KATE BRADY (Abby) is so thrilled to be making her Hampton Theatre Debut as Abby in Now and Then. A Long Island native, she is a graduate of Five Towns College with a BFA in Musical Theater, and spent a semester abroad in London at the British American Drama Academy (BADA). She splits her time between stage and screen, having recently wrapped two feature films this year and a musical-theatre summer intensive with “Actor Therapy” located in Manhattan. Recent credits include Dianne in Wait List (dir. Debra Markowitz), Sandra in Again (dir. Rodney Simmons), Jade in a 29-hr. Equity reading of the new musical Every Wednesday Night at Pearl Studios (dir. Amy Jones), and Janet Van De Graff in The Drowsy Chaperone (dir. Jenny Grober). In her free time, she can be found practicing guitar and riling up her dogs. Besides Broadway, her life goal is to walk into a diner and order “the usual.”

STEPHANIE L. MOREAU (The Woman) is thrilled to be making her debut at Hampton Theatre Company with this incredibly talented cast and crew. She is a proud member of Public Works, a major artistic program of the Public Theater that connects community members with extraordinary works of art. Regional credits include: POTUS (Stephanie), Shakespeare in the Park’s The Tempest (Ensemble), Steel Magnolias (Truvy), Mamma Mia! (Tanya), Assassins (Sara Jane Moore), Company (Sarah), A Little Night Music (Mrs. Andersson), Spring Awakening (Adult Women), Nine (Saraghina), Sweet Delilah Sweet Club (Lexie Richards), Carrie: The Musical(Margaret White), Fun Home (Helen Bechdel), Gypsy (Mazeppa), and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson(Storyteller). Love to Judson, Travis, and Tristan. For you Mom, always.

JOHN L. PAYNE (The Man) is a New York-based actor who received his acting training at HB Studios with Austin Pendleton and Michael Beckett, and Shakespeare training with Geoffrey Owens. He just finished a run of King Lear, playing the role of Kent in the Frog and Peach production at Saint Clement’s theater, followed by American Rot at La MaMa, directed by Estelle Parsons. He was recently seen in the season finale of Law and Order as Whelen’s dad, as well as the Bounce Channel movie Who Is Christmas Eve? Favorite roles include Heisenberg in Copenhagen, and Eddie Carbone in A View from the Bridge. He is thrilled and honored to be in this wonderful production.

DAYNE RASMUSSEN (Jamie) is delighted to return to the stage with the company of Now and Then. He has appeared across Long Island in theatre and film productions, including Cyrano de Bergerac (Christian De Neuvillette), which performed at Suffolk County Community College and at the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium; Romeo & Juliet (Romeo) in the Long Island Shakespeare Festival; Twelve Angry Men (Juror 7), Royal Productions, Ltd.; Journey (Jesus), Creative Ministries; and the eponymous role in Dracula at the Patchogue Center for the Performing Arts. Some of Dayne’s film credits include Again (Dan) for Write One Productions; Trust Me Bro (Declan); A Day in the City (Dane) for Veissi Films; and There Will Be Flood, All Hallows Evil, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Flag Waver and The Boy Scout and In Sheep’s Clothing, all for SLTM Films. This will be his second Hampton Theater Production; he appeared in Strictly Murder (Peter Meredith/Giles Hudson) last season. He has studied with Ron Peretti at the Barrow Group, and with Anne Bogart and the SITI Company. He is grateful for his wonderfully talented director, castmates, and crew, and for the constant love and support of his family and friends. He not only dedicates this performance to his loving Momma, but also to all those who still fight to pursue their dreams. Keep going.


MARY POWERS (Director) has worked extensively as a director and as a producer for 30 years. Some favorite productions include Vincent, Steel Magnolias, Respect, Don’t Dress for Dinner, Lost in Yonkers, I Am My Own Wife, Greater Tuna, Lips Together, Teeth Apart, Lend Me a Tenor, Run For Your Wife, Barrymore, I Hate Hamlet, Nunsense, Little Shop of Horrors, Beehive and Hamlet. Locally she has directed at Theatre Three, Patchogue Theatre and Guild Hall. She worked as assistant director for Bay Street Theatre’s Gross Points, starring Alec Baldwin, and as assistant director for Julie Andrews on The Boyfriend. She is involved with Arts in Education projects, having worked with local high schools, Guild Hall, the Children’s Museum of the East End, and Bay Street Theater’s Young Playwrights. Most recently she directed Strictly Murder for HTC.

ROGER MOLEY (Producer) has contributed to several HTC productions the last five years, including Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (projections), Ripcord and A Doll’s House, Part 2 (Rehearsal Stage Manager), Over the River and Through the Woods (Co-Director), and Strictly Murder (Co-Producer), which was also directed by Mary Powers. He is regularly conscripted to appear onstage in such HTC holiday readings as It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, the latter of which will be presented again this December.

SEAN GRENNAN (Playwright) is an actor, playwright, lyricist and librettist who has written for the stage since 1995, when he was co-librettist for Phantom of the Country Palace, produced by Marriott Theatre in Chicago. Writing credits include A Rock Sails By, As Long As We Both Shall Live, Beer for Breakfast, A Dog’s Life, Making God Laugh and The Tin Woman. His plays and musicals have been produced hundreds of times around the world, including in China, England, Australia, Germany, Russia, Ireland and Italy. He has been the Playwright in Residence at Centre Stage’s New Play Festival in South Carolina, as well as at Lamb Arts Regional Theatre in Iowa. A longtime resident of Chicago and New York, he and his actress wife, Kathy Senten, moved to Pennsylvania in 2022, after she completed a 13-year run in Broadway’s “Wicked.”

MEG SEXTON (Set Designer/Construction/Sound Design) is thrilled to be working on her tenth production with Hampton Theatre Company. Other productions with HTC include Native Gardens, Ripcord, A Doll’s House Part 2, Over the River and Through the Woods, The Lifespan of a Fact, The Portuguese Kid, Rose and Walsh, Strictly Murder, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. She has previously worked as the Education Manager at Bay Street Theater, as well as the Grants Manager & Marketing Coordinator at Patchogue Theatre. Currently, she is the Director of Marketing at The Suffolk and the Development Assistant at Patchogue Arts Council.

MELISA DIDIO (Rehearsal Stage Manager) recently moved to Quogue with her family and is excited to return to her love of theatre. After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in the ‘80s, she began her career acting in plays and shows across the tri-state area. Prior to moving to Long Island, she was the assistant theater director at Bedford Middle School in Westport, CT for over 10 years. Melisa has enjoyed working for the Hampton Theatre Company thus far and is looking forward to more productions!

Jon Presto (Sound Engineer) is a multifaceted individual who spends most of his focus on being a Live Sound Engineer and a Photographer. He has worked thousands of shows from Manhattan to Montauk and beyond with a wide array of artists of all types and levels. When Jon is not behind a mixing board, he can be found roaming around the most remote parts of the country with his dog, Kaya, and cat, Smooch, in search of dark skies to capture the stars with one of his many film or digital cameras.

Alex J. WHITE (Sound Engineer)is a seasoned musician, whether it be guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, drums, or anything else, who loves all of his time spent in the music industry. From his time in Manhattan, to his time on the East End of Long Island, Alex has had the liberty of working with some of the best in the business as a Guitar Tech, Sound Engineer, and Stage Manager.

JOE KENNY (Set Construction) is a versatile Technical Director, Scenic Designer, Director, and Artistic Director with extensive experience in both Long Island and New York City. Known for his innovative approach to creating dynamic and visually captivating stage environments, Joe has built a reputation for his meticulous attention to detail and ability to bring creative visions to life. His expertise covers everything from conceptual design and set construction to technical coordination and execution. Joe is thrilled to be making his debut with the Hampton Theatre Company as Technical Director for their production of Now and Then. His passion for storytelling, combined with his broad experience as a Director and Artistic Director, ensures that each project is visually striking and deeply integrated with the narrative. Committed to pushing the boundaries of Scenic Design and Technical Direction, Joe continues to enhance the audience’s theatrical experience. For more information and to explore his portfolio, visit joekennydesigns.com.

Teresa Lebrun (Costume Designer) is the resdient costumer for Hampton Theatre Company. She began helping with costumes in 1986 and has designed the costumes for the company’s productions since 2006. Teresa has also costumed for Westhampton Beach High School. Much love to her sons, Josh and Noah, family and great friends.

KELLY WERESNICK (Lighting/Sound Tech) has worked with HTC on three previous shows: last season’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play, and 2023’s The Portuguese Kid. She studied technical theater with a concentration in theater lighting at Suffolk County Community College. She was the lighting designer and board operator for Cry Baby and A Catered Affair at North Fork Community Theater in Mattituck; set designer/builder, lighting designer and stage manager for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and set designer, lighting designer, stage manager, and co-director for The Wizard of Oz for East End Disability Associates (EEDA). Kelly has designed and started a program of technical theater and set design and building classes for the people supported by EEDA. Thanks to her parents and sister Colleen for support; her mom and Uncle Billy for the drive and inspiration to pursue technical theater; and all the people receiving services at EEDA, who taught her that theater can be performed and enjoyed by all.

JULIA MORGAN ABRAMS (House Manager) After retiring from the legal department of Bristol Myers Squibb, Julia began a second career as a volunteer, initially for Literacy Suffolk, HTC, the Southampton Animal Shelter and Early Girl Farm, where she wrote grants and worked in fundraising. She continues to write grants and help with marketing for several local nonprofits. Julia would like to thank all of her dedicated House Assistants for their continued support.

Hampton Theatre Turns 40

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INTERVIEW

Dayne and Stephanie were interviewed by the fabulous Kyle Petty! – Watch Here!

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Review: See the Outstanding Production of ‘Now and Then’

by T.J. Clemente
Hamptons.com October 22, 2024

“Now and Then,” a play by Sean Grennan, opened at the Hampton Theatre Company to a well-deserved standing ovation. Roger Moley produced the show, which was brilliantly directed by Mary Powers. It is a positive, powerful presentation of a beautiful, poignant play. “Now and Then” was a tremendous choice to open the Hampton Theatre Company’s 40th season.

There are many reasons to see this play. Still, perhaps the main reason is that with this cast in this venue, this dramedy comes alive with specific energy only an excellent production of outstanding playwriting can. There wasn’t a single second in this production of “Now and Then” when the audience wasn’t invested and engaged. It is just THAT good.

Actor John L. Payne commands the stage and delivers a performance one will remember. So does Kate Brady, Stephanie L. Moreau, and Dayne Rasmussen. Together, they bring a well-written play to life to be a special night of live theater. By now, it must be evident that this reviewer and his plus one enjoyed attending this show, as did the audience.

Spotlighting this cast is easy. John L. Payne stands tall and dominant as he commands the stage, moving about owning his role as (Man.) His words are heard clearly in the last row, even when he whispers. The up-to-date new sound system helps, but Mr. Payne stands tall in this role, and his talents emerge live for all to see. The proof is you don’t see just good acting but a character come to life and command the show.

The same accolades go to Dayne Rasmussen, who plays (Jamie). He shines with equal power and is endearing to the audience. He moves around the Meg Sexton-designed stage like a seasoned bartender, not an actor playing a bartender. His boyish charms ring through to the audience’s heart.

Speaking of ringing true to the audience’s heart also is the performance of Kate Brady. There is something special in her talent as she portrays (Abby) in a most memorable way. Ms. Brady is that young, sweet, hardworking waitress we all recognize as she enters the show. She is delicate yet sternly powerful. She has a certain panache that cannot go unnoticed.

Finally, there is Stephanie L. Moreau, who happens to be a personal favorite of this reviewer because she is always entertaining but never more bombastic than the woman in this production. She brings the energy, dramatic motion, and tender power this role needs to make this show reach the next level.

When a show is a special show, such as this production of “Now and Then,” one finds it imperative to mention the whole team who play their roles in making the show on the stage live theater magic. Director Mary Powers, thank you for a wonderful night at the theater. Producer Roger Moley stands tall for presenting this play. Meg Sexton, Set designer, the bar you created on stage was so authentic at the fifteen-minute intermission I wanted to jump on stage and buy a few rounds so the fact that Joe Kenny joined you in its construction is fantastic. Kudos to Sound Engineers Jon Presto and Alex White for the flawless mastering of the new sound system, as well as Kelly Weresnick as Sound/Lighting Tech. Teresa Lebrun-Costume Design: this reviewer especially loved the waitress outfit on Abby!

Then there are the real unsung cogs in the show’s wheel, such as Rehearsal Stage Manager Melisa Didio and Box Office folks Cat Bracksmayer and Debora Jacques. Also, a fine effort from Joe Pallister-Production Graphics, George A. Loizides, and Roger Moley for Props.

Thank you, General Manager Terry Brennan. A special shout out to House Manager Julia Morgan Abrams because she is a treasure. The show runs until Nov. 3rd, 2024; tickets and information are available here.

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The East Hampton Star – Mark Segal – October 10, 2024

The Hampton Theatre Company will open its 40th season next Thursday at the Quogue Community Hall with Sean Grennan’s comedy/drama “Now and Then.” The production will be the company’s 133rd since its founding in 1984.

Premiered in 2018 at the Peninsula Players Theatre in Wisconsin, “Now and Then” is about the costs of the life choices we make as well as the people who make them with us. It opens in a neighborhood bar in 1981, as Jamie, a young bartender and aspiring musician, is closing up for the night.

A last-minute customer rushes in and offers Jamie and his girlfriend, Abby, a lucrative payday just to share a drink. As the three share stories, Jamie begins to reconsider the decisions he has made about his musical career and his future with Abby.

The young couple begin to realize the older man is unusually invested in their choices, and the reason he gives seems incredible. But when another stranger, a visibly disgruntled woman, arrives, the unbelievable begins to look as if it might be true.

The Miami Herald, in a review wary of spoilers, said “Grennan’s play keeps you hooked from start to finish,” while The Biscayne Times said, “This is a play of soul-searching and self-discovery, but before we get too deep, it’s also very funny.”

An actor as well as a writer, Mr. Grennan has appeared onscreen in “The Untouchables” and “Rudy” and on TV in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “The Human Factor,” and “Unsolved Mysteries.” His stage works include “A Rock Sails By,” “As Long As We Both Shall Live,” “Beer for Breakfast,” “A Dog’s Life,” “Making God Laugh,” and “The Tin Woman.” His play “Luck!” won an honorable mention from the National Writers Association’s Playwrighting Festival and was produced by the Epic Theatre Ensemble in New York City.

The cast of “Now and Then” includes Kate Brady as Abby, Stephanie L. Moreau as The Woman, Dayne Rasmussen as Jamie, and John L. Payne as The Man. Mary Powers is the director. Set design and sound design are by Meg Sexton; lighting design by Sebastian Paczynski, and costumes by Teresa Lebrun.

The play will run from next Thursday through Nov. 3, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30. An additional matinee performance will happen on Nov. 2 at 2:30, before the regular 7 p.m. show that evening. Conversations with the cast will follow the Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 performances.

Tickets are $40 for adults, $36 for senior citizens, $25 for students (25 and under), and $30 for veterans and Native Americans. Season tickets, good for “Now and Then,” “Boeing Boeing” (March 13 through 30), and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (May 22 through June 8), are available on the theater’s website.