EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
 
Kendra Mylnechuk*
Artistic Director
With CockEyed Optimists: Lena in One Thing I Like to Say Is, Rhonda in Almost, Maine; Other New York theatre: Off Broadway: Summer Shorts (59E59); Off-Off B'way: Shoppping and F***ing (Producer's Club). Regional credits include: Shelby in Steel Magnolias (nat'l tour with Montana Repertory Theater), Rachel in As Sure As You Live (world premier by Roger Hedden in LA), Iras in Antony and Cleopatra (directed by Ellen Geer for Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum).], Safe (by Ron Fitzgerald in LA); Film and Television credits include A Little Death (independent feature film with Meerkat Media),The Lodger A short with Meerkat Media), The Procedure (short horror film), and Bionetics: Erasing Your Flawed Personality (short directed by Tyler Potter), X carts host for Speed Channel, Hot August Nights car show host for Speed Channel. She's also a member of Meerkat Media Collective. Her passion as an actor is in the collaborative process, where the whole production team extends beyond their conventional boundaries within contemporary film and theatre. Kendra holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Montana. Love and gratitude to Tyler, my ever supportive family, and you! www.kendramylnechuck.com
 
Audrey Maeve Hager*
Associate Artisitic Director
Audrey Maeve Hager is thrilled and honored to be a Cockeyed Optimist. Recent credits include: Nora in A Doll's House, Queen Elizabeth in Richard III, Susan in Fefu & Friends, Sally in Mamet's Women and Katherine in Henry V. Audrey has also performed in various productions with The Workshop Theater, Salem Repertory, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, The Woman's Shakespeare Co., & Theatreworks USA. Earning a B.F.A in acting from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Audrey also holds a post graduate degree in Voice & Speech from Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne Australia and a certificate in acting from The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Audrey is co-founder of Why Theatre and a founding member of The Cock-Eyed Optimists.

 
Brenda Jean Foley*
Managing Director
 With CEO, Brenda has appeared in Almost, Maine (Marvalyn/Rhonda) and One Thing I Like to Say Is (Lina). She has also performed leading roles in Emma (NYMF), Princess Sunshine... (NY Fringe Festival), The Secret Garden (Fulton Opera House), As Thousands Cheer (New Harmony Theatre), The Fantasticks (Bristol Valley Theatre), and many others, including Tokyo DisneySea and Peggy in 42nd Street for Norwegian Cruise Lines. Film credits include Consent (with Kate Burton and Jeff McCarthy). She has also recently completed two feature-length screenplays with her writing partner Linnea Liu Dakin. Brenda is extremely thankful to and for this group. www.brendajeanfoley.com
 

ENSEMBLE MEMBERS
 
Jolie Curtsinger*
A Los Angeles native, Jolie studied theatre at Florida State University and Broadcast Journalism at Barry University in Miami. Film credits include Conversation Piece, The Coven, The Dry Spell, and Retaliatory. LA Stage credits include the West Coast Premiere of Adam Boch's Swimming in the Shallows, Joe Orton's Loot, the World Premiere of Cheyenne, and the US Premiere of Emma Frosts's Airsick. Jolie was a founding member of Anthony Meindl's MetaTheatre and Rogue Theatre Companies in Los Angeles. Since moving to New York, she joined the CockEyed Optimists and appeared in John Cariani's Almost, Maine and Amy Fox's One Thing I Like To Say Is (both at Access Theater). Early this year, she founded InProximity Theatre Company and was seen in InProximity's inaugural production of Craig Wright's Orange Flower Water and most recently in Nicky Silver's The Maiden's Prayer (both at Theatre 54). www.InProximityTheatre.org
 
Jennifer Danielle
Jennifer was most recently seen in the role of Doris in the Off Broadway play The Set Up (Arclight Theatre). She also recently appeared as Rita in a revival of Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Other lead roles in NYC include productions of Cinderella and the original comedy Sextangle; Miranda in Charlie Horse, Sabine in Classic Caprice and Mickie in Brian Betty's Clown College. Jennifer has appeared in four lead female roles in independent films, including Breathtaking, Prey, The Morning After, and Surivival and most recently the independent feature Sensory Perception. She also has previously appeared on Womens Entertainment Network's movie show Cinematherapy and was a featured cabaret dancer and singer with The New York City Kitties. As a playwright, Jennifer's one-act dramedy Shucked was recently produced at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre.
 
Brian Gillespie*
With Cockeyed Optimists; director, A Cockeyed Little Christmas, Toby in One Thing I like to Say Is, Jimmy/Dave in Almost, Maine. Other New York credits include; Two Spoons with Other Side Productions and 385 Days/Plays at The Public Theater with The Classical Theatre of Harlem. Regional credits include; The Narrator in The Good Doctor with Theatre Co. at Hubbard Hall, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream with Harlequin Productions, Macduff in Macbeth & Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors with the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. Brian has also worked with The New Jersey Shakespeare Theatre touring company, A Noise Within, Theatreworks, Word for Word and 42nd Street Moon. Film work includes: New York Lately, the Triumph of William Henry Harrison, What They Want and The Sun is Not Enough (James Bond: The Musical) playing James Bond. Brian holds an MFA from the University of Washington's Professional Actor Training Program. He was also a two-day champion on the game show Jeopardy! www.briangillespie.com
 
Amanda Ladd*
Amanda Ladd is an eternal optimist, so being a member of the Cock-Eyed Optimists feels like home! Most recently she starred in the one woman show My Name is Rachel Corrie. Some of her favorite roles are Helena in Dream with New York Stage Originals, and Princess Diana in Charles and Diana the Musical at the Midtown Theatre Festival. Amanda has also toured with TheatreWorks/USA and performed on Disney Cruise Lines. Currently she has a webtv show called The Amandarama Show on www.blogtv.com - so watch her daily! Amanda is honored to be a member of such a talented group. Long live opitimism! www.amandaladd.com
 
Michael Mattie
Michael is a proud member of both the Cockeyed Optimists and Alliance Repertory. After graduating from Syracuse University he spent several years in the beautiful city of Chicago where he was fortunate to play Gerry in Dancing at the Lughnasa and Bob in Beyond Therapy among other roles. Back here on the east coast he has appeared with Wizard Oil in Softly Sara Falls and Split and with Alliance Rep. as Phil in Boy's Life and Tom in The Glass Menagerie.
 
Nicholas Alexiy Moran*
Nicholas Alexiy Moran is grateful to be a part of such a talented group! Nick's recent New York theater appearances include Polyneices in The Handcart Ensemble's Oedipus at Colonus, Bob Crachit in Personal Space Theatrics' A Christmas Carol, Trivilin in TimeSpace Theatrics' The False Servant, and The Widow in Moonbeam.net productions' All's Well That Ends Well. Favorite Regional/Touring roles include The Ringmaster/James A. Bailey in Barnum at Cherry County Playhouse, Leon in Fools at The Theater Barn, and Mr. Quimby in Theaterworks/USA's Ramona Quimby. Recent film credits include the lead in Pornomime, directed by Clio-award winner Sam Bayer, and an appearance as a Pierrot mime in the feature film The Nanny Diaries. He also has multiple National Commercial credits. Prior to getting bit by the acting bug, Nick ran away to join the Circus with Circus Smirkus at the age of 17, and has appeared as a Circus/Variety Artist in venues ranging from the Tokyo International Motor Show to the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. For more information, please visit www.nicholasmoran.com.
 
 
Dori O'Dea*
Dori is a native of Pennsylvania and has performed in Philadelphia with the Arden, Wilma, Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, Philly Theatre Caravan, and Philadelphia Theatre Company. In Chicago, she studied with the original ensemble members at Steppenwolf Theatre and then moved on to Seattle to work with Seattle Children's Theatre and Artswest. Now busy "un"settling in NYC, she is happy to have joined up with the Cockeyed Optimists and thanks RS who helped bring them together.
 
Michael Poignand*
Michael Poignand is thrilled to join these Cockeyed Optimists. Off-Broadway Michael played Badger in The Wind in the Willows (New Victory Theatre) and the Narrator in Rush's Dream (Here Arts Center). Other New York Credits include: Tartuffe (Theatre Row, Studio Theatre), the CEO productions of Almost, Maine (at Access Theatre & Polaris North), The Unusual Suspects (Players Theatre), Air Guitar (Harry du Jur Playhouse), The Dare Project (Wings Theatre), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Ensemble Studio Theatre), All's Well That Ends Well (Manhattan Repertory Theatre), Artist Descending a Staircase (Center Stage), Don Juan in Chicago (Theatre 54 @ Shetler) and Henry IV parts 1 & 2 (Flamboyan Theatre). On screen, Michael recently played the arch villain in an independent feature about Wiffleball and his co-produced feature The Poker Game won an audience appreciation award at the NYIFF in 2003. He is currently in pre-production for the Spring 2009 opening of Toby, by Anthony Pennino, with his company Lucky Productions (www.luckyproductions.net). Michael is honored to work with these talented folks and thanks you for your support.
 
Steven Bailey Ryan*
The New York Times proclaimed Steven Ryan "is a revelation." As a working performer and director in New York City he has worked on numerous off-Broadway productions with such companies as the Czechoslovak American (Marionette) Theatre and the Great Jones Repertory Company and is a proud member of the Actors Equity Association. Mr. Ryan has also spent two years working on the BBC and BBC America television programme "Talking Movies" the last year of which he spent as Associate Producer. During his tenure there he has produced over 100 episodes of "Talking Movies" as well as 5 TV specials and dozens of Internet segments. He is currently directing Independent Together's flagship production, a feature length documentary about the 3 Levittowns. For more information you can visit stevenryan.net or independenttogether.net.
 
Colleen Summa
Recent performances include the role of Marie-Auguste in the premiere of Le Wilhelm's The Seduction of Edgar Degas at 59E59 Theaters, Carter in Uncommon Women and Others, and one of the lead roles in the original play Lubricant, as a member of Love Creek Productions in NY. Other projects include producing and performing her play Moments on a Mic for The 2007 Samuel French Play Festival, Top Girls, The Vagina Monologues, and the premiere run of her monologue play, Five (2006 Samuel French Play Festival participant). Colleen has been in a number of independent films, including lead roles in Abhidya and A Day Off. She trained at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC.