Monday, August 31, 2009

Off to watch rehearsal

So, I'm excited to dash off to get a sneak peek of all the hard work that Travis and the Dotty crew have been doing. They don't know I'm stopping by, so it will be fun to see them working in the "raw".

Its a big cast, a new show and outdoors, there are so many challenges with this, but its exciting!
We haven't done any children's theatre in 3 years, and its nice to get back to it!

I'll update from my sneak peek later!

Akia
Founding Artistic Director..

Here is the fabulous cast & crew of Dotty Dot!

See Dotty Dot for FREE!
September 19th, 20th, 26th & 27th!


Alexia Tate (Dotty Dot) has lived in NYC for the past 12 years, via Cincinnati, Knoxville, and Ithaca, NY. Favorite roles include Drummond in INHERIT THE WIND, Mrs. Howell in the first national tour of GILLIGAN'S ISLAND THE MUSICAL, Leslie Ann in Paula Vogel's HOT N THROBBING, and Captain Blaze in The NYC Fringe Festival's CRUISING TO CROATIA. After studying at Cincinnati's School for the Creative and Performing Arts in the early 80s, Alexia returned to theater training 23 years later at T. Schrieber Studio in New York. When not performing, Alexia enjoys playing ukulele and solving crossword puzzles.

Nicole Nicastro (Mom Dot) is extremely excited to be a part of the Dotty Dot cast. She just got off the national tour with VeggieTales Live! where she played Bob the Tomato and was a featured dancer!! Some of her favorite regional credits include A Chorus Line (Morales), High School Musical (Gabriella), Lucky Stiff (Rita LaPorta) and 42nd Street (Peggy Sawyer). Nicole will once again be heading off to Abilene, KS to do the comedy Moon Over Buffalo this October! Nicole would like to thank Travis and the Rising Sun Company for letting her join the family!!

Elaine Jones (Musician) is a recent graduate of humanities from San Francisco State University and a seasoned painter and contractor. Elaine is the technical director for the Horse Trade Theatre Group. She is currently making her breakthrough into the NYC musical scene as the musician for Dotty Dot The Musical. Elaine is thrilled to be working alongside such a talented cast and crew an honored to be a part of another Rising Sun production. Special thanks to Mom, my two Dads, Kim and Laura.


Flor Bromley (Mary Ann) recently made her NYC debut with Rising Sun's Production of “Twisted”. In her native Peru, she graduated from La Escuela de Teatro de la Universidad Catolica and appeared in several plays and events as an actress and as a storyteller. She moved to New York to pursue her dream of performing on Broadway, where she recently graduated from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She has recently appeared as Bebe in an Spanish production of “La Noche de los Asesinos” in Stamford, CT. She is proud to be a member of Rising Sun. She dedicates this performance to her parents and Steve.

Nicole Howard (Polka Dot) holds a,B.F.A. in acting and music performance from C.W. Post of Long Island University. She recently performed with Rising Sun in the Twisted one act series. Some of her favorite acting credits include, 365 Days Plays with the Public Theatre, Lucy in A Christmas in Greenwich Village, Mary in Flesh and Blood, and Maggie in Ah! Broadway. Nicole can also be seen in the film BLOG, which was recently shown at the Film Gate International Film Festival. Untitled Hearts, Nicole’s first staged performance of her written work, was recently produced here in NYC. She can be reached at NIKI930@aol.com

Katherine Stults (Jenny) recent theatre credits include: The Doctor and the Devils, Phaedre, King Lear, Trojan Women 2.0, Not Another showcase, Macbeth, and Waiting For Godot. TV/Film credits include The Post Show, Guiding Light, As The World Turns, Tom’s Phone. She is a company member of Rising Sun Performance Company and a co-founder of Rag n’ Bone Theatre Company. She has a BA in Theatre Arts from Drew University and has studied conservatory at the Michael Howard Studios and The British American Drama Academy.



Ryan Bowie (Hamilton) is excited to be working with the Rising Sun Performance Company and the cast of Dotty Dot. He was last seen at the Maples Repertory Theatre as Jack Chesney in Charley’s Aunt and Freddy Eynsford Hill in My Fair Lady. Previous credits include Jonas-The Giver, Ryan Evans- Disney’s High School Musical, Joe Hardy-Damn Yankees, Jack-Into the Woods, Dick-Dames at Sea, Matt-The Fantasticks, Bobby-Crazy for You, Finch-How to Succeed in Business…,and David in Sorry! Wrong Chimney! Ryan has a BA in Vocal Performance and a BA in Theatre-Acting. He leaves New York in October to lead the cast in Jack Frost Saves Christmas and Plaid Tidings.


Dan Vidor (Bottomless Pit) hails from Baltimore, Maryland and received his B.F.A. in acting from UMBC and is an alumni from The Atlantic Theater Summer Intensive. His Baltimore credits include The Bald Soprano, Action, The Ubu Plays, Silence Cunning Exile, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, and Oklahoma amongst others. New York credits include: Bardolatry, Under Milk Wood, and The Merchant of Venice. He is an active member of The Rising Sun Performance Company. Dan can also be seen in the 28th street film: Book of Lore. He is thrilled to be apart of Dotty Dot. Thank you to all of my friends, family, and teachers for your constant support.


Travis Kendrick (Co-writer/Lyricist, Director, Choreographer) graduated from Point Park University’s Conservatory of the Performing Arts with a B.F.A in Musical Theatre, and has worked professionally as an actor and stage manager around the country since. Favorite directing credits include: Richard Greenberg’s Life Under Water and “Gloryday” from Michael John LaChiusa’s See What I Wanna See (PPU), Echos and Louder Than Words (People International Inc.), and “Little Red Cap, a Kabuki Fairy Tale (Experimental Theatre Project). Assistant Directing credits include: Seven Doors (Premiere Theatre and Performance) and Seize The Day (People International Inc.). He is a founding member/committee member of the Experimental Theatre Project, where he has collaborated on many original projects such as Illusions, Generation I, and as the co-writer and director of the original staged reading and workshop performances of Dotty Dot. Travis is a member of Rising Sun Performance Company, and wants to thank Akia for this opportunity, and the rest of the company, his friends and family, and Ryan for all their love and support!



Michael McManus was born and raised in The Bronx, NY. A Rising Sun Performance Company member, who is an actor, writer, lyricist and also an artist working with collage, paint, sculpture, metal work and welding. Michael is excited to be making his stage design debut with Dotty Dot.



Tiffini Minatel (Costume Design) first came to New York City on April 8, 1991 to become a great NYC theater actress! Many roles, jobs and life events later, she has found herself on the other side of theater and loving it! Her first foray into performing was at the tender age of 6 when she and her best friend, Sabrina, performed their version of Wizard Of Oz in the backyard, with Sabrina being Dorothy, and Tiffini being everyone else, including the stage manager and producer! Should have known then! After “retiring” from the restaurant business and enjoying 1-½ years of not working, Tiffini decided it was time to get back to the theater! She started working with Rising Sun as an Administrative intern in September of 2006. She was interested in learning how to transfer her restaurant operations skills to theater, her first love. So far Tiffini has learned how to: manage theaters, hire actors & techies, find inexpensive/free rehearsal space, find & use free publicity, write grants (sort of!) and how to throw a successful fundraiser party! And she’s still not done learning! Her goal is producing a show and learning everything it takes to do so! Thank you for coming to see the show and supporting her on her journey!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

We've entered the Blogosphere!

Welcome to our Blog!
We'll be posting our adventures in Off Off Broadway producing and living here!

Sitting here in the offices of Horse TRADE Theatre Group (home of the Red Room, Kraine, UNDER St Marks Theatres), our home, where we run the spaces on Tuesday nights..

Penny's open mike is running over at St Marks and we're working on installing new speakers in the Kraine, Red Room is the last venue for me to close down.. Then its off to the Bronx!

I sit here in the office where I've spent time, working, playing, drinking, stressing, planning, dreaming for the past 4 years... and its home.. a happy place full of memories...

As we get ready for the New Season ahead (shhh... many surprises in store!) I find it amazing the history in the walls around me, not only my own but of many many other theatre companies, producers, dreamers, workers,..... So many stories, so many lives intertwined without ever knowing it.

Anyway, welcome to our blog, welcome to our musings, our writings, our trial and tribulations..
May you have fun with us on this exciting journey....

Akia
Founding Artistic Director
Rising Sun Performance Company