THE WOODSMAN Returns to 59E59 Theaters Tonight
By: BWW News Desk Jan. 13, 2015
Back by popular demand following a sold out 3-week engagement at 59E59 Theaters, The Woodsman features music by Edward W. Hardy and lyrics by Jennifer Loring and a cast of nine that includes Ben Bass, Will Gallacher, Alex J. Gould, Lauren Nordvig, James Ortiz, Eliza Simpson, Meghan St. Thomas, and Sophia Zukoski, accompanied by composer/violinist Edward W. Hardy.
The Woodsman is the untold story of Oz's Tin Woodsman, the woman he loved, and the witch that would stop at nothing to keep them apart. A lonely woodsman from the Land of Oz must embark on a harrowing journey to protect the love of his life from her evil guardian, the Wicked Witch of the East. Through puppetry, movement, and song, Strangemen & Co. presents a hauntingly beautiful and ultimately heartbreaking twist on the forgotten writings of L. Frank Baum.
The Woodsman has scenic design by Liz Lundberg, costume design by Molly Seidel, lighting design by Catherine Clark, sound design by Adam Salberg and puppet design by James Ortiz. The Woodsman is associated produced by Rebecca Black.
The Woodsman, a recipient of the 2014 Jim Henson Foundation Grant, premiered at Brooklyn's Standard Toykraft in 2012 followed by a production at the Ars Nova Ant Fest in 2013 before transferring to 59E59 Theaters in January 2014 for a strictly limited 3-week, sold out run. Back by popular demand, The Woodsman is one of the only shows in the theater's history to ever make a return engagement.
For tickets, visit the 59E59 Theaters box office at 59 East 59 Street, order through www.59e59.org call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200. All tickets are $30 ($21 for 59E59 Members). $10 student rush tickets are sold on a space-available basis at the 59E59 Theaters box office on the day of performances one hour prior to curtain. Student rush tickets are limited to two tickets with valid student identification and may not be offered for all performances. The Woodsman plays Tuesday through Thursday at 7:15pm and Friday and Saturday at 8:15pm, with matinees Sunday at 3:15pm.
Strangemen & Co. (James Ortiz, Jason Ralph, Frank Winters, Co-Artistic Directors; Amanda Lederer, Managing Producer) looks to simply honor what is truthful - one story at a time."
For more information, visit: www.thewoodsmanplay.com, www.strangemencompany.com, or follow on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/StrangeMen, Twitter: @StrangemenCo and Instagram: @StrangemenCo.
BIOGRAPHIES:
BEN BASS (Ensemble) is so happy to be back performing The Woodsman at the 59E59 Theatre! SUNY Purchase trained, his recent credits include The Woodsman at 59E59; Brad in, A Devil Inside, directed by Chris McCann; Stephen in, Rock 'N' Roll, directed by Sarah Grace Wilson; Hendryk, Gerry, and Daniel in, Love's Fire directed by Dennis Reid; Peer Gynt, in Peer Gynt, directed by David Bassuk; and Kleshch, in The Lower Depths, directed by David Gideon. Benjamin wants to thank everyone at 59E59th, his cast and crew, and his fabulous directors for such a wonderful opportunity.
WILL GALLACHER (Father/1st Tinker) Will comes from Rochester, NY, and studied at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of theater arts and film. Most recently seen in a self-devised piece in collaboration with Strangemen & Co based on 'The Thirteen Clocks' by James Thurber, Past credits also include: On the Head of a Pin (Strangemen & Co), Henry V & School for Husbands (NY Classical Theater), Twelfth Night (Libra Theater co), Associations of Hip (Overturn Theater Ensemble) and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (LABrynth at SUNY Purchase). This production is dedicated to babies Cassius, Malcolm and Charlie, and all brand-new minds.
ALEX GOULD (3rd Tinker) is thrilled to join the company for their return to 59E59. Alex is an actor/fight director in NYC. He is a member of the Bats, the resident acting company at the Flea Theater and has appeared in The Mysteries, a cautionary tail, Thomas Bradshaw's JOB, and #serials@theflea. Readings/workshops with Epic Theater Company and Jewish Plays Project. Regional: Williamstown Theater Festival including Whaddabloodclot by Katori Hall. Edu. AMDA
AMANDA A. LEDERER (Witch/2nd Tinker) Off-Broadway: The Woodsman (Strangemen & Co, @ 59E59 Theaters and Ars Nova ANT Fest) Shlemiel the First (TFANA). NY: Point Pleasant (St. Anne's Warehouse) Riley Thomas: Looking Forward (NYMF) The Dunes (Gallery Players) Agnes of God; The Crucible; Dark of the Moon; All My Sons (Project Rushmore). Regional: The Divine Sister (Stageworks Hudson) Make Sure It's Me (BTF) Virginia Woolf (Aglet) Streetcar; Uncle Vanya; Guys & Dolls (New Harmony). Film: That Awkward Moment (Treehouse Pictures). BA Theatre Arts, Catawba College.
LAURN NORDVIG (Mother) is thrilled to spend time in Oz with these fine folks. Off-Bway: The Rivals and The Misanthrope (Pearl Theatre Co), Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play (Epic Theatre Ensemble), The School for Husbands (NYClassical). Other regional favorites: Venus in Fur, A Behanding in Spokane, Viola in Twelfth Night, Varya in The Cherry Orchard. Proud company member of The Hippodrome State Theatre. BFA from The University of Florida.
JAMES ORTIZ (Director/Prop Design/Nick) is a NYC based actor, director, writer, puppet designer, and co-artistic director of Strangemen & Co. Acting credits include El Gato Con Botas (Tectonic Theatre Co.) On the Head of a Pin (Strangemen) Rhinoceros (UglyRhino Theatre Co.) Wanda's Monster (Making Books Sing) Book of Days, Last...Judas Iscariot, Mad Forest, Marisol (SUNY Purchase). Directorial credits (puppet or otherwise) include: Miss Lilly Gets Boned (Studio42) All's Well... (Collin Theatre Center) The Tempest (Shakespeare Theatre of DC) Free Delivery (Strangemen), The Little Mermaid (Glass Bandits) and The Woodsman (Ars Nova).
ELIZA SIMPSON (Nimmee). Off-Broadway: The Woodsman (59E59 Theaters) Off-Off Broadway: The Mysteries (The Flea Theater). NY: Three Sisters (HIT), Merry Wives of Windsor (Baited Bear), Yankee Wives (David Rimmer, New York premiere), As You Like It (Exploded Shakespeare) Film: Ricki and The Flash (TriStar Pictures), Rachel Getting Married (Sony Pictures Classic) The Manchurian Candidate (Paramount Pictures) Eliza is a current member of The Bats Theater Company, Strangemen and Co., and SAG. BFA from Rutgers University.
MEGHAN ST. THOMAS (Ensemble) Happy to be back for a second time at 59e59 Theaters with The Woodsman. Past credits include: American Shakespeare Company Henry V workshop, Make it Play at Playwrights Horizons, A Devil Inside; Directed by Chris McCann and Alienation & Naturalization at the Charles Maryan Playwrights workshop. A graduate of SUNY Purchase and recipient of the College's Outstanding Actor Award. www.meghanstthomas.com.
SOPHIA ZUKOSKI (Witch) is grateful to be able to share and create magic with such wonderful artists. Recent NYC Stage credits include: Home in Motion at WOW! Cafe with the Electric Eye Ensemble. Other credits include: The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Maureen), Red Cross (Carol), and Orpheus Descending (Dolly Hamma) at Purchase Repertory Theatre. She holds a BFA from SUNY Purchase College.
CLAIRE KARPEN (Director). Directing credits include Trelawny of the Wells, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, A Little Night Music and Henry IV, Part One (Juilliard); Voices in My Head (Ars Nova); A Soldier's Tale (Chautauqua Theatre Company); and Into the Woods (Brown University). As an actor, Claire is currently in Into the Woods (Roundabout) and has worked at theaters such as Classic Stage Company, Public Shakespeare Lab, the Old Globe, McCarter, Goodspeed Musicals and Trinity Rep. Training: Juilliard and Brown University. www.clairekarpen.com
DEVIN DUNNE CANNON (Associate Director). After appearing as the lead vocalist/Mother in the last incarnation of The Woodsman at 59E59, Devin is now stepping off the stage to join the creative team. BFA Musical Theatre New School University. Film/TV credits include "30 Rock" (Future Liddy) and the sketch comedy series, "Smile For the Camera," which is in its second season. Devin has also appeared at 59E59 in Strangemen & Co.'s On The Head of a Pin as the youthful intern Gwen Post. Special thanks to her awesome family. DevinDunneCannon.com for more about this little lady.
EDWARD W. HARDY (Composer/Violinist) began his violin studies at age seven. As a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician, Edward has performed in Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and Jazz at Lincoln Center among others. Edward has composed for and performs in theatrical productions including opera, ballet and musicals. A graduate of the Purchase Conservatory of Music, Edward earned his Bachelor Degree in Music Performance with Honors. He is currently pursuing his Masters of Music Degree from the Aaron Copland School of Music where his teacher is Daniel Phillips. www.edwardwhardy.com.
JEN LORING (Lyrics) Theater: On the Head of a Pin (59E59), The Woodsman (Ars Nova). TV: "Trending Down," "The Battle Below." Thank you to all of the strange men and women who make me more.
LIZ LUNDBERG (Scenic Design) is a freelance artist working in New York City. Check out her website at www.wix.com/lizlundbergpainter/lizlundbergpainter.
MOLLY SEIDEL (Costume Design) is a NYC-based designer and artist. She was the resident costume designer for The Play Group Theatre in White Plains for three years and most recently worked as an assistant costume designer at The Juilliard School. Past credits: A Midsummer Night's Dream (New Place Players, NYC), Sleep No More (Punchdrunk, NYC); The Importance of Being Earnest (White Plains Performing Arts Center), and A New Musical web-series (roomcgoo.com).
CATHERINE CLARK (Lighting Design) is so delighted to be working with Strangemen for the second time on The Woodsman! She would like to thank her family and friends, especially her parents, for always being the most incredibly supportive. She would especially like to thank Strangemen & Co. for the incredible opportunity and experience, and Natalie, PSM of the show and also her roommate, for quite literally everything. www.cclarklightingdesign.com
RACHEL SUSSMAN (Producer) is a New York-based producer committed to nurturing diverse work through collaboration. Rachel is a co-founder of The Indigo Theatre Project, a theatre company of passion and purpose dedicated to producing play readings that benefit related non-profit organizations. Rachel has worked with Second Stage Theatre, The Mercer Colony, The Sundance Theatre Institute, The Tony Awards, and CREATE-Ireland in Dublin, Ireland. Independently, she has produced works in the New York International Fringe Festival and the New York Musical Theatre Festival, where she also served as a past President of the Student Leader Program. Currently, she is the Creative Development Associate at RKO Stage Productions (Top Hat, Doctor Zhivago) and developing an emerging theatre artist residency program in her native state of Michigan. Rachel is a member of the League of Professional Theatre Women, a trustee for The Awesome Foundation NYC, a 2014-2016 Women's Project Lab Time Warner Foundation Fellow, and a finalist for the T Fellowship in Creative Producing. She is a graduate of the Commercial Theater Institute (Fred Vogel Scholarship) and holds a BFA from NYU Tisch.
ROBB NANUS (Producer) is a New York based producer. Most recently, he produced the sold-out, New York premiere of I Am Harvey Milk starring Kristin Chenoweth, Andrew Lippa, the Orchestra of St Luke's and the 120 member All Star Broadway Men's Chorus at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. He also co-produced the critically acclaimed presentations of the piece in San Francisco with Laura Benanti and in Los Angeles with over 500 singers at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Other past projects include critically acclaimed, sold out runs of DEBUTANTE. and <50% (Fringe Encores Selection) and sold out presentations of The Wild Party Swings (54 Below). Robb has worked in various capacities with the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Ars Nova, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, the Tony Award winning Signature Theatre in DC, Story Pirates and Turbovote. He also serves as a trustee on the NYC chapter of the Awesome Foundation.
REBECCA BLACK (Associate Producer) is a New York-based producer currently serving as the Communications & Operations Associate for the National Corporate Theatre Fund, an association of 19 top resident theatres in America. She has worked with RKO Stage, 321 Theatrical Management, and Whatsonstage.com in London, England. Rebecca currently serves as the Associate Producer for the feature documentary American Street Kid. Past projects: DEBUTANTE., Listen... Can You Hear me Now?, Spellbound! A New Musical Fairytale and The Milford Project.
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