The Dynamic Duo! These two female Artistic Directors are working tirelessly to help save the Los Angeles community during this COVID crisis, and have become pals in the process.
BEATRICE CASAGRAN, Founding Artistic Director, Ophelia's Jump Productions
A theatrical educator, actor, director, and producer, Beatrice co-founded Ophelia’s Jump Productions in 2012 with a mission to produce works that get audiences talking and invite them to leap into the drama. Since that time Ophelia’s Jump has grown from an itinerant company renting space at clubs, galleries, and other theaters to an established and critically acclaimed non-profit theatre company with its own intimate theater space in Upland. Ms. Casagran has led Ophelia’s Jump in groundbreaking endeavors such as the launching of the annual Claremont Midsummer Shakespeare Festival, which takes place at the Sontag Greek Theater on the campus of Pomona College each July. Ophelia’s Jump was honored as the Claremont Non-Profit of the Year for 2016. In addition to her duties as Founding Artistic Director for Ophelia’s Jump Productions, Beatrice is the Theatre Program Director at Diamond Bar High School.
MARTHA DEMSON, Artistic Director, Open Fist Theatre Company
Martha Demson believes passionately in the voice and role of theatre in our communities. Highlights of her award-winning career with the Open Fist Theatre include: As a producer: THE GARY PLAYS (Mednick), THE COSMONAUT’S LAST MESSAGE TO THE WOMAN HE ONCE LOVED IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION (Greig), HOW TO EXPLAIN THE HISTORY OF COMMUNISM TO MENTAL PATIENTS (Visniec), FOOTE NOTES (Foote), TRAVESTIES (Stoppard), THE DEVIL WITH BOOBS (Fo). As a director: PAPA (deGroot), CASANOVA (Congden), ABINGDON SQUARE(Fornes), ESCAPE FROM HAPPINESS (Walker), FLIGHT OF THE EARLS (Humble), DEAR JOHN MAYER (Shoshana Bean / Eydie Faye). As an actress: JAMES JOYCE’S THE DEAD (Nelson/Davey), FOOTE NOTES (Foote), GETTING FRANKIE MARRRIED… AND AFTERWARDS (Foote),THE ABDICATION(Wolfe), THE WOODEN BREEKS (Berger). Education: Yale University and Sanford Meisner’s master class.