Play Date

Tori Barron

Tori is a writer and actor.

Marie Donna Davis

Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, Marie Donna graduated from Syracuse University and received her actor training at Atlantic Theater Evening Conservatory. Recent projects include: The Doom That Came to Burger Slime (Jazz/Theater), Excavating The Rising Star (Keneiloe/ Workshop/Theater), Carol's Daughter (Commercial), CeraVe (Commercial. Check out her cycling shenanigans on the gram @mariedavis9812. Marie Donna Davis also enjoys the feel of the weight of a katana and a good rum based cocktail. Rarely at the same time.

Cristina Garcia Leon

Cristina Garcia Leon wears many hats. She is an attorney specializing in Criminal Law, an actor, a writer and now...a producer! She received her acting training at Maggie Flanigan Studio and her legal training at the Syracuse University College of Law. Playdate is her passion project and she's grateful to all of you for playing a part in making this dream of hers come true.

Niki Hatzidis

Niki Hatzidis is a resident creator and actor for Infinite Variety Productions. She is a writer and an award-nominated playwright whose work has been produced in New York, Massachusetts, California, and the UK. Niki is a contributing satirical writer for Ladyspike Media and a sketch writer and actor for Dog Show Comedy. Niki just competed a masters degree at Goldsmiths University in Dramaturge and Writing for Performance. nikihatzidis.squarespace.com

Riley McMillan

(They/them/she/her) Originally from Scotland, Riley crossed the pond to undergo acting training at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Recent credits include: ‘The Sisters’ (Lady) with Soho Shakespeare Co., ‘Not The White Stripes’ (Alison) with Permafrost Theatre Collective, and ‘The Food That Built America’ now on Hulu.

Nikita Nixon

Nikita Nixon hails from Greenville, NC, was in the Air force for 10 years, trained at American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Atlantic Acting School.

Daniel Oakley

Daniel (he/him) is an actor-musician, ex journalist, sometimes novelist, and 2022 grad of Circle in the Square's two-year conservatory. His goal is to leave every audience reeking of joy in catharsis. Thank you Cristina, Bree, David, fellow cohorts, and willing subjects (theatregoers) for giving of yourselves in art and work and commerce. Thank you for helping Daniel horcrux himself in two, keeping one foot in the writing world while focused on embodying storytelling.

Bree O'Connor

Bree O’Connor is a co-founder and Artistic Director of Playful Substance. Known for her loud cackles and guffaws, Bree’s distinctive participatory laugh has been appreciated by friends and collaborators for over 35 years, which is odd considering she is about to turn 48. It is rumored that, before she discovered the theatre, her chuckles and brays were of no practical use to her rural Minnesotan community and they struggled mightily to endure her outbursts which often startled livestock. Luckily, a professional summer stock theatre company took her in and showed her how to use her unusual gift for the good of humankind. In addition to her work with Playful Substance, Bree is also a proud company member of Infinite Variety Productions, a Writers’ Group facilitator and development coach for writers, actors and directors.

Raphael Perahia

Raphael Perahia is an actor, writer and director currently based in London. A graduate of École Philippe Gaulier, he has performed solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the New York Frigid Festival and the Brighton Fringe Festival. In 2018 his one-act play Merchants was performed at Under St Marks Theatre in New York. His first full length play Shelter in Place (written and directed) received glowing reviews in 2019. He studied improvisation in New York with the Upright Citizens Brigade and in London with The FA and Monkey Toast. He is a proud member of the Playful Substance Writing Group and production company.

David Pleva

After a 25 year run in administration at the Circle in the Square Theatre School, David has been released to create art on the world. Google also says that I work for NASA.

Maria Isabella Rojas

Maria Isabella Rojas was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Jackson Heights. She attended University of San Francisco, receiving a B.A. in Performing Arts and Social Justice, and is a graduate of the Atlantic Theatre Company’s Full-Time Acting Conservatory. Most proudly, Maria co-Founded and is Vice President of MARLEX Films, an all Latina ran film production company. Maria is a company member of Flying H Theater where she was Veronica in The Motherfucker with the Hat, Emilia in Honky, and TracyAnn in Sealed for Freshness. Other credits include Good People (Kate) and Death of a Salesman (Letta) at Santa Paula Theater, zounds! (Aphrodite) at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Visit (Karla) at Atlantic Acting School; Woyzeck, Agnes of God, Cherry Orchard at USF. Film and television credits include Kodak Shirley (The Hive Provo Film Festival winner Best Actress in a Drama), Wounded, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Dop La Liberta, dir. Tiago Durao and Saturday Night Live, NBC. She has also trained at Wynn Handman Studio and HB Studio with Mercedes Ruehl and Austin Pendleton.

Laura Sisskin

Laura Sisskin (she/her), is an award winning NYC-based actor and singer-songwriter (under the name Oh, Elis). Her debut solo show, You Hold a Pole Everyday, won for Outstanding Performance of a Solo Show at The 2018 Planet Connections Theatre Festivity and was nominated for a NY Innovative Theater Award for Outstanding Performance of a Solo Show in 2019. Her single, "The Most Beautiful Garden", can be found featured in the timely indie-film Ask For Jane and in Democracy Now! as well as on all music platforms, along with other singles. Laura received her BFA in Acting from Emerson College.

Claire Shiell

Claire Shiell is a graduate from the CAP21 Professional Musical Theatre Program and studied improv through Upright Citizens Brigade Core Improv program as well as Advanced Study. She performs frequently with The Playground Experiment and can be found performing improv Thursday nights at Young Ethels and Friday nights at The Tank with The Armory . She can be found online on all platforms @claireshiell and clairemshiell.com

Donald Wollner

Donald is an alumni of the New Dramatists and a two time recipient of a New York Council for the Arts Grant for playwriting. His plays Kid Purple and Badgers have been published by Dramatists Play Service and Samuel French respectively. These and other of his plays have been performed on both coasts and in the middle. He is terrified to be participating in PLAYDATE, but it's a good terror--like good cholesterol.