Cyclone (and the Pig-Faced Lady)

Dana Leslie Goldstein is librettist & lyricist for Cyclone (and the Pig-Faced Lady), which began its development with a Collaboration Initiative Grant from the Women's Project. Her musical LIBERTY (book & lyrics) ran to sold-out audiences at The WorkShop Theater Company, has been funded in part by a grant from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and was presented in Mayor Bloomberg's 2008 Immigrant Heritage Week. LIBERTY is now under commercial option and being developed for the Broadway stage. Her work has also been seen at The Cherry Lane, Culture Project, Julia Miles Theatre, New Dramatists, Hartford Children's Theatre, The York, Helen Hayes PAC, Rhinebeck PAC, Center Stage, BMI, Vineyard Playhouse, Pulse, Theatre Row Theatre, Jewish Theatre of the South, Gene Frankel, Different Voices, The Lark, Neighborhood Playhouse, WorkShop Theater Company, Algonquin Theater and Pacific Theatre (Vancouver). Dana is Playwright-in-Residence of Theater Garden, which has produced Equity tours of her plays and musicals throughout the tri-state area. Dana is a published poet and playwright and holds MFAs in both Playwriting and Poetry. She has been a lyricist at BMI and member of the Playwrights' Lab at The Women's Project. Dana is a member of The WorkShop, NewShoe and Dramatists Guild of America.

Rima Fand, musician/composer, has created and performed original music for numerous theater works in and around NYC. In addition to Cyclone (and the Pig-Faced Lady), these include: How I Fixed My Engine With Rose Water, performed as part of the Voice4Vision Puppet Festival at Theater for the New City; Ondine, with Deep Water Productions at Soho Rep; The Seagull with White Heron Theater Company at Second Stage; Savage Nursery with Dream Music Puppetry at HERE; Mean Solar Day with the Nimbus Theatre Ensemble; and The Story of Rats with Wax Factory. She is currently composing for a puppet opera entitled Don Cristobal, Billy-Club Man, based upon writings of Garcia Lorca. An excerpt of that show was performed at St. Ann's Warehouse, as part of the Labapalooza Puppetry Festival, in May 2007.

Rima also composes and arranges music for her gypsy-punk-klezmer-tango string band, the Luminescent Orchestrii, which tours internationally. She earned a M.M. in Composition from the Manhattan School of Music in 1996.

Elysa directs in New York City, regionally, and internationally. Off-Broadway, she directed the world premieres of Esoterica, written and performed by Eric Walton (DR2), and I Hear (Oigo). Other NYC credits include The Sugar Mile (92nd Street Y), The Forever Waltz, Rattlesnake, Iphigenia, No Exit, Christopher Logue's The Husbands, Goethe's Persephone with A Phoenix Too Frequent, and The Cocktail Party. She has developed new plays with Liz Amberly, P. Seth Bauer, Mariana Carreno, Steven Fechter, Dana Leslie Goldstein, Henry Guzmán, Arlene Hutton, and Glyn Maxwell at such venues as New Dramatists, York Theater Co., Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, Verse Theatre Manhattan, Mabou Mines, Women's Project, and the A-Train Plays. Elysa's regional credits include Fuddy Meers (Capital Rep, Albany; Best of 2004, Troy Record); A Shayna Maidel, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and I'll Be Back Before Midnight (Brown Summer Theatre, RI); Blood Wedding and The Persians (Ancient Mask Rep, DC). University work includes Homebody/Kabul (University of Toledo; finalist for KCACTF) and June Moon (Brooklyn College). Her work has been seen internationally at the Edinburgh Fringe (The Forever Waltz, 2005) and at Canadian Fringe Festivals (This Town, winner, 2002 Media Choice Award for Best Play at the Saskatoon Fringe). Member, New Shoe and WorkShop Theater Companies. SSDC.

Edie Cowan created the musical staging for the original Off-Broadway production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, as well as for the productions in London, LA, and the national tour. She has directed and choreographed productions at Barrington Stage Company, the Goodspeed Opera House, Denver Center Theatre Company, Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Pennsylvania Stage Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, North Shore Music Theatre, and Maine State Music Theatre. University credits include productions at the Hartt School, Queens College, Carnegie Mellon, SUNY Binghamton, NYU, Fordham University, and Indiana University. She ran several cultural programs
for the State Department, teaching, directing, and choreographing in such exotic places as Madagascar, Mauritius, Korea, and Hong Kong. In Japan, she co-choreographed a revue for the world-famous Takarazuka Company.Recently, she directed and choreographed one of the Atrain Musicals at New World Stages and choreographed the annual Inner Circle Show.

John Bronston's work as a musical director has been featured in the east coast tours of Enough For All and Lady of Copper for Theater Garden, in the new musical Liberty at the Workshop Theatre Company in Manhattan, and for productions including Into the Woods, The Wiz, Carousel, and Little Shop of Horrors. He has served as a teaching artist for City Lights Youth Theatre, the Children's Aid Society, Earlham College, and at Stagedoor Manor. In addition he has worked as arranger and pianist for cabaret performances with Broadway stars Michael Cerveris, Judy McLane, and Trisha Jeffrey at the Copacabana and the Triad and for special performances with the members of the Broadway casts of All Shook Up, Wicked, and A Chorus Line. He would like to thank Dana, Rob, Elysa, Rima, Paula, Tom, and Josh for their support on this and many other projects in the past year.

Masami has just graduated from MFA Design and Technical Theater program at Brooklyn College. There she has designed Side Man, June Moon and Mystery Plays (set design) as well as Collection, Am I Blue and In the Blood (lighting design). Her New York set and lighting credits are The Last One Left (Geek Ink), Be Real (Urban Youth Theater), One of Our Son is Missing (Caribbean Cultural Theater). She has also worked as prop master for Honor (Prospect Company), and Actors Nightmare & The Real Inspector Hound (T.Shcreiber Studio). Masami is thrilled with working for Cyclone (and the Pig-Faced Lady). She is always thankful to her mother and her friends for their support.

Graduating from Rutgers University with degrees in dance and psychology, Jessica Jahn danced professionally in NYC before beginning a career in design. She has had the opportunity to work on various projects with designers Sandy Powell (Far from Heaven, Gangs of New York), Paul Tazewell (The Color Purple), and Constance Hoffman (The Green Bird, Grendel), along with directors Tina Landau, Kenny Lonergan, and Peter Askin. Her work has allowed her to travel throughout the United States, as well as the UK.

Some of the recent projects that she has collaborated on include: Die Mommie Die!, at New World Stages (2008 Lucille Lortel for Design), In the Red and Brown Water, at the Alliance Theatre, The Mystery of Irma Vep, at Studio Arena, Esoterica, at the Daryl Roth Theatre. Upcoming projects include Il Trovatore, and Roberto Devereux, both with Minnesota Opera, and Cenerentola, at Glimmerglass Opera. Jessica lives in Brooklyn with her cat Emma.

Deborah is pleased to be designing the lights for Cyclone, She most recently designed the lights Hank Williams: Lost Highway at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY. Other designs include: Same Train (Algonquin Theatre, NYC); Sessions: The Musical (off-Broadway); The Magic Flute, The Eumenides, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mad Forest (New York University); June Moon (Brooklyn College); Golden Boy, Waiting for Lefty (Blue Light Theatre Company); Three Days of Rain (Westport Country Playhouse and Hartford Theatreworks); Molly Sweeney, Santaland Diaries, Dinner With Friends, Mondo Mangia, The Size of the World (Hartford Theatreworks); The Big Knife (Williamstown Theatre Festival); Moonlight and Magnolias, The Crucible, Fuddy Mears, Rounding Third; Proof; You Can't Take It With You (Capital Repertory Theatre). Other theatres and companies include Two River Theatre, Primary Stages, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, New York Fringe Festival, The Bronx Opera Company, The Hanger Theatre.

Designs projections and creates artwork for live theater. Off-Broadway, Chris has designed projections for Wine Lovers (Triad Theater), Die Mommy Die (New World Stages), Esoterica (DR2 Theater), and Platforms--part of the 2007 New York Musical Theater Festival. He has assisted on several shows including most recently Palace of the End and Walmartopia (Leah Gelpe, designer). His Broadway assistant design credits include Ring of Fire and Jersey Boys. Chris is also an actor and photographer.

David Schulder is a Multimedia Designer, Video editor and Audio engineer. Most recently he has designed sound for PENANG (Midtown International Theater Festival - Sound Design Award Nominee); THE DARK WOOD (The Woodstock Fringe Festival); JACKIE & THE BEANSTALK (The Point Community Center, Bronx); EVERYDAY SOMEWHERE HERE: LETTERS FROM PALESTINE AND ISRAEL (New Perspectives Theatre Co.); MINA (La MaMa etc.); CERTAIN SOULS, WHEN IT RAINS, BLOOD OF THE BEAR (Workshop Theatre Company); and THE NEW JERSEY TRAPEZOID (The Theater Three). He has also designed video projections for RAISINS NOT VIRGINS (WTC) and 7WOMEN, 7HEAVENS (Islamic Women's Conference, NYC).

Off Broadway: 33 To Nothing (Wild Project), Esoterica (DR2 Theatre) and Territory (Bottle Factory Theatre). Off Off Broadway: Maud- The Madness (June Havoc Theatre), How Love Is Spelt (Summer Play Festival'05), Rattlesnake (Workshop Theater, Mainstage), Specter (Red Room), What Happened Was...(Paradise Theater) Production Stage Manager for Justin Bond & Friends in Lustre: A Mid- Winter Trans-Fest (PS122), Screen Test (Abrons Art Center), Marat/Sade (Access Theatre), Insideout (HERE Arts Center), It's Not Even Past (CSV, Flamboyan Theater) bunkerbaby (CSV, Milagro Theatre), Peter & Vandy (Paradise Theater). Other credits include: Production Manager for Big Art Group's European tour of SOS, The People and Cinema Fury.;assistant technical director for the European and North American tours of House of No More and video assistant for the European tour of Dead Set # 3.

Casting Director Michael Cassara, CSA and associate Lindsay Levine cast for theatre, film and television in New York City. They serve as the resident casting office for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, the White Plains Performing Arts Center, the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, the Kitchen Theatre Company, and Central City Opera in addition to casting many readings, workshops and developmental productions in New York and beyond each year. NYMF credits include over two dozen productions since the festival's inception in 2004 and other recent theatre projects include Forum (Sondheim Center, starring Richard Kind), End Days (by Deborah Zoe Laufer, starring Amy Aquino and Adam Heller), Perez Hilton Saves The Universe (or at Least the Greater Los Angeles Area) and Green Eyes in FringeNYC, and Cassandra's Angel (workshop, starring Malcolm Gets). Member, Casting Society of America. Please visit http://www.michaelcassara.net.

MELODY BROOKS (Producer) is the founder and artistic director of NPT. She has developed and directed several original scripts for the company, including the award-winning Exhibit #9 and Jihad, Anatomy of a Love Affair (optioned by Essence Entertainment) and directed a number of innovative Shakespeare productions and other classics, including the NY premiere of Vaclev Havel's The Increased Difficulty of Concentration. She is the Executive Production of NPT's Voices From the Edge Festival, which showcases new works by African American writers and performers, and created and directs the Women's Work Lab, which develops new plays by women writers and nurtures them to production quality. Other notable producing credits include Temporary Lucidity for the Edinburgh International Theatre Festival; the Off-Broadway productions at Interart Theatre of Solo Voyages (directed by Joseph Chaikin, in association with the American National Theatre), About Anne (directed by Anthony Zerbe with Salome Jens), and Through the Leaves (directed by Joanne Akalaitis) at Interart and the Public Theatre. She is an Assistant Professor in LIU/Brooklyn's Communication Studies, Performance Studies & Theatre Dept.

NEW PERSPECTIVES THEATRE COMPANY is an award-winning, multi-racial company performing in the heart of the Broadway Theatre District and communities throughout New York City. Now in its 17th season, notable productions have included Richard III, starring Austin Pendleton; The Taming of the Shrew (OOBR Award for Excellence), Exhibit #9 by Tracy Wilson (Audelco Award); Jihad by Ann Chamberlain (OOBR Award for Excellence); Admissions by Tony Velella (10 Best Plays Citation, Backstage); The Shaneequa Chronicles by OBIE Award-winner Stephanie Berry (with Blackberry Productions); Anatomy of a Love Affair by Deirdre Hollman (Optioned by Essence Entertainment); and innovative productions of several Shakespeare plays. The Company's mission is to develop and produce new plays and playwrights, especially women and people of color, to present classic plays in a style that addresses contemporary issues, and to extend the benefits of theatre to young people and communities in need. Our aim is not to exclude, but to cast a wider net.

Recent productions: dramaturg for The Civilians’ PARIS COMMUNE (Public Theater); research dramaturg for The Civilians’ THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY (Humana Festival/Studio Theatre- coming to Center Theatre Group in LA in September, 2008 and The Vineyard in January 2009!); associate producer for THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS, (HERE American Living Room Festival.) Additional productions include Vaclav Havel’s LARGO DESOLATO (Columbia Stages); MEN OF CLAY, (Dog Run Rep); Samuel Beckett’s HAPPY DAYS (Classic Stage Company/Worth Street). Abigail currently serves as Dramaturg and Literary Associate for The Civilians as the company develops its latest piece, BROOKLYN AT EYE LEVEL, about the Atlantic Yards building project in Downtown Brooklyn. She has also worked with the Atlantic Theater Company and is a contributing writer to www.theplaygoer.com. MFA in dramaturgy from Columbia University School of the Arts.

Jodie Bentley is thrilled to be continuing her journey with CYCLONE. Off-Broadway: CAPTAIN LOUIE (and the Original Cast Album), THE A TRAIN (RE) PLAYS, GIRL GANG. Some of her favorite regional roles include: ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (Annie Oakley), THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG (Sonia), SYLVIA (Sylvia), PRELUDE TO A KISS (Rita). TV: ONE LIFE TO LIVE, GUIDING LIGHT, Denis Leary's MERRY F*#ING CHRISTMAS SPECIAL. Jodie has played leading roles in workshops of new musicals and plays at the York Theatre, New World Stages, The Workshop Theatre, and pretty much all over NYC. She is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She wishes to thank her parents and her husband Michael, for all of their support and undying love. She is the co-owner of TheSavvyActor.com and a proud Equity member. www.jodiebentley.com

Amber Carson feels grateful to join the CYCLONE team at this year's NYMF, and to continue working in NYC! Previous NY credits include: THE DECIDERS (Cindy Sheehan) at the 2008 NY International Fringe Festival, BMI Lehman-Engel Workshop of BROADWAY BABY, and SEX IS...at Caroline's on Broadway. Other favorite credits: THE FULL MONTY (Estelle, u/s Georgie) at Phoenix Theatre, THE TAFFETAS (Donna) at the Springer Opera House, GODSPELL with Prather Entertainment Group, and the Nat'l Tour of A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Tessie). Amber would love to take the time to thank the CYCLONE creative team and Michael Cassara Casting for this opportunity. Hugs and kisses to family and friends, with a little extra lovin' to Jason.

Caleb Damschroder is thrilled to be part of the NYMF this year. Most recently he was part of KISS & TELL, a finalist in the Samuel French Festival. Favorite credits include; THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE (Jimmy Smith), LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (Jean Michel), FOREVER PLAID (Sparky), CINDERELLA (Prince), MY FAIR LADY, A CHRISTMAS CAROL and 42nd ST. Television: “Guiding Light.” Thanks to Michael Cassara's office. Love to friends and to J.

Judah Frank is thrilled to join the cast of CYCLONE (AND THE PIG-FACED LADY)! Broadway: CIRQUE DREAMS JUNGLE FANTASY. Other favorite credits: URINETOWN (Bobby Strong), ROMEO AND JULIET (Romeo), MUSICAL CHAIRS (Brad), CHILDREN OF EDEN (Ham/Snake), GROSS INDECENCY (Douglas), and GONNA SHAKE IT UP! (Spazz). Many thanks to the creative team and Mykinos. Also look for Judah in the NYMF staged reading of FAIRY TALE.

David is so excited to be joining NYMF for the first time with this production of CYCLONE. Recent credits include: 1st National Tour of SWEENEY TODD playing Sweeney opposite Judy Kaye, Broadway revival of COMPANY (stand by Harry, Larry, Paul), CARNIVAL! (Paper Mill Playhouse, u/s Paul) MIRETTE and MISS LIBERTY (York Theater), and BEOWULF (Irish Repertory Theater). Originally a trombone player, David turned to acting after receiving his BFA in trombone performance at Western Michigan University. He did his masters work in voice/opera at Northwestern University in Chicago and has finally, happily settled into the musical theater world. Thanks and love to my family and friends who faithfully cheer me on where ever I might be performing! Hmmm...another villain? Go figure.

Recently transplanted to New York from her hometown of San Francisco, Ariela is thrilled to be delving into her carney side in CYCLONE. She was most recently the cover in the new award-winning Off-Broadway musical, ADDING MACHINE.
Other theatrical credits include I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT NOW CHANGE (Oregon Cabaret Theatre), BINGO! THE MUSICAL (Center Rep), THE THREEPENNY OPERA (West Bay Opera), VANITIES: A NEW MUSICAL (Theatreworks). Her operatic credits include the title role in CARMEN with the San Francisco Lyric Opera and Bay Shore Lyric Opera; and productions with San Jose Opera, Pacific Repertory Opera, West Bay Opera, among others. No stranger to new music, Ariela was first seen on the East Coast at Carnegie Hall as the soloist for the premiere of Imant Raminsh's Symphony of Psalms. Her specialty has always been the works of Kurt Weill and his contemporaries and she was honored to receive 2nd place at the Kurt Weill Foundation's 2008 Lotte Lenya Competition. She is currently working as a producing artist with the New York theatre company Studio 42, and received her Bachelors of Music at U.C. Santa Cruz. www.arielamorgenstern.com

Jessica Mary Murphy is thrilled to be a part of CYCLONE (AND THE PIG FACED LADY). NYMF debut! Tours: THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Asia (Sister Margaretta/Frau Schmidt), THE SOUND OF MUSIC - 2nd National Tour (Sister Margaretta/u/s Frau Schmidt). Regional Favorites: A WONDERFUL LIFE at Paper Mill Playhouse, NJ (Mrs. Martini/Mrs. Bishop), THE MUSIC MAN (Ethel Toffelmier/u/s Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn), TITANIC (Kate Murphey), Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Madame de la Grande Bouche/u/s Mrs. Potts), NUNSENSE (Sister Mary Hubert). NY Readings: LIBERTY - THE MUSICAL at The Algonquin Theatre, The Dramatists Guild of America, and University Settlement House; CYCLONE (AND THE PIG FACED LADY) at City Lights, National Comedy Theatre, and York Theatre Company; IVANHOE at the WorkShop Theater Company, all books and lyrics by Dana Leslie Goldstein. . B.F.A. Musical Theatre - University of Michigan. Jessica sends her love and thanks to Jim at blocNYC, husband James and Mom and Dad. www.jessicamarymurphy.com.

New York: BILL W. AND DR. BOB (New World Stages); GREAT EXPECTATIONS (Lortel); THE REVENGER’S TRAGEDY (Red Bull Theater); SHOCKHEADED PETER (Little Shubert); ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL directed by Darko Tresnjak, CORIOLANUS (Theatre for a New Audience); PERICLES directed by Bartlett Sher (TFANA at BAM); THE AMERICAN CLOCK, ARTHUR MILLER—ON THE AIR (Signature Theatre Company); RICHARD III, THE SEAGULL, THE COUNTRY WIFE (Pearl Theatre Company); LEAVING QUEENS (Women’s Project). Regional: Iago in OTHELLO (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); PYGMALION, THE ILLUSION, THE CRUCIBLE (with Dana Reeve), RHINOCEROS (Shakespeare Theatre of NJ); KING LEAR (Syracuse Stage); COMPANY (Missouri Rep); AH, WILDERNESS!, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (Chautauqua Theater Company); BEE-LUTHER-HATCHEE (St. Louis Rep); BORN YESTERDAY (Delaware Theatre Company); GROSS INDECENCY, DON JUAN (Huntington Theatre Company); THE VISIT, THE AFRICAN COMPANY PRESENTS RICHARD III (Arena Stage); SKIN OF OUR TEETH (Yale Rep). Sundance Institute/Public Theater workshop of Marcus Gardley’s AND JESUS MOONWALKS THE MISSISSIPPI. MFA, Yale School of Drama.

Originally from Minnesota, Lucy resides in NYC where she has been involved in new works such as SYMPATHY JONES (NYMF), SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL, THE TUTOR, LONELY RHYMES, DREAMS THIS WAY, WE TELL THE STORY (Lortel), and MY FAIR LADY (London cast). Regional work includes the RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR as Mrs. Claus at The Grand Ole Opry, SUDS (St. Michael's Playhouse), Georgie in THE FULL MONTY (Maltz Jupiter Theatre), SOUTH PACIFIC at Barrington Stage, and IRON CURTAIN at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Conference. Favorite credits include COMPANY (Sarah), THE WORLD GOES ROUND, PARADE (Lucille Frank), and A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (Petra), along with numerous voice-overs, workshops, and recordings. Extra special thanks to Maureen, Peter, and Douglas for being the rocks and the cushions. BFA: Ithaca College. www.lucysorensen.com

Jacob Thompson is a Hell's Kitchen resident, a Wagner College (NYC) graduate and an Iowa native. This time last year he was several handsome princes and a Chinese warrior aboard the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship. This is Jacob first festival show and he is truly glad to be a part of the CYCLONE team having worked on numerous projects with the amazing author, including LIBERTY THE MUSICAL at the Algonquin Theater. Deepest thanks go to David Carpenter, Jessica Bradish and Ray Thompson. Check out jacobthompson.net for more info!