THIS WIDE NIGHT marks Speck of Light's debut production. Our mission is to present work that is compelling, universal, and inclusive.
We met during a production of The Diary of Anne Frank at Bay Street Theater in 2013. Not only did we enjoy working together as actors, but we became fast friends. Since then we've had the opportunity to work on many projects together, and we found that we share the same vision for the type of work we want to present. We are thrilled to be taking the reigns and producing our first play, This Wide Night, at The John Drew Theater at Guild Hall of East Hampton.
Speck of Light Productions was founded by Chloë Dirksen and Jessica Mortellaro.
Jessica Mortellaro (Producer / Marie)
Jessica is thrilled to be producing her first ever professional staged production. She first began making her own work in college when she produced and starred in an all female production of Glengarry Glen Ross, and later produced a staged reading of Absurd Person Singular at Joria Productions in NYC. As an actress, Jessica's home base is NYC, but she grew up on Long Island and in the last few years has become very involved in the rich theater community of the East End. She played Anne in The Diary of Anne Frank and Mayella in To Kill a Mockingbird in Bay Street Theater's Literature Live Program. Jessica has performed in many staged readings as part of Guild Hall's JDT Lab including Biloxi Blues, Eastern Standard, and Crimes of the Heart which she also directed. In 2014 she participated in a performance art adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Galapagos at the Parrish Art Museum. Other acting credits include: Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (Gateway Playhouse), Debbie in The Real Thing (Syracuse Stage), Mercedes in Count of Monte Cristo (Bleecker Street Theater), Love Slap (June Havoc Theater). Jessica has also performed in numerous concerts including Bay Street's Black Out Series, and will be performing in Love Songs, a valentine's day concert at 54 Below this February. She is a BFA graduate in Acting from Syracuse University.
Chloë Dirksen (Producer / Lorraine)
Chloë is proud to be producing her first play. Most recently Chloë performed in Berlin with the Neo-Political Cowgirls in their original performance piece, Voyeur. In July 2014 she starred in the world premiere of Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos at the Parrish Art Museum. Chloë has performed frequently at the John Drew Theatre at Guild Hall including Sharpies, Night with Guests, In a Roundabout Way, Eastern Standard, Tongues Will Wag, Night with Oscar, Biloxi Blues, Crimes of the Heart. Last April Chloë created and directed The April Fools’ Show as part of the JDTLab. At Bay Street Theater, she understudied (and performed) for Sarah Paulson in the World Premiere of Conviction by Carey Crim. She has also appeared at Bay Street Theater as Jean Louise/Narrator in To Kill a Mockingbird, Miep in Diary of Anne Frank, as Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible, and in the staged reading of The Orchard Play as part of the New Works Festival. Chloë began her theatre career in her native Toronto. Selected Canadian credits: Mary’s Wedding (Lighthouse Festival Theatre), Blithe Spirit (Theatre Aquarius/Theatre at the Centre), Original Workshop cast of EvilDead: The Musical, Noises Off (Stage West/ Theatre Aquarius), Steel Magnolias (Waterloo Stage Company), Romeo & Juliet (Alumnae Theatre). Chloë completed Circle in the Square Theatre School’s 2 year Professional Actors’ Workshop program on Broadway and holds a BA in English Literature and Linguistics from the University of Toronto. www.chloedirksen.com
THIS WIDE NIGHT CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM
the cast
Lorraine Chloe Dirksen
Marie Jessica Mortellaro
creative team
Director Joe Minutillo
Set Design Jon Raynor
Lighting Design Jose Santiago
Original Music / Sound Design Felix Bird
Production Stage Manager Bethany Sortman
Assistant Stage Manager Emily Selyukova
Joe Minutillo (Director)
Joe Minutillo is also a teacher, actor and writer who has directed numerous productions in NYC and on Long Island. Recently Joe directed Of Mice and Men at Bay Street Theater as part of their Literature Live Program. Other productions Joe has directed at Bay Street have been Anne Frank and To Kill A Mockingbird. Other recent credits include Meryl Spiegel’s, On The Mat at the Theatre For New City’s New Blood series in NY and Peter Pan at the Gateway Performing Arts Center in Bellport Long Island. As a drama teacher for 36 years, Joe directed countless school productions including Stony Brook University’s Young American Writers Project (YAWP) under the leadership of Emma Walton; and received the Rod Marriot Award—NYS highest honor for theater education.
Jose Santiago (Lighting Designer)
Jose is very excited to be involved in this production. Past designs include: Of Mice and Men (Bay Street Theatre); Man of La Mancha, La Cage Aux Folles, Mame (The Wick Theatre); Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Sister Act The Musical, Young Frankenstein, White Christmas (Gateway);The Drowsy Chaperone, Waiting for Godot, The Miser and many dance pieces at Florida State University where he received his Master of Fine Arts in Lighting Design. Many thanks to Joe, Chloe, and Jessica for inviting me to join this amazing production team. www.jsantiagodesign.com
Felix Bird (Original Music Composition / Sound Design)
Felix has written music for over 300 TV episodes in in the last 10 years. You may have heard his music on shows such as How I Met Your Mother, The Bachelor, America’s Got Talent among others. In addition he has composed music for Independent films, documentaries, cable channels, kids animation and commercials. Specializing in composing orchestral music with non-traditional elements, Felix was trained in Composition for Film at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA where he earned a BM in Film Music Composition. After graduating from Berklee, he relocated to Los Angeles and worked for three years as assistant composer to John Swihart (“Napoleon Dynamite”), gaining extensive experience working on TV shows, commercials and various feature films, before launching Felix Bird Music. Felix has a passion for classical music, as well as electronic music and enjoys meshing unexpected elements in his compositions. He has been playing guitar since the age of 8, and today is an active member of the British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA). He now lives with his family in Sag Harbor, NY.
Emily Selyukova (Assistant Stage Manager)
Emily is a 2014 Pierson High School graduate, currently pursuing a career in acting. She has performed in numerous productions and readings on the East End, including August: Osage County and What About Miami?. Her recent production credits include Grey Gardens, Of Mice and Men, and Twelfth Night: or What You Will (Bay Street Theater).