At Home Artists Project Presents A SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL

 

At Home Artist Project Presents: A Short Play Festival, featuring three short length plays. At Home Artists Project is a virtual space for new work. They create compelling live entertainment in order to fill the current cultural vacuum and promote a sense of community in a time of isolation, all while aiming to help support affected artists and philanthropic arts organizations. Since the pandemic has started they have raised over $3,500 for artists and $1,000 for charities all through donation-based digital performances and presentations. You can learn more about their past productions here. All money raised for their Short Play Festival through your support will be split amongst all the artists involved and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network | Nothing About Us Without Us.

Their Short Play Festival comprises three original plays with Scenic Design by Sasha Schwartz, Sound Design by Daryl Bornstein, and Dylan Irgang as the Stage Manager. Alex Talbot serves as the Stream Engineer, with Mariah Pepper and Antonio DiBernardo as Producers, Evan Schild as General Manager, Rebecca Meckler as Production Manager, and Jacquelyn Gutierrez as Director of Marketing.

The Live stream will be on January 21st at 8:00pm ET. You can access the stream through their Website, Facebook page, and Youtube page. Any pay-what-you-want contributions can be made here.

Hands From The Fire is written by Cris Eli Blak and Directed by Jenn Susi. Starring Daniel Velez (The Juilliard School) and Devina Sabnis (The Office National Tour), Hands from the Fire tells the story of a wounded veteran whose life has become confined to this dark home. During a visit by his home health aide, he learns that the beauty of life is not always clear in your every-day life, or place in the world. Sometimes all you need is someone to push you into the light and show you a new, brighter day.

Pee Test is written by Donna Hoke and Directed by Sophia Menconi. Starring L'Oreal Lampley (The Public Theater: For Colored Girls) and Yannis Pazianas (Baby of Macon). In The Pee Test Darla takes Matt's rideshare with an agenda. But to carry it out, she must pass Matt's strange test.

Ghost Light is written by Parade Stone and Directed by Joshua M. Feder. Starring Samantha Simone (CBS "Blue Bloods") and Xaiver Reyes (Kinky Boots National Tour). Ghost Light features two almost-lovers who share a history of friendship through the theatre, spanning from high school into adulthood. Viewed through the point of view of the omnipresent ghost light, the play depicts the memories of intimate moments shared in the theatre when the stage lights go dark.

Daniel Velvez- Daniel Velez is an actor from Los Angeles, CA. Roles include: Tom in The Glass Menagerie, Grumio in The Taming of the Shrew, and Wilbur in Hairspray. Awards include: National YoungArts Winner in Theater (2020), The Music Center's Spotlight Competition Grand Prize Finalist in Acting (2019), August Wilson Monologue Competition National Finalist Alternate (2019). Daniel is in the Drama Division (Group 53) at The Juilliard School. He has studied at NYU Tisch Drama, CalArts, Broadway Dreams, and Grand Arts. He looks forward to continuing to grow, learn and go on life's beautiful journey.

Devina Sabnis- Devina Sabnis is a Musical Theatre graduate of Syracuse University from South Brunswick, New Jersey. She recently toured with The Office, A Musical Parody, North American Tour playing Kelly and Others up until the Covid-19 shutdowns. Previous credits include Elf, The Musical and The Wizard of Oz at Syracuse Stage, as well as Bye Bye Birdie at Priscilla Beach Theatre.

Samantha Simone- Samantha Simone is so excited to be performing with the At Home Artists Project! Samantha is a Brooklyn based actor, dancer, voice over artist, and teacher. She is a recent alumni of Columbia University's MFA acting program. Her TV work can be seen on CBS "Blue Bloods" or the exercise program "The Daily Burn." Favorite theater credits include: Lily "Scrooge!", Nina "The Seagull", Julie "Miss Julie" and Amy "Nothing Human." Samantha would like to thank the whole team for this awesome opportunity! -

Xavier Reyes- Xavier Reyes is from Puerto Rico. A graduate of Ithaca College, he has been part of amazing productions such as Kinky Boots 1st national Tour, SWEAT, RENT, West Side Story and others. He continues working on his craft and distilling what kind of stories he wants to tell. Thank you for supporting this production in times like these.

L'Oreal Lampley- L'Oreal Lampley (Darla). The Public Theater: For Colored Girls (u/s Lady in Blue), Coriolanus. MFA: Brown/ Trinity Rep.

Yannis Pazianas- Born in Thessaloniki, Greece, 1991. Studied Acting and Direction in «ΤEHΝΟURGΕΙΟ» institute of Theatre. MFA in Acting Stella Adler Studio of Acting, NYC. Participated in Theatre and Film seminars and conservatories in Greece and abroad, including Theo Terzopoulos' Attis Theatre, Vakhtangov Theatre Moscow, Grotowski Institute, Jan Fabre's Troubleyn, William Esper Studio of Acting, NYC. Finished Film and Television Intensive Seminar in Stella Adler Studio of Acting, LA. Attended On Camera, Film Technique, Improvisation and Film Scene Development courses. Working as producer, director and actor since 2010.

Sasha Schwartz (Scenic Design)- Sasha Schwartz (she/her) is a freelance theater scenic designer based in Pittsburgh. Her recent designs have been seen at City Theatre, Chautauqua Theater, Fordham Drama, and New Hazlett. Sasha is especially interested in new work, revamped classics, and projects that showcase diversity of identity while tackling relevant social issues. She is an advocate for inclusivity within theater teams and more representation of BIPOC and queer voices in the arts industries.

Daryl Bornstein (Sound Designer) Audio Producer, Audio Engineer, Production Manager: Mostly Mozart Festival, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, Houston Symphony, Metropolitan Opera, Billy Taylor Trio, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Christmas at Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center Great Performers., Live from Lincoln Center, PBS Great Performances, MTV Video Awards, Hispanic Heritage Awards, Billboard Latin Music Awards, You Tube Video Awards, Woodstock '94, Conan Obrien, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The View, Rachel Ray, Garrison Keillor, Heinekin Jazz Festival, Michael Feinstein on Broadway, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Chicago, Conversations with my Father, Rock of Ages, The Actors Company Theatre, Leonard Bernstein, the Rolling Stones, Lou Reed, Roberta Flack, Donnie Osmond, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Jackson, International Barbershop Quartet Society, Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, 1997 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies. A.B. Music, Dartmouth College.

Sophia Menconi (Director)- Sophia Menconi (she/they) is a DC based director, educator, and writer. Recent directing credits include The String (Quarantine Players), Julius Caesar (Shakesqueer Theatre), and Sway (Women's Theatre Festival). They also adapted and directed a contemporary short of Coriolanus for Actors' Theatre of Columbus's Shakespeare Shorts. Upcoming credits include Ada and the Engine (ASM, Silver Spring Stage) and Captain Joe (Director, Brave New Classics). Sophia is a recent graduate of Denison University, and a creative team member with Women's Theatre Festival in Raleigh, NC.

Joshua M. Feder (Director)- Joshua M. Feder is Director/Choreographer based in Southern California. He has worked with the New London Barn Playhouse in New Hampshire since 2008, where he is the Education Director. On their mainstage, he directed Over the Pub and Sylvia and choreographed The Student Prince; with their teen company, he has directed/choreographed nearly 30 productions including Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, and last year's virtual production of The Pirates of Penzance. Other productions include: How I Learned to Drive, Time Stands Still, Cymbeline, The Comedy of Errors, The Heidi Chronicles, The Learned Ladies, The Drowsy Chaperone, Legally Blonde, and Sweeney Todd. Assistant Director: South Coast Rep, Utah Shakespeare, Paper Mill Playhouse, Huntington, Northern Stage. He spent three years as the Director of Theater at the Kingswood Oxford School and has taught at Terpsichore Dance and Theatre Company. Josh received his MFA in Directing from UC Irvine and his BA in Theater from Dartmouth College.

Jenn Susi (Director)- Jenn Susi is a NYC based director born and raised in the Bronx! Jenn has been directing and developing work all over NYC including Theatre 54, 13th Street Repertory Theatre, Stay True, an LGBTQ+ Theatre Company, and Nuyorican Poets Cafe where she was a "Best of Fest" winner. Jenn is also a member of Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and an Artist - In- Residence at Abingdon Theatre Company. In addition to her professional work, she has the privilege of directing youth artists in the Bronx as well as developing arts programming in NYC public schools for over a decade. Jenn's mission has always been to combat the marginalization of casting in the theatre; for everyone to see themselves in her stories no matter race, gender, sexuality, or disability and to reflect the human experience in the most truthful way. www.jennsusi.com

Donna Hoke (Pee Test Playwright) Donna's work has been seen in 47 states and on five continents, including at Barrington Stage, Barrow Group, Celebration Theatre, Gulfshore Theatre, Queens Theatre, The Road, Writers Theatre New Jersey, Phoenix Theatre, Atlantic Stage, Purple Rose, Skylight, Pride Films and Plays, New Jersey Rep, Hens and Chickens (London), The Galway Fringe Festival, and Actors Repertory Theatre of Luxembourg. Plays include BRILLIANT WORKS OF ART (Kilroys List), ELEVATOR GIRL (O'Neill and Princess Grace finalist), SAFE (winner of the Todd McNerney, Naatak, and Great Gay Play and Musical Contests), and TEACH (Gulfshore New Works winner). She has been nominated for the Primus, Blackburn, and Laura Pels prizes, and is a three-time winner of the Emanuel Fried Award for Outstanding New Play (SEEDS, SONS & LOVERS, ONCE IN MY LIFETIME). She has also received an Individual Artist Award from the New York State Council on the Arts to develop HEARTS OF STONE, and, in its final three years, Artvoice named her Buffalo's Best Writer-the only woman to ever receive the designation.

Parade Stone (Ghost Light Playwright)- Parade Stone is a Brooklyn-based playwright and director. Her recent theatrical writings include two readings of her play "Cupid's Corner" (one live and one over Zoom). All proceeds were donated to the Equal Justice Initiative and Planned Parenthood. Additional works include "In the Same Space" (Dixon Place and Williamstown Theatre Festival), and her original musical, "Recipe for a Sellout" (Book & Lyrics, Wild Project). Her recent directing work includes "Electricity" (Visiting Director, Fordham University), "Nothing Remained by Voice and Bone" (Players Club) and "Recipe for a Sellout" (Wild Project). She has directed three iterations of Brooke Shillings' "Ladies of the Land," at The Drama League, the second at Dixon Place and the third at Philadelphia's Shoe Box Theatre Festival. Follow her work at https://www.paradestone.com/

Cris Eli Blak ( Hands From The Fire Playwright)- Cris Eli Blak is an award winning and internationally produced writer for the page, stage, and screen. His work has garnered him a Bronze Remi from the Worldfest Houston International Film and Video Festival, the Christopher Hewitt Award in Fiction, a Pushcart Prize nomination and honors from Vectis Radio, Negro Ensemble Company, Clocktower Players and A is For. His work has been produced, performed and/or published around the world, from Off-Broadway (Urban Stages), California (Common Ground Theatre, The Road Theatre), Regional (Cleveland Public Theatre), Collegiate (Columbia University, Academy of Arts University and Wellesley College), London (The Quean's Theatre), Australia (Melting Pot Theatre), and Ireland (Eva's Echo). He continues to strive to create work that reflects the world that we live in, with all of its different and diverse colors, creeds and cultures, through his artistic endeavors and work with organizations such as TedxBroadway, Fine Arts Forward and the Black Theatre Caucus.

 

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