OCEAN IN A TEACUP Brings A Diverse Cast And Crew To Theatre Row

CreateTheater New Works Festival and JK Productions present OCEAN IN A TEACUP, a spiritual quest musical based on a true story. This Original Musical Set in India runs as part of CreateTheater New Works Festival, from April 28 through May 7, 2022, at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036).

OCEAN IN A TEACUP is set at the conclusion of World War Two, but American Red Cross medic Ray Hauserman can't bring himself to return home from India. While battling his own demons of the war, Ray encounters a charismatic Indian doctor, and spiritual teacher, who shows him a unique path to redemption. To follow that path, Ray will have to give up everything he knows. OCEAN IN A TEACUP is a vulnerable musical drama that will shine light on the importance of the simple things as foundation for a new path in life.

The cast is composed by Liam James McGettigan, Anshomaann Sharma, Natalie Myrick, Sanjana Iyer, Naren Weiss*, Anat Cogan*, Noam Harary*, Steven Ted Beckler*, Astoncia Bhagat and Rahul Joshi. (* - Actors Appearing Courtesy of Actors Equity Association).

OCEAN IN A TEACUP is written by Joel Krantz, and directed by Lola Lopez Guardone.

The creative team includes Rimli Roy and Deepsikha Chatterjee (Choreography, Costume Design and Cultural Dramaturgy), Charlie Saslow (Production Stage Manager), D Henry Hanson (Stage Manager), Tyler Herald (Set Design), Zach Pizza (Lighting Designer) Peter Leibold and Paul Deziel (Projections). The show is produced under the umbrella of CreateTheater New Works Festival run by Cate Cammarata

The real life Ray Hauserman wrote a biography of Thakur called "Ocean in a Teacup" that was published by Harper Bros. This musical is based on some of the stories in that book and the personal stories that Ray shared with writer/composer Joel Krantz over the years.

Tickets are $49 (+$2.50 Restoration Fee) and can be purchased at https://bfany.org/theatre-row/shows/ocean-in-a-teacup-presented-by-the-createtheater-new-works-festival/

ABOUT CREATETHEATER

CreateTheater has been helping writers develop and produce their work since the company was launched in 2016 by Cate Cammarata, an Off-Broadway producer, director and dramaturg. During the shutdown of 2020-2022 CreateTheater developed and/or produced more than 70 shows with online readings, workshops and dramaturgical guidance. For this work Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) has honored her with the TRU Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2020.

In 2020 CreateTheater created a resident writer company, The Expert's Theater Company (ETC), to work with a smaller group of writers to develop their script and then to guide it through to production. The New Works Festival is a collaborative series, in association with The Prism Stage Company, of members of Create Theater's Expert's Theater Company (ETC), whose shows are ready to be presented in NYC and then go on to further development in NYC and regionally. www.CreateTheater.com , www.NewWorksFest.org

BIOGRAPHIES

JOEL KRANTZ (Book/Music and Lyrics/Producer) "Ocean in a Teacup" is my first musical. As the leader and founder of "The JK Band", I have performed at over 2700 private parties and events in the NYC area. Always a prolific songwriter pursuing a singer/songwriter career, I turned my musical aspirations toward theater and "Ocean in a Teacup". This show is personal for me, since I got the story, and the mission to tell it, directly from the source, Ray Hauserman. The wisdom presented in "Ocean in a Teacup" came solely from Thakur, from Ray, and from my Kabbalah studies. Here is a message from me to you; study Kabbalah www.kabbalah.com it is good for the soul. www.oceaninateacup.com

LOLA LOPEZ GUARDONE (Director) Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but her soul always belonged in NYC. Various NYC credits: Co-Founders (Joe's Pub), Odd Man Out (NY Times Pick), Rehab, Candy Girls, Next Thing You Know, Silent Movie Dreams, Before the Fall, These Little Ones Perish (2017 Winterfest - Best Director Award), Neil Simon's I Ought to be in Pictures. Lola serves as the Associate Artistic Producer of TheatreC and PITCHBLACK Immersive Experiences. She is also a consulting artist for Woodshed Collective and a freelance Creative Director. Training: Sergio Lombardo, Ruben Szchumacher, Mikhael Tara Garver, Tim Carol, Seth Barish and the Tom Todoroff Conservatory. www.lolalopezguardone.com

CHARLIE SASLOW (Production Stage Manager) is a NYC Stage Manager and Show Caller. A recent graduate of Tisch School of the Arts' Production and Design program at NYU, Charlie has worked on several Off-Broadway and high level projects since graduating last May. These include but are not limited to; Odd Man Out NYC (Stage Manager), New York Fashion Week 2021 - Thom Browne and Peter Dundas shows (Stage Manager), Chanel X Rockefeller Center Chanel No.5 50th Anniversary Show (Show Caller), HBO's And Just Like That (Rigging), and more. Charlie is beyond excited to work with such an awesome cast and crew. Hi Mom!

D HENRY HANSON (Stage Manager) is a Queens-based artist, arts educator, and former competitive chicken showman. He has worked with companies such as Florida Studio Theatre, theatreC, Joe's Pub, the Adirondack Theatre Festival, the Kansas City Fringe Festival, and Theatre for Young America. He has taught children's theatre at Elmwood Day Camp and Florida Studio Theatre. He is also an audiobook narrator, and the current voice of the Fable Nation and Holiday Shivers YA series. Training: Marymount Manhattan College. Dhenryhanson.com

RIMLI ROY (Choreographer/Artistic Consultant) is an artist, dancer, choreographer, producer, director, actor and visionary and also the Founder and Artistic Director of award-winning nonprofit organisation Surati for Performing Arts based in Jersey City. Rimli has trained in three different styles of classical Indian dance - Odissi, Bharatnatyam, and Manipuri under renowned masters from India. She choreographed and performed in prestigious venues including the United Nations, The Kennedy Center and The Library of Congress, Lincoln Center, The World Financial Center Wintergarden, New York City Hall, and The Indian Consulate in NY.
She has received several accolades for her work including a Folk Arts Apprenticeship Award from the NJ State Council on the Arts and a U.S Artists International award.
Her work has been featured in The Vogue, NY Daily News, NBC News, The Star Ledger and The Jersey Journal to name a few.
Rimli and Surati are the recipients of several awards and grants including Dance NYC, The NJ State Council on the Arts, The Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, Princeton Area Community Foundation, Hudson County Office of Cultural Affairs, and NJ State Tourism."

DEEPSIKHA CHATTERJEE (Dramaturge/Costume Design/Cultural Consultant) teaches costume design at Hunter College CUNY. She received her undergraduate degree in fashion design from National Institute of Fashion Technology before moving to the US for her MFA in Costume Design from Florida State University. Her designs have been seen recently at Mabou Mines, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, Barnard College, Women's Project, New York Musical Festival, Drive East, United Solo, Pan Asia Repertory, Capital Fringe, and forthcoming at San Jose Opera.
She researches costumes and masks for Indian performance and has received notable grants for this work. Her presentations have been seen at conferences including USITT, Costume Society of America, and the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. She has published articles on Indian and Asian theatre, and Indian fashion. Since 2017 she has served as the dance director for Indo-American Arts Council's Erasing Borders Dance Festival bringing international dancers to the New York stage.

TYLER HERALD, he/him (Scenic Design) Finding Madame Curie, The Golden Cage, Retraction, Ocean in a Teacup (upcoming, Theatre Row), Trojan Women, Fairytales and Other Stories That Scare Me, Titus Andronicus, Three Sisters (Columbia University), Dialogues of the Carmelites (Maryland Opera Studio); Lost Luggage (Glimmerglass Festival); The Schooling of Bento Bonchev, Render/Edit, Full Circle, The Call (Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center); Assistant: Immersive Frida Kahlo, Immersive Van Gogh, Treasures from Chatsworth, The Hamilton Exhibition, 91st Academy Awards, Beetlejuice, The Great Society (David Korins); La Boheme, Sweeney Todd, The Thieving Magpie, The Crucible, Wilde Tales (Glimmerglass Festival) MFA University of Maryland. Local USA 829. www.tylerrheralddesign.com

ZACH PIZZA (Lighting Design) is designing 4 shows in the Series! Recent credits: Camp Morning Wood (Asylum NYC), Stage Life (Theater Row), Jason Robert Brown feat. Stephen Sondheim (Town Hall, NYC). Regional: Vivid Stage, Resident Designer (NJ), Sharon Playhouse (CT), Hattiloo Theater (TN), Little Theater on the Square (IL). [second life: Chief Instructor, NYOKarate.com] zachpizzalighting.com

DANIEL BROTHERS (Props) "Playwright, Propsmaker, Carpenter, Mechanic, Actor, Game Master, Ornithologist, collector of professions. Recently, he has been writing a Sci fi novel for publication in 2023, a play ""Living Together"" to be staged in the fall, and props for Playco's production of Will You Come With Me. Further inquire at dannyjbrothers.com

ANSHOMAANN SHARMA (Thakur) is an Indian/South asian actor/singer based out of New York. Though he has acted in many plays, films, short films, web-series, sketch on SNL but ""Ocean in the Teacup"" is going to be his first musical.Apart from acting, he has also directed short films which were showcased in New York Indian film festival, and other film festivals around the world. He won the best director in Cincinnati Indian film festival for the same. His most recent work as an actor was a bollywood film, ""Code name Abdul"" released on December 2021, in which he played the role of a terrorist."

Liam James MCGETTIGAN (Ray Hauserman) Liam is a extremely excited to be making his New York debut with this production! Thank you Mom, Dad, Fiona, Mimi, PRHS, and SU. Credits: FBI: Most Wanted

Natalie Myrick (Julia) is a Brooklyn-based actor/musician who is thrilled to be making her Theatre Row debut! After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she wrote and toured in musicals around Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Regionally and Off-Broadway, her projects often revolve around new works in development and folk-rock scores. Most recently, she performed in Bridges of Madison County starring Kate Baldwin and Aaron Lazar at Axelrod Performing Arts Center, directed by Hunter Foster. Select credits: Darlin' Cory (Alliance Theatre), Reverb Theatre Arts Festival (Roundabout), Phantom Tollbooth (Hangar Theatre), Tarzan (English Musicals Korea), Last Five Years (Company Carolina). A world of thanks to Eisenberg & Beans and this wonderful team! www.nataliemyrick.com

NAREN WEISS (Khalil) U.S.A.: Letters of Suresh (Second Stage Theater), Guards at the Taj (Geffen Playhouse), Yoga Play (PlayMakers Repertory Company; Louise Lamont Distinguished Guest Artist Award), Tear a Root from the Earth (Kennedy Center), Superstitions (New Ohio Theatre), Singing Beach (HERE Arts Center), and more. INDIA: Ganga at Rishikesh (MetroPlus Theatre Festival), Moulin Rouge, The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Great Indian Blogologues, and more. T.V.: The Endgame (NBC), Deception (ABC; recurring), The Brave (NBC), Elementary (CBS), Broad City (Comedy Central), The Blacklist: Redemption (NBC), Law and Order: SVU (NBC), and others. Playwright: Published and/or produced on four continents (including several bestselling books).

SANJANA IYER (Boro-Ma) Sanjana is an Indian born, Mumbai bred and New York trained actor and singer. After graduating from the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, she has worked on several off-broadway shows, recently making her musical theatre debut as Kelly & Others in "The Office! A Musical Parody". Some of her other theatre credits include Portia/">Portia in Bay Ridge In The Park's production of Julius Caesar, Dr. Jenna Grant in "Seen" performed at Players Theatre, and Ursula in "The Clockwork Boy" produced for the New York Theatre Festival. You may have also seen her as the female lead in ARIZONA's hit music video "Nostalgic". Along with being a passionate animal rights activist and a part-time model, Sanjana is gearing up to make her co-directorial debut in the feature film DREAMERS, scheduled to be released in 2023.

Anat Cogan (Chandra/Others) "Anat is a NYC based Israeli-Egyptian-American actress and writer. She has been on stage since the age of 5 and has been acting ever since. After finishing her service in the Israeli Defense Force and graduating from Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in Tel Aviv/Israel and the Lee Strasberg Film & Theatre Institute in NY, Anat continued her journey in acting- working in the Israeli theater and participating in many theater performances in New York as well as shooting a wide variety of films and TV spots around the US. Select credits include: Handle With Care (Florida Studio Theatre & Shadowland Stages), David (St. Marks), Ajax In Iraq (Flux), What's In Alaska? (MITF), A Thousand Words (Manhattan Rep), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Co.), Hamlet (Shakespeare Co.), Tartuffe (TLV), Mother Courage (TLV), Donia Rosita The Spinster (TLV), The Sound Of Music (TLV). TV: "Prisoners of War", "Mysteries at the Museum", "Wish House".

Steven Ted Beckler (Pastor Gordon/Others) Broadway- "Beauty and the Beast" Wednesday Matinees Gaston & Beast Understudy, "The Most Happy Fella"- Lincoln Center. National Tours- Mel Brook's "The Producers"- Leo Company, Understudy Max, Roger & Franz, "Beauty and The Beast" L.A. Company- Beast Stand By, & Gaston Understudy, Mel Brook's "The Producers" Las Vegas Company, Radio City Christmas Spectacular Starring The Rockettes- Santa Claus- The Grand Ole Opry, Nashville. TV/ Film- House of Cards- Cranford White- Netflix, Marvel's "Luke Cage"- Netflix, "The Affair", "White Color", "Limitless", "Weinerdog", "Second Chance Christmas", "The 12 Pups Of Christmas".

NOAM HARARY (Raja/Bar Owner/Others) is a New York Based actor/director. Recent credits: Trapper at Fourth Street Theater@ NYTW (Todd), Strays at T. Schreiber Studios (Dmitri), Lobby Hero at Roy Arias Theater (Jeff), Sabra at the Manhattan Theater Source (Ben), Dear Darkness at The New Ohio Theater (MC), and Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at Lerner Hall (Ernesto Roma). TV: FBI, House of Cards, Madam Secretary. Film Living Will, Nobody Gets Out Alive, and Heaven is Waiting, acclaimed at the Cannes Festival. He is currently filming a series "Soon By You". Training: Columbia University and Maggie Flanigan Studio. NoamHarary.com

ASTONCIA BHAGAT (Bar Owner's Wife/Others/Fight and Dance Captain) (@astoncia) feels incredibly blessed to be making her NYC debut! A graduate of Western Illinois University, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. Professional credits include Lynette 'Squeaky' Fromme in ASSASSINS (East West Players), Lead Vocalist in BIG BAND BEAT (Tokyo DisneySea) and Esmeralda in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Festival 56). Astoncia would like to thank her friends, family, and Colin for their endless encouragement. Also, to you. She's so happy that you are here. 1Thessalonians 5:11.

RAHUL JOSHI (Young Thakur/Others) is an Indian actor based in New York City having recently completed his training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He was born in Bangkok and was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to live in Dubai, India, the Netherlands, and now New York. Amid all the change was a single constant-a love for stories. And it was this obsession with imagination that would pull him out of a storybook, and onto a stage. Acting in middle school helped him come out of his shell. After his last play in India, where he played Mrs. Trunchbull in Matilda, he moved to the Netherlands to complete his Bachelor's in Business. It was an unforgettable and forging experience, but it made him realize that while he was qualified for this career path, he wasn't passionate about business in the same way he was about acting. The former felt almost mechanical, but the latter feels like jazz - free-flowing, dynamic and alive! And so with his parents' blessing, he moved to New York to make acting his only priority. Having recently finished his time as part of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts' Company 2021-22, he's looking forward to starting his journey as a professional actor with Ocean in a Teacup, and the paths and projects that lay ahead. In his free time, Rahul enjoys soccer (football), history, film, guitar, philosophy, D&D, and cooking among others. Acting credits as part of the Academy Company include Michael Novak in God of Carnage by Yasmine Reza; Caliban in The Tempest by William Shakespeare; Various in Love and Information by Caryl Churchill; Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare; and Man with Scar, Man with Golf Club, and Radio Announcer in Marisol by José Rivera."

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