the cast
PHYLLIS KATZ (Gingy) is an actor, writer, director, improviser, and teacher. A former member of Chicago’s Second City Touring Company and a pioneer member, director, teacher, and current board member of The Groundlings Theatre, Phyllis designs and conducts improv, writing, character, musical improv, and corporate classes for clients as varied as LAOpera and Activision. She also has created and directed alternative theatre shows, including Opera Meets Improv, Clusterflag, and the popular spoof of personal essay shows, A Bunch of Losers Reading Their Essays. She is a recurring guest instructor at The Screen Acting Studio, The Actors Comedy Studio, ArtCenter College of Design, Margie Haber Studios, and The Collaborative. Her book Hipwrecked, a memoir of her trip to India for surgery, is available on Amazon, or she’ll be happy to read it to you over the phone, for a small fee.
(in alphabetical order)
SOPHIE LACHMAN (Company) is thrilled to be part of her 3rd production with the Foster Cats! She was born and raised right here in LA and went to school in New York City for American History, but decided to follow her first love - acting - right back home. She finds inspiration in storytellers like the Ephron sisters and feels incredibly lucky to get to share this story with all of you! Thank you to her wonderfully supportive family, friends, and the cast of Love, Loss, and What I Wore for this experience.
GABBY WELTMAN (Company) As someone who has, in fact, worn clothes, Gabby is thrilled to be making her Foster Cat debut in Love, Loss, and What I Wore! She recently wore clothes to USC where she graduated with an MFA in Acting. And while she is devastated to leave this run early, she is excited to understudy for Ophelia in CTG's production of Hamlet. Often sporting a monochrome tracksuit that has caused more than one stranger to ask about her due date, Gabby puts comfort first. That way, she is always prepared to play!
MARY MAY (Company) is very thankful to be making her debut with Foster Cat Productions with such a talented group of ladies! She would like to thank her Mother for being a constant inspiration and an example of what it means to truly love unconditionally, and her partner for all the meals he made for her while she was running between rehearsals and work. Other credits include: She Kills Monsters (Evil Tina), Clothes for a Summer Hotel (Sara Murphy), Journey Home (Director), Chekov Unrequited (Mary), Stupid F**king Bird (Mash), Stories of Us (Odette), The Wolves (Vocal Coach), Wonder of the World (Karla), One Man Two Guvnors (Rachel Crabbe), and Clybourne Park (Betsy/Lindsey).
Favorite outfit: Oversized T-Shirt and Underwear, with a pair of mismatched socks.
NATALIE FRIEDMAN (Company) is so excited to help share these beautiful stories with such an incredible team. Recent credits include: Mariachi Girl (La Mirada Theatre), MUTT: A New Musical, and Yerma (The Broadwater), for which she also composed original music. Natalie was also a Directing Apprentice for CTGLA’s production of Our Dear Dead Drug Lord in association with IAMA Theatre Co. In 2023, she received her BA in Theatre from Northwestern University where she performed in shows like Blood Wedding and In The Heights and directed multiple student-written plays. She also completed a semester at the British American Drama Academy. Natalie is represented by Stewart Talent. Much love to her family and to all the strong women in her life. Favorite outfit: my mom's...correction, my stolen white sundress with colorful Mexican-style embroidery on top. Gracias Ma. IG: @nataliefriedmann
MEGAN CACCAMO (Company) This is Megan’s first project with Foster Cat Production, but not her first rodeo. Hailing from the burbs of Illinois, she received her training through Columbia College Chicago. A recent Los Angeles transplant from Maui, where she appeared in countless plays such as A Few Good Men as Lt. Cmdr. Galloway, Strangers on a Train as Anne Faulkner, Clue as Mrs. White, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime as Siobhan to name a few. She’s taken an extensive acting intensive at AMAW under the guidance of Tony himself. She is currently seeking agency representation to pursue film as well. Thank you to the fabulous team at Foster Cat Productions for this opportunity and to her fabulous cast for a much needed slumber party of amazing women!
AMANDA DACKS (Company) is thrilled to be back onstage with the Love, Loss girlies! Her work as an actress and playwright centers around her experience as a young, Jewish woman growing up in the rural Midwest. Feeling different is a part of her DNA. You can catch her next in Chops coming out later this year!
Amanda is a proud graduate of Bradley University’s theatre department, a longtime student of Adam Lazarre-White, and a lover of long, flowy dresses...if she can ever find an occasion to wear one. Enjoy the show!
creative team
BLAKE FISHER (Co-Director) is so excited to be co-directing Love Loss & What I Wore and Moby Dick - Rehearsed! She would like to thank the entire Foster Cat Production team for this opportunity, as well as her family and friends for all their generosity and support. Big thanks to Harry White for keeping her sane. She would especially like to thank both her grandmothers who taught her everything there is to know about fashion…there better be a Marshalls in heaven!
HARRY WHITE (Co-Director) is recently recovering from a rare and tropical disease. He was happy the rest of the cast and crew allowed him to direct from inside a portable bubble. Much love to Louis the cat.
NORA EPHRON and DELIA EPHRON (Playwrights)
ILENE BECKERMAN (Based on the book by)
KIM IOSUE (Stage Manager)
MATTHEW STEWARD (Lighting and Sound Design)
IMPACT24 (Publicity)
DUSTY HEGER (Photography)
Who are the Foster Cats?
FOSTER CAT PRODUCTIONS (Producer) is a Los Angeles based theatre company, founded by alumni of Atlantic Theater Company's conservatory program. Our mission is to shine a light on lesser known works from great artists. FCP is dedicated to exploring pieces of theatre that join the actors and audience together, striving to challenge the status quo.
The name Foster Cat Productions is inspired by the artistic team's love for fostering sick and stray cats and finding them forever homes (~30 so far)!
Earlier this year, they brought Mel Brooks’ first ever musical, the forgotten “archy & mehitabel” to Hollywood. The Summer before that, the foster cats had a sold-out run of Power Plays by Elaine May and Alan Arkin at the iconic Groundlings theatre.
In 2023, the foster cats were put on the map from their production of An Evening of One-Acts by Ethan Coen to Hollywood in a sold-out run that was mentioned in the LA Times. Kicking off 2024, they had a successful 6-week run of their Festival of Jewish Playwrights, where they spotlighted more work by Shel Silverstein, Wendy Wasserstein and Ethan Coen. @fostercatproductions
a special thanks to:
Jonathan and Carla Sanger, Nancy Kramer, Joseph Markovitz, Jan McAdoo, Greg McAdoo, Rachel Kramer and Dusty Heger
