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PDC FOUNDER
ED SHOCKLEY Ed Shockley is the author of more than fifty plays, which have enjoyed both commercial and critical success. He is best known for the record-setting musicals Bessie Smith: Empress of the Blues and Bobos (co-authored with James McBride). Other notable works include The Liars' Contest (winner of the HBO New Writers Competition) and the stage adaptation of Mildred D. Taylor's Newbery Award-winning novel Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. He is the recipient of the Stephen Sondheim Award for Outstanding Contributions to American Musical Theatre, the $25,000 Richard Rodgers Award (presented by the American Academy of Arts and Letters), the New Professional Theatre Writers Festival prize, the American Minority Playwrights contest prize, two Pennsylvania State Arts Council fellowships, the Lila Wallace/Reader's Digest Production Fellowship, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Theatre Philadelphia’s Barrymore Awards. He attended high school at the prestigious St. Paul's School, followed by Columbia University and MFA studies as a Future Faculty Fellow at Temple University. Mr. Shockley has taught at many universities and schools, including New York University, Nassau Community College, St. Paul's School, and Temple University and he has coached thousands of authors through the Philadelphia Young Playwrights Festival and Young Writers Day lecture tours. Currently he is a senior lecturer at both University of the Arts and Rutgers University (Camden Campus). "In my long arts career I have witnessed the crushing weight of poverty upon many artists. Ability and stability are often unrelated. My hope has been to create a vehicle to maximize opportunities for substantive impart the lives of my peers ." |
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CAITLIN CIERI (PRESIDENT)
Caitlin Cieri is a lifelong enthusiast of theatre, audio drama, library music, and a damn good cup of tea. Her most recent PDC-based projects include the audio drama podcast Philly DramaCast, the 2020 Philly Theatre Week show A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, and the 2020 Halloween Showcase PDC's Witching Hour. She's also written plays and audio dramas performed by Wings of Paper Theatre Company (Rejected Transplant, 2020) The Shoe Box Theatre Festival (The Most Important Meal, 2019), Barefoot Theatre Company (St. Joseph's Day, 2020, 2020), the Risk! podcast (With Baudy in Brooklyn 1 Interstitial, 2017), Project Y Theatre Company (Scene 6 of The COVIDs of March, 2020), the Walnut Street Theatre (The Concessions Conspiracy, 2007) and Maladjusted's Going Viral Festival (I Can't Remember My Legs, 2020.) When she's not writing, Caitlin likes to spend her shelter-in-place going for walks, listening to British comedy podcasts, reading and cooking from vintage cookbooks, and playing surgery simulators. |
JAMES JACKSON - VICE PRESIDENT
James most recent work includes lighting the Harrison Stengle Fringe Festival production of GATZ!; directing and producing the world premier of Lynn Nottages exploration of the history of slavery in America One More River To Cross; Tech Directing the Barrymore award winning productions of The Seagull by EgoPo Classic Theatre and the Barrymore award winning 11th Hour production of LIZZIE!.
James is also engaged in creating brand imagery as a freelance photographer (raveneyes.com); directing and producing independent films throughout the North East under his production brand, Light Thief Productions; and designing, directing, and producing many other Philadelphia area theatrical productions.
James Jackson has also been communicating his message through photography since 1995 in a professional and artistic manner. Currently, James is expanding his portfolio with lifstyle, editorial fashion, and beauty photography, and is working with major fashion and catalog clients. James' freelance photography experience encompases both studio and location shooting.
James most recent work includes lighting the Harrison Stengle Fringe Festival production of GATZ!; directing and producing the world premier of Lynn Nottages exploration of the history of slavery in America One More River To Cross; Tech Directing the Barrymore award winning productions of The Seagull by EgoPo Classic Theatre and the Barrymore award winning 11th Hour production of LIZZIE!.
James is also engaged in creating brand imagery as a freelance photographer (raveneyes.com); directing and producing independent films throughout the North East under his production brand, Light Thief Productions; and designing, directing, and producing many other Philadelphia area theatrical productions.
James Jackson has also been communicating his message through photography since 1995 in a professional and artistic manner. Currently, James is expanding his portfolio with lifstyle, editorial fashion, and beauty photography, and is working with major fashion and catalog clients. James' freelance photography experience encompases both studio and location shooting.
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Lewis Trauffer (Treasurer)
Lewis Trauffer joined the PDC in late fall 2019. A playwright from Philadelphia whose first effort, 'Merry Molech Day,' has yet to be performed. The play, set in the present, exploring the real costs and questionable benefits of child sacrifice, was stifled preemptively by Christmas pageant directors at his church. From this Lewis went on to write several treatments and plays which were presented at the bi-monthly Writers' Circle. Since then his work has received appreciative nods and unforced laughs among his peers, which he construes as some indicia of improvement. Lewis is a writer in residence at his home in Wynnewoood where he also performs light-housekeeping (though less than desired by his wife). He is recognized for his ability to shelter-in-place and is the recent recipient of many wellness calls from his friends and family. |
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BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE
David Hodges An English professor at Rowan University, David also teaches ESL classes at Community College of Philadelphia. Joining the PDC in XX, his roles include Newsletter Editor, moderator of the Happy Hour & Long Table Read development programs & he also makes sure the PDC graphics, branding & words are just right. He studied Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University graduating in 1977. He is a playwright, a performer, a poet, a novelist, an educator, and among his favorite works are: As an advocate for local sustainable food & farms, he also works as the Director at Collingswood Farmers Market. Rosemary Parrillo A playwright and veteran journalist, joined the Philadelphia Dramatists Center in 2019. Her 10-minute play, Walking the Dog After Midnight, was performed in PDC’s 2020 showcase, “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate.” Among Parrillo’s other plays, The New Normal Trilogy was selected as a semi-finalist in the 2017 Eugene O’Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference. Grind City won first place in the 2017 Dubuque One-Act Contest and Festival. The Oasis Café and Lou’s 24/7 have been finalists in the Tennessee Williams One Act Festival. Parrillo also has had a long career in journalism, holding a number of editing positions, including Managing Editor and Features Editor, at New Jersey’s largest newspaper, the Newark Star-Ledger. She also worked in various writing and editing positions, including Assistant Metro Editor, Features Editor and Metro Columnist, at the Courier-Post, in Cherry Hill, N.J. A resident of Marlton, N.J, Parrillo holds a B.A. degree in English from Rowan University. She is a member of the Dramatist Guild, New Play Exchange, International Centre for Women Playwrights, Philadelphia Dramatists Center, Fly Eyes Playwrights, and New York Women in Film and Television. Chris Davis A writer and performer residing in Philadelphia, PA. His solo shows have toured throughout the United States and Europe. Recently he won the Special Prize as part of the Thespis Monodrama Festival in Kiel, Germany. Recent projects include solo shows One-Man Nutcracker (“a refreshing splash to the face…”), The Presented (★★★★ - The List), The Last Emperor of Mexico, One-Man Apocalypse Now (★★★★★ - “superbly crafted” - Underdog Reviews), Juan-Winfield, Bortle 8 (“…a strikingly original writer and performer.” - The Scotsman), Drunk Lion (“A potent success” ★★★★★ - Wee Review), and Violence of the Lambs (“…absurd comedy at its very best." ★★★★★ – The Student Newspaper ). He has participated in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the last 6 years. Joining PDC in 2020, states “Philadelphia is an incubator of great theatrical talent, and organizations like PDC help that make possible. I want to help PDC with its mission to foster new and established talent in the Philadelphia region”. Donna Stuccio Donna maintains dual careers in theater and criminal justice. She's a dedicated educator, professor of criminal justice, former cop, actress, playwright, House Manager at Syracuse Stage, and innovative non-profit arts organizer. Gene Terruso Playwright and for 30 years a professional director, Gene has headed up two American legacy institutions: as artistic director of off-Broadway’s historic Provincetown Playhouse (where he created their New Play Series) and as president of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He served for nine years as Director of the School of Theatre at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts and is a two-time Fulbright awardee. Bill Arrowood No stranger to the entertainment business, he has been honing his skills in show business since 1978 when he sold tickets to neighborhood kids to watch a bootlegged copy of Star Wars on the family VCR. A graduate of Messiah College in Grantham, PA, he studied film at Temple University and is working towards a Master’s in Public Administration at West Chester University. For the last 20 years, he has worked as a location manager and scout in the Philadelphia Film Industry on projects such as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, After Earth, Dispatches from Elsewhere, and Beloved. In addition to his avocation in the film industry, he has worked with one of the East Coast’s premier talent booking agents, as a public school teacher, and a minor league baseball stadium operator, director of an independent micro cinema and even found time to coach little league baseball in the inner city. In 2016 he founded Liberty City Radio Theatre, as a means to bid farewell to the grand old Society Hill Playhouse. He enjoys watching the Hope & Crosby road movies, Elvis impersonators at the County Fair and sneaking out of work to take in a baseball game. |
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Former Board Members
Marjorie Bicknell, president emeritus
Mark Knight
Michelle Pauls
Shelli Pentimall Bookler
Ardencie Hall-Karambe
Robert Ruelan
R. N. Sandberg
David Usner
Gil Sokolow
Jonathan C Dorf
Kate McGrath
Walt Vail
Bill Burrison
Elliot Sturmer
Board Members are elected to serve a two year term and voted on by the members. If you are interested in serving on the board, please fill out the form below and tell us a little about yourself and why you think you would be a good fit.
