Maya is a short film about a Queer NYC stage manager reflecting on her break-up while trying to manage the rehearsal of a play about a gay couple falling in love.
"A story like Maya could have disrupted the detrimental effects of the palatable and exclusionary narratives I consumed growing up. In diverging from these narratives, we arm ourselves with the hope of a more comprehensive path to visibility and empathy. "
-Aury Krebs (Co-Developer, Maya)
Director's Note
"Maya was particularly exciting for me to direct because the only visible characters were women. We specifically chose to keep the men that appear in the film out of sight, which left me with two strong and dynamic femme characters that could take up space and fill the screen.
I had worked with both Erin and Aury before, which meant that we had a lot of room to play on the day. And specifically bringing Aury into the development end as we built the script, I knew I was working with an incredibly eloquent and passionate artist whose vulnerability and openness would bring a raw groundedness to both the script and the performances.
Maya is a story about the universal desire to be loved and both the pain and freedom that comes from letting go of the things (and people) that no longer serve us. "
-Maren Lavelle (Director, Co-Writer, Producer)
Cast & Creative Team
Maren Lavelle (DIRECTOR, CO-WRITER, PRODUCER) is a Brooklyn-based director, writer, and producer, and the co-founder of NYC-based production company, One-Eyed Rabbit. A graduate of Pace University's BFA Acting Program, and an original member of the José Rivera Writer's Group, Maren’s plays have premiered in various venues in NYC: Composition of a Woman (Westside Theatre, 440 Layfayette Studios), The Holding Room (The Sheen Center). Maren's screenwriting and directing are featured in the short films The Yard (2019) and Beyond Bone (2018). In 2020, Maren co-wrote and directed the short films Maya and Keeper.
Website: marenlavelle.com
Matt Steiner (CO-WRITER, PRODUCER) is an NYC-based actor, writer, and producer. As an actor, Matt has toured the country, performed Off-Broadway, and in film & television. From 2012-2017, Matt served as the Co-Artistic Director of The Representatives, a site-specific theater company, producing and starring in over 15+ original productions. Matt’s writing credits include the horror comedy short The Thing I Never Told You as well at the pilot script for the detective dramedy Little Dick, which was a Second Rounder at the 2019 Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Competition. Website: themarvelousmrmatt.com
Aury Krebs (CO-DEVELOPER, MAYA) is a Queer Brooklyn-based artist who is committed to the exploration and elevation of dynamic, intersectional storytelling. On-screen, Aury has appeared in the ABC Discovers Talent Showcase, Pink and Blue and Triple Threat. Last seen onstage in Darling Grenadine at Roundabout Theatre Company.
Chris Harral (DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY, EDITOR) is an NYC-based artist with a BFA in Acting from Pace University and additional training with the Barrow Group. Credits include: Out of the Blue: OSN (International tour), Veritas (The Representatives, NYC), Charlotte’s Web (TWUSA). Film/TV: Grave Mysteries, Speed Run (NYSFF Winner). Apart from acting, Christopher also works as a DP and Editor for small projects around the city. All credit to Jesus Christ. Instagram: @chrisjharral
Erin McCarthy (PHOEBE) (she/her) is a multi-faceted artist from Atlanta, Georgia. After moving to NYC and receiving a BFA in Acting, Erin moved back to Atlanta where she is currently working in finance in an effort to make economic and financial education more accessible. She returned to acting to play Phoebe in One-Eyed Rabbit's short film Maya in the summer of 2020, and is currently pursuing her Securities License.
Behind the Scenes
Thank You Five
Maya was developed as both a stand-alone short film in addition to serving as a proof of concept for Thank You Five, a new short form anthology series about the unique and often unseen lives of stage managers as they live, work, and love behind the curtain.
Each episode will explore the life of a different stage manager in New York City and other theater-making cities around the world. The series is a love letter to the hardest working people in show business and a chance to shine a light on those typically in the shadows.
Think High Maintenance meets Slings and Arrows--but with stage managers!