The Cast and Crew |
| The Creative and Production Crew: |
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Akia Squitieri (Director/Founding Artistic Director) 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. Akia currently works as Company Manager for the international sensation, The Blue Man Group at the Astor Place Theater. Proudly, she is the Founding Artistic Director of the Rising Sun Performance Company, now in entering its eighth season, and has been involved on all levels with each of its 35+ productions. She is 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. Past notable credits include working on staff at Horse Trade Theatre Group, serving as General Manager for FRIGID New York’s inaugural year, and returning as Volunteer Coordinator in 2009; she also served as Production Coordinator for nationally acclaimed Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, overseeing the playwrights unit and INSIGHT 13 production series. In addition, Akia is a contributing writer/reviewer for several theatre websites and is thrilled to begin a new foray into playwriting. Thanks to this amazing family of theatre artists, Erez and Horse TRADE, David Anthony, Elaine, her hubby, friends & family for putting up with her long absences from the world around her and especially to Tiffini her brilliant partner in crime. This one’s for Ziggy! Merde’ |
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Cara S. Liander (Assistant Director/Guest Artist /Teddy Knows Too Much) Although she has received a BFA in Acting from Boston University's College of Fine Arts, Cara is no stranger to the technical side of the stage. Cara has assisted with such productions as KING LEAR with Alvin Epstein (La Mama), WHERE IS THE TRUTH? (Snug Harbor Cultural Ctr), THEREMIN (NYC Fringe Fest) and OUR FIRST GOBI FOSSILS (TheatreLab). Cara, originally from Staten Island, NY, has also been seen in such productions as the acclaimed THE LONELY SOLDIER (Sgt. Marti Ribeiro) and BETTY AND THE BELRAYS (Connie) at the Theatre for the New City, and M WORD (Maurice) at the Medicine Show Theatre. Much love to friends and family for undying support. |
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Derrick DeMaria (Assistant Director/Guest Artist/Party Girl) is a founding member of BurnLab productoins. Check us out on Youtube at youtube.com/burnlab375. Derrick is also an Associate artist with CRYHAVOC Company. Help us adopt a space at cryhavoccompany.org/adopt. He thanks the cast and Ian, Kitt and Jenny. |
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Elaine Jones (Properties & Special Effects/ RSP Intern)
Bio coming shortly |
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Howard Tilkin (Production Stage Manager/Guest Artist) is a junior at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts studying stage management and producing, where his credits include: The Wild Party (Stage Manager), St. Joan, The Giving, A Map of the World (ASM). Other NYC stage management credits include: Macbeth (Hipgnosis); Midnight Madness (NYMF), Trees Like Nails (FringeNYC); A Park, A Policeman, and A Pretty Girl (Shortened Attention Span Musical Festival). He was also PSM for 1776 and Midnight Madness for New Jersey Youth Theatre at NJPAC as well as productions at various NJ community theatres. As always, thanks to Mom and Dad for their support. |
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Ian Quinlan (Director/Party Girl/Guest Artist) is a recent graduate of Fordham University majoring in Theatre with a double concentration in Directing and Performance. He is proud to be making his directing debut with the Rising Sun Performance Company. Directing credits include: Careless Love, Purgatorio, and Life is a Dream (Assistant Director) with Fordham University Theatre Company; Good Pictures with the NYC Fringe Festival (Assistant Director), . Acting Credits include: The Lion King on Broadway (Young Simba); Topsy Turvy Mouse at the Cherry Lane Studio Theatre (Amit); The Rover, 21 Positions, Big Love, and Slavs with the Fordham University Theatre Company. Thanks to Rising Sun and Kitt Lavoie for this great opportunity, additional thanks to Kitt for a great play, to the cast and crew for making this a wonderful experience, thanks to Derrick, love to family and friends. |
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Jason Tyne-Zimmerman (Director/ RSP Ensemble/Head Games) Originally from East Windsor, N.J., outside of Princeton, now lives in Chelsea, Jason Tyne-Zimmerman earned a Masters degree from NYU in Educational Theatre and a Masters of Fine Art from Northwestern University in directing. At Rising Sun he has directed Baby with the Bathwater, And That's the Way It is (if ya’ think so), and “The Cooking King”. Additionally, he has acted off-Broadway in Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding, An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein, and A Change of Seasons. Currently he can be seeing performing with Queen of Sharks in the CHOMPetition and Special Ops.
Find my blog at http://zimmertyne.wordpress.com |
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Joseph McLaughlin (Director/Guest Artist/Teddy Knows Too Much) is an Actor/Director, happy to be working with Rising Sun for his second production as a guest artist. Joseph has appeared on NY stages with The Flea Theatre, American Playwrights and other off-off Broadway venues. Directing credits include A Series of Small Doors, The Tender Offer. |
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Justin Warner's (Playwright/Head Games/Guest Artist) plays have been produced in over 25 cities, including NYC, London, LA, DC, Chicago, Miami, and Austin. Winner: Peabody Award, Global Age Project, Kennedy Center-ACTF, Harrington Award (BMI Workshop). Finalist: Princess Grace, Heideman Award (six times, including Head Games). Semi-finalist: O'Neill. Associate Artist: AlterTheater, San Rafael, CA. Publications: Screwups: Little Plays About Big Mistakes (Original Works), American Whup-Ass (Original Works), Cinderella's Mice (Baker's, in press), numerous Smith & Kraus anthologies. Member: BMI, Dramatists Guild. For more, visit www.justinwarner.net. |
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Katherine Stults (Costume Designer/RSP Ensemble)
Bio coming shortly |
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Kitt Lavoie (Playwright/Guest Artist/Party Girl) is pleased to be working with Rising Sun again, following productions of his plays The Median Line, Not Entirely Platonic: Variations on a Confession, Good Enough, and last summer’s premiere of [pwnd]. Kitt is author of more than twenty produced plays and musical books and has directed more than eighty shows in New York City, including the original productions of more than thirty plays. He just completed writing and directing his first film, Rainbow Rabbit Reliant. This month, he will be directing two plays in the Samuel French New Play Festival – his play realer than that and Sharon Cooper’s The Cooking King. Kitt is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and Artistic Director of The CRY HAVOC Company ( www.cryhavoccompany.org). www.kittlavoie.com |
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Matthew Kreiner (Director/RSP Ensemble/Nurturing Bond) is, again, faced with the unfortunate circumstance of writing his bio. Matthew hates writing bios. However, thanks to the good people at the Biography Orientation Rectifying Institute of New Guinea (or B.O.R.I.N.G.), he has delivered a fantastic biography about his travels of the world and experience in theatre. Unfortunately, due to clerical error, that biography did not make press time. We apologize for the convenience, and hope to provide positive results in future biography situations. - B.O.R.I.N.G. |
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Mark Harvey Levine's (Playwright/The Kiss/Guest Artist) short plays have been produced all over the world from New York to Seoul to Sydney to London. Evenings of his plays, "Cabfare For The Common Man" and "C'est Levine", have played in Los Angeles, Boston, Indianapolis and Amsterdam. Another evening of his plays, "Aperitivos", played in Brazil (translated into Portuguese) from 2005 to 2007, with a season in Sao Paulo, ending with a National Tour of Brazil. His plays have also appeared in Canada, South Korea, Czech Republic, Morocco, England, Australia, Germany and Switzerland. This is his first production with Rising Sun Performance Company! He lives online at www.markharveylevine.com. He lives offline in Pasadena with his lovely wife and toddler. |
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Matt Hanf (Playright/Teddy Knows Too Much/Guest Artist) currently resides in Elk Grove, California, a small suburb of Walmart. He attempts to teach high school students and is fortunate enough to have three children to remind him that his true purpose on this planet is to change diapers and dodge foam darts from a plastic laser pistol. He is blessed with a wife who is his kindest and most helpful critic and honored to work with the Rising Sun Performance Company. |
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Melissa Farinelli (Director/The Kiss/Guest Artist) This is Melissa’s third play in New York and her first with Rising Sun. She graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a BA in Theater Arts Direction and moved to New York City three years ago. A self proclaimed geek, she also enjoys all things comic, anime, and Star Trek. Thank you friends and family, and to the cast and crew. Qa’pla. |
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Tiffini Minatel (Associate Producer/Management Coordinator/RSP Ensemble)
Bio coming shortly |
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Tom Kiesche (Playwright/Nurturing Bond/Guest Artist) Born in Hackensack, NJ, Tom came to writing late as his first play was written as a self-mandated exercise to develop more awareness as an actor. He has since had dozens of stories produced on stages in New York and Los Angeles as well as on Film, Video and the Internet. Tom currently lives and thrives in Los Angeles, with his career covering many aspects of the “biz,” although mostly acting. Ah, just “Google” him. |
| The Cast: |
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Alexia Tate (Teddy knows too much/RSP Ensemble) has lived in NYC for the past 12 years, via Cincinnati, Knoxville, and Ithaca, NY. Favorite roles include Drummond in INHERIT THE WIND, Mrs. Howell in the first national tour of GILLIGAN'S ISLAND THE MUSICAL, Leslie Ann in Paula Vogel's HOT N THROBBING, and Captain Blaze in The NYC Fringe Festival's CRUISING TO CROATIA. After studying at Cincinnati's School for the Creative and Performing Arts in the early 80s, Alexia returned to theater training 23 years later at T. Schrieber Studio in New York. When not performing, Alexia enjoys playing ukulele and solving crossword puzzles. www.alexiasings.com |
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Becky Sterling (Party Girl/RSP Ensemble) is thrilled to be a part "Twisted". Now a Rising Sun Ensemble member, Becky started working with RSP last spring in a reading of King Lear, which then led to two roles in last summer's one acts: Jessica in the popular (pwnd), and Susan in the touching "Cooking King". Being a part of the RSP community has led Becky to other small theatre companies. She is actively involved with The Cry Havoc Company and Endtimes Productions. Many thanks to the everyone involved in Rising Sun for the many opportunities and always thank you to my very supportive friends and family! Xoxo |
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Billy Fenderson (Party Girl/RSP Ensemble) has also worked with Rising Sun on Goodnight Lovin’ Trail, and is grateful to be part of this one act series. He is a graduate of Columbia University’s MFA Acting Program. Recent roles include Coffee and Cigarettes in Goodnight Lovin’ Trail, Johnny-Boy in Sneakers and Soul, and Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment, and Mr Dimanche, Don Luis, and the Poor Man in Moliere’s Don Juan. |
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Chris Enright (Teddy Knows Too Much/Head Games/Associated Artist) likes Rising Sun and would like to thank them for always believing in the artists. He’d like to invite you to see his sketch comedy group spurn-nyc next time they are performing. Chris resides in the beautiful borough of Brooklyn. He’d like to invite you there, too. He’s dedicating these performances to his parents, who, like RSP, always believe. Peace. |
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Flor Bromley (The Kiss/RSP Ensemble) is making her NYC debut with “Twisted”. In her native Peru, she graduated from La Escuela de Teatro de la Universidad Catolica and appeared in several plays and events as an actress and as a storyteller. She moved to New York to pursue her dream of performing on Broadway, where she recently graduated from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She has recently appeared as Bebe in an Spanish production of “La Noche de los Asesinos” in Stamford, CT. She is proud to be a member of Rising Sun. She dedicates this performance to her parents and Steve. |
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Jonathan Reed Wexler (The Kiss/RSP Ensemble) is stoked to make his RS debut! Favorite performances include Cymbeline, Henry VIII, Shakespeare in Concert, Cheating Hearts (American Theatre of Actors), and Hamlet (Gorilla Rep). He is a proud alumnus of the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Film credits include Cinema 59’s My First Kiss and American Gothic. Jonathan is a proud alumnus of the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Thespian and amateur juggler, a Shakespeare enthusiast and lover of contemporary theatre and film, he only speaks in the third person when writing bios. I–he is also a writer and sometimes a director. |
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Lindsay Beecher (Party Girl/Head Games/RSP Ensemble) is originally from Baltimore, MD and has a BFA in Acting from Adelphi University. This is Lindsay’s stage debut for RSP, and is very excited to be working on this side of the stage with them. Lindsay Stage Managed Goodnight Lovin’ Trail in the Colors of Life One-Act Festival. You can see her handy work backstage on the Off Broadway hit My First Time at New World Stages. She would like to thank her new family she has found at RSP, the cast & crew for Head Games and Party Girl, her family and friends in Baltimore and New York for their love and support. Special thanks to Mom, Dad, Ash, Justin & Toby |
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Melissa Ciesla (Nurturing Bond/Guest Artist) started her career earning a BA in dance at Point Park Conservatory. Soon after, she headed to New York and a Europe tour of GREASE quickly followed. After a few years of singin and dancin, acting became her passion and she headed off to the William Esper Studio where she graduated from their 2 year program. She has mostly recently been seen in CAWFFEE TALK and FOREVER ENDEAVOR and just won two Sterling awards for best supporting actress for her performaces of LICK THE BOOT and DORTHY AFTER OZ. Thank you to everyone who has given her the chance to do her thing and to those who make her laugh out loud! |
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Mike McManus (Nurturing Bond/RSP ensemble) is a charismatic New Yorker, born and raised in The Bronx. An actor, writer, and artist who can cut a mean rug and tear it up with a freestyle. Christian values combined with a rugged swagger and amusing personality, forges an honest and refreshing character in Mike. Say what's up after the show, He'd be happy to meet you. |
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Nicole Howard (Teddy Knows too Much/Head Games/RSP Ensemble) This marks Nicole’s acting debut with Rising Sun. She holds a, B.F.A. in acting and music performance from C.W. Post of Long Island University. Some of her favorite acting credits include, 365 Days Plays with the Public Theatre, Lucy in A Christmas in Greenwich Village, Mary in Flesh and Blood, and Maggie in Ah! Broadway. Nicole can also be seen in the film BLOG, which was recently shown at the Film Gate International Film Festival. Untitled Hearts, Nicole’s first staged performance of her written work, was recently produced here in NYC. Many thanks to an amazing cast, crew, and ensemble. |
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Peter Aguero (Teddy Knows Too Much/Guest Artist) was born and raised in South Jersey. He spent 7 years in the National Touring Company of Chicago City Limits. As a storyteller, Peter is a Moth GrandSlam Champion and instructor for The Moth's Community Outreach program. He is the frontman for The BTK Band, NYC's hardest-drinking improvised storytelling rock band. Their debut CD, "An Evening With The BTK Band" is filthy and not appropriate for children or the clergy. Peter loves his mom. |
