Staff

Kate Simpson

Kate Simpson is a festival veteran, having worked production for two New York Fringe Festivals, the Seattle Film Festival, and directing for the Seattle Fringe Festival, Vancouver Fringe Festival, and Mae West Festival (Seattle). Production credit highlights include Order of Insects, adapter and director: Mutatis Mutandis, adapter and director; and Theatre for the New Ear (Dirs. Joel & Ethan Coen), Asst. Stage Manager. Kate studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A. English Literature and Performance Studies) and Northwestern University (M.A. Performance Studies), and has worked in administrative capacities for A.C.T., Seattle Rep, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, St. Ann's Warehouse, Ballet Tech, and is currently Production Manager at the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. The recipient of a St. Anthony Foundation grant in support of a writing retreat, Kate completed her first novel in 2005. She also hates writing bios.

Erez Ziv Managing Director Horse Trade office@horseTRADE.info	Morgan Tachco Associate Producer Horse Trade Press Rep, Frigid New York office@FRIGIDnewyork.info
Erez has joyfully dedicated the last eight years of his life to creating an entirely self sustaining off-off-Broadway theater company in New York City. His educational history includes a BA in Jewish and Religious studies with a minor in comparative religion from the University of Minnesota, a semester at Oxford, and a never to be quite completed Masters Degree in Talmud and Rabbinics from JTS. He is a licensed fireguard, Handsom Cab Driver, sprinkler systems inspector, flame proofing Supervisor and wedding ceremony officiant. His multi-faceted, hands-on management style and accessibility have helped to firmly establish Horse Trade's reputation in the downtown theater scene and to create a well respected, self sufficient organization that has created and continues to create a home for some the New York City 's most innovative, talented and hard working theater artists. He is proud to open our doors to so many visiting artists during FRIGID New York.	Morgan Lindsey Tachco hails from Southern California and has been involved in over 60 theatrical productions both onstage and off on both coasts. Favorites include lead roles in The Zoo Story, Equus, Sweet Charity, and Laundry and Bourbon produced by Dick Van Dyke. Upon her New York arrival she has worked with The Willful Company, Second Stage Theatre, Naked Angels, York Shakespeare Company, and National Theatre of the Performing Arts. Morgan met Horse Trade through the resident group Edge of Insanity portraying Laura Sands in the coming of dick. She co-produced Galaxy Video and Galaxy Video 2 last fall, and is now happy to be a part of the clan. She resides in Brooklyn with Zooey and her crazy little extended family. They, along with her actual family, deserve great thanks and kudos for their undying support.
Akia Squitieri General Manager, Frigid akia@FRIGIDnewyork.info	Justin Sturges Festival and Horse Trade Technical Chief justintsturges@yahoo.com
Akia is very happy to be a part of the FRIGID team. She is an active member of the flourishing off-off-Broadway community having produced, directed, and performed with numerous NYC companies since 1997. Akia currently works as Production Coordinator for The Puerto Rican Traveling theatre, where she will be producing the Playwrights Unit Off Broadway Season. Proudly, she is the Founding Artistic Director of the Rising Sun Performance Company, now in its fifth season, and has been involved on all levels with each of its 30+ productions. Also member of the Office staff here at Horse Trade, a Board Member of The Paul Butterfield Fund & Society, and Company Manager for The New York Innovative Theatre Awards, where she serves on their honorary awards committee and as an At-Large Judge. In addition, Akia is a contributing writer for several websites and is now testing her hand at playwriting. She resides in the Bronx, with her husband and 3 kitties. Many thanks to Erez & Morgan for including her on this exciting festival!	Attracted to theater festivals because of the beautiful chaotic people and energy they expose, Mr.Sturges was technical director of the New York International Fringe Festival, designed the lights for 100 shows in two summers for "Gone in 60 secs," a festival of one-minute plays, discovered the joy of kissing his electrics crew every morning at the Istanbul International Theater Festival, designed a short in the New York Clown Festival, was an electrician for the Voice4Vision Puppet Theater Festival, and did something for some other festivals he's forgotten about. Mr.Sturges works as a lighting designer with numerous companies, a stage manager (most notably with the New York Downtown Clown Revue), a stagehand at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, and is a model. Mr.Sturges is a proud founding member of, and Chief Party Lighting Designer for, newFangled theatReR. [no typo]


Russ Marisak (Stage Manager) has been working hard in theatre since 1988. He started out as an actor, but soon realized he would have to earn some money if he wanted to continue doing shows, so he eventually moved off stage and pursued a career in Stage Management. His most recent productions are “True West ” at Michael Checkov Theatre, “Jamarama Live” touring childrens musical,“Beast with Two Backs” at Soho Rep, and “Split Ends” at Triad Theatre. He considers it an honor and a pleasure to work with all the creative, talented and hard-working people at The Frigid Festival.	JESSICA V. URTECHO (AEA Stage Manager) holds a Bachelors of Arts in Theater and Media Studies from Hunter College CUNY, and also studied theater at The University of Pavia in Italy. Ms. Urtecho's career began in television as a Production Assistant for CUNY-TV and MediaSete in Milan, Italy. Since returning to New York in 2000 she has worked extensively in New York City theatre. Ms. Urtecho’s experience includes classical theater, dance, opera, rock opera, musicals, conferences, fashion shows and concerts. Selected companies: The Immediate Theater, The Gallery Players, The Spanish Repertory Theater, Cannery Works, MultiStages and Steenstein Productions. She has also directed a few short plays and is currently working as an Audio Visual Technical Assistant at Columbia University, Alfred Lerner Hall.

Sharlyne Shlayan	Kate Simpson Kate Simpson is a festival veteran, having worked production for two New York Fringe Festivals, the Seattle Film Festival, and directing for the Seattle Fringe Festival, Vancouver Fringe Festival, and Mae West Festival (Seattle). Production credit highlights include Order of Insects, adapter and director: Mutatis Mutandis, adapter and director; and Theatre for the New Ear (Dirs. Joel & Ethan Coen), Asst. Stage Manager. Kate studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A. English Literature and Performance Studies) and Northwestern University (M.A. Performance Studies), and has worked in administrative capacities for A.C.T., Seattle Rep, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, St. Ann's Warehouse, Ballet Tech, and is currently Production Manager at the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. The recipient of a St. Anthony Foundation grant in support of a writing retreat, Kate completed her first novel in 2005. She also hates writing bios.

Justin Sturges Attracted to theater festivals because of the beautiful chaotic people and energy they expose, Mr.Sturges was technical director of the New York International Fringe Festival, designed the lights for 100 shows in two summers for "Gone in 60 secs," a festival of one-minute plays, discovered the joy of kissing his electrics crew every morning at the Istanbul International Theater Festival, designed a short in the New York Clown Festival, was an electrician for the Voice4Vision Puppet Theater Festival, and did something for some other festivals he's forgotten about. Mr.Sturges works as a lighting designer with numerous companies, a stage manager (most notably with the New York Downtown Clown Revue), a stagehand at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, and is a model. Mr.Sturges is a proud founding member of, and Chief Party Lighting Designer for, newFangled theatReR. [no typo]	Jenniffer DeSimone Jenn is excited to be back home and working on FRIGID 07'. Fresh out of college, she has since been stage managing at Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, NY and most recently worked on the Broadway tour of "Aida." She has stage managed at the Flea, HERE and The Manhattan Theatre Source, as well as many regional venues and universities.