Noelle Gentile and Amelia Whalen formed Rising Action Interactive Theater Group in the spring of 2013. Noelle's theater and Amelia's writing backgrounds are complementary. They share deep artistic bonds and are driven by a common goal: to make art that
shares human experiences to join disconnected communities and bridge social gaps.
Together, they work to create social justice multimedia theater events.
Noelle Gentile, Director
Noelle Gentile’s career in theater education began with the New York State Theatre Institute as a performer and outreach teacher. She has built a career in which her passions for social justice, education, and the arts were melded through charging young people with the task of finding their unique voice and artistry and to ultimately bring about change in their communities through performance.
Noelle spent 6 years in the New York City Public Schools as the drama teacher encouraging students to explore and respond to issues in their world through student derived theater pieces. Noelle has worked as a teaching artist with the Brooklyn Arts Exchange and ISTA. She also worked as a facilitator for the NYC DOE’s Special Arts Programs city-wide professional development for theater teachers. Training with the Royal Shakespeare Company led here to appear on WNYC’s Greenspace, speaking to the importance for children to be exposed to and immersed in the works of Shakespeare. Her work with Shakespeare and exploring social issues became the centerpiece of a documentary that was featured at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival for Kids and NYC DOCS in November 2012.
Noelle’s own work, as the creator of a documentary experimental short “Push”, received an award at the Pen & Brush Gallery in NYC.
Amelia Whalen, Playwright
Amelia Whalen is the author of true life adventure stories. She is in the process of seeking a publisher for her first full-length memoir, Everything You’ve Ever Done. She documents her travels and adventures as a rock climber and outdoorswoman. These true life adventure stories are circulated via email and the web. Amelia is a freelance graphic designer, technical writer, and editor. Amelia practices yoga and meditation, and is committed to living and working for the good of all beings and the universe. As a professional artist, she seeks work that will positively impact the community and raise spiritual awareness.
