ALLEN RADWAY (Producing Artistic Director) has worked as an actor, director and educator in the Philadelphia theatre community for over a decade. He holds a BFA in Acting from the University of the Arts, and has studied abroad with members of the Royal Shakespeare Company. In his first season as Simpatico’s Artistic Director, Allen directed the Philadelphia premieres of Carter W. Lewis’ Evie’s Waltz and David Mamet’s The Cryptogram. As an educator he has worked with People’s Light & Theatre Company, Theatre Horizon, Winding River Players, the Delaware Shakespeare Festival, and the nationally renown Philadelphia Young Playwrights Company. He is also a proud, integral part of Lantern Theater Company’s Illumination Program, which recently received the prestigious Shakespeare in American Communities grant from the NEA. As an actor Allen has appeared in over forty local productions to date. His recent credits include: Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare in Clark Park), Harder in A Moon for the Misbegotten at the Arden Theatre Company, Owen in Theatre Exile’s That Pretty Pretty, and Prince Hal in Lantern Theater Company’s production of Henry IV, Part I. He will next appear in the American premiere of Our Class for the Wilma Theater. Allen is a firm believer in Simpatico’s mission statement, and encourages anyone, everyone, to become a believer as well…by supporting and participating in our exciting seventh season in Philadelphia.
CHRISTOPHER HAIG (Company Manager) has 23 years experience in theatre, both on stage and off. He sang at the United States Embassy in Jordan, the Israel Festival in Tel Aviv, the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia with the Philadelphia Boys Choir; and had the honor of singing with Luciano Pavarotti at the Academy of Music. He has also performed at the White House and Carnegie Hall in NYC. As a young man, Chris began to act in plays and musicals throughout Philadelphia. In 2001, he earned a BFA in Acting from the University of the Arts. While there, he developed an interest in prop and scenic design; combining his love of the visual arts with his passion for theatre. Since graduating, Chris has further diversified his skill set by studying film production in London, mastering AutoCAD, and studying Voice-Over with Charlie Roney. A confessed multi-tasker, Chris is usually working on several projects at once. His most recent set design work was for Mel Brooks’ The Producers with the Dramateurs at the Barn. He is currently designing props for Theatre Horizon’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, producing the Philadelphia premiere of Love-Nothing by local playwright Andrea Daniels for the 2010 Philly Fringe Festival, designing sets for Jesus Christ Superstar and finishing up his masters in Arts Administration from Drexel University.
JILL HARRISON (Associate Artistic Director) hails from NYC where she has worked as a freelance director and assistant for such companies as Playwrights Horizons, New York Theatre Workshop, NYC Frigid Festival, Brooklyn Playwrights Collective, The Queen’s Players, and Peculiar Works Project. She holds a MFA in Directing from Temple University and a BA in Theatre from Lehigh University. Jill is a member of Lincoln Center Theatre Director’s Lab and is a former member of the Directing Corps at Williamstown Theatre Festival. As a writer, Jill recently received a grant from The Cameron Siemers Foundation in support of her full-length play, In Search of Hope, which received workshops at the New York Theatre Workshop & Temple Theaters. Directing credits include: Charles Mee’s Big Love and Stefanie Zadravec’s Honey Brown Eyes, an excerpt (Temple Theaters), Nora McLaughlin’s The Giant’s Causeways (Frigid NYC – Audience Choice Award), Stefanie Zadravec’s Leaving (Secret Theatre/NYC), Craig Lucas’ Reckless and Harry Kondoleon’s Play Yourself (Theatre Outlet), John Guare’s Loveliest Afternoon of the Year and Steve Wojtas’ Jump (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Michael Tigar’s The Zenger Trial Project (Borgata Casino/PBA Productions) and Peculiar Works Project’s OFF Stage (Obie Award/Production). Assistant credits include: Nico Muhly & Craig Lucas’ premiere opera Two Boys (English National Opera/TheMetropolitan Opera), Tracy Letts’ Superior Donuts (Arden Theatre Company), Craig Lucas’ Prayer for My Enemy (Playwrights Horizons), and Cusi Cram’s Lucy and the Conquest (Williamstown Theatre Festival). Jill is thrilled to join Simpatico; and will direct the company’s first offering of the 2011/2012 Season.
ALLISON GARRETT (Artistic Associate / Literary Manager) is a San Diego, CA, native who moved to Philadelphia in 2004 to attend Temple University. She graduated in 2008 with a BA in theater, and specialized in acting, directing, and dramaturgy. Since graudation, her favorite credits include: Secret Room Theater’s production of In Arabia, We’d All Be Kings (Assistant Director), DysFUNctional Theater’s Fefu and Her Friends (Director), Isis Production Co.’s Prisoner of 2nd Ave (Costume Design), Simpatico Theatre Project’s Pyretown (Dramaturg), and Cruz Control Pictures’ film Solace (lead actress) which won Best Dramatic Short at the 2009 New York International Independent Film Festival. Upcoming projects include producing/directing The Rocky Horror Show for the 2010 Fringe Festival as well as serving as the Assistant Director and Dramaturg for Simpatico’s 2010-2011 season.
CHRISTINE M. BATER (Outreach Coordinator / Company Stage Manager) was born and raised in New Jersey. She received her BFA in Theatre Production from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. While at college, she had the opportunity to study abroad at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and intern at the Royal Court Theatre. Favorite stage management credits include: Hands Across Veronica (Eternal Spiral Project), Stop Kiss (The Jameson Project), Long Day’s Journey into Night (Simpatico Theatre Project), and Guys and Dolls (Mississippi Summer Arts Institute). In her other life, she is an administrative assistant for the Food Marketing department at Saint Joseph’s University.
KAY AULISIO (Box Office Manager / Marketing Coordinator) grew up in Lancaster, PA. She holds both a Bachelors and a Graduate degree in Human Resources. Before joining Simpatico Kay Marie volunteered for various arts programs around Philadelphia. At her previous job she worked as co-captain of Business On Call for her company. Business On Call arranged for working professionals to volunteer with theater and art companies in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. She has been active in the Philadelphia arts scene since moving here 7 years ago; and currently works as an HR specialist.
C. RYANNE LARATONDA (Affiliate Artist) Born and raised in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Ryanne received her BA in Theatre from Bloomsburg University. Following a stage management internship with the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, she moved to Philadelphia to direct Speech Acts for Theatre Catalyst and WAIT! for The Eternal Spiral Project. She then completed a directing and dramaturgy internship with Portland Stage Company, where she assistant directed A Christmas Carol and Dinner With Friends. Since returning to Philadelphia, Ryanne has directed for a number of local companies including Secret Room Theatre (In Arabia, We’d All Be Kings), Plays & Players (The Shape of Things, Exit Corpse, and Concrete Dinosaur) and LaSalle University (Into the Woods and Guys & Dolls). She has assistant directed with InterAct Theatre, the Wilma Theater, and Theatre Exile, among others. Ryanne attended the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab in 2008; and traveled to Italy for the 9th Annual La MaMa Umbria International Symposium for Directors. As a teaching artist and acting coach, Ryanne has taught classes for the Wilma Theater’s Studio School and Wilmagination program. She also served as the Artistic Director of The Student View and New Plays in Bloom, projects which developed five new plays written by students at Bloomsburg University. Ryanne is a founding member of Simpatico Theatre Project, and served as its Producing Artistic Director from inception until 2010. Ryanne directed Simpatico’s productions of Stop Kiss, Angels Fall, Getting Out, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, and Pyretown. Ryanne is currently pursuing her MFA in Directing at the University of California, Irvine.
