The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

by Paul Zindel, directed by Caro Dubberly

About the Play

The play revolves around the dysfunctional Hunsdorfer family – self-centered and abusive mother, Beatrice, epileptic and unstable eldest daughter Ruth, and the quiet and brilliant youngest daughter, Tillie – during the science fair at Tillie and Ruth’s school. Beatrice, driven by her own failure, cannot abide the idea of Tillie succeeding in the fair or Ruth standing up to her; this leads to a push and pull of wit and psychological control between mother and daughters.

Dates

May 8-24, 2026

Showtimes

Fri & Sat: 8pm, 2pm

Runtime

2:30min

MEET THE DIRECTOR

Caro Dubberly directed “It Was a Dark and Stormy Night When…” at Silver Spring Stage for the 2024 One-Act Festival. Caro is a Helen Hayes-nominated member of Actor’s Equity Association who has played at Woolly Mammoth, Studio Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Mosaic Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, and Pittsburgh Public Theatre, among others. Caro’s original musical, A Guide to Modern Possession, was named Best of Fringe at the inaugural District Fringe Festival in 2025.
IG: @carodubb
Website: www.carodubberly.com.

Creative Team

Stage Manager

Rav’ven Wright

SET DESIGN

Kimberly Leone

LIGHTING

Trinity Joseph

SOUND

Caro Dubberly

Fight Choreographer

Jae K. Gee

Costume Designer

Stephenie Yee

Makeup Designer

McKenna Kelly

Producer

Saúl Díaz Cruz

Carpenter

Steven Leshin

Assistant Stage Manager

Evelyn Renshaw

Props Designer

Katherine Offutt Ross

Artistic Liaison

Seth Ghitelman

Cast & Bios

Jeanne M. Adams

Nanny

Jeanne M. Adams is an actor, director, and playwright from Florida where she appeared at a community and professional theaters in the Tampa Bay Area. Favorite roles include Evy Meara in The Gingerbread Lady and Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Favorite directing credits include Deathtrap, Frankenstein, and Sylvia. Training includes the University of South Florida, Anna Brennen at Stageworks and Corinne Broskette at Venue Theatre.

Irene Denniston

Ruth

Irene Denniston is a DC-based actor. Favorite credits include Jack in Lord of the Flies and Polonius in Hamlet (Company Carolina); Jenny June in Failure: A Love Story and Paulina in The Seagull (Kenan Theatre Company); and Cel in The Most Massive Woman Wins! (LAB! Theatre). Irene is a 2025 graduate of UNC- Chapel Hill and Shakespeare & Company’s Summer Shakespeare Intensive.

Patty Hall

u/s Ruth

Patty Hall (u/s Ruth) is thrilled to debut at Silver Spring Stage. She has previously appeared in productions at Methacton Community Theater and Allegheny College’s Student Experimental Theater.

Elizabeth Keith

Beatrice

Elizabeth Keith is thrilled to be a part of the Marigolds cast under the brilliant direction of Caro Dubberly. Elizabeth has been performing for over 25 years and was last seen in Two Across and Surviving Grace (Providence Players of Fairfax). Other recent roles include Boston Marriage (Dominion Stage), The Audience (The British Players), and August Osage County (Little Theater of Alexandria). She thanks her family and friends for their continued support and encouragement!

True Kelly

u/s Janice

True Kelly previously played Fan in A Christmas Carol (Ford’s Theater) and refugee/apparition in Macbeth with the Washington National Opera (The Kennedy Center). She was part of the ensemble of An English Country Christmas for The Revels (Cultural Arts Center at Montgomery College). She is excited to make her debut at Silver Spring Stage and thanks her family for supporting her through everything.

Brighida Abella Reynolds

u/s Tillie)

*Brighida Abella Reynolds is a junior at Montgomery Blair High School. Recent credits include Oaken/Queen Iduna in Frozen and Nurse in Romeo & Juliet (Montgomery Blair) and Taylor/G/Max/Ensemble in At the End of the World at Round House Theatre’s Teen Performance Company. She is a Lily McKee High School Fellow at the Folger Shakespeare Library. She thanks her family for their support and her director, Caro, for the lovely opportunity.
IG: @brighidaines