Meet the 'Greatest Hits' Team
MICHAEL AGUIRRE
Playwright
Michael (he/him) is a recent Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation grant recipient for The Jackson C. Frank Listening Party with Special Guests, first produced virtually during the pandemic and then receiving a subsequent production at The Z Theater in Virginia Beach. Past playwright-in-residence at: The Z, the Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild, Calliope Stage (Sylva, North Carolina), Wide Eyed Productions (NYC), and a Pataphysics Fellow with Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins (The Flea Theater). Michael began his theater career in Chicago working with Steppenwolf, the Windy City Players, and First Folio. New York acting and writing credits: Pearl Theatre (City Center), Signature Theatre, Waterwell, Snorks and Pins, Boomerang. Regional: The Hexagon Theatre (South Africa), Red Barn Theater (Indiana). Studied playwriting at The Acting Studio/Chelsea Rep Lab (John Grabowski, Anne Phelan, James Price) and is a founding member of New Light Theater Project. B.A. Indiana University.
For New Light: The Jackson C. Frank Listening Party with Special Guests, SIDD, REX, Apartment Play
SARAH NORRIS
Director
Sarah (she/her) is an award-winning director based in NY. Favorite playwright collaborators include Michelle Kholos Brooks, Michael Aguirre, Ahsan Ali, Lisa Jill Anderson, Stephen Brown, Amina Henry, Ross Howard, Jayme McGhan, and Owen Panettieri. As a director, select credits include: H*tler's Tasters (TimeOut NY Critics' Pick, Best of the Edinburgh Fringe; featured in the NY Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Times and the BBC), Everything is Super Great (TimeOut NY Critics' Pick), This Wrestling Place (w/ Executive Producer Ben Folds), Picture Ourselves in Latvia (Best of Theater, The L Magazine). Other highlights include: New Light Theater Project, Guild Hall of East Hamptons, Pleasance Theatre (Edinburgh), Greenside Theatre (Edinburgh), Bottom Dog Theatre (Ireland), Adelaide Fringe Festival (Australia), 59E59 Theaters, LAByrinth Theatre, Working Theater, Electric Lodge (LA), Chicago Dramatists, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, The Flea Theater, Zeiders American Dream Theater, Calliope Stage, Forestburgh Playhouse, and Pendragon Theatre. SarahNorris.org
For New Light (select directing): War Words, The Lights Are On, Friends With Amenities, H*tler's Tasters, Everything Is Super Great, The Great Novel, The Jackson C. Frank Listening Party w/ Special Guests, In the Soundless Awe, Picture Ourselves in Latvia
JENNIFER DAUPHINAIS
Music Arrangements
Ponybird is the moniker for the alt-folk singer-songwriter Jennifer Dauphinais (they/them), who also produces electronic psych music as the project called WEAREBISON. Dauphinais plays regionally as both an acoustic singer-songwriter and experimental electronic artist, drawing from a fifteen-year catalog of original work.
New Light debut.
GRACE YUKICH
Music Arrangements
Grace (she/her) is a singer-songwriter whose folk music has been described as a little bit country and a little bit punk. Her folk album, Wisteria, garnered praise for “navigating the space between youthful idealism and nostalgic longing” (Rockmommy). She is also the lead singer, guitarist, and co-songwriter of the New Haven-based femme punk band Corpse Flower. An Alabama native who has called the Northeast home for two decades, Grace studied theater at the University of Alabama before earning a PhD in sociology from New York University. She is currently a sociology professor at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, where she teaches about American culture.
New Light debut.
ANDY EVAN COHEN
Music Director
Andy (he/him) composes and creates media for film and theater. Credits include music for the documentary films We Dissent, Less Than or Equal To, and Stig Dagerman: The Making of a Man, as well as short films Show and Tell Tango, My Dinner With Schwartzy, and Delicacy. Previous NYC music direction includes music supervision and arrangements for BMCC-CUNY productions of Stupid F*cking Bird, Swipe, and The Fairytale Project, as well as for The Medicine Show’s off-off-Broadway production Mr. Chekhov and Mr. Porter. RolyPolyProductions.com
For New Light: War Words, The Lights Are On, According to the Chorus, The End of Hester, Calendar Girl, Brecht: Call and Respond, Imagining Madoff, Meaningful Conversation, The Property, the hollower, Hal & Bee, Time Stands Still, Still Dance the Stars, Sight Unseen, A Burial Place, The Ross Howard Festival: Two of Us and Arthur & Esther, Strange Country, Monte Cristo, In the Soundless Awe (NYIT Nomination)
ASHLEE WASMUND
Movement/Associate Director
Ashlee (she/her) is a director, producer, and choreographer based in North Carolina. Recent: My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend (Arizona Theatre Company, Human Race Theatre, Idaho Rep), This Wrestling Place (development), The Greatest Christmas Story Ever Told by Two People, Rising of the Necessary Diva (North Carolina). She is a proud Resident Artist with New Light Theater Project, the Founding Artistic Director of Calliope Stage Company, and serves as Program Director of Musical Theatre & Dance at Western Carolina University. ashleewasmund.com
For New Light: H*tler’s Tasters, Still Dance the Stars
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JOEL ACOSTA
Narrator
Joél (he/him) is a proud Cuban, and a Miami native. Off-Broadway: Gatsby Immersive (Jay Gatsby), Aloha Boricua. Additional Theatre: Issac’s Eye, Late Fame (Collaboratively devised), Richard II (Shakespeare’s Globe), Henry IV Parts 1+2. Education: BFA in acting, Rutger’s University’s Mason Gross School of The Arts. Many thanks to Katie & Violet at PMA, and Abby at Bohemia. Endless love to his family: Paqui, Ariana, Judell, Frank and his incredibly resilient Mother, Amarily. @joelacostagram #patriayvida
New Light debut
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KRISTOFFER CUSICK
Wolf Man
Kristoffer (he/him) Broadway: Wicked, If/Then, Hands On A Hardbody, First Date, Saturday Night Fever. Regional/Tours: Tales Of The City, Rent, Wicked (Chicago), Wicked (Los Angeles). Film: Test, The Catalyst. Television: Elementary, Person Of Interest, Vinyl, The Good Wife, Ugly Betty. Directing credits - Broadway: School Of Rock (resident director), The Boys In The Band (associate director). Thank you to Sarah and Michael for this opportunity, my agents at HCKR and to my friends and family, especially Dan, for your endless love and support. I’d like to dedicate this performance to the memory of my Dad. This one’s for you, Pops.
New Light debut
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KLEO MITROKOSTAS
Wee One
Kleo (she/her) is a New York-based actor and producer. Select credits: Circle Mirror Transformation, The Muppet Cabaret, Our Town (Pendragon Theatre); Sweet Charity (Cotuit Center for the Arts); The Wolves, The Children’s Hour (NYU Tisch). NYU BFA Drama ’24. For her brothers. KleoMitrokostas.com @kleomitrokostas
For New Light: According to the Chorus (Jessica), Friends with Amenities (Associate Producer), The Lights Are On (Associate Producer), War Words (Producer)
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MARTIN ORTIZ
Matt
Martin (he/him) recently received his MFA from NYU’s Graduate Acting Program. His favorite recent project was playing Christopher in a staged production of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. A multi-hyphenate artist, he also explores writing for stage and screen while collaborating with fellow New York artists. Guided by the values of kindness and not taking life too seriously, Martin aspires to infuse these principles into his work. He makes his Off-Broadway debut in this production.
New Light debut
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ERIKA ROLFSRUD
Mother Dearest
Broadway: The Big Knife (u/s), The Coast of Utopia, Exit The King (u/s), Rabbit Hole (u/s). Off- Broadway: Swing State, Misalliance, Electra In A One-Piece, How I Learned To Drive, Love’s Fire, and more. Regional: Good People, Rabbit Hole (both at Hartford Theaterworks; Best Actress - CT Critic Circle Award), Little Dog Laughed (St Louis Repertory; Best Actress - Kevin Kline Award), The Game’s Afoot, Steel Magnolias (both at Cleveland Playhouse), Cymbeline (Old Globe Theatre), and more. TV: FBI: Most Wanted, Manifest, Younger, City on a Hill, Law & Order: SVU, God Friended Me, The Knick, and more. FILM: Unsane.
New Light debut.
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HANNAH-KATHRYN WALL
Lead Vocalist
HK (she/her) is a 2022 graduate of Western Carolina University where she earned a BFA in Musical Theatre. In her senior year of college, she attended the Link Program (Class 4) through The Growing Studio in New York where she was signed with the Collective Talent Agency. HK was the recipient of the ALWI scholarship through the American Theatre Wing and recently won a Broadway World Award for “Best Actress in a Professional Production” for the work that she did at Pendragon Theatre. Select credits: The Rocky Horror Show (Magenta, Pendragon), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive, Pendragon), Heathers: The Musical (Veronica, WCU), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Musical (Marlena, GFour Productions). HK feels extremely blessed and looks forward to more adventures in the world of theatre. hannahkwall.wixsite.com/website | IG: hannahkwall
For New Light: Metropolis (part of the Darkroom Series)
MADELEINE BLOSSOM
Production Stage Manager
Madeleine (she/her) is a New York-based AEA stage manager and actor originally from California. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Drew University and a certificate of Mental Health First Aid from The National Council. Madeleine also studied with Intimacy Directors and Coordinators through their Stage Managing Intimacy course, along with similar workshops relating to safety and well-being while making art. Regional: Sweeney Todd, Kings, & The Velveteen Rabbit (South Coast Repertory), Fly By Night, Evita, & God of Carnage (Southern Colorado Repertory Theater).
For New Light: According to the Chorus, Ink'dWell
KWAMINA "Binnie" BINEY
Sound Designer
Binnie (he/him) is a New York based audio visual artist. His contributions to works range from Mixing & Mastering, Composing, and Sound Designing. Binnie moved to the Big Apple to pursue a dream of making impactful art. As a recording artist, Kwamina released several projects under the name Binnie Musa. In the process of recording his first mixtape demos, Binnie quickly discovered his desire to understand the technical side of audio in an attempt to have more intention on the processing of the music. By his first studio album released in the summer of 2018, entitled Selective Memory, Binnie was a full fledged producer/engineer. In the summer of 2017, Binnie was offered an opportunity to explore the world of Performing Arts. From his humble beginnings, as an A1 at New Life Missionary Baptist Church, he continued to water his growth by working for Off-Broadway theaters such as Saint Ann's Warehouse, The Public Theater, SoHo Rep, and the Signature Theater. Select credits: The Till Trilogy (Helen Hayes Award); Nehanda an Opera (Lincoln Center), The Jazz Continuum (LaTasha Barns).
New Light debut.
KARA BRANCH
Costume Designer
Kara (she/her) is a New York based costume designer. Her recent design projects include Fidelio with Heartbeat Opera Company and Machinal at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Recent assistant design credits include Hamilton (Broadway, National Tours and International Germany Tour), Slave Play (Broadway), The Secret Life of Bees (Atlantic Theater Company), By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (Signature Theater Company), and Detroit ’67 (McCarter Theater).
For New Light: According to the Chorus (Drama Desk nomination), The Lights Are On, The End of Hester, Brecht: Call and Respond, Imagining Madoff
OLIVIA FLETCHER
Assistant Stage Manager
Olivia (she/her) is a freelance stage manager based in NYC. She recently worked with The Juilliard School as the Production Stage Manager for Future Stages and as the PSM on alt Hamlet (Silverglass Productions). She looks forward to continuing work with New Light in the future!
For New Light: War Words
KRISTA GREVAS
Wardrobe Supervisor
Krista (she/her) is a New York City based theater creative. She received her BA from College of Charleston and her MFA from Rose Bruford College in London, England both in acting. She has done Wardrobe positions with TBTB, LabTheater, and others outside of New York.
For New Light: War Words, The Lights Are On, According to the Chorus
ANNA KIRALY
Scenic/Projections
Designer
Anna (she/her) is a Hungarian-born visual artist, set and video designer based in New York City. Other collaborations include the Pig Iron Theater Company, The Play Company, Talking Band, Rachel Dickstein, Peter Sellars among others, and universities such as Barnard/Columbia, Fordham, The New School, Montclair, Smith, Colgate, designed visuals for operas and concerts. She is a recipient of a ’21 New York State Council of the Arts, the Arts Link Grant, the NEA/TCG Program for Designers, the TCG New Generations, and the Jim Henson Foundation’s project grant. She has taught set design and media at Barnard College/Columbia University and Set Design at the Hungarian School of Theater and Film.
For New Light: Ink'dWell
GAMA VALLE
Casting Director
Gama (él/he) is a New York based director, playwright, screenwriter, children's book author and casting director. He holds an M.F.A in Directing from The New School and a B.A. in Drama from University of Puerto Rico. His Spanish language debut picture book, PITU LE BAILA AL AMAR (Pitu Dances to the Sea) is an International Latino Book Awards winner. He is a recipient of the Van Lier Directing Fellowship at Repertorio Español. Gama received the First Prize in playwriting from Puerto Rico’s Institute of Culture for his play “Queishd&Dilit”. Directing credits include: The Lesson, L’Amfiparnaso, I Catch You Dreaming, Among Who, Whom and Ever, Jump It, In Love but Discreet, The Girl Who Used to Die Often. @gamavalle
For New Light (casting): War Words, The Lights Are On, I Wanna F*ck Like Romeo & Juliet, The End of Hester, The Great Novel, The American Tradition
NIC VINCENT
Lighting Designer
Nic (he/him) is a lighting designer based out of Brooklyn, NY and Toronto, Canada. He designs for theatre, dance, opera, film, and everything in-between. Recent off-broadway includes; Lincoln Center Theater LCT 3, Roundabout, Atlantic, New Ohio, and New York Live Arts. Other Credits include The Salvagers (Yale Rep); BONEZ, Thurgood (People’s Light); L’incoronazione di Poppea (Rice University); The Indigo Room (Under the Radar / La Mama); Wéi 成为 (Aki Studio / Tiger Princess Dance); Wolf Play, Everybody, Constellations (Brown / Trinity Rep); NIGHTGOWNS (Sasha Velour / Quibi); El Huracán (Yale Rep / The Sol Project); The Barber of Seville (Sacramento Opera), All the Lonely Women, DirectorJam (Rattlestick). MFA: Yale School of Drama. He is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada ADC IATSE 659. NicVincent.com
New Light debut.