CATSKILL, NY — Bridge Street Theatre has announced the cast for its upcoming production of “Bakersfield Mist” by Stephen Sachs, opening April 16 and launching the theatre’s 2026 MainStage season.
This is a play that lives and dies on two actors—and we have two really exceptional ones. This funny, volatile, and high-stakes production will star Lusia Strus as Maude Gutman and Conan McCarty as Lionel Percy.
Inspired by true events, “Bakersfield Mist” follows Maude, a brash and determined woman living in a trailer park outside Bakersfield, California, who purchases a painting from a thrift store and becomes convinced it is a long-lost masterpiece by Jackson Pollock worth millions. When she summons Lionel Percy, a world-class art expert from New York City, to authenticate the piece, what begins as a simple evaluation erupts into a gripping and hilarious clash of wills, as hard-smoking, hard-drinking Maude and Lionel, the art connoisseur, go head-to-head over the power of belief—and whose opinions matter.
Bridge Street Theatre is so pleased to welcome Lusia Strus to our stage—and to Catskill. Lusia is an acclaimed stage and screen actor, playwright, and performance artist whose work spans Broadway, major regional theatres, film, and television. A longtime core member of Chicago’s celebrated Neo-Futurists ensemble since 1993, she has helped create and perform in the landmark production “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind,” one of the longest-running shows in Chicago theatre history. Her stage credits include work with Steppenwolf Theatre Company (earning a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for “Good People”), Broadway productions of “Enron” and “Elling,” and numerous Off-Broadway and regional productions.
On screen, Strus is widely recognized for standout roles in films including “50 First Dates” opposite Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, “Miss Congeniality 2,” “Buffaloed,” and Pixar’s Academy Award–winning “Soul.” Her television work includes recurring roles on “Good Behavior” and “Claws,” as well as appearances on “Modern Family,” “The Blacklist,” and “Search Party.” Known for her fearless humor, emotional depth, and a presence that’s both delightfully unpredictable and deeply human, Strus brings a powerful combination of grit, vulnerability, and comic precision to the role of Maude.
Conan McCarty also makes his Bridge Street Theatre debut in “Bakersfield Mist,” and Catskill audiences are in for a treat. A veteran stage actor, Conan brings an extensive body of work spanning Broadway, Off-Broadway, and leading regional theatres across the country. His New York credits include appearances with Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Theatre Workshop, The Public Theater’s Delacorte stage, and 59E59 Theaters. Regionally, he has performed with companies such as Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Old Globe, Denver Theatre Center, the Alley Theatre, and Shakespeare Santa Cruz.
McCarty’s repertoire encompasses a wide range of classical and contemporary playwrights, including Shakespeare, Shaw, Chekhov, Mamet, Shepard, Sorkin, and Durang, reflecting a career grounded in language, precision, and a deep engagement with complex texts. His extensive experience with language-driven plays and intellectually rigorous material makes him an ideal match for the exacting, high-stakes role of Lionel Percy.
This season-opening production is directed by Mark Perry, Bridge Street Theatre’s Acting Artistic Director, with lighting design by John Sowle and stage management by Timothy Dunn.
Performances of “Bakersfield Mist” run April 16–26, 2026, with shows Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm.
Tickets are available now at BridgeSt.org, where audiences can also purchase discounted 2026 season packages.
Opening Bridge Street Theatre’s 2026 MainStage season, “Bakersfield Mist” sets the tone for a year of bold, intimate storytelling centered on the deeply human need to be seen — and what happens when that need is denied, challenged, or finally fulfilled.
ABOUT BRIDGE STREET THEATRE
Bridge Street Theatre is a professional theatre in Catskill, NY, dedicated to producing bold new work, adventurous revivals, and intimate, artist-driven performance. Since its founding in 2014, BST has become a vital cultural destination in the Hudson Valley, offering audiences a chance to experience powerful stories up close in a uniquely immersive setting.