PROGRAM 19

Look How Far You’ve Come by Ziyan Yang

Then And Now by Jessica Carmona

Ziyan Yang (Playwright, Director) is a composer originally from Yunnan, this is his first play. Notable composition credits include new musical The Song of The Earth (Eugene O’Neill Semi-Finalist), operetta Ti’Mon (Obsidian Theatre Festival Winner), short opera The Tell-Tale Heart. Works featuring his music have been performed at Loewe Theatre at CUNY, Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre, Kaufman Music Center and The Theatre for the New City in New York. He is an alumnus of NYU Tisch's Musical Theatre Writing Program. 

Andy Law (Li) is an actor from Hong Kong and now based in New York City. Most recently he played Li in Look How Far You’ve Come by Ziyan Yang at the New York Theatre Festival. He made his debut on stage in NYC at a show called The Northbound Train - a playwright graduate showcase in Columbia University. Besides, he has appeared in various reenactment shows on NHK and FujiTV during his stay in Tokyo, on various films that’s yet to be published. He speaks fluent Cantonese, Mandarin, English, okay-Japanese and broken Spanish. HB Studio is where he’s continuing his actor training at. 

Natalie Choo (Amy) is an actor and singer based in NewYork City. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Nataliewas a 2022 graduate of Harvard College, where she was Co-President of the Harvard College OperaSociety. She has played a wide range of stage roles,including the Queen of the Night (The Magic Flute),Elle Woods (Legally Blonde), and Hero (Much AdoAbout Nothing). She also performed in the original reading of Shimcheong: A Folktale, later retitledDive, by Julia Riew. Most recently, Natalie completed the One-Year Professional ActingProgram at the Barrow Group and has performed in concerts at 54 Below.

Stephanie Jeane Toussaint (Chan)is thrilled to reprise her role in Look How Far You’ve Come and take part in Chain Theatre’s One Act Winter Festival. Her recent credits include New York Theatre Festival, Two Takes (Frederick Loewe Theatre), Just Us (Gene Frankel Theatre), The Witching Hour (The Kraine Theatre), Dogeaters (Two River Theater). Film: How Crouching Tiger, Should’ve Ended, The Snoozefest, Delivery, Crimson Harvest, Ava. MFA Columbia. stephaniejeane.com

Jennica Carmona (Griselda Cabrera) was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and raised in Rochester, NY, she is a graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. She is a proud co-founder of Si Se Puede Productions, a theatre and film production company that creates material with social justice themes. (www.sisepuedeproductions.org) Favorite theatre roles include Marela in “Anna in the Tropics”(Hippodrome Theatre) Female Storyteller in “Mi Casa Tu Casa”, (Luna Stage), and Elvira in “Elvira-The Immigration Play. She is excited to be a part of this production! jennicacarmona.com

Alexander Peña (Joseph Cabrera) is a creative artist who believes in connecting with the audience emotions and psyche through his craft. Multifaceted, Alexander has been in many forms of art and continues to sharpen his skills to enhance the development of his abilities. He is known for roles like Warbucks in Annie, Rod in Avenue Q, Juror #11 in 12 Angry Jurors, and Howie in Rabbit Hole, Ernst in Spring Awakening, and Emilio in Redemption. He likes to thank all the people that believed in him to get this far and for the teachers and mentors that pushed him to greatness along the way. Now learning and exploring within his own methods, he hopes to entertain and open your mind into curiosity and enlightenment!

Ali Weekes Shinall (Fiona O’Hara) Recently, Ali returned to the stage post-pandemic playing Nellie Ewell in Tennessee Williams’ Summer and Smoke (Voice Theatre, NY). Previously, Ali was performing in the UK, appearing on stage as Beulah Binnings in Tennessee Williams’ Orpheus Descending (Stockwell Playhouse, London), Jaques in an open-air production of As You Like It (YAOW Theatre, Windsor), and Cornelia in the debut of a wonderful play called Spitfire Sisters (The Space, London). Select other theatre includes: The Gellar Girls (True Colors Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew (Georgia Shakespeare Festival), Macbeth (Georgia Shakespeare Festival), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Kellet Theatre), Amber Brown (National Tour), and Fall (Synchronicity Playhouse). Ali has received formal training in Boston, London, and NYC. She is excited to bring Fiona to life for Si Se Puede Productions! 

Instagram: @weekes | www.winter-maker.com

Jessica Carmona (Director) is a Latina Actress, Playwright Librettist and lyricist based in Brooklyn, NY. She is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts and is current member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Special thanks to Red Monkey Theatre Group for commissioning this play and for their support. She thanks her family for their unconditional support. Instagram: @jesscarmonaactress | www.jessicacarmona.com 

Gabrielle Rodríguez (Production Stage Manager/ Marketing Director) is a multidisciplinary artist from Yonkers, NY.  She is grateful to work on Then and Now! She recently graduated from Iona University with a BA in Arts Leadership (Concentration in Theater). Currently, she is an Arts Administration Intern at Pentacle (DanceWorks, Inc.). She recently was the Production Stage Manager for Midnight Cowboy Radio at The Tank earlier this month and was a Marketing Intern at the Theater Center. Past New York Credits: Assistant Stage Manager for Nyad’s Dream (Stage Jewels NYC), Production Assistant for Richard II and Jane Austen's Emma (Hudson Classical Theater Company). She is also a Stage Management Association member. She would like to thank everyone on the team for being amazing! Enjoy the show !

 @serimaluna on IG  | https://gabyrodriguezrivera.wixsite.com/gabriellerodriguez