Natalie Elizabeth Weiss – Creator/Composer/Lyricist/Co-Librettist
Natalie Elizabeth Weiss is a Brooklyn-based playwright, composer, performer, and DJ. She has written four original musicals, three of which she self-produced: Cami, Lamby and Quinn (Orlando Fringe Festival 2003), A Metamorphosis (Orlando Fringe Festival 2004, recipient of the S.U.R.E. Undergraduate Research Award for Innovative Puppetry), and Jack and the Beanstalk (Galapagos Art Space: Evolve Theater Series 2005, recipient of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Swing Space Grant.) Natalie’s fourth musical, CAMP WANATACHI, was her first professionally produced work (produced by Blue Man Group co-founder Ian Pai and Legend of the Seeker star Bridget Regan) in The New York Fringe Festival (2009), 3LD Art & Technology Center (2010), and at La MaMa ETC (2011). CAMP WANATACHI, a boundary mashing collaboration with Bekah Brunstetter and glitch-hop pioneer Machinedrum, has been heralded as “hilariously subversive” by NY Magazine, “refreshing and uplifting” by TimeOut NY, “very catchy” by the NY Post, and “uplifting and endlessly impressive” by The Advocate.
In addition to writing for musical theater, Natalie also writes music for her band Unicornicopia. Wielding keyboards, an accordion, a vocoder and armfuls of electronics, Unicornicopia’s artful electro-pop has been featured at PS1’s WARM UP (2008), the Performa Biennial (2007), the Rock Accordion Summit (2006), countless Brooklyn and Manhattan venues including Le Poisson Rouge, Joe’s Pub, CBGB’s, The Knitting Factory and a National Tour (2009; recipient of Orlando Cultural Council’s Fine Arts Grant). Natalie also performed as Unicornicopia for the MFA students in NYU’s Steinhardt Studio Performance Track (2010) and recently completed a performance residency at Ramiken Crucible Gallery in the Lower East Side. Natalie’s debut album, “Grace. You’re a Dear.” was produced by Joe McGinty of the Psychedelic Furs, and the new single “Under the Sun” was produced by Jeff Saltzman (producer of The Killers’ multiplatinum Hot Fuss). Natalie recently completed a jingle for the art group [DADDY] with Wooster Group sound designer Omar Zubair, and in June 2011, she will present a concert of her new music at Ars Nova in NYC.
Natalie works professionally as a DJ. Her signature mix of Electro, Pop, Bounce, and Throwback Jams – peppered with the occasional Alan Menken remix – has garnered her DJ sets at New York Fashion Week (2008) and on bills shared with members of Butthole Surfers, Chairlift, Fischerspooner, Santigold, Psychic TV and Dirty Projectors, as well as with the actors Steve Martin and Meryl Streep. Natalie’s passion for innovative club music also led her to co-found CASSETTENYC, a Brooklyn based sonic-assault Dance Party that Flavorpill calls “Slammin’… an event not to be missed.”
Drawing from her conservatory training (BFA in Acting from University of Central Florida 2004; recipient of the Bright Futures Full Academic Scholarship), Natalie also works professionally as an actress and singer. Her performance as Corky in CAMP WANATACHI was deemed “inspirational” by TimeOut NY. In 2007, Natalie was honored to perform the Lee Hazelwood/Nancy Sinatra hit “Sand” at Lee Hazelwood’s memorial service. Natalie can also be heard on the Break-Up Episode of This American Life with Phil Collins, dueting with Anne Magnuson on Fisherspooner’s single “A Modern World,” and performing an accordion brandishing comedy routine in a National Commercial for Ziddio.com. One of Natalie’s greatest joys is performing at Loser’s Lounge – a popular tribute night at Joe’s Pub – where she hams it up alongside the likes of Tony Award-winning star Michael Cerveris and Parker Posey.
Travis Stewart – Electronic Music Composer
Bridging the gap between extremities, Travis Stewart has produced/composed several albums under various aliases since 1999 and has covered an incredible variety of styles. Under the name Machinedrum, his most well known project, his debut album “Now You Know” was released early 2001 on the influential Miami based Merck Records and gained the attention and praise of musicians, fans and critics world wide. It was heralded as the “standard to which the next wave of imitators aspires” by Pitchfork. Since then he has toured around the world performing in places like the Sydney Opera House of Australia, Star Pinez in Tokyo, Bush Music Hall in London, and the Nokia Theater in Times Square. Now with 9 albums under his belt Travis is a force to be reckoned with. His next album as Machinedrum titled “Want to 1 2?” will be released on the New York City based label Normrex in 2008 and focuses on changing the face of what we now know as Pop by fusing current pop music standards and trends with his extensive knowledge of experimental production techniques. Travis has remixed a wide variety of artists like The Doors, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Mochipet and more. Now based in New York City Travis has begun working with several vocalists from NYC and from around the world. His Normrex debut will feature many of these artists like Yo Majesty, Reno Chinati, Kapps, Addiquit, Sarah Ruba and many others
Bridget Regan - Producer
Bridget Regan is a film, television and stage actress originally from Carlsbad, California. Her film credits include the upcoming “The Best and the Brightest” staring Neal Patrick Harris and Amy Sedaris, “Sex and the City: The Movie,” “The Babysitters” and “Binders.” She played reccurring roles in “Six Degrees,” “The Black Donnelley’s,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” and had guest appearances on “New Amsterdam” and “Love Monkey.” From December 2007 through March 2008, she originated the role of Cecile Leroux on Broadway in the comedy “Is He Dead?” written by Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives and directed by Michael Blakemore. She is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts.
Bridget presently lives in Auckland, New Zealand where she is shooting the second season of “Legend of the Seeker,” the epic action adventure fantasy television series. “Legend of the Seeker” is produced by ABC Studios, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and Kenneth Biller.
This is her first venture in producing. Her other current projects include two independent feature films “This Must Be The Place” and “Rua Taniwha” both to be shot in New Zealand.
Conrad Winslow – Arranger/Musical Director
Conrad Winslow holds an M.M. degree in composition and film scoring from NYU, where he was a student of Justin Dello Joio, and an Honors A.B. degree in music from Rollins College, where he studied composition with Daniel Crozier. He composed the annual commencement music for the college and wrote music for theater. Winslow has also composed music for student films and The Last Romantic (2006), which went to several film festivals, including SXSW and the Independent Film Festival Boston. Conrad was a participant in the American Composers Orchestra’s Underwood New Music Readings in 2008, where Brad Lubman conducted his piece The Violence of Ragtime. He will continue graduate studies in composition with John Corigliano at the Juilliard School this fall. www.conradwinslow.com
Ian Pai – Producer
Ian Pai is a Grammy Award nominated songwriter, producer, and musician from Brooklyn, New York. He is one of the founding members of Performance Art sensation Blue Man Group. He has worked with artists such as Philip Glass, Dave Matthews, Moby, Jill Scott and Carina Round. His current projects include the 3rd album release of electro-pop band Fischerspooner, a theatrical production with Fischerspooner and The Wooster Group, performing on the Blue Man Group “How To Be A Megastar” tour and writing, producing and recording an album with electro artist Sid Maudlin.
