The Yellow Wood (2007)

Michelle Elliott graduated from NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Program in May, 2005, where she was a bookwriter/lyricist. While at NYU, she was the recepient of the Tisch Achievement Award for her program. Michelle was the co-founder and Artistic Director of Frontier Theatre in Minneapolis, where she wrote, directed and produced six original musicals, including the critically and commercially successful Fringe Festival show, When Pop Stars Attack! Michelle and Danny are currently collaborating on two new works, Maiden Voyage â€" about female pirates, and an as yet untitled piece about going through adolescence in an online world.

Danny Larsen recently graduated from NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Program where he studied as a composer/lyricist. In addition to holding a Masters in Fine Arts from NYU, Danny holds Bachelors of Arts degrees in Music and Theatre Education from Brigham Young University. He won the ACTF Kennedy Center Composition award for his music and lyrics for Soft Shoe, which premiered at BYU in 2002. The Yellow Wood, Danny’s first musical with collaborator Michelle Elliott, received the 2006 Richard Rodgers Award and Daryl Roth Award.

BD Wong (Producer and Director) B.D. Wong was born and raised in San Francisco, California, USA. He made his Broadway debut in M. Butterfly. He is the only actor to be honored with the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Clarence Derwent Award, and Theater World Award for the same performance. He has had starring roles in “All American Girl�, “Oz�, “Jurassic Park� and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit�, with guest appearances on The “X-Files� and “Sesame Street�. He was on the off-Broadway musical revival of As Thousands Cheer, and followed with a critically acclaimed performance as Linus in the revival of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. Wong also starred in the Roundabout Theatre’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures for which he received a Drama League nomination for distinguished performance. Wong recently published his first book “Following Foo: (the electronic adventures of the Chestnut Man)� (Harper Entertainment).

Christopher D. Littlefield (Musical Director) The Screams of Kitty Genovese (NYMF 2006). Off-Broadway: Shout! The Mod Musical (sub). Regional: Falsettos (George St. Playhouse), Texas Shakespeare Festival, Millbrook Playhouse. Various Readings (Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, York Theatre, etc.). Worked with Jason Robert Brown, Cyndi Lauper, and Malcolm Gets. Accompanied at The Juilliard School and New York University. Music Director/Coach-Accompanist: University of Texas at San Antonio. Bachelor’s in Piano Performance (UTSA).

Laurie Levy Issembert began her professional career as an Executive Assistant to Producer/Director Roger Corman, the king of B movies and horror films in Hollywood. Documentary television production at the local, national and international level followed, including four Emmys. Since 1999, Laurie has been the Producer at The Musical Theater Center in Rockville, Maryland, an educational arts organization for pre-professional children, where her production credits include over 30 works of musical theatre, two of which have been recognized by the metropolitan Washington area Ruby Griffith Awards of the British Embassy for outstanding theatre. Many of her former cast members are now theatre professionals both on and off stage throughout the country. New York credits include The Last Days of Cleopatra for the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival (Producer) and The Children for the 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival (Associate Producer). She is developing projects for both Broadway and Off Broadway, and divides her schedule between Washington and New York.

Michael Cassara Casting (Casting) recent credits include The Molly Maguires (Pre-Broadway workshop, dir. Sheryl Kaller, mus. dir. John McDaniel), Clear Blue Tuesday (feature film, dir. Elizabeth Lucas), The Gig (benefit concert and cast recording), Breaking In (internet series), If This Hat Could Talk (national tour, dir. George Faison), Stephen Schwartz's Captain Louie (national tour), and countless readings and workshops. Regional credits include Goodspeed Musicals, the Paper Mill Playhouse, the Kitchen Theatre Company and the Hinton Battle Theatre Laboratory. Michael Cassara Casting is the resident casting office of the 2007 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF). Upcoming: 11 shows in this year’s NYMF and the inaugural 2007-2008 season of the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Arts in Fairfield, Iowa! For more information, please visit http://www.michaelcassara.net.

Lex Liang's work includes design for theatre, dance, film, architecture, and special events. Lex serves as the Resident Scenic and Costume Designer at the Bangor Opera House in Maine, and is the Resident Production Designer for Partial Comfort Productions and Origin Theatre Company, here in New York. His work can currently be seen at the Abron's Art Center, where his environmental design opens The Crown Point Festival, and at 59E59 St. Theaters in the US Premiere of The Shape of Metal. Recent architectural/interior projects in New York include Sweet Priscilla's Cafe, the Sophia Eugene Boutique, Synergy Fitness Centers and VBar Cafe. His work has been featured in NY Metro, Britain's Issue 1 Magazine, Women's Wear Daily, Japan's Anan Magazine, and W Magazine. www.lexliang.com.

Philip S. Rosenberg (Lighting Designer) Recent Lighting Design credits include The Lady in Question at Bay Street Theatre and Cymbeline at Chicago Shakespeare. Other NYMF credits include Emma and Gemini the Musical. Philip has spent much of the last 10 years as an Associate Lighting Designer on Broadway. Associate Credits: The Pirate Queen, The Caine Mutiny Court-Marshall, The Odd Couple, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Spamalot, Bombay Dreams, The Graduate, Man of La Mancha, Hairspray, The Crucible, 42nd Street, The Rocky Horry Picture Show, The Music Man, The Civil War, On the Town, and Triumph of Love.

Springer Associates is a full service entertainment public relations firm, representing a range of clients from theatre, film releases, film festivals, personalities, and events. Among the shows they represent are the upcoming Broadway productions of TREASURE ISLAND, and CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. Other recent credits include: Broadway’s HOT FEET. Currently they represent GAZILLION BUBBLE SHOW at New World Stages & Las Vegas, The Babel Theatre Project’s YOU MAY GO NOW , NTDTV’s HOLIDAY WONDERS (The Beacon Theatre) and CHINESE NEW YEARS SPECTACULAR (Radio City), IT’S A KIDS LIFE as well as several productions in New York Musical Theatre Festival. Theatre companies include: The Actors Company Theatre, TADA! Youth Theater, Broken Watch Theatre, Babel Theatre Company AMAS, Gotham Stage Company, Cell Theatre Company and Our Time Theatre Company. For film, Springer has brought their PR expertise to the recently released documentary THE KING OF KING: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS, THE TREATMENT, MACBETH, and the upcoming films RAPE OF EUROPA, O’ JERUSELAM, as well as The Sarasota Film Festival, Hamptons International Film Festival, High Falls Film Festival, The Other Israel Film Festival, and IFP Gotham Awards.

Carol A. Sullivan’s credits include work on Broadway’s “I Am My Own Wife� and “Match�; Off Broadway with 59E59’s “Brits Off Broadway�, Mirror Repertory’s “MacRune’s Guevara�, Urban Stages’ “Apostasy�. Her festival work spans the globe with NYC Fringe Festivals 2003-05 & 07, The 2006 Edinburgh Fringe and NYMF 2005-07. Companies and productions she enjoys working with are: “theAtrainplays� series, Shotgun Productions, Boomerang Theatre Co., Target Margin Theatre Co., NYU’s- First Look@ New Plays and Origin Theatre Co. She is an active member of Actor’s Equity and enjoys volunteering for B’way Bares, The Actor’s Fund and The 52nd St. Project.

Heather Davidson is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia. She has worked as a Stage Manager in theatre and on various events and festivals in New York and Australia. Heather is currently working towards her MFA in Stage Management at Columbia University. Credits include: The Lion King (Australian production) (Disney Theatrical Productions); Riverdance (Australian Tour) (Abhann Productions); The Wild Party (Columbia Stages); The Children (NYMF 2006).

Selected Sound Design Credits: The Controversy of Valladolid (Public Theater, NYC), It Just Catches (Cherry Lane Theatre, NYC), Translations (Julliard School, NYC), Mao on Line One and On the Open Road (DownTownTheatre, NYC), Macbeth and Gum (Center Stage, Baltimore, MD); The Psychic Life of Savages (Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT); Moon for the Misbegotten (Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Cleveland, OH); Leading Ladies - co-design with John Gromada (Ford’s Theatre, Washington, DC), Wait Until Dark (Stoneham Theatre, Stoneham, MA). Associate/ Assistant Sound Design: Spamalot and High Fidelity (Broadway; ACME Sound Partners, Designers), The Light in the Piazza, Avenue Q (1st National Tour; ACME, Designers), Lord of the Rings (Toronto; Simon Baker, Designer), Wonderful Town (Broadway; Lew Mead, Designer) Sixteen Wounded and Retreat from Moscow (Broadway; John Gromada, Designer), A Year with Frog and Toad (Broadway; Rob Milburn, Designer).

Broadway: Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, Workshops: Ever After, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Off-Broadway: Don't Quit Your Night Job, Bush is Bad, Junie B. Jones (Lortel), Cam Jansen (Lamb's). As a lyricist, Jill is adapting "The Dogs of Pripyat" with composer Aron Accurso. They are the recipients of the Harrington Award for excellence in the BMI Workshop, and most recently, a Dramatists Guild Fellowship.

is thrilled to revisit The Yellow Wood after having performed the role of Casserole last spring at the York Theatre Company. Past NYMF: The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun (Saint Dominique-inique-inique), Behind the Limelight (Alf Reeves). Off-Broadway/New York: La Gioconda (Theatre Row), Troilus + Cressida (Soho Rep), Reefer Madness (Looking Glass), Dangerous Beauty (NYS&F). Recent Workshops/Readings: Fred Phelps!, With Glee, Rainy Day People, Queen Esther. He can soon be seen with John Malkovich in the feature film Afterwards, as well performing every week with the sketch comedy trio The Other Baldwins. Thanks to David, Ben, Danny, Michelle, Chris, and BD! www.therandyshow.com

Sean is excited to be making his NY debut! He recently completed a national tour of Junie B. Jones for Theatreworks USA. Other credits include being a finalist for CBS Early Show's My Broadway Debut and The Wild Party Benefit for BC/EFA at the Music Institute of Chicago. He is a 2006 graduate of Northwestern University and a proud member of Actor's Equity. Thank you to Mom, Dad, and my truly awesome friends.

Broadway National Tours and Regional include: Stone in City of Angels, the Governor in The Best Little Whorehouse... starring Ann-Margret (Original Cast Album), Munkustrap in Cats, Sunset Blvd. starring Diahann Carroll (Original Cast Album), Father Alexandrios in Mamma Mia!, Sergeant of Police in Pirates of Penzance, Oscar in Sweet Charity, Bill in Me and My Girl, Gus in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, Stanley in Brighton Beach Memoirs, Rev. David in The Foreigner, Forbidden Broadway and The Full Monty in Los Angeles. Film: Supporting role in soon to be released AmericanEast with Tony Shalhoub. Television: N.C.I.S., USA High, City Guys, All My Children, General Hospital and numerous voice-overs. Actors' Equity Member since 1984 when he did George M! with Joel Grey.

is very excited to be apart of this wonderful new musical. Scot was last seen in "It's a Bird, it's a Plane, it's Superman" at the York Theatre. Other credits include Broadway/National tours of Grease and
Ragtime. Regional credits: the original Jinx in the Chicago production of "Forever Plaid"(Jefferson award), "Phantom of the Country Palace" (World premiere), Hunchback of Notre Dame (World premiere). Scot is also involved with the corporate show called "The Watercoolers".

TV: Played SooLin on the NBC sitcom WHOOPI; Law & Order. THEATRE: Most recently, Cordelia in NAATCO's Falsettoland. Served as Assistant Director on Victor Woo: Average Asian American (2007 Fringe Festival). Broadway Company and National Tour of MISS SAIGON. OFF BROADWAY/REGIONAL CREDITS: The Audience (The Transport Group), The Beautiful Warrior (The Vineyard Theatre), Babes in Toyland (Lincoln Center), Tuptim in The King and I, Song of Singapore (West Coast Premiere)and Heading East. Workshops include: Please Don't Eat The Daisies, The Wedding Singer, Get Shorty, and Desperately Seeking Susan (featuring the music of Blondie). Concert Appearances: ANNIE with Andrea McArdle; CHESS with Josh Groban; and was featured as Agnes in ON THE 20TH CENTURY with Marin Mazzie. Vocalist on the Sondheim compilation album EAST WEST OVERTURES and the 2005 Grammy nominated release of HAIR (Sh-k-boom/Ghostlight Records). Married to NY bassist Dave Phillips. For Dad.

can currently be seen in the Broadway production of Wicked, as the understudy for Elphaba (performed). Selected credits include Penny Pingleton in the Broadway and 1st national touring companies of Hairspray, Tammy in the original Toronto cast of Hairspray, and Maureen in the national tour of Rent. She is proud to be part of NYMF for her second year, having appeared last season in The Chocolate Tree. www.caissielevy.com

Broadway: Ragtime (The Little Girl), A Christmas Carol (Fan). National Tours: Les Miserables (Cosette). Regional Theater: The Sound of Music (Liesl) at Papermill Playhouse, Calvin Berger (Rosanna) at Barrington Stage Company, Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Belle) at Mill Mountain Theater, and Wait Until Dark (Gloria) at the Cape Playhouse. Other favorite theater roles include: West Side Story (Maria), Oklahoma! (Laurie), Fiddler on the Roof (Hodel). Movies: "New York City Serenade." TV: starred in the ABC sitcom “Hot Mama� alongside Gina Gershon and Nick Lachey. “All My Children� (Molly Foster), “Law & Order� (Callie Albright), “Third Watch� (Jenny Malinowski), and has appeared on several episodes of “David Letterman.� She has performed in several Broadway staged readings, and can be heard on numerous cast recordings. Elizabeth is represented by Innovative Artists and has been a proud member of AEA for 11 years.

just finished playing "Dennis" in the National Tour of All Shook Up. He is very excited to be back in the city working with the talented creative people of The Yellow Wood. Off-Broadway: Altar Boyz, Fame. Regional: Fame at North Shore Music Theatre, Hair at Downtown Cabaret Theatre. BFA in Drama from NYU/Tisch.

TV Credits: Alison Stewart on, As the World Turns, Young and The Restless, & LA Diaries, Annabeth Mills, Cantebury’s Law. Film Credits: Mandy Jones, or The Waitress in Made For Each Other. NY Theatre Credits: Daphne Young in a reading of Lawson Caldwell’s Lavender Shore at The Dramatists Guild of America, Clarin in W. August Schulenburg’s adaptation of Life is a Dream with Flux Theatre Ensemble. Regional Theatre Credits: Celia in As You Like It, Lady Mortimer in Henry IV, Part One, The Messenger in The Merchant of Venice, The Maid/ Servant Chorus’ in My Fair Lady, Pearl in The Little Mermaid, and The Wicked Queen in Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs all with The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Thanks to BD, Chris, Daniel, Michelle, Michael Cassara for giving me such an amazing opportunity and allowing me to be a part of one of the most talented, young casts I have ever met. I feel so blessed to finish up my 1st year in NYC with such a fun, and unique project. Thanks to Kyle, Brian, and all of Innovative for helping me accomplish my dreams everyday in the scary city of NYC. Most importantly, thank you Mom, Dad, Gus, Allan, and Zack for always believing in me, coming to my shows no matter what the distance, and keeping me sane. For my best friend, Duppa.

is originally from Okinawa, Japan. She is currently on Broadway in RENT as Alexi Darling, Roger's Mom and others. Original Broadway Casts: A Chorus Line (Connie Wong 2006 Revival), Pacific Overtures directed by Amon Miyamoto (2004 revival), Flower Drum Song (2002 revival u/s Mei-Li), Mamma Mia! (u/s Lisa). National tour: Flower Drum Song (Mei-Li). Also, FDS Workshop, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Hair and Bye Bye Birdie at City Center Encores!, The Fantasticks (Luisa) at Sacramento Music Circus, ACL (Connie) at Geva. Television; "Law & Order:SVU" and "Ed." www.yukatakara.com

has just completed his run as Paul on Broadway in A CHORUS LINE. Other credits include; Broadway: Les Miserables (Gavroche), Tour: Les Miserables (Gavroche), Regional: She Loves Me (Arpad) Guthrie Theatre; West Side Story (Baby John) and Footloose (Bickle) Sacramento Music Circus; The King and I (Prince Chulalongkorn) Casa Manana. TV: currently can be seen on both The N Channel series "Beyond The Break" as series regular role of Kurt "Shoe" Shoemaker and on "One Life to Live" as the contract role of Marco. Graduated BFA from NYU.

Bryan began playing bass at the age of 12. In 2002, He attended
Berklee College of Music. While enrolled at Berklee, Bryan was
selected to perform with visiting artists and faculty including
Kenwood Dennard, Chaka Kahn, Russell Ferrante, Terry Lynn Carrington,
George Duke, Marcus Baylor, John Blackwell, Melvin Sparks, and Jean
Baylor. Since moving to New York in 2005, he has been playing
regularly at many of the R&B, Jazz, and Rock clubs with a number of
original artists in the area. Bryan also played in the touring
musical production of "Unforgettable, The Nat King Cole Story."

Broadway: The Producers, Assassins, 110 In The Shade, Jekyll & Hyde, Tom Sawyer. Pop/Rock Artists: Sebastian, Bach, Vanessa Williams, The Mamas & The papas, and his own band, Holding Back Entirely. www.larrylelli.com

Laurent was born and raised in Paris where he picked up the guitar at age 12. He moved to NYC in the Fall of 93. A year later, he recorded and co-produced his first Album with Gotham,7-piece Funk/Jazz Band and then toured the States and Europe, opening for Ramsey Lewis and James Moody.
After studying with Mike Stern and Wayne Krantz, he formed his own Jazz projects and released his Debut Album in 2002 on the British Label String Jazz “Circles, Live @ 55 Bar�. Simultaneously, he became a Producer/Musical Director.
Credits
Laurent made his Broadway Debut with the hit show RENT, in the Lead Guitar Chair, Winter 04/05.
Other Broadway credits: The Wedding Singer. the Great American Trailer Park, Evil Dead, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Altar Boyz.

Eleanor Norton lives in New York City where she plays cello with a number of ensembles. Tours with Little Women the Broadway musical, Arlo Guthrie, Joshua Radin, Chris Garneau, and Divahn. Performances with Christina Aguilera, Kanye West, Duncan Sheik, Ezra Reich, musicians of Losers Lounge. Recording for Mary Weiss, Ashanti, The Davenports, Jenny O. She performs regularly with the MidAmerica Symphony at Carnegie Hall as well as with the Princeton Symphony, Vermont Symphony, and Lancaster Symphony Orchestras. Eleanor graduated from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in 2002, where she was awarded the Israel Dorman award for string playing. Most recently she toured with Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk opening for Sheryl Crow.

Steven Malone was the Music Director for The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the
Park production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. He is also the Music Production
Assistant for Disney's The Little Mermaid. Regional companies for which he has
worked include Nashville Opera, Chattanooga Theatre Centre, Chattanooga Center
for Creative Arts, Opera in the Ozarks and the Riverside Theatre. Steven is a
teaching artist for Wingspan Arts and is the Organist at Trinity Lutheran Church
in Middle Village, Queens.

Previously, Michael has worked with Lex Liang on several shows for Partial Comfort Productions as well as the world premiere of Michael Cerveris' The History of Tears. Off-off Broadway, he designed the sets and costumes for Game Boys at Collective Unconcious and Reefer Madness at the Looking Glass. Michael
recently finished work as a costume p.a. on Red Hook, an independently produced horror movie. He also was a costume intern on the Broadway adaptation of The Wedding Singer, at Saturday Night Live and on John Krasinkski's Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

David Bullock (Assistant Stage Manager) Originally from Seattle, David earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington. Following a number of community theater projects in Seattle, and multiple projects around the world, including two years in Europe, he landed in New York where he has worked on various theatrical productions, the most recent being as an Assistant Stage Manager for “The Mystery of Irma Vep� at Urban Stages, and “Broadway’s Rising Stars� at Town Hall. He has also worked on multiple television programs as an Associate Producer, Talent Producer, and Field Producer for many networks including CNBC and ESPN.

Jeffrey Wei (Production Assistant) is ecstatic to be working at NYMF on “The Yellow Wood.� Originally from Montgomery County, Maryland, Jeffrey is in his second year at NYU/ Tisch where he is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama from the Collaborative Arts Project 21 (CAP 21) Conservatory. Thanks to Laurie, BD, Carol, Heather, and the innumerable others who have made this a remarkable experience

Danielle Eden is currently a freshman at NYU studying musical
> theater. Recently she appeared in the world premiere of Meet John
> Doe at Ford's Theater in Washington DC. She has also worked as an
> administrative assistant at the John F. Kennedy Center for the
> Performing Arts. Danielle is a member of Actors Equity
> Association.