by Rick Bingen
directed by Mary Seigel
June 14, 2:00PM | June 15, 7:30PM
Pink's Accessible Theater House (PATH)
Traveling between late-night bars, auditions, and backstage conversations, this play explores the ache of wanting connection, the joy of collaboration, and the fleeting magic of finding people who truly see you. Set in the world of a tight-knit group of struggling artists, the story is a love letter to theatre and the people who give themselves to it. These characters are shaped by the love that endures after the curtain falls.
"This Is A Staged Reading." is a new play written by Rick Bingen. It underwent a workshop in 2025 and is now presented in a staged reading format. If you are interested in producing "This Is A Staged Reading.", please reach out to Rick Bingen at rsbingen@gmail.com.
The performance will run approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes with no intermission. The production team is immensely grateful to Pink Umbrella Theater Company for hosting us in the new Pink Accessible Theater House (PATH). Click the button below to learn more about Pink Umbrella and the important work they're doing in Milwaukee.
Cast and Creative Bios
Playwright
Rick Bingen
Rick Bingen is a produced playwright from Kenosha, Wisconsin, and a professor at Carthage College where he teaches computer science and game design. Rick loves classical theatre, especially Shakespeare. His first play, Whirligig of Time, was produced by Sunstone Studios in Milwaukee. His other Shakespeare-adjacent works are Here Come the Jesters and Lest We Live in Bawdry. A versatile artist, Rick has worked in many facets of theatre including acting, directing, lighting design, props and set design, and projection mapping. As a playwright, he harnesses these varied experiences when developing new plays and collaborating with fellow theatre artists. Recently you may have seen Rick as Trigorin in Stupid Fucking Bird (Placeholder Players), Mortimer in Failure: A Love Story (Fleeing Artists Theatre), and James in Gift of the Magi (Sunstone Studios).
Director
Mary Grace Seigel
Mary is a multi hyphenate theatre artist living in Chicago. In her various roles, she has worked at The Goodman, Artist’s Ensemble, Renaissance Theatre Works, and many other theatres across the Illinois/Wisconsin border. Select directing credits include A Doll’s House Part 2 (Moon Dog Theatre Co.), KILN (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), and Earth’s Designated Mourner (Chicago Dramatists.) She is excited to be back in Milwaukee after 2 years. She was last seen in Milwaukee in Cry it Out at Sunset Playhouse, and Stupid F*cking Bird at Sunstone Studios. Thank you for supporting local theatre and enjoy the show!
Avery
Ekenedilichukwu Ikegwuani
Ekene Ikegwuani (they/them) is a multimedia artist based in Milwaukee, WI. They have done work with many theatres in Milwaukee, most recently with The Constructivists, for A VERY DEADLY CONSTRUCTIVIST HOLIDAY (WITH MUSIC!) (Lust), BUG (Assistant Director), with Kith and Kin Theatre for CAESURA (Will), and Milwaukee Chamber Theatre for A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Walter Lee Younger u/s). They also appeared earlier this year in the first public staged reading of HELLENIKA: THE MUSICAL (Plato). A company member of both the Constructivists and All In Productions, they believe in the power of art and storytelling to impact hearts and change the world. Ekene is delighted to appear in another Rick Bingen original after previously doing WHIRLIGIG OF TIME (William Shakespeare). Also a musician, they are a rapper/singer/producer by the name RADD X, and are currently finishing up their debut EP I Want You to Dance, due out later this summer. They would like to thank their family, friends, and fiancée, Christina, for letting them sneak in one last and final thing before the wedding date.
Jordan
Ashley Garcia
Ashley Garcia is a proud Latina artist, Kenosha native and is very excited to be joining the cast! She graduated with a BFA in Acting and Minor in Dance Performance from The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2024. Some UWM credits include Jasmine in Pipeline, Julia in The Rivals and JC from This Is Modern Art. She would like to thank her parents, family and friends for all their love and unwavering support!
Ash
Gray Berendt
Gray Berendt is a Milwaukee-born actor and artist, who received their BFA in Acting from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. They have been involved in a number of productions throughout the greater Milwaukee area. Some of their favorite roles include Ferdinand, Antonio, Ariel 1, and Trinculo in Voices Found Repertory Theatre’s five-person production of “The Tempest”, Charlotte/Mary in Next Act Theatre’s staged reading of “Mrs. Christie”, Mash in “Stupid F*cking Bird” with Placeholder Players, and Ophelia in Theatre Nervosa’s production of “Hamlet & Ophelia”. They are thrilled to be part of this world premiere performance of “This Is A Staged Reading”!
Kris
Kaylene Howard
"Kaylene Howard is a California native who has since called Milwaukee her home. She's been fortunate enough to work with theatres in the city, including Renaissance Theatreworks, Summit Players Theatre, and with Milwaukee Rep as an EPR. She received her training from the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts in Santa Maria. Favorite select credits include THE MOORS (Renaissance Theatreworks), THE CAKE (SLO REP), and THE WOLVES (PCPA). She is a proud member of Actor's Equity Association. Thanks for supporting new works!"
Rowan
Bill Molitor
Prior credits include: I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard (David Berryman U/S performance), A Very Deadly Constructivists Holiday The Constructivists; The Persians (King Darius), Henry V (King Henry IV, Capt. Gower, King of France) Wisconsin Classic Stage; South Pacific (Captain Brackett) Forte Theatre Company; Goddess of The Drowned ( Old Man) Renaissance Theaterwerks; Stupid F**king Bird (Sorn) Placeholder Players; Rehearsal For Murder (Lloyd) and Other Desert Cities (Lyman Wyeth) Sunset Playhouse; Cymbeline (Cymbeline) Whirligig Productions; The Nativity Variations (Hank U/S) at The Milwaukee Rep; Things I Know To Be True (Bob Price) Kith & Kin Theatre; Hamlet (Polonius) and Oedipus Rex (Tiresias) for Fleeing Artists Theatre; The Haunting of Hill House (Dr. Montague), The Bad Seed (Richard Bravo) for Waukesha Civic Theatre; An Inspector Calls (Arthur Birling), Hamlet (Polonius), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Egeus/Quince), Anne Of Green Gables (Matthew Cuthbert), On Golden Pond (Norman Thayer), Twelfth Night (Malvolio), Pride and Prejudice (Mr. Bennet) SummerStage of Delafield; Romeo and Juliet (Friar Laurence), The Tempest (Prospero) Medea (Creon) Voices Found Repertory; and, The Book Of Will (William Jaggard) and Witness For The Prosecution ( Mr. Myers) Lake Country Playhouse.
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Stage Manager
Kaila Bingen
Kaila Bingen is a collaborative musician and theater artist from Kenosha. She also moonlights as Rick's in-house editor. Kaila’s recent composition/music design credits include ‘NEATH THE HILLS OF BASTOGNE (Sunstone Studios), THE TEMPEST (Voices Found Repertory), CYMBELINE (Whirligig Productions), and THE MELANCHOLY PLAY (Fleeing Artists Theatre). Kaila has performed on stage and in the pit orchestras of numerous productions, including being the violinist for a new musical performed at the Chicago Musical Theater Festival and the New York Musical Theater Festival (off-Broadway). This performance, and every performance after, is dedicated to Mom - I love you and miss you.