Author Archives: backalleynh

Meet the Musicians: Jamie Bradley

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Jamie Bradley

Jamie Bradley is an extraordinarily talented musician and performer. He is a resident actor at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre and in addition to joining us each year for V-Day, He frequently shares his talents with many amazing production companies on the Seacoast, such as Seven Stages Shakespeare Company and The Players Ring.

Jamie has been writing songs consistently for over 20 years. With over 150 original compositions in his catalog, it’s obvious that he takes his job seriously. In the early 1990’s, Jamie made a name for himself within the rankings of folk-singer/songwriters in and around Boston and the coffee houses and clubs in northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Jamie took some time off from the music scene and honed his creative abilities and performance skills doing musical and dramatic theatre.

Jamie will be joining us for Friday February 7th and Saturday February 8th at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre. Be sure to get there at 7pm so that you don’t miss his wonderful performance!

Listen to his music: The Jamie Bradley Band

Meet the Cast: Sarah Duclos

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Photo by M. Lavigne Photography

Photo by M. Lavigne Photography

Sarah Duclos has so many amazing talents, we don’t know where to begin! When she is not making you laugh until your sides hurt in past productions of The Vagina Monologues, or creating magic with our friends at Seven Stages Shakespeare Company she is incredibly busy with her amazing dance company,
Neoteric Dance Collaborative as both a dancer and choreographer, and with whom we are so excited to collaborate with for V-Day this year! In addition to that, you can occasionally hear her belt out a tune or two with several local musicians.

Q – How long have you been involved in theater?

“I have been dancing since I was three years old and I did my first play at Gonic Elementary School when I was 7. It was a stirring adaptation of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” I caught the bug and never looked back.”

Q – What are some of your favorite recent productions?

“My favorite recent production is most definitely Seven Stages Shakespeare Company’s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, which was performed last summer at the Prescott Park Arts Festival. I had the pleasure of both choreographing and performing the show and it is one of the most artistically satisfying things I have ever done. Fabulous people, timeless material.”

Q – Have you performed in the Vagina Monologues before?

“This will be my third year in V-Day, although my first time with a NEW monologue and DANCERS from Neoteric Dance Collaborative.”

Q – What made you want to be involved in V-Day this year?

“Performing in V-DAY is a tremendously rewarding experience. It is an incredible feeling to be able to pool our collective talents as a cast and make an impact in our community while doing something that we love to do anyways!”

Q – Who is the most influential woman in your life?

“Just one? Not possible. My mother, my sister and some of my long-time dance friends who might as well be my sisters. They each move through the world in their own special way and I learn from them daily.”

Q – What or who inspires you?

“People who have the courage to follow their bliss. That is so difficult to do in the face of bills, a poor economy and “real life.” Recently, after nearly twenty years in the technology field, my sister left her job to pursue her dream of cooking. I love that. It takes serious guts to actually go after a dream and I fiercely admire people that have the tenacity to do it!”

Meet the Cast: Angelina MacDonald

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Angelina MacDonald Photo by Mat Kingsbury/2046

Angelina MacDonald
Photo by Mat Kingsbury/2046

Angelina MacDonald is in her first year at Great Bay Community College studying Biology, and this will be her second time performing in V-Day with us. Angelina is an extraordinary young woman with such a passion for life, and we are so happy to have her amazing spirit with us again this year!

Q – How long have you been involved in theater?

“I’ve been involved in theater since I was in middle school; I always participated in the school plays.”

Q – What are some of your favorite recent productions?

“My Junior year of high school I was the Kate in Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of The Shrew’. This was a role that I had really wanted, and I was very thrilled and grateful to be given the role of ‘Bitter Kate’.”

Q – Have you performed in the Vagina Monologues before?

“Yes, last year was my first year performing in the Vagina Monologues. I was part of the sextet.”

Q – What made you want to be involved in V-Day this year?

“Until last year, I myself had never really thought about women’s rights before; about how much violence women are faced with. That really hit me. If I was that naïve to it, imagine how many other people are too. I want to spread the word and be a part of the cause that will one day end this violence.”

Q – Who is the most influential woman in your life?

“I’m blessed with a lot of amazing women in my life, so I honestly don’t think I can pin point my finger on just one.”

Q – What or who inspires you?

“It isn’t only people that inspire me, but everything. I find inspiration from music, movies, books, and even places. I believe that life and everything around us, has a lot to offer.”

Angelina MacDonald Photo by Mat Kingsbury/2046

Angelina MacDonald
Photo by Mat Kingsbury/2046

Meet the Cast: Kiva Leatherman

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Kiva Leatherman

Kiva Leatherman is an inspirational force of nature and we cannot wait for you to welcome her back to the stage and experieince her amazing performance in her first ever V-Day. You will adore her as much as we do!

Q – How long have you been involved in theater?

“Pretty much from the beginning. I wouldn’t get off of the stage at my first recital when I was three. Apparently I thought it was a fun place to be. This is my first show back in about 10 years though – I’ve been busy raising kids and am finally coming up for air.”

Q – What are some of your favorite recent productions?

“Well, as I mentioned it’s been a while, but I’ve loved playing Sophie in ‘Artist Descending a Staircase’ and Isabelle/Hypolita in Tony Kushner’s ‘The Illusion’. I’ve done so much musical theatre – I guess my favorite would be a production of ‘Pippin’ I did with a community theater in NY when I was about 16.”

Q – What made you want to be involved in V-Day this year?

“I was actually looking for auditions for my daughter, who announced that she was born to sing when she was 3, when I stumbled across the notice for V-Day. I got that feeling in my tummy like you get when you’re about to jump off of a bungee platform and I knew I had to do it!”

Q – Who is the most influential woman in your life?

“My mom, of course. Unoriginal, I know – but true. My mom is brave – she upped and moved us from her lifelong home of Tucson when she was 29 to New York, just she and I. She’s smart – she’s been an editor of a major newspaper for the last 35 years, and she loves big – there’s simply nothing she wouldn’t do for me or my kids.”

Q -What or who inspires you?

“Women inspire me – especially the ones who are committed to a life of truth and non-compromise. I see so much amazing work being done in the world by inspired women, from raising kids, to building new schools to running epic businesses. Women rock.”

Kiva Leatherman

Meet the Cast: Debra Verdicchio

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Debra Verdicchio

Debra Verdicchio is a long time activist and advocate for women. Her professional stage debut was as a member of our V-Day Sextet last year, and she is rocking the stage for her first ever monologue this year and we couldn’t be happier to have her with us once again!

Q – How long have you been involved in theater?

“I was actively involved in my High School theater program – that was 25 years ago. I’ve been doing theater around the seacoast for a year now.”

Q – What are some of your favorite recent productions?

“There were so many fun roles, but I would have to say my favorite was playing Mrs. Greer in Prescott Park Arts Festivals’ production of ‘Annie’ last summer. It was a thrill for me to be up on stage in front of a live audience!”

Q – Have you performed in the Vagina Monologues before?

“I was part of the Sextet for V-Day 2103.”

Q- What made you want to be involved in V-Day this year?

“It was such an empowering experience to be a part V-Day last year that I had to do it again this year! Such an amazing group of talented women and men all coming together to raise awareness about Domestic and Sexual Violence against women and children.”

Q – Who is the most influential woman in your life?

“I have not one, but many women who are influential and that are in my life, that would be my sisters or “my sissies” we call each other. They definitely have had my back and have supported me when I have been at low points in my life!”

Q – What or who inspires you?

“If there is one person who inspires me it’s me, it’s my niece Racheal. She taught me much more about life then I could ever teach her. She was such an influential young women who was a talented artist and childrens illustrator. She had a great sense of humor and wit that I truly admired. My niece lived her entire life in pain due to a rare skin disorder, yet she never complained. She lived her life according to her terms, she was a feisty girl. In November 2011 Racheals pain came to an end and she is now at peace, yet she continues to be an inspiration to everyone she has ever met and whose life she touched, including myself! I do this monologue in honor of you Rach!”

Debra Verdicchio