Creative Team

  • Alltop2.jpg
    Michael Alltop
    Producer

    MICHAEL ALLTOP was the Producing Artistic Director of BRAT Productions from 2007 to 2010 and focused on expanding the company’s audience through large-scale, popular works that also maintained the company’s reputation for bravado and experimentation. Original concepts developed for Brat include the Barrymore Award-winning Three Chord Fiction (2007), User 927 (2008), and Haunted Poe (2009). Alltop holds an M.F.A. in Drama from Syracuse University.
  • Madi Flyin'
    Madi Distefano
    Director

    MADI DISTEFANO (Co-Artistic Director) is the founding artistic director of Brat. She founded the company in 1996 as a means of making theatre more accessible to a new generation. She produced, acted, directed and wrote for Brat for 13 seasons before resigning to be a resident artist and pursue her freelance acting and directing work with other companies.
  • Bradley Helm
    Set Design

    Bradley Helm (Sets) has worked with Brat on many projects over the last 7 years starting with Once in 2002. Other Brat credits include Haunted Poe, A 24-Hour The Bald Soprano, Grease and Desist, Moby Dick Rehearsed, Popsicles Departure, 1989 and more. He has extensive design credits in Philly including 1812 Productions, Lantern Theater Company, Prince Music Theater, Act 2 Playhouse and many others. Most recently he was resident designer for the Devon Theater and Proof Productions.
  • Mike Kiley
    Michael Kiley
    Sound Design

    Michael Kiley (Sound Designer) is a sound designer, composer, songwriter and voice teacher working in Philadephia. He has worked for Theatre Exile, Nichole Canuso Dance Company, SubCircle, and most recently, designed and composed Brat's Haunted Poe. He is the founder of the free music project The Mural and The Mint, which you can check out at www.themuralandthemint.com
  • Julia Poiesz
    Costume Designer

    JULIA POIESZ (Costume Design) is thrilled to be making her Brat debut with A 24-Hour The Bald Soprano. Recent design credits include Red, White & Tuna at the Walnut Street Theatre, Studio on 3, directed by Madi Distefano; Once On This Island, Jr. at Upper Darby Summer Stage; and The Berenstain Bears for the WST Kids Series. Julia would like to thank Madi for this awesome opportunity. B.A. in Theatre from DeSales University. Much love to her family and Mike. 
  • Melanie Potorski
    Stage Manager

    Melanie Potorski (Stage Manager) is very excited to be working on her first show with Brat Productions. She most recently worked on A Christmas Carol at The Walnut Street Theatre and Cabinet of Wonders with Gas and Electric Arts. She also spent the past two years as the resident Assistant Stage Manager at The Curtis Institute of Music. Melanie received her BFA from the University of the Arts in Applied Theatre Arts.