Guest Artist

Igor Golyak is the founder and producing artistic director of Arlekin Players Theatre & Zero Gravity (zero-G) Theater Lab in Boston. He most recently directed the New York premiere of OUR CLASS by Tadeusz Slobodzianek at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), a featured production of the 2024 Under the Radar Festival, which will transfer to Classic Stage Company off-Broadway in Manhattan September 2024. Golyak is currently adapting and directing THE DYBBUK by Roy Chen, starring Andrey Burkovskiy and Yana Gladkikhin, which will have its US premiere at Boston’s historic Vilna Shul in May 2024. In 2022, Golyak conceived and directed THE ORCHARD starring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jessica Hecht off-Broadway, which then toured to Boston.

Golyak received global acclaim during the pandemic as he conceived and directed WITNESS, chekhovOS /an experimental game/ and STATE VS. NATASHA BANINA, each of which became international virtual theater sensations, receiving multiple New York Times Critics Picks and garnering a 2022 Special Citation from the Boston Critic’s Association for “pushing the boundaries of digital space to create a new genre of theater”.  In 2023 he directed JUST TELL NO ONE, part of the Worldwide Ukrainian Play Readings/CITD, at Lincoln Center featuring Jessica Hecht, Bill Irwin and David Krumholz, which streamed worldwide, and directed the virtual elements of the Sasha Denisova’s production of THE GAAGA (US premiere).

Golyak is a 2024 Mandel Foundation Fellow. His 2024 Our Class production received a Drama League Awards nomination for Outstanding Revival of a Play,  and his work has received numerous Elliot Norton Awards for THE ORCHARD, THE SEAGULL, THE STONE, and DEAD MAN’S DIARY, including an award for Best Director. His work also received This Week In New York Pandemic Awards (WITNESS and chekhovOS) and Broadway World’s Best Director of a Streamed Production Award (chekhovOS). He directed THE MERCHANT OF VENICE for Actors’ Shakespeare Project, productions at Northeastern University and Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and has taught at HB Studio, Boston Conservatory, Boston University, Harvard University, Lesley College, Wellesley College, New England Theater Conference, the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts/Middlesex University, Moscow Specialized Institute for the Arts, and the ARBOS Theatre Festival.

Golyak is from Ukraine, and with his team at Arlekin, leads the #Artists4Ukraine initiative, engaging artists to share messages of hope, peace and solidarity, and raising funds for humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Recent speaking engagements have included panels at Ars Electronica Festival, Howlround,The Transmedia Meta Lab/Mahindra Center at Harvard University, and HB Studio New York. His theater, ARLEKIN, a company of immigrants, has been invited to perform on famous stages and at world-renowned festivals all over the globe, including in Ukraine, Yerevan, Armenia, New York City, Chicago, Lviv, Monaco, Canada and the UK, as well as the Moscow Art Theatre. He is the master teacher at Igor Golyak Acting Studio, which offers acting classes, workshops, and training. Golyak received a master’s degree in directing from the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts in 2004, as well as an acting degree from Moscow’s Schukin Theatre Institute (Vakhtangov Theater).

Judi Lewis Ockler is an intimacy/fight director, variety performer, stunt performer, and teaching artist.  Credits include: HATEF**K (Adrienne Campbell-Holt, director; WP theater) UNDER THE OVERTURE (Gerard Alessandrini, director), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Tony Speciale, director; Classic Stage). She is an Intimacy Director with Intimacy Directors International; she leads workshops in Intimacy for the Stage for actors and designers at Eugene O’Neil Theater Center, NYU Tisch, and The American Musical & Dramatic Academy, NYC.

Since earning her degree in Religious Studies and the Aesthetics of Movement, Nina Wise has devoted her career to developing theater and writing stories that address the complex relationship between body, intellect, and spirit. Her original works, performed in prestigious venues in the United States, South America, Europe and Asia have won awards for playwriting, innovative design, and new theater including three NEA fellowships and seven Bay Area Theater Critics Awards. Her book, A Big New Free Happy Unusual Life, was published by Broadway Books and her stories and articles have appeared in numerous anthologies and journals.

Wise’s immersive theater piece The Kepler Story, created in collaboration with California Academy of Sciences Morrison Planetarium, is the first theater piece ever created about an astronomer for domes. The production played to sold out crowds at Morrison Planetarium in San Francisco and the Fiske Planetarium, UC Boulder and is currently in development for a world tour.

The founder of Motion Theater®, an original form of autobiographical improvisation, Nina offers performances and trainings in this unique form of authentic self-expression. She has performed custom-designed improvised works at theaters, think tanks, conferences, medical institutions, and political events around the world.

As an artist and teacher who specializes in innovation, she has coached numerous individuals and teams in creativity, the cultivation of presence, stress reduction, communication and leadership. In addition, authorized to teach by Jack Kornfield, Wise teaches Buddhist practice at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and other spiritual centers worldwide.

Peter Francis James taught Shakespeare at the Yale School of Drama from 2000 – 2020. Training: RADA. Broadway: HILLARY AND CLINTON, PRESENT LAUGHTER, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, ON GOLDEN POND, DROWNING CROW, JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG. The Public: STUFF HAPPENS (OBIE & Lucille Lortel Awards), MUCH ADO, VENUS, HORATIO IN KEVIN KLINE’S HAMLET, LONG DAY’S JOURNEY… CSC: THE MAIDS (OBIE Award). Signature Theater: THE LADY FROM DUBUQUE, (Lortel Nomination). U.K: THE LADY FROM DUBUQUE (w/Maggie Smith), CYMBELINE (RSC /TFANA). Film/TV: THE HUMBLING, SONG ONE, THE LOSERS, THE REBOUND, THE MESSENGER / BULL, GODFATHER OF HARLEM, THE CODE, BOARDWALK EMPIRE, THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA, OZ, ROYAL PAINS, GOSSIP GIRL, KINGS, THE ROSA PARKS STORY, SIMPLE JUSTICE, THE RUBY BRIDGES STORY, all three LAW & ORDER series. Narration: over 60 books.

BIO:

New York- based actor. He appeared as Charlie D’Amico in the Lucille Lortel Award winning production of JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN, dir: Mark Brokaw (Signature Theater). Also at Signature Theater: OUR LADY OF 121st, dir: Phylicia Rashad. Off-Broadway: ROMEO Y JULIETA dir: Saheem Ali (Public Theater); JULIUS CAESAR dir: Oskar Eustis (Delacorte Theater); SHAKESPEARE TRILOGY dir: Phyllida Lloyd (St Ann’s Warehouse); LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT dir: Estelle Parsons; Other theater credits: World Premiere of THE ASSIGNMENT ( A.R.T.NY); and World Premiere of THE PRINCE OF PROVIDENCE (Trinity Rep) TV: “Blue Bloods” (Guest Star Recurring), “New Amsterdam” (Recurring), “For Life”, “Blacklist:Redemption,” “Broad City,” “Law & Order SVU,” “Master of None,” and “Sneaky Pete.” FILM: “Life After You,” “11:55,” “Missing William.” Education: MFA: Actors Studio Drama School. BFA: University of Rhode Island. Erick received the 2020 Theater Hall of Fame: Emerging Artist Award. He is a Lifetime Member of the Actors Studio and proud member of the LAByrinth Theater Company.

BIO:

Laila Robins has just completed episodes of THE HANDMAID’S TALE, THE CODE, NEW AMSTERDAM, THE BOYS and THE BOLD TYPE. She was a series regular on DECEPTION and HOMELAND (season 4, SAG and EMMY nom/best ensemble), MURDER IN THE FIRST (season 2) and GABRIEL’S FIRE (opposite James Earl Jones). Other TV credits include IN TREATMENT, BORED TO DEATH, SOPRANOS and TOO BIG TO FAIL. Broadway: HEARTBREAK HOUSE, FROZEN (Lucille Lortell nom), THE REAL THING, THE HERBAL BED. Off-Broadway: THE APPLE FAMILY PLAYS (OBIE, Drama Desk/best ensemble, Drama Desk nom., filmed for PBS), LADY FROM DUBUQUE (OCC nom, AEA’s Richard Seff Award), MRS. KLEIN (with Uta Hagen), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Central Park). Regional: THE LION IN WINTER, ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA (Guthrie), THE SECOND MRS. WILSON (George Street), A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Jefferson Award/Steppenwolf). Films include EYE IN THE SKY, SIDE EFFECTS, AN INNOCENT MAN and PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES. She is an artistic associate of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. MFA: Yale School of Drama

“The Maria Callas of American musical theater,” as Opera News has called her, referencing both her crystalline voice and dramatic, expressive intensity, Melissa Errico is a Tony Award-nominated actress, singer and author who contributes regularly to The New York Times. First known for her starring roles on Broadway, including MY FAIR LADY, HIGH SOCIETY, and LES MISERABLES, her recent album, Sondheim Sublime, was called by The Wall Street Journal “The best all-Sondheim album ever recorded.” Errico’s history with Sondheim began when he selected her to star as Dot in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE at The Kennedy Center, and she has since co-starred as Clara in PASSION at Classic Stage Company and in the NY City Center Encores! production of the Sondheim/Rodgers musical DO I HEAR A WALTZ? In April 2020, she appeared in the much-talked about Sondheim 90th Birthday Concert with Broadway.com and in May, was featured on the PBS Poetry in America episode about Sondheim which featured Melissa singing “Finishing the Hat.” In addition to Sondheim, nothing in her work has been more constant than her association with composer Michel Legrand. Having starred in his sole Broadway show, AMOUR, she went on to collaborate with him on the iconic album Legrand Affair. After his death in 2019, she was asked to write his eulogy by The New York Times and was then invited to be the sole American performer in the extraordinary two-day memorial to Legrand held in April, 2019 at Paris’ Le Grand Rex Theatre. Warner Music/Ghostlight Records recently reissued her symphonic album, which Legrand arranged & conducted, as Legrand Affair (Deluxe Edition). July 4 weekend she offered a special virtual concert with Seth Rudetsky and has also been keeping busy through these difficult months by offering multiple other live-streams and conversations, teaching master classes for students across the country, and producing a delicious at-home cooking show “The Honest Cook” on Instagram, which she chronicled in an essay for Variety magazine.

Melissa is delighted to teach at HB & hopes to create a kind and exciting atmosphere to practice, learn and take risks.

Caroline Aaron is a professional actress, known to theater, film and television audiences, as well as a published author and playwright. Caroline made her Broadway debut in Robert Altman’s COME BACK TO THE FIVE AND DIME, JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN and later appeared in the film. The following Broadway season, she starred in the Jose Quintero/Jason Robards’ revival of THE ICEMAN COMETH. She next starred in Mike Nichols’s Broadway smash comedy SOCIAL SECURITY. Mr. Nichols first directed her on film in HEARTBURN. She re-teamed with Mr. Nichols for WORKING GIRL, PRIMARY COLORS, and WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM? She returned to Broadway starring in I HATE HAMLET. She headlined the west coast premiere of Wendy Wasserstein’s THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIG and was acknowledged with both a Helen Hayes and Dramalogue Award. She starred on Broadway in Woody Allen’s comedy HONEYMOON HOTEL, and starred in Lincoln Center’s award-winning play A KID LIKE JAKE.

On film, Caroline is a frequent collaborator with Woody Allen. She played his sister in CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS. She also worked with Woody Allen in ALICE, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY, HUSBANDS AND WIVES, and again played his sister in DECONSTRUCTING HARRY.

Caroline starred in Kevin Spacey’s film BEYOND THE SEA. She has appeared in over a hundred films. They include 21 & 22 JUMP STREET, THE REWRITE, JUST LIKE HEAVEN, NANCY DREW, SURVEILLANCE, LOVE COMES LATELY, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, ANYWHERE BUT HERE, THE BIG NIGHT, and BOUNCE among others.

Television audiences are also familiar with her work. A partial list of her television appearances includes SECRETS AND LIES, THE MILLERS, GREY’S ANATOMY, PRIVATE PRACTICE, all the CSI’S, all the LAW & ORDERS, TWO BROKE GIRLS, SEX AND THE CITY, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, among others. Most recently, she is a recurring character on EPISODES, TRANSPARENT, and THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL.

Shawn René Graham [she/her] is a freelance writer and dramaturg from San Jose, California who has worked with countless writers such as Walter Mosely, Nilo Cruz, Lynn Nottage and Cori Thomas. She is currently the resident dramaturg of The American Slavery Project’s Unheard Voices, the Literary Director for the Classical Theatre of Harlem’s Future Classics Series and Playwright’s Playground, and founder of All Creative Writes, an artistic assistance service designed to provide individual artists and performing arts organizations with administrative, fundraising and writing support. Ms. Graham holds degrees from the California State University, Los Angeles, and the American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. She joined The Field in 2012 and lives in Bronx, NY with her dog, Mercy.