EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Taryn Sacramone graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Kenyon College, with a BA in Political Science, and a concentration in the Integrated Program of Humane Studies. While in college, she studied abroad for two terms at Oxford University, taking tutorials on literature, film and philosophy. After graduation, she completed an acting program at the Atlantic Theater. From 2002-2010, she worked at the Social Science Research Council, a not-for-profit academic research organization, beginning as a Program Assistant for the Program on the Arts and advancing to become the Senior Special Projects Manager of Communications & IT. Taryn has been the Executive Director at the Astoria Performing Arts Center since 2005. In her time at APAC, she has increased the budget fourfold, broadened APAC’s programming to include an after-school playwriting program for children, directed major branding efforts, and produced award-winning shows. She has served on grant review panels for the Queens Council on the Arts, and The Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York. She lives in Queens with her husband Domenico and their son Rocco. Find out more about Taryn.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Tom Wojtunik has been in New York City since 1997, and in Astoria for the last nine years. For APAC he has directed The Human Comedy, Children of Eden, The Pillowman, Ragtime (NY IT Nominee, Outstanding Musical), and Proof. NY directing credits include: Bright Lights, Big City (MMC); The Who’s Tommy (NY IT Nominee, Outstanding Musical), Man of La Mancha, Six Degrees of Separation, Urinetown (NY IT Award, Outstanding Musical), Take Me Out (The Gallery Players); The Play About the Naked Guy and Edenville (NY IT Nominee – Best Director, Emerging Artists Theatre); The Miss Education of Jenna Bush (FringeNYC, Best Solo Show & Audience Favorite); Grease 3: Threase (UCB/The Pit); Rum and Vodka and The Good Thief (Prospect St. Productions); I’m in Love with Your Wife (Midtown International Theatre Festival); and workshops of David’s Play and Bella Via (Ensemble Studio Theatre). Tom served as a 2007/2008 Resident Director at Ensemble Studio Theatre, where he was an Associate Producer on the 2008 Marathon of One-Act Plays. He was an Associate Casting Director at Charles Rosen Casting, produced the 2002 Festival of New Musicals for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, and served as Artistic Director of NeoPack, a theatre company focused on new work, from 2001-2004. BFA: Marymount Manhattan College. Member: SDC, LCT Directors’ Lab, Emerging Artists Theatre. Click here to find out more about Tom.
PRODUCTION MANAGER Annie Jacobs moved to Queens over 6 years ago. For the past six years she has been working in production management followed by project management at Queen’s based scene shop, Showman Fabricators. She has worked on such shows as Broadway’s Little Mermaid, Sweeney Todd, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, television’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”, “Dr. Oz”, “Disney World’s American Idol Experience” and many others. Annie is also a proud committee member of the Broadway Green Alliance and leads up many of the sustainability projects at Showman. Before coming to New York she received her BFA from the Theatre School at Depaul University followed by her MFA from the School of Drama at Yale University. She’s excited to work with APAC and get back to non-profit theatre. Find out more about Annie.
MARKETING DIRECTOR Dave Charest is originally from Massachusetts. He’s lived in NY since 1999. When he’s not acting, playing music, or being a lovin’ husband and Dad, Dave inspires indie artists to make simple changes to their marketing for better results. He’s excited to bring his long-term audience building strategies to APAC.
For free articles, interviews and other “wicked smaht” marketing tips visit his website: www.DaveCharest.com
PRESS AGENT Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR APAC: The Children’s Hour, Ragtime, Triumph of Love. Off-Broadway: …Another Man’s Poison, Jay Sharp Theater; Swimming With The Polar Bears, 45 Bleecker Street; Glimpses of the Moon, Algonquin Hotel; Elizabeth Rex, Center Stage; Mother Load, Sage Theater; Wasps in Bed, Beckett Theater; Anaïs Nin: One Of Her Lives, Beckett Theater; Triple Threat: 2007 Drama Desk Nominee (mis)UNDERSTANDING MAMMY: The Hattie McDaniel Story, Theatre 5. Rosin was instrumental in the launch of the Broadway musical Brooklyn and the National Tour of Mother Load. Rosin’s clients include: Astoria Performing Arts Center, Firebone Theatre Company, The New York Innovative Theatre Awards, Nicu’s Spoon, The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. Rosin worked in the publicity office at Miramax Films. Rosin produced the short film Speed Grieving, which is currently making the festival circuit. Rosin teaches Arts Marketing at NYU. For more information visit www.kampfirefilmspr.com. Please direct all press inquiries to katie@kampfirefilmspr.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
CASTING DIRECTOR wojcik | seay casting (Scott Wojcik & Gayle Seay) APAC: full seasons since 2008. wojcik|seay Casting is the partnership of Scott Wojcik and Gayle Seay. Upcoming Off-Broadway: Tennessee Williams’ The Two Character Play, Triassic Parq andMy Sinatra. Tours: Joseph….Dreamcoat, and Oklahoma! Off Broadway/ NY: 666 (A Comedy), The Last Session, Chix 6 andNEWSical. Regional Theatre: Theatre Aspen and the Arvada Center in CO, Riverside Theater in FL, Tuacahn Performing Arts Center in UT and Stages St. Louis. Recent projects: Greenwood for NYMF, and Mock Your World, TV pilot – “Upstate”, Short Film –Prologue. Resident casting directors for Midtown Direct Rep. Extensive commercial print clients including Verizon, Prego, Goldman Sachs and many pharmaceuticals. www.wscastingonline.com
RESIDENT SCENIC DESIGNER Michael P. Kramer is very proud to be the resident scenic designer at Astoria Performing Arts Center. His most recent APAC scenic design was The Human Comedy, other APAC credits include: Ragtime and Children of Eden (both New York Innovative Theatre Award winners for Outstanding Scenic Design 2009 & 2010), A New Brain, Proof, and Triumph of Love. Other NYC credits include: For the Love of Christ! – 2009 NYC Fringe Festival, Trails – NYMF 2010, Seeing Stars – NYMF 2009, The Play about the Naked Guy – Emerging Artist Theatre, A Good Farmer and Flyer – 3Graces Theatre Company, and The Wake of Jamey Foster – Connection Theatre Company. Regional credits include Steel Magnolias, and The Wedding Singer – Le Petit Theatre New Orleans, The Miracle Worker and Evita – Foothills Theatre Company. Other Memorable design projects have included ESPN’s “Sports Nation” (Emmy Nominated Production Design 2010), The Papal visit to Ground Zero, ESPN’s World Cup Studio 2010 – South Africa (Emmy Nominated Production Design 2011), Broadway on Broadway, The Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive”, Comedy Central’s “Friday Night with Greg Giraldo”, Nickelodeon’s “World Wide Fido Awards”, ESPN Deportes’ “Nacion ESPN”, and ABC’s “Winner’s Bracket”. Michael is a proud native of New Orleans, LA. Graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University in 1997. And later, Western Illinois University, receiving an MFA in Scenic Design 2001.
LITERARY MANAGER Jennifer Lane, a recent graduate from the MFA Playwriting Program at Columbia University, is a Michigan-born writer, designer and arts administrator. Most recently, her play Harlowe — developed under the mentorship of Sarah Ruhl — premiered at 3LD Art & Technology center. Last winter, her play Psychomachia premiered at Theatre 54, starring Ashlie Atkinson, directed by Robin Paterson and produced by Artistic New Directions. Her short pieces, Uriel’s Garden and A Fever in the Feast were developed with Anne Bogart. Her one-act The Would-Be Room recently enjoyed two runs, one in New York City at the Shapiro Theatre and one at Gorilla Tango Theatre in Chicago. Jenny has studied with such remarkable people as Chuck Mee, Kelly Stuart, Lucy Thurber, Sheila Callaghan, Frank Pugliese, Deborah Brevoort, Stuart Spencer, Cassandra Medley and Maria Mileaf. Jenny is a Liberace Scholar and a Shubert Presidential Fellow. Visit her website: http://jennifer-lane.net. Read her Staff Profile.
