A PLATFORM FOR INSPIRATION

The Genesis of Platform Theatre Group

Platform Theatre Group, founded in 2008 by Greg Tully, is an NYC production company that creates theatrical events to employ artists and engage audiences. Decades ago, as a young man with an undergraduate degree in Educational Theatre from NYU, Greg began producing and directing shows throughout the NYC metropolitan area, including a long list of productions at the Emelin Theatre just a few miles outside of Manhattan.

Greg took a two-decade detour into social work practice and academia, obtaining a PhD in social work, counseling victims of violence, and educating students as an academic administrator and tenured university professor. But these passions did not diminish his zeal to help artists create. After consulting with a variety of NYC theatre professionals who generously provided their time and advice to help him examine the risks and options of producing theatre again, Tully formed Platform Theatre Group. His vision: to create contemporary and memorable theatrical productions while providing financial and creative opportunities for New York’s incredibly gifted theatre artists.

Platform Theatre Group envisions the stage as a platform for connection that enlivens the senses, ignites the spirit, instigates discussion, celebrates diversity, and touches the heart. While constantly evolving, Platform Theatre Group maintains a strong commitment to presenting texts and productions that are theatrical, socially conscious, provocative, and professional.

What theatre production company does not begin with a flame of desire? The stage is so powerful and alluring, such an important platform to examine our existence, and simply so much fun. The possibilities are plentiful, and so are the number of talented directors, designers, technicians, and administrators who want to create for the stage. Platform Theatre Group started from that flame, with the desire to bring good people together to do good work, on stage, backstage, in the house, and in the administrative offices.

Cast and Staff of Christine Jorgensen Reveals

Bradford Louryk (Christine Jorgensen). Selected NY Theater: Klytaemnestra's Unmentionables at HERE, Clay McLeod Chapman's redbird and Rob Grace's The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark at The Culture Project for Studio 42, the American Premiere of First You're Born at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Playwrights Horizons, Jewish Mothers (also by Clay McLeod Chapman) for the Culture Project's Women Center Stage Festival, New Georges' ManFest, in which he performed his Elektra, and, most recently, his solo play Christine Jorgensen Reveals at 59E59 Theaters in July and at The Assembly Rooms at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. With director Josh Hecht, performer Jack Ferver, and writers Mike Albo, David Grimm, Lisa Kron, Bryony Lavery, Wendy MacLeod, Theresa Rebeck, and Kate Robin, he is currently developing Version Mary, his latest performance piece. In May 2005, Bradford was a finalist for PS122's inaugural Ethyl Eichelberger Award. He is a founding member of Studio 42 (for whom he served as Artistic Director from 2001 through 2005) and continues to sit on its Board of Directors, a founding member of The Starving Artists Award Fund (and two-time Co-Chair of The Starving Artists Ball), and the newest addition to The Vineyard Theater's SpringBoard. BA: Vassar.

Cast and Staff of TWO ROOMS

Adinah Alexandar’s (Ellen) recent credits include Adding Machine at The Minetta Lane; on Broadway: original casts of The Wedding Singer, Wicked, Urban Cowboy, and Parade. National Tours: Parade and the World Premiere of Whistle Down the Wind, both directed by Harold Prince. Off-Broadway: Janis Joplin in Love Janis, The No-Frills Revue by Martin Charmin, and Ruthless. Regional: Golde in Fiddler at the Fulton Opera House. Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables at the Pioneer Theatre, Emma Goldman in Ragtime directed by Stafford Arima, Mama Rose/Mazeppa in Gypsy at Sundance, Rosalie in Carnival, Hannigan in Annie. Plays include Dirty Blonde directed by Loretta Greco, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe by Lily Tomlin, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, All in the Timing, and Eleemosynary.

Patrick Boll (Walker) can currently be seen stealing (or scene stealing?!) George Clooney’s wife in the Coen Brothers’ Burn After Reading. Broadway: Faith Healer, Twentieth Century, Hedda Gabler, Death of a Salesman, and Tom Sawyer. Off-Broadway: Henry & Mudge (dir. Peter Flynn); Drama Desk and Obie winners Dark at the Top of the Stairs and All the Way Home (Transport Group); The Underpants (CSC); and Snakebit. Regional: Pittsburgh CLO, Goodspeed, Shakespeare Theater Of NJ, Yale, McCarter, and Williamstown. TV /Film: “Law and Order,” “Spin City,” Love Walks In. Upcoming: Disney’s Tarzan.

Angela Christian (Lainie) was most recently seen as Cherie in Bus Stop at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura, CA. Prior to that she played the title role in the Off-Broadway premiere of Anais Nin: One of Her Lives. She made her West End debut creating the title role in The Woman in White, directed by Trevor Nunn, which she then reprised on Broadway. Also on Broadway she created the role of Miss Dorothy Brown in Thoroughly Modern Millie (Outer Critics Circle Nomination). Other Broadway: Lily in Richard Nelson's James Joyce's The Dead. Regional: James Joyce's The Dead (Kennedy Center, Ahmanson Theatre); Oleanna (Cleveland Play House); Twelfth Night, Our Town, Pack of Lies (Merrimack Rep.); A Christmas Carol (Syracuse Stage). TV: "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."

Michael Laurence (Michael Wells) Theater credits include Talk Radio (Broadway), Opus (Primary Stages), Starbuck in The Rainmaker (Arena),Three Days of Rain (Studio Arena), Eric Bogosian’s Humpty Dumpty (McCarter), The Pavilion (Westport Playhouse), The Faculty Room (Humana), Tooth of Crime and Book of Days (Signature Theater, NYC), Things of Dry Hours (Portland Center Stage), Wintertime (Wilma), Tape (Stamford), Inventing Van Gogh (Seattle Rep), Troilus and Cressida (The Shakespeare Theater), Edgar Oliver’s Hands In Wartime (LaMama), and Marc Palmieri’s Levittown (Axis). This summer,Krapp,39, a solo show which he wrote and performed, won “Outstanding Solo Show” at the 2008 NY International Fringe Festival, and had a critically acclaimed run at The Barrow Street Theatre.
TV: Third Watch, JonnyZero, FX, GhostStories, As the World Turns, and What’s Not To Love? for SHOWTIME. Film: The Operator, Follow Me Outside, Room314, Claire Dolan, Torte Blume, Standing In the Current,Love God, The Minister’s Black Veil, Particles of Truth, and Escape Artists, which he also wrote and directed.

Lee Blessing’s (Playwright) Pulitzer-prize-nominated play A Walk in the Woods was produced on Broadway and London’s West End. His Off-Broadway productions include A Body of Water, Primary Stages; Going to St. Ives, Primary Stages (Outer Critic’s Circle Award, Best Play, Obie for ensemble performance); Thief River, Signature Theatre (Drama Desk nomination, Best Play); Cobb, Lucille Lortel Theatre (Drama Desk award, best ensemble); Chesapeake, New York Stage and Film at Second Stage; Eleemosynary, Manhattan Theatre Company; and Down the Road, the Weissberger Group at the Atlantic Theatre. The Signature Theatre dedicated its 1992-93 season to his work, consisting of Fortinbras, Lake Street Extension, Two Rooms, and the world premiere of Patient A. Recent world and regional premieres of his work include an adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s Heaven’s My Destination scheduled for world premiere by the Cleveland Play House in Spring 2009; Great Falls in the 2008 Humana New Play Festival of the Actors Theatre of Louisville; A Body of Water at the Guthrie Theater and the Old Globe Theatre; Lonesome Hollow, Flag Day, and Whores at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival; The Scottish Play at La Jolla Playhouse; Black Sheep at Florida Stage; and The Winning Streak at George Street Playhouse. Other plays include Independence, Riches, Oldtimers Game, Nice People Dancing to Good Country Music, and Perilous Night. Productions of Blessing’s plays have earned awards such as The American Theater Critics Circle Award, the L.A. Drama Critics Award, The Great American Play Award, The Humanitas Award, and the George and Elisabeth Marton Award, among others. He has received nominations for Tony and Olivier awards, as well as the Pulitzer Prize.

Peter Flynn (Director) was recently named the new Artistic Director of the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, New York. Broadway: Actors’ Fund concerts of On the 20th Century, Chess, and Funny Girl. Off-Broadway: Henry & Mudge and Junie B. Jones (nominated for two Lucille Lortel Awards including Best Musical) and Rhapsody in Seth starring Seth Rudetsky. Other New York credits: Romulus, a new opera – Guggenheim Museum; The Broadway Musicals of 1953 – Town Hall; and Babes in Toyland – Avery Fisher Hall. Regional credits: Gypsy – St. Louis MUNY; Man of La Mancha – Maltz Jupiter Theater (Carbonell Awards for Best Director and Best Musical); How Can You Run with a Shell on Your Back? – Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Children of Eden – Arvada Center in Denver; The Piano Lesson and The Crucible – Tampa Performing Arts Center; The Santaland Diaries – Pittsburgh City Theatre; A Child’s Christmas in Wales – National Theatre of the Deaf. His own musical, Lily, based on Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth, written with composer/lyricist Brooks Ashmanskas, received a workshop production at the Huntington Theater.

Kevin Judge (Set Designer) New York: Irena’s Vow (The Directors Company); The Color of Flesh (St. Luke’s Theatre); A Brush With Georgia O’Keeffe (St. Luke’s Theatre); Frankenstein (37 ARTS); Duse’s Fever (The Kirk Theater); One for the Road, Authorial Intent, The Blessing of the Animals (The Drama League Directors Project); Safety (Urban Stages); Egyptian Rat Screw (Mint Theater); Gentlemen’s Bet (Columbia University); The Loop (Currican Theater). Regional: Durango (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park); Ride (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater); The Diary of Anne Frank (Delaware Theatre Company); Is There a Comic in the House? And Company (New Jersey City University); Paris Commune and Guitar (La Jolla Playhouse); The Lost Players’ Rapunzel (Lyceum Theater); The Maids (6th @ Penn). Kevin received his MFA from The University of California, San Diego.

Thom Weaver (Lighting Designer) Recent projects include Five Fingers of Funk (Children's Theatre Company); Twelfth Night (Cal Shakes); Eleanor and Pageant Play (Berkshire Theatre Festival); Teller's Macbeth (Two River and Folger Theatre); Joe Turner's Come and Gone (CENTERSTAGE); Frankenstein (37 Arts); and Masked (DR2). Regional: Delaware Theatre Company, Syracuse Stage, BTF, Williamstown, Spoleto, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Children's Theatre Company, Folger, Two River, Yale Rep, Arden Theatre, Wilma Theatre, Theatre Exile, and Asolo Repertory Theatre. 2007 AUDELCO Award for King Hedley II at Signature Theatre. Resident designer for Eva Silverstein's SilverBrown Dance and a member of Wingspace Design Group. Education: Carnegie Mellon and Yale.

Jennifer Caprio (Costume Designer) Broadway: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (All companies). National/International Tour: The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Other NYC: Fugitive Songs (Dreamlight); The Jerusalem Syndrome (NYMF); SaKaLa (45 Bleeker); Masked (DR2); Striking 12 (Daryl Roth); Girl’s Room (Los Angeles & QTIP); Wanda’s World (Amas Musical Theater); Serendib (EST); The Atheist (Center Stages); Hardball (NYSPF); Broadway Bares (BC/EFA event); The Blowin’ of Baile Galle (Irish Arts Center, Gabriel Byrne). International: The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, Great American Trailer Park… (Edinburgh Festival). Regional: Minnesota Opera, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Dallas Theater Center, Williamstown Theater Festival (5 seasons), Geva Theatre Center, North Shore Music Theater, The Hangar Theatre (10 Seasons), The Cleveland Playhouse, Weston Playhouse, Barrington Stage Company, Millbrook Playhouse, The Kitchen Theater, among others. Graduate of Ithaca College.

Scott Stauffer (Sound Designer) Broadway: The Rivals, Contact, Marie Christine, Twelfth Night, Jekyll And Hyde. Children And Art–Steven Sondheim’s 75th birthday celebration. The Actors Fund concerts of Hair and On The Twentieth Century. Off Broadway: Seth’s Broadway 101, The Glorious Ones, Bernarda Alba, Third, Belle Epoque, Big Bill, Elegies, Hello Again, The Spitfire Grill, Dancing On Her Knees, Cowgirls, Pageant, Theda Bara, Hedwig And The Angry Inch, Lincoln Center’s American Songbook (last ten seasons), Live From Lincoln Center with Audra McDonald and The New York Philharmonic. Regional: Centerstage, The Berkshire Theater Festival, Chicago Shakespeare, Alley Theater. As Sound Engineer: The Lion King, Juan Darien, Chronicle Of A Death Foretold, Carousel, Once On This Island, Conversations With My Father, Little Shop Of Horrors.

Travis Walker (Production Manager) has production managed for such New York companies as Classic Stage Company, Transport Group, The Cell Theater Co., New York Television Festival, and other not for profit and commercial productions. Travis serves as an adjunct faculty member at Marymount Manhattan College and is a partner at Autonomous Production Services. Other credits include work with Signature Theater Company, New World Stages, Davenport Theatricals, and more.

Barbara Janice Kielhofer (Production Stage Manager) recently graduated from Columbia University with an M.F.A. in Stage Management. Selected NYC stage management credits include: Stain (Choice Theatricals); Fair Game (Genesius Theater Group); Bottle House (Public Theatre); 365 days/365 plays (Public Theatre); Parsifal (PS122); Poetics: A Ballet Brut (Nature theatre of Oklahoma). Selected Regional Credits: I Am My Own Wife at Barrington Stage Company, Carmen for The Princeton Festival, The Illusion and The Pilgrim Papers at The Berkshire Theatre Festival, and The Mysteries at Son of Semele in Los Angeles.

Stephen Amato (assistant director) Directing credits include: Ripper feat. Davis Gaines and Annie Golden (New World Stages), The Trials Of Repopulating The Earth (Theatre Row - Studio Theatre), 1812, Stand By The River, The Shape Of Things, Joseph and The Amazing..., as well as having assisted on original productions of Langston In Harlem (Public Theatre) and 2 Gents. Acting credits include: Another Life? (Off-Broadway), Children of Eden (NYC Concert), Much Ado About Nothing (Hartford Stage), the world premiere of Hot and Sweet and, the MTV pilot Free Ride. As a writer, his plays include The Trials Of Repopulating..., Six Comedies In Search Of A Plot, Neighbors, the book to the musical Pornland USA, and the screenplay Full Circle.

Marguerite Stimpson (Assistant Stage Manager/Female Understudy) American premiere of Will Eno’s Tragedy a Tragedy at Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Butley on Broadway; Transfigures at the Women’s Project; Mary Zimmerman’s production of Pericles at the Goodman and the Shakespeare Theatre; Butley at the Huntington Theatre; Antigone at A.R.T.; Apple Cove at The Lark; Closer, Proof, The Play About the Baby, Romeo and Juliet, and The Diary of Anne Frank at the Hippodrome State Theatre. Film and television credits include: Lipstick Jungle, Ed, As the World Turns, Blood Night, and Going Under. M.F.A, Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.

Seth A. Goldstein, The Splinter Group (General Manager) was formed in 2002 to produce works of singular vision for the stage and screen. Producing credits include Shakespeare's R&J (UK Premiere & West End); Christine Jorgensen Reveals (2006 Drama Desk Award); Masked. Currently in pre-production: The Ohmies! and Conviction. In addition to East 14th, general management clients include Fan Yang’s Gazillion Bubble Show (New York/Las Vegas/Worldwide); Masked; Candy & Dorothy; and The Intergalactic Nemesis. Previous clients include Gutenberg! The Musical!; Duse’s Fever; Confessions of a Mormon Boy; Apparition; the New York Musical Theatre Festival (2006 & 2007); and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals (2005-2007), among others.

David Gersten & Associates (Press Representatives) also represents the long-running Off-Broadway hits Altar Boyz, Naked Boys Singing!, and The Awesome 80s Prom. Other clients include NY Musical Theater Festival, New World Stages, Aquila Theater, Ars Nova, Ensemble Studio Theatre, INTAR, Mint Theater, Red Bull Theater, and York Theater. David is Associate Producer of the Off-Broadway hit My First Time; previously he produced BASH’d at the Zipper Theater and Tea at Five starring Kate Mulgrew as Katharine Hepburn as well as the musical Dr. Sex. He serves on the Board of Governors of ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers. www.davidgersten.com

Greg Tully, Platform Theatre Group (Producer) Platform Theatre Group was formed in 2008 by Greg Tully to create theatrical events to employ artists and engage audiences. Platform Theatre Group envisions the stage as a platform for connection that enlivens the senses, ignites the spirit, instigates discussion, celebrates diversity, and touches the heart. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Greg Tully began producing both independently and with a producing team (TRAN Theatreworks) in a variety of venues: the Emelin Theater, national touring sites, summer theater companies, and NYC metropolitan area universities. A social work practitioner, administrator, and academic for the past twenty years, he now returns to producing theater with the vision of creating memorable productions that both entertain and encourage thought-provoking insight while also providing quality, paid opportunities for gifted theater performers, directors, writers, designers, and administrators. Greg holds a BS in Educational Theatre and a PhD., both from NYU.