Elizabeth Boyke, May Festival 2010

Elizabeth is a sophomore musical theatre major at Syracuse University. In the fall of 2010, she will be performing in the SU Drama Department Faculty One-Acts. The 'Dress Shorts' portion of the 'From the Hip Festival' marks her NYC debut, with The British are Coming?... being her first playwriting credit. She'd like to thank Phil for ad-libbing with her for 8 hours to create their beautifully absurdist play. She would also like to thank Sonita for her wonderful direction, Ryan for being the greatest co-star a girl could ask for, everyone who has helped her with her first week in NYC, and her friends and family for being so loving and supportive.

Phil Blechman, May Festival 2010 Bio

Phil Blechman is currently a junior acting major at Syracuse University. His acting credits include Aesop in "Fables of Aesop", "Rocky Horror", and Evan in "Death of Superboy". He will be appearing as the palooka in "Palooka" by Tennessee Williams this fall in Syracuse. This is his NYC playwright debut. His play "The Unwritten Code" recently performed in Syracuse at the New Playwrights Festival and at the John Drew Theatre in East Hampton this past summer. He thanks everyone who thought of the idea "hey let's write a play in a day and then perform it". Big ups to you. Thanks to his wonderful partner in crime - Lizzy Boyke - Mom, Dad, Henry, Ed, and Bada. Hey Mr. Bear, we miss ya.

Rivka Borek, May Festival 2010 Bio

Rivka Borek is thrilled to be making her Left Hip debut! She has performed at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival and Berkshire Festival of Women in the Arts. Training includes the National Theater Institute and Moscow Art Theater. This summer, Rivka will be traveling down to the Carolinian Shakespeare Festival to play Rosalind in As You Like It. B.A., Bard College at Simon's Rock Theater Performance and Playwriting.

Mim Granahan, May Festival 2010 Bio

Mim Granahan began writing plays at a very early age, and performing them for her mother with a cast of puppets. More recently, she has had ten of her one-act plays (Theatre Ghost, The Death Card, Out of Left Field, After the Curtain, Episode, Meet Me at Sunset, A Strange Serenade, Effigy, Parental Guidance Suggested, and Dash Diamond: Supernatural Detective ) produced in New York City, and is currently in rehearsals for her next one-act The Big Move. Mim has been selected as a finalist three times in WildSound’s One Page Screenplay competition. She has also written a full-length screenplay Anna Begins, and two short screenplays Painted Devil and Preview. As an actor, she has appeared in numerous classical and contemporary plays and several indie films, including The C.O.R.P.S., in which she co-starred with Jesse L. Martin. You can visit Mim’s website at freewebs.com/mimgranahan.

David J. Platt, May Festival 2010 Bio

David J. Platt most recently directed two plays in 8x10:Glossy Shorts produced by Left Hip Productions. In the last year he has directed pieces in The From The Hip: Horror Festival and three in The Shotgun Theater Festival. In NYC he also directed Sam Shepard's "Eyes For Consuela" at The 45Th St. Theater. David is a proud member of Theater of Note in Los Angeles where he was on their Artistic Board. Note is known for producing original plays, some of the plays David directed include "The Question", "Saturday", and "Spelling Bee".

He also was the director's assistant on the television shows "Scrubs","Miss Guided", General Hospital" and "How I Met Your Mother".

Deborah Unger, May Festival 2010 Bio

DEBORAH UNGER (MFA in Acting at Asolo Theatre through Florida State Univeristy) works in theatre, film, cabaret and is currently in pre-production for a short film. Most recently: FOUR STARS at NYU’s Goldberg Theatre, as well as MADALYN: AN ACCELERATED HISTORY…. and ROSA’S SCARS; QUEENS SCENES at Queens Theatre in the Park; STILL THE ONE and WHERE THINGS ARE, Manhattan Theatre Source; WHITE WIDOW, Intar Theatre; JERRY’S GIRLS; HAVEN’T WE MET?, Writers Theatre; THE RISE OF DAVID LEVINSKY, American Jewish Theatre; HENRY VIII AT THE GRAND OL’ OPRY, Palsson’s; SEESAW, Equity Library Theatre; CYRANO DE BERGERAC, THE MUSIC MAN, JANIS JOPLIN: BURIED ALIVE IN THE BLUES, and more at the Asolo Theatre; FUNNY GIRL with Mimi Hines. Cabaret shows at Palsson’s, Eighty-Eights, Don’t Tell Mama, The Duplex. AEA, AFTRA, SAG.

Stuart Williams, May Festival 2010 Bio

Stuart is pleased as punch to be working with Left Hip Productions. He recently returned from London where he could be seen in Durang, Durang at the Jermyn Street Theatre. Favorite NY credits include Crazy Gary's Mobile Disco and the US premiere of Tim Firth's Safari Party. Next month you can catch him in Mind the Gap's BritBits 7 at Manhattan Theatre Source. Many many thanks to the hippest crew around.

Bob Teague, May Festival 2010 Bio

Bob Teague returned to New York Theater in September 2008 after two decades as a journalist, writer and performer in the hinterlands of the American Deep South and a bit of great fortune when he met a couple of hard-driving theater artists who wanted to control their own destinies. The tool they chose was to create Left Hip Productions. His second great fortune was to be invited to join them in their efforts. Since returning to New York, he's had three of his short plays -- "Two in the Chamber", "Nerve Damage" and "Going Over" -- performed. He has also had the opportunity to direct "Congoja", "The Amaranthine Thread" and "Nikita" by Rosebud Ben-Oni; "Odd Jobs" by Jennifer Marvel; "Four Dry Tongues" by Alex Dremann; "For Your Amusement" and "The Ubi" by Katharine Henner; "The Elephant. in the Room is Feeding the Ducks" by Kimberly Shelby-Szyszko; and "Count Down the Thunder" by John Bolan. He is beside himself over the opportunities Left Hip has given him at the 2010 Hip Festival to add three more directing credits and an acting gig to his bio. It is no surprise though. Left Hip exists to create opportunities. Contact him at bobteague@lefthipproductions.com.

Ryan P.A. Walsh, May Festival 2010 Bio

Ryan P.A. Walsh (The Ninja, "Paper Tiger") is ecstatic to be reprising his favorite role in a long time for the Hip Festival. A graduate of the Syracuse University Drama Department (BFA Drama '07), he most recently appeared in Left Hip's production of Lone Star, as well as various other productions with the company.

Jonathan Marques, May Festival 2010 Bio

Jonathan is very excited to be making his New York stage debut with Left Hip Productions. He is currently studying at T. Schreiber Studios.

Alan Altschuler, May Festival 2010 Bio

Alan Altschuler has appeared in numerous New York City theatrical productions, including: Ghosts; Uncle Vanya; The Seagull; Mrs. Warren’s Profession; Macbeth; The Brothers Karamazov; The Bear and The Proposal; Trojan Women, A Love Story; Lick the Boot; Pants on Fire; Out of the Flames; Not Another Showcase; The Emergency Meeting; and Heart of Darkness. Film performances include lead roles in Off Hour and Early Release, as well as parts in the films, Seesaw, Fake and Saving Grace. He has also appeared on Law and Order: SVU and The Onion News Network. He is a graduate of the Acting Conservatory at Michael Howard Studios and continues to study with Larry Singer, who he thanks profusely for his guidance, insights and encouragement. He also thanks Arthur Reel, who started him on the path to a professional acting career. And, as always, he sends all his love and gratitude to Donna, Sari and Daniel for their never-ending support.

Dan Shaked, May Festival 2010 Bio

Recent graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts and London's RADA. NY Theatre credits include: Stone Cold Dead Serious (Theatre Row-Clurman Theatre), Waxing West (La MaMa and Romania tour of Bucharest/Sibiu festival), and the McCarter Theatre Youthink! program. Film Credits: Indie feature Breadcrumbs being released fall 2010, and Storm Up The Sky (co-star w/Richard Masur) at Columbia Film Festival 2010.

Diamando Stratakos, May Festival 2010 Bio

Diamando Stratakos is a proud co-founder of Left Hip Productions. In the 2010 Hip Festival, her work can be seen as an actress playing "Woman" in Do You Have the Time. As a director, she is proud to be a part of the development of Jen Marvel's Last Encounters as well as Dustin Sullivan's Touch Me There (a reading). She has worked with Left Hip Productions as a producer, actor, director, playwright, as well as in a million other capacities she never thought she would have to learn. It has been quite the wild ride. She is thrilled to work with hundreds of New York artistic types. She hopes that the talent she surrounds herself with is somehow rubbing off on her. She holds a BFA from Syracuse University and has worked extensively in theater in NYC, Ithaca, Syracuse, and Athens, Greece.

Jevin McFerrin, May Festival 2010 Bio

Jevon began performing with his father on stage, and at thirteen he performed in The Children’s Theater production of The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. He attended the Creative and Performing Arts High School of Philadelphia and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, training in the Meisner technique and receiving his certification of Advanced Studies in Acting. In 2005 he joined the Academy Company, playing the lead role in Ben Elton's Popcorn most recently was in RENT at the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, New York. Jevon would like to thank his family and friends for their loving support.

Daniel Welser Carroll, May Festival 2010 Bio

Daniel Welser Carroll is an MFA candidate at the New School for Drama, and a graduate of SUNY Geneseo. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and a satellite member of St. Fortune Productions based out of Rochester. Find him at dwelsercarroll.blogspot.com for more info!

Sarah Schoofs, May Festival 2010 bio

Sarah, an orphan whose only friends were her doll Emily Marie and, later, her dog Sandy, escaped from the Dickensian orphanage and made her way to NYC with pluck, hard work and a cheery disposition. She later met Oliver Warbucks who has aided her financially in her pursuit of one awe-inspiring acting career. She has since been successful with credits including ‘christian girl who starts orgy’ in Endtimes Productions of ‘Naked Holidays’ as well as recently wrapping on the BiffJuggernaut feature ‘Gut’. She would like to thank Punjab for always keeping it real.