The Creative Faces Project

ARTISTS INSPIRING THE NEW YORK STAGE An Evolving Portrait Series Photographed and Curated by Jason Zeren @TheFacesByJason | [email protected]

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Danny Burstein as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof - backstage at the Broadway Theater 

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Laura Benanti as Amalia in She Loves Me - backstage at Studio 54

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Zachary Levi as Georg in She Loves Me - backstage at Studio 54

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Jane Krakowski as Ilona in She Loves Me - backstage at Studio 54

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Christoper Fitzgerald as Ogie in Waitress - backstage at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre 

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Name: Nina Arianda

Age: I forget...

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

A working actor. A happy working actor.

Profession:

Actor

Greatest Love:

Acting

The best advice you have given or have been given?

- Stay Present - Cut the Shit - Doing it - is it.

3 words that best describe you:

- daughter - actor - hungry

Date: 12/10/15

Time: 4:03

Place: NYC

Photographed by Jason Zeren

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Name: Russell Tovey

Age: 34

Place of Birth: Essex, UK

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

A history teacher then Actor

Profession:

Actor

Greatest Love:

Rocky, my dog.

The best advice you have given or have been given?

“Just be brilliant!”

3 words that best describe you:

Honest, Loyal, Kind (Cheeky) or hard-working? 

Date: 12/10/15

Time: 3:45

Place: NYC

Photographed by Jason Zeren 

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Name: Kelli O’Hara Naughton

Age: 39

Place of Birth: 4/16/76

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

A small animal vet. A pediatrician. A MOTHER. A TEACHER.

Profession:

Actor / Singer

Greatest Love:

Family

The best advice you have given or have been given?

I am the only one of me. So don’t try to be someone else because that’s already been done, etc.

3 words that best describe you:

Still Figuring Out IT CHANGES DAILY

Date: 11/19/15

Time:

Place:

Photographed by Jason Zeren

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Billy Porter Al Hirschfeld Theater 11/19/2015 

The night before his final evening as Lola in Kinky Boots. 

Photographed by Jason Zeren

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Name: Judith Light

Age: 66

Place of birth: Trenton, New Jersey 

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

Always wanted to be an actress

Profession:

Actor / Producer

Greatest Love:

Getting to be of service in some way

The best advice you have given or have been given?

Make your life about being of service to those close to you and to the world.

3 words that best describe you:

Persevering, loyal, sensitive

Date: 11/16/15

Time: 5:30PM 

Place: NYC

Photographed by Jason Zeren

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Name: Jonathan Groff

Age: 30

Place of Birth: Lancaster, PA

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

I wanted to be an actor

Profession:

Actor

Greatest Love:

1) Cate Blanchett 2) Beyonce

The best advice you have given or have been given?

Someone told me “don’t let the world define you.”

3 words that best describe you:

I laugh often compulsively

Date: 10/22/15

Time: 6:44pm

Place: 54th St. between 8 + B’way

Photographed by Jason Zeren

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FUN Home

The original Alisons: Sydney Lucas, Beth Malone and Emily Skeggs 

Photographed by Jason Zeren

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Name: Sydney Lucas

Age: 12

Place of Birth: Atlanta, Georgia

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

Why wait ‘til I’m an adult? I want to be an actress / EGOT!

Profession:

STUDENT / ACTRESSIO

Greatest Love:

Everything! Actually, not everything because I don’t like hurricanes and tornadoes. So everything that’s good!

The best advice you have given or have been given?

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!!!! Seriously, though. 

4  3  words that best describe you:

Random, Spontaneous, Original, Urban

Date: 10/21/15

Time: 2:00

Place: NY

Photographed by Jason Zeren

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Name: Emily Skeggs

Age: 35. Just kidding, 13

Place of Birth: New York City

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

marine biologist / bowler

Profession:

Actor!

Greatest Love: 

I’d say sleep but that’s not true or fair. People, specifically when they surprise me and show me a side of the world I never knew existed.

The best advice you have given or have been given?

Mom said: you can be two of three things to be successful 1) on time     2) nice to work with     3) produce good work STRIVE TO BE ALL THREE

3 words that best describe you:

curious hungry hugger

Date: 10/6/15

Time: 5:42pm

Place: window above midtown, NY NY 

Photographed by Jason Zeren

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Name: Beth Malone

Age: Really? Really. Awe shit 46.

Place of Birth: Auburn, NE

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

I was sort of torn right down the middle between Broadway Star and Barbara Mandrell.

Profession: 

Actor

Greatest Love:

Again - torn - of course my wife #1 Rochelle. But also? I love Colorado. Love - and I love NY...  I may need a pie chart.

The best advice you have given or have been given?

Well - nowadays when young actors ask me for advice I say - “Be relentlessly yourself,” because it’s the opposite of the advice I was given.

3 words that best describe you:

Tenacious, codependent, game

Date: 9/10/15

Time: 5:30ish

Place: P2

Photographed by Jason Zeren

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Name: Jim Parsons

Age: 42

Place of Birth: Houston, TX

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

An Actor. Brief periods of consideration given to being both a teacher and a meteorologist, but being an actor was my first and ultimately final desire.

Profession:

Actor

Greatest Love:

My family.

The best advice you have given or have been given?

You are enough. 

(given to me) 

3 words that best describe you:

Optimistic, Disciplined, Hopeful

Date: 7/30/15

Time: 5:11pm

Place: Studio 54, dressing room.

Photographed by: Jason Zeren

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Name: Matthew Broderick

Age: 53

Place of Birth: N.Y.C.

What did you / do you want to be when you grew / grow up?

A fireman, or maybe an actor

Profession

Actor

Greatest Love:

My wife, kids, sisters, parents, friends, pets. Food, baseball, painting, music. Mozzarella, tomatoes. Prosciutto.

The best advice you have given or have been given?

If you don’t get a part, it doesn’t mean you weren’t the best, it might mean the director just didn’t know any better.

3 words that best describe you:

Funny, Strong, Frightened 

Date: 6/3/15

Time: 5:38

Place: N.Y.C

Photographed by: Jason Zeren