presenting The Drafts

Laurabeth Breya is excited to be a member of The Drafts! She was born and raised in New York City. She attended Brown University where she received her B.A. in Theatre Arts. After graduating from Brown, she studied intensively at the Dell'Arte International School for Physical Theatre as part of their Professional Training Program, studying Clown, Mime, Melodrama, Acrobatics, Voice, and Commedia Dell'Arte.  She is currently enrolled in CUNY's M.A. in Applied Theater Program. In addition to acting professionally, she hopes to use Applied Theatre to politicize and empower marginalized communities.

Reiss Gaspard is a South Florida transplant and a long time New Yorker who has a great respect for the craft of acting and thought provoking theatre. He is a long time company member of the critically acclaimed Ground Up and Rising theatre and is excited to be working with such dedicated actors and writers here at the Drafts. He received his B.A. at Florida State University and continues to study his craft at the historical HB Studios.

Reynaldo Piniella is a New York native representing East New York, Brooklyn. He has performed recently with the Castillo Theatre, New Federal Theatre and Primary Stages. He has also appeared in film projects with the Discovery Channel, Pearson Education, New York Magazine and Chai Lifeline. Reynaldo is looking forward to his journey with The Drafts!

PENNY POLLAK’s work described as “dark and a little creepy” by reviewers “brings a physicality to her roles that make her captivating to watch (Thehappiestmedium.com) “Pollak is an assured performer – powerful, physical and fragile all at once.” (Kate Copstick) Penny is  “an actress who can flip from funny to tragic in one scene, often in one line”  “Penny earns major points for her creativity in her dark and fascinating No Traveler” (stagebuzz.com) that she both wrote and performed in receiving glowing reviews in this years Edinburgh Fringe Festival and NYC Frigid Festival. “This is a clever piece of theatre by an impressive performer, the kind of show that the Fringe should be about.” (The Scotsman) She recently starred in ‘Broken Dog Legs’ a one-woman play by Emily Conbere where “Pollak’s shadowy voice is creepy enough to feign tales of sorrow, often spooky with her brooding eyes and dark locks”(showbusinessweekly.com) mixed with her odd sense of humor had the audiences in tears of laughter. For almost three years now she has hosted and produced Penny’s Open Mic, (featured in the New York Times, New York Magazine, Backstage.com, The NY Press and Time Out NY) a weekly show located at Under St. Mark’s Theater. A resident of Horse Trade Theater Company she has produced and performed in just about every performance venue, bar and street corner in the east village since she moved here about three years ago. She graduated with a degree in Theater and a minor in Sociology. After graduation she studied at the London theater intensive program at Rose Bruford College, UK. She has won awards for her writing as well as been featured in a number of readings in NYC.

Evan Taylor Walker is fresh to the “Big Apple,” and originally hails from the Sunshine State. He has recently graduated from Point Park University with a degree in musical theatre. Past credit include: Robbie(The Wedding Singer), Black(The Wild Party), Demetrius(A Midsummer Nights Dream), Beau(Asleep on the Wind), Leo Frank(Parade; in which he was named best actor of 2009 by the Washington Observer) and many others. He is overjoyed to be a part of the Drafts and can’t want to expose the world to new playwrights and their plays on a monthly basis. He would like to thank all those who support and contribute to the arts.

Michael is from Byfield, Massachusetts.
Selected credits include: Fly Away (Love Creek Productions, Producers Club), The Man Who Came to Dinner (Ridge Repertory), Father of the Bride (State of Maine Theater, Lakewood), I Never Saw Another Butterfly (Touching Humanity Inc.), The Cupcake Diet (Strawberry One Act Festival, Riant Theater), and What I Like (Where Eagles Dare Play Festival).  Readings of Bookstories and The New Facts of Life (Ten Grand Productions, Algonquin Theater).  Reading of The Group (Hudson Guild Theater, Fresh Fruit Festival).  Spent a summer in college as the cabin boy in historical reenactments at Roanoke Island Festival Park, the Outer Banks.
Thanks Mom and Dad. 

Matthew Wise is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and the Atlantic Acting School. He is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area but is a born again New Yorker. He is excited to be working with The Drafts and the very talented playwrights involved as well. 

Past Drafts

Brittany Bellizeare is a recent graduate of The New School for Drama and is now a “Master” of Acting!!  At least she hopes to think she is.  Some of her favorite roles include Amita in I’d Do Anything by Rebecca Stokes, Maggie in Den of Thieves, Rosa in CHAIN,Lona Hessel in The Pillars of Society, and Juniper in Juniper; Jubilee, a now published play and 2008 Samuel French Festival Winner, by Janine Nabers.  Other theatre credits include All’s Well That Ends Well, Private Life of the Master Race, Lysistrata, 365 Days/365 Plays, (Princess) Escalas in Romeo & Juliet: Jerusalem, a different yet enlightening take on the Shakespearean classic, The Colored Museum: Symbiosis, and Woman + War with The Synchronicity Performance Group at 7Stages Theatre in Atlanta.  She was blessed with the opportunity to be apart of the summer long Shakespeare Lab Intensive at The Public Theatre in 2008 where she performed in the a collection of scenes and sonnets in Nights, Fights, Schemes, Dreams arranged and directed by Barry Edelstein.  She was also a member of The Bridge Program 2007 at One on One Productions.  She is truly grateful to those who continue to mentor and enlighten her along the way.  She sends love and thanks to God and her family and friends!  She is ready to simply “live her magic.”   

Erin Burns is excited to be a member of The Drafts!  New to NYC, but no stranger to the stage, Erin's regional credits include Little Red Ridinghood in Into the Woods, Squeaky Fromme in Assassins, The Fantasticks, 5 Women Wearing the Same Dress, Jekyll & Hyde, The Miss Firecracker Contest, The Secret Garden, The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Peter Pan, and Don Giovanni with Nashville Opera, among others.  While earning her BA in classical voice and theatre, Erin competed in the Miss GA Pageant and opened for country singer Tracy Lawrence!  Thanks to God, her folks, and her lil' sis!