Of The Dream That Was My Life...
CREATIVE TEAM
KRISTYN KOCZUR (Playwright / Producer / Camille Claudel) is a proud New Yorker who has spent the better part of her life training and fine-tuning her instrument to act on the stage and in film. Professional training includes the full program at The Robert Patterson Studio. She is the recent recipient of the Best Actress Award in both the Cine Paris Film Festival and the Buddha International Film Festival. Her deepest honor is to celebrate through her craft not only that which binds people together, but that which makes them unique. www.kristynkoczur.com
DANIEL AMENDA (Director) has been teaching, directing and acting for the last 30 years. He became a professional actor at the age of twenty-two when he worked with Shakespeare & Company and The American Stage Company. Mr. Amenda studied with legendary acting teacher Robert Patterson in New York City. He currently serves as the artistic director Paramount Hudson Valley Arts and Treasure House Theater, and is laying the ground work for a professional company in the Lehigh Valley area. Mr. Amenda is currently solely dedicated to teaching and directing.
HENRY DAVIS (Rodin) is a native of New Jersey and a proud member of the New Jersey Creative Arts Collaborative (NJCAC) who has spent the last 7 years as a professional actor performing on the stage and in film. Henry studied and completed the full program at The Robert Patterson Studio in NYC. Theater credits include In Mysterious Ways, Letter Of Intention (Theater At St. Clement’s), Down Neck (Yendor Theater), & Ruined (Virtually staged for the United Nations) to name a few of the productions of which he’s had the privilege to be a part.
BART ELLIOTT (Paul) is a nuanced, character driven actor based in New York City. Originally from New Orleans, he moved to the city to train with Barbara Marchant at the William Esper Studio. After completing the two year program at Esper, he went on to work with other renowned teachers like Larry Moss and Bob Krakower. You can see Bart in the History Channel's The Booze Bets and Sex that Built America, Hulu's Wutang: An American Saga, and over ten short films shot all over the country. Bart is a member of Actors Equity Association and acquired his union status after starring in the play I Dreamed of Amish Country which premiered at the New York Theater Festival. He's excited to garner more stage experience from this new thrilling work. www.bartalexanderelliott.com
SOPHIA FURSHPAN (Young Camille) has lived most of her life in rural Northern California, where she spent almost all of her time participating in local theater. Since recently relocating to New York City with her family, she has landed roles in regional theater productions and a variety of short films. She is honored to be a part of the cast helping to bring the remarkable story of Camille Claudel to the stage. She wishes to thank her parents for their constant support and for making sure she gets off at the right subway stop.
TEDDY BIGGINS (Young Paul) is thrilled to join the cast for Of the Dream That Was My Life...! A native New Yorker, Teddy has been active in school theater and is eagerly awaiting the release of two separate short film projects. He would like to express his gratitude to Patricia Runcie-Rice for lighting a fire, and to his family for their constant love and support.
VALERIYA PUSHKAREVA (Monique) started her performing career as a clown-mine. She literally ran away to join a circus and performed death-defying feats for an audience of 2500 people in a theatre in beautiful Taiwan. Acting training includes study with Giles Foreman, Scene Study with Larry Moss, and Method with Susan Batson. Film credits include Spy Games, Merman Prince, and self-produced original works. Theatre credits include the devised work No Signal, an original movement production that was presented at Lincoln Center. Orange belt in Jeet Kune Do.
HANNAH FINK (Inmate Ensemble) is so excited to be a part of Of the Dream That Was My Life...! She was born and raised in Philly and just graduated from Montclair State University with her BFA in Musical Theatre. Hannah was seen in multiple productions at MSU including Pippin (Ensemble), Into the Woods (Cinderella), and two, fully staged new musicals as well (Brooklyn's Bridge, The Names We Gave Him). She was also seen in multiple productions at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia including, their annual A Christmas Carol. Major thanks to her family and friends for their constant motivation and love as well to Mark Hardy and Peter Flynn for all of their knowledge and wisdom!! Instagram: @hannahfiink
COLLIN HENDLEY (Inmate Ensemble) is an NYC-based actor originally from South Georgia. Recently, he played George in Godspell, Fred/Dance Captain in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, and Glenn Cooper in Rumors at Prairie Repertory Theatre. He is thrilled to be making his New York Theatre debut with this production!
FREDERIC JEAN (Inmate Ensemble) is a French citizen who moved to the U.S. in 2011 to work with Cirque du Soleil in Hollywood at the Kodak Theater for the show Iris. With great pleasure, he performed for the 84th Academy Awards and performed in The Wiz live on NBC with Queen Latifah, Amber Riley, Common, Uzo Aduba, Ne-Yo, David Alan Grier, Kenny Leon and Fatima Robinson. Frederic is a hard worker with multiple talents, but his passion is storytelling. He studied theater at the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute and Noho Playhouse West. He worked as a stuntman for movies like Emancipation with Will Smith and made his debut as a television actor in Cobra Kai. SAG • AFTRA and AEA member, Frederic is proud of fulfilling all of his dreams as an artist.
NISSI VICTORIA TORO (Inmate Ensemble) is a New York City-based performer. She graduated from the Performing Arts School in Hell’s Kitchen. Of the Dream That Was Her Life is a show she is excited to be part of.
FRANCIS J. ROACH (Choreographer) is the owner, Artistic Director and Head Faculty of Luigi's Jazz Centre in New York City where he learned directly from Luigi for 38 years. He travels the world teaching Luigi's legacy in Japan, Italy, Brazil, South Africa, France and Germany. In the USA, he is a frequent guest teacher at Manhattan Youth Ballet and other workshops such as Broadway Theater Project for Ann Reinking and Debra McWaters. Choreography credits include: Broadway benefits for ALS at the Richard Rogers Theater, fashion shows for the NYC and Boston Marathons, Don Westwood's opera company in Las Vegas, international MTV videos, Japanese national commercials, Jazz Choreography Enterprises in NYC, and a magazine spread for Charlotte D'Amboise. He is the longtime resident choreographer for NY Artists Unlimited Theatre Company. Francis is proud to have assisted Luigi for one of Liza Minnelli's tours.
CALLIE STRIBLING (Stage Manager) is a freelance theatre professional based out of New York City. Her past shows as a stage manager include the New York premieres of FRIENDLY'S FIRE and UNTITLED CALAMITY JANE PLAY (Rising Sun Performance Company), THE DOG SHOW (Players Theatre), ABNORMAL (Theatre Row), and her most recent play at ATA, the production of GUNS, GOD AND GOMORRAH. You can find her on Instagram: @cstribl.
KEN COUGHLIN (Technical Director) has been involved in the entertainment industry since the early 70s, learning as much as he could about virtually every aspect of the business. Ken has spent nearly 30 years at ATA, working in every capacity and in every space during that time. His lighting, set, sound and video designs were most recently seen in AMERICAN GREED, and AFTER ZERO, both performed in the Serene Sargent Theatre. His sound and lighting designs were also on display in ONE LIFE, LIVE IT, SUICIDE BRIDGE and WRITTEN IN THE STARS.