About
Thank you for helping to make Electric Pear Productions one of nytheatre.com's 2007 “People of the Year” and the “Best Off-Off Broadway Theater” of 2008!
NEWS
"The more interesting [theatrical] international exchanges...seem to be emerging from the grassroots, from low-lying organizations like the Play Company or PS 122—or Electric Pear Productions..." - The Brooklyn Rail
We send our most sincere thanks to our patrons, board members, volunteers, and especially all of the artists that we have had the pleasure of working with over the past year. We would not be here without your encouragement and inspiration!
MISSION STATEMENT
Electric Pear Productions is a non-profit company cultivates, backs and presents original and persuasive theatrical endeavors.
The company is committed to exploring the junction between disparate entities; Electric Pear seeks to deepen the performance landscape by working at the crossroads where the mainstream meets the avant-garde, where artistic disciplines cross-pollinate, and where translation and border-crossing is embraced.
Electric Pear seeks to create a welcoming, vibrant community of artists and enthusiasts where respect and generosity are paramount, where creation and vision are honored.
Electric Pear: At home on the stage, at play in the world.
ELECTRIC PEAR IS
click for bio:
Ashlin Halfnight
Artistic Director
Ashlin Halfnight
Ashlin Halfnight was a 2006 Fulbright Award winner and an artist in residence at the National Theatre of Hungary. His plays include GodÕs Waiting Room (Best Play, 2005 NYFringe Festival), Diving Normal (Plays and Playwrights 2007), Mud Blossom, Baby Face, and The Stars Above Balaton. He was named one of nytheater.comÕs People of the Year in 2007 for outstanding contributions to New York theatre. He is the recipient of a TCG Travel Grant, a Ludwig Volgelstein Artist Grant, and the Howard Stein Playwriting Fellowship. His work has been developed at New York Theater Workshop, the Cherry Lane Theater, and The Lark. He was a member of the Royal CourtÕs (UK) 2006 New York Residency and holds a BA from Harvard and an MFA in Playwriting from Columbia. He is a member of MCCÕs PlaywrightsÕ Coalition and is currently at work on a commission from Second Stage.
Melanie Sylvan
Executive Producer
Melanie Sylvan
Melanie started her arts career as a dancer at Ballet Metropolitan in Columbus, Ohio. She was a recipient of a National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts scholarship, and received a BFA in Musical Theatre with Academic Honors from Emerson College. Since 1999, she has worked as a producer with various other theatre groups in NYC. She produced Ashiln HalfnightÕs award-winning play, God's Waiting Room in the 2005 Fringe NYC, and transferred the production to the Merlin International Theatre in Budapest, Hungary in 2006. She is the recipient of two grants from The Foundation for Contemporary Arts and won a 2007 TCG Travel Grant to develop a new bilingual play with artists from the National Theatre of Hungary. She was named one of nytheater.comÕs People of the Year in 2007 for outstanding contributions to New York theatre with Electric Pear Productions.
Jayd McCarty
Artistic Producer
Jayd McCarty
Jayd is an actor, director, teacher and private coach. He has served for the past three years as Director of Programs and Conservatories for The Actors Center where he placed actors in classes and workshops with some of the most respected names in theater and actor training. Jayd attributes the core of his teaching to the training he received from RonVan Lieu, Lloyd Richard and Earle Gister. Jayd spent two years with Mr. Gister as a teaching assistant before joining the faculty at The Actors Center in 2004. While at The Actors Center, Jayd also completed a three year mentorship with J. Michael Miller (founder of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts) in Actor Training & Development. Jayd has been coaching privately and teaching in New York City for the past three years. He also enjoys a career as a professional actor.
Laura Esti Miller
Creative Development Director
Laura Esti Miller
Laura holds an MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism from Brooklyn College and a BA in Theater and Dance from James Madison University. Since 1998, she has worked in the non-profit arts community as an actor, dramaturg, literary director, producer, singer, teacher, and writer. She has served as the dramaturg and research assistant for numerous productions in New York and Washington D.C., including The Public Theater's 2007 production of Romeo and Juliet. Laura has had the honor of working with Drama Dept., The Kennedy Center, Forum Theatre and Dance, Premiere Stages, Shakespeare's Globe in London, visual artists Sherrard Bostwick and Juliana Cope, and collaborating musically with the groups The Casual Occupation and The Working Effective.
Julie Haverkate
Literary Director
Julie Haverkate
Julie Haverkate received her B.A. in English Language & Literature from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and her M.A. in Theatre Studies from The Florida State University. She has previously worked at Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester, MI and at the Summer Play Festival. Julie has lectured and presented at conferences internationally, and her first book, entitled PARADE Diverges: Exploring the Routes Taken by the Broadway and London Premieres and Why Only Some Critics Went Along for the Ride, will be published in December 2008. In addition to dramaturging numerous productions for both FSU and SPF, a sampling of Julie's theatre and film criticisms can be viewed on www.ink19.com.
Jason Alazraki
Artistic Associate
Amy Newhall
Artistic Associate
Amy Newhall
Amy Newhall recently received a B.F.A. in acting from Syracuse University where she performed in "Lovesong" at the Redhouse Center for the Arts, "Lieutenant of Inishmore" at Syracuse Stage, "Summer and Smoke", and "Uncommon Women and Others". This is her second production with Electric Pear, after coordinating "The Parent Teacher Conference" plays in September. She is also currently participating in The Outlet workshop.
Jamie Forshaw
Associate Producer
Chris Jessup
Technical Supervisor
ELECTRIC PEAR ADVISORY BOARD
Ellen Cammer
Rebecca Frank
Natalie Judelson
Michael Nachbar
Jayd McCarty
Adam D. Schaffner, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Seth Soloway
Donald Sylvan, PhD
Carl White