Horse Trade PRESENTS
A Rising Sun Performance Compan
PRODUCTION

DeCADEnce

By P. William Pinto  
Directed by Akia

All Photos by David Anderson

L to R: Julie Bain, Thomas Farrell, Nicollette Callaway, Rob Richardson, Michelle Robinson, Kathleen Schlemmer, Elizabeth Burke

What the Critics Have to Say about Rising Sun “Intense and out-there, and just never lets up” .. NYtheatre.com “Well worth the audience’s time and money” & “Deeply Honest” …Oobr.com “A little gem hidden in the dark Under St. Mark’s”.. L Magazine “if the unusual is what you crave head down to UNDER St. Mark’s for the ride of your life!” .. NYcool.com “A number of excellent performances” – Deborah Greenhut The Online Entertainment Guide calls Rising Sun the most popular Off-Off-Broadway performance company!! Rising Sun, who brought you the acclaimed revivals of “An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein”, the New York Innovative Theatre Awards nominated “Shape of Things” (2004), and the critically acclaimed hit “Hellcab”; Breaks new ground with an original piece written and created expressly for and by the ensemble of Rising Sun.   L to R: Julie Bain, Nicolette Callaway, Mimi Jefferson, Elizabeth Burke, Adam Purvis, Michelle Robinson, Kathleen Schlemmer Playwright P. William Pinto, Director Akia and the immensely talented ensemble of Rising Sun have spent the last 6 months developing the world premiere production of DeCADEnce. An Original work drawing from our eclectic Americana history, told thru 10 vignettes each representing a decade from the 20th Century. DeCADEnces explores both the frightening injustices and the triumphant advances of our human history; from Coney Island sideshows, Minstrelsy & Blackface, Old Time Radio to “Monicagate”, DeCADEnce leaves no stone unturned.  The rotating 16 member ensemble portrays these stories through an array of performance and media styles, inspired by TV Sitcoms, Musicals, Radio Plays, Civil Rights Protests, Live Music, Vaudeville, Carnival & Circus styles and more. DeCADEnce flies from 1903 to 1998 in examination of the lies, truths, and in-betweens which have plagued this country in the last century. Meet Topsy the Elephant that helped build Coney Island, and witness her gruesome public execution, Follow the conflict of an African American Actor who has to decide between keeping his job and lowering himself to Minstrelsy, Peek inside the interrogation room of Roswell, NM and see what may or may not have really happened, Listen in on a studio recording a Radio play, and watch the outside during the Depression, dance along to disco music at Studio 54 and re-live the blinding media circus of the Clinton Sex Scandal.

P. William Pinto (Playwright)

William Graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in '03 with a degree in playwrighting, minoring in Directing. He has been a member of RSP (and later a staff member) since '04, and has since created and co-directed four of RSP's past musical shows: Let's Just Be Friends, Love Me! Love Me!, Growing Up is Hard to Do, and Love & Money, he also appeared in Beneficial Bawdiness and Full Moon Follies. He is currently working on RSP's December musical The Swinging 60's Office Christmas Party. Past plays produced in New York City include his works A Night at the Party, Triptych: A Study in Fear, and RadioPlay '34. He is thrilled to have worked with such a dedicated (and patient!!) cast and crew, and wants to extend a special thanks to the Directing Team, Jenna, Adam, and his partner Joey.

Akia (Director)

Akia is an active member of the flourishing Off-Off/Indie & Off Broadway theatre communities having produced, directed, and performed with numerous NYC companies since 1997. Most recently Akia was the Associate Producer/ Production Coordinator for The Puerto Rican Traveling theatre, where she co-produced the Playwrights Unit Reading Series and INSIGHT 13 Series. Proudly, she is the Founding Artistic Director of the Rising Sun Performance Company, now in its sixth season, and has been involved on all levels with each of its 30+ productions.  In addition she is on staff at Horse Trade Theatre Group, a Board Member of The Paul Butterfield Fund & Society, and Company Manager for The New York Innovative Theatre Awards, where she serves on their honorary awards committee as Sub-Committee Chairman and as an At-Large Judge. This past March she was the General Manager for FRIGID New York, a new international theatre festival. Akia is also contributing writer/reviewer for several theatre websites and is now testing her hand at playwriting. She resides in the Bronx, with her husband and their 3 cats.  She thanks the almighty Jenna for keeping this show on track, Matthew for being the Ying to her Yang, and Pete for trusting her with his baby. She would also like to thank her amazing troupe of actors, for their trust and spirit in bringing this show to life.

Matthew Kreiner (Assistant Director)

Matthew is very happy to be working on this long and exciting journey we call DeCADEnce.  This is his first production with Rising Sun Performance Company but has assistant directed with the Boomerang Theatre Company and The Actors Company Theatre.  In the past, he has directed Woo at the Zoo, The Art of the Pick-Up, The Zoo Story, The Problem, The Friend, Chapter Two, Angels and Devils, and One Hour to Live in locations all over New York State.  He has also directed staged readings of Ninth Circle, Last Call, and In Rebel Country.  He hopes that he will work with this company again and would like to thank everyone who supports him in his pursuits in the theatre.

Jessica Greenberg (Lighting Designer)

Jessica is happy to be designing for RSPC for the first time. Recent NY lighting designs include Found a Peanut, The Long Christmas Ride Home, Stars in a Dark Sky, (Red Fern Theatre), Anna 3/11, A River Apart, (Century Productions NYC) and Don't Go Home for the Holidays (Calamity Carolers). Especially interested in new scripts, she has produced several new play festivals; as a director, she loves staging political pieces with physicality, humor, and great roles for women. Jessica received her BA from Hampshire College with a self-designed concentration in lighting, directing, and producing.

Matthew Kreiner (Assistant Director)

Matthew is very happy to be working on this long and exciting journey we call DeCADEnce. This is his first production with Rising Sun Performance Company but has assistant directed with the Boomerang Theatre Company and The Actors Company Theatre. In the past, he has directed Woo at the Zoo, The Art of the Pick-Up, The Zoo Story, The Problem, The Friend, Chapter Two, Angels and Devils, and One Hour to Live in locations all over New York State. He has also directed staged readings of Ninth Circle, Last Call, and In Rebel Country. He hopes that he will work with this company again and would like to thank everyone who supports him in his pursuits in the theatre.

Jovier Sanchez (Musical Consultant)

Jovier with Rising Sun: Cabaret: Growing Up Is Hard To Do! (Marvin); JonesPlay/DeCADEance (composer, musical director); Cabaret: You and Me, Together Again; Opera: Anna Bolena (Hervey); upcoming Opera: Roberto Devereux (Cecil), La Favorita (Fernando). I'd like to thank my partner and the cast for bearing with me! Love you!

Dara Fargotstein (Costume Designer)

Dara hails from Orange County,"The OC", California. A recent transplant, she made her NYC theatrical debut this past Fall designing costumes for the Diversity Players of Harlem off-off-Broadway production of A Soldier's Play. Her other credits include William Inge's Bus Stop, Eve Ensler's Neccessary Targets, and William Shakespeare's Timon of Athens. Dara is also an accomplished prosthetic/special effects makep up artist. She thanks the Rising Sun Theatre Company for this opportunity and her parents for not disowning her when she said she wanted to be in theatre.

Roman Battaglia (Sound Designer)

Roman has been creating soundscapes and music for various projects from theatre plays to films and television. His work on Five By Tenn, a Tennessee Williams play, received good reviews by United Stages and other critics. He has also been scoring several films, including Slam Dance Festival runner up The Flight and works as a songwriter and music producer for various artists. Along with being a sound designer and music producer, Roman also works as a sound engineer.

Jenna Dempesy (Stage Manager)

Jenna is currently attending Marymount Manhattan College with a BA in Theatre Arts: Producing and Management and a minor in Psychology. She has been performing and working in production for over ten years. Her stage management training first began during high school and at Pioneer Valley Summer Theatre (MA) when she interned under equity professionals. This summer, Jenna will act as the leader for the Students On Stage program with Williston Summer Theatre (MA). Her most recent credits include The Three Little Pigs with Manhattan Children's Theatre, Tap Extravaganza 2007, and The Old Law and Baby the Musical at MMC. Jenna wishes the best of luck to the cast and production team for she could not be there this evening. This process has been an unforgettable challenge for Jenna, and has enjoyed every moment of it.

Lindsey Smith is a BFA graduate of Adelphi University, a member of Rising Sun Performance Company, and a proud member of Screen Actor’s Guild. Favorite roles include: Brenda in HELLCAB and Missy in Southern Werewolf. Lindsey would like to thank Akia for another great opportunity and growing experience. She would also like to thank her amazingly supportive friends and family. Lindsey dedicates her performance to one of the most intelligent, inspiring and cutest people she knows, her Dad. Thanks for all those detailed Yankees updates and victory songs!

Elizabeth Burke is a graduate of the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, DC. She has performed dozens of plays with leading roles in Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, Electra, The Frogs and The Crucible and many others. But it’s not just the classics she loves, she has garnered great reviews last year for her roles in Catholic School Girls, Mrs. California and Hellcab. While she has worked in TV, film and Voice Over work, the theatre is her true love. And Politics! Once deCADEance closes, she will go out on the road working for the Obama for President Campaign! Don’t forget to vote! For more info or if you are dying to represent such a multi-talented actor, please visit my web site: www.elizabethburke.com.

Michelle Robinson (Topsy, Mona, Ensemble) New York credits: Medea in Durang & Wasserstein’s Medea; Elaine in Stitches in Time; Alice in Hospice, Belisa’s Mother in Don Perlimplin, The Actress in The Blue Room. International Tour of Black to My Roots (Fringe First Winner Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2002). Michelle has recently received her MFA from The New School for Drama (‘07).

Nicolette Callaway is proud to be a member of both deCADEnce and Rising Sun. In performance, she likes to challenge and manipulate ideas concerning authenticity, loneliness and isolation. Her goal is to constantly and continuously produce (good) theater and to confront audiences with representations of our collective experiences and, ultimately, our humanity, no matter how wonderful or frightening. Nicolette is also a member of Theatre of the Expendable and Brooklyn Repertory Shakespeare Company, with whom she is currently preparing Much Ado About Nothing. Nicolette earned her B.A. from NYU (Interdisciplinary Studies: Gender & Sexuality focus). She is from Houston, TX, but does not have an accent, and has even been told she sounds like she may be from Canada. She disagrees.

Rey Oliver Bune "You're doing what? Really? No, really…” were the encouraging and heartwarming words heard by Rey Oliver Bune when he decided to add acting to his life of science and pretending-to-be-smarter-than-everyone-else-ness. He has been on the set of a number of films and broke into two of them as the leads in 'Encounters' and 'Deployment Strategy'(imustmakethisfilm.com). Recently he has been performing in the plays 'Hellcab' and 'The Crucible' with Rising Sun and with the resident improv troupe, Solar Powered Flashlight. He sincerely thanks God, his new fiancee, his family, the Cru, Rising Sun, the 2006 Texas Bowl champion Rutgers football team and everyone who has and will always support him. Love ya, Babes!!

Patrick J. Egan, a native New Yorker, is a graduate of William Esper Studios. Credits include The Crucible as Giles Corey at the Krane Theatre; The Tempest as Prospero at the Impact Theatre; Loyalties and Memorial at the Pelican Theatre; the original play, The Last Man Standing as the Last Man at the Samuel French Theatre. He has done independent films including Herman Bolster as Buck; Red Midnight as Joseph/ Announcer; and Hangman’s Noose as Charles, a Film Festival winner. He has been a member of Rising Sun for two years. He is also an improv actor and is part of Rising Sun’s Improv Group, the Solar Powered Flashlights or S.P.F who regularly perform at Under St. Mark’s Theatre. He has also worked as a voice over artist. As a man of the arts, acting is his passion.

A native New Yorker, Reginald V. Ferguson is the "New Kid on The Block." In addition to acting, Reg is a standup comedian and can be seen regularly at Gotham Comedy Club and New York Comedy Club. His last theatrical performance was in the role of Skeeter in “Snooky’s Back Room.” His recent movie performance was in the role of Lucifer in the independent film "The Creation." His recent television credits include “Guiding Light (CBS-TV).” You can hear him as the voice of “Breakfast Man” in Burger King’s radio spots. In addition, he can also be heard as a reader of books for the Jewish Braille Institute. Legit representation would be a much appreciated way of letting Reg know that he’s on the right path.

Thomas Farrell (Pop/Johansen/George/William) Tom is thrilled to be working on this production with Rising Sun. Off-Broadway: The Trip to Bountiful (Traveler) and Landscape of the Body (Ensemble) with The Signature Theatre Co. Off-Off Broadway: Waves and Beaches (Louis) and Change at Jamaica (Michael) with Howling Moon Cab Co., The Sword in the Stone (Sir Kay) with the Ryan Repertory Theater, and The Tempest (Trinculo) and Twelfth Night (Sir Andrew) with Twenty Feet Productions. He could also be seen at the Eugene O’Neill Playwright’s Conference in The Electric Century (Man). Many thanks to Akia and the cast for allowing me to be a part of this. It’s been wonderful.

Rob Richardson was born in Baltimore Maryland and is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Robs credits with Rising Sun include the critically acclaimed Hellcab. As well as numerous cabarets, Louis K Walker in Southern Werewolf a one act in Revelations: an evening of one acts. He was recently seen in the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatres One Act Festival: Insight 13. Other credits include Fredrick Douglas in The Tragedy of Abraham Lincoln and the Independent films Zooey and Can We be Honest? He can also currently be seen in the Improv troupe Solar Powered Flashlight.

Crystal Franceschini is really mad she’s on the stage right now doing this show. She wishes she could be in the audience with you. She wants some popcorn. And a nap. But after the show. She’d like to watch it first. She hears it’s pretty good. She did some other shows, too. Like Hellcab. She thinks that was with these same people. That time she wanted some dumplings from next door. She also performed in NYC with The Shock Troupe and with the Phoenix Players. No good food, but plenty of naptime. She did a show in New Jersey you might have heard of: Romeo and Juliet. The character she played died. Which you might not expect in a play like that. She guesses she’ll see you later. Say hi. She likes that.

Mimi is thrilled to be working with Rising Sun on Decadence. When else do you get to play 10 character in 10 decades in 10 theatrical styles? Favorite theater roles include Alice in Caryl Churchill’s Heart’s Desire, the Professor in The Green Dragon (nomination, Spotlight Award for Best Female Performance in a NY festival), Dina in Door of Hope, and Yenta in Fiddler On The Roof. Oy! Film credits include My Brother’s War (2006), Closure (2007), Crossing The Line (2007), The Closet Door (2007), and Londinium (2008). This performance is dedicated to Nat (what a mensch!) Jefferson. Thanks to Akia, Jenna, Matthew & the RS gang. To everyone, keep the faith! We are not doomed to repeat history’s mistakes. We can and will make it better!

Kathleen Schlemmer earned her BA in Theatre at Whitman College. She has also studied acting at A.C.T. in San Francisco and the William Esper Studio in New York, interned at the Atlantic Theater Company, and was mentored by Bob LuPone of the New School for Drama and the MCC. DeCADence is her fourth production with the Rising Sun. Some of Kathleen's favorite acting credits include The Jewish Wife, Cabaret, SubUrbia, A Doll's House, Antony and Cleopatra and most recently the Peculiar Works Project Obie Grant winning production, Off-Stage the East Village Fragments.

Julie Bain