Meet the REX Cast
BRETT BENOWITZ
Ensemble
Brett moved to NYC after graduating from UGA in 2011. Brett played Master Jefferson in the soul-rock musical Born Blue directed by Anthony Rapp at The Cutting Room. Brett played Orlando in Under the Greenwood Tree, a musical version of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, at The Frost Theatre in Williamsburg and later at The Flea Theatre in Manhattan. Brett played Moony in Moony’s Kid Don’t Cry by Tennessee Williams at the Theresa Center in Lido Beach. Brett is also a singer songwriter who plays in the alternative blues band, Sham.
AMANDA BERRY
Ensemble
Amanda is a co-founder of New Light Theater Project. Originally from San Antonio, TX, she moved to New York to attend NYU. She is currently continuing her studies at William Esper Studio. This is her sixth production with NLTP and looks forward to many more.
CORRIE BLISSIT
Ensemble
Corrie received her B.A. in Psychology and Minor in Dance at College of Charleston in South Carolina. She has performed throughout the Southeast with Renacer Dance and The Robert Ivey Ballet. In New York, she attended The Acting Studio, Inc. and is currently the Associate Executive Director for the New Light Theater Project.
HANNAH HARTMANN
Ensemble
Hannah is an actor, singer/songwriter, and fiddler who's written music for both stage and screen. Excited to join NLTP in bringing REX to life! A city romper with a small town soul, she's recorded and produced albums, singles and scores from her attic in New England. Recent acting credits: Regional: Brighton Beach Memoirs (Seven Angels Theatre), TV: Crime to Remember (Discovery), NYU/Atlantic: Marriage of Figaro (Cherubin) Music credits: Theatrical score for Tallgrass Gothic (GreyRoom Nyc), Film short score for Yarn Wars (B12 Productions). BFA NYU Tisch/Atlantic. YouTube: HannahHartmannMusic www.hannahhartmann.net
LEAH KREITZ
Ensemble
Leah is a NYC based actor. She received her BA in Stage and Screen Acting at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. She is proud to be a resident artist with New Light Theater Project and to continue working with such a talented, innovative, and dedicated group of people. Previous NLTP credits: No One’s Watching (reading) - 1; The Oedipus Project – Chorus. Other NYC credits: Flies and Dust (Golden Fleece, EagerRisk Theater) – Sam; The Wedding Play (Cap 21) – Candy; Film: AWOL. TV/Web: My Crazy Love (Oxygen); Lofty Dreams; The Haunting Of (Bio); Jimmy Fallon (NBC). Fluff to Na! www.leah.kreitz.net
ROGER LIPSON
Ensemble
Roger has performed and composed music for theater, film, and television, including PBS Nova; “Our Idiot Brother” (The Weinstein Company); "Lilyhammer" (Netflix); and on albums such as The Easy Star All Stars' “Lonely Hearts Dub Band (#1 Reggae Album on Billboard); The Cringe’s “Tipping Point” (Listen Records/MRI). Roger played lead guitar for the Off-Broadway production of Hedwig & the Angry Inch, and was the sitar consultant for the Broadway production of Rain, a Tribute to The Beatles. He has performed at Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, B.B. King’s, The Highline Ballroom and Symphony Space. Roger is a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, and studied Indian classical music in Varanasi, India.
LEA MCKENNA-GARCIA
Ensemble
Lea is an actor and singer who works both regionally and in New York. Previous credits include seasons at the Alabama and Texas Shakespeare Festivals, and work with the NYC-based companies Playhouse Creatures and Wide Eyed Productions. Her solo performance piece, Sunburnt on Naxos, has been presented by Emerging Artists Theatre in their "One Woman Standing" developmental series. She is happy to be working with such a dedicated company. MA: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
BRANDON O'SULLIVAN
Ensemble
Brandon has performed at Manhattan Rep, Littlefield, a Park on the upper west side and has toured with Surflight Theater in New Jersey. He graduated from Skidmore College in upstate new york. He also works for the call center at the Public Theater, and, no, he can't get you tickets for Hamilton.
ARTHUR L. ROSS
Ensemble
Arthur is from Costa Mesa, CA has an M.F.A. in Acting from UNLV, and a B.A. in Communications specializing in directing/choreography from BGSU. Select Roles: Memphis (Bobby), Elf (Store Manager), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Ken), Guys and Dolls (Nicely-Nicely Johnson), Seussical (Horton), You’re…Charlie Brown (Schroeder), Songs for a New World (Man 1). Proud Member of Equity, Thanks be to God! www.ArthurLRoss.com
MAX NUSSBAUM
Ensemble
Max is so excited to be a part of this awesome production REX! Max was last seen with NLTP in The Oedipus Project. Previous credits include: Baker in Into The Woods, Barfee in ...Spelling Bee, Brian in Avenue Q, Gonzorgo in Babes in Toyland, and The National Yiddish Theatre's Off Broadway production of Lies My Father Told Me. Max would like to thank Sarah, Kyle, and everyone else at NLTP for the chance to perform this wonderful material. He would also like to thank his wonderfully amazing fiancée for being the best!
CHRIS ROE
Ensemble
This is Chris's New Light Theater Project debut. NY: Hamlet, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (BAMA Theatre Company); Regional: Cock, SPUN: A Rock , The Little Dog Laughed (Phoenix Theatre); The Comedy of Errors, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Misalliance, Othello, Cymbeline, The Three Musketeers, A Christmas Carol: The Musical (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); King Lear, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Merchant of Venice (The Shakespeare Project of Chicago). MFA: Univ. of Alabama/Alabama Shakespeare Festival; BA: Ball State University. Proud member of Actors’ Equity. For JEEM, con mucho amor.
CLAUDIA SCHNEIDER
Ensemble
AEA SAG AFTRA. Select: Broadway Workshop Martin Charnin’s Winchell, Irish Rep’s The Irish and How They Got That Way, A Single Woman (Culture Project), Six Degrees of Separation (Queen’s Theatre in the Park), New Works: Circle-in-the-Square, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, Pen and Quill Society, and The Actor’s Chapel, Words of Choice (National Tour, WIREDARTS streaming, Judson), Jackson Heights Trilogy (Theater 167). Regional Work Sample: The Spitfire Grill (James Valcq, Director), Cowgirls (Caldwell), Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (Monmouth Shakespeare).
PATRICK SPENCER
Ensemble
Patrick is very excited to be joining the team on this journey into the world of REX. Previous credits include: The Dark I Know (MITF), Northern Boulevard (Old Castle Theater Company), The Great Gatsby (Arizona Theater Company), Into the Woods, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Bat Boy, The Secret Garden (Arizona Repertory Theatre), The Music Man, Legally Blonde, La Cage Aux Folles (Weathervane Repertory Theater). He is in the 2nd year of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop and a member of the Dramatists Guild. You can find his music at https://soundcloud.com/patrick-thomas-spencer.
ANNA STEFANIC
Ensemble
Anna is a Midwest transplant to NYC, where she's been working to eke out a place in the theatre community for the past 5 years. An AMDA graduate, some favorite credits include: Viola in Twelfth Night, Isabella in Measure For Measure, Veronica/Homer in Walking The Dead, Peter in Peter Pan, and Caroline in I And You. By day, she makes a living as a children's musician and piano teacher, by night she participates in crazy cool classical and experimental theatre projects like this one!
HALLIE WAGE
Ensemble
Hallie is honored and excited to be a part of the REX cast! She has recently been seen in Folk City: The Musical at Theatre for the New City, Flak House the Musical at Actor's Temple Theatre, and Sing Me a Story at The Duplex. When she's not acting, Hallie can be found singing at venues and bars around the city with her group, VWR. Thanks to NLTP for this awesome opportunity, my parents, brother and Zach for your love and support, and my FC gang for always being there!
MICHAEL JAYNE WALKER
Ensemble
Michael is based here, where he acts when he can and does his best to make music always. He trained at NYU (Tisch/CAP21) and London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and has appeared on stages from Florida to Colorado and California on tours and in regional productions. A few favorite credits: Quale, South Pacific (nat'l tour), Jesus, Godspell (Totem Pole Playhouse, PA), Sebastian, Twelfth Night (Essential Theatre Group, NYC) and Cousin Kevin, The Who's TOMMY (Lake Dillon Theatre Co, CO). Thanks to Kayleigh, who always makes me smile, and to my sponsors at the Walker Foundation, whose continuous love and support makes my vie boheme possible.
CLAIRE ELISE WALTON
Ensemble
Claire is an alumnus of SUNY Fredonia. Recent credits include: Tim Realbuto’s Bookseller in the Rain, JD Productions Bound For Broadway, and the role of Maggie Hart in Matt Davenport Productions Christmas in Chocolate Town. She has also worked with Birmingham Children’s Theatre and the Mountainside Theatre.