About Chaotic Heart Productions

Mia Paschal

Founder and artistic director of chaotic heart as well as Heroes Theatre Company, Mia moved to San Francisco six years ago from Milan, Italy. In Paris, Stockholm, Helsinki and Milan, she appeared in a number of independent films and video projects.

As an undergraduate at Harvard, Mia studied acting with David Wheeler; she later studied with Bill Hickey at the HB Studio in New York. In San Francisco, she studied with Ed Hooks and Bruce Williams, among others.

Mia has performed in a number of plays and independent films in the Bay Area. She produced and performed in Heroes Theatre Company’s “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre”, a collection of comedic and dramatic scenes about dysfunctional relationships. She produced, directed and acted in After the Fall by Arthur Miller (Maggie), Harold Pinter’s The Lover, and Antony and Cleopatra (Cleopatra). Mia also acted in four productions of the Rough Theatre Company’s Daytrippers, performances of one-acts conceived, written, rehearsed and performed in 24 hours, one of which won Best of the Fringe 2001, as well as Best New Fringe Idea. In October 2002, one of her most personally gratifying theatrical experiences was performing in A Loud Little Handful, a site-specific production of works dealing with the aftermath of war and violence, directed by Emily Koch.

Recently Mia wrote, produced, and directed the digital feature The Art of Etiolation which premiered at the Exit Theatre’s Divafest in May 2004.

In San Francisco, Mia is represented by Tonry Talent.

Emily Koch, Director

Emily is a founding member of the Shee Theatre Company, for whom she directed a staged reading of RIDDANCE by Linda McLean and assistant-directed AUGUSTINE (BIG HYSTERIA) and LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. She studied theatre at the London and International School of Acting before receiving a BA in Anthropology from the University of Southern California and an MA in Drama from San Francisco State University. While studying for her MA, Emily was an artistic and literary intern at the Magic Theatre and assisted in the Plays at the Border Festival. In October 2002, Emily directed A LOUD LITTLE HANDFUL, a collection of short plays about war and violence, performed at Battery Mendel. Recently, Emily assistant directed an independent film shot on digital video , THE ART OF ETIOLATION, written and directed by Mia Paschal. Emily has also worked as an instructor at the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival in their at risk youth programs and currently teaches for New Conservatory Theatre Center. She directed the Shee’s production of RIDDANCE by Scottish playwright Linda McLean at Edinburgh Castle Pub, and a reading of ABUNDANCE by Paul Heller for Z at Magic Mondays. Most recently, she directed "Southern Lights" at the Phoenix Theatre.

Curtis Overacre, Lighting Designer

Curtis hails from the land of where the wind comes sweeping down the plain. Growing up rurally, he had a lot of spare time to create a fantasy world to live in, which drew him to the theatre. He began by volunteering to help with costumes and make-up for the Tulsa Opera and Moves Dance Co., The Fat Bottom Revue, and Vile Jelly Theatre. Last year, Curtis O. went with the S.F. Buffoons to the New York Fringe Festival, where he met the Banana Bag and Bodice folks and worked with the Sandwich for the 2003 S.F. Fringe Festival, and again as a technician for Sandwich in their co-production with the EXIT in 2004.