12th Season Review - FINAL ENTRY, 2011

Before we prepared to take the summer off and begin work on our 2011-2012 Season we managed to produce one of our most exciting presentations. In collaboration with The Cherry Lane Theatre we produced and c0-presented Israel Horovitz's SINS OF THE MOTHER reading. The reading was part of Cherry Lane Theatre's reading series, TONGUES. the reading was directed by our very own playwright and Advisory Board Member, Israel Horovitz. The cast included Academy Award winner, Chris Cooper, Ethan Hawke, Michael Stuhlbarg and Barefoot Theatre Company Ensemble Member, Francisco Solorzano with stage directions by Frances Uku.

We were beyond thrilled to have Chris Cooper (American Beauty, Adaptation - for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor) join us this time around. All three, Ethan Hawke (Training Day, Reality Bites, Dead Poets Society), Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man, Boardwalk Empire, The Grey Zone), and Francisco Solorzano have been part of the development and presentations of Horovitz's full length comic-drama.

The reading on Monday, May 2nd played to a packed house in the beautiful Mainstage at The Cherry Lane Theatre. Special thanks to the staff and crew at CLT and especially Founder/Artistic Director, Angelina Fiordellisi.

Barefoot Theatre Company presented a staged reading of the play as part of the opening of 70/70 Horovitz Project (a worldwide, year-long festival celebrating Israel Horovitz' 70th Birthday with readings and productions of 70 of his plays). The reading was directed by Jo Bonney and took place at 45 Bleecker Street Theatre with Bobby Cannavale, John Doman, Michael Stuhlbarg and Francisco Solorzano. Since its developments, workshops and readings the play has gone on to be produced across the United States including Olympia,WA; Manalapan, FL and Gloucester, MA (Harlequin Stages; Florida Stage; and Gloucester Stage Company). We look forward to seeing more of Horovitz' latest work in the near future.

Photos, Top to Bottom: Ethan Hawke, Chris Cooper, Cast of May 2nd Reading with from LtoR: Francisco Solorzano, Israel Horovitz, Ethan Hawke, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chris Cooper.

Ensemble Member, Therese Plaehn

Following her production of Richard Vetere's new play at Gloucester Stage Company (opposite Producing Artistic Director, Francisco Solorzano), Ensemble Member and Literary Manager, Therese Plaehn is currently in rehearsal for Stephen Belber's TAPE Off-Broadway.

"Stephen Belber's acclaimed three-person drama Tape, which was also adapted into a 2001 film, will make a New York return in September at the Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex." - Playbill.com

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/153755-Stephen-Belbers-Tape-Will-Make-Limited-New-York-Return-Casting-Announced

Therese was also featured in Barefoot Theatre Company's 2010-2011 Season with our 2nd Annual bareNaked Reading Series both in NYC and LA as well as in our Basement Workshop Series this past spring.

Therese Plaehn

Therese is thrilled to be a member of Barefoot! A.R.T.- Paradise Lost (dir. Daniel Fish), The Lady Hamlet (reading w/ Kate Burton dir. Peter DuBois) MFA A.R.T's Institute with the Moscow Art Theatre at Harvard. Institute credits- The Winter's Tale, Hamletmachine, History of the American Film, The Little Tragedies. Other theater- Dancing at Lughnasa (Gallery Players), The Cripple of Inishmaan (Queens Theatre in the Park), The Well of the Saints (Sugan Theatre, Boston), upcomingDying City (Stonington Opera House). TV- Onion News Network (IFC), 12:21 Demetri Martin Comedy Lab (BBC). BA in English Providence College. Therese Plaehn comes to us originally from Scituate, Massachusetts and is a proud aunt of 14 nieces and nephews. She recently graduated with her MFA in acting from the American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre's Institute at Harvard University. She received her BA in English from Providence College and studied arts at the National University of Ireland, Galway for a year.

photo by: Michael Mallard.

Ensemble Members featured in New Monthly Theatre Event

Barefoot ensemble member and playwright Stephen Gracia and founding member, Michael LoPorto's monthly theatre event, Dialogue with Three Chords continues August 25th with Absolute Beginners.

"Two brothers bear witness to the end of a bloody family tradition as their neighborhood quickly becomes unrecognizable."

This new play by Stephen Gracia is set in the Hell's Kitchen of 1983. The Westies are falling apart, gentrification is coming on quick, and there's a dead body in the bathtub that someone needs to atone for.

D3C features new plays written by Gracia and directed by LoPorto the fourth Thursday of every month at Mr. Dennehy's Irish Pub at 63 Carmine Street, NYC. They will be staged readings with live music, a talk back, poetry readings, and more.

Start time: 8pm.

D3C is free with a suggested donation of $3.

Absolute Beginners features Barefoot ensemble member Charles Everett. The cast also includes Sean Meehan, Jennifer Skura, Matthew Ferretti, and Carol LoPorto.

Live music will be provided by Ridley Parson.

For more information, visit:
www.dthreec.blogspot.com
www.mrdennehys.com

12th SEASON REVIEW (a look back)... SPRING/CLOSING, 2011

So following an incredibly exciting and definitely busy Winter...we presented a SPRING BASHthat featured a BEAT BOXIN CONTEST as well as LIVE MUSIC by Ensemble Member, Aidan Koehler! The evening also featured the Cast and Crew of our Spring Production, Teeth Of The Sons by Joseph Sousa and directed by Nicole Haran.

We packed the house at NYC's CENTRAL BAR

with the party going all night with Ensemble Member, LYNN COHEN dancing the night away!! Special thanks to ALL who attended and enjoyed our SPRING BASH!

So what does one do after a night of celebratio?!

We GET BACK TO WORK or PLAY in our case. Rehearsals began for our Spring Production that was being directed and led by our very own, Co-Founder / Co-Artistic Director, Nicole Haran. The production opened to a weekend of sold-out seats and rave reviews. Once again we gathered at A.O.C. on Bleecker for a night or Opening Night fun!!!

"...moving play from Barefoot...marking them as a company to keep an eye on." - NY PRESS

"Nicole Haran's smart, unshowy direction and Josh Iacovelli's detailed living-room set contribute to the verisimilitude." - BACKSTAGE

"... jagged, emotional escalation and sharp narrative focus epitomizes the kind of work that Barefoot brings to the stage." - HUFFINGTON POST

"This is the kind of theater that I love and desperately search for -- a show in an intimate space with quality acting and an engaging story. The fact that the ticket is actually affordable makes Teeth of the Sons a rare gem." - TheEasy.com

"I am always impressed with Barefoot Theatre Company’s productions, and TEETH OF THE SONS is no exception." - ELJNY.COM

"Nicole Haran deserves credit for humane and sensitive direction. " - RLBRODY.COM

During one of our Dark Nights, in honor of Lanford Wilson who recently passed away, we held a FREE Reading of BALM IN GILEAD featuring Barefoot Theatre Company Ensemble and special guests. The FREE event took place at The Studio Theatre at the legendary Cherry Lane Theatre. Barefoot Theatre Company has been fortunate to work on and present full productions of Lanford Wilson's HOME FREE! and BALM IN GILEAD.

Closing up our 12th Anniversary Season, we developed and presented our BASEMENT WORKSHOP SERIES which involves a staged reading presentation of a work in progress; featuring LIVE MUSIC and FREE DRINKS. The new works get rehearsed for at least one work and make use of sound, set, costumes and props to help better visualize the text in its process of development. The two works we presented were also featured in our bareNaked Reading Series (now presented FREE to audiences) and our DIRECTOR'S LAB (ensemble members only development process). First we presented Samantha Fontana's solo piece, VILLAGE ILIAD directed by Victoria Malvagno and Tim Plaehn's WEST ASHEVILLE directed by Nicole Haran.

The closing of our season with the BASEMENT WORKSHOP SERIES was one that we'll definitely remember. We had a full house and had to, unfortunately, turn some audience members away at the door. It was an excellent evening that once again featured the LIVE MUSIC of our very own Aidan Koehler.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE STAFF AND CREW OF THE CHERRY LANE THEATRE for an EXCITING SEASON!!! And to YOU, our audiences, members, friends, and families.

Barefoot Theatre Company

12th SEASON REVIEW (a look back)... WINTER, LA 2010

From New York City to Los Angeles!

This past Winter JAN/FEB we dedicated some time to bridging the gap between the theater community on the East and West Coast. Taking up residency at the Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles, California, NYC's Barefoot Theatre Company presented the Inaugural West Coast presentation of the bareNaked Reading Series (no sets, no props, just words). The evenings featured new plays from emerging and established playwrights followed by a Q&A, Live Music and Free Drinks.

Special Thanks to Tom Oppenheim, Nina Capelli, Johnny Yoder for the residency / collaboration.

The cast includes Barefoot Theatre Company Ensemble Members, Will Allen, Samantha Fontana, Daniel Graff, Therese Plaehn, Joseph Sousa, Christopher Whalen, Victoria Malvagno, Francisco Solorzano, Alona Dadiani, Anika Solveig, Lucy Boyle, Cristina Fernandez, Jessica Langer, along with special guests A.J. Handegard, Heather Roop, students of AOA and more...

Ensemble Workshop with Students of AOA featuring the Barefoot Theatre Company Ensemble and new works by Mike Reiss (writer and producer of The Simpsons).

Collection of New Shorts from Emerging Playwrights that include:
Daniel Graff, Joseph Sousa, Lina Patel, Lila Rose Kaplan and more...

Directed by Therese Plaehn, Christopher Whalen, Victoria Malvagno, Francisco Solorzano and more...

West Asheville by Tim Plaehn directed by Nicole Haran (Co-Founder / Co-Artistic Director)

Mid-East Pieces by Israel Horovitz directed by Francisco Solorzano

LIVE MUSIC featured, The Public Trust, Byram Band- Brothers Jonathan and Benjamin Byram and Gina Pensiero.

The Art of Acting Studio, 1017 North Orange Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90038

12th SEASON REVIEW (a look back)... WINTER 2010

Following our Fall Production directed by Victoria Malvagno at The Cherry Lane Theatre in rep with our 2nd Annual bareNaked Reading Series during the dark nights we took another moment to CELEBRATE the Upcoming Winter Holidays!

Central Bar located on East 9th Street hosted our 2010 Holiday Party with some incredible music, friends, family and drinks!!! We had an incredible time all around. Our partying went on into the night as we began preproduction and rehearsals for our first ever HOLIDAY FREE READING EVENT.

On Wednesday, December 22nd, The Players Foundation hosted our Free Reading of Israel Horovitz' stage adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol: Scrooge & Marley. Audiences were treated to Free Eggnog and Cider.

We were extremely lucky to gather at the gorgeous, legendary PLAYERS CLUB in Gramercy Park.

The event was directed by Producing Artistic Director, Francisco Solorzano and featured: Jeremy Brena, Therese Plaehn, Dan Graff, Samantha Fontana, Betty Hudson, John Harlacher, Steven R. Weinblatt, Marissa Pierini, Anthony Pierini, Nicolette Pierini, osh Iacovelli, Adian Koehler, Lauren Rovere, Zach Cohen, Mike Kennedy, Mike Demarco, Mairead Koehler and more!!! FEATURING LIVE MUSIC!

We're excited to bring you some more PARTIES and FREE Events!!! Thank you to all the artists and audiences who showed a tremendous amount of support this year!!!

Barefoot Theatre Company; pictured - TOP: Ensemble Members, John Harlacher & Francisco Solorzano; BOTTOM: Cast of Scrooge & Marley being directed by Francisco Solorzano.

Ensemble Member, Anika Habermas-Scher

While pursuing her MFA at the University of California Irvine, Ensemble Member, Anika performs and represents on the West Coast!

Currently portraying DROMIO in Shakespeare's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS for Shakespeare Orange County, Anika Habermas-Scher's performance is one worth noting:

"

Habermas-Scher’s Syracuse Dromio is a frenetic, wiry and limber imp who runs circles around those she fools and confounds. All four of them compliment each other’s comedic styles, which serves as the driving force behind the play." - LA SPLASH

http://www.lasplash.com/publish/Los_Angeles_Performances_116/the-comedy-of-errors-theatre-review.php#.TkMV9IRlWQk.facebook

The Comedy of Errors opened August 5 and runs to July 20.

Tickets: $34.

Shakespeare Orange County -

The Festiva

l Amphitheatre, 12740 Main Street, Garden Grove, CA

www.shakespeareoc.org

714-744-7016

Anika Solveig Habermas-Scher

Recent credits include By the Bog of Cats with Frank Theater at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, F--king Hell with TerraNOVA's Subterranean,Don't Judge Me with amios' ShotZ, Vinegar Tom with Frank Theater. Anika was also seen in the Internationalist's New York Premier of the Seven Deadly Sins Project at The Public, Jenny in Dog Day Afternoonwith Barefoot Theatre Company, Angelique in The Imaginary Invalid with National Theatre for Arts and Education, Irina in Chekhov in the Cold: To Moscow with Greige Theatre, With A Big Fat Luscious Hug: The Real Life Blog of a Professional Wife, Mother, Stripper and CEO at The Public, and Schooled and Unschooled written and directed by Ester Neff for Dixon Place. Anika is currently pursuing an MFA at the University of California Irvine. Member of Actor's Equity Association. Member of Barefoot since 2007. (pictured in Francisco Solorzano's Stage Adaptation of Dog Day Afternoon).

12th SEASON REVIEW (a look back)...2nd Annual bareNaked Reading Series, Fall 2010

During our 12th Anniversary Season which took place at the legendary CHERRY LANE THEATRE we brought you our 2nd annual bareNaked Reading Series (no sets, no props, just words) featuring LIVE MUSIC and FREE DRINKS.

Our new Literary Manager, Therese Plaehn along with our Co-Artistic Director, Nicole Haran managed to bring us the most exciting reading series we've produced to date! Together, they gave us a line up of incredibly talented playwrights, emerging and established.

Featured playwrights: Kristoffer Diaz, Jose Rivera, Mike Reiss, Jason Furlani, Lucy Boyle (ENSEMBLE MEMEBER), Kyle Bradstreet and students of South Side High School in Rockville Centre, NY. Readings were directed by Nicole Haran, Tea Alagic, Heidi Hendlesman, Deborah Kampmeier, and Pamela Seiderman.

the readings featured Ensemble Members with Special Guests:

Lisa Anderson, Jeremy Brena, Jason Beaubien, Michelle Beck, Anna Chlumsky, Lynn Cohen, Ronald Cohen, Mark G. Cisneros, Audrey Esparza, Charles Everett, Gabe Fazio, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Susannah Flood, Dan Graff, John Gazzale, Patrizia Hernandez, Luca Pierucci, Therese Plaehn, Francisco Solorzano, John Ventimiglia, Jennie West, Christopher Whalen, Ian White, Sally Wingert and more...

The reading series allowed us to focus on our mission of fostering new playwrights and their work during their process of writing and developing a new work. You'll be seeing more of these works soon!

Special thanks to all of our MUSICIANS who really gave us an incredible time at The Cherry Lane Theatre every night after each reading...

Literary Manager / Acting Ensemble Member, Therese Plaehn is currently working with Producing Artistic Director, Francisco Solorzano & Co-Artistic Director, Nicole Haran on our 3rd Annual bareNaked Reading Series as well as our Workshop Series.

Pictured: top - Kristoffer Diaz' F**KING VIGWAN featuring T. Ryder Smith, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Francisco Solorzano, Therese Plaehn, Daniel Graff, Michelle Beck, Jennie West, Jeremy Brena, Jason Beaubien, Ian Kerch, and Patrizia Hernandez.

below - Caitlin Fitzgerald and Patrizia Hernandez with playwright Kristoffer Diaz.

Ensemble Member, Mark G. Cisneros DIRECTS!

Ensemble Member / Director of Marketing, Mark G. Cisneros takes on the role of director once again for Rob Santana's new play, MY NIGHT WITH FRIDA.

Mark G. Cisneros

2002 OOBR Award winning actor with a career in Theater and Film for over 11 years. Theater: Walkabout by Marcus Haupt (the Flea Theater), The Sons of Juan Perez by Roberto De Los Reyes (the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater), and ?De Donde? with the Barefoot Theatre Company (Looking Glass Theater). Television: Third Watch (with Ann Margaret) and As the World Turns; Film: Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, New York, accepted to the Havana Film Festival in 2003; As producer with his previous company On A Quest he is proud to have produced and starred in two successful plays (La Habitacion by Barbara Colio-accepted to The NY International Fringe Festival, and Rising Sun, Falling Star by Yolanda Rodriguez at the 78th St Theater Lab). Mark is currently Director of Marketing of the Barefoot Theatre Company. Member Since 2009.

Don't miss an opportunity to see FRIDA KAHLO on stage, as performed by Masha Mendietta! My Night With Frida takes place December 9, 1934, in Depression-era New York City. It's the night Diego Rivera's infamous mural 'Man of the crossroads' becomes a target for demolition by haters of Lenin and what he stands for: The Red Menace! This mural, created in the bowels of Rockefeller Center, and a chance to meet Frida Kahlo in the flesh, become an obsession for Daniela, a latina photographer.

The workshop production is written by Rob Santana & directed by Mark G. Cisneros. CAST: Yvette Quintero, Masha Mendietta, Stanton Powell, Jorge Ortiz. Where: Manhattan Repertory Theater, 303 W 42st, 3rd flr. When: Sat Aug 13- 9pm, Sun Aug 14- 8pm, Wed. Aug 17- 9pm for TKTS: 646-329-6588 ($20.00)

12th SEASON REVIEW (a look back)...CELEBRATIONS/FALL 2010

During preparation for our Fall Production and putting together our final line-up for our 2010-2011 SEASON, we found a few moments to enjoy some down time with friends, family, drinks and plane ole celebrations!!!

SMASHED, which featured new works took place at The Sackett in Parkslope, Brooklyn. We enjoyed the setting so much that we ventured back a month later on October 24th to simply celebrate the year to come. Special thanks to Michael and Ann Ragolia for allowing us to take shop at The Sackett. The Barefoot Theatre Company met there and discussed future plans and goals beyond the Season...

Soon after the Toast to 2010-2011 SEASON, Producing Artistic Director, Francisco Solorzano returned to the West Coast to meet up with Ensemble Members, Christopher Whalen, Joseph Sousa, Jessica Langer, Cristina Fernandez, Will Allen, Alona Dadiani, Dedra McCord-Ware and Danelle Eliav for the WEST COAST celebration and sneak peek of our Spring Production, Teeth Of the Sons. Ensemble Members, Joseph Sousa and Will Allen read an except for a large audience in the beautiful loft, HIGH-LITE located in the heart of Downtown, Los Angeles. The event was an overall success. We raised a good amount of money for our Spring production.

So, while Ensemble Member, Victoria Malvagno was in Brooklyn, New York rehearsing for our Fall production, several of us were preparing for the Spring production with the event on the West Coast in Los Angeles. Additionally, our 2nd Annual bareNaked Reading Series was beginning to form while our new Literary Manager, Therese Plaehn began work on submissions and recruiting some of the most prolific playwrights, actors, and directors...

Thank you to all who attended our parties, who drank, ate and laughed with us before our 12th Season even began.