The Lifespan of a Fact

Emily Lynn Cornelius (Emily Penrose) is delighted to be back onstage at 6th Street Playhouse, where she began her theatrical career with Santa Rosa Players. After her time away with New Theater in Miami, the San Diego Repertory Theater, Ohio Light Opera, Victor Herbert Renaissance Project, and the Metropolitan Opera, she is happy to be a part of the vibrant theatre scene in Sonoma County. At the Playhouse, she directed this season’s Mary Poppins, co-directed last season’s The Pirates of Penzance and Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville, and directed She Loves Me for the Playhouse’s 2023-2024 season. Other recent local directorial work includes The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, Ham for the Holidays, and Tuck Everlasting.

Shanay Howell (Emily Penrose – U/S and Alternate) is thrilled to return to 6th Street Playhouse where she made her theatrical debut as Clyde in last season’s Clyde’s. She has also played Lucinda in Into the Woods (Spreckels Theatre Company); and Actor 3 in Bootycandy (Left Edge Theatre). Most recently, Shanay switched gears and joined the production team at Left Edge Theatre to stage manage We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884–1915. She is excited to bring this impactful piece to life as she works with an amazing director, an incredible production team, and a group of talented performers – including her former Clyde’s director (talk about a full circle moment)! Shanay thanks her family and friends for their constant love and screaming-from-the-rooftop support on this new adventure.

Marty Pistone (John D’Agata) is pleased to appear as John D’Agata in The Lifespan of a Fact at 6th Street Playhouse. An accomplished actor with over 50 years of experience, Marty is a graduate of the American Conservatory Theatre’s MFA program and has taught at Studio ACT, Stanford CSP, NYU, Juilliard, and the San Francisco Ballet. His film credits include Dogma, One Man’s Hero, The Mask of Zorro, and Star Trek IV, among others. Marty has performed at American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and San Jose Repertory Theatre, and has directed Clyde’s, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, To Kill a Mockingbird, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He is drawn to John D’Agata’s need to transform tragedy into meaning. This drives his need to shape facts into a deeper truth, believing that emotional impact can reach people in ways raw data cannot—and in doing so, give the story meaning.