DIRECTING WORK
WAT Project's New York premiere production of Gregorian by Matthew Greene.
Aaron Lynn in Gregorian
WAT Project's New York premiere production of Gregorian by Matthew Greene.
Gregorian
By: Matthew Greene
Walker Space: The Soho Playhouse
Karah Gravatt & Lolita Brinkley tell the personal stories of imprisoned battered women. Photo courtesy of Isaiah Tenenbaum Theatrical Photography
The inmates played by *Anne Bobby, *Annette Hunt, Karah Gravatt, and *Adrienne D. Williams. Parolee, Helen Broker played by *Lolita Brinkley. *Members of Actors Equity Association Photo courtesy of Isaiah Tenenbaum Theatrical Photography
Life Without Parole
By: Warren Doody
Official Selection
2014 New York International Fringe Festival
Teatro LeTea
Inspired by original transcripts from real-life case studies of incarcerated domestic violence survivors, Life Without Parole takes you "behind the barbed wire" exposing how these convicted women bond together, explore their pasts, and survive when orange becomes their new black and blue. www.LifeWithoutParolePlay.com
The cast: Katrina Yaukey, Dionne Figgins, Chad Luke Schiro, and Heather Lang.
Alicia Charles as air head monkey, Lindsey.
Welcome To The Jungle!
By: Chad Luke Schiro
Directed By: Jessica Dermody
World Premiere
Ars Nova
This wildly imaginative Sketch & Dance Odyssey created and choreographed by Chad Luke Schiro was an official selection of ANTFEST 2013 and played to sold out audiences.
This pop cultre multimedia extravaganza mixes sketch videos with live dance performance and sketch scenes for an epic theatrical experience.
Aaron Krohn sneeks up on Joey Calveri during the stage reading of Lone Star.
Lone Star
By: James McLure
Directed By: Jessica Dermody
David Lynch Foundation Event
Staged Reading
This classic American play was presented with its sister play Laundry & Bourbon by James McLure as the first venture in a series of staged reading events to support The David Lynch Foundation.
Lone Star was presented in front of the James McLure Estate during this sold out event with all funds raised supporting the DLF initiative Operation Warrior Wellness. www.operationwarriorwellness.org
Gregorian portrays one family's journey through the bloodiest century in human history as four generations discover the gravity of a name passed from father to son. Beginning with the Gregorian family's own tragic roots in the Armenian Genocide, through the rise of the Nazi Party, across the killing fields of Cambodia, and the continuing crisis in Africa, they do all they can to hold on to heritage, history, and hope.
Gregorian’s cast includes Aaron Lynn (The Glory of the World at BAM), Heather Lang (American in Paris), Margaret Reed (Orson’s Shadow), Madeleine Barker (Grease), and Geri-Nikole Love (Jay & Ruby Get Religion). The creative team is helmed by Director Jessica Dermody, featuring Movement by Charlie Sutton, Set Design by Jeff Hinchee, Costume Design by Tina McCartney, and Lighting Design by Michael O’Connor.
Convicted Women Against Violence Nikki Powerhouse (center), Judy Pollock, Pauline Rulla, Kate A. McGrath, Karah Gravatt
Convicted Women Against Violence Nikki Powerhouse (center), Judy Pollock, Pauline Rulla, Kate A. McGrath, Karah Gravatt
Life Without Parole
By: Warren Doody
New York Premiere
Manhattan Reperatory Theatre
Sometimes, the greatest injustice is the justice system itself. Inspired by Dr. Elizabeth Dermody Leonard’s Convicted Survivors: The Imprisonment of Battered Women Who Kill, Life Without Parole draws on the original transcripts and testimonies of women incarcerated at the California Institution for Women at Chino for killing their abusive partners.
New York Premiere
Sold Out Run During Winterfest 2013 - Official Extension Awarded
Martin Markaj as Lee Harvey Oswalds mother, just one of the 14 roles he tackled in Fruits Unheard Of.
(Color) Martin Markaj as Lee Harvey Oswalds mother, just one of the 14 roles he tackled in Fruits Unheard Of.
Fruits Unheard Of
By: Caitlin Murphy
Directed By: Jessica Dermody & Sharone Halevy
U.S. Premiere
chahama & Working Artists Theatre Project
Environmental Theatre Gallery 315 East 43rd St.
A biopic play about the life and subjects of acclaimed photographer, Diane Arbus. This play with its cast of two offers the ultimate creative challenge with one actor playing Diane Arbus and the other playing fourteen fantastical characters from her life.
This immersive production was presented in an art gallery and staged within a dark room processing Arbus inspired photography taken inside a West Village apartment once inhabited by Arbus herself.
OPEN CALL!
Concieved & Directed By: Jessica Dermody
National Foundation for the Arts
chashama
Rita's Way Performance Space, Times Square
Open Call! was produced in the summer of 2012. This site specific show was presented outside of the stage door of the Sondheim Theatre on 42nd Street. The experience offered a portal of theatre history as told by auditioners through each decade from turn of the century to present day.
The raw 5,000 sq ft. gallery space BEFORE WAT Project moved in.
The dark room and back gallery which created the playing space for the U.S. Premiere of Fruits Unheard Of.
WAT Gallery
Concieved & Curated By: Jessica Dermody
Working Artists Theatre Project
National Foundation for the Arts
chashama
314 East 43rd Street, New York
Peter Marinos staged stories from his life as theatre gypsy in Clown.
Set designed by Jeff Hinchee
Clown
Written By: Earic Beall
Directed By: Jessica Dermody
World Premiere
Working Artists Theatre Project
Michael Weller Theatre
This fully curated 5,000 sq foot art gallery housed ten world class visual artists from all over the world with disciplines in painting, sculpting, and installations. Ten DJ's played live sets during gallery hours and two immersive world premiere productions took place within the gallery space all thanks to a generous grant from chashama and The National Endowment for the Arts.
This one man semi-biopic play starred Broadway veteran, Peter Marinos. Clown tells the all too familiar tales of the life of a true theatre gypsy and what happens when the borders between stage life and real life become blurred.
*Courtney Young and *Steve Witting play strangers in a movie theatre. *Actors Equity Association
*Emily Fletcher and *Shane Jacobsen play two unlikely strangers that meet in a bar. *Actors Equity Association
Tall Tales from the Little Black Book
Working Artists Theatre Project
Michael Weller Theatre
Just Jump
Created & Choreographed By: Chad Luke Schiro Directed By: Damon Arrington
Associate Director: Jessica Dermody
Ars Nova
Tall Tales from the Little Black Book tells the simultaneous stories of four couples, each unknowingly related in one degree of separation.
Co-Directed for WAT Projects first directors collaborative by:
Amy Neswald, Steve Witting, Jessica Dermody, and Ari Laura Kreith
The premiere Sketch & Dance Odyssey created and choreographed by Chad Luke Schiro. Just Jump! was an official selection of the first ANTFEST at Ars Nova and played to sold out audiences.
This pop cultre multimedia extravaganza mixes sketch videos with live dance for a wildly imaginative theatrical experience.
*Allison Ryan and *Angie Canuel play students turned lovers in Mercury. *Actors Equity Association
*Allison Ryan, *Angie Canuel, and Franca Ianni in Mercury. *Actors Equity Association
Mercury
Directed By: Jessica Dermody
U.S. Premiere
Spiral Inc.
Wings Theatre
*Courtney Young plays starry eyed novice wooed by the Hollywood tales of de-famed actor played by *Stacey Todd Holt. *Actors Equity Association
*Bill Nolte plays sleazy Hollywood literary agent in Pitching to the Star. *Actors Equity Association
L.A. &
Pitching to the Star
Directing By: Jessica Dermody
Spiral Inc. & Working Artists Theatre Project
Michael Weller Theatre
In the sweltering heat of a brutal New York City summer, three women discover what life outside of their comfort zone has to offer. They soon find themselves tangled in a deceitful web of jealousy and lust, ultimately becoming a unique version of their very own urban legend cliche.
Mecury played a sold out run at The Wings Theatre.
These companion pieces by Donald Margulies expose life in Los Angeles, the city of dreams.
In L.A. a washed-up young movie star explains to a willing fan in a bar how he went from a happy, married young novice to a wealthy, gambling, overnight sensation and back to a hungry, divorced wanna-be who only wants to recapture his original dream of having "enough," and being married for life.
Both plays played sold out runs at The Michael Weller Theatre.
Rudolph Unplugged
Written & Performed By: John Treacy Egan
Directed By: Jessica Dermody
Ars Nova
Written and starring Broadway veteran John Treacy Egan; this hilarious one man show takes on telling the "where are they now" stories of all the beloved characters from the animated Christmas special, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
Rudolph Unplugged played to sold out audiences at Ars Nova.