Abingdon Theatre Company (Chad Austin, Artistic Director) has announced three new Artists in Residence for its upcoming 29th Season beginning in Autumn 2021. Christine Toy Johnson, Ilda Mason and Matthew McLachlan will be the participants in the Carolyn Halpert Artist in Residence Program which began in 2017.
Abingdon will present a short film of Christine Toy Johnson’s piece, Empress Mei Li Lotus Blossom, followed by a talk back with the writer and cast, moderated by Reggie Lee on May 25th at 7 pm ET. This event is free. This piece is being screened in May to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and can be watched here.
Christine Toy Johnson was the winner of ATC’s inaugural Fall Festival of Short Plays with her piece Empress Mei Li Lotus Blossom. She is an award-winning writer, actor, director and advocate for inclusion. Her written works have been produced and/or developed by the Roundabout, Village Theatre, Ars Nova, Barrow Group, Prospect Theatre, Weston Playhouse, O’Neill, Women’s Theatre Festival, CAP 21, Greater Boston Stage Company, the Abingdon Theatre Company, Towne Street Theatre and more and are included in the Library of Congress’s Asian Pacific American Performing Arts Collection (Playwrights Division). She is an alum of the BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop, was a 2016 fellow of The Writers Lab, serves as Treasurer of the Dramatists Guild and is host of the Guild’s podcast “Talkback” on Broadway Podcast Network. As an actor, Christine has appeared extensively on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional theatres across the country and nearly 100 television and film appearances.
Ilda Mason was born and raised in Panamá where she began her acting career with productions such as Peter Pan (Peter Pan), The Beauty and the Beast, A Chorus Line (Bebe) and Hello Dolly (Minnie) among others. She was a professional dancer on Panamá’s “Dancing with the Stars” (Season 2 Champion). Her favorite credits in the US include the Broadway revival of West Side Story, On Your Feet! (National tour), Cinderella (National tour), and Legally Blonde (International tour). She can be seen as Luz in the upcoming Steven Spielberg remake of West Side Story coming to theatres in 2021.
Matthew McLachlan is a Dramatist Guild Member and award-winning playwright born in Scotland and based in New York City. His plays include: The Demand of Avarice, This God Damn House, Jack & Melissa, Orion and The Place We Are Meant to Be, among others. His plays have been presented by Nylon Fusion, The NOW Collective, The Farm Theater, The PIT, Thespis Theater Festival, New Works Festival, The Midnight Factory and performed regionally in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Wyoming and Florida. He is the resident playwright for The Midnight Factory, a Pulse Ensemble Theatre member and a Wynn Handman playwright in observance. Other credits include a nomination for Best Writer of a Web-Series (ADULTish), The Roast of Michael Musto (head writer), published works A Collection of One-Acts & Other Things You May or May Not Enjoy and full-length play, Orion.
Carolyn Halpert was an lifelong devotee of the arts. She became a staunch supporter of the Abingdon Theatre Company, and when she passed away in late 2015, she remembered ATC in her will. As a result, Abingdon named the Artist-in-Residence program in her honor. Every season, ATC selects artists for a year-long residency. The program aims to nurture emerging artists and new work offering mentorship and the opportunity to continue further exploration of their work.
For more information, visit www.abingdontheatre.org
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