The Informer

Act One

Scene One - Dunbar's Bar - 7:30 pm

Scene Two - Alley Outside Dunbar's Bar - 8:00 pm

Scene Three - Dunbar's Bar - 8:15 pm

(SONGS: FOGGY DEW; SILLY DRUNK)

Scene Four - Alley Outside Dunbar's Bar/Inside Bar- 9:00 pm

Scene Five - Alleyway - 9:40 pm 

(15 minute Intermission)

Act Two

Scene One - Dunbar's Bar - 11:30 pm

Scene Two - Dunbar's Bar - 11:50 pm

(SONG: COME OUT YE BLACK AND TANS)

Scene Three - Dunbar's Bar - Midnight

Scene Four - Dunbar's Bar - 20 minutes after Midnight

Scene Five - Dunbar Bar - 1 am

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PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE THREE LIVE GUN DISCHARGES AND ONE RECORDED DURING ACT TWO SCENES. PLEASE ASK HOUSE MANAGER WHERE TO SIT IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO LOUD NOISE

REVIEWS

Theater Talk - Anthony Chase 
Buffalo Rising - Peter Hall 
Born In Buffalo - Steven Maisonet 
Buffalo Stages - Melinda Miller 
WBFO Theater talk 3/28/25 
WBFO Theater Talk 3/21/25
Speakup WNY - Mike Desmond 

REVIEWS

Theater Talk - Anthony Chase 
Buffalo Rising - Peter Hall 
Born In Buffalo - Steven Maisonet 
Buffalo Stages - Melinda Miller 
WBFO Theater talk 3/28/25 
WBFO Theater Talk 3/21/25
Speakup WNY - Mike Desmond 

The Informer Cast

Production Team

Meet the Company

Trevor Dugan

Gypo Nolan

Trevor is appearing for the third time on the American Repertory Theatre stage. He previously starred in Mercy Seat in 2023 and 2022’s Fall From The Grace Of God. Last spring he was in The Melville Boys at Desiderio’s Dinner Theatre. Other credits include annually performing in Alleyway Theatre’s A Christmas Carol every year since 2021, also at Alleyway in Grown-Ass Louis, part of the Buffalo Quickies in 2021 , Factory For Murderers in 2020, and 2019’s Girls Who Walked On Glass. Dracula, and Moon Over Buffalo (Lancaster Opera House) Biloxi Blues (Desiderio’s) Robin Hood, and Santa Conquers The Martians (Patchwork Theatre Niagara). He thanks his wife Madeline and the Buffalo Fire Department for supporting him in his second-front, the theatre.

Juli Grygier

Mary McPhillip

Juli is very excited to be back on the ART stage! She last appeared as Belle/Martha Cratchit in When Worlds Collide. Other favorite roles include Shelby (Steel Magnolias), Diana Barry (Anne of Green Gables), Jill (The Convent), Meg (Leading Ladies), and Cassie Cooper (Rumors). You can see her back on the Compass Performing Arts Center stage as Jean in The Early Girl with the Brazen Faced Varlets (May 9-25). Thanks to Matt, Catherine, and Sheri for supporting this show.

Anthony J. Grande

Dan Gallagher

Anthony returns to the ART stage. He last appeared in ART’s production of The Mighty Maisie (Briggs). Recent roles include The A.I. at Delphi (Calos), Rehearsal for Murder (Frank), Cops and Friends of Cops (Paul), Entertaining Mr. Sloane (Sloane), Angels in America (Louis), and Significant Other (Will/Tony). Anthony is “The Actor’s Tailor” and Owner of 2NY Video, a video production company that promotes actors in Western and Central NY.

Danette Pawlowski

Katie Fox

Danette Pawlowski (She/Her) is thrilled to be back on stage with American Repertory Theater of WNY! Favorite credits include Titus Andronicus in Titus XX with the Brazen Faced Varlets, and The Ghost of Christmas Past in When World’s Collide with American Repertory Theater. She is a regular Pro Roster player and referee with Buffalo ComedySportz and has performed with improv groups such as A Totally Made Up Musical, Twisted Sister Act, (Buffalo Comedy Collective) It’s Not the Humidity: Hot Ones Inspired Improv (BuffaloComedy Collective), and Given Half A Chance (Buffalo Improv House). She is also Host/Director of Drunk Theatre Buffalo’s But Make It Drunk series.

John F Kennedy

Jack McPhillips

John F Kennedy has been in numerous plays with ART since it's creation. He hopes that his contribution to the theatrical arts has enriched Buffalo's theatre community. Thank you for supporting local theatre...

Dan Morris

Bartly Mulholland

Dan Morris is excited for his debut on the A.R.T. stage; a long time coming! Last seen on stage in Rocking Horse Productions “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then some)” and in the role of Oscar Madison in Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple.” Past roles include Sal in First Look Buffalo’s production of Ron Klier’s “Cops And Friends Of Cops”, Mushnik in Starring Buffalo’s production of Alan Mencken’s “Little Shop Of Horrors,” at The Shea’s 710 theatre, and at the Kenan Center, in the Carriage House Players production of Neil Simon’s “Prisoners Of Second Avenue,” in the role of Harry. Favorite roles include Randall McMurphy in Ken Kesey and Dale Wassermann’s “One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," and Thenardier in Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables.” Dan lives in Williamsville with his Wife, Alyssa, and their kids.

John DellaContrada

Tommy Connor

John DellaContrada is an actor, musician, and director with a BFA in Theatre Performance from University at Buffalo. He last appeared on the ART stage as The German Soldier in Shylock this past December. Other acting credits include Justin in Tea Party at First Look Buffalo, The Cat in The Cat in the Hat at Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, and Bert/Grandpa Miller (US) in Junie B Jones at Theatre of Youth. His work as a director includes music directing his original musical A Crack in the Egg at the Katherine Cornell Theatre, and Assistant Directing Witch at Road Less Traveled Productions.

Nate Chateaux

Rattler Mulligan

A Western New York native, Nate has been acting for several years, while developing his craft in community and professional theaters in the area, but this will be his first official production in the City of Buffalo, while making his American Repertory Theatre debut. He is also an award winning filmmaker and screenwriter.

Catherine Burkhart

Kitty Dunbar

Catherine is excited to play the role of Kitty and be a part of this tremendous ensemble. She’s enjoying her time as matriarch of the Informer family and thanks everyone for the love and inspiration. Catherine is hoping to someday frequent an actual Irish pub and enjoy a pint!

Alicia Adema

Mary Haynes (the Beggar Woman)

Returning to theatre after a long hiatus, Alicia lived in Canada and Japan before moving to NYC to study Meisner acting with Bill Esper (deceased) @ William Esper Studios. Prior training includes Shakespeare & Classical @ Oxford School of Drama, UK; Improvisation with Keith Johnston @ BATS (Bay Area Theatresports) and Japanese Story telling, ‘Rakugo’ in Japan. Alicia founded the first bilingual Japanese Improv Troupe and competed state side. Regional theatre credits include Comedy of Errors (Dromio of Ephesus) & Midsummer Nights Dream (fairy/ensemble) @ Shakespeare & Company, MA. Off-off Broadway credits include Nights of Wrath; 12 th Night (adaptation); Les Liaisons Dangereuses; I Hate Hamlet; Picasso at the Latin Agile; Last Of The Red Hot Lovers, Bury the Dead. Japan theatre includes The Vagina Monologues; Dead Poets Society; Funeral Parlor; You Belong to Me, Crimes of the Heart. During her tenure in Japan of 12 years, Alicia had worked on various film and commercial projects. Honored and grateful to be part of this production!

Katelyn Gard

Judge 1/Ensemble/Katie Fox Understudy

Katelyn Gard is thrilled to be making her ART of WNY debut in this production of The Informer. Katelyn is a Buffalo-based actor and voice-over artist with a passion for stage combat. Some of her favorite credits include Jerusha (Daddy Long Legs) and Anya (Anastasia). Off the stage and screen, she enjoys running, baking, and snuggling with her pit bull. All the love in her heart to her beautiful family, and a huge thanks to her mama and partner for being her biggest cheerleaders. She hopes you enjoy the show—an Irish whiskey is optional, but highly recommended!

Tyler Collis

Ensemble/ Curly

Tyler collis is an actor, musician and poet based in Buffalo, NY. The Informer is his on stage debut with American Repertory Theater of WNY. Tyler was the Assistant Stage Manager in American Repertory Theater's production of "When World's Collide," in 2023. Tyler has also performed in various plays with Inclusive Theater of WNY, and also performed in "The Acting Class" with Unique Theater. Tyler is also in a local indie rock band called "The Night Owls," with his friends. Tyler is very excited for this opportunity and would like to thank his friends and family for their support.

Thomas J. Snodgrass VI (6)

Barney Kerrigan/Ensemble

Thomas J. Snodgrass has spent his life pursuing the thrill and excitement of Performing Arts, and is excited to be part of American Reperatoiry Theatre’s expanding community of actors and artists. He hopes to continue this line of work through his college years and beyond. He lives with his parents, his second-in-command Connor, and five animals: two ferrets, one dog, and two younger brothers. He was born in Manhattan in New York City, and spent the best years of his life in Buffalo (so far).

Scott Gattie

Boxer Lydon/Musician

Scott Gattie is thrilled to be working with ART of WNY once again in pretty quick succession. If you saw THE MIGHTY MAISIE here last month you saw a bit of Scott (as Dave the Mailman), and you may have also seen him here in WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE during the 2023 holidays (As... a lot of different things really). He would like to thank the great local theatre community that has welcomed him in, his wonderful friends and family, and you. Thank you for supporting local arts.

Matthew L LaChiusa

Director/Playwright/Set & Light Design

Matthew directorial resume with American Repertory Theater of WNY includes two Artie Award nominations for Direction of Musical ("American Idiot" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"). Other favorite directorial opportunities at ART/WNY include Tracy Letts' "Killer Joe", Martin McDonagh's "A Behanding in Spokane", "The Guys" by Anne Nelson, "Mercy Seat" (multiple playwrights) and "Rust and Redemption" by John Snodgrass. A 716 playwright, he also received four nominations for the Manny Freid Artie Award for Original Plays ("Axeman's Jazz", "Shine", "Paradigm Bomb" and "RED CLAY"), winning the award for "RED CLAY". As the Executive/Artistic Director for ART/WNY, Matthew built this scrappy blue-collar theater up from scratch, earning multiple company nominations and awards for theater excellence, into a recognizable Buffalo theater uniquely specializing in producing regional playwrights. Matthew thanks all who've put their hard work and effort, both on and off-stage, into this production.

Sheri Sante

Stage Manager

This is Sheri's first show with ART. Previous to working with ART, Sheri served as the director of the Drama Department at John F. Kennedy High School for 8 years. Some of her credits include Legally Blonde the Musical, Shrek the Musical, It's A Wonderful Life, and Noises Off. She would like to thank Matt LeChiusa and the cast of The Informer for allowing her to jump in to the world of theater again. She would also like to thank her husband for all of his support while she spend so much time at the theater. Thank you to Charlie McGregor for recommending she apply to ART.

Catherine Burkhart

Dialect Coach

Originally from Syracuse, Catherine received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater from SUNY Fredonia. She’s been performing since the tender age of seven and finds her theater work fulfilling, fun and very grounding. Catherine is grateful to be a part of this highly talented cast in addition to acting as dialect coach and is so happy to be working at American Repertory Theater of WNY once more. When not involved in a show, she practices yoga, volunteers at a local farm rescue and enjoys cooking, hiking and reading. Her day job is at M&T Bank.

Jessica K. Rasp

Costume Designer

Jess is glad to be working with Matthew again and doing costumes for another ART of WNY show. After just finishing doing the modern-day costumes for The Mighty Maisie, she was right back at it with the greater challenge of period costumes for The Informer. She has worked with various local theatre companies both on stage, directing and designing costumes, lights, hair and makeup. You may remember her from When Worlds Collide last theatre season at ART as Marley (hopefully not because of the way she looks!). It has been great working with several of my castmates from previous shows and getting to know other actors and crew that I have just met during this show! Luck of the Irish to you!

Suzanne Hibbard

Movement Choreographer

Suzie Hibbard (choreographer)— Suzie received her B.F.A. in Theatre Studies from Niagara University. Choreography credits include ART of WNY’s Mercy Seat (2023), Fall from the Grace of God (2022), Aurora Players A Wrinkle in Time (2024 TANYS award for recipient for movement), Hair (2021), She Loves Me (2018) and Little Shop Of Horrors (2016) as well as Unique Theatre's Movement and Dance Workshops, and Assistant Choreographer for Niagara University’s Legally Blonde: The Musical (2019). Onstage credits include Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music, Paradigm Bomb, Something Wicked (ART of WNY), Kindness of Strangers (Compass Performing Arts Center), Emotional Baggage (Paige Allison Healing Arts/Buffalo Infringement Festival/CPAC), The Love List (Desiderio’s Dinner Theatre), Moon Over Buffalo (Lancaster Regional Players), Barefoot In The Park, The Odd Couple (Female Version), Grease, and Run For Your Wife (Aurora Players).

Jason Stopwinski

Head Carpenter/Set

This marks Jason's second production at ART/WNY. He holds BFA in theater from Niagara University

ART Special Thanks

Word from the Playwright/Director

To call this play a straightforward adaptation of Liam O'Flaherty's novel would be somewhat misleading in that the work you are seeing tonight is more of a re-framing of the writer's characters and the 1923 world of Dublin. Instead of implementing the hefty Socialistic manifesto's bombarding O'Flaherty's narrative, or the cliché characterizations found in John Ford's  1935 movie adaptation, this writer's choice was to draw out the humanity of these characters and the world they had to endure. 

Times were difficult at the time this play is set. Ireland fought (and currently in the middle of one in Northern Ireland) two civil wars, World War One, and saw the Spanish Influenza outbreak. These crisis lead to poor economic, social and spiritual times for most Dubliners. This lead to cynicism of social constructs including government, social institutions and organized religion. This made for a “dark-ages” of the times and the rise of ideologies associated with Communism and Nationalism. People turned away from faith and humanity and migrated towards promises of better wages, more food, whiskey and who to blame for their woes. Whomever had the bigger podium, gained the most attention. These were the times when the dictators of the 1940’s began to rise to power due to these swaying ideologies. Sound familiar? 

The character you will go on a journey with were written with this in mind. Their struggles are real, and although they are sometimes at their worst, they remain human at their core. They are vulnerable. Their sins are not rooted in an malicious or evil intent. Their sins are a reflection of PTSD, sexual abuse, economic hardship, and acts of survival.  In the end, you might find some pity for them but the true challenge is can you forgive them? 

That's the bloody heroic task for you to decide. 

Enjoy our production of The Informer - Matthew LaChiusa, Playwright/Director

Who Is ART/WNY

As another season of producing 716 playwrights comes to a close, American Repertory Theater of WNY is proud of being one of the only theater companies in the Western New York region that dedicates a full season to highlight local playwrights.

Although the artistic vision is noble in merit, there are some drawbacks from this model. The average Buffalo theatergoer has a tendency to migrate to more familiar plays and playwrights. They also lean towards companies with name recognition for validation of works they may not be familiar with. This is an uphill battle ART/WNY faces ever since the company decided to focus on local works. 

Yes, the company has been around for 17-seasons and should have built up the reputation but multiple factors have stunted the growth other 15+ theater companies have seen.

Although the days in which theaters were able to produce in rent-free or low rents facilities are coming to a close,  ART/WNY's has never benefited this constant luxury. Instead, as is the case with the 545 Elmwood space, every month the company has to pay for the use of it's space. As a result, money that could be used for improving production values, increasing salaries for production personnel, hiring staff for non-production purposes (marketing, grant research, etc..) is difficult to achieve. Much like a goldfish stuck in a small tank, this doesn't allow for ART/WNY to grow outside it's confines. 

Additionally, with an over-saturated theater scene that is only producing name recognizable works, ART/WNY struggles for attendance due to an overabundance of easy digestible material that only serves to entertain through familiarity, gimmicks, and non-thought provoking narratives. With ticket prices rising and the ability for people to only afford one or two shows every month, they are going to feel more comfortable not taking chances on a new play or unfamiliar playwright. 

The population of Buffalo is roughly 274,678 (in 2023), the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area has a combined population of about 1.3 million (World Population Review). But despite this number working in favor of ALL theaters in the region, a small percent are actual theatergoers. ART/WNY, with other companies, struggles to find ways to emphasize the strong presences of the Dramatic Arts in the region. The primary reason is the lack of media support.  There are no longer sources of print-media to reach non-theatergoers to interest them in the Arts. The only current print-media source, The Buffalo News has completely abandoned coverage of the Arts (yet continues to focus on Sports) that has lead to even more apathy and disinterest towards the Arts, especially theater. Online sources for the Arts have emerged but the audiences they reach are far from the numbers The Buffalo News once reached with its subscription base. This leaves a small budgeted theater company, with little means to advertise or promote, only social media and posters in selected neighborhoods (because the price of printing large quantities of posters is financially limiting), new works to a small percentage of people who may be interested in attending the Dramatic Arts. 

Perhaps Buffalo, New York isn't the best city to attempt new works. Perhaps the only financially successful companies in this city are those who continue to produce the same well-known musicals and plays. Perhaps those with name-recognition will continue to receive sponsorship, grants, government support, advertisement and attention because of reputation and not creativity. Perhaps small, cutting edge, NYC 1980's Village circa theaters no longer have a place in 21st century America.  Perhaps we are finally seeing the end of Dramatic Arts as we once knew it to be. 

Perhaps. 

But as long as ART/WNY can continue to fight for the company's place at the table, as long as it can continue to survive in a Jurassic Park filled with over-fed apex predators, and as long as there are people who still want to be inspired, enlighten and see thought provoking theater, ART/WNY will continue to be here. 

So, who is ART/WNY?

A company that believes in the community in which it serves

A company that supports local artists in their creative journeys 

A company that provides a forum for those who are passionate about their crafts but cannot find opportunities to develop them 

A company that keeps ticket prices affordable so that all may attend theater

A company that provides a reasonable priced space for other arts organizations to produce their works for extended periods. 

A company with a history of taking chances on material

A company with a core belief that theater is a craft and not a popularity contest

A company with limited budgets but will do everything in its power to put on engaging, provocative, powerful and insightful theater despite financial limitations

This is ART/WNY

Love the Art in You. 

The 2024-25 Board of Directors

Suzanne Hibbard (President); Matthew LaChiusa (Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer); Robert Insana; Monica Morrisey;  Mark Humphrey; Danette Pawlowski; Michael Breen

Board Advisors

Catherine Burkhart; Keith Wharton

If you would like to join the ART/WNY Board of Directors, please drop the company an email at artofwny@msn.com or call/text 716-697-0837 

The Board is currently looking for members with CPA skills, Business Management skills, Familiarity with Real Estate laws, or simply real "go-getters" in our community. 

What's Next For ART

May 2025

Every May, ART/WNY hosts company's general auditions for the next year's theatrical season. These auditions help pave the way for up-and-coming talent, unknown or unproven actors an opportunity to find themselves in a break-out role.

Please prepare two contrasting monologues to be performed for the auditions. Singers, please prepare 32 bars of music to be sung a cappella.

Please visit ART/WNY's social media sites to keep up-to-date on auditions, call-for-actors, and other opportunities for WNY actors. Also contact ART/WNY to be included in email notices regarding audition notices, call for actors or upcoming productions ART also extends this to directors and designers who are trying to advance their careers or are overlooked in their talents.