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BOARD OF DIRECTORS APAC Artistic Director Brian Swasey also serves as APAC Board Secretary. Brian never expected to become the artistic director of a theatre company, but you should never say never. He has spent most of his professional career working regionally, internationally, and OFF-Broadway. Most recently, he had the opportunity to play the role of Harry Houdini in Ragtime at Maine State Music Theatre. Prior to that you could have "seen" him in the Off-Broadway production of Naked Boys Singing (yes, I was really naked). Other credits included Crazy for You, Peter Pan, A Chorus Line, She Loves Me, and international tours of West Side Story. APAC is a great opportunity for all of us involved to gain experience, improve our skills, and explore new areas, while remaining close to home. Even though home recently changed from Sunnyside, Queens to New Jersey, with Ray, two dogs, a cat, and two cars. How suburban! APAC Board Treasurer Adam Sherwin is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Happy Media Incorporated. His has written about technology, the arts, and sports for the NY Daily News, The Berkshire Record, and other publications. Happy Media's Juggernaut (www.juggernaut.org <http://www.juggernaut.org/> ) works with a wide variety of Community Positive organizations, including The Greater Astoria Historical Society, The New York League of Conservation Voters, the NYPIRG Fuel Buyers Group, City-As-School, the Queens Council on the Arts and African Solutions to African Problems. Executive Director, Taryn Drongowski became the Executive Director of the Astoria Performing Arts Center in August 2005. Recently elected to the Board of Directors she brings both theater and non-profit experience. Taryn graduated from Kenyon College (Gambier, OH) and, in 2003, she completed a training program at the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School. Currently, Taryn also serves as Special Projects Manager for the Program on Culture, Creativity & Information Technology at the Social Science Research Council. She moved to Astoria three years ago, after tasting the pizza at Sac's Place on Broadway. As a proud resident, Taryn is especially excited to have the opportunity to contribute to the arts in one of New York's most vibrant neighborhoods--this is a place for story-telling. Astoria resident and APAC Board President, Regina Cialone is accomplished in various fields of drama, dance, piano and percussion. She has extensive experience coordinating and directing theatre and entertainment events. Regina's career in arts administration includes working at Carnegie Hall in Corporate Sponsorships, Patron Giving, and Membership; and facilitating national auditions for professional theatres and college programs as the Southeastern Theatre Conference's Membership Director. Regina holds a B.S. in Arts Management and a Masters in Nonprofit Management and is currently the Director of the Carnegie Hall Friends. With her passion for business and the arts, Regina looks forward to working with APAC during this exciting time. APAC FOUNDER APAC Founder and past Executive Director, Susan Scannell is an accomplished actress/singer/lyricist with television, theater and cabaret appearances to her credit. Television credits include starring roles on: Dynasty, Ryan’s Hope, Search For Tomorrow, Remington Steele, The A-Team and others. As a singer/songwriter she has performed on The Merv Griffin Show and in various cabaret rooms in New York and Los Angeles. She also sang the national anthem at Shea Stadium. Her original one woman show Love Jokes can be seen on Queens Public Television. As an entrepreneur, APAC is one of Ms. Scannell’s many successful endeavors. She has also been successful in the business world having opened and run two franchises of the national video dating service “Great Expectations” and currently writes original songs and poems for people in a bi-coastal company she started named The Rhyme of Your Life. She is grateful as a resident of Astoria/LIC to be given this opportunity to bring high quality entertainment to the Astoria/LIC community through The Astoria Performing Arts Center, and to Taryn, Brian, and all of the “APAC Family” for carrying the torch so valiantly. |
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, Taryn Drongowski became the Executive Director of the Astoria
Performing Arts Center in August 2005. To APAC, she brings both theater and
non-profit experience. Taryn graduated from Kenyon College (Gambier, OH) and, in
2003, she completed a training program at the Atlantic Theater Company Acting
School. Currently, Taryn also serves as Special Projects Manager for the Program
on Culture, Creativity & Information Technology at the Social Science Research
Council. She moved to Astoria three years ago, after tasting the pizza at Sac's
Place on Broadway. As a proud resident, Taryn is especially excited to have the
opportunity to contribute to the arts in one of New York's most vibrant
neighborhoods--this is a place for story-telling.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, Brian Swasey* never expected to become the artistic director of a theatre company, but you should never say never. He has spent most of his professional career working regionally, internationally, and OFF-Broadway. Most recently, he had the opportunity to play the role of Harry Houdini in Ragtime at Maine State Music Theatre. Prior to that you could have "seen" him in the Off-Broadway production of Naked Boys Singing (yes, I was really naked). Other credits included Crazy for You, Peter Pan, A Chorus Line, She Loves Me, and international tours of West Side Story. APAC is a great opportunity for all of us involved to gain experience, improve our skills, and explore new areas, while remaining close to home. Even though home recently changed from Sunnyside, Queens to New Jersey, with Ray, two dogs, a cat, and two cars. How suburban!
