UNIVERSES
Biography
UNIVERSES
Gamal Abdel Chasten, a founding member of UNIVERSES, is a songwriter/poet/screenwriter. His work has toured more than 25 U.S. cities and 5 countries. Theatrical writing credits include The Last Word, God Took Away His Poem and the UNIVERSES shows The Ride and Slanguage. Directing credits include The Last Word, Full Circle's Innerviews (Dance Theater Workshop) and Articulation. Mr. Chasten is currently working on several screen projects, including Red Moon, Joe Blow and North Borough. He appeared with UNIVERSES on the cover of American Theatre magazine (2004) and Source magazine (2000). He was also part of the 2008 Jazz at Lincoln Center: The Rhythm Road and is a member of Network of Ensemble Theaters (NET) and New York Theatre Workshop's Usual Suspects. Publications include: Writers Corp Teacher Anthology (City Lights Books), UNIVERSES-The Big Bang (TCG) and Slanguage in The Fire This Time (TCG).
Mildred Ruiz, a UNIVERSES founding member, is a playwright/actor/vocalist. Credits include The Denver Project (Curious Theater; dir. Dee Covington), One Shot in Lotus Position (The War Anthology-Curious Theater; dir. Bonnie Metzgar), Blue Suite (dir. Chay Yew), Rhythmicity (Humana Festival 2003), Slanguage (New York Theatre Workshop; dir. Jo Bonney), The Ride (playwright/actor) and Alfred Jarry's UBU: Enchained (Teatre Polski in Poland; dir. Steven Sapp). Awards/affiliations include: 2008 Jazz at Lincoln Center: The Rhythm Road Tour; 2008 TCG Peter Zeisler Award; 2006 Career Advancement Fellowship (Ford Foundation) through Pregones Theater; 2002-2004 and 1999-2001 TCG National Theater Artist Residency Program Award; BRIO Awards (Bronx Recognizes Its Own); Co-Founder of The Point; board member of National Performance Network (NPN); former board member of Network of Ensemble Theaters (NET); New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect; Bard College, B.A. 1992. Publications include: UNIVERSES-The Big Bang (TCG) and Slanguage in The Fire This Time (TCG).
William Ruiz a.k.a Ninja was born and raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Acting credits include UNIVERSES' Slanguage (dir. Jo Bonney), Jack Kerouac's Ti Jean Blues (adapt./dir. JoAnne Akalaitis), Nicole Quinn's Tree Tails (dir. Shelly Wyant), Oscar Wilde's Salome (dir. Nick Jones), Anthony Rivera's Latin Howel (dir. Todd A. Jackson) and Nicky Cruz's Run Baby Run (dir. Chris Fredricks, Houston Astrodome, Texas). He was both playwright and director of Waiting for Gordo (an adaptation of Samuel Beckett's play). Mr. Ruiz was also part of the 2008 Jazz at Lincoln Center: The Rhythm Road as Ambassador of Music and a member of NET (Network of Ensemble Theatres). Mr. Ruiz received his B.A. in theatre from Bard College, where he studied under JoAnne Akalaitis and Elizabeth Smith and learned poetry under the tutelage of Bob Holman. Publications include: UNIVERSES-The Big Bang (TCG) and Slanguage in The Fire This Time (TCG).
Steven Sapp, a UNIVERSES founding member, has worked on the collaborations The Denver Project (Curious Theater, dir. Dee Covington) and One Shot in Lotus Position (The War Anthology-Curious Theater; dir. Bonnie Metzgar), Blue Suite (dir. Chay Yew), Rhythmicity (2003 Humana Festival) and Slanguage (New York Theatre Workshop). His directing credits include The Ride (assistant), The Architecture of Loss, Will Powers' The Seven (University of Iowa) and Alfred Jarry's UBU: Enchained (with Teatre Polski, Poland). He toured with Jazz at Lincoln Center: The Rhythm Road and was the recipient of TCG's Peter Zeisler Award (2008), National Directors Award (2002) and their National Theater Artist Residency Program Award (2002 to 2004 and 1999 to 2001). He also received a Van Lier Fellowship with New Dramatists and is a New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect. Mr. Sapp is co-founder of The Point and holds a B.A. from Bard College. Publications include: UNIVERSES-The Big Bang (TCG) and Slanguage in The Fire This Time (TCG).
