New Forms is a group of theater makers committed to experimenting with theatrical structure, language, and presentation. We seek new ways of affecting people emotionally through performance-be it through re-imagining an existing play, experimenting with different media, or developing new works.
In a changing world with changing people, our goal is to create the most meaningful theatrical experience possible for our contemporary audience. In order to do this, we believe we must challenge the boundaries of 'traditional' theater, and give artists the freedom to create new forms.
Doctor Faustus sells his soul to become the inventor of electric lights, but they burn so brightly that they blot out the moon. Everything can be seen, everything can be known but…can it really? What is a SOUL anyway? And when is there too much visibility?
With original music from composer Shruti Kumar, NEW FORMS Theater Makers present a new form of the original Faust myth, told through a ballet of lights, rhythm, and a dog who says “Thank You.”
The Cast
SYBIL FARIS JOHNSON (Doctor Faustus)
is so excited to be a part of New Forms Theater Makers and Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights! A graduate of Vassar College, Sybil completed her Senior Thesis in Drama performing the title role in August Stindberg’s Miss Julie. She has spent the past year in New York City taking classes and participating in Theater Mitu’s Artist Intensive Programs, both in New York and South India. Her favorite roles have included Miss Julie, Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing) in the Vassar College Shakespeare Troupe, and Catherine Givings (In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play) with Fourth Wall Productions. She is thrilled for her New York City performance debut and cannot wait to see what comes next!
ALEXANDRA PADDOCK (Marguerite Ida and Helena Annabel)
Alexandra might enjoy a fireside chat with Ms. Stein on the subject of punctuation. In the meantime she’d love to thank her ever-thoughtful cast and creative team for considering the shape of oneness in two. Past experience includes The National Tour of The Wizard of Oz (Ensemble, Glinda U/S) and the Vital Theatre in NYC. Favorite Regional: Crazy for You (Polly), CATS (Bombalurina), and Chicago (Hunyak). School favorites: 4.48 Psychosis and Company (Amy). B.A. in Religion from Columbia University. Sending laughter and love.
GRAHAM BURK (The Dog)
New York: Life of Galileo (Sagredo/Pope) with the Fordham Alumni Theatre Company; Boris Godunov, Turandot, and Aida (Supernumerary) at the Metropolitan Opera; A Midsummer Night's Dream (Flute); Film: Viewer's Like You (Dave); Staged Reading: Texas Law Men (Jerry) at 37 Arts. Fordham University: Man Equals Man (Jip), The Busybody (Sir Jealous), The Bacchae (Cadmus), Dead Man Walking (Mitch), and The Blind Age (Sentry). BA in Theatre from Fordham University at Lincoln Center. Special thanks to my mom and my family for their unending love and support.
LEORA BERNSTEIN (The Little Boy)
a newcomer to New York, Leora has just graduated from the MFA program at the Boston Conservatory. She has recently been in Identity Theatre's production of Cinderella, and while in Boston, performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She can't believe how lucky she is to be working on such a great production with the talent in this cast, and thanks Carlyn, Liz, and everyone in the Dr. Faustus crew for the craziest, yet most fun welcome she could have imagined! www.leorabernstein.com
MYSTEENA AKILA SAUNDERS (Mephisto)
is a native of Queens, New York and proud alumna of Winston-Salem State University. After working in the entertainment/performing arts industry for a few years, she began performing full-time as an actress. Now she studies acting under the tutelage of Anthony Abeson and has performed in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway plays and several short films. Mysteena is very grateful to be a part of such a great cast and production team. She is living a dream and strongly believes that “With God all things are possible.” (Mathew 19:26)
DAVID MUIRHEAD (The Man From Over the Seas)
makes his first debut in New York on this stage. Although, he is no stranger to the stage (performing last for the Atlanta Opera in The Flying Dutchman). Some of his favorite roles throughout his career are: “Tony” in West Side Story, “Friedrich Von Trapp” in The Sound of Music, “Gad” in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, “Dr. Roche” in The Pajama Game, and “Carleton Fitzgerald” in Light Up the Sky. David will continue to grace the stage through acting, singing, comedy, dance, and directing. He has enjoyed the chance to learn a new role in this beautifully directed performance and would like to thank the talented theatre family for welcoming him with open arms.
ELLA METUKI (The Woman, Chorus)
Once a Sargent in the Israeli Defense Forces, Ella Metuki is a recent NYU grad, trying her best to combine her passion for theatre making with her love of arts education. Previous NYC credits include the original cast of Limerence, Cunningham in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and more. She was also recently featured in The Actors' Project NYC's "On the Stage" showcase. Thank you to my family and friends for their undying support, and to Carly and the entire Faustus cast and crew!
SAMANTHA MAURICE (The Boy and Girl, Principle Chorus)
has theatre in her blood and grew up performing three-part harmony with her grandmother and mother at various churches, weddings, schools and women's associations throughout Southern California. She was most recently seen as part of Mt Gretna Theatre's summer stock season as a dancer in Meet Me In St Louis, and the scheming Julia in Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced. She attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, studying musical theatre at the CAP21 studio, as well as studying classical acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Thanks to my family for their unwavering support.
RACHEL KENNEY (The Boy and Girl, Principle Chorus)
is a recent graduate of Northwestern University’s acting program where she played lead roles in A Streetcar Named Desire, Glass Menagerie, and Beauty Queen of Leenane among several others. She moved to New York three months ago and is absolutely thrilled to be a part of her first production in NYC. She is also an actor/member of the acclaimed children’s performance and educational theatre company The Story Pirates. Infinite thanks to David Catlin, P&A, professors and classmates at Northwestern, Mom, Dad, Karen, Tom & Margaret Lynch, Grace, and Claire for helping her get here and inspiring her to keep going. Thank you to the entire Faustus team for this incredible opportunity.
The Team
CARLYN FLINT - DIRECTOR & PRODUCER
is a playwright, director, actor and visual artist. She graduated from Vassar College in 2010 with a degree in theater, where she directed Naomi Wallace's One Flea Spare as her senior thesis. At Vassar she won the Marilyn Swartz Seven Playwriting Award for her plays about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Waterlines and Draining Still, and Pleiades Productions most recently produced a workshop and staged reading of her first full length play, Selvish. In NYC she has been assistant directing-credits include: Septimus and Clarissa (RipeTime), The World is Round (RipeTime), The Show Goes On (The York Theatre), Colette Collage (The York Theatre) and Taming of the Shrew (Hamptons Shakespeare Festival- Associate Dir.).
SHRUTI KUMAR - COMPOSER
began her musical career at age 4 as a pianist, and began composing shortly thereafter. Having studied at both the Peabody Conservatory and The Juilliard School, Shruti's ability stems from her classical roots. However, when she began writing, Shruti began performing in jazz and gospel choirs, and was exposed to musical theatre, performing both on stage and in pit orchestras. Fusing the different styles, including the Indian music she grew up listening to, Shruti soon began writing songs in addition to her concert music, "debut-ing" her first on the The Late Show with David Letterman in 1997. Since, Shruti has performed and had her songs performed by other artists in DC and New York. She completed her undergraduate studies at Columbia University, and her master's degree in Film Scoring at NYU. During her years in New York, Shruti has composed for numerous films, large-scale theater productions, classical concerts, contemporary dance, and been employed by SONY music for varying projects to do arrangements for prominent pop artists. She has been heard at The Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Strathmore Hall, The National Gallery, The United Nations, Miller Theatre, (le) Poisson Rouge, and smaller venues in lower Manhattan. Shruti now lives in Los Angeles and is pursuing further diverse musical opportunities.
JOEL GROSSMAN - SET DESIGNER
is a director/designer finishing up his final year towards his BFA in Drama at NYU-TSoA. Joel recently interned for Scenic Designer Beowulf Borrit on the Off Broadway shows "Fat Camp" and "Painting Churches." At NYU Joel has been the Scenic Designer for: "Woods/ColdFusion" "Snows of Kilimanjaro" "Usher" "Lick it! Lick the Corpse!" Joel recently travelled with Theatre Mitu to India for the SIAI. He has also worked for the world's foremost expert on crystal skulls at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
ELLEN GEISSAL - LIGHTING DESIGNER
Bio coming soon...
TERI MADONNA - SOUND DESIGNER
is a sound designer and performer and an NYU graduate with a BFA in drama. Teri's most recent projects include The Material World (stand-in sound engineer) at Dixon Place and Are You There, Search Engine? (performer) at Goodbye Blue Monday in Bushwick. Teri is also a teaching artist at Bankstreet Summer Camp and the Hunts Point Alliance for Children.
KARLI BRAE - COSTUME DESIGNER
was born with a passion for all things creative and imaginative. That passion has led her to New York City where she is based as an actress and designer. A graduate of Miami University with a degree in Theatre, some of her favorite credits include: Angels in America, Woyzeck, and, most recently, Off-Broadway’s Traces. In addition to her work on the stage, she also operates her own freelance design business, Karli Brae Designs. Endless thanks to my family and friends for all of their support as I follow my dreams. “She believed could, so she did.”
ELIZABETH DOYLE - STAGE MANAGER
is excited to be working on her first project with NEW FORMS Theater Makers. She has studied stage management as well psychology at Marymount Manhattan College and is pursuing a psychiatric nursing degree. Previously she has worked with theater companies such as GroundUP Productions, Spookfish Theater, Mainspring Collective, Creative Infantry and Toybox Theater. In addition she has also worked with Lincoln Center and New York Theater Workshop. She is also currently the interim business manager of The Box Colony Theatre. Special thanks to her parents and everyone at NEW FORMS Theater Makers.
THOMAS WYNN - SOUND TECHNICIAN & PRODUCER
Thomas Wynn Graduated from Northampton Community College twenty minutes away from his hometown in Easton, Pennsylvania. He has been in numerous student films, radio projects, and played a greek god in an indie film "Mr.Blue Shirt II". Thomas has been in several NYU student films. Voice acting, comedy,audio editing and living each day to the fullest are his passions.
KELLY O'OBRIEN - PRODUCER
Kelly O'Brien is a senior at Fordham University studying American Studies and French. For the past two years, she has worked with Lauren Rayner Productions as the Artistic/Producing Intern and as a Producing Associate. She is looking for a post-graduation job somewhere in the arts and is not picky. Hire her.
Thank you to our Donors!
Peter and Elisabeth Lyon, Diane Rehm, Ellen Richardson, Jennifer DaSilva, Caryn Hopkins, Joseph Kersting, Jody Russell, Margaret M lynch, Clayton Hottinger, Nikki Holzberg, Kathleen DeJean, Tess Russell, Sue Emanuel, Samantha Erenberger, Salvatore Madonna, Theresa Madonna, Deborah Loewenberg, Chantel Helbig, Emily Antenucci, Michele O'Brien, Karen Bernstein, Danielle Morvant, Lauren Rubin, Deadria Harrington, Arielle Grinshpan, Matthew Leonard, Robert Tilton, Rebecca Berkowitz, Elisabeth Johnson, Lindsey McKinney, Amber Eirich, Baize Buzan, Estefania Fadul, Gal Nachson, Eva Trust, Wadii Abouliatim, Leslie and David McKinney, Chris Fain, Anthony Kreisel, Eleanor Doyle, Alissa Fairchild, Megan Hansen, Madeleine Joyce, Stefanie Wagner, Jack Berenholtz, Sheryl Noble, Craig Joyce, Russ Halley, Jessica Sung, Nathan Cohen, Cheryl and Scott McKinney, Emily Tabachuk, Lynn Hungerford, Megan Stewart, C. Atkins Godack, Caitlin Schneiderhan, Caroyln and Josh Sutherland, John Paddock, Roy and Joy Flint and more than 15 more!
