These are the people who make a difference: our extraordinary faculty. Without their wisdom, experience, generosity, and compassion, we wouldn't have a school. Here at PHTS we pride ourselves on having a faculty not only devoted to the students, but also devoted to pursuing careers as working professionals; in this way, they are constantly invigorated by the creative environments outside the academic world and are able to pass that energy and knowledge onto their classes. Current and past faculty members have acted on and off Broadway, have recurring roles on television series or steady film work, participate in theater festivals around the country or around the world, and take their summers and winter breaks to continue their own artistic growth. It is the faculty of Playwrights Horizons Theater School that makes us unparalleled.
Victoria Abrash (Dramaturgy Support Seminar, Dramaturgy)
has worked as a dramaturg on productions ranging from classics to new plays to performance art for many theaters including the Mark Taper Forum, PingChong and Co., the Acting Company, the Public Theatre, the Young Playwrights Festival, and elsewhere. She has been a staff dramaturg at The Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, the Women's Project and Productions and the Philadelphia Drama Guild. Ms. Abrash has served as a script evaluator or panelist for many playwriting awards and new play programs, including those of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Theatre Communications Group (TCG), McKnight Foundation, New Dramatists, Lincoln Center Theater and the O'Neill Playwright's Conference. She has been the director of many conferences, including the 1999-2005 TCG National Theatre Conferences, and is currently coordinator for the National Performing Arts Convention scheduled for 2008. She is a past president of Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas, the service organization for artistic staffs of theaters across the U.S. and Canada, writes study guides for Lincoln Center Theater, Ping Chong and Co., and others, is a site evaluator for the NEA, and has taught at Lang College of The New School, Williams College, SUNY Stonybrook, Fordham University, Marymount Manhattan College and Purchase College.
Kristin Arthur (3rd Year Project Supervisor) holds a BFA from NYU in Theater, concentrating in directing. She spent the majority of her college years at PHTS. She also spent four months studying Viewpoints with its creator, Mary Overlie. Kristen has done most of her professional work as a stage manager, working with former PHTS graduates in the New York International Fringe Festival, as well as teaching children at a theater program in Denver, her hometown. She is, of course, very excited to be back at PHTS .
Justin Ball(Managing Producer, 4th Year Producing Seminar, Production Seminar, Stage Management II, Here is New York: Intro to Theater, Director/ Design Collaboration) holds a BA in Theater & Dance from Trinity College. Prior to working at PHTS, Justin worked at Manhattan Theatre Club as an assistant in the casting and artistic producing offices, as well as serving as the performance coordinator for their Winter Benefit and Spring Gala. Justin is the Co-founder and Artistic Director for The Grid, a non-profit theater company under which he has directed THINGS BEYONG OUR CONTROL (Linhart Theater Jan '06) , SAVAGE/LOVE (Edinburgh Fringe Festival Aug '07) and the upcoming DOGS (Centerstage Theater Dec '07).
Peter Bass (Movement for the Actor) began teaching acting students in 1978 at the Stella Adler Studio and has been with Playwrights Horizons since 1986. Mr. Bass has worked with choreographers Eugene Loring, Mimi Garrard, Marleen Pennison, and Phoebe Neville, along with the Les Muses d'Arbeau Dance Ensemble. He has studied with Anthony Tudor (American Ballet Theater), Mimo Camara (Les Ballet Africains), Bhala Jones (Renaissance dance), Phillip Meister and Mario Siletti (National Shakespeare Company), Baret Akiya (Alexander technique), and Andre Bernard (Idiokinesiology). Mr. Bass has also conducted classes for the Williamstown Theater Festival. He is currently developing performing arts programs at a brain injury rehabilitation center in upstate New York, which won an award for innovative practices in 2007 for their Fine and Performing Arts programs from NYSHFA. He continues to perform and give workshops with Kibola Sougei, an African dance and drum group, presenting traditional dance and drum of Guinea, West Africa.
Joanna Battles (Practicum Voice and Speech Intensive & Assistant, Voice and Speech II )
graduated from PHTS in 2000. Since, she has worked steadily in regional theaters across the country, (American Heartland Theatre, Mountaineer Theatre), as well as smaller venues around the city (Fringe, Pure Pop Festival). Joanna recently graduated with her MFA in Acting from the first class of the Brown/Trinity Consortium in Providence, RI. While in school, Joanna performed regularly on Trinity Rep's main stage, including the entire HENRIAD (Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V). Favorite roles include: Viola in TWELFTH NIGHT (Perishable Theatre), Lady Nijo/Kit in TOP GIRLS (Consortium Theatre), Sylvia in TWO GENTLEMAN OF VERONA (Trinity Summer Shakespeare), and Beralde in THE IMAGINARY INVALID (Dowling Theatre). Joanna has also been lucky enough to perform in many original works including COURTING VAMPIRES, STRINGS, and SHAPESHIFTER (all at McCormack Theatre). As well as, the original cast of Paula Vogel's, THE LONG CHRISTMAS RIDE HOME (Trinity Rep). In addition to Playwright's, Joanna teaches Voice and Speech at Brooklyn College, and is a Candidate for Certification as an Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework. She is thrilled to be working with Francine again, and is excited to work with Practicum.
Marika Becz (Voice & Speech I, R&R Voice/Movement Applications, Practicum Voice and Speech) is an actress, movement choreographer/performer, director, and teacher. Performance credits include works with Malashock Dance and Co, Southcoast Rep, Connecticut Rep, New York Performance Works, Laguna Playhouse, Central Coast Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare Festival/LA, and the Mark Taper Amphitheatre, as well as film and television roles during many years in Los Angeles. She has served on the faculties and/or taught workshops for UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, CSU Summer Arts with the Second City Company, Cal State Stanislaus, Juniata College, Marymount Manhattan College, and Playwrights Horizons Theatre School for NYU. She is a founding member, performer, and occasional artist-in-residence with The Gravity Project, a company of theatre professionals who work together in movement, extreme voice use, and environmental/poetic texts. She was also a member of the critically acclaimed Theatre Neo in Los Angeles, and is currently pursuing projects in the New York theatre community, including original solo performance. She holds an MFA in Acting from UC Irvine, is a certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework (www.fitzmauricevoice.com), a certified Reiki practitioner, and also works as a private coach in acting, voicework, and public/corporate speaking.
Dawn T. Bond (Administrative Coordinator)
studied Early Childhood Development and Business Administration at Borough of Manhattan Community College. Dawn joined Playwrights as the Receptionist and became Office Manager in 2001. Previously, she was a customer service representative at Citibank. She is the proud mother of three energetic young boys.
Salty Brine (Administrative Associate; Assistant, Acting III)
is a director, actor, writer, cabaret performer and proud graduate of PHTS. His cabaret act has been seen all over New York at venues including Stingy Lulu's, The Albatross, Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex, WOW Café Theater, Pianos, The D-Lounge and, most recently, The Slipper Room.
Paul Caiola (Assistant, Movement for the Actor)
graduated from NYU with his degree in theatre from Playwrights Horizons in 2002. Since then he has acted in numerous productions in and around New York, including THE HOT MONTH (Len), MASTER HAROLD...AND THE BOYS (Hally), and BUSTED JESUS COMIX (Various Roles). He, as always, is very glad to be back at Playwrights for another year.
Rachel Chavkin (Assistant, Movement for the Actor) is the Artistic Director of the TEAM ( www.theteamplays.com ), a devised theater company that creates original work about the experience of living in America today. With the TEAM, Rachel has directed/co-authored a number of works including Particularly in the Heartland (winner of the 2006 EDINBURGH FRINGE FIRST AWARD ), A Thousand Natural Shocks (Shortlisted for The List's BEST NEW WRITING AWARD ), Give Up! Start Over! (In the darkest of times I look to Richard Nixon for hope) (winner of the 2005 EDINBURGH FRINGE FIRST AWARD), HOWL - based on the poem by Allen Ginsberg, and Faster - inspired by the book by James Gleick. Outside of her work with the TEAM she has recently directed All the Great Books (Abridged) (Hangar Theatre), Uncle Vanya (Classic Stage Company), the NYC revival of Kurt Vonnegut's Happy Birthday, Wanda June , and Twelfth Night (Connelly Theatre, with the TEAM). Upcoming projects include collaborations with Target Margin Theater on their season of Aristophanes, performance artist Taylor Mac, and writer Molly Rice and composer Ray Rizzo on Canary , a new children's musical that will premiere in 2008. In addition to her directing work she has assisted directors and choreographers including Diane Paulus, Anne Kauffman (Civilians), Pavel Zustiak (Palissimo), and Leon Ingulsrud (SITI Company). Rachel has been a Drama League Directing Fellow, and is a New Georges Affiliated Artist. She received her BFA from NYU, and learned most of what she knows about directing from Playwrights Horizons Theater School.
Helen R. Cook (Director of the School) one of the founders of Playwrights Horizons Theater School, served as the Administrative Director of the school from 1983 to 1991, then as the Co-Director until she became Director in 1996. She studied the history of landscape architecture at the Radcliffe Institute in Cambridge, and Child Development and Training at Garland College in Boston. In New York, Mrs. Cook worked for a short period at Playwrights Horizons as Office Manager and Head of the Internship Program in addition to her duties with the school. She is married to a playwright, the mother of four grown children and grandmother of nine.
Lenore Doxsee (Lighting Design)
is a lighting designer for theater, opera, and dance. She is the resident lighting designer for Target Margin Theater and has designed in many New York theaters including New York City Opera, La Mama, HERE Arts Center, Juilliard Opera Theater, Dance Theater Workshop, and The Kitchen. Regionally and abroad she has designed for Lyric Opera of Chicago, Glimmerglass Opera, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cleveland Public Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Pittsburgh Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, Opera de Montreal, Singapore Repertory Theatre, and many others. Lenore received an Obie Award for Target Margin's production of MAMBA'S DAUGHTERS. Her designs for dance include premieres by Jennifer Monson and Miguel Gutierrez. Ms. Doxsee holds a BA from Williams College and an MFA from New York University.
Mark Enright (Voice & Speech I)
iis a professional voice and speech teacher and coach. He has coached voice on Broadway (Patrick Marber's Tony-nominated play CLOSER), Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway. Mr. Enright has also coached and taught Shakespeare text work at the American Repertory Theatre, New York University, Brandeis University, Providence College, Manhattan Marymount College, and the American Music and Dramatic Academy. As an actor he has worked in New York City and regionally, including The Pittsburgh Public Theater, The Huntington Theatre, The New Rep Theatre, the Phoenix Theatre, and Playhouse on the Square where he received Best Actor Awards for two consecutive years from Memphis Magazine. Mr. Enright is also the Director of Membership for the Voice and Speech Trainer's Association (VASTA). Mr. Enright holds an MFA degree from Brandeis University and has studied with Patsy Rodenberg and Catherine Fitzmaurice.
Fritz Ertl (Fundamentals of Directing, Transfer Directing, Script Analysis) is a theater director and educator. He has produced or directed world premieres of plays by Steven Drukman, Erik Ehn, and Paula Vogel, and has worked at theaters such as Berkshire Theatre Festival, BACA Downtown, and HERE. Among others, at NYU Fritz has directed PENTECOST, by David Edgar, THE PAINS OF YOUTH, by Ferdinand Brukner, and MAD FOREST, by Caryl Churchill. In recent years, he has focused his energies on developing new plays for production with student actors. The first of these projects, YOUTH IN ASIA: A TECHNO FANTASIA (aka the resistance project) was written by Steven Drukman and was produced by the NYU Mainstage; the second project, FOXHOLLOW (aka the animal project), was also by Steven Drukman, and was presented at PHTS as a 4 th year Company Project; last year he returned to the NYU Mainstage with THERE WAS AND THERE WASN'T: AN OLD IRAQI FOLK TALE (aka the queeraq project), written by Daniel Glen. Fritz has been teaching at NYU since 1990, and in that period has taught a wide range of courses, including acting, directing, and dramatic literature. Additionally, from 1996-1999 he was the Managing Director of the Drama Department at Tisch, and he spent the 2005-06 academic year in Dublin, where he was the program director of the Tisch Dublin Acting Conservatory. He currently teaches at both PlHTS and The Meisner Extension .
Christine Farrell (Head of Acting Program; Acting III, Comedy Workshop)
is an actress, writer and director. She was seen for nine seasons on the original Law and Order as Shrier, the Ballistics Detective. She has performed in New York and regional theaters in Summer and Smoke , Uncle Vanya, Comedy of Errors, Broken Glass, Catholic School Girls , Primary English Class, To Gillian on her 37th Birthday, David's Mother, The Dining Room , Summer Cyclone, The Rothko Room and The Man who Came to Dinner. Her television credits include National commercials for Mueller's Macaroni and Cellular One, along with numerous voice narrations for PBS, Guest spots on Kate and Allie, Spenser: For Hire, Saturday Night Live as well as the soap operas Edge of Night, One Life to Live and All My Children . Christine began her career in New York with TheatreSports Comedy Improvisation troupe trained by Keith Johnstone. She was the original founder of the company which competed in Comedy Festivals internationally. At Sarah Lawrence College , Christine directs the SLC LAMPOON and teaches ComedyWorkshop. Christine is the author of two published plays Mama Drama and The Once Attractive Woman . Her plays have been seen in regional theaters throughout the country and were originally produced at Ensemble Studio Theatre where she is a member. She recently directed Hungry by Amy Herzog and War by Bill Bozzone. She received her MFA in theater at Columbia University and studied Dramatic Literature for one year on an Exchange Grant in Oxford, England.
David Gaines (Accompanist, Music Performance I, Music Performance Tutorials )
As musical director, David Gaines' most recent theater credits include THE IMMIGRANT (Westport Country Playhouse) and PICON PIE (Lamb's Theater). For the past two summers he served as faculty member of cabaret conferences at the Perry Mansfield School of the Arts (Steamboat Springs, CO) and the O'Neill Theater Center (Waterford, CT), where he musical directed AN EVENING WITH PENNY FULLER. His arrangements/orchestrations can be heard on the Jamie DeRoy compilation CDs TIS THE SEASON, FAMILY and THE REAL THING.
Jenny Gersten (Business of Show) iis the Associate Producer of The Public Theater. For the past two and a half years, she was the Artistic Director of Naked Angels, a theater company founded in 1986 by a company of actors, writers, directors, designers and producers. In that time, she produced the World Premieres of Elizabeth Meriwether's THE MISTAKES MADELINE MADE, and SPALDING GRAY: STORIES LEFT TO TELL, as well as three evenings of one-act plays by known and emerging playwrights, and countless readings and workshops of new work. For nine years, Ms. Gersten was Associate Producer of the Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF). In that time, WTF received a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, transferred 6 productions to Broadway (and a slew of others Off-Broadway and to prominent regional theaters), and served as associate producer to 103 new and revived plays. In addition, she produced a new play reading series, oversaw a training program for emerging theater artists, and helped create and oversee a long-range plan for the Festival as well as a $7 million endowment fund. In addition, she independently produced MY RENAISSANCE FAIRE LADY, written and directed by PHTS alum Evan Cabnet, at the Ontological Hysteric Theater. Prior to WTF, Ms. Gersten was Director of Marketing and Development at The 52nd Street Project, a mentoring theater organization which brings inner-city youth from the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood together with professional theater artists to create original plays. She has served as a casting director for BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL as well as for visual artist Gregory Crewdson, been a consultant for the Atlantic Theater Company, led workshops for the Off-Broadway service organization ART/NY, and was an archaeology and art history major at Oberlin College.
Elizabeth Hess (The Actor’s Instrument)
starred Off-Broadway, regionally and internationally in her solo trilogy LIVING OPENLY & NOTORIOUSLY. Part 1, BIRTH RITE, was performed in New York (Harold Clurman), Hartford (RealArtWays), Edinburgh (Festival Fringe), Barcelona (Project Vaca), Kiel (Thespis Festival), Berlin (The Friends) and Toronto (Hysteria Festival). Part 2, DESCENT, was performed in Edinburgh (Festival Fringe) and Yerevan (Armmono). Part 3, AT/ONE, was performed in New York (McGinn/Cazale). Broadway and Off-Broadway credits include: M BUTTERFLY (Eugene O'Neill); CRITICAL DARLING (The New Group); NOTES (McGinn/Cazale); OUR PLACE IN TIME (Women's Project and Prods.); LIVERPOOL FANTASY (Irish Arts Center); BEGGARS IN THE HOUSE OF PLENTY (Manhattan Theatre Club); NOTHING BUT BUKOWSKI (Samuel Beckett); A MODEST PROPOSAL (UBU Rep); JACK (New York Theatre Workshop); and THE FRANCES FARMER STORY (Chareeva Playhouse). Regional credits include: AH, WILDERNESS (Center Stage); MANHATTAN CASANOVA (Hudson Stage); ROMEO & JULIET (ART); THE SEAGULL (Cleveland Playhouse); WINTERTIME; PERFECT PIE (Wilma Theater); DINNER WITH FRIENDS (Capitol Rep); MOLLY SWEENEY (TheaterWorks); OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY (Royal George); SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH (Royal Alexandra); SPLITTING INFINITY; ITALIAN-AMERICAN RECONCILIATION (GeVa); A WEDDING; THE MANDRAKE (Seattle Rep); A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (StageWest); THE DARK SONNETS (McCarter); PETER PAN (Denver Center) and DARE NOT SPEAK ITS' NAME (Seven Angels). TV credits include: LAW & ORDER; GUIDING LIGHT; ALL MY CHILDREN; ANOTHER WORLD; and five seasons starring on CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL. Film credits include: SOLDIER'S HEART; A BEDTIME STORY; ITALIAN LESSONS and BUDDY & GRACE. Ms. Hess has written several full-length plays including: LIVING OPENLY & NOTORIOUSLY: A SOLO TRILOGY (BIRTH RITE; DESCENT; AT/ONE); DIVINERAPTURE; THE RETURN and SACRED FIRE. Ms Hess is a graduate of The London Academy of Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and currently teaches Undergraduate Acting at NYU and Fordham University. www.elizabethhess.net
Meredith Holzman (Assistant, The Acting Workshop) graduated from PHTS in 2003. She most recently appeared in Never the Sinner (The Woodshed Collective) at the Flamboyan Theater. Other credits include the world premiere of Julian Sheppard's Los Angeles (dir. Adam Rapp), the world premiere of A.R. Gurney's Screen Play (dir. Jim Simpson), Elizabeth Swados's Jabu, and Roger Rosenblatt's Ashley Montana Goes Ashore in the Caicos ( w/ Bebe Neuwirth /understudy), all at the Flea Theater. Other New York credits include The Impotent General (The Brick Theater), Dread Awakening (The Thursday Problem), Drums in the Night (Beesting Theater) and The Violence Project (PHTS & LaMaMa) among others. She is thrilled to be back at her alma mater and looking forward to the adventures ahead!
Roderick Jackson (Accompanist, Movement for the Actor)
was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio where he learned to play the drum set at the age of ten. In 1990 he relocated to New York City where he began to study the rhythms, dances, and instruments involved in the Haitian, Brazilian, West African, Angolan, and Korean cultures. Roderick is currently Music Director for Batoto Yetu Children's African Dance Company. He has also collaborated with several dance companies, such as: Chet Walker's (conceiver and co-choreographer of Broadway's FOSSE) Eight and Ah 1 Dance Ensemble, Omar Edwards' (Broadway's BRING IN DA NOISE, BRING IN DA FUNK) Jeremiah Funk Ensemble, and Sung Wook Park's Fourth Dimension Dance Company. Roderick is a percussionist on staff at the Alvin Ailey School of American Dance and Broadway Dance Center. He has recorded works for The Children's Television Workshop, Sesame Street, and The Smithsonian Institute. He also assisted film director Jonathan Demme in developing scene music for the motion picture "Beloved", starring Oprah Winfrey.
Chris P. Jaehnig(Drafting) is the Director of Production and the Interim Artistic Director of the Drama Department. He has an MFA from the Yale School of Drama and a BA (in Theatre and Drama) from the University of Wisconsin. Along with Kitty Leech and Gregg Barnes, he founded the Technical Production Track in 1988. In addition to teaching the Drafting and AutoCAD class for Tech Track, he has been responsible for the historical component of the department's Introduction to Theatre Production (ITP) course. He produces all of the Department's Mainstage Productions and advises most of the other Drama Department productions. He has consulted on several Off-Off Broadway Theatres and Project Managed for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Fourth of July Fireworks.
Michael Krass
(Head of Design Program; Design I, Seminar for Designers, Design III, Design IV) grew up in Connecticut, attended the College of William and Mary (with a junior year in France) and is a costume designer who has taught at Playwrights Horizons Theater School since 1991. He has worked with Edward Albee, Arthur Miller, Kenneth Lonergan, Christopher Durang, Tony Kushner, David Rabe, A.R. Gurney, John Guare, and the directors Michael Mayer, Moises Kaufman, Jack O'Brien, Tina Landau, Scott Ellis, and Robert Moss on shows on and off-Broadway which include MACBETH, TWELVE ANGRY MEN, THE CONSTANT WIFE (2006 Tony nomination) , RECKLESS, HEDDA GABLER , YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, THE REHEARSAL (Drama Desk, American Theater Wing nominations), and the New York premieres of THE PLAY ABOUT THE BABY, THIS IS OUR YOUTH, LOBBY HERO, STUPID KIDS, BETTY'S SUMMER VACATION and DRIVING MISS DAISY, among many others. Regionally, he has designed for Chicago Shakespeare (Two Jefferson Nominations), The Old Globe, Syracuse Stage, The Huntington, ACT (Seattle), Cleveland, Philadelphia, ten years at the Hangar Theatre and eight at Williamstown, among others. He also designed Campbell Scott's film of HAMLET. He lives about four blocks from school, and is happy to talk about anything.
Kitty Leech (Figure Drawing, Costume Design) is a costume designer, illustrator, photographer and teacher. Her costume design credits include, GROSS INDECENCY: THE TREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE, at the Minetta Lane Theatre, as well as productions in San Francisco, Toronto, Plymouth, England and London's West End. Other notable Off-Broadway credits include THE NOVELIST: A ROMANTIC PORTRAIT OF JANE AUSTEN by Howard Fast, and GOBLIN MARKET at the Circle-in-the-Square Theatre (Downtown) for which she received a Maharam award nomination. For eight years she was the resident costume designer for the Lyrics and Lyricists concert series at the 92ndSt Y. She has designed costumes for numerous Off and Off-Off Broadway theatres, as well as for Republic National Bank at the Big Apple Circus, Banker's Trust, and People magazine. Other International credits include The Almeida Theatre, London, Carnavale in Venezia, and Festivale Inteatro in Polverigi, Italy, the Via, and Exit Festivals in France and The Edinburgh Festival. Her sketches have been shown at the Susan Teller Gallery in Soho New York, Greenberg and Hammer Inc 57th St. NYC and at the Cosmopolitan Club in Philadelphia. One of her sketches was awarded the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts Curator's Choice at the San Francisco Print Fair in 2002. Her photographs have been seen Off-Broadway, in Black Masks magazine, in the on-line exhibits of Here is New York, and World Stage Design and in numerous NYU locations, publications, and websites. Kitty was the resident costume designer at Tisch Drama for 18 years. She is also on the faculty at Playwrights Horizons Theater School, has taught at Parson's School of Design and lectured at Pratt Institute of Design and Lincoln Center Theatre. She is currently the chair of the IATSE Costume Design Exam committee, and is on the TDF Costume Collection Advisory Committee, which administers the Irene Sharaff Awards. She is a member of New York Women in Film and Television, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and the Children's Book Illustrating Group.
Jeanne Lehman (Music Performance I) for over 30 years, Ms. Lehman has enjoyed a varied and exciting career that embraces theater, television, concerts, cabaret, and recordings, and has carried her from Broadway to International stages. She was the final "Mrs. Potts" in the Broadway production of Disney's BEATUY AND THE BEAST, reprising her role from the Los Angeles company (1995-96). Previously on Broadway she was the "Mother Abbess" in THE SOUND of MUSIC, with Richard Chamberlain, continuing her role on the Broadway National tour, regional productions, and the Stratford Festival of Canada where she also appeared as "Mrs. Blair" in INHERIT THE WIND. Other select Broadway/New York credits include: RODGERS AND HART, JEROME KERN GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, GOING UP, A MUSICAL JUBILEE, IRENE, PUTTING IT TOGETHER/standby to Julie Andrews (MTC); LINGOLAND (York); "Jenny"/COMPANY (York). She toured as: "Mrs. Molloy" in HELLO DOLLY with Carol Channing; "Eve" in APPLAUSE with Lauren Bacall and Eleanor Parker; "Abigail Adams" and "Martha Jefferson" in the second national and Bicentennial productions of 1776. Jeanne has starred regionally in such classics as: SHE LOVES ME; MY FAIR LADY; FANNY; THE MUSIC MAN; I DO! I DO! THE KING AND I, SHOW BOAT; CAMELOT; THE WIZARD OF OZ, SOUND OF MUSIC (as Maria), and CAROUSEL. At the famed Goodspeed Opera House, she originated the role of "Mrs. Larue in MRS. MCTHING, and played "Betsy"/DEAREST ENEMY, and "Kitty" in WHERE'S CHARLEY? PBS Specials/Recordings include: SONDHEIM: A CELEBRATION AT CARNEGIE HALL (featured with Madeline Kahn/Mark Jacoby); SKITCH HENDERSON AT 80/BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION; A JEROME KERN TREASURY, BROADWAY SHOWSTOPPERS; KURT WEILL ON BROADWAY (w/Thomas Hampson); BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - A CONCERT ON ICE; SIMPLE GIFTS for BFC/EFA, and the newly released LINGOLAND. A POPULAR GUEST SOLOIST, Ms. Lehman has headlined numerous times at Carnegie Hall with Skitch Henderson and THE NEW YORK POPS ( subsequent Japan tours); with Peter Nero/ PHILLY POPS (Mann Center for the Performing Arts/Academy of Music, Philadelphia); L.A. Philharmonic (Hollywood Bowl), gracing Symphony Orchestra stages throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. Television audiences have seen her on LAW AND ORDER: SVU; KATE AND ALLIE; ALL MY CHILDREN; ONE LIFE TO LIVE; and in over 65 commercials. Her favorite role is that of wife to actor/singer, LARRY FRENCH whom she met in CAMELOT. Other items of interest: Jeanne is currently in her 5th term as a Councilor for Actors Equity Association; has traveled as Vocal Consultant for professional theater companies in Korea and Japan, has taught at CAP21. Website: www.jeanne-lehman.com
Justin Levine (Receptionist/Office Aide) graduated from PlHTS this past May, and is thrilled to be able to stay a little longer. For his 4th year project, he wrote the book, music and lyrics to BONFIRE NIGHT, a musical about terrorism in 1605 London. This summer he worked as assistant publicity director and food manager for the Princeton Summer Theater. He has also worked as music director for a number of companies and artists including Liz Swados, Michael Cerveris, The Neo-Classical Ensemble, New York Theatre Experiment, FringeNYC, among others. In his spare time he plays at a piano bar in the West Village. He is currently writing a new play that will be produced by PHTS alumni-run Room5001.
Allison Leyton-Brown(Musical Director, Music Performance II) has written more than 30 original music and sound scores for theater, opera, dance & film productions across the U.S. and Canada. Recent projects include: SAKE WITH THE HAIKU GEISHA (Gotham Stage Company), THE SNOW QUEEN (Urban Stages), and 'TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE (Friendly Fire). Allison has collaborated on two projects as composer-in-residence with Archipelago Theater, whose productions of THE WOMEN IN THE ATTIC and THE TROJAN WOMEN (for Duke University) landed on several of the area's Top 10 Lists for 2005/6. Other music-theater pieces include LAST DAYS IN VEGAS, ALOHA FLIGHT 243: A ONE-ACT OPERA (lib. S. Chapadjiev), and cult favorite HOW MANY ANNAS (words by A. Tolk). She has scored several independent films including a one-minute silent short for Coca Cola, and two feature films. Allison has a Masters degree from Tisch School of the Arts' Musical Theatre Writing Program and she works regularly as a Musical Director around New York City.
Mark Lindberg ( Assistant - Creating Original Work I & II & Silver) is a playwright, director, performer, soundpainter who graduated from NYU and PHTS in 2003. Acting credits include A Mouthful of Birds (dir. Tomi Tsunoda), Simulacra (dir. Gerritt Turner), Johnny Got His Gun (multiple productions in MA and NYC). Directing/Soundpainting credits include Ruins with Tomi Tsunoda. As playwright/director, credits include Truce On Uranus, sick with something, Martin's Lib, and Resisting Change at various spaces around NYC. Projects from his PHTS past include Absence: A Musical Ghost Story (C.O.W.), Roles I'll Never Play (C.O.W.), a gaggle of saints (director), and One For the Road (actor - Nicolas). Mark is orginally from Weymouth, MA.
Maggie Low (Acting - Scene Study) has been a professional actress for over twenty years in and around New York City. Her father was veteran actor Carl Low. Besides being "born in a trunk", she studied the Meisner technique with William Esper, scene study with Wynn Handman and script interpretation/audition technique with Tim Phillip. Maggie was in KERRY AND ANGIE by Gerry Sheridan, the Critic's Choice Award winning play at the Samuel French Festival, published May 2006. She played Gertrude in HAMLET (NEW JERSEY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL). Other favorite credits include originating roles in: A CASE OF MURDER by Robert Montgomery (La MaMa ETC), THE BIG VIG by Jason Furlani with Blue Collar Theater Co., directed by Tim Phillips, TIMES OF WAR by Eric Lane, directed by Martha Banta (Adirondack Theatre Festival), CATHOLIC SCHOOL GIRLS by Casey Kurtti, directed by Burry Fredrik (Douglas Fairbanks Theatre), CANDLE IN THE WINDOW by Tom Gilroy, directed by Michael Imperioli (One Dream Theatre), THE MAN WHO SHOT THE MAN WHO SHOT JESSE JAMES (Manhattan Punch Line), and VENUS' DIARY (La MaMa) by Lynn McCullough, directed by Tom O'Horgan. Feature films and television: POVERTY OUTLAW, POSTCARDS FROM AMERICA, BURNZY'S LAST CALL, THE HOUSES THAT ARE LEFT, a guest lead on LAW & ORDER and DEBORAH SAMPSON written and directed by Joan Micklin Silver. She is a Lifetime member of The Actors Studio.
Jeni Mahoney (Playwriting) In addition to her work as a playwright and producer, Jeni is the artistic director of Seven Devils Playwrights Conference and co-Artistic Director of id Theater Company. Her play THE FEAST OF THE FLYING COW... AND OTHER STORIES OF WAR, which will have its Midwest premier in Denver in October 2007, was presented at the National Playwrights Conference at the O'Neill Center and received its world premiere at InterAct Theater in Philadelphia. These and other plays including: THE MARTYRDOM OF WASHINGTON BOOTH, MERCY FALLS, LIGHT and BAD WATER JUJU have been variously presented at: the Midwestern New Play Festival, L.A. Theater Center, Lark Theater's Playwrights Week, Rattlestick Productions, NYU's hotINK Festival, Chicago Womens Theater Alliance, and Village Rep among others. Her one acts THROW OF THE MOON and AMERICAN EYES were commissioned and produced by Gorilla Rep and can be found in Plays and Playwrights 2001. Her commissions include an adaptation of Margaret Ayer Barnes' dramatization of THE AGE OF INNOCENCE for the OBIE-winning Mint Theater Company. She is the recipient of an Independent Artists Challenge Grant from Field and a Woolrich Postgraduate Fellowship from Columbia University. Excerpts from her plays can be found in numerous monologue and scene books. As Artistic Director of Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, Jeni has spearheaded the development of more than 60 new American plays since 2001 including Cusi Cram's FUENTE (winner of the Herrick New Play Prize), Dano Madden's IN THE SAWTOOTHS (winner of the Kennedy Center New Student Play Competition) and LEWIS & CLARK REACH THE EUPHRATES by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan. Jeni is a member of the Dramatists Guild.
Theresa McCarthy (The Actor's Practice) was a member of the original cast of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical TITANIC. She has originated roles in numerous plays and musicals off-Broadway and regionally including Nellie in FLOYD COLLINS by Tina Landau and Adam Guettel and Polly on STATES OF INDEPENDENCE by Tina Landau and Ricky Ian Gordon. She is a featured vocalist on several recordings including, TITANIC, FLOYD COLLINS, Adam Guettel's MYTHS AND HYMNS, Ricky Ian Gordon's BRIGHT EYED JOY, and Stephen Sondheim's THE FROGS/EVENING PRIMROSE. In 2000, she founded a professional theater in Northern Michigan where she directed MACBETH, GRIMM TALES, ART, and commissioned a new work PIGEON RIVER OPERA for which she co-wrote the music and directed. There she received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Michigan Council for the Arts and Culture and others to produce original works and provide arts programming for rural communities. She is writing a music theater work with her musician husband Roy Truax, and she is the mother of four delightful daughters.
David Mendizabal (Assistant, Acting II ) Graduated with honors from NYU in 2007, and spent all 4 years as astudent of PHTS in the Directing/Design track. Recent directingcredits include POLAROID STORIES, 365 University, FUR, and INSIDE THE BELLY OF THE BEAST. He has costume designed numerous student productions and has been working professionally as an assistant costume designer. Most recent assistant credits include HUNTNG AND GATHERING (Primary Stages), OHIO STATE MURDERS (TFANA), THE
MISANTHROPE (NYTW) and ROMEO AND JULIET (NYSF/Public). He is a new member of The Movement Theatre Company, dedicated to creating and supporting better representations of people of color in the media and the arts.
Bev Mitchell (Associate Director) has an MFA in Theatre Administration from Virginia Tech and, prior to coming to PHTS, has served in such roles as Associate Director of Production at NYU's Undergraduate Drama Department and Company Manager for Meredith Monk/The House. Bev is married to PHTS alumnus and NYU/UGD Production Manager, Leighton Mitchell and is the proud mama of Auden James and Colton Twain.
Morgan Murphey (Research & Development, Assistant, Creating Original Work (C.O.W.) III/IV/V/VI) is a 2003 graduate of NYU and PHTS. Currently she is creating and performing. Recent and current work includes - a workshop performance of 'Portraiture' (an original movement piece), performing in breedingground's 'A Mouthful of Birds,' and creating a piece for CDNY's annual showcase. Since graduating Morgan has also stage managed for companies on both coasts including work for NYC's downtown Banana Bag & Bodice (of which she is a company member) and with San Francisco's staple, A Traveling Jewish Theater Company. Past work also includes Production Assistance at the Public Theater and Artistic Associate with San Francisco's foolsFury Theater Company. Along with her work at PHTS, Morgan volunteers year-round with Our Time Theater Company, an artistic home for kids who stutter.
Doug Paulson (Archivist, Practicum Voice & Speech, Assistant, Voice & Speech I) is an actor, singer, writer, musician, composer, producer and teacher of Voice and Speech at NYU's Playwrights Horizons Theater School. As a member of breedingground productions, he co-produced the 2005 and 2007 Spring Fever Festivals, while also appearing in their main-stage productions of BUNNIES, PART ONE and A Mouthful of Birds respectively. Doug has worked extensively with Elizabeth Swados on projects including THE BELOVED DEARLY, and INSIDE/OUT, both for Lincoln Center Institute. Doug composed the score for the original musical PRIME TIME with book and lyrics by Bill Augustin, and can be seen in the independent films HIGH LIFE, THE CRAWL, and The Movie: OUR SECOND MOVIE. Proud member of Actor's Equity.
Marleen Pennison (Head of New Program Development; Form and Content I & II, C.O.W. I, II, & Silver) has been regarded as a leader of the narrative form in dance. Her choreography fuses movement and text to create danced short stories and plays. She is Artistic Director of Marleen Pennison and Dancers, Inc. Under her direction, the company has been produced to high critical acclaim since 1975, including presentations in the New York area by Dance Theater Workshop, LaMama ETC, Lincoln Center, and Pepsico Summerfare. Ms. Pennison's work has twice been commissioned by the prestigious American Dance Festival. Her work as a free-lance choreographer includes a wide range of projects for clients such as Calvin Klein, the Bronx Zoo, the San Francisco Opera, and NBC. As a teacher, Ms. Pennison brings to her students over twenty-five years of experience in teaching dance and theater to adults and children. She directed the Movement Program at the Stella Adler Theatre Conservatory from 1977-85. In 1985, Ms. Pennison joined the faculty of PHTS, and turned her attention to developing a cross-discipline curriculum for training actors and directors. Ms. Pennison traveled to Prague in April of 2005, where she was a movement coach for actress Jessica Biel for the film THE ILLUSIONIST.
Lisa Peterson (Actors and Directors) is a theater director who has directed the world premieres of new plays by writers including Tony Kushner, Naomi Wallace, Donald Margulies, Polly Pen, Stephen Belber, Beth Henley, Jose Rivera, Philip Kan Gotanda, Marlane Meyer, Luis Alfaro, Chay Yew, Ellen McLaughlin, John Belluso, Annie Weisman, and Culture Clash, as well as classics at theaters including New York Theater Workshop, Vineyard, MTC, Primary Stages, MCC, Public, Mark Taper Forum, La Jolla Playhouse, Berkeley Rep, California Shakespeare Theater, Intiman, Guthrie, Actors Theater of Louisville, Hartford Stage, Baltimore Center Stage, Arena Stage, Yale Rep, Hangar Theater, and the Huntington. She has participated in new play development at Sundance Theater Lab, O'Neill Playwrights Conference, Midwest Playlabs, Ojai Playwrights Conference, and New Dramatists. She is the recipient of an Obie Award, Drama Desk nomination, Joe Callaway nomination, and numerous Ovation and Dramalogue awards, as well as an NEA/TCG Career Development Grant. She has a BFA from Yale College, and is a member of Ensemble Studio Theater and the Drama Dept.
Martha Pitts (Introduction to Clowning/Bouffont) holds a BAH in Drama from Queen's University in Canada and a MA in Performance Studies from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Her Masters thesis on contemporary clown and hysteria featured a performance piece titled DORA, inspired by the surrealist artist Dora Maar. She has performed in Canada at the Kingston Baby Grand Theatre and Toronto's Poor Alex Theatre, and has given workshops in clowning, bouffon, and improvisation techniques. She currently teaches at Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Ruben Polendo (Acting Laboratory, Directing Laboratory, Style in Performance Laboratory, Advanced Laboratory, Advanced Laboratory for Practicum, Collaboration: Director/Designer I and II)
is Artistic Director of Theater Mitu; recently applauded as "one of the ten top, hot companies in New York" and "exciting...outside the boundaries of standard Western drama" (The New York Times). Polendo has written and directed several works with his company including: MOONCHILD; AHRAISHAK; THE LEGEND OF THE KINNAREE; THE RAMAYANA; THE MAHABHARATA; THE ODYSSEY; FOUR SAINTS IN MEXICO (inspired by G. Stein); CATHOLICA; BUT ABOVE ALL... (inspired by A. Chekhov). Adaptations include HAMLETMACHINE (inspired by H. Muller); THE SHAKESPEARE PROJECT (an adaptation of Macbeth and King Lear); THE NOH CYCLE (inspired by Zeami); THE TUTOR (based on texts by Brecht and Büchner), DHAMMASHOK (as developed at the Sundance Theater Lab and presented as part of The Mark Taper Forum ON STAGE series). Most recently Mitu presented their adaptation of the American Musical HAIR in collaboration with NYU/Tisch and the Skirball Center. Polendo and Mitu's work has been seen in various theaters in New York and regionally including: New York Theatre Workshop, The Public, INTAR, Blue Light, Lincoln Center Director's Lab, A.C.T., McCarter, Mark Taper Forum, The Alliance, Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati and South Coast Rep. Polendo holds a Biochemistry Degree (Trinity University), an MFA in directing (UCLA School of Theatre) and an MA in non-Western theatre (Lancaster University, UK). Other credits include: Co-director of Theater Mitu's Bangkok Summer Artist Intensive (Patravadi Theatre, Thailand); resident director- The Public (98-99); Member, New York Theatre Workshop's Usual Suspects; Member - Lincoln Center Director's Lab; Member - Element-L Leadership Council; UNAM/ C.U.T.- Guest Company (Mexico City); European Artist Exchange Grant (The Salzburg Festival): Eastern European Artist Exchange (Romania . Mitu will also be producing a series of solos shows in New York entitled BREATH, FALLEN and ENDING as well as a Chamber Opera entitled FIRST AND LAST PHOTOGRAPH; Ruben Polendo is Artistic Associate at New York Theater Workshop where Theater Mitu is presently Company-in-Residence.
Elle Randall (Assistant, Movement for the Actor) graduated from NYU in 2006 with a degree in theatre from PHTS. Recent credits include SMOKIN' JOES (Helen's Cabaret) a one woman cabaret she wrote, directed, and performed in, .0. a devised movement piece directed by Katie Quarrier, FAIR FIGHT (PHTS) and SMOKING BLOOMBERG (New York Musical Theatre Festival) as the assistant choreographer, ALWAYS FAMILY (ETW) a new play by Simmone Yu and Jeremy Lum, and ALCHEMY IN MOTION with NYU'S Dancers Choreographers Alliance, where she choreographed and performed in eight ensemble pieces. She is extremely excited to be a part of the PHTS faculty!
Mary B. Robinson (Head of Directing Program; Fourth Year Seminar and Lab, Fourth Year Directing Project, Collaboration: Director/Playwright, Acting for Directors & COWs) has been teaching at PHTS since 1996 and heading the directing program since 1999. Recent New York directing credits include WOMEN ON FIRE, a one woman play with Judith Ivey, and STRING FEVER with Cynthia Nixon. She also directed the world premiere of THREE VIEWINGS at Manhattan Theatre Club, A SHAYNA MAIDEL, which ran for fifteen months at the Westside Arts Off Broadway, and revivals of LEMON SKY and MOONCHILDREN, both at Second Stage. She has directed at many of the country's outstanding regional theaters, including Seattle Repertory Theatre, South Coast Repertory, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, and served as the Associate Artistic Director at Hartford Stage and Artistic Director of Philadelphia Drama Guild. She was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 1986, and in 1987 was the first recipient of the Alan Schneider Award, a national award in memory of the late director.
John Ruocco (Head of Music Performance Program; Music Performance III, Advanced Practicum) Director/Choreographer: Recent credits include SMOKING BLOOMBERG (New York Music Theater Festival), Kenneth Lonergan's THIS IS OUR YOUTH (Repertory Theater of St. Louis), THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE (Prince Music Theater), NERDS (New York Stage & Film), Jason Robert Brown's THE LAST FIVE YEARS (Repertory Theater of St. Louis), A GOOD MAN (NAMT Festival 2004 and Musical Theater Works), Liz Tuccillo's JOE FEARLESS: A FAN DANCE (Ford's Center) and FAIR FIGHT 2: THE SEQUEL (Naked Angels), SECOND SKIN by Chay Yew (Brave New World), Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY (Actor's Express), THE ROTHKO ROOM by Stuart Spencer (EST Marathon 2000), GLIMMER, GLIMMER AND SHINE by Warren Leight (Penguin Rep), Mark St. Germain and Randy Courts's THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE (New Harmony Project and Playwright's Horizons), AVENUE X (Repertory of St. Louis, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park & Merrimack Rep), LITTLE KIT and APPELAMANDO'S DREAMS (Vineyard Theater), THE MUSIC MAN (Sundance Theater Institute), FAIR FIGHT: A MEAN LITTLE DANCE (Aspen Comedy Arts Festival, New York Stage and Film, Naked Angels), a national tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA with the Joffery II, YOUR A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN (Charles Playhouse), HAIR (Emelin Theater), as well as productions with the Juilliard School, Ensemble Studio Theater, New York Stage & Film and Naked Angels and Goodspeed Musicals. Choreography credits include REALLY ROSIE (Atlantic Theater Company), Quincy Long's THE LIVELY LAD (NYS&F), the Off-Off-Broadway hit VIVA LAS VEGAS, MOJO (Atlantic Theater Company), and Michael Mayer's productions of HUNDREDS OF HATS (WPA) and A HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN FILM (The Juilliard School). He heads the Music Theater program at Playwrights Horizons Theater School and teaches the on-going professional musical theater forum THE GYM (www.thegymnyc.com). John is a Drama League Directing Fellow, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and a member of SSDC.
Van Santvoord (Scenery Design) is a scenic designer who works extensively in regional theater and off-Broadway. Recent work includes: WINTERS TALE, dir. Gia Forakis at Milwaukee Shakespeare; LITTLE WOMEN, dir. Mark Adamo at Skylight Opera; FINER NOBLE GASES, dir. Michael Garces at Rattlestick Theatre (2005 Hewes Award Nomination, Scenic Design); JOHNNY GUITAR, dir. Joel Higgins at the Century Center; DON GIOVANNI and THE TURN OF THE SCREW, dir. Paula Suozzi at Skylight Opera; HAVANA UNDER THE SEA and NUYORICAN STORIES, dir. Max Ferra at INTAR; VICK'S BOY, dir. Bob Balaban at Theatre Off Park; TERRA INCOGNITA written and directed by Irene Fornes; BURN THIS, dir. Robert Moss at Syracuse Stage; THE THREEPENNY OPERA, dir. Paula Suozzi at Connecticut Grand Opera; ILE and THE LONG VOYAGE HOME, dir. Jose Quintero at Provincetown Repertory Theatre. Van received his MFA from New York University and is a member of United Scenic Artists.
Scott Spahr (Dance I) is Associate Artistic Director of Mitu. Spahr has created scenic designs and choreography/movement for several works with his company including: Ahraihsak ; Happy Accident # 1; Happy Accident #2; The Ramayana; The Odyssey; Catholica; But Above All ...(inspired by A. Chekhov, co-writer with R. Polendo); The Tutor (based on texts by Brecht and Büchner). Other credits include, as choreographer - Hair (a collaboration with Mitu at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts), String of Fragmentation and A Midsummer Night's Dream (both at the Patravadi Theater, Bangkok); Cabaret (The Forum); Lonestar and Three (The Ulster Ballet Company); Uninvited (Just Feet From Broadway); Jewel (Serve da Bomb, San Francisco). Other Scenic Design credits include: The Raven Odyssey (Perseverance Theatre); Sleepwalkers (The Alliance); The Hologram Theory (Blue Light). Spahr and various company members teach Mitu's Training Methodology called Whole Theater at several institutions Including: NYU/Playwrights Horizons Theater School, Juilliard, Bard College, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, National University of Mexico, Patravadi Theater/Bangkok,and the CUNY- Graduate Program. Other teaching credits include: NYU (Cap 21); The Saugerties Ballet Center: Negoya Ballet; Broadway Dance Center. Directing credits include: Julian Brightman, LIVE! (The Duplex); Songbox , (Don't Tell Mama); The Wrong Pursuit (Trilogy Theater). Performing credits include: (on Broadway ) Chicago; On the Town; Jerome Robbins Broadway ; The National Tours of Cats and La Cage aux folles as well as the International Tour of Sophisticated Ladies . Spahr was also part of the reconstruction team for Fosse . Upcoming Theater Mitu projects include a series of solo shows entitled Breath, Fallen and Ending, The Shakespeare Project , DRC (or how I learned to act in seven steps) as well as the next installment in the Happy Accident series. Mitu is presently Company-in-Residence at New York Theater Workshop.
Joan Vail Thorne (4th Year Colloquium) works as a director, playwright and librettist. She began her professional directing career at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., was Assistant Director to the renowned American director, Alan Schneider, and went on to direct independently at such regional theatres as the Alley Theatre of Houston, the Asolo Theatre Company, the Dallas Theatre Center, Florida Stage, etc., and at Off Broadway theaters such as the American Place Theatre, the Ensemble Studio Theatre, the Jewish Repertory Theatre, and The Women's Project. Her recent plays include THE THINGS YOU LEAST EXPECT, THE EXACT CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, SIGNS AND WONDERS, and THE ANATOMY OF A FEMALE POPE. She has written and directed two short films: LAST RITES seen on PBS, and SECRETS seen on Cinemax. Opera Libretti and texts for narrator and orchestra, with music composed by Stephen Paulus, include THE WOMAN OF OTOWI CROSSING (Opera Theatre of St. Louis), SUMMER (Berkshire Opera Company), VOICES FROM THE GALLERY and WINDOWS OF THE MIND: THE FIVE SENSES (available on CD). Ms. Thorne is a member of ASCAP, the Dramatists Guild, the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and The Women's Project.
Tomi Tsunoda (Fundamentals of Directing, Introduction to Soundpainting, Collaborative Original Works, Creating Original Work (C.O.W.) III/IV/V/VI) is a graduate of Playwrights Horizons Theater School. Her directing credits include: ACT WITHOUT WORDS I by Samuel Beckett; THE CRAZY LOCOMOTIVE, by Stanislaw Witkiewicz; THE GREAT GOD BROWN, by Eugene O'Neill; BUNNIES: PART ONE by Todd Carlstrom; and BELOVED DEARLY, by Doug Cooney at The Lincoln Center Institute. Tomi has directed several readings and productions for new playwrights programs, including Ensemble Studio Theater's Young Blood. She has assisted Gordon Dahlquist at New Dramatists and SoHo Rep Think Tank, Elizabeth Swados at Lincoln Center, and has directs and teaches for Vassar College's Powerhouse Apprentice program. Tomi performs regularly with The NY Soundpainting Orchestra and The Walter Thompson Orchestra, multi-disciplinary ensembles working with improvisational performance and composition. She is the founder of breedingground productions, with whom she has developed more than 30 original projects in the last 6 years.
Gerritt Turner (Assistant, Fundamentals of Directing) graduated with honors from NYU in the Spring of 2004, and joined the PHTS directing faculty the following Fall. Recent directing credits include: THE FAY LINDSEY-JONES STORY and DALTON TRUMBO'S JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN at FringeNYC, OTHELLO and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE with the Dreamscape Theatre, and SIMULACRA, an original work presented through breedingground's Spring Fever Festival. He received the Robert H. Moss Directing Award for outstanding achievement as a director from PHTS ('04).
Ray Virta (Shakespeare Performance)
received a 2002 St. Clair Bayfield Award for Outstanding Shakespeare Performance as Benedick/MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. BROADWAY: NAKED GIRL ON THE APPIAN WAY, DEMOCRACY, BETRAYAL (U.S.), THE REAL THING (U.S.), THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL, INHERIT THE WIND. OFF-BROADWAY: 17 shows including GLIMMER, GLIMMER & SHINE, EYES FOR CONSUELA, (both at MTC); CYRANO (Roundabout), SNOWING AT DELPHI (WPA), TAMING/SHREW (TFANA); Resident of The Pearl Theatre Co. (MUCH ADO, EXIT THE KING, THE PHANTOM LADY, MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, THE SEAGULL, THE COUNTRY WIFE, KING LEAR) TOUR: M. BUTTERFLY; The Acting Company. REGIONAL: Over 40 lead/featured roles including Romeo, MacBeth, Torvald, Orsino, Berowne, at theaters such as Hartford Stage, Williamstown, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Missouri Rep., McCarter, Shakespeare Theater/Folger, Walnut Street, Buffalo Studio Arena, and others. Multiple Television and Film appearances DIRECTING: THE COMEDIE OF ERRORS (Brooklyn College), THE WAY OF THE WORLD (The Pearl), AS YOU LIKE IT (Kings County Shakespeare Co.), BEAUTY KNOWS NO PAIN, MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, former Artistic Director Rochester Youth Theater. TEACHING: Over 27 years experience as a Teaching Artist including multiple seasons with The Pearl, The Roundabout, The Acting Company, Performing Arts Foundation. Residencies include Schools in New York, New Jersey, New Mexico, Missouri, Virginia, Wisconsin. Also on Faculty of AMDA.
Ryan West (Assistant, Acting Laboratory, Advanced Acting Laboratory, Directing Laboratory) recently graduated with an MFA from the American Repertory Theatre's Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University/Moscow Art Theater School. He has performed in numerous productions at both the ART and the Moscow Art Theater School such as THREE SISTERS, ROMEO & JULIET, THIS IS HOW IT GOES, THE BACCHAE, THE BROTHER'S KARAMOZOV and PANTS ON FIRE. He is happy to be returning to New York and Playwrights Horizons Theater School (2002 graduate - green group). His New York credits include FASTER, THE ELIOTS, THE WORLD (PART IV) and PANIC! (HOW TO BE HAPPY) (with Richard Foreman). He is an artistic associate of Theater Mitu and has collaborated with the company on HAMLETMACHINE, FOUR SAINTS IN MEXICO, THE SERPENT WOMAN, THE RAMAYANA, THE MAHABHARATA and DHAMMASHOK.
Jo Winiarski (Design II) is a scenic designer. She has worked with a wide variety of New York theater companies including The New Group, Keen Company, Clubbed Thumb, Relentless Theater Company, and the Roundtable Ensemble. Off Broadway Credits include J.A.P the Jewish American Princesses of Comedy , and I Love You Because . She was the Associate set designer on Broadway for Lovemusik , and Jay Johnson's Two and Only . She is the Assistant designer of the 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee and the Associate on all subsequent productions. She has also worked regionally in theater as well including the fall 2007 season at The Utah Shakespearean Festival. Jo received both her BFA and MFA from NYU.
Francine Zerfas (Head of Voice and Speech Program; Vocal Performance II) Ms. Zerfas holds a BFA in Drama from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts (ETW & PHTS) where she received the J.S. Seidman Award, the Friar's Foundation Scholarship and the Outstanding Achievement Award, and was a nominee for the Dorothy Stickney Award. She is an Associate Teacher of Catherine Fitzmaurice's Destructuring/Restructuring Voice work, and holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the New School University. She is a co-founder of The Tiny Mythic Theater Company in New York City, where she had been both an actor and writer for the company. In addition to numerous roles for Tiny Mythic, some past performances include leading roles in APOCRYPHA by Travis Preston and Royston Coppenger at the Cucaracha Theater, TWO SMALL BODIES at the Harold Clurman Theater, THE EAGLE HAS TWO HEADS at the Ohio Theater in Soho and DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA at the Yale Repertory Theater and Center Stage. Ms. Zerfas has appeared in several independent films and video art works, including IRONY, IN SHADOW CITY, and THE SMALLEST PARTICLE by Ken Feingold, THE MADNESS OF DAY by Terrance Grace, and REVOLUTION by Jeff Kahn. As a writer, she has collaborated with both The Private Theater and The Tiny Mythic Theater creating original works. Her full-length play, ADVICE FOR A TRAVELING SALESMAN, was directed by Kristin Marting in New York City in 1987. Ms. Zerfas has trained extensively in ballet and modern dance, and performed with various independent choreographers and dance companies while in Minneapolis. She is the founder of the Penrose Mothers' Artist Colony, a residency where women artists who are mothers can create art while accompanied by their children, and is currently writing a personal narrative titled THE CARDBOARD GUY. Ms. Zerfas is currently an instructor of Voice at New York University's Playwrights Horizons Theater School. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn College and teaches the professional program and the Vermont Summer Intensive program for the Atlantic Theater Conservatory. She has also taught for the Cay Michael Patten Studio (NY), the Classic Stage Company (NY), and The Hangar Summer Theater Program in Ithaca, NY, and has taught voice for the actor and coached O'Neils Homecoming at the Centro em Movimento in Lisbon, Portugal during 1997 and 1998.
