Julie Rosier (Choreography/Assistant Director) Julie first worked with JMTC on the premier of We Call Her Benny (FRIGID New York Festival). Other directing credits include her own play, Hand/Flash/Back (Bowery Poetry Club) and Male Gaze, Kymbali Craig's one-woman show (Bailey's Café). Also a performer, writer and activist, Julie recently moved back to her hometown of Detroit. She lives and works at the Boggs Center to Nurture Community Leadership with legendary social activist, Grace Lee Boggs, where she is in the process of creating an activist theater project at the grassroots level. She is very excited to continue this collaboration with Suzanne and the Benny cast.
Douglas Shearer (Technical Direction and Stage Management) has been with The John Montgomery Theatre Company since 1996 and has been in the theatre for almost 30 years. In that time he has acted, designed both lighting and sound,stage managed and directed. JMTC productions include Othello, Patient 23, Icons & Outcasts, Icons Y2K, The Collard Green: Contributions by Cornbread Divas and Run to the Roar (both co-productions with The Cracked Plate), Flirting with Reality, BITE, We Call Her Benny (FRIGID Festival), Spitting In The Face Of The Devil and Preparation Hex. Recent stage managing credits include Timmy the Great directed and choreographed by Savion Glover and Finer Noble Gases by Adam Rapp, directed by Michael John Garces. Companies Doug has worked with include Manhattan Theatre Club, Lincoln Center, Rattlestick, Ensemble Studio, The Play Company, The Acting Company, Primary Stages, American Globe, Vital, Signature and Amas. He has had the pleasure of working with both seasoned professionals and the future famous. Many thanks to Suzanne and the JMTC family.
John Tees, III (Lighting Design) has designed many shows for JMTC including the OOBR Award-winning Circle, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and When I Was a Girl, I Used to Scream and Shout. Other NYC design credits include productions at The Atlantic Theatre Co., Vineyard Theatre, American Opera Project, Triad Theatre, National Shakespeare Co., Pulse Ensemble and Queens Theatre in the Park. Regional Theatre Designs include The Madison Repertory Theatre, Florida State Opera, Dayton Opera, N.C. Shakespeare Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Live Bait Theatre (Chicago), New American Theatre, Helen Hayes P.A.C., and Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. His Assistant credits include shows on Broadway and in more than 20 cities and throughout the country. John has recently been working on many Fashion Shows and in Television. John is a member of United Scenic Artist Local 829 and NABET Local 16.
Nadia Volvic (Costume Design) After a successful career in costuming as resident designer at The St. Petersburg Contemporary Theatre, Ms. Volvic defected to the US with the dream of making it on The Great White Way, only to have her dreams shattered by the complete Disney-fication of 42nd Street, as well as the loathsome Guiliani-sanitizing. But her story has a happy ending, as Ms. Volvic found a home in independent theater, doing her first American production at Pulse Ensemble Theatre on Theater Row, the romantic-thriller Screwdrivers & Sunday Brunch, by Suzanne Bachner and directed by Trish Minskoff. Since that time, Ms. Volvic has worked (and slept) her way through too many theater projects (and performers!) to mention. Her favorite collaborators include long-suffering artistic administrator, Agatha Ludwig, legendary director Nicki H.J. Stadm, and the incredible, inimitable Ms.Minskoff. Special thanks to the very talented gentleman, Rossi, and to the sexy Benny ensemble. God bless America!
Jessica Owen (Original Music) Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Jessica started her artistic career at the age of seven in film and television. She starred in her own television series, "Harriet's Magic Hats", at the age of 12. Jessica launched her own independent record label, Sway Gypsy Records, in 1994. She released three titles in Canada; each received recognition from the Alberta Recording Industry Association. Two titles were nominated for Best Female Artist in both the 1995 and 1996 award ceremonies. Jessica was awarded the honor of Best Alternative New Music Artist on Record, for her third release, Tiniest of Bones. Humanisms (2000), was released in both Canada and the United States. Her latest release is, ever-so-slightly rearranged (2003). Chelsea Piers has recently renewed the license to continue airing commercials that feature Jessica's song, "These True Things". Jessica is currently finalizing the use of some of her music in the DVD release of an HBO series. www.jessicaowen.com
Fred Poole (Consultant), founder of Authentic Writing, sings and paints as well as writes and finds natural allies in people of the theater who believe that to practice their art they must risk working from deep inside themselves. www.FredPooleOnWriting.blogspot.com
Marta Szabo (Consultant), co-director of Authentic Writing, recently completed her memoir describing over ten years of ashram life -- NOT the pious version of what so often passes for spiritual writing. www.The-Guru-Looked-Good.blogspot.com
Authentic Writing is a movement that believes writing is an art and that all art depends upon getting at the artist's deepest stories.We also believe that, as Paul Gaugin pointed out, art is either revolution (as in Authentic Writing) or plagiarism (as in the conventional literary/academic world). Authentic Writing is led by two people who found it necessary to go beyond success as published writers and editors to follow their art. They now conduct writing workshops and weekend writing retreats in NYC and Woodstock,plus missionary ventures in places as near as New England and as distant as Calabria, Italy. www.AuthenticWriting.com
Scott Wynn (Production Photography) is the beloved Resident Photographer of The John Montgomery Theatre Company and has been since the beginning. (He hates writing his own bios). www.scottwynn.com
Michael Koch (Graphic Design) is a freelance graphic designer and Resident Graphic Designer for The John Montgomery Theatre Company. Originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania, Michael earned is bachelor's degree in Media Communications from East Stroudsburg University where he studied photography, graphic design and desktop publishing. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Tammy, and their two year-old daughter, Charlotte.