Jules Verne's From The Earth To The Moon

by Sean David DeMers
Music Director: Maya Bassuk
Choreographer: Christopher Noffke
Projection Designer: Taylor Edelle Stuart

Directed by Ariel Francoeur

Following the Civil War, The Baltimore Gun Club turns their considerable artillery know how to sending a projectile to the moon. From The Earth To The Moon explores this largely forgotten historic event in a steampunk, revisionist, spectacularly epic fantasy.

Synopsis

CAST BIOS

ALEX TAYLOR - General Morgan

Alex Taylor (General Morgan) is thrilled to be working with Sean & Ariel on this project! Recent credits include Aufidius in Hudson Shakespeare Company’s all-female Coriolanus and Richmond in Richard III with the Fools & Kings Project. Keep up with Alex at alextayloractor.com, and on Instagram @taylorrosealex!

BRIAN THOMAS WILSON - Michael Ardan

Brian Thomas Wilson is coming out of his cave with this amazing show. Over the last several years he has been building old houses, writing an extensive screenplay, teaching in the Bronx, and building community living spaces. Whew! Well the short of it is he went to College for theatre and music at the University of Southern Maine and conservatory training at AMDA. He has toured, worked in children’s theatre, worked as a puppeteer, commercial work, film, and lived the dream of the starving artist. Here he is once again breaking out in a brand new role... and he’s not starving anymore!

HALEY COURTER - Maston

Haley is proud to be part of the group of University of Iowa transports now working together in NYC. She has joined forces with Ariel and Taylor in The Navigators' staged readings of Over and Out, The Future of Coffee Houses, and Sweet Sixteen. She has also had the privilege of performing Sean's new work twice before in Faculty Portrait (Iowa New Play Festival and UP Theatre Company) and Great Emergencies (Iowa NPF). This project has been a celebrated reunion!

BRANDON THOMAS MARTIN - Impey Barbicane

Brandon Thomas Martin (Barbicane) is thrilled to be joining the cast of this exciting new work! Past credits include: Prof. Bhaer in Meg Jo Beth Amy and Louisa (Tier5 Productions); Jesus in Godspell (Brooklyn One Productions); Grantaire in Les Miserables (The Palace Theatre). Thanks to the production team, to Ariel and Sean, family, friends, and of course La Lune.

AUSTIN WICKE - Courier, Ensemble

Austin is very excited to be apart of this show as it is his first performance in New York City and with this cast and crew. Austin is a recent graduate from the University of Iowa where he majored in Theatre Arts. Previous community credits include; J.D., Heather's; Davey, Newsies; Peter, Peter and the Starcatcher; Roy, Fun Home; Henry, Next to Normal; Fester, The Addams Family. He would like to thank his friends and family for their unending support and hopes you enjoy the show!

SARAH ELIZABETH PENCHEFF - Captain Nicholl

Sarah Elizabeth Pencheff is an actor, costume designer, make-up artist, stage manager, and Props Wizard (TM) based in New York City. OFF BROADWAY: Naked Holidays 2013; NEW YORK: The Ded Sullivan Show, The Pregnancy of Angela Freak, RUR, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Vignettes for the Apocalypse, Naked Holidays 2011-12. FILM: That's What She Said, Priscilla, Birdman; TV: Celebrity Ghost Stories. AWARDS: Best Actress (Take 10), Best Actress-Sci-Fi (NYC Midnight Film Festival). Thanks to Sean and Ariel--it's good to be on stage again! And of course, love to Brandon, always.

BENJAMÍN CARDONA - Rodman

“I’ve got a life to lead, I got a soul to feed, I got a dream to heed, and that’s all I need.” Acting credits include: Meg Jo Beth Amy & Louisa - John Fucking Brooke (Center at West Park, Hollywood Fringe '19 & Capital Fringe '19), Death of a Shoe Salesman - Dr. Blake (Hudson Guild Theater), Treehouse of Dreams - Mark (WinterFest '19), Verzet:Amsterdam - Willi (Theater for the New City), The Pillowman - Katurian (UPR Theatre) and indie films: Thicker Than Water (Official Selection of the PR Queer Film Fest, and the Puerto Rican Heritage Film Fest in New York) and Onomatopoeia. Directing credits include: Patrick Marber's Closer and Tony Kushner's Angels in America.

ALEEZA LEW - Smith, Ensemble

Aleeza has been involved with various theatrical productions around NYC, and has appeared onstage at The Secret Theatre, Theaterlab, Under St. Marks, Theater for the New City, and Paradise Factory. After years of performing in straight plays only, "From the Earth to the Moon" is Aleeza's first venture into musical theater, which has indeed been like a journey to a different world. Many thanks to Ariel and Sean for all of their guidance and hard work!

RACHEL SATHER - Scientist, Ensemble

Rachel is a recent graduate of the University of Iowa where she studied and majored in Theater Arts. Her recent credits include Big Love, The Wolves, and The Twilight Bowl. She is thrilled to work with an incredible group of artists and finding some Iowans since her recent move to the Big Apple.

TAYLOR EDELLE STUART - J.M. Belfast, Projection Designer, Co-Scenic Design, Movement

Taylor Edelle Stuart (Video Designer, Belfast, Chuck) is a New York based filmmaker and theatre artist. Recent New York Projection Design credits include: Friendly's Fire (The 14th St. Y), Intrusion (St. Luke's Theatre), The Talmud (Associate - Target Margin Theatre), The Trade Federation... (IRT), Leni's Last Lament (The Chain), Crushing Baby Animals (The Plaxall Gallery, IRT), Parlor Tricks (Wild Project), Happy Happy Happy Happy (The Tank), Turing Test (NYC Fringe). Upcoming: Where do We Live? and In the Blood (Lenfest Center for the Arts). Keep an eye out for Taylor in the upcoming feature film You Mean Everything to Me (Dir. Bryan Wizemann). Taylor is the lead video projection moderator for the TED Talks TED world theatre, she finished an internship at New Dramatists earlier this year where she collaborated with resident playwrights on integrating live media into their scripts, she is the throes of developing a short-film called Dolly Loves Daddy, and was a 2018 Sundance | Youtube New Voices Lab Finalist. www.tayloredellestuart.com

CREATIVE TEAM BIOS

SEAN DAVID DEMERS - Music, Book, Lyrics

Sean David DeMers is a playwright with New England and New York City based roots. His plays include ENCAPSULATED (Navigators Theater Company), FACULTY PORTRAIT (Last Frontier Conference Selection), GOING THERE (O’Neill Semi-Finalist), REDACTED (Riverside Theater), RETURN TO MONGOOSE ISLAND, PHOEBE (Richard Maibaum Scholarship), DREAMS OF ELYSIA (Two Lights Theatre Ensemble), FRIENDLY FIRE (Des Moines Social Club), YOU LOVE MYSELF (Prime Number Productions), and THE SUICIDE OF MARK TWAIN (Harvest Theatre Festival).

MAYA BASSUK - Music Direction, Arrangements

Maya Bhagwat Bassuk is an NYC actor and musician, and she is over the moon to be making her official music directing debut! New York/LA: Ramona, A New Musical (Center at West Park), meg jo beth amy & louisa (Hollywood Fringe Festival), Immigrant Son (NYTF Summerfest). Regional: The Tempest (Saratoga Shakespeare), Once (Pioneer Theatre Company), The Importance of Being Earnest (Iowa Summer Rep). Maya has BAs in Theatre Arts and Music from the University of Iowa, and she’s a proud member of Actor’s Equity. Heaps of gratitude to Ariel, Sean, and the Iowa theater family. Love always to Will!

CHRISTOPHER NOFFKE - Choreographer

Christopher Noffke (Choreographer) is an award winning Choreographer/Director/Teacher, Creative Consultant for NY Theatre Barn’s The Choreography Lab, STEPS on Broadway and on staff with Man In Motion! Recent credits include “Death Of A Shoe Salesman” (Hudson Guild Theatre/NYTF), “And Then There Were None” and “Assassins” (The Secret Theatre), and a NYC Reading of Dan Firman’s “The Proust Virus”. He was named Best Director for “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” and Best Choreographer for “ Gypsy” and “ The Wedding Singer” by DCMetroTheatreArts in 2014 and 2015. He has directed for Riverside Center for the Performing Arts (The Wedding Singer, Chicago, Footloose, Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, Hello Dolly starring Sally Struthers, Full Monty, Dreamgirls and Whtie Christmas), Secret Theatre, Kentucky Rep (Little Women, Yes, Virginia, Oliver, Santaland Diaries), The Navigators, Naples Dinner Theatre, (Chicago, Dames At Sea, Cabaret, Pirates Of Penzance, Victor Victoria, Funny Girl, Tommy, Bye Bye Birdie) Priscilla Beach Theatre (Dames At Sea) and Northern Lights Playhouse (My Fair Lady, My Way, Chicago, Honkey Tonk Angels), Pines Dinner Theatre (Altar Boyz)!

ARIEL FRANCOEUR - Director

Ariel is an actor and a director of new works. MegJoBethAmy & Louisa, a play she devised and directed, recently ran in NYC, LA, and DC and will premier regionally this January at Southwest Shakespeare in Arizona. In the New York area, her work has been seen at the Park Avenue Armory Studios, Atlantic Stage 2, Plaxall Gallery, Dixon Place, Center at West Park, Alchemical Lab, Samuel French OOB Festival, the Estrogenius Festival, Hartford Opera Theater, and many others. As an actor, recent roles include Olivia in Twelfth Night (Red Monkey Theater Group), Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (Red Monkey Theater Group), Captain Izabel Hicks in the post-apocalyptic play Shelter (Otherworld Theater in Chicago), and Clytemnestra in Iphigenia in Aulis (SpiritFox Productions). For five years she was the Producing Artistic Director of The Navigators, a Feminist Sci-Fi Theater Company. She is also married to the writer of this show. MFA Directing, University of Iowa. www.arielfrancoeur.com.

ADOLPHO BLAIRE - Assistant Choreographer

MOLLY CARROLL - Co-Scenic Design, Violence Design

Molly studied theatre at the University of Arkansas and is a member of the Society of American Fight Directors. Favorite roles include Hebe in Over & Out (Navigators Theater Company), Desdemona in Othello, and Laura in The Glass Menagerie. mollythebard.com

TED CHARLES BROWN - Lighting Designer

Ted studied design and technology at the University of Iowa, working as an electrician at the University theatre, opera, and dance department as well as local theatres. In his last year of college, Ted participated in URTAS to consider graduate schools and after spending the summer of 2018 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, furthering his education as both a programmer and master electrician, decided to instead move to New York City. Ted is now based in New York City working as a freelance assistant and programmer. In his free time, Ted enjoys learning new things, video games, and visiting his parents and their dog in Michigan. Tedcharlesbrown.com

YANNIK ENCARNAÇÃO - Publicity

Yannik is a Manhattan-based artist who is excited to be working on this show that includes so many of his former colleagues from the University of Iowa! Previously he has worked as an actor, including credits such as: Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph; Herricks Players), Cowboy Mouth (Slim; University of Iowa), Mamma Mia! (Eddie; Plaza Theatricals Regional Tour), and A Modest Proposal (Orderly 3; Cherry Lane Theater)

SULA NOBLE DEMERS - Poster Design

Sula is in her final year at Smith College majoring in Geology with a preferred study in art and doodling. She has worked extensively in community theatre and hopes to one day be in a production of Cats, mainly for the cosplay.