Born and raised on The Lower East Side (Alphabet City), Mildred Ruiz-Sapp co-founded THE POINT Community Development Corporation (Hunts Point) in 1993 and Universes (poetic theatre ensemble) (1996), both in collaboration with Steven Sapp. Universes (poetic theatre ensemble)

Universes (poetic theatre ensemble)

UNIVERSES is a New York-based American ensemble company of multi-disciplined writers and performers who fuse poetry, theater, jazz, hip hop, politics, down home blues and Spanish boleros to create what has been described as moving, challenging and entertaining theatrical works...

 currently consists of four core members: Steven Sapp

Steven Sapp

Born and raised in The South Bronx, Steven Sapp co-founded THE POINT Community Development Corporation in 1993 and Universes , both in collaboration with Mildred Ruiz-Sapp...

, Mildred Ruiz-Sapp, Gamal Abdel Chasten

Gamal Abdel Chasten

Gamal Abdel Chasten was born and raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Gamal is a core member of Universes . Universes currently consists of four core members: Steven Sapp, Mildred Ruiz-Sapp, Gamal Abdel Chasten and William Ruiz.-Theater Credits Include:*The Last Word*God took away his...

 and William Ruiz

William Ruiz

Born and raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, William is a core member of Universes . Universes currently consists of four core members: Steven Sapp, Mildred Ruiz-Sapp, Gamal Abdel Chasten and William Ruiz .-Theater Credits Include:*Ti-Jean Blues*Waiting for...

 (a.k.a- Ninja).

Theater Credits Include

• Purgatory
• Another I Dies Slowly
• Live From the Edge
• Slanguage
• Blue Suite
• Ameriville
• Rhythmicity: Flipping The Script
• One Shot In Lotus Position
• The Ride
• The Denver Project

Television Credits Include

Film: Stay until Tomorrow by Laura Collela

Television: HBO's Def Poetry

Def Poetry

Def Poetry, also known as Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry or Def Poetry Jam, which was co-founded by Bruce George, Danny Simmons and Deborah Pointer, is an HBO television series produced by hip-hop music entrepreneur Russell Simmons. The series presents performances by established spoken word...

 Jam (Season 4- Episode 9 (with UNIVERSES))

Awards/Affiliations

2008 Jazz at Lincoln Center

Jazz at Lincoln Center

Jazz at Lincoln Center is part of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. JALC's performing arts complex, Frederick P. Rose Hall, is located at West 60th Street and Broadway in New York City, slightly south of the main Lincoln Center campus and directly adjacent to Columbus Circle. Frederick P....

 Rhythm Road Tour;

2008 TCG- Theatre Communications Group

Theatre Communications Group

Theatre Communications Group is an organization dedicated to the promotion of non-profit professional theatre in the United States. TCG has over 450 member theatres located in 47 states; 17,000 individual members; and a growing number of University, Funder, Business and Trustee Affiliates...

 - Peter Zeisler Award;

2002-2004 and 1999-2001 TCG- Theatre Communications Group

Theatre Communications Group

Theatre Communications Group is an organization dedicated to the promotion of non-profit professional theatre in the United States. TCG has over 450 member theatres located in 47 states; 17,000 individual members; and a growing number of University, Funder, Business and Trustee Affiliates...

 National Theater Artist Residency Program Award;

2002 BRIO Awards

Bronx Recognizes Its Own Award

The Bronx Recognizes Its Own Award honors Bronx artists in a number of categories. It is given yearly by the Bronx Council on the Arts. Winners must be residents of the Bronx and are expected to do community service for a local arts organization as part of the award...

 (Bronx Recognizes its own-Singing) from The Bronx Council on the Arts;

1999 OBIE Award

Obie Award

The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...

 Grant (The Point CDC & Live From Theater Theater)

1999 Bessie Awards

Bessie Awards

The New York Dance and Performance Awards, informally known as the Bessie Awards in honor of Bessie Schonberg, are awarded annually for innovative achievement in dance and related performances, particularly so-called "downtown" performances...

 (The Point CDC)

1998 Union Square Award recipient

Co-Founder of The Point CDC;

New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect;

Board Member: National Performance Network

Former Board member: Network of Ensemble Theaters

Bard College

Bard College

Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...

, BA ’89.

Publications: UNIVERSES-THE BIG BANG (2010 release- TCG Books);

SLANGUAGE in The Fire This Time (TCG).

External links

UNIVERSES *Official site

UNIVERSES on Wikipedia *Universes (poetic theatre ensemble)

Universes (poetic theatre ensemble)

UNIVERSES is a New York-based American ensemble company of multi-disciplined writers and performers who fuse poetry, theater, jazz, hip hop, politics, down home blues and Spanish boleros to create what has been described as moving, challenging and entertaining theatrical works...