BAR CROSSED LOVERS (Finale) - Episode 8: "The Meeting"

Bar Crossed Lovers

Episode 8 "The Meeting" 
June 29, 2016 on Vimeo
(Run Time: 1:21 minutes)

Modern-day Frodo Baggins meets red-headed Daria when Jessica and Justin connect. Cast: Therese Anderberg, Greg Carere, Jenna D'Angelo, Ava Eisenson, Justin Liebergan, Brennan Lowery, Amy Lee Pearsall, and Billy Bob Thompson, with Rachel Fenton, Taylor Bradshaw, Jake Paque, Leslie Marseglia. Written by Jake Paque and Jenna D'Angelo. Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann.

BAR CROSSED LOVERS - Episode 7: "The Haters"

Bar Crossed Lovers

Episode 7 "The Haters" 
June 22, 2016 on Vimeo
(Run Time: 5:02 minutes)

In this special episode, co-workers Will and Annie pass judgment at the bar. Will: Billy Bob Thompson. Annie: Amy Lee Pearsall. Written by Michael Ross Albert. Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann.

BAR CROSSED LOVERS - Episode 6: "The Hipster"

Bar Crossed Lovers

Episode 6 "The Hipster" 
June 15, 2016 on Vimeo
(Run Time: 2:31 minutes)

Kathy inspires Jessica to confront the guy who blew her off with an unbelievable excuse. Jessica: Therese Anderberg. Kathy: Jenna D'Angelo. Lisa: Ava Eisenson. Written by Dan Kitrosser. Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann.

BAR CROSSED LOVERS - Episode 5: "The Crowdfunder"

Bar Crossed Lovers

Episode 5 "The Crowdfunder" 
June 8, 2016 on Vimeo
(Run Time: 3:05 minutes)

The guys discover that someone from Justin's past might be the most effective online panhandler they've met. Justin: Justin Liebergen. Chris: Brennan Lowery. Brian: Greg Carere. Written by Sam Byron. Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann.

Meet the Creator: Jake Paque (BAR CROSSED LOVERS)

Jake Paque is a writer, producer and voice actor. He created the digital comedy series Buddy System as well as Bar Crossed Lovers. His scripts range from features to pilots to web content and commercials. In addition to writing and producing, Jake voices numerous characters on shows like Pokemon, Yu-gi-oh!, Winx Club and more. www.jakepaque.com (Twitter: @jakepaque) 

You are the showrunner for Bar Crossed Lovers, the comedy web series currently running on Vimeo that Wide Eyed Productions is co-producing with StagNation Productions. As both a founder of StagNation and core ensemble company member of Wide Eyed, can you tell us a little bit about how the decision for the two companies to work together on this project came about? 

Yes, I can. Should I do that now? Is that how this works? Ok. Got it. So! I'm an avid content creator; primarily a writer, producer and editor. The work I do is 99% film and television. Wide Eyed has mostly done live theatre, but I learned from Kristin Skye Hoffmann (Wide Eyed's Artistic Director) that the company was interested in expanding into the on-camera world. I came to her with a few pitches for digital series and Bar Crossed Lovers was the one that resonated most with her and the Wide Eyed team. I got busy prepping the treatment and series structure and we were on our way into pre-production. 

Side note: one of the other series I pitched is actually turning into a short film I'm collaborating on with another filmmaker. We're in pre-pro planning to shoot this fall. It's a political thriller - so very different from Bar Crossed. 

Where did you get the idea for this series? And how did you determine that a web series, in particular, would be the best medium to tell this story? 

After making Buddy System, which is a serial comedy - meaning you kinda need to watch each episode to really follow along with the story - I decided I wanted to make an episodic, something more self-contained. Something where people could pick up anywhere, anytime and get right on board. For instance, Arrested Development is more of a serial comedy than Friends, which is more episodic. A fun part of writing an episodic comedy is finding a way to write in plot points that reward consistent viewers with jokes that they'll only get if they've seen all the episodes. We did a great job with that on Bar Crossed Lovers. For the folks that are following along every week with us, there are comedic rewards in upcoming episodes.  

Bar Crossed Lovers was developed as a web show from the get-go. The premise is designed to fall into the internet video sweet spot of about 1-4 minutes long. If we went longer, or turned it into a full length program, I'd change the construct and integrate B and C stories. I wanted BCL to be as consumable as possible. The type of show people can share easily and featuring scenarios where you could go, “That's happened to me!” Because a lot of us have spent time at the bar looking for the one. And it doesn't always go so great. I mean, right? 

You’re credited as the writer on the premiere (Episode 1 – “The Neighbor”) and as a co-writer with Jenna D’Angelo on the finale (Episode 8 – “The Meeting”). D’Angelo, Andrew Harriss, Madison Comerzan, Sam Byron, Dan Kitrosser, and Michael Ross Albert are also writers on the series. How did the decision come about to pull together this particular group of writers to work on this project? What was the process like in terms of getting everyone on the same page?

Working with the other writers was a treat. The production team sourced a list of writers that we were interested in working with. We reached out to each of them, sending the treatment for Bar Crossed and asking for pitches. The writers who sent back the strongest pitches were brought on board and asked to start working on a first draft. As the head writer, the scripts would get sent to me, I'd respond with any questions, notes or suggestions, and we'd work our way to our shooting scripts. We were really fortunate that everyone picked up the tone from the treatment. Each writer used their own unique voice to write an episode that fit in our world. Something I love about our show is the diversity of our writing staff. We have writers with resumes a mile long and some very young writers. 

One of the tricky parts was getting scripts finalized on deadline. It reminded me how brutal the editing process can be. In a perfect world, I would have been able to sit down face to face with every writer on every draft to talk over notes, but with the confines of the production schedule it just wasn't feasible. So being hyper communicative was key for myself and the writers. 

Among other things, you served as the editor for the series. Was there anything surprising you discovered about the stories told and the project as a whole once you put the pieces together?

One of the joys/challenges of editing comedy is discovering/re-discovering the jokes while you're cutting it together in the editing bay. And on the flip-side, sometimes you're positive something is funny on the page but when you're in the editing bay, it just isn't landing. 

A few instances of found gold...In Ep. 1 – "The Neighbor," Justin (Justin Liebergen) goes to drink out of his straw and misses it, he has to look down at his glass to find it, then sips out of it. It's a tiny little moment that only happened in that one take. It's precious and organic and I think it's hilarious. In Ep. 2 – "The Draper," Kathy (Jenna D'Angelo) is trying to respond to something Jessica (Therese Anderberg) said, but she has beer in her mouth, so has to try and talk with her mouth full. Again, there's only the one take where she got caught like that and it's a gem. 

Similarly, there are some camera moves that were pleasant surprises. In the final moments of a later episode, our DP (Travis Jones) racks focus between two subjects. I didn't know how funny that single camera move was until I'd cut the entire episode together in front of it. 

Are you working on any additional projects at the moment? Can you tell us about them? 

For sure. As of now, we have about four more episodes of Bar Crossed Lovers coming out. People can check those out and subscribe to our Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/channels/barcrossedlovers. 

I already talked a little about my next film, the political thriller. I'm producing and co-writing that. Excited to work with the other filmmaker involved on the project. And I voice roles on a bunch of animated shows like Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Winx Club and Super 4. You can catch that stuff on Netflix and all over the place. I attend anime conventions, doing panels about voice over, content creation and the entertainment industry. Honestly, anime and comic book conventions are some of the most creative and supportive environments I've ever encountered, and I have a blast every time I attend one. The people there are amazing. So if you get a chance to swing by a convention I'm a guest at, come by and say hi! 

Watch Bar Crossed Lovers on Vimeo, and follow the series on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

BAR CROSSED LOVERS - Episode 4: "The Cleanse"

Bar Crossed Lovers

Episode 4 "The Cleanse" 
June 1, 2016 on Vimeo
(Run Time: 3:21 minutes)

Jessica reveals her most humiliating moment involving a hot guy from her Crossfit class. Jessica: Therese Anderberg. Kathy: Jenna D'Angelo. Lisa: Ava Eisenson. Written by Madison Comerzan. Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann.

BAR CROSSED LOVERS - Episode 3: "The Boss"

Bar Crossed Lovers

Episode 3 "The Boss" 
May 25, 2016 on Vimeo
(Run Time: 2:41 minutes)

Justin is conflicted when his supervisor from work drops by the bar and wants to say hello. Justin: Justin Liebergen. Chris: Brennan Lowery. Brian: Greg Carere. Written by Andrew Harriss. Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann.

BAR CROSSED LOVERS - Episode 2: "The Draper"

Bar Crossed Lovers

Episode 2 "The Draper" 
May 18, 2016 on Vimeo
(Run Time: 2:46 minutes)

As Jessica faces the fact that it's been a while since she last dated, a (somewhat) dreamy guy shows up at her favorite bar. Jessica: Therese Anderberg. Kathy: Jenna D'Angelo. Lisa: Ava Eisenson. Written by Jenna D'Angelo. Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann.

BAR CROSSED LOVERS (Webseries Premiere) - Episode 1: "The Neighbor"

Bar Crossed Lovers

Episode 1 "The Neighbor" 
May 11, 2016 on Vimeo
(Run Time: 3:37 minutes)

Justin gets nervous when a woman who lives in his building stops by his favorite bar. Justin: Justin Liebergen. Chris: Brennan Lowery. Brian: Greg Carere. Written by Jake Paque. Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann.

BAR CROSSED LOVERS: The new digital comedy web series debuts May 11!

Wide Eyed Productions and StagNation Productions 

present 

Created by Jake Paque

Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann

Episode 1 Premieres on May 11 on YouTube 

The new digital comedy web series Bar Crossed Lovers is about the steps we take and connections we (try) to make in the world of dating: the hits, misses, stumbles, tumbles, falls, gaffes, and occasional success. Most of the time, though, connecting with other people is challenging...pretty awkward...and sometimes downright funny. But when a genuine connection is made - it is pure magic. 

Bar Crossed Lovers stars Therese Anderberg, Greg Carere, Jenna D'Angelo, Ava Eisenson, Justin Liebergen, Brennan Lowery, Amy Lee Pearsall, and Billy Bob Thompson, with episodes written by Dan Kitrosser, Sam Byron, Andrew Harriss, Madison Comerzan, Michael Ross Albert, Jenna D'Angelo and Jake Paque.

Stay tuned for the Episode 1 launch on Vimeo on May 11, and join us each week as two sets of friends navigate the rocky waters of social interaction, friendship, and the possibility of love. 

Find Bar Crossed Lovers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and look for the hashtags #BCL and #BarCrossedLovers.

KEEP: The Reviews

"Besides having a flawless script, Keep also offers a high-quality performance by all four of the actors in the cast. Kim Krane’s performance as Naomi, whose pureness and sincerity in her acting drags the audience into her world from her first moments on stage; and Jenna D’Angelo who has a naturally likable vibe and a subtle but genius comedic timing." - quicktheatre

"Keep reminds theatergoers that the affinity shared between sisters can be powerful and ephemeral." - offoffonline

"Eye-opening, mysterious, and emotional, Keep brings one family’s deepest secrets to the surface...on a journey through a (literally) cluttered past." - theaterscene.net

"...a dynamic tour de force...On a profound level Pazniokas' work is about self-definition, identity and escape from pain." - Theater Pizzazz

"...it is hard to find a portrayal of hoarding that is nuanced, sensitive without being sensationalized.Keep explores hoarding from a larger, more complex emotional context, and, while it does not fail to address the physical mess of things, it does not simply stop there." - stagebuddy.com

Keep runs at The Barrow Group Theatre through April 30. Get your tickets here.

CALL FOR SCRIPTS: Season 4 of the Wide Eyed WINKS Staged Reading Series

Wide Eyed Productions is hosting our fourth installment of the WINKS Staged Reading Series. This year, we are focusing on roles for ladies, and on original plays written exclusively by local NYC playwrights! Wide Eyed Productions is excited to continue its work in developing new American plays like the award-winning Animals by Sam Byron and Dan Kitrosser's Dead Special Crabs. With the terrific response we’ve received to our previous seasons of the WINKS, we wanted the fun to continue. 

Presenting Season 4 of the Wide Eyed WINKS Staged Reading Series:

WHAT WOMEN WANT

New Theatrical Works Featuring

Great Roles for Female Actors

Each month will feature a 20-minute segment from three original works by three different writers which are related to, or inspired by, the theme for each month. The themes are as follows: September: MOTHER, October: MAIDEN, November: CRONE, December: MADONNA, January: WHORE. The only consistent element is that each play must feature a “great role” for a female actor.  At the end of each night the audience will be invited to select their favorite play of the evening by casting an anonymous ballot. The audience favorite decided upon by majority vote will be named a semifinalist and invited to submit a full text* to Wide Eyed Productions’ Artistic Board for consideration for our final round.

Two (or three) overall finalists will be chosen and given a full staged reading of their plays at the end of the WINKS series.  From the finalists, one winning text will be chosen based upon audience and board votes. This winning text will then be put into development with Wide Eyed in whatever capacity we believe would best support the text and playwright. 

What you need to know:
·  The play does not need to be a world premiere.
·  The play does not need to be a fully completed text when it is initially submitted.
·  Musicals will be considered as long as they are submitted with a music sample.
·  Directors and casts will be provided by Wide Eyed, but we love it when you have suggestions for people you love to work with!

·  Please submit selections of text, treatments, and other support material to submissions.wideeyed@gmail.com with the title of your play and the theme you think it best matches in the subject line.
·  The readings will be presented at The Drama League on the second Tuesday of each month.
· The full text of the submitted play is not to exceed a 90-minute estimated run time. Semifinalists will be given a deadline for submissions of full texts. 
·  Half of the proceeds from the readings will be donated to the women’s organization of our choice following the series.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS MAY 30, 2016

Happy writing!

Kristin Skye Hoffmann
Artistic Director

Meet the Cast: Jenna D'Angelo (KEEP)

Jenna D'Angelo is an actor, producer and yoga instructor based in NYC. She is a co-founder of Mastodon Theatre Company as well as a guest artist with Wide Eyed Productions. She has appeared in many films, webseries, and plays around the city. She is currently starring, co-producing, and writing for the upcoming digital series Bar Crossed Lovers premiering in May! Credits include: How Alfo Learned to Love (59E59), Elemeno Pea (Mastodon), Animals (FringeNYC), Leah in Vegas (FringeNYC), The Wedding Guest (reading: Moisés Kaufman), The Perfect Murder (Discovery ID), Madeleine Zabel (Cambridge Film Festival), Silent Wave (Best Supporting Actress in a Short nomination), Vlogger (Take Two Festival), Bruiser (Intendance Film Festival), Kin (Nitehawk Film Festival). Jenna received her BA from Western Michigan University. www.jennadangelo.com

You’ll be performing in the world premiere production of Keep, which we are co-producing with Mastodon Theatre Company. How was the rehearsal process? Can you tell us a little bit about the character you’ll be playing, and your favorite thing about this role? (No spoilers!)

It was a really fascinating rehearsal process, in large part because the show takes place in a hoarders house (which in and of itself almost acts as a fifth character in the play), so the room is filled with all different kinds of things. In the rehearsal room, we didn't have the luxury of having a lot of stuff to interact with, so we had to experiment a lot with miming and working to build this world in large part with in our minds. I think I speak for everyone when I say we couldn't WAIT to load in and have a fully packed living room to play with!

I'm playing Kara, one of the sisters who come to help stage the intervention. I love playing Kara—on the outside she is really tough and sarcastic and always feels like she is in charge, but underneath it all she is really battling with a lot of her own issues and fears. I love that dichotomy between her interior and exterior life.

This is a play that deals with – among other things – hoarding belongings. What’s one thing that you really should release from your own personal stash of objects?

Hah! Ummm, ALL OF MY CLOTHES. I read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up last summer, and as I read it I felt really inspired and I started to get rid of some things...but I have a LONG way to go. My closet is filled with clothing that I barely touch, but I always think, “but I COULD wear this!” or “it MIGHT come back into style!” I need to just bite the bullet and get rid of things.

When did you know that you wanted to be an actor? How did you get started?

I've wanted to be an actor ever since I was a little kid. I always loved to perform for people and make people laugh. I always watched a lot of movies and musicals—I had a phase where I came home from school every day and watched Annie and sang along to all the songs. I did school plays and musicals in elementary school and never stopped.

Who or what do you consider to have been your biggest creative influences to date?

Oh wow. That's a really hard question! I guess I would have to say the other artists around me. I find a lot of inspiration from the actors / writers / directors / producers who I work with or who I see work. Reading plays, seeing shows, watching movies and TV shows, going to museums—all of those inspire me to create more, do more, push myself more.

We’d love for our audience to get to know your work a little more. Could you tell us a little bit about your last project?

I just did my first Off-Broadway show at 59E59 over the holidays this past year - How Alfo Learned To Love - and had a really amazing time. The entire team across the board was phenomenal. The cast had a really incredible bond and I felt very blessed to be a part of the production. Plus I got to play a really sassy, loud-mouthed Brooklynite, so you can't beat that.

Are you working on any additional projects at the moment? Is it something you can tell us about?

A few things! Mastodon is producing a night of Pint Size Plays at The Barrow Group on April 25th which will be a great time.  I wrote a piece, will be acting, and may also be directing a piece. And Bar Crossed Lovers, the digital series that Wide Eyed Productions and StagNation Productions are co-producing, will premiere in May! I'm starring in it, working as a co-producer, and wrote a couple of episodes, as well. We are so proud of this series, and I think it is going to be a ton of fun.

Outside of the arts, I started teaching yoga this year after getting my certification this winter, and it is has been such a fun transition to make! If anybody reading this in NYC wants to try out yoga or just chat, please check out my website (www.jennadangeloyoga.com).

Keep begins previews at The Barrow Group Theatre on April 7 and runs through April 30. Get your tickets here. Bar Crossed Lovers Episode 1 premieres on May 11. Stay tuned!

Join us for the Wide Eyed WINKS Staged Reading Series Season 3 FINALS: April 18-24

April 18 - 24, 2016 

Wide Eyed WINKS Staged Reading Series 

Season Three Finals 

The Barrow Group Theatre 

312 W. 36th Street, 3rd floor, NYC 

$5 Suggested Donation 

Monday, April 18 at 7:30pm 
Callaway by Phillip Gerson 
Directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann 
In this play, inspired by Raymond Carver's short story Chef's House, a recovering alcoholic finds himself at a picture-perfect beach house on the Florida Panhandle, striving to revitalize his marriage and earn back his wife's trust. However, it's when his fellow AA member, now landlord, decides to give the house to his recently widowed daughter, that this mending and hopefulness is put to the test.

Tuesday, April 19 at 7:30pm 
Modern Day Alchemy by Ashleigh Catsos Yager 
Directed by John Lampe 
Two young couples buy a house together. An old man prepares to end his life. Modern Day Alchemy is a play about growing up, or choosing not to, and the same elemental desire that fueled the early alchemists in their laboratories which now connects these characters: the search for truth, meaning and perhaps a little magic. 

Wednesday, April 20 at 7:30pm 
Electra Orleans by Joe Musso 
Directed by Lauren Miller 
Murder, lust, and vengeance! Set in modern-day New Orleans, this play is inspired by the Greek tragedy Electra. 

Sunday, April 24 at 3:00pm 
Swashbuckling Sam and the Tale of Blackbeard's Revenge by Leonora Bernstein 
Directed by Stephanie C. Cunningham 
Sam is seven years old and having a rough time at home and with school. To cope with everything she creates a pirate world with a wacky pirate crew that help give her the courage to adjust to all of the new changes in her life and her school tormentors.

Come celebrate new work and applaud our 

Season Three Finalists!

Meet the Cast: Madison Comerzan (KEEP)

Madison Comerzan is a co-founder of Mastodon Theatre Company. She hails from Detroit, Michigan, and has been living in New York for over four years where she works as an actor and a Pilates instructor. She received her B.A. in Theatre and Dance from Western Michigan University. She also completed the two year acting program at William Esper Studio studying under Bill Esper. Previous credits include: MICHAELA in Mastodon's Elemeno Pea, ADDISON in Nylon Fusion Collective's Miss Hope's, FELICE in After the Fall with Variations Theatre Group, KELLY in Love and the Small Print (2012 Cannes Film Festival), and appearances on ABC's What Would You Do. She also held the title of producer for Mastodon's production of Molly Smith Metzler's play Elemeno Pea. www.madisoncomerzan.com

You’ll be performing in the world premiere production of Keep, which we are co-producing with Mastodon Theatre Company. How are rehearsals going? Can you tell us a little bit about the character you’ll be playing, and your favorite thing about this role? (No spoilers!)

Rehearsals have been tough. The set is such a huge part of this play and we wont be able to play on the set until tech week. However, it has been so fun making up a hoader's space with rehearsal props every night. I feel like a little kid again. I will be playing Jane. She is a bit neurotic and a little confused about her own identity. She has a big heart though and loves loving others. My favorite part about becoming Jane has been mastering her physicality. I think Jane is an "emu" and I have been working on embodying an emu for this character. Weird, I know...I am an actor.

When did you know that you wanted to be an actor? How did you get started?

I honestly have no idea when I knew that I wanted to be an actor. I think I just always have. My mom says that when I was little, people would ask me what I wanted to me when I grew up and my answer was, "Well, do you want to know what my parents want me to be when I grow up or do you want to know what I want to be when I grow up?" My answer was always "Actor." My grandmother got me started in actual theatre classes when I was about 10 years old. My grandmother has always supported my creative endeavors. I am so thankful for her.

This is a play that deals with – among other things – hoarding belongings. What’s one thing that you really should release from your own personal stash of objects?

I am more of a purger than a hoarder so I don't hang on to much. However, I won't let my mom throw out any of my old stuffed animal from childhood. I am not sure why...I feel their little button eyes looking at me like, "Please don't throw us out Madison, we love you." I just can't bear to get rid of them even though they take up space.

Who or what do you consider to have been your biggest creative influences to date?

I grew up watching Lucille Ball on I Love Lucy. She is one of my biggest idols. Her physical work is amazing as well as her personal story. I also love everyone on SNL. My dream is to be on that show one day!

We’d love for our audience to get to know your work a little more. Could you tell us a little bit about your last project?

My work with Mastodon has forced me to delve into the world of writing and producing. I wrote a seven-page script for one of our Pint Size Plays back in the summer of 2015, and a short screenplay for StagNation / Wide Eyed Productions' upcoming web series Bar Crossed Lovers. Seeing something that I wrote performed was magical. I loved it and am really trying to make writing a bigger part of me life.

Are you working on any additional projects at the moment? Is it something you can tell us about?

I am currently choreographing a dance piece for Mastodon's Evening of Pint Size Plays on 4/25. This yet to be titled dance piece will be featuring Katy Copeland and Becca Shulman. Rehearsals are scheduled to start on 4/8. I am nervous but so excited to create feeling through movement with my dancers. Dance has always been a big part of my life and as I get older, I have realized that I communicate best through movement. It is so exciting to know that there is a whole other creative world out there for me to explore. If you're reading this and you're free the evening of 4/25, come see "Untitled" at Mastodon's Evening of Pint Size Plays at The Barrow Group Theatre at 7pm!

Keep begins previews at The Barrow Group Theatre on April 7 and runs through April 30. Get your tickets here. Bar Crossed Lovers Episode 1 premieres on May 11. Stay tuned!

Meet the Cast: Leslie Marseglia (KEEP)

Leslie Marseglia is proud to be a guest artist with Wide Eyed. She graduated with an MFA in Acting from The New School for Drama, where favorite roles include Rosalind in As You Like It and Beth in the old forever new things. Other roles include: Mrs. Baines, Major Barbara (Brave New World Rep); Brenda, Leah in Vegas (Fringe NYC); and Miss Jessel, Turn of the Screw (Everyday Inferno). Leslie also holds a BFA from NYU, Tisch School of the Arts. www.lesliemarseglia.com

You’ll be performing in the upcoming world-premiere production of Keep, which we are co-producing with Mastodon Theatre Company.  Can you tell us a little bit about the character you’ll be playing, and your favorite thing about this role? (No spoilers!)

I’m playing Margo, the third of four sisters. While I don’t have any sisters of my own, I think it is really interesting to explore the complexities of female relationships and the way loyalties shift by the minute. I also like that Margo is outwardly much more unapologetic than I am; I hope to push myself a little further down that path. 

This is a play that deals with – among other things – hoarding belongings. What’s one thing that you really should release from your own personal stash of objects? 

I probably hang on to clothes I don’t love, wearing them longer than I should...I’m always convinced my opinion might change...it usually doesn’t. :) 

When did you know that you wanted to be an actor? How did you get started? 

I’ve really wanted to act since I saw The Sound of Music in second grade; I really wanted to be Julie Andrews. Luckily, I learned that you don’t have to be able to sing well to be an actor (though it’s still a skill I wish I had!). 

Who or what do you consider to have been your biggest creative influences to date? 

I’ve been so, so lucky to have studied with so many wonderful teachers, during both my undergrad and graduate training, and I think I’ve really pulled a little something from all of them. I’ve also been blessed with opportunities to work with actors and directors, both in and out of school, who have created a safe environment to explore. I feel like an open, supportive room is key. Otherwise, I feel my biggest lesson always comes down to be specific and take the risk to really be myself. Wow, that sounds super cheesy...

We’d love for our audience to get to know your work a little more. Could you tell us a little bit about your last project? 

The last stage project I worked on was called The Basement Plays, co-produced by The Barrow Group and Anthropological Theatricals. In this piece I actually was part of an ensemble of clowns (we appeared on stage in nose). It was a really interesting experiment for me to combine the theatrical clown work I’d experienced in a class setting with the necessary recreation/repetition required in performance. 

Are you working on any additional projects at the moment? Is it something you can tell us about? 

I recently shot a small part in two different student films, which are both currently being edited. I’ll also be participating in Writopia Lab’s World Wide Plays festival in May, which showcases the work of playwrights from ages 8-18.

Keep begins previews at The Barrow Group Theatre on April 7 and runs through April 30. Get your tickets here.

Meet the Cast: Kim Krane (KEEP)

Kim Krane is a co-founder of Mastodon Theatre Company, a production company dedicated to fostering the work of emerging artists. With Mastodon, she recently produced Pint Size Plays, an evening that included nine new works with a company of 22 writers, directors and actors. NY credits include: Emily Weldon in Butcher (Harold Clurman Lab Theatre), Simone in Elemeno Pea (Access Theatre), The Lost Girl in The Mirror Show (NY Fringe) and Karin in Die Kleinen (Access Theatre). She works for New York Shakespeare Exchange with ShakesBEER as an actor, director and producer, and has performed such roles as Juliet, Ophelia, Beatrice, Helena and more during her time with them. She has performed with Amios’ Shotz at the Kraine Theatre and Off-Broadway on Theatre Row as part of Athena Writes with Athena Theatre. Favorite regional credits include: Virginia Galilei in The Life of Galileo (Cleveland Play House), Anna in A Bright New Boise (DOBAMA Theatre) and Alice in Closer (Knockabout Theatre). Kim is a graduate of the Case Western Reserve/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting program. www.kimkrane.com

You’ll be performing in the upcoming world-premiere production of Keep, which we are co-producing with Mastodon Theatre Company. How are rehearsals going? Can you tell us a little bit about the character you’ll be playing, and your favorite thing about this role? (No spoilers!)

Naomi is the youngest sister and she's a hoarder, though I don't think she would call herself that. She’s very different from me, so finding a way into understanding how she operates has been incredibly challenging. It's one of those roles that stretches your understanding of humanity. She's unique, smart and feels misunderstood.

Rehearsals have been great! To me, the set is the fifth character of the play and we've been only imagining it so far, so I cannot wait to get on the stage and really discover Naomi's space.

This is a play that deals with – among other things – hoarding belongings. What’s one thing that you really should release from your own personal stash of objects?

Clothes! I have too many. I'm always waiting for them to come back in style. Also, sentimental possessions like old programs, ticket stubs, things that remind me of people I love or a great time. I recently watched one of my best friends originate a role on Broadway and couldn't bring myself to throw away the ticket as I was cleaning my room, just today. And there's more where that comes from. Old scripts, sides...I have so many. Once this show closes, I'm going to do a major purge!

When did you know that you wanted to be an actor? How did you get started?

Kalamazoo has a large community theater scene that really fosters their young artists. I went through a stretch going into my senior year of consistently being in shows and when it came to an end and the next show wasn't on the horizon I was devastated. I realized then that if something fulfilled me that much, it was worth pursuing, against the odds.

Who or what do you consider to have been your biggest creative influences to date?

So many. Everyone I meet, what I read, what I see, my friends, my family. I have had so many amazing teachers along the way. Mark Liermann was my directing professor at Western Michigan University and his passion for story telling is so effusive. He has an ability to make you feel like what we are doing has the capacity to change the world. It was actually talking about his class that was the first time Jenna, Madison (the co-founders of Mastodon, also performing in Keep) and I talked about producing our own work.

Ross Williams is the artistic director and founder of New York Shakespeare Exchange and he was incredibly helpful when we started Mastodon and continues to be a huge support. Sarah Nedwek started a company called Partly Cloudy People, and early in my time living here I saw a production she had produced and starred in and the work was so high caliber. I couldn't believe what she had put up in New York City. It seemed impossible. These examples of people generating work (and their are many more) helped inspire the creation of Mastodon.

We’d love for our audience to get to know your work a little more. Could you tell us a little bit about your last project?

Recently I went to Bryan, Texas with New York Shakespeare Exchange to perform with ShakesBEER, NYC's original Shakespearean pub crawl. I have been producing and performing with ShakesBEER for the past two years, it's very close to my heart, so it was wonderful to share it with a different part of the country! I also recently filmed Sonnet 110 for The Sonnet Project, another facet of New York Shakespeare Exchange.

I also regularly perform with Amios' Shotz, which is a monthly pressure cooker that presents six new shorts plays the first Monday of every month at The Kraine Theater. Recently they expanded four of the short pieces from Shotz and a different one each Monday of March. I was lucky enough to be in "The Loneliest Number" by Lizzie Vieh under the direction of Maria Dizzia. It was one of those 'pinch me' moments. (I'm a huge, huge Sarah Ruhl fan.)

Are you working on any additional projects at the moment? Is it something you can tell us about?

Besides Shotz and ShakesBEER nothing is currently on the horizon, my focus has been on this role! Once we get Keep up and running, we will have to decide what Mastodon's next move is. We've got a couple ideas we're tossing around, but nothing is finalized. Once we know, we'll share it with you all. Stay tuned!

Keep begins previews at The Barrow Group Theatre on April 7 and runs through April 30. Get your tickets here.

Meet the Director: Stephanie C. Cunningham (KEEP)

Stephanie C. Cunningham received her MFA in Directing from The New School for Drama. As a director, her work focuses on text with heightened language, the re-imagining of classical texts, and the development of new work. As an educator and director of youth programs, she promotes theatre education that can extend beyond production to become an accessible art form and tool for change in a community. She is based in New York City. www.stephanieccunningham.com

You are directing the world-premiere production of Keep, which we are co-producing with Mastodon Theatre Company. What drew you to want to direct this particular play?

This play drew me in hard and fast for a few reasons. When I first read it, I was fascinated and could not imagine the challenges and emotional taxation on the victims and the families of someone with a hoarding disorder. Since researching the condition and interviewing hoarders, my empathy for people with this condition has exploded. The second thing that attracted me was the poetry of Francesca Pazniokas' text, especially toward the end. It is beautiful and so rhythmic. It actually got stuck in my head at one point, worse than a Spice Girl’s song. Third: the characters - these women - are just human. Their gender is not the reason for their existence in a work of art, and that always makes this feminist director a very happy camper. 

How are rehearsals going? Can you tell us a little bit about how you’ve chosen to approach the process? Has it been similar or different to other pieces you have recently worked upon?

Rehearsals for this piece have been quite a challenge in a great way. The space of Naomi’s home is such an important character, and so hard to get a sense of when in an almost blank rehearsal room. Trying to understand the space - and how all of the women interact with it differently - has been an act of imagination gymnastics for the cast and myself to this point, but it has been really fun. My instincts as a director tend towards simplifying action and streamlining storytelling. In this production, those things are not one and the same. The more interactions these characters have with the space, the clearer their stories become. For instance, we had our first rehearsal with pizza yesterday, and let me tell you…that was a wonderful mess that was clarifying for everyone, I think. 

In addition to being the director for this production, you are Wide Eyed’s Associate Artistic Director and recently received your MFA in Directing from The New School. When did you know that you wanted to be a director? How did you get started? 

I wanted to be an actor first but...I was real bad. I couldn’t keep my thoughts on one place or intention. I was thinking about everything; the lights, stage movement, the scene I had just left, what was coming up next. I did not have the skill to stay present and truthful in the moment. 

Luckily, I had some wonderful teachers who not only told me I was a bad actor, but that I might be a good director. When I got home from my classical actor training in London, I dove right into directing, starting with community theatre and teaching high school drama. From there, it was just moving to bigger places - Boston and New York - and finding people that I knew I wanted to make theatre with. 

Where are you drawing some of your creative energy currently? 

If you had asked me this yesterday, I probably would have given a different answer. Right now, I am totally obsessed with the Roman republic and how it mirrors the formation of our own government. My husband is an English teacher, and his students are currently working on Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. He and I have been talking a great deal about the Roman understanding of power and how that may or may not relate to the current hearts and minds of the American people. It’s hard not to sense the tension this year with elections and looking at what people perceive as “greatness.” Also, iced tea. I get a lot of energy from that stuff. 

We’d love for our audience to get to know your work a little more. Could you tell us a little bit about your last project? 

The last full production I directed was Sam Byron’s Butcher (coincidentally, a finalist year before last in our Wide Eyed WINKS staged reading series) at Stella Adler Studios. It was a beast. We had this giant Greek tragedy of a play in this tiny room. It was gory and raw and intense all the way through. It was a wonderful process, and was very fruitful for me in terms of working a naturalistic style that I had not been exercising recently. It also made it so I couldn’t eat meat for a little while... 

Are you working on any additional projects at the moment? Is it something you can tell us about? 

Once Keep is up and running, I’m set to direct a production of Buyer and Cellar in California with The Mendocino Theatre Company this summer, and will be working on a few development readings and workshops here in the city. It will also be finals time at The New School soon, which means you will most likely find me in my living room trying to shoo my cats off of assignments I need to grade. 

Keep begins previews at The Barrow Group Theatre on April 7 and runs through April 30. Get your tickets here.

Meet the Playwright: Francesca Pazniokas (KEEP)

Francesca Pazniokas is an NYC-based writer and musician whose work has been performed in New York, London and Chicago. Her short play Goodnight was a Heideman Award Finalist at the Actors Theatre of Louisville this past winter. Francesca received her Master’s in Playwriting from Royal Holloway, where this play was originally workshopped. Keep is her first play.

We and Mastodon Theatre Company are so very excited to be co-producing the world-premiere of your play Keep. Can you give us a bit of a synopsis of the play and provide some insight in terms of what inspired it?
 
I’m excited, too! Thank you for fostering new work, and for taking a chance on me and my first full-length play.

Keep is about a hoarder and her sisters, who are trying to clean her house and reconnect in the wake of losing another sibling. I wanted to explore how we decide what (and who) has value in our lives, and how we determine our own worth.

This play isn’t autobiographical, but it is deeply personal. I had a couple bumpy years where I struggled with hoarding, among other things. My grandmother died a few weeks before I started writing Keep, and while I didn’t begin hoarding again, I worried I would. In the past, losing such a huge support in my life would have created a vacuum that self-destructive behaviors might fill. Writing Keep helped me process those past experiences I’d tried to forget—to remind myself I shouldn’t romanticize or demonize the person I was then, and am now. Ultimately, Keep is about loyalty and loss, which I think everyone can relate to. But I also hope Keep speaks to people who have struggled with addiction, and those who may have felt hurt and helpless to support their loved ones.

When did you know that you wanted to be a writer? What made you start writing plays?

I started writing plays fairly recently, actually. After college, I was working as an actor, which really didn’t suit me. I liked sitting at home, amusing myself by rewriting all my lines so they sounded like words people would actually say, more than I liked standing on stage performing. So I decided to get my MFA in acting—because if you don’t enjoy something you should definitely spend more time doing it. During a grad school callback, I was asked what my dream (acting) role would be. And I said, without thinking: “a writer.” The head of the program was horrified, but I was even more horrified. I’d never actually written a play before. I had no idea if I could do it. Luckily I’ve trained myself to listen to any embarrassing public life realizations I might have. And so here I am two years later, writing. 

Who or what has been your biggest influence as a writer? What inspires you to get to the page?

I was fortunate in a lot of ways to have a solitary childhood where I could soak up artistic influences like a sponge. The time other kids were spending with each other I would spend reading books, watching movies, listening to music, lurking around the local library—the typical perks of being an odd kid in a tiny town. When I finally started writing, I had a clear sense of my own artistic taste and point of view, which gave me a solid foundation to build from.

That being said—often I write to discover how I feel about something. I’m an opinionated person, but I find it difficult to express or identify my emotions. I get overwhelmed. It’s like there are dozens of songs playing at once, just a wall of sound, and I can’t pick out the words. With Keep, what ‘got me to the page’ on difficult days was my desire to discover how I felt about hoarding, my struggle to hide it, and the impact it had on my loved ones.

In terms of your creative process, do you have a particular ritual when it comes to writing? If so, can you share it with us?

My creative process is a powerful mystery known only to a few, but I’ll reveal the secret to you now. 1. Sit down to write, followed immediately by 2. Call my sister and whine about how I can’t concentrate. Honestly, it’s a constant battle to focus, especially when no one else is dictating your deadlines. But I’ve found that a combination of ambient noise, caffeine, and the great yawning terror that you’ll never produce any work again usually does the trick.

Can you tell us about any additional projects you are working on right now?

Thanks for asking! I’m currently working on a horror show collaboration with Insomnium Theatre Company, and I just found out my short play Everlast will be produced at DC’s Source Festival this summer. I’m also in the process of finishing up another full-length play, which is written using only found/verbatim text surrounding a murder trial from the 1910s that has fascinated me for years.


Keep begins previews at The Barrow Group Theatre on April 7 and runs through April 30. Get your tickets here.