Trails

As a writer, Christy’s work spans both stage and screen. Currently in pre-production is Christy’s screenplay THE MOON AND HIS BOY, for which Christy is also co-producer. Additionally, LITTLE IRON MEN, a screenplay co-written by Christy, was one of twelve American films-in-development to attend the No Borders International Co-Production Market, part of IFP’s Independent Film Week in New York City. Christy’s writing for the stage includes her full-length play YOURS, ISABEL, a story inspired by actual letters from WWII. YOURS, ISABEL opened at the Capital Fringe Festival in Washington, DC in April 2010. In May, it received a west coast production in Hollywood. Her collaboration alongside Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann led her to be the librettist for the new musical TRAILS. TRAILS was recently featured in New York City at the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts as part of their professional Songbook Series. TRAILS has also been accepted into the Festival of New American Musicals in Los Angeles, where it will receive a production in July 2010.  www.christyhall.net

As a songwriting team, Jeff and Jordan received a 2008 Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Grant, and were 2006-2007 Dramatis Guild Musical Theatre Writing Fellows. Their songs have been featured in the acclaimed “Songbook” series at Lincoln Center, The York Theatre Company’s N.E.O Concert Series, and Scott Alan’s Monday Night New Voices programs in Chicago and New York. Their song “When The Words Won’t Come” was published in the Fall 2007 issue of “The Dramatist”. Their original musical Trails (Book by Christy Hall) will be featured in the Los Angeles Festival of New Musicals this July and is an invited selection for the 2010 NY Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF). Upcoming projects include, Virtually Me for TheaterWorks USA, and adaptations of the films Pump Up The Volume and Jawbreaker (bookwriter Darren Stein). www.thomsonandmann.com

Broadway: The Lion King (Resident Director), Avenue Q, The Wedding Singer, and Steel Magnolias (Assistant Director). Her regional credits include Godspell (St. Louis Muny), Avenue Q (Wynn Las Vegas), Kander and Ebb’s The Visit (Goodman Theatre), and the national tour of Wonderful Town (choreography by Kathleen Marshall). A graduate of Northwestern University, Jen is the Artistic Director of Broadway in South Africa, a non-profit organization that brings artists to South Africa to work with children in need.  www.jenbenderonline.com

Benton Whitley is the Associate Casting Director for both the National Artists Management Company (NAMCO) and Southgate Productions. Working alongside Duncan Stewart, they cast the current Tony Award winning Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles (starring Kelsey Grammer), the Broadway, West End, and National touring companies of Chicago The Musical and all other projects for legendary producers Barry and Fran Weissler. Upcoming NAMCO projects include: Clueless (The Musical), Neil LaBute's Fat Pig, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (UK). For Southgate Productions, projects include: Camp Wanatachi (LaMama), Fingers and Toes (NYMF), and Bunked! (Fringe). Previous credits include the world premiere of Terrence McNally's Golden Age at The John F. Kennedy Center, and the 2009 Broadway revival of Ragtime. Benton is a proud graduate of North Carolina School of the Arts and the University of Michigan's Musical Theatre Department.

Recent NY design credits: Tess, A New Rock Opera (NYMF '10 & Studio 440); They're Playing Our Song (Actors Fund Benefit); EDGES! (WPPAC); Grease! (CMPAC); RENT (CMPAC); My AiDS (Urban Stages); Penang (Workshop Mainstage Theater); Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Sage Theatre); The Wedding Singer (CMPAC); Beggars Rain (13th Street Theatre.) Recent NY Assoc/Asst Credits: In Transit (Primary Stages/59E59); Radio Girl (Goodspeed/Norma Terris); Family Week (Lucille Lortel/MCC); Celtic Fyre (Busch Gardens Theme Park); Joe Turner’s Come & Gone (Belasco); You’re Welcome America… (Cort); 13, The Musical (Jacobs); Marrying Meg (NYMF ’09); MCC Fresh Play Festival (’08 & ’09); Standing Clear (Access-Black Box); We Are Being Held (PS122). www.ZachBlane.com

Recently designed costumes for Hairspray at the Charlottetown Theatre Festival on Prince Edward Island. He is the Associate Costume Designer for The Addams Family on Broadway. Off-Broadway design work includes: Newsical, Silence! The Musical, and Joy. Regional and international highlights: Dreamgirls (Seoul, Korea), Ragtime (Kennedy Center), Disney’s High School Musical on Tour (US, UK, Spain). David is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

Michael P. Kramer designed last year's NYMF production of Seeing Stars and is very happy to be a part of the festival again. Michael is the resident scenic designer at APAC - credits include: Ragtime (NYIT 2009 winner for Outstanding Set Design), Children of Eden, A New Brain, Proof, and Triumph of Love (each NYIT nom’s - Set Design). Other NYC credits include: For the Love of Christ! - 2009 NYC Fringe Festival, The Play about the Naked Guy - Emerging Artist Theatre, A Good Farmer and Flyer - 3Graces Theatre Company, and The Wake of Jamey Foster - Connection Theatre Company, Regional credits include Steel Magnolias,and The Wedding Singer - Le Petit Theatre New Orleans. The Miracle Worker and Evita - Foothills Theatre Company. TV designs include - ESPN’s "SportsNation" (Emmy Nominated Production Design), ESPN’s World Cup Studio - South Africa, MTV’s "Silent Library", and Comedy Central's - "Stand-up Nation". Special event designs include: The Papal visit to Ground Zero, and Broadway on Broadway 2007 - 2009. Michael is a proud native of New Orleans, LA. Western Illinois University MFA 2001. Dedicated to 3 nephews and new wife Nicole.

Since the fall of 2008, Sam Morris has been a successful publicist with a track record for creating buzz for arts & theater clients in New York City. He has worked with a host of top professionals on many exciting projects, including; the 2010 Inside Broadway Beacon Awards (with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, TV/stage/film star Anthony LaPaglia, and Tony Award-winner Katie Finneran), the 2010 FringeNYC productions of Burning in China (directed by five-time Oscar– nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel) and When Last We Flew (at the Lucille Lortel), the 2009 FringeNYC productions of Victoria & Frederick for President (produced by Adrian Grenier) and Afterlight (at the Cherry Lane), and the NYMF productions of Wood (starring Tony Award-winner Cady Huffman in 2008), Max Understood (starring Everett Quinton and Michael Winther in 2009) and The Cure (starring Manu Narayan in 2009). For clients he’s secured multiple features in numerous top media outlets, including The New York Times, The New York Post, Variety, The New York Daily News, amNY, Newsday, Time Out New York, Backstage, FOX5, NY1 and News 12. He is a proud graduate of NYU (Class of 2008).

Ken Fakler and Dan Stone, co-founders of Fakston Productions LLC, are thrilled to participate in their first NYMF festival.  Fakston Productions is currently part of the producing team for CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, which is scheduled for its Broadway opening this coming Spring.  Future productions also include the upcoming first-ever Broadway Revival of FUNNY GIRL.  Fakston Productions also has positions in COME FLY AWAY and the Tony-Award Winning Revival of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. Dan is a seasoned theatre veteran with many years experience performing on stage.  He studied Musical Theatre and Psychology at New York University and is a proud member of AEA.  Ken, who graduated from Boston University and has his MBA from Northeastern University, has a broad business background with over 25 years working in the marketing and advertising industries.

New York directing credits include: No Moves Back, No More Waiting and Line. Directing credits include: Kol Nidre, Bed and Breakfast, and Icee (Hangar Theatre); Bernard Goes to Surgery; The Music Man.  Assistant directing credits include: Titanic Benefit Concert (NYSEC), Hair, Girl’s School Gothic, Arkansaw Bear, The Ant and The Grasshopper (Hangar Theatre). Production credits: Rock of Ages, Starquest International Dance Competition, The Cure, The Story (Playhouse on the Square); The 24-Hour Musical; She thanks her loving family, cast, crew, and roommates. Zachman, you will always be my inspiration.

Rob has been producing theatre and concerts in New York City for over a year. Current producing projects: Trails (NYMF '10) and Pageant (Broadway-aimed Revival, SAS Productions). Past producing credits: Merrily Merrily Merrily (2010 Midtown International Theatre Festival), How My Mother Died of Cancer, and Other Bedtime Stories (2010 New York International Fringe Festival), Sing For The Cure: A Benefit Concert (Don't Tell Mama, NYC), cassandra (Under St. Mark's, NYC), RENT (Thalian Hall, NC) and Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party (City Stage, NC). BA Albright College. Thanks to the cast and creative team, Sami, Dan and Ken, Alina and Ashley, Jeff Lentz, and Mom and Dad for everything else.

Alina is thrilled to be a part of this amazing producing team. Past credits include Merrily Merrily Merrily (Midtown International Theatre Festival) and How My Mother Died of Cancer, and Other Bedtime Stories (The New York International Fringe Festival). Alina has also served as co-founder and featured writer for www.theatrestory.com. Originally from San Jose, Costa Rica/Tamarac, FL. Brigham Young University graduate. Many thanks go out to HF, my gorgeous and supportive family, friends, and my boss for putting up with my unpredictable schedule. Peace, Love, and Equality!

Ashley is so happy to be part of the fantastic team behind Trails. Producing credits: Trails (NYMF '10). Recently, she has worked for the company managers of Off-Broadway's Avenue Q and Altar Boyz through Davenport Theatrical Enterprises, and you may see her on occasion as the host of the Tony Award-winning Avenue Q at New World Stages. She also recently stage managed Merrily Merrily Merrily in the Midtown International Theatre Festival. As a performer, Ashley has been seen in The Riant Theatre's Rock-A My Soul at the Theatre at St. Clement's. Other past favorites include productions of Into the Woods, Forbidden Broadway, and Song of Singapore. Ashley is a recent graduate of Dartmouth College, which coincidentally sits right on the Appalachian Trail. Thanks go out to the cast and creative team, Rob and Alina, and my spectacular family and friends. Love.