Elise Alper (Prospero) is thrilled to be a part of Shakespeare's extraordinary magic. New York stage credits include: Peri in The Beauty Inside produced by New Georges (Culture Project), title character in Turandot (La MaMa etc), Malalai in Bill Mastrosimone's The Afghan Women (Garage Theatre Group), Kitty Duval in The Time of Your Life (Impact Theatre), Kate in The Taming of the Shrew, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Viola in Twelfth Night (TSI), and Edmund in King Lear coached by Kristin Linklater (Schapiro Theatre). She starred in both the acclaimed TV Series and the feature film The Villa in the Vineyard (BOGEY Award), as well as the indie Ground Curtain commissioned by the Austrian Ministry of Culture. Following a degree in International Relations from George Mason University, she earned an M.F.A in Acting from Columbia University where she won the Presential Scholarship for top performance. Elise dedicates this performance to her ever loving and supporting husband Jon, and to "Efsun" for all the "magic" she has brought to her life
Emily Beatty: (Anne) is thrilled to be performing at the Looking Glass Theatre again! Recent credits include "Changing Faces" (Looking Glass Forum), "Lysistrata 100" (Untitled Theater Co. #61) and "Half Caf Sin Latte" (Theatre-Studio Inc.). Emily was also an ensemble member for "Cleo's Comedy Players" and is the co-founder of theatre ensemble "The Visionaries" (www.thevisionaries.org). She is a member of NJ Dramatists; has written, produced, and starred in three one-woman shows; and holds a BFA in Theatre from Roosevelt University, Chicago. Many thanks to Regina, and much
love to Greg and Shy, my biggest fans!
Lyndsay Becker (Sylvi) has been in New York for just over a year having taken the big leap from a small theatre company in Rhode Island to the life of a beleaguered actor in New York City. She was recently seen at the John Houseman Studio Theatre in Vaclav Havel's Vanek Trilogy as 'Vera'. Favorite past productions include: Much Ado About Nothing (Beatrice); Kindertransport (Helga); The Good Woman of Szechuan (The Wife); The Mikado (Pitti-Sing); The Nerd (Tansy). Much love to the remaining triplets for their constant love and prodding. www.lyndsaybecker.com
Emily, Charlotte, & Anne Brontë: The Brontes lived their entire lives in the rural north of England, where their father was an Anglican minister. Between them, they published one volume of poetry and seven novels, including Charlotte's JANE EYRE, Emily's WUTHERING HEIGHTS, and Anne's THE TENANT OF WILDFELL HALL. Shortly after the sisters achieved success, their only brother, Branwell, died of tuberculosis, which also killed Emily and Anne within a year. Charlotte continued writing until her own death seven years later.
Lisa Came: Lisa is pleased to be making hjer debut performance with The Looking Glass Theatre. A native Canadian/ Brazilian, Lisa came to New York a few years ago to go to university. She was recently seen in A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Winter's Tale with ShakespeareNYC. Before that, she played Luana in One Night, Sometime, and Inez in The Power and The Glory, both with Love Creek Productions. A recent graduate from NYU's Tisch School of The Arts, some favorite roles include Mae Jones in Street Scene, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, (at Rada, London) Lena in Leonce and Lena (at the Edinburgh Fringe), Lavinia in Family Album, and Wendy in Reading In Bed. Lisa would like to thank her family, her friends both here and in London, and especially Alex for their unconditional love and support.
Deborah Carlson*: B'way: Can-Can (The Model & Stand-by for ZiZi Jeanmaire), Into the Light, Chorus Line. Off B'way: I Can Get It For You Wholesale (AJT), 7 Trumpets (Women's Project), Olympus On MY Mind (Lamb's Theater), Movie Buff (Actor's Playhouse), Paris was Yesterday (Production Co). Nat'l Tours & Regional Theater Roles include: Cassie & Stand-by for Donna McKeckney in Chorus Line, Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain, Edythe Herbert in My One & Only, Angel in Best Little Whorehouse, La Marquise in Liaisons Dangereuses, Arkadina in The Seagull, Carla in Nine & Sarah in Guys and Dolls. Film & TV: Martin Scorsese's up coming film, The Departed opposite Jack Nicholson, Kate & Leopold, Without a Trace, Nashville and over 25 National Commercials from Revlon to Raid.
Brian Cheng (Caliban) Brian graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts a couple of weeks ago and is ready and kicking. Previous theatrical credits include Danceny in Les Liaison Dangereuses, Data in "Goonies the Musical," Sir Andrew Augecheek in "Tewlfth Night." Film credits include: Roomate in "Make Out City," and a disgusted restaurant patron in"Quarter Life Crisis." Thanks to Mom and Dad
Candace Cihocki graduated from Adelphi University in 2001 with a B.F.A. and is currently pursuing here design certificate at Parsons. She has worked in all aspects of theatre all of her life. Some of her favorite directing credits include The Manhatten Project's "Alice in Wonderland", and Eric Bogosian's "Sex, Drugs,Rock & Roll". She also has a number choreographed works and poetry. She would like to thank her cast and crew for their time and dedication to her and the project.She would also like to thank her family, friends and the Looking Glass Theatre for support and love of her pursuit of chosen arts.
Matthieu Cornillon (Cleomenes) A graduate of The Acting Studio, Inc., and founding member of Fool's Pearls Productions, Matthieu has acted in Hamlet (Laertes), Edward the Second (Gaveston), Loose Knit (Miles), Mad Forest (Mihai), Asian Shade (Tom), Greenwood, Unidentified, and The Long Goodbye on stage, and in more than half a dozen short films. Matthieu also has extensive production experience, where he has specialized in sound design. Matthieu served as assistant director on Losing Ground, an original play by Bryan Wizemann, and directed Desdemona, a play about a handkerchief. My warmest thanks to Amy and my family, without whose support I would not be able to do this.
Mary Egan-This is Mary Egan's first time gracing the Looking Glass stage. She has a B.F.A. from Adelphi University and a M.F.A from the New School University.
Jane Elias (Emily) is very happy to be a part of her first Looking Glass Forum; thanks to Regina, Jill, and the cast for the Victorian voyage. Theatre credits include "Lobby Hero" (Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center) and "Three Days of Rain" (Flatiron Playhouse). Jane recently performed at Yamaha Artists' Services with pianist Maxim Anikushin,
narrating Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." She received her B.A. in English from Duke University and her M.F.A. in poetry from NYU.
Henriette Christie Ertsås (Charlotte) is originally from Bergen, Norway. This spring she has also performed Merteuil in the Heiner Müller play "Quartet" and Hilde Wangel in Ibsen's "The Master Builder"; she'd like to sometime play Miss Julie, without hysteria.
Melissa Fendell: Is a playwright and director living in New York City. During the 2003-2004 Season, she served as the Literary Associate at Trinity Repertory Company. After an apprenticeship in Sevilla, Spain with Ricardo Iniesta, director of Companía Atalaya, Melissa moved to the city. Most recently she served as assistant director and stage manager for Milkcan Theatre Company's production of the new play "Mushroom In Her Hands." She is also a recipient of the James Baldwin Playwriting Award.
Eric Fernandez (Mamillius) is in the 6th grade at M.S. 203, he loves to act, and when he's at home he likes to play video games.
Robby Grossman is a graduate of Adelphi University,and hails from Syracuse, NY (the snowiest part of NY,and therefore the known universe). Recently he playedthe role of Cathy/Joshua in "Cloud Nine" at the HarryWarren theatre. In addition to acting, robby is alsoa musician performing regularly as the lead singer ofhis band "200 Proof". Thanks to friends and family
for their support, and of course to Candace for this great opportunity.
Miron Gusso (Antonio) is proud to be making his New York City Stage debut with The Looking Glass Theatre. He has just returned from a year long stay in Japan, where he performed as various characters with Universal Studios Osaka, including his role as Doc Brown, in Doc Brown and his Robot. While in Japan, Miron also coordinated educational and theatrical programs at various elementary schools. For the past 15 years, Miron has been acting, clowning and performing magic professionally in Florida, Chicago and Japan and is excited to continue down that path in New York. Favorite roles include Bernie in Sexual Perversity in Chicago, (Peter) in Zoo Story, (Robin) in Poseidon: An Underwater Musical and Doc Brown.
Michael Hagins (Antigonus) is a veteran of over 30 Shakespearean productions, both as an actor and director. His favorite roles are Othello, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, and Tom Robinson in To Kill A Mockingbird. As a director, his works include King Lear, Macbeth and Twelfth Night or What You Will. In addition, Michael is the founder and artistic director of the C.A.G.E. Theatre Company of New York City, a company that modernizes Shakespeare for the contemporary audience. Thank you to Destiny and the cast and crew for a fun time, and to Mom, Dad, God, Anthony, Michela, David and those reading this for supporting the arts!
Kelly Haydon is a director whose recent stage credits include "The Elements," for Untitled Theatre Company's 24/7 Festival, and "A Hat is Just a Hat," at the Looking Glass Theatre. As a film student at the School of Visual Arts, she directed the silent short "Barefoot," and the talkie "Always on Time." She has since assisted various directors on plays, commercials, music videos, and in broadband television. She'd like to thank Julia Davis and Jason Yachanin for their talent and hard work, and all the wonderful directors in the Forum for the same.
Katherine Heberling (director) is pleased to return to The Looking Glass, where she directed the short new comedy Don't Wait/'Til It's Too Late this past fall. Katherine's other New York credits include the New York premiere of Joyce Carol Oate's Bad Girls, directed by Susana Tubert; director/choreographer Pat Birch's assistant on a workshop of the Richard Rodgers award-winning new musical Once Upon a Time in New Jersey; and General Manager on the Off-Broadway New York premiere of Murder in the First by Academy award-nominated writer Dan Gordon. Currently, she is the Associate Manager of The Directors Company, Off-Broadway, and the Administrative Assistant for the prestigious Kesselring Prize for Playwriting.
Erinn Holmes (Ariel) Erinn Holmes just recently arrived in New York, after spending much of last year in London. Previous theatre credits include: Macbeth (Lady Macbeth), Wit (Susie), Twelfth Night (Olivia),Two Rooms (Lainie) and The Way of the World (Mrs. Marwood). Erinn received her MFA in Acting from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Thanks to God and family, for continued love and support.
Nicholas Heppe graduated from Adelphi University in 2001 with a B.F.A. in acting. He would like to thank Candace, thecast, and the Looking Glass Theatre for this opportunity. He sends his love to his family.
Walter Hoffman (The Clerk) has toured the country several times over doing everything from Children's Theater to
Shakespeare. He has also done various plays in several different theaters around the city. Recent credits include Orange Alert directed by Jimmy Blackman and multiple perfomances at the Manhattan Monologue Slam. It's a great privlage to be a part of the Looking Glass Fourum. Thanks to all involved in the cast and production. A special thank you to Robert McCaskill,my acting teacher for many years. And a special XOXOto Allison.
James Kautz (Sebastian)Theatre credits include: leads in Game Show, The Diviners, Ascension Day, as well as originating the lead in DEBT off-Broadway at the Maverick Theatre. Film credits include leads in the independent features Thanks Mom, Reflection, as well as in Combat Jump The History Channel's first original movie. James is currently a student in Terry Schreiber's Advanced Acting Master Class and also a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts Company.
Laurel Keane (Hermione) Laurel recently finished a tour of The Tempest with puppets at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ. Other credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet with The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Shakespeare LIVE touring company. In New York City she has appeared on Guiding Light, and various short films, as well as the NYC Fringe Festival. Laurel received her B.F.A. in Acting from Ithaca College.
Heather Kelley (Harriet) recently completed a month-long intensive with LAByrinth after appearing in Prospect Theater Companyâs Don Carlos (Countess Eboli). Favorite past roles include Viola in Twelfth Night, Helena in Midsummer, Barbara Allen in Dark of the Moon and the title role of Antigone, all for the touring company of the Shakespeare Theatre of NJ. When not acting, Heather co-edits the first print edition of the online literary journal, Opium Magazine. She is a proud graduate of the National Theatre Institute and the University of the Arts.
Destiny Lilly is an experimental director who primarily works on new plays. Her most recent work includes "The Present", "Flesh Tint", and "Blue-Eyed Ophelia" for the Looking Glass Theatre, "Thinking of Her Made Him Think of Her" at the TSI Playtimes series, "Independence" and "Lost and Found" at Manhattan Theatre Source, "The Glass House" at the American Theatre of Actors, and "It's a Long Way" at the WOW Cafe Theatre. Her next project is a psycho-sexual drama called "Domestic Violence". Destiny also works as an acting coach, and she is a graduate of Emory University and The Central School of Speech and Drama.
Pat Kaufman: Born in NYC, Pat Kaufman brings a comically irreverent scalpel to the puzzles of love, justice, injustice, and psychic, societal and actual imprisonments including ageism. PRISON BRIDES and HAMLET'S MOM among others in NYC at Dixon Place, Caps 21, Wings, The Duplex, National Arts Club, Tenement Museum Theatre, Manhattan Source, Columbia & New York. Her inter-racial love story SNOW gained plaudits at the 2004 Dublin Fringe, as did her graveyard romance MITVAH THE MONEY in Vancouver,B.C.2005. Her screenplay COMMANDER OF THE LEGION OF THE GODDESSES is under option.
Kerri Kochanski: Kerri Kochanski's plays including "Counting the Days," "Piece," "Slice," "As If, Performed by Miss County," "Seaglass," "Newlyweds," "Still," and "Myth," have been produced throughout the country, and in numerous New York City venues. In 1997, "The Question" and "Cup Is Cup" won an OOBR award from The Off-Off Broadway Review, and "Spitting Daisies" was a finalist in the Moving Arts Premiere One-Act Competition, the Nantucket Short Play Festival & Competition, and a semi-finalist for the Chesterfield Film Company's "Writer's Film Project." In 2004, "Penis Envy" was a finalist for the O'Neill Playwrights Conference and in 2005, "The Child" was a finalist for the Drury University Playwriting contest. Kerri graduated from Columbia University with a MFA in Playwriting, and is a resident playwright with New Jersey Dramatists & Waterfront Ensemble and the NJ Teachers Theater. Her work has been supported by The Puffin Foundation and is published in NEW PLAYS FESTIVAL, VOLUME TWO: NEW ONE-ACT PLAYS BY EMERGING AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHTS (iUniverse), YOUNG WOMEN'S MONOLOGS FROM CONTEMPORARY PLAYS: PROFESSIONAL AUDITIONS FOR ASPIRING ACTRESSES (Meriwether), and the forthcoming CLASSROOM SCENES AND MONOLOGUES (Dramatic Publishing) and AUDITION ARSENAL SERIES (Smith & Kraus).
Karen Kwan is proud to add "The Beautiful Face" to her theatrical credits which include THE LAST OF MRS. LINCOLN (TEST Theater), NAME DAY (Barrow Theater Group), THE SNOW QUEEN (The Looking Glass Theater), THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES (__gaia Theather Company), AJAX (LightBox Theater) and MACBETH (Columbia University Shakespeare On-the-Steps). This autumn, she looks forward to expanding her artistic experience in Korea through working for one of her favorite directors in the cinema- Chan-woo Park.
Malissa Larson: This will be Malissa's first Off-Off broadway appearence. A recent graduate of AMDA she is excited to be taking part in the forum and would like to thank all her family and friends for the love and support.
Lawrence Lesher (Stephano) Lawrence, having recently come off a production of "The Compleat Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)" in New Jersey, is happy to be narrowing the focus down to just one of Willy's plays. He's done many shows and has toured extensively--50 states and dozens of countries to date. Thanks to all who support him!
Celia McBride: Celia's plays have been produced in Canada, the US, and Europe. She has performed and directed her work in myriad festivals across Canada. Her play Walk Right Up was commissioned by the Stratford Festival of Canada and premiered in Stratford's Studio Theatre in 2002. In Toronto, Celia was a member of the Writer's Lab at Factory Theatre from 2001-2003 and the Groundswell Playwrights' Unit at Nightwood Theatre in 2004. Celia is the current Artist-in-Residence at Nakai Theatre in Whitehorse, Yukon, where she recently started a new company called Sour Brides Theatre. Celia is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.
Kato McNickle (playwright) is an Ensemble Studio Theatre New Voices Fellow with FENCERS. Most recently IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LIFE WITH ELVIS was workshopped by the Drove Theatre Company in NYC, and a winner of The Pen is a Mighty Sword by LA-based Virtual Theatre Company. Awards include a Spirit of Broadway Best New Play for JOANâS VOICES; Gorilla Theater's Inaugural Dramatist Award for TO DIE FOR WANT OF LOBSTER; Robert R. Lehan Award for LEAK. This February saw the premier of GIRLS. IN BOYS PANTS. at Vassarâs Experimental Theater Laboratory. Member Dramatist Guild and the Star Wars Fan Club.
WT McRae (Trinculo) is a Denver, CO transplant who is settling happily in New York. A graduate from Adelphi U, he spends his days touring with Peter and the Wolf, Babar the Elephant, and Pinocchio. In the city you might have seen him in Boomerang Theatre company's 24 Hour plays, or A Midsummer Night's Dream as Lysander. He has also played Kane in Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love, Dog in Lost
Cabaret (NY Intl. Fringe), and Conrad in Bye Bye Birdie.
Alison Moehnke (Perdita) received her BFA in Theatre from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Recent theatre credits include UP ON THE ROOFTOP, A CHRISTMAS CAROL(European Tour), and GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA GOODMORNING JULIET. Currently, Alison is completing her internship with The Looking Glass Theatre and looks forward to her next project teaching acting at Northern Stage in Vermont over the summer. Alison is proud to be a part of THE WINTER'S TALE and would like to thank everyone at the Looking Glass for this amazing opportunity to work with such a talented and creative group! She would also like to thank her family, Mick, and especially Destiny for believing in her.
Annie Lee Moffett ('Nessa) is thrilled to be making her debut with The Looking Glass Theatre. A native of Chicago, Annie Lee came to NYC two years ago to pursue her acting and music endeavors. She has recently been seen in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (Roberta) at ASDS and A Doll's House (Nora) also at ASDS. She has also been in numerous showcases at The Bank Street Theatre, The Flat Iron Theatre, and The Producer's Club. Annie Lee has also been seen as a soloist with the Young People's Chorus of New York City, singing at various venues from The Kaufman Center to Carnegie Hall.
Sarah Norris: Sarah currently works in the Creative/Development department at Disney Theatrical Productions. She has served as a Production Assistant on the Broadway productions of I Am My Own Wife and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and the off-Broadway productions of My Life with Albertine, What Didn't Happen, and The World Over, all at Playwrights Horizons. This summer, she will direct two productions at the Forestburgh Playhouse in upstate New York: Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Jack and the Beanstalk. Other directing credits include: The Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and O'Fellow the Musical.
Joe Pistone (Ferdinand) Theatre: Scotch & Poison, Born Yesterday, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, Macbeth, Proposals, A Few Good Men, Machinal, Alice In Wonderland, Turbulence 2, Much Ado About Nothing and Bachelor Holiday by Alan Ball. Film: The Groomsmen, 10th & Wolf, Bittersweet Obscurities, Lost Cause, Life with Raffi, Destined, Novella. Training: Suzanne Shepherd, University of North Carolina at Wilmington (BA in Theatre). Joe can be seen next year opposite Jay Mohr in The Groomsmen and in the upcoming Giovanni Ribisi/James Marsden film 10th & Wolf. You can keep an eye on him at www.joepistone.com.
Linda Ramzell (Alonso) Linda began her acting career at age 16 with the Everyman Theatre Co. performing shakespeare in the parks and on the streets of NYC. She has worked extensively in regional theatre, stock and off-broadway and has had recurring roles on Ryan's Hope and As the World Turns. Most memorable -playing Martha in 3 different productions of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and most recently,the LI Premiere of Edward Albee's The Goat. She thanks her son, James, for his patience, support and very dry humor!
Regina Robbins is a writer-director who recently took part in the Untitled Theater's 24-7 Festival, where she directed "The End of Andrea." Previous directing projects at the Looking Glass Forum: "Changing Faces" (Winter 2003) and "Flawed" (Spring 2004). Assistant directing credits include "Nights of Wrath" (Horizon Theatre Rep) and "Home" (TOAST Theatre). Film credits: writing and directing "In the Eye" (2001) and "Queen of Beasts" (2004).
Lynne Rosenberg (Jos) graduated in 2003 from Vassar College with a degree in General Knowledge and a double minor in Instant Messaging & Microsoft Word. She has been living on the upper east side of Manhattan ever since, flexing her soaz muscle on a six floor walk-up. When not performing with her sketch & improv group, Cubicle (www.cubicleimprov.com), honing her acting career on countless, (unpaid), star-making student films, or singing about ducks at the Queens Zoo, Lynne is a programs coordinator for The Shakespeare Society's educational initiative, an avid jigsaw puzzler, a proud obsessive compulsive, and a die-hard Red Sox fan.
Alison Saltz (Gonzalo) Alison Saltz is happy to be back at Looking Glass having last been seen in FLYERS as part of the Winter Forum. She has also performed several times with Ensemble Studio Theatre, the NYC Fringe Festival, HERE American Living Room Festival, and the Ionesco Festival. Alison has appeared in several independent films and television shows including work on MTV and the DAVE CHAPPELLE SHOW.
Shelia Shaigany
