The Retro Productions Company:

Heather E. Cunningham Producing Artistic Director Actress	Heather E. Cunningham was most recently seen as Peg Costello in The Desk Set and in Women and War.  In 2007 Backstage named her as a “Performance to Remember” for her portrayal of Cheryl in Retro’s Still Life. Previous Retro roles include Holy Days, When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?,  The Tender Trap, in What I Did Last Summer, Mill Fire, Mrs. California (NYC premiere) and Catholic School Girls. Performances with local companies include Young Playwrights, New York Theatre Workshop, and Vital Theatre among others. Her residency at Hedgerow Theatre included appearances in over a dozen productions. Other favorite credits: Silence, Cole/Noël - "Let's Fall in Love," Cat Among the Pigeons, Macbeth, Unveiling, Comedy 101, Women Who Dare, Evita, Four Dogs and a Bone and the short films Double the Treatment and Reunion. She is also a properties designer and is a 2010 New York Innovative Theatre Award nominee for Innovative Design with Casandera Lollar for their properties design on The Desk Set. She holds a B.F.A. in theatre performance from Denison University.  She is the Producing Artistic Director of Retro Productions.  www.heathercunningham.net	in Still Life by Emily Mann.
Lowell Byers Company Member Actor	Lowell was most recently seen as Will in Retro's Holy Days.  He graduated from Denison University in May of 2008.  At Denison, he was an NCAA All-American Swimmer for four years, as well as appearing in 6 main stage productions, and a one-man show, which he wrote himself.  Since arriving in New York, he has performed in five Off-Off Broadway productions, including Look After You, which was part of the 2009 NY Fringe Festival.  Recently, he played a small part in the film, Company Retreat, directed by Campbell Scott.  Lowell has studied with Peter Miner of the Terry Schreiber Studios, and audition and acting coach Ted Sluberski.  www.LowellByers.com	in Holy Days by Sally Nemeth.
Jack H.  and Rebecca Cunningham Company Members Designers	Jack and Beckie have designed Retro Production’s The Desk Set (nominated for a 2010 New York Innovative Theatre Award), Women and War, Holy Days (with Justin Sturges), When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?, The Tender Trap, Mill Fire (nominated for 2008 New York Innovative Theater Award for set design), What I Did Last Summer by A.R.Gurney, and Emily Mann’s Still Life (the latter two of which had costumes designed by Rebecca whose design for Summer was also nominated for a 2008 New York Innovative Theater Award for costume design). Over the years this husband-and-wife team has collaborated on productions from Aristophane’s Lysistrata to Von Weber’s Der Freischütz. Jack has designed productions in summer stock, regional theatre, university theatre, off- and off-off Broadway. Rebecca is Professor Emerita from Brooklyn College where she taught costume design and construction for 30 plus years. Rebecca is the 2008 recipient of the USITT Award for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design. She is also the author of the costume design textbook, The Magic Garment, as well as Basic Sewing for Costume Construction, both published by Waveland Press. Rebecca and Jack received MFA degrees in Theatre Design from Brooklyn College.	part of the set design for Mill Fire by Sally Nemeth. set design for What I Did Last Summer by A. R. Gurney.
Douglas Giorgis* Company Member Actor	The Desk Set is Douglas' first endeavor with Retro Productions.  In NYC, he has worked on productions and readings with The Abingdon Theatre Company, Boomerang Theatre Company, Encore Entertainment Theatre Company, Gnobs Productions and Out of the Box Theatre Company.  He is also a company member at New Jersey Repertory Theatre.  He is originally from the west coast where he received a degree in theatre from St. Mary's College and a certificate in acting from the American Conservatory Theater.  Production photos, song clips and a voice-over demo are available on his website: www.auditionconnection.com/douglasgiorgis.	in The Desk Set by William Marchant.
Lauren Kelston Company Member Actress	Lauren most recently appeared with Retro Productions in Women and War and as Marlene in Mill Fire by Sally Nemeth for which she was nominated for a 2008 Innovative Theater Award for leading actress. Previous roles for Retro include Grace in A. R Gurney's What I Did Last Summer for Retro Productions.  Prior to that she was seen as Elizabeth in Six Degrees of Separation at the Access Theater. She appeared off-Broadway as Iris in the RAT Theatre Company’s world premiere of Maiden’s Progeny at 59E59 Theaters. She was featured as Allison Roberts in the film Last Night in Brooklyn produced by Cypher Productions, and more recently as a woman turned zombie in a short called Mommy Isn’t The Same Anymore. She graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.A. in Theater and studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse.	in What I Did Last Summer by A. R. Gurney.
Jenny Kennedy Company Member Crew, Assistant Stage Manager	Jenny was the assistant stage manager for Retro's Holy Days. She has spent the last three summers on the stage management team for Chautauqua Theater Company. Regional credits include Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!, Awake & Sing (Jewish Repertory Theater of WNY), Altar Boys' Picnic, Bonegrinders (Road Less Traveled NPW); scenic artist for The Wizard of Oz (Webster Theater Guild). She holds a B.A. in theater from SUNY College at Buffalo State.
Jim Kilkenny Company Member Actor	Jim was last seen as Joe McCall in The Tender Trap for Retro Productions.  Previous roles include the Minister and OSHA investigator in Retro's Mill Fire by Sally Nemeth and the role of “The Stage Manager” in Mrs. California.  Prior to that Jim performed with a number of improvisational comedy groups at Gotham City Improv and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Besides improv, he has studied acting at the T. Schreiber Studio and commercial acting technique with David Cady.  He has also been in the studio to create a number of voiceover spots for radio and internet broadcast.  His most meaningful role in the past year and a half has been that of father and special entertainer to his toddler Liam, a role he continues to be most grateful for.	in The Tender Trap by Max Shulman and Robert Paul Smith.
Casandera M. J. Lollar Company Member Actress	A native Texan, Casandera received her A.A. in Theater Arts at Angelina College in Lufkin, TX, and moved to NYC to complete her B.F.A. in Theater Arts at Brooklyn College.  She came to know about Retro Productions through Brooklyn College by working under Rebecca Cunningham in the costume shop while studying there.  Her recent credits for Retro include Women and War, Molly in Holy Days, Cheryl in When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? and Julie Gillis in The Tender Trap.  Other favorite credits include Nina in The Seagull, Maggie in Lend Me a Tenor, Eileen in June Moon, and Patsy in Side Man.  Casandera is also a costume and props designer, and is a 2010 New York Innovative Theatre Award nominee for Innovative Design with Heather Cunningham for their properties design on The Desk Set.    www.casandera.com	in Holy Days by Sally Nemeth .
Christopher Patrick Mullen* Company Member Actor	"CPM" most recently performed as Teddy in Retro Productions' When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?  He is a graduate of DeSales University and a member of the resident ensemble of artists at The People's Light & Theatre Company.  His regional credits include: Candide, and Assassins (Arden Theatre Co.); King Lear, Dracula: The Journal of Jonathan Harker, The Mystery of Irma Vep, As You Like It, Hamlet, The Glass Menagerie, and Twelfth Night among many others (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival); Crispin: The Cross of Lead, The Tempest, The Crucible and Julius Caesar among many others (The People's Light & Theatre Co.); Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Taming of the Shrew and Hamlet among others (Orlando Shakespeare Theatre); The Pavilion (Chester Theatre Company); Hedda Gabler (Century Center): Amadeus (Hedgerow Theatre); and Quinnopolis vs. Hamlet with (Quinnopolis, NY).  TV credits: Law & Order.	in When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? by Mark Medoff.
Ben Philipp Company Member Designer	Ben most recently designed the product packaging for Retro's When You Coming Back, Red Ryder?  and the costumes for The Tender Trap.  He received his MFA in Costume and Scenic Design from the University of Georgia.  web.mac.com/benphilipp.
Elise Rovinsky Company Member Actor	Elise is a graduate of the Stella Alder Conservatory of Acting. Before moving to New York she studied Drama at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. She was most recently seen in Women and War and as Sylvia Crewes in The Tender Trap (for which she garnered wonderful reviews). Previous roles for Retro include Mill Fire.  Other recent stage appearances include Rose Leiman Goldemberg’s Letters Home at New Dramatists, a Dorothy Parker one act, Just a Little One and Hamlet.   Elise has done a lot of film, TV and print work here in New York City. Most recently a feature, Fog Warning, with Emmy Award winning director Christopher Ward, Dandi Lyon with director Brian Kazmarck, a very funny webisode for the Onion News Network and a big print ad for Nationwide Insurance Company. www.eliserovinsky.com	in The Tender Trap by Max Shulman & Robert Paul Smith.
Ric Sechrest* Company Member Director, Actor	Actor/director/educator Ric Sechrest has helmed numerous productions throughout New York (including Retro Productions When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? by Mark Medoff, What I Did Last Summer by A. R. Gurney and Still Life by Emily Mann), Ohio and Maine and directed everything from Sam Shepard to Christopher Durang to Samuel Beckett. A member of Actors' Equity and AFTRA, he most recently appeared in Vaclav Havel's Redevelopment with Nomad Theatrical Company. He holds a BFA in acting from Syracuse University, an MA in Directing from the University of Maine and an MFA in acting from Ohio University.  Ric appeared onstage with Retro Productions as an actor as Charlie Reader in The Tender Trap and most recently as Abe Cutler in The Desk Set by William Marchant.  www.ricsechrest.com	in The Tender Trap by Max Shulman & Robert Paul Smith.
Alisha Spielmann Company Member Actress	Alisha was first seen with Retro Productions in The Desk Set. Off Off Broadway: Native Speech, As You Like It, All's Well That Ends Well, Love In The Insecurity Zone. Lies and Romance (Boomerang Theatre Company) ForePlay: Secrets and Lies (Flux Theatre Ensemble); Ten Year Twilight (NoseDive Productions); Hack! (Vampire Cowboys); Bus Stop, The Learned Ladies, As You Like It (The Gallery Players).  Regional: As You Like It, The Christmas Carol (The Guthrie Theater); Twelfth Night (Hodge Theatre); The Last Train To Nibroc (Paul Bunyan Playhouse).  Training: June Stein, Andrew Wade.  Alisha received a B.A. in Theatre and Music from St. Olaf College.	in The Desk Set by William Marchant.
Kathryn Squitieri Company Member Designer	Kathryn most recently did the costume designs for Retro's When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? and Mill Fire.  She was a scenic artist on Retro's Still Life by Emily Mann.  Kathryn is currently a student at Brooklyn College studying for her B.F.A. in Costume Design. She developed her love of clothing and design when her mother and grandmother taught her to sew at a very young age. Her most recent design credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie for Fort Hamilton High School, the Children's Acting Academy's Annual Showcase of Young Talent, The Fighting Days for Brooklyn College, and The Miser for Out of the Box Theatre Company. Other favorite designs include Danny Boy the Play for DB Productions at the NY Fringe Festival, and Red Light Winter for Brooklyn College.	costume designs for Mill Fire by Sally Nemeth.
Matilda Szydagis* Company Member Actress	Matilda was most recently seen as Elsa and Miss Warriner in Retro's The Desk Set.  Previous roles for Retro include When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?, The Tender Trap, and Mrs. California.  Matilda has been in various NYC stage and film productions.  A member of SAG and Actors' Equity, she has also worked on various commercials and print ads, played Yaryna on The Sopranos (2006/07), and the Polish nanny in The Nanny Diaries.  Originally from Chicago, she is fluent in Polish and also holds a degree in Anthropology from The University of Chicago.  Acting training includes the studio program at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy as well as studying Meisner with JoAnna Beckson.  Some of her favorite roles include Curley's wife in Of Mice and Men and Eva Hart in Titanic Voices.  She also directed Blue at TSI to rave reviews and one of her next projects will be to co-direct and co-star in the play Home Town.  www.matildaszydagis.com	in The Desk Set by William Marchant.
Aubrie Therrien Company Member Actress	Most recently Aubrie was seen as Sadel Meyer in Retro's The Desk Set.  Previous roles for Retro include Elsie in What I Did Last Summer by A. R. Gurney.  Aubrie hails from the good ol’ state of Virginia where she received her B.F.A. in Theatre Performance from Longwood University.  Since graduating in 2005, Aubrie has been performing regional theatre all over the country with companies such as Lexington Children’s Theatre, The Legend of Blue Jacket and The National Players.  Some of her favorite roles include Echo in Eleemosynary, Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest, Sarah in Stop Kiss and Viola in Twelfth Night.	in What I Did Last Summer by A. R. Gurney.
Jeanne Travis Company Member Designer, Company Stage Manager	Jeanne most recently was the production stage manager for The Desk Set, Holy Days, When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? as well as The Tender Trap.  She also designed sound for The Desk Set for which she was nominated for a 2010 New York Innovative Theatre Award, Holy Days, and Red Ryder.  She graduated with a double B.A. in music and theater from Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi.
Kristen Vaughan Company Member Actress	Kristen was most recently seen in Retro's The Desk Set  by William Marchant as Bunny for which she was nominated for a 2010 New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Leading Actress and in Mill Fire by Sally Nemeth as Sunny, which she was nominated for a 2008 New York Innovative Theater Award for Outstanding Leading Actress.  She has played Nadine in Emily Mann's Still Life and Mrs. San Francisco in Mrs. California for Retro Productions.  Her prior credits in New York include; The Cocktail Party (TSI), Blue (TSI), Not In My Name (The Living Theatre), and F (Manhattan Theatre Source); in Santa Cruz, CA; Five Flights; Altruists; Lararmie Project; Food Chain (Pisces Moon Productions); Film; Gambling (San Francisco Independent Film Festival, Feb. 2006).  Kristen grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has a BA in Acting from UW-Madison.  www.kristenvaughan.com	in Mill Fire by Sally Nemeth.
Richard Waddingham* Company Member Actor	Richard was last seen in Retro's When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? as Lyle.  Credits include: The Skin Game The MInt Theater Company.  Theatre Lila's Firecracker (Checkhov Adaptation), The Samuel Beckett Theatre. Their Daughter NYC International Fringe Festival; Abingdon Theatre, Tracks Beneath the WheelsPublic Ghosts - Private Stories George Street Playhouse, THe Importance of Being Ernest,  The Crucible  The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, A Man for All Seasons  Mill Mountain Theatre, Indians  City Theatre Co. (Pgh),  The Beauty Queen of Leenane Philadelphia Theatre Company, Lost Creek Twp., Crossroads Theatre Co., Molly sSweeney  The Redhouse Theatre Syracuse.  Relatively Speaking, Bedroom Farce and Corpse!; Cortland Repertory Theatre.  Film: Watching the Detectives.   MFA, Acting: Rutgers - Mason Gross School of Arts.  Member AEA/SAG.  Thanks to Patty and my family for their abundant love and support.	in When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? by Mark Medoff.
Peter Zinn Company Member Director	Peter most recently directed Retro's Women and War  and Holy Days.  He began his career as an actor in Chicago where he performed with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Goodman Theatre, Apple Tree Theatre and others.  He has also performed with The Milwaukee Rep, The Geffen Theatre, and the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.  Earlier this year, he wrote and directed the play, Rumspringa off-Broadway at The Bleecker Street Theatre.  Last year, his one-act play, Waiting to Land, was produced at The HB Playwrights Foundation Theatre.  In addition to writing and directing, Peter also works as a voice over artist and has voiced hundreds of TV and radio commercials as well as narrated TV programs for the Discovery Channel, MTV Networks, and E! Entertainment Television.	Holy Days by Sally Nemeth.
Company Membership is by invitation from the Artistic Director.  Auditions are open to non-members and members alike.  Watch for audition notices or check out the contact us page for information on how to submit. *denotes member of Actors' Equity Association.

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