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Explore the smaller stages of NYC before Off-Broadway week comes to an end
"The people who really love theater are always looking to see what's new, what's brand new, what new ideas are coming out. You can't find that at Broadway because it's too expensive to produce a risky show on Broadway," said Al Tapper of AMT Theater.
BETTINGER'S LUGGAGE CAST LIVE ON WPIX - PIX11 MORNING NEWS
ANCHORS DAN MANNARINO AND HAZEL SANCHEZ INTERVIEWED
RICHARD MACDONALD, LOU BETTINGER, AND CONNOR CHASE STEWART, GEORGE BETTINGER, BE PREPARED TO BE ENTERTAINED!
Offering two-for-one tickets to 31 Off-Broadway shows. Don't miss out on Bettinger's Luggage!
**Use promo code OBW23 for the deal**
Bettinger's Luggage
September 19 - October 26 2023
Set on the Lower East Side in the early 1970s, "Bettinger's Luggage" is the heartwarming story of a Jewish family and their diverse group of neighbors struggling to find success, love and happiness. This melting pot of characters may come from all parts of the world but together they share a common dream: to find a home for themselves and their loved ones.
The Jewish patriarch Lou Bettinger runs a profitable luggage shop which he eventually plans to leave to his son George. To one side of the shop is Moe, owner of an Italian luncheonette. On the other is O'Brien, an Irish immigrant who runs a hardware store. Both of them regale Lou with constant advice on how to handle George, who has no intentions of running a luggage shop. Meanwhile Angel, the hard working, loyal Puerto Rican assistant to Lou who actually DOES want to own the shop one day, dreams of taking it to new heights. Languages, cultures and ambitions collide on Delancey Street in Al Tapper's heartwarming and poignant tale of "Bettinger's Luggage".
AL Tapper
PLAYWRIGHT
“With antisemitism on the rise around the globe, I was inspired to write Bettinger’s Luggage and normalize the story of one New York City Jewish family, portraying a story that is relatable to all of us—no matter the race, ethnicity or religion,” says Tapper. “We all struggle with family duty and responsibility and finding our own path in the world, so I wanted to write a story that reminds us of what connects us together and the shared human experience.”
Steven Ditmyer
DIRECTOR
Steven is an International Director, Actor and Acting Coach who studied with Sanford Meisner, Uta Hagen and Zoe Caldwell. He is a scholarship graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York where he later was invited to train as a teacher of the Meisner Technique.
"Bettinger's Luggage offers us an intimate glimpse into New York City in the 1970's. I am excited to explore the multi-ethnic and intergenerational lives of its shop owners, customers and tenants whose lives created the heart and soul of the Lower East Side" - Steven Ditmyer
Mateo Del Campo
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Mateo Del Campo grew up in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since graduating high school, he has created half a dozen short passion
projects and attended film schools in Copenhagen and Paris. He is currently living in New York to expand his knowledge and experience of the New York theater industry.
Cast
Cast in alphabetical order
Betsy Beutler as Lydia / Ensemble
Sean Church-Gonzalez as Angel
Alex Dmitriev as Papa / Ensemble
Kevin Duffy as O’Brien / Ensemble
Fred Frabotta as Heshie
Ivan Goris as Jose / Ensemble
Richard MacDonald as Lou
Lori Marcus as Bessie
Ellie M. Plourde as Young Bessie / Ensemble
Marc Romeo as Moe / Ensemble
Hillel Rosenshine as Young Lou / Ensemble
Katherine Schaber as Lisa / Ensemble
Connor Chase Stewart as George
JJ Wilks as Numerous Roles
Meet the Bettinger's Luggage Cast
Richard MacDonald
as Lou Bettinger
Richard, actor, and playwright is grateful to be part of Bettinger’s Luggage. Other theater, Bill Roger’s Dangerous to Dance With, Dream Up Festival; Thomas Jefferson in Monticello 2020 for Playhouse Creatures, New American Voices. Film “Nun’s Habit” Web Series. Lead in upcoming “Enchanted Evenings”, writer-director, Frosty and the Coyotes and Winter Cantata (two full length plays). Proud member Dramatist Guild, and the Wick Theater Collective. Studies at Atlantic Theater Acting School. Playwriting with Craig Lucas. In a prior life, appearances on MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour, CNN, CNBC, Wall Street Week. Yale BA and Olympic Games 1972.
Connor Chase Stewart
as George Bettinger
Connor Chase Stewart is a NYC based actor. He made his Off-Off Broadway debut in A White Man’s Guide to Rikers Island. He worked with The Living Mural as a monologue busker and Rogue Ensemble where he performed in As You Like It and Titus Andronicus. He was featured in S.I. Shakespearean Theater Company's production of Troilus&Cressida. He appeared in the short film "Man's Fate" at the 48 Hour Film Project. He also recently played Hal in the Harrison Player's production of Picnic. He trained at The London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts, Stella Adler, The Neighborhood Playhouse and HB Studio.
Lori Marcus
as Bessie Bettinger
In addition to starring in the 3 time award winning “To Skin a Cat"; she is SAG Eligible from her principal role in “Gardener of Eden” which had screenings at the Tribeca Film Festival and Cannes.
She played Maggie in "Little Christmas Miracles" listed in Time Out Magazine's Best Christmas Shows in NYC 2021. She just finished playing Gloria in "The Crossroad" at the Secret Theatre One-Act Festival. She is very happy and proud to be part of the Bettinger's Luggage Community!
Sean Church-Gonzalez
as Angel
Sean Church-Gonzalez is an NYC native, Latino actor. He found his passion for acting when he was 6 by watching movies that maybe he shouldn't have seen at such a young age. After graduating from SUNY Purchase, 2019, he starred in a production of Waiting for Antonio, at the Hudson Guild Theatre, 2020. In 2021 he was seen on CBS's FBI, and the YouTube series Answers to Everything. At that point he went back to school to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse, and graduated this past May.
Fred Frabotta as Heshie
performances include: Schultz, Cabaret (National Tour); Tony, Most Happy Fella; Liebkind, The Producers; Doc, West Side Story; Fester, Addams Family; Santa/Greenway, ELF; Doolittle, My Fair Lady; Grandpa Gustafson, Grumpy Old Men; Grandpa Gellman, Caroline Or Change. Editor Daily, The Cradle Will Rock; The Witch, Hansel and Gretel; Pappacoda, A Night in Venice. Master of Music Degree (Vocal Performance) – The Catholic University of
America, Washington, DC. Website: www.fredfrabottaactor.com
Ellie M Plourde as Young Bessie/Ensemble
As a Jewish actor, director and producer, Ellie is ecstatic to return Off-Broadway in show that reminds her of her own roots! She’s worked in regional theater, studio and indie film, commercials, and voice-overs since the age of seven and is a proud SAG-AFTRA member. Recent NYC credits: Mrs. “Winsley/Nurse” in Stop Kiss (Murmuration Theatre), “Midge” in Wedding Blues (Players Theatre). Training: Terry Knickerbocker Studio, University of the Arts. Love to her sweetie, Aaron. www.elliemplourde.com
Hillel Rosenshine as Young Lou/Ensemble
Recent regional and New York theater credits include Bad Jews (Gamm Theatre), The Lifespan of a Fact (Elmwood Playhouse), “The Grandchild Effect” (finalist at Act One One Play Festival), and “The Misanthrope” (staged reading at Rattlestick Theater). Recent film credits include Name to the Face (Winner, Best Mobile Film, Druk International Film Festival) and Good Morning I Love You. B.S. Brown University.
Kevin Duffy as O’Brien/Racist Customer
Recent roles include Warder Van Rensberg in Mandela at the American Theatre of Actors, British twins John and James in Terence Mc Nally’s Love! Valor! Compassion! for P3 Theatre and the Adult Men in Spring Awakening at LA’s Hudson Theatre. Kevin played a Cult Member in Jackson Pace’s new short “A Cult Member Decides Not to Kill Themselves During a Mass Suicide” and has performed at La Mama, BAM and P.S. 122.
Alex Dmitriev as Papa
Bettinger/Ensemble
A member of the Workshop Theater, he was seen in Leegrid Stevens' Mesquite, NV and Alan C. Brindel's Though The Darkness. Primarily a director, he has worked at many regional theaters, in Canada, and in London. In NYC, seven shows for the York Theater Company; at the Abingdon Theatre, Pearl Theater, Irish Rep and most recently A View From The Bridge for Brave New World Rep. He spend pandemic time rereading the Greeks, out of which he wrote The House of Atreus, connected monologues tracing the lineage from Tantalus to Orestes.
JJ Wilks as Pesky Customer/ Paramedic/ Neighbor
Recent stage credits include: Aida (Metropolitan Opera), I and You (Bristol Riverside Theatre), The Courtroom (Waterwell), Summer and Smoke (Voice Theatre), The Book Club Play (Bristol Valley Theater), Twelfth Night (Shakespeare on the Sound). High School: Went to acting school. College: Went to acting school again. Love and thanks to his family and Dr. Taylor Alison Swift. Instagram: @thejjwilks
Betsy Beutler as Lydia / Ensemble
BETSY BEUTLER (Bite-ler)-Is thrilled to be working with this amazing cast and crew! Her work in film and television include Scrubs, You're the Worst, Legit, Inside Game, SVU, The Black Donnellys and more. While she cant write bios, she can out-crotchet anyone's grandmother. Betsy would love to thank everyone involved in this production, and extends a special thank you to Bobby Moresco and the Actor's Gym! And shout-out to her mom and step-dad.
Marc Romeo as Moe Ensemble
Marc Romeo's Stage credits include productions at Lincoln Center, Classic Stage Co., Ensemble Studio Theatre and Seraphim Theater Co., as well as many theaters throughout NYC. He most recently appeared in the Act One Festival at the Secret Theatre where he won Best Actor. TV/Film credits include 100 Centre Street with Sidney Lumet, Law and Order and the Indie films Virgil Bliss, The Break Up Artist, The Pepper Project and the soon to be released Black Eyed Susan. He is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and Bobby Moresco's The Actors Gym. Thank you to everyone at AMT
Katherine Schaber as Lisa / Ensemble
Katherine Schaber is delighted to be making her Off-Broadway debut with AMT. Having recently graduated with a BFA in Acting from The School of Theatre at Boston University, theatrical credits include: “Cornflake Pie” (The Wild Project NYC), “Othello” (Actors’ Shakespeare Project), “Beasts” and “Incels and Other Myths” (Boston Playwrights’ Theatre). Recent film credits include: “Friend of the Year” (NYU). Upcoming: “Incels and Other Myths” (New York Theatre Festival). www.katherineschaber.com
Ivan Goris as Jose / Ensemble
Ivan is a well seasoned talent shining as bright as he can in this fast paced industry. Ivan is American-Dominican Actor and Writer / Producer born and raised in Manhattan's Lower East Side with a strong connection to his Latino community. Ivan has graced the stages all over NYC. His film and television credits include, HBO’s VINYL, Tim Blake Nelson’s ANESTHESIA, Spike Lee’s SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT and CBS MADAM SECRETARY. Ivan is also a Co-founder of B.I.P (Barrio Independent productions) you can follow him on his only social media page on Instagram @Ivan_Goris537_
Creative Team
Production Team
PRESS
With its liberal use of Yiddishisms, combined with fast-paced, pithy dialogue stuffed full of 1970s pop culture references, “Bettinger’s Luggage,” now running at Midtown’s AMT Theater taps into a powerful nostalgia of a bygone New York.
Tony and Al understand the value of connection, and so in a show about families who better than the talented husband and wife team of Director Steven Ditmyer and Prop Master/Technical Director Tamara Flannagan to work together on this project? SPLASH sat down with the creative duo to find out more about their experience.
Kevin McCullough and Cristyne Nicholas talk Bettinger's Luggage, a new play by Al Tapper playing at the AMT Theater, and get in some laughs with the New York Comedy Festival.
An alternate title for Albert M. Tapper’s Clifford Odets-esque Bettinger’s Luggage might be The Flood.
"My own inspiration for the piece was my desire to write a play about my father, but emotionally couldn't quite nail it. Using different characters from a different locale enabled me to put the words of my father in someone else's mouth," says playwright Al Tapper.
Based on a true story, Lou Bettinger runs a notable luggage shop, a staple in the community, which he inherited from his father and which he plans to pass on to his son, George. The only problem is George wants nothing to do with the shop...
SPECIAL THANK YOU
