Samantha Brahms - From The Hip 2011

Samantha Brahms originally hails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Sam is a 2010 graduate from the first ever M.A. in Applied Theatre program in the United States. She previously attended New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Here she was able to take graduate directing courses at TISCH School of the Arts, as well as study at the Experimental Theater Wing. During her time in New York, Samantha has been able to work on productions as an actor, singer, production assistant, sound assistant and assistant to the producer at the Public Theater, the Summer Play Festival, Gadshill Productions, the Theater Under St. Marks, the Hudson Theater and now Write Act East Side. She has been a part of TISCH Graduate School film and voice-over projects. She is a voice student of Jack Lee’s and most recently played Laine in Two Rooms and Sue/Woman 1 in BASH. She can be reached at samantha.brahms@gmail.com

Alyson Goodman - From The Hip 2011

Alyson is a graduate of The University of the Arts (BFA, Acting) in Philadelphia and recent credits include: I Love NY (Gallery Players - NYC), Bailout (Off-Color Productions - NYC), Home Opener (U of A, PA), and The Best Man (U of A, PA). She can be contacted at agoodman950@gmail.com.

Michael Wheeler - From The Hip 2011

I'm a BA theatre arts major senior at Marymount Manhattan College with concentrations in performance and writing for the stage. I grew up in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and am now living in New York. I am currently the sole movie critic of Marymount Manhattan College, writing for The Monitor, the school's newspaper. You can contact him at: michael_wheeler@hotmail.com

Joanna Gurin - From The Hip 2011

Playwright and teaching artist Joanna Gurin graduated from Bard College with a degree in Theater and Human Rights. She received the Robert Rockman Prize for Excellence in Theatre and Literature for her play Ballad of a Comeback Kid. Her follow-up play, I'll Be Your Mirror, was produced as part of Bard's Annual Playwright's Festival. Joanna has worked closely with "The 52nd Street Project" in New York City, an organization dedicated to helping students in Hell's Kitchen become playwrights and theater ingenues. She created art therapy workshops in Johannesburg, South Africa, and taught playwriting/improv at the Millbrook Playhouse's inaugural Spring program. Joanna currently works at the T. Schreiber Studio and Theatre, and is excited to be participating in this year's From the Hip Festival!

Yael Gidron - From The Hip, June 2011

Yael Gidron graduated last year from The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and since then has been involved in different projects. Some favorite roles include: Sam in Punching Glass, Lisa in Waiting and Dale in the upcoming web series Sherry's Kitchen. Yael is also an emerging playwright/ screenwriter and is currently working on her short film as well as developing her first feature. Her first one act play was recently part of The Strawberry One Act Festival in Manhattan and reached the Semi-Finals.

Emily Daly - From The Hip 2011

Emily Daly is a theater artist based in the Big Apple. She just moved here after studying writing, acting and music at the Johns Hopkins University and at the National Theater Institute of the Tony Award-winning Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. Over the course of her education and career, Emily has had the opportunity to work with professionals including Oscar-nominee John Astin, Peg Denithorne, Donna di Novelli, Jake Jepson, Steve Cosson and Madeleine George. She currently interns with Looking Glass and is developing several one act and full-lengths for the stage. Special thanks to Kevin for listening to her whine. daily.emily@gmail.com

Nicole Serra - From The Hip, June 2011

Originally from Las Vegas, Nicole has spent the past seven years in NYC learning and exploring all possible avenues within theatre as a playwright, performer, and director.

Most recently, she co-wrote, performed, and helped produce The Burkinis, a sketch comedy hybrid that ran Off-Off Broadway at The Abingdon Theatre. Other past projects include serving as Associate Director of the Drama program at Theatre Arts Center, a Teaching Artist through the CentreStage program in Queens, and a Stage Manager at the New York International Fringe Festival. In addition, Nicole has also worked with The Foundry Theatre, City Lights Youth Theatre, and The Drama Garden Theatre. She holds a B.A. in Theatre and English Literature from University of Miami, FL and has also trained at SITI Company, The Barrow Group, and Queen Mary, University of London.

Ana Galang, From The Hip 2010

Ana Galang is thrilled to work with Left Hip Productions for a second time around. She previously participated in From The Hip's May 2010 festival where had a role in "The Dylan of Del Rey," one of the festival's finalists. Originally from Military Brat-ville, by way of the San Fernando Valley, CA, Ana holds a BA in Theatre Arts from CSU Northridge. Her primary artistic focus is in musical theatre, but she has a love and appreciation for all aspects of the performing arts. Past credits include Twelfth Night, Central Park: The Musical, Hair, Romeo & Juliet, The Music Man, and a few gospel music videos and local NYC morning news commercials. She trained at T. Schrieber Studios and is a member of one of NYC's Write Act Eastside Theatre Company.

Betty Kaplan - From The Hip 2010

After an early life of Communism Betty moved on to Zionism and most recently has become an ardent supporter of Capitalism here in NYC. Besides a love for dancing, suspenseful sci-fi thrillers with a twist at the end, and languages Betty also beats on drums and is generally loud. Her recent works include an indie slasher Camper, sitcom Commons, comedy sketch show High Scores, original play Aristophanes' The Bohemians, performed in FRIGID New York, and various collaborations with SVA students. When Betty grows up she hopes to spend years as an actress while waiting for her chance to wait tables.

Andrea Kristinsdottir, From The Hip 2010

Andrea Kristinsdottir is a 15th century painter and occasional bullfighter who loves acting and music making. She is very happy to be working with Left Hip for the second time.

Andrew Starr - From The Hip

Andrew, a graduate of Fordham University, has been living in the city for 5 years now and has been seen in both on stage and in film. His most recent projects include the independent film Craft Chicks, and the one act play Brothers. He's very excited to be working on this project, and is very thankful of Left Hip Productions for this opportunity!

Manuela Feris - From The Hip 2010

Born in to a Roma family, Manuela grew up in a barefoot world of music and fairytale gypsy folklore. After finishing high school in Vienna, Austria, she joined an european dance floor band and toured the world for a few years. Many gold records and thousands of live shows later, Manuela was discovered by Elite model agency, which she successfully worked for a couple of years. She has also worked as a writer and host for a Viennese television channel. Having achieved everything she has dreamed of thus far, she decided to take on another artistic challenge and signed up for a 2 ½ year program at the New York Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Before Manuela finished her studies, she was cast in the famous “Sopranos” as a guest star. Life continues to be a journey which Manuela captures through writing, poetry and songs…

www.manuelaferis.com

Brian Gillespie - From The Hip 2010

Brian Gillespie - Brian’s directing credits include Wonder of the World with Pull Together Productions, Just Knots and A Cockeyed Little Christmas with Cockeyed Optimists; Nude, Nude, Totally Nude – A Life Laid Bare at the Magnet Theater; Play/Soldier, Weit, and This Moment at University of Washington. Acting credits include One Thing I Like to Say Is and Almost, Maine with the Cockeyed Optimists, Two Spoons with Other Side Productions and 365 Days/Plays at The Public Theater with The Classical Theatre of Harlem. Regionally he has worked with Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Theatreworks, Word for Word, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, A Noise Within and 42nd Street Moon in San Francisco, where his work in Paint Your Wagon earned him a Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award. Brian is the founder and artistic director of Pull Together Productions in New York City and holds an MFA from the University of Washington. He was also a 2 day champion on the game show Jeopardy! www.briangillespie.com.

Morgan Folmar - From The Hip 2010

I'm Morgan Folmar, originally from Columbus, Georgia went to College for a year on a art and softball scholarship at Young Harris College. I had gone on an art trip with students to New York City and thats all it took to steal my heart. I decided to move to the Big Apple and recently graduated from The William Esper Studio. The Left Hip is my first stage appearance after graduating from The Esper. I enjoy roles like Jessica in This is Our Youth and Joanna in Home Free. In my spare time I enjoy playing softball in central park and painting.

Elizabeth Seldin - From The Hip 2010

Elizabeth Seldin is thrilled to be joining left hip productions for their 24 hour playwriting festival. Past Credits include: Duenna, Cyrano De Bergerac ( Secret theater), Mother/Master, Clean Sheets ( Full Stop Collective, Winnie, Annie Get Your Gun ( Union Theater, London), Storyteller, 100 Candles ( Come to the edge), Snoopy, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown ( Sandbag), Grace, Annie, Hangar Theater. Much love to my ever supportive friends.

John Charles Meyer - From the Hip 2010

John Charles Meyer spent his childhood on Ohio theater stages. His twenties found him in Washington DC, working for Democratic political campaigns and touring the US with a rock band. Since his 2006 return to acting, John has appeared on TV in CSI: NY, The Forgotten, iCarly, Zoey101 and the John Wells pilot Gimme Shelter. Film roles include The Taqwacores (2010 Sundance world premiere), The Millennium Bug, and more than 30 shorts. A member of SAG, AFTRA and the Los Angeles theatre company TheSpyAnts, John is represented theatrically by Buchwald & Associates. - http://www.JohnCharlesMeyer.com

Jamie Farrell - From The Hip 2010

Jamie Farrell earned a Bachelors of Arts from Marymount Manhattan College. Recently, she has appeared in a one-hour television special produced by Al Roker Productions for NBC, has worked on Guiding Light and As the World Turns, and can be seen in several feature and independent films.

Diamando Stratakos - From The Hip 2010

Diamando Stratakos is pleased to be acting again in a From the Hip festival. She previously did so once and had the challenge of translating a made up foreign language. She has directed and written for From the Hip in the past as well. She is Executive Director, Co-Artistic Director, and Co-Founder of Left Hip Productions. Her recent acting credits include playing a zombie doll in a short film as well as an art editor in the yet to be released film- The Marcus Garland Project. You may have also seen her get asked, "Do You Have the Time?" in a recent Left Hip Productions short play. She is BFA graduate of Syracuse University. She is currently studying with Peter Jensen at T. Schreiber Studios.

Kelly Diegnan - From The Hip 2010

Kelly Diegnan - Kelly was born in Queens, NY and raised in Melbourne Beach, Florida. She studied acting at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and received her BA from Marymount Manhattan College. Kelly has produced and acted in her own play, Dove For Sale at three NYC festivals. This past April she work-shopped her new play Catcher, Appraised. Kelly has appeared in several short films such as Love. Death. Cobain, Stargazer, What We Do. TV credits include Law and Order: SVU. Kelly had a supporting role in the Indie feature, Across Dot. Ave which has premiered in NY, Boston, and UK festivals. Most recently she has completed the Summer Contemporary Intensive at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. Kelly would like to thank her friends and family for their ongoing support.

Erin Frances Ronder - From The Hip 2010

Erin Frances Ronder was most recently seen in the staged reading of Bud at NYU's New Play's for Young Audiences. Off-Off Broadway: Athena in The Eumenides (NYU), The Mother in The Giver (The Player's Theatre), Iphengia (staged reading at Vital Theatre). Erin graduated with her M.A. in Educational Theatre from NYU in 2009 and is currently a Teaching Artist for Disney Theatrical Productions, DreamYard Project, The Women's Project, BAX, and I.D.E.A.S.. She specializes in teaching theatre to students with disabilities. Much love to her husband, Adam, and their new puppy, Bruce.