Happy Merry
Michael P. Adams, Writer
Michael P. Adams is an award-winning writer from the greater Los Angeles area. His plays have been produced in New York (Atlantic Theater Company), Los Angeles, Albuquerque (Fusion Theatre Company), Memphis, Spokane, and Tucson, among others. Since 2019, Michael has been a member of the Playground-LA writers’ pool, where his short play “Love Language of Origin” was selected as the best of the 2023-24 season and received a commission to be developed into a full-length play. Michael is a graduate of the MFA program at San Jose State University.
Kelly O’Malley, Director
Kelly O’Malley is a Los Angeles based actress from Frisco, Texas. She studied acting at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting & Theatre - Los Angeles after graduating from Southern Methodist University with a double major in Religious Studies and Film & Media Arts. Her most recent works include short films Valentine's Day (dir. Tina Carbone) and Woman Reclining on Grass (dir. Claudia Doumit, The Boys) acting opposite Pete Gardner (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend)..
Meet the Cast
(Weekend 1)
Devon Michaels, Ezra
Devon Michaels is thrilled to be joining the cast of A Light in Dark Places. He directed Janielle Kastner’s “Feed Me” in the festival’s inaugural production, Owen Conway’s “Good Radio” in year three, and Kimberly Shimer's "Talking Over Tea" in year six.
Other LA directing highlights include "Who Made Robert DeNiro King of America?" by Jason Katims, “The Straight Bozo” by Tim McNeil, "Raised in Captivity" by Nicky Silver, and Julianne Grossman’s critically acclaimed “From Bonkers to Botox,” which was chosen to be part of HBO’s U.S. Comedy Festival in Aspen.
Devon grew up acting in New York theater, making his Broadway debut at age 12 and going on to perform in prominent Off-Broadway venues such as The Public (including two NY Shakespeare Festival productions at the Delacorte).
Since graduating Yale University and moving to LA, he’s made guest appearances on numerous TV series such as "House," “Monk,” and "Without a Trace." He is probably best known for his recurring role as Bill on the hit CW show “Gilmore Girls.” This past year Devon played an 1880s doctor in “Long Shadows” – a dramatic western with Dermot Mulroney premiering soon, and an amoral producer in “The Hermit” – a horror film starring Malina Pauli Weissman and Lou Ferrigno coming this fall. Most recently he returned to his roots in musical theater, playing Seymour in Big Bear Theatre Project’s “Little Shop of Horrors.”
Mason Heidger, Ezra
(Weekend 2)
Mason Heidger has been professionally acting for 14 years since graduating from The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, and even won Best Performance of the Year at The Actor’s Awards in 2019 for his work in the feature film “Making Time”. You can also see him as Officer Rucka in 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”.
Heather Marie Roberts, Nell
Heather is thrilled to be joining A Light in Dark Places for the 2 nd time! Her credits include – LA Theatre: Disasteroid!, Mr. Burns: a post-electric play, and Deadly at Sacred Fools; The Skin of Our Teeth, The Ghost Sonata, and The Queen Family’s Very Special Holiday Special at The Actors’s Gang; Twelfth Night, at a Noise Within; Dead Man’s Cell Phone at International City Theatre; and directing Black Tie & a Pretty Dress in the 2024 Hollywood Fringe Festival. Regional Theatre: Romeo and Juliet, Henry V, All’s Well That Ends Well, Love’s Labour;s Lost, and Richard II at Tennessee Shakespeare Company; Mame at The 5 th Avenue Theatre; and All’s Well That Ends Well at Seattle Shakespeare Co.
Bonnie McNeil, Mom
Bonnie McNeil is so happy to be part of A Light In Dark Places for the third time. She performed in Tim McNeil’s “Ellen”, Kimberly Shimer’s “Talking Over Tea”,and now in Michael P. Adams’ “Happy Merry”.
She is a proud graduate of The Stella Adler Academy of Acting Los Angeles, where she studied under Stella Adler,Joanne Linville, and Arthur Mendoza. She has been a member of this stunning faculty since 2012.
She has performed here in Six Degrees Of Separation, and The History Boys, directed by Milton Justice, and Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf, directed by Mark Ruffalo. She also performed in the world premiers of Machu Picchu Texas and Isaac Babel Andrew The Black Sea,both written and directed by Tim McNeil, and Hamlet written by well…
She was nominated for a Drama Critic’s Circle Award for her portrayal of Mabel in Tim McNeil’s Supernova, as part of The Elephant Theater Company, of which she was a member. As part of Page 93 Theater Company, she performed in the world premier of Margaret , written by Tim and directed by by Mark Ruffalo at The Hudson Backstage.She also acted in The Marriage Of Bette And Boo, A Stye In The Eye, and For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls, all by the late ,great, Christopher Durang, and Happy Birthday Wanda June, by Kurt Vonnegut and directed by Bob Weide. As part of The Company and under Milton Justice’s direction, she performed in Misalliance, A Private View, Entertaining Mr. Sloane, and Heartbreak by Jack Heifner, where she had the joy of originating the role of Karen.
Film credits are, Dead Women Walking, directed by Hagar Ben- Asher ( Tribeca Film Festival), Sympathy For Delicious, written by Christopher Thornton and directed by by Mark Ruffalo( Sundance Film Festival), As High As The Sky, written and directed by Nikki Braendlin( Carmel Film Festival, Jackson, Soho and too may too mention!)
She had the privilege of acting in Anything, written and directed by Tim McNeil, starring, Matt Bomer, John Caroline Lynch, and Maura Tierney( Los Angeles Film Festival , San Diego LGBTQ festival award winner)