STAFF
Matt Okin, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Writer/Director/Teaching Artist
Plays include, Pigs (Adam Nicolas Productions at NYU),, In Love (Adam Nicolas Productions at NYU),, The Ugly Wife (off-Broadway at The Riverwest Theater),, Twist of Faith (also director, national tours),, Second Chances (also director, national tours and NYC premiere at Theater For The New City),, Destinations (story/director; TNC and FL's Coral Springs Center for the Arts);, Cherry Hill (Theater for the New City/Cannery Works; Spencer Chandler, director),, One Innocent Woman (TNC/Cannery Works; Spencer Chandler, director),, Walter Liked To Sit In His Big Backyard (staged readings at First Stage of Los Angeles and The Zipper in NYC), and, Cherry Hill (also director; 2008 Midtown International Theater Festival at the June Havoc).
Matt's musicals, written with composer-lyricist Avi Kunstler, include, Generations (also director; various NYC venues and 2008 New York Musical Theater Festival) and the new rock musical, Soul Searching (also director; The 45th Street Theater, various NYC venues, and 2008 New York Musical Theater Festival). He is currently the creator and director of The All-Kids Rock Musical Workshop, which will premiere at Theater for the New City in June ’09.
Matt's improv comedy projects have included, Lost Tribe (numerous NYC-area venues) and, as director and co-writer,, A Match Made In Manhattan-The Interactive Jewish Wedding Experience (NYC and national tours).
From 2003-08, Matt served as Artistic Director of Black Box Entertainment, which developed and produced theater and music events with spiritual themes for both mainstream and niche audiences. As an Associate Producer, he worked with Gallant Arts on the September '09 off-Broadway premiere of, The Quarrel at The DR2 Theatre.
Matt taught musical theater for five seasons in the Performing Arts Department at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly, NJ; he now teaches musical theater, improv, and acting at his own Black Box Studios in Teaneck, NJ; at the Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies in Hackensack and Woodcliff Lake, NJ; at the Moriah School of Englewood, NJ; and with The Apollo Theater’s In-School Seminars throughout NYC. Matt received a B.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and has two daughters, Rachel and Arielle.
Mandy Decker, COMPANY MANAGER AND PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER
Choreographer/Children's Theater Director/Teaching Artist
Mandy has worked with young people since 1997. She also teaches technical theatre and basic lighting design. In New York, her recent credits include, Indiosyncrasy (Teatro La Tea),, Out of Control (Midtown International Theatre Festival),, Woody and the Heeb (Manhattan Repertory Theatre),, Trilogy Threat (Indigenous Taino Productions), the new rock musical, Soul Searching, Twist of Faith (Black Box Entertainment), and, Cherry Hill (MAKOR). Her extensive work in children's theater took her around the states to work on, Dracula,, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Acting Out (Urban Youth Theatre);, Horton Hatches the Egg, The Sneetches, Stone Soup, Nickel and Dimed, The Lorax, R.E.S.P.E.C.T (Children's Theatre Company); the all-kids rock musical workshop,, Generations (Black Box Entertainment at BergenPAC and New York Musical Theatre Festival);, Me and My Girl, RAGS, Babes in Arms (Capital Playhouse). Mandy's tours include, Pippi Longstocking (American Family Theatre),, R.E.S.P.E.C.T (Dr. Dorothy Productions), and, A Match Made In Manhattan (Black Box Entertainment). She has also worked regionally on, Blood Brothers, Grapes of Wrath, Annie Get Your Gun, the world premiere of, Salute to Christmas Radio Days, The Crucible, West Side Story (Covered Bridge Theatre Company) and, 42nd Street (Star Players of Bristol County). She is married to Tim Decker, a published author/illustrator of books for young people and an accomplished guitarist. They live happily in Jersey City and have several fish.
Jonathan Kaplan, BUSINESS MANAGER
Musical Director/Teaching Artist
Jonathan holds a B.A. in Music from Brandeis University ('89). He has been teaching piano since his high school years, and has been involved in professional music education ever since. Jonathan has also been performing in and directing musical theater since childhood, most recently as the Musical Director for several Black Box Entertainment productions, including the new rock musical, Soul Searching. Jonathan is fortunate to have the amazing Sariva Goetz (Les Miserables - Broadway) as a friend and teacher.
Jon Taub, BANDLEADER
Musician/Teaching Artist
Jon was bassist and Musical Director for the Black Box Entertainment productions of, Soul Searching and, Generations, both at various NYC venues and the 2008 New York Musical Theater Festival. Having cut his teeth as bassist for Filthy Penny Jr., Dert Merchants, Bishop Smeck, Moonie's Motel, [sic] (with whom he recorded and co-produced two albums, Poor Conductor and Last Laugh), Mick Lewis and the Fine Print, and the Aryeh Kunstler Band, he also occasionally moonlights as bassist for Sam Bodenheimer's B'samim and for singer-songwriters Rich Mansour and Billy Bassman. Currently, Jon is co-writing, directing and producing the West Side Jewish Center's 2009 Purim Shpiel. Additionally, Jon was the guitarist and musical director for the improv troupe Lost Tribe, as well as the Bandleader for The Jewish American Performing Arts Project's concert series. As an actor, he co-starred in the 10th Anniversary revival of, Twist of Faith, and played Sam the groom in, A Match Made In Manhattan.
Vanessa Altshuler, TEACHING ARTIST
Actress
Vanessa is originally from Oklahoma and has appeared in regional theater in Indiana (The Roundbarn Theater), Oklahoma (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma & Tulsa Theatre Arts), and Texas (Galveston Island Musicals). She has recently appeared as Becky in the new rock musical, Soul Searching, and as Mol Porter/Mrs. Thomasino in the MITF production of, Cherry Hill. Some past favorite roles include Queenie (The Wild Party), Gladys (The Pajama Game), The Baker's Wife (Into the Woods), and Helga (Cabaret). Vanessa has also appeared in television and films, including the feature films, Sam and Janet and, The Fun Park both out on DVD.
Giselle D'Souza, TEACHING ARTIST
Actress
Giselle is a professional actress and teaching artist in both New York City and New Jersey. Her recent acting credits include: James in the National Tour of, James and the Giant Peach (Two Beans Productions, Guest Artists of TheaterworksUSA), Sara in, Soul Searching (The 2008 New York Musical Theater Festival, DR2, Bowery Poetry Club), Michi Barall in, Sonnets for an Old Century (The Impulse Initiative), and Deirdre in, Cherry Hill (Midtown International Theater Festival). Giselle is also a resident actor/educator with the Central Park Zoo's, Wildlife Theater program, educating children about wildlife and conservation using interactive theater. This past fall she worked as a Teaching Artist with ages 3-7 at The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades' School of Performing Arts and was the Assistant Director/Stage Manager of, Generations at The 2008 New York Musical Theater festival. She is currently the Assistant Director of, The All-Kids Rock Musical Workshop, a collaborative project with Director Matt Okin, which debuts in June 2009. With Black Box Studios, she currently works with The Moriah School of Englewood's Drama Program. Giselle is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and received her BFA in Musical Theater from The New School. She plans on pursuing an M.A. in Applied Theater at CUNY in the near future.
Jason Horowitz, TEACHING ARTIST
Musician
Jason has played drums for the new rock musical, Soul Searching, Generations, the Aryeh Kunstler Band, and The Jewish American Performing Arts Project's concert series; he is currently drummer/percussionist for The All-Kids Rock Musical Workshop. For thirteen years, Jason worked as a counselor for disabled adults in AHRC, and before that was a recreational assistant at the Foundling Children's Hospital as well as a summer counselor at Camp Monroe in upstate NY.
Erel Pilo, TEACHING ARTIST
Actress
Erel is a NYC-based actress who has primarily worked in theatre, earned her BFA in Film & TV at NYU before going on to pursue her acting career. She has appeared in many off-Broadway stage productions including, The False Servant, Valparaiso (Garage Theatre),, The Man Who Came to Dinner (5th Ave. Presbyterian Church Theatre), and, A Match Made in Manhattan (Black Box Entertainment), as well as in several short films. She recently played Abigail Williams in the Brave New World Theatre’s staged reading of, The Crucible and appeared in a web promo for Starburst. Erel loves working with children and has over two years’ experience working as a tutor (SAT and school subjects) and substitute teacher. Additionally, she has done volunteer work through NY Cares, playing theatre games with young children. She also enjoys bellydancing and has performed with Amira Mor’s dance company in the International Dance Festival.
