.