Going Down Swingin'

Peter Hilliard (composer) and Matt Boresi (librettist) specialize in the creation of new comic opera, musicals, and art song, with a particular eye towards revivifying classic forms. Their modern day opera buffa "Don Imbroglio - An Opera You Can't Refuse", workshopped at both New York University and the Lark Play Development Center, was selected by a jury of Broadway heavyweights as a Next Link Production in the 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival, produced by NYMF, True Love Productions, and Beth Morrison Projects. This "mob hit" enjoyed an extended sold-out run at Off-Broadway's Theatre Row. Talkin Broadway said of Imbroglio that "Boresi's libretto bursts with wit and charm" and that "Hilliard's music is a fine match, attractively setting up everything from minor comedy numbers to heavily layered duets and trios to keening arias of Metropolitan breadth. CurtainUp called the piece "consistently delightful" with "soaring, roaring arias, duets, trios, quartets, and ensembles" and Variety put it in "the festivals top tier."

Hilliard and Boresi's chamber opera "The Filthy Habit" was performed in excerpt by Manhattan School of Music at the National Opera Association 2005 Convention as an NOA Chamber Opera Competition National Finalist, and was also performed at the Tanglewood Institute (where they have appeared as visiting lecturers) and Manhattan Opera Theatre (World Premiere).
Their opera-bouffe "The Brazilian", based on the play by Meilhac and Halevy, premiered in October 2004 in English with French titles as a joint production by Manhattan Opera Theatre and the French Institute/Alliance Francaise at Florence Gould Hall. Other works by Hilliard and Boresi include the chamber opera "Wonderful Clockwork" (NYU), the puppet review "Eat Your Greens: Verdi by Vegetables" (Dixon Place, Open Circle Arts, Great Small Works), and the performance piece "The Staten Island Grand Operas Administrative Intern Presents: Tosca" (Open Circle Arts, Bad-Ass Clown Productions).

"Empty Plates", their opera based on Michael Hollinger's Off-Broadway Play "An Empty Plate in the Cafe Du Grande Boeuf", is receiving workshop readings in Philadelphia and New York . "A Schooling in Love, or That's What's Up With Girls", Boresi's teen comedy featuring music by Hilliard, premiered in Chicagoland in February, and a musical version is being created for production in 2009.

Jenny is delighted to return to NYMF. Theatrical directing credits include: "Don Imbroglio" (NYMF), "The Mitzvah of Madison Avenue" (Musical Mondays) "Bee-luther-hatchee" (New Century Theatre), "A Christmas Carol" (Dallas Theater Center), "Rodgers & Hart’s 'By Jupiter'" (42nd Street Moon), and a workshop of "The Mistress Cycle" (TheatreWorks). She has directed several operas, including Hilliard & Boresi’s "The Filthy Habit" (Manhattan Opera Theatre); "The Girl of the Golden West," "Cosi fan Tutte," "The Marriage of Figaro," and "Beatrice & Benedick" (Berkeley Opera); "Eugene Onegin," "The Daughter of the Regiment," and "The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein" (Pocket Opera); and "Street Scene" (San Francisco State University). She is a graduate of Yale University.

Most recently Stacie originated the role of Maya Propova in the first ice-skating musical Cold As Ice at the Gateway Playhouse. National Tour: Barbie Live! In Fairytopia (Laverna), Regional credits: The Last Five Years (Cathy), The Apple Tree (Eve, Barbara, Passionella), Bingo the Musical (Honey), Guys and Dolls (Adelaide), Me & My Girl (Sally), Crazy for You (Polly), and Brigadoon (Fiona). Film: When a Man Falls in the Forest (Sadie). Graduate of NYU (Tisch-CAP21). AEA member.

Tom Deckman is currently in the cast of 'Monty Python's SPAMALOT' at the Shubert Theatre. Before that he was last on Broadway in 'Good Vibrations'. Nat'l Tour: 'SPAMALOT' (Helen Hayes nom.) Other NY: 'South Pacific' at Carnegie Hall, 'Bye Bye Birdie' at City Center, 'Best Foot Forward' at York Theatre, 'Dead Man Walking' at NYCO. Regional: 'White Christmas' (Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco), 'Hair'(Baystreet Theatre), 'Into the Woods' (Fulton Opera House, 'Grease' (Downtown Cabaret Theatre). Film/TV: 'The Debut', 'Sex and the City', 'Salon Confidential', 'Hope & Faith', 'Law & Order: SVU'. Member of AEA.

Leo just returned home from playing Riff in the WEST SIDE STORY, 50th Anniversary Tour, directed and choreographed by Alan Johnson. Past NYMF shows have included BUT I'M A CHEERLEADER(Clayton), THE TAXI CABARET(Scott), and currently in this year's FRESHLY TOSSED. Tours: Disney's ON THE RECORD(Mike), 42nd STREET(Billy Lawlor), and CASPER THE MUSICAL, starring Chita Rivera. NYC: Barry Manilow’s HARMONY and I PREFER TO DREAM(Off-Broadway) Regional: GYPSY(Tulsa), starring Patti LuPone, at the Chicago Ravinia Festival, OKLAHOMA!(Will Parker) at Casa Manana and Pittsburgh CLO, starring Shirley Jones and Jen Cody, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE(Jimmy Smith) at The Arvada Center, FOOTLOOSE(Ren McCormack) at Pittsburgh Musical Theatre, and 42ND STREET(Billy Lawlor) at The MUNY w/Beth Leavel and Mark Jacoby. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University: BFA in Drama. In addition to acting, Leo career coaches for actors. Special thanks to Meredith! Check out, www.leoashevens.com

George McDaniel(Lamont Stone) Regional Theatre: Forum and Shout Up A Morning (La Jolla Playhouse), Putting It Together, Bandido, and Big River (CTG/Mark Taper Forum), My Fair Lady (Actors Theatre and Cleveland Playhouse), Othello (Pioneer Theatre Company). Best Actor awards: Man of La Mancha (SBCLO), My Fair Lady (AMT) and an Ovation Award nomination for Deaf West Theatre's Oliver. Broadway: Big River (Special Ensemble Tony Honor). Off-Broadway: Biography (Pearl Theatre Company). Film: Lionheart, This Is Spinal Tap, Ole. Television: Law & Order, ER, The West Wing and One Life To Live. National Tours: Annie Get Your Gun, Showboat, Big River and the U.S. premiere of Ragtime.

Meredith was most recently seen in the critically acclaimed “Encores!” series at City Centre starring in “Face the Music.” Prior to that she was seen in a handful of episodes on ABC as Tom Selleck’s wife on the hit David Kelley series “Boston Legal.” She made her Broadway musical debut in 2001’s Tony award winning production of “42ND St”, and after 3 short months, was plucked from the chorus to star as “Peggy Sawyer” from August 2001-2002. Meredith was then whisked away to star in Moscow’s groundbreaking production of “42nd St” (Winter 2002). Film: My Father’s Will (Dir: Fred Manocherian); Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (Dir: Sidney Lumet); Broken Flowers (Dir: Jim Jarmusch); Princess Diaries 2 (Dir: Garry Marshall); Company Man (Dir: Doug McGrath/ Peter Askin); Last Laugh at Pips (Dir: Jeff Mazolla). Theatre: White Christmas (Dir: Walter Bobbie: LA and SF); The Underpants (Dir: John Rando: Geffen Theatre); The Boyfriend (Dir: Julie Andrews: Bay Street); The Green Bird (Dir: Julie Taymor: Broadway). Meredith writes and records her own music. Please visit www.meredithpatterson.com for more information.

Hardy Rawls is a familiar face, after acting for almost thirty years and appearing in over three hundred commercials, off Broadway shows and regional houses, in productions such as Gypsy, Spinning into Butter, Odd Couple, and Driving Miss Daisy. He's best known for playing the Dad-Don Wrigley on Nickelodeon's 'The Adventures of Pete and Pete', and was recently seen in episodes of 'Law and Order: SVU' and 'Law & Order: Crimminal Intent.'

Starred on Broadway in the Tony-nominated musical Jane Eyre. The role earned Ms. Schaffel several accolades: a Tony nomination, the Drama Desk Award, a Drama League Award, and the Outer Critics Circle Award, all for “Best Actress in a Musical.” Other Broadway credits include Titanic and Les Miserables, as well as starring in the national tours of Evita, My Fair Lady, and The Sound Of Music. Off-Broadway: Created lead roles in Christina Albera's Father, by Polly Pen and Enter The Guardsman. Regional credits include leading roles in world premiere musicals Jane Eyre, Let Me Sing, They All Laughed, Lucky In The Rain, Glimmerglass, as well as in the classics like West Side Story, A Little Night Music, and great plays like Fool for Love and Top Girls among others. Marla also starred in the critically acclaimed independent feature I Love You! Don't Touch Me, and was last seen in the Tim Robbins film Cradle Will Rock. TV: recurring role on “Kung Fu: The Legend Continues” and “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” Recordings: “Jane Eyre” (Original Broadway cast recording and world premiere Toronto cast recording), “The Prince of Egypt” (soundtrack) and “A Prairie Home Companion Christmas.’ Marla is a graduate of The Julliard School drama division and studied at the Moscow Art Theatre School.

Currently playing Sam in Mamma Mia at the Winter Garden Theater. West Coast and Regional credits: The Good Life by Daniel Brooks (NOHO Arts Centre, Los Angeles premiere), Night of the Iguana (Playwrights Theater Center), El Salvador (East Cultural Center), the title role in Dracula - A Chamber Musical (Neptune Theater), John Wilkes Booth in Assassins (CanStage) and the Canadian premieres of Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera and Sunset Boulevard. Select film/television: "Life or Something Like It" opposite Angelina Jolie and "Fierce People" opposite Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland. The N Network's "Whistler;" "Canooks -The Series;" ABC Family's "Phenomenon II", with Jill Clayburgh, "Kyle XY", "CSI Miami", "The Practice" and Alan Hamel in NBC's "Behind the Camera - The Unauthorized Story of Threes Company." Christopher was born on the Air Force Base in Downsview, Ontario and now makes his home between Los Angeles and NY. A proud member of AEA, he thanks his Family and friends for their never ending support.

With a career that has navigated him from the stages of eight Broadway shows to co-creating the star-studded Christmas Classic rave NATIVITY: A LIFE STORY to directing the New York celebrations for the African Burial Ground (now a National Monument), James Stovall is a true "renaissance man." His mentors and teachers range from Black Music Archivist/Professor/Griot- the late Dr. Wendell Whalum at Morehouse College to the brilliant director Bob Fosse, who featured Stovall in his first Broadway shows: Fosse's BIG DEAL, followed by a New York run and National Tour of SWEET CHARITY playing the role of "Big Daddy." Other Broadway credits include leading roles in: ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, JOSEPH…. DREAMCOAT, ROCKY HORROR, THE LIFE, RAGTIME, THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY DREAMGIRLS CONCERT… all on CD recordings. Recently, James created the role of 'Harker,' and was Assistant Director in the world premiere of the Ahrens/Flaerty new musical DESSA ROSE at Lincoln Center last season. For three years he has been the Director of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment for the 3500 seat United Palace in Washington Heights; his projects have won several Audelco Awards, and in 2004 he was awarded the Schomburg Award of Excellence in the Arts. Stovall is a member of the Harlem Arts Alliance, the Actors' Fund of America, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. www.jamesstovall.com

Maiko has recently designed the Scenery for The Mistakes Madeline Made (Yale Repertory Theatre), Hamlet (Yale University Theatre), The Boss in the satin Kimono(Yale Cabaret),and Costumes for Titus Andronicus, The Lacy Project (1156 New Theatre). Her New York Design credits include, The Fist (Theatre for the New City and (Frederick Loewe Theatre); Luna (The producers Club); Zooman and the Sign (Frederick Loewe Theatre); and Top Girls (Instant theatre). Maiko was awarded the 2007 Donald and Zorca Orenslager Fellowship Award in Design from Yale School of drama, and the 2003 Charles Elson Award In design from Hunter College. Education: BA, Keio University (Tokyo, Japan) and Hunter college; MFA, Yale School of Drama.

Recent design work includes costumes for Bambiland (The National DramaTheater of Lithuania, and Oskaras Korsunovas Theater;) scenery for La Boheme (Yale Opera, Shubert Theater;) costumes for The Brothers Size (The Public Theater ;) scenery for All’s Well that Ends Well (Yale Repertory Theater;) scenery for Flyin’ West (Princeton University;) costumes and scenery for A Kingdom a Country or a Wasteland in the Snow (Performance Space 122;) costumes and scenery for Iphigenia at Alus (New York City College with Active Eye;) Costumes and scenery for Sleeping Beauty, and Zero Hour (Yale Summer Cabaret;) Scenery for Food for Fish (The Krain;) costumes for A Midsummer Nights Dream and As You like It (Yale School of Drama;) scenery for Hedda Gabler (Yale University Theater) and other productions include Evita , Don Juan Returns from the War, Selkie, Anna Karenina, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Blue Orange, Until We Find Each Other. . Zane holds a M.F.A in Design from the Yale School of Drama, and a B.F.A in Scenic Design from DePaul University.

Recent costume credits include “Alice in War” (SPF; New York, NY), “The People Next Door” (Yale Repertory Theater; New Haven, CT), “The Flight of Icarus” (SoHo Think Tank; New York, NY) “Tock Tick: a new musical fantasy” (Prospect Theater; New York, NY) “Sez Who: plays that talk back” (52nd Street Project; New York, NY) “Ophelia: an opera in blue” (Prospect Theater; New York, NY). Kate has a unique talent for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary in costume design, window displays, and jewelry design. Kate is a member of Wingspace (www.wingspace.com/kate). Education: MFA, Yale University; BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art.

Recent designs include: Song for New York: What Women Do While Men Sit Knitting (Mabou Mines, Associate Designer); Lulu (Yale Rep), The Brothers Size (NYSF-Public Theater); The Flight of Icarus (Soho Think Tank); Richard III, In the Red & Brown Water, Layla & Majnun, The Real Thing, MSN Dream (Yale School of Drama); Sincerity Forever, Out of the Box, Hotel: Eight Rooms, The Bad Seed, The Dragon, and The Wizard of Elm City (Yale Cabaret); 365 Days/ 365 Plays: Week One (World Performance Project); God is a DJ, Eye, Savage/Love & Tongues (Summer Cabaret); Hansel und Gretel (Opera Theatre of Yale College); The Foreigner, Spider’s Web, (Flat Rock Playhouse); Jazz Like a Drug (Juggerknot Theatre Co.); The Just Assassins (Dreamer's Theatre); Picasso at the Lapin Agile and The Woman in Black (Temple Theatre). As a Director: Sarah Kane’s Crave, and Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Run, Mourner, Run (co-Director). BA, Theatre and International Studies, Guilford College. MFA, 2007, Yale School of Drama.

Recent credits include Helmet (New York Fringe), The Unmentionables (Yale Repertory Theatre), Marat/Sade (recomposed for a rock band), The Seagull, Marcus Brutus, and The Duchess of Malfi (Yale School of Drama). Favorite credits include The Winter’s Tale, Polariod Stories, The Life and Times of a Tulsa Lovechild, The Servant of Two Masters (all of which featured original music), True West, The Women, Annie Get Your Gun, Footloose, and The Sound of Music. Sound engineering credits include The Ladies of the Camellias and Comedy of Errors at the Yale Rep. B.A. in Music, The College of William and Mary; M.F.A. in Sound Design, The Yale School of Drama.

Beth is the Creative Producer and Founding Director of Beth Morrison Projects, a production company that seeks to invigorate the traditions of opera and music-theatre by nurturing new works and emerging artists that re-imagine these forms in a contemporary context. In its infancy, the company has already amassed a strong record of achievement producing three new operas, a theatrical chamber music piece, and a street-spectacle piece in Orvieto, Italy. Beth Morrison Projects’ critically acclaimed work has been seen at Brooklyn Academy of Music, Performance Space 122, New York Public Library Live!, the Estates National Theatre of Prague, and the New York Musical Theater Festival. Beth holds Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees and a Master of Fine Arts in Theater Management/Producing from Yale School of Drama.
www.bethmorrisonprojects.org

New Sounds Theatre is a theatre company dedicated to advancing and redefining the role of original music in contemporary theatre. NST has initiated collaborations with such exciting new artists as playwrights Marcus Gardley and David Nugent, songwriters Lee Feldman and Chris Moore, and the critically acclaimed roots-rock collective Ollabelle. NST's innovative Sandbox play-reading series has featured original improvised scores by downtown music luminaries Tony Scherr and Will Holshauser. Founding Artistic Director Russell M. Kaplan holds a BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a minor in Jazz Piano Performance.

With James Calleri, Erica Jensen and Natasha Schwartz Paul casts for a variety of theater, TV and film projects. Also for NYMF: Love Sucks. Upcoming: The Seagull starring Dianne Weist and New Jerusalem (director Walter Bobbie) for Classic Stage Company. Also: The Flea, The Long Wharf, New Georges, SPF, Epic Theatre, New York Stage & Film. TV: Lipstick Jungle (upcoming for NBC). Film: Ready? OK! (www.callericasting.com)

Geoff is currently a freelance casting director in New York. Until recently, Geoff was a casting director at Dave Clemmons Casting, where he was responsible for casting numerous productions including: AltarBoyz (off-Broadway and tour), West Side Story (European tour), Carmen (La Jolla), the off-Broadway productions of Mimi Le Duck, Fanny Hill, Bingo and Wilson Milam’s production of The Great Game for Theatre Previews at Duke. Reading/workshops he has cast include: Grumpy Old Men, Mask, Sheba, Behind the Limelight and An Officer and a Gentleman. As a freelance casting director, he recently cast Sympathy Jones and Such Good Friends for NYMF and is currently casting the York Theatre’s upcoming Fall Mufti Series, among other projects. Geoff is a proud graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Thank you to James Calleri, Paul Davis and Erica Jensen for the hospitality.

Penny saw her first Broadway show, West Side Story, when she was 9 years old. Since then, she has performed, stage managed, directed, teched, taught and, for the last 23 years, run her own PR firm. Maya PR has repped Renee Taylor & Joe Bologna; the multi-award winning Jelly Roll! starring Vernel Bagneris; Edge starring Angelica Torn as Sylvia Plath (NY, London, Australia & New Zealand); Third Eye Rep’s acclaimed production of Godspell; actors BarBara Luna (“Star Trek”), France Nuyen (Joy Luck Club), Geri Jewell (“Deadwood”), Karen Lynn Gorney (Saturday Night Fever); Kathy Garver (“Family Affair”); playwright Paul Alexander; New Zealand author Nathan Hoturoa Gray (First Pass Under Heaven); singer Gennifer Flowers; vocalist Theo Bleckmann; Stuart White Productions; musical comedian & impressionist Stephen Sorrentino; Artists Theatre Group; Twenty Feet Prods; Cadillac Films; The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs, The League of Professional Theatre Women, Big Apple Comic Book, Art & Sci-Fi Conventions & CabaretExchange.com.
www.mayaprny.com