Phoenix Founders

Also see Where We Came From and Where We Are Going....

Craig Smith is a veteran of over 200 New York stage productions--everything from Sophocles to Stoppard. He was one of the original ensemble members of New York's prestigious Jean Cocteau Repertory and made that his home for more than 3 decades. There he took on such roles as Hamlet, Romeo, Wyoceck, Sigismundo (Life is a Dream), Mr. Albatross (The Skin of Our Teeth), Vladimir (Waiting for Godot), Bloody Five (A Man's a Man), Davies (The Caretaker) among others. Previous to Jean Cocteau Repertory he appeared in Oedipus and A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Guthrie Theare. At Cocteau Repertory he also served as Director of Audience Development and Press Relations for more than 10 years. He has also appeared in films including BlowBack and Going Nomad and a recurring role in the day time drama The Guiding Light. A firm believer in the power of live theatre to have an impact on life and also the essential power to simply entertain -- theatre work at the collaborative Phoenix Theatre Ensemble is a natural next step.

Elise Stone is a theatre artist deeply committed to theatre as a collaborative ensemble art form, creating an artistic home for theatre artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, and to the firm belief in the ability of artists to make artistic decisions for themselves. She spent nearly two decades as a member of the resident acting company of the Jean Cocteau Repertory where she performed in over one hundred productions including World and American premiers. Some favorite roles include Mother Courage, Medea, Lulu, and Mary Stuart. Elise's other credits include regional theatre, television, film, and Cabaret. In addition to her work onstage, Elise spent five years as the Director of Educational Programs, for the Jean Cocteau Repertory, creating and administrating programs, workshops, and performances for College residencies in New York and Pennsylvania, and heading up the Student Matinee Series. With a deep belief in the power of art to change the world one story at a time, and the ability of artists to be decision makers, Phoenix Theatre Ensemble was born in Elise's heart.

Michael Surabian received his BFA from Hofstra University in 1990 and his MFA from the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Delaware in 1995. Since then, has worked regionally as an actor, director and writer at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, the Texas Shakespeare Festival and a number off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theatres, including The Accidental Theatre, SoHo Rep, the Metropolitan Playhouse, and The Jean Cocteau Rep, where he spent seven years as a member of the acting company. Great plays he has been privileged to participate in included Winterset, The Merchant of Venice, My Fair Lady, Small Craft Warnings, School For Wives, The Importance of Being Earnest, Henry V, The Trial, The Wild Duck, On The Verge, Joan of Lorraine, Much Ado About Nothing, Oedipus and Dona Rosita, The Spinster.

Angela Madden is a former member of the Jean Cocteau Repertory where she first met and worked with her fellow Phoenix founders. Some of her favorite shows at JCR were “The Balcony,” “Medea,” “Night & Day,” “The Importance of Being Ernest,” “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds” and “The Wild Duck.” Angela studied at The University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and with Stella Adler in New York. Averaging at least four shows a year since she started her career on the boards in 1981, Angela is now approaching her one hundredth show. In 1994 she moved to Prague and enjoyed a three year run there performing with Richard Toth’s ensemble theater company, Misery Loves Company. Favorite shows with MLC were “Angels In America”, “Blue Window” and “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.” Also, while in Prague, she worked with director Peter DuBois in “Fat Men In Skirts” playing Phyllis Hogan, which remains one of her favorite roles to date. Having worked consistently with mostly ensemble repertory theater companies from Houston to New York to L.A. to London, Prague and back to New York, confirms her belief and faith in the necessity and importance of ensemble work. Being part of the creation of Phoenix has been a long time dream come true – artistic freedom. Lovely.

Amy Wagner is thrilled to join the ensemble as it enters its third season.  Already a part of the Phoenix family, Amy has worked in some capacity on all of the company’s productions beginning with The Trial.  She also directed the benefit performance of Under Milk Wood in the Phoenix’s second season and will direct The Lesson this year.  In a past life, she served as General Manager, Associate Director of Development, as well as Resident Stage Manager at Jean Cocteau Repertory, where she first met her fellow Phoenicians.  There she worked on productions of Edward II, The Butter and Egg Man, The Cradle Will Rock, Night and Day, The Misanthrope, Sus, Arms and the Man, The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, and Oedipus the King.  Amy has worked throughout New York City as a director, stage manager, stage electrician, and technician.  She is also a former high school English teacher and serves as coordinator for the Phoenix’s educational programs.