Eden According to Eve

ARTIST BIOS

SHELLY GOLDSTEIN (Writer/Performer, Sort of All About Eve)

SHELLY GOLDSTEIN (Writer/Performer, Sort of All About Eve) has written for every genre of TV, film and stage. Her one-woman shows have played to sell-out crowds throughout the US and UK. She has written sitcoms, dramas, lyrics, documentaries, animation, award shows, jokes and special material for such artists as Steve Martin, Sharon Stone, Deborah Messing, Liza Minnelli, Cybill Shepherd, Steven Spielberg, Normal Lear and Yoko Ono. For You’ve Gotta Have Heart she wrote a theatrical evening about Women and Heart disease that ran in LA and NYC and was presented in Washington DC for Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton and the female members of Congress.

SARAH HERSHBERG (Composer/Performer, Rebecca’s Song)

SARAH HERSHBERG (Composer/Performer, Rebecca’s Song) specializes in writing musical midrash—musical interpretations of the Bible. As a recording artist, among her albums are Women of the Bible, and with her late collaborator Sebastian Temple, Good Good, Genesis Too, and Moses in Story and Song (made into a tv program). She has appeared on radio and television numerous times. Hershberg was the first woman to write and perform a Friday Evening Sabbath Service. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley where she earned a BA in Music.

BARI HOCHWALD (Director)

BARI HOCHWALD (Director) received her BFA in acting from Syracuse University and completed graduate studies at the American Repertory Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard. She appeared in regional theaters throughout the country. Ms. Hochwald has worked in the development of over 50 new plays as actress and director, and was nominated and awarded for her performances with The Drama Critics Circle Award, The Garland Awards, the Maddy Awards and the L.A. Weekly Awards. Ms. Hochwald has guest starred on many television productions such as C.S.I and Desperate Housewives. In Italy she founded Florence International Theatre Company, which she ran for 4 seasons in Florence, Italy. She is currently President and Artistic Director of The Global Theatre Project. Her latest directing project, The Men of Mah Jongg just closed at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills.

HARRIET KATZ (Composer/Cellist, Some Points Eve Would Like to Make)

HARRIET KATZ (Composer/Cellist, Some Points Eve Would Like to Make) has been playing music since her childhood in New York. She was an English major (Harvard-Radcliffe ’66) and is a writer. In 1986, Bantam published her novel Ambitions about classical musicians. In 1994 she found Ladies Choice String Quartet, which has performed at over 1700 events, including Oprah’s 50th birthday luncheon. She started composing in 2006. University Synagogue recently presented her opera Ruth and Naomi, a feminist, magical take on the Book of Ruth. Above all, about love and grief, the opera started to emerge after her husband, artist/musician Joel O’Brien passed away in 2004.

RABBI LYNNE A. KERN (Writer, I Am the Story)

RABBI LYNNE A. KERN (Writer, I Am the Story) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, poet and writer whose work has been published in magazines, newspapers and anthologies worldwide. She teaches classes for women in synagogues and is currently working on a Jewish Memoir. As a pulpit rabbi, she created innovative women’s programming focused on excavating the women’s voice in Torah, and the creation of ritual and spiritual writing. She is currently producing a documentary film about LA women rabbis and co-wrote the play, Stories From The Fringe: Women Rabbis, Revealed! She is also a Founding Board Member of the Jewish Women’s Theatre.

BRIAN LA ROSA (Stage Manager)

BRIAN LA ROSA (Stage Manager) has been working as a professional Actor, Director, Writer, Stage Manager and Production Coordinator in film, television and theatre since 1987. Brian was trained in classical and musical theatre at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA and Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He continued his theatrical education at The Second City and Upfront Comedy in Santa Monica, CA. His real expertise is as a Movement Artist, creating and choreographing unique creature performances for film and television, applying his skills in such films as Congo, The Country Bears and Where the Wild Things Are. Brian also has experience in all facets of production, including Casting, Art Department, Beauty & SFX Make-up, Choreography, Lighting and Sound Design. In 2001, he was the Executive Producer and Writer for the critically acclaimed Independent Short Film, Cross Breeding. In 2010 Brian won the Grand Prize in the Slamdance Film Festival, Horror Screenwriting Competition for his original feature, A Guilty Moon.

MONICA PIPER (Writer/Performer, Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful and I Am You, As You Are Me)

MONICA PIPER (Writer/Performer, Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful and I Am You, As You Are Me) is an Emmy Award-winning comedy writer, stand-up comedian and motivational speaker. She was nominated for an American Comedy Award as one of the top five female comedians in the country and starred in her own Showtime Network special, No, Monica, Just You. She has written for Roseanne, Mad About You and Veronica’s Closet and was the head writer of the beloved children’s animated series Rugrats, as well as writing shows for Disney and Cartoon Network. She is presently bringing her laugh-out-loud advice to corporate America, showing audiences everywhere how to Find the Funny in their lives. www.monicapiper.com

KARANAI RAVENSCROFT (Performer, I Am You, As You Are Me)

KARANAI RAVENSCROFT (Performer, I Am You, As You Are Me) marries her foundations in Shakespeare (UCI) to an irreverent sensibility for improvisational comedy, with works bridging the spectrum from film (Look), television (a myriad of commercials), and theatre (No Square Theatre and Upright Citizens Brigade). Founder of Triumph Pictures, her pursuits include producing, writing, and the occasional opportunity to direct. An A-type personality gone awry, Ravenscroft is presently memorizing Pi.

LISA ROBINS (Actor, The Living Child in Two and Saved by a Song)

LISA ROBINS (Actor, The Living Child in Two and Saved by a Song) understudied in the fall at the Geffen Playhouse in Nora and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss and What I Wore, directed by Jenny Sullivan. She recently starred in the role of “Sherri Mandell” in The Blessing of a Broken Heart, based on Sherri’s acclaimed book, at the San Diego Rep and on tour. Robins was directed by Paul Mazursky, originating the role of Annie Rosen in The Catskill Sonata, written by Michael Elias. Other recent theatre outings include Tom Baum’s Shock Therapy directed by Jenny O’Hara, and Hal Ackerman’s wife, daughter, mother, girlfriend, and nurse in Hal’s play, Testosterone, directed by Michael Arabian. Lisa also starred in Fallujah at Theatre East, which garnered the an Ovation nomination for “best new play.” Robins’ work with the Cornerstone Theater Company in Los Angeles includes Long Bridge Over Deep Waters, at the Ford Amphitheatre, and Center of the Star by Yehuda Hyman at the Greenway. As member of the Actors’ Studio, she was directed by John Rubinstein in George Furth’s Sex, Sex, Sex, Sex, Sex, Sex & Sex. Robins will be seen opposite Johnny Depp in the upcoming film The Rum Diary and starred as Mildred Dean in the film James Dean directed by Mark Rydell. Thanks to Robins’ finest work of art, her 11-year-old daughter, Renata.

LISA ROSENBAUM (Writer, After These Things)

LISA ROSENBAUM (Writer, After These Things) is a writer and the executive producer of the Genesis Arts Council of the Santa Monica Synagogue, a professional theater group for modern and original works. She enjoys being a former president of her synagogue and even more, a former lawyer. Her debut novel, A Day of Small Beginnings (Little, Brown & Co. 2006), was set in contemporary Poland, and is a multi-generational story of a secular American Jewish family. It was a “Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers” selection. The novel she is now writing is a modern retelling of the Akeda, the binding of Isaac, which takes place in the Santa Clarita Valley, near the ruins of the St. Frances Dam. After These Things is based on a character in that novel. Rosenbaum lives in Pacific Palisades with her husband, Walt Lipsman, and their two daughters, Ariana and Maya.

JACKIE SAIIRILLA (Musician, Some Points Eve Would Like to Make)

JACKIE SAIIRILLA (Musician, Some Points Eve Would Like to Make) is a soprano and has appeared as Lucia di Lammermoor in Aida, Leonora in Il Travatore, Mimi in La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, The First Lady in The Magic Flute, and both Rosalinda & Adele in Die Fledermaus with companies throughout Southern California. She has toured Estonia and Russia with the Pacific Chorale and Japan with the Roger Wagner Chorale. The Los Angeles native, who sang Ruth in the premiere of Ruth and Naomi, is also active as a recording artist for television and films, and a member of the professional quintet at Wilshire Boulevard Temple.

ARLENE SARNER (Writer, Saved by a Song)

ARLENE SARNER (Writer, Saved by a Song) is an award-winning writer/producer. She has written for every major movie studio including: Universal, Fox, Columbia, Paramount, Disney, Warner Brothers, Tri-Star and Orion as well as TV networks, ABC, CBS and VHI. Her film work includes: Peggy Sue Got Married starring Kathleen Turner and Nicholas Cage, and Blue Sky starring Jessica Lange in her Academy Award-winning role. More recently she co-wrote Julie Walking Home for director Agnieszka Holland. Sarner and her husband, and co-writer Jerry Leichtling, turned Peggy Sue Got Married into a stage musical and mounted a successful production in London’s West End. A US production is currently in the works. Sarner is presently working on TV pilot for Disney, as well as a musical movie for CBC. Additionally, she is in pre-production on a new musical about 1930’s lyricist, Al Dubin.

JUDITH SCARPONE (Actor, After These Things and I Am the Story)

JUDITH SCARPONE (Actor, After These Things and I Am the Story) has performed in over 100 productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally and internationally. Judith is very active in the LA Theatre scene as a company member of The Open Fist, The Road and sits on the Board of The Global Theatre Project. On television, she has co-starred in many movies and guest starred in several TV series as well as being a regular on Showtimes’ critically acclaimed Bedtime. She has been recently seen in the Films Everybody Wants to be Italian, Jesus, Mary & Joey and Welcome Back Miss Mary.

CAROL SCHLANGER (Writer/Performer, I am You, As You Are Me)

CAROL SCHLANGER (Writer/Performer, I am You, As You Are Me) is an award-winning playwright, actress and performer. She is an Obie (Off- Broadway) and Humanitas (Television) nominee, a recipient of Los Angeles Dramalogue Critics’ award for both performance and writing (Theatre) and placed 1st in 2007 Alliance of Los Angles Playwrights’ monologue slam. She is currently at work on Far Out, a creative non-fiction work chronicling her years on an Oregon commune.

RONDA SPINAK (Producer. Writer, The Child Living in Two)

RONDA SPINAK (Producer. Writer, The Child Living in Two) is a writer and producer. She conceived of, created and produced At-Homes Salon Theatre in Los Angeles to sold-out audiences. She holds an MBA from UCLA, a Masters in Professional Writing from USC and two degrees from Stanford. She has written for the Emmy Award-winning children’s show, Rugrats, authored the critically acclaimed non-fiction book ProBodX: Proper Body Exercise (HarperCollins, publisher), and written many plays, including festival favorite winner Oscar Wilde’s Wife. She is currently producing a documentary film about LA women rabbis and co-wrote the play, Stories From The Fringe: Women Rabbis, Revealed! Ronda is proud to be a co-founder of the Jewish Women’s Theatre and to serve as its Producing Artistic Director.

JACQUELINE SUZUKI (Musician, Some Points Eve Would Like to Make)

JACQUELINE SUZUKI (Musician, Some Points Eve Would Like to Make) is a violinist and a member of the Long Beach and Santa Barbara Symphonies. She has also performed with many ensembles throughout Southern California, in genres including rock, jazz, Latin, and Arabic as well as classical. A graduate of Mannes College of Music and California Institute of the Arts, the San Francisco native has recorded with such diverse artists as Snoop Doggy Dogg, Neil Sedaka, Leonard Cohen, Whitney Houston, Andrea Bocelli, Lalo Schifrin, McCoy Tyner, and Placido Domingo. Tours have taken her to Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and throughout the U.S. She founded and directs Glendale Noon Concerts, a twice-monthly music series.

ROBERT TREBOR (Actor, After These Thing)

ROBERT TREBOR (Actor, After These Thing) recently finished an extended run of Peter Lefcourt’s La Ronde de Lunch at The Skylight Theatre and was nominated for an LA Weekly Award for his one-man show The Return of Brother Theodore, also at The Skylight. He has worked extensively in film, garnering acclaim for roles directed by Oliver Stone, John Frankenheimer, Roland Emmerich, and more recently Rob Zombie. Trebor is perhaps best known for portraying The Son of Sam opposite Martin Sheen in the MOW Out Of The Darkness and Salmoneus the salesman in the Hercules and Xena TV series. He has written a best-selling humorous book Dear Salmoneus: The World’s First Guide To Love and Money and is currently writing his first novel with the working title Become an Actor and Scare Your Folks.

ANDREA WAGNER (Co-Producer/ Director, A Rolling Stone)

ANDREA WAGNER (Co-Producer/ Director, A Rolling Stone) has worked in non-profit for 25 years and was instrumental in the creation of the Jewish Women’s Theatre. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Theatre Arts and has taught theatre at both the high school and college level. As a member of several community theater groups throughout California, she directed plays, designed costumes and envisioned sets. She has been active in the Jewish community and currently sits on the advisory boards of several community colleges and extension programs. She has extensive non-profit experience having worked professionally in the Jewish community with Jewish Vocational Services and the Anti-Defamation League. She is a Founding Board Member of Jewish Women’s Theatre.

SUSIE YURE´ (Associate Producer)

SUSIE YURE´ (Associate Producer) has volunteered for 30 years in non-profit organizations in which she has held leadership roles in fundraising, event planning, facilities coordinating, programming, membership, marketing, and administration. Yuré has produced musical theatre productions, classical concerts and cabaret performances and been intensely involved in the world of theatre for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from USC along with her California Lifetime Teaching Credential. Besides teaching in elementary school, she has also worked in the medical and business fields. She is currently president of Lev Eisha, a woman’s non-profit religious organization and spiritual community that meets once a month for a musical Shabbat experience. Her favorite role is as mom to her two talented (grown) children, who are both professional (and working) musicians.