Theater of Light Inc. - NYC The Company

The Company

PAST SEASONS
LIGHTS UP/FADE TO BLACK FESTIVAL

*members Actors Equity Association

ACTORS

Ellen DiStasi * is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Theater of Light Inc. Previous NYC/Off Broadway acting credits include: Gertrude in Hamlet, Coco Channel in Coco at the Ritz. Ellen is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University Drama Department.

Tony Triano * This is Tony’s third appearance with Theatre of Light. He has been seen nationally in Hello, Dolly!, Fiddler on the Roof, and Annie. In New York, Tony appeared in The Man Who Came to Dinner, Whoopee, Louisiana Purchase, and Dinner with the Boys. Look for him in the feature film Love in Kilnerry, coming soon to theatres.

Issa Best Previous credits include: Romeo/Juliet (Off-Broadway) Wig Out (Studio Theater), The Weak and The Strong (Sheen Center), The Plantation (Brave New World Rep.), Dog Sees God (Actors Fund Arts Center); as well as various festivals including NYSF Powerhouse, ANT Fest, and NYNW. Best recently earned his BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts (Stella Adler Studio, New Studio on Broadway) and Howard University.

PLAYWRIGHTS

Elaine Smith (playwright, actor, director) Plays: Angels and Ministers of Grace (2014 New Jersey Rep—Broadway World Regional Awards: Best Drama, Best New Work), The Looking Glass—adapted from Edith Wharton's short story (2013 The Wharton Salon), Passing the Baton (multiple productions, 2017- 2019), and short plays (Miss) Mary Edwards (2017 Theatre Brut, published: anthology, All About Eve, Smith & Kraus), Liars' Poker (Finalist—2010 Heideman Award),
Picture Perfect, She Hung Up, Carapace, Strange Flowers of Reason, andTen Minute Life (2014 The ArtsCenter; 2019 ABET). Member: AEA, SAG-AFTRA, Dramatists Guild. Founder/Artistic Director of Clamour Theatre Company in Florida.

Vincent Terrell Durham is a playwright, author and poet. His stage plays have entertained audiences from L.A. to the Catskills. He is a 2019 Lanford Wilson award nominee. A co-commission from PlayGround and Planet Earth Arts gave birth to his latest work, Polar Bears, Black Boys & Prairie Fringed Orchids. He looks forward to sharing this bold new play with theatre goers very soon. He has been a Dramatis Guild member since 2016. Everything he writes is dedicated to Alberta and Poogie Johnson’s 9 children, his aunts and uncles. The best storytellers a little Black boy could ever wish for.

Jake Lewis is a playwright as well as actor and director from central Massachusetts. With his original works, he aims to entertain audiences cerebrally. In addition to his passion for theatre, he is also a fifth grade English teacher who doubles as the head of the middle and high school drama department in his district. He is hard at work on his first full-length play, based on the true stories of teachers during school shootings.

DIRECTORS

Benjamin Viertel This is Benjamin’s sixth collaboration with Theater of Light! Upcoming: BETWEEN THE BARS at Actors’ Temple Theatre. Recent: THE PIPER (Rave Theater Festival), KRAGTAR (54 Below), LIFE BOAT (Theater 54), THE BITTER TEARS… (New Ohio Theater), FIREFACE (The Brick), and award-winning web series BLANK MY LIFE. Benjamin has developed work with Davenport Theatrical, BAM, Roundabout Theater, Huntington Theater, The New Group, and The Civilians. Member of Kennedy Center Director’s Lab, MTC’s Directing Fellow, The Civilians’ R&D Group, and Resident Artist at The Brick and Abrons Arts Center. Artistic Director of Third Space. Education: Carnegie Mellon University. www.benjaminviertel.com

Ernest Johns was the Associate Artistic Director for the Jean Cocteau Repertory, an Off-Broadway resident ensemble in New York City, he directed critically acclaimed productions of Tom Stoppard’s Night and Day, Arms and the Man, Dona Rosita the Spinster, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Maids. Re-theatre’s production of Much Ado About Nothing in Portland, Oregon and Breaking Velocity. As Artistic Associate at the Open Eye New Staging, anOff-Broadway resident company founded by mythologist Joseph Campbell and choreographer Jean Erdman, he directed A Women Called Truth, Bocón!, A Midsummer Nights Dream, As You Like It, and Killer. Teaching credits: Brooklyn College, Queens College, Marymount College, presently, The Dalton School.

Evan T Cummings is a director and playwright. He has directed readings and productions with The Private Theatre, The Lark, New York Theatre Workshop, The Culture Project, Queens Theatre, Luna Stage, Fault Line Theatre, Geva, and The Walnut Street Theatre and has assistant directed at Pittsburgh CLO and Dallas Theatre Center. Recent development includes Andrew Rosendorf’s Paper Cut and Jay Alan Zimmerman’s Comfort Pet. Evan is a founding member and co-director with the World Wide Lab. The company has presented work in Athens, Berlin, Rome, and Taipei. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, an SDC Associate, and a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab.

SONG WRITER

Kathy Sillaway Ulrich is an accomplished composer and songwriter of more than a hundred songs and multiple CDs. Her music is available on line and at CD Baby Music Store. Her famed Women of Influence is available on iTunes. Currently: wrote award winning theme song for documentary on human trafficking “From Liberty to Captivity.” Kathy has generously shared her musical talent with the Theater of Light Inc. for many seasons. Kathyulrichmusic.com/store | fromlibertytocaptivity.com.

STAGE MANAGER

Al D, stage manager as well as marketing manager, actor and regular performer at New York City comedy clubs and comedy festivals. He is the founder of The Funny Shoe Comedy Sketch group, and also the co creator of Brooklyn Access Televisions production of Two loose Screws. Al can be seen acting on many of Discovery channels crime shows as either a Detective or a Serial Killer, and has just wrapped a supporting role in the feature film Rusty and Nora.

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