Elevator Heart
Elevator Heart is a modular musical theatre piece built of vignettes that explore the diverse experiences of women in the 21st century. There's room for everyone's voice as the ensemble creates a world of songs, scenes, and monologues that explore the way we tell stories and lay bare the intersections of being a woman.
Elevator Heart Book & Lyrics by Sara Cooper Music by Amy Burgess and Julia Meinwald Director: Dev Bondarin Music Director: Rich Silverstein
Starring: Sherz Aletaha Ally Bonino Joanna Carpenter Lizette Cruz Latoya Edwards Ellen Condon Macy Aneesh Sheth Tatiana Wechsler
Elevator Heart was developed at the Tisch New Musicals Workshop at NYU with the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program and the New Studio on Broadway, as well as through concerts at Dixon Place and The Producer’s Club. Elevator Heart received a 2016 New Works Grant from Queens Council on the Arts.
Bios:
Amy Burgess (music) is a composer/lyricist from New York City. Recent Theatre: "Elevator Heart,” Good2Go Festival with Prospect Theatre Company (2017), Tisch New Musicals workshop (2016), Queens Council on the Arts Grant (2016), concerts at Dixon Place (2015, 2016); "Ripe Figs Won't Keep," choreography by Clare Cook, for STIR: An Evening of Food and Dance presented by Basin Arts and Runaway Dish at Acadiana Center for the Performing Arts, Lafayette, LA (2017); "Under My Skin," choreography by Clare Cook, Dance Now NYC, Joe's Pub (2014); "Show Me Real" with Clare Cook Dance Theatre, NYMF (2012), Tada! Theater (2012). Choral Commissions (Selection): for the Portland Symphonic Girlchoir: "We Will Speak" (2017) International Premiere, St. Giles Church, Edinburgh, Scotland (summer 2017); "Look To This Day" (2016); "Dreamer of Dreams" (2014). Many other Choral works. Composer-in-Residence, Portland Symphonic Girlchoir (2014, 2016, 2017, upcoming 2018). Amy writes and sings in the band Two Sheets to the Wind with Joel Waggoner (reverbnation.com/twosheetstothewind). Amy received her BM in Composition from Pacific Lutheran University and MFA from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. www.elevatorheartmusical.weebly.com / @composeramy
Sara Cooper (book and lyrics) is a playwright and lyricist. Awards and Honors: 92Y Musical Theatre Lab Collective (2017-2018); American Opera Initiative Fellowship, Washington National Opera (2017); Queens Council on the Arts grant for Elevator Heart (2016); New York State Council on the Arts Individual Theatre Artist Commission (2015); Jonathan Larson Grant, American Theatre Wing (2014); National Endowment for the Arts and National Alliance for Musical Theatre National Fund for The Memory Show (2013); Weston Playhouse New Musical Award for Loving Leo (2012). In addition to Elevator Heart, her recent works include: Fault Lines, World Premiere at The Kennedy Center (2018); The Memory Show, United Kingdom Premiere, New Bard Productions in London (2016), Original Cast Recording, Yellow Sound Lab (2015), Transport Group at The Duke on 42nd Street (2013), Asian Premiere, Water Gate Media in Seoul (2012-2013), Barrington Stage Company (2010), NAMT (2010); Mechanical, concert, Dixon Place (2017); Things I Left On Long Island, musical: concert, Dixon Place (2016), play: FringeNYC (2014), FringeNYC Playwriting Award (2014), Time Out New York Critics’ Pick (2014); Loving Leo, Weston Playhouse (2013). MFA Musical Theatre Writing and BFA Dramatic Writing, Tisch School of the Arts. Dramatists Guild, ASCAP. http://saracooper.weebly.com
Julia Meinwald (music) Julia is a weird little optimist and a composer for musicals, film, and the occasional computer game score. Her non Elevator Heart musicals include Pregnancy Pact (2012 Weston Playhouse, 2011 NAMT, 2011 YIMT), The Loneliest Girl in the World (2016 NAMT, 2015 UARTS workshop, 2014 OutLoud at Ars Nova) and REB + VoDKa + ME (2017 NYU workshop, 2017 YIMT, MTF’s 2016-2017 Lerner and Loewe group, Civilians 2015-2016 R&D Group), all with collaborator Gordon Leary. Julia has developed work through New Dramatists CLDP, the Dramatist Guild fellowship, American Lyric Theatre, Lincoln Center Director's Lab, Uncharted at Ars Nova, the Civilians R&D group, Fresh Ground Pepper’s Playgroup, the Musical Theatre Factory writers group, and the 92nd Street Y Musical Theatre Lab. She has peer pressured friends into buying tickets to shows of hers at 54 Below, Rockwood Music Hall, Dixon Place, and the Laurie Beechman. Julia holds a BA in Music from Yale and an MFA from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. www.juliameinwald.com
Dev Bondarin (Director) is thrilled to continue to work on Elevator Heart after directing the NYU New Studio workshop last fall. Dev is the Artistic Director of Astoria Performing Arts Center where her directing credits include: Raisin, (2017 winner NYIT Award for Outstanding Musical Production, nominee, NYIT Award for Best Director), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Astoria Stories, Merrily We Roll Along (2015 winner, NYIT Award for Outstanding Musical Production), and In The Bones. As Associate Artistic Director of Prospect Theater Company, she curates and directs a musical theater lab which has produced over 70 new, short musicals. Other selected credits: national tours of Junie B. Jones and Junie B.'s Essential Survival Guide To School (Theatreworks USA), King Lear (American Bard), A Home Across The Ocean (MTWorks), and Reefer Madness (Gallery Players). Member: LCT Directors Lab. Associate Member: SDC, League of Professional Theatre Women. MFA: Brooklyn College. BA: Brandeis University. devbondarin.net
Rich Silverstein (music director) is thrilled to return to "Elevator Heart"! He spent June in Uruguay working on a symphonic Andrew Lloyd Webber concert. Other music direction credits include "War on Christmas" (The Civilians), "Broadway Tomorrow: Nick Blaemire" (Kennedy Center), "Spring Awakening" (Hangar Theatre), "35MM" (original NYC production, iTunes cast recording), "Pregnancy Pact" (Weston Playhouse), "Musical of Musicals" (Cincinnati Playhouse), "Zanna, Don't!" (York Theatre), "Broadway Under the Stars" (Sonoma's Transcendence Theater Company), and numerous concerts, developmental readings, and workshops. Passionate about new work, Rich is also a proud AEA member; acting credits include Goodspeed, Cincinnati Playhouse, and NJ Rep. Founding producer and MD: 2014's sold-out "Broadway Battles Bullying" benefit at NYC's Skirball Center and 2015's "Winter Wind Sings" Trevor Project benefit at 54 Below. TV: "The Apprentice" with Kristin Chenoweth. Rich is a frequent collaborator with Julia Meinwald (and Gordon Leary) - up next is "REB+VoDKa+ME" at NYU. Yale grad, dog lover, coffee snob.