THE ANIMAL KINGDOM
Cast bios
BRITANNIE BOND (FRANC SCHMIDT) Britannie is happy to be back in the room with HTTC! She most recently made her feature film debut in Other Months (dir. Nick Singer) screening this past year at SXSW, BAMCinemafest, New Orleans Film Festival and Film Columbia. Next, she'll appear in Singer's upcoming short film, OONA. NYC credits include: The Immediate Family's Peer Gynt, Ophelia in Hamlet, Halcyon Days at Theater for a New City and work with Slant Theatre Project, Amios Theatre Company, The Group Lab, terraNova Collective, and Hunger & Thirst Theatre Collective where she is also an Artistic Associate. She can also be seen in the music video for Atmosphere's "Last to Say" (dir. Isaac Ravishankara). MFA / American Conservatory Theater, BFA / University of Evansville. britanniebond.weebly.com
MARY C. DAVIS (GRACE MACOMBER) Mary is delighted to be part of this production, her first in NYC! Last year, she soared around the country for six months on an awfully big adventure with Theatreworks USA’s Peter Pan playing Mrs. Darling/Smee. Her favorite acting experiences include: Merchant of Venice (Portia), House and Garden (Lindy) at Trinity Rep; As You Like It (Phoebe) with The Here & Now; The Rover (Hellena) at Brown/Trinity; The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Monica) at Studio Theatre; Our Town (Emily) with National Players. She is a graduate of the Brown/Trinity MFA in Acting program and The George Washington University.
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KELSEY DIDION (CECELIA HENRY) Kelsey Didion is an actress, teacher, musician, and big-time Packers fan. A graduate of the University of Evansville (BS) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (MFA), she most recently co-created Hold Onto Your Butts, one of TimeOutNY's top comedy shows of 2014, with the rest of sketch group Recent Cutbacks. Other credits: The New York Shakespeare Exchange, The PIT, The Studio Theatre/Theatre Row, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Chautauqua Theatre Company, and the New Harmony Project. Kelsey is also a certified yoga instructor.
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JONATHAN HORVATH (OWEN ARTHUR) Jonathan is super excited to reunite with so many Brown/Trinity alums for this production. Next, catch him on the mainstage at the National Puppetry Festival at UCONN performing Icarus, a play with music collaboratively conceived by Liars and Believers in Boston, MA, or see him as the token white guy in the (almost) all-Indian TV comedy Brown Nation. Off-stage and off-camera, Jonathan is the founder and head coach of Allied Acting Coaching, assisting actors applying for top-tier BFA and MFA Acting programs, and a sailboat captain on the Hudson (typically not at the same time). Find out more at www.jonathanhorvath.com.
JORDAN KAPLAN (TOM COLLIER) With Hunger & Thirst: Ivanov, The Misanthrope, Contrafact of Freedom. Jordan has performed with many NYC companies including Prospect Theater Company, The Red Fern Theatre Company, Astoria Performing Arts Center, and the Guerrilla Shakespeare Project (where he is Development Director). Regional: American Conservatory Theater, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Tennessee Shakespeare Company, Trinity Repertory Company, Stanford Summer Theater. Proud graduate of Stanford University and Brown/Trinity Rep. Coming Up Next: J. Robert Oppenheimer in the World Premiere of Jack Karp's Irreversible with The Red Fern Theatre Company. He'd like to thank his friends and family for their unyielding support. www.jordankaplan.net
JAMES LUSE (RUFUS COLLIER) James recently appeared as Gremio in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW at the Baruch Performing Arts Center (NYC). Last season he was featured as Judge Henry X. Harper in MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET at the Jenny Wiley Theatre in KY. In addition, he was Voinitski (Vanya) in UNCLE VANYA at the Torn Space Theatre in Buffalo, NY. In NYC, he has been The Rev. Dr. Murray Hilton in THE HENRIETTA at The Metropolitan Playhouse as well as Hector in THE HISTORY BOYS at The Gallery Players. He also was highlighted in SWAN SONG and in MARRIAGE PROPOSAL at The Michael Chekhov Acting Studio and at the Michael Chekhov Theatre Festival. He dedicates his Rufus to the memory of the Berkshire Theatre Festival production of THE ANIMAL KINGDOM (1982), produced by Josephine R. Abady and starring John Shea, Ann Twomey and Sigourney Weaver. Training: MFA, Brandeis Univ; Baikal Theatre School, Irkusk, USSR; The Michael Chekhov Acting Studio; The Michael Chekhov Association. SPECIAL THANKS: Meg Pantera, Lenard Petit
PATRICIA LYNN (DAISY SAGE) Patricia is a founding member and artistic director of Hunger & Thirst and has worked on their productions of Ivanov, The Misanthrope, and Contrafact of Freedom, as well as wrote and directed their recent reading of A Seagull Project. Selected credits include: Charlotte in Charlotte's Web with Theaterworks USA, Manhattan Theatre Source, Trinity Repertory Company, Perchance to Dream Theatre, and Pulse Ensemble Theatre. MFA from Brown/Trinity Rep, BS from University of Evansville.
LARRY PHILLIPS (RICHARD REGAN) Larry is a founding member of Randomly Specific Theatre. He last appeared as Paul Dowd in their production of “Secondary Pitch”. Other recent credits: “The Why Overhead” for Zootopia Theater Company, “Farewell to Sanity” for Original Binding Productions, “Hellcab” and “Ice Age” for Rising Sun Performance Company. As a playwright, his play “Secondary Pitch” premiered in October 2014. His next play, “Learning to Skip” will begin performances this April for Randomly Specific Theatre. Other plays in development: “Arbuckle Syndrome”, “Last Chance for Mama”, “The Rise of Mediocrity”, and “Koala’s are Dicks.” BFA in Acting from Montclair State University.
NEAL TUCKER (JOE FISK) Neal Tucker is elated to be performing with Hunger and Thirst again. New York: Contrafact of Freedom (HTTC); Charlotte's Web (TheatreWorks USA); A True History (Vineyard Theatre); East of the Sun, West of the Moon (Looking Glass); The Manufacturer's Daughter (Cabrini Rep); Happy (Players Theatre); Open School Night (Roy Arias Studios). TV: Monumental Mysteries (Travel); Hack My Life (truTV); Celebrity Ghost Stories (Bio). He would like to thank Hunger and Thirst for this awesome opportunity and his family for their relentless love and support, without which he would probably be in a gutter somewhere. www.nealtucker.net
creative team bios
YI CHUNG CHEN (LIGHTING DESIGNER) Yi-Chung Chen holds an MFA from Boston University in Lighting Design. She is currently the Lighting Supervisor of Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. She has previously worked with Chautauqua Theater Company, Huntington Theatre Company, Boston Lyric Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and The Living Theatre. NY selected design credits include Becky Shaw, Fire Dance, Not Alone, Upcoming Train/Stopped Clock/Untitled Waiting, I Am A Moon, Everything Is Ours, Muckrakers, and Hold These Truths. www.yichungchen.com
NATE DENDY (MAGIC CONSULTANT) Nate Dendy recently collaborated with Teller (of Penn & Teller ) and Aaron Posner on A.R.T.'s production of The Tempest where he played Ariel. Other credits include Angels In America (Risk Theatre Initiative), Doctor Faustus, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Faultline Theatre), Ivanov (Hunger & Thirst Theatre) and The Mute in The Fantasticks (Arena Stage, Trinity Rep Theatre, and South Coast Rep). He also develops magic for the stage and performs his own material for private shows and events.
DANA HAYNES (SOUND DESIGNER) Dana is a sound designer, composer, arranger, music director and general jack-of-all-trades. Previous work includes AND TO THE REPUBLIC and THE TRAGEDY OF KING ARTHUR (Guerrilla Shakespeare Project); A NIGHT LIKE THIS (by Alex Sage Oyen), JONI, ANY OTHER WAY, ABEY BABY and WALKER IN BABYLON (by David Are); A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and THE COUNTRY WIFE (Honkbark! Productions) as well as a slew/stew of concerts, cabarets and readings. He lives in Brooklyn, but does not have beard.
MATTHEW ELLIS MURPHY (DIALECT COACH) Matthew Ellis Murphy is pleased to return to HTTC, where his credits include The Misanthrope (Alceste) and Contrafact of Freedom (music director/dialect coach). Also as voice and dialect coach: T. Schreiber Studios, UNC-Chapel Hill, Carrboro Arts Center and Deep Dish Theater, among others. BA & BMus, Lawrence University; MFA, UNC-Chapel Hill. Proud member of AEA, ASCAP, The Group Lab.
JESSICA PECHARSKY (STAGE MANAGER) Jessica is a graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in both dance and theater. Jessica moved her focus to stage management, and has been stage managing professionally since 2000. She has held resident stage management positions with Streetlight Productions and The Jekyll and Hyde Club. Other companies she has stage managed for include Classical Theatre of Harlem, Centenary Stage, Ma-Yi Theatre, Chester Theater Company, Boomerang Theater, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Working Theater, Audax Theatre Group, Capacitor, Theatre LILA, Clubbed Thumb, American Globe Theater, and Moonwork. Currently Jessica is the Department Stage Manager for York College. Jessica is a member of Actors Equity Association (AEA).
ELI SIBLEY (MOVEMENT COACH) Eli coached movement previously for Hunger and Thirst on The Misanthrope. Other credits include Born of a Fairytale, which she also wrote and produced, DAT's Action Ecuador, and 5 Sided Triangle for the Hot! Festival. As an actor she's performed regionally, locally and once internationally in China. Besides a movement coach and actor, she has also been seen as a percussionist, puppeteer, teaching artist, and most recently mom to 4 mos. old Robin. She is currently getting certified both in Laban Analysis and the Alexander Technique and has her MFA from Catholic University of America.
JACOB TITUS (DIRECTOR) Jacob's work has been seen in NY at the Public in the 365 Plays/365 Days, HERE Arts Center, Ontological-Hysterics, NY International Fringe Festival, Dixon Place, among other theatres off-off Broadway, in Brooklyn, as well as LA and San Francisco. Jacob has a Masters in Directing from Boston University and is a proud member of Loading Dock Theatre in Brooklyn, NY.
NATE DENDY (MAGIC CONSULTANT) Nate Dendy recently collaborated with Teller (of Penn & Teller ) and Aaron Posner on A.R.T.'s production of The Tempest where he played Ariel. Other credits include Angels In America (Risk Theatre Initiative), Doctor Faustus, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Faultline Theatre), Ivanov (Hunger & Thirst Theatre) and The Mute in The Fantasticks (Arena Stage, Trinity Rep Theatre, and South Coast Rep). He also develops magic for the stage and performs his own material for private shows and events.
DANA HAYNES (SOUND DESIGNER) Dana is a sound designer, composer, arranger, music director and general jack-of-all-trades. Previous work includes AND TO THE REPUBLIC and THE TRAGEDY OF KING ARTHUR (Guerrilla Shakespeare Project); A NIGHT LIKE THIS (by Alex Sage Oyen), JONI, ANY OTHER WAY, ABEY BABY and WALKER IN BABYLON (by David Are); A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and THE COUNTRY WIFE (Honkbark! Productions) as well as a slew/stew of concerts, cabarets and readings. He lives in Brooklyn, but does not have beard.
MATTHEW ELLIS MURPHY (DIALECT COACH) Matthew Ellis Murphy is pleased to return to HTTC, where his credits include The Misanthrope (Alceste) and Contrafact of Freedom (music director/dialect coach). Also as voice and dialect coach: T. Schreiber Studios, UNC-Chapel Hill, Carrboro Arts Center and Deep Dish Theater, among others. BA & BMus, Lawrence University; MFA, UNC-Chapel Hill. Proud member of AEA, ASCAP, The Group Lab.
JESSICA PECHARSKY (STAGE MANAGER) Jessica is a graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in both dance and theater. Jessica moved her focus to stage management, and has been stage managing professionally since 2000. She has held resident stage management positions with Streetlight Productions and The Jekyll and Hyde Club. Other companies she has stage managed for include Classical Theatre of Harlem, Centenary Stage, Ma-Yi Theatre, Chester Theater Company, Boomerang Theater, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Working Theater, Audax Theatre Group, Capacitor, Theatre LILA, Clubbed Thumb, American Globe Theater, and Moonwork. Currently Jessica is the Department Stage Manager for York College. Jessica is a member of Actors Equity Association (AEA).
ELI SIBLEY (MOVEMENT COACH) Eli coached movement previously for Hunger and Thirst on The Misanthrope. Other credits include Born of a Fairytale, which she also wrote and produced, DAT's Action Ecuador, and 5 Sided Triangle for the Hot! Festival. As an actor she's performed regionally, locally and once internationally in China. Besides a movement coach and actor, she has also been seen as a percussionist, puppeteer, teaching artist, and most recently mom to 4 mos. old Robin. She is currently getting certified both in Laban Analysis and the Alexander Technique and has her MFA from Catholic University of America.
JACOB TITUS (DIRECTOR) Jacob's work has been seen in NY at the Public in the 365 Plays/365 Days, HERE Arts Center, Ontological-Hysterics, NY International Fringe Festival, Dixon Place, among other theatres off-off Broadway, in Brooklyn, as well as LA and San Francisco. Jacob has a Masters in Directing from Boston University and is a proud member of Loading Dock Theatre in Brooklyn, NY.