SUMMER SHEBANG 2026

september 25, 26, 27

Please consider making a contribution (one-time or monthly) to support the work of Creative Stage Collective—like a suggested donation of $10 for today’s performance!

ONLINE PROGRAM

Paws-itively Purrfect

Shebang Song

Fish Wedding

Fish Song

MTA Connections

MTA Connections Song

America’s Next Top Drivers License Photo

Hart 2 Hart

Meditation

Support Group

Support Group Song

Theme Park Scene

Theme Park Song

Investor Scene

Final Shebang

CAST AND CREW

Madeline Bender, Director, Contributing Writer

Madeline has had a rich career as an international opera singer, writer, director and producer. She has created numerous devised performances including: Instrumental Storytellers at Symphony Space in collaboration with Concert Artists Guild; the annual Creative Stage Spectacular performances, also at Symphony Space (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023); Summer Shebang! (2018, 2021,2022); and Dancing Storytellers for Carnegie Hall Fall Family Day (2018). She specializes in devising original work with multi-generational, multidisciplinary groups.

Originally an operatic soprano, Madeline has worked with notable opera directors such Sir Peter Hall, Robert Wilson, David McVicar, Paul Curran, and Sir Jonathan Miller. She has appeared as Euridice in Orphee’ at Le Theatre du Chatelet, with Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducting; Helene in A Midsummer Night's Dream (La Monnaie, Brussels, Glyndebourne Festival Opera); Konstanza in Mozart's Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (Baden Baden, Aix en Provence); Violetta in La Traviata (Santa Fe Opera); Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (New York Philharmonic), and Handel's Messiah (Toronto Symphony Orchestra, with Sir Andrew Davis conducting). Madeline received her Masters degree in vocal performance from the Manhattan School of Music. She lives in NYC with her husband, operatic bass Paul Whelan, and their sixteen-year-old son, Zachary, who made his Carnegie Hall debut performing the treble solos in Elijah with the Oratorio Society of New York in May 2022.

LENA HALEEM

Tiffany Iris is a Bronx-based actor, singer and puppeteer who began her theater journey at LaGuardia Community College, where she was named a Top 36 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship nominee at KCACTF. Since then, her credits include: Riddles of the Trilobites (New Victory Theater); Eric Carle’s World of Wildlife (Bronx Zoo); Shakespeare’s Other Women (Island Shakespeare Festival); Sense & Sensibility (Island Shakespeare Festival); When We Went Electronic (The Tank Theater); Isla (Hit the Lights Co.); and 48 hrs in El Bronx (Pregones Theater). This fall, catch her in As You Like It with Word to the People Theatre Company. Tiffany received training from Alan Langdon at Circle in the Square Theatre School. To learn more visit www.tiffanyiris.com

JESSE

Seth Weinstein composed and musically directed the Off-Broadway musical How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes. He wrote and recorded “The Chagall Suite” (eight piano movements inspired by Marc Chagall’s artworks) and “Conversations” (a meeting between Chagall and Elvis Presley) and has performed them in France, Germany, and the USA. He has been the musical director of numerous regional productions, including Black House (Zagreb, Croatia), Do I Hear a Waltz?, and Smokey Joe’s Cafe. He routinely plays for holiday services at Central Synagogue and Or Olam, and he performs regularly with soprano Jodi Keogan in Florida. This autumn, he will complete the Abecedarian Walks, a series of perambulations around 26 islands from Aruba to Zanzibar. For more information, visit sethweinstein.com.

PAYTON

This is Sierra Nelson’s third Summer Shebang and she is thrilled to be back!

Sierra is an innovative singer, dancer and actress with an extensive range and repertoire. She enjoys singing all genres as a vessel to tell as many stories as possible. Her recent credits include Adebola (Underground), Justice (Liberty & Justice) and Gwen Webb (The Movement). Instagram/Tiktok: @TajFaerie

ty norris

Ty Norris is originally from Yorktown, Virginia and is a graduate of Christopher Newport University with a BA in Musical Theater. He moved to New York to pursue Acting and is happy to say he just closed his first Off-Broadway show, All Because of Infidelity, with Hanging Cow Productions. His favorite roles include Man in Chair from The Drowsy Chaperone and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors. Before moving to the city, he directed and taught acting classes to kids 10-15 for two years.

DANIEL OAKES

Daniel Oakes is a professional actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer originally from and based in New York City. He has been in many dramatic and comedic theatrical roles, including playing Robert in Betrayal by Harold Pinter; Roy Cohn in Angels in America by Tony Kushner; Orpheus in Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl; and Mr. Antrobus in The Skin of Our Teeth by Thornton Wilder. He is also experienced in film work, having participated in multiple short films including Transference and Call Time, both directed by Elpiniki Tsapatsaris, and Float On, directed by Molly O'Sullivan. He loves to make comedy and has been featured at the PIT NYC in their People’s Sketch Revue. He hopes you enjoy the show and he is very very excited to be working with the Creative Stage Collective for his second Summer Shebang! danieloakes.org

CASSIDY , Stage Manager

Alex Church-Gonzales is an interdisciplinary theatremaker who gravitates towards the surreal, silly, and spectacular. She is a resident artist with Breaking & Entering Theatre Collective; Directors Lab North alumnus; frequent director for Serials; and one-half of Monster of the Weak Puppetry. Selected credits: Goatman (SheNYC), [REDACTED] Jr… (Keen Company), Henry Hicks, Attorney at Cowboy Law (NYC Fringe), My Brother Jake (The Flea, The Tank), i can fix him (Dramatists Guild Foundation), FOWL PLAY (La Mama), Pass Over (14th Street Y), All At Once [40th Anniversary Remaster] (The Tank), Fish Meat (SheNYC), Project Sankofa (Broadway Bound Festival), small town icons (Breaking & Entering Theatre Collective). alexchurchgonzales.com @alexncg