James Burn (Book / Music / Lyrics)
Based in London, James Burn is a writer, composer, teacher and musician who has worked extensively in France, Bermuda and England. He studied music at the University of Oxford. He has written music & lyrics for musicals including Joan of Arc and Nine Days,based on the life of Lady Jane Gray. He's also written several original scores for pantomimes and Christmas shows (Cinderella, Ali Baba, Snow White, The Firebird, Sleeping Beauty). Highlights include Musical Director of A Little Night Music, Associate Musical Director ofLes Miserables (Bermuda), The Lion King (Paris), Jacques Brel is Alive and Well & Living In Paris (Paris), Le Medecin Malgré Lui (Paris) and four seasons of Broadway in Bermuda directed by Tony® Award nominee Sheryl Kaller during which he had the amazing experience of working with the likes of Tony®-nominated actors Liz Larsen, Daniel H. Jenkins and Carolee Carmello. This year, his specially-commissioned song for the Prince Dance production Que Sueñes con las Angelitas will travel to Buenos Aires, having been successfully premiered in Hawaii. His music for Sleeping Beauty will be revived in a new production in Bermuda for Christmas 2013.
Ian Poitier (Book / Director)
Originally from the Bahamas, Ian graduated in law from Oxford University, then Musical Theatre at Arts Ed, London. He spent seven years performing/choreographing/directing almost fifty classical productions, musicals & dramas. He was appointed World AIDS Day Coordinator, heading the UK launch of the Red Ribbon and coordinating the royal WAD programme of Princess Diana. Ian then spent 10 years in advertising before returning to film & theatre. Highlights: Theatre/Events: Blues In The Night (Dir./Choreo); Lion In The Street (Choreographer - London Evening Standard Drama Award Nominee); To Kill A Mockingbird (Director - Winner Best Production, Nassau); Concert Of Hope, Wembley Arena, starring George Michael; Bahamas Cacique Awards 2008-2013 (Stage/TV – Writer/Director/Choreographer). Film: Oh Happy Day (Writer/Director); Commercials/Dance Videos for Creative Sunshine. Advertising: Levi's campaign selected by V&A Museum as one of the "100 Best Campaigns of the 20th Century". Current: Opening/Closing Ceremonies - London's Gay Games Bid 2018; Amex Commercial, Europe, June 2013 (Director).
Wilson Bridges (Daniel Morrison - The Young Businessman)
Wilson Bridges is thrilled to return to NYMF. Laast seen at NYMF as Michael in Academy (2009 Outstanding Ensemble Performance Award, Daegu International Musical Festival Production Award), he is currently portraying Robert in the off-broadway revival of Sydney Howard's The Silver Cord (Peccadillo Theater Co). Recent credits include: Death for Five Voices (Carlo Gesualdo, Prospect Theater Co); Signs of Life (Simon Muller, AMAS); LA Cage Aux Folles, (Etienne/Jean-Michele us, Nat Tour), The Mousetrap (Christopher Wren, Flatrock Playhouse), Academy (Michael, DIMF/Maltz Jupiter). He's a Kentucky native and graduate of Baldwin-Wallace University.
Nikki Van Cassele (Taylor Taylor / Madison - The Troublemaker)
Nikki Van Cassele most recently played Yellow Girl in Shout! The Mod Musical at Shadowland Theatre. Prior to that she was seen as Violet in Side Show (Sweet and Tart/Art of Warr Prods, NYC). Also seen in The Red Door Theatre Company’s production of In Trousersas His High School Sweetheart and in Milwaukee Rep’s production of Cabaret as Texas. Other favorite credits include: Cabaret -1st National Equity Tour , Godspell at Walnut Street Theater, Angela in Bill Russell’s Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens , and Spider Woman in Vortex Theater Company's re-imagined production of Kiss of the Spider Woman directed by drama desk nominated director Gisela Cardenas. Thanks to Cindi Rush and the Legacy Falls team for this fab gig! www.nikkivancassele.com
Liz Fye (Amber Fox / Brandy Monroe - The Young Ingenue)
Liz Fye is thrilled to be making her NYMF debut with Legacy Falls! Credits include: Band Geeks, Good Vibrations, The Who’s Tommy,The Sound of Music, Finding Nemo, and Happy End. TV/Film: “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC), “Blue Bloods” (CBS), “Kings” (NBC), “One Life to Live” (ABC), “As the World Turns” (CBS), and several independent features and national commercials. This fall Liz will begin shooting the upcoming romantic comedy It’s All Relative. Liz holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity and SAG-AFTRA. Love and thanks to the creative team, my family, friends, my agents at Luedtke, and David. www.lizfye.com
Jonathan Hawkins (Jed - The Himbo)
Touring
extensively in Europe, Jonathan has been a featured soloist in Dvoraks Stabat
Mater, Handels Messiah, Mendelssohns Elijah,and Faure's Requiem. Additionally,
Jonathan’s opera and oratorio credits include Ferrando in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte,
Amahl and the Night Visitors, Dido and Aeneas, and The Ballad of Baby Doe.
Jonathan has been touring with Stiletto Entertainment throughout the United States,
Europe and Africa performing in the award-winning, Cantare.
Some of Jonathan’s favorite theatre credits include Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern
Millie, Tony in West Side Story, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat, Dean Hyde inAll Shook Up, and Anthony in Sweeney Todd.
Most recently, Jonathan has been touring nationally with the acclaimed show,
Broadway Today singing the most recent hits of Broadway alongside some of
Broadway's biggest names.
Jacob Hoffman (Tom - The Director)
Jacob Hoffman was last seen at NYMF in Nighttime Traffic by Alex Wyse. New York stage credits: Elegies: A Song Cycle, I'll Be Damned (Vineyard Theatre; TINA Nomination - Best Actor, Off-B'way Musical), Scary Musical: The Musical (York Theatre Company), Playing with Charlie, Strike Up the Band (Theatre Row), Madam Fury's Traveling Show (45h St. Theatre), And a Wake-Up (Fringe), Betty's Summer Vacation (Bay Street). Chicago: The Secret Garden (Jeff Nomination), Parade (Chicago Premiere), Arcadia (Remy Bumppo), Falsettos (Chicago Premiere). Proud AEA member, NYU/Tisch grad. Thanks to Avalon, Cindi, and, as always, Mary Beth.
Dennis Holland (Mr. Everlon - The Sponsor)
Broadway/National Tour - The Music Man, Peter Pan; Off-B'way - Sessions, Magpie, Evening at the Carlyle; Regional - Paper Mill, Goodspeed, Guthrie, Ford's Theatre; TV - One Life To Live (recurring); For Elyse, who makes it all worthwhile...
Tara Hugo (Stephanie Stone / Veronica Monroe Casey Bennett - The Soap Diva)
Legacy Falls, London (Best Actress “Offie” nomination for Stephanie). Recent: Tara Hugo Sings Philip Glass, Exec. Producer, Philip Glass, includes Hugo lyrics on four album tracks (OMM). Philip Glass/Leonard Cohen Book of Longing (international tour/recording (OMM). The Bacchae (NYSF, JoAnne Akalaitis/Philip Glass). La Cage Aux Folles (Chocolate Factory, Douglas Hodge, Terry Johnson, dir). Laurence Olivier nomination for Jenny, Threepenny Opera (Donmar Warehouse, Phyllida Lloyd, dir.). Notable: Happy End(Nottingham), Road to Nirvana (Edinburgh), Borrowed Time (Imelda Staunton, dir.). Solo Concerts: Batignano (Italy), RAH Salon(Bettina Jonic), Henry Goodman’s Kabarett (National) NY/LA/London venues (Alan Rickman, dir.) Title/Lead roles at the Guthrie Theatre, ATL, NY include Saint Joan, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, MacBeth (Nicol Williamson, dir.), The Rivals (Alvin Epstein, dir.) Training: RADA London. Film: Richard Attenborough’s In Love and War, Paul Greengrass’s United 93 (Oscar Nominated), The Broken,Hellboy, Big Women, Panama Canal, Smallpox, Midsomer Murders, Last Flight Kuwait, Murder City, Submerged. tarahugo.com
Christy Morton (The Mother)
NYMF: Hurricane, JC2K. National Tours: The Addams Family, Dr. Doolittle, Cinderella. NY: A Fine and Private Place (York), You Never Know (Musicals Tonight), A Time to be Born(Fringe). Regional: North Shore Music Theatre, Sacramento Music Circus, Pittsburgh CLO, Barrington Stage, Signature Theatre (VA), Riverside Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Weston Playhouse, Stages St Louis, Fulton Opera House, Skylight Opera, North Carolina Theatre, Radio City Christmas Spectacular BFA University of Michigan.
Joe Paparella (Mr. Stalker / The Priest / The Billionaire)
Joe Paparella has performed on Broadway in Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, and the Beach Boys' musical Good Vibrations. On tour, he played Eddie in the 1st National of Mamma Mia!, Schoenberg and Boublil's Martin Guerre and Ragtime. Other favorite credits include Mame at the Kennedy Center starring Christine Baranski, Leonard Berstein's MASS at Carnegie Hall, Thou Swell with the NYC Ballet at Lincoln Center, Annie (Rooster) and Evita (Magaldi) at Northern Stage, Boeing Boeing (Bernard) at New Harmony Theatre, and A Little Night Music at Baltimore Centerstage. He is a proud member of Actors' Equity since 1994.
Erin Leigh Peck (Frankie - The Producer)
Erin Leigh Peck has performed on Broadway (Grease!; Brighton Beach Memoirs; Dance of the Vampires) and off (I Love You, You’re Perfect…; (The Toxic Avenger Musical), and on TV (Don’t Ask [Fox]; Law & Order SVU; many soaps and many more commercials). Most recently, Erin appeared as “Gloria” in Boeing Boeing at the John W Engeman Theatre in Northport. She’s a busy mom to two extremely awesome kids and the editor of the popular BroadwayWorld.com family theatre column, BroadwayWorld Jr. Erin’s play Mother of Mine is a contemporary dramedy about pregnancy, parenthood and postpartum. www.ErinLeighPeck.com, @BroadwayWorldJr.
Kevin Spirtas (Edward Trafford / Jack Monroe - The Soap Star)
Kevin Spirtas is a 30-year veteran of acting on Broadway, in films and on television. He is most recognized, around the world, as the dashing and frolicking Dr. Craig Wesley on NBC Television's: Days of Our Lives. In 1999 Soap Opera Digest nominated Spirtas for Best Villain and TV Guide touted him for a Best Supporting Actor Emmy. Not only achieving critical acclaims for his acting but he also became a huge fan favorite in the process. In February 2000, Spirtas had the delightful opportunity to play his "Days" role of 'Dr. Craig Wesley' opposite Matt Leblanc's 'Dr. Drake Ramoray' on NBC's, Friends.
Most recently Spirtas starred Off-Broadway in critically acclaimed, new play: LOADED, and award winning musical: SILENCE! Before that he starred as "Corny Collins" in the Las Vegas Production of HAIRSPRAY, and in September 2003, selected over hundreds of actors, Spirtas made a huge ripple in the Broadway community when he was cast to be Hugh Jackman's standby in the smash hit musical, The Boy From Oz. Spirtas also appeared on Broadway in role of Mike Costa ("I Can Do That") in A CHORUS LINE and the role of Warren Sheffield in MEET ME IN ST LOUIS. Spirtas has guest starred on numerous television shows: including L.A. Heat, V.I.P., Fired Up, Silk Stalkings, and Quantum Leap. In 1996 Spirtas received a Los Angeles Drama-Logue Award (Best Actor) for the role of Nick Brenner in Chuck Ranberg's critically acclaimed comedy, END OF THE WORLD PARTY.
Spirtas has starred in the films: Embrace the Darkness, Striking Resemblance, and Green Plaid Shirt. Spirtas has been featured opposite Sir Ian McKellen in Bryan Singer's, Apt Pupil, Ben Affleck in Mark Steven Johnson's director's cut of DAREDEVIL, and Olympia Dukakis in the movie made for television, A Match Made in Heaven. Spirtas can also be seen in those fantastic cult classic slasher sequels: Friday the 13th VII, Subspecies II, and Subspecies III, Wes Craven's, The Hills Have Eyes II, and ALBINO FARM.
In October 2009, Spirtas made his debut as a Broadway producer with the critically acclaimed revival of FINIAN'S RAINBOW. Spirtas can also be seen touring the country and seven seas performing his hit musical one man shows: NIGHT AND DAYS, JERSEY MEN, and LOVE CRAZY. (CDs and DVDs are available at:
Rachel Stern (Fleur McCain - The Journalist)
Rachel Stern is thrilled to be performing in the NYMF festival for the second time. She starred in and won an outstanding performance award for her work in the NYMF show, Therapy Rocks. Broadway: Shrek the Musical, High Fidelity, Tarzan the Musical. T.V.: Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, The Big C, Louie. Rachel is a graduate of NYU, Tisch School of the Arts, a proud member of Actors Equity, and a die hard/confused Mets fan.
Jonathan E. Gill (Musical Director)
Jonathan Gill studied at the University of Wales and the Royal College of Music. Recent work includes Gone Fishing (Linbury,Royal Opera House), workshops of Pride and Prejudice, Mrs Harris and Legacy Falls; Charlotte's Web (Derby); The Go-Between (UK theatre award 2012); The Sound of Music (UK and Irish tour); Carousel, Of Thee I Sing and Let ‘Em Eat Cake (Opera North); The Wizard of Oz(Royal Festival Hall); The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Carl Davis’s Alice in Wonderland (West Yorkshire Playhouse/Birmingham Rep); Follies (Northampton); Falstaff (Drill Hall); The Jonah Boy (Scarborough); Peribanez and Sleeping Beauty(Young Vic); Putting It Together and Company (Manchester). Jonathan arranged and conducted School4Lovers (Glyndebourne, Finnish National and Estonian National Operas); and orchestrated adaptations of Le nozze di Figaro, Carmen and Die Fledermaus (Stoke). Jonathan was assistant MD for Oklahoma! (National Theatre at the Lyceum) and Guest Conductor for Matthew Bourne’s The Carman(Old Vic).
Kevin Lee Allen (Scenic & Props Design)
Kevin Lee Allen is an EMMY Award winner who works in live theatre, television, film, special events, exhibitions and themed architecture. Recent projects include; the Montclair Center Stage, Chase Bank Flagship Signage in Times Square, the Univision 41 Weather Center, Benjamin Franklin’s Ghost and Democracy Now Studios. Mr. Allen's paintings are held in private collections and have been exhibited nationally, design sketches are held in private collections and in the permanent collection of the Library of Congress. Other awards include the PROMAX Gold, the BDA, the Perry and the Fox.
Kathleen McDonough (Scenic & Props Design)
Kathleen McDonough is the ring master at KLAD, an Emmy Award-winning multidisciplinary design firm. Recent adventures include environment and lighting design of the NYMF theatrical hub in Times Square, introducing the world to the magic of shapewear, juicing and abdominal machines, and building personal brands through social media, while investing on Broadway. Kathleen and her partner Kevin discuss their Life by Design through their somewhat bewildered theatrical prism at klad.com/blog
Gertjan Houben (Lighting Design)
Gertjan Houben is a New York based designer with an international background. Recent US productions include; Sakharam Binder by Vijay Tendulkar (Columbia University); Bartholomew Fair by Ben Johnson (Muhlenberg College, PA) which received a Kennedy Center ACTF Outstanding Lighting Design Award ; Bourgeois Pig by Brighde Mullins (Muhlenberg College, PA), Hard Times, An American Musical by Larry Kirwan (the cell); 44 Plays for 44 Presidents by The Neo-Futurists (Muhlenberg College, PA); Miss Lilly gets Boned by Bekah Brunstetter (Studio 42, Ice Factory); Pinocchio's Ashes by Jokum Rohde (SATC); The Clearing by Jake Jeppson (Axial Theater, Pleasantville NY); A Midsummer Nights Dream (Muhlenberg College, PA) International credits include Andre Rieu's televised spectacles at Radio City Music Hall and the Toronto Skydome and DJ Tiesto live in Rotterdam Harbour for the Volvo Ocean Race. Gertjan has a Bachelor in Arts from the Amsterdam Theater School and a MFA from NYU Tisch's Department of Design for Stage and Film. http://www.gertjanhouben.com/
Robert Figueira (Projection Design)
Robert Figueira is a recent MFA graduate of the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama. Primarily a digital artist and animator for video and projection design, he has collaborated with designers to create artwork for opera, dance, and musical theatre. Recent work includes The Flying Dutchman (San Francisco Opera), Dreamgirls (US National Tour 2013), Taboo (City of Dreams, Macau), Don Giovanni (Wolf Trap Opera),Carmina Burana (Carnegie Hall), Ocean's Kingdom (NYC Ballet), and Heart of a Soldier(San Francisco Opera).
Antonia Ford Roberts (Costume Design)
Theatrical costume designs include the off-Broadway productions The Emperor Jones (Irish Repertory Theater, Drama Desk Award nomination) and Passion Play (Epic Theatre Ensemble, Hewes Award nomination). She recently designed a short film, The Sounding, starring Frankie Faison and Catherine Eaton. Her regional credits include The Puppetmaster of Lodz (Berkshire Theatre Festival), Seagull at the Marin Theatre Company (Bay Area Critics Circle award nomination), Why We Have a Body at the Magic Theatre, Wing It! (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Dreamgirls (Bermuda), A Christmas Carol, Under Midwestern Stars, and Give 'Em Hell, Harry (Kansas City Rep), The Cripple of Inishmaan (Actors Theatre KC), and Exit the King (Duke University, with Basil Twist). Antonia has an MFA in Costume Design and Technology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. www.antoniafordroberts.com
Sanja Kabalin (Production Stage Manager)
Sanja Kabalin has been working as a stage manager and production manager in theatre, musicals, opera, dance and special event productions for a number of years. She has worked with a variety of artists including Twyla Tharp, Lucinda Childs, David Parsons, Judith Blazer, Judy Kaye, Tovah Feldshuh, Dan Lauria, Isaiah Sheffer and Len Cariou.
