acknowledgements

We would like to thank these individuals for contributing to Project Footlight 2009.

Steven Battaglia is the technical direction and production manager for Dixon Place. A Brooklyn native, he is extremely happy to be back at Dixon Place with his extended DP family. He looks forward to the new era at DP - the opening of our new space and permanent home. With a background in sound, video, and lighting design, Steven was involved in the technical systems design and planning for the new building. He looks forward to welcoming the artists into the new performance space. Steven is a contributing writer for Live Design magazine and writes blogs, sketch comedy, and plays (some of which he looks forward to performing). In his spare time, Steven dreams up and drafts designs for major touring pop/rock concerts. He has a dog, a corgi, named Pooh.

Andy Einhorn: Broadway/National Tour: The Light in the Piazza; Other National Tours: Sweeney Todd (Resident Music Director), Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Associate Music Director/Conductor), The Lion King, Mamma Mia! Audra McDonald's principal coach/pianist for her operatic debut in Poulenc's La Voix Humaine and La Chiusa's Send at Houston Grand Opera. Other regional credits: American Vaudeville (Alley Theatre) and Goodspeed Opera House. Honors graduate, Rice University. Upcoming: iSondheim (Alliance Theatre, James Lapine).

Sarna Lapine received her MFA in film from Columbia University this past year. While in film school over the past four years, Sarna has directed and produced several short films as well as directed new musical theater works in development and new plays. Currently, Sarna is the dramaturge on a developing commercial musical about Bruce Lee. Sarna has worked as an assistant director on Broadway since 2005 on: The Light in the Piazza, Awake and Sing! and South Pacific. This summer she will be directing The Year of Magical Thinking at Intiman Theatre in Seattle.

luis salgadoLuis Salgado is the Latin Assistant Choreographer of the Tony Award Broadway Musical In The Heights. Luis has performed in shows like The Mambo Kings (Frankie Suarez), Fame on 42nd Street (Joe Vegas u/s), and Aida among others. Film credits includes: Step Up 2 The Streets (Alejandro), Enchanted performing and assisting the choreographers in both of this films. Luis choreographed the musicals Serenade winning an Hola award for his choreography and The Drop Outs in NYC and co-directed/choreographed the original show Mezcla in Peru. At the moment Luis works as choreographer for the new show Shafrika the White Girl and the spanish play Salsa Gorda and is thrilled to be a part of the Project Footlight adventure. A BroadwayWorld.com Gypsy of the Month and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble for In the Heights. Luis is the founder/director of R.Evolucion Latina - DARE TO GO BEYOND!, a collective of artists and activists committed to empowering the artistic community in order to inspire growth within the Latino Community. www.luissalgado.com & www.revolucionlatina.org

Leslie Strongwater is the director of programming at Dixon Place. This means she curates our wonderful performance series, Under Construction, and, along with executive director, Ellie Covan, Mondo Cane! She has created Puppet BloK, Page to Stage, and AIR for Dixon Place. Leslie has studied at Circle in the Square, Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, BADA, and Hampshire College, where she received her BA in theater studies and art history. She worked with Lone Wolf Tribe for three years, filling roles from assistant director to puppeteer. Her work has been shown at HERE, The BRICK, Ontological-Hysteric, DTW, Thirteenth Street Repertory, Manhattan Repertory Theatre, Roy Arias Theater, and Dixon Place. She has directed and produced for Obie-award-winning Peculiar Works Project's East Village Fragments and Suzan Lori Park's 365 Days/365 Plays at the Public Theatre. Leslie is also a teaching artist for Arts Horizons and the Artist Collective for Social Change.

alison solomonAlison Solomon recently returned from Minneapolis where she choreographed the Broadway musical Swing!  She has worked with and assisted choreographers such as Luis Salgado, Warren Adamas, Joshua Bergasse, Marc Robin, and Mark Stuart Eckstein and was involved in pre-production with Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler for In the Heights and 9 to 5.  Her credits include: Show Boat  (Carnegie Hall), Camelot (Lincoln Center), ABC’s The View with Ben Vereen (Assistant Choreographer), Gypsy of the Year’s 50th Anniversary West Side Story Tribute, Serenade (Dance Captain/Ensemble), Powerhouse (Homeless Girl), Swing! (Lindy), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Dance Captain/Ethel Peas), West Side Story (Francisca), 42nd Street (Gladys), Swingtime Canteen (Ensemble/Assist. to Chor.).  She is also the assistant to the director of R.Evolucion Latina – Dare to Go Beyond!  www.alisolomon.com