Andrea

Andrea Tobin: From Tennis Strokes to Brushstrokes

For Andrea Tobin, a former athlete and the artist behind Marla Cielo, a handbag brand designed and made in New York City, launching a new collection reminds her of the narratives behind each design.

“Each piece is a story,” Tobin told WWD. She is a self-taught artist, entrepreneur and previously was a competitive tennis player. Tobin reveals the same physicality in her quickened brushstrokes on canvas as she once exhibited on the tennis court — and simultaneously across business ventures. Her career also includes the cofounding of dropship solution provider RevCascade and influencer commerce platform Souler.

Related stories

Trade Truce Deadline May Be Delayed

Mipel Sees Sharp Increase in Visitors, Boosted by Russia and Europe

'Waste No More' Installation to Preview at Eileen Fisher's Brooklyn Store

Marla Cielo was founded in 2010 and positioned where “art meets fashion.” Each piece is one-of-a-kind, and on Tuesday, Tobin celebrated the latest handbag collection with an intimate gathering in Manhattan’s East Village.

Each canvas, featuring Tobin’s original acrylic art, produces a moderate production run of wristlets, totes, clutches or cross-body bags and is manufactured in one of the last remaining handbag factories in New York City’s Garment District.

The handbags are suede-lined and designed for the customer who craves function without sacrificing art. Tobin’s products retail for anywhere between $160 to $700 a piece.

Perhaps representing a predominating trend toward the marriage of art and fashion and consumer preference for unique goods, Tobin said her customer base is broad but finds that the consumers are all commonly “attracted to the art.”

Get more from WWD: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter

Codiak BioSciences Names Andrea DiFabio Chief Legal Officer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Codiak BioSciences, Inc., a leading exosome therapeutics company, today announced the appointment of Andrea DiFabio as Chief Legal Officer. Ms. DiFabio will serve on the executive leadership team and report to Codiak’s president and CEO, Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D.

“I had the opportunity to work with Andrea at Biogen and am delighted that Codiak will benefit from her wealth of expertise in life sciences, not only in legal matters but in her significant contributions to the corporate strategy and transactional experience at leading biopharmaceutical companies at various stages of development,” said Dr. Williams. “An innovative thinker and trusted advisor, Andrea is a welcome addition to our executive team as we advance precision exosome therapeutics.”

Ms. DiFabio joins Codiak from Bioverativ, where she served as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, through its acquisition by Sanofi. Prior to Bioverativ, she held multiple counsel positions over the course of 11 years at Biogen, most recently leading the U.S. legal team supporting the company’s global product portfolios as Senior Vice President, Chief Research and Business Development Counsel. Previously, Ms. DiFabio held positions of increasing responsibility in the counsel’s office at Parexel International. She began her career as a litigator for two Boston-area law firms.

“The Codiak team has built an exciting company, grounded by exceptional translational science, a significant manufacturing capability and a drug discovery platform with broad therapeutic potential,” said Ms. DiFabio. “I am delighted to join the team and look forward to helping to shape the company’s trajectory as we seek to bring forward a new class of biological medicines.”

Ms. DiFabio earned a B.A. from Boston University and a J.D. from Northeastern School of Law. A long-time Boston-area resident, Ms. DiFabio recently completed a three-year term on the Board of Overseers for the city’s Museum of Science.

About Exosomes

Exosomes facilitate intercellular communication by transmitting macromolecules between cells. They can be found in all tissues or biological fluids, and it is believed that all cells have the capacity to make, secrete and receive exosomes. Upon contact, exosomes can change the biological functions of recipient cells either by protein-to-protein signaling at the cell surface or according to instructions encoded in molecules contained in the interior, or lumen, of the exosome and conveyed by cellular uptake into the cytoplasm or nucleus of the recipient cell. While many cellular targets and pathways have been identified as attractive areas for potential new drugs, the limitations of existing therapeutic modalities have rendered many of these targets and pathways essentially undruggable.

About Codiak BioSciences

Codiak BioSciences is harnessing exosomes—natural intercellular messengers—to pioneer a new class of biologic medicines, exosome therapeutics. We have developed the engEx Platform, our proprietary and versatile exosome engineering and manufacturing platform, to expand upon the innate properties of exosomes to design novel exosome therapeutics. Using our engEx Platform, we can engineer exosomes to have precise and intentionally chosen properties, to incorporate various forms of biologically active molecules, including small molecules, nucleic acids, proteins, antibodies, enzymes, cytokines and complex ligands, with the goal of delivering potent signals to specific cell targets. We believe our engEx Platform has the potential to produce a broad pipeline of product candidates that will have a transformative impact on the treatment of many diseases, including in the areas of oncology, immune-based diseases, metabolic and fibrotic disorders, neurodegenerative disorders and rare diseases. For more information, visit http://www.codiakbio.com.

BWW Interview: Andrea Syglowski and THEO at Two River Theater

This winter, Two River continues its 25th Anniversary Season with the commissioned world premiere of Theo, a new play written by Obie Award winner Martin Moran and directed by Carolyn Cantor. The show will be performed on the Red Bank Stage from February 23 to March 24.

In this five-character play, Moran renders the complexity of living with humor and truth. When a family's matriarch, Margaret, is forced to acknowledge that her health is deteriorating, her son Theodore returns to their Catskills home after many years away. There, he reconnects with Abe, an acquaintance from his youth who is now his mother's home aide, and with his sister Beth, a single mother struggling to understand her teenaged child, Maddy. A warm look at the far-reaching ties of love, this new play is a moving portrait of kinship, faith, and the pursuit of one's true self.

The cast of Theo includes Zachary Booth as Theo; Jesse James Keitel as Maddy; Jon-Michael Reese as Abe; Andrea Syglowski as Beth; and Brenda Wehle as Margaret.

Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of interviewing Andrea Syglowski about her career and the upcoming show at Two River Theater.

Syglowski's recent credits include queens (Lincoln Center, LCT3), The Understudy (Westport Country Playhouse), Cry It Out (Dorset Theatre Festival/Humana, world premiere), A Doll's House (Huntington, IRNE Award nomination, Best Actress), The May Queen (Playmakers), Dear Elizabeth (Dorset Theatre Festival), The Nest (Denver Center), Of Good Stock (South Coast Rep), Venus in Fur (Huntington, winner of the 2014 Elliot Norton Award and 2015 IRNE Award for Best Actress), A Flea in Her Ear, Bully to You, Schmoozy Togetherness, White Trash Anthem (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Three Sisters, Love's Labour's Lost, Elijah, Carve(Chautauqua Theater Company), Much Ado About Nothing, Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare at the Manor), Asking for Trouble (Ensemble Studio Theatre), The Walk Through (Slant Theatre Company). TV: Blue Bloods, New Amsterdam, How to Get Away with Murder, Elementary, The Good Wife. New Play Development at: Roundabout, NYTW, EST, The O'Neill, and many, many more. Training: USC and The Juilliard School, recipient of the Robin Williams Scholarship.

When did you first know you wanted to be an actor?

I've always had a feeling that this was what I wanted to do. But I remember very vividly seeing a production of "Our Town" in a small theatre called 'Hedgerow Theatre' in Media Pennsylvania, not far from where I grew up. I was maybe twelve or thirteen and I was so moved and in awe of what the actors were doing. In High School I had many opportunities to play great roles because I had a stellar theatre teacher, Rob Henry. I was playing Rachel in 'Reckless' by Craig Lucas, my senior year of High School, and I remember after our first show thinking, "Oh, I hope I get to do this for the rest of my life."

Tell us a little about your theatrical training.

I trained for so long. I did my undergrad at the University of Southern California where teachers like Lora Zane and Brent Blair opened up my heart and imagination. I learned so much about myself in those four years. And THEN I went to Juilliard for Grad School. It was rigorous and challenging. I feel like I lived ten lives in those four years. I practiced ten hours a day, every day. It gave me the stamina to take on the meaty roles in the theatre and prepared me for an eight show a week schedule, but more importantly Juilliard introduced me to my friends and allies, and I was lucky enough to be mentored by the late, great, Jim Houghton.

What have been some of the challenges of your career?

There are many, but mainly, trusting in my own very special path. Not looking to the right or the left for guidance, but reaching within my own heart. And in the theatre, unfortunately, making a living. I have been fortunate enough to work very consistently- and I can assure you, there is work to be done here. I am proud of our Union, Actors Equity, and my friends who are working hard for a "Fair Wage on Stage."

We'd love to know a little about your character in Theo.

Beth Flynn is a single mom and recovering addict, grappling with the impending death of her mother, with whom she's had a complicated relationship. She's struggling for closure, acceptance, and peace. Sounds like a knee-slapper, right? I assure you, 'Theo', is filled with truth and beauty, and I believe anyone who has ever had a family, which is most of us, will be able to relate to this story.

How do you like working at Two River Theater and spending some time in Red Bank?

Everyone at Two River is so kind and so hard-working and supportive! It's an optimal place to birth a new play. And Red Bank is so charming. I love waking up every morning before rehearsal and sipping my coffee while looking out at the river, which is in clear view from my Actor Housing.

What would you like audiences to know about the show?

It's true. It's very personal and very true. When a writer, in this case, Martin Moran, is writing from personal experience, you can feel it, and it's special and very brave.

Anything else, absolutely anything you want BWW readers to know.

Oh no, not much. Just that I'm grateful for you! Anyone who is in the business of story-telling, or has a passion for theatre, it's a saving grace in our world.

Our readers can follow Andrea on twitter: @AndreaSyglowski

Ticket prices for Theo range from $50 to $70, with discounts available for groups, seniors, and U.S. military personnel, their families, and veterans. A limited number of $20 tickets are available for every performance; $20 tickets may be partial view. Tickets for patrons under 30 are $20 and include the best available seats at every performance. Tickets are available from https://tworivertheater.org/ or 732.345.1400.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Andrea Syglowski

Related Articles View More New Jersey Stories   Shows From This Author Marina Kennedy