Studio Theater in Exile was founded in 2005 by Mara Mills and Jeremy Gratt to produce Original Work. STIE seeks to serve two communities: the artist community and the public community. We are committed to working with underrepresented voices, both in the playwrights and content of plays we produce. Our productions explore difficult issues of identity, conflict, and displacement. Prioritizing audience interface, we partner with libraries, museums, galleries, and community centers. Theater promotes dialogue. We seek that connection.
Our mission is to work with playwrights from inception to production to bring their voices to the fore. We also work with visual artists, storytellers, musicians, poets and writers to integrate theater/performance with other genres. Our goal is to create dialogue - with audiences, between creators, and bring forth the lesser known artists in our community.
Artistic Director
Mara Mills has been an educator, storyteller, writer, stage director and producer for over 40 years. In 1991, she founded the Herbert Mark Newman Theatre with Marsha Newman and Jeremy Gratt, at the Rosenthal JCC in Pleasantville, NY. Her focus, at the theatre and in her teaching and storytelling, is to provide ways to creatively involve the community, examine social issues through the arts, and to introduce new work to the public. She received the 1995 East Coast Theater Conference award for Outstanding Service to Theater and the 2007 Cab Calloway Award for Theater. In 1999, Mara and Jeremy were invited to bring an original work to the Second International Jewish Theater Festival in Budapest. In 2005, She and Jeremy opened Studio Theater in Exile at Hudson Valley MOCA.
Producer
Jeremy Gratt is a set, sound and lighting design professional who has worked in theater since 1991. One of the founders of the Herbert Mark Newman Theatre, he served as its Managing and Technical Director. Jeremy oversaw or designed sets and lights, and composed original music and sound scores for most of the shows at the Newman. While there, he also taught technical theatre skills to students from the Cottage School In 2005, Jeremy and Mara began Studio Theater in Exile at HVMOCA. STIE’s mission is to bring the arts, performance and community together with original work.
Administrator
Karina Ramsey is a director and producer who has worked within various theater environments for 20 years. Alongside Alan Lutwin, she worked as Executive Producer for Westchester Collaborative Theater for 5 years. A graduate of Western Connecticut State University's Theater program, she is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Arts Administration from S.U.N.Y. Purchase.
Social Media Manager
Ashley Antonia Lopez is New York City based Afro-Latina and graduated from Pace University with her BA in Devise Acting. Through her acting program, Ashley had the opportunity to perform in the Sibiu Theatre Festival. She also performed in an original piece titled, The Female Role Model Project, and performed in an immersive play called, An Immersive Theatrical Journey to Fight Human Trafficking. Now, she has created a new theater company called X|X Theater Company LLC. X|X Theater Company LLC is a Bronx based platform that uses devised theater, film and movement to empower Latine and BIPOC artists to tell their truth, unapologetically.
Lighting Designer
Jiyoung is delighted to be part of the Studio Theater in Exile team. Recent designs include: Comfort Women: A New Musical at Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Playwrights Horizons, Interview: A New Musical at St. Clement’s Theater, In the Heights at City College Academy of the Arts.
If you are part of the theater industry and you are interested in joining Studio Theater in Exile, please send us a detailed email expressing your experience and how you will like to work with us.
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