For Immediate Release
April 9, 2013
Media Contact: Katie Rosin / Kampfire PR
917-562-5670 / [email protected]

“soloNOVA brings back the art of storytelling.” – Back Stage

soloNOVA ARTS FESTIVAL 10th ANNIVERSARY SEASON

 RETURNING ARTISTS, WORLD PREMIERES & NYC FAVORITES

terraNOVA COLLECTIVE and Producing Artistic Director, Jennifer Conley Darling, is pleased to announce the 10TH Annual soloNOVA Arts Festival, the award-winning and longest-running solo performance festival in New York City. soloNOVA Arts Festival will play a limited engagement at IRT Theater (154 Christopher Street, inside the landmark Archive Building). Performances begin Thursday, May 23 and continue through Sunday, June 2.

Darling is “pleased to present a combination of soloNOVA alumni and new performances to NYC in the festival.” Darling prides herself on her acute curating process in which this year she involved previous performers on the selection committee. Darling picks “only projects with a strong story arc and a fusion of art forms that are not necessarily autobiographical.  This year is a huge celebration. Hitting our 10 year mark and having given platform to over 330 solo artists over the years is a huge source of pride for us.”

A complete list of the shows and their performance schedule is enclosed at the end of this document.

Tickets are $20 for individual shows; $30 for two shows; $80 festival pass (50% discount for all shows at IRT Theater)

Tickets on sale Monday, April 15th. For more information and tickets, please visit www.terranovacollective.org. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at Box Office ½ hour in advance of the performances.

Running Time:  All shows are 90 minutes (or less)

Website: http://www.terranovacollective.org

BIOGRAPHIES

 

soloNOVA Arts Festival (SAF) is now the longest-running solo performance festival in New York City. SAF began in 2004 as a vehicle to showcase innovative artists representing various disciplines and cultures, and whose solo performances reflect distinct perspectives. The festival hosts 8-10 performers annually, who perform three times each in repertory. SAF is specifically curated to showcase the best in puppetry, dance, magic, physical theater, multi-character monologues, multi-media, and other forms of storytelling, and aims to bring forth ideas and experiences from varying cultures. The New York Innovative Theatre Awards has presented SAF programming with 22 nominations and 6 awards over the past three years. 

terraNOVA is an ever-expanding collective of artists devoted to nurturing distinct and innovative theatrical voices. It is dedicated to cultivating environments where the art of storytelling thrives, and actively seeks stages for the new theatre it develops.

Since its inception, terraNOVA has staged 8 full-scale productions, over 20 plays within 7 new play workshop series, and 8 annual solo performance festivals that feature diverse artists of many disciplines. Over the past 8 years, terraNOVA has developed more than 80 plays through Groundbreakers and Groundworks, and has given a platform to approximately 320 solo artists in the annual soloNOVA Arts Festival.  

terraNOVA has been hosted within several artistic homes, including Performance Space 122, the DR2 Theatre and D-Lounge at the Daryl Roth Theatre (theatre-in-residence for two seasons), Barrow Street Theatre, HERE Arts Center and New Ohio Theatre.

terraNOVA Collective has received many accolades including 30 New York Innovative Theatre Award nominations, 8 of which were for the productions of ‘Feeder: A Love Story’ by James Carter and ‘Blue Before Morning’ by Kate McGovern. The remaining nominations have been for shows within the soloNOVA Arts Festival, of which 6 were awarded.

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MERCY KILLERS

Written & performed by Michael Milligan

Directed by Tom Oppenheim

Joe loves apple pie, Rush Limbaugh, the fourth of July and his wife Jane. But when his wife is diagnosed with cancer and loses her insurance, his patriotic feelings for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are turned upside down.

Thursday, May 23rd - 7pm
Saturday, May 25th - 1pm
Friday, May 31st - 9pm


HOW TO DO A ONE PERSON SHOW

Written & performed by Kelly Kinsella
Written & Directed by Padraic Lillis

World Premiere

Kelly is back! This time she will show us…wait…what is Kelly doing? In her own unique way, Kelly Kinsella will probably tell us how to do a one person show, but will no doubt reveal a lot more. Hysterical. Tangential. Insightful. Kelly Kinsella does Kelly Kinsella.

Thursday, May 23rd - 9pm
Saturday, May 25th - 3pm
Friday, May 31st - 7pm


Diana Oh is GOING ROGUE, the solo show

Songs written and performed by Diana Oh

Directed by Leta Tremblay

1/2 concert, 1/3 dance party, 1/3 playtime, 1/3 you're not gonna stay in your seats, 1/3 no bullshit. The math is right. Don't overthink it.  "You're the whole package. Song writing is amazing. Voice is out of this world. The most important thing to me is the live show and your show is electric and intimate and HUGE,” - Christopher Gabriel Nuñez.

Friday, May 24th - 7pm
Sunday, May 26th - 1pm
Thursday, May 30th - 9pm


DOS MUJERES

Written & performed by Desi Moreno-Penson

Directed by Jose Zayas

Two women. Two stories. One Actress.

Watch stereotypes get blown to smithereens as Desi Moreno-Penson gets even in the audition room and agrees to have a threesome.

Friday, May 24th - 9pm
Sunday, May 26th - 3pm
Thursday, May 30th - 7pm


THE F*CKING WORLD ACCORDING TO MOLLY

Written & Performed by Andrea Alton
Directed by Molly Marinik

Producer – Irwin Kroot

Choreography - John Paolillo

Costume Designer - Anthony Catanzaro

Sound Designer – David Crabb

Molly "Equality" Dykeman is a loveable, but barely lucid security guard at PS 339 who dabbles in a bit of poetry, a bit of Percocet and a lot of drink. She may be a foul mouthed, straight talking, lady kissing, mother lover, but she still needs to find a way to pull herself together, overcome bed bugs, love and sissy kids to perform in her first poetry show. Will she succeed? Only Molly can tell…

“A fucking riot!!! Like all good comedy, it makes you laugh and feel uncomfortable at the same time -- a real feat. Molly for Lez-ident!” - Village Voice, Michael Musto

Saturday, May 25th - 7pm
Tuesday, May 28th - 9pm
Saturday, June 1st - 3pm


WILL WORK FOR

Written  & performed by Dacyl Acevedo

Directed by Jo Cattell

Collaborator  Tamilla Woodard

Photographer, Illustrator, Costume Designer - Heather Anderson

World Premiere

Unemployment and the adventure begins! On a journey into the unknown, Dacyl Acevedo has to dodge through booby-trapped interviews, face demons of her employment past, hold tight to her dream while surviving the economic crash. Will Work For is a farcical and satirical journey into the new world of work and tells of how one person is surviving.

Saturday, May 25th - 9pm
Tuesday, May 28th - 7pm
Saturday, June 1st - 1pm


WIGGERLOVER [whiteboy+blackdad=greyareas]

Written & performed by James Anthony Zoccoli

Deejay & Sound Design by Gregor Mortis

Projections & Lighting Design by Elizabeth Boros-Kazai

NYC Premiere

Chicagoland, 1979: In this too-good-to-be-true story of one boy’s life in an interracial family, James Anthony Zoccoli recalls growing up as a half-Italian, half-Polish kid who wants to be Black when his White mom marries an African-American man.  Hilarity ensues!

“Deftly strikes a wonderful balance of hilarious-meets-poignant.”- Chicago Theatre Blog

Wednesday, May 29th - 7pm
Saturday, June 1st - 9pm
Sunday, June 2nd - 1pm


LAST LAUGH

Presented by The Movement Theatre Company

Written & performed by Eric Lockley

Directed by Jonathan McCrory

 “Think Spike Lee directing The Incredible Afro-Hulk from a screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, and you get a sense of the inner transformations and character mutations that Lockley performs in his 60 minutes on stage.” Says Daniel Lehman, Backstage, as Eric Lockley reprises his sold-out soloNOVA show exploring if laughter is the best medicine.

Wednesday, May 29th - 9pm
Saturday, June 1st - 7pm
Sunday, June 2nd - 3pm

A MAY SKY PICTURE
Proudly Presents

“My first experience of hearing Schuyler (Skye) Iona Press sing was one of those moments [being in the presence of greatness] and inspired me to share my appreciation for her remarkable talent.” – Rebekah Blu, Avalon Magazine Spring 2012

WHAT I’M FAILING TO LEARN
A mashup musical journey where truth holds hope

Music and Lyrics by 14-year-old SCHUYLER IONA PRESS

Starring SCHUYLER IONA PRESS

Choreography by JOEL HANNA

Music Arranged by JEB PATTON

Co-Directed by DARREN PRESS

Written and Co-Directed by C. FRASER PRESS

LIMITED OFF-BROADWAY ENGAGEMENT
MAY 15 – JUNE 15, 2013 AT THE 13th STREET REP

OPENING NIGHT IS WEDNESDAY, MAY 29 AT 7 P.M.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT 13THSTREETREP.ORG
 
A MAY SKY PICTURE is pleased to announce the workshop production of Schuyler Iona Press’ WHAT I’M FAILING TO LEARN, choreography by Joel Hanna, music arranged by Jeb Patton, co-directed by Darren Press, written and directed by C. Fraser Press. WHAT I’M FAILING TO LEARN will play a limited engagement at Off-Broadway’s 13th Street Rep (50 West 13th Street, NYC). Performances begin Wednesday, May 15 and continue through Saturday, June 15. Opening Night is Wednesday, May 29 (8 p.m.).
 
14-year-old singer songwriter Schuyler Iona Press, whose eclectic compositions include influences from modern folk, rock, and punk peppered with Latin grooves, is an outsider longing to be on the “inside”, simultaneously outraged by the implications—a kid entering adolescence and questioning her world. Accompanied by a live band, percussive modern Irish dancers and video, Schuyler brings us on a poetic imaginative quest into the depths of her emotions.
 
A mashup of theatrical drama/live concert/multimedia video, What I’m Failing To Learn takes us on a walking tour through the unpredictable streets of NYC and through the even more unpredictable mind of a young teenager.

What I’m Failing to Learn is a personal journey of a child colored by both positives and negatives of growing up unsheltered from certain truths of our human world.  As Schuyler learns, truth holds both comedy and tragedy, but most importantly, truth holds hope.

The production stars Schuyler Iona Press (Film: Theresa is a Mother) as herself. The ensemble/band includes Carlos Mena on bass, Annette Homann on violin and as the voice of Carol, Sardinian woman and Diner Lady, Henry Koperski on the piano/flute/sax and as the voice of Harvey, Matthew Gumley (Bdwy: Elf, Addams Family, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast Film: Theresa is a Mother) on electric guitar and as the voice of the Tour Guide, Sam Wagner (The Brighton Beat) on the drums, Dominique Porter as the voice of Schuyler and Savior Lady, and Hannah Tobias as voice of Mother, Sardinian teenager and Phyllis.
 
The production features lighting design by Rob Belchere and sound design by MikeDeRosa. Liz Peak is the stage manager.

WHAT I’M FAILING TO LEARN plays the following schedule:
 
Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Saturdays at 3 p.m.  

Tickets are $18-30 and are now available online at www.13thstreetrep.org or by calling 866-811-4111. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theater ½ hour prior to performance.

Running Time: 90 minutes

Website: http://www.whatimfailingtolearn.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WhatImFailingToLearn
www.schuylerionapress.com

Photos: http://bit.ly/WIFLPhotos

 

BIOGRAPHIES
 
SCHUYLER IONA PRESS (Music, Lyrics, Performer) is a 14-year old singer/songwriter guitarist and actress from NYC.  She is the youngest artist ever to play the singer/songwriter sessions at the Bitter End in NYC and has played numerous music festivals in the northeast throughout the summer of 2012 including Boston GreenFest, Block Island Music Festival, Black Potatoe Music Festival and more.
 
A prolific songwriter from an early age, at 12 years old Schuyler opened for award winning recording artist Ellis Paul. Schuyler composed the score to the independent feature film “Theresa is a Mother,” including recording “Summer Child” the main theme song. Theresa is a Mother is currently playing in film festivals around the country and has won numerous Best Film awards. Schuyler recently recorded a guitar/vocal for the music video to her 9/11 tribute song “Playground Museum.” This video premiered at the 2012 International Film Festival Manhattan and won in the music video category at the 2012 My HERO Film Festival in LA.  Schuyler was also nominated for a prestigious Ron Kovic Peace Prize.
 
As an actress, Schuyler was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Award from the 2012 Reel Independent Film Festival in Washington DC for her role in the film Theresa is a Mother.
 
A budding philanthropist, Schuyler is combining her talents and passions to create the I Am Today Project, an arts driven organization that works with children fighting serious illness helping them create personal and expressive projects in various artistic disciplines.

JOEL HANNA (Choreographer) is known for his athletic and boundary-breaking fusion of tap dance, musical percussion, Irish dance, and martial arts Joel Hanna has been called “one of the most exciting dancers to ever step on the World stage”.

Joel began his training at age 9 in Vancouver, B.C., achieving competitive success all over the world. Joel’s professional career took off after joining Riverdance: The Show in 1997, performing throughout Britain and North America. During this time he was selected to be the subject of a documentary, produced by CBC/Riverdance, called "The Badboy and the Hometown Girl", which is still broadcast today.

He has taught and choreographed award-winning pieces for schools and professional dance companies all over North and South America. His innovative style of teaching and performing has been sought-after all over the world, from Mexico City to as far North as Juneau, Alaska, and from Singapore to Warsaw, London and back! Joel also spent the summer of 2008 touring as Lead Tap Soloist in a UK tour of Magic of the Dance.

In 2007 Joel created Revolution: Sweat, Dance, Rock & Roll, which debuted in New York City at the world-famous Joyce Theater during its 25th anniversary season in Oct. 07'. Following the phenomenal success of its run, the production (partnered with Columbia Artists Management Inc. or "CAMI") performed a national tour sponsored by Gibson Guitars.

Recently, Joel performed for the delegates at the United Nations, opening the World Youth Assembly. He has performed as a soloist at the Jacob's Pillow Concert Series two years in a row, and has appeared with Grammy Award Nominee Dave Eggar at Lincoln Center in New York City. He will be seen choreographing in an upcoming Cirque du Soleil.

C. FRASER PRESS (writer, co-director) An Emmy nominated actress and writer (CBS Schoolbreak Special Stand Up 1995), C. Fraser Press began her professional career with the famed LaMama Theatre company in New York City where she performed in Andre Serban’s Fragments Of A Greek Trilogy both in NYC and on tour in the Middle East. She continued to act in theater in both Los Angeles and New York City. On stage nationally and on network and cable television, she has performed improvisation and stand-up comedy as well as three critically acclaimed one-woman shows. As a writer/director, her first film, the short, A Driving Lesson, was an official selection to over 30 film festivals worldwide and was nominated for and won numerous awards including the  Lou Costello Comedy award at the Garden State Film Festival.  A Driving Lesson also was also part of GlamourFilmFest.tv Glamour Magazine’s online film festival. Glamourfilmfest selects the best shorts by female directors chosen by Hollywood insiders. C. Fraser wrote, co-directed and starred in the award winning feature film Theresa is a Mother. Press received ‘Best Actress’, ‘Best Screenplay’ and
Best Director’ awards for her work on Theresa is a Mother. She is currently working on two new feature film scripts and a television pilot.

DARREN PRESS (co-director) Darren began writing, directing and producing in New York City’s off-off Broadway theater scene. Quickly moving to larger projects Off Broadway, Darren became the Managing Director of the Melting Pot Theatre Company, producing the highly acclaimed Outer Critics Circle Award nominee Woody Guthrie’s American Song and the Drama Desk Award winning Lee Blessing play Cobb, co-produced with Kevin Spacey. He produced the short film, A Driving Lesson, which was an official selection to over 30 film festivals and winner of numerous best short and comedy short categories including the Lou Costello Award at the Garden State Film Festival. Darren’s theatre directing credits include the critically acclaimed play Why We Don’t Bomb the Amish (St. Marks Studio Theatre, Gershwin Hotel); Checkpoint (Kraine Theatre, NYC); and Succulent (Pulse Ensemble Theatre, NYC). With his wife, C. Fraser Press, Darren co-directed and produced the feature film ‘Theresa is a Mother’ which is currently on the festival circuit and has already garnered many awards, including Best Picture and Best Director awards. Darren has also won awards for video and commercial direction for the United Way and the prestigious Dalton Pen Award for writing.

JEB PATTON (Music Arrangement) graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree with a major in music from Duke University, where he studied piano with Tibor Szasz, Douglas Buys, and Jane Hawkins. As a member of the Duke Jazz Ensemble under Paul Jeffrey, he performed with and/or arranged for more than 60 professional jazz artists, including 48 musicians from New York and more than 12 international jazz musicians from Italy, Monaco, and Portugal.

Studying under Sir Roland Hanna and Jimmy Heath, Jeb earned his Master of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in 1997 from the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College, City University of New York, where he also received the Louis Armstrong Award for composition from the ASCAP Foundation. Since graduating, Jeb has toured throughout the United States and abroad with the Heath Brothers and with Jimmy Heath’s Generations Quintet, performing in theaters, festivals, concert halls, colleges, and clubs. Since moving to New York in 1996, Jeb has also played with Etta Jones, the Faddis/Hampton/Heath Sextet, Winard Harper’s group, and Antonio Hart’s Quintet, Paul West, Rufus Reid, Peter Washington, Lewis Nash, Steve Nelson, Ralph Peterson, John Ore, Jimmy Cobb, Lonnie Plaxico, Carl Allen, Kyoshi Kitigawa, Jackie Mclean, Frank Wess, James Moody, Terell Stafford, Sean Jones, Diego Urcola, Jeremy Pelt, Gerald Cannon, Willie Jones III, Steve Davis, Keter Betts, Eddie Locke, Marlene Verplank, among others.

Major national and international festival appearances with the Heath Brothers include Savannah Music Festival (2005), New Orleans Jazz and Heritage (2005), Tri C Festival (2005), Newport (Rhode Island, 2004), Mt. Hood (Oregon, 2004), Charlie Parker Festival (NYC 2004, 2002), Atlanta (Georgia, 2004), Baden-Baden Festival (Germany, 2003), 8th Salzburg Jazz Autumn Festival (Austria, 2003), 45th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival (California, 2002), 3rd Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival (California, 2001), North Sea Jazz Festival (Holland, 2000), Äarhus Jazz Festival (Denmark, 2000), the Pori Festival (Finland, 1999), Graz “Jazz-Sommer” (Switzerland, 1999), and Wiggin Jazz Festival (England, 1999),
Recent New York City metro area appearances with the Heath Brothers include “Birds of a Feather: A Charlie Parker Tribute,” at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, May 21, 2004, (also featuring the Roy Haynes Quintet), and the January 24, 2004, NEA Jazz Masters Award Concert.

Other notable New York City performances include the Opening Nights of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Jimmy Heath’s 75th Birthday Celebration, October 19 and 20, 2001; and Jazz at Lincoln Center, Duo Series with Percy Heath in the Stanley Kaplan Penthouse, February 1 through 3, 2001.

Career highlights also include performing with Antonio Hart at the Kennedy Center in October 2003 at the National Visionary Leadership Project Gala and Awards Dinner. As protégés of Jimmy Heath, the duo performed a medley of all Jimmy Heath compositions in honor of Heath being named a Visionary in the Performing Arts.

Presently, when Jeb is not on the road with the Heath Brothers, he teaches musicianship and piano at Queensborough Communtiy College. Duties also include substituting for professors at Queensborough and Queens Colleges, giving lectures on jazz history, music appreciation, and coaching ensembles.

A MAY SKY PICTURE ENTERTAINMENT (AMSPE) is an entertainment production company founded by writers, producers and directors C. Fraser Press and Darren Press.  AMSPE’s first project was the short film A Driving Lesson – featured in over 30 film festivals worldwide and nominated for and winner of numerous film festival awards. A Driving Lesson was also a Glamour Magazine web film series official selection, which screened short films from up and coming female directors.
 
AMSPE’s latest project is the upcoming feature film Theresa is a Mother starring Edie McClurg, Matthew Gumley, and C. Fraser Press. Currently on the festival circuit, Theresa Is A Mother has already garnered many awards including Best Feature Film and Best Director, Orlando Film Festival; Best Feature Film and Best Actress, The Reel Independent Film Festival Washington DC; Best Feature Film; International Film Festival Manhattan; Best Screenplay and Best Actor, NYC Independent Film Festival.
 
AMSPE’s first music video, Playground Museum by Schuyler Iona Press, was screened at various film festivals and was a winner at the MY HERO film festival.
 
AMSPE is focused on developing artist-driven material for the Film, TV, Web, Live Entertainment and Music industries.


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