ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES

We are proud to introduce Lisa Anderson, one of our Artistic Associates!!!

Lisa Anderson is originally from California and moved to New York to attend Brooklyn College, where she received her BFA in Acting. In New York, she has acted in numerous productions includingThe Coming World by Christopher Shinn (Stable Cable Lab Co.), No One Is Excused from the Trouble of Living by Julia May Jonas (Columbia University), The Children’s Hour(Compassion Theater Co.), Much Ado About Nothing (Theater Smarts), and several others. Lisa was a member of the Hangar Theater Lab Co. in 2010 where she performed in the premiere of Jeff Tabnick’s The Idiot, as well as two children’s show for the Hangar Kidstuff summer series. Lisa is currently devising a new play with Stable Cable Lab Co.

With Barefoot Theatre Company, Lisa has acted in several staged readings including West Asheville by Tim Plaehn, Balm in Gilead by Lanford Wilson (Darlene), Waiting for “Waiting for Godot” by Mike Reiss, and The Beginning and the End by Kristin Wheeler. She was an acting instructor for Barefoot Theatre Kids and has participated in many of the director’s labs. Since graduating from Brooklyn College, Barefoot has felt like a family to Lisa and she looks forward to continuing to be a part of their endeavors.

ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES

Meet Cristina Pitter, one of our newest Artistic Associates that we are excited to be working with!

CRISTINA PITTER

A native New Yorker, Cristina is a graduate of Suffolk County Community College's Theatre Arts Program, and will be graduating this year with a BFA in Acting from CUNY Brooklyn College. For the past two years she has performed in Gi60: International One Minute Play Festival playing multiple roles and also played Rust in Barefoot's staged reading of Balm in Gilead. Along with acting, Cristina is also an avid dancer, singer, writer and theatrical make-up artist. Cristina is blessed and honored to explore and grow as an artist with the wonderful family at Barefoot.

Cristina joins the Artistic Associate team announced so far: Gillian Rougier, Eric Vigdorov, Jennie West, Minna Taylor...a few more to announce!!!

RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT, Trish Harnetiaux

We are THRILLED to introduce another one of our RESIDENT Playwrights:

Trish Harnetiaux is a Brooklyn based playwright whose work has been performed and developed in New York at Dixon Place, The 13th Street Theatre, 78th Street Theatre Lab, The Ohio Theatre, Metropolitan Playhouse, The Samuel French Festival, and The New Jersey Rep.

She has been a recipient of the Himan Brown Creative Writing Award, and a finalist for the Kesselring Prize, the Heideman Award and the 2011 SLS Fiction Fellowship. Publications include: Straight On Til Morning (Broadway Play Publishing), The Dorsal Striatum (Post Road Magazine), A Gopher in the Ninth Ward(The Brooklyn Review), and The Drill (The Brooklyn Review). Her work has been included in Best Stage Monologues for Men (Smith & Kraus) and Best Stage Scenes 2007 (Smith & Kraus). She has been a two-time fellow at both the MacDowell Colony and The Corporation of Yaddo.

Full-length plays include YOUR PRETTY LITTLE WORLD, adapted from Shirley Jackson’s novel, The Bird’s Nest, Welcome to the White Room, and That Little Hand On Your Face. She is currently developing Mr. Bungle and the Incident on Lambdamoo based on an a disturbing online incident that occurred in 1993. She writes regularly about theatre for The Brooklyn Rail, is a speechwriter for live events.

In 2008, Harnetiaux received her MFA from Mac Wellman’s playwriting program at Brooklyn College and currently, she is a member of the 2011/2012 Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab where she is writing her new play, a unconventional love story, titled The Convention. She recently co-wrote/co-directed the short film, You Should Be A Better Friend and is a founding member of the production company Steel Drum in Space. More information can be found at trishharnetiaux.com and steeldruminspace.com

ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES

We're getting closer to announcing our line-up for our bareNaked LA Reading Series!!! But here's another one of our incredible Artistic Associates that we're proud to introduce and give you a closer look at:

Minna Taylor is an actress living and working out of New York City. She earned her BFA from NYU Tisch in association with The Atlantic Theater Company and was awarded her MFA from Brooklyn College. Minna has appeared in film, theater, and the occasional commercial. Most recently she participated in the LAByrinth Theater Company Ensemble Workshop, which resulted in the development of an ambitious theater collective. The goal of which is producing self-generated new work. Along with fellow Barefoot member, Samantha Fontana, she co-founded a short film production company, S&M. Minna also works as a speech and voice coach. More information can be found at www.minnataylor.com OR www.energizeyourvoice.net

ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES

Welcome Eric Vigdorov! We're thrilled to announce yet another of our handful of Artistic Associates.

ERIC VIGDOROV- Eric is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn. Ever since he was a child, Eric wanted to be an actor. As his career began to develop he found many avenues for his art. He is now finishing up his final credits at CUNY Brooklyn College where we will receive a B.F.A in Acting. Eric was most recently seen performing at the Cherry Lane Theatre during Barefoot Theatre Company’s Stripp3d Festival, where he played the role of office worker in Kristoffer Diaz’s F**king Vigwan (Or Swag). Other credits in New York include Reefer Madness, Dorothy in Oz both produced by Adam Roebuck Productions and BEAST which was featured in The Figment Festival. Eric would like to thank Frank Solorzano and the rest of the Barefoot Theatre Company family for helping him grow and work on his craft, and his wonderful family for their love.

Barefoot experience blurb:

I first heard of the Barefoot Theatre Company when I was a sophomore at Brooklyn College studying in the B.F.A Acting program. A professor of mine had told me that this company was changing the land scape of the New York Theater world. The best part about that, is when I found out the company started from former graduates of the BFA and MFA programs at Brooklyn College. I knew that I had to be apart of them. After speaking to Frank Solorzano I instantly fell in love with his drive and passion for theater. I asked him if there was anyway that I could help the company, and he told me to show up, volunteer and support. Which I did regularly until Frank contacted me to be a Associate Producer on the Stripp3d Festival this past Fall.

Working with the Barefoot Theatre Company has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in my life. Barefoot is more then just a theatre company - it is a real family. Every time I attend a rehearsal, a meeting, and talk to other members, I feel the warmth and welcome. Every person who is involved with the company has a true passion for the art of theatre. I seemed to have landed myself in a place where I was free to share my ideas and offer a contributing hand. I am forever grateful to the kindness of this family, and very excited to be working as an Artistic Associate for the rest of the 2011-2012 season!

RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT, Jason Furlani

We are proud to introduce and give you a closer look at one of our Resident Playwrights, JASON FURLANI! Furlani's play, A Long Hard Rain was featured in our 2nd annual bareNaked Reading Series under the direction of Co-Artistic Director, Nicole Haran in the fall of 2010 at the Cherry Lane Theatre.

JASON FURLANI

A native of Schenectady, NY, Jason has asserted himself as a veteran in the New York theatre world, having had successful productions of his work with various companies and on numerous stages in NYC. Currently a Playwright In Residence with Barefoot Theatre Company (whose home stage is the world famous Cherry Lane Theatre) Jason is developing his full length play, A LONG HARD RAIN, for an eventual World Premiere. Prior to his tenure with Barefoot, Jason was in residence with the Blue Collar Theater Company, who presented his full-length comedy, THE BIG VIG, at the Bank Street Theatre, and, his full-length play LEADED at the West End Theatre, as well as, his ten minute play SUSAN IS A PINHEAD, which had its debut as part of the Blue Collar “Shorts” Festival. Other companies/stages that have featured Jason’s work include: Zena Group, the Kraine Theatre, and The 42^nd Street Workshop. His most recent completed work, FAMILY TREES, was developed as part of his membership in the Actors Studio Playwright/Director’s Workshop (Carlin Glynn, Director.) Along with Jason’s work in the theatre, his screenplay, REXFORD ALL-STARS, was a Second Round Selection of the 2011 Austin Film Festival’s Screenwriting Competition, and, Jason also wrote the script for both of the Families of Freedom fundraising events (a 9/11 charity) hosted in successive order by Chevy Chase and Carol Kane.

ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES

Currently working on future projects but in the meantime, here's more on our ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES!!! We are thrilled to have Ensemble Member, Jennie West work a little closer with programming of our current and future seasons.

JENNIE WEST started performing at a very young age most notably singing private audience for former first lady Bess Wallace Truman. She has honed her craft at such institutions as The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and The New School. Her work, based in the Meisner Technique, won her the Best Performance Award at the Dusty Film Festival for her leading role in Resonance and distinction as a "standout" in stage productions. Jennie began working with Barefoot Theatre Company on their production of Balm in Gilead as "Babe".

Other roles include "Alma Weinmiller" in Eccentricities of A Nightingale, ensemble work in various exciting original works curated by Mabou Mines and the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre. Most recently, Jennie performed in Dramatic Question Theatre’s Bar Play Series as the lead in Pink Bunny Slippers and DoubleStoly , Ensemble player in Dialogue with Three Chords podcast production of The Krampus and Barefoot Theatre Company’s workshop production as “Quellz” inFucking Vigwan by Kristoffer Diaz.

Jennie is truly grateful to be working with Barefoot Theatre Company.

Barefoot has given her an unparalleled opportunity to grow and explore her craft, work with masterful playwrights and participate in other valuable aspects of production while supporting a valuable mission. She has found a home with an amazing group of dedicated, talented and risk taking artists.

ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES

We are extremely excited to introduce you to one of our Artistic Associates, Gillian Rougier!!! On behalf of the entire Barefoot Theatre Company, WELCOME Gillian!

Gillian Rougier:

is proud to have worked with The Barefoot Theatre Company this past fall! She played The Temp in the workshop production of Kristoffer Diaz’s “Fucking Vigwan” or “Swag.” She was privileged to play Nairobi in the premiere revised edition of Joe Pintauro’s“Raft of the Medusa.” She also did a staged reading with the company of Balm in Gilead. She was recently named Artistic Associate and looks forward to working with the company in this capacity. She holds a BFA in Acting from Brooklyn College (CUNY.) She was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago.