Michelle Danner’s career in arts production, administration and promotion began in with the European tours of the hit shows Saturday Night Fever, West Side Story and Bubbling Brown Sugar (1979). She produced and promoted tours for international stars such as Julio Iglesias (South America); Van Halen, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and the world tour of the Harlem Globetrotters (1985-88), which broke box-office records, making it the most financially successful of all Globetrotters productions abroad.

As the founding Artistic Director of the New York Theatre Company (1983-87), Michelle produced eclectic seasons of French classics including the works of Anouilh, Sarte, Moliere and Marivaux. In 1990 she moved to Los Angeles where she produced the critically acclaimed Four Thought, followed by Tennessee Williams’ The Rose Tattoo, which ran to rave reviews and generated five Drama league awards. She is the founder of Edgemar Center for the Arts and in the year 2000 raised 1.3 million in Capital campaign which went to the construction of the two theatres and the art gallery.

In the Winter of 2003-04 Michelle directed at Edgemar the critically acclaimed Outloud, written and performed by Christine Dunford. Following the success of Outloud, Michelle directed Employed, a one-act pilot for Naked TV, Counting for Thunder, and produced Night of the Black Cat which was the winner 2005 Best Musical of the year at the LA Music awards.

At Edgemar Michelle has performed in The House of Yes directed by Brian Drillinger and Bright Ideas directed by Neil Kinsella. She created and directed the ongoing series, Scene Bites, a multi-media evening featuring students from the Larry Moss Studio. In the summer of 2007 she directed and produced the world premiere of Mental the Musical which also got raves and critics pick and is moving to New York in 2009.

Michelle produced and acted in the award-winning short Dos Corazones, directed by Larry Moss which toured several film festivals; Palm Springs, Nashville, New York, and won Best Cinematography & Audience Favorite at the Malibu Film Festival.

In 2006 Michelle made her feature film-directing debut How to go Out on a Date in Queens, which was nominated for five and won four LA Film Awards; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and an Audience Favorite. It starred Jason Alexander, Esai Morales, Ron Perlman, Kimberly Williams, Rob Estes and Alison Eastwood. After being theatrically released it’s now available everywhere on video.

She has coached actors such as Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek, James Franco, Marcia Cross, Common, Brian McKnight, Christian Slater, Michael Pena, Catherine Bell, Isla Fisher, Gavin Rossdale, Rick Fox, Justine Waddell, Justin Chatwin, Gabrielle Union, Brenda Strong, Kate Beahan, Zooey Deschanel and many more, both privately and on-set. Michelle was the acting coach expert on comedy on the WB show “The Starlet”.

She is currently preparing to direct Songs for a New World, by Jason Robert Brown and is in preproduction for a movie, The Will To…, which will be filmed in the late Spring of 2008.

ALEXANDRA GUARNIERI
Managing Director

After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in Political Science from Columbia University, Alexandra spent several years working in television, first at CNN and later at MSNBC. For three years, she served as the managing director of the New York Theater Company, and co-produced the film How To Go On A Date In Queens. As one of the founders of Edgemar Center for the Arts, Alexandra created and shaped our various outreach programs for underprivileged children, teens and elderly. As ECA’s Managing Director, she oversees the special events programs, outreach programs and curates the art gallery. She also serves as the driving force behind many productions, including the widely popular French Cabaret show, Night Of The Black Cat and the ongoing series Scene Bites, a multi-media evening which was featured in Daily Variety. In 2007 she was associate producer of the world premier musical "Mental" and most recently she produced the critically acclamined new play by Henry Jaglom, "Always But Not Forever."

In 2008 she is looking foward to producing her next film and a Tennessee Williams festival.

BRIAN DRILLINGER

Brian Drillinger teaches classes in scene study, cold reading and voice for the Edgemar Center.

Mr. Drillinger, in association with Larry Moss and Michelle Danner, is a founder and the Creative Director of Edgemar Center for the Arts. He directed the show for the first Edgemar benefit event that was hosted by Jason Alexander and included; Hilary Swank, Michael Clarke Duncan, Sally Kellerman, Chad Lowe and many others. The evening raised a Quarter of a Million dollars for the center.

Mr. Drillinger directed ALMOST MAINE in Melbourne Australia THE DREAMER EXAMINES HIS PILLOW at The Complex in Los Angeles and THE HOUSE OF YES here at the Edgemar Center.

He produced FOUR-THOUGHT at the Hudson Theatre, as well as the critically acclaimed production of Tennessee Williams THE ROSE TATOO also at the Hudson. He produced the successful industry series SCENE BITES at the Tiffany Theatre and the workshop production of HOW TO GO OUT ON A DATE IN QUEENS directed by Larry Moss. Brian produced the award winning short film DOS CORAZONES. He co-wrote, produced and stars in the feature version of HOW TO GO OUT ON A DATE IN QUEENS for which he won Best Supporting Actor at the LA Indie Awards 2006. The film also stars Jason Alexander, Kimberly Williams, Rob Estes, Ron Perlman and Esai Morales.

Brian studied acting at SUNY Purchase and graduated with honors. He played Stan on Broadway, and in the film version of Neil Simons, BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS and the National tour of BROADWAY BOUND. Regional credits include: THE SUBSTANCE OF FIRE at the Old Globe in San Diego, the Pulitzer Prize winning play WIT at the South Coast Repertory (original production), the Seattle Repertory and the Alley Theatre in Houston, also at SCR, DEATH OF A SALESMAN and BOUNDARY WATERS, at the Hudson Theatre, SOLACE, GANGSTER APPAREL and DOVE, A SHAYNA MADEL at the Tiffany Theatre, and BRIGHT IDEAS at Edgemar Center For The Arts. His television credits include: THE AGENCY, WINGS, LIFE GOES ON, REASONABLE DOUBTS, AND GENERAL HOSPITAL. Brian starred opposite Sally Kirkland, in the indie feature STARRY NIGHT, and Janeane Garafalo in I SHOT A MAN IN VEGAS.