Nick has green eyes, with a touch of brown. Kind of like a muddy knoll. Broadway: Cry-Baby (Whiffle), Glory Days (Music and Lyrics). National Tour: Altar Boyz (Abraham). Nick is ecstatic and so grateful to be reunited with this piece, after having created this role in the original production. Love to Mazzagoo for being the most wonderful friends and collaborators a guy could ask for, his wonderful family, the Nicolosi superheroes, and as always, BBF.
Melissa has greenish/gray eyes, is delighted to be making her New York debut with this innovative and exciting project, Green Eyes. Melissa, who is visiting from Chicago, began dancing professionally after receiving her BFA in dance from the University of Michigan. While at school she appeared in works by Alexandra Beller and Alonzo King. She is a founding member of the Leopold Group, a Chicago based modern dance company, and has appeared in many of Leopold’s works as a featured soloist. Thank you to Lizzie and Brian for their immeasurable artistic generosity, my parents for their encouragement, and to my grandfather for his loving insults.
Celina has blue eyes with a splash of green. She was born and raised in San Francisco, Ca. where she grew up in the Haight Ashbury and on the stage dancing. She studied Ballet for 17 years and performed and traveled the world at a very young age. She sang for Pope John Paul II at Candlestick Stadium to over 50,000 people when she was 7 years old. She discovered musical theater at the age of thirteen and joined The Young People’s Teen Musical Theater Company, a well know community theater program for teens in San Francisco. At the age of 17 she left home to join the 4th national tour of Cats and from there moved to New York City and has never left. Film credits: Sex And The City, the movie (City girl aka/ Young Miranda), The Graduates (Inga) and The Stepford Wives. TV credits include a stint on All My Children as Treena as well as MTV’s new reality TV show Legally Blonde, the search for the next Elle Woods. Broadway credits: Cats (Demeter), 42nd Street (Anytime Annie), Dracula (Original Broadway Cast), and Tarzan (Original Broadway Cast). She also did the Off-Broadway musical Radiant Baby (Pop Singer/ Madonna). She has done workshops of Happy Days, the musical (Pink Tuscaderro) where she worked with Garry Marshall. Her favorite thing is being a rock star, leading the band Cocaine. To see more about Celina Carvajal you can go to her web-sites. www.celinacarvajal.com, and www.cocaineband.com.
Ryan has green eyes… sometimes. When he is wearing a green shirt and sitting in the grass. Broadway: Xanadu (Thalia), Movin’ Out (Ensemble). Penn State MT. Ryan is so honored and thrilled to be working on this project. Love and thanks to his family, friends, Ben and David at the MINE for putting up with him, and of course always BBF and AEM.
Jessica has green eyes. She is also a New York-based director/choreographer. New York credits include: Movement Director for the Lortel Award-winning Adding Machine, A Musical, Director/Choreographer for Maccabeat, and choreographer for The Family Fiorelli, Oedipus for Kids! at NYMF, Moving Forward, Looking Back by Michael Mahler at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Regional: And the World Goes ‘Round (Zoni nomination for choreography) and Falsettos at Northwestern University, her alma mater. For Mom. www.JessicaRedish.com
Lizzie has brown eyes and is the founder and Artistic Director of the Leopold Group, a Chicago-based modern dance company. Leopold has danced with the Lyric Opera of Chicago (Salome choreography by Jane Comfort and starring Deborah Voigt, Dialogues of the Carmelites directed by Robert Carson) and appeared in works by Doug Varone, Alonzo King, Neta Pulvermacher, and Alex Ketley. She holds a BFA in Dance from the University of Michigan and has studied on scholarship at the LINES Ballet Pre-Professional Program, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and the American Dance Festival. Leopold conceived Green Eyes with Brian Mazzaferri and has been working on the project since 2005. Lizzie is also a personal trainer and runs the dance program at the North Suburban School of Dance. www.leopoldgroup.org
Brian has green eyes. He is a Singer/Songwriter/Philosopher currently based in Chicago. His debut album All Roads Lead To Roads was released in Fall 2007 on Sophic Records to rave reviews, and he currently plays with his band throughout Chicago and the midwest. His Folk-Pop Modern Dance Song Cycle Green Eyes was produced in summer 2007 at Theatre Building Chicago and was hailed as “A Multi-Media Musical for the John Mayer Generation” by North Shore Magazine. A new piece using his music entitled “Of Mind And Sky” was premiered in June 2008 by the Leopold Group, a Chicago modern dance company. He has performed his songs in New York, LA, Chicago, and many places in between. Currently, he’s in the studio with I Fight Dragons, a new Indie-Electro-Rock project that will be releasing a debut EP this fall. More information and copies of All Roads Lead To Roads are available at www.brianmazzaferri.com or through the iTunes music store.
Matt has eyes that fire burning lasers. Hailing from West Texas, Matt is a singer/songwriter, musician, and performer in NYC. Most recently, he served as the music director, arranger, rehearsal pianist, pit guitarist, and erstwhile actor for Joe Iconis’s rock musical The Black Suits, which premiered at the Public Theater as produced by SPF. Matt also recently released a self-titled album of all-original rock ‘n’ roll, which is available through iTunes, CD Baby, and at his live shows. Matt provides guitar and other musical support to a host of NYC songwriters and theater composers, including Joe Iconis (The Joe Iconis Rock ‘n’ Roll Jamboree et al), Robert Maddock (Plastic!, Triumphant Baby! at the York Theatre), Sean Mahoney/Creighton Irons (Factory Girls), and Kirsten Guenther/Ryan Scott Oliver (Alive At Ten). Other credits include Beehive, nat’l tour (Asst. MD, guitar); Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Buddy u/s, lead guitar); Tick, Tick…BOOM! (Michael); A New Brain (Roger); Jesus Christ Superstar (guitars). Please visit matthinkley.com.
Mary has blue, blue eyes, but her sister has green eyes! Some Stage Management credits include: Off-Broadway: Old Comedy (Target Margin/CSC), Edward II (Red Bull Theater), Children of Vonderly (Ma-Yi), Of Mice and Men (Cyclops Prod.), All Too Human: An Evening with Clarence Darrow (Town Square Prod.), War in Paramus, Texas Homos(Abingdon Theater), Dirty Story (LABrynith). Regional: Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, A Great White Hope (Brave New World) as part of Celebrate Brooklyn. Mary is also the Resident Production Manager with Prospect Theater Company. Thanks to mom and dad.
MFA in Design at Yale School of Drama ‘08. She has received Donald and Zorka Oenslager Fellowship Award in Design ‘08.Her Design credits at Yale are RICHARD II at the Yale Repertory Theatre, HAMLET, and ZERO HOUR at the Yale University Theatre, and Speaking Our Mind, and The Wendy Play at the New Theatre. Yale Cabaret credits include BOOTY FIRE, THE BOSS IN THE SATIN KIMONO, ELECTRONIC CITY, SHADOWLESS, THE FIREBUGS, THE LOVE SUICIDE AT SONEZAKI, BRAND, and LIVE RADIO, Seven Deadly Sins, and Pornographic Angel, Bacchae, Bicycling for Ladies, and Apocryphal Project, Chicano Sketches, DANCING IN THE DARK, and Bone Songs. She also has designed numerous shows in New York for 78th Street Theatre Lab, Prospect Theatre Company, Abrons Arts Center, Edinburgh Festival in 2002 and 2003, and Etc. Her New York credits include [SIC], MY KITCHEN WARS, Train to Nibroc, SEE ROCK CITY, MARK OF CAIN, FROG PRINCE, WATER ENGINE, A LESSON FROM ALOE, SIZWE BANSI IS DEAD, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, THE WIZ, HOLES, THE FLOOD, DANTON”S DEATH, DIDO (&AENEAS), THE ALCHEMISTS, THE HOUSE of BERNARDA ARBA, THE USES OF ENCHANTMENT, PERSUE OF PERSEPHONE, BOY STEALS TRAIN (“FIRST FRINDGE” in Edinburgh in 2003), Etc.
Maiko has black eyes. She designed the Scenery for Marathon 30(Ensemble Studio Theatre), The Music Man(VLOG, NYC), The Thicker Than Water 2008 (Ensemble studio Theatre), Going Down Swngin’ (TBG Theatre, NYMF), Maccabeat!(The Acorn Theatre, NYMF), Mistakes Madeline Made (Yale Repertory Theatre), Hamlet (Yale University Theatre), The Boss in the Satin Kimono(Yale Cabaret), The Fist (Theatre of the New City and Frederick Loewe Theatre), Luna (The producers Club), Zooman and the Sign (Frederick Loewe Theatre), and Costumes for The Crane Wife (C. Eule Dance Company), Titus Andronicus, The Lacy Project (1156 New Theatre) and Top Girls (Instant theatre). Maiko was awarded the 2007 Donald and Zorca Orenslager Fellowship Award in Design from Yale School of drama, and the 2003 Charles Elson Award In design from Hunter College. www.maikochii.com
Michael has hazel eyes. He has designed every production of Green Eyes since its inception at the University of Michigan in 2006. Broadway: 13, a new musical (Assistant Designer), Phantom of the Opera (Engineer); Off Broadway: Our Sinatra (Designer); Regional: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Barrington Stage Company, Designer); 13, a new musical (Goodspeed Musicals, Asst. Design); Green Eyes (The Leopold Group, Designer); The Music Man, The Wizard of Oz, Grease!, Hello, Dolly!, Singin’ in the Rain, Jesus Christ Superstar, Footloose (Kansas City Starlight, Designer); Fiddler on the Roof, Brigadon, Bye Bye Birdie (Burns Park Players, Designer); Babes in Arms (Interlochen Center for the Arts, Designer).
Eli has blue/grey eyes. He is proud to have been with GREEN EYES since the beginning as orchestrator and music director. In addition to being an experienced orchestrator and music director, Eli is also an accomplished actor/performer and proud member of Actor’s Equity. He is a 2006 graduate of The University of Michigan, where he received a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. While at Michigan, he also had the pleasure to study Conducting with Professor Steven D. Davis. Undying love to his family, friends, and teachers. Thank you to everyone involved in this fantastic project; Lizzie, Jessica, Di, Eisenberg, Michael Cassara. The good people at McDonalds for making the greasiest fries known to man. Finally, Brian: for bringing me on in the first place. What in the world we were thinking about?!
Lauren has green eyes. A graduate of Northwestern University’s theatre program, Lauren was recently seen off-broadway in SHLOMO and on Fox’s “Canterbury’s Law.” She is thrilled to work with such a phenomenal cast and crew. Many thanks to Jess
Diana has dark brown eyes. She is a NY based producer, director and casting director. She currently serves as Assistant to the President at Nederlander Worldwide, Casting Director at Prospect Theater Company, is on the literary reading committee at Primary Stages and is a founding member of New Bar Theater. She is currently the Executive Producer of A Political Party! at the Sage Theater and served as Associate Producer on “A Mikvah” (NYC Fringe 2007) and “The Rockae” (Prospect Theater Company). Diana has worked at Manhattan Theatre Club, Harden-Curtis Associates, Weston Playhouse, and Mason Street Warehouse and is an Associate Member of the SSDC. She is a proud graduate of Northwestern University.
Steve has green eyes with a hint of brown. His previous producing credits includes Prospect Theater Company’s The Blue Flower and The Four. Steve has worked in nonprofit regional and commercial Broadway theatre for over seven years. A graduate from the University of California San Diego (UCSD), Steve spent four years at the Tony Award winning La Jolla Playhouse. Commercially, Steve ventured into the Broadway realm as Marketing Manager of RENT during its 10th Season of Love and national movie launch while employed at TMG - The Marketing Group. Currently, Steve works in the online advertising arm of Broadway with Situation Marketing, serving a variety of productions including Tony Award-winning Spring Awakening and August: Osage County.
Casting Director Michael Cassara, CSA and associate Lindsay Levine cast for theatre, film and television in New York City. They serve as the resident casting office for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, the White Plains Performing Arts Center, the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, the Kitchen Theatre Company, and Central City Opera in addition to casting many readings, workshops and developmental productions in New York and beyond each year. NYMF credits include over two dozen productions since the festival’s inception in 2004 and other recent theatre projects include …Forum (Sondheim Center, starring Richard Kind), End Days (by Deborah Zoe Laufer, starring Amy Aquino and Adam Heller), Perez Hilton Saves The Universe (or at Least the Greater Los Angeles Area) in FringeNYC, and Cassandra’s Angel (workshop, starring Malcolm Gets). Member, Casting Society of America. Please visit http://www.michaelcassara.net.