Here’s a little secret…we call our Resident Artists the Crowded Fire Monkeys, a term of endearment started under Founding Artistic Director Rebecca Novick’s tenure. As an ensemble, these talented monkeys act as an artistic advisory board, fueling the company with vitality, passion, talent, and warmth. You can find these Monkeys on and off stage, reading, talking, performing, designing, teching, and laughing. If you’re lucky you’ll also catch them selling concessions at the theater, or schmoozing it up at one of our many special salon events.
2011 has brought great change to our Monkey ranks. We invite you to say hello to a new wonderful face & good bye to a few amazing long-time collaborators!
Kalli Jonsson in GONE. Light Design by Jarrod Green
“So Long, Farewell, Auf Weidersehen, Adieu…”
Founding Board Member Charles Haletky says so long this month as he steps down as Board President to pursue a more active role with the SF Cable Car Chorus and focus on his new position of leadership with MUNI. Charles has supported the company through feast and famine. His thoughtfulness and genuine love of the wild work on the CFT stages will be greatly missed…not to mention those gooey brownies he provides for every opening night…
Light Designer Jarrod Green steps down to pursue his career in Early Childhood Education. Jarrod’s lighting gave bold definition, humor, and haunting texture to numerous CFT shows. Jarrod set the bar for breathtaking lighting with limited instruments, shaping CFT’s creative aesthetic (Did you SEE his dozens of lamps on stage in Charles Mee’s Gone?). We hope those little ones treat Jarrod well!
Patrick Jones and Erin Gilley in EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR.
Director/Actress Erin Gilley moved overseas to London this year after her smart and moving performance as Nan Carter in Exit, Pursued By A Bear. Erin began as a Managing Director of Crowded Fire and was swiftly brought into the fold as a Resident Artist with a cutting edge theater practice. We wish Erin well in England!
Writer/Director Elana McKernan has tied the knot and moved to NYC! Elana offered searingly smart insight into new plays and graced the Matchbox Production with The Lysistrata Project that she wrote and directed, which was performed in a beautiful Victorian house in Berkeley. We can’t wait to see what site specific work Elana stirs up in New York!
The Lysistrata Project
“Hello my baby, hello my darling, hello my ragtime gal…”
Cindy Im
We welcome the amazing actress Cindy Im to our ranks as a Resident Artist. Featured as Korean American in Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven, Cindy brings a fierce humor and intelligence to our company. Cindy has been developing The Hundred Flowers Project over the last year with us and our co-producers, Playwrights Foundation. We’re thrilled that she’ll be originating the role of Julie in the 2012 world premiere production.
To all these Monkeys past & present, we thank you for your incredible creativity and heart. For your drive and dedication. For your light and buoyancy. For your muscle and verve. Here’s to many more years of deliciously strange, powerful, electrifiying work!
