Writers in Performance Annual Showcase at TPAC

Writers in Performance is a 12-week writing and performance workshop hosted by BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, culminating in two public presentations. Throughout the course of the workshop, talented actors, playwrights, poets and storytellers have explored writing exercises, theater games, improvisation, movement techniques, and ensemble work in a safe, creative environment. This season, the theme and title of the Writers in Performance show is "Home." Writers in Performance participants are diverse by design; not only in ethnicity, but by age, and experience as well, mixing professionals with students. On Friday, December 2 & Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 7:30PM, the troupe will showcase the monologues and short scenes they have been crafting. We are proud to have members of the BMCC student community in the production (denoted below). Join us to experience this dynamic exchange between the written word and the art of performance! Tickets are FREE, with a suggested donation of $10, and can be purchased in person at Ticketing Services in the lobby of 199 Chambers St. or by calling 212.220.1460.

 

PARTICIPANT BIOS:

Katherine Adamenko is a performance artist, Butoh dancer, and actress. She has worked extensively in both traditional and experimental theatre throughout the country and abroad. Her solo work is a fuses feminism with her own brand of feminist cabaret performance art. She enjoys disrupting her audiences by performing in site-specific locations from galleries and storefronts to kitchens and bathrooms. She's worked with artists such as Pablo Helguera, Guillermo Gomez Pena, and Diego Pinon, institutions such as Theatre for the New City and the International Culture Lab, and at venues such as MOMA, Aberystwyth Ceridegion Museum, BWAC, HERE, PS 122, and Galapagos Art Space. She earned her BA in Dance and joint Political Science/History from Rutgers University and her MA in Contemporary Theatre Practice from the University of Essex in England.

Alyssa Caraballo (BMCC Student), pen name Alyssa Marie, is a writer, spoken word artist and future LGBT+ activist. She is currently pursuing her liberal arts degree at BMCC and has plans to attend Pratt Institute for a degree in creative writing. You can find her sitting in a crowd of a poetry cafe in the lower east side or writing love peoms on the A train.

Christian Cordova (BMCC Student) is a theatre major at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. Her passion for theatre is immaculate. Christian has acted in many plays like "The Fairytale Project", "DNA" directed by Lori Kee, "Measure for Measure" directed by Diane Dowling, "Saturday Night Enmore, Sunday Morning Newtown" and "Incredible Sex" directed by Kari-Noor Thompson. She has also directed a play, "Dates and Nuts/ Catty Issues" at TPAC. Christian is currently assisting with costume design for the Eugene O'Neil-inspired Marco Millions production with Target Margin Theater company.

Emily Johnson-Erday is a singer/songwriter and actor based in NYC and a graduate of UNC-Greensboro with a Bachelor's degree in acting. She has contributed music and lyrics to works produced by UNC School of the Arts, Columbia University and the Electric Eye Ensemble. She has appeared in productions with Columbia University, UNC-Greensboro, UNC School of the Arts, The NC Theatre for Young People, and Triad Stage and will soon be launching her first solo EP online. Her first work as a musical theater lyricist/composer, EnTech: A Digital Musical, was a semifinalist in the New York New Works Festival this year. Her current production, Welcome to the Doll Den, will open in February of 2017.

Vauban Júnior (BMCC Student) is a former circus performer in love with the art of writing. As an aspiring dramatist, Mr. Vauban has had his works feature at the Thespis Theatre Festival, Manhattan Repertory Theatre, Mid-Manhattan International Theater, Writer's Guild, The Guild magazine and have had his plays read at the Classical Theater of Harlem's workshop. Mr. Vauban's works are attentive to the inevitable dilemmas society has faced since the beginning of its history. As a circus performer he has taught at the social program of Cirque du Solei, Cirque du Monde and performed with a number of international circus companies such as: UniverSoul Circus, Gran Circus Norte-Americano, Beto Carrero Show, Gran Bartholo Circus and Circus Amok. Mr. Vauban is an eternal admirer of the arts and is always willing to share his passion for arts with his students, friends, and community.

Valerie Ni Loinsigh is a professional writer and actor based Manhattan and signed with Step Forward Entertainment Group. She received her professional training from Trinity College, Dublin. She studied, 'Drama and Theatre Studies' at University, specializing in Advanced Playwriting and achieved a 4.0 grade in this module. Her writing has featured in a number of festivals and events including: Galway International Arts Festival, Dublin Shakespeare Festival, Venus Adonis Festival (New York), the launch of 'The Dionysian' magazine (New York), Mythological Festival, the Clonakilty Organic Arts Festival, The Abbey Theatre Pop Up Playwriting Series, and the Indiependence Comedy Festival. She has national and international TV credits and recently had her Off Broadway acting debut in Poseidon Theatre Company's inaugural production of Antigone. She is delighted to have been selected for the 2016 Writers in Performance Program and aspires to expand her repertoire by producing a piece that differs from her usual work in style and genre

Dominique Lynch (BMCC Student), also known on stage by the name of A Moment Of Epiphany, is a host, spoken word artist, actress and model. She was born and raised in the culturally enriched village of Harlem, New York. She has always loved to act and write since she was a very young child. Performing is not only something she likes to do it is her passion. Epiphany has been featured at Oze Tavern with the Hottest Poets, Soul Sweet Sanctuary for Black Amethyst Woman, Played Lady in Blue in For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow was Enuf, Friday Nite Mic With Ron at Raggs of Harlem and 449 LA Scat as a spotlight feature, and at Hunter College School of Social Work for the Women of Color Collective. She has hosted at Sylvia's Also for Laugh Your a** Off Wednesday's. She performed in a stage read for V-Day "A Memory, A Rant, and A Prayer". Also, she has hosted her own show called We Be Growing Poetry and Comedy Show. She is a two time participant in Tribeca's Performing Arts Center: Writers and Performers Program in 2012 and 2013.

Lou Matthews is an artist-at-large who calls Brooklyn home. She sings, acts, and writes screenplays and songs along with pursuing myriad other creative projects she'd love to tell you all about! She's preparing to record the vocals on her first CD, tentatively titled "Radioactive" -- look for it in the Spring -- and is completing a screenplay entitled "Mysteries" to be produced in late winter along with continuing to develop a play and screenplay that germinated in this workshop. You may have heard her in local and regional radio ads and comedy bits. She enjoys doing spokes work for a wide variety of corporate clients and works as a personal stylist when time allows. In her free time she finds her zen at the ballet barre and making pictures from both sides of the camera. Twitter and IG: @TheLouMatthews

Ethan Ness is an actor, writer, and director living in Manhattan. His original drama "Die For Me" recently closed at the NYC Fringe Festival. As an actor and writer, he has worked with the Manhattan Repertory Theater, as well as Dixon Place in East Village. He is the founder of Thin Space Productions, a small theater company based in Manhattan. He has also worked with Kansas City Shakespeare in the Park, and Flatwater Shakespeare in Lincoln, Nebraska. As an actor, he was recently seen in "Love's Labour's Lost" at the American Theater of Actors.

Rashmi Singh is a singer, songwriter, actress, & screenwriter. As a singer-songwriter, Songwriting Magazine UK noted: "... gorgeous slice of acoustic folk-pop" & Baeble Music: "... Rashmi's impassioned voice can swing through careful precision to primal yelp on a dime. She plays regularly around the city at venues such as Rockwood Musical Hall, The Way Station, L.I.C. Bar and The Shrine. Her melodic country rock sound is unique, with her varied influences. Her new album, PUZZLE is available on itunes, amazon and her website. As an AUDELCO nominated actress, Rashmi was most recently seen on NBC's American Odyssey. Her highlights include shows in Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, the New York Fringe Festival, and the Classical Theatre Lab of Los Angeles. Known for her range and depth, she has worked with iconic film and theatre directors including Ron Howard, Ed Zwick, Jamie Payne and AUDELCO Board of Directors Pioneer Award Honoree, Passion. As a screenwriter, RASHMI's first feature, THE DIVIDE, was selected to be in the top 5 screenplays and won Honorable Mention in HBO's UrbanWorld Film Festival, was a finalist for the Sundance Producer's Lab, and a finalist for the Producer's Guild Diversity Now Workshop. www.rashmisingh.com

Gina Stevensen is a playwright, performer and teaching artist based in Brooklyn. This is her fifth season with WIP and she couldn't be happier about it! Her plays have been produced in New York City and regionally and include Book of Esther (semi-finalist: 2016 Princess Grace Award, workshop production: Binghamton's KNOW Theater), The Time Crawlers Save the World (grand prize winner: Manhattan Repertory Theater's one-act competition, space grant recipient: Looking Glass Theater) and Troll Doll's Big Day (36-hour Off-Broadway play festival: Urban Stages). Her newest play When You're Young You Know You'll Live Forever will be produced next weekend at Columbia University. Gina will be performing in Love Trade by the Hess Collective at Dixon Place this month. Gina is the artistic director of Park Slope Day Camp's Cirque d'Été summer circus camp and a creative writing instructor at Writopia. She was the choreographer for Narcissus: An Ancient Roman Pantomime, a new opera that aired on PBS in March of 2016. She received her BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch and is an MFA Playwriting candidate at Columbia University. www.ginastevensen.com

Carlyn Andrea Thomas (BMCC Student), better known as Soulei, was born in Guyana, South America, and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Soulei has been singing since the age of six, and she began writing songs and poems in 2001. Soulei, whose voice has been compared to that of Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, is described as a tiny girl with a big voice and a big heart. She is a strong, independent woman with the voice of an angel. Her songs are the words of a heart that has so much to tell, and she sings the words she simply cannot speak, her heart's way of communicating. Soulei enjoys the simple things in life and through her art, she hopes to be a blessing to others, especially those less fortunate than herself.

Nicole Shanté White is definitely the quiet one yo mama warned you about. Currently residing in Brooklyn, this cluster of Midwest accents and Southern hospitality writes, dances, and teaches from a black queer womanist lens. She is a recipient fellowships from Poets House, Willow Arts Alliance, and The Poetry Project. Her work can be found in Wussy Mag, The Feminist Wire, 92Y, Glitter Mob Mag, Wall Street, and Yes, Poetry. Nicole Shanté is a contributing staff writer for Sula Collective and a Work/Study Fellow at the Mark Morris Dance Center. This Brave New Voices alumna has performed at several notable venues, but would rather you be impressed by her functional addiction to Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream.

Mario Giacalone (Director) has been working in theater, performing as a singer, songwriter and actor in New York City since the 70's. His credits include being Artist Director and/or a founding member of; The Root Theater Collective, Mass Transit Street Theater, The Writers Actors and Directors Collective, and the co-owner and both Producing and Artistic director of The Creative Acting Company (CAC). Mr. Giacalone taught acting classes and produced Short Play Festivals and short films at CAC as well. Other directing credits include Neighbors, The Drowning of Manhattan, and the short films "Vinny and Iggy's Big Date" and "Mamma Millie's Pasta Sauce Stupendiouso". Recently Mr. Giacalone directed the show "Girl Group: A Daughters Tale" at LaMaMa, "Bridge to Baraka" for the National Black Theater Festival, and Natural Novice, for the NY Fringe Festival. Mr. Giacalone continues to direct the Writers in Performance workshop/performance at Tribeca Performing Arts Center each season. Mr. Giacalone has had featured and leading roles in a number of independent films including, I Was on Mars and The Giraffe by the acclaimed German Director Danni Levi. This past summer he stared in "Portraits" at the New York Fringe Festival and played a version of himself in "The Complete Works of Shakespeare" at the Carmel Arts Center, and is featured in New Media Comedy videos. He continues to perform as a singer songwriter, and actor, and recently released his new CD "The Only Thing I'm Sure Of". Mr. Giacalone is the Program Director at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. www.mariogiacalone.com

BMCC Tribeca PAC is Downtown Manhattan's premier presenter of the arts, reaching audiences from the college community, downtown residential and business communities, local schools, families, and audiences of all ages. BMCC Tribeca PAC strives to present a broad global perspective through the presentation of high-quality artistic work in music, theatre, dance, film and visual arts. BMCC Tribeca PAC is located on the Borough of Manhattan Community College campus, 199 Chambers Street (between Greenwich Avenue & West Street) and is convenient to the 2/3, A/C/E and R subway lines and the New Jersey Path Train. For more information please visit our website, www.tribecapac.org