Jahna Ferron-Smith (Playwright, she/her) Jahna Ferron-Smith is a Lila Acheson Wallace Playwriting Fellow at the Juilliard School, as well as a member of the Obie Award-winning playwrights collective, Youngblood. Her plays have been performed at Ensemble Studio Theatre, and the Samuel French Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival. Her plays include, THE WOODS. (developed at SPACE on Ryder Farm) SIR. (published by Samuel French), and SALT: A Rom Com (The Lark Jerome New York Fellowship Finalist).
Colette Robert (Director, she/her/hers) is a Los Angeles native currently based in New York. Recent directing credits include STEW (Page 73, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Antonyo Nominations), Native Son (PlayMakers Rep), On the Exhale (Chester Theatre Company, Berkshire Theatre Critics Award: Best Solo Performance), Behind the Sheet (Ensemble Studio Theatre, NYTimes’ Critics Pick, AUDELCO and Outer Critics Circle Nominations), and Mary’s Wedding (Chester Theatre Company). As a playwright, her play The Harriet Holland Social Club presents the 84th Annual Star-Burst Cotillion in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel received a grant from New York City’s Women’s Film, TV, and Theatre Fund for a production in 2021 (co-produced by New Georges and The Movement Theatre Company). Colette is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre, a New Georges affiliated artist, and an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College. She was previously an Audrey Resident and Jam Co-Leader with New Georges, a Van Lier Directing Fellow at The Public, and The Drama League's 2018 Beatrice Terry Director in Residence. Alumnus of the Mabou Mines Resident Artist Program, Lincoln Center Directors Lab and The Civilians R&D Group. M.A., RADA and King’s College, London. B.A., Yale University. www.coletterobert.com.
CAST (alphabetically)
Harron Atkins (MIKE, he/him) is a writer/actor who graduated from Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama. His acting credits include Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games), Kragtar: An American Monster Musical (Theatre Now New York) and Millicient Scowlworthy (Uncanny Valley). His plays have been produced at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Normal Ave Theatre, Two Headed Rep, and Dixon Place. He was a 2019 WGA Writers Room Fellow and he is currently a fellow in Sesame Street's Writers Room Workshop. Harron is committed to creating art that battles repression, celebrates authenticity, and encourages the pursuit of unapologetic truth.
Michael Braugher (JIM, he/him) is an actor and musician from South Orange, NJ. As an actor, some of his favorite recent roles have been Blue in Paradise Blue by Dominique Morriseau and Jaques in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. As a musician, he has opened for artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Mos Def, as well as composing music for ABC's "Live! With Kelly and Michael”. MFA: Juilliard. Headshot Credit: Gregory Costanzo
Nicholas Braun (BEN, him/he) stars in HBO’s drama series SUCCESSION as 'Cousin Greg.’ Past credits include HOW TO BE SINGLE, STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT, PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER and Disney’s SKY HIGH. Next up, he stars in A24's ZOLA, directed by Janicza Bravo, written by Jeremy O’Harris and Bravo, based on a viral series of tweets. Headshot Credit: Zenith Richards
Jasmine Carmichael (MAYA, she/they) is excited to be making her AYE DEFY debut in THE WOODS. Her prior regional acting credits include the IRNE award winning production of Milk Like Sugar (Huntington Theatre Company), Jazz and Dance of the Holy Ghost (Baltimore Center Stage). Jasmine can be seen as the cunning con artist Gina on Amazon’s Sneaky Pete. Other television credits include Blue Bloods, Chicago PD, and Law&Order: SVU. Jasmine has starred in several award winning indie features including Romeo and Juliet in Harlem, Runaway and To The Flame. Recently, she made her directorial debut in the Mason Gross Rutgers University production of Leni and Joseph. Jasmine is a proud alumni of Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts. Headshot Credit: Ambe J. Willliams
Tia Cassmira (STAGE DIRECTIONS, she/her/hers) is a first-generation Trinidadian American actress and dancer from Queens, New York. Her recent credits include Waterwell Theatre Production’s alumni performance of The Courtroom (Judge Easterbrook), Chester’s Big Day (Maya), Retro Factory’s Le Freak (Diana Ross), and Between the Lines (Alex). When she's not pursuing a career in the arts, Tia loves spending time with her family and writing. www.TiaCassmira.com. Headshot Credit: Emily Lambert
Will Dagger (DAVE, he/him) has helped develop new work at Primary Stages, Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, The Civilians, The Actors Studio, and The New Group. Recent stage credits: AMONG THE DEAD (Ma-Yi), THE CONVENT OF PLEASURE (Cherry Lane), TREES IN THEIR YOUTH (Signature Center), LATTER DAYS (Dutch Kills), and NAPOLEON IN EXILE (59E59). His performance in a short film adaptation of the latter earned him Best Actor Award from the 30under30 Festival. TV: LAW & ORDER: SVU (NBC), I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE(HBO), and DECEPTION (ABC). Will is a proud member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and an alum of Kenyon College, and he also writes songs.
Starr Kirkland (KIM, she/her) is an actor and spoken word artist from California based in New York. Recent and favorite credits include TJ loves Sally 4 Ever (Jack), of the woman…(Normal Ave), HOTTENTOTTED (The Tank), Julius Caesar (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival), Hephaestus (LPAC), The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Columbia Stages), and The Average-Sized Mermaid (State of Play). She works with Realize Your Beauty promoting self-esteem and positive body image through theatre arts, and performs an original one-woman show promoting literacy at The Morgan Library and Museum as Belle da Costa Greene. Thanks, Loves! www.starrkirkland.com.
Drew Lewis (DAVE G., he/him/his) is a Brooklyn-based actor, writer & director. Selected theater: India Pale Ale (Manhattan Theatre Club); 37th Marathon of One-Act Plays (Ensemble Studio Theatre); Love's Labour's Lost, Romeo & Juliet (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival). He's developed new work at The Public, NYTW, Playwrights Horizons, MTC & EST. His plays have been semi-finalists for the National Theater Conference at the O'Neill & the Bay Area Playwrights Festival. His short film Androgen premiered at the Florida Film Festival. TV: Alternatino; Succession; Mozart in the Jungle; Blue Bloods; Hack My Life. Upcoming/Postponed: Brittany K. Allen's Redwood at EST. Member of Ensemble Studio Theatre. BA from Kenyon College. thedrewlewis.com. Headshot Credit: Todd Estrin
Rachel Sachnoff (EMILY, she/her/hers) is an actress based in New York. She's developed exciting new theatrical work at Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, The O'Neill, The Bushwick Starr, The New Group, The Lark, Mabou Mines, the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival, and many more. She originated the role of Sascha in the play Wheelchair, which is now available from Three Hole Press. She also originated the role of Jane Jr in Evanston Salt Costs Climbing by Will Arbery, directed by Dustin Wills and produced by New Neighborhood.
Jessica R. Aguilar (Stage Manager, she/her/hers)
Mirirai Sithole ( Co-Producer + AYE DEFY Founder, she/they)
Leslie Roth (Lead Producer + AYE DEFY Co-Creator , she/they)
Graphic Design by Leslie Roth + Mirirai Sithole
- Headshot Credit: Courtney Ulrich
- Interview with Adam Szymkowicz
- "SIR" (Published in the Samuel French Festival Anthology)
- "Rapunzel" (Audioplay Available to Stream from Girl Tales)
Colette Robert (Director, she/her/hers) is a Los Angeles native currently based in New York. Recent directing credits include STEW (Page 73, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Antonyo Nominations), Native Son (PlayMakers Rep), On the Exhale (Chester Theatre Company, Berkshire Theatre Critics Award: Best Solo Performance), Behind the Sheet (Ensemble Studio Theatre, NYTimes’ Critics Pick, AUDELCO and Outer Critics Circle Nominations), and Mary’s Wedding (Chester Theatre Company). As a playwright, her play The Harriet Holland Social Club presents the 84th Annual Star-Burst Cotillion in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel received a grant from New York City’s Women’s Film, TV, and Theatre Fund for a production in 2021 (co-produced by New Georges and The Movement Theatre Company). Colette is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre, a New Georges affiliated artist, and an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College. She was previously an Audrey Resident and Jam Co-Leader with New Georges, a Van Lier Directing Fellow at The Public, and The Drama League's 2018 Beatrice Terry Director in Residence. Alumnus of the Mabou Mines Resident Artist Program, Lincoln Center Directors Lab and The Civilians R&D Group. M.A., RADA and King’s College, London. B.A., Yale University. www.coletterobert.com.
- Headshot Credit: Tess Mayer
- Directing Roundtable with The Interval NY
CAST (alphabetically)
Harron Atkins (MIKE, he/him) is a writer/actor who graduated from Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama. His acting credits include Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games), Kragtar: An American Monster Musical (Theatre Now New York) and Millicient Scowlworthy (Uncanny Valley). His plays have been produced at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Normal Ave Theatre, Two Headed Rep, and Dixon Place. He was a 2019 WGA Writers Room Fellow and he is currently a fellow in Sesame Street's Writers Room Workshop. Harron is committed to creating art that battles repression, celebrates authenticity, and encourages the pursuit of unapologetic truth.
Michael Braugher (JIM, he/him) is an actor and musician from South Orange, NJ. As an actor, some of his favorite recent roles have been Blue in Paradise Blue by Dominique Morriseau and Jaques in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. As a musician, he has opened for artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Mos Def, as well as composing music for ABC's "Live! With Kelly and Michael”. MFA: Juilliard. Headshot Credit: Gregory Costanzo
Nicholas Braun (BEN, him/he) stars in HBO’s drama series SUCCESSION as 'Cousin Greg.’ Past credits include HOW TO BE SINGLE, STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT, PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER and Disney’s SKY HIGH. Next up, he stars in A24's ZOLA, directed by Janicza Bravo, written by Jeremy O’Harris and Bravo, based on a viral series of tweets. Headshot Credit: Zenith Richards
Jasmine Carmichael (MAYA, she/they) is excited to be making her AYE DEFY debut in THE WOODS. Her prior regional acting credits include the IRNE award winning production of Milk Like Sugar (Huntington Theatre Company), Jazz and Dance of the Holy Ghost (Baltimore Center Stage). Jasmine can be seen as the cunning con artist Gina on Amazon’s Sneaky Pete. Other television credits include Blue Bloods, Chicago PD, and Law&Order: SVU. Jasmine has starred in several award winning indie features including Romeo and Juliet in Harlem, Runaway and To The Flame. Recently, she made her directorial debut in the Mason Gross Rutgers University production of Leni and Joseph. Jasmine is a proud alumni of Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts. Headshot Credit: Ambe J. Willliams
Tia Cassmira (STAGE DIRECTIONS, she/her/hers) is a first-generation Trinidadian American actress and dancer from Queens, New York. Her recent credits include Waterwell Theatre Production’s alumni performance of The Courtroom (Judge Easterbrook), Chester’s Big Day (Maya), Retro Factory’s Le Freak (Diana Ross), and Between the Lines (Alex). When she's not pursuing a career in the arts, Tia loves spending time with her family and writing. www.TiaCassmira.com. Headshot Credit: Emily Lambert
Will Dagger (DAVE, he/him) has helped develop new work at Primary Stages, Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, The Civilians, The Actors Studio, and The New Group. Recent stage credits: AMONG THE DEAD (Ma-Yi), THE CONVENT OF PLEASURE (Cherry Lane), TREES IN THEIR YOUTH (Signature Center), LATTER DAYS (Dutch Kills), and NAPOLEON IN EXILE (59E59). His performance in a short film adaptation of the latter earned him Best Actor Award from the 30under30 Festival. TV: LAW & ORDER: SVU (NBC), I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE(HBO), and DECEPTION (ABC). Will is a proud member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and an alum of Kenyon College, and he also writes songs.
Starr Kirkland (KIM, she/her) is an actor and spoken word artist from California based in New York. Recent and favorite credits include TJ loves Sally 4 Ever (Jack), of the woman…(Normal Ave), HOTTENTOTTED (The Tank), Julius Caesar (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival), Hephaestus (LPAC), The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Columbia Stages), and The Average-Sized Mermaid (State of Play). She works with Realize Your Beauty promoting self-esteem and positive body image through theatre arts, and performs an original one-woman show promoting literacy at The Morgan Library and Museum as Belle da Costa Greene. Thanks, Loves! www.starrkirkland.com.
Drew Lewis (DAVE G., he/him/his) is a Brooklyn-based actor, writer & director. Selected theater: India Pale Ale (Manhattan Theatre Club); 37th Marathon of One-Act Plays (Ensemble Studio Theatre); Love's Labour's Lost, Romeo & Juliet (Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival). He's developed new work at The Public, NYTW, Playwrights Horizons, MTC & EST. His plays have been semi-finalists for the National Theater Conference at the O'Neill & the Bay Area Playwrights Festival. His short film Androgen premiered at the Florida Film Festival. TV: Alternatino; Succession; Mozart in the Jungle; Blue Bloods; Hack My Life. Upcoming/Postponed: Brittany K. Allen's Redwood at EST. Member of Ensemble Studio Theatre. BA from Kenyon College. thedrewlewis.com. Headshot Credit: Todd Estrin
Rachel Sachnoff (EMILY, she/her/hers) is an actress based in New York. She's developed exciting new theatrical work at Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, The O'Neill, The Bushwick Starr, The New Group, The Lark, Mabou Mines, the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival, and many more. She originated the role of Sascha in the play Wheelchair, which is now available from Three Hole Press. She also originated the role of Jane Jr in Evanston Salt Costs Climbing by Will Arbery, directed by Dustin Wills and produced by New Neighborhood.
Jessica R. Aguilar (Stage Manager, she/her/hers)
Mirirai Sithole ( Co-Producer + AYE DEFY Founder, she/they)
Leslie Roth (Lead Producer + AYE DEFY Co-Creator , she/they)
Graphic Design by Leslie Roth + Mirirai Sithole
EMAIL US
WebDesign | AForArtistMedia.com