Lanie Zipoy

Producer/Publicist
New York, New York USA

Where do you look for inspiration? My friends, the tennis court, theater

What’s your favorite book?  
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez tops my favorite books.

movie? I love the films, Earth As Seen from the Moon by Pasolini, Angela by Rebecca Miller, Simple Men by Hal Hartley and The City of Lost Children by Caro & Jeunet.

line from a play? “We Belong To Each Other.” — Mac Rogers’ Universal Robots

pop culture guilty pleasure? The Glades is one of my guilty pleasures. It’s sunny, slightly funny and doesn’t tax the brain. Love it.

cocktail? Margaritas. Good, delicious, mouth-watering margaritas make me happy.  I’m particularly a fan of guava and passionfruit.

What play or production changed your life? Justice Do It. A one-night only performance by fifth graders on Broadway in 1997. The New Jersey elementary students researched globalization and child labor, and then wrote an entertaining play about McDonald’s, Nike and other conglomerates based on their research. Their school’s principal deemed the work too controversial, and banned the students from performing it. Scott Ellis read about the student’s plight in the newspaper, offered to direct them and convinced Roundabout to produce the play for one night only. After hearing about the production’s background on NPR, I snagged a couple of tickets and thoroughly enjoyed watching the 10-year-olds hit their marks (and perform with glee). I will never forget that night.

Is there anything you still dream of doing? Going to the Australian Open.

I feel most like myself when I ….rollerskate or volunteer.

What is your best escape? Tennis. Playing, watching, and enjoying tennis.

What’s the one thing nobody knows about you? I did a lot of genetic research at major institutions in my teens. I wanted to be a scientist until I was subjected to listening to Rush Limbaugh all summer long in a lab I worked in.

Lanie Zipoy is the co-founder of Voices Inside/Out, an theatrical exchange program in prisons. Producer credits include: Universal Robots, 23 Feet in 12 Minutes, The Riverside Symphony. Lanie is a member of TRU’s Career Producers Group, and the NYIT Awards Honorary Awards Committee as well as a Huffington Post contributor.

Sandi Durell

Theatre & Cabaret Critic, Producer
New York, New York USA

My inspiration comes daily as world events keep spiraling and it’s like “beat the clock” – continue to have even a small voice in a cluttered society in my areas of joy and pleasure; music and theatre and the fun of tennis, art, travel.

I guess it’s called “my bucket list.”

There is no one favorite book in my cart as many are worthwhile and inspirational. However, I continue to get lost in the nostalgic pleasures of “The Wizard of Oz” movie (was it actually a gentler time?).

Here’s a line from William Shakespeare’s All’s Well that Ends Well that has particular meaning – “No legacy is so rich as honesty.”

Pop culture guilty pleasure? Hmmmm – think, think. I don’t have any! But I do love Margaritas!

Plays or productions that change lives are multi-facted. As I think about the variety of productions I’ve seen over many years, if the content and acting is really good, I can get lost in it. Once that happens, I (as many others) will make comparisons as to how we view a person or situation, would we have a similar response, feel more or less challenged, important, demeaned, functional or dysfunctional. I believe good theatre (and movies) has tremendous influence on its viewers; sometimes as a healing factor, sometimes as brainwashing – telling us how to behave, what to think, feel, fear, love, hate. Like the media!

I’ve always had this dream of becoming a lawyer – they do rule our society, don’t they? However, I feel most like myself when I have the opportunity to ply my old trade – get up and sing a tune.

When I want to escape, I watch old movies. Love ’em.

What’s the one thing nobody knows about me? It’s probably more than one thing. But I am very pragmatic.

Sandi Durell currently reviews theatre for Examiner.com, is Managing Editor/Cabaret Critic for Times Square Chronicles and produces, with partner Shari Upbin (ShaRell Productions), the revues Broadway Live! and Hollywood Live! booked nationwide. She is also a Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Voter.

Orietta Crispino

Director, Performer, Artistic Director
New York, New York USA

* Where do you look for inspiration?  Mostly life, dreams and books.

* What’s your favorite book / movie / line from a play / pop culture guilty pleasure / cocktail?  Barry Lyndon, any Cronenberg. I am not a cocktail kind of gal, but lately I have been enjoying Margaritas!!!

* What play or production changed your life? Einstein on the beach (Bob Wilson), Café Muller (Pina Bausch), La Vita che ti diedi (Pirandello/Castri), Kinkan Shonen (Sankai Juku).

* Is there anything you still dream of doing?  Playing the cello. King Lear (playing the king!).

* What’s the one thing nobody knows about you? I can fall asleep stroking my ears.

Orietta Crispino born in Italy, is a graduate of the prestigious “Piccolo Teatro” School in Milan, where she worked with the major Italian directors Strehler and Castri. She taught acting and directing there. She is co-founder and artistic director of Theaterlab in NYC. Her most recent production is Three Sisters Come and Go.