ReVision Theatre is a professional regional theatre company dedicated to producing invigorating theatre with a fresh new perspective reaching the diverse community of Asbury Park and Monmouth County. ReVision Theatre produces reinventions of previously produced classics, overlooked or forgotten work in a new way, and new work with a fresh voice. The company serves as a home for local artists and writers. ReVision Theatre also believes in the importance of theatre education and teaches children and adult theatre classes. ReVision Theatre produces readings, workshops, cabarets, concerts, and mainstage productions.

History

On a Monday evening in September, 1995, a group of 40 professional theatre artists, including actors, writers, directors, singers, and dancers met in an empty black box theatre at the HERE performance space in lower Manhattan and decided to join forces in the creation and development of new plays and musicals. Under the leadership of Thomas Morrissey, the group developed and presented 300 new works over the next three years, in what came to be known as the Monday Night Performance Project. This informal group became the Genesius Guild, named for the the patron saint of theatre.

As the group and the work evolved, more plays were read and evaluated and a Raw Reading Series emerged. Promising works were given readings and nurtured through the development process, and were eventually given full productions. Products of the Genesius development process include Just Us Boys by Frank Stancati, Dalliance In Vienna by Douglas Braverman, The Glass Mendacity by Maureen Morley & Tom Willmorth and Another Gay Play by Jonathan Tolins, which transferred to Broadway as Last Sunday in June.

In 2005, Mr. Morrissey left Genesius to pursue other projects and turned Genesius Guild over to the Co-Artistic Direction of Dana Harrell and Marc Parees. Under their direction, the company, now called Genesius Theatre Group (GTG), continued to produce the work of promising emerging playwrights including Worth by Suzanne Lee and Fair Game by Karl Gadjusek. They also participated in the ambitious 365 Days/365 Plays project mounted by the Public Theatre.

In 2007, Ms. Harrell moved to the La Jolla Playhouse as an Associate Producer and Mr. Parees turned his focus to film. This was a fortunate turn of events for Mr. Morrissey, who had returned to New York and was only too happy to step back in. Deciding it was time to move the company out of New York, he began the search for a new location. In November of 2007, GTG settled into it new home in Asbury Park, New Jersey with the new name of ReVision Theatre. Mr. Morrissey, along with David Leidholdt and Stephen Bishop Seely, look forward to an exciting and creatively rich future, for both ReVision and the Asbury Park arts community.

Photo by Steven Froias, Tri-City News

David E. Leidholdt (Producing Artistic Director)

David E. Leidholdt has been a freelance Director and Producer in NYC for over 14 years. In 2000, he joined the Genesius Theatre Guild where he served as the director of musical development from 2001 to 2004. While at GTG Mr. Leidholdt helped bring to fruition many new works including the Off Broadway play Last Sunday in June by Jonathan Tolins and created Upstairs @ Red, a cabaret venue dedicated to showcasing new composers. Most Recently he served as Production Coordinator for Broadway Producer Jeffrey Finn (Tony Nominated On Golden Pond), working with the corporate division, Hot on Broadway. He is one of the founding producers for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, which gave birth to over 300 New Musicals including Alter Boys and "title" of show.  He was the Associate Producer at the Barrington Stage Company, in 2005 where he produced Hair and Tony winner Donna McKechnie’s Gypsy in my Soul. He has directed over 50 national tours for the American family Theatre in Philadelphia and traveled the country as a freelance director. He is a member of Society of Stage Directors and Choreographer, Lincoln center dir lab, The New Producers Alliance and the Commercial Theatre Institute. www.DavidLeidholdt.com

Thomas Morrissey is one of three Producing Artistic Directors of the ReVision Theatre of Asbury Park along with Stephen Bishop Seely and David Leidhouldt. The ReVision Theatre grew out of The Genesius Theatre Guild, which he founded in NYC in 1995 and served as its Artistic Director for 10 years providing a place for diverse theatre artists to collaborate on the creation and development of new plays and musicals. There he developed a critically acclaimed cabaret program, a nationally distributed CD, Our Heart Sings, featuring Kristen Chenoweth, Alice Ripley, Emily Skinner with others and the annual Genie Awards. Tom has taught acting, musical theatre classes and workshops at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), Wagner College, New York University and The Creative Acting Company in NYC. A member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SSDC) and Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) Tom has directed regionally Gypsy, Oklahoma, No No Nanette, Camelot, The King & I, Two By Two, The Pirates Of Penzance, Bye Bye Birdie, Annie Get Your Gun and Hello Dolly!. In New York Tom directed The Genesius Theatre Guild’s productions of The Glass Mendacity by Maureen Morley and Tom Wilmorth, Frank Stancati’s Just Us Boys, Dalliance In Vienna by Douglas Braverman. He has also worked as a director at Circle Repertory Company (Circle REP LAB member), Ensemble Studio Theatre, Naked Angels and is a founding member of the Professional Directors Company at New York University. Tom produced Genesius Theatre Guild’s premiere production of Jonathan Tolin’s The Last Sunday In June prior to its commercial New York run at the Century Center Theatre.  His website can be found at www.ThomasMorrissey.com.

Stephen Bishop Seely (Producing Artistic Director)

Stephen Bishop Seely attended both University of Texas in Austin and Michigan State University for his MFA in Acting.  His mentors include Oscar Brockett, Lloyd Richards, Allan Miller, August Wilson, Mac Wellman, and Ruth Maleczech.  He has served as an actor, singer, dancer and director in numerous local and regional productions throughout the United States.  Some of his favorites include The Last Sunday in June written and directed by Jonathan Tolins (GTG), The Playboy Stories (LSTC), Superfudge (National Tour w/ John Tartaglia), KatsaroSongs (Upstairs @ Red), Peter Pan with Johnathan Freeman (Austin Musical Theatre), King Lear with Robert Murray (Actors Conservatory Theatre), Das Barbecü (Zachary Scott), Bent (Nichols Stage), He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother (Second City), Lonely Planet (Studio 49), The Mikado (Pasant Stage), and working for Circus World Museum as the Singing Ringmaster for their internationally acclaimed Big Top circus performances.  TV and Film credits include Law and Order SVU, Zoolander, A Beautiful Mind, Riding in Cars with Boys, and A Hollywood Ending.  At the Genesius Theatre Guild he served as Literary Liaison and Director of Play Development.  He successfully workshopped and produced the premiere of BOX by Fred Shahadi directed by Clinton Turner Davis. Stephen served as the assistant dramaturg at Disney Theatrical Productions and on their new musicals Tarzan (book by David Henry Hwang and music and lyrics by Phil Collins) and On The Record directed by Bobby Longbottom.  Stephen became Associate Artistic Director of the new Texas Star Theatre at the Granbury Opera House, where he directed The Boys Next Door and associate produced Gyspy (w/Cindy Benson), Grease, and a workshop reading of Robin Hood the Musical.  Stephen is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. www.StephenBishopSeely.com

Lou Liberatore (Literary Director)

Lou Liberatore has been a professional American actor for over 25 years. A graduate of Fordham University at Lincoln Center in Theatre, Lou continued his studies with the renowned acting teacher William Esper after interning at the groundbreaking Circle Repertory Company in New York City. Lou made his New York City stage debut in the 1982 Circle Repertory Company production of Richard II. As a permanent member of the company he appeared in The Great Grandson of Jedediah Kohler, Black Angel, and As Is and Lanford Wilson’s, Burn This, both of which transferred to Broadway. Appearing alongside Joan Allen and John Malkovich, his performance in Burn This earned him Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Circle Award nominations for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Lou recreated the role on the London stage. Lou has created roles for Manhattan Theatre Club, Lark Theatre Company, Vineyard Theatre and Mark Taper Forum. Lou is the Founder / Artistic Director of the Jersey Shore Writer’s Studio based in Asbury Park. He is currently a member of the Black Box of Asbury Park, the Arts Coalition of Asbury Park and The Lark Theatre Company. Lou is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actor’s Guild. He is the Literary Director of the ReVision Theatre as well as a member of the Advisory Board and is proud to share his experience as a member of the teaching staff.

ReVision Theatre is a federally-recognized 501(c)3, not-for-profit organization.

All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law.