VANESSA KAI - Claire Yiang

VANESSA KAI is an actor, collaborator, and a native New Yorker. Vanessa was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as 'Ruby' in the sold out, extended world premiere of KPOP - an Off Broadway, immersive, musical event produced by ARS NOVA (Broadway's Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) in association with Ma-Yi Theater + Woodshed Collective.

Other Off Broadway productions include the world premiere of THE PAIN OF MY BELLIGERENCE at Playwrights Horizons along with Halley Feiffer & Hamish Linklater. Written by Halley Feiffer (Netflix's 'Kidding', Amazon's 'Mozart in the Jungle', 'I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard' at Atlantic Theater Company). Directed by Trip Cullman (Broadway's The Rose Tatoo, Choir Boy (Tony Nominated for Best Play); HENRY VI: Shakespeare's Trilogy in Two Parts (2019 Drama Desk Nominated for Outstanding Revival of a Play) with award winning theater company, the National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO); SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER by Chisa Hutchinson (world premiere) at Second Stage Theater; and THE ARCHITECTURE OF BECOMING (world premiere) Women’s Project Theater at New York City Center.

Regional theater productions include the world premiere of RICHARD, JANE, DICK & SALLY, written by Noah Diaz and directed by Taylor Reynolds, at Baltimore Center Stage, co-produced with The Playwrights Realm and The Sol Project; TOP GIRLS, written by Caryl Churchill and directed by Liesl Tommy (Tony Award Nominated for Best Director, Eclipsed; RESPECT; Jessica Jones), at Huntington Theatre Company. Other regional credits include Seattle Repertory Theater and Stamford Theaterworks where she received a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Debut by the Connecticut Critics Circle.

Vanessa has also helped develop new works at New York Stage and Film, Roundabout Theatre Company, Playwrights Realm, Two River Theater, The New Group, The Lark, Play On Shakespeare in association with Oregon Shakespeare Festival, New Dramatists, and others.

Upcoming, Vanessa is set as a series regular opposite Olivia Liang in KUNG FU, the CW's reimagining with a female lead of the 1970s David Carradine-starring TV series, from Christina M. Kim, Bob Berens, Martin Gero, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Warner Bros TV.

Vanessa has also appeared in a recurring role as Dr. Izuka on NBC's hit show, "New Amsterdam." Other select television credits include “Orange Is The New Black,” “Gotham,” “The Mysteries of Laura.”

Vanessa lives in Brooklyn, NY with The Hubz.

MICHAEL ESPER - Trevor Barlow

On Broadway, Michael originated the role of Will in the Tony Winning musical, American Idiot. Michael made his Broadway debut opposite Frank Langella in Roundabout Theatre Company’s A Man for All Seasons. Other recent Broadway credits include the role of Curtis in Tony Nominated production of Nicky Silver’s The Lyons. His other New York theatre credits include, Assistance at Playwrights Horizons, a role he also originated, The Agony and The Agony, Original Off Broadway production of The Lyons (Vineyard Theatre); As You Like It (The Public Theater); Big Bill (Lincoln Center Theater); Crazy Mary, Manic Flight Reaction; The Four of Us (Manhattan Theatre Club); subUrbia (Second Stage Theatre); and Tony Kushner’s The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key To the Scriptures at The Public Theatre.

Michael’s regional credits include Tony Kushner’s The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key To the Scriptures at the Guthrie Theatre, where he originated the role; Long Day’s Journey Into Night with the Druid Theatre Company and the Dublin Theatre Festival and Edward Albee’s Me, Myself and I at McCarter Theatre Center.

Michael’s film credits include the soon to be released, Runner, Runner for director Brad Furman, starring alongside Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake. He also appeared in Crazy Love, Frances Ha, All Good Things, Watching TV with the Red Chinese , A Beautiful Mind, Bittersweet Place, Loggerheads, Light & The Sufferer, American Gun, & Dyins is Easy. He is slated to start shooting Animal Rescue, directed by Michael R Roskam- April, 2013.

Notable work in television includes a series regular role on “Do No Harm” and most recently a Guest Starring role on “The Good Wife.” Michael has also appeared in “Bunker Hill” and “Law & Order.”

Michael Esper is a recipient of the Clarence Derwent Award from Actors’ Equity. He also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Long Day’s Journey Into Night from the Irish Times.

CHISA HUTCHINSON - Playwright

Chisa Hutchinson (B.A. Vassar College; M.F.A NYU - TSoA) is a New York-based playwright and screenwriter. Her radio drama, PROOF OF LOVE, was recently presented by Audible and New York Theatre Workshop at the Minetta Lane Theater in NYC and can now be found on Audible's digital platform (with a 4.6 rating and everything, too, so that’s pretty cool) and her next radio play was commissioned by Dorset Theatre, where it will receive its premiere later this year. Chisa’s happily presented her other plays, which include DIRT RICH, SHE LIKE GIRLS, THIS IS NOT THE PLAY, SEX ON SUNDAY, TUNDE'S TRUMPET, THE SUBJECT, SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER, ALORNDRA WAS HERE, SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY, FROM THE AUTHOR OF,WHITELISTED and DEAD AND BREATHING at such venues as the Lark Theater, SummerStage, Atlantic Theater Company, Rattlestick Theater, the Contemporary American Theater Festival, the National Black Theatre, Delaware REP, Second Stage Theater and Arch 468 in London. She has been a Humanitas Fellow, a Dramatists Guild Fellow, a Lark Fellow, Resident at Second Stage Theater and New Dramatists, a New York NeoFuturist, and a staff writer for the Blue Man Group. Here are some of her awards and whatnot: a GLAAD Award, a Lilly Award, a New York Innovative Theatre Award, the Paul Green Award, a Helen Merrill Award, the Lanford Wilson Award. Currently, Chisa is wondering when, if ever, the adaptation of TERMS OF ENDEARMENT that she worked on with Lee Daniels for Paramount will go into production, having been pandemically postponed. Meanwhile, she’s just finished an adaptation of OLIVER TWIST with Ice Cube for Disney, is in her final weeks of work on a new TV series for Showtime, and is about to embark on another with producers Karamo Brown (QUEER EYE) and Stephanie Allain (HUSTLE & FLOW, DEAR WHITE PEOPLE). Her first original feature, THE SUBJECT, an indie about a white documentarian dealing with the moral fallout from exploiting the death of a black teen, has been selected for numerous festivals, including the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, The Lighthouse International Film Festival, the Bronze Lens Film Festival, The DC Black Film Festival and the Catalina Film Festival where it won the top prizes. To learn more, visit www.chisahutchinson.com

JADE KING CARROLL - Director

Jade King Carroll (Director): PROOF OF LOVE (Audible at Minetta Lane/NYTW); 7 DEADLY SINS (Miami New Drama); DETROIT ’67 (McCarter Theatre co-production with Hartford Stage); INTIMATE APPAREL, THE PIANO LESSON (McCarter Theatre); THE PIANO LESSON (Hartford Stage); BEFORE THE WITCHING HOUR/PANDEMIC BLUES (Weston Playhouse); HAVING OUR SAY (Hartford Stage co-production with Long Wharf Theatre); AUTUMN'S HARVEST (Lincoln Center Institute); A TROUBLE IN MIND (Two River Theater & Playmakers Rep); THE BLEEDING CLASS (Geva Theatre); MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM, THE WHIPPING MAN, NATIVE GARDENS (Portland Stage); THE REVOLUTIONISTS, SUNSET BABY(City Theatre); A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Juilliard & Perseverance); THE TEMPEST (Chautauqua Theater Company); SEVEN GUITARS (People's Light and Theatre & Point Park University); KING HEDLEY II (Portland Playhouse); MR CHICKEE'S FUNNY MONEY (Atlantic Theater); SKELETON CREW (Dorset Theater Festival, Portland Stage, co-production with Theatreworks- Palo Alto & Marin Theatre); THE PERSIANS (People's Light & Theatre); FROM THE AUTHOR OF(Delaware Rep); A MEMBER OF THE WEDDING (Tennessee Williams Theater Festival); HELLO, FROM THE CHILDREN OF PLANET EARTH (Playwright’s Realm); Associate Director for A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and THE GIN GAME (Broadway); THE CHILDREN'S MONOLOGUES (Carnegie Hall).

Jade has developed works with such playwrights as Chisa Hutchinson, Dael Orlandersmith, Sofia Alvarez, Aurin Squire, Jonathan Payne, Kia Corthron, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Joshua Allen, Dominique Morriseau, Sam Chanse, Kara Lee Corthron, Keith Joseph Adkins, Janine Nabers, Kelli Goff and C.A Johnson, culminating with readings and workshops at Roundabout Theatre, Playwright’s Horizon, New York Theatre Workshop, The O’Neill Theater Center, McCarter Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Huntington Theatre, Two River Theatre, New Dramatists, Second Stage Theatre, The Lark, Primary Stages, Time Warner New Play Festival, LAByrinth, PlayPenn, Joe’s Pub, Goethe Institute, Lincoln Center Institute, and many others.

Jade has taught, guest lectured and directed at Juilliard, Princeton, New York University, Rutgers, Penn State, WVU, SUNY New Paltz, Adelphi, NYCDA, Point Park University, University of Iowa.

Fellowships & Awards: TCG New Generations Future Leader, New York Theatre Workshop, Van Lier, Second Stage Theatre, Women’s Project, McCarter Theatre, SUNY 40 under 40, Gates Millennium Scholar, Paul Green Award from the National Theatre Conference and The Estate of August Wilson

JUSTIN ELLINGTON - Audio Producer and Composer

Justin Ellington’s career has encompassed the role of composer, arranger, music director, producer, educator, sound designer and musician. His work in: theater, film and the record industry have allowed him to traverse through jazz, classical, blues, world and contemporary musical styles. . His understanding of differences in process for theater, film and radio have proven to benefit his career and have allowed him to traverse through the various industries with confidence.

As composer and sound designer Justin has had the great fortune to work with Lincoln Center Theater, The Guthrie, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, The Goodman Theater, The Kennedy Center, Theater For A New Audience, New York Theater Workshop, The Public Theater, Williamstown Theater, New York Stage and Film, Actors Theater of Louisville, Children’s Theater Company, Royal Shakespeare Company, Center Theater Group, Geffen Playhouse, The Alliance Theatre, and others.

He has had the pleasure of collaborating on new works with acclaimed playwrights including John Guare, Neil Labute, Will Power, Marcus Gardley, Dominique Morriseau, Dael Orlandersmith, Jon Robin Baitz, and Adrianne Kennedy on her latest offering He Brought Her Heart Back In A Box.

Justin Ellington arranged, co-orchestrated and composed the music for the Dallas Theater Center production of Stagger Lee. The compositions spanned a century's worth of American musical forms. The production earned high praise from audiences and was awarded Best New Musical by the Dallas Theater Awards. Justin was also part of the design that produced the critically acclaimed Broadway production of Jon Robin Baitz’s Other Desert Cities. Among the play’s many accolades and awards the production was also recognized with a Tony Award nomination for Best New Play.

Justin Ellington’s music director credits include work in theater and with recording artists including: The Last Five Years, Middle School The Musical, The Wiz, Loving v Virginia, Stagger Lee (workshops), Donnie (former Motown recording artist), Lizz Wright (recording artist), the Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta and others. Ellington has been the recipient of a Grammy award, an American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) award for his work in the recording industry. Justin has contributed to over 10 million albums sold. He earned a Grammy for his work with Usher (Raymond vs. Raymond) and an ASACP award for his work with Nicki Minaj (Pink Friday). In 2014, Mr. Ellington was commissioned to compose music for the National Museum for Civil and Human Rights. The project titled MOVE ACT FREE, led by George C Wolfe, was awarded a Cinema In Industry (CINDY) Award for production design.

As an educator, Mr. Ellington has been artist in residence at Princeton University, New York University, Southern Methodist University, and The Public Theater’s Shakespeare Initiative. Justin is a proud member of the American Society of Composer and Publishers, United Scenic Artist local 829, and Koblat Music Group. Visit him on the web at www.justinellington.com

TWI McCALLUM - Sound Designer

Twi McCallum is a sound designer living in NYC, by-way of Baltimore, MD. Her favorite theatrical credits include Kansas City Rep, The Kennedy Center, The Public Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, and her Broadway debut with Chicken & Biscuits in fall 2021. She has served as an apprentice sound editor on television shows for STARZ and NBCUniversal, and will be sound designer/composer/mixer for an upcoming Marvel digital series. Most importantly, she is a former student of Howard University’s theatre department and a graduate of Yale School of Drama’s one-year sound program. When not working, she loves taking care of her pet snails named Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, Rihanna, Megan thee Stallion, and Cardi B.

OLIVIA LOUSIE TREE PLATH - Stage Manager

OLIVIA LOUISE TREE PLATH (STAGE MANAGER) is delighted to be working with Dorset Theatre Festival, in person (yay)! Last year Olivia joined her classmate Josh Wilder as Co-Pilot (producer/casting director) for The Playwrights Workshop. With the addition of classmate Christina Fontana this trio led to work with more than 50 playwrights and 80 actors over the course of last year. Olivia’s last few projects have been with the Cleveland Play House, the Guthrie Theatre, and the International Arts & Ideas Festival. Olivia dedicates her work to her remarkable parents, her brother and soon to be sister-in-law and her supportive extended family.