Team Bios

RICHARD VETERE (Playwright) wrote the internationally known novel The Third Miracle published by Simon & Schuster and co-wrote the screenplay adaptation produced by Francis Ford Coppola, directed by Agnieszka Holland starring Ed Harris. He adapted his stage play The Marriage Fool for CBS TV Films starring Walter Matthau, Carol Burnet. Currently he is writing the novelization of his cult classic film Vigilante for Fathom Books. His play Black & White City Blues ran to rave reviews earlier this year at the ATA Theater. ZAGŁADA developed in the PDW at the Actors Studio. A Lifetime Member of the WGAE, the Dramatist Guild, Poets & Writers and The Authors Guild, he holds a master’s degree from Columbia University in Comparative English Literature. RichardVetereauthor.com

RICK BAITZ's (Composer / Sound Designer) compositions encompass chamber, electronic, vocal, orchestral, and film music, as well as works for theater, dance and multimedia. Theater credits include I’ll Be Seein’ Ya, Ten Unknowns, The Road to Mecca, Three Hotels, A Fair Country, Dutch Landscape, and The Film Society. Film, TV and media include HBO’s The Vagina Monologues, What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael, Who Cares About Kelsey, National Geographic’s Heart of Africa, and installations at the FDR Presidential Library and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. Rick was awarded BMI’s Classic Contribution Award, as well as a Grammy nomination as arranger for the Christmas album Beautiful Star; Grand Prize and Chamber Music Award, Delius Composition Contest for River of January; and fellowships to Tanglewood, the MacDowell Colony, and Yaddo. His albums Into Light and River of January have been met with wide acclaim, with Amplified Magazine writing: “River of January is a masterpiece of contemporary music that beautifully blurs the boundaries between jazz and classical. With this album, Rick Baitz once again proves his extraordinary talent as a composer and arranger.” Rick currently teaches Scoring to Picture at The Juilliard School, and all forms of Composition at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

MICHAEL BLASKEWICZ (Graphic Art) is a designer and illustrator whose work spans fine art, theatrical and film production. Through his independent studio, Blaskewicz Creative, he leads projects in, identity and creative messaging that help organizations tell their stories with impact. He is also the founder of AlteredEgos.org, a platform that partners with non-profits and startups worldwide to transform creativity into meaningful community activism. His portfolio includes collaborations with cultural institutions and global brands alike, thoroughly guided by the belief that art should engage, empower, and inspire. Michael is honored to contribute his vision to the production of ZAGŁADA !

SAM DEETJEN (Set Designer) is a New York Based Scenic Designer and PA, and the Lead Scenic Designer of Zalgada. Selected credits include  Fordham Mainstage: The Three Penny Opera - Scenic Designer, Midsummer Night Dream - Assistant Scenic Design, Other: Hall of Horror (2020-2023) - Scenic Designer, The Diplomat - Art Department PA. Check out more of his work at @Sam_wyatt_deisgns13

MARIIA DUCHESNE (Photographer) Born and raised in Ukraine, Mariia moved to the United States after college to pursue her passion for photography. She specializes in portrait, beauty, and food photography, creating clean, timeless images tailored to each project. For Mariia, photography is a true collaboration — blending a client’s vision with her eye and craft to bring it to life. Now based in New York City, she continues to develop her artistry while working closely with individuals and brands alike.

OTTO GRIMWOOD (Assistant Stage Manager) is an actor, songwriter, and student of theater. He is thrilled to learn from Christine Viega and the entire ZAGŁADA team in this first stage management role. Otto is a recent graduate of the Drama Studio at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, and an alumnus of the Harlem School of the Arts Theatre Prep Ensemble. His stage acting credits include Into the Woods at New York City Center, Trojan Women at The Tank, and many many improv shows at the Peoples Improv Theater.

JAMES JENNINGS (Artistic Director, ATA)  is the founder of ATA and has produced the works of over 1000 new Playwrights. As a Writer he's a recipient of the John Dos Pasos Creative Writing Award. As a director, he won the T.O.R award for Best Director, for the off-Broadway play The Holy Junkie by John Quinn. He also won the "Jean Dalrymple" Award for the Best Director of the play Blood Money, starring Dan Lauria, and he directed Celeste Holm on Broadway in Salute to Clinton. In addition, he directed Harvey Keitel in The Funeral at the Actors Studio, and in his own play, My Father's House. He is a member of the Actors Studio Director/ Playwright Unit and worked with Elia Kazan, Lee Strasberg and Harold Clurman. 

JESSICA JENNINGS (Executive Director, ATA) trained on stage at the ATA, Neubert Ballet - Carnegie Hall, Martha Graham School, and The University of the Arts.  She has performed internationally at the Edinburgh Fringe, Etrusca Riviera in Tuscany, and worked locally with legends including Mario Fratti, Jana Robbins, and Sean Curran. She assisted coaching Bryce Dallas Howard, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt and Cherry Jones as dancers off-camera in M. Night Shyamalan's “The Village.” As a seasoned producer she co-founded Ripple Effect Artists and launched Alchemy Theatrical Consulting, LLC.  Accolades: Nominated to the Princess Grace Awards for Direction, 2011; ‘Jean Dalrymple Award' Best Director A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2010; ‘Jean Dalrymple Award’ Best Actress ‘Ophelia’ 2005; Dominique DiPaolo Award for Choreography, 2004; Van Lier Fellow 1997-2000 Martha Graham. 

SONIA MACHALICA (Costume Designer) born in Warsaw, Poland was raised in a family of actors, spending extensive time backstage at the Powszechny Theatre. She is a graduate of the FIT in NY, where she studied fashion and apparel design. She assisted Paul Carey on various projects, including the play Top Girls performed at NYU, which featured Elizabeth Olsen. Machalica earned her first full designer credit for the dance piece Within, choreographed by Natalie Lomonte for Parsons Dance. Currently working with Jessica Cadden Osborne on movie production Hold Her Hand.

ABBY MELBYE (Social Media Coordinator) is a writer and producer with an MFA in Screenwriting from Brooklyn College’s Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema. While focused on film and television, she has worked on several theatrical productions, including Lady MacBeth and her Lover (Assistant Stage Manager) and Even Here (Assistant Director.)

IAN RIOS (Props)  is a scenic designer, carpenter, props designer, and production manager based in New York. He is currently finishing up his last year of his undergraduate degree at Fordham University. Selected credits: Camino Real (Carpenter, WTF), Spirit of the People (Carpenter, WTF), Sagittarius Ponderosa (Scenic Designer/Production Manager, Fordham University), Orange Sky at Night (Assoc. Scenic Designer/Production Manager, Fordham University). Upcoming: Machinal (Scenic Designer), The B is for Baby (Production Manager), A Lunar Rhapsody (World Premier, Scenic Designer), Different Strokes (Scenic Designer). See some samples of his work on Instagram @irios_designs!

JENNY TROMSKI (General Manager) has 15+ years of experience leading strategy and business across creative disciplines and innovation industries. Her consulting practice focuses on creatives and arts organizations that have included Columbia University School of the Arts, NYU Tisch, Film at Lincoln Center, and AMERINDA. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and is a member of the Economic Development & Culture Committee of East Harlem's Community Board 11.

CHRISTINE VIEGA (Production Stage Manager) most recently completed the off-Broadway run of Distant Thunder at ART/NY.  Other Broadway and off-Broadway credits include Memphis, Romeo and Bernadette, Hip Hop Cinderella, Americano!, God Shows Up, and A Class Act.  Christine spent five years touring with the One-Man Star Wars Trilogy including tours of the UK, Hong Kong, and Australia.  She most enjoys stage managing workshops of new plays and musicals.  Favorites include Radium Girls: A Jaw Dropping New Musical, Stealing Freedom, and I Spy a Spy.  Christine has also worked regionally throughout the country at theatres including Vermont Shakespeare Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Caldwell Theatre Company, Crossroads Theatre Company, and The Studio Theatre. 

JOSHUA WARR (Production Manager / House Manager)  wears many theatrical hats in NYC as an actor, director, producer, with extensive experience in production / house management. He's a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA and is the Executive Director and Founder of Art of Warr Productions. Joshua also works in real estate, with Cooper & Cooper Real Estate of 1 Penn Plaza. @thebestlittlewarrhouse

ELIJAH WARRINGTON (Light Designer) is a lighting and sound designer, composer, and technician based in New York. He is currently pursuing the final year of his undergraduate degree at Fordham University. Selected credits: MUD (Lighting Designer, ATA), Orange Sky at Night (Sound Designer/Composer, Fordham University), The Threepenny Opera (Lighting Designer, Fordham University), reasons to be pretty (Lighting Designer, Chain Theatre). Upcoming: The Tempest (Sound Designer), A Lunar Rhapsody (World Premiere, Lighting Designer). See (and hear) samples of his work at elijahwarrington.com!

JMGC (Publicist) Jay Michaels Global Communications (JMGC)  is creating visibility for independent theater, film, music, and literature has been the battle-cry of this boutique promotion and production firm for more than 20 years. Through a diverse internal multi-media platform, this communications organization is able to supply guaranteed coverage to hundreds of emerging artists and their productions while growing its external network of promotional sites and groups as well as producing events for the purpose of promotion and marketing to industry and generalized audiences. JMGC has clients on and off-Broadway, in film and television, across the country and around the world. [email protected]