Artistic Team
Artistic Directors
KARI MARGOLIS
and
TONY BROWN
As Co-Founders/Artistic Directors of the MB ADAPTORS Company, Kari Margolis and Tony Brown have been committed to the creation of original theatre productions and the exploration of the actor's craft for four decades.
They have created 17 evening-length productions with the Company that have toured nationally and internationally to Spain, Singapore, Berlin, London and throughout Mexico and Canada.
Margolis has Written and Directed and Brown has created Original Compositions and Multimedia. Both artists have also performed in several productions.
They have also created several site-specific productions for such places as the Brooklyn Museum, the Minnesota Science Museum, the Roebling Bridge in Minisink Ford NY, and the beach at Coney Island, NY.
Kari Margolis
Over the last 38 years, Kari has developed an in-depth approach to theatre training and creation (Margolis Method) that merges the skill sets of the actor, director and playwright. She is Master Teacher at the Margolis Method Center Int’l located in Highland Lake NY, since 2004. The Center has year-round professional training programs, Intensive Workshops, Educator and Professional Certification Programs and an Online Learning platform.
Kari has been Master Teacher for the Kennedy Center’s National American College Theatre Festival for fourteen years, working with the national Irene Ryan Finalists. She has created several original works at universities that have been invited to the National Festival at the Kennedy Center and Regional Festivals. Kari was awarded a Gold Medallion from Region I.
She served on the Theatre Faculty at the University of Minnesota for seven years where she played an integral role in reshaping the B.A. Acting Program to focus on the actor/creator and created On The Edge, a series of original works created with the theatre, dance and music department.
Kari conducts master classes, extended residencies and lecture demonstrations throughout the United States and internationally. She is a keynote speaker and a published playwright and author.
Tony Brown
Tony created multimedia for Galt MacDermot’s (Hair) newest musical GODDESS WHEEL performed at Snug Harbor in Staten Island NY.
He has created sound scores for commercials and multimedia for such performance companies as Shapiro and Smith Dance and the Minnesota Chorale.
He helped design the media center for the University of Minnesota’s Theatre Department where he also taught media and acting classes.
Tony has received accolades for his performances including a “Best of the Twin Cities” and an “Arizoni” for his performance in the company’s production AMERICAN SAFARI.
The work of Margolis and Brown has been recognized with six National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, a “Bessie” NY Performance Award, a Pew/TCG National Artist Fellowship, a Creative Capital National Artist Fellowship, Bush Foundation Fellowships, multiple McKnight Foundation Fellowships and a Jerome Travel Grant among many other prestigious awards.
Current Ensemble
Z-9
Jonathan Beller
Jonathan Beller is a director, producer, and performer. As a core MBA member, he has contributed to the creation and performance of Pulling Strings and Headshot! He has both professional and educational Margolis Method certifications, and was Assistant Director to the Insula project. Jonathan served as the Artistic Director of Theatrikos Theatre Company of Northern Arizona where he produced and directed over 75 re-imaged classics and new works. He holds an MFA from ASU and currently teaches theatre at Metro State where Margolis Method is central to the program’s acting curriculum.
Beth Brooks
Beth Brooks is a founding member of the Margolis Brown Adaptors Company. With Margolis Brown, she helped create and performed in ten of their full-length shows which toured nationally and internationally, as well as numerous site-specific pieces since 1985. Beth was Assistant Director for company member Jonathan Beller’s, last original productions of Alienation and Men at Work at Metro State University, where he teaches Margolis Method. Jonathan and Beth were also Movement Directors for FRANKENSTEINS PLAYING WITH FIRE at The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.
Jarod Hanson
Jarod Hanson is a theatre artist and educator. As core ensemble, he helped develop and performed in SLEEPWALKERS, THE HUMAN SHOW, AMERICAN SAFARI, CYCLOPEDIA, PULLING STRINGS, INSULA, and HEADSHOT. He co-created Overtime: Men at Work with Jonathan Beller for MN Fringe. His short play SWEVEN was a semi-finalist KCACTF Region. He is Lead MM Faculty and received his MFA from Towson, where he was a Fellow for the Center for Intl Theatre Development and Grad Rep for ATME. Jarod has also worked with the Wilma Theater, the Acme Corporation, and Single Carrot.
Angela Kiser
Angela Kiser is the company’s Program and Communications Director, graphic designer and MM full-time faculty. As an MBA member, she is presently developing a new solo work directed by Kari Margolis and was lighting designer and core ensemble for Headshot! She has a BFA from WWU, and has presented her own performance and design work in Bellingham, Seattle, Wisconsin, New York, and Barcelona, Spain. She was a principal collaborating artist of Kuntz and Company, the co-founder of On the Precipice Productions, and co-host of the theatre performance podcast, Stage Hackers.
Eileen Noonan
Eileen Noonan is a transgender actress and writer based in Manhattan, where she recently moved after 3 amazing years training, performing and serving as assistant faculty at the Margolis Method Center in Highland Lake, NY. In that time, Eileen received her Level 1 Professional Certification in Margolis Method and assisted Kari in many live and virtual workshops and intensives at the Center, in Barcelona, and across the Midwest. Eileen is a member of the 2021 Penguin Random House Audio Narrator Mentorship Program, and is represented by Take 3 Talent agency.
Gregory G. Schott
Gregory G. Schott received his BA in Acting and Directing from UNLV where he helped develop numerous original productions. He worked with such companies as Diamond Circle Melodrama, Climb and Rainbow Company Children’s Theater. He began training with MB Adaptors in 1996 and joined the company in 2000. He has been a key contributor to MB ADAPTORS’ American Safari, Sleepwalkers, The Human Show, Cyclopedia, Pulling Strings, Tonto Blue and Headshot! He has assisted Kari at national and international residencies and faculty at Margolis Method Center. He is a member of SAG-AFTRA.
