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Advisory
Philip Seymour Hoffman David Kittay Robin Kramer |
Board
Judy Reyes Daphne Rubin-Vega John Patrick Shanley |
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Advisory Board)
Philip Seymour Hoffman has appeared in a recent string of important films including Spike Lee’s The 25th Hour, Red Dragon, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love, Love Liza (which was written by Hoffman’s brother Gordy and won him the Waldo Salt screenwriting award), and Owning Mahoney, co-starring Minnie Driver.
Hoffman appeared opposite Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law in Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, and also in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia, winning the National Board of Review’s Best Supporting Actor award for his work in both films. His other film credits include Anderson’s Boogie Nights and Hard Eight, Happiness (Independent Spirit Best Supporting Actor nomination), Patch Adams, The Big Lebowski, Twister, Scent of A Woman and Nobody’s Fool.On Broadway, Hoffman starred in Sam Shepard’s "True West", earning a Tony Award nomination for his work in dual roles. Other stage work includes Mike Nichols’ production of Anton Chekhov’s "The Seagull" with Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline and Natalie Portman at the Public Theater’s "Shakespeare in the Park", "Defying Gravity", at the American Place Theater, "The Merchant of Venice", directed by Peter Sellars, and the Off-Broadway production of Mark Revenhill’s "Shopping and Fucking".
Co-Artistic Director of New York-based theater company LAByrinth, Hoffman directed Our Lady of 121st Street, Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train and In Arabia We’d All Be Kings - all written by Stephen Adly-Guirgis. He moved the production of Jesus to London’s Donmar Warehouse and subsequently to that city’s West End. In 2001, Hoffman directed the New York premiere of Rebecca Gilman’s play The Gory of Living for the Manhattan Class Company.
Philip Seymour Hoffman has appeared in a recent string of important films including Spike Lee’s The 25th Hour, Red Dragon, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love, Love Liza (which was written by Hoffman’s brother Gordy and won him the Waldo Salt screenwriting award), and Owning Mahoney, co-starring Minnie Driver.
Hoffman appeared opposite Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law in Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, and also in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia, winning the National Board of Review’s Best Supporting Actor award for his work in both films. His other film credits include Anderson’s Boogie Nights and Hard Eight, Happiness (Independent Spirit Best Supporting Actor nomination), Patch Adams, The Big Lebowski, Twister, Scent of A Woman and Nobody’s Fool.On Broadway, Hoffman starred in Sam Shepard’s "True West", earning a Tony Award nomination for his work in dual roles. Other stage work includes Mike Nichols’ production of Anton Chekhov’s "The Seagull" with Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline and Natalie Portman at the Public Theater’s "Shakespeare in the Park", "Defying Gravity", at the American Place Theater, "The Merchant of Venice", directed by Peter Sellars, and the Off-Broadway production of Mark Revenhill’s "Shopping and Fucking".
Co-Artistic Director of New York-based theater company LAByrinth, Hoffman directed Our Lady of 121st Street, Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train and In Arabia We’d All Be Kings - all written by Stephen Adly-Guirgis. He moved the production of Jesus to London’s Donmar Warehouse and subsequently to that city’s West End. In 2001, Hoffman directed the New York premiere of Rebecca Gilman’s play The Gory of Living for the Manhattan Class Company.
Robin Kramer (Advisory Board)
Robin is a LINE PRODUCER who has worked for HBO, USA, NFL, MTV and VH1, and who is currently employed by MTV NETWORKS where she is responsible for production finances, technical and staff planning for MTV and VH1 programming, including MTV Video Music Awards, Movie Awards, VH1 Divas and Save The Music. Prior to this she worked for NFL PROPERTIES where she produced NFL-themed television specials in cooperation with network television partners, including NBC Quarterback Challenge, ABC Pro Bowl Battle of the Gridiron, FOX and Nickelodeon children’s programming, TNT and ESPN entertainment vehicles, MTV and ‘E! Behind the Scenes’ programming. She managed a total portfolio of programming budgets in excess of $7 million, including all sponsor revenue.
Robin is a LINE PRODUCER who has worked for HBO, USA, NFL, MTV and VH1, and who is currently employed by MTV NETWORKS where she is responsible for production finances, technical and staff planning for MTV and VH1 programming, including MTV Video Music Awards, Movie Awards, VH1 Divas and Save The Music. Prior to this she worked for NFL PROPERTIES where she produced NFL-themed television specials in cooperation with network television partners, including NBC Quarterback Challenge, ABC Pro Bowl Battle of the Gridiron, FOX and Nickelodeon children’s programming, TNT and ESPN entertainment vehicles, MTV and ‘E! Behind the Scenes’ programming. She managed a total portfolio of programming budgets in excess of $7 million, including all sponsor revenue.
Judy Reyes (Advisory Board)
Judy Reyes portrays the caring but slightly jaded nurse Carla Espinosa on NBC's comedy series "Scrubs." Reyes grew up in the Bronx and became interested in acting while attending Hunter College in Manhattan. In 1992, she landed her first major acting role in the independent feature film "Jack and His Friends" opposite Sam Rockwell, and went on to perform extensively in the theater. She is particularly proud of her work with the LAByrinth Theater Company, a multi-cultural acting space in Manhattan where she is a founding member and has served as both actor and producer on numerous productions over the past 10 years. Reyes' television credits include several guest appearances as Tina on "Oz," a role she reprises in the upcoming season of the gritty cable series. Additionally, she appeared in "The Sopranos" and "100 Centre Street." She also starred in several television movies, including "John Sanford's Mind Prey" (with Eriq La Salle of NBC's "ER") and "The Prosecutors." Among Reyes' feature-film credits are "Bringing Out the Dead" with Nicolas Cage and the independent film "Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God, Be Back at Five." She will also appear in the upcoming film "Washington Heights." Additionally, Reyes acted in and co-produced (with her husband) "Taino," a short film which will be screened at the upcoming Los Angeles Latino Film Festival and is expected to be shown on a premier cable channel this summer. Reyes lives in New York with her husband, writer/director Edwin M. Figueroa. In addition to acting, Reyes looks forward to producing more independent films. Her birthday is November 5.
Judy Reyes portrays the caring but slightly jaded nurse Carla Espinosa on NBC's comedy series "Scrubs." Reyes grew up in the Bronx and became interested in acting while attending Hunter College in Manhattan. In 1992, she landed her first major acting role in the independent feature film "Jack and His Friends" opposite Sam Rockwell, and went on to perform extensively in the theater. She is particularly proud of her work with the LAByrinth Theater Company, a multi-cultural acting space in Manhattan where she is a founding member and has served as both actor and producer on numerous productions over the past 10 years. Reyes' television credits include several guest appearances as Tina on "Oz," a role she reprises in the upcoming season of the gritty cable series. Additionally, she appeared in "The Sopranos" and "100 Centre Street." She also starred in several television movies, including "John Sanford's Mind Prey" (with Eriq La Salle of NBC's "ER") and "The Prosecutors." Among Reyes' feature-film credits are "Bringing Out the Dead" with Nicolas Cage and the independent film "Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God, Be Back at Five." She will also appear in the upcoming film "Washington Heights." Additionally, Reyes acted in and co-produced (with her husband) "Taino," a short film which will be screened at the upcoming Los Angeles Latino Film Festival and is expected to be shown on a premier cable channel this summer. Reyes lives in New York with her husband, writer/director Edwin M. Figueroa. In addition to acting, Reyes looks forward to producing more independent films. Her birthday is November 5.
Daphne Rubin-Vega (Advisory Board)
Daphne Rubin-Vega first lit up Broadway with her debut as Mimi in the original cast of “Rent”, for which she won the Theater World Award, and the Tony and Drama Desk nominations as best actress in a musical.She won the Blockbuster Award for her role as Kevin Bacon's partner cop in “Wild Things”, with Matt Dillon, and she was Robert De Niro’s love interest in “Flawless”. After leaving “Rent” in 1997, her first album of original music “Souvenirs” for Polygram’s now defunct Mercury label was cut. Daphne continues to play with her band around NYC. They're called DRV.In Karen Hartman’s “Gum”, she played a Middle-Eastern girl dealing with the repressed attitudes of a culture where not only is gum forbidden, but where women have virtually no freedom. She also appeared as Sofia in Nilo Cruz' “Two Sisters and a Piano”, where her character was under house arrest in Cuba.“These characters have given me the opportunity to play some very spirited women confronting everything from HIV/AIDS (Mimi in Rent), to women living under the Taliban (Rahmi in Gum) and how they express their freedom despite limitations imposed by their respective cultures.” Notes Rubin-Vega, “They inform me as much as I embody them. It's an education both as an actress and as a human being”.In 2001, Rubin-Vega returned to Broadway again as Magenta in “The Rocky Horror Show” at the Circle in the Square Theater. The musical, based on the cult movie classic, also featured Tom Hewitt, Raul Esparza, Joan Jett, Dick Cavett and Sebastian Bach, among others.Born in Panama, Rubin-Vega moved to New York’s Greenwich Village with her mother and stepfather when she was a child. A self-described “club kid”, her career got an early start when she began singing with a girl group called, Pajama Party, and an all Latino comedy troupe called El Barrio USA at Caroline’s comedy club.Rubin-Vega’s life and career turned the proverbial corner when she landed the role of Mimi in a workshop called “Rent”, which was writer/composer Jonathan Larson’s contemporary version of the opera, “La Boheme”. After her Mimi was proclaimed “the real thing”, the show went on to begin its first life off-Broadway before moving to Broadway’s Nederlander Theater in January 1996.
Daphne Rubin-Vega won Best Actress in a Feature Film from the New York Independent Film and Video festival of 2001 for her performance in “Skeleton Woman”. She has since shot three independent films in NYC over the summer of 2002 including "Justice", seen at the Tribeca Film Festival in May 2003.
For her role as Canary Mary, Daphne most recently recieved the Lucille Lortel nomination as best featured actress in Suzan Lori Parks’ “Fucking A” at the Public Theater, directed by Michael Greif.
Currently, she is Conchita in Nilo Cruz' 2003 Pulitzer Prize winner, "Anna in the Tropics" at the McCarter Theater in Princeton.
Daphne Rubin-Vega first lit up Broadway with her debut as Mimi in the original cast of “Rent”, for which she won the Theater World Award, and the Tony and Drama Desk nominations as best actress in a musical.She won the Blockbuster Award for her role as Kevin Bacon's partner cop in “Wild Things”, with Matt Dillon, and she was Robert De Niro’s love interest in “Flawless”. After leaving “Rent” in 1997, her first album of original music “Souvenirs” for Polygram’s now defunct Mercury label was cut. Daphne continues to play with her band around NYC. They're called DRV.In Karen Hartman’s “Gum”, she played a Middle-Eastern girl dealing with the repressed attitudes of a culture where not only is gum forbidden, but where women have virtually no freedom. She also appeared as Sofia in Nilo Cruz' “Two Sisters and a Piano”, where her character was under house arrest in Cuba.“These characters have given me the opportunity to play some very spirited women confronting everything from HIV/AIDS (Mimi in Rent), to women living under the Taliban (Rahmi in Gum) and how they express their freedom despite limitations imposed by their respective cultures.” Notes Rubin-Vega, “They inform me as much as I embody them. It's an education both as an actress and as a human being”.In 2001, Rubin-Vega returned to Broadway again as Magenta in “The Rocky Horror Show” at the Circle in the Square Theater. The musical, based on the cult movie classic, also featured Tom Hewitt, Raul Esparza, Joan Jett, Dick Cavett and Sebastian Bach, among others.Born in Panama, Rubin-Vega moved to New York’s Greenwich Village with her mother and stepfather when she was a child. A self-described “club kid”, her career got an early start when she began singing with a girl group called, Pajama Party, and an all Latino comedy troupe called El Barrio USA at Caroline’s comedy club.Rubin-Vega’s life and career turned the proverbial corner when she landed the role of Mimi in a workshop called “Rent”, which was writer/composer Jonathan Larson’s contemporary version of the opera, “La Boheme”. After her Mimi was proclaimed “the real thing”, the show went on to begin its first life off-Broadway before moving to Broadway’s Nederlander Theater in January 1996.
Daphne Rubin-Vega won Best Actress in a Feature Film from the New York Independent Film and Video festival of 2001 for her performance in “Skeleton Woman”. She has since shot three independent films in NYC over the summer of 2002 including "Justice", seen at the Tribeca Film Festival in May 2003.
For her role as Canary Mary, Daphne most recently recieved the Lucille Lortel nomination as best featured actress in Suzan Lori Parks’ “Fucking A” at the Public Theater, directed by Michael Greif.
Currently, she is Conchita in Nilo Cruz' 2003 Pulitzer Prize winner, "Anna in the Tropics" at the McCarter Theater in Princeton.
John Patrick Shanley (Advisory Board)
A New York playwright, John Patrick Shanley earned almost overnight recognition with his play, "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea" in 1984. The Bronx-raised author began his writing career while still in elementary school, penning poems at age 11 and winning a statewide essay competition the following year. After interrupting his college education with a tour of duty in the Marines, Shanley obtained his degree in educational theater. By age 26, while supporting himself as a bartender, he began writing what became his first hit. Previously, Shanley began to find outlets for his stage work, which often revolves around working-class, ethnic concerns in the early 1980s. With 1986's "Women of Manhattan", he inaugurated an association with the Off-Broadway nonprofit Manhattan Theatre Club, which went on to present "Italian American Reconciliation" (1987) and his Hollywood satire "Four Dogs and a Bone" (1993). In 2001, the playwright veered into a slightly different direction with "Cellini" (which he also staged).
Shanley made his Hollywood reputation with "Moonstruck" (1987), a deftly constructed romantic comedy set in Brooklyn's Italian-American community. The film won three Oscars (including one for Best Original Screenplay) and was a huge box-office success. His subsequent film efforts--notably his script for the crime thriller, "The January Man" (1989), and his directorial debut with "Joe Versus the Volcano" (1989).
A New York playwright, John Patrick Shanley earned almost overnight recognition with his play, "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea" in 1984. The Bronx-raised author began his writing career while still in elementary school, penning poems at age 11 and winning a statewide essay competition the following year. After interrupting his college education with a tour of duty in the Marines, Shanley obtained his degree in educational theater. By age 26, while supporting himself as a bartender, he began writing what became his first hit. Previously, Shanley began to find outlets for his stage work, which often revolves around working-class, ethnic concerns in the early 1980s. With 1986's "Women of Manhattan", he inaugurated an association with the Off-Broadway nonprofit Manhattan Theatre Club, which went on to present "Italian American Reconciliation" (1987) and his Hollywood satire "Four Dogs and a Bone" (1993). In 2001, the playwright veered into a slightly different direction with "Cellini" (which he also staged).
Shanley made his Hollywood reputation with "Moonstruck" (1987), a deftly constructed romantic comedy set in Brooklyn's Italian-American community. The film won three Oscars (including one for Best Original Screenplay) and was a huge box-office success. His subsequent film efforts--notably his script for the crime thriller, "The January Man" (1989), and his directorial debut with "Joe Versus the Volcano" (1989).