This summer, ñ's School of Theatre and Dance upheld its legacy of fostering community connections through the inclusion of three ñaffiliates in the reading of "Sister Chemistry."
This reading was featured as part of the New Ground Theatre Festival—a Cleveland Playhouse Roe Green endowed New Works Festival—during the festival's 14th year. Honorarily produced by Roe Green, the staff of "Sister Chemistry" included ñSchool of Theatre and Dance faculty Amy Fritsche as director, joined by alumni Kenedy Brooks 23', stage manager, and Shea Suffoletta '26, B.F.A., stage director.
Brooks and Suffoletta's roles in "Sister Chemistry" stood as a testament to their success as graduated professionals in the industry, with Suffoletta having graduated just earlier this year.
"Working on 'Sister Chemistry' was an incredible opportunity," said Suffoletta. "Experiencing the dedication, collaboration and creativity that go into developing new work behind-the-scenes—and then watching it come to life—was truly inspiring. Being part of this play’s journey has been such a rewarding experience, and I am deeply grateful to have contributed to its development."
While the roles of alumni in the reading presents a great success for graduates Brooks and Suffoletta, faculty Amy Fritsche's involvement as director stands for even more. The collaboration of the School of Theatre and Dance's faculty and alumni are a glimpse into a broader network of industry professionals unique to Kent State.
Brooks noted connections made through the reading, both new and old.
"Working on 'Sister Chemistry' was a wonderful experience," said Brooks, "I got to work with Amy Fritsche again, meet Shea Suffoletta, who is a recent Kent graduate, as well as meet other wonderful artists and get to know the Jeannie and Maggie who brought this beautiful story to us. I am so glad to have been a part of this journey, and I can't wait to see how this show grows in the future.”
After the success of the show's reading, the show's writers, Jeannie Affelder and Maggie Cain, now plan to do re-writes of the show's script before sending it off to be produced by theatre companies.
"The reading was tremendously successful," said Fritsche, "the audience, including Roe Green, really liked the show."
Roe Green, local arts patron, activist, CEO of The Roe Green Foundation and creator of the Roe Green Center for the School of Theatre and Dance at Kent State, continually finds and fosters new works that bring change to the theatre community.
Kent State's theatre community, built on industry success and lasting network connections, stands as a legacy of its efforts to forge new paths for alumni and strengthen bonds among its community members.
About "Sister Chemistry"
Written by Jeannie Affelder and Maggie Cain, "Sister Chemistry" is a story of two pairs of sisters: Amy and Carrie in 1995 Cleveland, Ohio; and Manya and Bronya in 1885 Warsaw, Poland. Each pair navigates sibling relationships, aging parents, careers in science and balancing commitments to themselves and their sisters. Their paths weave across the kitchen as the characters learn from each other across time. The playwrights, sisters and actors in Chicago, got their start at the Cleveland Play House Youtheatre.
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