Ars Nova/Debbie Bisno Presents A Reading Of Kyle Jarrow's BIG MONEY 4/13, 4/14

Producer Debbie Bisno and Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jon Steingart and Jenny Wiener Steingart, Executive Producers) announce a by-invitation only Equity staged reading of new musical Big Money by Kyle Jarrow and Nathan Leigh, presented at Ars Nova on April 13 and 14. The reading is directed by Shira Milikowsky, and the cast includes Darius de Haas, Mary Faber, Alison Fraser, Susan Goodwillie, Patrick Heusinger, Neal Huff, Caesar Samoya, and Libby Winters.

Big Money is a funny, freewheeling rock musical about taking risks, finding love - and reaching for the American Dream.

Set in the early 80s with a period synth-pop score, Big Money follows three contestants and their host on the set of a Burbank, CA game show, where clawing for the big prize means a wild ride through their greatest fears and fantasies. A musical about striving to win fame and fortune-and learning that there are things in life worth much, much more.

Big Money was first presented in the Boris Sagal Fellowship workshop at the Williamstown Theatre Festival 2008.

Kyle Jarrow (Writer/Composer) is a NYC-based writer and musician. He writes for stage, film and tv, and plays in the rock bands, including The Fabulous Entourage and Super Mirage. He won an OBIE Award at age 24 for his Off-Bway hit A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, which has subsequently been produced all over the US. Kyle's play Armless won the Overall Excellence Award at the NY Fringe Festival and is currently being made into a film. Other plays include Love Kills, Trigger, President Harding is a Rock Star, Rip Me Open, last season's Hostage Song (music & lyrics), and Gorilla Man (Samuel French). His work has been presented at NYTW, PS122, The John Houseman Theatre, ART, Williamstown, HERE, Boston Theatre Works, New Dramatists, The Flea, The Hangar, Dad's Garage in Atlanta among others. Kyle was a 2005-2006 Dramatists Guild Fellow, nominated for a 2004 LA Drama Critics' Circle Award and a 2004 BackStage West Garland Award for A Very Merry... , and was runner-up for the 2002 Princess Grace Award for his play Hypochondria. Kyle has guest-lectured at Juilliard and Pratt. Upcoming: Whisper House, a new theatrical collaboration with Duncan Sheik.
Nathan Leigh (Composer and Music Director) is a composer, sound designer, musical director, and arranger. His theater credits include work at Berkshire Theatre Festival, ART, Speakeasy Stage Company, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, The Ohio Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Theatre Row, and PS 122. He has been the sound designer and composer in residence for Boston Theatre Works from 06 - 08, and for the Brown / Trinity Consortium for the 07 - 08 season. Nathan is currently the resident designer and composer for Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre and The Debate Society. He has also created film scores and produced several records through his own label, Keroscene Records. Nathan plays guitar and sings in the rock bands A Thousand Ships and Super Mirage. He has collaborated with Jarrow on the scores for Big Money and the forthcoming The Consequences. Gothamist awarded him Best Sound Designer of 2007.
Shira Milikowsky (Director) just completed work as the Assistant Director on the Broadway revival of Hair. She was the 2008 (and first ever) Director-In-Residence at Ars Nova, where she directed comedy shows, rock concerts, solo shows, and numerous short plays by some of New York's best young writers. In 2008, she received the Boris Sagal directing Fellowship from the Williamstown Theatre Festival to develop Big Money, a Drama League Fall Directing Fellowship, and the Jonathan Alper Directing Fellowship from Manhattan Theatre Club. She recently directed the world premiere of Cookie Crumble by Elizabeth Meriwether. Her production of Paul Cohen's Mourn the Living Hector was a critical hit at the New York Fringe Festival and the recipient of a Fringe Excellence Award. She holds a BA in Theater Studies from Yale, and in 2007 received an MFA in directing from Columbia University, where she studied with Anne Bogart and Brian Kulick.

Debbie Bisno (Producer) Broadway: David Mamet's Speed the Plow, Hair, Accent on Youth (MTC). Former Associate Producer to the B'way partnership August Wilson/Ben Mordecai and to David Richenthal. Other B'way & Off: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, The Crucible, Flower Drum Song, Family Secrets, BRUNDIBAR. As Founder and Producing Director of Chicago's RoadWorks Productions, with residencies at Steppenwolf and Victory Gardens, Bisno produced seven seasons of Midwest premieres including Ken Lonergan's This is Our Youth, Patrick Marber's Dealer's Choice, Mike Leigh's Ecstasy (LA & Chicago), Eric Bogosian's subUrbia and Charles Mee's Orestes: a Rock Musical. Film: Michael Jordan to the Max, PULSE: A STOMP Odyssey; PBS/BBC's Inside the Nazi State. Co-Producer Steppenwolf Theater 's 25th Anniversary hosted by Bill Murray. Co-Producer The Moth, a literary series. Affiliations: Board Yale Summer Cabaret, Shoreline Arts Alliance, Princess Grace Foundation Theater Panel; Museum of Jewish Heritage, Battery Park. Graduate: Northwestern University.
Ars Nova (Artistic Partner) As New York's premiere hub for emerging artists and new work, Ars Nova is committed to developing and producing eclectic theatre, comedy and music to feed today's popular culture. To that end, Ars Nova strives to create daring collaborations, meld disciplines and give voice to a new generation of artists. Last season, Ars Nova developed and produced critically acclaimed productions of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's Boom, Liz Flahive's From Up Here (in a co-production with Manhattan Theatre Club), and Nick Jones and Raja Azar's Jollyship the Whiz-Bang. Past productions include Dixie's Tupperware Party, At Least It's Pink, 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, Holy Cross Sucks!, Freestyle Love Supreme and The Wau Wau Sisters. In addition to its featured productions, Ars Nova supports and develops new work from the most promising emerging artists through its alternative comedy series (Tragedy Tomorrow), music series (Uncharted), public play-reading series (Out Loud), developmental residency program (Residency Encores) writer's group (Play Group) and artist-in-residence program. Ars Nova was founded in memory of Gabe Wiener.

Cast Bios
Mary Faber most recently played Bessie in The Corn is Green at The Huntington Theater, starring Kate Burton and directed by Nicholas Martin. B'way: Kate Monster in Avenue Q. Off B'way and NY: Hillary Faye in Saved, Clea in Floyd & Clea, both at Playwright's Horizons. Veronica in SLUT The Musical at ATFA, Lindsay in Princesses at Fifth Avenue/Goodspeed Musicals, the title role in Junie B. Jones at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, Pippi/Hildegard in The Tutor at The York Theatre, and was in the ensemble for Chess in Concert at the New Amsterdam Theatre/Actor Fund Benefit. BFA: Brandeis University.
Alison Fraser is a two time Tony Award nominee for playing Martha in The Secret Garden and Josefine/Monica in Romance/Romance. Also on Broadway, she was Dorine in Tartuffe; Born Again, Helena in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and most recently, Tessie Tura in Arthur Laurents' acclaimed production of Gypsy starring Patti LuPone. She co-starred with Nathan Lane and Marion Seldes in the world premiere of Terrence McNally's Dedication, or the Stuff of Dreams. Other Off Broadway roles Alison has created include Trina in March of the Falsettos and In Trousers, Connie/Petula/Brenda in Beehive, Uta in The Green Heart, and Miss Drumgoole in Up Against It. Film and TV: Between the Lions, Law & Order: SVU, Third Watch, The Thing About My Folks opposite Peter Falk and Paul Reiser. and In the Blood. Alison was the recipient of the first ever Best Actress Barrymore Award for her portrayal of The Blonde in the Wilma Theatre's production of Gunmetal Blues, a Best Supporting Actress for Chloe in the George Street Theatre's production of Lips Together Teeth Apart; She can be heard on many CDs, voiceovers, cartoons, video games (incl. Grand Theft Auto IV) and audio books.

Darius de Haas enjoys a multifaceted career as an award-winning critically acclaimed singer and actor. B'way: Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Carousel (Lincoln Center), Rent (original cast), The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm, Marie Christine, Dreamgirls , Hair, and City Center's Encores Broadway Bash. Off-B'way, regional, and touring credits include his Obie winning performance in Running Man (Music-Theater Group), Cain in Children of Eden (Papermill Playhouse), Saturn Returns (Public Theater), Cry The Beloved Country (Goodman Theater), The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (Playwrights Horizons), Once On This Island (First National Tour) and the world premiere of the John Adams/ June Jordan opera I Was Looking At The Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky (dir. Peter Sellars). Darius has played leading roles in premieres of the new musicals, The Man In My Head (NYMF), Langston In Harlem, and the upcoming Hal Prince-Susan Stroman musical, Paradise Found. Most recently he played Jesus in the new critically acclaimed adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar - Gospel at the Alliance Theater. Darius is featured on numerous recordings including his award-winning solo debut CD, Darius de Haas: Day Dream, Variations on Strayhorn (PS Classics). www.dariusdehaas.com

Susan Goodwillie was in the workshop production of Big Money at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She made her Off-Broadway debut this year in The New Group's Mourning Becomes Electra. Regional theatre credits include Cold Hard Cash at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and Hedda Gabler at Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre. On television she has appeared on Medium and ER. Ms. Goodwillie received her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University in 2007.

Patrick Heusinger is known for his role as "Lord Marcus" on the CW's hit drama Gossip Girl. Selected film credits include The Nanny Diareis, Tie a Yellow Ribbon, Sweet Land (winner of the Audience Award at the Hamptons International Film Festival and Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature) and Skin Deep. Theater credits include Lancelot in national tour of Spamalot, Broadway's Fiddler on the Roof, Godspell (Papermill Playhouse) and, at Juilliard: A Soldier's Play, Love's Labour's Lost, Translations, The Last Days of Don Juan, New York Plays, M. De Pourceaugnac, Richard III, Balm in Gilead, Swan Song, A Reluctant Tragic Her, The Grapes of Wrath, Cosi, and As You Like It. Heusinger grew up in Jacksonville, FL and is a graduate of Juilliard.

Neal Huff Broadway: The Tempest, Lion in Winter, Tony Award-winning Take Me Out. Off-Broadway: The Foreigner and The Little Dog Laughed. TV and Film: The Wedding Banquet, Big Daddy, The Good Shepherd, Law & Order, The Wire, Six Degrees.
Caesar Samayoa Most recent credits this past season include the Off-Broadway production of Fire Throws (Ripe Time Theatre Company), Picasso in Picasso at the Lapine Agile (Delaware Theatre Company) and his Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center debut as a featured soloist in the critically acclaimed production of Leonard Bernstein's Mass conducted by Marin Alsop. B'way: Hot Feet at the Hilton Theatre. Favorite Off B'way credits include Juliet in Shakespeare's R&J (dir. Joe Calarco), President Harding in President Harding is a Rock Star (Les Freres Corbusier), Papa in Call the Children Home (Primary Stages), Xavier in Mother Lolita (Urban Stages), Man 1 in The Attic (The Play Company) and Caesar in Flicker (Big Art Group). Favorite Regional credits include originating the role of Garcia in Carmen (La Jolla Playhouse, dir. Franco Dragone), Billy Bigelow in Carousel (Olney Theatre Center), Bianca in Taming of the Shrew (Yale Rep.). TV and Film: principal roles in ABFAB, As the World Turns, Guiding Light, and the Indie Feature Si' Laraby. Mr. Samayoa has appeared as a soloist in various concert tours throughout Italy, Scotland, Japan & Taiwan.

Libby Winters Sophie in Mamma Mia Las Vegas; Neely in R-E-S-P-E-C-T (New York Stage and Film); Eva in White Noise (NYMF); Percy in The Spitfire Grill (Gallery Players); Lysistrata in Lysistrata the Musical (Mayhaps Produtions); Ms. Pac-Man in Songs from the Pac-Man (The Bureau). Workshop: American Idiot (Roundabout); White Noise (Sibling Theatricals). TV: Phoebe McManus in Champs (ABC sitcom, Dreamworks). Libby sings & plays guitar with the NY glam-rock band The Fabulous Entourage www.fabulousentourage.com who have played The Mercury Lounge, Bowery Ballroom, Joe's Pub, Ars Nova, The Knitting Factory, and The Viper Room (LA).

Ars Nova
511 West 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
212.489.9800
www.arsnovanyc.com

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.