“Lifepoems in Motion” is an original theater/dance performance piece created by Kevin Olson and Lilly Cataldi with original percussion by Michael Goldberg. Using poems written by members of Kevin’s family, the play offers oral history through poetry, movement and percussion.
Kevin Olson and Lilly Cataldi, co-creators
Lilly Cataldi, choreographer
Michael Goldberg, original percussion
Poetry written by: Lisa Silverberg Starr, former Poet Laureate of Rhode Island, Wayne C. Olson, Shira Olson, Harold Silverberg, Allen D. Olson, Iain M. Woessner, Circe Olson Woesnner, Kerry Olson, Amy Olson and Robert Silverberg.
Readers: Amy Olson, Lisa Silverberg Starr, Kevin Olson, Lilly Cataldi
ARTIST BIOS
KEVIN OLSON (Co-Director and Playwright) Kevin Olson established First Hand Theatrical in 2013 and has created two original scripts for the company – “Interrupting The Sermon” (presented at the Indianapolis Fringe Festival in 2015) and “This Is My Story: Mayses, 1938-1948” (presented at URI Feinstein Campus Arts and Culture in 2016). Kevin holds a M.F.A. in Theatre Directing from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and a B.S. in Speech and Theatre from SUNY Oneonta.
He has directed productions with Actors’ Theatre of St. Paul, Park Square Theater, University of Minnesota Theatre, Hope College Theatre, The Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company, The Lark Theatre and Artists’ Exchange in Cranston, R.I.
He received a Twin Cities Drama Critics Circle KUDOS Award for his production of Brian Friel’s “Translations” at University of Minnesota Theatre.
Kevin has served on the Theater Department faculty at Hope College in Holland, Michigan and at the University of Michigan, Flint. Currently, he serves as Adjunct Faculty at the University of Rhode Island (URI), Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) teaching courses in Theater, Film and Communication.
LILLY CATALDI (Co-Director and Choreographer) has spent the past 40 years as a professional performer, writer, director, choreographer, and educator. Although Lilly is known locally for her talents as a vocal instructor and acting coach at her local studio, she has also directed and choreographed many productions throughout the years. Musicals include: Carousel, Once Upon a Mattress, Bye Bye Birdie, Lil Abner, and Oliver! Lilly has also created many original cabarets and musical reviews such as A Whole Lotta Cole and Goddess Sings the Blues.
When working with young people, Lilly has used theatre as a tool for developing the whole child, and has developed youth theatre programs in various schools and theatres in New England. She has staged many original works for children and adolescents such as Ali’s World, The Sherwood Diaries, Rudolph-A Winter’s Tail, and the critically acclaimed, Ready, Set…Grow!, for The Young Actors’ Guild in Portsmouth, NH.
A member of Actor’s Equity since 1972, Lilly has performed a wide variety of roles from the Peggy Clown in the National Company #1 of Godspell, to Lucky in a non-traditional production of Waiting for Godot with the New England Theatre Project of Portsmouth, NH.
Also an accomplished singer, Lilly has performed in numerous nightclubs and cabarets throughout the years, most notably with pianist Bobby Peaco. Lilly holds a degree in Human Development/Psychology from Lesley University and a certificate as a facilitator of Expressive Arts Education from Salve Regina’s Healing Arts Institute.
She currently works at Moses Brown School in Providence, RI as the Assistant to the Office of Academic Affairs. Lilly’s eclectic experiences in education, and as a professional performer, writer, director, and choreographer have led her to explore unique perspectives in education, meaning-making, healing arts, and human development through the expressive and
performing arts.
MICHAEL GOLDBERG (Percussion) was born in Brooklyn, raised on Long Island and began studying drums when 8 years old. In his youth he studied vibraphone with Ray Alexander (of the George Shearing Quintet) and performed in concert with pianist Marian McPartland and vocalist Maxine Sullivan. Today he performs in Klezmer bands, sings in a choir and holds a BA in Music from URI.
FIRST HAND THEATRICAL Kevin Olson established First Hand Theatrical in 2013 and has created two original scripts for the company – “Interrupting The Sermon” (presented at the Indianapolis Fringe Festival in 2015) and “This Is My Story: Mayses, 1938-1948” (presented at URI Feinstein Campus Arts and Culture in 2016). First Hand Theatrical creates original theater productions using primary source material drawn mainly from diverse cultural and social histories.