Stephanie Riso's THE STORM Concludes MTAP's First Season of Hot Metal Musicals Incubator Readings

MTAP's Hot Metal Musicals Incubator presents its third installment of new musical theatre work-in-development with a public reading of The Storm with book, lyrics and music by Stephanie Riso. This free reading, featuring a cast of 15 and directed by Pittsburgh CLO's producing director Mark Fleischer, will be held on Sunday, January 15, at 6:00 p.m. in the Pittsburgh CLO's Charles Gray Auditorium, 130 CLO Academy Way in downtown Pittsburgh. MTAP's Hot Metal Musicals Incubator readings are being presented with the extensive cooperation and support of the Pittsburgh CLO.

The Incubator readings allow a public audience to become involved in the Early Stages of a new musical's long and often arduous journey toward full production. In 2016, MTAP featured the works of Jeanne Drennan (book and lyrics) and David Berlin (music) with Dear Boy in June, and Eva Rainforth (book, lyrics and music) with Me, Myself and Others in August. All three presentations have been made possible by a grant from The Heinz Endowments Small Arts Initiative.

The concept for The Storm began after the author saw a production of Alexander Ostrovsky's play of the same title in London. The characters were strong and interesting, the drama and interactions heightened, and the environment -which included a rainstorm and a river-presented unique opportunities to tell a story. Riso spent years thinking about the play, researched other productions, operas, music, and Russia in the 1860's, and was fascinated by the "Go to the people" movement (khozhdenie v narod ) around the time of the emancipation of the serfs. It wasn't until 2006 when Riso participated in BMI's Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop in New York City that she began to write and present music and scenes from the developing musical. Since then, the piece has continued to evolve with a private reading of the first Act in 2014 and one of its songs featured in both MTAP's Hot Metal Musicals in 2015 and the Dramatist Guild sponsored event "An Evening with Stephen Schwartz" in 2016.

Riso, who also serves as MTAP's Executive Director, commented on the direct impact that the Hot Metal Musicals Incubator opportunity provided for her work. "Doing everything yourself is lonely and limits your ability to be both a creative spirit and prudent editor at the same time. The Incubator brought in a team of people to help with that process and through their generosity made me grow in ways I couldn't without them. I experienced-firsthand-how the collaborative process can lift others up to their greatest potential. This is why MTAP exists."

About The Storm

When Vera, a wealthy estate-owner's wife, causes an accident, she flees to the river seeking redemption and a new life. Eventually arriving by boat in the quaint town of Kalinov, Vera quickly learns that she cannot escape her past and that a fresh start is almost impossible. Forced to summon up an inner strength she never knew she had in order to lead the fight for the freedom and dignity of all serfs, she winds up being caught between her family and a heartbreaking forbidden love.

The cast of 15 features Shannon McCarren as Vera and Michael Fuller as Petor, with the return of many who have previously performed with MTAP: Ryan Bergman, Hilary Caldwell, Ryan Patrick Kearney, Jill Keating, Michael L. Marra, Cyndi Plyler, Jonathan Visser and Leon Zionts. New to MTAP are Christopher Essex, John Michnya, Mary Kay Riley, Matthew J. Rush and Corwin Stoddard. Full bios follow.

Shannon McCarren (Vera) is a native of Butler, PA, and has a personal mission to be involved in new works. Shannon was recently nominated for the 2016 Broadway World Raleigh Awards for Best Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Shelby in Steel Magnolias at Theatre Raleigh. Other roles include Gerda in The Snow Queen and the Mistress in Evita with Serenbe Playhouse, GA, and several roles while at Indiana University of PA, including the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods
and Miranda in The Tempest. www.shannonmccarren.com

Michael Fuller* (Petor) is a professional actor and teacher in the Pittsburgh area. He previously participated in a reading of Dear Boy in 2015. Recent acting credits: A Lyrical Christmas Carol (Pittsburgh CLO), and, at Point Park University's The Rep, he portrayed Baines in Soldier's Heart and Steve in Becky's New Car, for which he received the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2013 Supporting Actor award. As a theater teacher, he works with Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, Point Park University and Carnegie Mellon University.

Ryan Bergman (Boris) is a Pittsburgh-based actor who graduated from Penn State in 2010. Recent credits: Skeets Miller in Floyd Collins (Front Porch Theatricals); Kimono (Off the Wall Theater); Pride and Prejudice, Othello (Guthrie Theater); Hot Pursuit (The National Theatre for Children); As You Like It (South Park Theater); Macbeth (Pittsburgh Classic Players); A Common Night (Phoenix Theater); Para Bellum, The Aleph Complex (Workhouse Theatre Company); The Fantasticks (The Music Loft); The Elders Project (CLIMB Theatre), Julius Caesar (Throughline Theatre Company) and MTAP's reading of Kitty.

Hilary Caldwell (Katerina) is in her third MTAP reading, after Kitty in November 2015 and Dear Boy in June 2016. Locally, Hilary has recently worked with Off the WALL, Front Porch Theatricals, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, Pittsburgh Classic Players, and the Pittsburgh CLO Gallery of Heroes, among others, and is excited to be returning to Serra Catholic High School this spring to direct their musical.

Christopher Essex (Ensemble) is a junior Musical Theatre Major at Carnegie Mellon University. Recent stage performances include Annie Get Your Gun (Frank Butler) and The 39 Steps (Clown 1) with Ozark Actors Theatre. At Carnegie Mellon he was in Portraits of Love (Sir Arthur) and Wayfinding (Harrison) and will be performing in Ragtime this spring.

Ryan Patrick Kearney* (Anton/Tihon) was recently in the Saint Vincent's Summer Theater production of Route 66 in Latrobe and Off the Wall Theater's production of The Musical of Musicals (the Musical!) in Carnegie. Other theater credits and staged readings have been with The Pittsburgh CLO (Plaid Tidings, The Invention of Edison), Prime Stage (The Great Gatsby, Fahrenheit 451), South Park Theater (Forever Plaid, Nuncrackers), and Stage 62 (Titanic, Evita). He last appeared with MTAP in the 2016 reading of Dear Boy.

Jill Keating* (Madame Kabanova) Dance: National Ballet School (Toronto), BA Point Park College, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Musicals: Big River (National Tour), Miss Hannigan in Annie (Bucks County Playhouse), Frenchy in Grease (Theatre-By-The-Sea, RI), Roxie in Chicago (City Line, Philadelphia), Doris in Damn Yankees (Pittsburgh CLO) Plays: Florence Foster Jenkins in Souvenir (Pittsburgh Playhouse The Rep), Miss Dee in Sharon's Grave (PICT), Mrs. Hedges in Born Yesterday (Pittsburgh Public Theater), Shirley in Shirley Valentine (Webb's NY), In the Raw (Bricolage) and MTAP's Kitty.

Michael L. Marra* (Vasily, Viktor), a Butler resident, has performed in Les Miserables on Broadway and with the national tour. He also toured nationally in Jekyll & Hyde and worked regionally with Pittsburgh CLO in The Producers. In addition to live industrials, theme park, and cruise ship work, Marra's credits include Off-Off Broadway appearances and regional roles with The Strand Theater, Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, Richland Performing Arts Center, Harlequin Dinner Theatre, Weathervane Playhouse, Mountain Playhouse. He last appeared with MTAP in the 2016 reading of Dear Boy.

John Michnya (Hussar) is a Pittsburgh-based actor, director, and teaching artist and a graduate of both the College of the Holy Cross and the University of Pittsburgh. His recent acting credits include Roy in The Odd Couple (St. Vincent's Summer Theatre), Voice and Foley Artist in Midnight Radio: 1984 (Bricolage), Guy Gagnon in Last Gas (Little Lake Theatre), Boxer in Animal Farm (Primestage), and Jacques in As You Like It (PSiP). John has recently directed The Mathematics of Being Human for the University of Pittsburgh, and Sarazad and the Monster King for In Between Theatre at Chatham University's KidsCanFestival. www.johnmichnya.com

Cynthia Plyler (Talia/Anna) was previously seen in MTAP's reading of Dear Boy as Mrs. Gimlet. She has performed with many area theatres in the Cranberry Township area including Comtra Theatre, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center and the Canadian tour of An Amish Family Christmas. Roles include several runs as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Mrs. Johnston in Blood Brothers, Patsy Cline in Always...Patsy Cline, Maggie in The Shadow Box, and Jean in Good People.

Mary Kay Riley (Maria/Varvara) is a singer, actor, Argentine Tango dancer, yoga teacher, dog groomer, candlemaker and aspirational dressmaker with an interest in jewelry making, diorama construction, calligraphy and furniture refinishing. Much of her experience spans television, film and commercial work. She has been in several plays and musicals including June Carter Cash in Ring of Fire at Denver Center for the Performing Arts and a Hot Box Girl in Guys and Dolls at the Erie Playhouse.

J. Rush (Shapkin) was last seen on stage as Caleb in 2016's The Spitfire Grill with Front Porch Theatricals, for whom he also played Tom Watson in their 2014 production of Parade. Other selected roles include Archibald in The Secret Garden, Enjolras in Les Miserables and Father Flynn in Doubt. has appeared in numerous choral performances with the Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Toledo Symphony Orchestras and appeared with the Irish group, The Chieftains, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Matthew has performed for former Soviet Premier Mikael Gorbachev, sang the U.S. national anthem for Irish radio in Dublin and has competed twice in the World Championships of Irish Dance.

Corwin Stoddard (Kudriash) is a recent graduate of Point Park University. Recent Pittsburgh credits include Big River (Duke) with The Strand Theatre, Floyd Collins (Jewell) with Front Porch Theatricals, Assassins (John Hinckley) with Stage 62, Viva Los Bastarditos! with No Name Players, as well as The Wild Duck, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Playboy of the Western World with the Point Park Conservatory Theatre Company.

Jonathan Visser* (Kuligin) Local Theatre: Front Porch Theatricals, Bricolage, The City Theater, Pittsburgh Musical Theatre, The Rep, PICT, CLO. Regional Credits: Dallas Theater Center, Casa Manana, Clarence Brown Theater, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, Hope Summer Rep and PCPA. Film: The Last Witch Hunter 2015, Into the Dark 2014, 5th Dimension 2012. Television: Banshee 4th season. Jonathan is a proud graduate of the Masters program at the University of Tennessee, 2010. He last appeared with MTAP in the 2015 reading of Kitty.

Leon S. Zionts (Dikoy) has performed regionally with a variety of companies and is both a member of MTAP and a producer with Front Porch Theatricals - www.frontporchpgh.com. He was one of the performers in MTAP's inaugural Hot Metal Musicals Showcase in March 2015.

*Denotes Member of Actors' Equity Association

The Creative Team

Stephanie Riso (book, music and lyrics) holds a degree in vocal performance from Carnegie Mellon University and has over twenty years professional performing and producing experience. She has been instrumental in founding two nonprofits, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre (now PICT Classic Theatre) and Cabaret Pittsburgh. Between 2006 and 2008 she was in NYC where she produced a staged reading for TRU Musical Series, participated in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop as a composer/lyricist, and was a finalist for the Columbia University T Fellowship for Creative Producers which was founded by Hal Prince and Victoria Bailey. Stephanie was the lead producer of MTAP's inaugural, standing room only showcase of new work, Hot Metal Musicals, in March, 2015. As a composer/lyricist, she wrote and produced a reading of her first full original work, Another Day, Another Dream, and is grateful to the MTAP group and Incubator production team for the opportunity to have her work further developed.

Mark Fleischer (Director) currently serves as the Producing Director for the Pittsburgh CLO. Prior to moving to Pittsburgh in 2014, Mark was the Producing Artistic Director of the Adirondack Theatre Festival (ATF) in Glens Falls, NY. Metroland named Mark the "Best Theatre Company Artistic Director" in its 2009 Best of the Capital District issue. At ATF he has directed NEXT TO NORMAL, SHOOTING STAR by Steven Dietz, the world premiere of HAl Corley's BRUSH THE SUMMER BY and the musical ORDINARY DAYS by Adam Gwon. Prior to ATF, Mark was the Artistic Director of Plano Repertory Theatre (PRT) in suburban Dallas, TX, where he produced over 50 productions and his directing credits included new plays, classics, musicals and contemporary dramas. Mark has directed for theatres in New York, Texas and Chicago, including Capital Repertory Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, WaterTower Theatre, Pegasus Theatre, and Collaboraction. Mark holds a BA in English Literature and Communication Arts from Austin College and an MFA in Directing from the Theatre School at DePaul University.

Nick Stamatakis (Music Director) has music directed, composed and accompanied for collegiate, community and comedic theater organizations throughout the Pittsburgh area including: Arcade Comedy Theater, Throughline Theatre Company, Sewickley Area Theater Company, Alarum Theatre, MTAP and UPStages/Pitt Reperatory Theatre. Nick also serves as Music/Vocal Director for productions at Montour High School, and serves on the Executive Board of the Pittsburgh Comedy Festival. Recent activities include playing the piano part for Quantum Theatre's operatic piece The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and music director for MTAP's June 2016 Incubator Dear Boy, with book and lyrics by Jeanne Drennan and music by David Berlin.

Molly Elizabeth McCarter* (Stage Manager) is new to the Pittsburgh area, having recently accepted a position as Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon's School of Drama where she teaches Stage & Production Management. Her credits include work with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Blue Man Group, The Guggenheims Works & Process Series, The Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Shakespeare & Company, Yale Repertory Theatre, The New Victory among others. Molly is a proud member of Actors' Equity.

Shane Valenzi (Dramaturg) Dramaturgy: Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, InterAct Theatre Company (Philadelphia). Directing: Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company (Chicago), Pittsburgh Savoyards, Stage 62, Penn Singers Light Opera Company (Philadelphia), American College Theater Festival Region II directing winner. Performing credits: Prime Stage Theatre Company, Nashville Opera, Independent Musical Productions, Huntsville, AL, two-time Huntsville WINGS Award nominee- Best Supporting Actor, Judges Choice. B.A., University of Pennsylvania; J.D., Vanderbilt University.

Fact Sheet

Who: MTAP - Musical Theatre Artists of Pittsburgh
What: Hot Metal Musicals Incubator, The Storm, book/lyrics/music by Stephanie Riso
Where: Charles Gray Auditorium, Pittsburgh CLO Academy, 130 CLO Academy Way, 8th Fl, Pgh, PA 15222
When: Sunday, January 15, 2017 @ 6:00 p.m.
Cost: Free and Open to the Public
Reservations encouraged: Event Page to RSVP is https://www.artful.ly/store/events/10666

This Incubator reading of The Storm is produced by MTAP member John Keating. The Incubator readings have received the generous cooperation and support from the Pittsburgh CLO throughout the past year.

MTAP--Musical Theatre Artists of Pittsburgh--brings together a group of local and regional artists working in a wide range of musical theatre expression, from solo cabaret to full-length narrative musical theatre. The group exists not only to support the development of work members bring in, but also to be an incubator where new works of musical theatre come into being and are nurtured.

MTAP meets monthly between September and May for networking, collaborations, new work development and presentations of work in progress. We are seeking aspiring or established composers, lyricists, librettists, playwrights, performers, professionals, producers and anyone interested in new musical development. To receive regular emails from MTAP about meetings, special events, and opportunities, send an email to mtapgh@gmail.com.