RAPUNZEL CAST MEMBERS

Esther Edelman (Groa, the witch)

Esther Edelman (UMO Co-Founder/Artistic Director) Esther is the lead creative artist for UMO’s upcoming mainstage work, Rapunzel scheduled to premiere in spring 2005. In addition to performing in almost all of UMO's mainstage pieces, Esther co-directed UMO's Body Inheritance, choreographed the Bungee Finale for Millennium Circus, and co-wrote and directed The Making of Gone With the Wind: a Buffoons Tale at the University of South Florida. Esther has directed many of UMO's Special Events including UMO's appearance as the Ringulons on top of the Space Needle. Esther performs solo work on aerial "fabric" a circus apparatus. Esther danced with Sara Pearson and Company and studied with choreographers Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis in New York. She received her Performing Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

David Godsey (Prince)

David Godsey (UMO Co-Founder/Chief Artistic Officer) is a graduate of the Professional Training Program at the Circle in the Square in New York and the Laboratory of Movement Studies at Ecole LeCoq in Paris. Since UMO's co-founding in 1987, the Ensemble has been the focus and outlet for his performance work. David directed the creation of UMO's Millennium Circus as well as the Birth, Love, Death and Re-Birth collaboration with the Seattle Men’s Chorus. He currently provides artistic focus for UMO's new work series and manages the company's educational programs.

Amy Rider (Rapunzel)

Amy Rider (Artistic Associate) is a frequent UMO collaborator, both on stage and off. Amy received her circus arts training at Circomedia in Bristol, England where she specialized in aerial (corde lisse, doubles static trapeze) and physical theater. As an actor, Amy has performed locally with Annex Theater, Open Circle Theater, On the Boards, Theater Schmeater and the Seattle Shakespeare Company. She is a teaching artist with Seattle Children's Theater where she teaches movement technique and acting improvisation, and the Interagency Academy where she develops new works of theater with underserved, exceptionally talented youth.

Elizabeth Klob (Director)

Elizabeth Klob (Artistic Director) the founder and current Artistic Director of Open Circle Theater in Seattle received her training at the Professional Actors Training Program at SUNY Purchase, NY. Noted awards received under her direction include 2002 Winnipeg Best of the Fest for See Me Naked, written by Maria Glanz, 2001 Edmonton and Seattle Best of the Fest for See Me Naked, 2000 Best of the Fest in Seattle for Pu’uhonua, also written by Glanz and 1993 received Best of the Fest in Seattle for Action, by Sam Shepard. She is currently working on an award winning original play by Maria Glanz based on the life of the infamous Victoria Woodhole, the first woman to run for president of the United States.