
ABOUT
Mission Statement
Weaving together an imaginative group uniquely suited to each project, Right Down Broadway Productions, Ltd., provides opportunities for experienced and underserved theater professionals, and rewards audiences with exposure to fresh ideas and new faces in compelling, entertaining theatre. RDBP is dedicated to developing new plays and bringing high-quality, original projects to the Off-Broadway Stage.
Producing Artistic Director
Kari Floren is RDBP’s resident playwright. She has written many full length plays that received off-Broadway productions, as well as several one acts (BERSERKER – Best of the Week pick at the 2017 FronteraFest). In addition she is the author of the screenplay, FOR LOVE OF MAMA (Finalist in the Nantucket Film Festival), and (co-author) CANDY KID AND THE HOBO KING. In 1999 her play INCIDENTAL LIVES was produced by New Avenue Theater Project at Synchronicity Space. www.KARIFLOREN.com.
Artists Statement: The hardest thing for a human being to do is surrender a mindset that is no longer working. Using conflicts that transcend cultural issues, my plays explore what happens when this belief system is forcibly challenged by circumstances or relationships, and the individual crumbles. With the realization that yesterday's answers don't apply, he/she is left with an opportunity to build a new and potentially more honest foundation for the future.
Board of Directors
Our Advisory Board brings wide-ranging experience in both the business and artistic communities. While advising us in the inception and direction of Right Down Broadway Productions, their guidance and support gives us invaluable aid in pursuing our far-reaching goals.
Michael McKenzie is a graduate of Webster College Conservatory of Theatre Arts in St. Louis, MO, class of 1979. For more than thirty years he has worked as an actor, appearing on Broadway in WAITING IN THE WINGS (with Lauren Bacall), THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER (with Nathan Lane) and in EASTERN STANDARD, and toured the United States and Canada for two seasons as a member of John Houseman's The Acting Company. Other stage credits include Pittsburgh Public, Denver Center, South Coast Repertory, Hartford Stage, The Mark Taper Forum (Los Angeles), The Goodman Theatre (Chicago), Pioneer Theater (Salt Lake City), Capital Rep, Portland Stage, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, St. Louis Repertory and many others. Television credits include HOUSE OF CARDS, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, GYPSY, THE UNBREAKABLE KIMMIE SCHMIDT, LAW & ORDER, HACK, ALL MY CHILDREN, ONE LIFE TO LIVE, AS THE WORLD TURNS, HYPERNAUTS, and a dozen episodes of BABYLON 5. www.MICHAELMCKENZIE.net.
Brian Peterson is the Associate Dean of CUNY’s School of Professional Studies. SPS develops and conducts courses and certificate programs in collaboration with government, not-for profit entities, businesses and unions. In his role as Associate Dean, Brian is responsible for providing leadership for the creation, management, promotion, and oversight of new graduate and undergraduate certificate and degree programs. Brian serves as member of the Online Baccalaureate Coordinating Committee and is responsible for the overall implementation and administration of online degree programs at the School. His work has focused on developing and implementing workforce development and continuing education initiatives for the University including CUNY’s Professional Training Academy with New York City’s Human Resources Administration, the Informal Family Childcare Training Project and the CUNY 3-1-1 Program. Brian is also a member of the Board of the Lincoln Center Institute. Prior to coming to CUNY, Brian was the Executive Director of Adult Programs at Jobs for Youth, Inc., which served at-risk families and out-of-school youth. His undergraduate degree is from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and he holds a Master’s of Public Administration from Baruch College.
Deborah Sharp is an attorney with extensive government and private sector experience as a trial attorney and manager of complex investigations and prosecutions. As a former state and federal prosecutor she specialized in both violent and white-collar crime, securing significant narcotics trafficking, defense procurement and bank fraud convictions. She argued and won appeals on several of her cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. As a Director of an independently-owned investigative consulting and business intelligence firm she led internal corporate fraud, compliance and due diligence investigations, for a variety of private and publicly held Fortune-50 companies. As an attorney for the City Law Department she defended Mayoral agency policy initiatives and actions in the area of civil rights, employment and education.
Debbi is a passionate booster for all things New York City since a summer job as an Urban Fellow while a student at Barnard. Since then she has served as her Class President and Fund Chair, a Board member of her coop, and a Sponsor Coordinator for the New York Cycle Club's annual membership fundraising ride, "Escape New York". She is currently a Director of Lexolution LLC, a legal recruiting agency, and lives on W. 93rd Street with her rescue dog Stella, a passionate booster of off-leash hours in Central Park!