Spotlgiht On...Courtney Powell

Name: Courtney Powell (Occasionally Courtney Pink!)

Hometown: Sydney, Australia

Education: Bachelor of Creative Arts (International Studies) in Drama/Music Performance. Postgraduate in Secondary Teaching (Drama/Music)

Select Credits: Off-Broadway- Crab House – A New Musical (Ruth, Joe Kiely Productions), Central Park The Musical (Tour Guide #6, Times Square International Theatre Festival); UK tours/ Edinburgh Fringe Festivals- Crab House – A New Musical (Ruth), Sugar & Vice – All The Men We’ve Never Slept With (Sugar), Princess Cabaret (Cinderella, Tumbleweed Productions). EDGES: A Song Cycle (Woman #2, Lighthouse Theatre), Personals (Kim, Lighthouse Theatre). 4.48 Psychosis (Actor, dir. David Koumans), My Fair Lady (Eliza Doolittle, The Marian Street Theatre). Backing/Recording Vocalist for "Australian Idol", Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Host of "Humphrey B. Bear Live!" (an Australian kids TV show)

Why theater?: That’s a really great question. Why theater? Why choose a career that is so fraught with uncertainties and unknowns? Why choose to compete with so many thousands of other people for that one role? Why choose the only thing in your life that you’ve ever been passionate about? Why choose the one thing that makes you feel like you’re contributing something, that makes you feel worthy? Because you have to. You must. I must. It’s the only thing I’ve ever been certain about in my entire life. I choose theater, because it is the closest I have ever been to complete, true happiness. And you sometimes get to wear wigs. Definitely an incentive. Ha!

Tell us about Sugar & Vice: Sugar & Vice – All The Men We’ve Never Slept With: In 2008, I wrote All The Men I've Never Slept With, as a one-woman-and-her-piano show. It chronicled ten different guys that I had been with, but never slept with, each with their own song. In its original state, I wanted the show to showcase the adventures of a twenty-something virgin, and the weird stuff/guys I encountered along the way. But after realising that who the hell would pay money to see a show about a frigid twenty-one year old, I decided the show needed some sp(V)icing up! After some serious cross-continental skyping with Brydie, we found that combining my traditional views on sex (the Sugar part), and Brydie's enviable sexual adventures (the Vice part), would prove a far sexier show! We added new songs, a few surprises for the audience, and the rest is history!

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theatre that isn’t self-indulgent, and that is being performed for its audience, not just for the sake of being performed. I feel that then is when theatre is at its most powerful - when the audience has been considered. My close friend Linnea Larsdotter. We worked on the Off-Broadway production of Crab House together, and she’s easily one of the most dedicated, proactive, and talented performers on the circuit. She always has her head in the game, and is such an inspiration. She continually gives me advice and support, which is absolutely priceless. And Joe Kiely, the composer of Crab House, and one of my best friends in the world. His perseverance in all areas of the creative arts is unparalleled, and he is the most talented composer/performer/creative all-rounder I know. He knows how to write for the stage and screen, and in a way that truly captivates his audience. I can safely say that his is a name you will be hearing about in the not-too-distant future.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Velma Kelly. That is my dream role! Well, to be honest, any role in Chicago would be incredible. And let's be honest, who wouldn't kill to play Elle Woods in Legally Blonde?

What’s your favorite showtune?: It's not a classic showtune, but I love "Live In Living Color" from Catch Me If You Can. And I know they’re not really show tunes, but anything that was ever composed for "Smash", I love!

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I would love to be directed by Michael Gondry ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"). Stephen Schwartz would be a dream. Geoffrey Rush, Paul Rudd, Stephen Oremus, Leo DiCaprio. The list goes on!

Who would play you in a movie about yourself, and what would it be called?: Oh wow. Well, in a dream world, Kate Winslet. She is nothing short of spectacular. And what would it be called? "You Only Get To Do This Once". Because, well, you do!

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I recently saw Alan Cumming's Macbeth, and it’s one of the best plays I’ve seen in a long, long time! And Newsies – such a brilliant show.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Ben. And Jerry. Together. Straight from the freezer. With a side of The Property Brothers on HGTV.

What’s up next?: I’m currently on tour in Australia/UK/Europe for the summer! Then back to New York in September – because, you know, it’s “the center of the universe”.

Spotlight On...Morgan Gould

Name: Morgan Gould

Hometown: Cape Cod, MA

Education: Fordham University, Lincoln Center

Favorite Credits: When I was 10 I played Maleficent in a production of Sleeping Beauty that my teacher just transcribed from the Disney movie and my favorite line was "all these years they've been looking for a baby?!"

Why theater?: You sound like my parents. Except they cry when they say it.

Tell us about Dog Eat Dog?: DOG EAT DOG is a play about being fat that I made with my company, Morgan Gould & Friends. I personally felt that I had never seen a play that represented the way I feel about that without resorting to being some annoying play about body image or an eating disorder or some melodrama with DJ Tanner fainting on the treadmill (fat people don't use treadmills-DUH). So I made this piece (despite warring with my general lack of interest in "body plays"). My team and I worked to try and find a way to explode and rage against that genre, rather that try to imitate or fulfill it. So we'll see if it worked. And if it didn't, I'll eat some cake to make the feelings stop.

What inspired you to create Dog Eat Dog?: Being fat and also being bored at the theater. Also my incredible Morgan Gould & Friends company members featured here in our video mission statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGY4UDaR8Z8

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Funny, scary, mean, honest, not boring, fast moving, not pretentious, not about a girl who  is too damaged to love the really sweet boy that has finally crossed her path in the office they both work in where she is trying to get ahead but gender oppression is keeping her down and then the boy who loves her gets the promotion because she won't sleep with the boss and the boy has to decide do I take the job or is she more important? I'm inspired by TV shows because I think they know what people want to see, often more than lots of theater does. I'm inspired by funny people. God, I know some really funny people. I want to top them. I like competition. I'm inspired by Extreme Home Makeover. I'm inspired by New York. Lots of writers I know personally inspire me. MATTHEW PAUL OLMOS INSPIRES ME. He is the wind beneath my wings. (But for reals, he's a great writer and an even greater guy, don't tell him I told ya.)

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I want to make a show for Megan Hill and Michael Cyril Creighton where they play star-crossed lovers through space and time. Each scene would begin with the line, "You. It's you." That would be amazing. I would love to see that play.Also I would love to work with Abby Lee Miller from "Dance Moms". Or just hang out with her. I love her. And I think she's a brilliant artist. I'm not joking.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Book of Mormon. Debate Society things. Clubbed Thumb things. It was awhile back, but I saw Lisa Kron's In the Wake twice and cried both times like a baby. I mostly recommend TV shows. They are cheaper and you can wear pajamas to them.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I think Amir Wachterman, a founding Morgan Gould & Friends company member would be the only person I could imagine. Plus, he wears my clothes better than me...um, I'm GUESSING. Ha, of course I would have no way to know that. No way at all. It would be called "Fat on a Hot Tin Roof". Or maybe "The Little Mermaid".

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: My favorite part of being an artist is nothing makes me feel guilty. (Or maybe that's my favorite part of being a sociopath?) I just mean in terms of indulgence. Not like, killing cats. I can indulge in anything--like, I love reality TV. But it's "research" and I "need to be clicked in to pop culture". Or like, I love staying inside sometimes when it's REALLY CRIMINALLY nice out. But it's because "I'm writing". Or, oh, I have to cancel on that friend because "I'm under a deadline".  By the way if I ever cancel on you by saying I'm under a deadline, I promise, that's real.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Probably richer. Or at least more well adjusted and functioning.

What’s up next?: Come see DOG EAT DOG August 1-4 at HERE Arts Center! http://here.org/shows/detail/1241/ It's 60 minutes! You can't beat that!

Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgan-Gould-Friends/368146593281951?ref=hl

You can also follow my blog, which is just little snippets of conversation I overhear in New York. http://didhejustcallmefat.blogspot.com/

Spotlight On...Amir Wachterman

Name: Amir Wachterman

Hometown: Reshon LeZion, Israel and Denver, Colorado. A little of both.

Education: Fordham University at Lincoln Center & Actor’s Theatre of Louisville Apprenticeship

Select Credits: Clown Bar (Pipeline), Oh Gastronomy (Humana Festival), Losing Tom Pecinka (Here Arts Center), Christmas Story and Sense & Sensibility (Actors Theatre of Louisville), 12 Incompetent Men (NY Fringe) and has worked with New Georges, Clubbed Thumb, CollaborationTown and EST. Amir is a lead collaborator with Morgan Gould & Friends, a new theater company under the direction of writer/ director Morgan Gould .

Why theater?: I woke up one day and was like “I don’t want to be a surgeon anymore!”

Tell us about Dog Eat Dog: Well…it’s about different things people are dealing with in the world. It gets inside that. And really goes there. Sometimes we all do, so we need that kind of information. Otherwise, why are we dealing with it? What is essential to infrastructure or is it just a big mess? It's CRAZY. So we dive deep into it. Magic? Maybe. Dance. Always.

What is it like being a part of Dog Eat Dog?: It is the most exciting time of my life, but also it’s just ok. I like it.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theatre that is funny, fast, short, good, intense, blood, smart, not boring, amazing, or about Jewish things or Gay things. Favorite Artist:, Deirdre O'Connell, Young Jean Lee, David Adjmi, Lisa Kron, Quincy Tyler Bernstein, Lucas Hnath

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Jody in "Center Stage". The film explores the issues and difficulties in the world of professional dance, and how each individual copes with the stresses.

What’s your favorite showtune?: “If I Were a Rich Man Deidle deidle deedle deedle deedle deidle dum”

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Rachel Maddow

What show have you recommended to your friends?: We’re Gonna Die-Young Jean Lee at LCT3

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Extortion

What’s up next?: September

Spotlight On...Eamonn Farrell

Name: Eamonn Farrell

Hometown: Brooklyn

Education: Duke University, BA in Theatre Studies

Favorite Credits: Mabou Mines Dollhouse, LIEBE LOVE AMOUR!, The Turing Opera, The Best

Why theater?: This is a big question nowadays because media and film is such a dominant force in our contemporary culture. Also, film and video is such an attractive medium for an artist because of the fluidity and transformative possibilities it offers. But nothing can replace the immediacy of people coming together in a space to participate in a piece of theatre. Anonymous Ensemble uses a lot of video in our productions so that we can use some of the flexibility of that medium but we are committed to the liveness of theatre.

Tell us about I Land: I Land is an experiment in which we are really focusing on the live aspect of theater and creating a show that is profoundly different each night. We are making a performance vessel that that the audience fills each show with their own life stories and imaginations.

What inspired you to create I Land?: We started to play with incorporating audience members’ stories in our last show, LIEBE LOVE AMOUR! and were really excited about the possibilities that it offered. So we wanted to make a show that really explores this new form of theater.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I am inspired by anything that really tries something new. I love the excitement of witnessing a new Idea stumbling onto a stage or perhaps taking flight.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I’d love working with people who don’t normally go to experimental theatre. Since Anonymous Ensemble’s pieces are increasingly collaborations with the audiences - I would love to reach out to communities and audiences who offer different perspectives.

What shows have you recommended to your friends?: I love pretty much anything that Nature Theatre of Oklahoma does - also Gob Squad.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I guess I would play myself. But it would be a movie created live onstage and it would perhaps be called I Land.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Reality TV. I had to get rid of cable to curb my Bravo habit.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Working in film and video. But I do that too so maybe that’s not answering the question?

What’s up next?: We are dreaming up some sort of interactive web video experience that is along the lines of this one but better.

For more on Anonymous Ensemble, visit http://anonymousensemble.org/AnEnBlog/

Storming the Castle with...Stephen Mrowiec

Name: Stephen Mrowiec

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Who do you play in The Castle: I play Brian, "a builder's mate," and several smaller roles as well.

Tell us about The Castle: The playwright's own subtitle for his piece is more than sufficient for the purpose, I think. The Castle is, in every sense, "a Triumph."

Describe The Castle in three words: Exhilarating, Maddening, Masterful

Which company member is most likely to end up carrying a corpse for life?: Jan Maxwell already carries around the respective corpses of several Tony Voters. She'll show them to you, if you ask nicely.

Most likely to have no opinion?: Goodgal.

Most likely to draw pornographic pictures?: Robert Zukerman knows them when he sees them.

End up a prisoner: I was under the impression I was already a prisoner.

Be an actual witch: I don't like to cast aspersions.

To get pregnant after 40?: It's a private matter.

Who’s the best builder?: This is really a show about demolition..

Why should we come see The Castle?: This is a masterpiece.

Spotlight On...Robb Sapp

Name: Robb Sapp

Hometown: Solon, OH

Education: BFA from Syracuse University

Select Credits: Wicked (Boq, Broadway), Shrek the Musical (Pinocchio, Broadway), Lion King (Ed, Las Vegas), Happiness (Mick Jagger, Lincoln Center Theater), Zanna, Don’t! (Tank, Off-Broadway)

Why theater?: I have always been entranced by how transportive a theatrical experience can be. As a child, I would enlist the help of my cousins to make videos, roller skating spectaculars, haunted houses, WWF-esque wrestling events, basement/garage productions of Cats, as well as “original” pieces of “theatre”. I’ve offered to pay for their therapy all these years later, but none of them have taken me up on it.

Tell us about Marry Harry: Marry Harry is sweet new musical about a man and a woman both on the verge of 30 both trying to find independence from their respective parents.

What is it like being a part of Marry Harry?: It has been both challenging and rewarding. The challenge has been learning such a huge role in such a short amount of time. The rewards have been working with such an incredible company of artists and taking on a role so early in the life of a piece. The creators have been extremely open to our input and we have really been made to feel like our feedback has helped shape this version of the show.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I am a pretty easy audience member to please. I love the conventions of theatre-going, so I am almost immediately won over just sitting in a theatre seat. That said, I enjoy a good, heavy family drama, with a twist. Or musicals that are epic and lush. I also saw Footloose four times when it was on Broadway. So, there’s that. Don’t judge. I am inspired by collaboration and an openness to exploration. I am drawn to people who see possibility in everything, so my favorite experiences have been in environments where there are no wrong choices.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I would love to play Louis Ironson in Angels in America and Leo Frank in Parade.

What’s your favorite showtune?: It’s a toss up between “If I Loved You” from Carousel and “New Music” from Ragtime.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Hal Prince.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I would play me, of course. It would be called “Unnecessary Consonants”. With that title, it would probably go straight to dvd.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Matilda

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: New Kids On The Block

What’s up next?: 8 years ago, I started a creative studio with some of my best friends called dirty sugar. We have a bunch of projects coming up in August that will have me pretty busy, but I also have a few mini vacations coming up! It’s all about balance.

Rolling in the Dough with...Aubrey Dube

Name: Aubrey Dube

Hometown: Tlokweng, Gaborone, Botswana

Who do you play in Serious Money?: Nigel Ajibala

Tell us about Serious Money: Its epic!

Describe Serious Money in 3 words: Turnt up (that’s one word by the way), provocative, necessary

Which company member is most likely to be the richest?: Me

Most likely to solve a murder mystery?: Steve Dykes

Most likely to get offed?: Steve M

Who’s the sneakiest?: hehe

Sleaziest?: haha

Cocaine or champagne?: You pick

Favorite 80s song?: The Specials – “Ghost Town”

Why should we come see Serious Money?: I don’t think you should, I think you MUST!

Rolling in the Dough with...Mari Vial-Golden

Name: Mari Vial-Golden

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Who do you play in Serious Money?: Kathy, Smith, Ensemble

Tell us about Serious Money: It is a clever, dark comedy about the financial world in the '80's and greedy people who value money over everything else. (Which I find delightfully ironic since we are actors).

Describe Serious Money in 3 words: Money, greed, cocaine

Which company member is most likely to be the richest?: Madeley Crenshaw-Dykes. She's the youngest company member so if she starts now she has the most time to get rich.

Most likely to solve a murder mystery?: Steve Dykes. He seems to know everything...

Most likely to get offed?: Definitely one of the men because the women have all the weapons. (Hot rollers, teasing combs, hairspray, and pounds of makeup that could be very toxic if "accidentally" ingested)

Who’s the sneakiest?: Alicia Evancho, choreographer and accompanist. She wears the coolest shades.

Sleaziest?: I don't know if I should answer this one.

Cocaine or champagne?: Both?

Favorite 80s song?: "Once In a Lifetime" - Talking Heads (very early 80's, I know, but you really can't beat it)

Why should we come see Serious Money?: Amazing dance numbers. Cool accents. Shocking language. You'll have a scandalously fun time.

Spotlight On...Trevor Bachman

Name: Trevor Bachman

Hometown: Rochester, NY

Education: BFA NYU Tisch

Favorite Credits: As a composer, Marat/Sade, Coromandel, and Pyre Cantata. As a musical director, The Daughters, NYU Reality Show Abu Dhabi, and The NYU N'Harmonics!

Why theater?: When I was little, I would build miniature movie sets around my house. I'd collect all of my toys and cast them in the roles that I wanted them to play (usually as characters from "The Wizard of Oz" or a film I'd recently seen on HBO) and they would reenact the whole story. Sometimes alongside the movie, but usually I would play all of the parts.

Tell us about Coromandel?: Coromandel is a bizarre musical odyssey through the mind of poet Edward Lear. Comprised of six 10-minute operas, all written in different styles of music, the play is about an old man who finds himself at the end of his life, with only the characters he has written remaining in his memory. It is a whimsical music box about the limits of our own biological clocks... but told for children!!

What inspired you to create Coromandel?: Coromandel arose out of my frustration with bad musical theatre. Normal musicals, about normal people, singing about normal things. We have this amazing device called theatre that allows us to open up crazy, impossible worlds and discuss very difficult existential issues! By creating a world that was so outlandish and absurd, there was more of a truthful parallel to our world than there was in a musical about, say, BIG NYC DREAMS.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I like theater that knows what it's about, that takes care of its audience, and tells the truth. I am always very inspired by my peers; directors, dramaturgs, and performers, who are relentlessly pursuing exciting new ways of storytelling.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Michael John LaChiusa hands down. His music is a.) beastly and b.) EVERY NOTE is dripping with emotional, action-filled story.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: See What I Wanna See... now that we're talking about LaChiusa. Download the album. Right now.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I might be played by Elijah Wood, and the title may just be signified by a series of eighth note triplets and a lot of melismas.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I will see your dog on the street, and I will surely stare at it till it notices me.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Musicologist.

What’s up next?: Coromandel will premier at Dixon Place July 29th at 7:30! And just two weeks after, I will be performing in my debut concert, Trevor Bachman: Songs of a Brave Soldier, at JOE'S PUB, August 12th at 7:30pm. For more information, check out trevorbachman.com

Storming the Castle with...Sumire Doi

Name: Sumire Doi   

Hometown: I make myself at home everywhere I go

Who do you play in The Castle: Assistant to the Director

Tell us about The Castle: Soldiers return from the Crusades to find their home completely changed. To win the battle of the sexes, religion and arms, they begin to build the castle. But the castle is not a house. 

Describe The Castle in 3 words: Poetic, disgusting, beautiful

Which company member is most likely to end up carrying a corpse for life?: Jan Maxwell

Most likely to have no opinion?: Everyone in the company is very opinionated…

Most likely to draw pornographic pictures?: Stephen Mrowiec

End up a prisoner?: Aubrey Dube

Be an actual witch?: Robert Zukerman

To get pregnant after 40?: Brent Langdon

Who’s the best builder?: Noah Berman

Why should we come see The Castle: Because every word is a suffering, but the company brings out the humor in a beautiful but tragic way. It is a colossal play realized by a fantastic company.

Storming the Castle with...Rachel Goodgal

Name: Rachel Goodgal

Hometown: Wyckoff, NJ

Who do you play in The Castle: Barbara (officially: Cant’s Gang)

Tell us about The Castle: The Castle is an epic work that is a struggle to summarize.  It is a love story, but especially in act 2, it focuses mostly on the consequences of lost love.  It is a social commentary that spans diverse issues.  It requires intense concentration to follow and can be a trying experience for the audience.

Describe The Castle in 3 words: Complex, intense, emotional

Which company member is most likely to end up carrying a corpse for life?: Zukerman.  He could handle anything.

Most likely to have no opinion?: Everyone in this company has strong opinions.

Most likely to draw pornographic pictures?: No comment.  (…maybe I’m the one with no opinion…)

End up a prisoner?: Steve Dykes, but he’d talk his way out of it.

Be an actual witch?: Missa.  She has the hair for it.

To get pregnant after 40?: Sumi.  She’ll be young forever.

Who’s the best builder?: Eric Marlin

Why should we come see The Castle: The performances are incredible.  It has been a joy for me to watch and learn from our amazing professional company of actors, and I think the audience will be blown away by some stellar performances.

Rolling in the Dough with...Molly O'Keefe

Name: Molly O'Keefe

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Who do you play in Serious Money?: Stockjobber, Joanne

Tell us about Serious Money: It's an edgy comedy about corporate greed in the 1980's London, but it may as well be about Wall Street today. 

Describe Serious Money in 3 words: Money, money, money.

Which company member is most likely to be the richest?: Are you kidding? We're actors! We're broke!

Most likely to solve a murder mystery?: Probably Sarah. She's a great dancer.

Most likely to get offed?: Well, hopefully not me...

Who’s the sneakiest?: Whoever keeps writing dirty notes on the slips of paper for the trading floor scene! Who is it?!  

Sleaziest?: Well we're all pretty sleazy-- just wait until you see the dance numbers!

Cocaine or champagne?: Champagne. Lots of it. 

Favorite 80s song?: Anything by Whitney Houston.

Why should we come see Serious Money?: It's simultaneously very fun and very unnerving, and it will make you think.  Also, the dance numbers are phenomenal.

Storming the Castle with...Melissa MacDonald

Name: Melissa MacDonald

Hometown: Bridgewater, MA

Who do you play in The Castle: Ensemble

Tell us about The Castle: The Castle is a play that can be found to mean many things by many people. It is beautiful language and horrifying images, and comedy that you feel disgusted to be laughing at.

Describe The Castle in 3 words: It is good.

Which company member is most likely to end up carrying a corpse for life?: Rachel Goodgal

Most likely to have no opinion?: Adam Milano

Most likely to draw pornographic pictures?: Stephen Mrowiec

End up a prisoner?: Noah Berman

Be an actual witch?: Christina Fox

Who’s the best builder?: Aubrey Dube

Why should we come see The Castle: Seeing Barker is an experience. Seeing Barker with this cast is an exceptional experience.

Rolling in the Dough with...Sarah Lusche

Name: Sarah Lusche  

Hometown: Auburn, Alabama

Who do you play in Serious Money?: Lady Vere, Melissa, and a trader, of course

Tell us about Serious Money: Serious Money is a sharp, witty, black comedy about people who are completely driven by greed. Come see it if you want colorful jackets, hot dance numbers, and champagne.

Describe Serious Money in 3 words: Money making mystery

Which company member is most likely to be the richest?: Certainly not me, because I just graduated from college

Most likely to solve a murder mystery?: Steve Dykes because he could pull off the Sherlock Holmes outfit.

Most likely to get offed?: Adam Milano, because I keep accidentally kicking him in the dance number during my lift. So if I get too energetic one night it could be bad news.

Who’s the sneakiest?: Christo, our ASM.

Sleaziest?: Everyone knows that actors don’t kiss and tell

Cocaine or champagne?: Champagne!

Favorite 80s song?: This is really difficult, because the 80s are my favorite favorite favorite.

Why should we come see Serious Money?: It is smart writing, sharp acting, and is incredibly relevant to our current political and economic climate.

Rolling in the Dough with...Noah Berman

Name: Noah Berman

Hometown: Newton, MA

Who do you play in Serious Money: TK, Brian, Ensemble

Tell us about Serious Money: Serious Money is a biting satire about the deregulation of the international banking systems in the '80s.  I know, doesn't sound like a ripe subject for theatricalization, but this play has got some knocks to give, believe me.

Describe Serious Money in 3 words: Greed, Cocaine, FANGS

Which company member is most likely to be the richest?: Will it be self-fulfilling if I just say its me?

Most likely to solve a murder mystery?: Got to be Steve Dykes.  He knows so much about so much he's practically a Dan Brown protagonist. 

Most likely to get offed?: Anyone who touches Steve's daughter, Madeley Crenshaw-Dykes...

Who’s the sneakiest?: Molly O'Keefe.  You should just see her, slinking around backstage at the top of the show in that black cape like she's an assassin.

Sleaziest?: I think it would be me if I were to answer that question.  It's a Catch-22.

Cocaine or champagne?: Let's be real.  Both.

Why should we come see Serious Money?: You should come see Serious Money because it's a glimpse into the life of the rich and infamous.  Even though it's a satire, I think if Bernie Madoff were to see it, he'd think it was eerily like looking in a mirror (one that spoke in rhyme, anyway).  And, if for no other reason, come to see us all sing and dance!

Storming the Castle with...Christina Fox

Name: Christina Fox

Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO

Who do you play in The Castle?: Cant

Tell us about The Castle: The Castle is a romping examination of the effects of the most extreme suffering on human nature, an examination of gender roles, tables turned, and, perhaps most poignantly, a love story.

Describe The Castle in 3 words: Gripping, Unrelenting, Philosophical

Which company member is most likely to end up carrying a corpse for life?: Stephen Mrowiec. He seeks cruel and unusual punishment.

Most likely to have no opinion?: Aubrey Dube. He'll be smiling no matter what happens.

Most likely to draw pornographic pictures?: No opinion.

End up a prisoner?: Brent

Be an actual witch?: Rob Zuckerman

To get pregnant after 40?: Missa. Those child-bearing hips don't lie.

Who’s the best builder?: None of them. Nothing is actually built!

Why should we come see The Castle: The play is so full of conflicting and provocative thoughts, and the poetry of the language is so potent that these thoughts will become embedded in your brain and they will plague you for weeks--in the best way. There's nothing quite like going to a thought-provoking piece of theatre, and Barker is one of the most thought-provoking playwrights out there. In my opinion.

Spotlight On...Doug Carpenter

Name: Doug Carpenter


Hometown: Military Brat


Education: BM Voice UNLV, MM. Voice UCLA


Select Credits: Camelot (Lancelot, Pasadena Playhouse); Life Could Be A Dream (NYMF); Pride and Prejudice the Musical (NYMF); Miss Saigon (Chris, Moonlight Amphitheater)

Why theater?: I did musical theatre back at my performing arts high school in Las Vegas, but then I switched gears as I went to College.  I studied and planned on being an opera singer all through my undergrad and most of my Masters, but then I booked an equity Musical halfway through my Masters. In opera, I felt like I was being asked to always do it "right", and everything had to be perfectly as others thought.  The freedom I had in Musical Theater was incredible, I finally felt like an artist again.  Needless to say I was hooked again.

Tell us about Life Could Be a Dream: Straight from the Website LCBAD (as we call it) is billed as “Meet the “Crooning Crabcakes,” a boy group hoping for fame and fortune in the Big Whopper Radio “Dream-Of-A-Lifetime Talent Search.” Trouble comes when Lois, a former Springfield High School Song Leader, arrives to put some polish on the boys. Denny and Wally fall in love, Eugene falls apart, and heartthrob Skip sends the whole situation spinning. Winner of the L.A. Drama Critics Circle and L.A. Weekly “Best Musical of the Year” Awards, from the creator of “The Marvelous Wonderettes.”


What is it like being a part of Life Could Be a Dream?: This was my first show after college, and my first chance to originate a role.  We performed originally in a 99 seat theatre in LA, and we got really close as a team(literally and figuratively).  This show is pure fun and fluff, and its mostly us goofing around on stage while singing some awesome doo-wop tunes.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love anything that makes me think about it the next day.  I like theater I can enjoy in the moment, and then "chew" on the next couple days.  I love legit musicals for the music, but I wish there was more of that type of stuff being written now for contemporary audiences. I really love Audra Mcdonald.    One of the best and most technically perfect singers ever, who can do opera as well as musical theater, but also one of the most engaging and fierce actors ever.  I want to be her.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I am dying to get me hands on Billy Bigelow in Carousel, Javert in Les Mis, and Joe in Sunset Blvd.  All of them are huge awesome singing and their character's are so interesting because they're all hugely flawed villian/heros.

What’s your favorite showtune?: I love sad love songs like "I Don't Remember You", "I Won't Send Roses", and "Being Alive"

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Bernadette Peters...  I love her.  I saw her once at a reading I was doing, but I got so nervous I made a point of not getting anyway near her.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Nathan Fillion would play me in "Middle Child".

What show have you recommended to your friends?: There's this really great show called Life Could Be a Dream at NYMF this weekend...  But I also tell them to go see Book of Mormon.  It just does everything a musical should do and does it really well.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Electronic music, and really bad community theater.  Like really, really bad where you can't stop watching because ANYTHING could happen.

What’s up next?: I wish I could tell you, but the cast list hasn't been released.  It may be at a really Good theater in CT doing a role I'm most happy about.

Spotlight On...Seph Stanek

Name: Seph Stanek

Hometown: Greenville, South Carolina

Education: Furman University, L'Accademia dell'Arte (Arezzo, Italy), South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities

Select Credits: Currently a member of the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players and also currently starring in Off-Broadway's Naked Boys Singing! Off-Broadway: Little House on the Ferry (Randall, American Theatre of Actors), The Yeomen of the Guard (Headsman, NY City Center), The Mikado (Ensemble, NY City Center); 8Minute Musicals (NYMF 2011); Regional: Christmastime! (with Debbie Reyolds and Sandi Patty, Palace Theatre); Recent concert venues include Lincoln Center, Joe's Pub, The Library of Congress, and Carnegie Hall (four times!).

Why theater?: Get ready for this doozy: When I was a kid, I had a favorite game that I would play whenever my family would go somewhere in public; I called it "Homeless Boy." (This may give a little insight as to how kooky I can be...) In order to play "Homeless Boy," I would run ahead of my family on our outings, perch myself in an inconspicuous place, and pretend to be homeless, hungry, and slightly moronic. The members of my family were always willing participants in the game, introducing themselves to the lost boy, and always inviting him to join them on their activities. We would continue the charade throughout the day, convincing park visitors, movie-goers, and restaurant staff that my family did in fact encounter a lone boy and take him under their wing (...told you I was kooky.). When I first began to discover the magic of theater, I couldn't believe that there was actually an outlet for the crazy things that went on inside my head like "Homeless Boy." The more I nurtured these creative juices, the more I began to understand that there are places in this insane theatrical universe for someone like me. And now, in the words of Glenda the Good, I couldn't be happier.

Tell us about Boys Will Be Boys: A full production of NYMF 2013, Boys Will Be Boys follows five friends who join forces to produce a "FUN-raiser," a cabaret filled with hilarious musical numbers, incredible singing and dancing, and bingo (we can't forget the bingo!). A musical revue by Joe Miloscia and Kenneth Kacmar, BOYS has had quite a successful life before this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival, garnering critical acclaim from its LA, San Francisco, and New York incarnations. (And with past cast members including stars like Cheyenne Jackson, we have some pretty big shoes to fill!) I'm proud to present this show alongside fellow cast members Courtney Cowart, Jeremy Pasha, Ryan Speakman, and Rance Wright, with director Joe Barros, associate director Katie Pettit, fabulous musical director Alex LeFevre, and our lovely stage manager Mackenzie Meeks.

What is it like being a part of Boys Will Be Boys?: The cast, crew, and material are so insanely fun to work with, that I'm pretty sure we could score a reality show on either E! or LOGO. Watch out, Honey Boo Boo!

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: My biggest passion is musical theatre. When it comes to singing, I come from a very classical background, so I immediately recognize and appreciate musicianship on stage. Nothing inspires me quite like a full, sweeping orchestra supporting a robust voice.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Emcee in Cabaret, Marius in Les Miserables, Meryl Streep in her epic biopic

What’s your favorite showtune?: Does "Otto Titsling" from the movie "Beaches" count?

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I would give my firstborn child to share the stage with Renee Fleming. I once broke into her dressing room at La Scala in Milan, and have been completely smitten with her ever since.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I think a young Robert Downey Jr. (reference his colorful character in "Wonder Boys") would make a stellar Seph Stanek. The movie would be called 'Completely ObSephed".

What show have you recommended to your friends?: If you haven't seen Sleep No More, GO SEE IT NOW! It's one of those experiences that stays with you long after you leave the venue. I saw it two summers ago and still can't get it off my mind.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I'm weirdly obsessed with my fish tank.

What’s up next?: I'm looking forward to NYGASP's upcoming New York season and am especially excited about returning to Greenville, South Carolina, in February of 2014 for another home concert! I've got a few other projects in the works, so stay tuned to www.SephStanek.com for updates!

For more on Boys Will Be Boys, visit www.BoysWillBeBoysMusical.com

Rolling in the Dough with...Izzy Shill

Name: Isabel (Izzy) Shill

Hometown: It's complicated

Who do you play in Serious Money?: Dolcie Starr, goddess of PR

Tell us about Serious Money: It's a raucous spectacle of the greed and abundance in the late 80s in London's financial district.

Describe Serious Money in 3 words: Fearless, labyrinthine, and hyper-active.

Which company member is most likely to be the richest?: Mat Nakitare

Most likely to solve a murder mystery?: David Barlow

Most likely to get offed?: David Barlow

Who’s the sneakiest?: Jay Dunn

Sleaziest?: Adam Milano

Cocaine or champagne?: Champagne

Favorite 80’s Song: “I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow

Why should we come see Serious Money?: If you want a wild night of trader jargon, murder, intrigue, sex and coked-out characters in 80s outfits, I suggest you buy your tickets immediately.

Spotlight On...Kate Middleton

Name: Kate Middleton   

Hometown: Greensboro, NC

Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Go HEELS!

Favorite Credits: As director, The People vs. Mona, Three Days of Rain, and Rubber Ducks… without a doubt. As an actor, Proof, Pump Boys and Dinettes,  Circle Mirror Transformation, Noises Off, Chicago.

Why theater?: I love the collaboration. I love the deadlines. I love the magic that comes with great heart and vision and belief in a project.

Tell us about Rubber Ducks and Sunsets: Rubber Ducks is about the journey through grief and friendship. It is about growing up in some hard ways and learning about life and who you are. It is also very very funny. Oh, and has AWESOME music. ☺

What inspired you to direct Rubber Ducks and Sunsets?: Catya’s unique voice and clear characters. I also love the use of music in the play. It is hilarious and also touching. The project began within Ground UP and was created for our company’s actors. After recent events, it has become this year’s most important project.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love character driven plays that deal with real people in real situations. I love tough material that still allows you to leave the theatre feeling inspired and optimistic.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Right now, Pam MacKinnon.

What shows have you recommended to your friends?: Lately, Peter and the Starcatcher, I love it. The ensemble literally breathes together and imagination and humor are front and center. So FUN.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Either a pint of Ben and Jerry’s or going to the pet store and playing with puppies that I don’t intend to buy. ☺

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be ______?: A vet.

What’s up next?: Something exciting in October with Ground UP! More info soon!

For more on Ground Up, visit www.GroundUPproductions.org. For more on Kate, visit www.KateMiddletonActress.com

Spotlight On...Chuck Bradley

Name: Chuck Bradley


Hometown: New Fairfield, CT


Education: Boston Conservatory


Select Credits: J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan (Peter, 360 Entertainment); NYC Stage: The Henrietta (Metropolitan Theatre Co); Night of the Hunter (Vineyard); Humpty Dumpty, Billy Bubblehead, and Broken Hands; LA Stage: Burn This, All My Son's, West Side Story

Why theater?: Theater is immediate. It is the only art form that without an audience, does not exists. I love being on stage because of that connection. I love the moments of silence when you know the audience is hooked. Its a community at the most immediate and purest. 


Tell us about God’s Country: God's Country is a musical drama based in the late 1800's in Five Points, New York City. James Watson comes to New York to find his mother whom he's recently found out is Irish not English like he was raised. He meets my character, Tom Killian whom he takes under his wing and teaches to read in return for help in finding his mother. Along the way they found the first independent Irish newspaper. Betrayal, heartbreak and a love triangle, amongst other friction ensue.  


What is it like being a part of God’s Country?: God's Country is a wonderful experience. It always a delight working on new works. But being part of NYMF kicks it to a newer level. Its been guerrilla theatre. We are put under a microscope in a very short timeline. Its incredibly fulfilling.  


What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Innovative, fun and inspiring. Works that force us to look at the form in a different light and, of course ourselves. But remind us to laugh, love, maybe look at the work just a little differently. You know when you witness a random act of kindness? Or a couple unaware of the world around them as they kiss goodbye before or hello after a long departure. Stuff like that inspires me to create. Also, just real brilliance. A wonderful movie, piece of theater or dance gets my creative mojo working.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: My whole life I've always wanted to play Seymore in Little Shop. UGH!


What’s your favorite show tune?: Its not so unique but, "Tonight" from West Side Story


If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: There are so many. But my biggest fantasy is to act with Dustin Hoffman. It's such a pipe dream but he's been my inspiration as an actor since childhood. I know he's not a musical theater guy but everything he does is just so authentic.


Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: To borrow a song title from Wilco. My story would be called "The Art of Almost" and jeez, I don't know...I guess although he's a bit older than me, I'd love to be played by Justin Kirk. You'd just have to make him half a foot shorter.


What show have you recommended to your friends?: Matilda and Once


What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Bourbon on the rocks


What’s up next?: I'll be working on You Never Can Tell by George Bernard Shaw at  The Pearl Theater Co.

Review: Exactly What the Title Says

It’s always refreshing to be told exactly what you’re about to see before you see a piece of art. This is a Play About Being Gay is exactly that. A play in three very different acts, This is a Play About Being Gay examines the gay culture through an insightful lens, commenting through both an insider’s and outsider’s perspective. Written and directed by Teddy Nicholas, the play begins with James, a young homosexual, who is about to experience the typical journey any young homosexual must take, coming out. As the play continues, we follow James as he meets his first love who has a demon, his foray into the digital dating world, his understanding of what exactly the gay culture is, and pushing off his bipolar BFF who is ready to commit suicide.
While all this sounds redundant, Nicholas has put a fresh and comedic spin on this story. He cleverly points out and pokes fun at stereotypes. It’s a commentary that allows the audience to hear exactly society’s perception of gay culture, both the good and the bad. One way he does this is by bringing the audience right into the action. The decision to subtly raise the house lights periodically was a ingenious device. It allowed the audience to truly take in the messages. There’s nothing like an audience member being forced to reflect for all the right reasons. And this was certainly an audience that could relate to the stories. I found myself occasionally watching audience reactions, holding back laughter once the spotlight was suddenly on them.
Aside from all the gayness, one of the more interesting aspects of the play was the character of Lisa, played wonderfully by Jen Kwok. Lisa is James’s BFF with some issues of her own. She’s suicidal with a personality disorder. And as she said late in the play “If this were any other play, you would care more about my problems than all these faggots’ problems.” It was a moment that hit home for an abundance of reasons. The story wasn’t about her but maybe we needed to pay more attention to her. As Nicholas thoughtfully makes us realize, society may be focusing on the wrong things about what it’s like to be gay.
Nicholas assembled a group of actors who know funny and can easily captivate an audience. But it was the moments of seriousness that occasionally took a turn for the melodrama. The cast of five, each with their own unique skills, kept the momentum going from top to bottom. Cameron Michael Burns gave an exceptional turn as James, offering a well-balanced mix of heart and humor.
This is a Play About Being Gay won’t change the world but it will give you a much needed slap in the face that will open your eyes. There’re only two chances left to see it, so I suggest you hurry up and check it out at The Fresh Fruit Festival.

Spotlight On...Ben Diserens

Name: Ben Diserens (pronounced Diz-er-enz)

Hometown: San Francisco and Sydney. I'm a dual citizen. So I've got that going for me.

Education: BA in Theatre from Fordham University. I've been Jesuit educated since 7th Grade. Ad maiorem Dei gloriam. Jealous?

Favorite Credits: My favorite role that I've ever played was Horace in Little Foxes when I was in high school. I got to sit in a wheelchair the whole time and eat cake.

Why theater?: What are you? My mother?

Tell us about Beckett in Benghazi?: Beckett in Benghazi takes place on September 11, 2012, the night that the embassy in Libya was attacked. The play begins as a group of actors are finishing a 12 hour tech rehearsal for their production of Samuel Beckett's Endgame. Right as they are about to go home for the day, their director wants to completely change the concept for their production with only a week til curtain. While reworking the piece, they begin to discuss religion, foreign diplomacy and 21st century imperialism. Their discussions end up highlighting the underlying tensions within the group as their personal relationships are tested and they all end up getting more than they bargained for. 

What inspired you to create Beckett in Benghazi?: I started writing this play about a week after the attack on the embassy in Benghazi and I noticed that it was becoming a major talking point during the presidential debates. I was really unnerved how the attack became a blame game (that eventually went on for another six months) and I began to see parallels between career politicians using tragedies to win votes and theatre artists who use current events to sell tickets.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: It's impossible for me to choose one type of theatre that speaks to me. It's like how people explain their taste in music by saying "everything but country" (except I like country). But when it came to writing a play like Beckett in Benghazi I realized that the most effective political plays explore the personal as well as the political. I find stories about history, foreign affairs, or "hot-button issues"  often fail to connect with an audience because they solely focus on the sequence of events. I recently saw a play about soldiers recovering from PTSD and had difficulty connecting with the characters when they spoke about combat or fearing for their lives every single day. Then there was one moment when a soldier talked about how overwhelming simple tasks, like shopping at Walmart, had become. THAT I could understand and I began to relate to the character. So when I sat down to write about the conflict in Benghazi, I tried focused on the personal context of a complex conflict.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I have two goals in life: to do a show produced at The Public and to meet Mark Rylance.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: The most recent show I've recommended was The Amoralist's Rantoul and Die at The Cherry Lane. It was one of the best plays I've seen in a really long time. Funny, shocking, poignant and there was an extended bit with a catheter. That's comedy.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Well, Brando's dead so he's out. But old Brando, not young Brando (what I tenderly refer to as his "Muumuu Period"). Since I have many different personalities (I'm a gemini) I would have five different actors portray me, like "I'm Not There". These are my five ideal actors: Ray Winstone, Tilda Swinton, David Alan Grier, Cheyenne Jackson and the girl who plays Sally on Mad Men. It would be called "My Muumuu Period".

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Dancing like Robyn in her "Call Your Girlfriend" music video. The head movement is key.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Talking to myself on the subway for absolutely no reason.

What’s up next?: "Breaking Bad" starts in August....I'm not in it. I'm just very excited.

Spotlight On...Chris Tyler

Name:  Chris Tyler

Hometown: Suffern, NY

Education: Brown University and the Hemispheric Institute for Performance and Politics at NYU.

Select Credits: Waiting for Barbara (Bryce, New Museum), A Crucible (Randy, The Wild Project), SQUIRTS: New Voices in Queer Performance (La MaMa), Flying Snakes in 3-D!! (Jaylen Shebazz, Ice Factory).

Why theater?: Little League just wasn’t cutting it.

Tell us about This is a Play About Being Gay: This is a Play About Being Gay is a queer identity politics play exploring contemporary cisgender gay male existence.  Through a number of poignant, clever, and subversive strategies, the play simultaneously deconstructs and reifies gay stereotypes - thereby fostering a nuanced theatrical experience that inquires whether or not "it" does, actually, "get better."

What is it like being a part of This is a Play About Being Gay?: It's been a real joy working on this play.  Teddy is such a savvy writer, and I've been a huge fan of his ever since I first encountered his play Dead People (which he co-wrote with Leah Nanako Winkler) two years ago at 3LD.  He's got an uncanny ability to juxtapose overwrought tropes from popular culture with elegant, spare poetry, and I'm in love with the way that he fractures narrative conventions without sacrificing the integrity of his storytelling.  As a queer person, though, working on this play has also taken me to some pretty dark places.  It's honest and unforgiving and capable of dregging up shit you didn't even know was still bothering you from your closeted days in high school.  Except that's what makes it so effective.  So much of today's theater (and film and TV) with seemingly "positive" gay storylines tends to sterilize or melodramatize queer experience in reductive (and, therefore, dangerous) ways, but this play really fights back.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theater – or, performance, more broadly – that is radical and rigorous in both its politics and its aesthetics.  Performance that actually has an opinion, a point-of-view; performance that manages to take itself seriously while also engaging thoughtfully (and aggressively) with both its audience and the zeitgeist.  Performance that elects NOT to employ racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, classist, or any number of other oppressive strategies in order to cheaply entertain its audiences.  Performance that spits in the face of the status quo.  Accordingly, I’m invested in the work of performance makers who do just that: Big Art Group, Brian Bauman, Justin Vivian Bond, Dan Fishback, Young Jean Lee, Taylor Mac, Erin Markey, and every single person out there consciously choosing to work creatively in revolutionary and responsible ways.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Elle in Diane Paulus’s 2018 reimagining of Legally Blonde: The Musical.

What’s your favorite showtune?: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x10pkt3_alexis-neiers-phone-call-full-scene_fun#.UdzwS1Pmmwc

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Definitely the Weisslers.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Taylor Swift...and I would play her...and it would be called: "Freakier Friday.”

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Macy Rodman’s Monday night drag show, BATHSALTS: A Drag Show for F&%$ups, at Don Pedro (90 Manhattan Avenue in East Williamsburg).  The show starts around midnight, goes ‘til 2 or 3 AM, and features some of the strangest, most talented queens this city has to offer (including my good friend, Ashleigh Nicolle Smith).

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Text-to-speech (TTS) vocals.

What’s up next?: I’ll be hosting (and performing in) TRL: TOTAL REJECTS LIVE! at This ‘N’ That (108 N 6th St. in Williamsburg) on Wednesday, July 24th at 10:30 PM.  TRL is a variety show that attempts to recreate episodes of MTV's Total Request Live that aired on the same date X number of years before.  With 10 different artists "covering” each of the tracks on the countdown, the end result is nothing short of a beautiful disaster.  This month, we’re going all the way back to 2008 – so if you, like me, are feeling nostalgic for a 15-year old Miley Cyrus, you definitely won’t want to miss out.  More information available at https://www.facebook.com/events/590272741013702/?fref=ts

Spotlight On...Amara Haaksman

Name: Amara Haaksman


Hometown: League City, TX (Just south of Houston)


Education: I got my Bachelor of Music: Music Theatre from Oklahoma City University. I have also done intensive programs at The Atlantic Theatre Company, Circle in the Square Theatre School and The Manhattan School Music


Select Credits: Iola Stover (The Secret Theatre in Queens); Lighthouse a Romantic Musical Adventure (Leda, The Shell Theatre); That Lady from Maxim's (Crevette Robert Moss Theatre)

Why theater?: Growing up, I found myself very fortunate to be exposed to theatre from a young age. My mom got us season tickets to the shows that toured to Houston and I remember wonderful productions at The Alley Theatre as well as other local theaters. I always loved going to theatre and being transported by the actors to a new place in time or the world, letting it introduce me to new ideals, or making me laugh, or cry. As a young girl I decided I just had to be a part of something that could be so magical for me. I wanted to help tell those stories. I got involved in my community theatre, The Harbour Playhouse, in Dickinson, TX. It was an old movie house that had been renovated into a theatre and gave me an amazing introduction to theatre and the rest is history.

Tell us about That Lady from Maxim's: It is a new musical based on an old French farce by Georges Feydeau called La dame de chez Maxim's. Most of the plot points throughout the show came directly from the play. The show takes place in Paris, France at the turn of the century, 1899. After beaucoup champagne at the notorious nightclub, Maxim's, respectable Dr. Petypon wakes to discover Crevette (my character), a free-spirited modern woman, half naked in his bed. Desperate to conceal this indiscretion from his righteous wife and rich uncle, he finds himself caught in a hilarious maze of mistaken identities, complicated lies, and catapulting chaos, gleefully orchestrated by – mais oui – THAT LADY FROM MAXIM’S!

What is it like being a part of That Lady from Maxim's?: I have been with the production since its first full staging in 2011 at the Shell Theatre. So this production in NYMF is my third time with the show. It has been a very exciting ride, getting to see the evolution of the show as songs, dialogue, and even characters have been added or deleted from the show. It is really wonderful to get to be a part of all the changes and little improvements. We have had a few cast changes over the course of the show as well and it is always amazing to see the fun things each person finds within a character and in turn the new things they bring out in you. It has indeed been a pleasure stepping into the scandalous and free-spirited shoes of That Lady from Maxim's again in this great festival. When I joined the show I never would have guessed it would have taken me on this journey and I am very thankful for that.

What kind of theater speaks to you? Who or what inspires you as an artist?: I find myself enjoying many different types of theater. There are times when I want nothing more than a classic musical with a beautiful score and timeless love story. There are other times when a great pop score or a musical adaptation of a movie I love really hits the spot. However my absolute favorite type of theater to enjoy is a play or musical that takes the audience on a journey that really informs them on an important time in history or helps them clearly see a point of view of an important issue. The power of theatre to take an issue and perhaps show someone with an opposing view a whole new side to things, and force them to reevaluate their opinions and really try on something new, I think that is the most rewarding part of seeing theatre or being a part of theatre. I remember seeing The Diary of Anne Frank when I was very young and just being swept up in this time in history that I could not get enough. I read any book I could find on the Holocaust and I read Anne Franks diary. I have never forgotten how that play inspired me to really expand my knowledge. Two of the shows I have also been unable to get out of my head were the recent productions of Next Fall and The Normal Heart on Broadway. I found myself so moved by the stories and was so pleased to find that friends I had always learned to peacefully disagree with about ideas presented in both plays, had found themselves rethinking their positions on the issues and open to really exploring the other side. It truly inspires me when an artist is completely honest and vulnerable onstage. I love when I watch a play, musical, TV show, movie, or even when I see my favorite band play and I see an artist who completely loses themselves in what they are doing. In the story they are telling. When the artist manages to bring me into their story and I forget who they are and everything that is happening in my life at the moment I am always very impressed.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Hmmm there are so many roles out there I would love to play. I find myself especially drawn to certain actors careers, like Laura Linney and Kelli O'Hara and how much they have impressed me and inspired me across their careers, that I find myself desiring the opportunity to give those same roles a shot someday.  I would also absolutely love to do a large scale production of Lighthouse, a new musical which was written by Bryan Williams, who also wrote That Lady from Maxim's. It is based on Henrik Ibsen's That Lady from the Sea and contains a beautiful story with a gorgeous score. I have hinted at Bryan every year we have done Maxim's that he should bring it back again. I hope one day he does.

What’s your favorite showtune?: Also tough to narrow down, and I feel like it changes daily, but "Seasons of Love" from Rent might win out due to sentimental value. It has been a lasting memorial to a very talented actress from my hometown who disappeared when I was in middle school.


If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I have truly enjoyed all the experiences I have had so far, however I have not reached the point of working with those "household names" yet but of course there are plenty out there I would be honored to work with like Laura Linney, Kelli O'Hara, Lily Rabe, Joe Mantello, Bartlett Sher, Mary Louise Parker, the list could go on for ages. :)

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I feel like my life is still beginning and not much has happened to me yet, I hope to have a fantastic answer to this in the next 10 years. It would be wonderful to think that my life could someday present a great breakout role to an unknown artist though.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: MURDER BALLAD!!!

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I love my television dramas. When it is a well written and acted show I find myself getting so caught up in their stories they start to feel like friends.

What’s up next?: I have no desire to leave the theatre world, however I do plan to begin a journey into film and television once this show ends. I had never before thought I wanted to move in that direction, but lately if has felt like a fantastic adventure that I want to take.

For more on Amara, visit www.amarahaaksman.com. For more on That Lady from Maxim's, visit http://www.thatlady.org/index.html

Spotlight On...Zal Owen

Name: Zal Owen

Hometown: Westfield, NJ

Education: Studied in the Musical Theatre program at University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).  Additionally, I currently study acting with Wynn Handman and have trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and with Bill Esper and Michael Howard.

Select Credits: National Tour: Fiddler on the Roof (Motel, opposite Harvey Fierstein and Theodore Bikel). Off-Broadway/NYC: Last Jew in Europe (Jozef, Triad Theater), Affair of Honour (Philip Hamilton, NYMF), The ToyMaker (Capek, York Theater Co.). Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Atlanta TOTS, Ogunquit Playhouse.

Why theater?: The simple answer is that my parents brought my sister and I to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Broadway when I was 5 years old, my Dad bought the audio cassette and I sang along with it the whole drive home... I've never looked back since.

Tell us about The Awakening of Angel Deluna: Angel DeLuna is a beautiful and heartfelt love story that masterfully blends amazing circus and magic acts into it's storytelling and emotional journey.  It takes place during the Depression Era and is about a trapeze duo who were separated after a tragic circus accident that left Angel DeLuna with memory loss and a fragile mind.  Ollie, who ran away and is now a hobo clown, has come back after 30 years to find the circus has been taken over by a shady magician and has to fight to get his lost love back.  I play Fred, Angel's nephew, who over the course of the musical has his own coming-of-age story where he must learn to become a man after having a baby and take the circus back into the family name.

What is it like being a part of The Awakening of Angel Deluna?: It is an experience like I've never had before.  I am working with true circus performers who have shared stories with me of their time working in Cirque du Soleil and leaving home as a teenager to join the circus.  Juggling and Magic have always been a hobby, two skills I learned from 9 years at summer camp, but it is so amazing to be sharing the stage and working on my skills with these professionals.  Additionally, as our show is a part of a festival, we are constantly reshaping dialogue, music, staging, etc.  It is such a fluid experience where we are all collaborating to make this show as good as it can be in the few weeks we have together.  It really keeps you on your toes as things change but it is so wonderful as an artist to be contributing to the piece as a whole.


What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theater truly speaks to me when I stand up from my seat and I spend hours, if not days, processing - the story, the characters, emotions, how it speaks to me.  I like theater that makes me think and changes me, even if that simply means going home and learning more about the time period or location in which the story took place.  As an actor, I love being able to explore the different worlds and people in each piece.  To inhabit the behaviors and thoughts of the character, to connect.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: Musical-wise, George in Sunday in the Park with George, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, and Che in Evita.  For plays, have to go with the classics, Hamlet in Hamlet, Konstantin Treplev in The Seagull, and Tom in The Glass Menagerie

What’s your favorite showtune?: That's easy, "Finishing the Hat" from Sunday in the Park with George


If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Stephen Sondheim, dream actors to work with would be Mandy Patinkin, Raul Esparza (see a repeating theme?) and would die to speak a word on film to Daniel Day-Lewis.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: The actor in me would say, let me play myself! haha Oh I know, Meryl Streep!! She can do anything! I've always thought that "Zal, Just Zal" would be a great title as I need to clarify so frequently when asked, "what's Zal short for?"

What show have you recommended to your friends?: I thought Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was incredible and recommended it to many people.  As for what's currently on Broadway, I have to mention the other circus musical, Pippin, I thought it was extremely well done and such a fun and moving night at the theater.  And, I always recommend Jersey Boys.  Especially to anyone who is not an avid theatre-goer, it's a musical and concert all in one!

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Playing Poker with friends or at casinos... for hours.  And, though I hate to admit it, I am a fan of two different types of reality TV - competition and real estate shows.

What’s up next?: I will be playing the role of Benjamin in L'Chayim at Theater for the New City at the end of August.  A really funny play about a son who comes home to find his recently widowed mother is looking to remarry a man who is only 5 years older than himself.

For more on Zal, visit www.ZalOwen.com. For more on The Awakening of Angel Deluna, visit www.theawakeningofangeldeluna.com

Spotlight On...Cicily Daniels

Name: Cicily Daniels

Hometown: Potomac, MD

Education: B.A. In Theater Studies, Performance Concentration, Yale University

Select Credits: Broadway: Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Ursula u/s, Alana, Original Cast), All Shook Up (Sylvia u/s, ensemble), Rent (Joanne u/s); National Tour: Caroline or Change (The Washing Machine)

Why theater?: At college, for 2 1/2 years I was a double major, in theater/psychobiology. While agonizing about neurobiology class not fitting into my rehearsal schedule, my friend suggested that maybe I just wanted to be a theater major.  I saw the light, made the leap, and told my mom about my decision...about 6 months later.

Tell us about Mother, Wife, and the Complicated Life: It is the story of four friends, all women, in different phases of their lives.  It explores the truth about marriage, motherhood--the good, the bad, the crazy and the funny.

What is it like being a part of Mother, Wife, and the Complicated Life?: It is so much fun.   My fellow actresses are all super talented, generous & funny, so there has been a great deal of laughter.  Most of all though, there is a commitment to creating a new work.  The writers, Amity Dry and Mark Simeon Ferguson, and director, Hilary Adams, and the rest of the amazing team are coming in everyday with new ideas, sometimes even new songs, whatever we need to tell the best story possible.  It is very stimulating & exciting.  There are also a lot of different genres of music in the show (blues, pop, rock) so it is great to sing! 

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love theater that moves you.  Makes you laugh, think, cry, whatever.  Catharsis works for me!  When I play characters that are full, with honesty, flaws & humor, I am a happy actress.  I also see the audience as sharing a gift with me by attending the theatre, so I want to give them my best.  I still love the crackle and energy of a live audience, so while I enjoy tv/film, theatre will always be my heart.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: My dream role of a Broadway show that I haven't done, is Marie Christine in Marie Christine.  Feel free to pass this on Michael John LaChiusa:)

What’s your favorite showtune?:  Too hard.  Favorite sounds so exclusionary. I had "Myself A True Love", St. Louis Woman, "Heaven on Their Minds", Jesus Christ Superstar, "Santa Comin' Caroline/ Little Reward/1943", Caroline or Change, "Step Into The Bad Side", Dreamgirls, "How Glory Goes", Floyd Collins.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Angela Basset.  I think she is an extraordinary actress, and I would be honored to learn from her.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?:  No idea.   Something with diva in the title, since it has been my nickname since college.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Recently, Once.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?:  Lifetime movie network movies.  Feel free to pass this on to LMN.

What’s up next?: I will be playing the role of Martha in a reading of Gumbo, a new musical, music by Brett Macias, book & lyrics by Christina Quintana.

For more, visit http://www.motherwifemusical.com/