Introducing the Cast & Creatives for
GROUP!
Shelby Solla (she/her) is a playwright and theatre artist based in Brooklyn. Her plays have been produced at the PIT Loft, Pittsburgh New Works Festival (Runner-Up: Best LabWorks Production), Undiscovered Countries’ Infinite Festival, and the Lounge at Dixon Place. As an improviser, she has performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade’s Del Close Marathon.
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Keira McGill (she/they) is a New York based playwright and comedian. They graduated from Marymount’s Writing for the Stage program in 2017, where they wrote the first staged production Witch, Please, which went on to have a run at the sadly now closed, PIT Theater. They are stoked to get to collaborate with one of their favorite writers, Shelby Solla, on a subject they are passionate about: therapy and accessible mental health care. They are grateful for the amazing director, Sarah Rosenthal, the HARP team (Rikki Ziegelman and Hayden Anderson), stage manager Kayla Michele Williams and the incredible group of actors who have made this digital intro back into the theater world an incredible experience.
Sarah Rosenthal (she/her) is a New York-based director and educator. Recent directorial projects have debuted at Milwaukee JCC, SheNYC Arts, Primary Stages ESPA, Feinstein’s/54 Below, The PIT Loft, The Tank, Undiscovered Countries’, and Dixon Place. She holds Bachelors degrees in Theatre Directing & Communication and Media Arts from Marymount Manhattan College, and will be pursuing an MEd at Harvard University beginning this fall.
Kayla Michelle Williams she/her
is an artist, writer, and stage manager from Austin, Texas. She studied Theatre Production & Management, Digital Media & Video Production, and Playwrighting at Marymount Manhattan College. There she discovered her passion for storytelling, the creative process, and the community art creates. She previously worked with HARP Theatricals on The Lady Power Project, Death And Taxes, and The Yellow Wallpaper as the Production Stage Manager.
Melissa Aquiles (she/her) is a Luso-American actor, writer, and comedian based in New York City. She’s a theater graduate of Marymount Manhattan College and has trained at UCB and the Peoples Improv Theater where she is currently a teacher. She is a co-creator of Jack and Melissa Comedy with her fiance/comedy partner Jack Frederick. Together they create/produce filmed and lives comedy of all forms. Currently, they produce a show about nostalgia called “Wait a Minute, What?” on Cracked that Melissa hosts. They’ve also been featured in Refinery29, Paste Magazine, and more. Her individual credits include Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS), Pixar in Real Life (HBO MAX), Elite Daily, and more. She’s performed in various festivals, such as SoloFest, Diverse As F**K fest, and SketchFest (featured performer) in NYC. In the before times she hosted a monthly comedy show in a sex shop basement called Joyride. Melissa is a current student of the Terry Knickerbocker Studio in Brooklyn.
Jodi Beck (she/her) began her career as a stage actress appearing off-Broadway, regionally throughout the US and in Hong Kong. In addition, this Akron, Ohio native, created and produced 8 solo shows for stages across NYC to sold out audiences. Her self-produced debut EP album Never Gonna Be Easy has sold in 8 countries. In 2013, she was paired as a director with a new musical, Dear Prospective Student, as a part of The West Village Music Theatre Festival. Jodi became the show’s director and lead producer. Dear Prospective Student was scheduled to open off-Broadway May of this year but has been postponed due to the pandemic. In partnership with FangWill Productions, she produced and starred in the short film, The Last Job, shot on location in Costa Rica in December 2020.
Macarena Ramos-Hernández (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist and educator born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She currently works for numerous teaching artist companies in New York City, including City Center Encores!, Illuminart Productions, and Naked Angels 3T Company. Macarena is very passionate about arts for social change and making art accessible for all communities. She has a BFA in Acting with a double concentration in directing from Marymount Manhattan College. Macarena’s artistic work tends to center around the concept of “home.” Through poetic writing, she explores what it means to live in “la diaspora.” She is currently a Graduate student at NYU Gallatin pursuing a degree in Arts for social justice, human rights, and education using media and performing arts. Recently she showcased her first documentary film Una Célula Soleada at the NYU Gallatin Arts Festival. For more information on Macarena's artistic work including previous acting and directing credits please visit https://www.macarenaramos.com
Ned Parker (they/them) is a comedic writer & performer based in Chicago. On the average day you can find Ned as Zil Nire on Dungeons, Dice, & Everything Nice, or as the co-host of Wisteria Gays, a Desperate Housewives rewatch podcast. On the un-average day you can find them in a little hole watching horror movies or on twitter @nedjorts.
Jamie Green (he/him/his) is a queer actor, writer, and teaching artist from Fairfax County, VA, currently based in New York City. He received his BFA in Acting from Marymount Manhattan College, is certified in Interactive & Immersive Theatre, and is trained in trauma-informed teaching. Select credits: Romeo (Romeo & Juliet), Bottom (Midsummer), Coneybear (Spelling Bee), Titania (Midsummer).
Bryce Valle (he/him/his) Born and raised in Queens, NY, Bryce is no stranger to the hustle. Received his degree in Musical Theatre from Marymount Manhattan College and was on the move soon after. From a summer in Ohio, to theme parks, to regional theatre, to cruise ships and off broadway; it's no secret that he loves an adventure. Before COVID, he was a Playlist Singer for Carnival Cruise Lines and life has done everything but stop. Since the pandemic he has been in multiple zoom productions and concerts, organized a silent protest against police brutality and has released two singles (released on all platforms, with an EP coming in the fall). He hopes to return to the seas so he can close the chapter he wasn't ready to close. IG: @brycevalle Spotify: Bryce Valle