Tough Cookies
Tough Cookies is a one-act comedy about three women who are constantly bickering. Jo, who lives with her mother (Mammaw) invites over her seemingly inferior friend, Billie. This hilarious play touches on topics from cookies full of rat poison to matricide.
Cast and Crew
Jo................................................................Katherine Filer
Billie..................................................................Lucy Reed
Mammaw.........................................................Sue Camlin
Director............................................................Kathe Mull
House Manager................................................Liam Smith
Stage Manager................................................Felix Ullrich
Lights and Sound.............................................. Mac Smith
Makeup Artist...............................................Sarah Hutney
Hair Stylist...........................................Carol Filosa Gaskill
Host................................................................Marc Winski
Set Design.....................................................Connor Smith
Bios
Kathe Mull (Director):
Most recently, Tough Cookies for the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. NYC productions: Under The Table by Maureen Brady Johnson. Meeting GG, Midnight Clear A, “This Year” in Echoes, An Honest Mistake (2012 Best Director Award), Chorus Call, The Hasty Heart for Irish Repertory Theatre, As You Like It, Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night for Marble Hill Theatre, Jane of Thornfield Hall and Measure for Measure for MARS Theatre Company. She directed the original developmental production of Making God Laugh, starring Tony winner, Rondi Reed and Tin Woman by Sean Grennan. Regionally, Kathe directed Greater Tuna for Timberlake Playhouse, On Golden Pond for Old Creamery Theatre. Script in development: Prophets of Providence by Paul Moon. Future: March 10, 2014 SWANday NYC: Support Women in the Arts Now. Special Thanks to Team MARS: Connor, Mac and Liam; the amazing cast: Katherine, Lucy and Sue; and my family at Wicked for supporting me by being here or donating tickets to the chapters of the National Stuttering Association!
Contact: mullsmith1@earthlink.net
Most recently, Tough Cookies for the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. NYC productions: Under The Table by Maureen Brady Johnson. Meeting GG, Midnight Clear A, “This Year” in Echoes, An Honest Mistake (2012 Best Director Award), Chorus Call, The Hasty Heart for Irish Repertory Theatre, As You Like It, Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night for Marble Hill Theatre, Jane of Thornfield Hall and Measure for Measure for MARS Theatre Company. She directed the original developmental production of Making God Laugh, starring Tony winner, Rondi Reed and Tin Woman by Sean Grennan. Regionally, Kathe directed Greater Tuna for Timberlake Playhouse, On Golden Pond for Old Creamery Theatre. Script in development: Prophets of Providence by Paul Moon. Future: March 10, 2014 SWANday NYC: Support Women in the Arts Now. Special Thanks to Team MARS: Connor, Mac and Liam; the amazing cast: Katherine, Lucy and Sue; and my family at Wicked for supporting me by being here or donating tickets to the chapters of the National Stuttering Association!
Contact: mullsmith1@earthlink.net
Katherine Filer (Jo):
Katherine Filer has been a self-employed network consultant for more than 25 years, a life coach, macrobiotic cook and author of "The Merman and the Butterfly". She is honored to be grandmom to Scarlett, Santana & Patrick. In 1990, she founded the Tri-County Fluency Group, a support group for people
who stutter. This group later evolved into the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the National Stuttering Association (NSA) which she co- founded with Lucy Reed. Katherine leads workshops for the NSA and is an Introduction Leader and coach for Landmark Worldwide. She debuted as an actress in the play, "Tough Cookies" with a cast of all people who stutter. She is excited and honored to have this opportunity, and can’t wait to share it with other people who stutter. Being an actress was the one thing she was sure she never wanted, sure was never possible, and sure she could never be!. Katherine is the board chair of Theatre for Transformation. She has devoted her life to empowering others to have their voice heard and listened to powerfully, NOW! Katherine acknowledges all of the organizations below for their contribution to who she gets to be today. She especially thanks her mother, June A. Gosnell and father, Larry A. King for their love & support every step of the way and for always telling her she can do anything!
Contact: katfiler@aol.com
National Stuttering Association - www.nsastutter.org
Together We Act - www.togetherweact.com
Friends - www.friendswhostutter.org
Landmark Worldwide - www.landmarkworldwide.com
Theatre for Transformation - www.theatrefortransformation.org
Stories of Courageous Vulnerability - www.storiesofcourageousvulnerability.com
Katherine Filer has been a self-employed network consultant for more than 25 years, a life coach, macrobiotic cook and author of "The Merman and the Butterfly". She is honored to be grandmom to Scarlett, Santana & Patrick. In 1990, she founded the Tri-County Fluency Group, a support group for people
who stutter. This group later evolved into the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the National Stuttering Association (NSA) which she co- founded with Lucy Reed. Katherine leads workshops for the NSA and is an Introduction Leader and coach for Landmark Worldwide. She debuted as an actress in the play, "Tough Cookies" with a cast of all people who stutter. She is excited and honored to have this opportunity, and can’t wait to share it with other people who stutter. Being an actress was the one thing she was sure she never wanted, sure was never possible, and sure she could never be!. Katherine is the board chair of Theatre for Transformation. She has devoted her life to empowering others to have their voice heard and listened to powerfully, NOW! Katherine acknowledges all of the organizations below for their contribution to who she gets to be today. She especially thanks her mother, June A. Gosnell and father, Larry A. King for their love & support every step of the way and for always telling her she can do anything!
Contact: katfiler@aol.com
National Stuttering Association - www.nsastutter.org
Together We Act - www.togetherweact.com
Friends - www.friendswhostutter.org
Landmark Worldwide - www.landmarkworldwide.com
Theatre for Transformation - www.theatrefortransformation.org
Stories of Courageous Vulnerability - www.storiesofcourageousvulnerability.com
Lucy Reed (Billie):
Lucy Reed is a school-based speech and language pathologist who stutters. She has been involved in the stuttering community since 1998, when she co-founded the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the National Stuttering Association with Katherine Filer. She debuted as an actress in the play “Tough Cookies”. She lives in New Jersey and is the mother of three adult sons.
Contact: lucyreed1954@gmail.com
Lucy Reed is a school-based speech and language pathologist who stutters. She has been involved in the stuttering community since 1998, when she co-founded the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the National Stuttering Association with Katherine Filer. She debuted as an actress in the play “Tough Cookies”. She lives in New Jersey and is the mother of three adult sons.
Contact: lucyreed1954@gmail.com
Sue Camlin (Mammaw):
Sue Camlin is a member of the South Jersey National Stuttering Association group. She is a life partner to active supporter, Felix, a mom to Dawn and grateful grandmom to Elora. She has been a teacher for 48 years. Sue is an active member of the Board of the Cherry Hill Food & Outreach Council that feeds over 500 families per month. She is also the chair of the Transylvania Partner Church committee and an active participant at the UU church in Cherry Hill. She has completed two years of the Team Management Leadership Program, and is an Introduction Leader and Family Division Leader at Landmark Worldwide. Sue is proud to be a member of this inspiring group and says that being unafraid and taking risks has freed her and enriched her life.
Contact: scamlin1@comcast.net
Sue Camlin is a member of the South Jersey National Stuttering Association group. She is a life partner to active supporter, Felix, a mom to Dawn and grateful grandmom to Elora. She has been a teacher for 48 years. Sue is an active member of the Board of the Cherry Hill Food & Outreach Council that feeds over 500 families per month. She is also the chair of the Transylvania Partner Church committee and an active participant at the UU church in Cherry Hill. She has completed two years of the Team Management Leadership Program, and is an Introduction Leader and Family Division Leader at Landmark Worldwide. Sue is proud to be a member of this inspiring group and says that being unafraid and taking risks has freed her and enriched her life.
Contact: scamlin1@comcast.net
Special Thanks
We thank the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, NJ for the generous use of their rehearsal space and Felix Ullrich for his continual support. We could not of done this without him.
We thank Maria Elena Landazuri H. of “Techniquex Hair Studio” in Riverside, NJ for her generous contribution in creating Jo’s hair design and supporting us every step of the way.
We acknowledge David & Didi Shinefield for their vision and courage in creating Together We Act and giving us the opportunity to experience ourselves as actresses for the first time on stage. We are forever grateful to them for this opportunity of a lifetime!
We acknowledge Kathe for always listening to us as actresses which allowed us to step into that future every moment. Her generosity, love and gentle patience were inspiring. She unwaveringly trusted us with the play and let us create it. To bring inexperienced actresses who stutter to a place of professionalism in a year is a truly remarkable task that she took on with joyous and unflappable confidence. We can never fully express our appreciation and love for this extraordinary woman.
Behind every great woman is a great family. Connor, Mac and Liam we are clear that without your support and love this would not be possible. For all you did that we know and all you did that we don’t know, thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. The difference Kathe, Connor, Mac and Liam have made in the world is immeasurable.
We want to thank all of you for being here with us tonight! For sharing in this journey of ours that all voices will be heard and giving us the opportunity to take on our biggest fear. We’ve had the time of our lives and we owe it all to you!
We thank Maria Elena Landazuri H. of “Techniquex Hair Studio” in Riverside, NJ for her generous contribution in creating Jo’s hair design and supporting us every step of the way.
We acknowledge David & Didi Shinefield for their vision and courage in creating Together We Act and giving us the opportunity to experience ourselves as actresses for the first time on stage. We are forever grateful to them for this opportunity of a lifetime!
We acknowledge Kathe for always listening to us as actresses which allowed us to step into that future every moment. Her generosity, love and gentle patience were inspiring. She unwaveringly trusted us with the play and let us create it. To bring inexperienced actresses who stutter to a place of professionalism in a year is a truly remarkable task that she took on with joyous and unflappable confidence. We can never fully express our appreciation and love for this extraordinary woman.
Behind every great woman is a great family. Connor, Mac and Liam we are clear that without your support and love this would not be possible. For all you did that we know and all you did that we don’t know, thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. The difference Kathe, Connor, Mac and Liam have made in the world is immeasurable.
We want to thank all of you for being here with us tonight! For sharing in this journey of ours that all voices will be heard and giving us the opportunity to take on our biggest fear. We’ve had the time of our lives and we owe it all to you!
