APRIL 25 - 29, 2019
Thursday at 7pm (PS75): Free!
Friday at 6:30pm (PS239): $50 Benefit Event + Performance
Saturday at 1pm (PS75) + 4pm (PS239): Free!
Sunday at 1pm (PS239) + 4pm (PS75): Free!
Created in collaboration with Superhero Clubhouse
Plays written by Bushwick/Ridgewood elementary students at PS75 + PS239
This year's plays are inspired by two big problems facing local eco-systems: Habitat Loss and Climate Change. Student playwrights have created a menagerie of characters who live in a community surrounding an urban salt marsh (much like this one in Brooklyn's Marine Park). Throughout the plays, this community of humans and non-humans face pollution, deforestation, giant storms, poaching, and heat waves that threaten the survival of the marsh eco-system, ultimately finding solace and solutions in each other.
Playwrights:
PS75: Jason Adams, Jhoan De Jesus, Brandon Delk, Ricardo Espinal, Nancy Galindo, Leah Gethers, Jahmair Herdigein, Leanne Samulu Hunt, Aliyanna Peña
PS239: Elias Estrella, Aiden Negron, Yerlenie Nunez, Destiny Ortiz, Leah Ortiz, Abi Pathak, Adrian Ramirez, Jaelyn Raspardo, Arielys Rodriguez, Emily Sanchez, Erin Torres
Creative Ensemble:
Directed by Jeremy Pickard, founder of Superhero Clubhouse; Set: You-Shin Chen, Costumes: Sabrina Bianca Guillame, Lighting: Jay Maury, Sound: Hannah Birch Carl, Props: Lexy Ho-Tai, Composer/Music Director: Wesley Zurick, Assistant Scenic Designer: carolyn (chad)wick, Assistant Director: Dominique Rider, Production Manager: Joey Barone, Stage Manager: Rachel April, Assistant Stage Manager: Bryan Russell, Interns: Sheldon Bennett, Sarah Cho, Bellene Fisher, and Naya Gomez
Performance Ensemble:
Rolls Andre, Torian Brackett, Inés Dominguez del Corral, Aja Downing*, Chris Ignacio*, Tiffany Iris, Christian Jimenez*, Alejandro La Rosa, Susan Ly, Serena Ebony Miller*, Beethovan Oden*, Wes Ruiz, Haley Sakamoto*, Jehan O. Young*, and Wesley Zurick
*Equity Member appearing with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production.
BIOS:
ROLLS ANDRE (Actor, PS75) Theatre: "The Lehman Trilogy" dir. Sam Mendes with Simon Russell Beale (Park Avenue Armory), "Seagullmachine" dir. Jess Chayes & Nick Benacerraf (The Assembly), "Beardo" Jason Craig-Dave Malloy dir. Ellie Heyman (Pipeline Theatre), "Let Us Now Praise Susan Sontag" (Abrons Arts Center), "12 Shout Outs to the 10 Forgotten Heavens Winter Solstice 2017" (Whitney Museum) both written and dir. by Sibyl Kempson, "Seen/By Everyone" dir. Kristen Marting conceived by Five on a Match (Here Arts Center), "Refuse" devised by Gemini CollisionWorks with Ian W. Hill with music by Berit Johnson dir. Ian W. Hill, Film: " Lost Holiday" prod. & dir. The Matthews Brothers
TORIAN BRACKETT (Actor, PS75) is excited to be a part of is year’s brilliant installment of BGT! NY: ‘Into the Woods’ (Wolf/Steward), Bright and Brave, Ybor City, Me Prometheus, Rootless, Giovanni the Fearless, I Love You and I Want You to be My Bird, Fannie Lou: The Musical, Speakeasy. Regional: ‘Nantucket! The MusACKal’ (Ens), ‘The Fantasticks’ (Matt), ‘Urinetown’ (Hot Blades Harry), Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party (Max), TorianBrackett.com , @Sabertb
INÉS DOMÍNGUEZ DEL CORRAL (Actor, PS239) is a Colombian performer who is making her BGT debut! She was last seen as Tita in the U.S. premiere of Like Water for Chocolate at GALA theatre. Other credits include In the Time of the Butterflies (Mate), Alice (u/s performed) in Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure (Imagination Stage); Anita in West Side Story Selections (Kennedy Center) and Inés in Love Songs (Vienna International Dance Festival, Dschungel Wien Theater, Austria). She received intensive training in acting, voice and dance in Germany and Austria and has a BM in Musical Theater. Inés writes, directs and performs in her own YouTube web series, MARIAS: The Web Series. www.inesdominguez.com
AJA DOWNING* (Actor, PS75) is extremely pleased and excited to be apart of this project and ready for all the projects to come.Aja graduated from The American Musical Arts Academy in 2016. Some of Aja's previous roles were The Wolf in Peter and the Wolf, Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Jojo in Cher Chez Le Femme , Cassandra in Alex and Eugene , Christine Daè in The Phantom of the Opera, Aida in Aida and Fantasy Suzanna in Your name on my lips. Aja would like to thank her Mom and dad for all they’re support and love! And also thank the incredible cast and crew at Super Hero Clubhouse!!
CHRIS IGNACIO (Actor, PS75) is an NY based theatre artist, musician, puppeteer, producer and educator. He has toured nationally and abroad since earning his BFA from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee. He is a Culture Push Fellow, and Queens Council on the Arts: Community Engagement Commissioning grantee for his project, Co-written, which involves collaborative songwriting with young people of color. Chris can often be seen performing with resident companies at La MaMa Experimental Theatre.
TIFFANY IRIS (Actor, PS75) is a New York City based actress, born and raised in The Bronx, and is driven by coffee and a smile. She is enthusiastic to be back but this time for the spring season of Big Green Theater. She is a current resident actor at The Flea Theater in Tribeca, her theater credits include: Shakespeare’s Other Women (Island Shakespeare Festival), When We Went Electronic (The Tank Theater), Sense & Sensibility (Island Shakespeare Festival), Gonzo (Rough Draft Festival), Grace, or the Art of Climbing (Art House Productions) Fill Fill Fill Fill Fill Fill Fill (The Flea Theater). Tiffany has received training from Circle in the Square Theater School in New York City. For more information visit her website www.tiffanyiris.com.
CHRISTIAN O. JIMÉNEZ* (Actor, PS239) Off Broadway: Ain’t No Mo’ (Public Studio) Appointment with gOD (Playwrights Realm). Readings/Workshops: Lyons Pride (Playwrights Realm) I Have Loved Strangers & The Odyssey (LCT Director’s Lab). Other NYC Credits: Big Green Theater 8.0 (The Bushwick Starr), Elements of Change (Hypokrit Theatre), Packrat (Concrete Temple Theatre). Regional: NC Symphony, National Black Theatre Festival, Peppercorn Theatre. Training: UNCSA (BFA Drama c/o ’17)
ALEJANDRO LA ROSA (Actor, PS239) is excited to be back at BGT for a second season! He performs every Tuesday night with his musical improv house team, Contessa, at the Magnet Theater and monthly at the PIT with his BoogieManja sketch team, Illumithoti. You can catch him around the city performing at UCB, The Magnet, or The PIT. He’s the lead in the upcoming gay horror film, Killer Unicorn, which’ll be coming to a streaming platform soon.
SUSAN LY (Actor, PS239), originally hailing from Houston, TX, is a NY based actor, with her BFA in Theatre from Stephen F. Austin State University, where she also got to study abroad at Rose Bruford (England) and at La R.E.S.A.D. (Spain). She has worked in various commercials, prints, voice overs, and short films. Huge shoutouts to BGT and the INCREDIBLE playwrights and teachers for inspiring all of us, to her family and friends for their love and support, and to the audience members for supporting the arts! You rock! www.sosusanly.com
SERENA EBONY MILLER* (Actor/Musician) is honored to return to Big Green Theater. Previously with SHC: Mammelephant (Her Mother), Salty Folk (Henrietta/Henry Hudson), Big Green Theater 2018 (Ensemble/Bassist). NYC/Regional: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Jungle Book, Twelfth Night, Love’s Labor’s Lost, The Book of Will, Measure for Measure. Her original music has been featured by Superhero Clubhouse, Bryant Park Shakespeare, Shakespeare in the PARKing Lot, Endtimes Productions, The New School, and & No-Win Productions. Serena also performs professionally as a string musician and vocalist in NYC and the surrounding area. BFA: UArts. AEA. www.serenaemiller.com
BEETHOVAN ODEN* (Actor, PS239) Beethovan is a native of Oakland, California who now resides in New York City. Recently, he was cast as Cholly in The Bluest Eye. Off-Broadway credits: Gafney in The Fabulous Miss Marie. Regional Theatre credits: Joe Goodin in Hell In High Water, Bill Riddick in The Best of Enemies, The Stage Manager in Our Town, Solinus in The Comedy of Errors, and Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew.
WES RUIZ (Drummer) Wes Ruiz is a freelance percussionist, born and raised in the Bronx. Wes has studied percussion at Manhattan School of Music Camp and Mannes Precollege program. He has played for theatrical productions at theaters such as The Tank and the Bushwick Starr. Wes is a rock drummer at heart and is currently the drummer of the pop-punk bands, Choked up, and Gibbons. When not playing music, Wes does community organizing with lgbtq communities in New York.
HALEY SAKAMOTO (Actor, PS75) Haley Sakamoto is Brooklyn based artist and a graduate of NYU Tisch where she trained at the New Studio on Broadway, The Classical Studio, and Stonestreet Studios. Her most recent projects are Macbeth (Malcolm/Witch 1), Theatreworks’ Dragon’s Love Tacos (Mercy Watson), Mac/Beth (Agnes). She is honored to get to work with the Superhero Clubhouse and the Bushwick Starr in bringing these vital stories to life.
JEHAN O. YOUNG* (Actor, PS239) BGT Debut! An actor, occasional dancer and arts administrator, Jehan has performed across nyc and beyond in various esteemed basements with working pipes and a black curtain. Recent credits include Dinah in Behind The Sheet (Ensemble Studio Theater), Hottentot Venus in HOTTENTOTTED (The Tank & Ars Nova) and Think Before You Holla (Capitol Fringe Festival). Love and Gratitude to (in no particular order) her parents, Ms. White, The Bushwick Starr, her sister and kombucha.
WESLEY ZURICK* (Performer/Band Leader) is thrilled to be returning to BGT. Recent credits include On the Shore of the Wide World (Atlantic Theater Company), Bible Stories! (Atlantic Farm Team), The Lightning Thief (Theatreworks USA), The Velveteen Rabbit, Camp Kapawanna, Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money (Atlantic for Kids), Boats And (Ars Nova’s ANT Fest), Welcome to the Jungle (Living Record Collection), I’s Twinkle (Pipeline Theatre Company), The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek (Playhouse on Park), Ace (Playhouse in the Park). As a playwright and composer his work has been produced by The Atlantic Farm Team, Ape` Shakespeare, The Bushwick Starr, The Bowery Poetry Club, Judson Memorial Church, The Cincinnati Fringe Festival, The Joust Theatre Company and The Rescignos.
PRODUCTION BIOS:
RACHEL DENISE APRIL (Stage Manager) studied Theatrical Design and Stage Management at the City College of New York. Selected credits include: The Baby Monitor (Different Translation), The Hole (Zhailon Levingston), Neptune (Timothy DuWhite), The Genesis Plays (The In[heir]itance Project), Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell (MTWorks). She is the current company manager of The In[heir]itance Project. Despite always identifying as a true neutral, she has recently become aware of chaotic neutral tendencies (with the occasional chaotic evil moment).
JOSEPH BARONE (Production Manager, Big Green Theater)
SHELDON BENNETT (Intern, Big Green Theater) is an aspiring sound engineer who has helped to put on various productions which includes Manifest which occurs annually at El Puente Williamsburg Leadership Center. When he isn’t working on productions, he is engaged in American Politics, Watching anime and attempting to work on his new blog.
HANNAH BIRCH CARL (Sound Designer) is a New York noob with over 8 years of theatrical sound design experience under her belt from her years living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area. She'll spare you an exhaustive list of Northern California theater companies, and instead would just like to thank The Bushwick Starr for hiring her, as well as her cat Pino for all the ongoing emotional support. Thanks for reading her cool bio!!!
YOU-SHIN CHEN (Scenic Designer) is a New York based scenic designer for performing arts from Taiwan. As a theater practitioner, she is committed to diversity and humanity. This is her second year working with Big Green Theater! Recent theater credits: Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie (ArsNova); Rock-A-Bye (BalletX); Eclipsed (Berlind Theatre, inclusion for PQ 19’); UGLY (the feath3r theory & Bushwick Starr); Memory Retrograde (Harunalee x ArsNova Maker’s lab, UTR incoming!) The Hollower (New Light Theater Project) youshinchen.com
SARAH CHO (Intern, Superhero Clubhouse) is a sophomore Environmental Studies Major at NYU.
BELLENE FISHER (Intern, The Bushwick Starr)
LANXING FU (Co-Director, Superhero Clubhouse) is a Chinese-American theater artist. She is co-director of Superhero Clubhouse, a community of artists and scientists engaged in a long-term experiment to understand how theater can help shift consciousness in the face of global climate change and environmental injustice. She is thrilled to have worked as a teaching artist again with PS 75 this year; many thanks to the brilliant young playwrights, their families, and the entire creative team.
SABRINA BIANCA GUILLAUME (Costume Designer) Brooklyn girl to the core! Sabrina Bianca Guillaume was born, raised, and resides in Brooklyn, New York. From an early age she fantasized over costumes and fashion and its ability to tell a story. She works as a freelance costume designer for dance, theatre. She credits the beginning of her journey to be dressing in her Sunday best and designing costumes for her dance group as a teen. She received her BA in English and Theatre Arts at CUNY John Jay (2014). Most recently she received her MFA in Theater, with a concentration in design and technical production from CUNY Brooklyn College (2017). Often working on world premieres of productions she lives for making ever costume rememberable. www.SabrinaBianca.com
EMMA JOHNSON (Production Manager, The Bushwick Starr)
LEXY HO-TAI (Props Master) is an interdisciplinary artist interested in the intersection of art making and making the world a better place. Her collaborative practice explores accessibility, inclusion, craft, and play through public and participatory art. She also loves art programming, and has led programs with various kids, university students, and senior citizens. She has been an artist-in-resident at the Watermill Center, Flux Factory, ARos Museum, MAD Museum, and the Everglades. View her work at LEXYMAKESTHINGS.com / @lexymakesthings
JAY MAURY (Lighting Designer & Technical Director, The Bushwick Starr) is a sound, lighting, video, and scenery designer working out of Brooklyn. As the designer of the BWS infrastructure and equipment, he has been working to raise the standards for control, efficiency, and artistic possibilities. Notably, BWS is now running an ultra-efficient LED worklight system with unparalleled control and light coverage. Recent design credits include Saratoga Opera (Sound Design, Lighting Design) BAWeaselOAPOYOB (Lighting Design) and Big Green Theater (Lights).
JEREMY PICKARD (Director) is the founder and co-director of Superhero Clubhouse, a community of artists and scientists engaged in a long-term experiment to understand how theater can help shift consciousness in the face of global climate change and local environmental injustice. He has been the Big Green Theater program and production director since its inception in 2010 and is overjoyed to continue leading this wonderful project, nine years and growing strong.
DOMINIQUE RIDER (Assistant Director)
NAYARIT RODRIGUEZ (Intern, Big Green Theater) is a Dominican who was raised through the art of dance in the community of Bushwick. She will be attending St. Francis College in the fall to major in nursing. She enjoys volunteering her free time to the community through gardening or recycling.
BRYAN RUSSELL (Assistant Stage Manager) Recent credits include: Laura Ingalls Wilder (ArtsPower Touring Theatre) Hope (Wild Project), The Great Leap (Atlantic Theatre Company), Mlima’s Tale (The Public), Trainspotting Live (Arias Stages). Additional credits: It’s A Wonderful Life, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Mile Square), Agnus (Theatre Row), Chess Match No. 5 (Abingdon Theatre), The Rape of Lucrece (New York Shakespeare Exchange), Fun Home, Spamalot, Seussical, & Life Could be a Dream (Millbrook Playhouse), Peter Pan & Porgy and Bess (Utah Festival Opera). Rutgers University, MFA.
SUPERHERO CLUBHOUSE unites ecology and theater to enact justice, cultivate hope, and inspire a thriving future. We are a New York-based community of artists, scientists, and environmental professionals invested in a long-term experiment to understand how theater can help shift consciousness in the face of global climate change. www.superheroclubhouse.org
ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION
(“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 50,000 actors and stage managers. Equity seeks to foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. #EquityWorks
SPECIAL THANKS:
BGT Teaching Artists: Nissy Aya, Vanessa Felix, Lani Fu, Penny Middleton, Serena Ebony Miller, Jeremy Pickard
BGT Resident Teachers: Shanese Periera, PS239; Jennia Nabole & Harriet Fisher, PS75
Interns: Sheldon Bennettt, Sarah Cho, Bellene Fisher, Naya Rodriguez
Workshop Presenters: Sonali McDermid, Ranger Louis Burns, Ranger Max Soo
Classroom Volunteers: David Schacht, Theo Maltz, Kara Ayn Napolitano
Production Crew: Paul Van Sickle, Henry Ellison, Jack Gilliat, Jack Scaletta, Lui Konno
Thanks to Moore PA for their donation of equipment, Materials for The Arts for continuing support of reusing materials in the arts, and Brooklyn College.
MADE POSSIBLE BY:
The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, City Council Members Antonio Reynoso, Rafael L. Espinal, and Stephen Levin, the Revada Foundation of the Logan Family, Con Edison, and the Lotos Foundation
The Bushwick Starr's Mission
The Bushwick Starr is an Obie Award winning not-for-profit theater that presents an annual season of new performance works. We are an organization defined by both our artists and our community, and since 2007, we have grown into a thriving theatrical venue, a vital neighborhood arts center, and a destination for exciting and engaging performance. We provide a springboard for emerging professional artists to make career-defining leaps, and we are a sanctuary where established artists come to experiment and innovate. We are also a neighborhood playhouse, serving our Bushwick, Brooklyn community's diverse artistic needs and impulses.
Our Team
Noel Allain - Co-Founder / Artistic Director
Sue Kessler - Co-Founder / Creative Director
John Del Gaudio - Producing Director
Lauren Miller - Development Director
Jehan O. Young - General Management Associate
Emma Johnson - Production Manager
Jay Maury - Technical Director
Vanessa Felix - Youth + Community Programmer
Modesto Flako Jimenez - Youth + Community Programmer
Box Office Manager: Jose Morales
House Manager: Rafael Abdulmajid
William Burke - Artistic Development Associate/Reading Series Curator
Jillian Walker - Reading Series Curator
Our Board
Michael Contini
Matthew Cowherd
Gita Deo
Jeff Griffin
Robin Griffiths - Chair
Matthew Harrison
David Herskovits
Oliver Kramer
Tamar Lusztig
Sheldon McLeod
Keanu Reeves
David Ringer
Rachel Viola
10th Anniversary Committee
Jon Bernthal, Eliza Bent & Dave Malloy, Patrick Catullo, Jane Comfort, Brenda Davis, Jody Falco & Jeffrey Steinman, Alice Griffiths, Phillip Howze, Libby & Jaime King, Liz Logan & Evan Ryan, Alia McKee & Tim Walker, Nana Mensah, Lila Neugebauer, Meghan Pressman, Suzie Bolotin & John Rothman, Risa Shoup & Di Glazer, Ikechukwu Ufomadu, Shawn & Ashley Woolf
Our Supporters
Institutional Funders:
The Axe-Houghton Foundation; The Emma A. Sheafer Charitable Trust; The Faro Foundation; The Howard Gilman Foundation; The Lotos Foundation; The MAP Fund (supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation); The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Mental Insight Foundation; The Revada Foundation of the Logan Family; The Anthony A. Sirna Foundation; The Shubert Foundation
Government Funders:
The National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature); New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council and Council Members Antonio Reynoso, Rafael L. Espinal, Jr., and Stephen T. Levin; The Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment
Corporate Donors:
American Fidelity Foundation; Braven Brewing Company; Collegiate Asset Associates; Con Edison; Frank Brunckhorst Co. LLC; Goldman Sachs; Henry Luce Foundation Matching Program; McKinsey & Company; Workman Publishing
INDIVIDUAL DONORS:
All Starrs
Susan & John Allain; Eliza Bent & Dave Malloy; Jeremy Blocker; Suzie Bolotin & John Rothman; Sean T. Buffington; Patrick Catullo; Steve Coats; Matthew Cowherd; Max Dana; Gita Deo; Jody Falco & Jeffrey Steinman; Jeff Griffin; Alice & Robin Griffiths; Matthew Harrison; David Herskovits; Jason Kemper & Thor Perplies; Mary & Casey Kemper; Karate Kings; Maxandra & Oliver Kramer; Tamar Lusztig & Aaron Foster; Alexis & Grant Mainland; Greta & Tony Mansour; Sheldon McLeod; David Ringer; Andrea Risoli & Jeremy T. Smith; Lisa Van Curen; Rachel Viola
Sustainers
Renee & Steve Bauer; Angela & Jacob Buchdahl; Rachel Chavkin; Susan Feldman; Foster Sundry; Naomi Gardner; Lauren Glant & Michael Gillespie; Frank Holozubiec; ICM Partners; Joyce & Marty Kessler; Jaslynne Medina; Carole Miller; Carin & Chris Moeder; Mark Musico; Susan & Eric Rayman; Eliza & Jim Rossman; Mary Salter; Samuel French; Michael Seelbach; Risa Shoup & Di Glazer; Elizabeth Sorrell & Jamie Buckner; United Talent Agency; Tracy Weller & Michael Ranson; Ashley & Shawn Woolf
Supporters
Anonymous (3); Mary Bruch; Jane Comfort; Quinn Metal Corbin; Leah Day & Greg VanHorn; Bunny Dell; Dan Halsted; Allison Heim; Sara Juli & Chris Ajemian; Elizabeth Mallow; Katherine Matheson; Jill H. Matichak; Christine O'Leary; Garrett Oliver; Meghan Pressman; Arun Subramarian; Isadora Tang
Members
Anonymous (2); Morgan Baker; Katherine Barry; Kate Benson; Francis Blacklock; Heather Christian; Joel de la Fuente; MaryBeth DelGaudio; Daniel Fish; Aaron Glick; Caleb Hammons; Rachel Karpf & Brent Reidy; Jamie Kaye-Phillips; Nunally Kersh; Annie & Charles Kessler; Nana Mensah; Ian Mundorff; Tere O'Connor; Cate Owren & Zac Hall; Ariana Perez-Castells; Tere Petersen; Heather Rush; Tara Sarath; Kristen Sieh; Kendra Srebro; Elizabeth Pickett Steinke & Frederick Steinke; Scott C. Wilson; Jay Wegman & Stephen Facey; Michael Weller
*As of March 1, 2019
