Performing Arts, Inc.
Ensemble Atria
Ensemble Atria's "Frame 313" was performed at the June Havoc Theatre in the 2014 Midtown International Theatre Festival. Victoria Rae Sook, founder of Ensemble Atria, was awarded "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Full Length Play" for performance as Sylvia.
Summary of the show:
Wrapped up in the reels and documents of the Kennedy assassination, Mark, a prodigious pianist, is frozen in a frame saturated by the past. His future is out of focus until Sylvia enters the picture. Can Sylvia’s love strike the right chord and move Mark past Frame 313?
Cast for the 2014 MITF production was as follows:
Mark Lifton- Colin Friend
Sylvia Ford- Victoria Rae Sook
Ed Meagher- Troy Peckham
Megan Payne- Nicole Intravia
Anthony Prospero- Frank Anderson
Voice from Columbia- Sean Ricciardi
Past Productions
Ensemble Atria's "Drowning Ophelia" played in New York City in April 25th, 2016, at the DeSotelle Studio Theatre in Midtown. It was subsequently co-produced with Eager Risk Theater Company at the Iron Factory Theatre in Philadelphia in September of 2016.
Photograph by Jake Dana Stevens
Envoy
By Belinda Bremner
was produced by Ensemble Atria and Christopher Tefft as part of the 2013 Midtown International Theatre Festival
Laura Duncombe, Envoy's set designer (and Board Member) won the Award for Best Scenic Design in the Festival
The press release:
Ensemble Atria, Christopher Tefft, and the Midtown International Theatre Festival present Envoy by Belinda Bremner beginning July 17th at the Main Stage Theatre in the Abingdon Theatre Complex.
Directed by Victoria Rae Sook, performances will continue through August 4th.
The Envoy cast includes Actors' Equity Members Alicia Dawn Bullen and Victoria Rae Sook. Also featured in this drama are Dianna Blaylock, Ashley Farley, Colin Friend, Carl Zurhorst, Camara McLaughlin, Courtney Pruden, Siddiq Saunderson, JD Scalzo, Rebecca Vineyard, and Brandon A. Wright. In this captivating drama, a dozen college students traveling internationally with a Peace Corps–like organization are kidnapped and held captive by native terrorists. The hostages divide and unite among themselves as fear and hope battle within their ranks. Let their voices reach your heart and open your mind.
Ensemble Atria is a brand new theatre company that is dedicated to creating art that inspires the heart. Ensemble Atria Performing Arts, Inc. is a 501C3 non-profit organization. Ensemble Atria is happy to announce a budding collaborative relationship with The Music Building in Times Square rehearsal facility (www.MusicBuilding.com)
More info on the Midtown Festival:
Photograph by Jake Dana Stevens
Ensemble Atria Hosts a
Spook-Tacular Open Mic Night
Ensemble Atria hosts a Halloween open mic night. Come in costume, ready to perform or observe as your character. Come celebrate Halloween and the start of our new season with us!
October 31st, 2013 9pm $5 Cover
Two Drink Minimum
The Underground Lounge
955 W End Ave, New York, NY 10025
Backseat of the Lincoln
by Bill Zeffiro
Directed by Peter Napolitano
November 19th, 2013 8pm $10 Suggested Donation
Two Drink Minimum
The Underground Lounge
955 W End Ave, New York, NY 10025
Featuring:
Mark Lifton- Brendan Sokler
Sylvia Ford- Victoria Rae Sook*
Ed Meagher- Colin Friend*
Megan Payne- Dianna Blaylock*
Anthony Prospero- Bill Zeffiro
Stage Directions- Camara McLaughlin*
*denotes Ensemble Atria Company Member
Drowning Ophelia
by Rachel Strayer
Directed by Amina Camille
December 3rd, 2013 8pm $10 Suggested Donation
Two Drink Minimum
The Underground Lounge
955 W End Ave, New York, NY 10025
Featuring:
Jane- Rebecca Vineyard*
Ophelia- Victoria Rae Sook*
Adam- Colin Friend*
Edmund- JD Scalzo*
Female Voice/ Voice- Dianna Blaylock*
Stage Directions- Coya Pruden*
*denotes Ensemble Atria company member
In 2013, Ensemble Atria presented a series of new works as Staged Readings at the West End Lounge (Formerly "The Underground Lounge". Playwrights and actors may submit to participate in future projects at EnsembleAtria@gmail.com
Snowhead Junction
by Dan Kinch
Directed By Victoria Rae Sook*
November 5th 8pm $10 Suggested Donation
Two Drink Minimum
The Underground Lounge
955 W End Ave, New York, NY 10025
Featuring:
JD Scalzo*- Dean, A young homeless man with unfashionably short hair
Amina Camille- Carol, A sweet young girl
Josh Wagner- Anton, A drug dealer—intense and rangy and coked-out
Colin Friend*- Davey, A line-chef at a French Restaurant putting in part-time hours in drug trade
Camara McLaughlin*- Lydia, A beautiful young woman enamored of Davey
Coya Pruden*- Gena, A restaurant co-worker of Davey’s, having major relationship problems
Mark Ryan Anderson- Roger, A burned-out Vietnam era Navy vet marking time by waiting tables at the same restaurant Davey and Gena work at
Stage Directions- Dianna Blaylock*
Swing-Mark Ryan Anderson
* denotes an Ensemble Atria company member
Artists in Collaboration for Envoy
Belinda Bremner, Playwright of "Envoy"
Belinda Bremner (EA's current playwright) is the author of the Kennedy Center Prize winning Mrs. Coney, Re: Joyce, SS Esperanza, Fable Settings, Faire Playe, Scatter The Proud, and Midwinter's Tales.A Joesph Jefferson winner and proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA, she founded ShawChicago and was a founding member of the Body Politic Ensemble and has worked as both actor and director with such theatres as the Goodman, Court, Northlight, St. Nicholas, and Festival Theatre as well as in films and television. The first woman graduate of Kenyon College, she taught for over 20 years at the Theatre Conservatory of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
Envoy was written for a group of students at CCPA. It was later produced professionally in Chicago and as well as at University of the Arts in Philadelphia.