BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center Hosts WRITERS IN PERFORMANCE 2015

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 is "time" and title of the Writers in Performance show is "Past, Present, Future." 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 4 & Saturday, December 5, 2015 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:

Ural Grant Originally from Memphis Tennessee, Ural Grant is a passionate performer that specializes in both voice and theater. He has been singing and acting all of his life. At the age of fourteen he, along with "Children Sings", opened up for the prolific Kurt Carr! Ural later began traveling and singing with Kevin Davidson and the Voices. Shortly after graduating high school, he matriculated into the prestigious Wesleyan University. At Wesleyan, Ural was involved in a plethora of cultural and performance based shows. Ural has thoroughly enjoyed this process, and hopes to continue writing and thriving in his acting pursuits!

Jeff Lutz has performed his unique brand of stand-up comedy at venues that include the Comic Strip Live, Gotham Comedy Club, Caroline's on Broadway, and the World Famous Comedy Store in Hollywood, Ca. He has been a contributing writer for National Lampoon, a screenwriter for Mad Monkey Entertainment, and an on-air personality for WUFT- FM in Gainesville, Fl.

Sundas Malik (BMCC Student) is a communications major at BMCC who plans to transfer to Five Towns College and attain her Bachelor's Degree. Sundas is a South Asian activist and poet who focuses her work on several themes in her everyday life, as well as an aspiring filmmaker and visionary who is passionate towards creating abstract art. Her dream is to produce, write, and direct her own film. This is her debut performance as a spoken word poet.

Catherine Peters is a recent graduate from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. While at NYU she studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute of Film and Television, as well as several studios in New York City, including the New Studio on Broadway and Stonestreet Film Acting School. Currently, Catherine is a personal trainer on Union Square, but is still very much involved in the acting community. Catherine comes from a small town in the Catskills and has been involved in acting for most of her life. She is very excited to be a part of this year's Writers in Performance Workshop.

Constance Rodgers was an original member of Alec Rubin's avant-garde theatre groups, The Theatre of Encounter and Primal Theatre. She studied traditional acting with Elizabeth Dillion of HB Studios. She credits her mother, Betty Bu Rodgers, for her singing ability. In the 70's Betty Rodgers and Kenny Brawner co/produced Constance's disco single, "Love Me Until I Can't Stand It." During this same period Constance worked in independent, "B", horror movies, lesbian radio soap operas (WBAI) and commercial voice-overs. Constance left acting to become a film editor and went on to cut Bruce Weber's, "The Beauty Brothers" and Jim DeSeve's, "Tying the Knot."

Epiphany Samuels (BMCC Alumni) is a singer, actress and writer (plays, poems & songs). She is a recent graduate of BMCC'S Theatre Program and is applying to NYU to continue her acting studies. As a humanitarian and an artist she loves performing and organizing benefit/awareness events. BMCC Acting credits include: The Negros Speaks directed by Professor Marcus Dargan, and Our Town directed by Professor Diane Dowling. Before going back to school next fall she has an open schedule to entertain 24/7.

Roy Scandela (BMCC Student) As a performer and artist, Roy has found his footing as an actor both in front of the camera and on stage. He hopes to continue growing as an artist, and has recently begun to venture into the world of dance and music. Recent credits include a starring role in Ophelia, Ophelia, an independent short film, and a performance in General Mischief Dance Theatre's Up and Away this past October. "Animal" is his first original piece.

Erik Schneider Freelance performance artist and writer, Erik Schneider is a member of the artistic hoards currently residing in Brooklyn. He is a 2013 graduate of the University of WI - Stevens Point with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a Dance Minor. Erik spends his time auditioning and catering in the city, with his summers spent on the shore of Lake Kezar, working and performing at Quisisana Resort. He has been enjoying working with this incredibly inspiring group of fellow writers in Writers In Performance and hopes you will enjoy what we have created.

Corwin Tuggles (BMCC Alumni) was born and raised in Harlem, NY. At the age of 10, Corwin made his television debut as the singing voice of Tyrone, on the hit TV show "The Backyardgins". Not long after that he took his talents to a different venue and appeared as Joe Thibodeaux in the Broadway cast of Tony Kushner's "Caroline Or Change". He also performed in the Broadway production of the musical version of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas". Corwin has been in numerous of commercials/shows ranging from Mercedez Benz, Tostino's Pizza Rolls, Target, Broad-city and more. Special Thanks to God, his family and his agents at FBI (John and Heather)

Jillian Vitko is so happy to be a part of this journey. She's been writing for many years and is always grateful for the opportunity to share her words (and music) with others. She's an actor with a BA in Theatre from the University of Pittsburgh. Some favorite credits include: STRATA (Pgh Play of the Year/featured in American Theatre Magazine), The Baristas (web series), Grey Street the RockOperical (13th Street Rep), and Matt & Ben (AlphaNYC). Currently, you can find her performing musical improv around the city, and every Sunday you can see her playing a pink haired goofball on the children's musical web series Meet Me at the Wave. You can also catch her (briefly) in the new Universal Pictures movie Jem and the Holograms talking about a song she wrote! She'd like to thank Mario, Gina, and her fellow collaborators - she's had a blast working with and learning from such a talented group of people throughout this process. www.jillianvitko.com

Bria Youngblood (BMCC Student) is a New Orleans Native and BMCC/CUNY student. She dedicates her performances to everyone who tries to find the balance between everyday obstacles and pursuing their passions in life.

Gina Stevensen (Writing Coordinator/Assistant Director) is a writer, performer, and teaching artist based in Brooklyn. She received her BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch, and is currently an MFA Playwriting candidate at Columbia University. Her original work has been produced at Tribeca Performing Arts Center (WIP participant 2012-2014), Urban Stages (off-Broadway), The Point, Looking Glass Theater, and Manhattan Repertory Theater, among others. She studies and performs classical Indian dance, and is currently a teaching artist with Brooklyn College and Urban Stages. She is the artistic director of a circus and performing arts summer camp for children in Park Slope. Many thanks to Mario and the fearless cast for all your hard work! www.ginastevensen.com

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

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