Streaming Encore Dec 5th

Mass Appeal by Bill C Davis
Starring Richard Rivera & Timothy R Benson
This thoughtful, powerful and funny play deals with the generation gap found in the priesthood.   Mark Dolson, a young seminarian, comes to study and work with Father Tim Farley, an older priest who has burned out internally, his faith and his passion but has years of experience in the showmanship of the priesthood. When young Dolson begins to call Father Farley on his sloppy, passionless, theology and his contradictions in his life, the fire roars. Before it is over, both men learn from one another and form a bond.
Directed by Jerry Pilato

Cast & Crew

RICHARD RIVERA (Father Tim Farley) Richard is delighted to be returning to Point Loma Playhouse and working with Tim Benson and director Jerry Pilato. “Mass Appeal” marks Richard’s fourth show with PLP and Jerry Pilato – and he couldn’t be happier with the opportunity. His three previous shows were: “Clever Little Lies,” “One Slight Hitch” and “The Fantasticks” (Winner, 2019 San Diego Aubrey Award, Minor Support Actor Musical). Richard describes “Mass Appeal” as a funny, loving and sometimes heartbreaking story about two people trying to understand each other, and in the process, discover much more about themselves. As the play unfolds each character reveals his own clever, little lies, offering up one, slight hitch after another of surprises - and the result is, in a word, fantastic! Richard has also appeared at other regional theatres, including: OnStage Playhouse: Going To A Place Where You Already Are; PowPAC Theatre: Private Lives (Winner, 2020 Aubrey Award, Lead Actor Comedy); Lamplighters Theatre: The Sunshine Boys and The Dresser; Broadway Theatre, Vista: Lost in Yonkers; Coronado Playhouse: King Charles III (Winner, 2018 Aubrey Award, Lead Actor Drama); Patio Playhouse: Pygmalion and Moon Over Buffalo; and Shakespeare in the Vines, Temecula: King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar, The Winter’s Tale. (Winner, 2018 Inland Theatre League Award) and Equivocation (Winner, 2017 Founders Award, Inland Theatre League). Please enjoy “Mass Appeal”!

TIMOTHY R BENSON (Mark Dolson) is ecstatic to be returning to the virtual stage with the Point Loma Playhouse. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and New England seasons, he has traded all that in for the Hollywood lifestyle of stage and the west coast. His passion for theatre budded in high school, and blossomed upon setting roots in California. He has had the pleasure of acting across San Diego county in such plays as A Nice Family Christmas at the Broadway Theatre in Vista, All My Sons at Community Actors Theatre, Redesigning Women at the Diversionary Theatre, Somewhere in Between at the OB Playhouse, The Psychic with Different Stages, First Night at Point Loma Playhouse, and Arsenic and Old Lace at the Welk Resort, to name a few. He is grateful to you, the audience, for giving him a chance to get out of the house and give a socially distanced performance. With all the challenges everyone faces in this new age, he is enthralled to find new ways to keep theatre alive and well. He hopes you stay safe, and offers a virtual high five to you for staying safe as well.

Erica (Stage Manager) is excited to bring her film and theatre experience together to bring Mass Appeal to the community in such a strange time. The show promotes a message of community, support and honesty and she hopes it inspires its viewers to remember the values that matter most. She looks forward to when we can all be together again. For now, stay safe, stay connected and strong.

Jay Maloney(Set Design) – After spending over 20 years in broadcast television, Jay is excited to bring his EMMY Award winning skills to the stage. Jay's work has been seen on our PLP stage with One Slight Hitch, First Night, Making God Laugh and The Fantasticks. He sends much love to his Aubrey winning wife Deirdre and looks forward to working together with her on future productions. A special thank you to the team at Point Loma Playhouse for having the drive and courage to put on this production in our current environment as we look forward to a great future!

Mary Dietz (Scenic Design)Mary is native to St. Louis, Missouri, and holds a master’s degree in English. She spent a long career teaching writing. When she moved to San Diego in 2003, she studied acting with Holly Ritter to get an actor’s perspective on what makes a good play or screenplay. Mary first came to the Point Loma Playhouse as a writer with the 24 Experiment in 2012. Since then she has taken PLA workshops, painted the stage for Tally’s Folly and A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking, and helped with box office, concessions, and tech duties. She’s engaging every aspect of theatre craft that she can in preparation for her own plays going into production.

Robinawitz Demi is a cinematographer and filmmaker who specializes in narrative films. He has shot several award winning short films and has done a wide range of work in the commercial sector, including real estate photography, documentary, and sports videography.

About the Director

Jerry Pilato (Director) attended the University of The Incarnate Word in San Antonio with a major in Theatre. Moving to San Diego in 2005 he has directed on numerous local stages including: The Broadway Theatre and The AVO Playhouse in Vista, The Sunshine Brooks Theatre in Oceanside, 6th@Penn (Ion), Lamplighters, The Horton Grand, Ocean Beach and Playhouse, OB Playhouse. For PLP productions include Speed The Plow, Clever Little Lies, Building The Wall, First Night, One Slight Hitch and The Fantasticks. He has been awarded Best Director awards from the Alamo Theatre Arts Council, in San Antonio for Chicago, and When Pigs Fly (Musical), I Hate Hamlet and First Night (comedy), American Buffalo, and Taking Sides (drama). For Different Stages/San Diego he has directed: The Dixie Swim Club, The Psychic, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, MOMologues, Race, Last Train To Nibroc, and Lone Star Laundry and Bourbon among others.