Grinding Coffee Beans asks the universal question, how do I get from my bed to my coffee maker without spiraling into despair? A visceral multimedia movement based project that investigates the tumultuous path. Connecting the pink wash of the morning sun to all the pain we carry, Asteria guides audiences through ebbs and flows, taking us from loss to transformation, from slumber to vitality, from defeat to breath. Discover what it means to run back into the arms of oneself in this raw, sensual, and soulful journey that we are all on as humans.

We would like to thank:

The entire BodyVox Team and particularly Ashley Roland and Jamie Hampton.

We would also like thanks Tasha Hamilton, Alan Jones and North Country Productions, Ronni Lacroute, Aaron Peite, Theresa Hanson, Orion Schearer, Alezander Gieszler (for all you you brought to this production!) and Colorhaus, Deborah Jensen, Megan Wilkinson and Sydney Parno.

MEET THE TEAM

Asteria Howard

Creator/Performer

Asteria Atombomb got her dance start at the age of 3 in a small rural one room dance studio in Northern Michigan. As she grew, she started commuting one hour each way to study at Dance Arts Academy in Traverse City Michigan, where she also started teaching at the age of 17. Asteria obtained her dance degree from Northwestern Michigan College in a modern dance concentration, then took her skills around the globe where she worked in performing arts schools and dinner theaters across Australia and New Zealand. She has been a movement educator for 18 years now and has made it her mission to make dance accessible for all bodies.

When Asteria came back to the states, she landed in Portland on a one way ticket that was supposed to last 3 months. 6 years later, she continues to coach dance and aerial in the Portland Metro Area. Asteria can also be seen performing around venues from coast to coast as a burlesque and pole artist. She is currently the General Manager of the Dance Center at BodyVox where she manages, educates, and cultivates a community for dancers of all levels and abilities to access the joy of dance. You can stay up to date on Asteria’s whereabouts on Instagram at @asteriaatombomb or on her website www.asteriaatombomb.com.

Katherine Murphy Lewis

Director/Dramaturge

Katherine Murphy Lewis has over 10 years of experience directing, dramaturgy, and new work creation. As the founding Artistic Director of From the Ground UP, she has ushered in over 60 new works.

Crafting her own innovative approach to nonprofit leadership and new work creation she has developed a model that puts artists' authentic voices and expressions in the forefront by creating a space for individuals to develop stewardship over their artistry, careers and lives.

Katherine had enjoyed collaborating locally and internationally, including being and in residence with Company of Wolves in Glasgow Scotland, touring Achilles throughout Europe. Locally she co-wrote and co-produced, Tonight Nothing, which premiered at CoHo Production’s summer of 2019. Most recently she produced, dramturged and directed You Can’t Be Serious. Since the world premier in November 2023 You Can’t Be Serious has on to tour regionally and nationally, receiving rave reviews and winning best physical theater at Untied Solo, the largest solo festival in the work in NYC.

She is thrilled to be bringing Grinding Coffee Beans fully to life here are BodyVox!

Alexander Geiszler

production Maganger / Designer

Alexander Geiszler is the owner/operateor AVPNW a sole-prop company here in Portland. Alexander is a digital artist and musician using his talent and passions to inform the technical labor to elevate performances and experiences for artists and patrons.

Alexander found his passion for technical theater work starting in high school in Missoula, Montana and continued, developing his skill set while studying Art History at Willamette University, where he was the head technician for the student ran production company.

His passion drives him to have a wide ranging skill set where he "knows enough to be dangerous” and providing integrated, audio, lighting video impractical stagecraft to his collaborations.

His work is centered on providing a welcoming atmosphere for artist to explore the ways in which technology can empower them to achieve. Their artistic vision often incorporating out of the box thinking due to often limited budgets.