Jack Heller just recently directed The Glass Menagerie at The Greenaway Court in Hollywood in June 2015 to sold-out audiences. The LA Weekly called this production “jaw-dropping chemistry. Jack Heller also directed The Rainmaker at The Edgemar Theater in Santa Monica, which won Critics’ Choice in the Los Angeles Times and ran for ten months straight to stellar reviews. He starred in “Tennessee in the Summer” as Tennesse Williams to rave reviews. He also appeared in Henry Jaglom’s “Queen of The Lot” as well as his long running play, “Just 45 minutes from Broadway”, turned into a film, currently released theatrically. He was the Artistic Director of the Laurelgrove Theater Company, where his theater received four Ovation Award Nominations for acting in the first three seasons. He has directed more than 60 productions in the US and Canada. He directed several episodes of “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”. He worked for two and a half years at Beit Shuvah, a half-way house for addicts, using theater techniques to aid in their recovery. As an actor he has guest starred on many television series and appeared in two long running plays in Los Angeles – “Nuts” and “Tamara”. The last theater project in which he acted and directed, was The LA Gay and Lesbian Center’s Production of “The Lost Plays of Tennessee Williams”, which won him an LA Weekly Theater Award for Best Actor and Best Ensemble. He won a Dramalogue Award for a one-man show “Dr Galley”. His theater productions as an actor-director have won him many Critics’ Choice and Critics’ Picks Awards. He studied at New York University and with Harold Clurman and Robert Lewis of The Group Theater. He has appeared on Broadway in “One By One” and “LUV”. He toured Italy around Rome and Milan in “Tamara”. He has taught at The Academy of Dramatic Arts and ran a workshop in Rome. He is also a lifetime member of the Actors Studio in the Directing and Acting units. www.jackheller.netType your paragraph here.
Production
- Coco Blignaut (Playwright/ Executive Producer) adapted God's Gypsy (based on the life of Saint Teresa of Avila) from the New York Times Bestselling author, Barbara Mujica's novel, Sister Teresa, in collaboration with the novelist. Coco has been invited by Dr. Mujica, to lecture on and perform pieces from God's Gypsy at Georgetown University in Washington DC, for the past three years, where Dr. Mujica is a professor. Coco Blignaut is also a published children's book author, with her first book, My Bantu Bankie, available on Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com, as well as on other online stores worldwide. Coco is deeply thankful to her friend, Dr. Mujica, for entrusting her with the adaptation of Sister Teresa, and mentoring and supporting her through the playwrighting process. Coco's next children's book, a modern version of Puss in Boots with a setting in romantic Provence, will be released, Fall of 2014.
- Barbara Mujica (Novelist) Bárbara Mujica is a novelist, short story writer, scholar, and theater director. Mujica’s latest novel, I Am Venus (Overlook 2013), explores the identity of the model for the famous Rokeby Venus, the only extant nude of seventeenth-Spanish painter Diego de Velázquez. Kirkus Reviews has called the book, “vigorous and intense… paradoxically both dark and illuminating.” Mujica’s critically acclaimed novel, Sister Teresa, (Overlook 2007; paperback, Penguin 2008) depicts the life of Teresa de Avila, the most beloved saint of the Spanish-speaking world, after the Virgin. A play based on the novel is currently being developed by Coco Blignaut, of The Actors Studio, in Los Angeles. Mujica’s novel frida (Overlook 2001; paperback, Plume 2002) was an international bestseller that has appeared in seventeen languages. Based on the tumultuous relationship between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, frida was a Book-of-the-Month Club alternate. Bárbara Mujica’s other book-length fiction includes The Deaths of Don Bernardo (novel, 1990), Sanchez across the Street (stories, 1997), and Far from My Mother’s Home (stories, 1999; French edition 2007). Bárbara Mujica’s short stories have appeared in numerous magazines, including The Minnesota Review, Pangolin Papers, and The Literary Review, and anthologies such as Where Angels Glide at Dawn, eds. Lori Carlson and Cnythia Ventura, Intro. Isabel Allende (1990, 1993), What Is Secret: Stories by Chilean Women, ed. Marjorie Agosín (1995), Two Worlds Walking, ed. C. W. Truesdale and Diana Glancy (1994), and The House of Memory, ed. Marjorie Agosín (1999). In October 2012 Mujica won prizes from the Maryland Writers’ Association in two divisions: historical novel for I Am Venus and short story of “Imagining Iraq.” She was the only double winner last year. She has also won numerous other prizes for her writing: the Trailblazers Award from Dialogue on Diversity for frida and other works, the Theodore Christian Hoepfner Award for short fiction, the Pangolin Prize for short fiction, and the E. L. Doctorow International Fiction Competition. She has won grants and awards from Poets and Writers of New York, the Spanish Government, and other institutions. She is a two-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize for Fiction. Mujica’s essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, The Dallas Morning Star, and hundreds of other publications. In 1990 her essay “Bilingualism’s Goal” was named one of the best 50 op-eds of the decade by The New York Times. Mujica’s latest scholarly works are A New Anthology of Early Modern Spanish Theater: Play and Playtext (Yale University Press 2013), Shakespeare and the Spanish Comedia (edited, Bucknell University Press 2013), Lettered Women: The Correspondence of Teresa of Avila (Vanderbilt University Press 2009), Santa Teresa de Jesús: Espiritualidad y feminismo, (Ediciones del Orto / University of Minnesota, 2009), and Women Writers of Early Modern Spain: Sophia’s Daughters (Yale University Press,2004). Bárbara Mujica has edited eight literary anthologies, including Milenio: Mil años de literatura española (2002), Antología de la literatura española: Siglos XVIII y XIX (1999), and Premio Nóbel: Once grandes escritores del mundo hispánico (1997). A Professor of Spanish at Georgetown University, Dr. Mujica writes extensively on Spanish literature, and her articles have appeared in many academic journals. She is President Emerita of The Association for Hispanic Classical Theater and Founder and Editor of Comedia Performance, the journal of the Association. She is also director of El Retablo, Georgetown University’s Spanish-language theater group. She was book review editor of Américas, the cultural magazine of the Organization of American States, for fifteen years and serves on the board of the Bulletin of the Comediantes. Since her son, a former U.S. Marine, returned from Iraq in 2008, Mujica has devoted much of her energy to serving transitioning veterans. At Georgetown she is faculty adviser of the Georgetown University Student Veterans Association (GUSVA) as well as Associate Facilitator of the Veterans Support Team, a coalition of faculty, administrators, and students seeking to make Georgetown a more veteran-friendly campus. Recently she has begun writing about issues pertaining to student veterans. Her articles on veterans have appeared in Commonweal and The Huffington Post.
- Lili Haydn (Composer/Musician) Lili Haydn has released four critically acclaimed major label recordings as a solo artist. Her last cd, Place Between Places (Nettwerk Music Group), was praised by NPR as "A mix of neo-psychedelic flower child and rock star virtuoso...Heifetz meet Hendrix." Lili performed the single "Strawberry Street" on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the HBO hit Californication. Lili’s forthcoming CD, LiliLand, is a blend of quirky pop hooks, soulful melody, and raw grooves, unified by her unique brand of violin virtuosity, nakedly honest vocals, and poignant lyrics that reflect her passion for social justice and personal soul searching. It has already been embraced by the likes of industry tastemakers Chris Douridas and Linda Perry, who praised it as “Unique, creative, moving, bold, sonically beautiful and really fucking clever.”Lili is also known for her legendary collaborations; she has played with, sung with, and opened for everyone from Roger Waters, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Josh Groban, Seal, Cyndi Lauper, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and George Clinton's P-Funk All Stars to name a few. Both as a solo artist and as support, Lili has toured the world and performed in premiere concert halls such as Carnegie Hall, the Vienna Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to Lili's extensive recording and touring career, Lili’s music has been licensed for TV, film, and commercials, and she is the featured voice and violin on several films with Hans Zimmer, among many others. Lili is also a film composer in her own right, with ten feature films to her scoring credit, Additional Music credits on several films, and a Film Composing Fellowship to the prestigious Sundance Film Institute. Her film credits include Zeitgeist: Moving Forward, (2011), Somewhere Between (2012), the award winning film The Horse Boy (2009), The Sublime and Beautiful (2013), and ANITA, directed by Academy Award winner Freida Mock (2013), among others.A humanitarian and activist, Lili also performs regularly for various human rights and social justice organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, the Global Security Institute (for whom she recently performed a concert at the UN), and Code Pink. Above all, Lili believes that music has the power to uplift and heal, and she’s very excited to share her new music with you. ~Rolling Stone called her music “fiery and virtuosic...” George Clinton called her "the Jimi Hendrix of the violin."www.lilihaydn.com www.facebook.com/lilihaydn
Washington DC Tour - OCTOBER 2015
- Jack Heller (Director @ Electric Lodge)
Electric Lodge - Venice 2014
- Thomas Zoeschg (Stage Manager)has been around in the entertainment business, since focusing on graphics and design in high school in his home country Italy, to internships for well known photographers and DPs’ in Germany, to film school in Los Angeles to being a 1st Assistant Director in the film industry, to internships at production companies, to being a stage manager at the Edgemar Center for the Arts. One of the latest productions as Stage Manager was ‘The Rainmaker’, directed by Jack Heller, and produced by Henry Jaglom and the Rainbow Theatre Company. The Production was awarded, after a one year run, with an LA Times Critics Choice, an Ovation Recommendation, and 9 Scene Awards including ‘Best Production’ - Intimate Theatre. Now he’s excited to join the director Jack Heller and the wonderful cast of ‘God’s Gypsy’ for a new and exciting adventure in the wonderful world of theatre. All my love goes to my parents, without their support I would have never experienced any of the above. More Info: www.blackdeerpictures.com
- Phi Tran (Set Dresser and Prop Master) hails from the Western suburbs of Chicago,IL and at an early age she developed a strong interest in cinema. With the desire to learn more, she moved out to Los Angeles,CA to attend film school where she discovered her true passion for creating and designing sets through the visual narrative. Phi Tran currently works as a freelance Production Designer as well as various positions residing in the Art Department for the Motion Picture Industry. One of her latest theater credits includes "The Rainmaker" directed by Jack Heller and produced by Henry Jaglom and The Rainbow Theater Co. at The Edgemar Center for the Arts. The production was honored with 9 Scenie awards including "Best Stage Design" for intimate theater and an L.A. Times Critics Choice as well as an Ovation Recommendation. Her aspiration and passion for art and creativity grows with every opportunity that she seeks forth. Phi Tran's work can be viewed at www.phitran-design.com
Silvia Spross (Graphic Designer and Photographer) Silvia Spross began her career as a street performer in Central Park, doing shows with a tap dancing puppet named Bonifaz. She attended Utah Hagen's HB Studio in Manhattan full-time for three years. Since then, Miss Spross has appeared in numerous independent films, working with actors such as Adrien Brody, Danny Glover, Martin Landau, Michael Rooker and the renowned Italian director Dario Argento. In 2001 Miss Spross decided to move to Los Angeles where the Swiss native continued to work as an actor while at the same time pursuing her passion for film-making and photography by attending Santa Monica College with a major in Film and Photography. Over the years Miss Spross has had the pleasure of working as a Graphic Designer for bands like The Pin Ups, choreographer Paula Present, the Swiss Consul, as well as various actors, dancers and singers, designing posters, DVD/CD and book covers. It is a great honor for Miss Spross to be part of this project 'God's Gypsy'.
World Premiere 2013 Production
- Joel Daavid (Director/Designer) Joel has become an award-winning director and set designer since attending AFI were he was nominated for the Kodak Scholarship in Cinematography and received the Blum-Kovler Scholarship. His career accomplishments include cinematography for film work, as well as stage directing and design. Joel's most notable awards include Ovation, LA Weekly, NAACP and LADCC Theater Awards. He directed and designed the critically acclaimed production of "The Miracle Worker" at The Matrix and Edgemar Theatres (LA Weekly GO) and the new award winning production of Tennessee Williams' "Baby Doll" at The Lillian Theatre (Backstage Critic's Pick, LA Weekly's Pick of the Week, Ticketholder Award for Best Productions of 2011). Joel also directed triple award winning "Frankenstein" for Theater Tallahassee last October and is in negotiations to bring this production to LA.
- Leigh Allen (Lighting Designer) is a recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critics' Circle Award for Career Achievement in Lighting Design. Accolades include: A recent Ovation nomination Dying City, Garland Award Cousin Bette, LA Weekly Award Treefall, Ovation/ Production of the Year Killer Joe, GLAAD Award Like A dog on Linoleum, Macy Award The Secret Garden, and LADCC and LA Weekly Awards Johnny Got His Gun. She has also toured with Masters of Illusion, Live! and designed for cruise lines, musical theater companies, regional theaters, universities, and many more. In her spare time she teaches at Santa Monica College.
- Michael Mullen (Costume Designer) is a costume and fashion designer, wardrobe stylist, actor, and writer. He has performed in and designed costumes for several productions on both stage and film throughout Los Angeles and is very excited to be diving into the 1500’s (with a modern twist) here with GOD’S GYPSY! He is the proud recipient of “Costume Designer Of The Year” for 2012-2013 from StageSceneLA.Com as well as a 2013 Ovation Award nomination for Costume Design- Intimate Theatre for his work on DREAMGIRLS, produced by DOMA Theatre Company. He costumed designed the film FIRST PERIOD, which is currently enjoying a successful and award garnering run in the film festival world. He hopes to continue working on projects that fulfill and excite him. Michael would like to thank his friends and family (especially his amazing parents Patrick and Celeste Mullen) for being wonderfully supportive, his adorable dogs Wally and Lulu, and everyone involved with GOD’S GYPSY for their hard work, dedication, and talent. Enjoy the show!
- Chris Moscatiello (Sound Designer) Christopher is an award winning sound designer, re-recording mixer, sound editor, music editor and music director for television, film and theater. Recent television credits include The Walking Dead (AMC), The Cape (NBC), Eureka (SyFy), Psych (USA), Human Target (Fox), Caprica (SyFy), Trauma (NBC), and he has scored full series for National Geographic and Discovery Channel, as well as specials and promos for HBO, Animal Planet, MSNBC, The History Channel, The Learning Channel, BBC, ZDF Germany and others. Theater credits include The Kennedy Center, The Folger Shakespeare Theater, The Smithsonian Institution, Rogue Machine Theatre, Pacific Resident Theatre, LA Theatre Ensemble, The Odyssey Theatre, The Road Theater, and he served as cover conductor for the national tour of The Phantom of the Opera. An East Coast native, Chris spent several years in Boston as Associate Artistic Director and Conductor of the Boston Chamber Ensemble. During that period, he wrote a ballet commissioned by the Kirov Ballet Academy that had its world premier in Washington, DC. Also while on the East Coast, he was the production music director for the theater program at American University, and the supervising composer for The Washington Opera's Create and Produce program. He also served as Master Sound Engineer for the Washington Folklore Society Folk Festival, Staff Engineer at Wooden Nickel Sound and Recording and as Technical Director for The Stage Door theater program in Arlington, Va.
- Lucy Pollak (Publicist) Lucy Pollak has been providing publicity services to the Los Angeles arts community for the past 22 years for companies including 24th STreet Theatre, Antaeus, DOMA Theatre Company, Fountain Theatre, International City Theatre, L.A. Theatre Works, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, The Matrix Theatre Company, Padua Playwrights, Rogue Artists Ensemble, Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum; numerous independent theater and dance productions; and large events and festivals such as the annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the NoHo Scene. From 1981 to 1990, she was production manager/staff producer at the Odyssey Theatre, where she co-produced over 100 productions with artistic director Ron Sossi. For the 1993 Los Angeles Festival, she line produced Reza Abdoh’s controversial Quotations From A Ruined City. She is the recipient of a Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Circle Award (Master Class), an LA Weekly Award (Mary Barnes), four Drama-Logue Awards (Mary Barnes, Idioglossia, Accidental Death of An Anarchist, It’s A Girl!), and a Women in Theatre Recognition Award. She has served on the boards of directors of the Los Angeles Theatre Alliance (now L.A. Stage Alliance), Women in Theatre and P.A.T.H. (Performing Arts Theatre for the Handicapped).
- Adeye Sahran (Marketing Associate ) trained at The University of Southern California School of Theatre BFA Program and Yale School of Drama. In 2011 she founded and became Artistic Director of Phoenix Rising Theater Company in Los Angeles. She currently works as a marketing consultant and AEA waiver theater producer.
- Jeanne Witczak (Marketing Associate)
- Silvia Spross (Graphic Designer/Photographer/Videographer) Silvia Spross began her career as a street performer in Central Park, doing shows with a tap dancing puppet named Bonifaz. She attended Utah Hagen's HB Studio in Manhattan full-time for three years. Since then, Miss Spross has appeared in numerous independent films, working with actors such as Adrien Brody, Danny Glover, Martin Landau, Michael Rooker and the renowned Italian director Dario Argento. In 2001 Miss Spross decided to move to Los Angeles where the Swiss native continued to work as an actor while at the same time pursuing her passion for film-making and photography by attending Santa Monica College with a major in Film and Photography. Over the years Miss Spross has had the pleasure of working as a Graphic Designer for bands like The Pin Ups, choreographer Paula Present, the Swiss Consul, as well as various actors, dancers and singers, designing posters, DVD/CD and book covers. It is a great honor for Miss Spross to be part of this project 'God's Gypsy'.
- Tiffany Nicole Parker ( Associate Producer) Tiffany is thrilled and honored to be joining the production team of God’s Gypsy. She has been acting,singing,and dancing her way through life since she was 2 years old and is excited to add producing to that list :) A big thank you to Mike Abramson for the opportunity!!!!!! I love you Jaybird, thank you for all of your support.
- Mike Abramson ( Producer) Mike is an Ovation nominated producer and is thrilled to be working on the world premiere production of God's Gypsy! Mike is currently the resident Producer and Director of Marketing for DOMA Theatre Company where he has garnered critical acclaim for several musicals including Jekyll and Hyde (LA Weekly Critics Pick of the Week), Xanadu (LA WEEKLY GO), Avenue Q (LA Times Critics Choice, Ovation Recommended and nominated for six 2013 Ovation Awards including Best Musical Intimate Theatre and Dreamgirls (LA Times Critics Choice,Ovation Recommended and winner of 10 Stage Scene LA Awards including Best Musical Production of the Year). Outside of DOMA, Mike recently produced the critically acclaimed production of Rent at The Hudson Mainstage Theatre, Listen Can you Hear Me Now for the 2013 Fringe Festival at The Complex Theatre, The Pokemusical in collaboration with Color and Light Theatre Ensemble and Combined Artform, Resurrection of the Ants at The Hayworth Theatre, and Its The Biz at The Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica.