People

STAFF
TEACHING ARTISTS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lisa Nelson-Haynes

LISA NELSON-HAYNES - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

lisa@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Having spent 15 years at the Painted Bride Art Center, Nelson-Haynes brings to PYP a deep knowledge of the Philadelphia arts-education community, coupled with hands-on experience with nonprofit management and educational programming. In her role there as associate director, Nelson-Haynes ran the Center’s educational outreach and residency programs, marketing and communications departments and managed contractual relationships with artists. Most recently, she has worked with the Bride’s executive director Laurel Raczka and University of the Arts dance director Donna Faye Burchfield to shepherd the ambitious project, Re-PLACE-ing Philadelphia -- an 18-month initiative to expand the archive of the city’s cultural memory through multiple histories that “re-place” established narratives with new perspectives. She is also a nationally recognized expert in digital storytelling through her work as a facilitator with Storycenter, which uses the art of first-person narrative as a tool for education, advocacy and community-building.

Nelson-Haynes is a graduate of Hampton University and a candidate for a M.F.A. in film-making at Temple University.

Mindy Early

MINDY A. EARLY - DIRECTOR FOR EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SERVICES

mindy@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Mindy A. Early has a B.A. in Drama from Washington College in Maryland, and she did her graduate work in Theatre at Miami University of Ohio with a concentration in Directing. Formerly the Resident Teaching Artist and Education Associate at Philadelphia Theatre Company, during her six-year tenure there she taught over 500 workshops at nearly 40 schools.

Additionally, Mindy is a director and playwright. From 2004 – 2009, she was the Artistic Director of the Cardboard Box Collaborative (CBC), a company devoted to producing emerging playwrights. While at CBC her plays Profiling, Now Serving, and “says Eugenia” (a collaboration with Stephen Spotswood and Liam Daley) were produced, and she stepped down as Artistic Director to work on her latest play to date, The Second Coming of Life, commissioned by Washington College.

Her relationship with Young Playwrights began in 2004, when she served as an Assistant Director for that year’s professional productions at Plays and Players Theatre. Since then she’s worked for Young Playwrights as an Assistant Stage Manager, an actor, and finally as a teaching artist.

As Director for Education and Program Services, Mindy helps to conceive, administer and execute the arts education, artistic and outreach programming of Young Playwrights. This includes facilitating professional development activities, in-class workshops and special projects. She also communicates regularly with program teaching artists, actors and teachers and supports their classroom workshop activities as needed.

Lindsay Mauck

LINDSAY MAUCK - MANAGING DIRECTOR

lindsay@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Lindsay Mauck is a graduate of Temple University with a B.M. in Music Education. She starting at Young Playwrights in 2009 working in Development and Communications, and she now manages all Marketing, HR, Office Systems, and Special Events for the organization. In 2008, Lindsay co-founded and currently serves as Managing Director for Philadelphia’s Mauckingbird Theatre Company which, now in their 9th season, is committed to producing professional gay-themed theater. www.mauckingbird.org.

As a performer, Lindsay has been seen in many regional theaters including Act II Playhouse (PA), Forestburgh Playhouse (NY), Candlelight Theater (DE), Eagle Theater (NJ), Ritz Theater (NJ), Allenberry Playhouse (PA), and Hershey Playhouse (PA). www.LindsayMauck.com

Brittany Brewer

BRITTANY BREWER - ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND PROGRAM SERVICES

brittany@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Brittany is delighted to be a part of the team at Philadelphia Young Playwrights! As a high school student, she had a foundational experience with the Young Playwrights in Process Competition put on by the Indiana Repertory Theatre that changed her life and secured her interests at the intersection of theatre creation and education. Her winning play was a goofy one-act comedy entitled, "What's the Matter with Pink Underwear?"

Brittany holds a Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary English Education from Brown University, where she focused her research on what she was most excited by: integrating the theatre arts into her classroom. Her research results culminated into an article, “Navigating Nonfiction through Drama: Using Choral Reading to Create a Transaction with the Text,” which was published in English Journal. Brittany is a licensed Secondary English Educator who also studied at Indiana University Bloomington, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre & Drama, English, and Spanish with a minor in Telecommunications.

Additionally, Brittany identifies as a performer and playwright. She is passionate about cultivating more Young Adult theatre in the Philadelphia region. Outside of her theatrical aspirations, Brittany enjoys practicing yoga, performing long runs, playing musical instruments, pondering puns, alliteration, and, finally, reading with the company of her cat and a cuppa tea or joe.

Najja Zimele-Keita

Najja Zimele-Keita - Development and Communications Coordinator

najja@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Najja (Naj) Zimele-Keita holds a B.A. in Communication from Villanova University and spent time in London earning an M.A. in Photography History from the Sotheby's Institute of Art. A Philadelphia native whose crowning theatrical achievement was appearing as a duckling in a pre-kindergarten play, Naj is a product of Philadelphia's public school system. Crediting his interests and achievements to the role engagement with the arts played in his schooling, he is passionate about seeing that other young people have the opportunity to enrich their lives and learning through participation in artmaking. Like many Philadelphians, Naj is an avid sports fan. On any given weekend from August to May you might find him watching soccer matches with friends in the morning and napping the rest of the day. When not enjoying the world's game, he is likely buying books he does not need or have room to store.

Cally Adamson-Jackes

CALLY ADAMSON-JACKES - OFFICE MANAGER

cally@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Cally Adamson-Jackes is a bookkeeper and administrative extraordinaire. She enjoys supporting the arts from an administrative lens - an interest that stemmed from her starring role as Cleopatra at age 8. Cally is currently studying cosmetology at the Jean Madeline Aveda Institute of Philadelphia, after spending time at Louis and Clark College in Portland, OR. She currently resides in Old City with her two black cats, Dizzy and Lemon, who are chic fashion stars.

Steve Gravelle

STEVE GRAVELLE - RESIDENT TEACHING ARTIST

steve@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Steve Gravelle is a teaching artist, director and playwright based in Philadelphia. He teaches in residence for Philly Young Playwrights, 1812 Productions, Enchantment Theatre, and Theatre Horizon. He was the co-creator of the SoLow Festival hit sweating/sleeping, and creator/cook of A Brief History Of Food, Augusta ME To Philadelphia PA, 1983 to the Present; Or, Let Me Cook You Dinner. Originally from New Hampshire, Steve has called Philadelphia home since 2006. Co-recipient of the 2015 Adele Magner Memorial Award. A proud graduate of Keene State College with bachelor’s degrees in Theatre and English, as well as the Arden Professional Apprentice program.

Maryruth (MR) Stine

MARYRUTH (MR) STINE - RESIDENT TEACHING ARTIST

maryruth@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Maryruth (MR) Stine is a performer and educator raised in Baltimore and Elmwood, West Virginia. MR’s principal focus is community-driven projects which combine elements of commedia dell’arte, puppetry, and mask to strike a balance of silly stories and social critique. After touring multiple shows from northern Canada to southern India, MR settled in Philly and has since been onstage with the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, EgoPo Classic Theatre, the IRC, Hedgerow Theatre, and Little Fish Theatre, and in the classroom with Theatre Horizon, the Mantua Theatre Project, WolfPAC, and Philadelphia Young Playwrights (2015 Adele Magner Memorial Award co-recipient).

Jesse Bernstein

JESSE BERNSTEIN- RESIDENT TEACHING ARTIST

Jesse Bernstein is a Philadelphia native and former PYPF winner. Jesse was a recipient of a Fellowship in the Arts grant for his play Healing Electra. Other writing credits: Mainstreamed, Bully For You and Friends With Shadows (Amaryllis Theatre). Jesse also wrote, produced, and starred in the short film Us One Night. As an actor, he has performed for the New York Shakespeare Festival, Arden Theatre Company, Walnut Street Theatre and more. He has been a teaching artist for the PYPF, Young Playwrights Inc, the Walnut Street Theatre Company, Wilma Theatre, Northwestern College and the National High School Institute.

Stephanie N. Walters

STEPHANIE N. WALTERS - SPECIAL PROJECTS FELLOW

Stephanie is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and a teaching artist in Philadelphia. She has also recently started her journey as Philadelphia’s first Asian American playwright and currently studies with Philadelphia’s new play development laboratory, PlayPenn. Regional credits include: InterAct Theatre: #therevolution (Aurora); Montgomery Theater: 4000 Miles(Amanda); Delaware Theatre Company: South Pacific (Liat); Walnut Street Theatre: The King & I, Miss Saigon. She is a graduate of Bucknell University, CAP21, and London Dramatic Academy. Upcoming performances: Peaceable Kingdom with Orbiter 3. Recent play productions: The Greenfield Collective/Future is Female Festival, Dragon’s Eye/Philadelphia Children’s Festival and Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival.

Carlos Roa

CARLOS ROA - EDUCATION PROGRAMS FELLOW

Carlos Roa is a creator, writer, and performer. A proud alumni of the Headlong Performance Institute and Drexel University, his work expresses interest in child-like revelry onstage and cultural outsiders. He has worked with organizations such as The Wilma Theater, Taller Puertorriqueño, and Swim Pony Performing Arts. Previous writing credits include: From Beneath, It Lurks, created in collaboration with local directors Adrienne Mackey and Bradley Wrenn; and Andean Mountains, which premiered at Taller Puertorriqueño and received residency support from FringeArts. Last spring, he assistant-directed with Blanka Zizka in the Wilma’s production of Passage by Christopher Chen. He is very excited to work with PYP for the first time!

Pratima Agrawal

PRATIMA AGRAWAL

Pratima is a local performer and has been a core member of Kaleid Theatre for the past two years. While not dramatizing, Kaleid-ing, or working with PYP, she works as an arts administrator and volunteers with the Philadelphia Ready for 100 clean energy campaign. She moved to Philadelphia three years ago for the city’s vibrant theatre and arts scene and is inspired by the progressive community voices within and outside of the arts. She is also a Sixers fan.

Jesse Bernstein

JESSE BERNSTEIN- RESIDENT TEACHING ARTIST

Jesse Bernstein has performed at the New York Shakespeare Festival, the Berkshire Theatre Festival, the Arden Theatre Company, Ventura Theatre Company and the Walnut Street Theatre Company. TV appearances include Law & Order, Veronica Mars and Days of Our Lives. Directing credits include Shipwrecked! and the up-coming It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play for the Walnut Street Theatre and Member of the Wedding for Rutgers-Camden. Writing credits include several outreach plays and a musical currently in development for 11th Hour Theatre Company. Jesse wrote and directed the short film Allergy (official selection, Audience Awards and LA Comedy Shorts Fest) and wrote, produced, and starred in the short film Us One Night alongside Alison Brie and Liza Weil. He is a Resident Teaching Artist for Philadelphia Young Playwrights and has taught for organizations in Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia as well as at Northwestern University College, the Cherub program and University of the Arts.

Mitchell Bloom

MITCHELL BLOOM - CONNECTIVITY MANAGER & TEACHING ARTIST

mitchell@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Mitchell Bloom is a graduate of the M.A. Theatre program at Villanova University. While at Villanova, Mitchell acted in seven productions, was recognized with the Brian G. Morgan Memorial Theatre Award, and received a research grant from the University’s School of Graduate Arts and Sciences to study at the Pig Iron School for Advanced Performance Training’s Summer Intensive. As an actor, he has worked with a number of companies regionally including: Simpatico Theater Company, Iron Age Theatre Company, Arden Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Theatre Horizon, Revolution Shakespeare, Theater in the X, Mauckingbird Theatre Company, the Philadelphia Opera Collective, and Temple University, where he holds a B.A. English. In addition to PYP, Mitchell works for a number of organizations regionally, including: Revolution Shakespeare (Development Associate), Mauckingbird Theatre Company (Director of Development), and the Grammy Award-winning The Crossing (Grants Manager). Mitchell produces and edits Mouthful Podcast.

Brittany Brewer

BRITTANY BREWER - IN SCHOOL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR & TEACHING ARTIST

brittany@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Brittany is delighted to be a part of the team at Philadelphia Young Playwrights! As a high school student, she had a foundational experience with the Young Playwrights in Process Competition put on by the Indiana Repertory Theatre that changed her life and secured her interests at the intersection of theatre creation and education. Her winning play was a goofy one-act comedy entitled, "What's the Matter with Pink Underwear?"

Brittany holds a Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary English Education from Brown University, where she focused her research on what she was most excited by: integrating the theatre arts into her classroom. Her research results culminated into an article, “Navigating Nonfiction through Drama: Using Choral Reading to Create a Transaction with the Text,” which was published in English Journal. Brittany is a licensed Secondary English Educator who also studied at Indiana University Bloomington, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre & Drama, English, and Spanish with a minor in Telecommunications.

Additionally, Brittany identifies as a performer and playwright. She is passionate about cultivating more Young Adult theatre in the Philadelphia region. Outside of her theatrical aspirations, Brittany enjoys practicing yoga, performing long runs, playing musical instruments, pondering puns, alliteration, and, finally, reading with the company of her cat and a cuppa tea or joe.

Mindy Early

Steve Gravelle

Kyle A. Jackson

KYLE JACKSON- TEACHING ARTIST

Kyle A. Jackson is an actor, playwright and director originally from New Orleans, LA and currently based in Philadelphia, PA. He studied Drama at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), Dillard University and Coppin State University before receiving a BA in Theatre Arts/Drama from Morgan State University and a MS in Arts Administration from Drexel University. He will be attending the British American Drama Academy's Midsummer in Oxford Program this Summer. He is a candidate for membership with the Actors' Equity Association of America. His professional Theatre credits include MARLEY (World Premiere) and AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE at Baltimore's Centerstage, and A RAISIN IN THE SUN and YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU at Everyman Theatre in Baltimore, MD. He most recently directed INSURRECTION: HOLDING HISTORY at Baltimore's Annex Theatre (Best Play 2016, Baltimore City Paper) in 2015, and his original play EVERYBODY ELSE'S LIGHT was presented at New York's Fresh Fruit Festival in 2014. He was last seen in FIRST THEY CAME FOR by Shannon DiStefano, presented by Found Theater Company and Philadelphia Young Playwrights.

David Jacobi

DAVID JACOBI -TEACHING ARTIST

David’s plays have been performed throughout the U.S. and in China. His work has been developed at Ojai Playwrights Conference, Portland Center Stage’s JAW Festival, RISK IS THIS, Great Plains Theatre Conference, Kennedy Center MFA Playwright’s Workshop, SLC Playwrights Lab and PlayPenn. In March of 2016, his play Mai Dang Lao received a world premiere with Sideshow Theatre at Victory Gardens in Chicago. He is a winner of the Holland New Voices Award, Kennedy Center Theatre for Young Audiences Award, a Relentless Award semifinalist, and has been nominated for the Weissburger. David was the 2015 Shank Fellow at Pig Iron Theatre Company and is currently commissioned by the Denver Center. He received a BFA in Dramatic Writing from Purchase College and an MFA from UC San Diego.

Donovan Lockett

DONOVAN LOCKETT

Donovan is an Actor/Writer/Teaching Artist who proudly hails from New Orleans but has made Philly her artistic home. With PYP, Donovan has taught workshops and residencies, acted in the Young Voices Monologue Festival, in staged readings, and in classrooms, and has selected high school submissions for the 2017 Literary Committee. She has performed regionally at Walnut St Theatre, Theatre Horizon, Philadelphia Artists’ Collective, Revolution Shakespeare, Delaware Shakespeare, Scranton Shakespeare Festival, Hangar Theatre, New Orleans Fringe, and Philly Fringe, amongst others. BFA: Ithaca College. donovanlockett.com

Anthony Martinez-Briggs

ANTHONY MARTINEZ-BRIGGS- TEACHING ARTIST

Anthony Martinez-Briggs is a teaching artist, administrator of collaborative projects and multidisciplinarian, focused in: creative writing, acting, vocal performance, design and directing. His major ongoing focus has been his band ILL DOOTS (www.illdoots.com), who recently concluded their second tour. Recent production credits include Uncle Tom's Cabin as an actor with EgoPo Classic Theater and Time Machine: The Lost Hour as a sound designer. A recent graduate ready to change the world for the better, just this year he received his BFA in Acting with a minor in Creative Writing.

Shamus McCarty

SHAMUS MCCARTY - TEACHING ARTIST

Shamus Hunter McCarty loves collaborating with Philadelphia Young Playwrights! With PYP Shamus has performed in both Young Voices Festivals, taught residencies at Springfield Middle, the Shipley School, Masterman & others, directed for two Young Voices Middle School Monologue Festivals and attends every Mini-Festival he can! Outside of PYP he is an actor with credits including Bristol Riverside, EgoPo, The Eagle, Tennessee Williams Theatre Fest, The Renegade Company & many others. As a director he collaborates regularly with ReVamp Collective, Manayunk Theatre Co. and develops new work throughout the region.

Kate McGrath

KATE MCGRATH- TEACHING ARTIST

Kate McGrath is a playwright, dramaturg, teaching artist and two-time recipient of the Philadelphia Young Playwrights Adele Magner Memorial Award. She served as a Resident TA in 2013-14. Additional teaching credits: Walking Fish Theatre, ArtSpace Lansdowne, The Shipley School, Pennsylvania Performing Arts Academy, Wolf Performing Arts Center. Plays include Seafood (Best Play of NC, Perihelion Theatre Company) Up From the Ashes (IronAge Theatre), November Women (Lovecreek Festival, Edmonton Fringe, University of Kazakhstan, Women's Place Theatre) This is my Place (National Women's Theatre Festival at the Painted Bride), Bluebird of Happiness and What Wanda Wants (Phila. Fringe). Her plays Imitate the Sun and Mother's Day are published by YouthPlays.com. Kate was a Morehead Scholar at UNC at Chapel Hill, and earned her Masters in Theatre at Villanova. Dramaturgy includes work with Philadelphia Theatre Workshop and InterAct Theatre, as well as the Philadelphia Young Playwrights Young Voices Monologue Festival. Kate was a Morehead Scholar at UNC at Chapel Hill, and earned her Masters in Theatre at Villanova.

Emily Moylan

EMILY MOYLAN - TEACHING ARTIST APPRENTICE

emily@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

Emily is a local actor, teaching artist, and stage manager. She received her B.A. in Theatre with a minor in English from Temple University.

Her involvement with Philly Young Playwrights began in 2013 when she was an actor in the New Voices Festival. Since then, she has worked with PYP in many capacities, and now serves as the 2017-2018 Teaching Artist Apprentice.

Outside of her work with PYP, she has worked as an actor with companies like Revolution Shakespeare, Tempest in a Teapot Co., and Prime Theatre Syndicate. As a stage manager, she has worked with Peoples Light and Theatre Co., Delaware Theatre Company, The Bearded Ladies, and Upper Darby Summer Stage.

When she's not working within the Philadelphia theatre community, Emily helps countless high school students cram for the SAT/ACTs at Huntington Learning Center in Springfield.

David O'Connor

DAVID O'CONNOR- TEACHING ARTIST

david@phillyyoungplaywrights.org

David O’Connor has been a teaching artist and director with Philadelphia Young Playwrights since 2004. David came to Philadelphia to pursue his MFA in Directing from Temple University, and now calls Philadelphia home. David has directed for the Arden, PlayPenn, Hedgerow, the Philadelphia Fringe and the Lantern, where he was nominated for a Barrymore and named Philadelphia Weekly’s Director of the Year for his production of “Master Harold”…and the boys. He is also a lighting, sound and projection designer, as well as an adjunct faculty member of both Temple University and University of Pennsylvania. David is husband to theatre management consultant Karyn Lyman, and is father to Zachary and Madeline Rose.

Katherine Perry

KATHERINE PERRY - TEACHING ARTIST

Katherine Perry is a Jersey girl at heart, but has made Philly her home since 2010. She is an actor, improviser, and teaching artist. As a teaching artist Katherine works with the Arden Theatre Company, Walnut Street Theatre, Haddonfield Theatre Arts Center, PYP, and Theatre Horizon. Katherine holds a BA from Lehigh University in both Psychology and Theatre, and studied with the British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England. www.katherineperry.net

Donnell Powell

DONNELL POWELL- TEACHING ARTIST

Donnell is a Philly based conceptual artist, educator, and collector. His main source of material used is found objects in which he believes everything in the world has another purpose for existing. He is a teaching artist with the Painted Bride Arts Center and a tour docent with Mural Arts. He is a proud Temple U. alum and his spirit animal is the owl.

Evan Raines

EVAN RAINES- TEACHING ARTIST

Evan Raines is a teaching artist and actor in the Philadelphia area. Recently as an actor, Evan has worked with EgoPo Classic Theatre, Mauckingbird Theatre Company, and Quince Productions. He graduated with a B.A. in theater from Temple University, where he first worked with PYP as an actor in the new voices festival. This is Evan's second year working as a teaching artist for PYP.

Savannah Reich

SAVANNAH REICH

Savannah Reich is a playwright and screenwriter based in Philadelphia. Her screenplay “Beebe and Barton” was the winner of the Sloan Student Grand Jury Prize in 2015. Her plays have been produced by theater companies such as Available Light Theater (OH), Baltimore Annex Theater (MD), San Francisco Theater Pub (CA), Walking Shadow (MN), Truepenny Theater (WI) and Der Vorfuhreffekt (PA). She also produces her own work with her company, Eternal Cult, and tours it to theaters, warehouses, art galleries, bars and basements across the country. Her plays have been twice recommended for the Kilroys’ List, and she was a Core Apprentice at the Playwrights Center for 2016-2017. She holds an MFA from Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied with Rob Handel.

Carlos Roa

CARLOS ROA

Carlos Roa is a creator, writer, and performer. A proud alumni of the Headlong Performance Institute and Drexel University, his work expresses interest in child-like revelry onstage and cultural outsiders. He has worked with organizations such as The Wilma Theater, Taller Puertorriqueño, and Swim Pony Performing Arts. Previous writing credits include: From Beneath, It Lurks, created in collaboration with local directors Adrienne Mackey and Bradley Wrenn; and Andean Mountains, which premiered at Taller Puertorriqueño and received residency support from FringeArts. In the spring, he will be assistant-directing with Blanka Zizka in the Wilma’s production of Passage by Christopher Chen. He is very excited to work with PYP for the first time!

Phoebe Schaub

PHOEBE SCHAUB- TEACHING ARTIST

Phoebe Schaub is a director, performer/creator, musician, art doula, and proud teaching artist. She is a graduate of Temple University's undergraduate directing program and a cofounder and active company member of Found Theater Company. She is committed to devising work outside the boundaries of traditional narrative, and merges the skills she’s developed over the years in both traditional and experimental theater when working in the classroom. She believes strongly in art's ability to empower students, to teach communication skills, and to foster emotional agency.