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about be mean to me
_______

a note from Sofya:
My friendships with other women have been the great relationships of my life. Sometimes my
best friend and I - across state lines - different cities - different ages - different couches - in cars
- at the same concert weeks away - in our parents’ living rooms - through the phone - through
heartbreak - through television shows - through heartbreak, again - through a song we wept to
when we were 14 years old, laying on my bedroom floor - through little folded notes we passed
to each other in eighth grade - through texts back in forth - “I love you.” “I love you, too.” “I
love you.” - tell each other how lucky we are. To have met each other in this lifetime. To be in
each other’s orbit. This play is a love letter to her.
I am interested in an unflinching look at young womanhood. At girlhood. At what consumes us,
takes us back, propels us forward. At the horrors we go through, in order to learn. The way
things change, and never change. It’s a whole life.

a note from the Calista and Chandler:
Actors are interpretive artists – the more we know about the circumstances and lives of our
characters, the better we can interpret them, but professional actors are rarely given the
opportunity to develop characters from a project’s inception. Back in college, we started a
company to address this issue, bringing together an ensemble of rambunctious, ambitious,
earnest playwrights and actors to produce new work.
Jump to 2017. We are both working actors in New York. We are frustrated with the scarcity of
young female roles -- intrepid and interesting female roles! -- as well as our lack of access to
them. So, inspired by our college days, we came up with something unconventional: we
decided to commission a new play. After a long search, the talented Sofya Levitsky-Weitz came
on board as our playwright. While the two of us applied for a grant to get the project off the
ground, Sofya started drafting. For inspiration, she asked us about our favorite roles, our dream
roles, our weird little hidden talents, our passions, our politics, and our pasts. As she wrote, we
compiled the beginnings of a production team.
It has been eighteen months since we began this project, and we are over the moon to finally
bring it to life.

NOTE: Mature Content. Please speak with Emily or Allison at the box office for more information.

who’s who in be mean to me
_______

Calista Small (Meril): Calista Small grew up in sunny Los Angeles, where at a young age she developed a
penchant for theater, acting, and the Pacific Ocean. Previous collaborations include work with The NeoFuturist Theater, Redmoon Theater, and Filament Theater in Chicago as well as Richard Schechner of East
Coast Artists in New York. Grad of The School at Steppenwolf, B.A in Humanities from Yale University,
Branford Arts Award for acting. She dedicates this show to her sister, Rachel. calistasmall.com
Chandler Rosenthal (Jean): Chandler Rosenthal is a New York-based theater, film, and voice actor. She
grew up in Brooklyn and then went on to Yale University, where she entered as a pre-med bio major and
exited as an actor with an English degree. Most recently, Chandler appeared as the titular character in The
First Intervention of Mugsy McVeigh and in the independent feature Family Obligations. More @
chandlerrosenthal.com
Hiram Delgado (Damir): Hiram Delgado is an actor/ writer from Puerto Rico. He graduated from the
University of Puerto Rico and moved to NYC to attend NYU’s Tisch Graduate Acting Program.
Sofya Levitsky-Weitz (Playwright): Sofya is a current Jerome Fellow at the Playwrights’ Center and member
of EST/Youngblood. Plays include this party sucks (NYTW development), Intuitive Men (UCF’s Pegasus
PlayLab, Williamstown, the Brick, the Tank), Gehinnom (semi-finalist O’Neill Playwrights’ Conference,
Playwrights’ Realm and Princess Grace Award), Cannabis Passover (Playwrights’ Center, Ensemble Studio
Theatre), be mean to me (semi-finalist Premiere Stages), and The Gleaming (commission, Steep Theatre,
Chicago). Finalist for the Heideman Award and published in The Kenyon Review, the 53rd State Press
Occasional, & (twice) in The Dionysian. She’s the official annual playwriting judge for Hendrix College’s
playwriting competition. MFA in Writing for the Screen & Stage at Northwestern University. sofyaweitz.com
Sarah Blush (Director): Sarah directs, creates, and develops new work. Artistic director of the theatre
company TV, whose plays include critically acclaimed Sehnsucht (NYT Critics Pick; JACK), Power Couple (Ars
Nova ANT Fest), and My Favorite Character Was the Talking Vase (HERE). Other directing: Clubbed Thumb,
Playwrights Center, NYU Graduate Acting, Playwrights Realm, The Atlantic Acting School, The Flea, The
Tank, Dixon Place, NYU Abu Dhabi, Williamstown Theatre Festival. Associate/assistant directing: Daniel
Aukin, Rachel Chavkin, Mark Wing-Davey, Young Jean Lee, among others. VR: Sarah developed CAVE, the
largest multi-viewer virtual reality experience to date (premier at SIGGRAPH in Vancouver, 2018) ‘18-19
Clubbed Thumb Directing Fellow; New York Society Library's Emerging Female Artist Grant; The Habitat's
Directors Playground; New Georges Affiliated Artist. Upcoming: Bailey Williams’ I thought I would die but I
didn’t (The Tank, May 2019); ‘19-20 New Georges Audrey Resident. sarahblush.com.
Emily Auciello (Sound Designer): Emily is a NYC based sound designer. She’s designed at Atlantic Theater
Company, Women's Project, The Kitchen, The Bushwick Starr, 59E59, HERE, Ensemble Studio Theatre, JACK,
Delaware REP, Two River Theater Company, Delaware Theater Center, Premiere Stages, TheaterWorks
Hartford, Penguin Rep, others. She’s assisted/associate designed at The Music Box, Curran Theatre, MTC,
The Public, LCT3, Signature Theatre, Little Shubert Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, Atlantic Theatre, Soho
Rep, Primary Stages, Roundabout Underground, Women’s Project, Rattlestick, Dallas Theatre Center,
Barrington Stage, others. Emily is a proud member of the feath3r theory. Love to Alex.

Hannah Cook (Technical Director): Hannah Cook is a freelance set/props designer and technical director.
Her work in both set design and construction has been seen in the Gym at Judson, the PIT, Under St. Marks,
Access, Actors Fund Arts Center, the Connelly, Soho Rep, Rattlestick Playwrights, 3LD, Irondale, The Acorn,
among others. She is the resident set designer for Brooklyn Acting Lab in Park Slope and regularly works as
a freelance fabricator in the Creative Visual Merchandising department of Tiffany& Co. Education:
Muhlenberg College (BA), Queen Mary University of London. hannahclarecook.com
Marika Kent (Lighting Designer): Marika Kent is a New York City based designer of new and classic plays,
musical theater, opera, dance, experimental theater, puppetry and site-specific performance.
Recent/upcoming: Roan @ The Gates (Luna Stage), Peter and the Starcatcher; Memphis (Cape Fear
Regional Theater), Spelling Bee... (ACT of CT), Generation NYZ; Alaxsxa/Alaska; Beyond Sacred (Ping Chong
+ Co), Perp; Abigail's Party (The Barrow Group), Skinnamarink or The Peanut Butter Show; Now is the
Time... (Little Lord), How To Hamlet; Rhinbecca, NY; You on the Moors Now (Theater Reconstruction
Ensemble), The Snow Maiden; Albert Herring (Manhattan School of Music) She; No Words; Box (Ariel Rivka
Dance), Ajijaak on Turtle Island (IBEX Puppetry, The New Victory). Proud member of Wingspace Theatrical
Design. marikakent.com
Christopher Metzger (Costume Designer): Christopher Metzger is a Brooklyn based designer working in
theatre, opera, and dance. Recent designs include: Sweat (Mobile National Tour, Public Theater), Life Sucks,
Happy Birthday, Wanda June (Wheelhouse Theater), Harlequin & Pantalone (Dorrance Dance, NY City
Center), La Traviata (Philharmonia of New York), West Side Story(Sioux City Symphony), Tosca (Opera
Roanoke), Sehnsucht (Jack). His work with the Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance Company has been seen
internationally including; Beijing International Contemporary Dance Festival, Indianapolis City Ballet,
Kaatsbaan International Dance Center, American Dance Guild. MFA, NYU. Proud member Local USA
829. christophermetzgerdesign.com
Santiago Orjuela-Laverde (Set Designer): Santiago Orjuela-Laverde is a Colombian scenic and film designer
based in NYC. His recent work includes Hamlet (Directed by Mark Wing-Davey), Measure for Measure
(Directed by Stephen Hollis), La Cantante Calva en McDonald’s (Directed by Tara Elliot and produced by La
Micro Theater), Richard III (Directed by Nana Dakin), The Great Disappointment (A new play by Rinne Groff,
Directed by Mark Wing-Davey). In Addition, his Scenic Design Associate work in White Noise (Written by
Suzan-Lori Parks, Directed by Oskar Eustis at The Public Theater) and Salome (Directed by James Rutherford
at the Irondale Ensemble Center). OPERA America 2019 Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Showcase
Finalists with the Project The Little Prince (By Rachel Portman). Santiago completed his MFA in Design for
Stage and Film at NYU Tisch. He is also the Co-Founder of the fashion and retail brand KUPA.co based in
Colombia, with presence in Latin America, Europe, USA & Canada.
Christina Woolard (Stage Manager): Christina Woolard (Stage Manager) is a Brooklyn based stage manager
originally from Ishpeming, Michigan. Most recently, she was the stage manager for Trainspotting offBroadway. Other recent credits include A Doll’s House, Part 2 (George Street Playhouse), Wilder Gone
(Clubbed Thumb), and Red Light Winter (The Bridge Production Group). She has a M.F.A. in Stage
Management from Rutgers University.
hawkhouse (Producers): hawkhouse is a producing partnership between Emily Hawkins and Allison Houser
working to provide production support to small-scale theater projects in the NYC area. Current
collaborations: Sofya Levitsky-Weitz’s be mean to me (IATI), Kate Eberstadt’s Notes from the Basement
(Dixon Place, Corkscrew Festival). Upcoming: Taylor Steele’s Girls Night In (Center at West Park).

And special thanks to the many who supported the development of this play and the
mounting of this production…
Alessandra Bongiardin, Allison Bryant, Andrea Baptista, Anna Miller, Anne Weikart, Annie Schiferl, April
Koh, Audrey Flegel, August Rosenthal, Baize Buzan, Bari Saltman, Ben Goldman, Benji Goldsmith, Bobby
Dresser, Bryan Kauder, Camille Joubert, Cara Phipps, Catherine Camp, Catherine Jett, Cecilia Walker,
Charley Locke, Charlie Polinger, Charlie Walters, Chistine Shaw, Chris Marino, Chris Mollica, Chris Peters,
Christopher Arp, Christopher Muller, Cindy Ok, Claire Dunnington, Claire Palandri, Cole Bortz,Cole Florey,
Courney Olrich, Courtney Muller, Dakota McCoy, Daniel Merritt, David & Nancy Rosenthal, David Rosenthal,
Dawn and Steve Durning-Hammond, Douglas Weiss, Eliza Martin, Elizabeth Archer, Elizabeth Helm,
Elizabeth Sommer, Emily Klebanoff, Emma Goldberg Liu, Erin Fitzgerald, Ethan Karetsky, Faiyad Ahmad,
Gabe Murchison, Gabriel Greenspan, Gaby Hornig, Gavin Creel, Geraldine Inoa, Gillian Holmes, Grace
Hammerstein, Hannah Jensen, Haygen-Brice Walker, Henry Gottfried, Hilary Teplitz, Holli Levitsky, IATI, Ian
Miller, Ike Silver, Iva Velickovic, Jacob Brandt, Jacob Sexton, Jake Eliasberg, Jan Kolmas, Jana Winfree, Jane
Head & Charlie Davidson, Janelle Joes, Jason Schuchman, Jennifer Small, Jeremiah Kreisberg, Jeremy Weiss,
Jerrold Lieblich, Jesse Schreck, Jessie Wirtshafter, Jill Nuckel, Joanna Guest, Jordan Gaches, Joseph Cotugno,
Joshua Kalla, Julia Specht, Juliana Lopez, Karthik Chandrasekariah, Katherine Nelson, Katherine Paulsen,
Kathleen Addison, Katie Aragon, Katie Brennen, Keith Rubin, Kelly Campbell, Kenneth Frank, Keren Abreu,
Kerry Joyce, Kyle Hutzler. L Smith, Lara Panah, Laura Hall, Laurel Durning-Hammond, Lee Seymour, Leland
Whitehouse, Len R. Small, Len Small, Lida Darmian, Lillien Nathan, Lynn Rusten, Mali'o Kodis, Margaret Van
Cleve, Mark Sonnenblick, Mark Weitz, Marvin Gonzalez, Mary Bolt, Matt Bardin, Matthew Bardin, Max de la
Breuyere, Max Pettinelli, Melissa Barnard, Meredith Barthold, Michael Adkins, Michael Einstein, Michael
Eisenstein, Michael Rosen, Michelle Ma, Molly Freed, Molly Goldberg, Mya Randle, Nate Barnett, Nate Cox,
Nimal Eames-Scott, Ninette Yeganian, Nora Kaye, Paul Hinkes, Peregrine Heard, Peter Kim, Pheobe
Mitchell, Rachel Claire, Rachel Small, Raphael Shapiro, Richard Bass, Richard Schechner, Robert DeLanghe,
Robert Guest, Ruby Spiegel, Sally Helm, Sam Gold, Sarah D'Angelo, Sarah Dash, Sarah Jacobson, Seonjae
Kim, Serena Berman, Serena Gelb, Shaun Leisher, Sophia Jia, Spenser Olson, Steven Andreasen, Terrence
Chin-Loy, The Playwrights' Center, Thomas Small, Todd Cerveris, Tommy Bazarian, Vance Barber, Victoria
Weiss, Walter Winfree, Whitney Uland, Will Moritz, William Stephen, Youngblood, Zinc Educational
Services.