Stephanie Bakal Productions

MY NEW FAMILY, is an adventure story told from the perspective of a little girl who leaves the orphanage where she’s lived since she was born for a life in a new country on the other side of the world. 

The book is a collaboration with Paris-based illustrator, Philippe Caron whose drawings have appeared in Elle, Harper's, Lire, The New Yorker, The New York Times and Vogue.  He has illustrated books for Hachette, Hatier, Mango, Nathan and Le Seuil, and his work has been exhibited around the world.

Until I was four-years old, I lived far, far away in a country on the other side of the world.

I didn’t always have a family.

When I was born I didn't have a mommy or daddy who could take care of me so I went to live in an orphanage with other kids like me.

One day, the ladies who took care of me came and showed me a book filled with pictures of people I didn't know and told me that this was my new family and that soon they would come take me to live with them."

excerpts from MY NEW FAMILY copyright 2018 by Stephanie Bakal

To learn more about the illustrator visit

Philippe Caron 

To read the illustrated manuscript or learn more about the project

email Stephanie Bakal.

Chelsea Clinton interview excerpts from Mailman School of Public Health video.  Produced for Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health by Room 608. Stephanie Bakal, Field Producer.

The Focus Forward Project provides a 12-week course to men and women charged with federal crimes. Graduates acquire crucial life skills in a supportive environment and create a plan for successful reentry.

Produced by Stephanie Bakal for The Focus Forward Project.

Scott Sinkler, Camera.

#Prison reform. #Mass incarceration.  #Reentry.

Segment produced by

Stephanie Bakal & Mark Mannucci

for CITY ARTS, Thirteen/WNET's Peabody and Emmy award-winning arts magazine series.

Featuring Beverly Blossom, INSTANT GIRL (Janet Bogardus, Joanna Heimbold, Susan Trout) and David Dorfman & Dan Froot.  

Series Producer, Jeff Folmsbee.  

Camera by Alex Rappoport.  

Executive Producer, Glenn DuBose.  

Full program credits at end of show.

Behind the scenes at Dance Theater Workshop's FRESH TRACKS auditions for emerging choreographers.
With David White, Keely Garfield, Guta Hedewig, Jody Oberfelder and more.

Segment Produced by Stephanie Bakal for CITY ARTS, the Channel Thirteen/WNET's Peabody and Emmy award-winning arts magazine show. 

Series Producer, Jeff Folmsbee.

Camera, Alex Rapport et al.

Executive Producer, Glenn DuBose.

See full program credits at end of show.

Segment produced by Stephanie Bakal about Dance Theater Workshop's CARNIVAL dance series.  

With DTW's David White, choreographers Maura Nguyen Donohue, Pat Hall & Jeremy Nelson and Village Voice dance critic, Elizabeth Zimmer.

Series Producer, Jeff Folmsbee, Camera by Alex Rappoport & Bob Achs.  Executive Producer, Glenn DuBose.  

Produced for Thirteen/WNET. Full program credits at end of show.

Excerpts from the final episode of DANCING, an eight-hour PBS series about the role dance plays in cultures around the world.  This film explores the role of dance in preserving Native American, Balinese, Polynesian, African-American and other traditional cultures in an increasingly global society.  

Featuring Peter Sellars, artistic and theater director; Paul Apodaca, Professor of Anthropology & Former Curator at the Bowers Museum in Los Angeles; James V. Burks,  Founding Director of the African Marketplace; dancers from the African Marketplace in L.A.; dancer I Made Bandem and the Children of Bali ensemble; folklorico students from Plaza de la Raza in Los Angeles; Judy Mitoma of World Arts & Culture at UCLA; actor, dancer and choreographer, Raoul Trujillo; the Woomera dancers from Mornington Island, Australia; the Dancers of Wallis & Futuna and dancer-choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar.

Stephanie Bakal, Producer & Co-Writer

Mark Obenhaus, Director

Deborah Dickson, Co-Director and Editor

DANCING was created and co-written by Rhoda Grauer

and was a co-production of Thirteen/WNET, the BBC and RM Arts.

Segment produced by Stephanie Bakal

about choreographer Donald Byrd's jazz take on the classical Nutcracker ballet.  

With music by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and David Berger based on Tchaikovsky.

Featuring David Berger, Donald Byrd, Eleanor McCoy, Gus Solomons, Jr., Elizabeth Parkinson and others.

Series Producer, Jeff Folmsbee.  

Produced as part of CITY ARTS, the award-winning arts magazine show for Thirteen/WNET.  

Full program credits at end of show.

Produced by Stephanie Bakal, Deborah Dickson, Ilana Trachtman
Chapter 1:  The Writer
Chapter 2:  The Publisher (Bakal)
Chapter 3:  The Review

Jeff Folmsbee, Series Producer;

Glenn DuBose, Executive Producer for Thirteen/WNET

See Full Show Credits at End of Program.

The Focus Forward Project provides a 12-week course to men and women charged with federal crimes. Graduates acquire crucial life skills in a supportive environment and create a plan for successful reentry.
Produced by Stephanie Bakal for The Focus Forward Project.

The Focus Forward Project provides a 12-week course to men and women charged with federal crimes. Graduates acquire crucial life skills in a supportive environment and create a plan for successful reentry. We hear from volunteer class facilitators and participants.  Produced by Stephanie Bakal for The Focus Forward Project.

Balinese dance master I Made Bandem with the Children of Bali ensemble and students from the Plaza de la Raza in Los Angeles. Featuring Balinese Sanghyang Dedari, Legong and Mexican Folkorico dances.

This clip is from the final episode of DANCING, an eight-hour PBS series about the role dance plays in cultures around the world.  This film explores the role of dance in preserving Native American, Balinese, Polynesian, African-American and other traditional cultures in an increasingly global society.  

Stephanie Bakal,  Producer & Co-Writer

Mark Obenhaus, Director

Deborah Dickson, Co-Director and Editor

DANCING was created and co-written by Rhoda Grauer

and was a co-production of Thirteen/WNET, the BBC and RM Arts.

The search for the most authentic Paella.  In this excerpt we visit with the farmers from Spain's Albufera region where they grow a special rice which is one of paella's essential ingredients. 

Excerpted from the pilot for a television series exploring cultures around the world as seen through the lens of food.   Shot on location in Valencia, Spain.  Produced for New Media, Inc. in association with the award-winning culinary magazine, SAVEUR, a publication of Meigher Communications.

Produced & Written by

Stephanie Bakal & Mark Mannucci

Director: Mark Mannucci

Camera: Alex Rappoport

Executive Producers:  Dorothy Kalins and Stephen Samuels.

The Woomera, from Mornington Island, Australia, come share their stories and dances at the Los Angeles Festival.  Excerpted from DANCING IN ONE WORLD, the last episode of DANCING, an eight-part series about dance and culture around the world.  This clip explores the challenges the Mornington Islanders have faced over the years in keeping their culture alive.

Stephanie Bakal, Producer & Co-Writer

Mark Obenhaus, Director

Deborah Dickson, Co-Director and Editor

DANCING was created and co-written by Rhoda Grauer

and was a co-production of Thirteen/WNET, the BBC and RM Arts.

This clip is from the final episode of DANCING, an eight-hour PBS series about the role dance plays in cultures around the world.  The film explores the role of dance in preserving Native American, Balinese, Polynesian, African-American and other traditional cultures in an increasingly global society, often under adverse conditions. 

Stephanie Bakal, Producer/Co-Writer

Mark Obenhaus, Director

Deborah Dickson, Co-Director and Editor

DANCING was created and co-written by Rhoda Grauer

and was a co-production of Thirteen/WNET, the BBC and RM Arts.

Video component of an exhibition designed by Ralph Appelbaum for The New York Public Library's Centennial Celebration.  Includes interviews with Bill T. Jones, Arthur Miller, Peggy Noonan, Richard John Neuhaus, Oren Lyons and others.

Stephanie Bakal, Co-Producer

Carol Stein, Producer-Director, Video

Joe Lovett, Executive Producer, Video

Harry Chancey, Jr., Creative Director

Ralph Appelbaum, Exhibition Designer

Collaboration between choreographer Susan Marshall, filmmaker Mark Obenhaus & composer Pauline Oliveros

for PBS/ALIVE FROM OFF CENTER. 

Executive Producer, Alyce Dissette.

Full show credits at end of program.

Stephanie Bakal, Co-Producer.