Mud Lotus, a 24-minute short film, had its world premiere at the New Hampshire Film Festival in 2013. It was also an official selection at Albany, Cincinnati, and Copper Mountain Film Festivals.
Starring Rae Dawn Chong, Ron Dye, Adam Tran, and Liz Chiarella
Tom Chiarella, executive producer; Eric Branco, director of photography; Chinonye Chukwu, first assistant director and associate producer; Olivia Carmel, production manager, associate producer and script supervisor; John Averese, composer and sound designer; Doug Fellegy, location sound mixer; Rob Widener, second camera and gaffer; Jonathan Nichols-Pethick, producer, exec producer, editor, and first camera; and myself as writer, director, producer and exec producer. The film also features music written by Ron Dye performed by Ron and Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, and music by Tibetan flutist Nawang Khechog who inspired the story on which the film was based. It was shot on a farm in Putnam County, Indiana and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Greencastle, Indiana.
playwriting
Publication, Honors, and Commissions
- Rhythms, Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play (Charles MacArthur Award)
- Two-Character Play published in Explore Theatre, A Backstage Pass, Allyn & Bacon (Pearson) 1st and 2nd editions
- Thespian published in Best Ten Minute Plays of 2011, Smith & Krauss
- Mud Lotus, Riva Shriver Playwriting Award finalist
- Mud Lotus, Basile Indiana Emerging Playwrights Award Scholarship
- Two-Character Play, American College Theatre Festival respondent
- Mud Lotus, O’Neill Theatre Conference finalist
- Thespian, NYU Ten-Minute Play Contest winner
- Thespian, Heideman Award (Actor’s Theatre of Louisville) finalist
- Sin Eater, American College Theatre Festival (ACTF), Honorable Mention
- Paper Thin, New Works Theatre festival finalist
- Marty and Doc Go to the Movies, commissioned by Bloomington Playwrights Project
- Two-Character Play, commissioned for Intro to Theatre textbook/DVD (Allyn & Bacon)
- Sin Eater, commissioned by Hollins University
- Walking Papers: Skin Tight and Paper Thin, commissioned by Trusiani productions
Ben Smith and Joe Bolinger in Thespian at the Bloomington Playwrights Project production
Productions
- Thaw, IndyFringe Basile Theatre, Indianapolis IN, 2013
- The Boy Who Wanted to Sing, Bloomington Playwrights Project, , Bloomington IN, 2012
- Thespian, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Adelaide, South Australia, 2012
- Thespian, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh, Scotland, 2011
- Thespian;Weight in Gold; Marty and Doc Go to the Movies, Bloomington Playwrights Project, 2010
- Thespian, Future Tenant Theatre, Pittsburgh PA, 2010
- Rhythms, Phoenix Theatre, Indianapolis IN, 2007
- Rhythms, Kerr Theatre, DePauw University, 2007
- Two-Character Play, Strother Theatre, Ball State University, 2005
- Thaw, Manhattan Theatre Source, workshop production, NYC, 2004
- Rain Dance and Thespian. Moore Theatre, DePauw University, 2003
- Rain Dance, Muncie Civic Theatre, Muncie IN, 2002
- Rain Dance, Manhattan Theatre Source, NYC, 2002
- Thespian, Goldberg Theatre, NYU, 2001
- Sin Eater, 2000; Rhythms, 1997, Hollins University Theater
- Rhythms,, Ball State University, 1995
- Rhythms, Horizons Theatre, Washington D.C., 1994
- Paper Thin, New Works Theatre, D.C., 1994
- Rhythms, , Ki Theatre, Washington VA, 1992
- Walking Papers: Skin Tight and Paper Thin, 18th Street Playhouse, NYC, 1985
- The Private Showing, 13th Street Repertory, NYC, 1981
In the photo, actor Amy Hayes in Thaw at IndyFringe Basile Theatre
Amy Hayes and Chris White in Thaw at the IndyFringe Basile Theatre production