Amy Poux is a director based in the Hudson Valley. Throughout her career, Poux has focused on creating scripted and unscripted contemporary theater and film in traditional and non-traditional settings.

As a theater director, Poux has worked Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway as well as nontraditional theater spaces including Theatre for the New City, Angel Theatre, Primary Stages, WestBeth Theatre Center, The Greenwich Street Theatre in New York City and Old Stone House, Brooklyn and Teatro La Tea, NYC. Most notable NYC work includes The Black-Eyed Brothers by Seth Zvi Rosenfeld, West Beth Theater Center, and Take To The Bed by Joan Rater, Theater For The New City.

In the Hudson Valley, Poux formed Intergeneration Ensemble (I.E.) and Youth Ensemble Theater (Y.E.T), directing 40+ productions at The Richard B. Fisher Performing Arts Center, NY State & Film/Powerhouse Theater Festival (Poughkeepsie, NY), Byrdcliffe Theater (Woodstock, NY), Denizen Theatre (New Paltz, NY) among others. YET has garnered awards from the American Academy for the Dramatic Arts (Featured performance/Youth Theatre Conference 2018), the NYC Thespian Society (Best Play), NYS Theatre Education Association (Award of Excellence 2019).

As a filmmaker, Poux’s recent work includes the pilot, Do Nothings (2024), [Best Composer - LA Independent Film Awards, Best Series -Chicago Indie Film Awards, Official Selection - Amsterdam Movie Fest, Official Selection - Denver Indie Film Fest, Official Selection - Big Apple Film Fest, Official Selection - San Diego Independent Cinema Awards, Official Selection - Miami Women Film Festival, Official Selection - Tokyo Independent Film Festival, Best TV Pilot -Toronto Indie Shorts Filmmaker Awards], Do Nothings (Proof of Concept) & its sequel, I’m Okay, (Northguild Productions/HUDSY-TV) (NewFilmmakers NY 2021, NYWIFT iWoman Fest, 2022).

For nearly two decades, Jennifer wrote and produced national and international news stories for ABC’s World News Tonight, World News Now, and ABC Radio Networks. More recently she was an associate producer on the TV pilot Do Nothings. Jennifer is the author of a number of Penguin-Random House books for middle grade readers including the series, True History, which she created. She has had turns as a political writer for Huffpost, and as a professor of creative writing at City College of New York.

A theater kid at heart, Jennifer is thrilled to be back in this magical world!

Trudy Poux is a composer/recording artist, actor and comedian. At age 19, their work has been used in professional film, TV and theater productions. As a singer and composer, their album, "Two Front Teeth", was the soundtrack for the TV pilot, Do Nothings, for which they were awarded "Best Composer 2024" by LA Independent Women Filmmaker Awards. They also composed and recorded the credit roll song, "Alone or Together" featuring Italian rap artist, Extrapolo, for Seth Zvi Rosenfeld's feature film, Sunday at Il Posto Accanto. Most recently, Trudy composed the music for Kill the Boy Band, an original musical based on the YA novel. Trudy is a student at Bard College.

Dean Jones is a Grammy award winning producer whose credits span from Many Hands: Family Music for Haiti featuring Pete Seeger, They Might Be Giants, Dan Zanes, Bonga to Rhett Miller, Ted Leo, Jon Langford and Sally Timms et al. As a musician, Dean has played at the UN with Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, Luma Sultan and others and throughout Europe with George Clinton, Perfect Thyroid, Harmonica Virgins, For Sale By Owner Orchestra, Sonando. In 1999 Dean started the band, Dog on Fleas which has recorded more than 85 albums for kids.

Russell McCook is a music director, educator, and performer with a passion for telling compelling stories through song.He has music directed a wide range of productions, including performers of all ages and experience levels, bringing energy, sensitivity, and a deep understanding of vocal technique to every rehearsal room.

A graduate of Oklahoma City University and NYU Steinhardt, Russell has worked across the country as both a music director and performer. Favorite credits include: Once, Big Fish, A LittleNight Music, Les Misérables, and Bernstein’s Mass.

In addition to his work in the theatre, Russell teaches voice, piano, and strings. His students have performed on Broadway, in national tours, and in regional and educational theatres across New York’s Hudson Valley, he is proud to help artists of all ages grow their skills and their confidence through music.

Marisa Paull Gorst studied at the School of American Ballet in NYC and the Kirov Academy in Washington, DC. She danced professionally with classical and contemporary ballet companies in the US and Europe, and was featured in the national tour of CATS the Musical and The Phantom Of The Opera in Las Vegas. Ms. Gorst has served on faculty at the School of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, the International Ballet School of Bled in Slovenia, Broadway Dance Center and Peridance in NYC, The Rock School in Las Vegas, and several regional schools in the Hudson Valley. She holds a BA from Smith College.

Khadeeja Lindsay is a seasoned studio operations and live entertainment professional with over a decade of experience in large-scale production environments. Most recently, she served as Director of Studio Operations & Stage Management at Upriver Studios in Saugerties, NY, where she led day-to-day operations and stage logistics for a premier hub for film and television in the Hudson Valley.

Prior to that, Lindsay served in multiple capacities, including Head of Carpentry, Head of Props, and Swing Technician traveling the globe with the internationally acclaimed Cirque du Soleil.

Adam is incredibly grateful to be able to throw his unique spice blend into the sumptuous and flavor filled, boiling caldron that is Nona’s Supper Club.

He is a relatively new returnee to the east coast after spending many years in the Los Angeles basin pursuing art, love and adventure. He can be seen in films, such as Independence Day, The Truman Show, Flight, and She’s Out of My League.

Trudy Poux is a composer/recording artist, actor and comedian. At age 19, their work has been used in professional film, TV and theater productions. As an actor, they played the lead role of “Tamarin” in the pilot, Do Nothings. Trudy originated the comedic lead role of “Molly” in Geoff Tarson’s new episodic, A Short Tutorial, they played a featured comedic role of “Amy” in Seth Zvi Rosenfeld’s film, Sunday at Il Posto Accanto, and was the lead character of “Merna” in Georgina Liucci’s short, The Exchange. As a young actor, Trudy originated many roles in theatre productions throughout elementary, middle, and high school, and was awarded by The NY Thespian Society.

Leonisa Ardizzone has been making music since age four. A multi-instrumentalist, Leonisa decided voice was her thing, and in her 20s, she found jazz. She studied with Marion Cowings, Suzanne Pittson, and Karrin Allison and has played at some of NYC’s finest clubs, including Iridium, Sweet Rhythm, Duplex, Danny’s, and Kitano.

She leads the Leonisa Ardizzone Quartet, whose three albums won critical acclaim. Jersey Jazz says, “Ardizzone is a vocalist who thrives on digging into challenging material, and she graduates with honors. Leonisa Ardizzone is a singer with an adventurous spirit, and the intelligence and chops to execute her imaginative vision.” Leonisa is also a professor at Vassar College, a Unitarian Universalist minister, and an author. 

A lover of food and dysfunctional family dynamics, she is thrilled to return as Nona Matilda, having previously portrayed her at 54Below and Chelsea Table + Stage. Her recordings are available on all major streaming platforms. www.leonisaardizzone.com

Ryan Fogler has been in over 26 productions, which most recently includes Into the Woods at the Milford Theater, Pippin and Camelot at the Shawnee Playhouse. Other recent credits include Don Lockwood in Singin’ in the Rain, Eugene in Brighton Beach Memoirs and Arpad in She Loves Me at The Barn Theater, as well as Frankie Eppsin Parade at The Old Library Theater. A recent graduate of Ithaca College , as a film and cinematography major, Ryan is thrilled to be a part of this ensemble in the role of “Steve”!

Liliana Valencia (she/her) is very excited to make her NYC performance debut! She recently graduated from Pace University with a degree in Musical Theater and is very grateful for the support of her friends and family.

Danielle Palumbo is a New York–based performer holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Five Towns College. Her stage credits include productions such as Kiss Me, Kate and Hairspray. In addition to her stage credits, Danielle expanded her performance repertoire with on-screen background work for well-known television series such as Law & Order, Pose, Blue Bloods, and Younger. She also brought her talents to a unique venue outside of the theater and television world—performing as part of the high-energy, immersive entertainment production The Big 80’s at Knoebels Amusement Resort.

Danielle feels incredibly lucky to have been a part of this show from its very inception. Bringing the role of Tina to life has been an absolute joy—she loves, adores, and is endlessly inspired by inhabiting her spicy, vivacious personality. It’s such an exhilarating thrill to live through her every moment, to embody that energy, that confidence, that fire—and to play her is to truly celebrate the fun and sass she brings to the stage.

Tucker is delighted to make his NYC theater debut hiding in the kitchen. A recent graduate of Tufts University where he led the improv troupe Cheap Sox, Tucker continues to perform throughout NYC with Big Cup Improv. Tucker’s film credits include TheGreat Gilly Hopkins, and more recently the role of “Jaden” in the pilot, Do Nothings. Additional theater credits include: “Romeo,” Romeo and Juliet, “Bud Frump," How to Succeed in Business, and “Caractacus Potts,” Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. 

As your chef tonight, he can say with the utmost confidence that this food probably won’t make you sick. Enjoi!

Darian Bencosme is delighted to make his return to the stage. As a graduate of the conservatory of acting at SUNY Purchase some of his credits include “Quetzal” in the scripted podcast series Love in Gravity, “Leonardo”, Blood Wedding, and “Die Alte”, A Brightroom Called Day: Revisited. He would like to extend his gratitude to his friends and family for all their love.