Reality Romance:

An unaffiliated Bachelor Musical Parody

September 28 – October 8, 2023

See the WORLD PREMIERE of this original musical!

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Sept. 28, 29, 30; Oct. 5, 6, 7 at 7:30pm
Sunday, Oct. 1 & 8, 2pm

CAST LIST

PHIL OVIMSELF: Paul Nelson

CHRIS COOLISON: AJ Macrina

DESTINY A(ir-head): Hallie Grace Nowicki

DESTINY T(ough): Colleen Sweeney

DESTINY E(motional): Alina Robin

DESTINY M(anipulator): Lindsey Ashworth

DESTINY P(ageant Queen): Ryan Foster

DESTINY G(oofy): Ilana Whittaker

DESTINY Q(uirky): Marissa Stanley

DESTINY W(holesome)/CASEY: Abby McNeil

DESTINY J(erk)/ STACY: Carly Blais

DESTINY D(runk)/TRACY: Ali Coletta

DESTINY O(lder): Sophia Strano

FABIO FASHIONISTA/ CLAIRE VOYANT/ CHEF GUSTAV: Bobby Zupkofska

DAN M(anipulator): Stephen Lee

KONSTANTINA A(ir-head): Krisanthi Pappas

SHIR OVIMSELF: Marianne Phinney

BAND THAT NOBODY’S HEARD OF: Andrew Beauregard, Sophia Strano, Ali Coletta

SPONSORS

ABOUT OUR CAST

Paul Nelson – Phil Ovimself

Paul would like to thank Kris, Alex and Bianca for the opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you to the cast and everyone behind the scenes at MAC. He had so much fun working on this project. Shout out: onetreeplanted.org, lasthopek9.org. Paul’s podcast, The Psychothespian, is available on Spotify. 

AJ Macrina – Chris Coolison 

AJ Macrina (Chris Coolison) is excited to make his Mass Arts Center debut with this amazing new show! AJ is a Sales Engineer by day while pursuing acting at various theaters outside of work. Previous Credits: The Company Theatre’s Born To Do This: The Joan of Arc Rock Opera (Ensemble), Marblehead Little Theatre’s Tuck Everlasting (Miles Tuck), The Great Gatsby: An American Musical (George Wilson), Walpole Footlighters’ Something Rotten (Tom Snout/Ensemble), The Norwood Theatre’s Beauty and the Beast (Monsieur D’Arque/Ensemble), Masque Drama Theatre’s Small Mouth Sounds (Jan), and VOX Musical Theatre’s Dogfight (Pete/Ensemble), The Last Five Years (Jamie), Carrie (Stokes), and Mamma Mia! (Ensemble).

Hallie Nowicki – Destiny A(ir-head) 

Hallie Grace Nowicki is thrilled to be making her debut at the Mass Arts Center. Hallie Grace is a graduate from the University of the Arts (BFA MT ’19).  Past stage credits: ‘Sideways Stories’ (Triad Theatre), ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ (Curtain Call), ‘An Incomplete List’, ‘White Girl in Danger’ (Polyphone Festival).  Past composer credits: ‘A Wrinkle in Time’, ‘Curious Incident’ (CCT), ‘Red and Black’ (Polyphone and Philly Fringe Festival). Big thanks to like everyone who made this like production possible!

Colleen Sweeney – Destiny T(ough)

Colleen is so excited to be back on stage after four years! She is very ecstatic that her return to theater is alongside this talented cast, but most importantly, her older sister, and director of this show, Alex. Colleen would like to thank Alex for inspiring her to start performing at such a young age and for being the Mama Rose that she’s always needed. Colleen would also like to thank her family for enduring the years of screlting, belting, and whistles tones that they all had to hear over the years. Some of her favorite experiences include playing Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown, Mrs. Antrobus in Act 1 of Skin of Our Teeth, Margery in Hand to God, and Elizabeth in Young Frankenstein. Finally, Colleen would like to thank Kris and the whole creative team for providing this opportunity to make their work come alive on stage, cheers!

Alina Robin – Destiny E(motional)

Alina is excited to be performing in her first show with Mass Arts Center! Her most recent roles were as Heather in Hands on a Hardbody (Canton Community Theatre) and dancing as a Gaga Kid/Super Yuppie in We Will Rock You (Norwood Theatre). Other previous roles include The Picture of Dorian Gray (Lady Monmouth), Camelot (ensemble), Into the Woods (Cinderella), and Beauty and the Beast (Silly Girl). Alina works as a web developer and lives in Roslindale with her partner Chris and their dog Ellie.

Lindsey Ashworth – Destiny M(anipulator)

Lindsey Ashworth is beyond thrilled to be performing in her first show at the Mass Arts Center. She is a recent college graduate and holds a BA in Musical Theatre Performance from Rhode Island College. Past credits include Cabaret (Fraulein Kost/Sally Bowles u/s), 1776 (Martha Jefferson), Working: A Musical (principle cast), The House Of Bernarda Alba (Adela), The Little Mermaid (Andrina). She would like to thank her family and friends for their constant support. @lindseyashworth

Ryan Foster – Destiny P(ageant Queen)

Ryan Foster is thrilled to take the stage as Destiny P (Pageant Queen) alongside this talented cast. She has been performing with various local theater groups since 2018 after a long hiatus. She most recently portrayed Annabella, Margaret and Pamela in The 39 Steps at The Arctic Playhouse. Other roles include Juror #5 in The Twelve Angry Jurors at Stadium Theatre, Violet in Play On with The Community Players, and Germaine in Picasso at the Lapin Agile at ACT.  Ryan lives in Attleboro with her husband Mark and kiddos Lana, Jonah, Adrian (and Speck). She is forever grateful to all of her friends and family for their constant love and support. 

Ilana Whittaker – Destiny G(oofy)

Ilana Whittaker (Destiny G) is excited to perform her first show with Mass Arts Center! Ilana is a senior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute working towards a Computer Science degree and a music minor. She is in the improv comedy group {Empty Set}, and is music directing The Audiophiles a cappella group at WPI. A couple of her favorite roles include Hope Cladwell in Urinetown and Rose in Dogfight. Ilana would like to thank her family for their support and for traveling all the way from New Jersey to watch her perform!

Marissa Stanley – Destiny Q(uirky) / Spa Therapist

Marissa Stanley is a Graduate of Bridgewater State University where she majored in Dance Education and minored in both Theater and Musical Theater. She then went on to receive her masters in Arts Management and Creative Producing at University College Cork where she co-produced the Rebound Arts Festival, a three day Arts Festival based in and around Cork City Ireland. During the day Marissa teaches theater at Pulaski Elementary School and by night she is a local performer, choreographer, and dance teacher at Motion the Dance Studio in Dartmouth Ma. Some of her favorite performance productions include Young Frankenstein (Bridgewater State University 2016), Shrek (Family Performing Arts Center), Once Upon A Mattress (Family Performing Arts Center), and Newsies (A Common Thread Theater Company. Some of her favorite choreography productions include Urinetown (Bridgewater State University 2019), Something Rotten (Uncommon 2022), Legally Blonde (Sharon Highschool 2022), and Heathers (Bridgewater State University 2023). Marissa is a dance and theater educator who specializes in creating positive, self-affirming environments for children and adults. 

Abby McNeil – Destiny W(holesome) / Casey

Abby could not be more excited to be playing Destiny W(holesome)/Casey in the production of Reality Romance! Abby is currently a senior at Cardinal Spellman High School, and has been acting since the age of 2. She attends Starline Academy for the Performing Arts for tap, jazz, and ballet classes, as well as taking voice lessons and participating in her school plays, choir, a capella group, and drama club. Some of her favorite previous roles include Nala (The Lion King), Ursula (The Little Mermaid), Stenographer/ensemble (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Olaf (Frozen) and Eleanor/senior teen ensemble (Footloose). Abby would like to thank her parents, friends, and family for their endless support, and the wonderful cast and crew of Reality Romance for an amazing opportunity and experience.

Carly Blais – Destiny J(erk) / Stacy 

Carly Blais is diving into community theater for the first time with Reality Romance and looks forward to pursuing this side of her creative identity. In the past, she has exhibited as a visual artist in a group show in the Morini Gallery at the Mass Art Center. Aside from meeting amazing people in the cast and crew her favorite thing about the production was her independent “research” into Bachelor Nation fandom and listening to a podcast that analyzed its similarities to a cult. Thanks to Mom: the singer, Dad: the stand-up comedian, Leo: the actor & Dan: the critic (who is required to give a positive review because he is her husband.)

Ali Coletta – Destiny D(runk) / Tracy / Band That Nobody’s Heard Of

Ali Coletta is thrilled to be part of the very first cast of Reality Romance! She is so thankful for this opportunity. Ali has performed in shows such as Forbidden Broadway (Liza Minelli, Idina Menzel), Anything Goes (Reno Sweeney), Les Misérables (Madame Thenardier), and Pippin (Fastrada). She has taken classes and performed at The PIT (NYC) for improv and Gotham Comedy Club (NYC) for stand-up. She’d like to thank her loving and supportive husband, son, family and friends who have always believed in her. Ali will be dedicating her performance to her brother, Greg Goshgarian, who passed away this summer and will always be one of her biggest cheerleaders. 

Sophie Strano – Destiny O(lder) / Band That Nobody’s Heard Of

Sophie Strano is very excited for her first show at Mass Performing Arts Center! After finishing her Bachelor’s of Computer Science and Bachelor’s of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute this past May, Sophia was eagerly seeking opportunities to continue over a decade of life as a hobbyist musician and performer while also starting her career in biotechnology. Originally from New York, Sophia recently moved to the greater Boston area for work, and was ecstatic when she heard that Reality Romance was in need of a ukulele player with performance experience. She’d like to thank the Directors, the production team, and her fellow cast mates for welcoming her on board, specifically her former roommate Ilana, without whom she would have never known about this fun opportunity. 

Bobby Zupkoska – Fabio Fasionista/Claire Voyant/Chef Gustavo

Bobby Zupkofska (Fabio Fasionista/Claire Voyant/Chef Gustavo) is thrilled to be back at MAC for Reality Romance! Previous Credits Include: Albert Lennox (The Secret Garden/TCT), Constable/Ensemble (Sweeney Todd/TCT), and Ensemble (Evita/MAC). Aside from acting, Bobby loves helping others as a reiki practitioner and tarot card reader. Huge thanks to Alex and Kris for their expertise and the cast for their positive energy! Enjoy the show!

Stephen Lee – Dan M(anipulator)

Stephen is happy to be back at Mass Arts Center; he was last seen on the old MMAS Stage as The Padre in Man of LaMancha. Stephen holds a BA in Theatre from BSC. Some favorite roles include: Henry Etches in Titanic the Musical; JD Drew in Hands On A Hardbody; The Narrator in Blood Brothers, Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone, Caldwell B Cladwell in Urinetown, Charles Guiteau and Sam Byck in Assassins, Dale Harding in Cuckoo’s Nest, Brian in The Shadow Box; Bobby in Company, Whizzer in Falsettos, Father in Children of Eden, Jesus in Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar, Paul in A Chorus Line, Harold Hill in The Music Man, Mary Sunshine in Chicago; Pirelli in Sweeney Todd; Sky Masterson in Guys & Dolls and Snoopy in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown and the sequel Snoopy. Shout out to Krisanthi and Alex for wanting me to be a part of this new work. A special thanks to my husband Jack for putting up with this crazy thing we call theatre…..”To infinity and beyond!”

Marianne Phinney – Shir Ovimself

Marianne Phinney (Shir Ovimself) is delighted to return to MAC, where she last graced the stage as Duke Vincentio in Measure for Measure. She also appeared as Mrs. Gottlieb in Dead Man’s Cell Phone. Recent directing credits include Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits and The Odd Couple (Female Version) (MAC/MMAS), Disenchanted!, Calendar Girls (Walpole Footlighters) and Return Engagements (Milton Players). She will direct the parody Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic for MAC in January. Marianne has served as a judge for the METG High School Drama Festival since 2005. 

Andrew Beauregard – Band That Nobody’s Heard Of 

Andrew is thrilled to be making his Mass Arts Center debut. His recent creative projects include writing and producing original works at Homebrewed Theatre Company where he is the founding Managing Director and Resident Playwright. Most recent writing credits include The Daughters with Daggers Trilogy, Mask On, Pants Off & Other Strange Shorts, and That Wheeling Feeling. 

Robbie Seeley (Stage Manager)

Robbie is very excited to be making his Mass Arts Center debut (in the booth)! He graduated in May from Dean College (I Hate Hamlet, Clybourne Park, PIPPIN) with a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Theatre and loves to produce new and original works. When he isn’t stage managing, you may find Robbie writing a play or practicing stage combat! Robbie has also worked with the Homebrewed Theatre Company since they got started in 2020, stage managing shows like Have Goat, Will Travel and Other Strange Shorts and The Daughters with Daggers Trilogy.  

Alex Sweeney (Director)

Alex is over the moon to be making her Mass Art Center directorial debut with Reality Romance. Alex is a graduate of Dean College with a BA in Theatre Arts with a concentration in Musical Theatre. Alex most recently directed Pippin at the Uncommon Theatre Company. Previous credits include The Addams Family, Something Rotten, Annie, Rent and Matilda. Past performance credits include Adela in the Little Mermaid, Gingy/Witch in Shrek, Mayzie in Seussical and Babette in Beauty and the Beast at the Family Performing Arts Center located in Bridgewater, MA. Special shout out to Kris, Robbie, Bianca, Dori, Ken, and the cast and crew for this wonderful experience and opportunity. Thank you to Derek for making it easy to continue doing theatre while also being a Mom to our wonderful son Jude and to my Mom for showing me the ropes. 

Director’s Note

Reality Romance is the most amazing, bizarre, controversial, dramatic, extreme, feisty, ground-breaking, heart-shattering, incredible, joyful, knockout, loving, mind-blowing, nasty, outrageous, passionate, queer, radical, shocking, tantalizing, unbelievable, vivacious, wild x-rated, yummy and zaniest musical yet! 

Reality Romance tells this story of its leading man Phil Ovimself and his journey to find love on reality TV.  Reality Romance pokes fun and shines light on the world of reality dating shows and the many types of larger than life characters they depict. Through its cheeky humor and quick wit, Reality Romance reminds us that love comes in many forms. “We all want to find love and live a happy life together.”

It is with humbleness and the utmost respect that I present to you our amazingly talented cast and the story created by Kris and Bianca that they have entrusted me with for its inaugural production. 

Krisanthi Pappas (Concept, Music & Lyrics; Konstantina)

Krisanthi has had a long career as a singer and musician having performed throughout the US and internationally.  As a Billboard® award-winning songwriter, her music and singing have been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, Showtime, TVLand, in several films and have held spots in the Cashbox 100 and World Indie Radio Charts.  She has recently performed the Xfinity Center pre-shows for Sheryl Crow, Queen with Adam Lambert, Hall & Oates, The Doobies, Chicago and several others.  Her original musical My Backyard (book by Bryan Halperin) was produced as a one-act at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse and as a full production staged reading at the Belknap Mill in 2022.. Krisanthi has released seven albums which have received high acclaim from international magazines and radio personalities.  You may have recently seen Krisanthi playing the role of Whitney Houston’s keyboard player in the Sony Pictures film “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”. See “Note from Creator” for my thanks!  Krisanthi.com 

Bianca Vranceanu (Book Writer)

Bianca Vranceanu is an American-Romanian playwright dedicated to bringing light to the stories that often go unheard and writing for and about women. Her mission is to provide a platform that showcases stories that are unexpected, insightful, and experimental. Her play Sisterhood of Survivors is making its debut this fall at Northeastern University, her play Sharks and Minnows was produced by Apollinaire Theatre Company as part of the 25th annual Boston Theatre Marathon, and her play The Infinite Moment of Now was part of the inaugural stage reading event at Stadium Theatre. She earned a B.A. in Theatre from Northeastern University.

Note From The Creators

Krisanthi Pappas (Concept, Music & Lyrics)

I stumbled upon The Bachelor TV show by accident and before long I was hooked and naturally the idea for a musical parody was born! The first song I wrote was Pick Me, fascinated with all the different characters of girls that put themselves in this situation. After a few more songs, I was overwhelmed with the monumental task of writing a whole musical and put the project on hold. A few years later, I met the talented young playwright Bianca Vranceanu (book writer) and we put our ideas together to create this fun musical parody. If you’re a fan of The Bachelor and even if you’re not, I hope you agree that “we all just want to find love”! I want to express my deepest thanks to Ken and Dori and all the people of the Mass Arts Center for producing this original musical, for their time and talent with the set design and construction, the costumes, the sound, the graphic artwork, the rehearsal space, the ticketing, and the million other things that go into putting on a show! I also want to thank Alex Sweeney for being my amazing director and choreographer. Thank you to the talented and warm actors and actresses for their hours of rehearsals and learning my original songs that they’ve never heard before now. Thanks also to my awesome band in the pit: Sue, Steve and John. Thanks especially to you the audience, for buying a ticket and supporting the arts, together we can keep the magic of musical theater happening!

Bianca Vranceanu (Book Writer)

Wild twists, dynamic characters, and unexpected connections are some of the many qualities that drew me into The Bachelor TV show at the young age of 10. What started off as casual viewing with my Grandma, shifted into a deep fascination with the shocking choices and bold moves contestants would make season after season – all with the hope of finding love (or fame – depending on their intentions). For over a decade, I have been a loyal fan to this show, that is why, when I saw the StageSource notice seeking a playwright for a new musical, I knew I had to jump at the opportunity. Collaborating with Krisanthi Pappas during the development of our musical was delightful; not only is she a stellar musician who crafts songs that will make you laugh so hard your abs hurt, she is also an avid fan of the franchise. Each song and scene resonates with the themes that populate each episode from the TV show and bring a delightful layer of humor and levity. We hope you lean into the wacky, surprising, and endearing journey to love. We promise it will be the most dramatic season you have ever seen!

I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Mass Arts Center, specifically Ken, Dori, and the brilliantly talented creative team for their support and trust in providing the opportunity for the world premiere of our show. Thank you to our amazing director and choreographer, Alex Sweeney, for bringing your creativity, passion, and encouragement to our piece. Thank you to the cast for bringing to life the eclectic characters we’ve developed and bringing a balance of humor and genuineness to each role! Thank you to the fantastic band: Sue, Steve, and John. Thank you to my parents for letting me stay up late all those nights watching The Bachelor! And thank YOU for coming to see our musical and supporting the arts – I hope you love this show as much as we do.