RAZE - the collaborators
Martin Jago, Founding/Producing Artistic Director of RAZE THE SPACE is an interdisciplinary stage director, instructor, and writer from Great Britain who specializes in Shakespeare and the retelling of classical texts.
Educated at University of Oxford and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, he is the author of several books on Shakespeare and classical text. He also works as a commissioned playwright in the US and UK.
As a director, he employs bold and imaginative approaches to the storytelling process. For a full list credits visit the artist website at www.martinjago.net
Educated at University of Oxford and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, he is the author of several books on Shakespeare and classical text. He also works as a commissioned playwright in the US and UK.
As a director, he employs bold and imaginative approaches to the storytelling process. For a full list credits visit the artist website at www.martinjago.net
Nicola Bertram, Lead Consultant @ RAZE THE SPACE. An accomplished actress who brings three decades of industry experience and know-how to the ensemble.
Recent stage work includes Eurydice in Antigone (Raze The Space Ensemble), Mrs Martin in The Bald Soprano (Santa Monica Playhouse), Ellen Tree/Desdemona in Red Velvet (Atwater Playhouse), Alice in Ayckbourn’s Snake in The Grass (Matrix Theatre), Maria in Luigi (VS Theatre), Jami Brandli’s Death for The Vagrancy (Casa0101 Theater), Sarah in The Lover (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Isabella Bird in Top Girls (U.K. National Tour), and Inez in No Exit.
Her film & television work includes The Circle (with Tom Hanks & Emma Watson),
Shine, Green St Hooligans, Coronation St, Eastenders, The Bill, Doctors and Casualty.
Nicola has also appeared in several national commercials, most recently playing the Teacher/Vampiress Mira in Dell’s commercial promoting the latest Spider-Man movie.
Recent stage work includes Eurydice in Antigone (Raze The Space Ensemble), Mrs Martin in The Bald Soprano (Santa Monica Playhouse), Ellen Tree/Desdemona in Red Velvet (Atwater Playhouse), Alice in Ayckbourn’s Snake in The Grass (Matrix Theatre), Maria in Luigi (VS Theatre), Jami Brandli’s Death for The Vagrancy (Casa0101 Theater), Sarah in The Lover (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Isabella Bird in Top Girls (U.K. National Tour), and Inez in No Exit.
Her film & television work includes The Circle (with Tom Hanks & Emma Watson),
Shine, Green St Hooligans, Coronation St, Eastenders, The Bill, Doctors and Casualty.
Nicola has also appeared in several national commercials, most recently playing the Teacher/Vampiress Mira in Dell’s commercial promoting the latest Spider-Man movie.
Josh T. Ryan (AEA/AFTRA/SAG/SDC-Associate). Josh is Associate Artistic Director at RAZE THE SPACE and is currently co-creating and acting in RAZE's international collaborative Shakespeare trilogy with Martin Jago.
A critically acclaimed theatre actor, director, and producer, with numerous stage productions and awards, he is most known for his theatrical unorthodox approach, unique mashup adaptations, Showtimes's Lock N Load, SpikeTV's The Sales King, Josh continues to stay active in professional theatre as a coach, director, actor, and producer. www.joshtryan.com
A critically acclaimed theatre actor, director, and producer, with numerous stage productions and awards, he is most known for his theatrical unorthodox approach, unique mashup adaptations, Showtimes's Lock N Load, SpikeTV's The Sales King, Josh continues to stay active in professional theatre as a coach, director, actor, and producer. www.joshtryan.com
2019 Play Festival Collaborators
We have over thirty 2018 collaborators to add to our database. They'll be here soon!
In the meantime, thanks for you patience!
In the meantime, thanks for you patience!
Annalise Torcson is a writer who hails from the swampy environs of New Orleans. Primarily a poet, she is thrilled to be stepping into the realm of drama with RAZE THE SPACE. Her work is often concerned with the intersection of humans and the natural world, and how myth and memory inform collective experiences. She holds a BA in English and History from Tulane University, and is just completing a Masters of Philosophy in Irish Writing at Trinity College Dublin. Currently, she is a student in the University of Oxford’s Masters in Creative Writing program, and will soon be returning to the volcanic landscape of the Pacific Northwest.
J.P. McLaurin (Director) Originally from South Carolina, J.P. is a founding member of Boots on the Ground Theater and a graduate of Coastal Carolina University. In addition to his studies at CCU, he has worked and trained at the Guthrie Theater, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and the SITI Company with director Anne Bogart. Recent directing credits include Grounded (Piccolo Spoleto Festival); Assassins (Asst. Director, Theater Latté Da); Hamlet (Asst. Director, Park Square Theatre); Three Sisters, Marisol (CCU); Catatonic (Atlantic Stage's New Voices PlayFest); and The Giving Tree (Fine Arts Center). Acting credits include Love's Labour's Lost and Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey); Big Love; Pride & Prejudice; A Rehearsal for Celebrations; and Picnic (CCU); Assassins and The Who’s Tommy (College of Charleston); Lincoln’s Last Day (Smithsonian Channel) and Identity (CW). He is an alumnus of the Directors Lab at the Pasadena Playhouse. www.jpmclaurin.com
Antigone collaborators:
Katie Rodriguez (Antigone) is a BFA graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Right after graduation, her first venture into the real world was being directed in a production of Hamlet by none other than Martin Jago. Since then, she has performed in many theatres around the Los Angeles area. Some of her favorite credits include: When We Were Young and Unafraid (Mary Anne), Dog Sees God (Van's Sister), The Diary of Anne Frank (Anne), Jesus Hopped the A Train (Mary Jane), and Brighton Beach Memoirs (Laurie). These days, she keeps busy in classes at Antaeus Theatre Company, Beverly Hills Playhouse, and The Groundlings. No, she does not ever sleep.
"Thank you Martin for bringing me on another adventure!"
Right after graduation, her first venture into the real world was being directed in a production of Hamlet by none other than Martin Jago. Since then, she has performed in many theatres around the Los Angeles area. Some of her favorite credits include: When We Were Young and Unafraid (Mary Anne), Dog Sees God (Van's Sister), The Diary of Anne Frank (Anne), Jesus Hopped the A Train (Mary Jane), and Brighton Beach Memoirs (Laurie). These days, she keeps busy in classes at Antaeus Theatre Company, Beverly Hills Playhouse, and The Groundlings. No, she does not ever sleep.
"Thank you Martin for bringing me on another adventure!"
Zoe Yale is a recent graduate of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television with a Bachelor’s Degree in Acting and Directing. Since graduating, she has appeared in the indie horror film Aftermath, has written and directed her first short film, Big and Little Witch, and appeared in The Classical Theatre Lab's reading of The History of Cardenio, directed by Stuart Howard.
Favorite past roles include Touchstone in As You Like It, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and Edna in Waiting for Lefty. Zoe loves clowning, graphic novels, drag, and all forms of whimsy.
She is excited to work with Martin, Stuart, and the entire team of Antigone!
Favorite past roles include Touchstone in As You Like It, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and Edna in Waiting for Lefty. Zoe loves clowning, graphic novels, drag, and all forms of whimsy.
She is excited to work with Martin, Stuart, and the entire team of Antigone!
Stuart W. Howard's extensive acting credits include, Los Angeles: Friar Laurence/Romeo & Juliet (Lovers & Madmen); soliloquies w/orchestra/Glories of Shakespeare (Disney Hall); Bernard in Arcadia (CSU-LA); Tom in Skylight (Fremont Centre Theatre); Capt. Keller/Miracle Worker (Matrix and Edgemar Theatres); George/Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Hollywood Court Theatre); Menelaus/Trojan Women (Getty Centre); Herald/Marat/Sade, Vladimir/Waiting for Godot, Soldignac/There's One in Every Marriage, Shawn/Playboy of the Western World; Stephen/Otherwise Engaged (PRT); Benedick/Much Ado, Iago/Othello, Sen. Chalmers/Theft, Alceste/Misanthrope (Classical Theatre Lab); Napoleon/Back to Methusaleh (LA Rep); Duke of Dunstable/Patience (Antaeus); Sir Robert/An Ideal Husband (Met Theatre); Capulet & Friar/Romeo & Juliet (Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum).
New York: Off-Broadway: Jeffrey/Hideaway Hilton; OOB: Vindice/Revenger's Tragedy, Charles/The Lucky Chance, Fairfield/Hyde Park, (Beacon Project); Cassius/Julius Caesar, Him/Loveliest Afternoon of the Year (ESP). Regional: Capt. Corcoran/H.M.S. Pinafore (aboard H.M.S. Rose); Smirnov/The Brute (Pittsburgh Playhouse Festival); Charley/Annie Get Your Gun (Lutcher Theatre); Berowne/Love’s Labour’s Lost (Center Stage, Austin TX), etc.
Film/Video/Online: Back Bench Bard: Shakespeare monologues; Pawn to a King (with Ron Canada); Afternoons with Lou; Days of Our Lives (recurring); Radio: Playboy of the Western World/LA Theatreworks.
New York: Off-Broadway: Jeffrey/Hideaway Hilton; OOB: Vindice/Revenger's Tragedy, Charles/The Lucky Chance, Fairfield/Hyde Park, (Beacon Project); Cassius/Julius Caesar, Him/Loveliest Afternoon of the Year (ESP). Regional: Capt. Corcoran/H.M.S. Pinafore (aboard H.M.S. Rose); Smirnov/The Brute (Pittsburgh Playhouse Festival); Charley/Annie Get Your Gun (Lutcher Theatre); Berowne/Love’s Labour’s Lost (Center Stage, Austin TX), etc.
Film/Video/Online: Back Bench Bard: Shakespeare monologues; Pawn to a King (with Ron Canada); Afternoons with Lou; Days of Our Lives (recurring); Radio: Playboy of the Western World/LA Theatreworks.
Ian Runge is thrilled to be playing the role of Haemon for RAZE THE SPACE's Antigone.
Ian received his B.A. in Theatre from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television, and has since been participating in many trivia nights at the local bar as well as honing his own bartending skills.
Some of his favorite past roles include Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Henry Bolingbroke in Richard II and Henry IV, and Steve in Grace.
Ian received his B.A. in Theatre from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television, and has since been participating in many trivia nights at the local bar as well as honing his own bartending skills.
Some of his favorite past roles include Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Henry Bolingbroke in Richard II and Henry IV, and Steve in Grace.
John Achorn is an actor, director, and teacher. He is a master teacher of the commedia dell'Arte, which he studied under the late Carlo Mazzone-Clementi, and with whom he helped found the noted Dell’Arte School in Humboldt County.
LA stage: The Curse of Oedipus (Antaeus), Synesthesia LA, 2012 (Athena/Bootleg), The Seagull, The Malcontent (Antaeus) The Capulets & Montagues (ANDAK), The Importance of Being Earnest (LA Women’s Shakespeare), The Arsonists (Odyssey), Golden State (Dell’Arte/24th Street), Fafalo! (Ziggurat), Master Class and The Wood Demon (Mark Taper), La Bête (Stages/John Anson Ford), Mercadet, Mysteries and Mayhem, and Norman Corwin’s The Plot to Overthrow Christmas (Antaeus Company), Bullshot Crummond, Footlight Frenzy (Low Moan Spectacular), plus productions at the Virginia Avenue Project, Powerhouse, Padua Hills Playwrights Festival, The Magic Theatre (S.F.).
Film: Almost Broadway, Born Yesterday, Book of Love, Night of the Comet, Beverly Hills Cop, The Incredible Shrinking Woman
TV: Talk Show with Spike Feresten, Days of Our Lives, McBride, Lazarus Man, Quantum Leap, Fresh Prince, Murphy Brown, Golden Girls, Newhart and the role of Don Kipper on the CBS sitcom Bailey Kipper’s P.O.V.
He has been seen in numerous commercials, and done voice work in many films.
John is also currently teaching various classes at Santa Monica Emeritus College. He is also a founding member of Studio Zanni, a commedia dell’Arte company in Los Angeles. He has also taught acting and directed at University of Redlands, UCLA, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He is a long-standing member of The Antaeus Company.
LA stage: The Curse of Oedipus (Antaeus), Synesthesia LA, 2012 (Athena/Bootleg), The Seagull, The Malcontent (Antaeus) The Capulets & Montagues (ANDAK), The Importance of Being Earnest (LA Women’s Shakespeare), The Arsonists (Odyssey), Golden State (Dell’Arte/24th Street), Fafalo! (Ziggurat), Master Class and The Wood Demon (Mark Taper), La Bête (Stages/John Anson Ford), Mercadet, Mysteries and Mayhem, and Norman Corwin’s The Plot to Overthrow Christmas (Antaeus Company), Bullshot Crummond, Footlight Frenzy (Low Moan Spectacular), plus productions at the Virginia Avenue Project, Powerhouse, Padua Hills Playwrights Festival, The Magic Theatre (S.F.).
Film: Almost Broadway, Born Yesterday, Book of Love, Night of the Comet, Beverly Hills Cop, The Incredible Shrinking Woman
TV: Talk Show with Spike Feresten, Days of Our Lives, McBride, Lazarus Man, Quantum Leap, Fresh Prince, Murphy Brown, Golden Girls, Newhart and the role of Don Kipper on the CBS sitcom Bailey Kipper’s P.O.V.
He has been seen in numerous commercials, and done voice work in many films.
John is also currently teaching various classes at Santa Monica Emeritus College. He is also a founding member of Studio Zanni, a commedia dell’Arte company in Los Angeles. He has also taught acting and directed at University of Redlands, UCLA, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He is a long-standing member of The Antaeus Company.
Liz Femi recurs as Liz, an ambitious writer’s assistant on Love, a Netflix project co-produced with Judd Apatow. Last season, she faced off David Duchovny as a grief-stricken maid in Aquarius, disapproved of patriarchy as a feminist skeptic in the Netflix feature, A Futile & Stupid Gesture, placated Amy Poehler as polite social worker on Parks & Recreation, and side-stepped Nick Kroll’s self-denial on The Kroll Show.
Liz's solo show, Take Me To The Poorhouse, is a comedy about a middle-class Nigerian kid who dreams of being poor to win the love of a poor classmate. It won Ms. Magazine's Top 10 Shows at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, Best of Fringe, Best International Show, a Duende Distinction, and NAACP Theatre Award nomination. Liz holds an M Ed. in Education and an MFA in Acting from Harvard University.
Liz's solo show, Take Me To The Poorhouse, is a comedy about a middle-class Nigerian kid who dreams of being poor to win the love of a poor classmate. It won Ms. Magazine's Top 10 Shows at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, Best of Fringe, Best International Show, a Duende Distinction, and NAACP Theatre Award nomination. Liz holds an M Ed. in Education and an MFA in Acting from Harvard University.
Christine Avila is an award-winning actress whose credits include Zoot Suit, the original cast at the Mark Taper Forum, Merchant of Venice (Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Co.), Coyote Cycle (Padua Hills Playwrights Festival), Julius Caesar (CASA 0101 Theatre) Robert Beltran – Director, Agamemnon (L.A. Olympics Arts Festival; Stephen Berkoff, Director).
She is a seven-time participant at the Sundance Playwrights Festival, Utah. Recent screen credits include: Bosch, 24, House, 1600 Penn, Liar Liar. Narration: The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez (Random House Publishing), an Audio File citation for one of the 10 best narrations; Zorro (Cartoon series regular). 2004 City of LA Citation for performance in Dogeaters.
UCLA Extension; Longstanding member of the Television Academy of Arts & Sciences, SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association. Visit www.christineavila.com.
She is a seven-time participant at the Sundance Playwrights Festival, Utah. Recent screen credits include: Bosch, 24, House, 1600 Penn, Liar Liar. Narration: The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez (Random House Publishing), an Audio File citation for one of the 10 best narrations; Zorro (Cartoon series regular). 2004 City of LA Citation for performance in Dogeaters.
UCLA Extension; Longstanding member of the Television Academy of Arts & Sciences, SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association. Visit www.christineavila.com.
Robert Harlan Greene left teaching only to play teachers in Guncrazy; Beverly Hills 90210; and Parker Lewis (recurring). Other television and films include The Young and the Restless (recurring), Star Trek: Voyager; General Hospital; Cocktail; Thieves' Market; and State of Fear. Stage roles include Falstaff in Henry IV, 1 and 2, Fluellen in Henry V, Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Gloucester in King Lear, Sir Anthony Absolute in The Rivals, Chris in Anna Christie, Burgess in Candida, Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors, George in That Championship Season, the Salesman in Carry the Tiger to the Mountain, and multiple roles in A Christmas Carol at the Kodak Theatre.
Robert studied Shakespeare with Lynn Redgrave, and holds a Masters Degree in Oral Interpretation of Literature from Northwestern University.
Robert studied Shakespeare with Lynn Redgrave, and holds a Masters Degree in Oral Interpretation of Literature from Northwestern University.
Mark Hein has been making theatre for over 50 years, as an actor, director, playwright, and critic. He's spent the last twenty years among LA's small theatres "because that's where the creative fires are hottest."
As an actor, Mark has created characters from monsters of the unconscious, Biblical heroes, a dead chorus girl, and a Moliere fop (all with Zombie Joe's Underground) to as many ten people at once in "It's a Wonderful Life" (Pierce College) and "The Laramie Project" (Celebration Theatre).
He's also appearing as a bird-loving wizard in the family-friendly "Park Project" at parks and museums around the city. A lifelong lover of the classics, Mark is thrilled to work with Jago on this compact, lively Antigone - a story that is painfully relevant today.
As an actor, Mark has created characters from monsters of the unconscious, Biblical heroes, a dead chorus girl, and a Moliere fop (all with Zombie Joe's Underground) to as many ten people at once in "It's a Wonderful Life" (Pierce College) and "The Laramie Project" (Celebration Theatre).
He's also appearing as a bird-loving wizard in the family-friendly "Park Project" at parks and museums around the city. A lifelong lover of the classics, Mark is thrilled to work with Jago on this compact, lively Antigone - a story that is painfully relevant today.
Von Rae Wood’s credits include Clairee in Steel Magnolias (Repertory East, Rubicon and Laguna Playhouse; directed by Jenny Sullivan). Mrs. Soames in Our Town, Sandy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (both directed by Jenny Sullivan at the Rubicon.) The Rubicon’s Ovation award-winning production of All My Sons as Sue Bayliss, and as Frau Farenkopf in Night of the Iguana with Stephanie and Efram Zimbalist, which toured to Manitoba Theater Center in Winnipeg, (both directed by James O’Neil),
Los Angeles audiences have seen her most recently as Barbara in Harry Kondoleon’s Anteroom (directed by Larry McCallister ) at 2100 Square Feet. In the premiere of Gene Franklin Smith’s Rubicon, at the Coast Playhouse and Matrix Theater as Louella Parsons in Steven Peros’ Cat’s Meow, (directed by Jenny Sullivan). At Theatre of N.O.T.E. where she appeared as Rosignol in their production of Marat/Sade (directed by Bradford Mays).
She is a founding member of WRITE/ACT Rep, where she has appeared in the world premiere of Ellen Byron’s Old Sins, Long Shadows. In Gene Franklin Smith’s Devil’s Consort and in his adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Bleak House (directed by Larry McCallister), and Clyde Derrick’s musical Angel’s Flight (directed by Stefan Novinski).
Off-Broadway favorite roles include the lead role of Crystal in the New York premiere of Lee and Marilyn Nestor’s Even In Laughter at the INTAR. Other regional roles include Isabella in Measure for Measure, Karen in The Children’s Hour, Nancy in Oliver, and Abigail in The Crucible. Television and film roles include Another World; The Guiding Light; Law and Order; Coming To America; Purple Rose of Cairo; and Ghost Busters II.
Los Angeles audiences have seen her most recently as Barbara in Harry Kondoleon’s Anteroom (directed by Larry McCallister ) at 2100 Square Feet. In the premiere of Gene Franklin Smith’s Rubicon, at the Coast Playhouse and Matrix Theater as Louella Parsons in Steven Peros’ Cat’s Meow, (directed by Jenny Sullivan). At Theatre of N.O.T.E. where she appeared as Rosignol in their production of Marat/Sade (directed by Bradford Mays).
She is a founding member of WRITE/ACT Rep, where she has appeared in the world premiere of Ellen Byron’s Old Sins, Long Shadows. In Gene Franklin Smith’s Devil’s Consort and in his adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Bleak House (directed by Larry McCallister), and Clyde Derrick’s musical Angel’s Flight (directed by Stefan Novinski).
Off-Broadway favorite roles include the lead role of Crystal in the New York premiere of Lee and Marilyn Nestor’s Even In Laughter at the INTAR. Other regional roles include Isabella in Measure for Measure, Karen in The Children’s Hour, Nancy in Oliver, and Abigail in The Crucible. Television and film roles include Another World; The Guiding Light; Law and Order; Coming To America; Purple Rose of Cairo; and Ghost Busters II.
Breeze Smith: drums, percussion, instrument designer/builder, and educator. Click here for interview.
Performing: solo and ensemble formats in Europe and the U.S. with Dwight Trible, Billy Childs, Nicole Mitchell, David Ornette Cherry and many other musical artists.
Studies in Ethnomusicology, facilitated workshops, and sound guided meditations with a myriad of gongs, singing bowls and eclectic percussion.
Improvising with modern dance and movement artists, among them, his wife, Cheryl Banks-Smith, famed dancer with Sun Ra, Peter Kowald, Cecil Taylor and Dianne McIntyre.
Guest artist at the Capital University Music Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio. Performing on five Breezemuse sound sculptures, which led to individual commissioned sculptures.
Recordings: solo, SightSoundingBackDrops+8 of which two tracks used for independent films. Three projects with his brother, Stan Smith – Pathways; Silent Memory and Tadashi's Room.
Project tRio919 with Tony Green on basses/production and Esse Costantini Green on piano and electric keys. Release of f o u n d a t i o n with guest, Vinny Golia on woodwinds.
Performing: solo and ensemble formats in Europe and the U.S. with Dwight Trible, Billy Childs, Nicole Mitchell, David Ornette Cherry and many other musical artists.
Studies in Ethnomusicology, facilitated workshops, and sound guided meditations with a myriad of gongs, singing bowls and eclectic percussion.
Improvising with modern dance and movement artists, among them, his wife, Cheryl Banks-Smith, famed dancer with Sun Ra, Peter Kowald, Cecil Taylor and Dianne McIntyre.
Guest artist at the Capital University Music Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio. Performing on five Breezemuse sound sculptures, which led to individual commissioned sculptures.
Recordings: solo, SightSoundingBackDrops+8 of which two tracks used for independent films. Three projects with his brother, Stan Smith – Pathways; Silent Memory and Tadashi's Room.
Project tRio919 with Tony Green on basses/production and Esse Costantini Green on piano and electric keys. Release of f o u n d a t i o n with guest, Vinny Golia on woodwinds.
Tony Green’s pursuit of music has led him in three areas of interest: performing, composing, and recording.
He began his musical journey at ten years old playing guitar but quickly found the bass more to his liking. While studying at University of Colorado Denver, he studied with bassist Adolph Mares, acoustic bassist David Potter with the Denver symphony orchestra, and with renowned bassist Brian Bromberg. After graduating he moved to Boston, studied privately and performed with numerous musicians, most notably, Jamie Stewardson, Kevin Kastning, Carl Clements, and Jennifer Trynin.
In 1991, he moved to Los Angeles and toured with Kevin Prosch and the Black Peppercorns. Since then, he has played and recorded with great artists like Bill Burgess, Sarah Pillow, Mark Wagnon, Breeze Smith, Vinny Gollia, Chris Falson, David J. The Well Pennies, Angela McClusky, Greg Lake, and Jess Penner, just to name a few.
In 2001, he started Ear Gallery Music. Ear Gallery is a fully-equipped, bijou studio and has produced albums for David J. – Not Long For This World and An Eclipse of Ships; and for The Well Pennies, Endings; also Trio 919 with special guest Vinny Golia, and Space Dozer, In Light of Darkness. Other projects include film scores, and v.o. work for documentaries, instructional videos, books on tape, and animated shows.
As a composer he has released a solo album, Mercy Through This Perilous Mischance and has co-written the CD Day 3 with Bill Burgess called. He has composed for three films: Falling Away directed by Michael Trozzo, and two shorts: Dewit and Maria and Slippery Slope.
He began his musical journey at ten years old playing guitar but quickly found the bass more to his liking. While studying at University of Colorado Denver, he studied with bassist Adolph Mares, acoustic bassist David Potter with the Denver symphony orchestra, and with renowned bassist Brian Bromberg. After graduating he moved to Boston, studied privately and performed with numerous musicians, most notably, Jamie Stewardson, Kevin Kastning, Carl Clements, and Jennifer Trynin.
In 1991, he moved to Los Angeles and toured with Kevin Prosch and the Black Peppercorns. Since then, he has played and recorded with great artists like Bill Burgess, Sarah Pillow, Mark Wagnon, Breeze Smith, Vinny Gollia, Chris Falson, David J. The Well Pennies, Angela McClusky, Greg Lake, and Jess Penner, just to name a few.
In 2001, he started Ear Gallery Music. Ear Gallery is a fully-equipped, bijou studio and has produced albums for David J. – Not Long For This World and An Eclipse of Ships; and for The Well Pennies, Endings; also Trio 919 with special guest Vinny Golia, and Space Dozer, In Light of Darkness. Other projects include film scores, and v.o. work for documentaries, instructional videos, books on tape, and animated shows.
As a composer he has released a solo album, Mercy Through This Perilous Mischance and has co-written the CD Day 3 with Bill Burgess called. He has composed for three films: Falling Away directed by Michael Trozzo, and two shorts: Dewit and Maria and Slippery Slope.
2016 U.K. collaborators:
In 2016, New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth, England collaborated with RAZE THE SPACE to bring the series of short plays Us & Them, produced by RAZE THE SPACE in 2015 to an international audience. An Associate Artist of the New Royal Theatre, Martin Jago is looking forward to developing even more international theatre collaboration and bringing a bit of Hollywood to his home town.
Bernie C. Byrnes is an established UK theatrical practitioner, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Guild of Directors.
She has staged work nationally and internationally including projects at The Globe
and with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Bernie has a PhD in Literary Criticism and is an award-winning writer, director, and dramaturg.
Bernie took part in the 2015 staged readings at Samuel French on Sunset Boulevard where she won Best Play for her short, Fifteen Minutes. Bernie went on to direct several of the plays featured at the RAZE THE SPACE event when New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth, England, hosted a 2016 week-long reading series of the work in the U.K.
She has staged work nationally and internationally including projects at The Globe
and with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Bernie has a PhD in Literary Criticism and is an award-winning writer, director, and dramaturg.
Bernie took part in the 2015 staged readings at Samuel French on Sunset Boulevard where she won Best Play for her short, Fifteen Minutes. Bernie went on to direct several of the plays featured at the RAZE THE SPACE event when New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth, England, hosted a 2016 week-long reading series of the work in the U.K.
A 2016 U.K. collaborator, Estelle Poingdestre was a cast member of the New Theatre Royal's Play A Day series in which she played the role of Doctor Cooper in David Macgregor's short Small Talk. The series of plays produced in England began life at RAZE THE SPACE in 2015.
Estelle began working with Bernie Byrnes as part of a new initiative: the New Theatre Royal Players in 2015.
The refurbishment and reopening of the historic Matchams Theatre at New Royal Theatre has presented opportunities for Estelle to work with Rachael Goodall and Nick Downs, director of the Southsea Shakespere Actors. She is excited to have had the opportunity to work within RAZE THE SPACE.
Estelle began working with Bernie Byrnes as part of a new initiative: the New Theatre Royal Players in 2015.
The refurbishment and reopening of the historic Matchams Theatre at New Royal Theatre has presented opportunities for Estelle to work with Rachael Goodall and Nick Downs, director of the Southsea Shakespere Actors. She is excited to have had the opportunity to work within RAZE THE SPACE.
Tom White is a U.K. collaborator who co-produced the 2016 Play A Day series at New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth, England, and featuring several plays by RAZE THE SPACE writers.
Tom also played the role of Anthony in David MacGregor's play Small Talk.
An accomplished and diverse performer, Tom is a currently a theatre major at Portsmouth University.
Tom also played the role of Anthony in David MacGregor's play Small Talk.
An accomplished and diverse performer, Tom is a currently a theatre major at Portsmouth University.
Francesca Marago is a U.K. collaborator of RAZE THE SPACE and played the role of Rachel in David MacGregor's short play Small Talk. The play was produced as part of New Theatre Royal's Play A Day staged readings in March 2016 and was one of several plays first produced by RAZE THE SPACE in Hollywood in 2015.
Francesca is a first year Drama and Performance student at The University of Portsmouth, England. She is also a graduate of the foundation course in Acting at the Oxford School of Drama.
Recent credits include the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland at the Richmond Theatre. She also appeared in the feature film Parallel Lines (Future Imperfect Productions).
From a young age Francesca has been a member of Amanda Redman's Artist Theatre School in West London. Other notable coaching includes work with Barbara Flynn (Shakespeare text and language).
Francesca is a first year Drama and Performance student at The University of Portsmouth, England. She is also a graduate of the foundation course in Acting at the Oxford School of Drama.
Recent credits include the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland at the Richmond Theatre. She also appeared in the feature film Parallel Lines (Future Imperfect Productions).
From a young age Francesca has been a member of Amanda Redman's Artist Theatre School in West London. Other notable coaching includes work with Barbara Flynn (Shakespeare text and language).
The following artists were 2015 Us & Them project collaborators:
We teamed up with The Samuel French Hollywood Bookshop on Sunset Blvd for for a series of RAZE THE SPACE staged readings. The next event "US & THEM" will be at 12 P.M. on Saturday May 9th, 2015.
Check out our What's New page for more details.
A special thank you to Book Store Manager Joyce Mehess for hosting this event.
Check out our What's New page for more details.
A special thank you to Book Store Manager Joyce Mehess for hosting this event.
Kate Motzenbacker is a co-founder of The Others, a theater company focused on new plays and devised work, with a commitment to diversity and to telling outsiders' stories.
She recently spearheaded the company’s devised adaptation of Djuna Barnes’ queer modernist novel Nightwood, called The Life of the Night.
Other credits include Consider the Night (Hollywood Fringe), Them (Chalk Rep's Flash Festival), and Dido, Queen of Carthage (Downtown Rep).
She is a recent participant in Directors Lab West and a graduate of Bard College.
She recently spearheaded the company’s devised adaptation of Djuna Barnes’ queer modernist novel Nightwood, called The Life of the Night.
Other credits include Consider the Night (Hollywood Fringe), Them (Chalk Rep's Flash Festival), and Dido, Queen of Carthage (Downtown Rep).
She is a recent participant in Directors Lab West and a graduate of Bard College.
A mix of Israeli passion and British refinement, Shelly Skandrani was born in Tel Aviv and grew up in London.
She won critical acclaim for her supporting role in Showtime's The Devil's Arithmetic starring alongside Kirsten Dunst and Brittany Murphy.
Her recent films, Sharia and The C Gate, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014 and 2015 respectively and she is currently starring in Children's TV pilot, Superstars and a spy web-series, Lies.
A keen interest in anthropology, Shelly has traveled widely, gathering stories and broadening her collection of ideas and characters.
A valedictorian of Israel's leading performance conservatoire, Beit Zvi, she received extensive classical training and has a broad array of experience across all fields. This includes a diverse range of lead roles in theatre - Yerma in Yerma and The Bride in Blood Wedding both by Lorca, Alma Winemiller in Williams' Summer & Smoke, Maggie in After The Fall by Arthur Miller, Phaedra in Jean Racine's Phaedra, and many more.
For more details visit http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0803840/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
She won critical acclaim for her supporting role in Showtime's The Devil's Arithmetic starring alongside Kirsten Dunst and Brittany Murphy.
Her recent films, Sharia and The C Gate, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014 and 2015 respectively and she is currently starring in Children's TV pilot, Superstars and a spy web-series, Lies.
A keen interest in anthropology, Shelly has traveled widely, gathering stories and broadening her collection of ideas and characters.
A valedictorian of Israel's leading performance conservatoire, Beit Zvi, she received extensive classical training and has a broad array of experience across all fields. This includes a diverse range of lead roles in theatre - Yerma in Yerma and The Bride in Blood Wedding both by Lorca, Alma Winemiller in Williams' Summer & Smoke, Maggie in After The Fall by Arthur Miller, Phaedra in Jean Racine's Phaedra, and many more.
For more details visit http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0803840/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Donna Latham is thrilled to be involved with RAZE THE SPACE!
Her plays have been produced coast to coast and across the pond.
We Will Share the Sky was a Kennedy Center Finalist for the David Mark Cohen Playwriting Award and the recipient of the National Theatre for Young Audiences Playwriting Award. Grievances and Whirligigs was part of the Biscuit Tin Reading Series in Belfast and had readings at No Shame Athens in Georgia and the EstroGenius Festival at the Manhattan Theatre Source. A Midnight Clear: The Christmas Truce of 1914 was a semi-finalist, Dionysus Cup Festival of New Plays; Polarity Ensemble Theatre Company, Chicago. It will go up in December at the Batavia Arts Council in Illinois.
Her plays have been produced coast to coast and across the pond.
We Will Share the Sky was a Kennedy Center Finalist for the David Mark Cohen Playwriting Award and the recipient of the National Theatre for Young Audiences Playwriting Award. Grievances and Whirligigs was part of the Biscuit Tin Reading Series in Belfast and had readings at No Shame Athens in Georgia and the EstroGenius Festival at the Manhattan Theatre Source. A Midnight Clear: The Christmas Truce of 1914 was a semi-finalist, Dionysus Cup Festival of New Plays; Polarity Ensemble Theatre Company, Chicago. It will go up in December at the Batavia Arts Council in Illinois.
Josh T. Ryan - see 2017 collaborators for Josh's profile.
Dee Smith's stage career began in the 90s performing improv. She was part of the Orange County Crazies, the comedy troupe founded by Cherie Kerr and has performed in numerous stage productions including Zombie Joe's Underground and many others in the Los Angeles area.
A recipient of the Best Actress Award for her performance in All Out, which premiered at the Dallas Black Film Festival, she went on to produce her first film project, Primal Cries, a documentary on women's rights and FGM.
The stage play, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot earned her 5 LA WEEKLY Nominations, and brought home two producing awards – Best Ensemble Production of the Year and Best Revival Production of the Year. She also earned a NAACP Theatre Awards nomination for the same production.
Having recently written, produced and directed her first short film, Secrets, she is currently producing a feature film slated to shoot in Spring 2015.
A recipient of the Best Actress Award for her performance in All Out, which premiered at the Dallas Black Film Festival, she went on to produce her first film project, Primal Cries, a documentary on women's rights and FGM.
The stage play, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot earned her 5 LA WEEKLY Nominations, and brought home two producing awards – Best Ensemble Production of the Year and Best Revival Production of the Year. She also earned a NAACP Theatre Awards nomination for the same production.
Having recently written, produced and directed her first short film, Secrets, she is currently producing a feature film slated to shoot in Spring 2015.
A classically-trained dancer, Melissa Kite (SAG/AFTRA/AEA), won a scholarship to study with the Houston Ballet from the age of 15.
After attending The University of Texas and then Parsons School of Design, she returned to her love of performing arts and began her training as an actress in New York.
Recent credits include FILM/TV - co-star on House, recurring on BigLove, co-star on Bunheads, guest star on America’s Most Wanted; leads in Toscar Films' Skyfell and 12 Days a Stripper.
THEATRE - World premieres include Bess Houdini in critically-loved FLIM FLAM: Houdini and the Hereafter by Gene Franklin Smith and Somewhere... by Antony Bowman, directed by Jeanie Drynan.
Melissa is a Lifetime member of The Actor’s Studio and a member of The Road Theater. To see more, please visit www.melissakite.com
Melissa is currently playing Lady Macbeth in MACBETH at Zombie Joe’s Underground in Los Angeles. And at Cannes Film Festival – the lead in a short film, Hidden Sins, by Mercedes Mercado.
After attending The University of Texas and then Parsons School of Design, she returned to her love of performing arts and began her training as an actress in New York.
Recent credits include FILM/TV - co-star on House, recurring on BigLove, co-star on Bunheads, guest star on America’s Most Wanted; leads in Toscar Films' Skyfell and 12 Days a Stripper.
THEATRE - World premieres include Bess Houdini in critically-loved FLIM FLAM: Houdini and the Hereafter by Gene Franklin Smith and Somewhere... by Antony Bowman, directed by Jeanie Drynan.
Melissa is a Lifetime member of The Actor’s Studio and a member of The Road Theater. To see more, please visit www.melissakite.com
Melissa is currently playing Lady Macbeth in MACBETH at Zombie Joe’s Underground in Los Angeles. And at Cannes Film Festival – the lead in a short film, Hidden Sins, by Mercedes Mercado.
David MacGregor’s plays have been performed from California to New York to London and Hobart, Tasmania.
He is a resident artist at the Purple Rose Theatre (Chelsea, MI), where five of his plays have been produced (The Late Great Henry Boyle, Vino Veritas, Gravity, Consider the Oyster, and Just Desserts).
In 2013, his Christmas comedy, Scrooge Macbeth; or, A Shakespearean Christmas, premiered at Theatre B in Fargo, North Dakota, and his newest play, The Antichrist Cometh, premiered at The Chameleon Theatre Circle in Minnesota this past November.
In 2014, his plays received thirty-eight productions in seven different countries.
The film based on his dark comedy, Vino Veritas, which stars Carrie Preston (of True Blood and Emmy-winner for The Good Wife), is now available on various online platforms. He is currently working on a TV series to be shot in Michigan with Jeff Daniels, Timothy Busfield, and Melissa Gilbert.
He is a resident artist at the Purple Rose Theatre (Chelsea, MI), where five of his plays have been produced (The Late Great Henry Boyle, Vino Veritas, Gravity, Consider the Oyster, and Just Desserts).
In 2013, his Christmas comedy, Scrooge Macbeth; or, A Shakespearean Christmas, premiered at Theatre B in Fargo, North Dakota, and his newest play, The Antichrist Cometh, premiered at The Chameleon Theatre Circle in Minnesota this past November.
In 2014, his plays received thirty-eight productions in seven different countries.
The film based on his dark comedy, Vino Veritas, which stars Carrie Preston (of True Blood and Emmy-winner for The Good Wife), is now available on various online platforms. He is currently working on a TV series to be shot in Michigan with Jeff Daniels, Timothy Busfield, and Melissa Gilbert.
Mark Hein - See 2017 collaborators for Mark's profile.
Ian Heath originally hails from St. Louis, MO.
Past productions include I Hate Hamlet; Much Ado About Nothing; and Assassins.
Ian can currently be seen performing in Urban Death at Zombie Joe’s Underground.
Past productions include I Hate Hamlet; Much Ado About Nothing; and Assassins.
Ian can currently be seen performing in Urban Death at Zombie Joe’s Underground.
Abel Horwitz acts and he writes. Most notably, he has performed in Urban Death at Zombie Joe's Underground 100+ times and written eight short films for the production company Seraph Films. He will next be seen in La Llorona at the 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival.
Abel grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Yes, he's met the guys from Breaking Bad. They were very nice.
Abel grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Yes, he's met the guys from Breaking Bad. They were very nice.
Jenny Gustavsson moved from Sweden to LA in 2011 to pursue her career as an actress. She holds a degree in theater from Santa Monica College.
Her favorite credits include Salome in Salome, Miranda in The Tempest, Ensemble/dancer in Cesar & Ruben and Hot Box Girl in Guys & Dolls.
She is currently playing one of the witches in a production of Macbeth at the Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre.
Her favorite credits include Salome in Salome, Miranda in The Tempest, Ensemble/dancer in Cesar & Ruben and Hot Box Girl in Guys & Dolls.
She is currently playing one of the witches in a production of Macbeth at the Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre.
Brett Hursey's comedies have appeared in over a hundred theaters across the country including venues in Chicago, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hollywood, as well as internationally in England, Belgium, Luxembourg, Romania, Australia and Canada.
He's also had over forty off/off-off Broadway productions in Manhattan.
He's also had over forty off/off-off Broadway productions in Manhattan.
Ashley Steed is a director and producer. In Los Angeles she has worked for the Colony Theatre, the Road Theatre, Ghost Road Company and LA Stage Alliance. She co-created a devised piece in New York called The Visceral City Project. In London she’s assisted directed Much Ado About Nothing at Park Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Chelsea Theatre (both dir. Andrew Shepherd) and Bunbury Banter’s Mortar radio series (dir. Ali Anderson-Dyer). She also co-produced a London tour of Guns, Love and Chemistry with Define Choice.
Ashley holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Southern California and an MA in Theatre and Performance from Queen Mary, University of London.
She is a company member of Son of Semele and is a moderator for L.A. Theater Network. For more information go to www.ashleysteed.com
Ashley holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Southern California and an MA in Theatre and Performance from Queen Mary, University of London.
She is a company member of Son of Semele and is a moderator for L.A. Theater Network. For more information go to www.ashleysteed.com
Dan Via is a member of Son of Semele Ensemble, appearing in the company’s recent productions The City, Our Class, Civilization (All You Can Eat) and The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle.
A long-time resident of Washington, DC, Dan was a member of Catalyst Theater Company and performed with many of that city's leading theaters.
His play DADDY enjoyed a sold-out run in New York, followed by a four-month run in Los Angeles; the film adaptation premieres this summer.
A long-time resident of Washington, DC, Dan was a member of Catalyst Theater Company and performed with many of that city's leading theaters.
His play DADDY enjoyed a sold-out run in New York, followed by a four-month run in Los Angeles; the film adaptation premieres this summer.
Sarah Rosenberg has been a proud member of Son of Semele Ensemble since 2012 and has appeared in the award-winning Our Class by Tadeusz Slobodzianek, Jason Grote’s Civilization (All You Can Eat) and most recently The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle to name a few.
Other notable performances include The Chalk Boy directed by Courtney Sale and The Wolf directed by Rick Pagano. She also works in television and film, most recently on CBS’s Battle Creek.
Sarah is currently knocking it out of the park in A Single Shade of Grey, late-night Fridays in Silverlake. You should probably check it out.
Other notable performances include The Chalk Boy directed by Courtney Sale and The Wolf directed by Rick Pagano. She also works in television and film, most recently on CBS’s Battle Creek.
Sarah is currently knocking it out of the park in A Single Shade of Grey, late-night Fridays in Silverlake. You should probably check it out.
Roy Proctor turned to playwriting in 2012 after a 30-year career as the staff theater critic and columnist on the two daily newspapers in Richmond, Va. Since then, he has completed three full-length plays and 41 short plays (55 minutes down to one minute). They have been fully produced or presented as staged readings in London, Cambridge, Bath and Cardiff in the United Kingdom as well as in New York City, Washington, Richmond, Raleigh, New Orleans, Seattle and Edinboro, Pa. Two of his plays have been published; two more are being turned into podcasts; still another is being produced for radio in San Francisco.
Proctor lives in Richmond and is a member of the Richmond Playwrights Forum, the Playwrights’ Center (Minneapolis) and the Dramatists Guild of America.
Proctor lives in Richmond and is a member of the Richmond Playwrights Forum, the Playwrights’ Center (Minneapolis) and the Dramatists Guild of America.
Felicity Wren has a Master’s Degree in Theatre and has been working professionally for 15 years.
Originally from London, she has just completed her fourth year in Los Angeles.
She is proud to have worked extensively in theatre (The Royal Court, London, Soho Theatre and The Wrestling School) has been the muse for four plays for amazing playwright Glyn Maxwell and is a writer/performer with her own comedy sketch show Greedy (London, Edinburgh & NYC).
Various TV projects include: Tales of Uplift and Moral Improvement (BBC and Channel X) The Cave (Warner Brothers) and most recently Contingency, a TV Pilot in LA for New Street Pictures.
Felicity is delighted to have been involved in recent films, the comedy horror The Trap, rom-com The Man You’re Not (FMW Films), and Tick Tock Trick, a psychological horror, all while continuing to produce with her LA company, Dangerously Funny Productions.
Originally from London, she has just completed her fourth year in Los Angeles.
She is proud to have worked extensively in theatre (The Royal Court, London, Soho Theatre and The Wrestling School) has been the muse for four plays for amazing playwright Glyn Maxwell and is a writer/performer with her own comedy sketch show Greedy (London, Edinburgh & NYC).
Various TV projects include: Tales of Uplift and Moral Improvement (BBC and Channel X) The Cave (Warner Brothers) and most recently Contingency, a TV Pilot in LA for New Street Pictures.
Felicity is delighted to have been involved in recent films, the comedy horror The Trap, rom-com The Man You’re Not (FMW Films), and Tick Tock Trick, a psychological horror, all while continuing to produce with her LA company, Dangerously Funny Productions.
Tom Killam has appeared in numerous productions in his career, most recently at the Falcon Theatre under the direction of Garry Marshall, with Harry Hamlin at the Skylight Theatre, and as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at the Glendale Center Theatre.
He has worked and trained with the Lee Strasberg, Hank Bearings, Gary Austin, Harvey Lembeck, Lesly Kahn, Paul Sills and Viola Spolin.
Also classically trained, Tom has been a part of the L.A. Free Shakespeare and San Diego Shakespeare festivals. In addition he has appeared in film, TV and webisodes.
Visit www.tomkillam.com for more.
He has worked and trained with the Lee Strasberg, Hank Bearings, Gary Austin, Harvey Lembeck, Lesly Kahn, Paul Sills and Viola Spolin.
Also classically trained, Tom has been a part of the L.A. Free Shakespeare and San Diego Shakespeare festivals. In addition he has appeared in film, TV and webisodes.
Visit www.tomkillam.com for more.
The following artists were 2014 Global Effect Project collaborators:
Kate Jopson -- Associate Artistic Director of Circle X Theatre Co. Directing Credits Include: A Willow Grows Aslant (La Jolla Playhouse—Without Walls Fest.), A Doll House, Casagemas, Elizabeth I, Cry Old Kingdom (UCSD), The Hanging Odes (Theater Pub), Jesus, She Said (Marin Fringe Festival), Speak Roughly (Bay One Acts ), Entangled Plays (Flying Island Theater).
Assistant Directing Credits: Danton's Death (Gabor Tompa: Seaul Arts Center, South Korea), Sideways (Des McAnuff: La Jolla Playhouse), A Christmas Carol (Domenique Lozano: A.C.T), Pastures of Heaven (Jonathan Moscone: CalShakes) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Aaron Posner: CalShakes), Lily’s Revenge (Erika Chong-Shuch: The Magic Theatre), Bad Apples (Jon Langs: Circle X Theatre). Kate was formerly Associate Artistic Director of Woman’s Will.
She holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley and an M.F.A in Directing from UC San Diego.
Assistant Directing Credits: Danton's Death (Gabor Tompa: Seaul Arts Center, South Korea), Sideways (Des McAnuff: La Jolla Playhouse), A Christmas Carol (Domenique Lozano: A.C.T), Pastures of Heaven (Jonathan Moscone: CalShakes) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Aaron Posner: CalShakes), Lily’s Revenge (Erika Chong-Shuch: The Magic Theatre), Bad Apples (Jon Langs: Circle X Theatre). Kate was formerly Associate Artistic Director of Woman’s Will.
She holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley and an M.F.A in Directing from UC San Diego.
Maria Cominis is an actor, director, professor and author. She recently published a book called Rehearsing In The Zone: A Practical Guide to Rehearsing Without a Director, Kendall Hunt 2013.
She is an Associate Professor at California State University Fullerton and teaches graduate and undergrad acting. Maria’s is best known as an actor for her recurring role of Mona Clarke on ABC’s Desperate Housewives.
Maria is the proud mother of a fifteen year old cellist/pianist who has a strong opinion about everything. She is married to conductor and music man extraordinaire, John Glaudini.
This is Maria’s debut as a playwright.
She is an Associate Professor at California State University Fullerton and teaches graduate and undergrad acting. Maria’s is best known as an actor for her recurring role of Mona Clarke on ABC’s Desperate Housewives.
Maria is the proud mother of a fifteen year old cellist/pianist who has a strong opinion about everything. She is married to conductor and music man extraordinaire, John Glaudini.
This is Maria’s debut as a playwright.
Scott Marden studied acting and directing at Southern Oregon University, where he directed productions of Icarus’s Mother by Sam Shepard and The Good Doctor by Neil Simon.
After graduation, he returned home to the San Francisco Bay Area where he helped found the award winning Oak Tech Rep, serving as their Production Manager and Technical Director, as well as directing Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
After three years in Oakland, Scott moved to Los Angeles where he co-founded the
Will Play for Food Theatre Group, directing their inaugural production of The Nina Variations by Steven Dietz. For the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival, Scott helmed Will Play's production of It's Important to Leave, as Well, which received the Unleashed Award for best ensemble performance.
Most recently, Scott directed Trust by Steven Dietz and the world premiere of Riot Grrrl Saves the World by Louisa Hill.
After graduation, he returned home to the San Francisco Bay Area where he helped found the award winning Oak Tech Rep, serving as their Production Manager and Technical Director, as well as directing Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
After three years in Oakland, Scott moved to Los Angeles where he co-founded the
Will Play for Food Theatre Group, directing their inaugural production of The Nina Variations by Steven Dietz. For the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival, Scott helmed Will Play's production of It's Important to Leave, as Well, which received the Unleashed Award for best ensemble performance.
Most recently, Scott directed Trust by Steven Dietz and the world premiere of Riot Grrrl Saves the World by Louisa Hill.
Dana Leigh Lyman started writing short stories at a young age and with a lot of encouragement from her family and teachers, went on to study English Lit/Creative Writing with Short Stories as her focus.
Two years ago, she was invited to fill a spot in a 24 hour theatre project as a playwright and loved the experience of seeing her writing brought to life by a wonderful cast and director.
She has participated and written twice for these events and had a monologue "Do they count? How do I count them?" featured in 25 Plays Per Hour at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2013.
She is now working on a full length play and is so incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to present a short piece about such a huge global issue.
Two years ago, she was invited to fill a spot in a 24 hour theatre project as a playwright and loved the experience of seeing her writing brought to life by a wonderful cast and director.
She has participated and written twice for these events and had a monologue "Do they count? How do I count them?" featured in 25 Plays Per Hour at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2013.
She is now working on a full length play and is so incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to present a short piece about such a huge global issue.
Louise Munson grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. She is a recipient of the Max K. Lerner Playwriting Fellowship, the 2013 Walter E. Dakin Fellowship at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and was a Liam Rector Scholar at Bennington College.
Her work has been profiled in Salon, the Brooklyn Rail, New York Theater Review, among others.
Plays produced: Penelope, Goodbye to All That, Do Like the Kids Do, Montana (IAMA Theatre Company). Do Like the Kids Do had a second run in NY at the Studio Theater on Theater Row.
The world premiere of Luigi opens in LA on July 18th. It was developed with the generous support of Inkwell Theater Company's Development LAB.
MFA, Bennington Writing Seminars.
Her work has been profiled in Salon, the Brooklyn Rail, New York Theater Review, among others.
Plays produced: Penelope, Goodbye to All That, Do Like the Kids Do, Montana (IAMA Theatre Company). Do Like the Kids Do had a second run in NY at the Studio Theater on Theater Row.
The world premiere of Luigi opens in LA on July 18th. It was developed with the generous support of Inkwell Theater Company's Development LAB.
MFA, Bennington Writing Seminars.
Ava Burton classically trained at the renowned East 15 Acting School, London where she walked away with a BA Honours degree & 3yr diploma in Acting
On graduating she toured for many years performing Shakespeare all over the UK and has also performed throughout Europe.
When not performing Shakespeare she’s mostly cast in character-driven comedy roles and received great critical acclaim in London for such roles as Kate in Bedroom Farce, Wynne in Dinner and Janet in Stand.
Upon arriving in the US Ava was snapped up by the William Morris Voice Over Agency and can be heard voicing various trailers, video games /cartoon characters e.g. Sif and Idun in Marvel Universe. She has also voiced many jingles and adverts for KX93.5 since the radio station launched in 2013.
Having just finished performed in a production of short plays, Shorts, other recent work includes Cupid, Blitzen, Dancer and Vixen alongside Mark Miller in the Eight Reindeer Monologues, and Melissa in Love Letters also with Mark Miller.
Ava is well known by Laguna theatre-goers for her part in the hit show Shakespeare’s Fool, a lighthearted production of songs and speeches from Shakespeare plays devised and produced by her singer/song-writer husband Jason Feddy.
On graduating she toured for many years performing Shakespeare all over the UK and has also performed throughout Europe.
When not performing Shakespeare she’s mostly cast in character-driven comedy roles and received great critical acclaim in London for such roles as Kate in Bedroom Farce, Wynne in Dinner and Janet in Stand.
Upon arriving in the US Ava was snapped up by the William Morris Voice Over Agency and can be heard voicing various trailers, video games /cartoon characters e.g. Sif and Idun in Marvel Universe. She has also voiced many jingles and adverts for KX93.5 since the radio station launched in 2013.
Having just finished performed in a production of short plays, Shorts, other recent work includes Cupid, Blitzen, Dancer and Vixen alongside Mark Miller in the Eight Reindeer Monologues, and Melissa in Love Letters also with Mark Miller.
Ava is well known by Laguna theatre-goers for her part in the hit show Shakespeare’s Fool, a lighthearted production of songs and speeches from Shakespeare plays devised and produced by her singer/song-writer husband Jason Feddy.
Joan Giammarco is an actress, writer, director, and painter.
The critically acclaimed one woman show, she wrote, performed and produced, Moscow At Midnight, based on her experiences as part of theatre exchange program in Russia, gave her the opportunity to tour many cities in the US and Canada. Most recently, she wrote and directed a one act play, Just For Sex, for the Neo Ensemble Theatre.
She's speaks Italian, French, Spanish and a little Russian and often travels to Europe for voice dubbing projects.
She's been a drug-addicted prostitute, a ditsy secretary, Catwoman's victim, a gun dealer, a performance artist, a murder witness, a rattled waitress, a mother of a dying child, a spy, a magical muse, a vampire, a lonely apartment dweller, a misguided wife and many more people as an actress in films, television and theatre.
She's studied at York University, Circle in the Square and with private coaches. She's currently writing another play.
The critically acclaimed one woman show, she wrote, performed and produced, Moscow At Midnight, based on her experiences as part of theatre exchange program in Russia, gave her the opportunity to tour many cities in the US and Canada. Most recently, she wrote and directed a one act play, Just For Sex, for the Neo Ensemble Theatre.
She's speaks Italian, French, Spanish and a little Russian and often travels to Europe for voice dubbing projects.
She's been a drug-addicted prostitute, a ditsy secretary, Catwoman's victim, a gun dealer, a performance artist, a murder witness, a rattled waitress, a mother of a dying child, a spy, a magical muse, a vampire, a lonely apartment dweller, a misguided wife and many more people as an actress in films, television and theatre.
She's studied at York University, Circle in the Square and with private coaches. She's currently writing another play.
Ricky Abilez is currently pursuing his BFA in Acting at Cal State Fullerton. He can be seen this August as Neil in Mysterious Skin, co-produced with Theatre Out in Santa Ana.
Other recent credits include Verges in Much Ado About Nothing, Bartholomew in Corpus Christi, Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Babs in Charley's Aunt.
Find him on Facebook!
Other recent credits include Verges in Much Ado About Nothing, Bartholomew in Corpus Christi, Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Babs in Charley's Aunt.
Find him on Facebook!
Caroyln Crotty: Credits include Lizzie Borden in BlOOD RELATIONS with Collaborative Artists, Horatio in HAMLET at Odyssey Theatre, TROUBLE in CHIOZZA with Classical Theatre Lab, THE SQUARE ROOT OF WONDERFUL with Collaborative Artists, THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR at The Boston Court, AH, WILDERNESS at The Laguna Playhouse.
TV: Marilyn on MASTERS of SEX, Guest lead on UNSOLVED MYSTERIES. FILM: CROTTY'S KIDS (sxsw 2014), THE GOOD NEIGHBOR (sxsw 2011), A LITTLE INSIDE, SHINER. PRINT: MICROSOFT, MERCEDES.
Carolyn is a graduate of UCLA with a degree in Women's Studies & English. She is also a respected acting teacher to young adults.
TV: Marilyn on MASTERS of SEX, Guest lead on UNSOLVED MYSTERIES. FILM: CROTTY'S KIDS (sxsw 2014), THE GOOD NEIGHBOR (sxsw 2011), A LITTLE INSIDE, SHINER. PRINT: MICROSOFT, MERCEDES.
Carolyn is a graduate of UCLA with a degree in Women's Studies & English. She is also a respected acting teacher to young adults.
Lancashire born, Stewart Marquis is a founder member of London-based actors workshop group The Collective. He is delighted to be taking part in this Los Angeles RAZE THE SPACE staged reading via a VoIP link from London.
Theatre includes: Lamplighters for Boys of the Empire Productions at the Tabard, Monsters at the Bookshop Theatre, Peter for Sell a Door Theatre, The Winter’s Tale for Titian Rep, Derelict for Blacklight Theatre at the Southwark Playhouse, After Chekhov for Little London at the Soho Theatre (West End), Rameo & Ewliet for Ripley Theatre & the Sherman Studio Cardiff, and Jorindel and the Nightingale for Ripley and the Welsh National Opera, Richard II, The Man Who Would Be Bing and Blue Remembered Hills for Manchester’s Rocket Theatre Company, Strings for Raised Eyebrow Theatre Company (TIE Tour), Dick Whittington for Pendle Productions (Tour), Wind in the Willows, Cinderella and A Christmas Carol for the Wigan Pier Theatre Company.
Stewart trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
Theatre includes: Lamplighters for Boys of the Empire Productions at the Tabard, Monsters at the Bookshop Theatre, Peter for Sell a Door Theatre, The Winter’s Tale for Titian Rep, Derelict for Blacklight Theatre at the Southwark Playhouse, After Chekhov for Little London at the Soho Theatre (West End), Rameo & Ewliet for Ripley Theatre & the Sherman Studio Cardiff, and Jorindel and the Nightingale for Ripley and the Welsh National Opera, Richard II, The Man Who Would Be Bing and Blue Remembered Hills for Manchester’s Rocket Theatre Company, Strings for Raised Eyebrow Theatre Company (TIE Tour), Dick Whittington for Pendle Productions (Tour), Wind in the Willows, Cinderella and A Christmas Carol for the Wigan Pier Theatre Company.
Stewart trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
CaroleAnne Johnson: Theatre for StageScene LA Award, Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress/Drama: All My Sons (Kate Keller). Other theatre: I Live in Your World, The Wreck of the Spanish Armada, Talking With…, The Sugar Bean Sisters, An American Tract, Prelude to a Kiss, Scripted, West Side Story, Quilters, Camino Real, To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, The Wizard of Oz.
Film & TV: Heartbreakers, Inside the Box, @urFRENZ, Back in 10, Boston Legal, Heart of Fear, Rich Fields Gone Wild, Starting Over, Trouble and Kids, Unusual Suspects.
CaroleAnne holds a BFA in theatre from Cal State Long Beach and has studied extensively with Jeffrey Marcus at Jeffrey Marcus Studio.
Film & TV: Heartbreakers, Inside the Box, @urFRENZ, Back in 10, Boston Legal, Heart of Fear, Rich Fields Gone Wild, Starting Over, Trouble and Kids, Unusual Suspects.
CaroleAnne holds a BFA in theatre from Cal State Long Beach and has studied extensively with Jeffrey Marcus at Jeffrey Marcus Studio.
Georgina Castens was most recently seen in I Wept at The Hudson Theatre.
Other theatre credits include: Baby Doll by Tennessee Williams, Diana in Lend Me a Tenor; Kate in Taming of the Shrew; Dawn in Lobby Hero; Emily in Our Town; Sunny in The Exonerated; Terry in Extremities and Hero in Much Ado About Nothing.
Georgina studied at Palm Beach State and has worked with Take Heed Theater Company and Palm Beach Shakespeare Theater Festival. Compelled by thoughtful, nuanced theater in varied aesthetic. She believes in the power of performing arts to enrich our society and maintain cultural integrity.
Other theatre credits include: Baby Doll by Tennessee Williams, Diana in Lend Me a Tenor; Kate in Taming of the Shrew; Dawn in Lobby Hero; Emily in Our Town; Sunny in The Exonerated; Terry in Extremities and Hero in Much Ado About Nothing.
Georgina studied at Palm Beach State and has worked with Take Heed Theater Company and Palm Beach Shakespeare Theater Festival. Compelled by thoughtful, nuanced theater in varied aesthetic. She believes in the power of performing arts to enrich our society and maintain cultural integrity.
Julie Cardia is thrilled to be a part of RAZE THE SPACE's reading event. She has worked in film and theatres across the country, appearing alongside Kathy Lee Gifford in the National Tour and NYC’s Madison Square Garden production of Annie. She has received awards and nominations for her performances in Guys and Dolls and The Secret Garden (Stages St. Louis – Kevin Kline Award), Anything Goes (Merry-Go-Round Playhouse – Syracuse Area Live Theatre Award nom), No No Nanette (SALT Award winner), Legally Blonde (Stage Scene LA Award winner), and The Diary of Anne Frank (Irene Ryan Award nom.)
Other credits include the National Tours of The Wizard of Oz, the off-Broadway productions of Promenade (New World Stages) and Panama Hattie (Musicals Tonight!), numerous productions at Sacramento Music Circus and Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine, and the films Autumn Mixtape and The King of Irontown.
An MFA graduate of Cal State-Fullerton, Julie is represented by Omnium Entertainment and Maverick Artists Agency.
Other credits include the National Tours of The Wizard of Oz, the off-Broadway productions of Promenade (New World Stages) and Panama Hattie (Musicals Tonight!), numerous productions at Sacramento Music Circus and Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine, and the films Autumn Mixtape and The King of Irontown.
An MFA graduate of Cal State-Fullerton, Julie is represented by Omnium Entertainment and Maverick Artists Agency.
Mark Bramhall began acting professionally in 1966, in the original company of the American Conservatory Theatre, playing principal roles throughout its first 5 seasons. He has performed Off-Broadway, at leading regional theatres, and in 34 productions at A Noise Within while a Resident Artist there.
He currently appears in The Curse of Oedipus at Antaeus Theatre Company. Accolades include L.A. Drama Critics Circle, Ovation, Garland, LA Weekly and Dramalogue, honors, and numerous awards for audiobook narrations.
Film and TV roles include Star Trek (2009), Vanilla Sky, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, Nip/Tuck, Weeds, 24, ER, and Alias.
Education/Training: Harvard (AB, 1965), UC Berkeley, LAMDA (Fulbright Scholar); American Conservatory Theatre; Classical Theatre Lab; Steve Eastin Studio. He has been a proud member of Actors Equity for 48 years.
He currently appears in The Curse of Oedipus at Antaeus Theatre Company. Accolades include L.A. Drama Critics Circle, Ovation, Garland, LA Weekly and Dramalogue, honors, and numerous awards for audiobook narrations.
Film and TV roles include Star Trek (2009), Vanilla Sky, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, Nip/Tuck, Weeds, 24, ER, and Alias.
Education/Training: Harvard (AB, 1965), UC Berkeley, LAMDA (Fulbright Scholar); American Conservatory Theatre; Classical Theatre Lab; Steve Eastin Studio. He has been a proud member of Actors Equity for 48 years.
Zach Brown is an actor and artist living in Los Angeles.
Zach has had the pleasure of working with and performing for the Theatricum Botanicum, Finite-Films, The Illyrian Players, The Vagrancy, Theatre MAB Town Hall, Encore Entertainers, and Drive Theatre.
Zach is also a teacher of theatre and art and works with Incarcerated and under-served youth with The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company and the Virginia Ave Project.
Along with being an actor, he is also an accomplished artist, designer, and illustrator.
Zach has had the pleasure of working with and performing for the Theatricum Botanicum, Finite-Films, The Illyrian Players, The Vagrancy, Theatre MAB Town Hall, Encore Entertainers, and Drive Theatre.
Zach is also a teacher of theatre and art and works with Incarcerated and under-served youth with The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company and the Virginia Ave Project.
Along with being an actor, he is also an accomplished artist, designer, and illustrator.
Emma Servant is a recent transplant from NY.
Since arriving in LA she has enjoyed the sunshine and playing teens, one day she will grow up but for now she's fine in adolescence.
She is a member of Theater 68. She also has a handy little skill of being a skilled blood and gore effects artist, as well as a professional stunt Zombie.
Ask her about it.
Since arriving in LA she has enjoyed the sunshine and playing teens, one day she will grow up but for now she's fine in adolescence.
She is a member of Theater 68. She also has a handy little skill of being a skilled blood and gore effects artist, as well as a professional stunt Zombie.
Ask her about it.
Morgan White was born and raised in rural Northern California.
Morgan graduated with a BA in Theater Arts from UC Santa Cruz. After a three year stint living and acting in NYC Morgan recently moved back to the homeland.
Past credits include: Dr. Dysart in Equus, Brutus in Julius Caesar, and Danny in Sexual Perversity in Chicago.
These days Morgan works full-time in film as a Director of Photography and is very excited for this opportunity to flex his theatrical muscle once again.
Morgan graduated with a BA in Theater Arts from UC Santa Cruz. After a three year stint living and acting in NYC Morgan recently moved back to the homeland.
Past credits include: Dr. Dysart in Equus, Brutus in Julius Caesar, and Danny in Sexual Perversity in Chicago.
These days Morgan works full-time in film as a Director of Photography and is very excited for this opportunity to flex his theatrical muscle once again.
Amy Rosoff is a founding member of IAMA Theatre Company. She made her Off Broadway debut in 2012 at Playwright’s Horizons in Leslye Headland’s Assistance. Theater Credits: Do Like the Kids Do (Theatre Row NY, Working Stage LA), Montana (Stella Adler, LA), Penelope (Working Stage, LA), Cinephilia (Working Stage, LA), Assistance (Working Stage, LA and Playwrights Horizons, NYC), Accidental Blonde (Elephant Theater, LA), Dangerous Liaisons (NY, Blue Heron Theater).
Television and Film credits include Scandal, Remember Me, Elektra Luxx, Private Practice, Entourage, Lie to Me, Grey’s Anatomy, Til Death and a recurring role on ABC’s FlashForward. Amy is currently the voice of Ugga in the Netflix animated series, The Croods.
Television and Film credits include Scandal, Remember Me, Elektra Luxx, Private Practice, Entourage, Lie to Me, Grey’s Anatomy, Til Death and a recurring role on ABC’s FlashForward. Amy is currently the voice of Ugga in the Netflix animated series, The Croods.
Dean Chekvala is best know for his recurring role Roy on HBO’s True Blood and JD on the CBS’ serial thriller Harper’s Island. He was recently seen in the Chris Pine drama, People Like Us, directed by Alex Kurtzman and the soon to be released indie thriller, What Remains, directed by Ben Wagner.
Dean also starred in the hit web-series comedy, Reception, directed by Will Slocombe and had previously starred in Will’s feature film Mulligan.
After receiving his BFA from Wayne State University, Dean went on to study with, and is a graduate of the school at Steppenwolf in Chicago. After working in Chicago for a number of years and establishing himself as a talented young actor, his work brought him to Los Angeles.
His other television credits include Masters of Sex, How I Met Your Mother, Breakout Kings, The Defenders, Longmire, Justified, Lie to Me, E.R., NCIS, NCIS: LA, numb3rs, Without A Trace, Austin Golden Hour, Skip Tracer, and 13 Graves.
Dean has performed with theatres across the country as well and is an ensemble member of the esteemed IAMA Theatre Company based in Los Angeles.
Dean also starred in the hit web-series comedy, Reception, directed by Will Slocombe and had previously starred in Will’s feature film Mulligan.
After receiving his BFA from Wayne State University, Dean went on to study with, and is a graduate of the school at Steppenwolf in Chicago. After working in Chicago for a number of years and establishing himself as a talented young actor, his work brought him to Los Angeles.
His other television credits include Masters of Sex, How I Met Your Mother, Breakout Kings, The Defenders, Longmire, Justified, Lie to Me, E.R., NCIS, NCIS: LA, numb3rs, Without A Trace, Austin Golden Hour, Skip Tracer, and 13 Graves.
Dean has performed with theatres across the country as well and is an ensemble member of the esteemed IAMA Theatre Company based in Los Angeles.
Melissa Stephens is a writer, actress, comedian and a founding member of IAMA Theater Company.
Credits include Californication, Outsourced, New Girl, Key and Peele, House of Lies, Bachlorette, Knife Fight, Elektra Luxx, Comedy Bang Bang, andNorth Boulevard. She co-developed Thin But Poor for HBO and will appear in Amazon's upcoming Transparent.
Credits include Californication, Outsourced, New Girl, Key and Peele, House of Lies, Bachlorette, Knife Fight, Elektra Luxx, Comedy Bang Bang, andNorth Boulevard. She co-developed Thin But Poor for HBO and will appear in Amazon's upcoming Transparent.
Alec Frasier hails from Minnesota and is a recent graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Some recent roles of his include Peter Kidde in "Eastern Standard" and Jeff in "Suburbia".
He is currently performing in a brilliant new dysfunctional family drama called "One in the Chamber," which is taking place at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood every weekend until August 17th, and is thrilled to be performing this enticing little piece here at Samuel French.
He is currently performing in a brilliant new dysfunctional family drama called "One in the Chamber," which is taking place at the Lounge Theatre in Hollywood every weekend until August 17th, and is thrilled to be performing this enticing little piece here at Samuel French.
