About Us
Ben Spatz
Ben has over ten years of experience as a director, performer, and leader of theatrical research. He has been leading the Urban Research Theater project since 2004, first in Poland and then in New York City. Ben offers workshops in song-based physical performance in New York City and internationally. He is a doctoral student at the CUNY Graduate Center and a teaching fellow at Brooklyn College.
Ben holds a B.A. from the College of Letters at Wesleyan University, where he studied with Hope Weissman and Pedro Alejandro. He lived in Poland from 2003-2005, first as an ensemble performer with the Gardzienice Theatre Company and then as a Fulbright Fellow at the Grotowski Institute.
Ben has also participated in work sessions led by Rena Mirecka; Zygmunt Molik; Bruce Myers; Toshi Tsuchitori; Mario Biagini; Richard Crawford; North American Cultural Laboratory (NaCl); Cornerstone Theater Company; Song of the Goat Theatre Company; Eugenio Barba's International School of Theatre Anthropology; and the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards.
Contact: ben@urbanresearchtheater.com
Massimiliano Balduzzi
Massimiliano was born in Italy and has a degree from D.A.M.S. (University of Bologna) in the History of Modern and Contemporary Theatre.
For more than ten years he dedicated himself to the study and research of physical and vocal training for actors. This training is based on the creation of original exercises/actions with rigorous and daily practice.
His studies also include two years at the E.R.T. Modena under the direction of Stefano Vercelli. With Vercelli he began his study and research in physical training. In the same period he also participated in several workshops guided by Mamadou Dioume focused on approaches to Shakespeare's King Lear.
In 2003 the director Anne Zenour and Massimiliano founded the group Teatro della Pioggia. The work with Zenour, human and technical, led to a deeper understanding and need for continuing vocal and physical research and practice. Massimiliano performed in several pieces under Zenour's direction.
In 2006, Massimiliano lived for six months in Ubud (Bali, Indonesia) to study traditional Balinese Dance with Guru I Made Bukel and traditional Balinese Song with Guru Ny Nyoman Chandry. In November, 2008, Massimiliano moved to New York City.
Contact: maximilian@urbanresearchtheater.com
Michele Farbman
As a 16-year practitioner of chanting, meditation, and other forms of internal yoga, Michele finds Urban Research Theater's searching through body and voice to be a welcome compliment to yoga's search for the subtle self.
Michele has lived in New York City for 16 years as a writer, editor and teacher and continues to pursue her narrative and imaginative drive through Urban Research Theater's work.
