604 Franklin Court Edgewater, NJ 07020 347-806

Transcription

604 Franklin Court Edgewater, NJ 07020 347-806
604 Franklin Court
Edgewater, NJ 07020
347-806-4969
Bswasey1@gmail.com
www.BrianSwasey.com
NEW YORK EXPERIENCE
The Secret Garden
City of Angels
Die Mommie Die
Bernstein’s Peter Pan
A New Brain
Forever Plaid -NYIT Award Nominee
A New Generation of Song
The Man in the Iron Mask -with Marla Schaffel
Rapunzel -with D’Jamin Bartlett
Lucky Stiff
Is There Life After High School?
-OOBR Award Winner
Triumph of Love -NYIT Award Nominee
Nunsense
The Wild Party
REGIONAL EXPERIENCE
Chicago
Respect- A Musical Journey of Women
Fiddler on The Roof
The Cat in the Hat
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Singin’ In The Rain
The Berenstain Bears
Legally Blonde
The Marvelous Wonderettes
Grease
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Hairspray
Fiddler on the Roof (Robbins Choreography)
A Taffeta Wedding
Rent –Best Musical, NH Spotlight Award
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Altar Boyz (Gatelli Choreography)
Sweeney Todd
Once on the Island
Always, …Patsy Cline
West Side Story (Robbins Choreography)
Musical of Musicals, The Musical
Miracle on 34th Street
The Rocky Horror Show
Peter Pan
The News in Review
Kiss Me Kate -NH Theater Award Nominee
She Loves Me
A Christmas Carol
Annie
Director/Choreographer
Choreographer
Assistant Director
Director
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director
Director
Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
White Plains PAC
Gallery Players
New World Stages
Leonard Bernstein Office
Astoria Performing Arts Center
APAC
2007 NY Musical Theatre Festival
The Lambs Theatre
2006 NYC Fringe Festival
Astoria Performing Arts Center
Astoria Performing Arts Center
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Choreographer
Astoria Performing Arts Center
Astoria Performing Arts Center
The Gallery Players
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director
Director/Choreographer
Director
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Assistant Director
Director/Choreographer
Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Director/Choreographer
Seacoast Repertory Theatre
Sierra Repertory Theatre
St. Michael’s Playhouse
Ogunquit Playhouse
Seacoast Repertory Theatre
Mac-Haydn Theatre
The Ogunquit Playhouse
Riverside Dinner Theatre
Bristol Valley Theatre
Maui Onstage
Summit Playhouse
Seacoast Repertory Theatre
New London Barn Playhouse
Arundel Barn Playhouse
Seacoast Repertory Theatre
Bristol Valley Theatre
Seacoast Repertory Theatre
Portland Players
Maui Onstage
Arundel Barn Playhouse
Seacoast Repertory Theatre
Bristol Valley Theatre
Seacoast Repertory Theatre
Arundel Barn Playhouse
Seacoast Repertory Theatre
Coconut Grove Playhouse
Lakes Region Summer Theatre
New London Barn Playhouse
Jenny Wiley Theatre
Maui Onstage
Education
BA in Musical Theatre from the University of Hampshire, 1995
Artistic Director, Astoria Performing Arts Center (2001-2008)
Associate Producer, Queens Theatre in the Park (Spring 2008-June 2011)
Julie Oliver
Education Director
Ogunquit Playhouse
603-493-5818
Carol Lucha-Burns
Professor
University of New Hampshire
603-494-7620
Jon Kimbell
Director
Kimbje43@gmail.com
Carol Dunne
Artistic Director
New London Barn Playhouse
603-526-4631
Alexis Dascoulias
Artistic Director
Maui Onstage
808-244-8680
Craig Faulkner
Artistic Director
Seacoast Repertory Company
603-433-4793
Karin Bowerstock
Artistic Director
Bristol Valley Theater
585-374-9032
Director Brian Swasey works wonders, taking fresh perspectives on a myriad of songs and maintaining a
tricky balance between razzmatazz and cabaret-like intimacy.
-John Kenrick, Musicals101.com
I feel like I got a directors workshop for free. Your stage direction and choreography was simple but
extremely effective.
-George Wood Jr., President, Theatre Sarnia, Ontario Canada
His artistic and personal integrity are extremely high, creating an atmosphere where his cast and crew trust
him totally.
-Susan Scannell, Executive Producer Astoria Performing Arts Center
Watch for this man's name in years to come.
-John Kenrick, Musicals101.com
His sense of period style and musical theatre history was clearly demonstrated in his exciting choreography.
-Carol Lucha-Burns, Director of Musical Theatre, University of New Hampshire
The girls sound and look great. Productions like these are a pleasure for me to see
-Dan Goggin, Writer of Nunsense
Director/Choreographer, Brian Swasey, filled the entire theatre with action, taking the fun into the audience.
-Charles Battersby, OOBR online
Director and choreographer, Brian Swasey, has superbly taken this tail of New Jersey Nuns across two rivers
to Queens.
-The Queens Scene
What impressed me was his ability to teach beyond the choreography-each student had a complete
understanding of their character.
- Justin Ball, Scarsdale Summer Music Theatre Artistic Director
It's a zany cross of fluff and mayhem, brought to life with zest and high spirits by director Brian Swasey.
-Martin Denton, NY Theatre.com
This kind of zany material can fizzle in the wrong hands, but director Brian Swasey keeps his cast tuned to
exactly the right comic pitch, winning every laugh.
- John Kenrick, Musicals101.com
rent-
Seacoast Repertory Theatre
Directed and choreographed by Brian Swasey
Swasey’s blocking and action is
visually interesting and
vivacious with a palpable mix of
energies - hysterical to
heartfelt.
-Jeanne McCarten
Seacoast Online
the La Boheme of the ‘90s receives a
masterful proudction.
-Meghan Grumbling
THE PORTLAND PHOENIX
Swasey deftly molds the characters
and then lets the story tell itself.
-Scarlett Ridgeway Savage
The Wire
Brian Swasey is a graduate of The University of New
Hampshire with a degree in Musical Theatre and
Dance. Directing and Choreography credits include
Forever Plaid, Beauty and the Beast, Altar Boyz,
Sweeney Todd, Lucky Stiff, Footloose, A Christmas
Carol, The Wild Party, The Man in The Iron Mask,
Godspell, Seussical, Starmites, Nunsense, Hairspray,
A Taffeta Wedding, Is There Life After High School?,
How to Succeed..., Fiddler on the Roof, Once on this
Island, A New Brain, Miracle on 34th Street, Musical
of Musicals, The Musical, A Chorus Line, Once Upon
a Mattress, West Side Story,Kiss Me, Kate and Peter
Pan. Assistant Directed Die, Mommie, Die starring
Charles Busch. Theatrical Performing credits include
George in The Drowsy Chaperone, Harry Houdini in
Ragtime at Maine State Music Theatre, the OffBroadway production of Naked Boys Singing, Into the
Woods, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Crazy for You,
Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby, Fiddler on the Roof, A
Chorus Line, She Loves Me, 42nd Street, Tommy, The
Wizard of Oz, and an international and US tour of
West Side Story. Artistic Director of the Astoria
Performing Arts Center (2001-2008). For more
information visit www.brianswasey.com.
A New Brain
Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC)
Astoria, NY - May 2007
Reviewed by John Kenrick
It takes guts to do theatre these days, and that goes double when you try to make theatre happen in the outer
boroughs of New York City. People who live within commuting distance of Manhattan are so used to finding
their entertainment on that little island that they often forget to look in their own local communities. I was born
and raised in Astoria, so I'm delighted that my old neighborhood can claim a professional theatre company that
has been delighting audiences for the last five years. Instead of cranking out revivals of the usual theatrical
warhorses, Astoria Performing Arts Center offers new plays and fresh productions of fascinating but rarely seen
musicals. They have another winner in their latest mainstage offering, a production of William Finn's acclaimed
off-Broadway work A New Brain.
Finn is one of the brightest talents in contemporary musical theatre, and unlike his more easily loveable longrunning Broadway hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, this piece is a challenge. A New Brain
offers the semi-autobiographical story of a gay songwriter suddenly faced with a potentially terminal brain
illness. This unlikely subject fairly bursts with humanity and humor, as the things that really matter in life sort
themselves out of the things that don't. Finn's score ranges from the hilarious to the ravishing, and all points in
between.
In the lead role of Gordon Michael Schwinn, Joe Pace captures the neurotic uncertainty and growing terror of a
creative man facing the loss of his life. Lois S. Hart scores major points as his devoted mother, who's sincere
lifelong desire to make everything better for her son can't make this threat any less deadly. As Gordon's devoted
lover Roger, handsome Shad Olsen offers a poignant performance, including a heartfelt rendition of "I'd Rather
Be Sailing," a gorgeous song that has found a life of its own in workshops and cabaret acts. Doug Chitel wins
laughs in the often thankless role of Mr. Bungee, a children's TV star that Gordon unwillingly writes for. As a
likeable male nurse, Justin Birdsong shows solid comic instincts and some impressive pipes -- as does Yolanda
Batts playing a homeless woman who unintentionally weaves her way in and out of the action. Julie Rees,
Sevan Green, Stephanie Wilberding and Jim Dimarino all give solid performances, making this the kind of
strong ensemble cast we've come to expect from APAC.
Director Brian Swasey's pacing and staging are always a delight. At a time when it has become fashionable for
directors to impose a personal vision on musicals, Swasey trusts authors and lets the material define what is
needed. If and when Broadway has the sense to make use of such a talent, theatre lovers will all be better off.
Swasey's energetic, thoroughly entertaining production has a simple but memorable set by Michael P. Kramer,
one that visually captures the unheard music filling the main character's mind. Lighting designer Erik Michael
and costumer Jessa-Raye Court do wonders on a shoestring. Jeffrey Campos leads the cast and five piece
orchestra through this difficult score with a steady hand.
APAC's ongoing search for a performing home has led them to a no-frills but comfortable auditorium in
Astoria's Variety Boys and Girls Club -- a bit of a trek from the nearest subway, but a production like A New
Brain makes it more than worth the trip. After attending the opening performance, a companion who is not
prone to praise anything said, "That was more satisfying than anything I've seen on Broadway in the last two
years." Three cheers for executive director Taryn Drongowski and everyone else who keeps APAC happening.
Once again, the guts and determination of this little company have paid off with one heck of a good show!
This production is scheduled to close on May 20, 2006.