Premiere Theatre & Performance


PTAP'S MISSION
The mission of Premiere Theatre & Performance (PTAP) is to present new plays and original performance by directors of vision and originality. PTAP creates a home for stage directors, in an environment that encourages development, creativity and artistic integrity. Premiere Theatre & Performance—like nothing you've ever seen.
PREMIERE STAFF
Patrizia Acerra – Artistic Director, Founder
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Catherine Zelman – President Mary Lombardi – Vice President Patrizia Acerra – Secretary William Bogie – Officer
CHICAGO ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES
Carol Blanchard David Denman Sarah Stec
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES
Iris Manca Basia Wajs Emmanuelle Capozzi
ADVISORY BOARD
Arnold Breman – Columbia College Gary Cestaro – De Paul University Thom Van Ermen – Theatre Building Chicago John Heuring – Victory Gardens Theatre Willaim Grange – University of Nebraska, Lincoln Lucyanna De Stefano – Northern Trust Bank Michael Garcia – Caffe De Luca Walter Stearns – Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago Eugene Dizon – Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago Christa Buck Van Ermen – Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago
STAFF BIOGRAPHIES
	Patrizia Acerra Director, PTAP Artistic Director & Founder Patrizia is a Midwest-based stage director, adapter, arts instructor, and producer, with over 45 productions in the past 15 years. In 2000-2001, she resided in Rome, Italy, working with The English Theatre of Rome, and creating an ensemble of actors for the then newly formed International Theatre of Chicago. She is a former Director of Liturgy at St. Catherine of Alexandria in Milwaukee, the former Managing Director of Bailiwick Repertory and Oak Park Festival Theatre. Pat holds degrees in Theology, Communications and Directing, and is a former university instructor of Theatre, Communications and English as a Second Language. In addition, she is the founder of P L Acerra Consultants, which specializes in non-profit consulting.
	Anna C. Bahow Artistic Associate Anna C. Bahow is an Associate Artist at Premiere Theatre & Performance, Chicago Dramatists and the Side Project. Recent work includes the critically acclaimed premiere of New Orleans at The Side Project, named one of the top Fringe shows of 2006 year by the Chicago Tribune and Gray City for Premiere Theatre and performance. Other work includes Vintage Red and Dust of the Road for Visions & Voices-nominated by the American Theatre Critics Association's Steinberg Award for the "Best New Play Produced Outside of New York" and recipient of a Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citation for best new play and the world premiere of St. Colm's Inch for Chicago Dramatists. She directed the Jeff recommended premiere of Martin Furey's Shot at TimeLine Theatre. The project was supported by Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Ovie Carter and several international war correspondents. Ms. Bahow workshopped, Odin's Horse, winner of the national EcoDrama Award. She has written radio pieces for the Chicago Public Radio program 848, shot photographs, and has worked on video and film shorts. Ms. Bahow is a member of the Directors Lab at Lincoln Center in New York and Chicago and is a past program director for the Women's Theatre Alliance's New Play Development Workshop in Chicago.
	Carol J. Blanchard Chicago Artistic Associate Carol J Blanchard has designed costumes for over 200 stage/TV/video productions for companies such as Milwaukee’s First Stage Childrens’ Theatre, Cleveland Symphony’s Blossom Opera, Shakespeare in the Park, Karamu Theatre, Fredonia Dance Ensemble, Center Repertory, and the Champlain Shakespeare Festival. Her Chicago credits include Victory Gardens Theatre(Hanging Fire, I Sailed With Magellan), Drury Lane Oakbrook(Barefoot in the Park, Of Thee I Sing), The Artistic Home (Street Scene), Bailiwick Theatre(First Lady Suite), Porchlight Music Theatre(Sweeney Todd, Assassins, The Teapot Scandals), and PTAP (RIGHT, Iphegenia in Kingman, Einstein’s Dreams). Carol was honored with a Jeff Award for the costume design of Porchlight Music Theatre’s Amadeus. She currently runs her own design studio, C J Blanchard Designs and is a Professor Emeritus of The State University of New York.
	Iris Manca Sinologist, Director, Translator, Writer Iris was born in Italy in 1969, moved on to Beijing, China, in 1991 and returned to Europe 10 years later. A specialist in Chinese Contemporary Theatre, started her path as director in China, where she co-founded the international theatre group "Testimony". She lives now in Rome, where she first met Patrizia Acerra while working at the Italian adaptation of "Picture This", in 2001. At ease in between different cultures, she easily embraced the philosophy of the PTAP and is now writing a play on immigration.