Honorary Board Member

Tommy Tunes

Tommy Tune, dancer, singer, choreographer and director is the winner of nine Tony Awards, and the only person in theatrical history to win in four different categories and to win the same two Tony Awards two years in a row.

Tommy danced onto the Broadway scene in the chorus of “Baker Street” in 1965 and hasn’t stopped since. He worked in the chorus’ of “A Joyful Noise” in 1967 and “How Now Dow Jones” in 1968. He garnered raves and his first Tony Award (Best Featured Actor in a Musical) in Michael Bennett’s “Seesaw” in 1973. Branching out, he directed his first show, the Off Broadway production of the ground breaking feminist musical “The Club” in 1976. “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas” was his next venture followed by “A Day In Holywood”, “A Night in the Ukraine” and his second Tony (Best Choreography). Tommy returned to Off Broadway in 1981 to direct his highly acclaimed and controversial production of Caryl Churchill’s “Cloud 9”.

1982 brought “Nine” and his third Tony (Best Direction of a Musical). Mr.Tune pulled double duty in “My One and Only” and was awarded his fourth and fifth Tonys (Best Choreography, Best Actor in a Musical). He received his next two Tonys with “Grand Hotel” (Best Choreography, Best Direction of a Musical). The following year brought “The Will Rogers Follies” and his next two Tony Awards (Best Choreography, Best Direction of a Musical). Not satisfied to remain stationary, Mr. Tune returned to the stage in his one man song and dance extravaganza “Tommy Tune Tonite!” first on Broadway and then touring nationally and internationally. Tune also toured the United States and Canada in the musical classic “Bye Bye Birdie” directed by Gene Saks.

Mr. Tune is the recipient of eight Drama Desk Awards, two Obie Awards, Dance Magazine’s Award for Lifetime Achievement, the 1990 American Dance Award (presented by the National Academy of Dance), the 1990 Drama League Musical Theatre Award for Direction and Choreography, the Astaire Award in both 1990 and 1991, the George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement, the University of Texas’ Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Jean Cocteau International Style Award. He was also named to the Top 10 International Best Dressed List of 1992.

Andy Warhol once said that Tommy Tune “exudes a cultivated serenity and a genuine love of life”. Of his unique talents as a director/choreographer, the New York Times proclaimed “Mr. Tune has reshuffled the elements of the old-style musical into state of the art”. The 6’ 6” tall Texan has been a fixture on Broadway since leaving Houston, where he began tap, acrobatics, and ballet lessons at the age of 5. He majored in Drama at the University of Texas and the University of Houston. Drama critic John Simon described him “as long on talent as on legs”, a sentiment echoed around the globe by critics and audiences alike.

Tune has shied away from Hollywood, appearing in only two films early in his career. He played Ambrose Kemper in the movie version of “Hello Dolly!” directed by Gene Kelly and starring Barbra Streisand. After working as assistant choregrapher for “The Dean Martin Show” on television, he was featured in Ken Russell’s “The Boyfriend” starring Twiggy. The two were reunited on Broadway in “My One and Only”.

Tommy Tune has been invited to sing and dance for three U.S. Presidents, the Queen of England and the Royal Family of Monaco. In 1991, he was inducted by Gwen Verdon into the Theatre Hall of Fame in Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre. In 1994 he was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located, appropriately enough, directly in front of Capezio’s.

November of 1997 brought the release of Tommy’s memoir entitled “Footnotes” published by Simon and Schuster as well as his first solo CD “Slow Dancin’”, a collection of romantic ballads on the RCA/Victor label.

Lawrence Sacharow
(Theater Department ChairTeacher of Acting)

Received the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Direction of Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize Winning play "Three Tall Women" Off Broadway and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award. He received an Obie Award for directing Len Jenkins' "Five of Us". He is a recipient of The Last Frontier Directing Award for lifteime achievment from the Edward Albree Prince William Sound Theater Conference in Alaska. He recently directed Beckett/Albee at the Century Theater,"Dylan's Line" by Jack Gelber at McCarter Theatere, "The Golem" at Manhattan Ensemble Theatre and a new revival of "The Beard" by Michael McClure at La MaMa ETC. He conceived and directed "The Road Home, Stories of Children of War" a multimedia performance at Asia Society and on tour Nationally and Internationally at the famed Taganka Theatre in Moscow. He is a pioneer in the field of biographical theatre with the acclaimed play "the Concept" performed by recovering drug addicts from Daytop Village, which played for three years Off Broadway at the Winte House and the United Nations. In 1994 it toured under the auspices of the U.S. State Department to the Moscow Art Theatre and the Gorky Theatre in St. Petersburgh. He has directred Off Broadway and regionally at The Promenade Theater, The Vinyard Theare, BAM, Cafe Cino, Cafe La MaMa, Judson Poests Theater, CSC, Hudson Guild, TNC, Young Playwright's Festival, Bardavon Opera House, The Kennedy Ceneter, The Alley Theatere, The Mark Taper Forum, Dallas Theatre Center, Arizona Theatre Co., Williamstown Theatre Festival, and many others. He is founding Artistic Director of River Artts Repertory wich operated for fourteen years in Woodstock, N.Y. where he directed "The Seagull" with Joanne Woodward, "The Three Sisters", "Uncle Vanya", "As You Like it", "Long Day's Journey Into Night", Bus Stop", "Tooth of Crime" and "Angel City" by Sam Shepard, "Not I" and "Foothills" by Samuel Beckett, and the American premiers of Edward Albee's "Three Tall Women, "Hunting Cockroaches" by Januscz Glowacki, "Insignificance" by Terry Johnson, "Viva Detroit" by Derrick Walcott, "A Country Doctor" by Len Jenkins the only stage version of the movie "Casablanca"adopted by Michael Christofer, and many others. He produced two International Festivals at River Arts Summer Festival Theatre in Woodstock, NY including an Israeli/Palestinian festival of workshops and new plays, and an American/Russian festival of music, new plays and distinguished panels. He created a partnership with The Moscow Art Theatre for a Russian/American playwrights exchange and translation project funde3d by the USIA. River Arts Repertory is now a resident company in NYC developing new work including an opera "The Strange Life of Ivan Osokin",m music by Peter Gordon, libretto by Constance Congdon and based on the novel by P.D. Ouspensky, which premiered at La MaMa Annex. He has served as Chairman of the NYSCA Theatre Panel, has taught in the NYU Graduate Acting Program, and will direct the "The Lorca Play", a new play by Edward Albee based on the life of Frederico Garcia Lorca, Off Broadway.

Jeremy Stevens

Television

"Everybody Loves Rayomnd" (1996). - Writer
"Everybody Loves Rayomnd" (1996). - Executive Producer
"Everybody Loves Rayomnd" (1996). - Creative Consultant
'Rhythm & Blues" (1992) - Writer
"The Man in the Family" (1991) Creative Consultant
"Coach" (1989) - Writer
"Dear John" (1988) - Writer
"Joe's World" (1979) - Writer
"America 2Night" (1978) - Writer (with Tom Moore)
" Fernwood2Night" (1977) - Writer (with Tom Moore)
"What's Happening!!" (1978) - Writer
"Saturday Night Live" (1975) _ Writer (season 6 with Tom Moore)
"The Electric Company" (1971) - Writer

Movie Credits

"Summer Rental" (1985) - Writer

Guest Starring Roles
Dear John - Dick - "Heartburn and Heartache" (1992)
Rhoda - Marty Davidson- "You Deserve a Break Today" (1976)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Christopher C. Bickford, President

Chrisopher is a Construction Supervisor for Americon. He is involved with the Downtown Boathouse and has been teaching sailing to kids there for several years. He is a former professional photographer and continues to be an avid photographer. He is father to Laura Bickford, Lighting supervisor for Bill T. Jones and is married to Peggy Lewis the director of pierStudios, biz kids and a founding member of Sirens Theatre group.

Tenley Williams

Tenley works for Doctors without Boarders as a fundraiser. We are fortunate to have Tenley in our ranks since she is probably the only one of us who knows such a great deal about the actual fund raising process. Tenley single handedly put three kids through Julliard and one through art school while gaining her own Masters in English Literature.

Erv Raible

Erv Raible is the Executive Director of Cabaret & Concert Artists International, and is a New York City based cabaret coach, director, publicist, consultant and talent representative. Erv is the Executive/Artistic Director of the Cabaret Conference At Yale University which is being developed in conjunction with the Yale School of Drama and the Yale Repertory Theater and is an international teaching program that offers an intensive look at the art of cabaret performance technique and trains professionals for the live entertainment industry. Prior to this Erv was the Entertainment Director/Public Relations Liaison for the FireBird Café (1999-01), owned and booked the legendary Eighty Eight’s (1988-99), Don’t Tell Mama Piano Bar & Cabaret (1982-89), Brandy’s Piano Bar (1980-85), and The Duplex Cabaret & Piano Bar (1978-84); and through these venues presented over 4000 performers to the public.
Erv co-founded the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs; and currently serves as the Advisory Board Chairman for the Washington, DC Cabaret Network, and on the Advisory Boards of the Boston Association of Cabaret Artists, Chicago Cabaret Professionals and Cabaret West/Los Angeles and the West Michigan Cabaret Association.
Erv is the recipient of the 2004 Back Stage Bistro Award for Outstanding Director. Erv was a 2002, 2003 and 2004 Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) Award nominee for Outstanding Director, received a 2000 Back Stage Bistro Award for the legendary Eighty Eight’s, a 1992 MAC and Back Stage Bistro for conceiving, producing and directing the Outstanding Musical Revue Here’s To Our Friends…The AIDS Music Revue, a 1992 MAC Award nomination for Outstanding Special Musical Material for the song I Wish I Might written with Emmy Award winning composer Brian Lasser, a 1991 Back Stage Bistro award for promoting cabaret and founding MAC, and a 1989 Piaf d’Honneur from the French government for promoting, producing and directing cabaret internationally.
Erv was the Associate Producer of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s Cabaret Symposium for seven years and a master teacher for twelve years; and has taught cabaret classes for Talent Ventures, Inc (TVI), and currently teaches cabaret classes for Dreams Come True (DCT) Enterprises and Biz Kids NYC.
Erv recently co-produced HeartSong: The Heroes Concert in NYC, Detroit and Washington, DC; and conceived, produced, directed and narrated September 11, 2001 … The Musical Response, as benefits for the Twin Towers Fund.
Erv is currently developing a Holocaust music documentary, Silent Voices: Words & Music of the Holocaust, Hate, Hope and the Human Spirit for the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Prior to moving to New York City, Erv co-founded the internationally acclaimed Cincinnati, Ohio School for Creative & Performing Arts, the first public alternative arts school, where he served as the head of the Studio Art and Art History departments; and was the resident set, costume and graphic designer for the schools numerous drama, music theater and dance productions including Babes in Toyland, Cinderella, The Music Man, A Streetcar Named Desire, Carnival, Mame, La Boutique Fantasque, Little Mary Sunshine, and Ahmal and the Night Visitors. Erv's illustrious students include: Rocky Carroll (CBS televisions Chicago Hope / Tony Nominee for The Piano Lesson), Cy Voris (Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight / Bulletproof Monk), Rosa Curry (Broadway's Chicago and Steel Pier / George C. Wolfe's Harlem Song), and Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City).

Dottie Sheppard

Besides being an inspiration; Dottie is the fine artist who has created the beautiful masks our students get to work with. Dottie’s work is a continuing inspiration to the students of pierStudios. Thanking her for her work by making her a board member seems hardly fair. However, Dottie is responsible for keeping the advertising and promotion of pierStudios and biz kids up to date. She is the creative soul responsible for fund raising concepts as well.

Evelyn Tuths

Evelyn has been teaching Clown at biz kids since 1998. She is a founding member of both The New York Goofs and the all female clown troupe, Those in the Nose. She has trained with renowned Clown teachers Phillippe Gaulier, David Shiner, and Dick Monday. Evelyn studied acting with Michael Howard and has performed Off Broadway and in national commercials, the TV series “Ed”, and in several films including “Meet the Parents”. Her teaching experience also includes Clown, Bouffon and Acting workshops for NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Marymount College, Friends Seminary, Elizabeth Irwin High School and Atlanta’s Pebblebrook Performing Arts High School. She has worked with Arts Connection bringing the arts into NYC Public Schools and is currently working with Cancer Care social workers exploring the benefit of Clown work for their clients. Evelyn lives in the East Village and is a member of Screen Actors Guild and Actor’s Equity.

Suzanne Rubin

Suzanne has created and worked with many facets of the retail business for over 30 years.Past experience has been owning and operating businesses such as several clothing stores in St. Thomas and St. Croix and a restaurant featuring live jazz and blues in Woodstock, NY. Most recently a Mexican and South American folk art and home furnishing store in Soho.
Along with assisting Biz Kids with general office and bookkeeping,, she is our pierStudios Special Events Coordinator. Suzanne continues working in the wholesale end of ethnic crafts. She works with handwoven silk from Cambodia where she does consulting, product development, trade shows (such as the NY International Gift Show and The Museum Shop Association), and repping the products. She also works as an organizing consultant for personal clients and several businesses.
“Over the years of owning and operating my own businesses, I have acquired a wide range of knowledge and skills that are pertinent to handling the daily operation. Administrative, customer service, coordinating events from book signings to hosting folk artists and art shows, catering, displays, inventory, etc.”

Sandra Cordero

Besides being an international high fashion model and actor Sandra is a co-founder of Sirens Theatre Group. Sandra is a teacher at biz kids ny. Sandra has been trained in clown, acting, Stanislavski as well as Grotowski and Lecoq. She is a producer and has been very involved in fund raising for Sirens as well as pierStudios and biz kids ny.

David Ige

Actor since the age of 5, appearing in over 30 stage productions (local and touring companies), 20 commercials (local, national, and Japanese), numerous radio/print ads, co-starring on 2 television shows (“Magnum P.I.”, “Island Son”) and one film (“North Shore”) before leaving his home town of Honolulu, Hawaii at the ripe age of 18.

He received a scholarship to the London Academy of Performing Arts where he studied in the 2 year undergraduate program.

David was on the 2 year Broadway/ National/ International tour of “Kwaidon” (created by Ping Chong in collaboration with the Atlanta Center For Puppetry Arts). He also went on tour as Moon Shadow in The Fulton Opera House production of “Dragonwings” by Laurence Yep. He was nominated for a Po’Okela Award (Best Actor in a Musical) for being The Artful Dodger in “Oliver”. TheatreWeek Magazine named him Best Actor for his performance as George Gibbs in the Off Broadway production of “Our Town” (Vineyard Theatre). Regional credits include Flute in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Hawaii State Tour), Jim Hawkins in “Treasure Island” and Pinocchio in “Pinocchio” (both for the NY State Theatre Institute), Young Shepherd in “A Winter’s Tale” (Illinois Shakespeare Festival), Fritz in “Nutcracker” (Fulton Opera House). Off Broadway credits also include G.B. Shaw’s “How He Lied To Her Husband” (Vinyard Theatre), “Teahouse of the August Moon” (Pan Asia Rep.), and “Monster” (Wings Theatre).

“Being from a working kid background, I luckily found my way to Biz Kids where I get to work with terrific young actors on a regular basis. Peggy’s commitment to and understanding of creative energy is an inspiration. The positive approach she preaches throughout Biz Kids has tremendous effects on not only the work being done, but also the people as individuals.”

Linda Silber (Parent Liason)

Linda is the mom of one of the Biz Kids. She has lived in the West Villiage for over 36 years and is an occupational therapist, specializing in psychiatry and vocational rehabilitation. She has worked in the Dept. Of Psychiatry at St. Vincent's Hospital for 31 years and is the supervisor in the Day Treatment Probram.

She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from NYU and taught there for several years. She has also taught at Columbia University, City University, Downstate University and Kean University in NJ for many years.

"I am very proud to be a memeber of the board of biz kids. Biz kids has done so much for my daughter, Ali. She has learned to take risks: she has learned how to present herself on audtions and in other life situations: she has learned so many things. As a result, she relates very easitly to adults as well as kids everyone who has worked with her professionally and personally give me wonderful feedback on how open , warm and friendkly she is as well as her ability to take direction well. After one such audition I asked her "how such a shy kid could walk in and take over a room like that?". She said "Peggy taught me how to do it". Again, I am very proud of being associated with biz kids ny.