About Us
New Sounds Theatre is a New York City-based theatre company that is dedicated to advancing and redefining the role of original music in contemporary theatre. Every NST production prominently features an original musical score by a contemporary songwriter or composer, which is performed exclusively by live musicians. Whether it's an experimental rock ballet, an edgy hip-hop opera, or a Shakespeare classic with cinematic underscoring, each new NST production sets out to break down the boundaries between music and theatre in the most innovative ways. And with all of our music played live, each production is performed with an immediacy that simply can't be attained with a prerecorded soundtrack.
In addition to our productions, New Sounds Theatre is committed to artist development, fostering new collaborations, and education outreach. Our "NST Sandbox" series allows artists to workshop new music-theatre pieces in a supportive, low-pressure environment. We also help musicians and theatre artists to meet and network with like-minded collaborators, creating unique partnerships that result in truly innovative new work. And through our developing education and youth outreach program, we'll be helping children of all ages to discover the joy and expressive power of music and theatre.
New Sounds Theatre is a New York City-based theatre company that is dedicated to advancing and redefining the role of original music in contemporary theatre. Every NST production prominently features an original musical score by a contemporary songwriter or composer, which is performed exclusively by live musicians. Whether it's an experimental rock ballet, an edgy hip-hop opera, or a Shakespeare classic with cinematic underscoring, each new NST production sets out to break down the boundaries between music and theatre in the most innovative ways. And with all of our music played live, each production is performed with an immediacy that simply can't be attained with a prerecorded soundtrack.
In addition to our productions, New Sounds Theatre is committed to artist development, fostering new collaborations, and education outreach. Our "NST Sandbox" series allows artists to workshop new music-theatre pieces in a supportive, low-pressure environment. We also help musicians and theatre artists to meet and network with like-minded collaborators, creating unique partnerships that result in truly innovative new work. And through our developing education and youth outreach program, we'll be helping children of all ages to discover the joy and expressive power of music and theatre.
Who's Who
Staff
Russell M. Kaplan, Artistic Director
Russell is a director, composer and pianist. He has worked on the development of new plays with Assembly Productions, Milk Can Theatre, Soho Rep, Arena Stage, The Workshop Theatre Co., and Pulse Theatre/OPAL; and has directed work for Untitled Theatre Company #61, the NY International Fringe Festival, Where Eagles Dare, and The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's late-nite series. The original radio musical Greene, created with acclaimed songwriter Lee Feldman, was featured on WNYC's Soundcheck and WBAI's Hour of the Wolf. Russell's musical compositions have been featured at the NY International Fringe Festival, Merkin Hall, Columbia University, Wings Theatre, the Duplex Cabaret Theatre, Third Rail Dance, and the Williamsburg Arts Nexus. He holds a BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a minor in Jazz Piano Performance.
Russell M. Kaplan, Artistic Director
Russell is a director, composer and pianist. He has worked on the development of new plays with Assembly Productions, Milk Can Theatre, Soho Rep, Arena Stage, The Workshop Theatre Co., and Pulse Theatre/OPAL; and has directed work for Untitled Theatre Company #61, the NY International Fringe Festival, Where Eagles Dare, and The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's late-nite series. The original radio musical Greene, created with acclaimed songwriter Lee Feldman, was featured on WNYC's Soundcheck and WBAI's Hour of the Wolf. Russell's musical compositions have been featured at the NY International Fringe Festival, Merkin Hall, Columbia University, Wings Theatre, the Duplex Cabaret Theatre, Third Rail Dance, and the Williamsburg Arts Nexus. He holds a BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a minor in Jazz Piano Performance.
Susan Stanton, Literary Manager
Susan is a playwright, producer, and screenwriter. Her full-length play, Whatever Happened to John Boy Kihano?, recently received Kumu Kahua's Award for Best Play about Hawaii, and was a finalist in a fellowship competition at New York Theatre Workshop. Her plays have been produced in New York, London, California, and Hawaii. She has been affiliated with New York Theatre Workshop, Cherry Lane Theatre, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Young Playwrights Inc., Manhattan Theatre Club, Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, Museum of the Moving Image, and the Honolulu Theatre for Youth. She holds a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, has studied theatre in London at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, and will begin pursuing an MFA in Dramatic Writing at Yale School of Drama in Fall 2007. As a screenwriter, she has received both the Sloan Foundation's award for best full-length screenplay (Rosalind's Helix) and the feature film development grant, the second of its kind to be awarded. Her screenplay, Medal of Honor, about the civil war doctor Mary Walker, is in development at Red Sky Films. She is the founder and managing partner of Rosalind's Helix, LLC.
David Homan, Director of Development
Susan is a playwright, producer, and screenwriter. Her full-length play, Whatever Happened to John Boy Kihano?, recently received Kumu Kahua's Award for Best Play about Hawaii, and was a finalist in a fellowship competition at New York Theatre Workshop. Her plays have been produced in New York, London, California, and Hawaii. She has been affiliated with New York Theatre Workshop, Cherry Lane Theatre, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Young Playwrights Inc., Manhattan Theatre Club, Hawaii Shakespeare Festival, Museum of the Moving Image, and the Honolulu Theatre for Youth. She holds a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, has studied theatre in London at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, and will begin pursuing an MFA in Dramatic Writing at Yale School of Drama in Fall 2007. As a screenwriter, she has received both the Sloan Foundation's award for best full-length screenplay (Rosalind's Helix) and the feature film development grant, the second of its kind to be awarded. Her screenplay, Medal of Honor, about the civil war doctor Mary Walker, is in development at Red Sky Films. She is the founder and managing partner of Rosalind's Helix, LLC.
David Homan, Director of Development
David is an arts administrator, composer, director and collaborative artist. As an administrator, Mr. Homan has worked with the Da Capo Chamber Players, ModernWorks, the New York Flute Club, the Creative Capital Foundation, Randy James Dance Works, the JCC Thurnauer School of Music, the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Writers Workshop, and international swimming instructor Steven Shaw. He is the founding director of the Live Arts Collaboration, a non-profit dedicated to producing multidisciplinary works in NYC, and currently the Executive Director of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation.
As a composer, Mr. Homan has created theatrical scores for numerous productions of Shakespeare and other plays, including Einstein's Dreams (Colorado String Quartet, 2001 NY Fringe Festival), As You Like It, Hamlet, King Lear, 1984, and Great Expectation, among others. He has created scores for modern dance works by Renata Celichowska, Davis Robertson (BalletNY) and Mary Seidman. His music has been performed at Weill Hall/Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, CAMI Hall, the Thalia at Symphony Space, the Joyce Theatre, and the Harmione Club; and by the Da Capo Chamber Players and the American Symphony Orchestra.
As a composer, Mr. Homan has created theatrical scores for numerous productions of Shakespeare and other plays, including Einstein's Dreams (Colorado String Quartet, 2001 NY Fringe Festival), As You Like It, Hamlet, King Lear, 1984, and Great Expectation, among others. He has created scores for modern dance works by Renata Celichowska, Davis Robertson (BalletNY) and Mary Seidman. His music has been performed at Weill Hall/Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, CAMI Hall, the Thalia at Symphony Space, the Joyce Theatre, and the Harmione Club; and by the Da Capo Chamber Players and the American Symphony Orchestra.
Beth Morrison, Producing Director of Beth Morrison Projects
Beth is a producer, voice teacher, and singer. Having completed both bachelor and master of music degrees, Beth began a career in arts administration as the Administrative Director of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. After 4 years in that post, Beth returned to school at the Yale School of Drama where she graduated in May 2005 with a Master of Fine Arts in Theater Management. Beth Morrison Projects is the realization of Beth's vision, which stems from a deep commitment to nurturing artists and fostering the development of new opera and other new music-drama works.
Beth is a producer, voice teacher, and singer. Having completed both bachelor and master of music degrees, Beth began a career in arts administration as the Administrative Director of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. After 4 years in that post, Beth returned to school at the Yale School of Drama where she graduated in May 2005 with a Master of Fine Arts in Theater Management. Beth Morrison Projects is the realization of Beth's vision, which stems from a deep commitment to nurturing artists and fostering the development of new opera and other new music-drama works.
Board of Directors
Jayne Grodd-Bronstein
David Homan
Russell M. Kaplan
Jayne Grodd-Bronstein
David Homan
Russell M. Kaplan
Board of Advisors
Lonnie Carter
Robert Lopez
Jeff Marx
Lonnie Carter
Robert Lopez
Jeff Marx
Donors
Supporters($100-$249)
Benefactors ($2,500 +)
Alan and Jan Kaplan
Alan and Jan Kaplan
Anonymous
Uber-Sponsors ($1000 - $2,499)
Helen Goldberg
Helen Goldberg
Rosalyn Gordon
David and Roseline Kaplan
Sponsors ($500-$999)
Steven and Ellen Kaplan
Patrons ($250-$499)
Laura Brown
Leonard & Joan Cooper
Leonard & Joan Cooper
Robert & Jennifer Gordon
Matthew & Lisa Loozis
Richard & Debbie Toomey
Michael & Asya Carliner
Dean & Karen Cooper
Geoffrey Cooper
Christian Correa
Christopher Cummings
Christian Correa
Christopher Cummings
Scott Embler
Becky Gatwood
James Gilbert
Jed Allen Harris
Inge Heckel
Sandra & Michael Huke
Ronald P. Kaplan and Karen Stern
Robert and Kristen Lopez
Ian McCullough
Chip Morrison
Lisa Ochs
Rochelle & Alan Sislen Chip Morrison
Lisa Ochs
David Sprouls and Kate Wood
Katie Wagner
Katie Wagner
Friends ($50-99)
Anonymous
Debra Kaplan
Jeff Landsman
Jeff Landsman
Fans ($25-$49)
Jorge Camacho and Beth Seidle
Cara Reichel & Peter Mills
Jorge Camacho and Beth Seidle
Cara Reichel & Peter Mills
Kathy & Art Rettinger
Nancy & Arthur Salwin
Barbara & Sasha Tessler