Noah Bloom (Freak, “Intro”)
J Burton (Esther, “The Missing Vagina Monologue”)
Yusef Evan Bornacelli (Freak, “Intro”)
Stefanie Davis (Freak, “Intro”)
Tobias K. Davis (Playwright; Director)
Robert Loyd Warren Dunning (Young FTM, “Young FTM’s Dilemma”)
Lorelei Erisis (Lannie, “Electrolysis of the Balls”)
Arjuna Greist (Director)
Torrin McCarthy (Cute Girl, “The Cute Girl Who Lives Down the Hall”)
Calvin Rey Moen (Jesse, “The Best Boyfriend”)
Hillary Montague-Asp (Fantasy Woman, “Radical Cock”)
Caroline “cmoore” Moore (Stage Manager)
Daniel O’Donoghue (Graeme, “Average Bloke,” The Lover, “The Missing Vagina Monologue”)
Patrick (Trans Man, “Ask Me”)
Liv Wyatt (Trans Woman, “A Trans Woman’s Vagina Monologue”)
Noah Bloom (Freak, “Intro”): Noah Bloom is actually, in real life, exactly like the Freak.
J Burton (Esther, “The Missing Vagina Monologue”): J Burton is beyond excited to be a part of The Naked I cast. They are a second year at Smith College, and have not been in a play since graduating high school. If you frequent the Northampton High School plays, you may have seen The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds or Alice in Wonderland, both of which Julia produced. As a genderfluid person, they have never known themselves to be in a group of so many trans people and has loved the experience of meeting them all and getting to know them through the play. They have come to love the Naked I and are increasingly pleased to be a part of it every day. They hope you enjoy the show (and know that you will)!!
Yusef Evan Bornacelli (Freak, “Intro”): I’m excited to present a broader more inclusive range of expression in theater and this play definitely does that. I’ve been in drama since I was a youngin but this is the first time I get to do a community play and am really humbled and so thankful Toby and everybody gave me the opportunity. I’d like to thank everyone who worked hard to make this play happen, my cast mates and to my wonderful partner Mallory for your support and friends who pushed me to try out! Love you all very much and I hope you enjoy the show! Salaam and love be upon you all ❤
Stefanie Davis(Freak, “Intro”): I am privileged to be a part of The Naked I, and even more proud to be Toby Davis’ sister. I was thirteen years old when the Naked I debuted at Smith College; I did not get to see it and I still have never seen it performed, and yet I now get to perform in it. Toby has been the one person in my life who has always given my voice a stage. When I didn’t think I had one, he brought it out. He never shushed or silenced it, or told it to stop feeling so much- he welcomed her in and gave her some tea. Toby has been my stage manager for the past six years and my audience for almost 25 – the least I can do is take a part in bringing his voice to the stage. Thank you Toby, I love you and I am so proud of you!
Steffi Davis worked on numerous high school productions as a part of Technical Theater, and performed in the chorus of The City of Angels her senior year at the Williston Northampton School. She is an early childhood educator/care giver/assistant dog trainer/farm hand and expects to receive a M.Ed. in Social Justice Education from UMASS Amherst this May.
Tobias K. Davis (Playwright, Director): Toby currently works, lives, and writes in Massachusetts with his beloved partner cmoore and their many pets: Albee the Standard Poodle with the nonstandard haircut, Milton and Chaucer the distinguished tuxedo cats, and Daedalus and Icarus the mischievous caique parrots. He is a transgender activist, playwright, and aspiring young adult novelist. His works have been well received by both the transgender community and the theater community at large. He strives to create works which are entertaining, educational, and accessible.
Co-directing this play again after many years has been a rich and engaging process for him. He has very much enjoyed working with so many talented and committed people to create this production.
Davis received his B.A. in Theatre and Italian at Smith College in 2003 and his Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on Social Justice at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 2013. He wonders if he will need to get another degree in 10 years to keep up the trend.
In addition to The Naked I, he is the author of Standards of Care, called “Arguably the best play yet written about female-to-male (FTM) transgender life” by John Townsend of Lavender Magazine, as well as short plays Jack and Diane, Arts and Sciences, and Crossing.
Robert Loyd Warren Dunning (Young FTM, “Young FTM’s Dilemma”): I am excited and a little nervous to be in a production that hits so close to home. I’ve never had the opportunity to play a transgender character before. I had always wanted to be in the Vagina Monologues when I was younger, but finding my confidence meant also finding myself and learning that my newfound gender identity was not welcome. I am overjoyed at the existence of such a meaningful and empowering piece of theatre and honored to be performing.
My theatre experience has ranged from stage crew and set building in grade school, to staged readings, improv and directing in college. My first performance on stage was as Justin in “Tricky Wicked Bitch”, performed in Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre at Smith in 2010. Since then I have performed in numerous one acts, and a mainstage production in Smith’s Theatre 14. My fondest memories remain in my Spring 2011 Improv class with John Hellweg and my incredible classmates. I cannot thank my family and friends enough for their support over the years. Most specifically I’d like to thank my best friend Alyssa: you are my rock and my best fan.
Lorelei Erisis (Lannie, “Electrolysis of the Balls”): Lorelei Erisis is incredibly, unbelievably, super-excited to be doing this show!!!!! But then, she’s actually kind of generally excitable. So, there’s that. Still, she is quite proud to be part of such a great cast performing such honest and exhilarating material.
“The Naked I” represents Lorelei’s umpty-millionth time on stage, which makes it an important milestone! Which means you should definitely buy her an Irish Whiskey after the show. Neat.
Among the many, many other hats that she wears; writer, activist, adventurer, pageant queen, advice columnist, board member, assistant dominatrix and gender and sexuality expert; Lorelei is also an actor, improviser and performer. She has been performing in any venue she could find and in many different formats and media since she was a kid.
Lorelei can be contacted directly for speaking and performing engagements as well as to hire her to teach a range of workshops on everything from gender to sexuality to improv and some combos thereof at: loreleierisis@gmail.com
Read her blog: TransProv.wordpress.com and follow her on Twitter: @erisis
Arjuna Greist (Director): Most often on the stage, (either acting, slamming queertastic poetry, or singing for the revolution) Arjuna has been having a blast on the other side, co-directing this amazing, moving, sexy, funny, heartbreaking play. They want to thank the cast, crew, and especially Toby for bringing this production to life, and for giving voice to so many who are forced into silence, We are beautiful, we are powerful, and we are proving that diversity is our strength, variation our salvation. Find out more at facebook.com/arjunamusic or reverbnation.com/arjunagreist
Torrin McCarthy (Cute Girl, “The Cute Girl Who Lives Down the Hall”) I’m a student at Smith College studying architecture and plotting how to save the planet with it. In the weeks leading up to this show I’ve been bubbling over with excitement(and maybe nervousness too). Never before have I had the opportunity to play characters that I relate so closely to. It is also the first time in a few years that I’ve gotten to act outside of a LARP.
Calvin Rey Moen (Jesse, “The Best Boyfriend”): Calvin is pleased and honored to be playing Jesse in The Naked I alongside such a delightful cast. Calvin has been performing most of his life, from tap dance recitals in preschool to drama club in high school to punk bands and burlesque after grad school. Most recently he could be seen in a mullet wig and biker jacket leading a Ramones sing-a-long in a church. He would like to thank his family for their love and support and the Vermont cast and crew of Six Billion Utopias for being his family (and exceptionally good looking).
Hillary Montague-Asp (Fantasy Woman, “Radical Cock”): I am excited to be in the Naked I to support the work of my amazing friend Toby, to meet more folks in local trans communities and to get to act out a fierce femme role 🙂 I have absolutely zero acting experience, hence the non-speaking part, but am excited to be on stage! Thanks to the cast and crew for putting this amazing production together! I am also incredibly grateful to Anais, Toby, and cmoore for inviting/encouraging me to be a part of this fun/hilarious/community building experience and for their educational demonstrations of heterosexual sex noises and positions in preparation for the scene.
Caroline “cmoore” Moore (Stage Manager): When cmoore isn’t being a supportive playwright’s spouse, she is a dog trainer and boarder through her business, Stay Positive Animal Training. She loves the way this production has brought together so many people from the local (and not-so-local) trans* community, and is grateful that she gets to be involved in making it happen.
Daniel O’Donoghue (Graeme, “Average Bloke,” The Lover, “The Missing Vagina Monologue”): I am both honored and excited to be a apart of the amazing and poignant production that is The Naked I. This is my FIRST acting experience and it has been an important reminder of how to tap into and use the power of my voice. Thank you to Toby for gently pushing me out of my comfort zone and encouraging me to “own the space.” To my family and friends for your support, love and belief in me. A special thank you to my nephew Jack, whose courage and fearlessness in his first play inspired me to audition.
Patrick (Trans Man, “Ask Me”): Patrick is really excited about activism through theater, and thus to be a part of The Naked I! Before getting the chance to act in The Naked I, he acted in the play Six Billion Utopias, a collaborative theater performance addressing the intersections between gender, queerness and mental health. Patrick spends his days working in community mental health, running around as much as possible (with as many puppies as possible) and following his whimsy. Thanks for supporting this important piece of work!
Nycii Vanderhoff (Lauren, “Doctor”): I’m the Executive Director of Invisible No More, which is a Trans* advocacy group and responsible for the local Trans Pride event. When I first conceived the idea to put an event like this together I never imagined it coming out so perfectly, or that I’d be acting in it! It’s incredible to see the Trans community empower itself in such an intimate fashion. I have no previous acting experience, but trusted the directors when they encouraged me to audition – I haven’t looked back since. I’d like to thank my children for their constant and ongoing support, and my Trans brothers and sisters who have gotten me this far through my transition.
Liv Wyatt (Trans Woman, “A Trans Woman’s Vagina Monologue”): Last year’s production of “The Naked I” at Smith College was Liv’s theatrical debut. When offered the part of the 51 year old Trans Woman, she found herself both excited and terrified. The excitement has died down a bit but she notes that stepping on stage is still quite a terrifying experience. Then again, after surviving transition in her mid-fifties, she figures she can find a way to get through just about anything. Originally from Virginia, Liv has lived and worked in the Pioneer Valley for the last 36 years. She and her partner of 35 years are the parents of three grown children (though as any parent of 20 something year olds will tell you, “grown” is a relative term) and the grandparents of a beautiful two year old girl. She currently resides in one of the local hill towns.
Tobias K. Davis: Educator and Playwright 