Lines

Becca Ayers (Becca)

Becca Ayers is currently in the original cast of the first revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center. She was also understudied Madame Thenardeir in Les Miserables and Kate/Lucy, Mrs. T/Bear in Avenue Q on Broadway. She was the title role in Sarah, Plain and Tall Off-Broadway and understudied Lucy in the tour of Jekyll and Hyde. Becca also recently wrapped the film Clear Blue Tuesday which is now in post-production. Her song, "Taste" was used for the pilot of television's "Temps" which was an official selection for the New York Television Festival in 2006. She is working on solo material as well as songs with band partners Bradley Dean Whyte (myspace.com/ayerswhyte) and Russ Rowland (myspace.com/babygoesbang; look for their first album "brainypants" soon!). Listen to her latest releases at www.myspace.com/beccaayers. www.beccaayers.com

Thomas Cannizzaro (Thomas)

Broadway: Monty Python's Spamalot (original cast), and Cabaret. Tours: Cabaret, Grease (Brazil), The Velveteen Rabbit (TheatreworksUSA). Regionally, Thomas has worked at the Goodspeed Opera House (Babes in Arms, and The Goodspeed Cabaret), Northshore Music Theatre (Joseph and the Amazing...), and Lawyers, Lovers, and Lunatics with CY Coleman and Pat Birch. TV appearances on Jay Leno, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Tony's.

Jared Gertner (Jared)

Broadway: William Barfee in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for the last year of its run. Prior to that, he spent a year playing Barfee in the San Francisco Company and The Boston Company of Spelling Bee, for which he won an IRNE Award for Best Actor. This past summer, Jared played Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors at the Paper Mill Playhouse and created the role of Warren in the premiere of Adam Gwon's musical Ordinary Days at Pennsylvania Centre Stage. Other NY credits: The Off-Broadway run of the improv show Don't Quit Your Night Job; the premiere of the play Anatomy 1968 (Theatre Row, SPF); the premiere of the musical Corduroy (TheatreWorks USA); My Favorite Year (Musicals Tonight); and Minimum Wage (NY Fringe). Regional: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, St Louis Rep, Paper Mill Playhouse, Orpheum Theatre (Omaha), and 11th Hour Theatre Company (Philadelphia). Film: The Suicide Auditions; Between Love and Goodbye. Education: NYU's Tisch, CAP21. Jared is also a theatre educator and has done 40 million readings.

J. Elaine Marcos (Elaine)

J. Elaine Marcos has performed on Broadway in A Chorus Line (Connie Wong), Wedding Singer (Imelda Marcos), Sweet Charity, Wonderful Town, Flower Drum Song (Mme. Liang), and Miss Saigon. Film/TV credits include Lipstick Jungle, Canterbury's Law, Farm Girl in New York. J. Elaine will be featured at the NY Television Festival in a pilot entitled "Living in Captivity". J. Elaine can also be seen doing stand up comedy around the city if given at least 5 minutes and a mic. www.jelainemarcos.com

Joe Aaron Reid (Joe)

Broadway: Chicago, Curtains (Original Cast). Other New York: Kismet (Encores!), Legally Blonde (Workshop), All Singin', All Dancin' (Town Hall), Why We Tell The Story (Lucille Lortel). Regional: Curtains (Ahmanson), Ragtime (Paper Mill Playhouse), Camelot (NSMT), Cats (Northern Stage), Beauty and the Beast (Place des Arts). Television: "Guiding Light", "Regis & Kelly", "Tony Awards". BFA Ithaca College.

Maurice Brandon Curry (Director)

Maurice Brandon Curry has directed, choreographed, and produced events as diverse as the Michael Awards for the Fashion Industry, tours and videos for Diana Ross, Prince, and Al B. Sure, the kick-off of the Tour de France and the Queen’s Trust Benefit in 2006 for the charities of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He has choreographed ballets and theatre works in the active repertoires of numerous companies and universities around the world. Additionally, he has produced extensively in the fashion industry for the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, and Giorgio Armani. Mr. Curry has also directed and/or choreographed three critically acclaimed Off-Broadway shows and many shows regionally including “West Side Story,” “Nunsense,” “Sweet Charity,” “Oliver!” and “42nd Street.” He has also directed and choreographed several short films.

Mr. Curry has choreographed commercials for Burger King, Target, Fila Sportswear, and numerous industrials. He conceived, directed, and choreographed “From Ballet to Broadway,” a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He also produced and directed the 50th Anniversary Gala for the Joffrey Ballet School, which starred Patrick Swayze, Ann Reinking, and Cady Huffman and dancers from ABT, the Joffrey Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Mr. Curry is honored to return to the NYMF. His last appearance here was as choreographer for Captain Gravy’s Wavy Navy directed by Elizabeth Lucas. He is also on the board of directors for dre.dance, a dance company directed by Andrew Palermo and Taye Diggs. In addition to his BFA in Choreography, he holds a degree in Digital Filmmaking and Multimedia. Currently, he is the Creative Director for the NYC-based production company, Innovative Arts and Media.

J. Oconer Navarro (Musical Director)

J. Oconer Navarro most recently was Musical Director on the critically-acclaimed and award-winning ADD1NG MACH1NE (PS Classics Recording now available). Favorite B'way/NYC (in music department): The Apple Tree, Avenue Q, Curtains, Mary Poppins, Art/Song/Dance (Joyce), If You Give a Pig a Pancake and Other Story Books (Theatreworks USA); he has enjoyed Regional work at Barrington Stage Company, TheatreWorks Palo Alto, Westport Country Playhouse, and participated in numerous readings, workshops, and educational theatre programs nationwide.

As writer: 2008 NYU Alumni Grant, 2007 Jonathan Larson Award, 2006 Margo Lion Award, 2005 Paulette Goddard Award. BS Vanderbilt University 2004 & MFA NYU 2006. Thanks to Tim, the company of LINES, agents at BAL, friends & family. www.joconernavarro.com

Timothy Huang (Composer/Lyricist/Bookwriter)

Timothy has written book and lyrics for the one act musical And Then There Were Two with composer Carl Fernstrum (NYU/GMTWP), and music for the one acts Breathing Mars with playwright Liz Duffy Adams (Warning: Not For Broadway or the Met Either) and Kissing Nick with playwright Catherine Ward (Raw Impressions Musical Theatre Workshop). His first full-length, So Far So Good, for which he wrote music and lyrics, prompted him to go to NYU a second time for his MFA in musical theatre writing. His second full length and graduate thesis, And the Earth Moved was a finalist for the National Music Theatre Network's New Voices Prize in 2004 and received the audience award in the 2004 New York Musical Theatre Festival, which hosted its premiere production. His one act musical The View From Here also received its premiere production at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2005 and its cast album was listed by talkinbroadway.com's Rob Lester of as one of the Top Ten Cast Albums of 2006.

In 2007 Timothy's musical, March and the Rain received a developmental workshop as part of Mu Performing Arts' New Performance Program through a grant from the Jerome Foundation. And his work has also been featured as part of the York Theater Company's NEO Spotlight concert series.

Kate Cudworth (PSM)

Off-Broadway: [title of show] (Vineyard Theatre) Other NY Credits: Rent (National Tour '07-'08), Private Life of the Master Race (Roust Theater Company), Two seasons with Bronx Opera Co., Readings with the Vineyard Theatre, America-in-Play, et al. Regional: Sleepless Variations with Mary Testa, Trumbo (Barrington Stage Co.), Breakfast Lunch & Dinner, Fences, I Am My Own Wife (Hartford Stage)

Carrie Wood (Lighting Design)

Select design credits include: A Dream Play (St Ann’s Warehouse), Ivy Baldwin: Could be nice (La Mama), The Boy in the Bathroom (45th street Theatre), Ivy Baldwin: Its only Me (Dance New Amsterdam), The Siege of Corinth (Baltimore Opera), New York is Here!, The Money Show (Dance New Amsterdam), Wonder of the World (The Lion Theatre), Giant N Variation, Artist Descending Staircase (Center Stage), The Geranium on the Window Sill just Died (Urban Stages), VIA Dance Collaborative (Ailey Citigroup Theatre), Stones in his Pockets (Penguin Rep), Snake in Fridge (14th Street Y), Malestrom (Joyce Soho), Dr. Faustus and the 7 Deadly Sins (Chocolate Factory), Hamlet (Underground Opera), Beyond the Horizon, Burning the Old Man (Center Stage), Naked (Gene Frankel Theatre), Stop Motion (University Settlement). The Substance of John (Center Stage). Carrie has been the assistant lighting designer on various shows including: Cry-Baby (Marriot Marquis), Wicked (Pantages Theatre, LA), The Threepenny Opera (Studio 54). Carrie is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Jen Varbalow (Set design)

Jen is pleased to be working with old and new friends on this production. She was the set designer for Tim Huang's "And The Earth Moved" at NYMF. Previous design credits include "Mark Twain's Blues" at the DR2, "Naked Eye Planets" for Coyote Rep, "Hazard County" (nominated for an IT award), "Snake in Fridge", and "Naked" for Themantics, "Tooth and Claw", "Masha No Home", and "Marathons 2002/3" for Ensemble Studio Theatre and "Sholom Alecheim" and "Wormday" at the DR2. Jen is also a teaching artist with the Roundabout Theatre and TADA!, and a graduate of Rutgers and Brandeis. Special thanks to Hana and Hiro, my muses.

David Leidholdt (Associate Producer)

David E. Leidholdt has been a freelance Director and Producer in NYC for over 15 years. Most Recently he is one of three founding Artistic Directors for The ReVison Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ and is an Associate Producer for The American Theatre Arts for Youth in Philadelphia. Prior to that he was Production Coordinator for Broadway Producer Jeffrey Finn (Tony Nominated "On Golden Pond"), working with the corporate division, "Hot On Broadway". He is one of the founding producers for the New York Musical Theatre Festival. He was the Associate Producer at the Barrington Stage Company, in 2005, where he produced "Hair" and Tony winner Donna McKechnie's "Gypsy in my Soul". In 2000 he joined the Genesius Theatre Guild where he served as the Director of Musical Development form 2001 to 2004, while at GTG Mr. Leidholdt helped to bring to fruition many new works including the Off Broadway play "Last Sunday in June" by Jonathan Tolins and created "Upstairs @ Red", a cabaret venue dedicated to showcasing new composers. Regional Directing credits: Lend Me a Tenor, Secret Garden, Disney's High School Musical among others. He has directed over 50 nation tours for the American family Theatre and is a member of Society of Stage Directors and Choreographer, Lincoln center Directors Lab, The New Producers Alliance and the Commercial Theatre Institute.