Richard Lambert, Executive Director
Richard Lambert has been the Executive
Director of the New Phoenix Theatre on the Park since he
purchased the property in 1996. Since coming to Buffalo
in 1988, Richard has appeared on most city stages as an
actor (over 40 productions). He has directed many productions
in the United States as well as Canada, and is the author
of several plays. He has received over a dozen nominations
in the city’s yearly “Artie Award” competition,
in addition to winning Best Actor for Brad Frasier’s
POOR SUPERMAN. While living in Manhattan, Richard performed
on many stages including the Tomi Theatre, Village Performers
Theatre, and the Manhattan Theatre Club. It was while living
in New York that he met and began a long-term relationship
with noted actor/director/playwright Maxim Mazumdar, whose
plays continue to be performed in both the U.S. and Canada,
including a production of OSCAR REMEMBERED, directed by
William Hutt at Stratford. It is for Mr. Mazumdar, who at
one time operated the Phoenix Theatre in Montreal, Canada,
that the New Phoenix Theatre is named. Before moving from
Manhattan, Richard met the playwright and scholar Eric Bentley.
The Phoenix currently hosts a yearly new play competition
in his name and honor. In addition to his work at the Phoenix,
Richard has hosted the local television show HUMAN TOUCH
for Adelphia Communications and has appeared in many commercials
in Western New York.
Robert Waterhouse,
Artistic Director
Robert Waterhouse (Artistic Director) holds a Ph.D. from
the University at Buffalo, is a member of the Society of
Stage Directors and Choreographers, and has directed over
40 plays in the US and the UK. He and Richard Lambert have
been collaborating since the latter’s arrival in Buffalo
in 1988, and projects undertaken together include Miss Julie,
The Seagull, Old Lovers, Into The Square…The Work
of Dario Fo, Prelude to a Kiss, American Buffalo, The Night
of the Iguana, The Remarkable Piety of the Infamous, and
(most recently) True West; their production for giant puppets
of Othello began life on the green outside the Phoenix and
traveled to London and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in
2001. Bob’s other favorite productions include The
Price, Dealer’s Choice, Master Class and the US premiere
of his father’s play, Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, for
the Kavinoky Theatre, Buffalo; Histories for Hillside Hospital
and the Academy Theatre, Atlanta; Who’s Afraid of
Virginia Woolf? for barking dog theatre, Atlanta; Chipko
and Gifts of Flame for Cygnet Theatre, UK; and God’s
Spies for Engine # 5 and multiShades Atlanta. Recent or
current projects include Freud and the Sandman, The Seafarer, The Pillowman, Organic Movement…., Metamorphosis,
The Glass Menagerie, Gilgamesh, and Thrill Me. Bob is Asst.
Professor of theatre at Daemen College.
Franklin LaVoie, Master
Puppeteer/Designer
Franklin LaVoie has been working in theater
for twelve years. He works as a set and costume designer,
builder, and painter for many theater groups throughout
Buffalo, including The Kavinoky Theatre, The Irish Classical
Theatre, Shakespeare In The Park, The New Phoenix Theatre,
Pick of the Crop Dance Company, et al. Franklin is the founding
member of Skeleton in the Closet Theater Company, where
he has currently written, directed, and starred in The Bedeviled
Chest, and for which he served as costume and set designer
as well. For over ten years Franklin has been developing
a series of lectures entitled “Sacred Geography of
Western New York,” which examines the legends and
folklore of his hometown. As a storyteller, Franklin has
performed at The Chautauqua Institute, Lilydale Assembly,
Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo State College, and at
other venues throughout Western New York.
Betsy Bittar,
Costume Designer
Betsy Bittar joined
the New Phoenix Theatre Company in the summer of 2001. Betsy's
true passion is acting, and her stage debut with the company
was last season as she performed Grace in Joe Egg. Betsy
has performed in a variety of roles at Alleyway, Irish Classical,
BET, UB, Buffalo State, TOY and Ujima. She has also been
Costume designer for the NPTC shows True West, Reservoir
and Trophy Wife. Betsy is Treasurer/Board Member of the
NPTC, a CPA, and a mother.
Michael Klemm,
Graphic/Arts Director
Michael D. Klemm is a lifelong Buffalo resident. A graduate
from Buffalo State College with a BA in Graphic Design,
class of 1980, his friendship with local theatre began when
he was the art director and editor of Metro Weekend from
1995 to 1997. He later covered theatre, and was art director,
for the short-lived paper Things To Do, Places to Go, People
To See. He currently is art director at Automart Magazine,
and writes the video column in Outcome. Michael lives in
North Buffalo with his soul mate, his life partner of 17
years, Andy Lippa.
Geoffrey Gatza,
Web Designer
Born in 1911 in Columbia, Mississippi,
grew up in St. Louis, Missouri; his father, a traveling
salesman, his mother, a minister's daughter. The second
of three children, grew up very close to his mother, sister,
and maternal grandparents, very alienated from his father.
Began to write when his mother gave him a typewriter for
his eleventh birthday and continued to do so with only intermittent
lapses for the rest of his life. Attended the University
of Missouri and Washington University in St. Louis; graduated
from the University of Iowa in 1938. Wandered around the
country for several years after graduation doing odd jobs
and writing short plays. Although his life often affected
by personal disarray, mental stress, and drug addiction,
enjoyed long-terms relationships with male companions and
remained productive. Choked to death on the cap from a bottle
of pills in his suite at the Hotel Elysee in New York City.
Dan Walker,
Graphics/ Photos
