For fans of Gone Girl, Twin Peaks, True Detective and Ozark.
Following the mysterious death of her estranged childhood sweetheart, Amitra returns home for the first time in sixteen years and is plunged into a nightmare of secrets and lies. In this gripping psychological thriller, the ancient Pacific Northwest Forest engulfs the house and long-buried memories surface, forcing Amitra to confront the ghosts of her past in order to survive the present. With its masterful blend of mystery, suspense, and raw emotion, BLACK BEAR ISLAND explores the haunting power of guilt and the dangerous allure of nostalgia where reality blurs and the past refuses to stay buried.
This 2023 Mazumdar Award-winning new play is an unforgettable theatrical experience that will leave you questioning the nature of reality.
The Acting Company
Karissa Murrell Myers
Karissa Murrell Myers is a Filipino-American theatre artist based in Chicago, where she works as a playwright, actor, producer, and casting director. She serves as the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Bramble Theatre Company.
An O’Neill finalist, her plays include ON THE GREENBELT, BLACK BEAR ISLAND, BLOOD OF MY MOTHER’S, THE RED FORTUNE COOKIE, HOW TO MURDER…, FRAGMENTED, and HOW DO WE NAVIGATE SPACE? Her work has been developed and/or produced at Goodman Theatre, Strawdog Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, A Red Orchid Theatre, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, The Gift Theatre, American Blues Theatre, Silk Road, Oregon Contemporary Theatre, City Theatre, Boise Contemporary Theatre, Avalanche Theatre, Broken Nose Theatre, Best of Playground-Chicago, Our Perspective: Asian American Plays, and Bramble.
BLACK BEAR ISLAND was a Finalist for the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. Karissa received an "Outstanding New Work" Jeff Awards nomination for the world premiere of ON THE GREENBELT, and is a three-time Semi-Finalist for the Blue Ink Awards.
Her stage acting credits include working at Court Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Goodman Theatre, The House Theatre of Chicago, and Renaissance Theaterworks. Television work: Chicago Med, Chicago PD, The Big Leap, Exorcist, and Electric Dreams. She is the resident Casting Director for Strawdog, and works as a freelance casting director and consultant for various theatre companies around the US. She was featured in American Theatre Magazine’s “Theatre Workers You Should Know” for her work in casting, and in Newcity Stage's "Players 2023: Who Really Performs in Chicago Right Now". She teaches at the University of Illinois Chicago as an adjunct faculty member and has guest lectured at DePaul University, Ball State, and Utah State University.
MFA in Performance from University of Hawaii at Manoa, BA in Directing and Acting from Boise State University, and proud graduate of The School at Steppenwolf 2019. Member of SAG-AFTRA and The Dramatist Guild.
