Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Willette Murphy Klausner
If you’ve seen a great Broadway show recently, chances are Willette Murphy Klausner had something to do with it. As the founder and owner of WMK Productions in Los Angeles she has produced or co-produced dozens of award-winning theatrical and film projects, including MJ the Musical, Hadestown, Stereophonic, The Wiz. Porgy and Bess, Three Mo’ Tenors, Caroline or Change and Cabaret, just to name a few. For film, she’s co-producing the documentary Liza, which just premiered at the Tribeca Festival. Previous films include Radium Girls and Wakefield with several film and TV projects in development. In 2022 she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Drama League. She has served on the Boards of Directors of the Los Angeles Music Center and the Women in Film Foundation, is a member of the League of Professional Theatre Women, the National Women’s Forum, and NYWIFT. She is currently on the board of Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Colleen Hughes
Welcome to NYWIFT, Colleen Hughes! As an intimacy director and coordinator, Colleen brings a trauma-informed and human-first approach to scenes of simulated sex, nudity, and hyperexposure. Through her collaboration with trusted colleagues, she is at the vanguard of a movement to bring increased agency and transparency to the entertainment industry. She has collaborated with artists from around the globe, including Maya Hawke on the official music video for “Thérèse,” with over 5 million views on YouTube (also available on Apple Music); Samantha Shay at Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch in Germany; and immersive work with Virgin Atlantic’s cruise line in the Mediterranean, and Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More in NYC. Colleen is part of a team of thought leaders in the field of consent and intimacy work. As Director of Core Training at Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (IDC), Colleen led the development of the company’s groundbreaking Consent-Forward Artist training program. She is currently working on a book entitled A Volunteer from the Audience: Consent Work in Interactive Performance that examines the role of agency in immersive performance.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Gabrielle Fox
Welcome to NYWIFT Gabrielle Fox! Gabrielle Fox was born into show business as the daughter of an actress and a businessman, immersing herself in rehearsals with her mother and learning business skills from her father. She delved into producing shows, and leveraging her networking and marketing expertise, culminating in the creation of her own website. Gabrielle's life journey advocates embracing dreams whenever they arise and relentlessly pursuing them. She believes that time is going to pass whether you take a risk, or create the project or not. Let that time pass by being creative. Create, create, create and then do it again. Read more about Gabrielle’s amazing stories from the set and upcoming adventures here!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Genevieve Skehan
Welcome, Genevieve Skehan! It was a love of the outdoors that propelled Genevieve Skehan into filmmaking. After earning her BA in drama in the UK at the University of Exeter, she went on to work for years as a performer and even won awards as a director. But she grew tired of sitting in dark rehearsal spaces. So, she embarked on a career in film and television. Several years later she was working regularly in Boston and New York as a producer, writer, and director for commercials and films. Lately she has begun to write and direct more passion projects. Here she shares how her background in theater informs her directing and how producing gave her the practical experience she needed to realize her own work. Plus, a bit about why she adores filming outside in natural light.
READ MOREBroadway’s Hit Show: MJ The Musical
NYWIFT blogger Tammy Reese shares her thoughts on the smash hit Broadway show, MJ The Musical.
READ MORENYWIFT Member Spotlight: Toni R. Israel
Meet NYWIFT Member Toni R. Isreal. Toni is the CEO and Founder of REALEMN Productions LLC, Broadway’s leading multicultural marketing and PR team, run by Black women. In addition to being a proud member of New York Women in Film & Television, she is a co-founding member of The Industry Standard Group. Previously, Toni was the Managing Director of Walker International Communications Group (WICG) where she led a team providing all aspects of marketing consultation to arts organizations. A proud member of CTI — Commercial Theater Institute, Toni was instrumental in multiple projects including 2018 Tony Award-Winning Once on This Island, Disney’s Aladdin and The Lion King, A Raisin in The Sun, A Trip To Bountiful, A Streetcar Named Desire, Baby It’s You, and Stick Fly. Toni R. Isreal is an awardee of the Central New Jersey Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women for Excellence in Economic Empowerment and advocates promoting the arts and entertainment to multicultural communities.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Robyn Hussa Farrell
Welcome to NYWIFT, Robyn Hussa Farrell! Robyn Hussa Farrell is an award-winning NYC writer, producer, and performer. She founded four companies, including Transport Group Theatre Company, which recently celebrated its 23rd year in Manhattan. Hussa specializes in producing and directing multi-media events and programs that highlight stories of empowerment and strength. For the last 20 years, she has worked with over 200 interdisciplinary researchers to develop evidence-based mental health documentary film programs that have been shown to decrease stigma and improve behavioral health outcomes for communities. She has interviewed over 1,000 experts in mental health and individuals with lived experience and produced films on mental health topics ranging from eating disorders and suicide to veteran PTSD and childhood trauma and resilience. Robyn spoke to us about her work at the intersection of mental health and the arts, her theatrical roots, and most meaningful projects.
READ MOREWhat’s in Your Toolkit: Anne del Castillo
As the Commissioner of the NYC Mayors Office of Media and Entertainment, Anne del Castillo has a very full and challenging job, juggling a lot of balls, especially now during COVID-19. A native New Yorker, del Castillo has more than 25 years of experience in film and TV production, public media, and arts and nonprofit administration. She discusses what's in her toolkit, and how she has led MOME "from cheerleader to crisis manager" during the the pandemic.
READ MORENYWIFT Women’s History Month Spotlight: Tammy Reese
Tammy Reese is a multimedia content creator who loves everything theatre, entertainment, media, and film. She is an award-winning actress, writer, and journalist, and the Founder & Lead Publicist of Visionary Minds Public Relations and Media. She discusses her inspirations, balancing work and family, her favorite interviews and more.
READ MORENYWIFT Black History Month Spotlight: Brianna Seagraves
Happy Black History Month! At NYWIFT we are celebrating the Black creators and artists in our membership, while honoring Black culture & cinema throughout history. Today’s spotlight is on our member Brianna Seagraves, an actress, writer, and award-winning producer. Brianna shares her acting inspirations and her directorial debut at the Billie Holiday Theater.
READ MOREWhat’s in Your Toolkit: Destiny Lilly
Destiny Lilly is a casting director working across theater, film, and television. While casting is a creative job, it also requires strong admin - lists, databases, and an impeccable memory. Destiny offers a peek inside her casting toolkit.
READ MORECynthia’s Picks: NY Women, Gender Parity, Captain Marvel
NY Women: Congratulations to the NYWIFT members selected to receive some of the first round of grants in the Mayor’s Office of Entertainment and Media’s “Made in NY” Women’s Film, TV & Theatre Fund. Gender Parity: Kudos to the Tribeca Film Festival, whose 2019 lineup for competition films achieved gender parity for the first time....
READ MORETerry’s Picks: Deadline Extended, Diversity Matters, Broadway Exclusion
Deadline Extended: We have extended the deadline for submissions to The Writers Lab this year. Women over 40, you now have until 11:59 PM EST on March 5th to send us your scripts! Diversity Matters: As hoped, Marvel’s Black Panther had a wildly successful opening weekend – proof that gender and racial diversity can and...
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