THE CLASS OF 1989
NICK AUSTIN (LOUIS FENSTERSPOCK - THE NERD) is stoked to be able to attend this Awesome 80s Prom! NY: Jedadiah Schultz in The Laramie Project (Prism Players), Mt. St. Helens in Phenomenon (Nerve Ensemble/Here Arts Center), Emma (NYMF - Pat Birch, dir). Other recent credits include: Gideon in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (National Tour), Sparky in Forever Plaid (Shawnee Playhouse), Sam in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party (NYU). Nick is a member of the Producer's Club Theater Company, and a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts (CAP21). Thanks Ken, Jaron and the rad Prom people!
MICHAEL BARRA (JOSHUA "BEEF" BEEFAROWSKI - A FOOTBALL PLAYER) is thrilled to be joining the cast of The Awesome 80s Prom. This marks Michaels NYC theatre debut. Recently Michael returned home from playing Sancho Panza on the national tour of Man of La Mancha. Regional Credits: A Midsummer Nights Dream (ArtFarm), Comedy of Errors, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, (River Rep). Film: Fog Warning (2008), Banshee!!! (2008). Training: SUNY Purchase, Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. Michael wants to thanks his Mom, Dad, and Sister for all there support and love.
ANDREA BIGGS (MRS. LASCALZO - THE DRAMA TEACHER) has extensive ’80s experience that includes aerobicizing to Sigue Sigue Sputnik, adoring Punky Brewster, and wearing banana clips of every color in her enormously teased ’do. Her New York theater credits include the NY International Fringe Festival, NeuroFest, Vital Children’s Theatre, Looking Glass, Prism Players, Aisling Arts, and Hudson Shakespeare Festival. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and has studied improv at Upright Citizens Brigade in NYC.
ANGIE BLOCHER (MELISSA ANN MARTIN - THE HEAD OF THE PROM COMMITTEE) is totally excited to be part of The Awesome 80s Prom. She has been performing since she was seven years-old, which was appropriately in 1989! Angie loves her family and New York and drinking wine while in New York with her family! She has performed in 45 states and enjoys rocking a radical side ponytail! Angie has a BFA in Music Theatre from Elon University and is a veteran 15 year member of AEA!
JASON CARDEN (BLAKE WILLIAMS - CAPTAIN OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM) is excited to be a part of The Awesome 80s Prom. Having recently moved from Los Angeles, The Prom marks Jason's NYC theatre debut. Recent regional credits include: Let's Go to the Movies, Peter in Peter and Wendy, and Banquo Macbeth. Jason is also a member of the sketch comedy group Frowned Upon. www.JasonCarden.com
ALLISON CARTER THOMAS (HEATHER #1 – THE CHEERLEADER) is excited to be a member of the Prom family! Her other recent roles include the lead of Hillary in the feature film All Screwed Up, the role of Sandy in the short Melvin for Spielberg's new show “On The Lot”, a lead in this season’s musical episode of the series “Greg the Bunny” airing on IFC, featured spots in the upcoming Russell Crowe film Tenderness and the ABC pilot “Traveler,” a supporting role of Lexus in the feature film 3 Chords and the Truth, and the 2006 August issue of Maxim Magazine. She is a graduate of Columbia University, where she received her Bachelor's degree in Sociology and multiple national academic awards. Allison would like to thank her family and friends for their unwavering support, without whom none of this would be possible. www.AllisonCarterThomas.com
MISSY DIAZ (KERRIE KOWALSKI - THE SPAZ) a newcomer to
Prom, is super excited to be a part of The Awesome 80's Prom and party like it's 1989! Missy is a recent graduate from The Catholic University of America, with a BM in Music Theatre. She has been seen on Comedy Central's “The Greg Giraldo” Show, the short film Landlocked, MTV commercials, and has done some voice over work. Missy would love to thank Ken Davenport, and everyone in the cast and crew for
Prom, for making this so amazing and so much fun! She would also like to thank her wonderful family for their never ending support.
DARYL EMBRY (LLOYD PARKER – THE PHOTOGRAPHER) is very excited to have the opportunity to go to the Prom every week. He's hoping this time he'll get to talk to a girl. Some previous credits include: OFF BROADWAY: Fools in Love (Manhattan Ensemble Theatre, BAM) Other: Perfect Wedding, Almost, Maine, Greater Tuna (Millbrook Playhouse), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) (Windwood Theatricals), and several other shows that you've never heard of. Daryl is a graduate of NYU and has returned to the Fighting Violets campus as an adjunct professor in the The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, hoping this time he'll get to talk to a girl.
CRAIG JORCZAK (MICHAEL JAY – THE CLASS PRESIDENT) is (insert your favorite 80s phrase to convey excitement here) to be going to Prom once a week. Previous credits include Something More Pleasant (FringeNYC), Farm Boys (Blue Heron), and Wounds to the Face (Chashama). He's an alumnus of Princeton Summer Theatre (2005), a graduate of NYU/PHTS (2006), and a founding member of Room5001 Theatre Company (www.room5001.com). Thanks to everyone he's ever met, almost.
CP LACEY (THE MYSTERY GUEST) is an "extraordinary human dynamo," a master comic, celebrity impersonator, actor and dancer. . .these are just some of the accolades that have been bestowed upon CP Lacey also known as the "Sandman Executioner" on the nationally syndicated TV show "It's Showtime at the Apollo." CP is known internationally for his flawless imitations and mimicry of some of the greatest talents in entertainment history from James Brown to Outkast. www.cplacey.com
BENNETT LEAK (DICKIE HARRINGTON - THE DRAMA QUEEN) is thrilled to join the cast of Awesome 80’s Prom. Credits include Off-Broadway: The Lonely Way (Mint Theater). Other NY Stage: Patient A (Red Fern Theater Company). Favorite shows include Cloud 9, The Grapes of Wrath, And Baby Makes Seven, and Venus. TV: "MTV Think Campaig"n (POP-Positively Outstanding Programming Nomination). Bennett studied at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and graduated with his BFA from Boston University. Thank you to my family and friends for your love and support.
ANDERSON LIM (FEUNG SCHWEY - THE ASIAN EXCHANGE STUDENT) is thrilled to be a part of Awesome 80s Prom, after a successful year Off-Bway with The Karaoke Show in the roles of sultry blonde teen Lola as well as the wildly innebriated 50yr old Noah. Other favorite credits include: U.S. National Tour of Cinderella (Ensemble), '99 & 2000 European Tours of Hair directed by Jim Rado (Margaret Meade), Secret Garden (Archibald), Joseph...Dreamcoat (Joseph), West Side Story (Chino), As You Like It (Le Beau/Amiens), Stop the World... (Littlechap), Man of La Mancha (Sancho) and self-produced projects: Beautiful Music - Celebrating Barry Manilow followed by Andy - The Musical. Mr. Lim's zany party impersonations include Cartman of South Park, Carol Channing, George Takei & Kasey Kasem! He thanks Ken for this opportunity and classmates from the awesome Class of "89"!!!
BRANDON MAROTTA (NICK FENDER - THE REBEL) is a brand new addition to New York City. Coming from a small town upstate, he stormed The Prom scene when he was cast in the Schenectady production of the show as Nick Fender. He then traveled to Clearwater, Florida to take part in The Prom, and then became a permanent member of the New York cast. Other credits include Johnny in Tony and Tina’s Wedding. Brandon would like to thank Ken Davenport and all the others involved in making this opportunity possible and awesome!
LINDSAY RYAN (INGA SWANSON - THE SWEDISH EXCHANGE STUDENT) is extremely excited to be a part of The Awesome 80s Prom! NYC credits: FaceSpace (Anne) and The Shoe (Cindy). Favorite regional credits include: All Shook Up (Miss Sandra) at the Carousel Theatre, Baby (Lizzie), How I Learned to Drive (Lil’ Bit). TV/Film: "The Guiding Light" and Full Grown Men, the movie. She graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Miami. Many thanks to Abrams, Anthony Calamita, Ken Davenport, Daryl Eisenberg and the Prom team! Love to my family for being so supportive.
THOMAS POARCH (MR. SNELGROVE – THE PRINCIPAL) former Peace Corps English teacher (Africa); cowboy line dancer/DJ; magazine research editor, and Notary Public. TV credits include: "One Life To Live"; "As The World Turns"; "All My Children"; some pilots and numerous commercials. Other theater credits include: The Best Little Whorehouse in TX (natl. tour); Urban Cowboy (Broadway reading); Victor/Victoria (1st NYC revival) and Take This Show and Shove It!, in which he starred and co-wrote with Broadway writer/director Phil Oesterman. Film credits include: several award-winning shorts and the indie feature, The Ones You Love. He is also an improv actor and graduate of New York's Upright Citizens Brigade, National Comedy Theater and Tragic Improv. http://tpoarch.com
DILLON PORTER (DJ JOHNNY HUGHES) Originally from Oregon, Dillon makes his way to New York via Chicago where he was seen on stage at Steppenwolf, the Goodman and of course Awesome 80s Prom. Broadway: The Ritz at Studio 54.
JESSICA WEST REGAN (WHITLEY WHITIKER/DANCE CAPTAIN) is thrilled to be a part of The Awesome 80s Prom. A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Jessica is looking forward to performing in front of an audience again. She was most recently seen in NYC performing in the play Crescendo Falls and has also enjoyed traveling the country teaching the choreography to the other companies of the Awesome 80s Prom. She is a professional Britney Spears impersonator, as well as an award winning competitive dancer all throughout North America. Jessica would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support, and Ken for this amazingly fun opportunity!
KATE WOOD RILEY (HEATHER #2 - THE OTHER CHEERLEADER) is so happy to be in her third year at The Awesome 80s Prom!! Kate has been seen in small towns in many musical theatre roles, dancing on Rosie O'Donnell's "R Family Cruise Line" in Chicago, on
"The Guiding Light", in several short films, and waiting tables. Kate is a proud member of the Upright Citizens Brigade's Harold team SCOOTCH. Thank you to this amazing group of people - the cast, crew, Matt, and Ken - for making high school this time around a lot more fun than the first time.
LAUREN SCHAFLER (MOLLY PARKER - THE FRESHMAN) is thrilled to be making her New York theatre debut. A recent graduate of the George Washington University, regional credits include: How I Learned to Drive (Li’l Bit), No Exit (Estelle), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Cecil), and many others. She has also appeared in many regional commercials and has done some voice-over work. She would like to thank Ken for this opportunity to work on The Awesome 80s Prom. Love to my amazing family and Andy!
THE FACULTY
KEN DAVENPORT (AUTHOR/DIRECTOR) once wore red suede pumas, a black leather tie and used to breakdance on official "Beat Street" cardboard purchased at KB Toy & Hobby. He survived the '80s and went on to graduate from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. After a quick career as an actor, which included a performance in Forever Plaid for the former President Bush, Ken segued into a career on the other side of the table with staff positions on the Broadway revivals of My Fair Lady with Richard Chamberlain and Grease with Rosie O'Donnell. After company managing a National Tour of A Grand Night for Singing, Ken began a three-year relationship with LIVENT, during which time he worked on the Tony Award-winning Broadway productions of Showboat, Candide, Ragtime and the workshop of Parade. Since then, Ken has had the distinct pleasure of Company Managing and/or General Managing Gypsy (starring Bernadette Peters) and Thoroughly Modern Millie, as well as the road companies of Jekyll & Hyde, Chicago (National Tour and Las Vegas) and Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt, Deborah Gibson and Jamie Lynn DiScala. Ken was the Director of Creative Development for NETworks and has also produced and directed several workshops, readings and regional productions, including several companies of Forever Plaid, a reading of Is There Life After High School? and an original musical that he wrote, entitled Prime Time. The Awesome 80s Prom, which is currently in its fourth smash year Off-Broadway in New York City, has also played in Chicago, Minneapolis and in Baltimore. Ken is also producing Altar Boyz, the 2005 Outer Critics Circle Award Winner for Best Musical, which is in its fourth year Off-Broadway. Altar Boyz has also been seen in a National Tour around the U.S. as well as in Korea and Hungary. Productions are planned for Japan, Brazil, Sweden, Finland, Australia with more to follow. Ken is also developing a Broadway musical adapted from the classic film, Somewhere In Time. Ken is also the Producer of My First Time (Off-Broadway) and the Broadway productions of Speed-the-Plow with and without Jeremy Piven, 13, Blithe Spirit with Angela Lansbury, and Oleanna with Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles. Ken writes the popular blog www.TheProducersPerspective.com, which has been featured in Vanity Fair, The Gothamist, NY Magazine, and more. For more information visit www.davenporttheatrical.com.
DREW GERACI (CHOREOGRAPHER) Among his regional credits are Nunsense, Crazy For You, Smokey Joe's Cafe and Forever Plaid (Chicago and Toronto companies were award-winning). In NY he has been involved for years with B'way Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and their annual Easter Bonnet and Gypsy of the Year Competitions (his own creations received 3 separate awards). He's also directed showcases such as Joseph and Napoleon for Gayfest '04 and most recently Believe in Me: A Bigfoot Musical for the 2004 Fringe Festival. He and Mr. Davenport have collaborated in the past on showcases of PrimeTime and Altar Boyz. He also has a screenplay in the works and is a professional and published photographer.
MARTIN POSTMA (LIGHTING DESIGNER) Resident Lighting Designer for Webster Hall since April 2000. Freelance Lighting Design for Theatre, Dance, and Live Music since 1998. Education: B.F.A. – SUNY Purchase. More at www.RetinalResonance.com.
ADRIAN PENA (PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER)is thrilled to be rejoining Prom after taking some time off this summer to be a Carpet. While usually on the stage, he's excited to get a taste of what it's like being on the other side of the curtain. He's been all over on tour and worked a bunch of places - he's done some stuff. Many thanks to all the people he stepped on to get here. Class of '01!
AMANDA SHUTZ (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER) is thrilled to be a part of The Awesome 80s Prom. A graduate of Wagner College, her recent NY credits include: Seth Rudetsky's Broadway 101 (Ars Nova), Ballad of Sad Young Men (Downtown Urban Theater Festival), Glimpses of the Moon (Oak Room/Algonquin Hotel), and numerous charity benefits. Thanks to the entire Prom team for making every Saturday night an awesome one.
DARYL EISENBERG CASTING (CASTING DIRECTOR) Theater: My First Time (New World Stages), Tully (In No Particular Order) (Nymf '07), The Awesome 80s Prom, Jihad: The Explosive New Musical (Edinburgh Fringe '07). Film: The Book Of Caleb. Web: Minutemancomedy.Com. Currently The Casting Associate On "Gossip Girl" (The CW) and "Cashmere Mafia" (ABC). As the assistant at Stanczyk/Cherpakov Casting: Coram Boy, Radio Golf, The Glorious Ones, The Seafarer. At Casting House: Foriegn Xchange. At Ellen Parks Casting: Dark Matter (Sundance '07), Grey Gardens, August, The Key Man. www.decasting.com
DAVID GERSTEN & ASSOCIATES (PRESS REPRESENTATIVES) also represents the hit off-Broadway shows Altar Boyz and Naked Boys Singing!, as well as New World Stages and its parent company Stage Entertainment, Mint Theater Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Lortel Foundation and The League of Off-Broadway Theatres & Producers' annual Lortel Awards. David is a proud member of ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers. David produced Tea at Five, starring Kate Mulgrew as Katharine Hepburn and served as an Associate Producer on Dr. Sex, the new musical comedy about Alfred Kinsey. For more information, visit www.davidgersten.com.
THE CLASS OF '89 (CO-AUTHOR) is a group of performers including Sheila Berzan, Alex Back, Adam Bloom, Anne Bobby, Courtney Balan, Mary Faber, Emily McNamara, Troy Metcalf, Jenna Pace, Amanda Ryan Paige, Mark Shunock, Josh Walden, Noah Weisberg, Brandon Williams, Simon Wong and Fletcher Young who assisted in the development of The Awesome 80s Prom by participating in the original workshop.
