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about us

the cast and crew

Cast & Crew
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kate costanza

producer

A Rochester, NY native, 2020 grad, and lover of all things food and cooking, Kate is an aspiring digital media producer excited to step into creative production. With a bachelor’s degree in Communications, a concentration in Writing and Rhetoric, and experience in narrative nonfiction production, the opportunity to collaborate on Asymptomatic with this talented and passionate team has been a dream. Regardless of the project, her process is the same: from collaborative ideation and thematic editorial review to detailed project management, Kate takes pride in guiding projects from idea to impact.

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sara dipasquale

actor + co-creator

Sara was born and raised in Rochester NY, and grew up doing high school and community theatre. She’s known since she was nine years old that she wanted to pursue a career in the arts and therefore moved to New York City after graduating high school to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, a two year acting conservatory. Since graduating, Sara has studied improv at UCB, performed in a new play through New York Theater Festival, been in an off-broadway Sketch comedy showcase, and performed Shakespeare at The Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse. Sara is so grateful that this year has granted her the opportunity to create this honest and relevant story and act alongside her good childhood friend, Julie. Asymptomatic has provided Sara the chance to collaborate with brilliant and talented people that she otherwise may not have met or had the chance to work with had it not been for 2020’s circumstances. She can’t wait to share this collaborative passion project with the world! 

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julie shapiro

actor + co-creator + associate producer

Drawn to acting as early as she could speak, Julie grew up immersing herself in the performing arts world of Rochester, NY. Her passions drew her to SUNY Fredonia where she received a BFA in Musical Theatre and Communications minor in May of 2019. While studying, Julie realized the power of the arts and expanded her passions into a personal mission to create collaborative art as a vehicle for social change. Since graduating, Julie has worked professionally as an actor/singer with Savannah Stage Company, played the lead in a short film titled “American Ex-Pats” and almost* made her Off-Broadway debut as Anne Frank in Anne Frank a Musical before the infamous COVID-19 struck. Although this pandemic has brought unfathomable challenges, Asymptomatic has truly been a blessing in disguise. Julie is forever grateful to this powerhouse of a team for turning a dream into reality.

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natalie newman

writer

Natalie is an avid lover of bread and puns, and that’s basically all you knead to know. She was also one of the rare few who grew up knowing exactly what she wanted to do: write. Throughout her four years at Ithaca College, Natalie wrote several scripts and projects ranging from feature film to series television. She also completed four internships in casting, film production, and television development at NBCUniversal, served as the Director of Development for Ithaca College Television, and was the President of an on-campus organization that promoted the professional development of women. As a 2020 graduate, Natalie is looking forward to being part of the new wave of media that will (hopefully!) come out of this pandemic. Collaborating with the Asymptomatic team in her hometown of Rochester, NY was an unforeseen and unforgettable opportunity that will leave her forever inspired.

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emma jessop

director + a camera Op + gaffer + boom op + set designer + co-editor

Emma has always been drawn to a lot of passions, but none as strong as her passion to create art. Happiest when she’s learning about things, Emma is a firm believer of exploring every passion you have, learning and experiencing as much as you can, and not putting yourself in a box. When approached with an offer to direct an entire webseries with 48 hours notice, she had one answer - “Hell Yeah!” 

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Emma has a strong background in Musical Theatre, receiving a BFA from Rider University. She has performed regionally in Rochester,New Jersey, and Virginia. Since then, she has moved to New York City and begun exploring her love of film, starring in short films and commercials while simultaneously performing on stage. Covid has been a blessing in disguise, as she was able to start a production company (@adarwinfilms) making music videos and short films, star in a Rochester feature film, and spend lots of time with her family. Emma loves ted talks, facetimes, listening to people play guitar, exclamation points, Cole Beasley, and making people feel loved. BIG HUGS to the whole team for making this such a lovely experience and welcoming her aboard with open arms!! (6 feet apart, of course).

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 justin wolfe smith

dp + co-editor + sound engineer + lighting + camera operator

Justin Wolfe Smith is an actor and co-founder of Darwin Films (@adarwinfilm) from Rochester NY. Receiving a BFA in Musical Theatre from Nazareth College, he recently co-founded the production company Darwin Films to adapt to the challenges brought on by Coronavirus. This allowed him and the Darwin team to begin creating content and learning the world behind the camera. Growing up in Rochester, New York, he had been exposed to the theatre and film industry his entire life. From starting out in theatre at a young age, to working his way onto film sets in more recent years, his continuing experience in both allows him to stay busy learning and growing.

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