HEAD-TIE
CAST & CREW
Danny, Co-Choreographer, Co-Writer, Executive Producer
Amir Levi was born in Cleveland, Ohio; raised in Atlanta, Georgia where at a very young age started showing interest in theater when he won the title role in his school production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. While studying at Interlochen Arts Institute, he won an award for his portrayal of Karl in East of the Sun and West of the Moon.
At the age of 12, Levi performed to great acclaim, the part of the boy solo soprano in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra under Yoel Levi, as well as the role of David the Shepherd Boy in Honneger’s King David with the Atlanta Chamber Orchestra under Robert Shaw.
He graduated from Sarah Lawrence College, where under the direction of Dance Department Director Sara Rudner, his choreography and dance skills developed further.
Other schooling includes the British American Drama Academy in London as well as the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Center in Waterford, Connecticut. The Michael Howard Studios in New York, New York Stage & Film’s Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College, Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, and the Atlantic Theater Conservatory and Atlantic Theater LA.
While living in NYC, Levi created a dance company, The Poisonous Ladies, which performed at several spaces including Dixon Place, Dance New Amsterdam, Dance Theater Workshop, Green Space, and more. He also danced with Ann & Alexx Make Dances, and Philippa Kaye Company.
LA credits include the role of Nervous Clown in Four Clowns (Best Physical and Dance Theater Award, Hollywood Fringe 2010), at South Coast Repertory and Sacred Fools, as well as a US tour, Robin Hood at South Coast Rep., Absolutely Filthy (Sacred Fools, Top of Fringe and Best Comedy, Hollywood Fringe 2013), The Phantom Tollbooth (Mainstreet Theatre), Amir Levi: Bound to You (Rockwell: Table & Stage), The Chrome Warrior (Lyric-Hyperion), Male Matriarch (Long Beach Playhouse), Amir Levi: Closer to Myself (The Coterie at the Renaissance Hotel), Balm in Gilead (Coeurage), Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Urban Theatre Movement).
Because of the success of Four Clowns, a show Levi co-created, Levi is a co-founder of company Four Clowns, who are becoming a staple in the LA theater community. Levi is also a company member of the continually rising Sacred Fools.
Other credits include: New York: Male Matriarch (FringeNYC 2011), Te Busco (45Bleecker), Age of Pie (Atlantic Theater Conservatory), Turning (Working Man's Clothes). Atlanta: Narrator in a concert version of Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Yoel Levi, as well as with the Ann Arbor Symphony and Arie Lipsky; Mrs. Forrest in Psycho Beach Party (WTF Workshop); the Narrator for Peter & the Wolf as well as the lead Raccoon for the world premiere of Joshua Penman’s Raccoon Tune (also with the Ann Arbor Symphony). Film: Courting Chaos, Charlie and Wendy, Special Needs, and several shorts. Webseries: Unicorn Plan-It.
Christopher
Raised on a steady diet of chicken wings, Matt hails from a working class neighborhood of Buffalo, where he grew up delivering newspapers to Rick James' then girlfriend (true story..) After university he headed abroad, first to volunteer at a Mother Teresa-founded hospice for the dying in Calcutta, and more recently to complete a two year Peace Corps assignment in beautiful Mozambique, where he taught English, computers, and educated youth in HIV/AIDS prevention strategies. Upon returning to the states Matt relocated to sunny Weho, and with the help of friends thankfully secured a job working for Judge Judy during the transition process. He has studied under some of Hollywood's finest acting coaches, including Scott Sedita, Steven Anderson, Elizabeth Mestnik and Anthony Meindl.
Original Music/Composer
Alexander Tovar was born in Los Angeles, CA in 1984 to a musical family; his father and uncle, composers and his mother, a pianist. By age 10, Alexander had written his first opera, Strega Nona, from the Tomie de Paola book, which he composed for his father's birthday. After this ambitious work, Alexander formally began music lessons, studying trumpet, piano, and guitar. While on his way to becoming a serious jazz trumpeter in high school, he gained strength and discipline in composition. By his senior year he had written a piece for his high school orchestra. During his last semester at Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, Alexander was introduced to Robert Kraft, President of Fox music. Mr. Kraft quickly became a mentor and supportive friend, introducing Alexander to film and television composer, Roger Neill. Alexander worked for Neill, assisting on a concert at the Hollywood Bowl featuring the French music duo, AIR, and as a music copyist and sound designer for Neill’s comic opera, The Beastly Bombing: A Terrible Tale of Terrorists Tamed by True Love, which won best musical of the year at the LA Weekly Awards. It was Robert Kraft who introduced Alexander to his musical hero, Philip Glass.
After graduating from high school, Alexander moved to New York City to work for Philip Glass at his private studio in the East Village. He became a music assistant to Philip Glass and Nico Muhly, working on two motion pictures: Undertow (2003), and Taking Lives (2003). Returning to Los Angeles, Alexander continued to work with Neill while attending Pasadena City College, studying philosophy. He transferred to the University of Southern California in Fall, 2005, studying composition privately with Stephen Hartke, Tamar Diesendruck, Frank Ticheli, and David Fick, writing several pieces for various ensembles, all which have been performed live at USC.
Tovar’s piece, “Eudaemonia," was selected on the New Music for Orchestra concert, conducted by Donald Crockett and broadcasted live on 91.5 KUSC. In Spring, 2008, while still at USC, Alexander worked as a copyist and orchestrator for the Nickelodeon television show, Avatar: The Last Airbender. In Fall, 2009, he was commissioned to compose a piece for the opening season of the Los Angeles Philharmonic honoring Gustavo Dudamel as part of the inaugural gala event. His concert and film music has been performed throughout the country including New York and Boston. Slovenian composer Borut Krzisnik has described his music as “sparkling, masterly composed pieces full of energy”. John Zorn has called Alexander's music “wild stuff”, having an “impressive range”.
Alexander recently worked on an Elton John and Leon Russell album, entitled, “The Union”, produced by T-Bone Burnett. Tovar’s score to The Crown Prince was recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. He remains an assistant and orchestrator for Van Dyke Parks. Alexander is currently producing a musical entitled “Mr. Genius,” writing the book and the music.
Editor
A video producer and editor living in Brooklyn, NY. Through his production company - Custom Trade Films, he had produced and edited a broad range of video content including award winning short and feature length films, music videos, commercials and corporate pieces.
Cinematography
A cinematographer from the Bay Area. She hails from Napa, CA but has settled quite happily into Los Angeles. Chloe sailed triumphantly through college at Long Beach State University and graduated with a degree in film and electronic arts. She loves a fancy cocktail and her three goldfish. She hopes to spend her life behind the camera, exploring light and storytelling, traveling the world and continuing to collaborating with other artistic professionals in her field.
Director, Co-Choreographer, Co-Writer
Alan has composed music for and performed with LA based theater group "The Vault". He is a Graduate of Hunter College Film School with short films screened at the Coney Island and Billyburg Film Festivals in Brooklyn. He is a featured guitarist with the Flamenco/World Duo "Jay y Lee" in New York City.
Producers
Founded in 2011 by Jon McCracken and Samantha Hanna, UP Creative Imaging started out as Unsuccessful People Productions (now the comedy devision of the company). Since then, UP Creative Imaging has been creating/producing TV shows, films, music videos, stage shows, and podcasts including: Head-Tie (short film), Shady Time Station (podcast), The Band (TV show), Unsuccessful People the Musical (stage show), Live Foreign Film Dub (comedy show), and many others. UP Creative Imaging is currently owned and operated by Jon McCracken in Los Angeles, CA.