MEET THE CAST AND CREW OF STOP-MOTION!
About the Playwright:
Liz Kerin (she/her) Playwright Liz Kerin is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and author, who earned her degree from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Most recently, Liz inked a two-book deal with Tor Nightfire/Macmillan for her novel Night’s Edge, and her first book, The Phantom Forest, was released in 2019. Playwriting honors include The Kennedy Center, Premiere Stages at Kean, Theatricum Botanicum, The Road Theatre, FringeNYC, and Unicorn Theatre. Her play Stop-Motion was awarded the 2018 Parity Commission. On the film and television side, she was chosen for the 2016 Hit List and the Young and Hungry List, which names the top up-and-coming screenwriters in the industry. She is developing a feature film with Imagine Entertainment as well as a television series based on her forthcoming books. For more, please visit www.LizKerin.com.
Photo by Jess Nurse
About the Director:
Ludovica Villar-Hauser (she/her) Director is the Founder and Artistic Director of Parity Productions, where she has directs plays and readings yearly, most recently Duet by Otho Eskin (Theater at the Tabbard, London) and This Stretch of Montpelier by Kelley Niocle Girod (The 14th Street Y). Other directing (selected): Final Analysis (Signature Theatre); The Countess (Lamb’s Theatre); As It Is in Heaven (The Cherry Lane); This Will All Be Yours (The Barrow Group Theatre); Long Day’s Journey Into Night on London’s West End. Ludovica was one of the few women to own and operate her own theatre in NYC, The Greenwich Street Theatre, and the youngest woman to simultaneously direct and produce on London’s West End. Ludovica served on the Board of the League of Professional Theatre Women from 2009-2018, is the Producer of the Oral History Project, and was co-President from 2022-2023.
The Cast:
Emily Batsford (they/them) Xan is a theater maker and educator living in Brooklyn, NY. Their artistry prioritizes inclusion and accessibility, and includes immersive and physical theater practices, puppetry, & experimental forms. Emily has an extensive performance history, traveling internationally and across the United States. True to their passion for devising new work, Emily has also participated in countless work-in-progress showings at theatrical incubators across the five boroughs. When not performing, Emily is a Teaching Artist for Child’s Play NY, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, New York City Children’s Theater, and CO/LAB Theater Group.
Finn Kilgore (he/him) Harry is an actor born and based in Brooklyn, New York. He holds a Master’s degree from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and has worked in theaters all around the city, most recently featured in The Tallest Man in the World by Ailís Ní Ríain and In Blue by Ran Xia at the Tank theater. Finn is thrilled to be involved in the world premiere of Stop-Motion by Liz Kerin.
Paula Ewin (she/her) Sharon is a Founding Member of the acclaimed Off-Broadway theatre company, 29th Street Rep, where Paula has appeared in over 27 leading roles, including the Rep’s esteemed production of Rona Munro’s Bold Girls directed by Ludovica Villar-Hauser. Her numerous theatre credits include the National Tour of On Golden Pond and Tea at Five as Katharine Hepburn throughout the country. Thanks to all!
Jak Watson (he/him) Micah is a New York based actor born in San Francisco, California. Before the pandemic hit, he was last seen on the stage of Orlando Shakespeare Festival playing Macduff in Macbeth. Since then it has been Zoom play after Zoom play, including Azure D. Osborne- Lee’s Crooked Parts. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to participate in this project. Black Lives Matter.
Meghann Garmany (she/her) Charlotte is a queer artist and entertainer with a passion for new works. Television: “Mean Girl Murders” (HBO/MAX) Film: “Babyshower” Stage: The Mask of the Jaguar (The Schoolhouse Theater), Reina Hardy’s Glassheart and A Map to Somewhere Else with Everyday Inferno Theatre Company, Annette Storckman’s Bonesetter: A Tragislasher with Spicy Witch Productions, and Moses directed by Blayze Teicher as well as Laura Pederson’s Living Arrangements with Parity Productions. @TheGarm www. MeghannGarmany.com. If you can vote, she encourages you to do so. Visit vote.gov and save some lives. Love and Gratitude.
Emily Keefe (she/her) Clover has led 5 feature films, most recently movie musical Intermedium. She has appeared in many other feature length and short films, and on TV shows like The Blacklist, Crashing, and Billions. Her music video, Unhinged, which she created, performed in, and produced, premiered at Hollyshorts and 10 other film festivals, receiving 5 awards. She produces films and music videos with her partner, Jean-Luc McMurtry and their production company Vivre La Vie (VLV) Productions. They recently wrapped Microfocusing, a short film they co-wrote and produced, with Emily in the lead role.
The Team:
Nisha Ramnath (she/her) Animator is an animator that works in stop-motion and laser animation. She earned a BFA in Animation from the Maryland Institute College of Art and currently runs her own design firm that produces animated shorts and content for the Laser Light Show Industry. Her style of animation is DIY, making set and puppets out of common objects.
Jenna NG Lowry (she/her) Production Stage Manager is a NYC-based Stage Manager with experience in children’s theatre and arts administration. She was the production stage manager for The Dream of the Burning Boy (March 2018); Completeness (October 2018); Sons of the Prophet (April/May 2019); Of the woman came the beginning of sin and through her we all die (October 2019); Indoor Person (February/March 2020); NAPSeries (February 2019, January 2020).
Miriam Nilofa Crowe (she/her) Lighting Designer recently designed the world premieres of Teenage Dick (Ma Yi + The Public) and Kennedy (St. Clements Church). Other recent productions include, in DC, The Children (Studio Theatre) and, in New York, Charlie’s Waiting (Parity Productions), Hurricane Party (The Collective NY), SeagullMachine and home/sick (The Assembly), This is Modern Art and Platonov (Blessed Unrest), Anna (Dusan Tynek), PS160 (Gabrielle Mertz), 6 Characters . . . (Theodora Skipitares), 2Hymnvb (Anneke Hansen), The Penalty (The Apothetae), Medea (Bryan Davidson Blue), and Symphony for the Dance Floor (BAM). She is a founding member of Wingspace Theatrical Design, has an MFA from Yale, and is an adjunct at NYU, Tisch Drama.
Bailey Macejak (she/they) Video Editor is a multi-disciplinary theatre artist living in Brooklyn New York. She is a member of the Parity Graphics and Media team. Her work has been featured in NYWinterfest and in her mirror to herself. She is currently working on her first full length play. BFA from The New School College of Performing Arts School of Drama.
Nancy Pop (she/her) Filmed Stage Production Producer, Assistant Director and Editor THEATER: “The Farce of Cantaberry” (New York Theater Festival), “But I Met You On TV” (TheaterLab NYC), “TISMO” (Two Bimbos), “Almost Maimed” (Rogue Theater Festival and LadyFest at The Tank). FILM: “Lovely Boy” (dir: Blaine Isreal), “The Tannery” (dir: Willard Morgan and Gideon Berger),“Yes, Mother!” (dir: Misha Calvert), “New Boo” (dir: Nancy Pop), “The World’s Greatest Spaghetti” (dir: Blaine Isreal), and “Buffalo & Wolfy” (dir: Rebecca Ozer). See IMDB for additional credits and info. VOICEOVER: “The Cry of the Osprey” (dir: Alberto Carreras), “Burning Gotham” (Tribeca Audio 2022 Official Selection), “And Then I Sing” (dir: James Scully) COMMERCIAL: Eva NYC Recycling Campaign.
Maya Graffagna (she/her) Costume Designer is a New York based Costume and Graphic Designer. Most recently, Maya worked as Head Seamstress at the Playboy Club, NYC until its closing. Select credits: MICA The Play, and The Pillowman (Rivals of the West, MICA), Five Women (New York Theater Festival), With/Out Them (Swing Set), Ice Cream, Fro-Yo and Accusations of the Murder of John Lennon (Thespis Theater Festival), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Tempest Ladies), and Fabulous!... The Queen of New Musical Comedies (Write Act Repertory). Maya is also a founding member of the sketch comedy group Dave’s Friends, and is the Graphics, Media & Retail Manager at Parity Productions. Education: BFA, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).
Erin Bradford (she/her) Co-Video Editor Erin Bradford is an actor, dancer, teaching artist, writer, and producer. She holds a BA in Theatre and Dance from Muhlenberg College. She is the co-founder of Intermix, a company that creates and edits virtual recitals for various studios. Erin is also the creator, writer, and co-producer of the upcoming series Plant Moms.
Edna Biesold (she/her) Director of Photography is a German- born and New York-based independent filmmaker. She is a member of cinematographersxx and a recipient of the Franz Wieser Grant from ARRI as Director of Photography for the award-winning fantasy short film THE MOLOK, featuring live- action puppetry and practical effects. Edna honed her craft at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts on the Dean’s fellowship with a focus on cinematography. She is a traveler and language enthusiast and has shot projects across the globe. She holds a Graduate degree in Linguistics and Literature studies.
Andreea Mincic (she/her) Set Designer is a visual artist who works as a set and costume designer. Originally from Romania, she settled in New York City where she made friends with other artists. Some of her favorite collaborators are: 31Down, The Builders Association, Big Dance Theatre, Hoi Polloi, Jim Findlay, Radiohole, Mallory Catlett, Susan Marshall, Banana Bag & Bodice, Half Straddle.
Jennifer Kranz (she/her) Company Dramaturg An Emmy and Tony award-nominated producer, Jennifer Kranz has spent two decades in production and marketing in entertainment. She was a senior executive at AMC Networks and has held tenures at Cablevision, Time Warner, Lifetime Television, and NBC Universal, where she worked on Top 5 TV businesses such as USA Network, Sci Fi Channel, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movie Network. Along with the work she does proudly for Parity, Jennifer is also Director of Creative Development for Rosalind Productions, a commercial theatrical producing company. She continues to act as a senior-level consultant to the media industry. In addition, Jennifer has been a co- producer on Broadway, earning a Tony nomination and Drama Desk Award for the The Prom.
Jennifer has a Masters degree from New York University. She is a voting member of the TV Academy of Arts and Sciences and a board member of NY-based influencer theater company Page 73.
Judith Binus (she/her) Assistant Director Director: Numb is a Freezing Point, Red Emma (Readings); Assistant Director: She Calls Me Firefly (SoHo Playhouse, NPTC), For Heaven’s Sake!, The Brightness of Heaven! (Cherry Lane Theatre), This Will All Be Yours (MITF), Final Analysis (Signature Theatre). Stage Manager (Highlights) Broadway: A Doll’s House, An Inspector Calls, Children of a Lesser God, A Broadway Musical, Hello, Dolly; National: Deathtrap, City of Angels, Annie; Opera: Dallas Civic Opera; Dance: Joffrey. Lighting Designer: The Trojan Women, The Lower Depths, Joffrey II Ballet. Assistant Lighting Designer to Thomas Skelton, Ken Billington, John Gleason, Gil Wechsler. Board member: League of Professional Theatre Women. Founder: Women Count Research Project.
Megumi Katayama (she/her) Sound Designer is a Sound Designer, Sound Artist, and Composer based in NYC. Her recent design credits include Pass Over (Studio Theater), Pride and Prejudice (Long Wharf), For Colored Girls... (The Public), El Huracán (Yale Rep/The Sol Project, Connecticut Critics Circle Award Nomination). Megumi holds a BFA from University of Central Oklahoma and an MFA from Yale School of Drama.
Meg Gilbert (She/her) Parity Producing Associate is an NYC born and raised theater director, writer, performer, arts administrator, and community organizer. With over a decade of experience in the professional theater, Meg is currently the Producing Associate for Parity Productions. Additionally, she teaches public speaking for Cornell University, is the Social Media Manager for the League of Professional Theatre Women, and is a teaching artist for the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Prior to that, Meg served as Literary Associate at Florida Studio Theatre and was the Assistant Director for The Suffragist Project, a multi-media artistic endeavor to bring programming on women’s rights to the community. Meg holds a B.A. in Theater with a concentration in Directing from Bard College.