Barefoot
Theatre CompaNY
Season 2013-2014
bareNaked Reading Series
Molly Marinik, Program
Director
Jennie West, Co-Producer
proudly presents
THE KILL
CHAIN
written by
Mike Roberts
directed by
Andrew Neel
CAST
Mullins……………….…………… Arthur Kriklivy
Janik…………………..…..…..… Michael Pantozzi
Schlesinger ……………..….……..Jay Nickerson*
Stage Directions…………….Matthew
Ferretti
*member AEA
Musical Guest: John Presnell
West Beth Artists Community
55 Bethune Street
Music
Booking by Darkseed Entertainment
COMING UP NEXT:
March bareNaked
Reading
IN DA BOOGIE DOWN
By Mel Nieves
Original Poetry by Craig “Mums” Grant
Directed by Paula Pizzi-Black
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 7:30pm
STAY IN TOUCH: Join us on FACEBOOK!
Francisco Solorzano, Producing Artistic Director
Christopher Whalen, Producing Director
Sol Crespo, Company Manager
www.barefoottheatrecompany.org
JAY NICKERSON (Schlesinger)
Off-Broadway: Inspector Ascher in Perfect Crime at the Duffy Theatre, Henry Higgins in Pygmalion and Herr Miller in Intrigue and Love at the Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre; National Tours: Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Matthew in The Cotton Patch Gospel, Sinclair Lewis in Exile From Main Street – a solo performance; Regional: Edward in Spike Heels at The Actors Center Theatre of Philadelphia, Mortimer in Arsenic and Old Lace at the Gretna Playhouse, Gatsby in The Great Gatsby and F. Scott Fitzgerald in Scott and Zelda at the Great American History Theatre, Clarence Darrow in Never The Sinner at the Actors Theatre of Minnesota; Film: Living and Dining, Grown Men, Postcards From America.
FILMMAKER BIOGRAPHY
In 2001 Neel founded SeeThink Films in New York after graduating from Columbia with a BA in Film Studies. He has directed 5 feature length films (Darkon,Alice Neel, The Feature,New World Order and King Kelly). Neel’s first film, the documentary Darkon, was acquired by IFC and aired in 2007. It won the
audience award at the South By Southwest Film Festival in 2006. Darkonwas optioned by Paramount via Plan B Entertainment in 2007 and re-optioned in 2010. Written by John Hodgman, the adaptation is currently in development with Court 13 director Ray Tintori and Plan B Entertainment. Neel’s second film, Alice Neel, premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2007 and won the Audience Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival. It was acquired by Arthouse Films and the Sundance Channel. The Feature premiered at the 2008 Berlinale and won the New Visions Award at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival. It was chosen by the editors of Film Comment as one of the best films of the year. After a theatrical run in New York, The Feature screened at MOMA where it was acquired for the museum’s permanent collection. Neel’s fourth film, New World Order, premiered in 2009 at the South By Southwest Film Festival
and aired on IFCtv. In just one month, New World Order became the most successful IFCtv documentary in history with record breaking VOD numbers. And just four months after its premiere at SXSW, it became the most successful documentary in Cablevision history. King Kelly is Neel’s first fictional feature and premiered at the South By Southwest Film Festival in 2012. The critically acclaimed film was released in December that same year on VOD platforms following a New York theatrical run. Most recently, Neel produced Stand Clear of the Closing Doors and was an Executive Producer for Bluebird, both of which competed at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, with Stand Clear winning a Special Jury Mention. Future projects include a feature film in development with Darren Aronofsky (Protozoa Films), to be directed by Neel. Additionally, one of Neel’s
scripts is in development with Christine Vachon at Killer Films.
Born in London to a Cuban mother and raised in New York City, singer/songwriter John Presnell was, from an early age, exposed to a wide variety of music. "You name it, I heard it," says Presnell. "My family is a musical one; they either sing or play an instrument.” He adds, “My cousins put me on a steady diet of rock and jazz, and my uncle was a widely read music critic. My influences are eclectic."
And while "eclectic" sometimes translates to "unfocused," Presnell makes a cohesive whole of his debut album, Come Back Down. "First, I wanted only acoustic instruments played; second, I wanted to have spectacular guitar solos; and third, I wanted to create something that was fun and sophisticated."
Those elements come together seamlessly throughout the album, but are best represented by the energetic jazz-pop numbers "Aurora", where Presnell sings with characteristic humor about the challenge of winning over the object of his affection, and the album’s title track, where he jests about modern-day romance:
Wedding day, our couple takes the rocket ride Do they know statistics say that rocket’s bound to stick in their side? See them drink from each other’s wine cup I bet they’re glad no one mentioned prenup...
To help him pull this off, Presnell sought out fast-rising guitar star Stephane Wrembel to helm the project. Called "a revelation" by Rolling Stone's senior writer David Fricke, Wrembel has won heaps of praise for his incredible guitar playing. In 2008, director Woody Allen tapped him to help score his hit film Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and the director sought him out again in 2011 for his newest film Midnight in Paris. "Stephane realized my songs beautifully. He pulled together the various strands the songs were and turned them into a tight rope of an album. He helped make Come Back Down exciting."
Upon hearing the album, it becomes apparent Presnell is a dynamic and versatile singer. His expressive tenor can be soothing, as on the hypnotic "Elinor", or impassioned, as on the epic "Quiet Sky". As a lyricist, he proves himself an astute observer and a witty social commentator.
In 2007, Presnell wrote his first film score, and his third is slated for release in late 2011. He is also seeking a collaborator for his foray into musical theater. A prolific songwriter, he is already preparing the follow-up to Come Back Down.
“I like many different kinds of music, but in my writing, I make sure everybody gets what I’m saying, both musically and lyrically. I’d like to think that at the heart of my songs, there’s a common touch to which people can relate and appreciate... and maybe even dance to,” Presnell adds with a sly grin.
