VOICES CARRY CREATIVE TEAM

Artistic Director - Madeline Leavitt

Madeline is an eclectic stage director, choreographer and producer. Her work expands the boundaries of dance and musical theater by combining different forms of movement with the use of multimedia.  See complete bio Here .

Production Designer - Evan A. Bartoletti 

Designer Evan A. Bartoletti’s award-winning scenic designs are created for the stage, screen, opera, and dance events. He offers up a unique visual style that enhances visual storytelling and enriches the audience’s imaginings. His background in fine art, as well as experience as a founding member and production designer for theatre fofo, established his impressive skill set based in creative concepts and collaboration. Whether giving creative expression to the pageantry of a beloved musical, or a world premiere drama, or an intimate solo performance, his innovative work contributes to stronger movement, performance, and spectacle.  Past Bartoletti projects range from world premieres of Dinner at Home Between Deaths (Odyssey Theatre) and The Engine of Our Ruin (Victory Theatre) to the West Coast premiere of Enter Laughing at the Wallis Annenberg Center. He also contributed to sensational productions of musicals Dreamgirls and Chicago at North Shore Music Theatre in Boston. As a guest designer, he worked on productions of Amadeus, South Pacific, Les Misérables, and Rent for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl. Bartoletti previously worked with Leavitt and Voices Carry on the original musical The Bride and the Brothel (Gascon Center Theatre) as well as on the dance project Eating Rocks for Hunger (Miles Memorial Playhouse). He is thrilled to be working with Leavitt again on Strings Attached, welcoming the opportunity to explore the human condition through artistic collaboration. Bartoletti has received design awards from LA Weekly, Drama-Logue, Backstage West, and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle. He has a BFA in Fine Art from UCLA. He and partner Lisa D. Lechuga comprise Lechetti Design.

Executive Producer & Puppet Choreographer - Lisa D. Lechuga

As a young art student, inspired by the love of being creative, Lisa Lechuga immersed herself in the world of visual and performing arts. She studied fine arts at California State University, Long Beach and received her M.F.A. in Theatrical Scenic Design from U.C.L.A. Over the last 20 years, her work has led to successful productions such as Treasures of The Walt Disney Archives with The Walt Disney Co., five seasons with The Hollywood Bowl summer musicals, and productions at UCLA. She has volunteered for over 10 years with Virginia Avenue Project, a youth at-risk theatrical program as a mentor and prop maker, and as a guest designer and instructor for The Global Theater Theatre Project and Creative Corps. Lechuga is thrilled to be collaborating again with Madeline Leavitt and Voices Carry, Inc. on Strings Attached, bringing this unique production to life. Through the gifted tutelage of artist Hanne Tierny, Lechuga and production designer Evan A. Bartoletti, have been able to incorporate the sensitivity of Tierny’s core concepts into the creation and choreography of the production. The one-of-a kind puppets developed for the production embody an enhanced representation of emotion that is both abstract and delightful. Lechuga is deeply grateful to be working again with design partner Bartoletti & Lechetti Design, whose constant insight and talent is an inspiration every day. They have previously designed other puppet and mask making creations for P.S Production in Las Vegas, giant puppets with company theatre fofo”, and Deaf West Theater Theatre. Her love for the arts has taken her down a path of constant discovery, joy, and learning. In her spare time, she dances Hula and continues her fine art as a ceramicist.

Marie Bergenholtz -  Marie Bergenholtz is a veteran of stage, screen and television covering  three continents. She is a graduate of the Ballet Academy of Gothenburg and the Dance Academy of Stockholm. Marie started acting, singing and dancing professionally at the age of 14 and has enjoyed every minute of it. Some of the pinnacle points in her career were working with talented directors like Ingmar Bergman (Peer Gynt), Robert Wilson (Time Rocker), and Trevor Nunn (Cats).  Marie has had the honor of working with Madeline Leavitt and "Voices Carry" previously in "The Bride and the Brothel", "Holding up the Sky" and "Eating Rocks for Hunger" and is happy to be a part of "Strings Attached."  Marie also teaches to all ages.  More info:  www.missmaries.net  and www.mariebergenholtz.com

Paula Smail - Website Designer & Social Media

PHOTOGRAPHY

Silvia Spross loves working on stage/sets and behind the stage/sets. Working as a Unit Photographer on film sets enables her to work besides talents such as Danny Glover, Martin Landau, Billy Zane, Paul Sorvino, Michael Rooker, Andy Dick … the list goes on. However as much as she loves taking Unit Stills and taking on the role of a “sharp-shooter” on set, there’s something very unique about photographing a stage performance. More freedom and less rules to go by. She certainly loves the process and being present at the dress rehearsal wondering around the stage capturing those once in a lifetime moments a performer may experience that specific day.  For more info: Silvia Spross

Hsuan-Kuang Hsieh - Hsuan is a multimedia artist and video designer born in Taipei, Taiwan. Currently lives and works in Los Angeles. She works in puppetry, art, film and performance. And constantly cooperates with theater director, choreographer and film director as a video designer. Her past work has been showed at both national and international venues include: REDCAT, 3LD Art and Technology Center, New York; New Hazlet Theater, Pittsburgh; New Taipei Gold Museum, Taiwan; K11 Art Mall, Hong Kong and Exhaleunlimited Gallery, L.A.; Mr Wu Art Space, Taiwan and others.   Hsuan-Kuang is particularly intrigued by the ways in which the transformation of traditional techniques encounter with new technology. She likes to integrates new media, video installation, puppetry, film and hybrid forms of photography, sculpture and text to create live experience for her audience. Hsuan-Kuang often creates a collage visual picture, in which unfolds a subtle, yet mysterious world to her viewers.  As a puppetry lover, her currently stage works include: Tungsten (workshop) by Janie Geiser (Getty Villa) and Fasting Girl (workshop) by Alexis Macnab (Automata) as a puppeteer. She also makes puppets and shadow play in H&G: an country out cry by Allison M Keating (Palma Street Studio).  More info: www.HsuanKuang.com