Squonk Opera
Group Bio

“rust-belt dada” – Buffalo News

Squonk Opera created its first show in a gritty Pittsburgh junkyard, with roaring choreographed cranes and earthmovers, over a decade ago. A flexible interdisciplinary group of artists led by collaborators Jackie Dempsey and Steve O’Hearn, we were interested in a theater created from sound and image. We were also inspired by a rust-belt love of spectacle and humor - we were competing with football, catholic ritual, and beer-fed bar bands.

Since 1992, Squonk Opera has created eight original shows and has performed in more than 200 venues across the United States. In 1995, we were commissioned by Marc Masterson to create Night of The Living Dead: The Opera for Pittsburgh’s City Theatre. Bigsmorgasbordwunderwerk was an Off-Broadway hit in 1999, a show that Ben Brantley of The New York Times called “ingenious, hallucinatory, hypnotic.” The show was then transferred to Broadway in 2000, where it received an American Theater Wing Special Effects Design Award (previously won by Julie Taymor and Robert Wilson). Squonkumentary, a film about our time in NYC, was produced by independent filmmaker Peggy Sutton in 2005.

We have been touring internationally since 2003 - to Scotland, Belgium, Germany and South Korea, where we opened the World Music Theater Festival. Over 200,000 people have seen us around the world, and reviews include “insane majesty" from The Scotsman, and “…surreal and poetic” from USA Today.

Squonk Opera has received more than sixty grants and awards over the years, including national grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, The Jim Henson Foundation and three grants from the NEA. We have performed workshops and residencies at over fifty universities, middle schools and museums all over the United States.

Artistic Directors Jackie Dempsey and Steve O’Hearn have been working with a collective of between 10 and 20 performers, designers and artists at a time over the years.

We have an ongoing desire to make interdisciplinary work that is accessible to a broad and diverse public. Our new project is a development of site-specific residency activities that we have done for years, judging pet parades at rural town halls and giving workshops at inner-city schools. A meta-civic celebration, (put your hometown’s name here): The Opera will combine a heartfelt toast of the city with a vaudevillian roast, poking fun at our own overblown grandeur.

Jackie Dempsey– Artistic Director/Composer/Pianist/Accordionist
Jackie Dempsey's music has been called "hypnotic" by The New York Times, "gloriously eccentric" by Time Out New York and was nominated for Best Broadway Score by The Friends of New York Theater. With Squonk Opera, a multimedia performance troupe she founded with visual artist and designer Steve O'Hearn over fifteen years ago, she has created eight new music theater pieces and has been touring nationally and internationally for over ten years. In addition to her work with Squonk Opera, she has been Composer-in-Residence with Pittsburgh's Quantum Theatre. Jackie has been awarded a Heinz Endowments Creative Heights grant, four Interdisciplinary Arts fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and a Meet the Composer Grant. With Squonk Opera, she has been awarded grants and commissions from the Rockefeller Foundation's MAP Fund, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, City Theatre, The Pittsburgh Foundation and the Heinz Endowments, among others. In addition to her composerly duties as a Squonker, she has produced all of the group's recordings, one of which was Squonk Opera's major label debut for Angel Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Records. Jackie studied piano composition and music theory at the University of Pittsburgh (B.A.) and Washington University in St. Louis (M.A.), earning several performance and academic awards.

Steve O’Hearn - Artistic Director/Artist/Wind Player
Steve O'Hearn's environmental and product designs, and theater productions, have been recognized with over 40 awards. He has recently received grants from the Rockefeller Foundation and four NEA Creativity Awards with Squonk Opera, which he co-founded with Composer Jackie Dempsey. Steve has received three International Design Awards, four Pennsylvania Council on the Arts fellowships and, for his work on Broadway, the American Theatre Wing's Hewes Design Award (previously awarded to Julie Taymor and Robert Wilson). His work has been published in magazines and frivolous coffee-table books, and has been exhibited internationally, including at the Prague Quadrennial twice. In addition to his Squonk Opera work, Steve has designed for a dozen theater productions, including a multimedia Macbeth with the Actors Theatre of Louisville's Marc Masterson. He has been Artist-in-Residence at the Andy Warhol Museum and recently completed a public art commission for Pittsburgh's David Lawrence Convention Center. At the Rhode Island School of Design (B.F.A.) and Carnegie Mellon University (M.F.A.), Steve studied art, design and theater. In the pubs of Ireland, he studied music. His work can be seen at his vanity website, www.steveohearn.com, which his mother often visits.

Kevin Kornicki - Assistant Musical Director/Sound Designer/Percussionist
Kevin Kornicki, who has been with Squonk Opera for nearly a decade, is a graduate of Philadelphia’s Settlement Music School. His credits include an appearance on the cover of the New York Times (art section), a run on and Off-Broadway, and a long list of national press reviews. He is unlike any other drummer. His animated theatrics during a performance create a unique auditory and visual experience. He intertwines the use of traditional, uncustomary and primitive styles of percussion fluidly. From his amazing talent of performing, combined with his skill in composing, he was named Pittsburgh’s Best in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Theater Awards for an original score he composed based on Orson Welles’ Moby Dick Rehearsed. Kevin continues to shatter boundaries by collaborating with top notch artists from various disciplines including his brother Steve Kornicki, an orchestral composer; the cutting edge dance company Attack Theatre; and cello/piano virtuoso Dave Eggar, to name a few. Kevin owns and operates a 5.1 surround sound recording studio where he has produced Squonk Opera’s multiple releases. Find out more at www.kevinkornicki.com.

David Wallace – Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Graphic & Web Design
David Wallace first worked with Squonk Opera as their Graphic and Web Designer.  Now, he’s managed to work his way into the band, playing the very instrument the Squonkers vowed to never add – the guitar.  Although the Squonkers have always said, “When Jimi Hendrix burned his guitar, he meant it to stay that way,” David has changed their tune with his soaring melodies and screeching textures.  As a visual artist, David has shown his collages and paintings in Pittsburgh, Nashville, St. Louis, Bethesda, Columbus and Brooklyn.  His work has been called “intelligent and impeccably crafted” by the Bethesda Gazette and has been said to “speak volumes about history, humanity or both” by the Tribune-Review.  He also collaborated with Buzz Miller, Squonk’s head Video Designer, on graphics for some of Squonk’s hometown opera videos.  As a musician, David has toured the U.S. with various indie rock bands. You can view David’s artwork at www.salaczar.com.

Autumn Ayers – Vocalist
Autumn Ayers is gleeful to be gracing the stage with Squonk Opera.  Since graduating from Point Park University with a BFA in Musical Theater in 2000, she has found herself doing many such strange and wonderful things, including performing with Pittsburgh-based site-specific theater company Bricolage, which she co-founded in 2001; performing regular old theater with companies up and down the East Coast and overseas, most recently portraying Cherry in the world premiere of award-winning Pittsburgh playwright James McManus’ Cherry Smoke with Barebones Productions at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland; and writing, performing and producing her own critically acclaimed Drunk, Again; all the while nannying and serving over-priced omelets at the best breakfast place in Pittsburgh to support her habit of buying silly, over-priced knick knacks that nobody needs.  She will be returning to the studio to begin production on her second full-length album, tentatively titled See Bridges, this winter.  As one of the newer members of the band, Autumn is beside herself with anticipation of what she trusts will be a long and fruitful collaboration.

Ryan McMasters – Upright and Electric Bass
Ryan McMasters, the newest member of Squonk Opera, is a Senior Music Performance major at Duquesne University. Starting on cello at the age of nine and switching to bass in high school, Ryan's passion for music has led to performances with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Opera Theater, The 2007 Disneyland All-American College Band, and the Duquesne University Symphony Orchestra, Contemporary Ensemble, and Jazz Ensembles, to name a few. As a sideman he's performed with Sean Jones, Mike Tomaro, Phat Man Dee, Astral Project, Wayne Bergeron, Sal Lozano, Alex Iles, Gordon Goodwin, Gregg Field, Matt Neiss, the Airmen of Note, and Steve Houghton. He has world premiered several modern works, including a contemporary version of "The Snow Queen." Ryan's touring credits include the Boogie Hustlers and the Duquesne University Jazz Ensemble.

Bob Steineck – Lighting Designer
Bob Steineck has design credits spanning over 20 years that include concerts, ballet, modern dance, opera and theatre.  He is currently resident lighting designer for Squonk Opera, Dance Erie, Lake Erie Ballet, CSA Cleveland, Recording Artist, Maria Del Rey, Pillow Project Dance Company and the MCG Jazz Concert Hall.  Mr. Steineck has toured throughout the United States with such Companies as Squonk Opera, the Lyon Opera Ballet, Sankai Juku, Phoenix Dance Company, Kirov Ballet Academy and the "America Tour" for Stars on Ice.  He has toured with Squonk Opera to Uijeongbu, South Korea, Edinburgh, Scotland and several cities in Belgium.  As technical director, he has traveled to France, Italy and Iceland for Butoh dancer Maureen Fleming. For Bill Shannon/Crutch Productions, he has traveled to France and Mexico with the production, Sketchy.  Television/Video/DVD credits include the DIZZY GILLESPIE Allstar Big Band for A&E Cable, the SPYRO GYRA concert for PBS, Lindy & Loon for Maria Del Rey and JOHNNY A TRIO by Warner Bros. Publications.  His most recent lighting designs include Site and Production lighting for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Gala, The Skin of Our Teeth for Point Park Univ. Conservatory Theatre Co; Striped for Pillow Project Dance Co.; Dance Erie’s Coppelia.

Buzz Miller- Video Designer
Buzz Miller is a freelance videographer, editor, animator and adjunct faculty member at Pittsburgh Filmmakers. His short films and videos have screened at festivals throughout the USA and abroad. His video installations were part of the storefront window exhibitions of the 2003 and 2004 Three Rivers Arts Festivals. Buzz's recent focus has been integrating video into live performance. In addition to his collaborations with Squonk Opera, Buzz's video designs have been incorporated into Attack Theatre's This Ain’t the Nutcracker: The Fitting Room, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre’s Henry, and Quantum Theatre's The Human Chair. He was recently awarded a Heinz Creative Heights grant to become Squonk Opera’s Artist-in-Residence, to explore emerging technologies in video design for both theatrical performance and video installations.

Rick Kemp – Stage Director
Award-winning British actor and director Rick Kemp has over twenty years of professional experience ranging from Shakespeare to stand-up comedy. He has worked with leading British companies such as Theatre de Complicité, The Almeida and Oxford Playhouse as well as touring his solo clown show Coming Home worldwide and collaborating with Nobel Prize-winning playwright Dario Fo. He has also received the French Governments’ CROUS Award for Acting, been nominated as a BAC Young British Director of the Year and holds an M.A. in English Literature from Oxford University. In 1991 he was invited by The Arts Council of Great Britain to form COMMOTION, which rapidly became one of the country’s leading touring companies. In recent years his work with the company has received The British Telecom INNOVATIONS Award and has twice been selected as a Critics Choice by national newspaper The Guardian and London Weekly Time Out, whilst playing to sell-out audiences from London to Casablanca.

Denny Strauser – Sound Engineer
Denny Strauser began performing in bands in 1969. He earned a BS in Music Education from Penn State in 1975. As a performer, he has opened for acts such as Hall & Oates, Steve Goodman, Maynard Ferguson and Steve Martin. As a performer he has played: electric and acoustic guitars, saxes, flute, clarinet, bass, congas and percussion, keys, mandolin, harmonica, trumpet, recorders. Denny began mixing sound in 1980. After freelancing for the first twelve years with his own sound system, he has spent 24 months working for two regional sound companies and a total of 14 years as house sound engineer at four nightclubs: Scandals, Ocean City, MD; Cafe210 West, State College, PA; Club Café, Pittsburgh, PA; Rex Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA. He has had the pleasure of mixing live sound for such diverse artists as: Norah Jones, John Mayer, Christina Aguilera; Arlo Guthrie, Dr. John, The Flaming Lips, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dick Dale, Cracker, Project Object, Hot Tuna, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and hundreds of other bands. Denny has lighting credit on Jill Sobule’s “Live In Pittsburgh” DVD and camera credit on Adrian Belew & The Bears DVD. In addition, he has been given credits or special thanks on more than forty live & studio recordings. When not on tour with Squonk Opera, Denny is the current House Engineer for the Rex Theatre (rextheatre.com) in Pittsburgh.

Nathan Bell – Technical Director
Nathan Bell has been lending a hand in some capacity to theatre productions both big and small since sometime in the early 90's. Handy both back stage with a screw gun and on stage in a dress, he is thrilled to be working with the Squonkers. From humble beginnings in his hometown of Hickory, Nate ventured off into the great unknown of Chicago at the tender young age of 17, and after 2 years of slaving at a drafting table for the merciless task-masters at DePaul University's Theatre School, he moved on to do professional theatre work with many companies around the Chicago area, including the Goodman Theatre. Life's meandering path eventually brought him back to his hometown of Pittsburgh, where he graduated from Pitt with a degree in, as he says, "Philosophy of all things." He currently lives in a half-fixed-up fixer-upper in Pittsburgh, where he wages a constant and bloody war against water in all of its forms.

Heidi Nagle – Stage Manager/Administrative Assistant
Heidi Nagle graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a dual Bachelors degree in Theatre Arts and Communications. In addition to working both on and off stage for many Pitt Rep productions, she also spent four months working with the English Touring Theatre in London, England. She has worked for Buena Vista Pictures Marketing in New York City and won a National Scholastic Silver award for scriptwriting.  When Heidi’s not on the road with Squonk, she’s back home in the Squonk office, helping Jackie and Steve keep it together as their fancy Administrative Assistant.

Bonnie Bogovich – Videographer
Bonnie graduated from Duquesne University with a Bachelors of Music Technology/Composition and Masters of Multimedia Technology, winning several awards in film and digital media. Bonnie has a diverse history of keeping herself active in a variety of mediums: instructor of various workshops including Telecommunity, a multimedia and graphics program for youth and T:ME, Technology Institute for Music Education; sound engineer at the Mary Pappert School of Music; Great Lakes Film Association Advisory Board member; co-producer of the Run and Gun filmmaking project; instrumentalist and composer of various works by the Duquesne Electronic Ensemble; as well as foley and soundtrack composition for a variety of films and interactive media. She has also participated in the collaboration, management, and production of various independent films as well as traditional and original theatrical and concert performances. Find out more at www.BlackCatBonifide.com.

Graphic & Web Design
David Wallace

Web & IT Support
Mike Cuccaro

Additional Video Design
Hometown - Bonnie Bogovich, Dylan Stern, Jessica Fenlon, Paddy Driscoll, Jim Mueller, Dean Mouganis, Cara Thompson, Caroline Savage and Sara Haig
Rodeo - Dan McKosky, Caroline Savage, John Allen Gibel
Inferno - Chas Marsh

Choreography
BigWerk - Michele de la Reza and Peter Kope of Attack Theatre

Artisans & Builders & Costumers
Chris Letzelter, Demmler Schenck, Elizabeth Rishel, Ben McDonald, Rachel Myers, Candy Callery, Lisa Hatcher, Matt Jackson, Matt Russell, David Ogle, Hallie Stern, Mary Vereshehenko, Jennifer Bailey, Susan O’Neill, Maura Morgan

Steve and Jackie would also like to thank Squonkers from the past who were a big part of BigWerk, Inferno and Rodeo Smackdown: Casi Pacilio
Jana Losey
Weldon Anderson
Brian Berkheiser
Jody Abbott
Nathan Fay
Joel Mason
Adelka Polak
Christina Acosta

Board of Directors
Carol Brown
Former President,
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Veronica Corpuz
Director of Public Relations,
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Jackie Dempsey
Artistic Director,
Squonk Opera

Carolelinda Dickey
Performing Arts Strategist

Charlie Humphrey
Executive Director,
Pittsburgh Filmmakers &
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts

Dan Iddings
Executive Director,
PA Academic
Library Consortium, Inc.

Gerri Kay
Former Foundation Executive

Susan McLaughlin
Chairperson
Marketing Consultant

Steve O'Hearn
Artistic Director,
Squonk Opera

Evan Segal
Private Investor

Jimmi Sue Smith
Treasurer
Director of Corporate Accounting
Equitable Resources, Inc.

Janera Solomon
Secretary
Independent Arts Consultant

National Advisory Council
Jeff Folmsbee
Executive Producer, WNET-TV

Anne LeBaron
Composer, Professor, California Institute of the Arts

Marc Masterson
Artistic Director, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville

John Schaefer
Senior Producer, WNYC Radio

Thomas Sokolowski
Director, The Andy Warhol Museum