La MaMa Umbria Celebrates 2015

Patricia Davis writes nonfiction, poetry, and plays. Her full-length drama, Alternative Methods, was produced in the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival, winning a Pick of the Fringe recommendation from New York Theater Review and a Best Director award. It was selected for readings at Urban Stages, Georgia College and State University, Catholic University, in collaboration with Theater J, and the Beltway Drama Series. Her short play, Cleared, was selected for presentation in the Kennedy Center’s 2013 Page-to-Stage Festival. She co-authored a nonfiction book, The Blindfold’s Eyes, and has published articles in The Nation, Counterpunch, and Common Dreams.

Rachel Greenhoe is a playwright and performer currently based in Brooklyn. She is the winner of the 2013 David Lindsay-Abaire Award for Playwriting. She studied at Sarah Lawrence College under Lucy Thurber, Start Spencer, and Cassandra Medley, and HB Studios under Donna DiMatteo. She also attended the La Mama writer’s retreat in Umbria in 2012. Her plays have been produced at Downtown art, Churchill school, Sarah Lawrence, and The Manhattan Rep, with readings at La MaMa and Sarah Lawrence.

Tom Mikotowicz teaches directing, playwriting, history, and performance studies at the University of Maine. A professor of theatre, he received his doctorate from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. As a director, Dr. Mikotowicz has staged hundreds of productions in professional, educational, and community theatres throughout the country, and he has acted in several major productions. He has also written and directed industrial videos for NYU and NBC television, a children’s play, and other works.  Also, Dr. Mikotowicz has published extensively, with his academic writings appearing both in the United States and Europe.

Mariem Omari studied Drama at the Australian National University. In 2007 she left to the Middle East to become an Australian Volunteer where she worked for five years as a humanitarian focusing on violations of human rights. Prior to leaving Australia, Mariem performed in a number of productions including Macbeth, Servant of Two Masters and The Garrison. She worked for International Master Puppeteer, Peter Wilson, on productions Wake Baby and Love Suicides. Mariem is a Writer’s Associate for The Street Theatre’s HIVE Programme in Australia, and is currently commissioned to write five short plays for production in the UK in 2015. Her one woman show, Staring out of Windows, was developed at LaMaMa’s 2014 International Playwrights Retreat. Special thanks to Dramaturg, Peter Matheson for his guidance and grounding presence and Catherine Filloux for her generous advice and attention.

Susan Jennifer Polese has been produced Off-Broadway and regionally and her play Under The One-Time Sky was selected as a finalist for Best Play in the 4th Annual Aery Theatre Company 20/20 One-Act Competition. Susan has studied playwriting at The Wonderhorse Theatre, Herbert Berghof Studio, and Hunter College.  She’s taught playwriting to children through Purchase College, and has been a member of and taught with Axial Theatre Company.  “Suicide Wife” was developed at La MaMa Umbria International Playwright Retreat 2014. Susan is a member of the Dramatists Guild. I would like to recognize and thank all of the people who are ceaseless working toward understanding and ending interpersonal violence.

Roderic Wachovsky Theater B.A. Playwriting Thesis, Loften Mitchell, advisor, The State University of New York at Binghamton. Graduate Seminar Playwriting, Tina Howe, Hunter College. Theater Lab West, actor, writer, Denver, CO.  “Hanako Junction”, Equity Showcase, Gene Frankel Theater, NYC, April, 2011. “Mud Men” Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Dan O’Brien, playwright advisor, July, 2013.  “The Prospective Valet” Mid-Winter Short Play Lab, NYC Nov. 2013.  “Dearest Jeremy” short play, part of “Peep Show” Shelter Theater NYC, March 2014. “Sinners” Independent Film, character, “Ivan Gornisovich”, Martin Riofrio, screenwriter, director, June 2014.  LaMaMa Umbria Playwrights Retreat,  Catherine Filloux, playwright, advisor, August 2014 .  Many thanks to Catherine, David Diamond, Mia Yoo, Andrea Paciotto, LaMaMa Umbria/NYC.

Jade Wu is an award-winning int’l artist who has performed at Sundance to Adelaide to Edinburgh where she landed a Best Actress nod for Medea. On stage, in film and tv, she has worked alongside icons Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Tony Kushner, George C. Wolfe, JoAnne Akalaitis, Blanka Zizka, Wendy Goldberg, Gerald Gutierrez, Alan Schneider, Leslie Lee, James Spader, David Strathairn and Blythe Danner. She’s held fellowships in Disney/ABC Writing, Jerome Media Artist, Film/Video Arts Documentary, and was a PEN USA Rosenthal Emerging Writers Finalist. Her screenplay Ersatz was a BlueCat Int’l Screenplay Semi-finalist. Her stage plays, mourning after, Jackson Heights, and Not Now Sisyphus have been read nationwide. In Search of Golden Phoenix, her debut feature doc film, was an official selection at IFP and the Sundance Producers Lab. In May 2014, her solo short playMemes in the Membrane previewed at The Marsh/Berkeley with CSUEB’s Mental Health Project, then a full-length solo script, 2752, evolved at La MaMa Umbria Int’l. Member of SAG, AFTRA, AEA, WGA, Authors Guild and AARP. (www.jadewu-artist.com)