directed by Renée Walsh
Festival@First 13: Superstitious, features 8 original short plays by Massachusetts playwrights which explore the weird, wacky, and sometimes spooky world of superstition.
A superstition is a widely held belief, typically not based on reason or science, that future events can be influenced by one's behavior in some supernatural way. Why do some people have all the good luck, while others seem like they've been cursed? Are we surrounded by ghosts who haven't found their eternal rest? Do we really have free will, or are our lives dictated by forces beyond ourselves?
Join Theatre@First for a night of theatre that's sure to be hilarious, uncanny, and maybe a little twisted!
Friday, August 15, 2025 at 8pm
Saturday, August 16, 2025 at 8pm
Sunday, August 17, 2025 at 8pm
Thursday, August 21, 2025 at 8pm - Masked Performance
Friday, August 22, 2025 at 8pm
Saturday, August 23, 2025 at 2pm - Matinee!
Our Thursday night performance will require audience members to wear a face mask. If you forget to bring one, a mask will be provided at the door.
Festival@First 13 will be presented at Unity Somerville, 6 William Street, Somerville.
The performance space is not wheelchair-accessible.
Parking on William St is by permit only. General parking is available on College Ave. Please read signs carefully to avoid ticketing.
by Marielle Boudreau
directed by Tegan Kehoe
A couple brings an unusual—but adorable—case to the Department of Occult Difficulties, looking for help.
CAM
JULES
AVERY
Elizabeth Raible
Carolyn Salvi
Theresa Griffin
by Brian Rust
directed by Santiago Rivas
Beth and Mac are both magnets for bad luck, but it never affects them directly. When they have a meet-cute in a restaurant it's the people around them who pay the price.
MAC
BETH
CAT
CLOWN
DELIVERY DRIVER
Hann Allen
Rachel Tessler
River Hayes
Jodee Frias
Katie Stratton
by Amy Bennett-Zendzian
directed by Helen Edgar
A mother and daughter head into the graveyard to confront old ghosts, literal and figurative.
MOM
ERIN
GHOST MYRNA
GHOST JESSIE
Julia Novina
Zoe Snyder
Bethany Croteau
Naomi Ibasitas
by Christian Krenek
directed by Angele Maraj
In the courtyard of the Casa di Giulietta stands a bronze statue of Juliet Capulet, and legend has it that if you rub the statue’s right breast, you will be lucky in love. When Rosalyn visits the statue one summer afternoon on a trip to Verona, she finds herself making an unexpected connection.
ROSALYN
JULIET
PASSERBY
Jess Weaver
Lisa Aquino
Jordan Waterworth
by Isabelle M. Tinti-Kane
directed by Julia Hurley
The show is over and the audience is gone; the theater is dark. After Beatrice’s last performance before retirement, she and stage manager Helena linger on the stage. But are they truly alone, or are there ghosts listening?
BEATRICE
HELENA
Christina Bontempo
Ruby Simonoff
by Michael Lin (with co-writer Gabriela Tovar)
directed by Ryan Walsh
A group of teenagers meet in a parking lot to summon the spirit of a beloved family member, but the manner in which they perform the ritual may prove to have dangerous consequences.
ASH
LESLIE
STEVIE
CHAD
Eli Saracino
Serena Wong
Jadyn Washington
Jordan Waterworth
by Phoebe Roberts
directed by Emily Osterloh
Amy and Olivia want to use a ouijia board to contact the ghost of a girl who died on the grounds of their high school, but another student they don’t know warns them of a few things they hadn’t considered.
AMY
OLIVIA
WENDY
Julia Mangeym
Sonia Fisher-Taub
Mariel Rojas
by Shari Caplan
directed by Alex Gorowara
In the moment between moments, the forces of fortune—foul, fair, and fickle—meet to determine the fate of a village. Black cat, white rabbit, and crow barter destinies grand and small, each with their own agenda.
BEELZEBUB
EOSTRE
CORONIS
Bey Woodward
Bethany Croteau
Ewa Sitarska
Director
Technical Director
Producer
Stage Manager
Asst. SM / Rehearsal Asst.
Set Designer
Lighting Designer
Sound Designer
Costumer
Costume Assistant
Hair & Makeup
Properties Manager
House Manager
Publicity Lead
Intimacy Coach / Choreo
Graphic Designer
Photographer
Renée Walsh
Shelley MacAskill
Sean Phillips
Katie Carroll
Audra Congress
Brie Frame
Jonah Yannis
Han Taub
Emma Joyce
Annie Barnett
Rose Conley
Miranda Cashman
Jason Rhode
Jamie Lin
Cari Keebaugh
Gilly Rosenthal
Audra Congress
If you are interested in joining the Production Team, or being a House Volunteer, please email us!