Ayse (i-shea) Eldek Richardson was born and raised in Turkey. She came to USA in 1997 to pursue acting. She studied Drama at the Harvard Extension School in Boston, but then she met the legendary Uta Hagen and, with her suggestion, she continued her studies at HB Studio. She was a resident actor at The Flea Theater, which was founded by Sigourney Weaver and Jim Simpson. Her film and TV works include THE AMERICAN ASSASSIN, INFERNO, THE OTTOMAN LIEUTENANT, Marvel’s “The Defenders,” ” Blacklist,” “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “What Would You Do?” “Sex and The City,” “Damages,” “Rescue Me,” A BOOK OF TRUTH, A BOOK OF LIES (for which she received best comedic actress award), OH BOY (also written by Ayse and which was in the Cannes 2008 Short Film Corner). She was a co-star in the award winning film DAVID. She recently finished three international voice-over projects and she is the voice of three characters in CAILLOU in Turkish. Her theater credits include CELLOPHANE by Mac Wellman directed by Jim Simpson, O JERUSALEM by A.R. Gurney, directed by Jim Simpson, OH BOY by Ayse, directed by Trudy Steibl, TO LOVE… by Ayse, directed by Zishan Ugurlu. She directed NEW YORKERS in 2011 and THE INTRODUCTION in 2012 by award winning writer Emre Ozpirincci, as well as a reading in 2012 of BELLINI AND THE SULTAN by Kennedy Award winning writer Ed Stevens, and recently MATRUSHKA by PEN award winning writer Tuncer Cucenoglu. She founded the Turkish American Repertory Theater and Entertainment (TARTE) in 2011 and has been staging original work with multicultural artists. The core team includes TARTE’s choreographer, Martha Graham alumna, Sevin Ceviker, award winning writer Emre Ozpirincci, and the latest additions to the writers team: Bara Swain and Anne Connely. At the moment she is the Vice Chair of IAC and busy with preparing new work for TARTE and very excited getting ready for Immigration Art Summit with her amazing colleagues.
Christopher Massimine is the Chief Executive Officer of National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene and is responsible for their brand transformation over the last 6 years. Since his arrival to NYTF, seasonal attendance has more than doubled, social reach has emerged as an industry leader, thousands of new press and promotion opportunities have been secured, and service-focused growth-driven organizational policies have been developed and enacted. He has stewarded the company in securing prominent producing affiliations and led the planning and execution of NYTF’s 2015 critically acclaimed award winning hit musical THE GOLDEN BRIDE (and its 2016 remount), and the timely and relevant AMERIKE—THE GOLDEN LAND. This past season he shepherded NYTF’s first Broadway venture as producers on Paula Vogel’s poignant period drama INDECENT, which garnered several prominent accolades, including a Tony Award nomination for Best Play. He is a founding Board Member of the Immigrant Arts Coalition, a Board Member at the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York, and serves on committees for the Producers Guild of America, Off Broadway League, NY Emmy Awards, NYU Alumni Society, NY Festivals, and Mayor’s Cultural Community Council. @folksbiene
About the Immigrant Arts Coalition
Formed in July 2017, The Immigrant Arts Coalition recognizes the importance and ongoing contribution of artists and arts organizations, who represent America’s diverse cultural mosaic. Members – represented by artists and organizations –serve as a united front for advocacy, audience development, and work to collaborate with ongoing and continuous shared programs, including an annual Immigration Arts Summit.
Mission Statement: The Immigrant Arts Coalition is a network of multi-disciplinary arts organizations and artists united to empower immigrant arts, advocate for diversity and fair representation of all cultures, and celebrate the immigrant arts contributions to American culture.
Vision Statement: We are a network of multi-disciplinary arts organizations and individual artists who recognize that American culture has historically been influenced by and absorbed arts from all the over the world. We are a country of immigrants with cultures and values built upon those shoulders, some of whom we welcome to this country after fleeing oppression and injustice. We share our distinct audiences and countless riches in educational value of the arts from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds through audience development and ongoing collaborations. We impress a larger mandate for New York culture, the country’s culture, and the world’s culture that is inclusive and based on mutual respect through advocacy for diversity and fair representation of all cultures.
