THE PRODUCING UNIT
Serving Santa Barbara since 2012
An Exceptional Group of Artists who Mount Thoughtful, Compelling Productions for Audiences on the Central Coast
"The Acting is Top-Notch"
-Maggie Yates
The Santa Barbara Independent
"Emotional Fireworks Galore!"
-Charles Donelan
The Santa Barbara Independent
"Admirable Acting Chops!"
-Joseph Miller
The Santa Barbara Independent
Our talented performers, directors, and producers are dedicated to bringing you the best of contemporary writing for the theatre
MEET THE FOUNDERS
Peter Frisch
Peter has directed 160 productions in the New York and regional theatre, produced 150 hours of network television, was Head of Drama at the prestigious Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, and has been on the conservatory faculty at Carnegie, The Juilliard School, Harvard, and Boston Universities. While at Carnegie, Peter also directed 17 events for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, working with musicians such as Mariss Jansons, Marvin Hamlisch, and Rolando Villazon.
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He has been Producing Director of the Hyde Park Festival Theatre (NY), Resident Director with the Berkshire Theatre Festival, and Artistic Director of American Playwrights Theatre in Washington, D.C.
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Peter received a Joseph Jefferson Award for the Chicago premiere of American Dreams, the Outer Circle Award for My Papa's Wine on New York's Theatre Row, and a Helen Hayes Award for The Night Hank Williams Died. His recently released acting text,
The Transformational Actor: Innovative Approaches for 21st Century Rehearsal and Performance is available at Chaucer’s Bookstore and on Amazon
Bill Egan
Bill is an actor/director/producer and has been active here on the Central Coast since 1998.
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Theaters throughout the country and locally include Boars Head Theatre, Wharton Center for the Performing Arts, Spotlight Theater, Riverwalk Theater, Garvin Theater, the Lobero Theater, Rubicon Theatre Company, Circle Bar B, the Santa Barbara Revels, and Center Stage Theater.
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Top characters he has played include James Henny in 154 & Paradise, Arvide in Guys and Dolls, Felix in The Odd Couple, Hank in What Rhymes with America, James in Time Stands Still, and Michael in The Producing Unit's inaugural production, God of Carnage.
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Favorite directing assignments include It Had to be You, PVT Wars, Wally's Cafe, and The Foreigner.
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Bill is a graduate of Michigan State University and additional training includes working with the Actor's Studio alumnus Len Kluge as well as studying with Peter Frisch and the Frisch Approach.
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Awards include Best Supporting Actor in Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Best Director for Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias .
Ivy Vahanian
Ivy is an American actress living between Costa Rica and Santa Barbara. She lived in New York City for many years, acting on Broadway and off.
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She has worked in many of America’s top professional theaters including Arena Stage, Actor’s Theater of Louisville, Hartford Stage, the Cleveland Playhouse, City Theater, Alabama Shakespeare, and the Virginia Stage Company.
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Favorite roles include Melissa and the Angel in Coram Boy on Broadway, Lily in Toys in the Attic, directed by Austin Pendleton, Disgraced at Arena Stage directed by Timothy Douglas, and her time at the Sundance Theatre Lab at New York’s Public Theater.
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She has toured internationally throughout China and continues to work in Costa Rica, most recently with Teatro de la Tierra. She is an acting graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and attended the prestigious School of Drama. Ivy also loves working in film, her latest project was Transcendant, directed by Janelle Christa, who has also been an actress with The Producing Unit.
MEET THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
JANELLE
CHRISTA
VICE PRESIDENT
CHRISTINA
ELIASON
TREASURER
YVONNE
BAZINET
SECRETARY
ALEX
CRAIGIE
DIRECTOR
JENNIFER
VOGEL
DIRECTOR
VICTORIA
CHARTERS
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