About the creative team
Qui Nguyen is a Vietnamese American playwright, TV and film writer, fight director, and Co-Founder of his theatre company, Vampire Cowboys. Often considered to be a pioneer of "geek culture", Nguyen's work is known for its innovative use of pop-culture, multimedia, puppetry, and stage violence. It has also been called "Culturally Savvy Comedy" by The New York Times, "Infectious Fun" by Variety, and "Tour de Force Theatre" by Time Out New York.
Vampire Cowboys, his company, has the exclusive distinction of being the first and only professional theatre organization that is officially sponsored by New York Comic Con. They [Vampire Cowboys] have performed to sold-out crowds at the New York International Fringe Festival, been published in Plays and Playwrights 2005, and have been nominated for the 2005 and 2007 IT Award for Outstanding Choreography/Movement and actually won the same category in 2008.
Nguyen's work includes:
Some of Nguyen's recent honors include a:
Qui Nguyen is a member of the WGA, The Playwrights Center, The Dramatists Guild, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Ma-Yi Writers Lab and is a proud alumnus of New Dramatists and Youngblood. He is also currently working on new plays for South Coast Rep/Manhattan Theatre Club, The Atlantic, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He has also written for Peg+Cat, which is a pre-school program on PBS and is also working on an upcoming SYFY thriller called Incorporated. He is also currently a writer for Marvel Studios.
She Kills Monsters performed its world premiere on November 4th, 2011 at The Flea Theater in New York City.
Sources:
http://quinguyen.com/bio.html
https://www.playscripts.com/playwrights/bios/796
http://newdramatists.org/qui-nguyen
http://www.samuelfrench.com/author/4553/qui-nguyen
http://vampirecowboys.com/index2.htm
Vampire Cowboys, his company, has the exclusive distinction of being the first and only professional theatre organization that is officially sponsored by New York Comic Con. They [Vampire Cowboys] have performed to sold-out crowds at the New York International Fringe Festival, been published in Plays and Playwrights 2005, and have been nominated for the 2005 and 2007 IT Award for Outstanding Choreography/Movement and actually won the same category in 2008.
Nguyen's work includes:
- Vietgone (2015)
- She Kills Monsters (2011)
- Begets: Fall of a High School Ronin (2015)
- War is F**king Awesome (2012)
- Krunk Fu Battle Battle (2011)
- Bike Wreck (2005)
- Trial by Water (2006)
- Aliens vs Cheerleaders (2010)
- Soul Samurai (2009)
- The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G (2011)
- and the critically acclaimed Vampire Cowboys productions of:
- Six Rounds of Vengeance (2015)
- Alice in Slasherland (2010)
- Fight Girl Battle World (2008)
- Men of Steel (2007)
- and Living Dead in Denmark (2008)
Some of Nguyen's recent honors include a:
- 2016 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animated Program (Peg+Cat)
- 2016 Steinberg Award, the 2016 LADCC Ted Schmitt Award, and a 2016 Edward M. Kennedy Prize nomination all for Vietgone
- 2015 NY Community Trust Helen Merrill Playwriting Award
- 2015 Frederick Loewe Award (War is F**king Awesome),
- 2014 McCarter/Sallie B. Goodman Fellowship
- 2013 AATE Distinguished Play Award (She Kills Monsters)
- 2012 TCG Young Leader of Color
- and 2012 and 2009 GLAAD Media Award nominations for She Kills Monsters and Soul Samurai
Qui Nguyen is a member of the WGA, The Playwrights Center, The Dramatists Guild, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Ma-Yi Writers Lab and is a proud alumnus of New Dramatists and Youngblood. He is also currently working on new plays for South Coast Rep/Manhattan Theatre Club, The Atlantic, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He has also written for Peg+Cat, which is a pre-school program on PBS and is also working on an upcoming SYFY thriller called Incorporated. He is also currently a writer for Marvel Studios.
She Kills Monsters performed its world premiere on November 4th, 2011 at The Flea Theater in New York City.
Sources:
http://quinguyen.com/bio.html
https://www.playscripts.com/playwrights/bios/796
http://newdramatists.org/qui-nguyen
http://www.samuelfrench.com/author/4553/qui-nguyen
http://vampirecowboys.com/index2.htm
GSU's stage combat team
Jake Guinn is an Atlanta based Fight Director and Movement Artist. Blending martial movement and flow arts, Jake's work focuses on aesthetic and athletic choreography to drive dynamic storytelling. His work has been performed at Actor's Theatre Lousiville, Florida Repertory Theatre, Unto These Hills Outdoor Drama, Sword of Peace Outdoor Drama, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati Playhouse, Folding Chair Theatre, Southern Arkansas University, Louisiana Tech University, and The Seedling Project of Atlanta. In tandem with directing, Jake's work as a Circus Artist leads him to exciting paths. He has performed with TruTV's Fake/Off, The Imperial Opa Circus, On the Fly Productions, Fire in the 4th, the Texas Thespians Festival, Kennesaw University, and will be performing at the Texas State Fair.
Cait Larsen is a graduate of Hillsdale College in southern Michigan, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance. While in attendance, she pole vaulted NCAA Division 2 on the college's Track and Field team, became a PADI certified scuba diver, and completed the Platoon Leaders Course at Officer Candidate School with the United States Marine Corps. Upon graduating, Cait attended the International Stunt School hosted by the United Stuntmen's Association in Seattle, Wa. There she earned her certification in Utility Stuntwork. Afterwards, she moved to Chicago, Il and began filming small independent works with "Slow Panda Film Productions." Cait spent the next year in Guangzhou, China performing the lead female role in the world's largest live action stunt show, "Count Down to Ruin." Upon returning to the U.S., she began pursuing weapons training, fight choreography, and direction. She has since achieved certification in a range of melee weapons including various swords, shields, quarterstaff, and knife and has garnered experience with a number of others. She is currently pursuing both stage and film work in Atlanta, GA as an actress, stuntwoman, choreographer, and fight director and has recently had the pleasure of introducing Georgia Southern’s “She Kills Monsters” cast to the basics of stage combat and fight choreography. She hopes you will show your appreciation for the department and come out to enjoy their show!
Cait Larsen is a graduate of Hillsdale College in southern Michigan, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance. While in attendance, she pole vaulted NCAA Division 2 on the college's Track and Field team, became a PADI certified scuba diver, and completed the Platoon Leaders Course at Officer Candidate School with the United States Marine Corps. Upon graduating, Cait attended the International Stunt School hosted by the United Stuntmen's Association in Seattle, Wa. There she earned her certification in Utility Stuntwork. Afterwards, she moved to Chicago, Il and began filming small independent works with "Slow Panda Film Productions." Cait spent the next year in Guangzhou, China performing the lead female role in the world's largest live action stunt show, "Count Down to Ruin." Upon returning to the U.S., she began pursuing weapons training, fight choreography, and direction. She has since achieved certification in a range of melee weapons including various swords, shields, quarterstaff, and knife and has garnered experience with a number of others. She is currently pursuing both stage and film work in Atlanta, GA as an actress, stuntwoman, choreographer, and fight director and has recently had the pleasure of introducing Georgia Southern’s “She Kills Monsters” cast to the basics of stage combat and fight choreography. She hopes you will show your appreciation for the department and come out to enjoy their show!