The Duchess of LES
The Duchess of LES:
AN AI Musical From Little Ukraine
Cast & Crew
Simon
Marion Stenfort is thrilled to return to the New York stage in The Duchess of LES. Marion is a French actress and graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Past credits include Once (Baruska), Grease (Miss Lynch), Rocky Horror Picture Show (Magenta) and Growing Up – A Story About Children Kicked Out Of Childhood, a show she created with the other half of her brain (and heart), Marion Fontaine. Richie
Sarah Shah, known as Tournèsoul, is a creative performing artist. She graduated from Five Towns College with her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management concentrating in Music Business. Many call her “Jill of all Trades;” actress, singer/songwriter, and dancer, as well as painting. Yuilia
Stalina Huberchenko, 23, was born and raised in Khmelnytskyi city, Ukraine. As she was putting on shows for family and friends directing other children and their toys since she was 5, she always knew she wanted to pursue the world of acting, film, music, and dance. Stalina studied Theater and Film at New York University Abu Dhabi and NYU Tisch mastering Method acting at Lee Strasberg Theater & Film Institute. Having appeared in several TV shows back in Ukraine, she is now taking steps into the American industry and having much fun studying its literature, history, and humor. While struggling with dialects and accents, Stalina enjoys psychology, Hot Pot, tennis, and hiking. Miss B
Amanda is thrilled to be making her New York City debut in Duchess of LES. Originally from Miami, Amanda graduated from Emerson College with her BFA in Musical Theater in May 2022. Some of her favorite past credits include: Baby on Board (Allison) with Ensemble Stage; Company (Marta) with APA; Alice in Wonderland (Alice) Don’t Fear the Rain (Inti) with Wild Theater Co.; In the Heights (Carla) A Chorus Line (Swing Diana Morales) with Area Stage Co. Her favorite Emerson Stage credits include: Into the Woods (Little Red) Big Fish (the Witch) Little Women (Amy) Heathers (Ms. Fleming). Amanda is also a voice teacher and audition coach. She would like to express her gratitude to the cast and crew. She also would like to thank her family for their constant support, friends, a su persona, and cats! Ms. Torchenko
Allison Brooke Clark is a passionate actor who escaped the family farm in Oregon to hone her craft at AMDA NY, where she graduated in 2022. Her previous productions include “How to Complete a Bucket List,” (Katie) a Columbia Student Short Film, and “Medium Rare,” (Candice) another remarkable Columbia student short film. Both of which will be released later this year. She extends her heartfelt gratitude to the incredible cast and crew, as well as her supportive friends and loving family.Understudy
Romy is excited to be making her Off-Broadway debut, with this new musical and these amazing people. Her recent theatrical productions include; Assassins (John Wilkes Booth), A Seagull in the Hamptons (Maria), Anatomy of a Suicide (Bonnie), A Sketch of New York, and the short film Best Man (Jane) which will be premiering in the festival circuit next year. An Australian native, she completed the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute One Year Conservatory as a scholarship student, graduating in the Spring as well as a Bachelor of Music (Musical Theatre) from the Australian Institute of Music. She has performed leading roles in major cities across Australia, in such shows as The Witches of Eastwick, The Producers and The Who’s Tommy, as well as performing with composer/lyricist John Bucchino during his engagement in Sydney. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to work on a new project with such lovely individuals, and cannot wait to present this unique piece of theatre to an audience.Executive Producer
Producers
Lisa Franklyn-Zaidi is the Chief Financial Officer of RFSwolf Entertainment LLC, a film and production company that produces socially relevant content for non-profits and various corporations. She graduated from Columbia University with a B.S. in Economics. After graduating, she worked as a commodities trader and a research analyst on Wall Street in the early part of her professional career before becoming a marketing consultant. Her work at RFSwolf has spanned over 12 years. She started part-time working the books before moving on to the creative end as a Production Manager/Coordinator for independent films, various television commercials, and several PSAs, including ones sponsored by the National Parks Service and NIH. Recently, Lisa became a producer with a new collaboration with RFSwolf, allowing her to explore the realms of theater and reality television that positively impacts society. She is socially conscious and passionate about improving our world for the next generation. Original script and lyrics by
DENIS WOYCHUK is a writer, lyricist, photographer, painter, interdisciplinary artist, and entrepreneur. He’s had four musicals produced, most notably ATTORNEY FOR THE DAMNED, A Rock Musical, about which the New York Times said, “Maybe what musical theater, at its best, can still be.” It was based on his experience as a lawyer for the criminally insane at a maximum security hospital. Woychuk has an M.F.A. in fiction from Brooklyn College and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. He’s had two children’s books in series published by Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, and his memoir, Attorney For The Damned: A Lawyer’s Life With The Criminally Insane, often under option for a TV series, was published by The Free Press. He’s written for the New York Times Book Review (Roald Dahl, Toni Morrison) and his work has been anthologized, most notably in American Monsters, edited by Jack Newfield and Mark Jacobson. He has also been credited as Series Editor for some of the KGB Bar Readers, of which there were five. His photography has been published in “S”, the international fashion magazine. Although Woychuk painted on and off all his life, he discontinued for a number of years to write —and to practice law. However, with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, he could only find comfort with a brush. He began his Invasion Protest Paintings on window screens, found wood, whatever was handy—and today continues on canvas. His work will be shown this December at the Miami Art Fair. Woychuk is also the founder of the famed literary watering hole, KGB Bar, as well as the Kraine Gallery and the Kraine Theater.Director
Crew
Singer/songwriter, Sarah “Tournésoul” Shah is a vibrant, R&B independent artist representing the (L)GBT Community, who connects and takes listeners on a journey through her writing and creativity. She has equally had a passion as a dancer/choreographer, and actress. Studying dance in high school, training with Lori Baird, she’s well versed in Hip Hop, African, Step Dance, Contemporary, and Jazz. In 2014, she graduated from Five Towns College with her Bachelor’s in Business Management and during that time she was co-captain of the GENRE Dance team. Over the the last 15 years she’s taught dance all over NYC to inner-city youth and young adults. Sarah, a jill of all trades, brings her vibrant grounded energy, and selflessness to every room she walks in. Consultant
William Electric Black
q & A
AI is a hot topic. Here are some of the questions the Duchess team has been asked.
We feel that it will give you a better understanding of why we chose to use AI in our production.
Q: Why did you decide to incorporate AI into a production set in the 1980s?
A: The music in Duchess is an homage to all the 80’s artists, embracing hip-hop and rock. Only AI can do that.
Q: Society’s views on AI have changed a lot from the 1980’s to 2023. Does the production view AI through a 1980’s lens or a 2023 viewpoint?
A: Although AI did not exist in the 1980’s, we see a direct parallel between technological innovation in the 80’s and in 2023. In the 80’s, sampling music became a thing. DJs back then took something and remade it into their own sound. AI does the same thing. We are embracing that nuanced viewpoint, and we don’t want to get into the slippery slope of labeling AI as copyright infringement. We see AI as an opportunity to create, not as a limitation on creativity. In the 80’s, many thought graffiti artists were creating a mess and that breakdancers weren’t “real” dancers. Fast forward to now, both are revered art forms. We think AI music will be as well in the near future. We’re on the cutting edge of normalizing its usage.
Q: 1980’s music is so specific. How do you use AI to help define this time period and tell the story?
A: 80’s music is a composite of disco, rock and roll, punk rock, rap, and R&B. With AI, you are able to program all of these genres and harmoniously create beats that signify that era while maintaining the integrity of 80’s music. It’s exciting and revolutionary. It’s like having 10-20 composers on one track, each with their distinct style yet perfectly blended to create something original.
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