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ABOUT THE BURLINGTON PLAYERS

The Park Playhouse is home to three theater groups, The Burlington  Players, Winnmere Family Theater, and Children’s Theater Workshop. 

The Burlington Players (BP) is an all volunteer, adult theater group open to  those ages 18 and over, and happily accepts new members. Experience in  performing or technical theater is certainly welcome, but not necessary. We will  mentor anyone who wants to learn any aspect of theater. The Burlington Players  usually produce a four-show season each year.  

Winnmere Family Theater (WFT) is open to ages 18 and above. Members get  hands-on experience in all aspects of theater, including performance, stage  management, lighting and sound design and operation, and set construction —  everything to get a show up and running. Winnmere Family Theater produces up  to three shows per year, dedicated to audiences of families and children.  

The Children’s Theater Workshop (CTW) has run continuously since 1973.  The CTW season begins in September with theater classes for ages 7 –17. CTW helps develop  imagination, voice, body movement, storytelling, and other performance skills. 

BURLINGTON PLAYERS 2025-2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

The Burlington Park Playhouse sits on the unceded lands of  the Massachusett people, whose name was appropriated  by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We gratefully  acknowledge the Nipmuc, Penacook, Agawam, and  Massa-chusett Peoples and their descendants, and honor  all Indigenous Peoples who are connected to this land—  past, present, and future. 

For more information, please visit our land acknowledgement page

Production Team

The Cast      

The Production Team           

Special Notes

additional gratitudes to...

Doug Burum
Beverly Cook
Anna Loose
Quannapowitt Players
David Dooks
Muriel DeLuccia
John Murtagh
Staples (Woburn)
Theatre III
 

The analytical engine that appears onstage
was generously loaned to us by Castle Hill Productions.

A portion of profit from Ada and the Engine will be donated to:
Boston Area Rape Crisis Center
https://barcc.org/

Director's Note

When I was a teenager in 4-H, I did a presentation about the history of computers. Charles Babbage was part of that presentation (and also, at the time, the name of a mall-chain software store). Ada Lovelace, I’m fairly certain, was not in my presentation. Despite the fact that the Ada programming language already existed by then, I can’t say now whether I had even heard of her; if I had, the reference books I was using certainly didn’t make me think I needed to elaborate on her. 

I look back on my education and wish I had known to ask more questions about where the women were across history, literature, science, mathematics… It must say something that I didn’t even realize it was a question I should have been asking. I’d like to think that many of us are now far more likely to do so.

Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, is one of many examples of women whose stories have been rediscovered over time, reminding us that women in STEM have been there all along. Annabella, Lady Byron, was an educated mathematician in her own right and Mary Somerville was the first person referred to in print as a scientist. Plays like Ada and the Engine not only bring their stories to life, but to more people that might have ever heard of them otherwise. 

I have loved diving into all these interconnected stories…and I hope this play inspires you to learn more about the women in history whose stories have been rediscovered!

- Alison Walters-Short

Sponsors

Meet the Company

Iain Bason

Charles Babbage

Iain last appeared on the Burlington Players stage as Carter in Things My Mother Taught Me, in 2020. He has also designed lights for several productions here including Lost in Yonkers, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, The Exact Center of the Universe, and Sweeney Todd). Recent work on area stages includes Paul/Dr. Tim/Mr. Yarmowich in Let Nothing You Dismay (Arlington Friends of the Drama), Arthur Roeder in Radium Girls and Al in All in the Timing (Quannapowitt Players). Recent lighting designs include Silent Sky (Theatre III), Emma and The Humans (Arlington Friends of the Drama). Recent sound designs include House on Haunted Hill (Quannapowitt Players) and Court Martial at Fort Devens (Arlington Friends of the Drama). By day, Iain carries on Charles and Ada's legacy as a software developer, specializing in compiler design.

Eric Cheung

Byron

Eric has done stand-up for NBC’s Diversity Initiative, stand-up and sketch at The Comedy Studio, docenting for WGBH, VO with WGBH, WBUR, WECB, WMFO, Learning Ally, Post-Meridian Radio Players, and Boston Podcast Players, and theatre with Another Country, Bridge Rep, Mrs. Hawking, a play live-streamed on HowlRound, Dream Role Players, and was in Star Trek (2009). He has recorded monologues, directed 48-hour films, a space adventure game (HRO), done Zoom productions of White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Waiting for Lefty. Watch some Macbeth from Theatre@First’s production on YouTube. Listen to him in The Madmen's Guild. Recent credits include Let Nothing You Dismay (Arlington Friends of the Drama), Stage Kiss (Psych Drama Company), And Then There Were None(TCAN, DASH award winning), and Wait Until Dark (Cannon). Visit ericcheungartist.com.

Jenny Fielding

Lady Anabella Byron

Jenny is excited to be back on the Burlington stage having last appeared as Maggie in Red Herring. Some of her other roles include Becca in Rabbit Hole, Adriana (DASH Nominated) in The Comedy of Errors, Bev/Kathy in Clybourne Park, Debra (DASH Nominated) in Kimberly Akimbo, and Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quannapowitt Players), Thelma in 'Night, Mother (Theatre CoLaboratory), Sugar (DASH Nominated) in Tiny Beautiful Things, and Mamma in The Squirrels (Acme Theater), Barb (DASH Nominated) in August: Osage County (Spotlight), Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (Dream Role), Goneril in King Lear (Vokes), and Aphra Behn in Or, and Ruta in Helen's Most Favorite Day (Hovey Players). Jenny also costume designs – By the Way Meet Vera Stark, Time Stands Still, Perfect Arrangement (DASH Nominated), and Prelude to a Kiss – and her background includes improv stints with the Susquehanna Hat Company and Friday Nite Improvs.

Wendy Linden

Mary Somerville

Wendy is honored to be part of this extraordinary show and to perform in her first Burlington Players production. Favorite past roles have included Bella in Lost in Yonkers, Little Becky Two Shoes in Urinetown (Theatre III); Jack’s Mother in Into the Woods (Flyleaf Theater); Mama Morton in Chicago (Nashoba Players); and Annie in Annie Get Your Gun and the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz (Open Door). By day, Wendy is chief marketing officer at Hebrew College in Newton. Huge thanks to her gifted castmates, crew, and production team; Jon, Matty, Luby, Josh, Nora and Dot for their support (and listening to her practice her Scottish brogue!); and her bandmates (2lbs Classic Jazz

Justin Linscott

Lord Lovelace

Justin is happy to be returning for his third show with the Burlington Players. He was previously seen as Scotty in Ripcord and Charles Bingley in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. Most recently, he has been having a ball performing with his pals at Essex Improv where he performs on the company's house team, Unraveling. Much love and thanks to his friends, family, and the entire Ada team. Huzzah!

Katie Swimm

Ada Byron Lovelace

Katie is thrilled to be making her Burlington Players debut! Katie has been seen regionally in roles with the Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Weathervane Repertory Theatre, Greasy Joan & Co. and Griffin Theatre Company, and locally as Mayor Maggie in Bat Boy, Lucy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (The Footlight Club), and as a member of Nasty Women Sing. Typically sitting behind the table, Katie has directed over 30 productions in the Boston and Greater Boston area, and is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of The Treehouse Collective. She has a PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from Tufts University. Many thanks to everyone at Burlington for such a fun and supportive experience, and to all her friends who encouraged her to “get out there again!”

Brian Adler

Assistant Stage Manager

Fresh off stage-managing a case with Miss Holmes (Theatre III) and some Elizabethan chaos with Merry Wives of Windsor (Belmont Dramatic Club), Brian is excited to bring his “organized panic” to Burlington Players. He enjoys long walks to the prop table and the sound of a perfectly timed cue. Much love to his wife Anita for her endless patience and support.

Ruth Bendig

Music Consultant

Ruth is very happy to be working on her first show with the Burlington Players. She was the musical director for the Acton Cooperative Theatre, and has performed at Arlington Friends of the Drama, Theatre III, and Open Door Theater. She was co-director and musical director for Child's Play at Theatre III's production of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type in 2024, and directed last year's production of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!, which received multiple DASH nominations. Much love to her family for their love and support!

Ben Brotman

Lighting Designer

Ben is thrilled to be back at Burlington Players for the third time in 2 years. He previously worked on Working for Crumbs and The Book of Will. Other credits include Alice in Wonderland (Georgetown), Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Titanic Theater), and Medusa Reclaimed (The Nora). He would like to thank his family, friends, and fiancée for their constant support and encouragement, and the whole company for putting on such a great production. He hopes you enjoy the show!

Karen Burum

Hair and Makeup Designer

Karen is a Boston-based theater artist specializing in hair, wigs, makeup, and special effects, and is delighted to be working with Burlington Players for the first time. She has designed for 42 productions across New England, where her contributions have earned multiple nominations and awards. This spring, she looks forward to teaching a makeup design class for local community theaters, extending her artistry beyond the stage. It has been a privilege to collaborate with this talented cast and production team in bringing Ada and the Engine to life. Special thanks to Director Alison Walters-Short, Producer Michelle Fisher, and the entire Burlington Players team.

Laura Dillon

Costumer

Laura is thrilled to be working with this talented cast and crew. She grew up in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and has also lived in Hawaii and Japan. She originally moved to Massachusetts to attend college where she specialized in 17th- and 18th-century literature, Celtic archaeology, and other forms of not making money. She further honed this last skill while studying medieval labor law in law school. This is her first show with Burlington Players, though she has costumed many shows including Ada and the Engine, As You Like It, The Importance of Being Ernestine, Romeo and Juliet, and Arcadia (Castle Hill); A Little Women Christmas, First Date, and Barefoot in the Park (Colonial Chorus Players); A Little Night Music, The Crucible, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Something Rotten!, Mother of the Maid, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Great Gatsby, Plaza Suite, Tuck Everlasting, and The Pirates of Penzance (Marblehead Little Theatre); Show Me Eternity (Culture Lab and New York Theatre Festival); The Rocky Horror Show, Into the Woods, Mamma Mia!, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Titanic (Stage 284); and Sister Act and The Light in the Piazza (NextDoor Theater). She lives in Lynnfield with her husband and African Grey parrot and often visits her children in NYC.

Michelle Fisher

Producer

Michelle has been a prop master, stage manager, director, producer, props master and occasional actor at various community theaters for over 25 years. She first began with Burlington as a teenager performing as part of the Winnmere Family Theater program (many years ago!). Past credits with Burlington include props master for First Night, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, 20th Century Blues, A Nice Family Gathering, The Nerd and Getting Sara Married; producer for The Red Herring and The Book of Will; director for Wait Until Dark and All in the Timing. Other area production credits include: stage manager for Time Stands Still and Suburban Holidays 10 and 11 (Quannapowitt Players). As a director: The Revolutionists and The 39 Steps (Quannapowitt Players); The Realistic Jones (Hovey Players); Tiny Beautiful Things, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Crimes of the Heart and The Smell of the Kill (Acme Theater).

Michael Gravante

Assistant Director

Michael is very excited to return to the Burlington Players for his first time behind the scenes, having made his BP stage debut as the Crier in last season’s The Book of Will. Other favorite acting credits around the area include Urinetown and She Kills Monsters with The Concord Players, and Twelfth Night: The Musical with Arlington Friends of the Drama. Favorite directing credits include Circle Mirror Transformation for Merrimack College, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals (AD) for Yorick Ensemble, and two plays for The Playground Theatre Co. at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts from Merrimack College. He wishes to thank Alison, Michelle Fisher, and the people at BP for inviting him to join in bringing Ada Lovelace’s story to life. Enjoy the show!

Emily Lambert

Stage Manager

Emily is thrilled to be returning to Burlington Players for her second time as Stage Manager. She has been crew member at Theatre at the Mount, spot ops and sound board operator at Bay Area eTc, and Choreographer, Assistant Stage Manager, and Stage Manager at Theatre III. Usually you will find her singing and dancing in musicals but she’s always loved the technical side of theatre. Thanks to Jeff and Alison for teaching her all the tricks of the trade.

Chris Rose

Set Designer

Chris is thrilled to be designing the set for Ada and the Engine. His previous Set Design credits include Working for Crumbs, Don Quixote de la Center at QP, Things My Mother Taught Me, First Night, The Book of Will and Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, with the last two being nominated for DASH awards for Best Set Design. In his spare time, Chris also hosts a Disney Parks podcast and volunteers with Burlington Cable Access Television.

Kara Schmitt

Props Coordinator

This is Kara’s 12th production in the seven years she has lived in Massachusetts. Aside from Burlington Players, she has served as a prop coordinator with the Georgetown Theater and the Quannapowitt Players. She has had the opportunity to work with many incredible actors and production personnel. Long ago, Kara was involved in acting and directing, but although her love of theater never faded, career demands did not allow her the time to remain involved. Now, in retirement, she is grateful to have that opportunity once again. Enjoy the performance—and the amazing history of the computer!

Todd Short

Sound Designer

Todd is happy to be back at Burlington Players, four years after designing sound for Bridges of Madison County. Todd is active at AFD (winning EMACT DASH for sound design of Iolanthe), Open Door Theater, and Theatre III. His next sound design will be Nice Work If You Can Get It at Theatre III this spring. Todd thanks his wife Alison for dragging him into these adventures!

Alison Walters-Short

Director

Alison is excited to be back at The Burlington Players...and is absolutely thrilled to be working on show about Ada Lovelace! By day she is a supporter of women in STEM as a software engineering manager, so this show has special meaning for her. Previous experience at Burlington: The Hollow (stage manager – EMACT DASH outstanding achievement). Past directing highlights: The Revolutionists (TCAN Players – EMACT DASH nomination, Best Production – Play); Silent Sky (Theatre III); Pippin (AFD); Miss Holmes (The Footlight Club); Puffs (Theatre III); R&H’s Cinderella (Open Door). She also has served as the Intimacy Director for a number of shows at Theatre III. Shoutout to Jane for our mutual appreciation of women in STEM+theatre. Love and thanks to my husband Todd and daughter Addie for the theatre support network at home!