DAVID ZAYAS (2018 Vassallo Award)

Meet the recipient of our VASSALLO AWARD for 'Outstanding Achievement In The Arts'  Previous recipients included Lynn Cohen (Spielberg's Munich, Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Sex and the City) and Anna Chlumsky (Emmy Nominee for VEEP, My Girl, 30 Rock).  We hope you'll join us on Saturday, November 17th, 2018 at SVA Theatre in NYC as we honor DAVID ZAYAS for his work in theater, television, and film!  

TIXS NOW ON SALE for our Fall Gala & Vassallo Awards featuring special guest artists and more.  Sponsors include ALCHEMIQ Catering, Golden Road Brewery, ZYR Vodka, & OH! Nuts!

For tickets and further information please visit:  
https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/34621 
& https://facebook.com/barefoottheatreco or call 212-802-8305.

DAVID ZAYAS is best known for his role as Angel Batista on the Golden Globe®-nominated psychological drama “Dexter.” David was recently seen as "Sal Maroni" on the Fox series Gotham, "Sheriff Aguirre" on the Netflix series Bloodline and "Eduardo Magana" on the Hulu series Shut Eye. His other recent television credits include Saint George (FX), Seven Seconds (Netflix), Blue Bloods (CBS), Quantico (ABC), and The Guest Book (TBS). While working on the crime drama The Beat, Zayas met Emmy Award®-winning television writer and producer Tom Fontana, who went on to create the role of "Enrique Morales" on HBO's Oz especially for him. On film, he has starred in The Expendables, Skyline, 13, Michael Clayton, Sixteen Blocks, The Savages, Bringing Out the Dead, The Yards, Undefeated, Wit, Angel, and The Interpreter. David also starred opposite Helen Hunt in the indie feature Ride, starred opposite Ellen Page and Allison Janney in the feature Tallulah, and appeared in the film remake of the 1982 movie musical Annie opposite Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz. David stars in the upcoming feature Shine. A former New York police officer, Zayas began his acting career with LAByrinth Theater Company in 1992. He has starred in more than thirty theater productions, most with The LAByrinth Theater Company, including: “Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train,” “In Arabia We’d All Be Kings,” “Our Lady of 121 St.,” and the Pulitzer Prize®-winning “Anna in the Tropics” on Broadway.

Critically acclaimed and award winning ensemble

BAREFOOT THEATRE COMPANY

proudly presents the 

VASSALLO AWARDS

On Saturday, November 17th, Barefoot Theatre Company celebrates the third annual Vassallo Awards with a Fall Gala beginning at 8pm at the SVA THEATRE in NYC on 333 W 23rd Street in Manhattan.  Actor David Zayas (Showtime’s DEXTER, FOX’s Gotham, OZ on HBO); acclaimed writer, Hilary Bettis (FX’s Emmy Award winning, The Americans), Actress Shirley Rumierk (NBC’s RISE) are among those honored for artistic achievements.  The ceremony, hosted by Actor and founder of Barefoot Theatre Co., Francisco Solorzano and ensemble member, Christopher Whalen, also honors mentorship and educational outreach to a younger generation of artists in memory of Ed Vassallo, whose artistic career spanned 20 years and included work producing for the LAByrinth Theater Company and volunteering with the 52nd Street Project. 

RED-CARPET CELEBRATION VIP TICKETS: $150 (tax deductible) includes VIP COCKTAIL HOUR - 6:30pm. -7:30 pm.  General Admission: $75 - 7:30 pm (includes drinks & presentation). CURTAIN:  8pm.  Running Time (presentation & awards ceremony) - 75 mins. For tickets and further information please visit: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/34621 & https://facebook.com/barefoottheatreco or call 212-802-8305.  

The one-night only event features Live Music from Mexican-American singer-songwriter and activist, Renee Goust (Joe’s Pub, Lincoln Center) with an opening act by the Brooklyn based female fronted alt-pop project, The Rungs  and Performances by Special guest artists from Broadway, Film and Television.  Accepting the award for Educational Outreach will be Jill DeArmon (LAByrinth Theater Co., Vineyard Theater) and Jinn S. Kim (LAByrinth Theater Co., Hi-Arts)  for their work with DEVELOPING ARTISTS.  Past recipients included Kamilah Forbes with Hi-ARTS and the Stella Adler Educational Outreach Program, Anna Chlumsky (EMMY Nominee, VEEP), Lynn Cohen (Spielberg’s MUNICH, Sex and the City), Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Adly Guirgis and Daniel Talbott.  The event is sponsored by Alchemiq Catering, Golden Road Brewery, ZYR Vodka, and Barefoot Studio Pictures.

Barefoot founded the awards after Vassallo lost a two-year battle with cancer in 2014. The company was inspired to recognize Vassallo's dedication to the arts, which included work producing the TENN99 and NYNY festivals for the LAByrinth Theater Co as well as feature films which saw release at the Tribeca Film Festival and IFC/Sundance Selects. Vassallo's passion extended to work as a mentor with the 52nd Street Project, which pairs New York City children and teens with professional theatre artists. For this reason, the awards acknowledge not only artistic achievements but also educational outreach and mentorship that engages the next generation of artists.

BAREFOOT THEATRE COMPANY / BAREFOOT STUDIO PICTURES is an award winning, critically acclaimed multicultural collective of actors and filmmakers specializing in the development and incubation of new work and the cultivation of new attention for lesser-known works by well-established authors, with a vital, thought-provoking eye toward themes of diversity and inclusion.  Barefoot Theatre Company’s most notable production includes the first ever Off-Broadway stage adaptation of the Academy award winning film, Dog Day Afternoon.  The company has developed and produced over 150 new plays staged at INTAR; RATTLESTICK; THE FLEA; CHERRY LANE THEATRE; IRT THEATER; HERE ARTS CENTER; THE BRICK; LABYRINTH THEATER CO., THE ACTORS STUDIO, THEATRE ROW THEATRES, THE NEW OHIO THEATRE among others. Recent Barefoot Theatre Company collaborations with award-winning writers include Jose Rivera, Dominique Morisseau, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristoffer Diaz, Mando Alvarado, Ed. Cardona Jr., Mike Reiss, Daniel Talbott, Hilary Bettis and with actors Chris Cooper, Ethan Hawke, Bobby Cannavale, Gina Gershon, Richard Kind, Mickey Sumner, Caitlin FitzGerald, Annabella Sciorra, and Michael Stuhlbarg to name a few.  In film, Barefoot Studio Pictures’ work has been recognized with the Barcelona International Best Short Film Award, World-Fest Film Festival Best Short FIlm, at Hollyshorts Film Festival and many others.  Barefoot Theatre Company was founded by actor, Francisco Solorzano in 1999, who is currently Producing Artistic Director with Christopher Whalen as Producing Director.