THE SECRET LIFE OF WONDER:
A PROLOGUE IN G
TS Hawkins (Playwright)
TS Hawkins is an internationally recognized author, performance poet, and artist of many trades. Currently, she has her own radio station serving over 42,000 listeners worldwide, teaches her poetry course, “Legacy and Lineage,” at various youth centers, and serves on the Program Committee for the Mayor’s Commission on Literacy. Additionally, she enjoys getting individuals to incorporate arts into their daily lives! For more detailed information on TS Hawkins, visit www.tspoetics.com.
Amber Emory (Director)
Amber Emory is a freelance director focusing on new and ensemble-built work. She has a BA in Theater, Directing Concentration, from Temple University. This past season she assisted Lucie Tiberghien (Love in Afghanistan), Moises Kaufman (Tallest Tree in the Forest), both at Arena Stage, and Blanka Zizka (Don Juan Comes Home From Iraq), at the Wilma Theater. She currently works as the Outreach and Partnerships Associate for Directors Gathering, a service organization advancing the craft of theatre directing through community, advocacy, pedagogy, and praxis. She has been honored to work with the Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Simpatico Theatre Project, The Wilma Theater, Temple Repertory Theater, The Renegade Company and Found Theater Company in her hometown of Philadelphia, and in theaters in New York and London.
Natassja Baset (Indigo)
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Nastassja Baset has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre with a specialization in African Studies and a Master of Arts Degree from New York University in Performance Studies. Her credits include,Milk Like Sugar (Simpatico Theatre Project), The Clothesline Muse (Painted Bride Art Center),for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf (Community Education Center), Black Mass (Malcolm X Park), blood pudding (Grace Exhibition Place, NY). Nastassja is most thankful for the Ancestors and family for their love and support and the universe for aligning the stars for this moment. www.nastassjabaset.weebly.com
Marisol Custodio (Orange)
Marisol is excited to be a part of the inaugural Mz. Fest in “The Secret Life of Wonder: a prologue in G.” Previous theatre credits include Natalia in Chekhov’s A Marriage Proposal and Shelley in the original one-act, Planet Radio. She also works with the PALMS project, an acting troupe that educates at-risk teens on safer sex and HIV prevention. She graduated from LaSalle University where she studied Communication and Sociology with minors in Spanish, Film Studies, and Central Eastern European Studies. Marisol would like to thank Amber Emory and TS Hawkins for this opportunity, all involved in making Mz.Fest a reality, as well as her mom for continued support.
Jackie DiFerdinando (Red)
Jackie is a recent graduate of Temple University’s acting concentration, is excited to be part of The Secret Life of Wonder: A Prologue in G as well as the inaugural Mz. Fest! She recently appeared as Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show Live with BrainSpunk Theater and Molly in Farragut North at Stagecrafters in Chestnut Hill. Her favorite roles at Temple included Abigail Williams in The Crucible and Angie/Dull Gret in Top Girls. Jackie thanks her family and friends for their continued support and Amber Emory, TS Hawkins, and the Mz. Fest team for this marvelous opportunity.
Kimie Muroya (Violet)
Kimie is currently studying theatre at Temple University, where she has performed with Temple Theaters (Macbeth), in the inaugural Student Sidestage Season production (Othello), and two Philadelphia Young Playwrights New Voices festivals. Professionally, she has worked with InterAct Theatre Company in the premiere of Caught and two new play reading for the National Asian American Theatre Conference and Festival (Purple Cloud and Kung Fu Zombies). She is an advocate for diversity on the stage, and is currently working on a performance piece for Temple University’s Undergraduate Research Forum – Creative Works Symposium concerning the presence of Asian Americans in the theatre.
Kaitlin Pribulsky (Yellow)
Kaitlin is delighted to be performing in her first production in the Philadelphia area. She is currently finishing her last semester at Temple University and will be receiving her BA in Theater with a concentration in acting. She is very passionate about celebrating the strength of women and is excited to be a part of this production to enlighten audiences on the struggles women face throughout life and the connections they build through these struggles.
Zoe Richards (Blue)
Zoe Richards has recently graduated from the University of the Arts. She is very excited to be a part of this production, and of Mz Fest. This will be her first time performing in the Plays & Players space. Up next, Zoe will be playing in Azuka Theatre’s upcoming production of Speech and Debate.
Rebekah Sharp (Green)
Rebekah Sharp is honored to be working amongst such beautiful and talented women. She recently graduated from the University of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. Previous favorite roles include Greed in Lauren Tuvell’s “Parthenon” and Terry in U Arts’ “Stage Door”, directed by Drucie McDaniel. “All the love and light to my family, friends, and my ladies!
SHIT MEN HAVE SAID TO ME:
TALES OF HOW MEN AND WOMEN COMMUNICATE
Carly Bodnar (Director, Company Member)Carly Bodnar is co-artistic director and founding member of ReVamp Collective. She is a director, teaching artist, and sometimes actor. Carly has directed pieces for various one act festivals and most recently assistant directed for Plays and Players, Voices; A People’s History of the United State and Lantern Theater Company’s production of Taming of the Shrew. Next up she will be assistant directing A Winter’s Tale with Shakespeare in Clark Park. Carly received her BA in Theatre from Temple University with a minor in Art History.www.carlylbodnar.com
Slade Roff (Performer, Company Member)
Slade Roff is a proud company member of ReVamp Collective and is thrilled to be a part of ReVamp’s inaugural production! Slade is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College with a concentration in Theater, among other things. Since moving to Philadelphia in 2012, Slade has worked extensively with Luna Theater Company in the capacity of General Manager (and sometimes actor), and has worked on several short films with Sickening Thud Productions.
Lisa Fischel (Performer)
Lisa’s recent credits include Ensemble in Dare the Gabler (Theatre Drapeau Rose), Alice inAlice in Wonderland (Hampstead Stage Company), Annabella/Margaret/Pamela in The 39 Steps (Southern Arena Theatre), and Regan in King Lear (Univ. Southern Miss). Lisa holds an MFA in Theatre Performance (University of Southern Mississippi) and is a newcomer to Philadelphia. She is thrilled to work in such wonderful company! Much love and gratitude to friends and family, both new and old!
Colleen Hughes (Performer)
Colleen is a Philadelphia-based actor and movement artist. She has worked with Tribe of Fools, EgoPo Classic Theatre, Swim Pony Performing Arts, Commonwealth Classic Theatre, Plays & Players, Enchantment Theatre Company, Iron Age Theatre, and the Wilma Theatre. She is a company member at Curio Theatre Company. Training: NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Love to Terry. www.colleenhughes.com
James Kern (Performer)
James would really like to thank Carly for bringing him on board for this project. A former graduate of University of the Arts for Jazz drumming and Temple University for Acting. Most recent works include: Romeo in fringe’s Mad Blood, and Joseph Wykowski in Lock Haven’s production of Biloxi Blues. Also the drummer in the Philadelphia infamous, Jawbone Junction.
Adam Rzepka (Performer)
Adam is thrilled to be working with Mz. Fest. You may have seen his work with Revolution Shakespeare, PAC, and The Inis Nua Theatre. He is currently producing a mixed artform cabaret called, “Feeling Lucky Philly” being performed right here on April 13th.
Ryan Tygh (Performer)
Ryan has more than fifty film, television, and commercial credits, including roles in Silver Linings Playbook, and a series of commercial campaigns for the PA Lottery and Arby’s. Theatrical credits include work with The Walnut, Montgomery, and Media Theatres, as well as Opera Philadelphia. Coming up is Creed, the next film in the Rocky film franchise. You can also catch him, well…his butt, hands, arms, and back of head, every week on the NBC series The Blacklist. He is the photo double for the show’s star, James Spader. Love to everyone…EXCELSIOR!!!
TAKE / SACRIFICE
Sarah Mitteldorf (Creator/Director)
Sarah is a penguin-lover, puppy scruffler, and theatre maker. With Kaleid, she’s created Eurydice in Market East, Eurydice in Grand Central, Glow, and No Place Like. In 2012-2013, she worked with a group of nine to twelve year olds, who had been adopted from China, to create the piece Many Ways, which explored their individual and collective experiences and was featured in the Inquirer. This fall, she was invited to speak on a panel about Casting and Representation at the National Asian American Theater Conference and Festival. She is honored to work with amazing creators – artists who always challenge her to grow.
Photo Credit: Jacques-Jean Tiziou)
Pratima Agrawal (Creator/Performer)
Pratima is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, where she fell in love with theatre and has been involved in a complicated relationship with this art form for several years since then. While she still considers herself a Texas girl, her journey recently brought her to Philadelphia in September of 2014, where she hopes to soon receive her PA certification to teach middle school theatre, while creating meaningful theatrical experiences in the community. She is particularly drawn to projects that involve the intersection of art and the examination/inquiry of societal concerns. Currently, she works at FACTS Charter School, as a substitute teacher in Philadelphia charters, and as a Teaching Artist with Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre. Some of her favorite things to do are eat dark chocolate, watch a 76ers game, and travel.
Jess Brownell (Creator/Performer)
Jess Brownell was born and raised in Colorado and made her way to Philadelphia by way of Cedar Rapids, IA where she earned her B.A. in Chemistry/Theatre at Coe College. Upon graduation, she took a job as an analytical chemist with a pharmaceutical company in the Philadelphia area but left the industry to pursue her acting career. Recent work includes: Mortimer in The Fantasticks (The Centre Theater), Camillo/Emilia/Player in The Winter’s Tale (Forge Theater), Trumpet Player in Noir (GDP Productions), Ensemble in Dust to Dust: A Brief History of Religious Violence (GDP Productions), Margaret McKivan in Independence After Hours (Historic Philadelphia, Inc.), and portraying Betsy Ross at the Betsy Ross House.
(Photo Credit: Christopher Kadish)
Jess Jacob (Creator/Performer)
Jess has been participating in and loving theatre since she could walk. She has recently graduated from Arcadia University with a BFA in acting. Her perilous credits include The Collector, fml:how Carson McCullers saved my life and A Midsummer Nights Dream to name a few. This is her first time working with Kaleid and she is beyond excited to work with these amazing women to create this piece.
Rachel O’Hanlon-Rodriguez (Creator/Performer)Rachel is a Philadelphia based actress by night and EgoPo Classic Theater’s Company Manager by day. A founding member of Kaleid, she has been a theater administrator for three years and has worked with a variety of local theaters such as Simpatico Theatre Project, The Walking Fish, and Represented. She received her B.A. in Theater Arts from Rowan University, received the Joseph Robinette Award for Excellence in Theater and Dance, and was a 2010 semi-finalist in the Region II KCACTF. Favorite credits include Uncle Tom’s Cabin: An Unfortunate History (EgoPo), Missed Connections (Simpatico Theatre Project), El Nogalar (a reading, part of No Passport’s 30/30), and Glow (Kaleid Theatre, of course). She is currently in residence at The Painted Bride.
(Photo Credit: Matthew Wright)
Gina Purri (Composer)
Gina Purri is a Philadelphia-area musician and music teacher. She sings, plays, composes, and maintains a private studio of voice, violin, and piano students – more information available at ginapurripiano.tumblr.com. This is her 2nd collaboration with Kaleid, and she’s grateful to have the opportunity to work with such dedicated women.
Adrian Bridges (Sound Designer)
Adrian is a guitarist and composer originally from Philadelphia and now living in New York City. He received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from New York University’s Jazz Studies program, with emphasis on guitar and composition, where he was honored as a Presser Scholar. As a versatile instrumentalist, proficient on guitar, banjo, mandolin, and bass, Adrian has played for numerous musical theater productions and music directed Less Than Rent Theatre’s Little Town Blues and Diva. He has worked with Kaleid Theatre as a sound designer and composer, developing the aural settings of No Place Like, Glow, and both Eurydice productions. www.adrianbridges.com.
(Photo Credit: Zoe Bridges)
Nina Giacobbe (Choreographer/Researcher)
Nina is a creator, researcher, and founding member of Kaleid. Credits with Kaleid Theatre include Spill, Eurydice in Market East, their short piece Bounce, and their 2013 Fringe production, Glow. She has also performed as a guest artist with Tangle Movement Arts and danced her bum off in 2012’s Le Grand Continental. Nina also studies aerials at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts. When she’s not flipping around in the air, she loves to geek out about Harry Potter and Greek/Roman mythology.
(Photo Credit: Jennifer Apple)
Ro Gauger (Lighting Designer)
Ro is a recent graduate from Arcadia University with a BA in English and currently serves as the Technical Theater Coordinator for Rosemont College. She has previously worked on productions of On the Verge,Proof, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Arcadia University and this will be her first Philadelphia production. She is both honored and thankful to work alongside such talented artists!
Browning Sterner (Stage Manager)
Browning Todd Sterner is very happy to be working once again with Sarah Mitteldorf. Browning has worked at several area theaters, including InterAct Theater in Philadelphia, Stagecrafters in Chestnut Hill, and is now Allens Lane’s first resident Stage Manager. He most recently worked on The Tale of the Allergist’s Wifeat Stagecrafters, and The Lady from Dubuque at Allens Lane. Browning is a recent graduate from Temple University with a BA degree in Theater.