Alley All New Festival 2024: Who’s Who

Ciara Anderson is a Chi-town native and a self appointed honorary Houstonian, she got her BFA in Musical Theatre from Sam Houston State University. Some of her recent credits include August in the Park: Seven Guitars (Ruby) 4th Wall: Fairview (Keisha), A.D Players: Miss Maude, Apollo 8, No One Owns Me. She is also a teaching artist for the Alley Theatre’s education department where she has found an additional passion for arts education. She gives all glory to God for every opportunity to do what she loves and would like to thank her family and friends and loved ones for their unwavering support of her in everything she does.

Ja’Yanna Brown is an actor at the University of Houston, her recent roles include How I Learned to Play Tennis by Comfort Katchy, Fish’s Belly by Jaurius Norman, She Dead Now by Cynthia Garcia,  Fefu and Her Friends by Maria Fornes,  By The Way, Meet Vera Stark by Lynn Nottage.

Kendrick “KayB” Brown is a resident of Houston, TX. He has a degree in Drama from PVAMU and after graduating started teaching in HISD. Currently teaching at Thurgood Marshall High School (FBISD) for his 3rd year, but has been in education for the last 16 years. Most recent credits: The Piano Lesson (Lymon); Seven Guitars (Floyd); Fences (Lyons); Pipeline (Dunn); I Too, Am America (Multiple roles); Lilies of the Field (Homer Smith); Too Heavy For my Pockets (Bowzie) and many others. Follow me on InstaGram: @kaybthatsme

Candice D’Meza is a multidisciplinary artist whose work has been exhibited by CAMH, UH, Colgate University, DiverseWorks and others. Her play Miss LaRaj’s House of Dystopian Futures will premiere with The Catastrophic Theatre in February 2025. Alley Theatre: Skeleton Crew, The Cake; Alley All New: The Bleeding Class, Survivors: An Alamo Play, When We Left, Put Your House In Order. Candicedmeza.com

comfort ifeoma katchy, a native Houstonian, is a rising third-year MFA Playwriting Candidate at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. Her plays, The Alley and Stray Dogs were most recently workshopped for the Langston Hughes Festival and the New Play Lab. She was most recently seen on stage at Rec Room Arts in Is God Is and at the Yale Cabaret in Pride of Doves. Cheers 🥂

Ethan Mitchell is ecstatic to return to Alley Theatre! Previously: Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, The Bleeding Class (Alley All New Festival 2023), Cowboy Bob, High School Play: A Nostalgia Fest. Seven seasons and over 20 productions at Theatre Under the Stars. Houston Ballet: Coppélia, The Merry Widow, Marie, and The Nutcracker (2019-2022). ZACH Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. Ethan has a BFA in Theatre from Texas State University, and is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association.

Brandon J. Morgan a Houston native, has been a professional actor for nine years. In that time he has been blessed to be involved in over 70 productions. Voted “Best Actor of 2020” and “Best Everywhere We Looked Actor of 2019” by Houston Press. Brandon has worked for many theatres; in Houston: Stages Repertory Theatre, My Mañana Comes; Houston Grand Opera, Romeo & Juliet; Alley Theatre, Skeleton Crew; Main Street Theatre, Love and Information; Ensemble Theatre, Platanos y Collard Greens; and Rec Room Theatre, PassOver. Brandon’s only intent is to be as natural as an actor can be. @actoratwork88 #NeverNotWorking

Jordan Okeke’s recent credits include The Lexington Theatre Co.: Memphis (Gator), Stages Houston: (World Premiere) You Are Cordially Invited to Sit-In (Leo), Mildred’s Umbrella Thea. Co.: Hunger In Paradise (D), The Forestburgh Playhouse: Escape to Margaritaville (Jamal). BFA: Sam Houston State University, expected spring 2025. | IG- j.okeke

Joseph “Joe P.” Palmore is a product of Jack Yates HS in Houston and Clark Atlanta University. He lives with the creative purpose of exploring and establishing himself as a playwright and director, nationally televised poet, award-winning actor, and teacher. Joe P has performed with such theatre houses as The Ensemble Theatre, Stages Repertory Theatre, 4th Wall Theatre Co., AD Players, and The Alley Theatre. His acting journey has since spread to commercial work and short film appearances. He has also partnered with Young Audiences of Houston, LINKS, and The World Youth Foundation, impacting the lives of youth and creating platforms for adult artists. Under his own umbrella, Joe P founded ACTing Up Studios to combine poetic and theatrical influences – helping students of the art to begin to shape themselves into true performance artists and life leaders. For his valiant efforts, Joe was awarded the “Leadership in Action” Congressional Recognition award for his services to youth. Gifted also with the spoken word, encouraging purpose living through his poetry, Joe featured on numerous stages across the United States, including a Season 4 performance on the nationally televised Lexus Verses and Flow on TV One. His poem entitled The Value of Life garnered viral attention, as his words inspire change and depict the societal conditions of the African American community. Joe has been dedicated to continually developing his craft, as well as helping others to find their purpose through the creative arts.

LaKeisha Rochelle Randle was recently nominated for Houston Press Best Actress and Supporting Actress awards for her roles in Stagolee and The Piano Lesson. Other notable roles include Billie Holiday (Lady Day) and Maya Angelou (Phenomenal Woman). Co-owner of The Shack Houston Restaurant, she holds a Master’s in Nonprofit Business Management and enjoys helping nonprofits find funding solutions. Contact: lakeisharandle@yahoo.com.

ShaWanna Renee Rivon is an award-winning and nationally renowned playwright and producer. ShaWanna’s success grew with urban plays such as Cheaper to Keep Her and Marriage Material, which starred Vivica Fox, Brian McKnight, and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins (of “TLC”), both of which toured nationally. ShaWanna earned her BFA in Playwriting and Dramaturgy from the University of Houston. As a developing creative, ShaWanna discovered her niche and artists mission: to create period-piece comedies centered around the lives of Black women. In this, she has begun the development of her 7-play cycle, the first of which is Old Black and White Hollywood, about a 1950’s Black woman comic who desires to become the first Black female movie star. Old Black & White Hollywood was developed with Matt Chapman, Suzan-Lori Parks and Theresa Rebeck, the play also won Edward Albee Playwriting Award, was apart of The Alley All New Festival, and will have a workshop production at The Loft Ensemble Spring 2025. The second installment of her 7-Play Cycle, Power to the Queendom, was developed with the Rec Room Writers. Set in 1970s Houston, the script about a group of female Black Panthers is loosely based on a true story, produced in Los Angeles at the Loft Ensemble Spring ‘24. The third installment of the 7-play cycle, You’re Cordially Invited to Sit-In is about the 1960 sit-in demonstration that took place in Houston, had its world- premiere at Stages Theatre Spring 2022. ShaWanna was commissioned by Performing Arts Houston as a New Now recipient for her play Emancipation! Emancipation has been picked up by The Hobby Center for their Discovery Series, Feburary 2025.

Helen Cespedes Broadway: The Cripple of Inishmaan. Off-Broadway: Spain (Second Stage), Fefu and Her Friends and Timon of Athens (TFANA), Paul Swan is Dead and Gone (Civilians), The School For Scandal (Red Bull). Regional: Williamstown, Guthrie, Old Globe, Two River, Hartford Stage, Goodman. TV: Law & Order; The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel; Search Party; The Knick. Training: Juilliard.

Zachary Fine is thrilled to be back at Alley Theatre where he most recently appeared in Pictures from Home, The Servant of Two Masters, and Edward Albee’s Seascape. Broadway: China Doll with Al Pacino, Off-Broadway/Regional: The Acting Company, Mint Theater Company, Fiasco, Red Bull, TFANA, Pearl, Bedlam, Guthrie, McCarter, Folger (Helen Hayes Award), Shakespeare Theater DC, Asolo, Playmakers. As a playwright, his play Bewilderness was a Steinberg/ATCA New Play Nominee. He teaches on the faculty at NYU and is a founding faculty member of Fiasco Theater’s Conservatory.

Chris Hury is pleased to return to Alley Theatre after acting in last year’s Alley All New Festival and playing George Wallace and Richard Nixon in Great Society in 2018. He works regularly on stage and screen, appearing in Revolution, Chase, and The Good Guys. BFA Acting, Southern Methodist University.

Rob Melrose is the Artistic Director of the Alley Theatre where he has directed productions of Pictures from Home, Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium (world premiere), The Servant of Two Masters, Born with Teeth (world premiere), Sweat, The Winter’s Tale, 1984, and Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and adapted and directed A Christmas Carol. He was formerly the Artistic Director and co-founder of the Cutting Ball Theater. He has directed at The Public Theater, The Guthrie Theater, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Rep, Magic Theatre, The Old Globe, and PlayMakers Rep among others. He has taught at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, USF, the University of Rhode Island, and Marin Academy. He has a BA in English and Theater from Princeton University and an MFA in directing from the Yale School of Drama. Rob directed Strindberg’s Svarta Handsken (The Black Glove) in Stockholm, Sweden at Strindberg’s Intimate Theater. His translations of Woyzeck, Ubu Roi, and Pelleas & Melisande have been published by EXIT Press and his adaptations of The Servant of Two Masters and A Christmas Carol have been published by Theatrical Rights Worldwide. He has written a number of plays including: Helen of Troy, The Flat Earth, Divorsosaurus, When Human Voices Wake Us, Asylum, and Serpentyne and has written a rock musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s Ozma of Oz.

Ethan Mitchell is ecstatic to return to Alley Theatre! Previously: Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, The Bleeding Class (Alley All New Festival 2023), Cowboy Bob, High School Play: A Nostalgia Fest. Seven seasons and over 20 productions at Theatre Under the Stars. Houston Ballet: Coppélia, The Merry Widow, Marie, and The Nutcracker (2019-2022). ZACH Theatre: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. Ethan has a BFA in Theatre from Texas State University, and is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association.

Helen Rios is thrilled to be part of the Alley All New Festival. Select credits include: Stages: POTUS (Stephanie), Body of Christie (Erin); Ensemble Theatre: Pick Me Last (Ms. Yancy); Shakespeare in the Shade: Twelfth Night (Viola), All’s Well that Ends Well (Helen); Main Street Theater: Stuart Little (Mrs. Little). @Totallyhelen

Sharr White’s Broadway credits include: Pictures from Home, at Studio 54, directed by Bartlett Sher, starring Nathan Lane, Danny Burstein and Zoe Wannamaker; The Snow Geese, at Manhattan Theatre Club, starring Mary Louise Parker and directed by Daniel Sullivan; and The Other Place, at Manhattan Theatre Club with Joe Mantello directing Laurie Metcalf (Tony nom). Off Broadway: The True with The New Group, featuring Edie Falco, Michael McKean, Peter Scolari, and John Pankow, directed by Scott Elliott; Annapurna, at The New Group, starring Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally; and The Other Place, at MCC Theatre, with Laurie Metcalf (Lucille Lortel and Obie awards), directed by Joe Mantello (Lucille Lortel nom). For television, White has written and produced for Showtime’s The Affair; the Starz series Sweetbitter; created the Netflix limited series Halston (Ewan McGregor, Emmy); was Executive Producer and co-showrunner for Generation on HBO Max; and, for Apple, the David E. Kelley/Bad Robot helmed Presumed Innocent (Executive Producer), and the Kristin Wiig-helmed Palm Royale (Executive Producer).

Bradley Atuba Stages: A Case for the Existence of God (Keith), Dallas Theater Center: Trouble in Mind (Sheldon Forrester), Cake Ladies (Antonio), etc. M.F.A in Acting from SMU and a member of AEA. Signed to Mary Collins Agency, a Theatre Scholar-in-Residence at University of Houston, and streaming Cowboy Carter.

Brandon Hearnsberger Alley Theatre: 21 productions including Dial M for Murder (co-production with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Sherlock Holmes and The Case of The Jersey Lily, Cowboy Bob, and Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me A Soprano. 4th Wall: The Thanksgiving Play, Gloria. Voiceover for video games and anime. More at brandonhearnsberger.com.

Gloria Majule is a storyteller born and raised in Dodoma, Tanzania. She seeks to tell stories that bring multiple black voices together from across the world, and are accessible to black audiences no matter where they are. She writes for and about Africans and the African diaspora. Gloria has been commissioned by Audible and Atlantic Theater Company. Her work has been supported by Vassar’s Powerhouse Theater, The New Harmony Project, Seattle Public Theater, The New Group, and Great Plains Theater Commons among others. Her canon includes Culture Shock (Winner: Leah Prize, Finalist: O’Neill, Alliance/Kendeda, BAPF ), Uhuru (Finalist: Blue Ink Award, Premiere Stages, BAPF), My Father was Shot in the Back of the Head (Finalist: O’Neill, Seven Devils, Orchard Project), and Fifteen Hundred (Finalist: Seven Devils). Gloria was a guest speaker for the Courageous Art Panel at Starbucks, and the President’s Tea at Vassar College. BA: Cornell University, MFA: Yale School of Drama.

Michael Leonel Sifuentes is a Latinx actor from Houston and is honored to be once again a part of Alley Theatre’s Alley All New Festival. Recent credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Houston Shakespeare Festival), Clyde’s (The Ensemble Theatre), Cloud Tectonics (ConcertiaHTX), Aunt Julia & The Scriptwriter (Main Street Theater).

Eileen J. Morris is the Artistic Director of The Ensemble Theatre and has produced over 96 productions. Eileen was named 2023 Best Artistic Director by Houston Press.  She has enjoyed working with Alley Theatre over the years in several capacities- in 2021, as associate director with Rob Melrose for the play, Sweat; directing for the Alley All New Festival; performing as the first Black Mrs. Cratchit in Michael Wilson’s A Christmas Carol and in August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. Her most recent Ensemble Theatre directing credits include Stew and The Piano Lesson.  A proud member of SDC (Stage Directors and Choreographers), Eileen holds the distinction of being the ONLY woman in the world to direct nine of the August Wilson Ten Play Cycle.  One more to go! Gem of the Ocean.  www.ensemblehouston.com.

Trinity A. Nobles Selected credits include Alley Theatre: Primary Trust, Alley All New Festival 2024: Uhuru and Zero Hour (SM); Stages: the ripple, the wave, that carried me home (SM), Miss Rhythm: The Legend Of Ruth Brown (SM), Othello: The Remix (SM), Always… Patsy Cline (SM), Drag Wonderettes (SM), You Are Cordially Invited to Sit-In (SM), MacGyver: The Musical (SM); Theatre Under The Stars: Frozen (ASM), Cinderella (ASM), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (ASM); BFA: Stage Management, University of Houston.

Kory LaQuess Pullam was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas. He has been blessed to work on stage across the nation, includ­ing the Guthrie, Alley Theatre, Mixed Blood, Park Square, Stages Repertory, Penumbra, Ensemble, and many more. Catch Kory next in Death of a Salesman at Rec Room Arts and keep up with him on social media by following @laquess.

Teresa Zimmermann Alley Theatre: Dial M for Murder (Margot Wendice), Amerikin (Michelle), A Christmas Carol (Belle, Ensemble, Swing), Survi­vors: an Alamo Play (Susanna Dickinson). Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park: Dial M for Murder (Margot Wendice). Theatre Under The Stars: Rent (Maureen Johnson), Rock of Ages (Regina), Jerome Robbins Broadway (Ma, Golde, Elektra), Sweeney Todd (Ensemble, U/S Lovett). Stages: Roe (Norma McCorvey/Jane Roe). Great American Trailer Park Musical (Pickles), Veronica’s Room (Girl). Much love to the fam, the fram, Bennie, Kolache and Will!

Tea Alagić is an internationally acclaimed, multilingual director, actor, playwright and producer. Based in NYC, her credits include off-Broadway, regional and international productions of both traditional theater and devised work. She holds a BFA in acting from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, and an MFA in directing from the Yale School of Drama, where she received the Julian Milton Kaufman Prize in Directing. She serves as professor of directing and collaboration at MFA, The New School for Drama since (2012,) from (2016 – 2020) she served as Head of Directing Department for BFA and MFA.

Timothy Eric is a native Houstonian. This year, he performed in Rec Room Arts’ production of Spring Awakening and Main Street Theatre’s World Premiere of Stagolee & the Funeral of a Dangerous Word, by Thomas Meloncon, for which he was named Best Actor of 2023-24 by HoustonPress.com.  @timothyeric @timeric #GoTigers

Adam Gibbs has appeared in five world premieres with Alley Theatre. He’s an avid woodworker, musician, and cook. His greatest blessings are B,M, & R. He’s prominently known as a voice actor for countless anime and video game titles. For booking information and more visit iamadamgibbs.com.

Danny Hayes is thrilled to be part of Alley All New Festival! Other Theatre Credits Include: The Woman in Black (Main Street Theater), The Father (4th Wall Theatre), Kingdom Undone, The Play That Goes Wrong (A.D Players), The School for Scandal (Classical Theatre Company). Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.

Annalee Jefferies was a company member with Alley Theatre from 1986-2007. She was recently seen on four episodes of “Queen Sugar,” season three on OWN. She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London.

Clara Marsh is an artist based in both the Twin Cities and Houston. She has had the opportunity to create work with  theatre companies such as: Main Street Theatre, Rec Room, Theatre Pro Rata, Wayward Theatre, and BARd Shakes. She is a proud graduate of both the UMN/Guthrie BFA program, and HSPVA.

Matthew Martínez is an actor based in Houston, Texas. He studied acting as a BFA at the University of Houston. He recently finished a tour with Alley Theatre’s Oskar & the Big Bully Battle where he played Frank. Matthew is very excited to work with such talented artists on Zero Hour.

Trinity A. Nobles Selected credits include Alley Theatre: Primary Trust, Alley All New Festival 2024: Uhuru and Zero Hour (SM); Stages: the ripple, the wave, that carried me home (SM), Miss Rhythm: The Legend Of Ruth Brown (SM), Othello: The Remix (SM), Always… Patsy Cline (SM), Drag Wonderettes (SM), You Are Cordially Invited to Sit-In (SM), MacGyver: The Musical (SM); Theatre Under The Stars: Frozen (ASM), Cinderella (ASM), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (ASM); BFA: Stage Management, University of Houston.

Elizabeth Stahlmann Alley Theatre: The Humans, The Cake, Broadway: Slave Play; Off-Broadway: Here There Are Blueberries (NYTW); Slave Play (Mark Taper); Grounded (Westport);  Acting Company;  Guthrie Theater; La Jolla; Shakespeare Theater of DC. TV: “City on a Hill,” “The Equalizer,” “Law & Order: SVU” Training: University of MN/Guthrie Theater (BFA), Yale (MFA).

Christian Tannous is thrilled to be returning to the Alley for such an incredible opportunity to help develop new and challenging work. Christian was last seen at the Alley as an understudy in And Then There Were None. Other credits around Houston include: The Sound Inside (Christopher Dunn) at 4th Wall Theatre Co., Kingdom Undone (Jesus of Nazareth) at A.D. Players, and Appropriate (Franz) at Dirt Dogs Theatre Co.

Raven Justine Troup is excited to be participating in another production with the Alley Theatre! Previous Alley credits include: Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium (Laurencia), Seascape (Sarah); Amerikin (Chris); A Christmas Carol (Belle/Mrs. Fred), Sophia (Xerxes), Alley All New Festival 2019; and Skeleton Crew (Assistant Director). Other credits: Sanctuary City (4th Wall Theatre Co); Rent, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Elf the Musical, Spring Awakening, Seussical the Musical, Mamma Mia, The Wiz (TUTS); Little Shop Of Horrors (Stages); For Colored Girls… (Obsidian); and Funny Girl (Art Factory).

Lily Wolff is a British-American theatre director, new play dramaturg, and former Alley Theatre literary manager. Recently, Lily directed a workshop of Hilary Bettis’ Falcon Girls (formerly Untitled Horse Play, Alley All New Festival 2023) at Chautauqua Theatre Company. Currently, she is in pre-production for the Rolling World Premiere of Gabriel Jason Dean’s Rift and developing Liz Egloff’s (Ether Dome, Alley Theatre) new play Dinner at the Majestic. International: Mrs President (Edinburgh Festival Fringe). Regional: Instructions for a Séance (Amphibian Stage), Wolf Play, Hurricane Diane (Rec Room Arts), The Oresteia (University of Houston), From White Plains (Thunderclap Productions), The Madres (Shrewd Productions), A Bright Room Called Day (Southwestern University), Cry It Out (Theatre en Bloc), The Effect (Capital T Theatre), Lungs (Hyde Park Theatre), Gidion’s Knot (Capital T Theatre). Training: The University of Texas at Austin, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Pandemic Parenthood.