Denise Rinehart

Amoeba Ensemble

Denise Rinehart

Denise Rinehart (Wisconsin, USA)- is the founder and artistic directer of Theatre Amoeba. After a year of teaching and assisting at Helikos International School of Creation, Italy, Denise is presently working as a full-time theatre professor at Cheongju University, Korea where she teaches "Movement for the Actor" and "Directing Devised Theatre". Her Amoeba residency projects include “Aceh- Tsunami Theatre Aid” and “Movement in Morocco”, where Amoeba resided in local communities providing workshops and performing as an ensemble. These residencies have had a profound impact on her and her writing of “Rooftops”- which first premiered in London and received critical acclaim at “The Theatrical days of Chefchaouen” festival in Morocco in 2007. Presently, Rooftops is available for touring while Amoeba researches the incorporation of Korean Hanji Puppetry into“The Red Jew” - based on Chagall’s painting of the same name. The Red Jew was first presented in English with Korean Translations at KT Art Hall, Seoul and will continue development with composer Annie Guzzo in 2012 in Paris. Recently Denise has also devised "The Amazing Adventures of Eleanor Giocondo" an object based story that explores the adventures of the great, great, great, great granddaughter of Lisa Giocondo (the "Mona Lisa") and "The Christmas Carol Abridged: Three Actors on a Door" in The Helikos Outreach program. She also taught "Page to Stage"at the Helikos 2011 summer outreach program. In 2010 Denise participated in the "Made in Woman Festival" in Bologna exploring gender and sexuality with an all ages solo performance of "Ci Piacciamo- We Like Each Other". Previous collaborations include work in Paris with Company 4BIS on Philip Roths "Sacred Silence" and Theatre Témoin in London on the "Barbe Bleue" project which premiered at The Camden Theatre Festival in London. Denise received her BFA in her native Wisconsin, USA followed by a MA-ed in International Education in Poland and her MFA- Master of Fine Arts in Lecoq Devised Theatre at The London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) and did her third pedagogical year specializing in the teaching of movement theatre with Giovanni Fusetti.

Gabriela Munoz (Mexico)- Gabriela has a variety of experience in theatre, circus and opera. She finished her studies following the pedagogy of Jacques Le Coq in London, England (LISPA, The School of Physical Theatre). She specialized in clowning and cofounded the company Trupe Da Lua with fellow classmate Daniel Goncalves. She has most recently worked with the Symphoni Orchestra of Xalapa as an opera producer and has also given clown workshops across the coast of Veracruz for children in marginalized communities as well as in other cities and states of Mexico.

Sarah Liane Foster (Portland, USA)- trained in physical theatre and clown at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, at the Celebration Barn Theatre, and with Giovanni Fusetti. She creates, performs, and teaches clown and physical theatre in Portland, around the United States, and internationally. She has created six original movement-based theatre shows with the Nomadic Theatre Co. in Portland. Sarah is now as assistant at Helikos, Scuola Internazionale di Creazione Teatrale. She enjoys walking on stilts, eating ice cream, and playing the trombone.

Juan Ayala

Juan Ayala (Spain)- After finishing his studies in architecture, he dove into the theatre world. For 5 years was part of the company THEIPUM, group of actors-creators. He specialized in physical theatre while living in Paris (Ecole internacional de theatre Jacques Lecoq, Hippocampe mime-corporel) and later in London (Lispa). In 2001 he founded Colectivo DeCollage, a theatre group searching for a bridge between formal abstraction and the stage (they present shows in Madrid, Paris and Venice). He has being working for several companies like: ATLAS THEATRE (Paris), LUÍS TORREAO (Paris) Emma Bernard (London). In his work he combines performing and directing.

Anne Marie Guzzo, composer, (Wyoming, USA)- Her compositions have been heard at numerous festivals, including the Cortona Sessions for New Music, Cortona, Italy, performed by DuoSolo (Mary Fukushima-Kirkendoll, flute and Michael Kirkendoll, piano) and her music for Theatre Amoeba director, Denise Rinehart’s solo piece, Ci Piacciamo, was premiered at the Made In Woman festival in Bologna, Italy in June 2010. The Adzel Duo (Mariam Adam of Imani Winds and Stephanie Zelnick, clarinets) commissioned and performed Guzzo’s new duo, Color of Honey, in their Carnegie Hall recital in June 2010. Her music has also been heard at the American Composers’ Forum New Music Salon in Minneapolis, the ArtPoint Festival near Frankfurt Germany in 2009, the 2007 International Cello Encounter in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium (OBFCS) performed by New York new music ensemble, Fireworks. In 2004 she was the recipient of a Crumb Commission from the OBFCS for a new work that celebrated the 75th birthday of renowned composer, George Crumb. Guzzo was also composition fellow at the Ernest Bloch Festival of Music in 2003, and her music has been played by the San Francisco Bay Area modern music group, the Empyrean Ensemble; Telling Stories from Boulder/Denver; the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra; Third Angle in Portland, Oregon, and a number of other ensembles. Passionate about contemporary music, Guzzo directs New Frontiers, a yearly festival of new music at the University of Wyoming where she also teaches theory and composition. Research interests include the music of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Shulamit Ran, the cartoon music of Carl W. Stalling, and silent movie music. Guzzo earned her Ph.D. in theory and composition from the University of California, Davis, where she studied composition with Ross Bauer and Pablo Ortiz. Her master’s degree is in 20th Century Music from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and she received a bachelor of music in clarinet performance from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Robin

Robin Guiver (London, England)- Robin is a talented mask maker and deviser and has a strong background in the martial arts. Presently he is performing in "War Horse" at The National Theatre of London as well as working as a performer with the National Theatre's education department and the city ambassadors group (working with young refugees) on a new play called 'feathers in the snow' by Philip Ridley. He is also one of the founders of Swazzled Theatre in London. In 2006 he completed the advanced- Lecoq based actor created theatre program at LISPA.

Dorie Kinnear Pinchin (California, USA)- Dorrie also graduated with her MFA from LISPA. Along with her studies in London, Dorie has had movement training in Canada and Italy as well. Recent devised credits include: "Punch and Judy" and "Barbe Bleue". She is very excited to see the world while sharing her world with new audiences.

Marcus

Marcus Quiniones (Hawaii, USA)- He recently finished the two year Lecoq actor created theatre program at the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA). He is now in Minneapolis, doing a remount production with the Guthrie Theater and Theater MU of Circle Around The Island, a full length piece he wrote, directed, choregraphed and performed in 1999. He has taught movement and theater for various groups including the National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts, the Guthrie Theater, and the University of Minnesota. He loves the water.

Sabine Choucair

Sabine Choucair (Lebanon)- Is a young actress, who studied in the Lebanese university of Fine arts and then at London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) as well as the Desmond Jones School of Physical Theatre London. Sabine has been a part of Theatre Amoeba since 20o7 and has performed in different plays in Lebanon, Jordan, Mexico, Dubai, Cyprus, Cameroon, Morocco and London. Moreover, and along with Gabriela Munoz, she gives clown workshops through “Clown me in” www.clownme.com. ¨ Clown Me In¨ is a workshop focusing on the personal rebuilding, developing and exploring humor and laughter as well as learning to let go, to say yes, to look at wounds, frustrations and weak points in a non-judgmental and comfortable atmosphere. Along the way, she has been working with drug addicts, marginalized communities, and youth who live in difficult situations giving storytelling and clown workshops. Recently Sabine shared her experiences on an M TV interview in Lebanon. Finally Sabine has also started a digital video project in Palestinian camps with Al-Jana organization www.al-jana.org. The main goal is to share, record, and value stories from their lives, in ways that promote artistic expression, health and well being, and justice. Born and raised in Lebanon,during the war and post war, Sabine found that arts and theater were her only remedyand they helped her a lot in overcoming fear and distress caused by war. Since then, she has decided to share her experience with everyone.

Serena Brabazon

Serena Brabazon (Ireland)- Serina recently completed the advanced year of training at LISPA. As well as being a talented actor she is a creative musician specializing in Irish Drum, Violin, Piano and Guitar. Her recent performances include Blue Beard at Camden People's Theatre London in 2007 and Carrie in Big Love at The Gate Theatre, London in 2006 .

Tae-Yeon Hwang (Seoul, Korea)- is a visual graphic designer at Nong Shim in Korea. His current works and projects are primarily visual designs of products labels and packaging. He creates visual identities and brand logos, using calligraphy and Illustration. Before joining Nong Shim, he worked in a strategic visual design agency as a designer. Nowadays, He devises and researches visual identities that imply the meaning of the "Rooftops" and Theatre Amoeba. He loves music and is interested in the combination of music with images.