FRANKENSTEIN: A Rock Musical Concert Event Performed 10/31 At The Highline Ballroom
By: Gabrielle Sierra Sep. 24, 2009
RGA Productions presents Frankenstein, a concert and rock music telling of the iconic Mary Shelley tale featuring a Grand Rock style that evokes the sound of Pink Floyd, Evanescense, Alan Parsons Projects, Metallica, Stravinsky & Bartok.
Noseworthy is currently starring opposite Bruce Willis, Rahda Mitchell and Ving Rhames in the feature film Surrogates, a futuristic thriller revolving around humans with identical robot surrogates. In the film, Noseworthy plays Strickland, the duplicitous villain who plays both sides for his own gain. Jack's role in Surrogates marks the fifth time he'll be working with director and long time friend, Jonathan Mostow.
A triple threat, Noseworthy has starred in films, television and Broadway. Some film credits include, the yet to be released Pretty Ugly People as well as Phat Girlz, Undercover Brother, Poster Boy, U-571, Unconditional Love, Breakdown, Event Horizon, The Brady Bunch Movie, Barb Wire, Cecil B. DeMented and Alive. He's had the good fortune to work with such varied directors as, P.J Hogan, Paul Anderson, Betty Thomas, John Waters and of course, Jonathan Mostow.
Noseworthy recently starred in the Hallmark-Hall-Of-Fame made for television western movie Aces N' Eights and worked opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the miniseries Elvis. His other television credits include hit shows; CSI, Law & Order SVU, Crossing Jordan, and Judging Amy. He has also has the distinction of being the series lead on MTV's first scripted series titled Dead At 21.
Noseworthy began his career on stage in the national tour of the musical Cats. He made his Broadway debut in the original company of Jerome Robins Broadway and was the final actor to be cast, in what was the original run of the Broadway blockbuster A Chorus Line. He has also played opposite John Lithgow in the Broadway musical Sweet Smell Of Success. In addition to his New York stage work, he received a Los Angeles Drama Critic Award and a Drama-Logue Award for Best Actor in the starring role as Alan Strang in the critically acclaimed Los Angeles production of Equus . Noseworthy currently resides in New York.
Danny Zolli (VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN) With an enormous vocal range and ability to sing everything from Broadway to razor sharp rock & roll to quiet and gentle ballads, this amazing Broadway tenor has been winning over audiences worldwide for nearly 20 years. Although best known for his monumental number of performances as Jesus, Judas, and Annas in more than 19 productions of "Jesus Christ Superstar" throughout the world, he has also been continuing to thrill audiences with his work on the concert stage and in the recording studio.
On Broadway, the 20th Anniversary National Tour, as well as the 25th Anniversary North American Resurrection Tour of "Jesus Christ Superstar", Danny not only won critical acclaim for his menacing portrayal of The High Priest Annas, but also for his poignant work in understudying and frequently performing the roles of both Jesus and Judas. A critical and musical tour de force, the 25th Anniversary tour reunited the film stars of "Jesus Christ Superstar", Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson, and also starred
such musical heavyweights as Irene Cara, Syreeta Wright, and Dennis DeYoung (founder, and lead singer of the legendary 70's rock band STYX).
As the tortured Judas Iscariot, Danny starred in the most recent Broadway Tour (2004), as well as the first two major European touring productions of the Webber/Rice classic. Regionally, he recreated those stellar performances at The Actors Playhouse in Miami and at Austin's Musical Theater in Texas. He starred as
Jesus in heralded productions at New Hampshire's Palace Theater, West Virginia's Public Theater, Virginia's Potomac State Theater, as well as in multiple productions and concerts with A2Z Theatrical Productions of Rhode Island and New York's Leftfield Productions. His tender and powerful portrayal of Jesus, and his unique and stirring performance of the aria "Gethsemene", has inspired and moved audiences across the country, and is debated among "Jesus Christ Superstar" fans as one of the best.
Some of his many regional theater credits include playing Che' in "Evita", the title role in "Candide", Tobias in "Sweeney Todd", Danny in "Baby", the quirky F/X Fitzterwald in the Broadway bound production of "Starmites. ", as well as starring as Joseph in the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center's critically acclaimed production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", for which Danny received a "Barrymore Award" nomination for Best Actor.
Nationally and internationally, Danny has had the privilege of performing for three American Presidents, and has shared concert stages with some of the music world's most renowned performers and stars. He has shared the stage with such luminaries as Three Tenor's opera legend Jose' Carreras, The Gypsy Kings, Peter Frampton, Phoebe Snow, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Linda Eder, Liz Callaway, Felix Cavalari (The Rascals),
Leslie West (Mountain), Zach Starky (son of Ringo Starr), and starred as the principal male soloist in concert extravaganza The British Rock Symphony. And on the musical theater front, he starred as The Arbiter in both the recent BC/EFA concerts of "Chess" at the John Houseman Theater in New York City, as well as the concert production mounted by New York's Leftfield and Norse Productions.
Danny has also had the honor, and pride of supporting many national charities by lending his voice and talents in many fund raising benefit concerts. He has performed in support of such organizations as Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, The Jane Elissa Foundation for Leukemia Research, The American Red Cross, The Foundation for Parkinson's Disease Research, The American Cancer Society, and the New York Archdiocese's Fund for Children.
With his dramatic vocal abilities, Danny's voice can be heard giving life to key roles on a number of original musical soundtracks. These include Dismo on the Broadway soundtrack of "Starmites" by Barry Keating; the trouble making, love sick poet, Pierre Gringoire, in the rock opera "Quasimodo: Prince of Fools" by Michael Rapp; the Vampire leader, Vladamir, in Mark Weiser's "The Cure"; The Hermit in Neil Berg's adaptation of "The Prince and The Pauper; the leader of the Witch Coven in Antonio Amedeo's recording of "Out of Position" (a rock adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth); Dracula in Julia Gregory's musical, "Sex, Blood, and Rock & Roll; and heartbreaking role the dying brother in Jill Santoriello's stirring adaptation of "A Tale of Two Cities. "
Most recently Danny has just completed and will soon be releasing his second solo album entitled "Sometimes Simple is Best". As a musical departure from Danny's first album "A Story for Another Day", this exciting new live recording marks Danny's first foray into the world of romantic Jazz, Standards and Blues. Also, most recently on the theatrical front, Danny starred as Jesus in the 30th Anniversary concert of Jesus Christ Superstar, along side original JCSS Broadway & film stars Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdelene, Barry Dennen as Pontius Pilate, and lyricist Sir Tim Rice. Set in a 10,000 seat arena, this enormous concert event not only boasted these great legendary stars, but a 75 piece orchestra, and a 150 member choir as well.
WEB: www.dannyzolli.com
JESSICA ROBINSON (ELIZABETH LAVENZA) Born and raised in Chicago, IL Jessica began working in the entertainment industry at a very early age. Though some of her first performances were in front of a mirror with a hairbrush, she later took her love for performing to stages all across the country. In 2000, Jessica was a contestant on the WB's Popstars from which the group Edens Crush was formed. Even though she did not make the final cut the experience sparked her desire to be on stage full time. When she returned home from LA she bagan the search for a band . In the fall of 2002 she found what she was looking for and until mid 2008 Jessica was the lead singer of Chicago cover band Cover Gurl. They performed everywhere from Green Bay, WI to Cancun, Mexico. In 2005, Jessica appeared on CBS's Rockstar:INXS as one of 15 vocalists competing for the spot as lead singer of Australian super group INXS. Jessica finished 8th out of the 15 and returned home to continue working on her music career. In 2008, Jessica signed on to be one of the featured vocalist for RGA Productions She now travels to Ontario, Canada for a number of shows throughout the year. Back in Chicago she is the lead singer of HighGlossBlack, a Chicago based rock band formed with former members of American Motherload. Check www.highglossblack.com for everything HighGlossBlack.
WEB: www.jessicarobinsonmusic.com
John Saunders (HENRY CLERVAL)
DON MEEHAN (ALPHONSE FRANKENSTEIN)
JOHN CONVER (William FrankENSTEIN)
NACHESCA FLANAGAN (JUSTINE MORITZ)
THE CREATIVE TEAMROB ASSELSTINE (CREATOR; MUSIC, LYRICS & BOOK) A theory and composition grad from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Rob's 30+ year career as a behind-the-scenes recording and live music craftsman has brought him, in 2009, to launch his FRANKENSTEIN rock musical concert event project (music, Lyrics and Book by Robert Asselstine) at The Highline Ballroom, one of the newest, hottest and most exciting clubs in New York City's famous Meat Packing District as the exclusive one-performance-only Halloween night home for the beginning of one of the world's newest and most compelling Halloween rock musical traditions.
Geoff Cohen (STAGE DIRECTION) In addition to Frankenstein, current and recent work includes the musical Cross That River (NYMF 2009); a play titled Admit One by Wendy Yondorf; a series of productions and concerts with RGA Productions in Ontario, Canada and for tours across North America; The Velveteen Rabbit with the Enchantment Theatre Company on a National Tour; and his own production titled Universal Feather (being developed with Martha Redbone, Larry Yazzi, and Honor The Earth). Other recent work includes L'Histoire de Soldat with Hopeful Monsters at the Boston Symphony; Gemini the Musical (Acorn Theatre); Production Managing and Speech Writing for the 2007 Honors Awards for the New York office of the GRAMMY'S. Geoff co-founded and Executive Produced the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2004 and 2005, and also co-produced the Unzipped Concert Series in 2005. He has worked as a Vice President for Radio City Entertainment, where he produced and general managed the Menken/Ahrens/Ockrent production of A Christmas Carol and general managed The Wizard of OZ in New York and on tour. He was also an Associate Producer for Minnelli on Minnelli on Broadway and for the cast albums of The Wizard of Oz (GRAMMY-nominated) and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Prior to joining Radio City Entertainment, Geoff was General Manager of the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ; General Manager of the George Street Playhouse for Producer Eric Krebs; Company Manager for World Premiere of Fugard's Master Harold...and the boys. Geoff earned a degree in Theatre Administration from the Yale School of Drama where he was honored to have studied with Ben Mordecai and Lloyd Richards.
Robert Martin (MUSIC DIRECTION & KEYBOARDS) The son of two opera singers, Robert Martin was trained as a classical French horn player at the prestigious Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. There he studied with Mason Jones, principle horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and played week after week under the greatest conductors in the world. He would use that experience to good advantage when transitioning into the realm of recording and world tours with the upper echelon of pop music stars. Before leaving Philadelphia, Robert played horn on countless hit records produced by the highly successful writing team of Gamble, Huff and Bell. Though his recording career began as a French horn player, he would soon be recognized for his prodigious skills as a keyboard player, sax player and vocalist.
Robert used all those talents while recording and touring with the successful pop group Orleans. He then auditioned for Frank Zappa and performed on all of Frank's tours and live albums from that time on. In between tours with Zappa, he earned the position of Musical Director for Bette Midler, and toured or performed with Paul McCartney, Michael McDonald, Stevie Nicks, Boz Scaggs, Etta James (on tour with The Rolling Stones), Patti LaBelle, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Loggins and Boz Scaggs.
In addition to recording his own solo album for MCA Records, Robert also recorded with Prince, the Moody Blues, Lyle Lovett, Gladys Knight, Glenn Frey, Bobby Caldwell, Michael Bolton, David Sanborn, The Stylistics, The O'Jays, Sheila E, The Blues Brothers, and a long list of other artists. Robert played keyboards, horns, sang backing vocals, arranged and co-producEd Wilson Pickett's 1987 Grammy nominated album on Motown, "American Soul Man." That same year, he also broke into the inner circle of L.A. commercial singers and sang on numerous local and national spots for Ron Hicklin, Don Piestrupp and Gary Ramal.
Since 1986, Robert has owned and operated his own studio and branched out into programming, engineering, mixing, mastering and producing music for advertising, film and television. He composed the music for the entire run of the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning television show Cybill on CBS. He also composed for Baywatch, Martial Law, and three seasons of Lifetime Television's Intimate Portrait series.
With visionaries like Frank Zappa as a mentor, Robert has delved ever further into the realms of cutting edge technologies and musical sound design. For him, the studio itself has become yet another instrument among the many he already plays so well.
DIANA KESSELSCHMIDT (LIGHTING DESIGNER) Diana has Designed A Lincoln Portrait (Lincoln Ctr: avery Fisher & AlIce Tully), Memento Mori for Ballet Deviare (Naelberg Theatre), Freud's Last Session, CAGED VISIONS (HB Theater), Vine Tata (Queens Theatre in the Park), FORGED (Abrons Art Center), ...And the Devil Knows Why (NY Town Hall Theatre), The Euthanasist (P.S.122), SEVEN (59 East 59th St), KISS AND CRY (Theater Ten Ten), AN EVENING WITH CHAMPIONS (Bright Hockey Center, Harvard), THE LEPERS OF BAILE BAISTE (The Terrace Theatre, Kennedy Center & Boston Playwrights Theatre ), BLUE STATES (Actor's Theatre Workshop), CLARA'S CHRISTMAS DREAMS (St. Clement's,), ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE, I LEFT MY HEART, MURDER ON THE NILE, IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY, MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS (Cortland Rep), over thirty shows for the John Drew Theatre (East Hampton) including: IN PERSONS w/ Anne Jackson & Eli Wallach, DON JUAN IN HELL and WELL, HELLO JERRY (HERMAN)!, DON PASQUALE (Huntington Theatre, BU O.I.), MONTICEL' (Boston Playwrights), LIGHTENING THE DARK (Linhart), A CHICKEN AND IT'S BREAST (Access Theater), Remix for Dance Times Square (Kaye Playhouse) Those Whistling Lads!: The Poetry and Short Stories of Dorothy Parker (Midtown InterNational Theatre Festival), TICK, TICK...BOOM! (Cape Rep Theatre), Hamlet (FSC Weston), YOU'RE A GOOD MAN Charlie Brown (Ciccone Theatre), CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (Studio 210, BUT). She was the Associate for the AILEY SCHOOL JR. DIV. PERF Spring '06 (John Jay College Thea.) She assisted on Tosca (English National Opera), Bad Dates (Huntington), Fault Lines (Cherry Lane) Blues Clues Live 2 national tour, Night of Fusion (Lincoln Center), Star-Studded Benefit for Covenant house (Kimmel Center, NJPAC) Esmeralda and From Rock to Romance (NJPAC), Orson's Shadow (Barrow St.), Dread Awakenings (The 45th Street Theatre). She designed the Southampton Cultural Center's Lighting system. She has an MFA from BU.
ALEX DOMSCHOT (Guitar) Guitarist Alex Domschot's sound, style, use of space, range of colors, technique and overall craft have garnered praise from critics - and drawn comparisons with the likes of John Scofield, Allan Holdsworth and Bill Frisell. This "sonic shapeshifter" is a highly credentialed musician and composer with an educational resume and list of performing credits as long as his arm. His release, Venusian Commute, is at once a testimony to his exquisite musicianship and a statement of uncommon sensitivity in addressing modern creative jazz.
Domschot's recording and performing credits include Clay Aiken, American Symphony Orchestra, Tony Bennett, Petula Clark, Rosemary Clooney, Harry Connick Jr., Joe Farrell, Ron Feuer, Carl Fontana, Ann Gillian, Freddie Hubbard, Percy Jones, Morganna King, Henry Mancini, Maureen McGovern, Monk Montgomery, Maria Muldaur, Judy Neimack, Anthony Newley, Michael Pedicin, Jr., Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Raoul Romero, Carl Saunders, Jack Sheldon, Vic Stevens, Third Premise, Three Degrees, Leslie Uggams, and Kit Walker, among others.
Alex attended Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of Gene Bertoncini, Bill Dobbins, and Ray Ricker. West Coast studies included private instruction with Howard Roberts, legendary session player and founder of GIT (Guitar Institute of Technology) in Los Angeles.
Mr. Domschot has served on the guitar faculty at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia; he has participated in master classes at UA, Duquense University (PA) and Rowan University (NJ), and currently maintains a steady roster of private students. Alex also assists in audio and video archiving at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
Domschot has performed on the ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, BBC, French and Japanese television networks - and has led various ensembles in live broadcasts on National Public Radio. He has composed for Film, Television, and Dance, as well as Virtual Generation's interactive DVD Le Groove.
Alex can be heard on Howard Isaacson's newly released Blue Skies, and served as guitarist, composer, orchestrator and conductor on Sarah Lisitski's debut recording All of Me. Domschot is a featured soloist on Matt Curran's latest release Single Minded; he also co-produced Time For Three, the debut CD, featuring Curtis alumni Nick Kendall, Zachary DePue, and Ranaan Meyer. Alex also contributed mandolin and electric and nylon guitar on Vic Stevens' newest release If People Could Talk [Dreambox Media] which features bassists Percy Jones and Michael Manring.
As a leader, Domschot's latest release is Venusian Commute [Dreambox Media], teamed with Marc Johnson (bass) and Vic Stevens (drums) - to which he contributed all of the original compositions, in addition to serving as co-producer.
Theater credits include Cabaret, Floyd Collins, Gemini, Grease, Hairspray, It's Better with a Band (David Zippel), Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Last Five Years, Mama Mia, Myths and Hymns (Adam Guettel), Oklahoma, Peter Pan & Wendy, Rent, Saturday Night Fever, Thoroughly Modern Millie. WEB: www.alexdomschot.net
GREG FIELLIN (BASS) Greg Fiellin hales out of New York City. Playing electric bass since 1974 and upright bass since 1980. By 1986 he earned both Bachelor and Masters degrees in Doublebass Performance from Manhattan School of Music.
In and around NYC, he has played: Rock, Jazz, Fusion, R&B, Blues, Reggae, Classical, Pop and Dance in clubs and as a sideman and/or writer on artist's CD recordings.
On tour he has played w/ Chubby Checker touring the U.S., Japan, England, Mexico and Canada. Broadway show tours include the first national tour of Swing! in the U.S. and Japan and Disney's On The Record which also produced a cast album.
In the recent past Greg has played as a sub for the Broadway production of Rent and the Off Broadway production of My Vaudeville Man. Presently, along with various gigs around the Tristate area, Greg performs regularly at the Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, Ontario for RGA Media's productions of Country Classics, Cruisin' Classics, World Rock Symphony Orchestra and 6 Chix.
Brian Dunne (DRUMS) has been part of the NYC music scene for the past 10 years having played for a list of artists who's musical genre's run the gamut. Whether it's funk with the Legendary Average White Band, Jazz with Shanachie recording artist Chuck Loeb, R&B with Columbia artist Sara Devine, Rock with Corey Glover or Pop with Alana Davis, Brian continues to be a sought after player for any musical situation where pocket and musicality are required.
Brian is a native New Yorker and has lived in Brooklyn for the past 8 years. In College he studied classical percussion with NYC Ballet principal percussionist Ronald Gould. After receiving an Associates degree, Brian went on to receive his Bachelors degree from Long Island University with a certificate of qualification to teach instrumental band in the public school system.
As a youngster, Brian got his best education playing along with countless records (purchased by his two older brothers who also play) by James Brown, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, AWB, Cameo, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, JohnColtraine, Charlie Parker, Michael Brecker, Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin, etc... These records featured Brian's biggest influences: Steve Jordan, Steve Ferrone, Clyde Stubblefield, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Jack Dejohnette, Vinny Colaiuta, John Bonham etc...
While in college Brian started a musical relationship with Guitarist Teddy Kumpel and became the drummer in his band "NOMESANE" featuring Andy Middleton on sax, and Tony Scherr on bass. Shortly after, Brian met two more important people in his development as a "Working" drummer in NYC, Saxophonist Dave Mann & Guitarist Chuck Loeb (both of whom he still plays with). "Dave and Chuck opened a lot of doors for me and have given me the opportunity to play with some of the best players out there". Brian's affiliation with Chuck has resulted in performances with players such as Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Bob James, Dave Samuels, &Will Lee. Chuck has also used Brian on his last four solo records and on various other artist's records he has produced such as Bob James, Michael Franks and Jay Beckenstien. In addition to records, Brian's playing can be heard on the movie sound tracks "Lucky Numbers" Paramount pictures staring John Travolta and Lisa Kudrow and most recently "Intolerable Cruelty" Universal Films Staring George Clooney and Catherine Zeta Jones.
Most recently, Brian has been touring with the Average White Band (and just finished their most recent recording), Chuck Loeb's Band and Sara Devine. Other recent gigs include Stephanie Mills, Patti Austin, Randy Brecker and Dave Samuels (Berks Jazz Festival), keyboardist Mike Ricchiuti.
Robert BennetT (STAGE MANAGER) a graduate of The University of Michigan, lists among his credits the original RSC production of NICHOLAS NICKELBY, as well as Peter Brook's THE CHERRY ORCHARD, in NYC, Moscow, Tbslisi, St. Petersburgh and Tokyo. His Broadway productions include BENT, I LOVE MY WIFE, DANCING AT LUGHNASA, NICK & NORA, AWAKE AND SING!, AMERICAN BUFFALO, DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS and THE COAST OF UTOPIA. He was with the L.A. company of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. On tour he helmed such hits as SUGAR BABIES, EVITA, MY FAT FRIEND, GREASE, SHENANDOAH and GUYS AND DOLLS. Off-Broadway he managed INNER VOICES, GROUCHO, and Gertrude Stein AND A COMPANION. He's worked with The National Music Theater Conference, the Goodspeed Opera House, Fallsview Casino and The Berkshire Theatre Festival. Each September he is a stage manager for The Clinton Global Initiative. He regularly works the USTA opening and closing ceremonies, among other events, parties and concerts. Bob served as General Manager at BAM and as Vice-President of Stage Operations for Radio City Music Hall.
Frankenstein will be performed on one night only, Halloween Night, Saturday, October 31st at 8pm at The Highline Ballroom (431 West 16th Street, NY, NY). Ticket prices are $65; $50 & $35. Tickets can be purchased online at www.theatermania.com (search FrankensteinNYC09) or by calling 212-352-3101 or 866-811-4111. For more information visit www.frankensteinaroundtheworld.com, www.highlineballroom.com or call 212-414-5994.
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