Hughie

[NoHo Arts District, CA] – Two Roads Productions is pleased to present Hughie by esteemed playwright Eugene O’Neill, directed by Bill Sehres and produced by Heidi Appe and Allen Levin.  

ABOUT THE SHOW

Hughie (1942) is a play by Eugene O’Neill, set in a seedy New York hotel lobby at 3:00am on a hot night in the summer of 1928. Erie Smith, a small-time gambler, down on his luck and at the end of his rope, shows up after a four-day bender, brought on by the death of “Hughie,” a night clerk at the hotel and always a willing listener to Erie’s yarns of his life’s imaginary successes. But Hughie is gone now, and Erie has only his dull, disinterested replacement to listen to him as he tries to boast and lie his way through his grief, loneliness, and despair. Only now, with Hughie dead, does he realize the desolate emptiness of his life. in this powerful, haunting piece, as in The Iceman Cometh, O’Neill draws a heartbreaking portrait of longing and loss, of the loneliness of the human condition, and the desperate hunger to overcome it. 

Nobel laureate Eugene O’Neill took a break from writing, a break from writing his classic play, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, to pen this lighter one-act play, which he didn’t live to see produced. It was first performed on Broadway in 1964, with Jason Robards as Erie. It has played on Broadway three more times, the last being in 2016. His one-act play is considered one of American theater’s most oddly powerful theatrical inventions.

THE CAST

Dan Frischman – Erie Smith
Andy Forrest* – Charlie Hughes
Scott MacDonell* – Charlie Hughes
(*alternating)

THE TEAM

Presented by Two Roads Theatre Productions
Directed by Bill Sehres
Produced by Heidi Appe and Allen Levin
Set Design by Katherine Bulovic
Casting by Angela Sanders
Graphics by David Garfield
Publicity by Sandra Kuker PR

BIOS

EUGENE O’NEILL – Playwright
American playwright Eugene Gladstone O’Neill authored Mourning Becomes Electra in 1931 among his works; he won the Nobel Prize of 1936 for literature, and he was awarded his fourth Pulitzer Prize for Long day’s Journey into Night, produced in 1956.

BILL SEHRES – Director
Bill Sehres (Director) moderates Theatre West’s Acting Workshop, Director (Theatre West): Bridge of Laughter, Blunderland.  Actor Stage, Classic Couples Counseling, Nutz and Boltz, In the out Door, Harry – Hands Beneath the Table, Lost Along the Way, What Can We Say to Her, A Night Forlorn, Words. Television; Rescue 77, Life with Roger, Step by Step and The Steve Harvey Show. Film; Cave Girl, Dark Rider and The Complete Al. Web series: Waiting for Moore.  For more information: www.billsehres.com.

DAN FRISCHMAN – Erie Smith
Dan Frischman is best known for his five years as “Arvid” on ABC’s Head of the Class and his 4 years as “Chris Potter” on Nickelodeon’s Kenan & Kel — plus numerous other TV, film, and stage roles.

He later directed episodes of Sam & Cat, starring Ariana Grande and Jeanette McCurdy, and is hosting his own Head of the Senior Class videos on YouTube. He started as a pro magician, and has performed stand-up on Late Night with David Letterman and Evening at The Improv. Look for Dan as the real-life prejudiced pastor Fred Phelps on Judge Judy Sheindlin’s upcoming series, Justice on Trial, for Amazon Freevee. Dan’s debut novel, Jackson & Jenks, Master Magicians, is available at online outlets. More at www.danfrischman.com

Andy Forrest* – Charlie Hughes
Andy Forrest is an American actor, director and producer. He portrayed Kyle in sixteen episodes of the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. He’s has been seen everywhere from Pushing Daisies and Desperate Housewives, to Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Recent TV credits include Young Sheldon, Palm Royale and Monsters.  In the last few years he was with an online sketch comedy group called Still Watching.  If you see a character that is stuck or obsessed, you can bet Andy Forrest probably tried out for it.

Scott MacDonell* – Charlie Hughes
Scott (SAG/AFTRA) Recently Scott has been starring in This Mortgage Won’t Pay for Itself, but his favorite stage roles have been as Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at the Mark Taper Deaf West, Six Degrees of Separation at the Circle Theatre and as a graduate of the Second City, too many improv shows to count. 

(*Alternating Cast)

SARAH ACUNA – Stage Manager|
Sarah Acuna is delighted to return to the stage as the Stage Manager (SM) for Hughie. Sarah holds a BA in Theatre from California State University, Northridge. Her previous work includes The Hatmaker’s Wife (SM), Frozen Jr. (ASM), and Alice, An Adventure in Wonderland (ASM). Sarah is thankful for her friends, family, and dog Milo for their endless support, without whom she wouldn’t be here!

HEIDI APPE – Producer
Heidi is thrilled to join the Hughie team. Favorite theatre roles include God of Carnage (Veronica); Thoroughly Modern Millie (Mrs. Meers) and Dinner for Eight (Margaret Panelli). Recent film: Wine Thief, Teacher, Calling Andy, as well as award-winning solo work, including Welcome to the Whimsical Desert! and Chalk Day.  

SANDRA KUKER-FRANCO, SANDRA KUKER PR – PUBLICITY AND MARKETING
An Award-winning Publicist with over four decades of experience Sandra has created a client list of diversity and successful campaigns. Film highlight: A World Away (Mark Blanchard). Stage: I’m Not A Comedian,  I’m Lenny Bruce (Ronnie Marmo, Director, Joe Mantegna), Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground (Tony Winner John Rubinstein), Adventures In The Great Beyond, Death Of A Salesman (Frances Fisher & Joe Cortese), Elephant Man, My Child, Mothers Of War (an all-star cast), Voice Lessons (Laurie Metcalf, French Stewart & Maile Flanagan), Write Act Repertory 15+ Production Campaigns, Crimson Square, Panic! Productions: Footloose The Musical, plus 8 others. Beverly Hills Playhouse: Outrage + 8 other shows. Utilizing the strength of relationships, social media and traditional PR.  www.SandraKukerPR.com