About Unity Stage

Sofia founded Unity Stage Company to bring the wonder of live theater to her Western Queens hometown. She launched her own storied theater career as a stage actor, studying drama at Northwestern University where she performed everything from Greek tragedy, Shakespeare and restoration comedy to Second City Improv. Sofia acted with several of America’s leading repertory companies, including Connecticut’s Long Wharf and Stamford Theatres, Baltimore Center Stage, Albany’s Capital Rep (which she co-founded), and Actors’ Theatre of Louisville. Sofia received a Drama Desk nomination for her Off-Broadway performance of the title role in Peg O’ My Heart. On Broadway, Sofia played Clelia in Larry Shue’s comedy The Nerd.

Sofia is honored to be one of that bunch of New York actors lucky enough to play a featured role on TV’s Law and Order (Benevolence). She has the unique distinction of having “died” while co-starring in three daytime dramas — accidentally with a fireplace poker on Guiding Light, driving her car off a cliff on Another World, and being stabbed to death on As the World Turns! She then spent fifteen years as an Emmy award-winning dialogue writer for numerous television “soaps.”

As a playwright Sofia adapted the novels “The Railway Children” and “Mysterious Mansions” into works for the stage. She directed Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang at Queens Theater in the Park (Outrageous Fortune Co.) With Unity Stage Company Sofia directed her own adaptation of Moliere’s Pretentious Young Ladies (with original songs by Tom Ashton), Six Cylinder Love, Loyalties, Spreading the News, many of the pieces in 2011’s and 2012’s Figgy Pudding Short Play Fest and all of Unity Stage’s Children’s Musicals from 2009 through 2012. Her directing work with teens includes Urinetown, the Musical!, A History of the American Film by Christopher Durang, and Like You Like It, a rock musical version of Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Sofia’s proudest accomplishment is that of mom to her two brilliant, creative, and kind daughters, Martha Joan (M.J.) Geier – President of Ticking Clock Productions, and Hallie K. Geier.

Andrea Davey-Gislason (Choreographer, AnnieKIDS) is excited to join the Unity Stage creative team! A teaching artist and choreographer, Andrea believes in the transformative power that the arts can have in every child’s life. For over a decade she has taught dance and musical theater in NYC public schools, guiding her students to share their art, ideas, and unique perspectives with their audience. Andrea teaches and choreographs for National Dance Institute, New York City Center, and directs the NDI/Dance by C.L.E.S program, a training program for Lebanese teaching artists that brings dance and music to public school children throughout Lebanon. As a performer, Davey-Gislason served as dance captain for many regional shows as well as the national tour of Contact. Some favorite roles included Kristine in A Chorus Line, Tess in Crazy for You, and Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She served as resident choreographer for the Camden Shakespeare Company (Maine) and the Anonymous Ensemble (NYC). She performed works with Clay Taliaferro and Dancers, Josh Walden Dance Theatre, and Ways and Means Dance Company. She loves living in Jackson Heights with her family – her most meaningful creative collaboration to date is her marriage to Eirik, and every day she is more and more proud of their two sensational “productions,” Cici and Sydney.

Joshua Evan Eiger is excited to be the Music Director for Unity Stage’s production of Annie KIDS! He believes in creating a positive rehearsal environment to foster a love of music and theater in a new generation of kids. Joshua received his B.A. in Music from the University of Virginia, graduating with high distinction and his M.A. in Writing and Design for Musical Theater from Berklee NYC.  In his time at UVA, Joshua studied classical voice and piano and performed with the University Singers, Chamber Singers, Hoos in the Stairwell, Spectrum Theater, and First Year Players. Joshua placed first in musical theater in 2020 in the Virginia NATS Singing Competition. At the direction of Dr. Mirabella Yang, Joshua was in a production of Die Zauberflöte in the Summer of 2019. Joshua has participated in masterclasses with Tony Award Winner Jessie Mueller, and Broadway actors Ciara Rene and Ben Bogen. In February 2020, Joshua performed in the REACH at the Kennedy Center and was featured as a soloist in the Neapolitan favorite, “Funiculi, Funicula.” Joshua’s most recent experience working with kids includes Little Shop of Horrors and High School Musical as well as vocal coaching for youth ages 5 to 15. With over ten years of vocal experience, a big smile, and a positive attitude, Joshua can’t wait to get into the room and start teaching some of the most iconic songs in the musical theater canon!