Welcome to Pericles!
What is Without A Net?
This initiative values process over product, and invites audiences into that process after only 2 and half weeks of rehearsal.
Over the course of only four weeks total, we will take Pericles from first rehearsal through 11 public performances using minimal design, placing maximal value on the text, the actors, and their relationship with the audience. Our goal is to give ourselves what we need (chiefly prop and costume elements and a live audience) in order to learn what it is like to do this show. To learn what we’re making by making it.
The short rehearsal period challenges the creators to make big, bold choices, while also allowing Fiasco to consider possibilities for a full production. We invite the audience into the process earlier than is typical in order to tell us if/how the show is landing creatively, and to give theatergoers the opportunity to see a staged production in its most essential process form—as actors leap into the act of creation “without a net.”
The goal is to create a rehearsal process that is led by joy and abandon and a lack of preciousness, but also with humaneness—one of Fiasco’s core values—at the center (5 day work weeks and fair pay—we define this as never less than $20/hr).
A Note from the Director
Many years ago, Fiasco began its work as a company with a Shakespeare play, in a room very much like this one. It had a wooden floor, large windows, and a bunch of folding chairs on risers. And then, as now, we were working on one of Shakespeare’s late romances; these are stories with epic sweep, wild shifts in tone, eclectic characters and locations, leaps in time, and surprisingly powerful endings. And now, as then, we’re still a group of friends choosing to make work together around a shared set of values and the pursuit of pleasure.
But much has changed since that first production, too. We’ve collaborated with artistic giants. We’ve shared our productions all over the country. We’ve taught and trained hundreds of younger actors. We’ve added wonderful new company members. We’ve developed new plays and musicals. We’ve gained partners and children; we’ve lost parents.
So, for me, this Without a Net production of Pericles both honors our past, and celebrates our present. It feels familiar and comfortable in so many ways, and yet it’s been full of new experiments, risks, growth, and challenges. And after a long time away from building new productions on stage, it has been both a reminder of why we started, and a demonstration of why it could matter that we’re still here. As for the future, well, if it means more “old songs” with these people in rooms like this, I’ll take it.
– BEN STEINFELD
Meet the Cast & Team
Jessie Austrian* (Cast)
Jessie Austrian (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate-theater-maker, educator and parent. She is one of Fiasco’s founders and co-artistic directors. With Fiasco: Imogen, Cymbeline; Baker’s Wife, Into the Woods; Escalus/Marianna, Measure for Measure; Julia/co-director, Two Gentlemen of Verona; Balene/co-director, Imaginary Invalid; Olivia, Twelfth Night; Mary, Merrily We Roll Along. Other credits include Broadway: The Importance of Being Earnest, Lend Me a Tenor Off-Broadway: The Marriage of Bette and Boo. Regional: The Guthrie, Emerson Colonial, Actors Theater of Louisville, Cleveland Playhouse, Trinity Repertory Company, Virginia Stage Company, Folger Theater, McCarter Theater, Old Globe. As a director: NYU, Playmaker’s Rep, Trinity Rep. TV/Film: Mistress America, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Made in Jersey. Adjunct faculty at NYU Gallatin School. Favorite roles: partner to Noah and mom to Asher and Tabitha.
Noah Brody* (Cast)
Noah Brody (he/him) Noah Brody is an actor, director, teacher, and writer, and is co-artistic director of Fiasco Theater. For Fiasco he has directed Merrily We Roll Along (Roundabout). He co-directed and acted in Fiasco's productions of Into the Woods (McCarter, Old Globe, Roundabout, Menier Chocolate Factory), The Imaginary Invalid (Old Globe), Measure for Measure (New Victory, Long Wharf), Twelfth Night (Classic Stage Co.), and Cymbeline (TFANA, Barrow St. Theatre). For Fiasco he has also appeared in Fiasco’s production of Two Gentlemen of Verona (Folger Theatre, TFANA) and co-directed the national tour of Fiasco’s production of Into the Woods. He has directed a reading of Sondheim’s Saturday Night for Second Stage Theater, appeared in As You Like It (CSC, John Doyle, dir.), directed Lungs at the Wolfe Street Theatre, and acted at theaters around the country. He co-conceived the musical Pleasure Never Lies with Marshall Hagins, and received Theater Latté Da's inaugural Next Generation Commission with Jessie Austrian and The Kilbanes. He teaches acting and rehearsal technique through Fiasco and the NYU Gallatin School summer Shakespeare Intensive.
Paul L. Coffey* (Cast)
Paul L. Coffey (he/him/his) is an actor, musician and Fiasco Company Member. For Fiasco: Pisano/Philario//Guiderius/Caius Lucius, Cymbeline, Malvolio, Twelfth Night, Angelo/Elbow, Measure for Measure, Speed/Thurio, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Mysterious Man, Into the Woods, Thomas Diafoirus/Beralde/Bonnefoi, The Imaginary Invalid, Joe Josephson, Merrily We Roll Along. Off-Broadway: The Taming of the Shrew. Regional: The Old Globe, McCarter Theater, Folger Theater, Actors Theatre of Louisville, PIg Iron Theatre Co., Berkshire Theatre Group, Vineyard Playhouse, Company of Fools, The Theater at Monmouth, Peterborough Players. TV/Film: Blue Bloods, Late Night, The Jew of Malta. Paul is husband to frequent Fiasco collaborator Liz Hayes and father to Sean Frank Coffey who made his Broadway debut at six months old in The Ferryman.
Andy Grotelueschen* (Cast)
Andy Grotelueschen is a Fiasco Theater company member. For Fiasco: Cymbeline/Cloten, Cymbeline, Prince/Stepsister/Milky White, Into the Woods (Lortel nom), the Duke, Measure for Measure, Launce/Duke, Two Gentlemen of Verona (St. Clair Bayfield Award), Argan, Imaginary Invalid, Toby Belch, Twelfth Night; Broadway: Tootsie: the Musical (Tony nomination), Cyrano de Bergerac; Off-Broadway: Assassins (CSC), Tumacho (Clubbed Thumb), Taming of the Shrew (TFANA), The Odyssey (Public Works/Delacorte), Monstrosity (13P); Regional: Willamstown, McCarter, The Guthrie, Old Globe, Trinity Rep, Yale Rep, Long Wharf, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Folger, Shakespeare DC, American Repertory Theater. TV: The Gilded Age, Lincoln Rhyme:Hunt for the Bone Collector, Elementary, The Good Wife, The Good Cop, The Knick. Film: Musica, Here Today, Coin Heist, Geezer, Still on the Road, Tumorhead.
Devin E. Haqq* (Cast)
Devin E. Haqq (he/him/his) is a Brooklyn based theatre artist, arts educator, and award-winning filmmaker. He has performed both Off-Broadway and regionally and his films have screened at numerous film festivals around the world. Regional Theatre: Fiasco Theater's Measure for Measure at Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, As You Like It at Arden Theatre Company. Off-Broadway: The Winning Side (World Premiere), Richard III and Macbeth at Epic Theatre Ensemble; Knives in Hens at 59E59 Theaters (NYT Critic's Pick); Much Ado About Nothing at NYSX; All God's Chillun' Got Wings at JACK. Directing Credits: Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Folger Theatre (associate director), Shakespeare: Call & Response at The Public Theatre (assistant director), Pass Over at Luna Stage Company, The Mark (Best Narrative Short 2021 Atlanta Shortsfest), Ambition’s Debt (Best Narrative Feature at 2017 American Black Film Festival),The Assassin. Additional Credits: M.F.A. from University of Alabama. Devin is a 2022 NY Emmy Award nominee, a recipient of the Paul Robeson Award-Honorable Mention at the 2018 Newark Black Film Festival. He was also nominated for Best Director at the 2017 American Black Film Festival and the 2018 Winter Film Awards.
Ben Steinfeld* (Cast & Director)
Ben Steinfeld (he/him/his) is an actor, director, teacher, writer, and musician. He is one of Fiasco Theater’s Co-Artistic Directors and founders. For Fiasco: Iachimo/Arviragus/Co-director, Cymbeline; Baker/Co-director, Into the Woods; Lucio/Froth/Co-director, Measure for Measure; Co-director, Two Gentlemen of Verona; Composer and Music Director, Imaginary Invalid: Feste/Co-director, Twelfth Night; Frank, Merrily We Roll Along. Broadway: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Cyrano de Bergerac. Off-Broadway: One Thousand Nights and One Day, Bloody Bloody... Regional: Westport, Williamstown, Trinity Rep, McCarter, Old Globe, CTG, Bread Loaf. As a director: Into the Woods national tour, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Folger Theatre. TV/Film: Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight, Callahan, "Power Book III: Raising Kanan", "The Deuce", "The Good Wife", "Law & Order: Crimimal Intent". Ben is writing the book for the new musical, Diamond Alice (music & lyrics by Alexander Gemignani), and has written book, music and lyrics for an adaptation of the children's book, Twelve Kinds of Ice. Since 2007, Ben has been an adjunct professor and artistic associate at NYU's Gallatin School, where he has twice received the Excellence in Teaching Award and co-directed several productions. Ben lives near a lovely canal in New Jersey with his wife, Kate, and son, Leo.
Paco Tolson* (Cast)
Paco Tolson (he/him): With Fiasco: Twelfth Night (Classic Stage Company), Measure for Measure (Actor’s Theater of Louisville), This Bud of Love, and A Valentine for Sondheim. Off-Broadway: Vietgone (Manhattan Theatre Club, Lortel Nom.), The Unwritten Song and End Days (Ensemble Studio Theatre), The Children of Vonderly and Rescue Me (Ma-Yi Theater Company), Soul Samurai (Ma-Yi and Vampire Cowboys). Regional: to the yellow house (La Jolla Playhouse); With South Coast Rep: Peter and the Starcatcher, Vietgone, and Poor Yella Rednecks; With the Oregon Shakespeare Festival: The Winter’s Tale, Black Swan Lab, Daedalus Project, and Vietgone. Audio Drama: (There’s) No Time for Comedy (Playwrights Horizons), The Memory Motel (Two River Theater), Witness (Paramount/Gideon Media), Out of Sight (Unknown 9), Henry V and Measure for Measure (Play On Shakespeare). Film and TV credits include Billions, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Prodigal Son, Search Party, The Good Fight, Madam Secretary, Happy!, The Code, and 7 DAY GIG. Paco is a graduate of Brown University and a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and Fiasco Theater. @pacotolson
Emily Young* (Cast)
Emily Young (she/her) is an actor, musician, writer, director and educator. She is one of Fiasco Theater’s original company members. For Fiasco: Queen/Belaria, Cymbeline, Little Red Riding Hood/Rapunzel, Into the Woods, Isabella/Mistress Overdone, Measure for Measure, Sylvia/Lucetta, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Toinette, Imaginary Invalid, Viola, Twelfth Night, Gussie, Merrily We Roll Along; Broadway: How I Learned to Drive u/s, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson; Off-Broadway: The Servant of Two Masters, Romeo and Juliet, Colorado Regional: Trinity Repertory Company, Folger Theater, McCarter Theater, Old Globe, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Illinois Shakespeare Festival. As a director: Spring Awakening at Ohio Northern University, Fiasco readings, The Lucky Chance, Sight Unseen. TV/Film: Living With Yourself, The Knick, God of Love.
Tatiana Wechsler* (Cast)
Tatiana Wechsler is a New York City based actor, singer/songwriter, and creative. She performed with Fiasco in readings of Diamond Alice and Imogen Says Nothing and is excited to make her Without A Net debut! Tatiana made her Broadway debut in Mr. Saturday Night and has performed at theaters and in many venues regionally, Off-Broadway, and in NYC, including the Paper Mill Playhouse (Benny & Joon), the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Love’s Labor’s Lost), the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (The Golden Bride), The Acting Company (X: Or Betty Shabazz V. The Nation, Julius Caesar, Othello), Two River Theatre (Love in Hate Nation), and more. She was the first woman to play Curly in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! and can be heard on the Love in Hate Nation Original Cast Album. Onscreen credits include award-winning short film Netuser. Tatiana has produced, edited, and directed multiple commissioned concerts of original material. Tatiana received her BFA from NYU’s New Studio on Broadway. www.tatianawechsler.com @tatiwex
Ashley Thaxton-Stevenson (Associate Director)
Ashley Thaxton-Stevenson (she/her) is a theater maker, educator, and arts administrator, dedicated to new play development, collaborative rehearsal practices, and antiracist acting pedagogy. Director: Sea Longing: A Full Length Audio Drama by Nina Ki with The Parsnip Ship/Actors’ Theater of Boston, The Living History Project by Molly Powers Gallagher with New Victory LabWorks, TOKOPHOBIA by Jenny Gillet at The Center at West Park, Gumiho by Nina Ki with Brave New World Repertory Theatre. Dramaturg: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Winter’s Tale, Comedy of Errors, Two Noble Kinsmen, The Tempest, and Romeo & Juliet with Looking for Shakespeare. Ashley is the Senior Manager of Education Programs at BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange, an Adjunct Faculty Member with NYU’s Program in Educational Theatre, a core ensemble member with the Verbatim Performance Lab, spouse to Robert, and mama to Caius. BA NYU Gallatin, MFA Brooklyn College.
Photo: Bridget Badore
Madison Lane* (Production Stage Manager)
Madison Lane (she/her) is a New York-based stage manager and theatre artist. She is thrilled to be working with Fiasco for the first time. Recent credits in stage management and production management include: KATE [Connelly Theater]; Love All Alices [On The Road Rep]; Alison Leiby: Oh God, A Show About Abortion [Cherry Lane Theatre]; Corsicana [Playwrights Horizons]; The Misanthrope [Moliere in the Park]; Wolf Play [Soho Rep]; King Lear [New York Classical]. She creates art because she truly believes that it can change the world. Thank you for being here!
Cara McErlean (Assistant Stage Manager)
Cara McErlean is an NYC based stage manager and multidisciplinary theater artist. Recent credits include: Little Amal Walks NYC; Cymbeline (New York Classical Theatre) The Misanthrope (Moliere in the Park); Waking the Oracle (George Washington University). Cara can also be found in the Box Office at New York Theatre Workshop. Graduate of George Washington University Corcoran School of Arts & Design. To see more of Cara’s work, visit caramcerlean.com.
Chris Luner (Production Manager)
Broadway; Ivo Van Hove’s West Side Story, Pretty Woman, Indecent, The Illusionists: Witness The Impossible. National Tours; On Beckett, The King & I, The Illusionists. Regional; Becoming Nancy, Roman Holiday. Off-Broadway; A Commercial Jingle For Regina Comet, Imogen Says Nothing, Unsinkable Molly Brown, Gloria: A Life, Accidentally Brave, Native Son. Chris is the Artistic Director of Upper Darby Summer Stage. Indie Film Producer; Ranch Water. Wagner College Alum. For Terrance. @Chris_Luner
Stephen Buescher (Movement Consultant)
Stephen Buescher is a choreographer, director, and actor. Stephen is excited to be playing with Fiasco again after a recent collaboration on A Streetcar Named Desire as part of the Without a Net Series. Stephen choreographed the world premiere of Karen Zacarias’ play Copper Children for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and is currently working at OSF on It’s Christmas, Carol as a Comic Dramaturg. He recently choreographed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime at San Diego Repertory Theater, as well as directed a staged reading of Homeridae by Alexandra Espinoza. Stephen choreographed a development workshop of Aleshea Harris’ new play Feast of Rabbits at Center Theater Group. He also directed the development of Soul Records, a new work by York Walker at Manhattan Theater Club. Stephen’s choreography has been seen at numerous regional theaters including American Conservatory Theater, Long Wharf, Trinity Repertory Theater, Seattle Repertory Theater, Arena Stage, La Jolla Playhouse, and The Old Globe. Stephen is a graduate of the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater, Calarts, and is a member of SDC.
Ashley-Rose Horton (Costume Designer)
Deilis Curiel (Props Designer)
Derek McLane (Set Design Consultant)
Katie Wakeman (Lighting Consultant) is excited to be working on Pericles with this creative group of people and is grateful for the opportunity to design. She currently works full time in architectural lighting and has an Etsy shop specializing in embroidered pet portraits (StitchandChips). Off-Broadway credits: Harmony (National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene), Long Day's Journey Into Night (Audible Theater), Unsinkable Molly Brown (Abrons Arts Center), and The Thin Place (Playwrights Horizons).
B.J. Evans (Fiasco Theater Managing Producer)
Kelly Letourneau (House Management and Fiasco Theater Administrative Consultant)
Katie Pelensky (Production Assistant)
Katie Pelensky is an actor and teaching artist, recently transplanted from Los Angeles. LA: Samsara, The Secret in the Wings, The Sparrow, Andronicus (Coeurage Ensemble), Almost, Maine (Rubicon Theatre), Macbeth (A Noise Within), Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Sierra Shakes) King Lear, Twelfth Night (Shakespeare by the Sea) The Chimes, Wake Not the Dead (Wicked Lit). Bay Area: The Winter’s Tale, The Antipodes (Shakespeare Santa Cruz) Lend Me a Tenor, The Weir (Town Hall Theatre). She received her BA in Theatre at Santa Clara University. Katie is an alum of Fiasco's 9WC and a company member of Coeurage Ensemble.
Gabriel Neumann* (COVID Safety Manager)
Gabriel Neumann is an actor, producer and certified Covid Safety Manager based in NYC. He has worked in several Theater, Film and TV productions in the U.S. and in Brazil, where he is originally from. His commitment to a life, career and continuous education in the arts has made him choose this country as home and given him the opportunity to collaborate with outstanding talent in the acting world.
Gabriel can be reached on Instagram: @ogabrielneumann
Andrew Nyberg (Production Carpenter)
Grace Rusch (Stitcher)
Alex Church-Gonzales (Wardrobe Associate)
Marvin Daniels (Production Driver)
Joseph Edmundson (Production Driver)
Jules Talbot (Graphic Design)
Globetitles (Captioning)
*The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are members of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Fiasco Theater would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, SHS Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Actor's Equity Foundation, Lucille Lortel Foundation & The Shubert Foundation, The Michael Tuch Foundation, and New York State Council on the Arts.
Special Thanks
Emma Dickson, Robert Thaxton-Stevenson, Jeffrey Guo, Erik Hellman, Christina Germaine, Katherine Hutt, Mara Isaacs, Khalilah Elliot
