Still, Birth.
A play about pregnancy loss
September 17-19, 2021
by Robin Parrish (Lillie's story) and Coley Campany (Meredith's story)
Still, Birth. is a play about pregnancy loss.
A taboo subject for centuries, this play seeks to open the lines of communication between those who have been touched by pregnancy loss in any way.
We want to tell our stories and we want to open the space for others to do the same. Stillbirth, miscarriage, and late term abortion account for 5.82 deaths per 1,000 live births in the U.S. The loss often leaves a trail of disappointment, guilt, shame, and grief that are commonly experienced in silence. Still, Birth. uses dance, monologues, scenes, and poetry to tell the truth of losing a pregnancy. By telling our stories, we hope to bring healing and understanding to those affected.
"It's not about how or why; we are here to acknowledge that it did happen."
Meet Your Community
Creative Team, then Cast in order of appearance
Robyne Parrish
Co-writer, Director
Robyne Parrish is an Actor/Director/Producer/Playwright in NYC.
grateful to have this opportunity to bring Still, Birth to the stage again, alongside her writing partner Coley. She is especially humbled by the journey this piece has taken and by how healing this process has been. Creating art with like minded artists about something so intimate is indeed a spiritual experience that reaches that place beyond language. Where we hold our secrets. The kind that slowly kill us. She hopes that everyone who sees the play will come away with a sense of community and grace.
Some of her notable Regional Directing credits include: Gray Gardens, Violet, Much Ado About Nothing, 4.48 Psychosis, Hamlet and Steel Magnolias. She has worked as an actress off Broadway, regionally across the states and studied internationally. TV and Film, she is best known for her work in Gossip Girl and If It Ain't Broke Break It opposite Richard Kind and Steve Guttenberg.
Parrish is a private coach and member of the National Alliance of Acting Teachers. She served for many years as Artistic Director of Sonnet Repertory Theatre NYC and The Gilbert Theatre NC. Currently writing/producing award winning independent projects for film/tv. Member Dramatist Guild. AEA/SAG-AFTRA
www.robyneparrish.com
Coley Campany
Co-writer, Meredith/ Shaman
Coley Campany is a Southern American writer, actress, dancer, filmmaker, and choreographer. Coley began her career as a professional dancer with Ballet Memphis. She then joined New Ballet Ensemble as a professional dancer, teacher, and choreographer for eleven years. Coley began looking for other ways to create after two dance injuries, several miscarriages, and two late-term pregnancy losses. She moved to New York City, where she found her artistic community while working with the Labyrinth Intensive Ensemble. Working with these bold artists inspired Coley to explore all aspects of her creative voice by combining writing, dancing, and acting. Still, Birth. reflects that collaboration as she and Robyne met at the Intensive. Through Still, Birth. they hope that they can further engage the discussion around women's reproductive rights and needs. Coley currently splits her time between LA and Atlanta, GA, with her long-term committed partner, Aoki, a twelve-year-old Pekepoo. Coley's upcoming film work includes The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Crazy Neighborhood Moms. Television credits include Creepshow, The Resident, Watchmen, and The First Lady.
Kim Berrios Lin
Assistant Director,
Assistant Choreographer
Kim Berrios Lin is an Actor, Writer, and Producer. She is honored to bring her love of Still Birth’s journey, for her 3rd run, and in a wonderfully new way.
Kim was most recently seen in the final season of ‘Pose’ (FX), just wrapped a role for a Disney+ film, & is set to recur on an HBO Max show airing next year. Additional credits include: ’The Politician’ (Netflix), ‘New Amsterdam’ (NBC), ‘Bull’ (CBS), ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ (CBS), ‘Almost Family’ (Fox), and the Sundance winning film ‘Never Rarely Sometime Always’.
More here: IMDB
She is Founder of the award winning, socially conscious indie production company ‘And She Flew’, Co-Founder of the social justice theatre org ‘Colors of Community’, and holds an MFA from ‘The Actor’s Studio Drama School’. Kim is an ensemble member of ‘Barefoot Theatre Company’, ‘Labyrinth Theater Intensive Ensemble’, ‘Playful Substance’, and ‘Rock The Bells’ (sketch comedy).
Kyra Bowie
Stage Manager
Kyra is thrilled to be working on this moving and necessary work. Kyra is a multi-hyphenated artist based in Brooklyn and the co-founder of Transcend Steaming.
Select Credits: HOW TO REPAIR A MECHANICAL HEART (SM, Streaming Prod), CAMP MORNING WOOD (PSM), OSF O! Staged Reading Series (Streaming Associate), Bay Area International Children's Film Festival (Streaming Associate). Never ending gratitude to her friends, family and my sweetheart. @KyraBowie @TranscendStreaming
Amanda Lacson
Photographer, Documenting
Amanda Faye Lacson (Documentarian) is a writer, photographer and historian. She is thrilled to be back with the Still, Birth family to document this important and timely work. Recent projects include: Preservation, Discontent, and For Good: Measure, three plays written and presented for Zoom theatre; co-creating and hosting the Goddard in the World podcast; and co-creating and co-facilitating a Goddard Antiracist Learning Circle. Amanda is the founder of FamilyArchive Business and currently rebuilding the structure to better serve storytellers whose voices and histories have been traditionally silenced. She is grateful to Robyne and Coley for bringing her into the Still, Birth family and showing her the possibility of finding your tribe; to Laura and the Artist Cafe community for holding her accountable; and to Bree and the Playful Substance writing group for the laughs and hard work. Finally, Amanda is grateful to her husband Curtis for his everlasting support and encouragement and to their new adventure on the way.
Tara Troy
Lillie
Tara Troy is a Southern Belle, originally from Athens, Georgia. She studied acting at Baron Brown Studio in Los Angeles, CA before completing the 2-year program at the William Esper Studio in New York City.
In addition to acting, Tara is a writer and producer. She wrote and produced her first short film, “The Unclosed Door” which is currently on the film festival circuit and the award-winning web series/women’s talk show, “Words, Wine and Women”.
Tara just wrapped the Audience Choice Award winning one act play, “GoodBadUgly” which presented at the Chain Theatre in New York City.
In her spare time, Tara loves watching adoring dog videos and practicing Classical Pilates.
Czarina Mada
Memrie, US Meredeth/Shaman
CZARINA MADA is a Mexican American actor and VO artist. Awarded Best New Actress at the Hispanic Independent Theater Awards (Premios ATI) for her performance in De Amor, Locura y Muerte. She also holds an MFA in acting from the Actors Studio Drama School and is an ensemble member of the Barefoot Theater Co. and Co-Founder of VOZ Productions.
Recent credits include Manifest (NBC), the final season of Orange is the New Black (Netflix), FBI:Most Wanted (CBS) and a lead in the indie film The River Side Bench. Pre-Pandemic she was on stage as Cora in the award winning revival of Joe Pintauro’s The Raft of Medusa, and originated the role of Rosie in Brother’s Keeper, directed by Academy Award Winner Bobby Moresco, at The Actors Studio.
You can currently catch her in several film festivals starring in the film Coming Home, a co-production of Barefoot and VOZ.
Laura Sisskin
Dr. Lang, Others
Laura Sisskin is a NYC-based actor and singer/songwriter. She's beyond excited to return to the stage (finally!) with this wonderful group of artists.
Her debut solo show, You Hold a Pole Everyday, was nominated for a 2019 NY Innovative Theater Award and won Outstanding Performance of a Solo Show (PCTF, 2018).
You can catch her next at The New Ohio Theatre in spit&vigor's production of Hit Your Mark Die Beautiful. Laura's music can be found online under Oh, Elis. BFA Acting, Emerson College.
Juan Perez
Dan
Juan studied film, theater, and acting at New York University, Brooklyn College, H.B Studios and Michael Howard Studios. He has performed in theatrical productions including ‘A View from the Bridge,’ ‘Wait Until Dark,’ and ‘Pulp Shakespeare.’ In video productions, Juan parlayed his memorable performance as Bernardo in ‘Jose’s Place,’ into the uniquely manic lead in ‘La Casa Loca’ (Maverick Entertainment). Juan currently produces videos for clients and artists in Los Angeles.
Bree O'Conner
Cherie, US Lillie
Bree O’Connor is co-founder and Artistic Director of Playful Substance, a loose theatrical collective dedicated to the development of conscientious collaborators, new works, and substantive productions approached with a sense of fun.
Bree is a multidisciplinary artist whose written work includes, "Pull", "SAHM’s Club" and her solo show "Gee, I Hope You Have Fun…" along with "Hope Springs Eternal" which was part of Playful Substance’s anthology Spring Resolve. As a director, Bree has had a hand in developing several new works including Grant Harris’ "Frank" and "I Can Kiss Like Ted Bundy", Raphael Perahia’s "Shelter in Place", the pandemic-postponed-and-soon-to-be-revived "Tell Me" by Lauren Lindsey White and "The Underground Astronauts", an upcoming documentary theater project in collaboration with Infinite Variety Productions.
Bree is also a coach that works with actors, writers and directors with a specific focus on identifying, clarifying and empowering the individual artists’ voice. For more information on Playful Substance’s work, visit playfulsubstance.com.
Yessenia Rivas
Others 1, US Cherie
Yessenia received her M.F.A from the Actors Studio Drama School training under Susan Aston and Elizabeth Kemp. She most recently was seen in "Dead Wives Dance the Mambo" by Desi Moreno-Penson at the Chain theatre, and starred in the indie short films “Shell Shocked” by Paula Caijo and “Like Mary” by Desiree Abeyta. Yessenia is a dancer, model and creative that dabbles in every art form. She is grateful and excited to be back in the theatre and honored to be able to share these stories.
Colin Baxter Gold
Others, Man
Colin Gold has performed regionally with Hartford Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Ensemble for the Romantic Century, Winnipisaukee Playhouse, and at Shakespeare & Co in Lenox, MA. Colin earned his Masters in Classical Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and his BFA from The Hartt School. When not performing he works as a carpenter and volunteers with the Alzheimer's Association of America.
Colin Baxter Gold
Others, God
Nupur Charyalu is so excited to be in her first show at Chain Theater. Nupur is an actress, dancer, and model born and raised in India. With a degree in theatre and a Master’s in Social Work, she was last seen as Amy in Parlour Games (Accent Music Performing Arts Center) and as herself in Recoil (Pitt Stages), which was performed at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. Nupur recently appeared in a supporting role as Young Usha in Evil Eye, an Amazon Prime original feature film with Blumhouse Productions. She also made a guest star appearance in the upcoming Netflix original series Archive-81, as well as having principal roles in commercials for Waze, Highmark health insurance, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Friends! We are so grateful that we at Still, Birth. - A play about pregnancy loss. - by Parrish and Campany are part of the #CityArtistCorps!
This $5,000 award was created to activate and energize New York City’s artists and engage the public with arts activities this summer and fall. We are proud to bring you Still, Birth. - A play about pregnancy loss at Chain Theatre in midtown Manhattan September 17-19, 2021.