Allen Johnson (Writer & Performer)

Left Rutgers to paint in encaustic, crayon & pencil. Worked as a truck driver in NYC. Thought to drive west.

Spent much of the 1990’s traveling the United States, performing monologues and spoken word pieces at venues from New York City’s ABC No Rio to San Francisco’s Paradise Lounge.

Private study with Robert Creeley in ‘94.

Publications: Love Is The Last Taboo (Vendetta Books, 1997); Highland Park (Last Night Press, 1997); American Sentences (Via Sophia Press, 2000).

What Exit?, a collection of stories, is in progress.

Sean Ryan (Director & Collaborator) has been directing performance in Seattle since 1998. Credits include the West Coast premiere of Crave by Sarah Kane, InterCut, an original theater work by Charter77, Always by Angela DiMarco, awarded an extended run at the C.H.A.C., Best Director Award for Escurial by Michel de Ghelderode (Calgary, Alberta), among others. In 2001, Sean created VIA’s Play Lab, a playreading series dedicated to supporting new work from Northwest playwrights, as well as introducing experimental and contemporary works by regional, national, and international playwrights. This series inspired the two year process of Johnson’s Another You, and the creation of a beautiful friendship. Ryan is on the board of Rain City Projects, a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of Northwest playwrights through its on-line script warehouse, Manifesto Series, and through travel grants. He is currently the coordinator of On the Boards’ Northwest New Works Festival and 12 Minutes Max.
Currently, Ryan dances with Mary Sheldon Scott/ Jarred Powell Performance and choreographer Mark Haim, who will present his Goldberg Variations at OtB in March. He will soon be assistant directing/choreographing the world premiere of the musical Temple at the Seattle Repertory Theater in January ‘06.

Justin Gerardy (Sound Design & Music) produces music and sound design for theater, dance and musicians. He also experiments with circuitry. In addition to Allen Johnson’s work, other projects and collaborators have included: Bill Patton, Amii LeGendre, Alianna Jaqua, Heather Budd, Open Choir Fire, 3 Motor Universe, Old Mexico, Los Insectoleros, Medlar Doss and Lobe. More information can be found at www.bplr.com.

Michael White (Light) When not running local event web site darkbeat.org or recording with the fog people, NYC transplant Michael Hayes White lends his technical and artistic ass-kickery to sincere, working-class art from people he respects and believes in.