IN DA BOOGIE DOWN by Mel Nieves (WHO's WHO)

Welcome to our Paperless Program!  We're proud to introduce our creative team for this bareNaked Reading Series installment.

Barefoot Theatre CompaNY

Season 2013-2014

bareNaked Reading Series

Molly Marinik, Program Director

Jennie West, Co-Producer

proudly presents

IN DA BOOGIE DOWN

written by

Mel Nieves

directed and co-developed by

Paula Pizzi-Black

original poetry by Craig ‘muMs’ Grant                               

original music by Andre Fratto

CAST

Wilton Fernandez…….………….Victor Almanzar

Carmen Fernandez…..……..… Blanca Camacho*

Pablo Fernandez ……….….…….. Eliud Kauffman

Yazmin Garcia………….….Jasmine Cephas Jones

Juliana Garcia……….… Wilemina Olivia-Garcia*

Maggie Carlsen………………………..…Jennie West

Jamal Faulkner…………………Eden Marryshow*

Nicholas Soto…………………………………..Gil Ron*

Byron Adler………………………..……...Kevin Geer*

Hotel Bartender……………………..Jeremy Brena*

Armando Cruz……………..Francisco Solorzano*

Stage Directions……………….…..Charlotte Pines

*member AEA

Musical Guest: Lisa Bianco

West Beth Artists Community

55 Bethune Street

Music Booking by Darkseed Entertainment

Victor Almanzar is a native of The Dominican Republic; he moved to Queens, New York, at the age of thirteen.  He was attracted to acting soon after his arrival and became a member of a youth theater company were he performed in multiple plays.  As a young adult, Victor joined the United States Marine Corp, serving in Kosovo and Iraq. Upon returning home, he decided to pursue acting. Victor has since performed in theatrical productions throughout New York City. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts at the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University.

BLANCA CAMACHO is a native New Yorker, graduate of NYU, and an original Broadway cast member of IN THE HEIGHTS alternately playing ‘Abuela Claudia’, ‘Daniela’ and ‘Camila’ throughout the show's run.  She was Doña Elena in the NYMF production of ZAPATA and was lucky enough to have worked with the late Marvin Hamlisch in a workshop of BALLROOM starring Tyne Daly. TV: LAW & ORDER, UNFORGETTABLE, BLUE BLOODS, ROYAL PAINS. She can be heard on HBO Sports, TV and radio commercials, films, TV series, animation, audiobooks, and was even the voice of Chiquita Banana!

Eliud Kauffman (Pablo):  Eliud’s recent theater credits include BELLINI AND THE SULTAN (FringeNYC 2013), LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT (Maddox Theatre/T.Schreiber), CRISIS (Hudson Guild Theatre), Almost, Maine (45^th Street Theatre), CHANGING ROOM (Maddox Theatre / T.Schreiber). Film credits include the upcoming Roberto Duran Biopic, HANDS OF STONE , HAMLET SON OF A KINGPIN, LLORO (2013 NY International Film Festival Best Actor Nomination),  COCKS OF THE WALK. TV credits include LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, BLUE BLOODS. Eliud is a T. Schreiber Studio Conservatory alumnus and a Princeton University graduate.

Jasmine Cephas Jones - Credits: Theater: Loneliness of the long distance runner ( Atlantic Theater).  Member of Labyrinth Theatre Company.  Film: Untitled Noah Baumbach, Titus.  Television: “Blue Bloods” (CBS), “Unforgettable (CBS), The Blacklist” (NBC).  

Wilemina Olivia-Garcia: Member of LAByrinth Theater Company since 1993. Is very pleased to be working again on Mel Nieves’s In Da Boogie Down, as Juliana. Performance credits include: Street Children, Amelia, The Vertigo Theater Co; @ The Wild Project; Ensemble Force Acts Of Love (An Interactive Multi-Media Performance); Untitled Ass Play, Esmeralda (A workshop production); Stephen Adly-Guirgis @ LAB Theater Company;  Dutch Heart of Man-Phyllis Public Theater, LAB Theater Company; Ladronita, Shoplifting Prison & Sex (Self developed and performed) at Center Stage NY @ LAB Theater Company, Barn Series 2001. She is currently developing her one-woman show into a play: Saint Lazarus In Prison.  Her film credits include, an independent short, Good Day, Yvonne; Downtown, Lola; Bobby G Can’t Swim, Brenda; Drug Wars, Annemarie, Anthony Michaels Productions. She studied the Linklatter Voice & Movement technique, with Robby Mc’Caulghly, and is a CCNY BFA graduate. She is thankful for all the love, and abundance! 

Jennie West began performing at a young age most notably singing private audience for former first lady Bess Wallace Truman. Jennie is an ensemble member of Barefoot Theatre Company (appearing in numerous productions, workshops and readings) and a regular performer in the Dialogue with Three Chords (D3C) ongoing series. Past roles include "Babe" in Balm in Gilead (Barefoot) and "Alma Weinmiller" in Eccentricities of A Nightingale (The New School). Recent roles include “Quellz” in Fucking Vigwan by Kristoffer Diaz (Barefoot Theatre Co.) and "Hope" in Franklin Stein. Most recently appeared as "Amanda" Off-Broadway in It's Just Sex. 

Eden Marryshow is a native of Flatbush, Brooklyn.  He was an educator for the NYC Department of Education for ten years. When one of his beloved students was shot in a drive by shooting he finally realized how short life is and decided it was time to follow his Big Dream of becoming an actor!  He hasn't looked back since... He is truly grateful for this journey and constant realization of his dream and has dedicated his life to helping people discover and follow their dreams. DREAM BIG, GO HARD! 

GIL RON (Dr. Jerry Rizzo) A Member of the Barefoot Theatre Company since 2001 and a Member of El Repertorio Espanol since 2002. Last seen, as Julius Ceasar at the Secret Theatre. Barefoot Productions: DE DONDE?, DOES A TIGER WEAR A NECKTIE?, A MOTHERS LOVE, NORTH SHORE FISH, DIRTY TALK and DOG DAY AFTERNOON. Repertorio Productions: BLOOD WEDDING, THE FEAST OF THE GOAT, CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD, O.K. and ANA IN THE TROPICS. Gil directed East 3rd Production’s NYC Premier of A BICYCLE COUNTRY, by Nilo Cruz. Gil is recipient of the HOLA, ACE, and OOBR awards. For Sammy Russo.

KEVIN GEER- Broadway: Juror #2 in Twelve Angry Men (Best Revival, Drama Desk, Outer Circle), Jonesy in SideMan (Tony Award, Best Play), Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Rose Tattoo. Off Broadway: Medieval Play (Signature], UNCONDITIONAL (LAByrinth@The Public), Oedipus (Obie, Best Play), On The Bum (Playwrights), and originated Ellard in Larry Shue’s The Foreigner. Regional: Title role in the world premiere of Tennessee Williams’The Palooka (Hartford Stage), O’Neill’s Anna Christie (Long Wharf), SideMan [London’s West End & The Kennedy Center] Defying Gravity (Williamstown). Television: "OZ", “Law & Order: CI,” “Law & Order: SVU,” an acclaimed two-part "Law & Order/Homicide","China Beach","M*A*S*H", opposite Elizabeth Taylor in"Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth", and the upcoming "ALPHA HOUSE".Film: Kenneth Lonergan's MARGARET,The Men Who Stare at Goats w/George Clooney, American Gangster, The Contender, The Tavern, The Pelican Brief, Arrowshot (Sundance),100 Feet, the apocalyptic western Bunker Hill, The Only Good Indian (Sundance 2009),and upcoming : Eric Bogosians'100 MONOLOGUES and opposite Jennifer Connelly  in SHELTER .Mr. Geer works with the kids of the 52nd St. Project, is a member of the LAByrinth Theatre Company, and has spent 21 summers developing new plays at the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference.

JEREMY BRENA became a member of the Barefoot Theatre Company in 2002 with their production of  ?De Donde?  His credits with the company include  the role of Michael  in  Raft of the Medusa at The Cherry Lane, Sal in the stage adaptation of  Dog Day Afternoon  at Theatre Row, Fullendorf  in Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?, Martin in Balm in Gilead,  Will in Hopscotch and  Kenneth  in  Fiat, a short play  in Metropolitan Operas. Jeremy also originated  the roles in Israel Horovitz’s New Shorts (Inconsolable, The Hotel Play, The Bridal Dance, The Race Play, & The Audition Play.) He was also part of the 70/70 Horovitz Project which included staged readings of Alfred the Great, Our Father's Failing, Alfred Dies, Unexpected Tenderness, Honest to God Schnozzola, and Mackeral along with productions of Suite Horovitz (Fiddleheads and Lovers) and  A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley. Other credits include The Possibilities (Reasons for the Fall of Emperors) with Collective Productions, The Killer as part of the Ionescoe Festival, Dead End as part of the Fringe Festival, Richard of York (3 Henry VI & Richard III), with the York Shakespeare Company, and Raised in Captivity as part of Piccolo Spoleto. Jeremy’s film and  television credits include Sundays, American Adobo, Swimfan, The Same Deep Water as You, White Collar, Unforgettable,  30 Rock and Power.  He holds a B.A. in Theatre from the College of Charleston.

FRANCISCO SOLORZANO - for the past 15 years, Francisco has produced, directed, acted, and led the Barefoot Theatre Company as Producing Artistic Director / Co-Founder from Off-Off Broadway to become a critically acclaimed and award winning NYC and LA Ensemble. Most notably onstage, Francisco adapted, directed and acted in the critically acclaimed/sold-out Off-Broadway world premiere of DOG DAY AFTERNOON (Theatre Row Theatres). Francisco has also been known for his leading role in Israel Horovitz's two-act drama SINS OF THE MOTHER (alongside Ethan Hawke, Chris Cooper, Bobby Cannavale, and Michael Stuhlbarg). Most recently, acted in and co-produced two short films with Barefoot Studio Pictures, THE GIRL WITH THE JACKET written and directed by Caitlin FitzGerald and FLOATING SUNFLOWERS (also dir.) w/ Anna Chlumsky, Lynn Cohen & Christopher Whalen. Collaborated on award winning revivals, NY and World Premieres with some of the most prolific companies including: LABYRINTH THEATER COMPANY, RATTLESTICK PLAYWRIGHTS THEATER, FLORIDA STAGE, GLOUCESTER STAGE CO., ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATER, STELLA ADLER THEATER, THEATRE ROW THEATRES. BFA in Acting: CUNY'S Brooklyn College; Recipient of the Graduate Theater Organization of Brooklyn College, CUNY's Alumnus of the Year Award. Currently splits his time between his home in Brooklyn, New York and Hollywood, CA.

CHARLOTTE PINES  is delighted to be working with the awesome Barefoot team once again! Past credits include Play Dead, Callous Cad, Rhinestone Gorilla Burlesque Presents: Good Idea/Bad Idea, and Syfy's School Spirits. She can be seen next in Fever Dreams' upcoming webseries, Flesh for the Beast, which will air later this year on Hulu.  More info atwww.charlottepines.com.

MEL NIEVES (Writer) is a actor/playwright/teaching-artist. He is a proud long time member of the award winning LAByrinth Theatre Company and a graduate of The William Esper Studios. He is a two time Metlife Fondation "Nuestra Voces" playwrighting nominee. Recently he was a playwright-in-residence for Voices Inside/Out at Northpoint Training Center, a medium security prison in Burgin, Kentucky. His plays have been seen in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. More info: www.melnieves.com 

CRAIG 'MUMS' GRANT (Original Poetry) is an American Poet, Actor and Playwright. He has performed on New York City stages for more than 20 years. muMs is best known for playing Arnold Jackson aka Poet on the HBO hit show OZ. At the same time muMs is an internationally known Poet- performing at over 200 cafe's, Colleges and Universities across the U.S., Europe and Africa. muMs is a proud member of the Labyrinth Theater Company, debuting in such productions as the critically acclaimed LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT and A VIEW FROM 151st. Both performed Off-Broadway at the NYC's Public Theater. With the Labyrinth, muMs has also workshopped two of his own plays, Paradox of The Urban Cliche and Loveness: I will only love you once. Some of muMs' acting credits include: Side Effects, Law and Order SVU, Law and Order, Cold Case, Chappelle's show, Boston Legal, Law and Order Criminal Intent, The Sopranos, Dark Water, Everyday People, Bamboozled... amongst others.

PAULA PIZZI-BLACK (Director) has been codeveloping, and directing "In Da Boogie Down" since its inception and is very excited to see it come to life at the Barefoot Theatre Company. Paula is a founding member of Labyrinth Theatre Company.