New York Spirit is being produced by several passionate individuals with exceptional backgrounds in film, multi-media, music. Though all skilled at production, the common bond among them is their love for telling stories that relate to spirit.

Muriel Stockdale - Director | Producer
For more than 26 years Muriel Stockdale has created outstanding costumes for some of the finest producers of film, TV and live entertainment. She has also produced, directed, stage-managed, performed onstage, crewed backstage, managed costume shops, and designed and painted scenery.

Muriel was a valued member of the teaching faculty at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Graduate Design Department for 14 years. Muriel is an accomplished artist, a skilled craftsperson, a Reiki hands on healer, a resourceful businesswoman, and a writer. She is completing a final draft of her second screenplay, Gabriel’s Flight, and she has won a commission to write the book for the musical version of the Indian epic myth, Ramayana.

For more than 30 years Muriel has been devoted to the study of spiritual traditions of all cultures. She has acquired a profound appreciation for all forms of worship.

The idea for this film was born during a sacred Hindu fire ceremony held in the Shree Muktananda Ashram in South Fallsburg, NY.

“For me that fire ceremony was a powerfully sacred and profoundly nurturing event. It was a celebration that made me feel that my connection to the divine was tangible and that that connection was primordial, now and eternal. I realized right then that this America is filled with sacred events that uplift us. I made a commitment then to find a way for us to share those nurturing practices through media."

Manech Ibar – producer
Manech is a principal in the visionary company Vth Season. He has worked for Sony in the New Media (online space) for five years. He has been in charge of Sony Classical’s online department for the last three years, directing award-winning sites, such as yoyoma.com, joshuabell.com and recently the ground-breaking site sonyclassical.com. Manech was recently promoted to an executive in the online department for all of Sony Music. Manech has engineered several film soundtracks, produced bands and produced/recorded projects for The American Opera Society, Lincoln Center, New York University and the Julliard School for Music. Manech also practices Shamanism, leads sweat lodges and shamanic retreats.
To find out more visit www.vthseason.org or www.manechibar.com

Casey Meade Rothstein-Fitzpatrick - producer
Casey is president of Projectile Arts. Inc., a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 to promote and encourage communication across cultural boundaries through arts. Projectile Arts is more dedicated than ever to fostering dialogue by creating entertaining and enlightening content. They collaborate with film makers, musicians, photographers, writers, and other artists, often immersing them in an unfamiliar environment where they can interact directly and work closely with local people to share their experience through their respective disciplines.

Casey is currently completing his film, Take Me To the River which reveals images of the sacred pilgrimage of hundreds of thousands to the Khumb Mela gathering in India in 2001.
To find out more visit www.projectilearts.org

Sam Adelman - producer
Producer of the award winning film Screen Door Jesus brings over twenty years of post production experience to the New York Spirit table. Features that he’s worked on include Donnie Brasco, Changing Lanes, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Pollock, and Desperately Seeking Susan. A converted proponent of shooting in HD, Screen Door Jesus won an award for best cinematography, as represented by a 35mm transfer. He was also part of the first editing team to use a non-linear system for a feature film, The Montage, on a film for Sidney Lumet back in 1985 (Power). To find out more visit www.screendoorjesusthemovie.com.

Charlotte Rademaekers – associate producer
Charlotte produced and directed Apocalypso Now, a mock rockumentary. She has edited several short films and, most recently, was a contributing editor at New York Times Television. Charlotte worked in new media for two years at Columbia University, her alma mater, designing and developing educational websites. She graduated, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa in 2001 in comparative religious studies. Previously, she spent a year living in the foothills of the Himalayas studying Hindu and Buddhist scriptures. Prior to meeting Muriel, Charlotte harbored dreams of making a similar film. She is thrilled to have discovered and joined City Spirit Productions.

Brian Cook - associate producer
As well as being a principal in Vth Season Brian co-owns the media design company, Atomic Mouse. He has worked on projects that do everything from concepting on Superbowl ads to websites for Comedy Central’s South Park. His skills and experience cover a full range of media and advertising.
To find out more visit www.atomicmouse.com

Stephen Simon
Stephen Simon is the author of the book The Force is With You: Mystical Movie Messages That Inspire Our Lives which makes the case for Spiritual Cinema being recognized as its own genre. Stephen’s illustrious career as a film producer includes Somewhere in Time, What Dreams May Come, All the Right Moves, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and dozens more films. Stephen recently completed his directorial debut with the film Indigo.

The Interfaith Center
The Interfaith Center is committed to promoting understanding and respect among the world’s different religious communities living in New York, and to making the world safe for religious difference.

Lonette Mckee
Lonette McKee exploded onto the screen in Sparkle. Lonette starred in stellar productions such as: Jungle Fever, He Got Game, Malcolm X, The Cotton Club, Garden of Stone, Round Midnight, Cuba, Brewster’s Millions and Which Way is Up. She has appeared frequently on TV and created the ultimate Julie for Hal Prince’s Showboat for which she received a Tony Nomination.

Kathryn Wallack
Kathryn Wallack has written, co-written and/or executive produced numerous stellar projects for both TV and film formats Highlights include Josie and the Pussycats, Doom Runners, and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch which was the highest rated “kids and family” Showtime production and became the longest running ABC sitcom. Currently she is Executive Consultant of the series and Executive Producer on the subsequent television movies; Sabrina Goes to Rome and Sabrina Down Under.