SUMMER SHEBANG 2022

Welcome to Summer Shebang!, where professional actors, dancers and musicians and NYC kids dream up, write down, rehearse and perform this wild and wacky show in JUST THREE WEEKS! 

Saturday and sunday, september 10 & 11

Please consider making a contribution to support the work of Creative Stage Collective—like today’s performance!

ONLINE PROGRAM

The Alternate Reality Lab, Part I

Pickle Ice Cream

Slime at Law

Slime Song - Sung to the Tune of Piano Invention No 8 by Bach

The Museum

Alternate Reality Physic Lab—The Flash Back

Cat Piano

Over the Hill Roller Coaster

Roller Coaster Song - Sung to the Tune of O Fortuna by Carl Orff

Drama Burger

Emporium for Miserables

Sesame Beat

Alternate Reality Physic Lab Part II

Alternate Reality Song - Sung to the Tune of Ain’t Too Proud to Beg by The Temptations

Madeline Bender, Director

Madeline has had a rich career as an international opera singer, writer, director and producer. She has created numerous devised performances including: Instrumental Storytellers at Symphony Space in collaboration with Concert Artists Guild; the annual Creative Stage Spectacular performances, also at Symphony Space (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022); Summer Shebang! (2018, 2021); and Dancing Storytellers for Carnegie Hall Fall Family Day (2018).  She specializes in devising original work with multi-generational, multidisciplinary groups.

Originally an operatic soprano, Madeline has worked with notable opera directors such Sir Peter Hall, Robert Wilson, David McVicar, Paul Curran, and Sir Jonathan Miller. She has appeared as Euridice in Orphee’ at Le Theatre du Chatelet, with Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducting; Helene in A Midsummer Night's Dream (La Monnaie, Brussels, Glyndebourne Festival Opera); Konstanza in Mozart's Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (Baden Baden, Aix en Provence); Violetta in La Traviata (Santa Fe Opera); Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (New York Philharmonic), and Handel's Messiah (Toronto Symphony Orchestra, with Sir Andrew Davis conducting). Madeline received her Masters degree in vocal performance from the Manhattan School of Music.  She lives in NYC with her husband, operatic bass Paul Whelan, and their thirteen-year-old son, Zachary, who made his Carnegie Hall debut performing the treble solos in Elijah with the Oratorio Society of New York this past May.

francisco alvidrez, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, Actor

Francisco holds an Architecture degree from Columbia University. Outside of his day job in Architecture, he can be found on various stages across NYC performing and directing works ranging from Shakespeare to Sketch Comedy. With a strong background in musical theatre, Francisco has been a frequent CSC collaborator in Musical Madlibs (2019), Creative Stage Spectacular (2019, 2020), Instrumental Storytellers (2020), Zoom-tacular! and Summer Shebang! (2021). Previous performances include; Wedekind Lulu, the 123rd Varsity Show at Columbia University, Ren in Footloose. He was also a staple member in Columbia's Latenite Theatre. Upcoming endeavors include Co-directing and producing Dino Wars—Creative Stage Collective’s first film in our Short Film Challenge. Francisco is the youngest Creative Stage Collective Board Member.

MADELeiNE WITMER

Madeleine Witmer is a singer, actor, dancer and songwriter from Broadway, Virginia. She graduated with a degree in Musical Theatre and Dance from Christopher Newport University, and then went on to tour multiple productions, including children’s theatre, with Virginia Repertory Theatre. She spent the last two summers at The Ferguson Center for the Arts as part of the company of the “New Musicals Lab,” workshopping multiple productions, as well as the world premiere of Drew Gasparini’s “We Aren’t Kids Anymore.” Since moving to the city, you may have caught her singing at The Green Room 42, Feinstein’s/54 Below, or as a featured songwriter in Gasparini’s “New Voices” series—which you can find on YouTube along with more of Mads’s original music. 

Tiffany Iris

Tiffany Iris is a versatile artist with credits ranging from puppetry (Riddles of the Trilobites at the New Victory Theater and The Wildlife Witches Super Scary Halloween Show at the Bronx Zoo) to Shakespeare (Island Shakespeare Festival).

Tiffany received training from Alan Langdon at Circle in the Square Theatre School, with theatrical projects ranging from straight plays to short films. Also a singer, Tiffany played the role of Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, for which she was nominated for an Irene Ryan acting scholarship. As a proud Latina, proving to the world that you can create beautiful, meaningful and fun content without having to be stereotyped drives Tiffany to continue in this unpredictable yet rewarding career path. Read more about Tiffany HERE.

joel oramas

Joel Oramas is an actor/singer/dancer based in New York City with credits including the tour of the critically acclaimed show The Prisoner's Dilemma (London), Oliver Twist and The Princess and the Pea (Northeast and Canada). His NYC credit include Twelfth Night (Duende Productions) and The Rape of Lucrece (New York Shakespeare Exchange). Selected Regional Credits: Ashe in Johannesburg and Romeo and Juliet (Burning Coal Theatre); Pippin and Man of La Mancha (Jean's Playhouse); Taming of the Shrew (Orlando Shakespeare Theatre); Avenue Q (Hippodrome Theatre); and Striking 12 (Company of Fools). Joel has an MFA from the University of Florida. He is a Creative Stage Collective Board Member and has performed in numerous Creative Stage Collective performances—including the Summer Shebang!

CAROLINE STRANGE

Caroline Strang has graced the stage as singer, dancer and actor in roles such as Maureen in The Bluest Eye at the Guthrie Theater, as well as iconic fairy tale roles such as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella in Into The Woods with Red House Arts, to name just a few. Caroline has both an MFA in Acting Performance from the University of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and a BA in Vocal Performance from the University of Connecticut. She made her CSC debut in the our 2021 Summer Shebang!

Stephanie Peña, Choreographer

Stephanie Peña created the choreography for the Swan Lake piece in this evening’s performance. She is a choreographer, dancer and teaching artist. She earned an MFA in Choreography at the University of Roehampton in London, UK. Her choreography, What Am I Doing Here? (2014) was showcased at CUNY Hunter College, Open Marley Night (Baltimore) and Ticino in Danza Festival (Switzerland). Her other work, Morir Soñando (2016) was showcased at University of Roehampton and Elefeet Dance Festival (London, UK). As a dancer, Peña is currently working with Lakaï Dance Theatre. She has performed at Jacob’s Pillow, Hibernian Hall, New York Live Arts and MIT. She has also worked with Ligia Lewis, Rosemary Lee, Oriana Fox, Brice Mousset and many more artists. As a teaching artist, she is currently teaching Contemporary and Latin Social Dances such as Merengue, Bachata and Salsa to children K-12 at public schools and community centers through Dancewave, Pentacle, AIRE Purelement and Little Island Outreach Program. Peña continues to grow by collaborating with dance artists and inspiring others to move their bodies.

CSC Youth Performers:

Maddy Christian, Ariella Natalya Plaks Bonilla, Cara Finucane, Natalia Nuñez Carrero, Lyla Pompili, Tate Holden, Griffin Faulkner, Zachary Whelan, Henry Leung

Costumes and Props, Christina Burke

Stage Manager, Zoe Ruleman

Sound Engineer, Max Heylinger

Assistant Sound Engineer, Jacob Milliband

*And special thanks to Nicole Greevy for assisting us with her scriptwriting genius*

Many thanks to our sponsors for the event!