CREATIVE
Frances Rae Key (Music, Book, & Lyrics)
Frances, a resident of NYC and Jacksonville, FL, is a writer of songs, scripts, and stories. Her environmentally-themed screenplay "H2Love" received an award from the Yosemite Film Festival, her human rights songs have been used widely by various choruses and organizations, and her musical "The Mountain of Peace" was produced in 2007 by The Univ. of North FL. She is most grateful to her supportive family and friends, to NY Summerfest, and to the wonderful production team that has helped her bring the story of her family's life to the NYC stage.
Ellie Handel (Director)
Ellie is a New York-based director, performer, and stage manager with a passion for developing and cultivating new plays and musicals. Off-Broadway: The Great Cat Massacre (Assistant Director/PSM - St. Luke's Theatre). NYU:The Wives of Henry the Eighth (Director), Nanny McPhee: The Musical (Director), Grand Budapest Hotel The Musical (Director). Regional: Reunion '69 & Reunion '85 (Assistant Director). Proud graduate of NYU Tisch’s New Studio on Broadway with a BFA in Drama. For Mom, Dad, & Sophie. www.elliehandel.com.
Abigail Lumsden (Music Director)
Abigail Lumsden is honored to be Music Director of Frances Key’s Aussie Song. Born with perfect pitch and after a lifetime of seriously studying music, Abigail is currently producing, recording and performing her interactive concert show Heart’s Journeys. Since her teens ~ and after graduating in classical piano and choir conducting from two conservatoria in Holland ~ Abigail has been working internationally with numerous individuals, choral ensembles and theater productions, inspiring them all to reach their most fulfilling performances.
Nicole Gentile (Assistant Director/Female Swing)
Nicole Gentile is a New York City-based actor, singer, and director. Most recently, she was in the Southern California Regional Premiere of Lizzie, the Musical (Bridgette Sullivan) at the Chance Theater. Proud graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts New Studio on Broadway. Directing credits: Rent (Assistant Director, dir. Kenneth Noel Mitchell), Bare (Assistant Director), Saints and Sinners (Director, initial workshop). Nicole is passionate about new works of theatre, especially those featuring women-powered plot lines. www.nicolegentile.com.
Wendy Sugalski (Co-Choreographer)
Named Dancer of the Year at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, Wendy studied at The School of American Ballet and Joffrey Ballet in NYC and received multiple awards for her choreography in dance competitions. She earned her BFA with honors in photography from The Art Institute and has received seven Tribeca photography awards. Aussie Song is especially meaningful to her as she is the eldest granddaughter of Teddy Key, our heroine. She currently works at "One Protest," an animal rights non-profit she and her husband established.
Holly Deckerhoff-Manuel (Co-Choreographer)
A ballet and pointe teacher, Holly graduated from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, studied at Alabama School of the Arts, danced with Southern Ballet Theatre and attended New World School of the Arts on a full dance scholarship. Her grandfather, WWII B-24 Bomber Pilot Jerry Brantley, was stationed in Australia with Aussie Song's Raymond Key. Regional Theatre: Can Can, A Chorus Line, Crazy For You & Will Rogers Follies, A Funny Thing...Forum, Guys and Dolls, Cabaret, On the Town and many others.
Charlotte Seelig (Lighting Designer)
Charlotte is a New York-based lighting designer. Originally from Vermont, she earned a BFA in drama with a concentration in lighting design from NYU in 2013. Off-Broadway: The Great Cat Massacre, The Scarlet Savior, Geeks: The Musical, The Wives of Henry the Eighth. World Premiere Workshops: Iron John, Reb+VodKa+Me, Danny and the Rocket. New York/Regional: Hair, Urinetown, Merrily We Roll Along, Red Noses, A Little Night Music, Crazy for You, The American Clock, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. www.charlotteseelig.com.
Claire Zhang (Assistant Costume Designer)
Claire is a junior studying costume design in NYU Tisch Drama’s Production & Design Studio. She is thrilled to work with Grace again in the amazing team of Aussie Song. Her recent credits include costume design for Riding Donkey, Seeking Horse (film), Man of La Mancha (Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre), The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (Playwrights Downtown) and Blue Stockings (NYU All Studio Festival). www.clairezhangyx.com
Olivia Daniels (Production Stage Manager)
Olivia is thrilled and grateful to be working on this show! Production/Stage Management: Kiss of the Spider Woman (Eclipse Theatre Company); GREASE (Broadway Dance Lab/CSC); and workshops of Call It Love, a new musical by Chilina Kennedy. Assist. Directing: Fruiting Bodies (Ma-Yi/Shelley Butler); Riot… (NSB/Kent Gash); Company (Theatre 20/Gary Griffin). Olivia co-founded ‘A Place at the Table,’ a play reading series inviting womxn actors to explore classics from a modern perspective. @aplaceatthetable__. BFA: NYU Tisch Drama